About a hundred Australians a month seek Federal government help when they become stranded overseas because of injury or illness. Thailand, Indonesia and New Caledonia are high on the list of places we visit and it is quite possible to need hospital treatment and medical evacuation back to Australia if things go wrong - at a cost of up to two hundred thousand dollars.
People are urged to take out travel insurance whenever they leave the cover of our National Health network and this is usually offered by the travel agents who book our holidays, but first the traveller needs to carefully examine the fine print and determine what is - and what is not - covered. It helps if you have an itinerary in mind and know what you plan to do on holiday so that you can match any exclusions listed with intended activities.
Most policies do not provide cover for injuries suffered when the traveller is affected by drugs or alcohol and many exclude activities which involve motorcycles or scooters, and these are common when we take a beachside holiday in an Asian country. It is quite normal to encounter a long list of banned sporting activities - with Bungee jumping and water skiiing being high on that list.
One of the problems is that we tend to deviate wildly from whatever we had in mind when we planned that holiday. The range of activities offering is ever changing and the rules and regulations that apply to leisure activities are often much less stringent than are required in this country. In most instances, no compensation laws reimburse those who suffer injuries from dangerous or malfunctioning rides or activities.
Many travellers simply decline to buy health insurance when they travel. They disregard the necessity on the grounds that they are fit and healthy - and can take care of themselves. Others include cover at the travel agent's suggestion and pay the small premium at the time of booking, but don't bother to even open the booklet provided or read any of the conditions that apply. In many cases, age exclusions are applicable to the cover - and the recurrence of any previous medical conditions are specifically excluded.
So far this year the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of 1131 Australians who have ended up in hospital overseas as a result of accident or illness. The department provides consular help, but it does not pick up the tab for settling that hospital bill, nor for the travel cost of bringing the patient home. In many cases, family and loved ones have no other option than to raise the money themselves - and that can be devastating. A simple accident can impose financial ruin on an entire family.
Apart from the perils of catching a disease or breaking bones, many people tend to assume that the laws in other countries are similar to those in Australia - and that is a very big mistake. In particular, drug enforcement in some Asian countries involves the death penalty and even the possession of what would be termed a misdemeanour in Australia will bring a long prison term in some jurisdictions.
Another item that needs advance planning involves the licensing to drive a car overseas. We may not plan to hire a car, but if the opportunity presents itself the wise will have made sure that they can legally get behind the wheel - and the best option is to obtain an International driving license, obtainable for a very few dollars from each state motoring organization.
Unfortunately, the figures speak for themselves. The unexpected does happen - and it can be costly if it involves the need for hospital care and evacuation - or you become involved in an altercation with the law in another country.
Perhaps one of the most important documents you need when you travel is that travel insurance policy - and it would be a very good idea to know exactly what cover it provides !
Sunday 30 November 2014
Saturday 29 November 2014
Low Life Penalties !
From Monday, people who do not have a disability parking permit displayed on their windscreen - but park in a disability parking reserved space will face an automatic loss of one demerit point as well as a hefty fine. In some cases, that will be enough to tip the balance and bring a driving license cancellation.
The extension of the demerit point system to what is really a social outrage opens an interesting can of worms. When an able bodied driver deliberately deprives someone with a physical disability of a form of relief proscribed by law it is an offence not only in the eyes of the law, but an affront to most fair minded people - who see it at crass and anti social. Up until now, the only punishment has been to make the offender pay a fine. Now that punishment has been extended to both a fine and the possible withdrawal of what could be called " a social privilege "!
There is another insult to the way of life that we hold sacred that seems to occur now on a regular basis. Offenders who are brought before a court to face a charge refuse to stand and plead before the magistrate, claiming that as a religious obligation. It is inferred that the only law they recognise is the law of the deity they worship. In particular, that seems to be a tactic used by those born overseas and who have gained citizenship in this country by swearing an oath that they will obey the laws of this nation.
Many people think that deliberately refusing to obey the law that they have accepted as the "deal "in getting the safety of citizenship should enable that protection to be withdrawn, but it seems that this contravenes covenants we have signed with the United Nations. It is very much a "one way deal ". The moment the Commonwealth hands over that citizenship certificate we have granted lifetime rights to the named person - and they in turn may completely renege - without penalty - on all and every obligations they have just made. In particular, they may refuse to obey Australian law and claim only to obey religious law - as they interpret it.
Perhaps it is time that Australia started to play that sort of devious game - and make the retention of entitlements open to law abiding citizens conducive to them meeting their citizenship obligations. If someone refuses to stand and plead to a charge in court, perhaps that may be a good reason to withdraw their driving license or strike them from the waiting list for public housing. Many things we do or wish to attain require some sort of license or permit and most of these contain various conditions. A health standard is required to hold a drivers license. Criminal convictions bar many from holding some sort of public office - such as a Realtors license or being a JP. Would it not be reasonable to add non-compliance with the law as the basis for many such cancellations ?
It all comes down to what is a "right "- and what is a "privilege " ! We do not have a right to climb into a car and drive on the road. To do that, we need to obtain a license and prove that we have the ability to understand the law and manage the control of the car correctly, and we need to renew that license on a regular basis. Our hold on such a licenses is tenuous. Some law breaches will bring instant cancellation. It is therefore a privilege and not a right.
Our law requires a person taken to court to answer a charge to stand as a form of respect for the court and plead to the charge. Refusal to so so is therefore a serious breach of the law and could be punished by a term of imprisonment for "contempt of court ". Perhaps the withdrawal of any form of license granted under the law would be a more suitable punishment. What the law gives - the law can take away. Such would be the outcome of disrespecting the law.
As things stand, the granting of citizenship is devalued when the obligations involved only apply to the party making that gift !
The extension of the demerit point system to what is really a social outrage opens an interesting can of worms. When an able bodied driver deliberately deprives someone with a physical disability of a form of relief proscribed by law it is an offence not only in the eyes of the law, but an affront to most fair minded people - who see it at crass and anti social. Up until now, the only punishment has been to make the offender pay a fine. Now that punishment has been extended to both a fine and the possible withdrawal of what could be called " a social privilege "!
There is another insult to the way of life that we hold sacred that seems to occur now on a regular basis. Offenders who are brought before a court to face a charge refuse to stand and plead before the magistrate, claiming that as a religious obligation. It is inferred that the only law they recognise is the law of the deity they worship. In particular, that seems to be a tactic used by those born overseas and who have gained citizenship in this country by swearing an oath that they will obey the laws of this nation.
Many people think that deliberately refusing to obey the law that they have accepted as the "deal "in getting the safety of citizenship should enable that protection to be withdrawn, but it seems that this contravenes covenants we have signed with the United Nations. It is very much a "one way deal ". The moment the Commonwealth hands over that citizenship certificate we have granted lifetime rights to the named person - and they in turn may completely renege - without penalty - on all and every obligations they have just made. In particular, they may refuse to obey Australian law and claim only to obey religious law - as they interpret it.
Perhaps it is time that Australia started to play that sort of devious game - and make the retention of entitlements open to law abiding citizens conducive to them meeting their citizenship obligations. If someone refuses to stand and plead to a charge in court, perhaps that may be a good reason to withdraw their driving license or strike them from the waiting list for public housing. Many things we do or wish to attain require some sort of license or permit and most of these contain various conditions. A health standard is required to hold a drivers license. Criminal convictions bar many from holding some sort of public office - such as a Realtors license or being a JP. Would it not be reasonable to add non-compliance with the law as the basis for many such cancellations ?
It all comes down to what is a "right "- and what is a "privilege " ! We do not have a right to climb into a car and drive on the road. To do that, we need to obtain a license and prove that we have the ability to understand the law and manage the control of the car correctly, and we need to renew that license on a regular basis. Our hold on such a licenses is tenuous. Some law breaches will bring instant cancellation. It is therefore a privilege and not a right.
Our law requires a person taken to court to answer a charge to stand as a form of respect for the court and plead to the charge. Refusal to so so is therefore a serious breach of the law and could be punished by a term of imprisonment for "contempt of court ". Perhaps the withdrawal of any form of license granted under the law would be a more suitable punishment. What the law gives - the law can take away. Such would be the outcome of disrespecting the law.
As things stand, the granting of citizenship is devalued when the obligations involved only apply to the party making that gift !
Friday 28 November 2014
Killing the Goose that lays Golden Eggs !
Sydney Harbour is not just a beautiful stretch of water to be admired for it's scenery. It is this nation's prime "working harbour "and in recent times it has become the home of the fast growing cruise ship industry. Not only do Australian's increasingly take holidays on the water, a vast form of International travel is bringing tourists to our shores - and they spend a lot of money during the time they are in our city.
The $ 57 million White Bay Cruise ship terminal is the focal point of this trade. This year saw 170 ship movements and booking for the 2014-15 season indicate that there will be an increase to 290 ship visits. This is a fast turnaround operation with ships at the wharf for just a few hours as they discharge passengers, restock with everything from bunker fuel, food and beverages - and embark those booked for the outward journey. On any day that a cruise ship is in port a whole range of businesses - from taxis, the pub and restaurant trade, ship providores, tourist amenities - all do a roaring business, employ a lot of people - and make money !
It seems that the council in which White Bay is located is hell bent on closing down this shipping terminal. They are organizing massive banners to express their views and trying to incite the NIMBY reaction of the residents who would prefer Leichhardt to be a peaceful backwater of a residential suburb, not troubled by crass commercialism - and all these excited holidaymakers told to go someplace else to leave and board ships.
The biggest whinge from this council is that the ship's run their engines for the entire time they are in port. The cruise ship industry explains that this is necessary to generate the power needed to keep the lights burning in the ship's dark interior, run the refrigerated food storage areas and power the huge range of facilities that are an integral part of a comfortable cruise liner. The reason they do this - is because there is no ship to shore power source at the White Bay terminal.
The council points the finger at the exhaust discharge. They claim that this is a dangerous form of pollution and that the citizens who live in Leichardt are exposed to fine particles that may ruin their health. Their answer is to simply ban the ships from their taxpayer funded wharf terminal - and send them elsewhere.
Of course it would not require a brain capable of winning a Nobel prize for intelligence to figure out a way to resolve this problem ! Many may wonder how White Bay came to be developed as a cruise ship terminal without a ship to shore power source being automatically included in the specification - but be that as it may - rectification is only a matter of laying a few cables and establishing a junction facility.
There is some very unhealthy thinking being directed at the essence of what makes the port of Sydney an integral part of the Australian economy. Some would call it an extension of the "Canberra "complex. It seems to manifest itself in a rejection of all forms of commerce and it's replacement by a form of ethereal beauty - which completely ignores the reality of life.
We are seeing the trade in goods inward and outward quietly becoming unwelcome in the port of Sydney and being transferred to either Botany Bay or Port Kembla. The oil storage facilities and our last remaining distilleries are closing down or being relocated. It seems that the days of Sydney being a "working port "are numbered, and even the cruise ship industry is now being branded unwelcome.
The last thing we need is to see Sydney become a replica of Canberra. A city without any form of industry - except politics ! We had better get moving and install a ship to shore power source at White Bay - and keep those cruise ship movements growing because it is commercial activity that provides the jobs that deliver the pay packets we so desperately need.
That fable about killing the goose that lays golden eggs comes to mind !
The $ 57 million White Bay Cruise ship terminal is the focal point of this trade. This year saw 170 ship movements and booking for the 2014-15 season indicate that there will be an increase to 290 ship visits. This is a fast turnaround operation with ships at the wharf for just a few hours as they discharge passengers, restock with everything from bunker fuel, food and beverages - and embark those booked for the outward journey. On any day that a cruise ship is in port a whole range of businesses - from taxis, the pub and restaurant trade, ship providores, tourist amenities - all do a roaring business, employ a lot of people - and make money !
It seems that the council in which White Bay is located is hell bent on closing down this shipping terminal. They are organizing massive banners to express their views and trying to incite the NIMBY reaction of the residents who would prefer Leichhardt to be a peaceful backwater of a residential suburb, not troubled by crass commercialism - and all these excited holidaymakers told to go someplace else to leave and board ships.
The biggest whinge from this council is that the ship's run their engines for the entire time they are in port. The cruise ship industry explains that this is necessary to generate the power needed to keep the lights burning in the ship's dark interior, run the refrigerated food storage areas and power the huge range of facilities that are an integral part of a comfortable cruise liner. The reason they do this - is because there is no ship to shore power source at the White Bay terminal.
The council points the finger at the exhaust discharge. They claim that this is a dangerous form of pollution and that the citizens who live in Leichardt are exposed to fine particles that may ruin their health. Their answer is to simply ban the ships from their taxpayer funded wharf terminal - and send them elsewhere.
Of course it would not require a brain capable of winning a Nobel prize for intelligence to figure out a way to resolve this problem ! Many may wonder how White Bay came to be developed as a cruise ship terminal without a ship to shore power source being automatically included in the specification - but be that as it may - rectification is only a matter of laying a few cables and establishing a junction facility.
There is some very unhealthy thinking being directed at the essence of what makes the port of Sydney an integral part of the Australian economy. Some would call it an extension of the "Canberra "complex. It seems to manifest itself in a rejection of all forms of commerce and it's replacement by a form of ethereal beauty - which completely ignores the reality of life.
We are seeing the trade in goods inward and outward quietly becoming unwelcome in the port of Sydney and being transferred to either Botany Bay or Port Kembla. The oil storage facilities and our last remaining distilleries are closing down or being relocated. It seems that the days of Sydney being a "working port "are numbered, and even the cruise ship industry is now being branded unwelcome.
The last thing we need is to see Sydney become a replica of Canberra. A city without any form of industry - except politics ! We had better get moving and install a ship to shore power source at White Bay - and keep those cruise ship movements growing because it is commercial activity that provides the jobs that deliver the pay packets we so desperately need.
That fable about killing the goose that lays golden eggs comes to mind !
Thursday 27 November 2014
Sport - and Safety !
The more competitive a sport - the bigger the risk factor ! All players hone their skills to try and achieve a winning edge and that brings with it the rewards of both fame and fortune. Our top sports people feature heavily in the media and the money they earn takes them to the top of the celebrity list. Many have earnings that rival those of screen stars and the top acts of the music world.
The safety rules that apply are usually a response to individual accidents that injure a star player and attract wide publicity. In Rugby League the use of what was called the "Spear tackle " was banned after isolated accidents left players with spinal damage, resulting in paraplegia. Tackles that involve lifting an opponents feet off the ground now bring a penalty. Any head contact needs medical attention to ensure that concussions is not present.
This week tragedy struck during a game of cricket. A mistimed stroke resulted in a cricket ball hitting Phil Hughes on the side of his head and doing major medical damage. Hughes collapsed on the pitch and was rushed to hospital by air ambulance - and is now in an induced coma. The result of the injury will not be known until brain swelling subsides and this incident has thrown the spotlight on how this ancient game can improve safety.
Decades ago batsmen faced the bowler with just the protection of a baggy green hat to protect their head. As the skill and crowd drawing power of the "fast bowler "increased the accident level rose accordingly and now players wear a safety helmet with a metal grid covering the forward section of the face. Phil Hughes was wearing such a helmet, but the ball struck him under the ear - with catastrophic results.
A cricket ball weighs about 160 grams and can reach a speed of 135 kph. It's impact is likened to that of a bullet. The speed is intended to deceive the batsman and either send the stumps flying, or glance off the bat or pads and be caught by one of the fielders. If it is bowled "short "on the pitch it is quite capable of arriving at head height. Batsmen wear "pads "to protect their legs and over time various other protective gear has been added to lessen body injuries caused by ball strikes.
This accident has the sporting world debating this entire safety question. Should cricket adopt the full helmet head protection worn by drivers of racing cars ? Is head protection sufficient ? A body blow from a cricket ball is quite capable of causing major injury which can sometimes set off a chain of later serious consequences. Do we want to see batsmen waddle to the crease encompassed in armour like medieval knights ?
Some may question the wisdom of allowing "fast "bowling. Many years ago the game of cricket was brought into disrepute when the infamous "bodyline "tactic was used to intimidate and injure batsmen. The objective was to use the ball as a virtual "weapon " to drive rival batsmen back into the pavilion. Since then, ball delivery speeds have actually increased as bowlers gain more skills.
