Latest survey - little thirst for potable reuse ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Little thirst for recycling

27 December 2007

Only about a third of Australians would willingly drink recycled water but most would be prepared to drink desalinated water, a poll has revealed.

With recycled water due to pumped into southeast Queensland's parched dams late next year, the survey found most Australians wanted recycled water restricted to non-drinking uses.

More than 90 per cent supported the use of recycled water by industries such as mining and manufacturing, where the product is not for human consumption.

Just as widely accepted was recycled water for parks and gardens.

Even plumbing recycled water into homes for toilets and washing machines got the nod from four out five of those surveyed.

But on the question of drinking recycled water, pollsters Crosby/Textor found only 36 per cent of people approved. By contrast, 58 per cent were prepared to drink desalinated water.
...

See - Majority won't drink recycled water.

Al Gore reacts on the news that Time magazine selected Putin for Man of the Year 2007.

A Gary Varvel Cartoon.

4350water blog's 12 days of Christmas ...

On the first day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
a brand new regional mayor

On the second day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the third day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the fourth day of Christmas
the government gave to me
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the fifth day of Christmas
the council gave to me
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the sixth day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the seventh day of Christmas
the committee gave to me
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the eighth day of Christmas
the government gave to me
eight councils merging
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the ninth day of Christmas
the mayor gave to me
nine bottles of NEWater
eight councils merging
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the tenth day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
ten all new councillors
nine bottles of NEWater
eight councils merging
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the eleventh day of Christmas
the drought gave to me
eleven percent dam water
ten all new councillors
nine bottles of NEWater
eight councils merging
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor

On the twelfth day of Christmas
the voters gave to me
twelve thousand signers
eleven percent dam water
ten all new councillors
nine bottles of NEWater
eight councils merging
seven chiefs are staying
six sippers leaving
five really deep bores
four minute showers
three months to go
two and sixty percent against
and a brand new regional mayor


Merry Christmas ...

KRudd asked to stop Council mergers ...

See - Calls for PM's help to stop Qld council mergers.

Anna Bligh seeks $100m to redirect sewage to Brisbane ...

Short on sewage to pump into her recycled water plant, Premier Anna seeks funding from Canberra to redirect Logan City's sewage to Brisbane.

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Qld seeks funds for aquifer alternative

24 December 2007

The Queensland government is seeking $100 million in federal funding for an environmentally-friendly alternative to taking groundwater from North Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane.

Premier Anna Bligh said on Monday she had written to federal Water Minister Penny Wong asking for the funds under the $1 billion National Urban Water and Desalination Plan.

The state government had planned to take an extra 22 megalitres of water a day from the island's aquifer, as part of plans for its eastern pipeline interconnector.

But a scientific assessment found the drought-hit aquifer was less full than expected, and that taking more water could risk long-term damage.

In October, Ms Bligh asked the Department of Infrastructure to accelerate investigations into alternatives.

The investigations identified the shortfall could be made up by connecting the Loganholme wastewater treatment plant to the Western Corridor Recycled Water Program pipeline.

Both projects are part of the government's water grid, a series of water recycling, desalination and pipeline schemes to provide southeast Queensland with water during the drought.

Ms Bligh said the alternative would provide the water needed, while maintaining the delicate water balance on North Stradbroke Island.

"This is clearly a long-term, environmentally-friendly outcome," she said.

"I am confident that now we have a federal government that takes our water security seriously we will at last get a fair hearing."

Ms Bligh also announced that she would release a report on the potential environmental effects of taking water from the island.

A Freedom of Information request from a local residents group had previously been declined because the document had been taken to cabinet.

See - Anna seeks sewage redirection funds.

Timmy writes to Santa ...

Letter to Santa, North Pole:

23 December 2007

Dear Santa

I live in Toowoomba. Maybe you've heard of it? We have a crazy lady who wants us to drink recycled water. Next year the head lady in Brisbane will make our council much bigger and lots of people will try to get elected. It's good because the crazy lady will be out of a job but who knows what we'll get next.

What I want for Christmas is a new regional mayor who will do all the right things for us. And some toys!!

Timmy
Age 9

p.s. Do you drink recycled water at the north pole? That crazy lady told us it's done everywhere.

The elf's reply:

Dear Timmy,

Thank you for sending your letter to Santa.

This is a very busy time here at the North Pole and Santa has lots of letters to read but he does read and answer each and every one.

It usually takes Santa eight hours to answer a letter. Please come back then to Santa's Secret Village.

Merry Christmas!

Bif, the Mailroom elf

Santa's reply:

Santa's Secret Village
1 Snowy Lane
The North Pole

Dear Timmy,

Thank you for your letter!

Up here at the North Pole, we have been very busy this year! The elves are really excited that Christmas Day is almost here. They have been working day and night getting all the toys ready for Christmas Eve.

Once my sleigh is packed and ready to go, I'll be off on my journey around the world.

I'm reading your letter right now, and it looks like you've been a very nice boy this year. That makes me so happy. Keep up the good work!

While you are asleep on Christmas Eve, the reindeer will land my sleigh on your rooftop so I can hop down your chimney.

I see that you like cars and trucks. I like cars and trucks, too. They are lots of fun to play with, and we have some very exciting new cars and trucks this year. The elves have been very busy this year making many new and different cars and trucks for Christmas! I know you want a really good new regional mayor so I'll try and bring one of those too.

