Community, Environment

The Future of Australia

Forestwood


Recently I had a discussion with another blogger and it highlighted to me how the bulk of Australian public opinion appears to differ greatly from the rest of the First World in the North.

Coal and Renewable Energy Sources

Australia could, and should be, a solar energy powerhouse of the world with our almost constant sunlight and extreme lack of rainfall, right?

It is not.

As India and China, the major markets for purchasing Australian coal, move towards solar and renewable energy sources, it makes good economic sense in the long term to utilize a raw material is FREE and infinite.

Early morning sunrise photography

Surely there must be a tipping point at which the Australia coal industry no longer becomes viable, yet some companies and politicians still support expansion of coal fired power generation. Will we see subsidized fossil fuel generation as a way to prop up employment?

Why? When there are alternatives.

The baseload power needed to support solar energy argument doesn’t make sense when it is solar that is putting more energy into the grid at times of peak demand. I am happy to hear otherwise along with hard evidence. Enlighten me.

For decades the coal industry has supplied power to Australian homes and so many jobs, towns and industry are heavily reliant on it. Past and present governments have been reluctant to invest in solar, due to vested interests who benefit from coal making large political donations.

Is it such a good idea to penalise those folk who choose to invest money in solar by making them pay for infrastructure? Infrastructure that actual makes power companies money by tax relief?

photo editing

I would love to see coal industries leading the charge to investing and promoting/converting to solar. Why not? Currently, we import solar cells from countries like – wait for it – Canada, Italy China and Germany! Canada and Germany are not exactly renowned as warm weather countries are they?

What madness is this?

Prior to moving to our Home by the Sea, we had a wonderful solar system with German solar panels, and Italian inverter and expertly installed by an Australian small business – providing jobs to Australia.

Original colour photo

Five years later, that same company had to close its doors and sack workers because the government initiated moves that caused extreme business uncertainty for companies in the Solar and Renewable energy sector, by reducing the incentives to Australian solar energy customers, thereby assisting the coal industry to further entrench reliance on itself by the energy grid and the monopoly they have enjoyed for years.

monochrome

Pariochial Thinking and Media Control

Foreigners often direct criticism at Americans for having “blinkers” and closed thinking. Meaning that they seem to have a lack of awareness of external issues, due to their media focus on internal matters. However Australians may also be guilty of inward thinking and thus, are far removed from the levels of environmental awareness and action found in the many parts of Europe, where using dirty coal is regarded with much derision. For example: Finland

Yet our Prime Minister seems certain burning coal is still kosher!

Be a leader!

Be Bold, Mr Morrison, P.M of Australia.

Have a vision for your country moving forward for the sake of your children!

Stand up to the Media Moghuls and radio shock jocks who claim they dictate Australian public policy and public opinion!

“We are striking because we have done our homework, and they have not.” – Greta Thunberg

Climate protest in Hamburg, Germany, 1 March 2019

I hear vehement criticism of Greta Thunberg in the hair salons and in the cafes and even by Australians, at backyard barbeques. It utterly shocks me that many Australians think she is some kind of spoilt child throwing an environmentally themed tantrum.

What has happened to my countrymen that they can be so narrow-minded as to criticize and poke fun at a child with a wish for a better future?

Time magazine didn’t think she was a climate brat; they nominated her as their person of the year for 2019.

Australians who deride Greta Thunberg, a child with a vision and the guts to speak out, disgust me, but then I think perhaps they have not had an opportunity to hear another opinion and don’t have the smarts to listen to information sources that are not mainstream.

bank climate change

How does one get through to this sector of the population if the media is so regulated by powerful self-serving interests?

The ageing population here is a hard line conservative group who favour stoic right wing governing with a touch of xenophobia. Compounding this and disappointingly, there seems to be a political swing away from the green movement by the middle income, middle aged voting cohorts. And this is happening when the young folk are much more environmentally aware than any of my peers.

Employment

Is it uncertainty over job security that drives this? Australia has always been so reliant on exporting its raw materials, that is has no manufacturing base to speak of. Research and the IT industry was beginning to develop until it was all but destroyed by government cutbacks.

computer
CC0 Creative Commons

I am unsure why.

On our final day of this decade, open your minds to new possibilities and new solutions, and cast away the hard line thinking of the past.

Happy New Year World.

A New Dawn is approaching.

