Unprecedented national energy glut in Australia

The former Gillard Government’s price on carbon, aka the ‘carbon tax,’ and its renewable energy policies were significant factors in turning the supply of electricity into a buyer’s market.

How long will it take the Abbott Government to turn this around so that there is no possibility for consumers to receive long-term relief from high retail prices?

ABC News 8 August 2014:

South-eastern Australia will not need to ramp up energy generation for the next 10 years, even under a worst-case scenario, a report says.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) report says Australia is facing an energy glut never before seen in the history of the national electricity market.

It raises serious questions about the ongoing viability of existing coal-fired power stations, but might also result in more pressure on the Federal Government to reduce the Renewable Energy Target (RET).

A spokesman for AEMO, Joe Adamo, says there is no additional generation required to maintain the reliability….

For the next year alone, Australia will produce up to 8,900 megawatts more than is needed. That is around four times the power produced in a year by Australia's largest coal-fired power station.

Electricity use in Australia has been falling now for about four years due to the take-up of rooftop solar systems, greater use of energy-efficient appliances and the downturn in some manufacturing industries that use lots of electricity.

The principal consultant of energy strategies with Pitt and Sherry, Hugh Sadler, says the upshot is that if the coal-fired power stations want to stay running, they will be competing in a buyer's market….

While all this has been going on, the Federal Government has been reviewing the Renewable Energy Target, which stipulates a certain amount of renewable electricity should be in use by 2020.

The big electricity companies have been lobbying the Government to axe or at least reduce the RET because renewables like wind and solar are hitting their bottom line….

Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey - arrogant and deliberately misleading

This was Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey being quoted by ABC News 13 August 2014:

This morning Mr Hockey defended the budget measure to reinstate a biannual increase to the excise by saying that high income earners will be hit hardest.

"The people that actually pay the most are higher income people, with an increase in fuel excise and yet, the Labor Party and the Greens are opposing it," he told 612 ABC Brisbane.

"They say you've got to have wealthier people or middle-income people pay more.

"Well, change to the fuel excise does exactly that; the poorest people either don't have cars or actually don't drive very far in many cases."…

"If you look at total usage out of the ABS stats you can see that the higher the income the more the fuel taxes are paid by those households," he said.

Yes, he really said that and here’s the proof:

http://youtu.be/bxqUolxETHo

A research paper in the Australian Parliament’s own reference library gives a lie to his claim that the all those on higher incomes will feel the impact of the fuel levy more than poor people:

Moreover, petrol and diesel excises are regressive in that people on low incomes pay a higher proportion of their incomes in the form of excise than people on high incomes, given the same level of fuel use.

While Greg Jericho tweeted a very effective visual (based on an Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009-10 Household Expenditure Survey) which shows those with the lowest incomes pay out a higher percentage of their total household expenditure on petrol than do those with the highest household incomes:

Even News Corps national economics editor Jessica Irvine disputed Hockey’s assumptions. With the lowest quintile in her 13 August tweet representing an average disposable household income of $16,328 per annum (est. $19,084 average gross household income), the second quintile $27,248 (est. $40,820), the third quintile $37,492 (est. $69,004), the fourth quintile $50,700 (est. $105,248) and the fifth quintile $88,608 (est. $204,724):

The ugly face of Abbott's Army reveals itself once more

The Age 10 August 2014:

Young Liberals at one the country's most elite universities have posted racist, crude and misogynist comments on social media, describing women as ''sluts'', Muslims as ''degenerates'' and saying all feminists are ugly.

Only days after two Liberal candidates were forced to quit ahead of November's state election over a series of derogatory posts on Facebook and Twitter, the party has been rocked again by offensive behaviour in its ranks.

In a series of screenshots of Facebook messages leaked to Fairfax Media, the Melbourne University Liberal Club members attack feminist and alumni Germaine Greer, take aim at homosexuality, and repeatedly demean women.

Club treasurer Stefan Eracleous describes Ms Greer as a ''lying f---ing c-m guzzling slut … and a union member''.

''She doesn't believe in God. No kids not married … what do you [e]xpect from a melb uni educated former socialist c---,'' he wrote.

He also refers to London as ''the gay capital of the world'' and appears to hit out at Muslims, telling a friend: ''Just be careful of those mussrats. A lot of them are [a] bunch of Third World degenerate c---s.''

The club's vice-president, Charlie Cartney, said in a Facebook message in January that a venue was ''definitely worth a visit'' because it had a Mexican restaurant and an upstairs bar with ''lots of sluts'', saying in another post: ''Get some sluts for me.''

Other members of the group referred to former prime minister Julia Gillard as a ''twat'' and said ''Tara Moss should only be on TV if she is in a bikini''.

The posts are another embarrassing blow for the Liberals - surfacing days after party chiefs warned MPs and candidates to act appropriately on social media - and have fuelled Labor's claims of a broader cultural problem within Liberal ranks.

