Donations, Money, Power, Politics and Climate Council: Australian Hot Air

With the axing of the Climate Commission by the newly incumbent Abbott Government we are seeing the re-grouping of scientists, economists and those interested in Climate Change.

Tim Flannery has today announced the opening of the new Climate Council funded by the community.
If you want their work of education and reasoned advice to continue, please donate.
Yes I have!

The Climate Commission's brief, to explain climate change to Australians, obviously didn't work very well judging by the number of climate skeptics that continually pop-up on TV and media generally. But is that their fault or that of powerful vested interests in business and the media?

Mr Abbott's government has passed the education function to the Bureau of Meterology. I wonder if they will get any funding to effectively do that? I haven't heard anything as yet. Will Climate Change information be displayed prominently on their home page? Lets wait and see.

Many years ago, in my past life, I remember signing secrecy agreements, restricting my ability to comment to the media without express permission from my management. We protested this vigorously!
As a Council Employee my Code of Conduct asks for something similar.

But as a private citizen I expect to be able to comment appropriately. And use appropriate means to convey my concerns to our elected politicians.

As Paul Barry on Media Watch pointed out headlines the the Australian Newspaper such as "We Got it Wrong on Warming, Says IPCC" showed only one thing. That the Australian can't be trusted to get it right!

A retraction from the Australian was posted later but the damage had already been done. Lying, over-exaggeration and self-interest of the powerful is common in this brave new world of media. Good to see Paul Barry and Media Watch bringing them to account.

August Contrary Winds

Sneeze Inducing Wattle Flowers

August is often a most contrary month. Spring seems in the air with flowering wattles but cold winds and rain batter the fragile flowers and keep hay-fever sneezing indoors.
The political landscape is heating up again with announcements of new tax hikes for smokers and a deposit levy on savings in Banks,as well as the Fringe Benefits Tax changes on cars. The much awaited Federal Election date, is still awaited with the Labor Government keeping mum.

The boats continue to float or capsize into Christmas Island leading to new, draconian measures to dissuade the people smugglers and refugees/migrants. None seems to be working.

Dick Smith, serial entrepreneur, pilot and social activist flew into ABC TV last night with "Ten Bucks a Litre", a very Dick Smithian look at Australia's energy use and future. The Conversation's analysis by Will Grant "Dick Smith flies planes, weighs energy futures" reflected my feelings pretty closely with the closing scene of Dick sipping a cuppa in a forest shack ringing somewhat hollow.
What was overwhelming was the visual representation of all those open-cut coal and uranium mines and the role Australia is determined to play in exporting carbon dense fossil fuels to the rest of the world, not caring about the climate or about how this will affect our economy, already teetering.

Loy Yang Coal Fired Power Station & Open Cut Mine, Victoria

Although the title of his film was "Ten Bucks a Litre" indicating the rising cost of petrol, little time was spent indicating possible negative effects on the population, a subject that can be found in blogs such as "Our Finite World".
The movement from our current complex societies dependance on fossil fuels to less energy rich resources including solar, wind, energy efficiency and nuclear (for some in th e world) depends heavily on doing it early enough before economic, political and environmental collapse makes it impossible.
By the time petrol is Ten Bucks a Litre, will it all be too late?

4 Corners "The Carbon War" and "At Home With Julia"

If you didn't watch this program on Monday night I suggest you do so
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2011/09/15/3318364.htm
or watch it on Youtube

At least the ABC has got the gumption to stand up and provide some much needed "balance" on the political hysteria surrounding the Climate War, Carbon Tax and our political system.
I noticed the vast majority of people on the show can be said to belong to the WASP older electorate demographic. When I ask younger people what they think, they want the whole debate over and done with and a price on carbon.
If we couldn't do it when the nation was doing so well then its disingenuous to put off the idea now that there may be some tough times ahead. After all the Stern report warned strongly that the cost of doing nothing is even higher. (1% now vs 20% later).
As far as I know most elections produce a Government who then proceeds to govern, not asking us to vote again for another 3-4 years, and certainly not asking us to vote on every big issue that comes up.
And most scientists I know (and I know several) will argue the science with far more accuracy than those climate deniers featured here.
BTW its also the same demographic that is outraged by "At Home With Julia" - Tim and Julia G characters under the flag, in her office, having a cuddle! Give us a break, have a bit of a laugh and remember your history- see Crikey's list of Badly Behaved Pollies to see our finest with feet of clay.
People in glass Houses etc etc
After all we are supposed to be able to laugh at ourselves!