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

63 thoughts on “The Future of Australia”

  1. A new dawn is approaching and I’m not sure I like the color and smell of it. It seems a global issue, these blinders due to deep pockets. You have to buy your way into the power of a country so you say and do things that would make any mother ashamed of her child. My daughter wants to leave the country but when I ask where would we go, there is no place left that has scruples and standards of honor. I’m with you. I don’t see a change ahead. I want to be here long enough to vote for a change in power but I see that may not happen anyway. They love what’s happening, until it ends up like Hitler’s Germany. Then they will blame others again. Little Greta has more courage than all these leaders put together. The collective consciousness is sliding into the ashcan. I’m angry and sad too.

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    1. Well encapsulated, Marlene. And this is one problem that requires action by everyone on this world. We cannot hand this one over to the universe to fix. We must clean up our mess ourselves. I do my best in my own little way, trying hard to gently educate those hard liners that visited my house for dinner, even last night! I hope I made a dent in their armour. You are right in that there is no country immune from the consequences. As Greta boldly says, there is NO PLANET B. I don’t know where I would go, but if your daughter feels like it is Nazi Germany head for teh polar north! There seems to be slightly more open minds there….

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  2. “The ageing population here is a hard line conservative group who favour stoic right wing governing with a touch of xenophobia.”
    I beg your pardon ???
    I haven’t voted comservative since, I believe, one burst for Malcolm in the early ’70s. The rest of my adult life has been Labor.
    Watch yer tongue, missy ! [grin]

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    1. Hehe! You are as always exceptional, M-R. You have to admit it is an accurate generalization! What is much more worrying is that you readily admit to voting for “Mr Pants Down.” I am gobsmacked!!

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  3. I’m actually shocked that Australia is still promoting coal. Here in Canada we’ve torn down coal burning facilities and our air quality improved dramatically. Unfortunately we recently elected a conservative provincial government in Ontario and all the environmental initiatives from the last government are being cancelled and projects that were 90% completed were torn down. People are furious but this government has a majority and can’t be replaced for another 2 1/2 years. In my own small way I’m trying to use less plastic by using glass container to store food, waxed fabric to wrap up leftovers and bring my own shopping bags and produce bags to the grocery store. I try to use the car less by walking or taking public transit and I make my own coffee at home and use a reusable coffee mug when I order coffee at a cafe. I also don’t buy bottled water and have a soda stream to make my own fizzy water. It may not seem like much but it’s a start.

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    1. I both love your environmental initiatives Mama and can understand your shock, at the coal issue. Our government is peddling lies about the benefits of coal. How dare we insist on burning coal. I think people should be able to stop crazy actions by majority governments. We are still dealing with the chaos of 3 years of a militant nutcase in charge of our state. The public transport system was wrecked by his fixation with the bottom dollar. Add to that he was corrupt. 3 years may be a short term of Government, but they sure can do plenty of damage in that time. Can you write to your local member of parliament to express your disgust?
      Keep up the positive environmental actions – every small part helps. And you are setting a wonderful example for your children to follow.

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  4. The problem is the hard-edged conservative and deeply rooted Anglo rear looking mindset of many. Especially those that have gone through the private-school-rugby and hockey playing merry go-round. Many still suffer wet-dreams fantasising about sitting and licking the feet of mother England.
    A very good article, Forestwood. I so wish Australia would by now have some kind of progressive gene embedded. My father came here on the lofty promise it would be a step forward for his children. Those children have now grown and have own children, but, what will their future be like? We live in a country that chose a PM that believes in a Hill-billy church waving his arms and speaking in gooble gook. A culture hater who avoids art as if it is leprosy.
    My poor country, Australia

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    2. It is exceedingly ironic, Gerard, that your grandchildren may indeed be looking for a refuge in which they can step forward again, just as your father did. This time it is not through the devastation caused by war, but by hard line negligence.

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  5. Nothing will change under this regime. The resources minister Matt Canavan wishes to expand mines in the Carmichael Basin. He questions climate change mitigation. The Hornsdale Power Reserve installed by South Australian premier Jay Wetherall and which is working perfectly was decried by Canavan as a ‘Kim Kardashian’ energy ploy. As stalwarts such as Allan Jones and Andrew Bolt declare climate change a hoax without offering one iota of proof to back their homilies of hatred, there is little hope for change. It is business as usual in the current political (unchanging) climate.

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  6. It’s distressing that so many of us have decision makers who lack the knowledge, vision and apparently intellect to take the steps that must be taken if our grandchildren are to have a future. Sadly, such leaders seem popular. It’s hard to stay optimistic.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. When I first started visiting Australia I felt like it was a forward thinking country, promoting healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyles. This may have just been as seen through the rose coloured glasses of a visitor, but it feels like things have changed over the years. I am disappointed that the opportunities that the country has (such as you say, using solar power) have not been embraced. But this is not unique to Australia, I am disappointed, and to be honest quite fearful, of the direction that we all seem to be moving in. I hope that a new decade brings a change in the right direction.

