World Environment Day 5 June 2014: Tony's Hate Campaign

This Thursday will be World Environment Day. As such I thought a recent list of 'environment' news would be instructive. So please give generously of your time, money, brains to supporting our environment. Do it NOW. Its your support and work that is helping our Environment, not the Government.

• The Federal Budget as a starting point brought more bad news for Environment Groups leading to my email inbox being inundated with meetings, petitions and requests for funds.
• Solar Citizens is holding a "Our Solar at Risk" Public Meeting on 19 June at RMIT- Tickets are free but limited: Check out details at  http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/melbourne to book. 
• The Climate Council has published the "Abnormal Autumn" report.
• See the Conversations take on the Abnormal Autumn report.
• Australia's environmental laws including the RET have delivered more than our Kyoto Targets, with very little change to our economy. But these will be wound back with a great new tax (Liberal Party's Direct Action) on the Australian people  instead of the small Carbon Tax on a few companies. To protest at changes to the RET (Renewable Energy Target) join Getup's Protect the RET.
• Dirty air is being breathed by the most poor and vulnerable in Australia according to this report by the Conversation. Equity issues here as everywhere else in Australia.
• Australia's leading place in Mammal Extinction continues with recent reports showing our current efforts are leading to 1 mammal going extinct per decade. How to stop this trend requires money, cost-effective analysis and involvement of industry and stakeholders. But money is now tight and there is not an effective science, conservation or climate change minister in the Federal Government.
• Barack Obama plans a 30% cut in Carbon emissions from its dirty coal-fired power stations. He will have to use Presidential decree to get the plans through and like Australia, the reaction from industry is predictable with politicians in coal industry areas running for cover. He risks the same response as we have had. A new government sweeping away any and everything to do with improvement in environmental laws to benefit the fat cats and conservatives of industry. So much for innovation and new industry development which is sympathetic to clean air, water, local industry and good jobs.
• ABC Lateline reports "The head of China's most advanced carbon emissions exchange says australia could scuttle the creation of a global system of carbon trading by dumping its scheme at a crucial time." We should be careful about annoying China as it starts to flex its considerable economic and political muscles. As well as trying to get its rampant ecological problems under control using clean technology. 

Wintry Woes- Budget time!

This last week or so is the time of the annual State and Federal Government Budgets. So along with the change to a cold and wintry weather, we have the various governments fiscal woes.
Last night the Federal Opposition Coalition Leader Tony Abbott gave his rebuttal of the governments budget.
The Federal Labor Government has made a mess - promising a surplus and delivering a resounding deficit for the next ten years, or so the commentary goes.
Mr Abbott promises to keep all the Governments savings and slash Public sector Jobs, abolish the Carbon and Mining Profits Tax, but keep paying out compensation to the Electricity and other large companies hit by the Carbon Tax. Various other  "savings" will occur so we can have paid parental leave, a scheme somewhat more generous than the current one. Other cuts include low income offsets to superannuation, and a delay of increasing superannuation contributions, all of which hit low income earners more.

At the same time, reports that the CO2 levels in the atmosphere has reached 400ppm and indications from various sources that the Carbon Tax, Solar and Energy Efficiency measures are working to not only cut emissions but also saving $$ in normal home owners pockets.
The Business Spectator reports that SP Ausnet's figure show Home Energy Efficiency Regulations  in Victoria are helping to reduce household gas usage. A measure the Queensland Government recently scrapped.
So what do you want? $600 in savings from taxes to spend on whatever you want, who cares about carbon pollution? Or a Carbon Tax that hits you each year through electricity prices, while watching regulations, solar and other efficiencies measure save you a similar number of dollars in living costs?

The Carbon Tax is less invasive than the GST was, has had a smaller effect on the economy as a whole as the GST and is a tax on pollution. The big miners are saying Australia is uncompetitive (I'm not linking to her speech here!). The high Australian $$, caused by the mining boom, have certainly helped wreck the small business exporters.  And those on the lowest income levels certainly are uncompetitive, in earning a living!
Lucky country indeed!