Muriel Capel from Barraba writes with some interesting points on the state of the nation and our region.
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WELL, hasn’t there been some fun in the Senate lately – and how nice was it to see Tony Abbott finally getting what he deserves, after his destructive behaviour as Opposition leader.
And how nice it is to see Clive Palmer setting the agenda by himself, without a multitude of members trailing along behind and nodding in unison at the end of each sentence. A pollie who can think for himself!
It was a pity to see the carbon tax go. Whether we will receive any savings on our electricity and gas bills remains to be seen.
The federal government says it’s costing families $550 a year, while the state government says on our bills that it costs families $316 a year.
Who is right? Or is it the usual spin aimed at the gullible?
The carbon tax has hardly registered in the CPI figures, anyway.
I am glad the Renewable Energy Agency and the other renewable energy organisations are staying, especially when there seems to be a big push towards renewable energy in China, the United States and other countries.
Hands up those who saw Four Corners on Monday, July 7, and the amazing solar farms in California?
And who read Ross Gittins’ article in the SMH on July 9? Very interesting re China.
China apparently is reducing the use of coal to 65 per cent of its total needs by the end of next year and banning new coal-fired power stations near Beijing and Shanghai.
No surprises there, after the appalling pollution problems endured during last winter.
Also US$60 billion being invested in Joe Hockey’s “obscene” wind farms. And China wants to be a world leader in renewable energy!
Where does that leave the mine developments on the Liverpool Plains?
The smart money is starting to be invested in renewable energy projects, not coalmines.
If there should be a class action against the coalmines in the Hunter Valley, and including the state government down the track because of health and pollution problems, what then?
We have a federal government completely out of touch with the real world and completely under the thumb of big business, which includes coalmines.
I agree with Jeremy Buckingham that Barnaby Joyce should do a great deal more for his electorate on the Liverpool Plains. After all, he is the Minister for Agriculture, not the Minister for Mines.
I sometimes wonder whether he and his National Party colleagues, both federal and state, regard wheat, barley and canola grown in the Liverpool Plains as invasive weeds to be bulldozed and covered under tonnes of sediment, not the superb soil of the plains.
Also, the National Party is well and truly hamstrung by their former federal leader Mark Vaile being the chairman of Whitehaven Coal.
It will be interesting to see who controls the political agenda over the next two years.
Will it be Clive Palmer and big business, or Tony Abbott?