Crowds still come to see the game of cricket because it is a contest between batsmen and bowlers. A speedily bowled ball is a legitimate tactic of the game and cricket would be virtually unwatchable if it were removed from play. Somewhere the answer is a matter of balance, between allowing the full range of bowling tactics to take advantage of the surface of the wicket and yet protecting the batsman from serious physical harm.
This accident has done the game a service by making protection an issue to be fully and publicly examined. The modern new materials of the twenty-first century should make it possible to solve this problem while still retaining the charm and spirit of a hallowed game. Anything less would be unthinkable !
The safety rules that apply are usually a response to individual accidents that injure a star player and attract wide publicity. In Rugby League the use of what was called the "Spear tackle " was banned after isolated accidents left players with spinal damage, resulting in paraplegia. Tackles that involve lifting an opponents feet off the ground now bring a penalty. Any head contact needs medical attention to ensure that concussions is not present.
This week tragedy struck during a game of cricket. A mistimed stroke resulted in a cricket ball hitting Phil Hughes on the side of his head and doing major medical damage. Hughes collapsed on the pitch and was rushed to hospital by air ambulance - and is now in an induced coma. The result of the injury will not be known until brain swelling subsides and this incident has thrown the spotlight on how this ancient game can improve safety.
Decades ago batsmen faced the bowler with just the protection of a baggy green hat to protect their head. As the skill and crowd drawing power of the "fast bowler "increased the accident level rose accordingly and now players wear a safety helmet with a metal grid covering the forward section of the face. Phil Hughes was wearing such a helmet, but the ball struck him under the ear - with catastrophic results.
A cricket ball weighs about 160 grams and can reach a speed of 135 kph. It's impact is likened to that of a bullet. The speed is intended to deceive the batsman and either send the stumps flying, or glance off the bat or pads and be caught by one of the fielders. If it is bowled "short "on the pitch it is quite capable of arriving at head height. Batsmen wear "pads "to protect their legs and over time various other protective gear has been added to lessen body injuries caused by ball strikes.
This accident has the sporting world debating this entire safety question. Should cricket adopt the full helmet head protection worn by drivers of racing cars ? Is head protection sufficient ? A body blow from a cricket ball is quite capable of causing major injury which can sometimes set off a chain of later serious consequences. Do we want to see batsmen waddle to the crease encompassed in armour like medieval knights ?
Some may question the wisdom of allowing "fast "bowling. Many years ago the game of cricket was brought into disrepute when the infamous "bodyline "tactic was used to intimidate and injure batsmen. The objective was to use the ball as a virtual "weapon " to drive rival batsmen back into the pavilion. Since then, ball delivery speeds have actually increased as bowlers gain more skills.
Crowds still come to see the game of cricket because it is a contest between batsmen and bowlers. A speedily bowled ball is a legitimate tactic of the game and cricket would be virtually unwatchable if it were removed from play. Somewhere the answer is a matter of balance, between allowing the full range of bowling tactics to take advantage of the surface of the wicket and yet protecting the batsman from serious physical harm.
This accident has done the game a service by making protection an issue to be fully and publicly examined. The modern new materials of the twenty-first century should make it possible to solve this problem while still retaining the charm and spirit of a hallowed game. Anything less would be unthinkable !
Wednesday 26 November 2014
Our Justice Decisions !
Many New South Wales citizens will be angered to hear that a United Nations Human Rights Committee has had the temerity to question a life sentence handed down to the members of a rape gang responsible for a brutal 1988 murder. Janine Balding ( 20 ) returned from work on the train and was about to enter her car in a railway station car park when she was set upon by a gang of young thugs, forced into her car and driven on a wild journey across the city where she was repeatedly brutally raped. Finally, she was hog tied - and drowned in a muddy dam.
All the criminals involved received a life sentence, with no possibility of parole - and they are still in jail ! Mathew Elliott was 20 years old at the time and Bronson Blessington was 14. This United Nations Committee is now claiming that our life sentence verdict is too harsh - and it breaches the Convention of Civil and Political Rights. They claim it allows no genuine chance of release even with full rehabilitation.
Of course this takes no account of Janine Baldings civil and political rights. The public of this state have a distaste for violent criminals who viciously inflict rape as part of a wolf pack and the murderers of Anita Cobby got similar treatment. Then there were the ethnic rape gangs that terrorised western Sydney and that is resulting in Bilal Skaf spending most of the remainder of his life in the Supermax prison.
The punishment for crime has always been the prerogative of the society in which it is committed. That is common across the entire world, and is one of the reasons that each jurisdiction forms laws that suit the standards and expectations of it's citizens. There are laws in place in other countries with which we do not agree, but that is not our business and we do not consciously interfere or try and force our will on others.
The attorney general of this state intends to ignore the bleatings of this UN Committee - and rightly so. Would we ever want Ivan Milat to walk free again in our society ? It seems that the United Nations is tending to frown on all forms of long sentencing and is trying to force a release clause to apply irrespective of the type of crime committed - and in complete defiance of community expectations.
Of course this question again raises the matter of the death penalty. It is not entirely out of the question that it could return to Australia. If it does so, it will be at the behest of community demand and the most probable cause would be as punishment for those committing jihad by setting explosives in public places and murdering innocent citizens by way of a form of civil war.
Would we really want to fill our prisons with fanatics with no prospect of rehabilitation and whose aim was to be free to again slaughter all those who refuse to convert to their religion ? If having a cup of coffee in a cafe or visiting a market was a risk that had to be taken because of random bombings - as is the case in many other parts of the world - would we not consider death as an appropriate punishment ?
That old saying - " If you do the crime, you do the time " - comes to mind ! But there are some crimes that go so far beyond reasonable expectations that no amount of time will square the books !
All the criminals involved received a life sentence, with no possibility of parole - and they are still in jail ! Mathew Elliott was 20 years old at the time and Bronson Blessington was 14. This United Nations Committee is now claiming that our life sentence verdict is too harsh - and it breaches the Convention of Civil and Political Rights. They claim it allows no genuine chance of release even with full rehabilitation.
Of course this takes no account of Janine Baldings civil and political rights. The public of this state have a distaste for violent criminals who viciously inflict rape as part of a wolf pack and the murderers of Anita Cobby got similar treatment. Then there were the ethnic rape gangs that terrorised western Sydney and that is resulting in Bilal Skaf spending most of the remainder of his life in the Supermax prison.
The punishment for crime has always been the prerogative of the society in which it is committed. That is common across the entire world, and is one of the reasons that each jurisdiction forms laws that suit the standards and expectations of it's citizens. There are laws in place in other countries with which we do not agree, but that is not our business and we do not consciously interfere or try and force our will on others.
The attorney general of this state intends to ignore the bleatings of this UN Committee - and rightly so. Would we ever want Ivan Milat to walk free again in our society ? It seems that the United Nations is tending to frown on all forms of long sentencing and is trying to force a release clause to apply irrespective of the type of crime committed - and in complete defiance of community expectations.
Of course this question again raises the matter of the death penalty. It is not entirely out of the question that it could return to Australia. If it does so, it will be at the behest of community demand and the most probable cause would be as punishment for those committing jihad by setting explosives in public places and murdering innocent citizens by way of a form of civil war.
Would we really want to fill our prisons with fanatics with no prospect of rehabilitation and whose aim was to be free to again slaughter all those who refuse to convert to their religion ? If having a cup of coffee in a cafe or visiting a market was a risk that had to be taken because of random bombings - as is the case in many other parts of the world - would we not consider death as an appropriate punishment ?
That old saying - " If you do the crime, you do the time " - comes to mind ! But there are some crimes that go so far beyond reasonable expectations that no amount of time will square the books !
Tuesday 25 November 2014
The need for a " Safe Refuge " !
Cyclists taking a weekend ride on a cycle path beside the M7 at Quakers Hill investigated the sound of a crying baby - and discovered the source was coming from a storm water drain. It took the combined efforts of six men to remove the concrete drain cover, and discover a baby wrapped in a hospital blanket. It was evident that this child had been pushed through the small opening and allowed to drop 2.4 metres to the bottom of the drain floor. Distressed and hungry in the forty degrees heat, Paramedics rushed the victim to the Children's Hospital at Westmead where examining doctors found the child to be "serious but stable ".
Investigations began immediately and that hospital blanket was the vital clue that led police to the child's thirty year old mother. She is being interviewed and no doubt we will learn just what harrowing personal circumstances led to a perfectly healthy baby boy being dumped in a drain with only sheer good luck the factor in his survival. It is doubtful that he would have survived to the end of that day in the weather conditions prevailing.
This incident raises an issue that has been long neglected in this state. We need a safe refuge for desperate people who can no longer safely look after a child to turn to as a last resort. In some countries, that is the local fire station. The central fire station in many areas is manned 24/7 and has a hatch connected to a time delay alarm where a child can be deposited. This is on a "no questions asked "basis and the short time delay alarm allows the person depositing to safely exit the scene.
The reasons that people use this are many and varied. It used to be the shame of an unwed mother that led to many babies being abandoned, but these days it is often connected to mental illness, homelessness, a dangerous domestic situation, hopeless drug dependency - or just pervading isolation and depression that makes a mother feel unable to cope any longer.
The most important factor - is the survival of the baby. There has to be a better solution than just dumping it down a storm water drain. If we create a safe refuge it is vitally important that this be common knowledge and be prominent on the public announcements that urge people to use the 000 number and list the essential services available.
Unfortunately, dumping a baby is not uncommon. We may remember the huge amount of publicity when a desperate father dumped a baby at a busy airport and flew away overseas. Then there was the long running saga of a mother charged with murdering a baby which did not fit in with her sport addicted lifestyle. It seems that in the vast majority of such cases, they happen because the person responsible for the child sees no other available option - and that is a tragedy !
In many cases abandoned babies are reunited with their mother or father when the circumstances that led to abandonment are rectified , but if not there is every chance that the child can find a new family able and willing to provide a loving family life. We actually have a shortage of children available for adoption in this country, and many people venture overseas to try and overcome this shortage.
In recent times, complete strangers have been surprised to hear their doorbell ring - and find an abandoned baby on their doorstep. At least that disturbed parent has taken a chance and hoped that a random house selection would yield a humane and sympathetic stranger who would call emergency services and see that the child was given the attention needed.
This "baby in a storm drain " illustrates that we need to do more than just trust to luck that a desperate person makes a wise decision. Providing a safe refuge at fire stations is not even a solution that involves expenditure of much money.
All it really needs is a humane decision to implement a life saving answer to a twenty-first century problem !
Investigations began immediately and that hospital blanket was the vital clue that led police to the child's thirty year old mother. She is being interviewed and no doubt we will learn just what harrowing personal circumstances led to a perfectly healthy baby boy being dumped in a drain with only sheer good luck the factor in his survival. It is doubtful that he would have survived to the end of that day in the weather conditions prevailing.
This incident raises an issue that has been long neglected in this state. We need a safe refuge for desperate people who can no longer safely look after a child to turn to as a last resort. In some countries, that is the local fire station. The central fire station in many areas is manned 24/7 and has a hatch connected to a time delay alarm where a child can be deposited. This is on a "no questions asked "basis and the short time delay alarm allows the person depositing to safely exit the scene.
The reasons that people use this are many and varied. It used to be the shame of an unwed mother that led to many babies being abandoned, but these days it is often connected to mental illness, homelessness, a dangerous domestic situation, hopeless drug dependency - or just pervading isolation and depression that makes a mother feel unable to cope any longer.
The most important factor - is the survival of the baby. There has to be a better solution than just dumping it down a storm water drain. If we create a safe refuge it is vitally important that this be common knowledge and be prominent on the public announcements that urge people to use the 000 number and list the essential services available.
Unfortunately, dumping a baby is not uncommon. We may remember the huge amount of publicity when a desperate father dumped a baby at a busy airport and flew away overseas. Then there was the long running saga of a mother charged with murdering a baby which did not fit in with her sport addicted lifestyle. It seems that in the vast majority of such cases, they happen because the person responsible for the child sees no other available option - and that is a tragedy !
In many cases abandoned babies are reunited with their mother or father when the circumstances that led to abandonment are rectified , but if not there is every chance that the child can find a new family able and willing to provide a loving family life. We actually have a shortage of children available for adoption in this country, and many people venture overseas to try and overcome this shortage.
In recent times, complete strangers have been surprised to hear their doorbell ring - and find an abandoned baby on their doorstep. At least that disturbed parent has taken a chance and hoped that a random house selection would yield a humane and sympathetic stranger who would call emergency services and see that the child was given the attention needed.
This "baby in a storm drain " illustrates that we need to do more than just trust to luck that a desperate person makes a wise decision. Providing a safe refuge at fire stations is not even a solution that involves expenditure of much money.
All it really needs is a humane decision to implement a life saving answer to a twenty-first century problem !
Monday 24 November 2014
Rite of Passage !
Schoolie's Week ! There must be hundreds of thousands of parent's suffering everything from mild apprehension to almost total panic at the thought of what their children are getting up to on that annual youth extravaganza that celebrates the transition from child to adult. The very term "Schoolie's Week " strikes fear into the heart of many.
There is an absolute certainty that most will over indulge in alcohol. The pictures that appear on news programmes are not pretty. Legless youngsters staggering about the streets in a drunken frenzy and many people freeze at the prospect of wild parties held on the balconies of high rise hotels. Last year these were firmly locked to prevent death falls. This year the rules have been relaxed - and balconies are again open slather !
Then there is the drug danger. Western society is rife with drugs and despite the best efforts of police you can be sure that Ecstacy, Ice, Marijuana - and probably the entire spectrum of hard drugs will be circulating amongst the celebrating crowd. It is quite possible we will see screaming headlines reporting a drug death. It will be almost a miracle if an event of this magnitude escapes entirely unscathed.
Of course the vast majority will come home in a weeks time and say very little to their parent's about the excesses and indulgences that were part of their "rite of passage " ! Some may have a few regrets which they wish to erase from memory. Parents would be wise to not push enquiries to extreme - and remember that in their youth the age of maturity was twenty-one - and now it is eighteen. These young people are legally adults.
Unfortunately the "Schoolies" phenomenon can be very divisive in our multicultural society. Many young people see no need to ask permission to attend. They regard it as a "right " and expect a contribution to the cost from their parents. Some families even load them up with crates of booze and send them on their way, but not all families are so inclined.
Pity the young person living in a household where parental authority is paramount. They are absolutely denied even the thought of attending Schoolies and this widens a great gulf between them and their peers. Sometimes it is on account of social mores - and in others it comes down to a matter of religion. It can foster a deep resentment - that they are living in a country with a lifestyle rejected by their parents - and this making them feel "different "!
At least Schoolies on the Gold Coast or other Australian locations has the benefit of fitting in with local laws. The rite is extending overseas and Bali has become a newly popular destination. That introduces the laws and jurisdiction of another country, and what may be a minor infraction here in Australia can bring serious punishment - and even the death penalty - in other regimes.
Each year Schoolies gains added strength and the numbers increase. It is fast becoming a commercial bonanza - similar to Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day. Regional authorities bring in more security people, relax council by-laws - and let the tills deliver wealth to the owners of local businesses.
Perhaps the major miracle is that despite this excess and the mixing of huge numbers of both genders in what can only be described as a national wild party, the majority manage to evade permanent harm and come away with mixed memories. Usually - a happy experience, with perhaps a few incidents they would prefer to forget. Such is the folly of youth !
Many worried parents are hiding a feeling of envy. Their own passage from child to adult was much more subdued, but if they are being truly honest - they will remember a few incidents that would have made their parents swoon ! The passage of time diminishes such memories !
There is an absolute certainty that most will over indulge in alcohol. The pictures that appear on news programmes are not pretty. Legless youngsters staggering about the streets in a drunken frenzy and many people freeze at the prospect of wild parties held on the balconies of high rise hotels. Last year these were firmly locked to prevent death falls. This year the rules have been relaxed - and balconies are again open slather !
Then there is the drug danger. Western society is rife with drugs and despite the best efforts of police you can be sure that Ecstacy, Ice, Marijuana - and probably the entire spectrum of hard drugs will be circulating amongst the celebrating crowd. It is quite possible we will see screaming headlines reporting a drug death. It will be almost a miracle if an event of this magnitude escapes entirely unscathed.
Of course the vast majority will come home in a weeks time and say very little to their parent's about the excesses and indulgences that were part of their "rite of passage " ! Some may have a few regrets which they wish to erase from memory. Parents would be wise to not push enquiries to extreme - and remember that in their youth the age of maturity was twenty-one - and now it is eighteen. These young people are legally adults.
