I've sent the following message to Barnaby Joyce:
"Dear Barnaby
I'm aware that building dams in northern Australia is a cherished aim of yours & you were obviously pleased at Scott Morrison's mention of money to build dams in his budget presentation last night.
Before you proceed with building northern dams could I urge you to read Cadillac Desert by Mar Reisner, particularly the final two sobering chapters. The book is about the building of dams in America's West & the consequences that followed.
A rethink of your aim is needed if we are to avoid the horrendous consquences for not only US agriculture but also the natural environment which, as you would know, is a real economy booster if left in or restored to excellent condition."
I encourage all bird & nature lovers to do something of similar ilk.
Did he even reply? Got a link to anything I can read up on the proposed dams.
My letter to Mr Turnbull attracted a computer generated automatic responce of "we got it", but that was it.
It appears with not a mention of the environment in the long term economic plan-budget, Turnbull is hedging his bets all those guns will save us, because he obviously doesn't think the environment will.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
No reply yet but he might be out & about investigating dam sites.
No specific links, I'm afraid, but the budget papers are on line, I believe. You might also check the Liberal Party's web site for their agriculture &/or northern development policies.
Ok thanks. Listening to the ABC they seem to think for run into the election, more announcements will be made on all sorts. Just be nice if any of the parties that realistically can gain power saw the environment for more than a stepping stone to profits.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
Perhaps Turnbulls idea of engenuity may be just a feel good smoke screen. Dams are old school, can't find Barneby suporting anything that looks like engenuity.
http://theconversation.com/dams-are-not-the-smart-way-to-secure-water-for-agriculture-33193
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
It's never been a scarier time to be a river in Australia, Jason.
Or a bird, a mamal, fish, reptile, insect, or plant. The little kings are running wild.
I see another 2 or 3 foorball fields of good bush have gone in a stones through to the Nth Est of me on Seventeen Mile Rocks Rd. To the Est just past the Johnstom Rd & Stapylton Rd junction, another 500m sq + piece of quality bush gone next to the other bit goolge has caqptured. Will need a google update to show the real size. More industrial sheds. More useless animal corrodores 30m wide samwiched between concrete slabs and motor cars. Perhaps when we have air quality like China something will cliick.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
Perhaps, but I'm not overly confident. Addiction to money & development is incredibly powerful.
I fully understand your sentiments and suggest that until we get another focus other than 'an increasing population will relieve all of our economic issues' you will continue to get frustrated with development approvals, either that or convince everyone that they want to live in multi-storey towers
but then I don't wnat to live that way and neither do either of you so why should we expect it of others
Peter
There is a signifigant push, attraction, take up rate of units in low and medium rise building living. Many people don't want a yard or its advantages, but probably would say they enjoy a walk in the forrest. Imagine if developers built high rise buildings that use internal water falls to cool the building, and make it tranquil, or even some type of open avery. Vegitation on the outside to also cool it, provide habitate, and perhaps reduce maintenance. I wonder if those things would appeal to people who see nature as a pleasent experiance but nothing more.
But I also wonder if the Harry Buttlers and Steve Irwins of the world have done as much harm as good in their efforts to educate people about the wonder of the natural world. Having managed to portray it also as a dangerous and viscous place. People know a spider may bite so they kill it regardless of what it is. Their 10 second attention span doesn't even get anywhere near how the spider feeds the bird who poos the tree seed which grows to cleans the air and house countless other things we humans may or may not know about. People can't or just dont make the the link to their survival-happiness and nature. Plus it grows to slow. Bull dozing trees and building easy but energy sucking high rises is much quicker. Good for our ever shrinking attension span and lust for money to make us happy.
I feel there is lots that could be done. And and as I have said in the past freedom is not free, but 130 billion in the next 30 years seems to be a lot on defence, and perhaps a rip off. We are paying 300k to 350k for a Mercedes G wagon to replace the army landrovers. We have 3500 land rovers to replace. I just question why so expansive when the car retails for 100k to 150k. Why can't we make or retrofit something here with one of the closed holden, ford, toyota plants. Its money not wasted, but casually spent I feel and we won't mention jobs.
In Brisvegas you never hear of double decker buses, and just imagine if they were electric. Now that would be engenuity. Instead you hear the need for more conventional buses because they often drive past full. Sydney has double decker trains, Brisbane could sure use them also. Again we wont talk about jobs.
So its the second day of an 8 week campaign. Jobs and enervation is the PM's mantra. We will have plenty of time to digest the nitty gritty which is good, its our future. But I'm sceptical after we have paid for the guns and dams our economy will be a modern vibrant healthy one ready for the future. One thing for sure, the environment will pay its dues.
See what the next 8 weeks reveals.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
I'll have a smaller rant this time.
How many power timber poles in your street? I have 11. Not sure how many in Brisbane but I imagine 50 000+. That's a fair few trees accross the nation being felled for our towns and cities. I once bought a property where I was told I could get $200 per tree for power poles. I had 15 to 20 mature Forrest Redgums that were 60 to 80 perhaps 100 year old. So $4000 if all were good enough. Not big money, but pays a few bills for a drought struggling farmer. This farmer ran 1 beast per 10 acres, so the land is crap in the first instance. This little patch of trees however was a playground for all sorts of nature as you can imagine. It was suppoted by upcomming trees as well.
I had a conversation socially with the bloke who is in charge of power pole maintenance, among other things. I asked why don't we put power under ground, safer, neater, cheaper? Trees are cheaper was the answer. I then asked why don't we use concrete poles like New Zealand. Or steel coated in recyled tyres....perhaps even better for the road toll. Or recyled plastic. Steel is a conductor, rubber burns, plastic melts....trees are cheaper was the answer. I walked away thinking they use steel towers to trasnport high voltage power accross the nation. Construction site power poles are steel. Cars, planes, and helicopters are made out of plastic these days. And wood poles burns too plus soaked in a toxic anti-termite chemcal......why bother asking.
This bloke with his company car and endless fule account often drives good distances in a day so he can enjoy the outdoors for a day. As you can imagine he gets paid very well for being responsible for such a necessay part of life. But it's not only politicians who can't see the link to the spider to the bird to the tree.
Peter I understand what you are saying. I'm not sure how we change our focus, but I guess the self proclaimed smartest species on the planet will fully realise what it already knows and is racing towards. Profits and population of a capitalist system only leads to sorrow in the end.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks
I am pretty sure that the alternative, communism, has been proved to be worse.
I have long been an advocate for benevolent dictators - so long as I am one
Peter
Trees are cheaper? Did this guy factor in the cost to the planet of wrecking the trees, Jason? I doubt it. This sort of blinkered, inaccurate & misleading economics is in full control at present.
Of course not woko. It's all about today profits, tomorrows profits, next years profits, and so on.
Peter, just kicking it around trying to make sense of the world I live in. Perhaps best if I leave it to the silent majority and the little kings who are getting it so right.
Ipswich Shire Eastern flanks