The Young Liberals and university Liberal clubs often are seen as a starting point for people interested in politics, with Melbourne University alumni including state treasurer Michael O'Brien, federal senator Scott Ryan and federal Higgins MP Kelly O'Dwyer.

The Melbourne University Liberal Club's Facebook page also shows members campaigning for the state election with candidates and MPs, including Attorney-General Robert Clark and backbenchers Clem Newton-Brown and Neil Angus.

Club president Michael Sabljak said he was not aware of the comments until The Sunday Age contacted him because they were not on an official Melbourne University Liberal forum, but denied the club had a homophobic, sexist or misogynistic culture…..

Gaza: an urgent call to protect civilian life and health from The Lancet

Gaza: an urgent call to protect civilian life and health

The Lancet 9 August 2014

The Lancet is a general medical journal that publishes research, news, and opinion about all aspects of human health and wellbeing. In situations of war and conflict—such as in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere—our perspective has always been to put the interests of civilian lives ahead of the politics of military engagement. In the conflict taking place in Gaza, our position is very clear. We do not support any side whose actions lead to civilian casualties. The role of the doctor is to protect, serve, and speak up for life. That, too, is the role of a medical journal.

Our view of the conflict in Gaza comes from first-hand experience of Gaza itself. When one enters Gaza, it is as if one is entering a prison. At the Erez crossing point in north Gaza, one first passes through an armed passport check, followed by a first set of gates. One walks on through another gate, with a further 150 yards to still another gate. A final 150 yards follow to a last exit. Then one is confronted by a landscape of destroyed roads, buildings, and bridges. Debris lies everywhere. When one reaches a nearby town or Gaza City itself, the first impression one will have is not only the crowded nature of life in Gaza, but also the children, children everywhere. 45% of Gaza's population is younger than 14 years of age.

On July 7, 2014, the Government of Israel launched “Operation Protective Edge”. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states on its website that, “Operation Protective Edge will continue until its goals are reached—restoring sustained peace and quiet to the citizens of Israel, while striking hard at the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza”. Israel, as any country, has the right to defend its citizens. International Humanitarian Law requires three principles to be upheld during such a defence. The Principle of Distinction states that, “parties to the conflict shall at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants”. The Principle of Precautions in Attack states that, “parties to the conflict must take all feasible precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects under their control against the effects of attacks”. The Principle of Proportionality states that, “Launching an attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated, is prohibited”.

Now return to life in Gaza. A land that no-one can escape from. A crowded land in which children are the largest single group of the population. These are the conditions in which attacks on Gaza combatants are taking place. One does not have to be a military expert or a scholar of International Humanitarian Law to realise the extreme risk to civilians in Gaza if conflict does not follow very strictly the Principles of Distinction, Precaution, and Proportionality. Palestinian civilian populations have no Iron Dome, the Israeli air defence system designed to intercept and destroy Hamas rockets. The children, women, and men of Gaza have had no protection from shelling that has so far claimed 852 civilian lives. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 252 Palestinian children and 181 Palestinian women have been killed since July 7. 1949 children and 1160 women have been injured. 23 Gazan hospitals or clinics have been damaged. 250 000 Gazans have been displaced from their homes. 1·8 million people have reduced or no access to safe water. Epidemics of lice and scabies have broken out in shelters

.

On July 22, we published a letter from Paola Manduca, Sir Iain Chalmers, Derek Summerfield, Mads Gilbert, Swee Ang, and colleagues drawing attention to the terrifying events taking place in Gaza these past weeks. Their letter has led to a debate about the appropriateness of a medical journal giving space to opinions about an issue that lies at the intersection between health and politics. But here is a war that is having far-reaching effects on the survival, health, and wellbeing of Gaza's and Israel's civilian residents. It is surely the duty of doctors to have informed views, even strong views, about these matters; to give a voice to those who have no voice; and to invite society to address the actions and injustices that have led to this conflict. Our responsibility is to promote an open and diverse discussion about the effects of this war on civilian health.

An opportunity for peace and justice surely beckons. For the health and wellbeing of civilians in both Gaza and Israel, we encourage both parties to have the courage to seize this moment.

BACKGROUND

Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories

Click on image to enlarge

Graphic found at Google Images

The Score So Far: ICAC 9 Liberal Party of Australia 0

It is only halfway through the working week and yet more members of the Liberal Party of Australia have been forced to resign after allegations made during NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings.

The tally so far:

Arthur Sinodinos Federal Liberal Senator for NSW and Assistant Treasurer in the Abbott Government  - not fulfilling assistant treasurer duties for the duration of the ICAC Operation Credo and Operation Spicer investigations, after allegations concerning the corporation Australia Water Holdings of which he was a director were made during Operation Credo  .

Barry O’Farrell NSW Liberal MP for Ku-ring-gai  – resigned as Premier and Minister for Western Sydney effective 17 April 2014 and moved to the back bench when it was proven that he had not told the truth when giving evidence at a NSW Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Credo hearing in relation to an undeclared $3,000 gift from the then CEO of Australian Water Holdings.