Unfortunately the "Schoolies" phenomenon can be very divisive in our multicultural society. Many young people see no need to ask permission to attend. They regard it as a "right " and expect a contribution to the cost from their parents. Some families even load them up with crates of booze and send them on their way, but not all families are so inclined.
Pity the young person living in a household where parental authority is paramount. They are absolutely denied even the thought of attending Schoolies and this widens a great gulf between them and their peers. Sometimes it is on account of social mores - and in others it comes down to a matter of religion. It can foster a deep resentment - that they are living in a country with a lifestyle rejected by their parents - and this making them feel "different "!
At least Schoolies on the Gold Coast or other Australian locations has the benefit of fitting in with local laws. The rite is extending overseas and Bali has become a newly popular destination. That introduces the laws and jurisdiction of another country, and what may be a minor infraction here in Australia can bring serious punishment - and even the death penalty - in other regimes.
Each year Schoolies gains added strength and the numbers increase. It is fast becoming a commercial bonanza - similar to Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day. Regional authorities bring in more security people, relax council by-laws - and let the tills deliver wealth to the owners of local businesses.
Perhaps the major miracle is that despite this excess and the mixing of huge numbers of both genders in what can only be described as a national wild party, the majority manage to evade permanent harm and come away with mixed memories. Usually - a happy experience, with perhaps a few incidents they would prefer to forget. Such is the folly of youth !
Many worried parents are hiding a feeling of envy. Their own passage from child to adult was much more subdued, but if they are being truly honest - they will remember a few incidents that would have made their parents swoon ! The passage of time diminishes such memories !
Sunday 23 November 2014
The " NINBY " Factor !
New South Wales voters are due to hold an election next March and all the indications are for a return of the present government, probably with an even bigger majority. The past grip of inertia has been broken and the public is seeing work advancing on new rail lines, the extension of light rail in both the city centre and towards the suburbs - and at long last the hard decisions have been made to widen and extend the arterial roads that are such a misery to daily commuter traffic.
The hard core of the ministerial team running this state has adopted a "fact of life " stance in the decision making process. It is all very well to talk of being "consultative "and "allowing the public to have a say " on planning issues, but the end result is endless delay and the reworking of plans to appease criticism. Everything on the drawing board needed to survive the NINBY factor !
The city of Sydney is going to be home to another 1.6 million people by 2050 and some very hard decisions need to be made and implemented if they are to have somewhere to live, jobs to deliver them a pay packet - and transport that actually move great masses of people both swiftly and at reasonable cost. All that will not happen if every move gets bogged down in endless appeals and court actions.
Sydney is starting to look a little jaded in comparison with other world cities. Our skyline does not compare well with even Melbourne and it is certain that the building height ceiling will shortly be lifted. Living density needs to increase in proximity to "transportation corridors " and that means some pleasant and leafy suburbs will need to change character - and that will displease their present residents. Home acquisition and demolition to widen arterial roads and make way for new train stations are unpopular necessities. The people concerned usually agree that such improvements are necessary - but then demand that they occur "somewhere else "!
It seems that this ministerial team is prepared to ride out the inevitable placard waving demonstrators deploring the decisions it makes - and suffer the noisy displeasure that those decisions impose on significant groups of people. Where actual acquisition of land is involved it is essential that market value compensation be offered. A change of zoning to allow denser living ratios usually sends land values soaring and while many people regret having to move - in the long run they improve their situation and gain in wealth.
Inevitably, there will be charges that the government is being arrogant - and hard hearted. It is certainly clearing away the obstacles and removing legal barriers to increase the speed of change - and some will claim that as "running rough shod over civil liberties ", but wherever the NINBY factor causes long delays it also vastly increases the cost of getting the job done. In the past, this very factor has caused the city of Sydney to stagnate !
Strong government that gets things done is the difference between modern, vibrant cities that are world tourist destinations - and many former great cities that have lost their glitter and retreated into oblivion with suburbs that are little more than ghettos with rampant crime because of fading living facilities. Many older suburbs of Sydney are crying out for redevelopment and there are former industrial zones that need to be transformed into living and work hubs that can be the way of the future.
Like it or not - Sydney is going to get those 1.6 million extra people by 2050 and whether they fold neatly into a nicely planned urban landscape or tend to cram into yesterday's suburbs and turn them into favellas will depend on how decisions made now are implemented.
The hard core of the ministerial team running this state has adopted a "fact of life " stance in the decision making process. It is all very well to talk of being "consultative "and "allowing the public to have a say " on planning issues, but the end result is endless delay and the reworking of plans to appease criticism. Everything on the drawing board needed to survive the NINBY factor !
The city of Sydney is going to be home to another 1.6 million people by 2050 and some very hard decisions need to be made and implemented if they are to have somewhere to live, jobs to deliver them a pay packet - and transport that actually move great masses of people both swiftly and at reasonable cost. All that will not happen if every move gets bogged down in endless appeals and court actions.
Sydney is starting to look a little jaded in comparison with other world cities. Our skyline does not compare well with even Melbourne and it is certain that the building height ceiling will shortly be lifted. Living density needs to increase in proximity to "transportation corridors " and that means some pleasant and leafy suburbs will need to change character - and that will displease their present residents. Home acquisition and demolition to widen arterial roads and make way for new train stations are unpopular necessities. The people concerned usually agree that such improvements are necessary - but then demand that they occur "somewhere else "!
It seems that this ministerial team is prepared to ride out the inevitable placard waving demonstrators deploring the decisions it makes - and suffer the noisy displeasure that those decisions impose on significant groups of people. Where actual acquisition of land is involved it is essential that market value compensation be offered. A change of zoning to allow denser living ratios usually sends land values soaring and while many people regret having to move - in the long run they improve their situation and gain in wealth.
Inevitably, there will be charges that the government is being arrogant - and hard hearted. It is certainly clearing away the obstacles and removing legal barriers to increase the speed of change - and some will claim that as "running rough shod over civil liberties ", but wherever the NINBY factor causes long delays it also vastly increases the cost of getting the job done. In the past, this very factor has caused the city of Sydney to stagnate !
Strong government that gets things done is the difference between modern, vibrant cities that are world tourist destinations - and many former great cities that have lost their glitter and retreated into oblivion with suburbs that are little more than ghettos with rampant crime because of fading living facilities. Many older suburbs of Sydney are crying out for redevelopment and there are former industrial zones that need to be transformed into living and work hubs that can be the way of the future.
Like it or not - Sydney is going to get those 1.6 million extra people by 2050 and whether they fold neatly into a nicely planned urban landscape or tend to cram into yesterday's suburbs and turn them into favellas will depend on how decisions made now are implemented.
Saturday 22 November 2014
" Charges " - At Last !
For three long years the creaking wheels of justice at ICAC have been investigating claims that ministers holding portfolios in the New South Wales government manipulated the tender process to enrich themselves and their families. It was claimed that the rewards were staggering. The issue of a coal mining license, in secret and without competitive tendering - delivered dividends between seventy-five and a hundred million dollars - and that was money that rightfully belonged to the people of this state.
What has enraged many is the growing inference that the bandits are going to get away with their crimes. No visits from the police. Nobody led away in handcuffs. These are wealthy people who are still flaunting their wealth. Driving luxury cars. Eating at this city's top end restaurants - and still free to squirrel their money away to where ICAC will have trouble accessing it.
Finally, ICAC has ended it's silence and announced that charges will be laid - but on the grounds of "misconduct in public office "- and not on those immense profitable deals that involved mining licenses, but on the extension of a lease for Circular Quay restaurants. These were secretly held by nominees in Eddie OBeids family and were not subjected to a competitive tender, as required by due process.
It was all a sordid tale of sheer greed. Politicians are well paid to represent us in parliament but ministers and union leaders conspired together to enrich themselves by robbing the people of New South Wales. It is interesting to compare how justice is served at both ends of the social scale.
This week an 86 year old man was bashed and robbed of his pension money. Within hours the perpetrators - a man and two women - were arrested, cuffed and taken to a police station and charged. Bail was refused - and they will shortly face a magistrate - and learn their fate. Happily, the public chipped in and donated the stolen money so the old victim was reimbursed of the five hundred dollars he lost.
It is a very different story when the offender is a person of substance - and has connections. Literally - years can roll by while the investigators sift through evidence and decisions pass up the chain to the highest level before any action is taken. There is a suspicion that ICAC might have been prodded to speed things up because we are due to have a state election next March - and just in case the public is starting to forget the criminality of the last Labor government - this coming court action will be nicely timed to keep the memory refreshed.
All of these matters are merely "accusations "until they are decided in court, and that will be "theatre "that will absorb the media for months. Those accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence. There seems no possibility that any of those involved will spend time on remand behind bars. These will be very "civilized "proceedings, and it will be interesting to see whether the defendants choose to be tried before a judge alone - or take their chances with a jury.
The public has every right to demand to know what action has been taken to make sure that this form of corruption can not happen again. There must be limits on how much any minister can "bend the rules " and ICAC was formed initially as the state's watchdog against this very same sort of corruption.
Perhaps a need to ensure that the watchdog is not constrained by too short a length of chain !
What has enraged many is the growing inference that the bandits are going to get away with their crimes. No visits from the police. Nobody led away in handcuffs. These are wealthy people who are still flaunting their wealth. Driving luxury cars. Eating at this city's top end restaurants - and still free to squirrel their money away to where ICAC will have trouble accessing it.
Finally, ICAC has ended it's silence and announced that charges will be laid - but on the grounds of "misconduct in public office "- and not on those immense profitable deals that involved mining licenses, but on the extension of a lease for Circular Quay restaurants. These were secretly held by nominees in Eddie OBeids family and were not subjected to a competitive tender, as required by due process.
It was all a sordid tale of sheer greed. Politicians are well paid to represent us in parliament but ministers and union leaders conspired together to enrich themselves by robbing the people of New South Wales. It is interesting to compare how justice is served at both ends of the social scale.
This week an 86 year old man was bashed and robbed of his pension money. Within hours the perpetrators - a man and two women - were arrested, cuffed and taken to a police station and charged. Bail was refused - and they will shortly face a magistrate - and learn their fate. Happily, the public chipped in and donated the stolen money so the old victim was reimbursed of the five hundred dollars he lost.
It is a very different story when the offender is a person of substance - and has connections. Literally - years can roll by while the investigators sift through evidence and decisions pass up the chain to the highest level before any action is taken. There is a suspicion that ICAC might have been prodded to speed things up because we are due to have a state election next March - and just in case the public is starting to forget the criminality of the last Labor government - this coming court action will be nicely timed to keep the memory refreshed.
All of these matters are merely "accusations "until they are decided in court, and that will be "theatre "that will absorb the media for months. Those accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence. There seems no possibility that any of those involved will spend time on remand behind bars. These will be very "civilized "proceedings, and it will be interesting to see whether the defendants choose to be tried before a judge alone - or take their chances with a jury.
The public has every right to demand to know what action has been taken to make sure that this form of corruption can not happen again. There must be limits on how much any minister can "bend the rules " and ICAC was formed initially as the state's watchdog against this very same sort of corruption.
Perhaps a need to ensure that the watchdog is not constrained by too short a length of chain !
Friday 21 November 2014
Dangerous Habits !
On pensions day earlier this week an 86 year old man dependent on a walking stick withdrew several hundred dollars from an ATM in a busy shopping centre. It seems that this was observed by a nearby man and a woman and he was followed. The woman approached and offered to drive him home and when this was refused the pair cornered him in an underground car park, bashed him and stole his money.
This crime highlights the fact that we still have many elderly people who continue a lifelong habit of withdrawing their money on pension day and settling their bills in cash. Before pensions were paid directly into bank accounts, the fortnightly cheques arrived in the mail and the vast majority of pensioners lacked a bank account. They usually cashed their welfare cheque at the local corner shop - and settled any items they had placed on the slate. Household bills were invariably paid at the office of the relevant company - in cash !
Cash payment of bills is now a rarity in this twenty-first century - and it is concentrated in an advanced age group. This makes them highly vulnerable, as this recent bashing incident has made clear. The means are available to rectify this situation, but the main problem is that of educating the older minds to change a lifelong pattern - and accept a bewildering new concept.
Visit a shopping centre with a bank branch on pension day and the extent of the problem is obvious. Pension days are the busiest days of the month with literally no available parking space for cars and milling crowds waiting for the bank to open - and forming a cheque to get to the tellers. It is a bandits picnic for the low life's who prey on easy victims.
Women are particularly vulnerable. Fewer young women carry a handbag these days, but it is an essential to the elderly and usually pension day is an opportunity to also do a little shopping. Pushing a trolley in a supermarket means that the handbag is in with the groceries - and it usually contains the withdrawn pension. Bandits often work in pairs, with one causing a distraction while the other strikes.
It would be helpful if all sections of society combined to try and break this dangerous habit of withdrawing cash to pay bills. We are already seeing a withdrawal of the previous method of monthly billing, replaced by the need for payment directly from the customer's bank account for many services. That is the required format for paying for mobile phones, Foxtel pay TV, Internet access, and many other services - unfortunately mostly unused by the elderly.
It seems strange that Telstra requires direct debit for those having a Smartphone, but still bills landline phones on a monthly "bill through the mail "basis - and that is the most likely phone to be connected to a pensioner's home. This same situation applies to electricity, gas, insurance and all the other utility bills.
Habit is hard to break. Just count the number of people who queue to get their money face to face with a bank teller - and avoid using an ATM because of the need to remember a PIN or a general distrust of all forms of electronics. The news story of the robbery of that 86 year old man will probably cause some to join the teller queque - and avoid ATM's in future.
Any move to force direct debit on the elderly will be resented. Such was the case when the payment of pensions by mailing a cheque ceased and recipients were required to open bank accounts, but the present system has obvious failings - and the safety factor is certainly worth a small amount of initial inconvenience.
The sooner the better !
This crime highlights the fact that we still have many elderly people who continue a lifelong habit of withdrawing their money on pension day and settling their bills in cash. Before pensions were paid directly into bank accounts, the fortnightly cheques arrived in the mail and the vast majority of pensioners lacked a bank account. They usually cashed their welfare cheque at the local corner shop - and settled any items they had placed on the slate. Household bills were invariably paid at the office of the relevant company - in cash !
Cash payment of bills is now a rarity in this twenty-first century - and it is concentrated in an advanced age group. This makes them highly vulnerable, as this recent bashing incident has made clear. The means are available to rectify this situation, but the main problem is that of educating the older minds to change a lifelong pattern - and accept a bewildering new concept.
Visit a shopping centre with a bank branch on pension day and the extent of the problem is obvious. Pension days are the busiest days of the month with literally no available parking space for cars and milling crowds waiting for the bank to open - and forming a cheque to get to the tellers. It is a bandits picnic for the low life's who prey on easy victims.
Women are particularly vulnerable. Fewer young women carry a handbag these days, but it is an essential to the elderly and usually pension day is an opportunity to also do a little shopping. Pushing a trolley in a supermarket means that the handbag is in with the groceries - and it usually contains the withdrawn pension. Bandits often work in pairs, with one causing a distraction while the other strikes.
It would be helpful if all sections of society combined to try and break this dangerous habit of withdrawing cash to pay bills. We are already seeing a withdrawal of the previous method of monthly billing, replaced by the need for payment directly from the customer's bank account for many services. That is the required format for paying for mobile phones, Foxtel pay TV, Internet access, and many other services - unfortunately mostly unused by the elderly.
It seems strange that Telstra requires direct debit for those having a Smartphone, but still bills landline phones on a monthly "bill through the mail "basis - and that is the most likely phone to be connected to a pensioner's home. This same situation applies to electricity, gas, insurance and all the other utility bills.
Habit is hard to break. Just count the number of people who queue to get their money face to face with a bank teller - and avoid using an ATM because of the need to remember a PIN or a general distrust of all forms of electronics. The news story of the robbery of that 86 year old man will probably cause some to join the teller queque - and avoid ATM's in future.
Any move to force direct debit on the elderly will be resented. Such was the case when the payment of pensions by mailing a cheque ceased and recipients were required to open bank accounts, but the present system has obvious failings - and the safety factor is certainly worth a small amount of initial inconvenience.
The sooner the better !
Thursday 20 November 2014
Another " Jobs " Crossroad !
