Australians have been "sold down the river" during the past week. Our politicians, State and Federal ,have just agreed on a plan which will "save" our River Murray - but not until well-after it has died (in South Australia at the very least).
The people whom we elected have neglected the Murray/Darling river system for generations. The mighty streams that once supported fleets of paddle-boats that carried the produce and people that opened up much of our country's interior are now barely shadows of the past. The Murray mouth lakes are drying and salty, irrigators in Victoria and South Australia are facing bankruptcy, and those in the big-money up-river zones are taking all the water they can get from the flow that recent high-country rains have left.
Never mind, though - our leaders have a plan!
They're going to buy back water rights from holders who want to sell them, they're paying the "difficult" Victoria 1$billion to modernise its irrigation system and to co-operate with the other river states, and they're planning how they'll rejuvenate the river system (but not expecting effective change for years).
There is, of course, more planned. The Feds are to subsidise construction of a de-salination plant for Adelaide, where household water (pumped from the river) is already more polluted than U.N. minimum standards, and the promise to allow special flows downstream, if necessary (I presume) to keep us from drinking ourselves into illness.
You might say that down here at the bottom end of the "sewer", we're all just a bit cynical!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
It’s a hard, hard life . . .
The trouble with visiting young grandsons two or three times a year is that they’re fitter and tougher, and rougher, each time, while grand-dads of the near-elderly variety are, progressively, less and less fit.
Out of three days, this week, the first two were for re-acquaintance We had hugs and “stuff” from our 5 and 7 year-olds, then demonstrations of newish toys, hand-over of new ones, and long tales of recent adventures within and outside the home. All relatively dignified.
Today, though, Grandad was “fair game”, for wrestling with, being jumped on, pulled at, pummelled and generally “worked over.”
It’s been great!
I forget how we managed when our kids were in their irrational infancy. I think that sort of amnesia protects us , and gives us the power to keep a little distance from our kids’ kids while they’re at the smelly, messy, forever-screaming stage.
Now, though, with Grandma having had days of pleasure here too, we have two houses of friendly and (mostly) happy children to visit – even though they’re a fair few kilometers apart.
As for tonight, I know two boys who will sleep well, and I tell you what . . .I’m wondering how I’m going to last the five or more hours to my bedtime.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Out of the pan, AGAIN!
We left South Australia about three weeks ago in hopes of "chilling out" after a long, hot Summer at home. We headed, by a meandering route, to Melbourne and then (by ferry) to Tasmania - our "Deep South", and it all started out OK.
As we wandered around in 20 to 24 degrees c. our home city endured 15 days over 35c., several of which were over 40. At the same time they extablished a new metro recortd for the country.
"Clever Us" we chortled to our Tassie friends, but we were soon punished. We settled, you see, in a hillside cabin above a caravan park. Beautiful views, and windowas and glass doors facing the afternoon sun. It all foretold pleasant, relaxing afternoons - But then Tassie got it's own heatwave, and for the past week we've returned each afternoon to an "oven", because the over-30c hot parts in Tassie come in the afternoon, way down here in the South.
You can stop worrying about us, though, because the change came in overnight. Today, the dark clouds are back, the temperature might reach 22, and the locals (though still red and sunburnt) are once again about in sweaters and jackets.
It's Autumn in Tasmania at last - and we have only four days left in which to enjoy it!
As we wandered around in 20 to 24 degrees c. our home city endured 15 days over 35c., several of which were over 40. At the same time they extablished a new metro recortd for the country.
"Clever Us" we chortled to our Tassie friends, but we were soon punished. We settled, you see, in a hillside cabin above a caravan park. Beautiful views, and windowas and glass doors facing the afternoon sun. It all foretold pleasant, relaxing afternoons - But then Tassie got it's own heatwave, and for the past week we've returned each afternoon to an "oven", because the over-30c hot parts in Tassie come in the afternoon, way down here in the South.
You can stop worrying about us, though, because the change came in overnight. Today, the dark clouds are back, the temperature might reach 22, and the locals (though still red and sunburnt) are once again about in sweaters and jackets.
It's Autumn in Tasmania at last - and we have only four days left in which to enjoy it!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Our private world
Most of us regard the right to personal privacy as one of our basic rights.
We Australians, for example, protest every time a politician dares suggest that a National Identity card might be a good idea – no matter that our credit card, driver's licence, and the rest of the plastic we carry in our wallet or purse already carry (in composite at least) all the data that any tyrant or “crook” might desire.
We're so keen to maintain our own imagined state of privacy we choose not to see the benefits.
Years ago, I felt near enough to a “non person” for about three weeks, after I'd lost my wallet with all of my ID (including driver's licence), inter-state and far from home. We had to wait in a Dubbo caravan park while the wheels of our S.Australian authority ground slowly on.
But it could have been much worse. While I'd lost all of my own identification, my wife had a Medicare card that carried both our names, and a photocopy of that was sufficient to prove to the licencing people that I was “me”. How long would our stay have lasted except for that card?
I think that “personal privacy” is really a myth. The Taxation department and at least half a dozen State and Federal government departments know almost all there is about our finances; the management of scores of businesses and computer software companies with whom we've done business know lots about our buying habits and preferences, and there's a “ton” of stuff about us on the Internet, of course. But “who cares?”.
I have nothing I need to hide from the authorities, and I can see lots of benefits from carrying a card that will prove that I'm really me and, under normal circumstances, I reckon my driver's licence does the job already.
In the meantime, real privacy means taking care about restricting access to manipulation of our assets, wherever they may be. That's why we have locks on doors, and passwords on the internet.