Mike Gallacher NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 2 May 2014 after being named as one of the subjects of ICAC’s Operation Spicer investigation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Chris Hartcher NSW Liberal MP for Terrigal – resigned as Minister for Resources and Energy, Special Minister of State, Minister for the Central Coast on 9 December 2013, suspended from the  Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench.

Marie Ficarra NSW Liberal MLC – resigned as parliamentary secretary on 17 April 2014 after it was alleged she solicited an unlawful political donation, suspended from the Liberal Party and moved to the cross bench..

Darren Webber NSW Liberal MP for Wyong and Member, Legislative Assembly Committee on Law and Safety - suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Christopher Spence NSW MP for The Entrance - suspended from the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) after corruption allegations, moved to the cross bench and not re-contesting his seat at the 2015 state election.

Andrew Cornwell – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Charlestown after admitting in evidence that he had received unlawful political donations and paid his tax bill with some of that money.

Tim Owen – resigned as NSW Liberal MP for Newcastle on 12 August 2014 after admitting he had not told the truth concerning unlawful political donations when giving evidence at an ICAC Operation Spicer hearing and had met with another ICAC witness allegedly to convince that witness not to tell the truth.

See Operation Credo and Operation Spicer  hearing transcripts here.

UPDATES

After allegations during evidence given in an Operation Spicer hearing, that he had received an unlawful political donation, on 14 August 2014 Liberal MP for Swansea Garry Edwards announced he had moved to the cross bench.

On 18 August 2014 it was reported that Newcastle mayor Jeff McCloy had resigned his mayoral position due to admissions that he had made unlawful political donations to the NSW Liberal Party and, chief of staff to Opposition Leader John Robertson Ian McNamara has stood aside while ICAC hearings continue.

On 27 August 2014 it was reported by ABC News that the Liberal MP for Londonderry Bart Bassett had moved to the cross bench after ICAC commissioner Megan Latham announced that new evidence had emerged to widen the inquiry's scope to examine whether Nathan Tinkler's firm Buildev tried to influence Mr Bassett.

The score now stands at: ICAC 13 Liberal Party of Australia 0

Some of those Liberal Party nutters have escaped into the wild again

The Minister for Employment and Federal Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, Minister for Social Services and Federal Liberal MP Kevin Andrews, Federal Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi, Victorian Liberal MLC Bernie Finn and Victorian Attorney-General and Liberal MLA Robert Clark are reportedly attending/supporting the World Congress of Families regional conference Families, Life And Freedom in Melbourne on 20 August 2014.

Abetz is hosting a lunch for conference speakers Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, Mrs. Louise Kirk and Dr. Larry Jacobs at Parliament House in Canberra on 28th August 2014, Andrews is opening and closing the conference, Clark is welcoming conference attendees to Victoria, Bernardi is apparently attending, while Finn is an invited speaker on the topic "Marching for the Babies"

Kevin Andrews has been a presenter at this conference on three occasions, the first in 1997 when his topic was “Rebuilding A Culture Of Marriage”.

The Mammamia blog team has listed a number of alleged views held by the group which organised this conference:

1. Women who take the pill lose interest in sex and are more likely to be the victim of violent assault and murder;

2. Women who take the pill are more likely to engage in incest;

3. Social policies should not promote single-parenting;

4. There's a link between abortion and breast cancer;

5. The sole purpose of sex is for procreation and an expression of love between husband and wife;

6. Vladimir Putin's draconian homosexual vilification laws that send LGBT Russians to prison are a 'great idea';

7. All forms of non-heterosexual sex is a sin and gay people should be converted to heterosexuality via Christian therapy;

8. The pill and other contraception can and does kill women all over the world, as well as babies;

9. Abortion, divorce and LGBT people are responsible for devaluation of parenting, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, poverty, human trafficking, violence against women, and child abuse.

A prevaricating Eric Abetz asserted there is a link between abortion and breast cancer, Kevin Andrews believes de facto couples are inherently unstable, Bernie Finn believes there is no acceptable reason for abortion, Cory Bernardi is stridently pro-life and believes legalising same-sex marriage could lead to legalisation of polygamy & bestiality and, Robert Clark refuses to give his views.

I'm not sure if Queensland Liberal National Party MP Freya Ostapovitch will be joining her colleagues at the conference, but in June this year she told state parliament that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer. 

UPDATE

In the face of growing community opposition to state and federal politicians participating in this conference, Bernie Finn, Jan Kronberg, Cory Bernardi, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews and Robert Clark have stated they are not attending this event. The reason given by Andrews is that he is withdrawing because the venue was moved to premises owned by  Catch The Fire Ministries. Catch the Fire Ministries is one of the listed conference sponsors and apparently Mr. Andrews would like voters to believe that it was only on 29 August 2014 that he discovered its involvement.

                       

Team Australia!

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