The New South Wales government is under pressure to change the rules that apply to the sale of lottery tickets in this state. There is a proposal being considered to allow Coles, Woolworths and other big retailers to allow customers to channel their gambling purchases through their checkouts - and if this goes ahead it will have impact on many aspects of life - as we know it !
Since the first state lottery was introduced the sale of tickets has been restricted to newsagents, and the renewal agreement for forty more years between Tatts and the NSW Labor government in 2010 continued this practice. This form of gambling is a huge cash cow for the state Treasury, delivering a tax take of $ 300 million, compared to Tatts profits of just $ 50 million.
Newsagents are devastated to hear that their monopoly on ticket sales is under threat. It is an integral part of their reason for opening their doors and trading, and the industry calculates that it delivers between 25% and 90% of the revenue that passes through their cash registers. It is quite clear that if they lose their lottery ticket trade there will be widespread closures - and governments need to think long and hard before making that decision.
Newsagencies are already under threat from a diminishing newspaper trade and those glossy magazines we treasured years ago are giving way to the same sort of celebrity information now presented on the ubiquitous "Smartphones " that are today's "must have "! Many are morphing into virtual mixed markets in a desperate attempt to remain profitable.
Coles and Woolworths are on the march to total retail domination, branching out into car fuel, insurance and hardware, but if they gain the right to sell lottery tickets, it is doubtful if that will result in even a single additional job in their stores. The numbers of "Checkout Chicks "is ever decreasing, replaced by self serve terminals - and lottery tickets will be folded in as just another sale to tempt the customer shopping by "pressing console buttons " !
On the other end of the scale, the loss of jobs in the newsagency trade will be calamitous.Every city suburb and even the tiniest country town has a newsagency and these provide employment to the proprietors and both regulars and casuals that extend to those who deliver the morning newspapers to homes to the extras needed to man the register every time Lotto has a jackpot extravaganza. To many newsagents, the business is their superannuation pot. Selling a thriving business on retirement is the nest egg for a comfortable old age.
The follow-on from newsagency closures would be huge. It would probably deliver the final blow to print newspaper publishing, and job losses in the glossy magazine industry and the advertising world would be extensive. This decision on the fate of lottery ticket sales will have a big bearing on who takes home a pay packet each Thursday night across Australia.
There is a ray of hope that those wanting to keep Coles and Woolworths at bay will cling to. Deep in the fine print of that forty year extension is a clause that refers to "adverse regulatory events "- and withdrawing a nominated sales monopoly would certainly fit that definition. It opens the door for a compensation claim - and probably a class action.
The anti gambling people will probably also climb onto the bandwagon. Existing legislation prevents the purchase of lottery tickets using credit cards, and much of the grocery trade is made using that medium. It would be hard to differentiate just what is included in a mixed sale.
All that is a very good reason for the legislators to avoid making a quick decision. The ramifications go far and wide - and the deciding issue could be the jobs question !
Since the first state lottery was introduced the sale of tickets has been restricted to newsagents, and the renewal agreement for forty more years between Tatts and the NSW Labor government in 2010 continued this practice. This form of gambling is a huge cash cow for the state Treasury, delivering a tax take of $ 300 million, compared to Tatts profits of just $ 50 million.
Newsagents are devastated to hear that their monopoly on ticket sales is under threat. It is an integral part of their reason for opening their doors and trading, and the industry calculates that it delivers between 25% and 90% of the revenue that passes through their cash registers. It is quite clear that if they lose their lottery ticket trade there will be widespread closures - and governments need to think long and hard before making that decision.
Newsagencies are already under threat from a diminishing newspaper trade and those glossy magazines we treasured years ago are giving way to the same sort of celebrity information now presented on the ubiquitous "Smartphones " that are today's "must have "! Many are morphing into virtual mixed markets in a desperate attempt to remain profitable.
Coles and Woolworths are on the march to total retail domination, branching out into car fuel, insurance and hardware, but if they gain the right to sell lottery tickets, it is doubtful if that will result in even a single additional job in their stores. The numbers of "Checkout Chicks "is ever decreasing, replaced by self serve terminals - and lottery tickets will be folded in as just another sale to tempt the customer shopping by "pressing console buttons " !
On the other end of the scale, the loss of jobs in the newsagency trade will be calamitous.Every city suburb and even the tiniest country town has a newsagency and these provide employment to the proprietors and both regulars and casuals that extend to those who deliver the morning newspapers to homes to the extras needed to man the register every time Lotto has a jackpot extravaganza. To many newsagents, the business is their superannuation pot. Selling a thriving business on retirement is the nest egg for a comfortable old age.
The follow-on from newsagency closures would be huge. It would probably deliver the final blow to print newspaper publishing, and job losses in the glossy magazine industry and the advertising world would be extensive. This decision on the fate of lottery ticket sales will have a big bearing on who takes home a pay packet each Thursday night across Australia.
There is a ray of hope that those wanting to keep Coles and Woolworths at bay will cling to. Deep in the fine print of that forty year extension is a clause that refers to "adverse regulatory events "- and withdrawing a nominated sales monopoly would certainly fit that definition. It opens the door for a compensation claim - and probably a class action.
The anti gambling people will probably also climb onto the bandwagon. Existing legislation prevents the purchase of lottery tickets using credit cards, and much of the grocery trade is made using that medium. It would be hard to differentiate just what is included in a mixed sale.
All that is a very good reason for the legislators to avoid making a quick decision. The ramifications go far and wide - and the deciding issue could be the jobs question !
Wednesday 19 November 2014
The " Free Trade " era !
The signing of a "Free Trade "agreement with China is the third leg of a "Trifecta "that will usher in a new era of prosperity for Australia. Goods from China, Korea and Japan will be cheaper for Australian buyers, and our exports will face lower or no tariffs when they reach the shores of our new trading partners.
Expect cheaper Chinese electrical goods, clothing and cars as a result of this agreement, and we will also see the doors opened to the export of our beef cattle to the vastly more affluent Chinese middle class. Another big sector expected to rise is the "service "industries which include insurance, accounting and education. Unfortunately, rice, sugar and cotton were not included in the present agreement, but will come up for renegotiation in three years time.
Negotiations are at the advanced stage for a similar free trade agreement with the United States. It seems that the world is embracing an age of lowered trade barriers and a reduction of tariffs to free up the movement of goods on a world wide basis. The barriers of "protectionism "are falling !
One aspect of this newly signed agreement will receive a mixed reception from many Australians. China does not allow foreign ownership of farming land in that country, but Australia does permit foreign investment in farming and permits the freehold title of land for that purpose. Already there are negative cries that Australia is "selling the farm "from some quarters. In particular, there is a degree of opposition to the existing Chinese acquisition of sections of our dairy industries.
Like most divisive issues, there is logic on both sides of the argument. Australia is a huge continent with a small population. It is quite clear that feeding a world population expected to reach ten billion by 2050 will need a huge increase in food production - and we have the land to achieve that objective.
Our government would be wise to restrict foreign ownership of existing productive farming properties in favour of allowing the money flow and expertise of foreigners to be directed at opening up unproductive regions for new farms. If unproductive land that is presently laying idle is to be converted to arable farming soil it will take the injection of vast sums of money to create the conditions to make that happen - and foreign investors will need ownership rights to justify spending that money.
"Ownership "tends to be a bogey of disproportionate dimensions in many people's minds. Land is not something a foreigner can pack up and take home with him. The laws of Australia pertaining to what can happen on that land apply equally to whoever has land tenure, be they Australian or foreign - and the levers of control are firmly located in Canberra. The lawmakers control what happens on Australian soil
This is an argument we have had many times before. At the start of the twentieth century, Britain was the richest country in the world and it was British money that flooded into Australia and financed great buildings and new industries. After the end of the second world war the money climate changed. America was now the new super power - and many folk here complained that "America was buying up Australia ". A few decades ago Japan became the manufacturing titan of the world - and we were seeing busloads of Japanese tourists arriving on our shores and we were again complaining that they were changing our culture.
This era of free trade will certainly bring change. There is every prospect that it will improve our trading position and enhance prosperity - but the government will need to keep a firm hand on the tiller. Change is inevitable - just so long as it does not cascade to "excess "! There is absolutely no problem with Chinese money developing new farms and having land title - provided the quantity involved is "balanced ".
That is the reason we elect governments to run this country !
Expect cheaper Chinese electrical goods, clothing and cars as a result of this agreement, and we will also see the doors opened to the export of our beef cattle to the vastly more affluent Chinese middle class. Another big sector expected to rise is the "service "industries which include insurance, accounting and education. Unfortunately, rice, sugar and cotton were not included in the present agreement, but will come up for renegotiation in three years time.
Negotiations are at the advanced stage for a similar free trade agreement with the United States. It seems that the world is embracing an age of lowered trade barriers and a reduction of tariffs to free up the movement of goods on a world wide basis. The barriers of "protectionism "are falling !
One aspect of this newly signed agreement will receive a mixed reception from many Australians. China does not allow foreign ownership of farming land in that country, but Australia does permit foreign investment in farming and permits the freehold title of land for that purpose. Already there are negative cries that Australia is "selling the farm "from some quarters. In particular, there is a degree of opposition to the existing Chinese acquisition of sections of our dairy industries.
Like most divisive issues, there is logic on both sides of the argument. Australia is a huge continent with a small population. It is quite clear that feeding a world population expected to reach ten billion by 2050 will need a huge increase in food production - and we have the land to achieve that objective.
Our government would be wise to restrict foreign ownership of existing productive farming properties in favour of allowing the money flow and expertise of foreigners to be directed at opening up unproductive regions for new farms. If unproductive land that is presently laying idle is to be converted to arable farming soil it will take the injection of vast sums of money to create the conditions to make that happen - and foreign investors will need ownership rights to justify spending that money.
"Ownership "tends to be a bogey of disproportionate dimensions in many people's minds. Land is not something a foreigner can pack up and take home with him. The laws of Australia pertaining to what can happen on that land apply equally to whoever has land tenure, be they Australian or foreign - and the levers of control are firmly located in Canberra. The lawmakers control what happens on Australian soil
This is an argument we have had many times before. At the start of the twentieth century, Britain was the richest country in the world and it was British money that flooded into Australia and financed great buildings and new industries. After the end of the second world war the money climate changed. America was now the new super power - and many folk here complained that "America was buying up Australia ". A few decades ago Japan became the manufacturing titan of the world - and we were seeing busloads of Japanese tourists arriving on our shores and we were again complaining that they were changing our culture.
This era of free trade will certainly bring change. There is every prospect that it will improve our trading position and enhance prosperity - but the government will need to keep a firm hand on the tiller. Change is inevitable - just so long as it does not cascade to "excess "! There is absolutely no problem with Chinese money developing new farms and having land title - provided the quantity involved is "balanced ".
That is the reason we elect governments to run this country !
Tuesday 18 November 2014
Do We Need Them ?
The Federal government is mulling a proposal to relax the restrictions that apply to importing second hand cars into Australia. Proponents claim that this will lower the cost of owning a car for the people who can not afford to buy one of the glittering new models in Australian car showrooms.
Perhaps we would be wise to have a look at the New Zealand experience. In 2008 they adopted a similar plan and now their car industry reports that the country has become a "dumping ground for stolen cars from Asia "! The Japanese Yakuza is never slow to grasp opportunities and organized crime quickly stepped in to clear their stocks of stolen vehicles, but also deliver cars re-built from written off wrecks that clearly deviated from manufacturers standards.
Apart from the clear invitation to the overseas crime fraternity, we would be wise to give consideration to the likely impact on Australian car ownership. As many people are discovering, the value of a "trade in "has dropped precipitously. It is almost impossible to get any sort of a quote for an older car or one from the cheaper end of the model range. Each year the offering price of second hand cars slips lower and in every city we see stacks of used cars sitting by the side of the road with price tags inviting negotiations with buyers to achieve a "private sale ". If we add a torrent of imported second hand cars to this glut - prices will go even lower.
There is also an element of danger in buying a used car that was originally built to the standard of another country. Every car manufacturer wishing to sell their new model in Australia needs to supply a sample for the mandatory "crash tests "which determine it's safety rating. Today it is hard to offer a new car that is not rated "Five Star " when it comes to the safety of occupants and pedestrian victims. These qualifications are different in other countries and so many foreign used cars may not meet Australian safety standards.
Then there is the "ecology question ". From an egalitarian point of view it would be nice if even the poorest Australian could afford a personal car, but motor vehicles are high on the sources of pollution increasing the Co2 content of our atmosphere - and we do have a problem with clogged roads and a lack of parking spaces. Isn't opening the door to other nation's excess car problems simply exacerbating the same problem we have in our own country ?
Another factor to be considered is the impact that opening the importation doors may have on our own car industry. Two manufacturers are quitting Australian production because we no longer favour their product and a trend has developed towards high end foreign brands. We encourage new car sales because each new model is considered "safer "because of design improvements and newly developed safety features, but anything that further depresses the "trade in "price of present vehicles will depress demand for new cars. It would accelerate the "ageing "of our car fleets with a consequent thinning of dealer networks and their supporting mechanical servicing components - a significant employer of people in this country.
It is hard to see any great benefit from departing from the status quo ! In every respect, increasing the number of cheaper used cars tends to increase our car problems rather than deliver a reward !
Perhaps we would be wise to have a look at the New Zealand experience. In 2008 they adopted a similar plan and now their car industry reports that the country has become a "dumping ground for stolen cars from Asia "! The Japanese Yakuza is never slow to grasp opportunities and organized crime quickly stepped in to clear their stocks of stolen vehicles, but also deliver cars re-built from written off wrecks that clearly deviated from manufacturers standards.
Apart from the clear invitation to the overseas crime fraternity, we would be wise to give consideration to the likely impact on Australian car ownership. As many people are discovering, the value of a "trade in "has dropped precipitously. It is almost impossible to get any sort of a quote for an older car or one from the cheaper end of the model range. Each year the offering price of second hand cars slips lower and in every city we see stacks of used cars sitting by the side of the road with price tags inviting negotiations with buyers to achieve a "private sale ". If we add a torrent of imported second hand cars to this glut - prices will go even lower.
There is also an element of danger in buying a used car that was originally built to the standard of another country. Every car manufacturer wishing to sell their new model in Australia needs to supply a sample for the mandatory "crash tests "which determine it's safety rating. Today it is hard to offer a new car that is not rated "Five Star " when it comes to the safety of occupants and pedestrian victims. These qualifications are different in other countries and so many foreign used cars may not meet Australian safety standards.
Then there is the "ecology question ". From an egalitarian point of view it would be nice if even the poorest Australian could afford a personal car, but motor vehicles are high on the sources of pollution increasing the Co2 content of our atmosphere - and we do have a problem with clogged roads and a lack of parking spaces. Isn't opening the door to other nation's excess car problems simply exacerbating the same problem we have in our own country ?
Another factor to be considered is the impact that opening the importation doors may have on our own car industry. Two manufacturers are quitting Australian production because we no longer favour their product and a trend has developed towards high end foreign brands. We encourage new car sales because each new model is considered "safer "because of design improvements and newly developed safety features, but anything that further depresses the "trade in "price of present vehicles will depress demand for new cars. It would accelerate the "ageing "of our car fleets with a consequent thinning of dealer networks and their supporting mechanical servicing components - a significant employer of people in this country.
It is hard to see any great benefit from departing from the status quo ! In every respect, increasing the number of cheaper used cars tends to increase our car problems rather than deliver a reward !
Monday 17 November 2014
Widening the "Fines " net !
Cynics might wonder whether it is a genuine attempt to stamp out bushfires, or simply a means of increasing state revenue - but from this coming January 1 it will be an offence carrying a $ 300 fine to smoke in any of the New South Wales 860 National Parks - and that includes beaches,picnic areas, walking trails. This new diktat also applies to those in boats on the water, and in cars - but it does exclude the main arterial state and Federal highways that pass through designated National Parks.
It looks like providing a fines bonanza for council rangers because the entire foreshore of Sydney Harbour is zoned a National Park. Specific areas such as sporting grounds and bus stops are already zoned smoke free, but this new legislation virtually makes it an offence to light up a smoke anywhere in the greater part of inner Sydney. Having a smoke while watching the New Year's eve fireworks will join being in possession of any alcohol as offences that may see the crowds that line Sydney Harbour dwindle from this new year onwards.
It seems that there are more restrictions in the pipeline. A parliamentary committee on road safety is about to propose a mandatory imposition of speed control devices on vehicles owned by serial speed offenders. The maximum speed permitted in this state is 110 kph on main highways and when offenders reach a designated number of speeding convictions they will be required to have a speed limiter fitted to their vehicle - at their expense.