PS. I found my wallet the day my new licence arrived . . . . It had fallen down behind the TV set in the corner of our caravan!
We Australians, for example, protest every time a politician dares suggest that a National Identity card might be a good idea – no matter that our credit card, driver's licence, and the rest of the plastic we carry in our wallet or purse already carry (in composite at least) all the data that any tyrant or “crook” might desire.
We're so keen to maintain our own imagined state of privacy we choose not to see the benefits.
Years ago, I felt near enough to a “non person” for about three weeks, after I'd lost my wallet with all of my ID (including driver's licence), inter-state and far from home. We had to wait in a Dubbo caravan park while the wheels of our S.Australian authority ground slowly on.
But it could have been much worse. While I'd lost all of my own identification, my wife had a Medicare card that carried both our names, and a photocopy of that was sufficient to prove to the licencing people that I was “me”. How long would our stay have lasted except for that card?
I think that “personal privacy” is really a myth. The Taxation department and at least half a dozen State and Federal government departments know almost all there is about our finances; the management of scores of businesses and computer software companies with whom we've done business know lots about our buying habits and preferences, and there's a “ton” of stuff about us on the Internet, of course. But “who cares?”.
I have nothing I need to hide from the authorities, and I can see lots of benefits from carrying a card that will prove that I'm really me and, under normal circumstances, I reckon my driver's licence does the job already.
In the meantime, real privacy means taking care about restricting access to manipulation of our assets, wherever they may be. That's why we have locks on doors, and passwords on the internet.
PS. I found my wallet the day my new licence arrived . . . . It had fallen down behind the TV set in the corner of our caravan!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Indian giving
It's my growing suspicion governments throughout the World share a very sophisticated financial management system of “giving” with one hand, while “taking” with the other. I reckon the scheme operates across party political as well as national boundaries.
The whole thing's really “dead obvious” now I've come to notice. So I'll try and demonstrate how it works in Australia . . .
1: Our recently deposed government, a year or so ago, provided a grant to motorists who would convert their vehicles from petrol to gas fuel. The grant, and the markedly lower cost of the fuel was a great idea for financial and environmental reasons Now, though, the new lot are going to impose a duty on the provision of gas fuel, and “bang” goes the saving. Similarly with diesel fuel – miserly consumption, comparatively low production cost and yet markedly more expensive to use than petrol.
I reckon that “they” have determined that every Aussie motorist should end up paying the same rate-per-km for fuel, just by adjusting prices to suit!
2: Our old leaders spread tax benefits as though confetti during the last election campaign, and their “pork barrel” of promises was equalled in generosity by “Kevin 07” and Co. Now, after 100 days, we're told (despite our record-breaking Dollar value) that “things are tough,” that public service jobs will go - this along with the steadily increasing interest rates as imposed by our (supposedly) totally independent Reserve Bank. So inflation keeps growing and living for “working families” and the poor. keeps getting harder – just as it would have under our last leaders.
The whole thing's really “dead obvious” now I've come to notice. So I'll try and demonstrate how it works in Australia . . .
1: Our recently deposed government, a year or so ago, provided a grant to motorists who would convert their vehicles from petrol to gas fuel. The grant, and the markedly lower cost of the fuel was a great idea for financial and environmental reasons Now, though, the new lot are going to impose a duty on the provision of gas fuel, and “bang” goes the saving. Similarly with diesel fuel – miserly consumption, comparatively low production cost and yet markedly more expensive to use than petrol.
I reckon that “they” have determined that every Aussie motorist should end up paying the same rate-per-km for fuel, just by adjusting prices to suit!
2: Our old leaders spread tax benefits as though confetti during the last election campaign, and their “pork barrel” of promises was equalled in generosity by “Kevin 07” and Co. Now, after 100 days, we're told (despite our record-breaking Dollar value) that “things are tough,” that public service jobs will go - this along with the steadily increasing interest rates as imposed by our (supposedly) totally independent Reserve Bank. So inflation keeps growing and living for “working families” and the poor. keeps getting harder – just as it would have under our last leaders.
Frypan to 'fridge
The last day of Summer, in Adelaide, was hot. Autumn slid smoothly in as we headed, South-East, for Melbourne about 790k away. Next morning, just 300k on the way, the wind was icy, and winter gear was the order of the day.
Well we were in Victoria, after all, and the point of this weather report is that we're now in Tasmania, where the weather is mild and balmy, as it mostly seems to be in this season. Strangely, they're forecasting 26 degrees(C.) Thursday, so it's obvious that “Hughie”, or “Thor”, or whoever, can ignore degrees of latitude as far as heat is concerned.
I have to report that we've discovered one of the major advantages of retirement - “We don't have to hurry when we travel” . . . so much so that we spent almost all of Saturday, driving nearly 300k in the “backblocks” to travel what could have been a 90k journey.
PS. It's nice and warm in Tasssie now (25 degrees or so)
Well we were in Victoria, after all, and the point of this weather report is that we're now in Tasmania, where the weather is mild and balmy, as it mostly seems to be in this season. Strangely, they're forecasting 26 degrees(C.) Thursday, so it's obvious that “Hughie”, or “Thor”, or whoever, can ignore degrees of latitude as far as heat is concerned.
I have to report that we've discovered one of the major advantages of retirement - “We don't have to hurry when we travel” . . . so much so that we spent almost all of Saturday, driving nearly 300k in the “backblocks” to travel what could have been a 90k journey.
PS. It's nice and warm in Tasssie now (25 degrees or so)
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