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    1. I hope so too, although I am sure that fear is behind this move backwards. If the fears of the people are addressed and ameliorated than we may began to move forward again.

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  8. An article to the point, well done Amanda. I simply cannot understand how someone can critisize Greta Thunberg! For what, speaking her mind? 😲 Over here, climate responsibility is a big trend in the corporate world and companies are competing over ways to gain goodwill through climate actions. It’s also well used in advertising, whether this is a good or bad thing. Climate awareness is everywhere, taught at schools etc. There are even trends of flying less and reducing meat – no longer just talk.

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    1. It would be so encouraging to see action on climate change mentioned in advertising and marketing. I think that would go a long way to infiltrating our highly regulated and monopolized media, Snow. I know that climate change is taught in schools, but we have many years before those children reach positions of power in the numbers needed. As Mosy alluded, by the time that happens it may be too late for Australia, or the planet.

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      1. It might be a bit of a self-defeating solution. Harnessing that power as an alternative to burning coal might reduce (hopefully) global warming – ultimately it might reverse it. Sounds great … except that it was global warming that produced the bushfires in the first place.
        A better idea might be to invent a machine to harness the hot air produced by politicians – an apparently limitless, renewable natural resource.

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  12. We are living in the midst of some of the worst governing I’ve ever been witness to. And yet people are still defending it. I think a large part of that is due to the media bias swaying people. Sitting in the Blue Mountains over the last 7 weeks with smoke engulfing us and fire threatening has been so stressful. Let’s hope common sense eventually prevails..

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    1. I am so sorry that to have had to suffer, Livonne! I can’t begin to imagine how frightening it was and is. It is s beautiful part of the country and I do hope there is some rallying of all those affected into a pressure group to force action by the conservative religious right that seems to be so delusional about our future. Getting the message through via independent means like blogging and social media can a way for other voices to be heard through the white noise coming from Canberra. Is there any kind of community groups information? “Bushfire Victims for Political Change” – for example.

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  14. With you 100%, Amanda. One can only hope that with half the country on fire, some shifting of opinion and thus (as is the politicians’ way) a shifting of policy may occur. Ultimately I believe the conservatives will be forced to shift when the market for coal dwindles away as the rest of the world moves to renewables but by then we will be so far behind the eightball, it will take massive expenditure to catch up.

    Happy New Year to you, Amanda. Let’s hope we see some 20/20 political vision in 2020.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. There must be a way to galvanize public opinion, Mosy. We need to do it for our children and our country. But when we area up against the Matt Canavans, Duttons, and Scomos of the world, it is so disheartening. A Solar Revolution?

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      1. It’s ridiculous that even farmers and businesses are calling on them to act and they still bring lumps of coal into parliament.
        I think there is something akin to a people’s revolution quietly happening. People are getting tired of waiting for the government to do something and taking it into their own hands in whatever way they can. Hence the big uptake in rooftop solar. I also think things like the War on Waste show are helping to show people they can make a difference in small ways, like ditching single-use coffee cups or reducing single use plastics. The majority are actually moving ahead without the naysayers.

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      2. Indeed there is some semblance of hope amongst the individual actions. I am so proud of us for ditching single use plastic bags for or groceries. It was adopted so quickly and with gusto. That was awesome. Even young guys with a whole lot of tatts and dreadlocks wander into the supermarkets with their reuseable bags tucked under their arm. It is great. One of the good things the monopolies did. Let us hope for more. Especially as more of this enlightened younger generation become people in positions of influence.

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      1. Oh, this is a (too) hard question for me. I don’t follow the situation there too much, I confess. But I suppose they are all for it and coal is bad. (Except for the wind farms. We have only two, I believe. The green lobby says they confuse bird populations.)

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      2. That is okay. I suppose a small country has too much coal hidden away. I am confused myself as to how a wind turbine could confuse a bird? Our birds are so smart you see – 😉

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    1. That is good news. Australia seems obsessed with plastic bottled water. I hate it – I always have my stainless steel double walled refillable water bottle. Yay for France.

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    1. Oh Whit,
      Noone mentions Nuclear power here – the whole of Australia has an anti-nuclear mentality and I have to say I agree with them. Ever since the French tested nuclear weapons off our shores, and bombed the vessel protesting again nuclear power in New Zealand, Australians want nothing to do with nuclear power. We are in a nuclear free zone! Mind you, we have plentiful sources of uranium! A bit ironic, hey?

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