It sounds simple, but motoring organizations are expressing caution. Anyone who has experienced the hazards of trying to overtake a B-Double know that a burst of speed is often the difference between risk and safety. Imposition of any device that takes control out of the hands of a driver can deliver unintended consequences.
Perhaps the most contentious proposal is to extend the point to point use of speed cameras to detect speeding offences by those driving cars. This system is already up and running and applies to the trucking industry and the cameras in place on the national road network only need legislative approval - to start handing out fines to car drivers.
It is contended that fixed speed camera locations quickly become known and drivers reduce speed in their vicinity - and increase speed once they have passed this danger point. The value of point to point monitoring is that the entire journey is broken up into constant monitoring, section by section - and the computers calculate the time needed to travel each distance at the legal speed. Those that arrive at each check point too early receive a speeding fine in the mail.
Once again, driver discretion in avoiding danger can result in a fractional excess in distance covered and in some circumstances this could result in multiple fines imposed over the length of a single journey. It is quite possible that driving from Sydney to Albury could see multiple distance checks calculated, and then the entire Sydney/Albury subjected to an overall speed check. A car with a minutely incorrect speed reading could cost that driver a bunch of speeding fines - and automatic loss of license.
Unfortunately, there is a certain inevitability about the correlation between implementing safety regulations and the pressing need to raise government revenue. Once the cash flow starts, it becomes indispensable to government needs and all constraints fly out the window.
Point to point speed monitoring of cars has the potential to become a major cash cow. The steady flash of those cameras will see the dollars rolling in to treasury and the pressure will grow to extend coverage - in the name of road safety - to every road in the state.
A similar situation will arise with that smoking ban in National Parks. An angler sitting in his boat a mile offshore who lights up a smoke is only doing damage to his own lungs, but you can be sure that the revenue collection people will be using binoculars under pressure from their masters to meet collection quotas.
Such is the race for dollars in this twenty-first century !
It looks like providing a fines bonanza for council rangers because the entire foreshore of Sydney Harbour is zoned a National Park. Specific areas such as sporting grounds and bus stops are already zoned smoke free, but this new legislation virtually makes it an offence to light up a smoke anywhere in the greater part of inner Sydney. Having a smoke while watching the New Year's eve fireworks will join being in possession of any alcohol as offences that may see the crowds that line Sydney Harbour dwindle from this new year onwards.
It seems that there are more restrictions in the pipeline. A parliamentary committee on road safety is about to propose a mandatory imposition of speed control devices on vehicles owned by serial speed offenders. The maximum speed permitted in this state is 110 kph on main highways and when offenders reach a designated number of speeding convictions they will be required to have a speed limiter fitted to their vehicle - at their expense.
It sounds simple, but motoring organizations are expressing caution. Anyone who has experienced the hazards of trying to overtake a B-Double know that a burst of speed is often the difference between risk and safety. Imposition of any device that takes control out of the hands of a driver can deliver unintended consequences.
Perhaps the most contentious proposal is to extend the point to point use of speed cameras to detect speeding offences by those driving cars. This system is already up and running and applies to the trucking industry and the cameras in place on the national road network only need legislative approval - to start handing out fines to car drivers.
It is contended that fixed speed camera locations quickly become known and drivers reduce speed in their vicinity - and increase speed once they have passed this danger point. The value of point to point monitoring is that the entire journey is broken up into constant monitoring, section by section - and the computers calculate the time needed to travel each distance at the legal speed. Those that arrive at each check point too early receive a speeding fine in the mail.
Once again, driver discretion in avoiding danger can result in a fractional excess in distance covered and in some circumstances this could result in multiple fines imposed over the length of a single journey. It is quite possible that driving from Sydney to Albury could see multiple distance checks calculated, and then the entire Sydney/Albury subjected to an overall speed check. A car with a minutely incorrect speed reading could cost that driver a bunch of speeding fines - and automatic loss of license.
Unfortunately, there is a certain inevitability about the correlation between implementing safety regulations and the pressing need to raise government revenue. Once the cash flow starts, it becomes indispensable to government needs and all constraints fly out the window.
Point to point speed monitoring of cars has the potential to become a major cash cow. The steady flash of those cameras will see the dollars rolling in to treasury and the pressure will grow to extend coverage - in the name of road safety - to every road in the state.
A similar situation will arise with that smoking ban in National Parks. An angler sitting in his boat a mile offshore who lights up a smoke is only doing damage to his own lungs, but you can be sure that the revenue collection people will be using binoculars under pressure from their masters to meet collection quotas.
Such is the race for dollars in this twenty-first century !
Sunday 16 November 2014
Electronic Pick Pocketing !
We are constantly reminded to look carefully at any ATM we are proposing to use to see if it has any unusual features. Scammers are adept at stealing our PIN by attaching "skimmers " that blend in with the machine, but which record the vital information passing between our access card and the machine's "reader " and enable them to plunder our money.
The relentless march of new technology has produced the "tap and go "method of paying for goods. Both our credit and access cards have a wonderful new electronic chip embedded on their surface which can record a sale by simply passing close to the reader on a merchant's card terminal. This is being promoted as the fast way to pay for items under a hundred dollars in value.
The world of electronics is very much a "cat and mouse "game. The smart people who devise these systems are doing constant battle with the criminal element seeking the ways and means of circumventing the safeguards built into any new system - and it seems that the criminals are winning.
The latest weapon in electronic warfare is the "Radio Frequency Identification Device "( RFID ) which can be purchased on the net from various sources for about $150 - or assembled by a local bandit from items freely available from any electronics store. It simply mimics the store readers - and collects the information on your card for transfer onto a bogus card which is then identical with the one you are using.
The alarming part is that the bandit does not have to intercept you making a transaction to steal your identity. If you have your card in your wallet or purse, simply standing next to you enables the RFID to steal the information electronically - and you will be non the wiser that this has happened. A bandit with a RFID moving through crowds in a busty shopping centre or on a peak services train would gain a wealth of opportunities - for plunder !
The banks have accepted the loss from illegally used card information when data banks are hacked or skimmers used on ATM's, but this is a totally new ball game. No identification is required using "tap and go "because the item purchased is below a hundred dollars value. Just imagine the bonanza a bandit could rack up by purchases that nobody would question ? A packet of cigarettes here. A restaurant meal there. Perhaps a fancy haircut. Good wine from the liquor store. Filling the car with petrol. Today - tap and go is synonymous with cash !
You would probably be unaware - until your next statement arrives, and then how do you prove to a bank that you did not make all those seemingly normal purchases ? A clever bandit would probably rotate purchases through a selection of stolen identities - and many may not even notice an odd purchase of a few dollars - that they don't quite remember making ? Some people are careless and rarely scrutinise their statements - item by item.
Counter measures are in the offing. We may need to consider keeping our credit and access cards in a security wallet that provides a shield against electronic penetration, but then there will be the hazard of other people in the vicinity whenever we extract the card to make a purchase.
Some will solve this problem - by reverting to using that old fashioned medium - cash !
The relentless march of new technology has produced the "tap and go "method of paying for goods. Both our credit and access cards have a wonderful new electronic chip embedded on their surface which can record a sale by simply passing close to the reader on a merchant's card terminal. This is being promoted as the fast way to pay for items under a hundred dollars in value.
The world of electronics is very much a "cat and mouse "game. The smart people who devise these systems are doing constant battle with the criminal element seeking the ways and means of circumventing the safeguards built into any new system - and it seems that the criminals are winning.
The latest weapon in electronic warfare is the "Radio Frequency Identification Device "( RFID ) which can be purchased on the net from various sources for about $150 - or assembled by a local bandit from items freely available from any electronics store. It simply mimics the store readers - and collects the information on your card for transfer onto a bogus card which is then identical with the one you are using.
The alarming part is that the bandit does not have to intercept you making a transaction to steal your identity. If you have your card in your wallet or purse, simply standing next to you enables the RFID to steal the information electronically - and you will be non the wiser that this has happened. A bandit with a RFID moving through crowds in a busty shopping centre or on a peak services train would gain a wealth of opportunities - for plunder !
The banks have accepted the loss from illegally used card information when data banks are hacked or skimmers used on ATM's, but this is a totally new ball game. No identification is required using "tap and go "because the item purchased is below a hundred dollars value. Just imagine the bonanza a bandit could rack up by purchases that nobody would question ? A packet of cigarettes here. A restaurant meal there. Perhaps a fancy haircut. Good wine from the liquor store. Filling the car with petrol. Today - tap and go is synonymous with cash !
You would probably be unaware - until your next statement arrives, and then how do you prove to a bank that you did not make all those seemingly normal purchases ? A clever bandit would probably rotate purchases through a selection of stolen identities - and many may not even notice an odd purchase of a few dollars - that they don't quite remember making ? Some people are careless and rarely scrutinise their statements - item by item.
Counter measures are in the offing. We may need to consider keeping our credit and access cards in a security wallet that provides a shield against electronic penetration, but then there will be the hazard of other people in the vicinity whenever we extract the card to make a purchase.
Some will solve this problem - by reverting to using that old fashioned medium - cash !
Saturday 15 November 2014
The " Renumeration " Debate !
Gail Kelly is a legendary woman in Australia. She rose through the ranks at the old St George Building society and when it merged with Westpac bank, she finally emerged as the CEO of that colossus - with a salary of thirteen million dollars a year. She plans to retire in February.
Many people bumping along on the minimum wage will wonder what anyone can do to be worth a salary of that magnitude. Westpac posted a profit of $ 7.6 billion last year - but then the other three members of the "Big Four "posted similar profits. Just four banking institutions have a monopoly stranglehold on banking in Australia and the rules allow them to set the prices they charge for services at their own discretion. In recent times, the gap between the top and the bottom of pay scales seems ever widening - and this is now being questioned by many.
It is also disturbing that one of our leading charities is proposing to take money out of the donations pool to reimburse the directors that sit on it's board. Diabetes NSW has nine directors and there is a proposal to change the constitution to allow $ 300,000 to be allocated to directors fees. Considering that these nine people contribute between 30 and 120 hours a year to governing the charity body, that works out at a compensation rate of between $ 280 and $ 950 an hour.
It also raises a red flag in the minds of the public that generously support the charity spectrum with their donations. Many are offering money they can ill afford in the hope of easing suffering and providing the research to stem chronic diseases. In the past, becoming a director of a hallowed charity was a badge of honour and the sort of thing mentioned in the attributes delivered after the death of what would be considered a "civic leader ". Serving on such a body was considered a "duty " - for which recognition was usually made in the annual honours list.
There is an old saying that "if you pay peanuts - you get monkeys "! Politicians are fond of quoting that to justify their generous pay and allowances, but it seems that the avarice of the commercial world is invading the realm of worthy causes. Just how many cents in a charity dollar gets to the coal face where research is carried out - and how many cents get hived off to pay generous salaries and provide luxury cars for the team managing that charity ?
Many people are suffering "charity overload ". The number of letters in the mail soliciting a donation is ever increasing, as is the use of overseas call centres to use the telemarketer approach - and it is presumed that the operator who successfully coaxes a contribution is rewarded as part of that money gained. Powerful advertising agencies are involved in structuring the advertising message used. Some get out the violins and go for sympathy appeal. Others try and shame the donor into making a contribution - and in recent times the approach contains a small gift intended to saddle the recipient with a sense of obligation to donate. The same principle in selling goods to the public is involved in devising the approach to extracting a charitable donation.
When we shop at a supermarket, the seller is now required to provide a price comparison per unit to allow customers to make a comparison that is not influenced by extended packaging to give the impression that it contains a bigger amount. That is an approach that would be welcome if extended to the charity spectrum.
It should be a requirement that all and every charity present their books for an annual audit and the results of that audit determine the ratio of cents in the contributed dollar actually applied to charitable activities - and the percentage used in "administrative costs ". It should be a requirement that this comparison should be prominently displayed on all promotional material.
The government uses it's powers to make sure that retail customers can discern that they are getting value for their shopping dollar. That is a principle that would be welcome if applied to the vast charity industry !
Many people bumping along on the minimum wage will wonder what anyone can do to be worth a salary of that magnitude. Westpac posted a profit of $ 7.6 billion last year - but then the other three members of the "Big Four "posted similar profits. Just four banking institutions have a monopoly stranglehold on banking in Australia and the rules allow them to set the prices they charge for services at their own discretion. In recent times, the gap between the top and the bottom of pay scales seems ever widening - and this is now being questioned by many.
It is also disturbing that one of our leading charities is proposing to take money out of the donations pool to reimburse the directors that sit on it's board. Diabetes NSW has nine directors and there is a proposal to change the constitution to allow $ 300,000 to be allocated to directors fees. Considering that these nine people contribute between 30 and 120 hours a year to governing the charity body, that works out at a compensation rate of between $ 280 and $ 950 an hour.
It also raises a red flag in the minds of the public that generously support the charity spectrum with their donations. Many are offering money they can ill afford in the hope of easing suffering and providing the research to stem chronic diseases. In the past, becoming a director of a hallowed charity was a badge of honour and the sort of thing mentioned in the attributes delivered after the death of what would be considered a "civic leader ". Serving on such a body was considered a "duty " - for which recognition was usually made in the annual honours list.
There is an old saying that "if you pay peanuts - you get monkeys "! Politicians are fond of quoting that to justify their generous pay and allowances, but it seems that the avarice of the commercial world is invading the realm of worthy causes. Just how many cents in a charity dollar gets to the coal face where research is carried out - and how many cents get hived off to pay generous salaries and provide luxury cars for the team managing that charity ?
Many people are suffering "charity overload ". The number of letters in the mail soliciting a donation is ever increasing, as is the use of overseas call centres to use the telemarketer approach - and it is presumed that the operator who successfully coaxes a contribution is rewarded as part of that money gained. Powerful advertising agencies are involved in structuring the advertising message used. Some get out the violins and go for sympathy appeal. Others try and shame the donor into making a contribution - and in recent times the approach contains a small gift intended to saddle the recipient with a sense of obligation to donate. The same principle in selling goods to the public is involved in devising the approach to extracting a charitable donation.
When we shop at a supermarket, the seller is now required to provide a price comparison per unit to allow customers to make a comparison that is not influenced by extended packaging to give the impression that it contains a bigger amount. That is an approach that would be welcome if extended to the charity spectrum.
It should be a requirement that all and every charity present their books for an annual audit and the results of that audit determine the ratio of cents in the contributed dollar actually applied to charitable activities - and the percentage used in "administrative costs ". It should be a requirement that this comparison should be prominently displayed on all promotional material.
The government uses it's powers to make sure that retail customers can discern that they are getting value for their shopping dollar. That is a principle that would be welcome if applied to the vast charity industry !
Friday 14 November 2014
Brinkmanship !
It seems that elements of the Russian Pacific fleet are steaming towards the east coast of Australia and there could be a parallel with what has been happening in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that his actions in Ukraine - which resulted in the shooting down of a Malaysian passenger aircraft and the death of all those onboard - was a legitimate need to protect citizens of Russian extraction who were unhappily living under Ukranian rule.
It seems that events at a murder trial here in New South Wales may be influencing the decision to send warships on an Australian mission. Fiona Barbieri (47) has pleaded guilty to the stabbing death of police Inspector Bryson Anderson and her son Mitchell ( 21) has pleaded guilty to the crime but with his mother's affliction influencing the outcome. Fiona Barbieri is a Paranoid Schizophrenic and both have entered the defence that they were " entitled to defend themselves ". They have emailed Russian President Putin and asked for his help, claiming that they want to renounce their Australian citizenship and seek asylum in Moscow.
Could it be that Vladimir Putin intends to relieve the misery of these people who have been put before a court for the minor matter of stabbing a much decorated Inspector of police to death when he was trying to breakup a family dispute ? Are we to see Russian Marines storming ashore with the intention of freeing the Barbieri's and taking them back to Russia, where they will be feted like heros and given the keys to the city ?
Putin obviously didn't like Tony Abbott raising the matter of his involvement in that plane disaster by arming Ukrainian dissidents with a BUK missile launcher and he is showing his anger by a forceful display on our doorstep. One of the problems is that a cornered and economically deprived Putin is a very dangerous animal. His country is suffering crippling sanctions because of his clandestine invasion of Ukraine and as oil and gas is the main component of the Russian economy, oil below eighty dollars a barrel is a financial disaster for his treasury.
Eventually, this current spat will come to an end, but the memory will linger and the one thing that has become crystal clear is the impossibility of taking any sort of legal agreement with Russia for granted. Vladimir Putin has clearly demonstrated his utter contempt for the civilities of honouring " deals " with other countries - and any treaty signed is simply not worth the paper it is written on.
That became clear when this present Ukrainian adventure began. The breakup of the old Soviet Union resulted in Ukraine becoming a nuclear armed country. Part of the Soviet nuclear arsenal was based in Ukraine and the Ukrainian government willingly agreed to surrender the nuclear weapons and remove this form of defence from their soil. In exchange, Russia guaranteed their borders and promised no interference in the future development of their new country.
When Ukraine looked to join the EU and possibly become a member of NATO Putin dismissed this promise, annexed Crimea and sent his armed forces over the border to help fuel a Russian orchestrated insurrection. Now he has to live with this aggression - exposed nakedly in the eyes of the rest of the world.
Eventually, Putin has to deal with that same world when he needs to get the Russian economy back on track. With his past record and the theatrics that is now playing out in the Pacific ocean, establishing a degree of trust and negotiating treaties and agreements is going to be a very difficult mission.
It seems that events at a murder trial here in New South Wales may be influencing the decision to send warships on an Australian mission. Fiona Barbieri (47) has pleaded guilty to the stabbing death of police Inspector Bryson Anderson and her son Mitchell ( 21) has pleaded guilty to the crime but with his mother's affliction influencing the outcome. Fiona Barbieri is a Paranoid Schizophrenic and both have entered the defence that they were " entitled to defend themselves ". They have emailed Russian President Putin and asked for his help, claiming that they want to renounce their Australian citizenship and seek asylum in Moscow.
Could it be that Vladimir Putin intends to relieve the misery of these people who have been put before a court for the minor matter of stabbing a much decorated Inspector of police to death when he was trying to breakup a family dispute ? Are we to see Russian Marines storming ashore with the intention of freeing the Barbieri's and taking them back to Russia, where they will be feted like heros and given the keys to the city ?
Putin obviously didn't like Tony Abbott raising the matter of his involvement in that plane disaster by arming Ukrainian dissidents with a BUK missile launcher and he is showing his anger by a forceful display on our doorstep. One of the problems is that a cornered and economically deprived Putin is a very dangerous animal. His country is suffering crippling sanctions because of his clandestine invasion of Ukraine and as oil and gas is the main component of the Russian economy, oil below eighty dollars a barrel is a financial disaster for his treasury.
Eventually, this current spat will come to an end, but the memory will linger and the one thing that has become crystal clear is the impossibility of taking any sort of legal agreement with Russia for granted. Vladimir Putin has clearly demonstrated his utter contempt for the civilities of honouring " deals " with other countries - and any treaty signed is simply not worth the paper it is written on.
That became clear when this present Ukrainian adventure began. The breakup of the old Soviet Union resulted in Ukraine becoming a nuclear armed country. Part of the Soviet nuclear arsenal was based in Ukraine and the Ukrainian government willingly agreed to surrender the nuclear weapons and remove this form of defence from their soil. In exchange, Russia guaranteed their borders and promised no interference in the future development of their new country.
When Ukraine looked to join the EU and possibly become a member of NATO Putin dismissed this promise, annexed Crimea and sent his armed forces over the border to help fuel a Russian orchestrated insurrection. Now he has to live with this aggression - exposed nakedly in the eyes of the rest of the world.
Eventually, Putin has to deal with that same world when he needs to get the Russian economy back on track. With his past record and the theatrics that is now playing out in the Pacific ocean, establishing a degree of trust and negotiating treaties and agreements is going to be a very difficult mission.
Thursday 13 November 2014
Sharing the Loot !
No Australian farmer is ever going to get as rich as Jed Clampett, a character in the sitcom "The Beverley Hillbillies ". Old Jed's shot at a rabbit struck pay dirt. It caused a "gusher "and he found he had discovered oil on his property - resulting in a financial bonanza.
In America, a land deed to property includes the rights to any oil or minerals beneath the soil. Here in Australia, the founding fathers took a very different view. You simply own the land up top - and anything down below belongs to the government.
It seems that wise heads in the New South Wales government are temporizing to sort out the unholy mess that coal seam gas has become. As a state we are paying ever increasing prices for natural gas because it is all imported from other states, and yet there seems to be almost unlimited amounts in the ground beneath our feet.
That's where the skin and hair starts to fly. This gas needs to be mined very carefully to avoid contaminating natural aquifers, causing land subsidence and interfering with farm production by way of the roads and pipelines needed to service the wells and bring the gas to market. A large section of the population is is firmly opposed to the "fracking "process needed to release the gas trapped in porous rock and enable it to be captured.
Up until now the land owner has been offered a paltry "inconvenience " payment for the presence of a gas well on his or her property. The big winners would be the gas companies and we are assured that the public would benefit because this local gas would lower our domestic gas bills. There are calls for a proportion of CSG to be "quarantined " from inclusion in the gas we are exporting overseas at market rates, but so far no legislation to that effect has been forthcoming.
The state government is now proposing what some cynics will describe as "sharing the loot "! Not only will gas drilling licenses be subjected to rigorous protocols to ban harm to productive farming land but the industry will be expected to train all it's operatives to a high educational industrial standard. The aim is to achieve a level of professionalism that lowers the chance of mistakes and ensures that gas mining is an industry at the forefront of world expertise.
The other significant change of attitude is to offer compensation - not only to the landowners involved - but to the communities which will play host to a new gas well industry. Instead of just the gas exploration companies and the government sharing the rewards, a gas well could return an annual payment to the landowner of $10-15,000, making gas extraction an integral part of farm income, and a dividend would be built into the price structure to compensate the entire locality for inconvenience caused.
Next year there will be a state election and at this stage the new deal on gas mining is just a proposal - to be implemented well after that poll has taken place. No doubt it will become a item of controversy once electioneering gets under way, but the offer of a share of the rewards will certainly cause some people to have a change of thinking. Others may remain bitterly opposed to gas mining, in any shape or form.
Like all controversial issues, the outcome will probably be some sort of "middle road ". It is probably unrealistic to expect the gas to be left in the ground indefinitely, but a sensible compromise would permit gas wells where they would not compromise the most rewarding farming land, and the degree of "fracking " needs to be subjected to industry standards. The government is talking about bringing the industry under strict control - and banishing the "Hillbilly "element that has unnerved the observers of initial gas prospecting.
Even Jed Clampett would probably agree that is a wise way to control a new industry !
In America, a land deed to property includes the rights to any oil or minerals beneath the soil. Here in Australia, the founding fathers took a very different view. You simply own the land up top - and anything down below belongs to the government.
It seems that wise heads in the New South Wales government are temporizing to sort out the unholy mess that coal seam gas has become. As a state we are paying ever increasing prices for natural gas because it is all imported from other states, and yet there seems to be almost unlimited amounts in the ground beneath our feet.
That's where the skin and hair starts to fly. This gas needs to be mined very carefully to avoid contaminating natural aquifers, causing land subsidence and interfering with farm production by way of the roads and pipelines needed to service the wells and bring the gas to market. A large section of the population is is firmly opposed to the "fracking "process needed to release the gas trapped in porous rock and enable it to be captured.
Up until now the land owner has been offered a paltry "inconvenience " payment for the presence of a gas well on his or her property. The big winners would be the gas companies and we are assured that the public would benefit because this local gas would lower our domestic gas bills. There are calls for a proportion of CSG to be "quarantined " from inclusion in the gas we are exporting overseas at market rates, but so far no legislation to that effect has been forthcoming.
The state government is now proposing what some cynics will describe as "sharing the loot "! Not only will gas drilling licenses be subjected to rigorous protocols to ban harm to productive farming land but the industry will be expected to train all it's operatives to a high educational industrial standard. The aim is to achieve a level of professionalism that lowers the chance of mistakes and ensures that gas mining is an industry at the forefront of world expertise.
The other significant change of attitude is to offer compensation - not only to the landowners involved - but to the communities which will play host to a new gas well industry. Instead of just the gas exploration companies and the government sharing the rewards, a gas well could return an annual payment to the landowner of $10-15,000, making gas extraction an integral part of farm income, and a dividend would be built into the price structure to compensate the entire locality for inconvenience caused.
Next year there will be a state election and at this stage the new deal on gas mining is just a proposal - to be implemented well after that poll has taken place. No doubt it will become a item of controversy once electioneering gets under way, but the offer of a share of the rewards will certainly cause some people to have a change of thinking. Others may remain bitterly opposed to gas mining, in any shape or form.
Like all controversial issues, the outcome will probably be some sort of "middle road ". It is probably unrealistic to expect the gas to be left in the ground indefinitely, but a sensible compromise would permit gas wells where they would not compromise the most rewarding farming land, and the degree of "fracking " needs to be subjected to industry standards. The government is talking about bringing the industry under strict control - and banishing the "Hillbilly "element that has unnerved the observers of initial gas prospecting.
Even Jed Clampett would probably agree that is a wise way to control a new industry !
Wednesday 12 November 2014
The " Discount " Price Wars !
A newspaper is promoting a novel scheme to try and gain discounted services for those that join it's "Big Cost of Living Switch ". The idea is to recruit twenty-five thousand New South Wales households and use them for collective bargaining to gain a discount from the providers of electricity, health insurance and the supply of petrol.
There is no doubt that commodity prices are outstripping the rate of wage increases and since 1990 the price of electricity has risen 237%, Health Insurance by 261% and petrol by 162%. In comparison, the average wage has risen by a minuscule 163%. A new tax increase will see petrol prices increase sharply with the passage of time.
A collective of twenty-five thousand homes that promise to switch to a nominated supplier in exchange for an attractive price deal would have a massive bargaining chip at their disposal, and it would be relatively easy to implement in both the electricity and health insurance industries, but putting it in place on petrol with the vast spread of resellers in that industry could be a much more complex problem.
This idea tends to highlight the problem facing the average person struggling to pay high commodity bills. Telephone marketers deliver a frenzy of phone calls offering tempting discounts caused by the ending of the carbon tax. This is available - if they switch supplier to the company the tele-marketer is promoting. Television channels are packed with competing claims of more services for less money - from the health insurance providers. The loser seems to be the loyal customer who remains with his or her present supplier. The impetus is to gain new custom by dangling the offer of a discounted price, but that only applies if you sign on the dotted line - and switch supplier.
It must be galling to those loyal customers to see a full page advertisement in a newspaper offering a tempting discount to those prepared to switch - to the very company presently supply their electricity and which has made no contact to advise that the benefits of the carbon tax withdrawal will be coming to their electricity bill.
Unfortunately, when an industry succumbs to a price cutting war the loss of profit caused by tempting new customers with a discount must be borne by the vast masses that are still charged the base price. The clever people who calculate the marketing algorithms are balancing market share as the component to even out the highs and lows and arrive at a satisfactory bottom line. The individual customer is reduced to a mere cypher on a financial printout.
It is quite possible that this cumulative bargaining proposal will deliver a saving to the households rushing to join, but the problem is that the advantage will lack permanency. Over a short period of time these discounted prices tend to become the norm - and then comes a new round of ingenious offers to tempt another switch of supplier. The discount given away eventually has to lead to a general price increase because inflation steadily erodes the profitability of providing the basic service.
It seems that the past notion of reward for loyalty is now as dead as the Dodo ! We live in an age when blatant opportunism reigns and it is wise to seize each and every advantage - and sit back and wait for the next offer to improve our position even further.
There is no doubt that commodity prices are outstripping the rate of wage increases and since 1990 the price of electricity has risen 237%, Health Insurance by 261% and petrol by 162%. In comparison, the average wage has risen by a minuscule 163%. A new tax increase will see petrol prices increase sharply with the passage of time.
A collective of twenty-five thousand homes that promise to switch to a nominated supplier in exchange for an attractive price deal would have a massive bargaining chip at their disposal, and it would be relatively easy to implement in both the electricity and health insurance industries, but putting it in place on petrol with the vast spread of resellers in that industry could be a much more complex problem.
This idea tends to highlight the problem facing the average person struggling to pay high commodity bills. Telephone marketers deliver a frenzy of phone calls offering tempting discounts caused by the ending of the carbon tax. This is available - if they switch supplier to the company the tele-marketer is promoting. Television channels are packed with competing claims of more services for less money - from the health insurance providers. The loser seems to be the loyal customer who remains with his or her present supplier. The impetus is to gain new custom by dangling the offer of a discounted price, but that only applies if you sign on the dotted line - and switch supplier.
It must be galling to those loyal customers to see a full page advertisement in a newspaper offering a tempting discount to those prepared to switch - to the very company presently supply their electricity and which has made no contact to advise that the benefits of the carbon tax withdrawal will be coming to their electricity bill.
Unfortunately, when an industry succumbs to a price cutting war the loss of profit caused by tempting new customers with a discount must be borne by the vast masses that are still charged the base price. The clever people who calculate the marketing algorithms are balancing market share as the component to even out the highs and lows and arrive at a satisfactory bottom line. The individual customer is reduced to a mere cypher on a financial printout.
It is quite possible that this cumulative bargaining proposal will deliver a saving to the households rushing to join, but the problem is that the advantage will lack permanency. Over a short period of time these discounted prices tend to become the norm - and then comes a new round of ingenious offers to tempt another switch of supplier. The discount given away eventually has to lead to a general price increase because inflation steadily erodes the profitability of providing the basic service.
It seems that the past notion of reward for loyalty is now as dead as the Dodo ! We live in an age when blatant opportunism reigns and it is wise to seize each and every advantage - and sit back and wait for the next offer to improve our position even further.
Tuesday 11 November 2014
Getting " High " !
Another harbourside dance festival. Another promising young life lost to that much sought after drug - Ecstacy - which delivers a "high " to it's users. It seems that this quest for a lift in spirits and a feeling of joy and wellbeing is part of the human psyche, but treated very differently by law enforcement.
Even the most law abiding and conservative citizens admit to occasionally drinking too much alcohol at festive occasions. They usually suffer a "hangover "the next morning and probably regret a few social excesses performed, but we indulgently accept that the liquor shops freely sell the booze to all - with restrictions applying to those under eighteen.
An excess of alcohol can certainly kill. Those who recklessly consume a whole bottle of vodka or whiskey face the prospect of their body organs shutting down. In these cases, the "high "delivered by alcohol simply passes the point of no return - and delivers "oblivion "! Fortunately, such deaths are rare.
In contrast, Ecstacy is beyond the control of the law. Wherever it is present it is part of the totally forbidden drug culture - and that is what makes it so attractive to some users. Popping a tiny little pill that delivers a promised "high " can be the ingredient that makes an otherwise dull social event a "memorable rave "! There is also an element of "peer pressure " to conform.
The big danger is the totally unknown contents of this substance. It is probably "cooked " in a drug lab under totally unhygienic conditions by a person with zero pharmaceutical qualifications, using difficult to obtain ingredients - and with varying substitutions delivering unknown end results. The people selling it are after cash profits - and couldn't care less beyond the need to dodge police and grab their money.
This raises the question of whether a quality controlled form of Ecstacy should be a legal substance, sold in a similar manner to alcohol ? This would be subjected to the same tax regime that applies to alcohol and it would completely obliterate the underworld drug trade. There is no profit in contraband when that same product is freely available over the counter in the retail trade.
The big hurdle to a policy change is the immense effort to convince the public that drugs are illegal - and need to be banned. We deplore the gang culture that surrounds the drug trade and the public perception seems to be that getting a "high "by any means is somehow immoral. It is a big step to accept that people have a right to ingest mood altering substances - for the sole purpose of creating pleasure !
This very thought will frighten the politicians into a frenzy. They will be accused of "going soft "on drugs - and the ramifications go way beyond Ecstacy. If that becomes legal, then why not Marijuana - and Heroin - and Cocaine - and perhaps Opium ?
There is no doubt that alcohol delivers many problems. We deplore the drunken behaviour stemming from the nightclubs in Kings Cross, but the vast majority of our citizens use alcohol responsibly. The claim that legalizing drugs will bring about a nation of "druggies " is no more likely than the entire population of Australia going on a drunken rampage because alcohol is legally available in the bottle shops. There will be drug excesses - but on a similar level to present alcohol abuse.
It is worth remembering that we are pouring vast resources into trying to stem the drug trade - and failing miserably. The whole range of drugs are freely available on our streets and the profits are making criminals rich. It is a law of nature that where high demand exists - supply will inevitably follow. Realists will accept that we can never hope to win the drug war.
Whether this nation is ready to accept that drugs are a personal decision that each citizen is free to make - is a moot point. Whether getting "high " on a party night is now as acceptable an activity as opening a bottle of wine or having a few beers remains to be tested. In the rest of the world, the first steps have been taken with the legalizing of Marijuana.
The drug question awaits an answer !
Even the most law abiding and conservative citizens admit to occasionally drinking too much alcohol at festive occasions. They usually suffer a "hangover "the next morning and probably regret a few social excesses performed, but we indulgently accept that the liquor shops freely sell the booze to all - with restrictions applying to those under eighteen.
An excess of alcohol can certainly kill. Those who recklessly consume a whole bottle of vodka or whiskey face the prospect of their body organs shutting down. In these cases, the "high "delivered by alcohol simply passes the point of no return - and delivers "oblivion "! Fortunately, such deaths are rare.
In contrast, Ecstacy is beyond the control of the law. Wherever it is present it is part of the totally forbidden drug culture - and that is what makes it so attractive to some users. Popping a tiny little pill that delivers a promised "high " can be the ingredient that makes an otherwise dull social event a "memorable rave "! There is also an element of "peer pressure " to conform.
The big danger is the totally unknown contents of this substance. It is probably "cooked " in a drug lab under totally unhygienic conditions by a person with zero pharmaceutical qualifications, using difficult to obtain ingredients - and with varying substitutions delivering unknown end results. The people selling it are after cash profits - and couldn't care less beyond the need to dodge police and grab their money.
This raises the question of whether a quality controlled form of Ecstacy should be a legal substance, sold in a similar manner to alcohol ? This would be subjected to the same tax regime that applies to alcohol and it would completely obliterate the underworld drug trade. There is no profit in contraband when that same product is freely available over the counter in the retail trade.
The big hurdle to a policy change is the immense effort to convince the public that drugs are illegal - and need to be banned. We deplore the gang culture that surrounds the drug trade and the public perception seems to be that getting a "high "by any means is somehow immoral. It is a big step to accept that people have a right to ingest mood altering substances - for the sole purpose of creating pleasure !
This very thought will frighten the politicians into a frenzy. They will be accused of "going soft "on drugs - and the ramifications go way beyond Ecstacy. If that becomes legal, then why not Marijuana - and Heroin - and Cocaine - and perhaps Opium ?
There is no doubt that alcohol delivers many problems. We deplore the drunken behaviour stemming from the nightclubs in Kings Cross, but the vast majority of our citizens use alcohol responsibly. The claim that legalizing drugs will bring about a nation of "druggies " is no more likely than the entire population of Australia going on a drunken rampage because alcohol is legally available in the bottle shops. There will be drug excesses - but on a similar level to present alcohol abuse.
It is worth remembering that we are pouring vast resources into trying to stem the drug trade - and failing miserably. The whole range of drugs are freely available on our streets and the profits are making criminals rich. It is a law of nature that where high demand exists - supply will inevitably follow. Realists will accept that we can never hope to win the drug war.
Whether this nation is ready to accept that drugs are a personal decision that each citizen is free to make - is a moot point. Whether getting "high " on a party night is now as acceptable an activity as opening a bottle of wine or having a few beers remains to be tested. In the rest of the world, the first steps have been taken with the legalizing of Marijuana.
The drug question awaits an answer !
Monday 10 November 2014
The growth of " Hate " !
During all the long years of the "Troubles "in Ireland the main fear of the IRA was that a maverick Catholic would assassinate the Queen. Even ardent Republicans had a deep respect for Queen Elizabeth and the hard men of the IRA knew that their movement would suffer a savage backlash if that happened.
That fear is not present in the minds of today's Jihadists. The stature of the Queen - as a head of state - makes her a prime target and the very nature of her position requires that she move about publicly. Stringent security is in place but if the Jihadi planners select her for murder - then they will probably succeed. Planting a suicide bomber amongst the crowds drawn to the Queen would have a chance of success.
This upsurge of hate against all people who are not Sunni Muslims is reaching a crescendo - and we need to ask ourselves why ? It can be directly linked to the phenomenon we know as the "Arab Spring " - when the public rose up in Middle East countries and deposed tyrants, only to see their hopes dissolve into chaos as factions seized control, leading to bloodshed and slaughter.
The unifying factor was the emergence of Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian civil war. To use the phrase "Out of Nowhere " - freedom fighters suddenly emerged to seize vast tracts of Syria and Iraq and gain a great victory when they confronted the new Iraqui army. This force, formed and trained by the west and equipped with the latest equipment - turned and fled. Not only did IS win a huge victory, it gained the means to arm and equip the surge of freedom fighters that rushed to it's ranks in the belief that it was "unstoppable " !
What we are now seeing is a successful propaganda war that is winning over the hearts and minds of impressionable young men and women in all world countries. Many non Muslims are not only converting to that religion, but openly volunteering to wage war in what they see a s a great "adventure ". The same sort of savagery that emerged in vicious civil wars in Africa is being implemented against those coming under their control. Some are ordered to convert to Islam - or face death. Others are offered no such choice. The men are summarily slaughtered and their women and children divided as sexual pawns amongst the victors - or sold off into slavery.
The timidity of the west is fuelling the appeal of this crusade - and the rate of success is directly geared to the victories attained on the battlefield. It is even drawing in countries which we would expect to remain loyal to religious freedom and a democratic way of life. The biggest Muslim country in Europe is sending worrying signals to the west.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been steadily dismantling the secular form of government implemented by Kemal Ataturk at the end of the first world war. He is an avowed Islamist and when IS assaulted the border town on Kobane the Turkish military sat silent and watched from the Turkish side of the border. Erdogan displayed his true colours when he allowed those wanting to join IS to freely cross the border, but prevented defenders from joining the ranks of those fighting to defend the town. Western forces have been refused the use of Turkish air bases.
Turkey does have a legitimate grievance. It wishes to join the EU but the Christian countries of Europe are wary of an Islamic country with a huge population and have created numerous obstacles. The promise of eventual inclusion is hedged with ever changing conditions, and many in Turkey believe that the UN door will remain permanently shut. We may have missed a vital opportunity to shore up our European defences.
The question western heads of government now face is the conundrum of how to deal with IS ?
Our leader refuses to lead and without the might and power of the United States no other country is prepared to step into the breach. Unless the further expansion of IS can be curbed the drawing magnetic power of it's success will continue to fuel world recruitment - and we may see a behemoth emerge that is a real threat to world stability.
For Australia the IS threat is centred on our near neighbour - Indonesia. A new president is working to gain control of the levers of power and that country already has a dangerous undertone of Islamic fanatics, as evidenced by the Bali, Australian embassy, Mariot hotel - and other bombings. Once again, every IS success and the consequent publicity brings droves of new recruits to it's cause. Indonesia's retiring security chief has warned us that there is a growing danger - which we ignore at our peril.
It is often said that those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. The era of appeasement that preceded the second world war comes to mind. Now it all depends if world leaders have the courage and convictions to make the hard decisions that are necessary - but which may not be popular with the masses.
That fear is not present in the minds of today's Jihadists. The stature of the Queen - as a head of state - makes her a prime target and the very nature of her position requires that she move about publicly. Stringent security is in place but if the Jihadi planners select her for murder - then they will probably succeed. Planting a suicide bomber amongst the crowds drawn to the Queen would have a chance of success.
This upsurge of hate against all people who are not Sunni Muslims is reaching a crescendo - and we need to ask ourselves why ? It can be directly linked to the phenomenon we know as the "Arab Spring " - when the public rose up in Middle East countries and deposed tyrants, only to see their hopes dissolve into chaos as factions seized control, leading to bloodshed and slaughter.
The unifying factor was the emergence of Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian civil war. To use the phrase "Out of Nowhere " - freedom fighters suddenly emerged to seize vast tracts of Syria and Iraq and gain a great victory when they confronted the new Iraqui army. This force, formed and trained by the west and equipped with the latest equipment - turned and fled. Not only did IS win a huge victory, it gained the means to arm and equip the surge of freedom fighters that rushed to it's ranks in the belief that it was "unstoppable " !
What we are now seeing is a successful propaganda war that is winning over the hearts and minds of impressionable young men and women in all world countries. Many non Muslims are not only converting to that religion, but openly volunteering to wage war in what they see a s a great "adventure ". The same sort of savagery that emerged in vicious civil wars in Africa is being implemented against those coming under their control. Some are ordered to convert to Islam - or face death. Others are offered no such choice. The men are summarily slaughtered and their women and children divided as sexual pawns amongst the victors - or sold off into slavery.
The timidity of the west is fuelling the appeal of this crusade - and the rate of success is directly geared to the victories attained on the battlefield. It is even drawing in countries which we would expect to remain loyal to religious freedom and a democratic way of life. The biggest Muslim country in Europe is sending worrying signals to the west.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been steadily dismantling the secular form of government implemented by Kemal Ataturk at the end of the first world war. He is an avowed Islamist and when IS assaulted the border town on Kobane the Turkish military sat silent and watched from the Turkish side of the border. Erdogan displayed his true colours when he allowed those wanting to join IS to freely cross the border, but prevented defenders from joining the ranks of those fighting to defend the town. Western forces have been refused the use of Turkish air bases.
Turkey does have a legitimate grievance. It wishes to join the EU but the Christian countries of Europe are wary of an Islamic country with a huge population and have created numerous obstacles. The promise of eventual inclusion is hedged with ever changing conditions, and many in Turkey believe that the UN door will remain permanently shut. We may have missed a vital opportunity to shore up our European defences.
The question western heads of government now face is the conundrum of how to deal with IS ?
Our leader refuses to lead and without the might and power of the United States no other country is prepared to step into the breach. Unless the further expansion of IS can be curbed the drawing magnetic power of it's success will continue to fuel world recruitment - and we may see a behemoth emerge that is a real threat to world stability.
For Australia the IS threat is centred on our near neighbour - Indonesia. A new president is working to gain control of the levers of power and that country already has a dangerous undertone of Islamic fanatics, as evidenced by the Bali, Australian embassy, Mariot hotel - and other bombings. Once again, every IS success and the consequent publicity brings droves of new recruits to it's cause. Indonesia's retiring security chief has warned us that there is a growing danger - which we ignore at our peril.
It is often said that those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. The era of appeasement that preceded the second world war comes to mind. Now it all depends if world leaders have the courage and convictions to make the hard decisions that are necessary - but which may not be popular with the masses.
Sunday 9 November 2014
The Good News - and the Bad News !
The Garvan Institute has announced that advances in genomic testing have lowered the costs of a full screening to less than two thousand dollars, and there is the likelihood that if it is phased in under Medicare it will drop to a far lesser amount as volumes increase.
The good news is that the old method of describing cancer by the organ involved - bowel cancer - breast cancer - pancreatic cancer - is being replaced by identifying the genetic mutation that is taking place. As a result, instead of the "shotgun "approach in treatment, the "rifleman " method of specifically putting that mutation in the cross hairs and delivering a sniper's concentrated fire to achieve a "clean kill ". It promises a great leap forward in life saving results by reducing the collateral damage to other organs presently common with the range of treatments available.
Genomic testing can deliver a window into the future - that all people may not welcome. As a young person starting our journey in life we are able to find out with a high degree of accuracy if we will develop cancer, diabetes, heart disease - and the huge range of medical conditions that are foretold in the genetic combinations that exist in our bodies. In some cases, advance warning may make it possible to adopt lifestyle changes to stop the onset of such given diseases, but there is a danger that this knowledge can be a total game changer in how we live our lives.
There is a certain protection in the present unknown. If we can foresee the future, it can have an enormous influence on many of the decisions we will make. More to the point, if that knowledge ends up in the hands of other people, their decisions will have a multiplier effect on the avenues of opportunity that are open to us. A future employer would hesitate to start the development of a promising young executive if that person had genetic defects that indicated an early death - or the likelihood that such a person would succumb to alcohol addiction.
The very fact that this sort of testing is now available is a threat to individual privacy. It is certainly something the insurance industry would welcome when considering applicants for life insurance cover - and it could easily become a requirement in many types of commercial activities. The bank manager considering granting a mortgage for a home purchase would certainly hope the applicant lives long enough to pay off that loan.
Then there is the human side of the relationships we make. Certainly the decision to have children would be affected, as would the choice of partner . It could easily become a matter of genetic testing of both parties being a requirement in the formation of a relationship. The ripples from this pool of information becoming available are far reaching.
Whether we like it or not, genetic testing is fast advancing as a medical reality and sooner rather than later it will become standard procedure the moment we present at an emergency department for treatment. The medicos obviously need to know what makes us tick to decide on the necessary treatment and just as a standard blood test is now the first thing performed, a genetic sample will be rushed to the laboratory in future to provide what will become one of the "basics ".
In all probability, the moment a baby is borne the health people will take a genetic sampling and that will be entered on that persons health record for the rest of their life. In these early stages, we may have the right of refusal, but there is a certain inevitability about science - if it exists it's benefits cut through all forms of red tape - until it becomes a necessity.
The only real option - is to get used to it !
The good news is that the old method of describing cancer by the organ involved - bowel cancer - breast cancer - pancreatic cancer - is being replaced by identifying the genetic mutation that is taking place. As a result, instead of the "shotgun "approach in treatment, the "rifleman " method of specifically putting that mutation in the cross hairs and delivering a sniper's concentrated fire to achieve a "clean kill ". It promises a great leap forward in life saving results by reducing the collateral damage to other organs presently common with the range of treatments available.
Genomic testing can deliver a window into the future - that all people may not welcome. As a young person starting our journey in life we are able to find out with a high degree of accuracy if we will develop cancer, diabetes, heart disease - and the huge range of medical conditions that are foretold in the genetic combinations that exist in our bodies. In some cases, advance warning may make it possible to adopt lifestyle changes to stop the onset of such given diseases, but there is a danger that this knowledge can be a total game changer in how we live our lives.
There is a certain protection in the present unknown. If we can foresee the future, it can have an enormous influence on many of the decisions we will make. More to the point, if that knowledge ends up in the hands of other people, their decisions will have a multiplier effect on the avenues of opportunity that are open to us. A future employer would hesitate to start the development of a promising young executive if that person had genetic defects that indicated an early death - or the likelihood that such a person would succumb to alcohol addiction.
The very fact that this sort of testing is now available is a threat to individual privacy. It is certainly something the insurance industry would welcome when considering applicants for life insurance cover - and it could easily become a requirement in many types of commercial activities. The bank manager considering granting a mortgage for a home purchase would certainly hope the applicant lives long enough to pay off that loan.
Then there is the human side of the relationships we make. Certainly the decision to have children would be affected, as would the choice of partner . It could easily become a matter of genetic testing of both parties being a requirement in the formation of a relationship. The ripples from this pool of information becoming available are far reaching.
Whether we like it or not, genetic testing is fast advancing as a medical reality and sooner rather than later it will become standard procedure the moment we present at an emergency department for treatment. The medicos obviously need to know what makes us tick to decide on the necessary treatment and just as a standard blood test is now the first thing performed, a genetic sample will be rushed to the laboratory in future to provide what will become one of the "basics ".
In all probability, the moment a baby is borne the health people will take a genetic sampling and that will be entered on that persons health record for the rest of their life. In these early stages, we may have the right of refusal, but there is a certain inevitability about science - if it exists it's benefits cut through all forms of red tape - until it becomes a necessity.
The only real option - is to get used to it !
Saturday 8 November 2014
Lame Duck !
The mid-term elections in the United States drew a miserable voter turnout, but the end result was to hand both the house and the Senate to a Republican party majority. President Obama can no longer rely on anything other than his executive power and his ability to veto bills to try and achieve a lasting presidential legacy. He has two more years to run as his nation's leader - and it seems likely that little will actually get done.
What does that mean for America ? If both sides of politics refuse to budge and reach a degree of accommodation the political deadlock will ensure that important issues are not resolved. The issue of universal health insurance called "Obamacare "hangs in the balance. The Keystone pipeline to bring Canada's tar sands oil to southern refineries awaits a decision - and perhaps the most pressing issue is to decide on immigration reform to decide the fate of the huge numbers of undocumented illegals living in the country. Then there is the paralysis of the national economy. America spends more than it earns and it faces disaster if it continues to just print money to fill the gap.
Both sides of politics will need to keep in mind voter reaction in the lead-up to the next presidential election in 2016. The fact that so few actually bothered to vote in the mid-term indicates a rejection of unswerving partisan attitudes and deadlock on issues crying out for a solution. The voters sent members to Congress to run the country - not to engage in trench warfare. The American people will not tolerate the sort of paralysis that sees the government ceasing to govern !
How will this election play out on the world scene ? Probably very badly ! Since the end of the second world war the world has looked to America for leadership. That was a role the United Nations was supposed to attain, but when world friction came to the crunch - it was the massive American military machine that decided issues. In the 1950's the Korean war was a consortium of nations repelling a North Korean invasion under United Nations auspices, but the vast number of boots on the ground and ships and planes engaging in combat - were American.
Unfortunately, many heads of government seem convinced that President Obama is a weak president who no longer seeks to lead the free world. His passivity over Syria's use of chemical weapons probably encouraged Russia's military adventure into Ukraine and made China more assertive in both the South and East China seas. Then there is the phenomenon of a war roiling the Middle East. That has the prospect of a holy war that may change the face of the Arab nations and extend across the fabric of Africa's old colonial states. It is fast gathering military strength, and the only nation with the fire power to hold it back has made it clear that it's contribution will be limited to air strikes. Without American boots on the ground, a consortium of countries under United Nations control seems very unlikely.
It is said that nature abhors a vacuum - and if a lame duck presidency in the United States creates such a vacuum there is an absolute certainty that it will be filled by someone else. Vladimir Putin has been modernising Russia's military and he has evident ambitions to recreate the old Soviet Communist empire. The Chinese economic miracle seems to be slowing and there is a danger that it's leaders may embrace nationalism - with all the dangers that brings. Japan is fast walking away from it's pacifist constitution. In Europe the EU is under strain with disparate economies struggling to remain within a common currency - and then there is the world wide problem of hunger and war sending vast numbers of people over national borders seeking shelter.
The last two years of Obama's presidency will be long years when it comes to American influence on world events. It is possible that both sides of American politics will engage in cross the aisle deal making by sheer necessity, but there is no sign of that in present posturing. It may be that this mid-term election heralds the end of an era for the world - and brings in the frightening prospect of an unknown new world order.
The history books may record that 2014 was the year that changed the world !
What does that mean for America ? If both sides of politics refuse to budge and reach a degree of accommodation the political deadlock will ensure that important issues are not resolved. The issue of universal health insurance called "Obamacare "hangs in the balance. The Keystone pipeline to bring Canada's tar sands oil to southern refineries awaits a decision - and perhaps the most pressing issue is to decide on immigration reform to decide the fate of the huge numbers of undocumented illegals living in the country. Then there is the paralysis of the national economy. America spends more than it earns and it faces disaster if it continues to just print money to fill the gap.
Both sides of politics will need to keep in mind voter reaction in the lead-up to the next presidential election in 2016. The fact that so few actually bothered to vote in the mid-term indicates a rejection of unswerving partisan attitudes and deadlock on issues crying out for a solution. The voters sent members to Congress to run the country - not to engage in trench warfare. The American people will not tolerate the sort of paralysis that sees the government ceasing to govern !
How will this election play out on the world scene ? Probably very badly ! Since the end of the second world war the world has looked to America for leadership. That was a role the United Nations was supposed to attain, but when world friction came to the crunch - it was the massive American military machine that decided issues. In the 1950's the Korean war was a consortium of nations repelling a North Korean invasion under United Nations auspices, but the vast number of boots on the ground and ships and planes engaging in combat - were American.
Unfortunately, many heads of government seem convinced that President Obama is a weak president who no longer seeks to lead the free world. His passivity over Syria's use of chemical weapons probably encouraged Russia's military adventure into Ukraine and made China more assertive in both the South and East China seas. Then there is the phenomenon of a war roiling the Middle East. That has the prospect of a holy war that may change the face of the Arab nations and extend across the fabric of Africa's old colonial states. It is fast gathering military strength, and the only nation with the fire power to hold it back has made it clear that it's contribution will be limited to air strikes. Without American boots on the ground, a consortium of countries under United Nations control seems very unlikely.
It is said that nature abhors a vacuum - and if a lame duck presidency in the United States creates such a vacuum there is an absolute certainty that it will be filled by someone else. Vladimir Putin has been modernising Russia's military and he has evident ambitions to recreate the old Soviet Communist empire. The Chinese economic miracle seems to be slowing and there is a danger that it's leaders may embrace nationalism - with all the dangers that brings. Japan is fast walking away from it's pacifist constitution. In Europe the EU is under strain with disparate economies struggling to remain within a common currency - and then there is the world wide problem of hunger and war sending vast numbers of people over national borders seeking shelter.
The last two years of Obama's presidency will be long years when it comes to American influence on world events. It is possible that both sides of American politics will engage in cross the aisle deal making by sheer necessity, but there is no sign of that in present posturing. It may be that this mid-term election heralds the end of an era for the world - and brings in the frightening prospect of an unknown new world order.
The history books may record that 2014 was the year that changed the world !
Friday 7 November 2014
Creating an " Icon " !
Without doubt, the Melbourne Cup is the premier horse race in Australia - and it has become a world event. It is certainly one of the richest races with a prize of $6.4 million and it is a race for "stayers " at two miles - 3,200 metres. Unfortunately, this year it was involved in controversy.
The event favourite collapsed and died of a heart attack after the race had been won and another contestant was spooked by a waving flag, collided with a fence and suffered a broken leg - and was mercifully put down. This resulted in calls from the Animal Liberation front for horse racing to be banned on cruelty grounds.
There were grumblings from the betting public that the Melbourne Cup was being "invaded " by foreign horses and was losing it's Australian characteristics. Unfortunately it is now rare for Australian horse breeders to aim for "stayers " as the big money is more reliably spread over shorter races. This entire industry relies on developing horses that can pay their way by winning and the average racing programme is studded with shorter race opportunities.
A wide gulf has opened between horse racing in Melbourne and Sydney. Each Saturday the Melbourne field is double and sometimes treble the runners starting in the New South Wales event and the racing industry blames racing taxation for that imbalance. For every hundred dollars wagered, the tax take in Victoria is $ 1.28, Queensland levies a mere 82 cents - and New South Wales grabs a whopping $ 3.22. There are calls for New South Wales to remit more prize money to the industry to boost the number of starters.
Pressure is building to create a Sydney event that will surpass the Melbourne Cup as an Australian icon, and some racing interests think that is possible within a ten year time span with the right money offered as a prize. Wise heads would advise that seeking a contest with the Melbourne Cup would not be the best way to achieve a new racing icon. The Melbourne Cup is now a legend that is known world wide and it has passed into Australian folklore. It would be wiser to promote a rich Sydney race as a supplement that now brings two great Australian events, rather than trying to denigrate one to the advancement of the other.
The first step in improving horse racing in New South Wales is to increase the field numbers and that will need a bigger prize pool. Breeding and training horses is an even bigger gamble that the mug punters betting on the results. Only a small fraction of each year's horse crop have the genes to become consistent winners - and only one in many hundreds has the potential to become a true champion that bestows millions on it's owners and connections. Black Caviar comes to mind !
The racing industry is a big employer of people and it's expansion would deliver a dividend to the state treasury. As the numbers grow it would tend to become self sustaining, hence the issue in question is a decision to return more of that gambling tax as seed money to get the ball rolling. It seems that the state is reacting favourably to the suggestion of creating a major Sydney race event and that would certainly give impetus to the breeders and trainers who are the core of this industry.
If we want a Sydney based world event - that would be attainable, but we should avoid the mistake of attacking the Melbourne Cup in the way we present it. The richness of the prize is what first draws attention. The "legend "that follows is a work of art craftily created in the minds of the public by the attention the event draws - and can only come to pass over a period of time.
Creating a legend is a lengthy business !
The event favourite collapsed and died of a heart attack after the race had been won and another contestant was spooked by a waving flag, collided with a fence and suffered a broken leg - and was mercifully put down. This resulted in calls from the Animal Liberation front for horse racing to be banned on cruelty grounds.
There were grumblings from the betting public that the Melbourne Cup was being "invaded " by foreign horses and was losing it's Australian characteristics. Unfortunately it is now rare for Australian horse breeders to aim for "stayers " as the big money is more reliably spread over shorter races. This entire industry relies on developing horses that can pay their way by winning and the average racing programme is studded with shorter race opportunities.
A wide gulf has opened between horse racing in Melbourne and Sydney. Each Saturday the Melbourne field is double and sometimes treble the runners starting in the New South Wales event and the racing industry blames racing taxation for that imbalance. For every hundred dollars wagered, the tax take in Victoria is $ 1.28, Queensland levies a mere 82 cents - and New South Wales grabs a whopping $ 3.22. There are calls for New South Wales to remit more prize money to the industry to boost the number of starters.
Pressure is building to create a Sydney event that will surpass the Melbourne Cup as an Australian icon, and some racing interests think that is possible within a ten year time span with the right money offered as a prize. Wise heads would advise that seeking a contest with the Melbourne Cup would not be the best way to achieve a new racing icon. The Melbourne Cup is now a legend that is known world wide and it has passed into Australian folklore. It would be wiser to promote a rich Sydney race as a supplement that now brings two great Australian events, rather than trying to denigrate one to the advancement of the other.
The first step in improving horse racing in New South Wales is to increase the field numbers and that will need a bigger prize pool. Breeding and training horses is an even bigger gamble that the mug punters betting on the results. Only a small fraction of each year's horse crop have the genes to become consistent winners - and only one in many hundreds has the potential to become a true champion that bestows millions on it's owners and connections. Black Caviar comes to mind !
The racing industry is a big employer of people and it's expansion would deliver a dividend to the state treasury. As the numbers grow it would tend to become self sustaining, hence the issue in question is a decision to return more of that gambling tax as seed money to get the ball rolling. It seems that the state is reacting favourably to the suggestion of creating a major Sydney race event and that would certainly give impetus to the breeders and trainers who are the core of this industry.
If we want a Sydney based world event - that would be attainable, but we should avoid the mistake of attacking the Melbourne Cup in the way we present it. The richness of the prize is what first draws attention. The "legend "that follows is a work of art craftily created in the minds of the public by the attention the event draws - and can only come to pass over a period of time.
Creating a legend is a lengthy business !
Thursday 6 November 2014
The " Anti Everything " Mob !
We are used to seeing them on the nightly news. The ubiquitous protest group with it's banners and hand held signs at the forefront of a public rally or actively blocking access to the site of a proposed mine or an exploratory gas well.
They are usually referred to as "Greenies ", but they term themselves as "Environment warriors " and they have developed the expertise to delay countless projects that would expand the economy - and provide jobs. They seem determined to shut down all existing mines and allow no new developments, and their special hatred is directed at the emerging coal seam gas industry.
What is frightening is the tactical skills a small, close knit group of the same people have put together to marshal public opinion and draw the public behind perceived grievances which is many cases defy reality. They have become expert at lodging legal challenges that exploit the fine points of the law and their objectives are to create endless delay. When they can delay the start of a project it costs the developer money - and this saps the will of the share buying public.
Breaking the law is no obstacle to achieving their ends and they are very vocal in demanding that prosecutions be dropped. One of their clan issued a bogus press release that seriously damaged the stock price of a coal mining company and could have brought a serious prison sentence. They quickly organized a chanting, sign waving mob outside the court and intimidated the judge into bringing down a soft sentence - and then hailed this criminal as a hero.
In most cases, the hard core of this protest movement started out as very ordinary people with a genuine grievance against some issue that they personally found offensive, but once started the "movement " created a world of it's own. The proximity to other, like minded zealots drew a cumulative strength that creates the same form of fanaticism often found in religion. The end justifying the means becomes a cachet !
Unfortunately, this type of "activism "is contagious - and the end result is a form of industrial ebola ! It has spread to the animal rights movement and we are now seeing activists infiltrating everything from the egg and poultry trade to overseas abattoirs to try and shut down caged hen egg production and stop the live trade in sheep and cattle.
The timber industry is finding it almost impossible to get approval to log areas to supply the nation's sawmills and this has devastated rural job opportunities. Timber harvesting is a regrowth industry. A well managed forest follows a pattern of selective felling and replanting that should deliver the best of both worlds. This Greenie movement is opposed to all harvesting of any form of timber.
It seems that nothing escapes the ire of the truly dedicated environmentalist. Millions of dollars have been wasted trying to force people out of their cars and onto bicycles, with the result that parking has been reduced to provide unused bike tracks in the inner city. Many council building by-laws force wasteful design requirements to satisfy Green agendas - but do little to deliver practical benefits for home owners.
What the general population needs to keep in mind is that Australia needs to earn a living to enable it to keep providing the standard of living we take for granted. It is industry that provides the jobs that deliver pay packets - and without those pay packets civilization as we know it is impossible.
We need to think long and hard - and weigh up the balance - before we express an opinion on the screams and wails from the environment movement in opposition to some new development proposal. Just about every form of development has benefits - and consequences. A balanced judgement divides the acceptable from the unacceptable. This Greenie movement provides only one side of that story.
As things stand, the welfare of Australia seems to be riding on the tactics of a small group of familiar faces who are present wherever the "anti-everything mob " decide to hold a rally. Much of their persuasive oratory needs to be taken with a grain of salt - and the "facts "put forward challenged.
Meek acceptance risks making Australia an uncompetitive world country !
They are usually referred to as "Greenies ", but they term themselves as "Environment warriors " and they have developed the expertise to delay countless projects that would expand the economy - and provide jobs. They seem determined to shut down all existing mines and allow no new developments, and their special hatred is directed at the emerging coal seam gas industry.
What is frightening is the tactical skills a small, close knit group of the same people have put together to marshal public opinion and draw the public behind perceived grievances which is many cases defy reality. They have become expert at lodging legal challenges that exploit the fine points of the law and their objectives are to create endless delay. When they can delay the start of a project it costs the developer money - and this saps the will of the share buying public.
Breaking the law is no obstacle to achieving their ends and they are very vocal in demanding that prosecutions be dropped. One of their clan issued a bogus press release that seriously damaged the stock price of a coal mining company and could have brought a serious prison sentence. They quickly organized a chanting, sign waving mob outside the court and intimidated the judge into bringing down a soft sentence - and then hailed this criminal as a hero.
In most cases, the hard core of this protest movement started out as very ordinary people with a genuine grievance against some issue that they personally found offensive, but once started the "movement " created a world of it's own. The proximity to other, like minded zealots drew a cumulative strength that creates the same form of fanaticism often found in religion. The end justifying the means becomes a cachet !
Unfortunately, this type of "activism "is contagious - and the end result is a form of industrial ebola ! It has spread to the animal rights movement and we are now seeing activists infiltrating everything from the egg and poultry trade to overseas abattoirs to try and shut down caged hen egg production and stop the live trade in sheep and cattle.
The timber industry is finding it almost impossible to get approval to log areas to supply the nation's sawmills and this has devastated rural job opportunities. Timber harvesting is a regrowth industry. A well managed forest follows a pattern of selective felling and replanting that should deliver the best of both worlds. This Greenie movement is opposed to all harvesting of any form of timber.
It seems that nothing escapes the ire of the truly dedicated environmentalist. Millions of dollars have been wasted trying to force people out of their cars and onto bicycles, with the result that parking has been reduced to provide unused bike tracks in the inner city. Many council building by-laws force wasteful design requirements to satisfy Green agendas - but do little to deliver practical benefits for home owners.
What the general population needs to keep in mind is that Australia needs to earn a living to enable it to keep providing the standard of living we take for granted. It is industry that provides the jobs that deliver pay packets - and without those pay packets civilization as we know it is impossible.
We need to think long and hard - and weigh up the balance - before we express an opinion on the screams and wails from the environment movement in opposition to some new development proposal. Just about every form of development has benefits - and consequences. A balanced judgement divides the acceptable from the unacceptable. This Greenie movement provides only one side of that story.
As things stand, the welfare of Australia seems to be riding on the tactics of a small group of familiar faces who are present wherever the "anti-everything mob " decide to hold a rally. Much of their persuasive oratory needs to be taken with a grain of salt - and the "facts "put forward challenged.
Meek acceptance risks making Australia an uncompetitive world country !
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