I'm really excited about making my big trip on Christmas Eve! Remember, you have to be asleep when I come, so make sure you go to bed on time! We don't drink recycled water at the North Pole and I won't be a happy Santa if there's a bottle of NEWater instead of milk to go with my cookies this year.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Have a Merry Christmas!

Your Special Friend,

Santa

The ultimate carbon footprint Christmas present ...

Also see - Jet Pack International.

Perhaps they can be issued to the new Toowoomba and Regional Council Councillors so they can visit all the shires which will fall under their responsibility ...

KRudd flies solo to Iraq and Afghanistan ...

For some reason, a quarter of KRudd's Cabinet decided not to make the trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Not quite the same pool-side lovefest as Bali ...

The ultimate election campaign ad ...

See - Clinton Christmas campaign message.

Manners vows to slash 'bureaucratic madness' ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Manners vows to slash 'bureaucratic madness'

22 December 2007

Snow Manners has vowed to take the knife to the proposed bureaucracy of the new council, should he be elected mayor.

The Local Transition Committee met in Millmerran this week and approved seven service centres across the region as well as an extra three departments.

"The new structure.....takes into account the rural dimension of the new council with specific urban and rural sections in the construction and maintenance and development assessment areas," proponents argue.

Mayoral candidate Mr Manners, however, describes elements of the changes as "bureaucratic madness".

"Obviously the seven regional council offices need to remain open as branches of the Regional Council to provide all the services those communities are used to," he said.

"However, a further three departments and 14 branches in Toowoomba is bureaucratic madness."

"If ratepayers are to derive any benefit from amalgamations then the council structure must be lean and consistent with modern business practices."

"I am surprised at the need to create new administrative positions and it smacks of empire building."

Mr Manners said he feared "country towns" would lose skilled staff to Toowoomba.

The new structure, including service centres at Clifton, Crows Nest/Highfields, Goombungee/Yarraman, Greenmount, Millmerran, Oakey and Pittsworth can be rejected by the elected council after March 15.

Interim chief executive officer Philip Spencer said: "The new district services directorate will ensure water, engineering, development, environment and community, and administrative services are easily accessible to rural and outlying residents."

See - Manners to slash bureaucratic madness.

Yes campaigner Michele Alroe to run again ...

The first of the so-called "Six Sewer Sippers" to allow the voters to cast judgment on her support of the outgoing Mayor's Water Futures campaign.

See - Alroe to run again.

Toowoomba Regional Council - 2008 election website ...

See - Toowoomba Election Information website.

Toowoomba Regional Council - Candidate No. 3 for Mayor ...

Excerpt from WIN News:

Jones in the race for Mayoralty

20 December 2007

The field for mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council has increased to three, with Clifton Shire Mayor Ian Jones throwing his hat in the ring.

He claims the transition process is flawed...and the recommended structure for the merged body open to empire building.

See - Candidate No. 3 for Mayor.

Council amalgamations - Electorates united in protest vote ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Electorates united in protest vote

19 December 2007

The vote is in and the shires have spoken with 77% of voters opposed to the State Government's forced amalgamation.

There is no going back.

Of the 85 participating councils there were 696,567 eligible voters. But the Australian Electoral Commission counted 385,847 - that's 55% of voters.

There were 87,252 Yes votes and 297,661 No votes.

In the tiny shire of Ilfracombe, only one of the 144 of the 195 eligible voters on the roll voted Yes. It had the highest No return at 99%. Warroo Shire, based at Surat, had a 98% opposition to amalgamation with 10 Yes votes and 586 No votes.

On the Darling Downs, Millmerran and Clifton shires had a 97% opposition to inclusion in the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Millmerran residents were surprised and angry. They rallied for the Sea of Red protest. Millmerran Shire Mayor Paul Antonio said: 'It's a vindication of our stance. I'm satisfied we represented our people well when you see figures like that. We've been adamant all along that there were better models for regional governance to allow people to have local government representative and feel comfortable about it. But the facts are the amalgamation is now law and we have to fight to do the best we can for our communities. I am delighted we have some hard data that suggests that 97% of our people did not want the amalgamation and that's something we can carry through to the future,' Cr Antonio said.

Federal Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott said the people of his electorate sent a strong message to the Bligh Labor Government. Mr Scott said more than 50,000 voters across 17 shires within the Maranoa electorate voted, with 85% saying no to the amalgamation of their shire.

See - Strong NO vote on amalgamations.

Toowoomba Regional Council burning transitional funding ...

... must be all the gourmet sandwiches.

Excerpt from ABC News:

Qld Govt urged to provide more shire 'transition' funding

19 December 2007

Crows Nest Shire councillor Crystal Stark says councils are having to divert more money and resources towards the creation of the Toowoomba Regional Council because the Queensland Government has not provided enough funding.

Cr Stark says only $445,000 has been allocated, but the local transition committee has already spent $680,000 and is anticipating spending a total of $2 million.

She says the Queensland Government must provide more money.

"Our ratepayers are pretty cheesed off because staff have been pulled in from all the surrounding shires to work in Toowoomba on this," she said.

"Our rates are still paying them, the councils are still paying their wages."

See - Transitional team burning money.

Unions seek quicker return on election investment ...

After a massive anti-Work Choices campaign leading up to the Federal election, it has taken the unions only 3 1/2 weeks to commence their campaign of threats against KRudd's government.

Not surprising that the unions won't tolerate the government not doing what it is told.

Only problem is that KRudd wants to make the scrapping of Work Choices into an election issue at the next election, hence the proposed delay.

Excerpt from the Australian:

Unions threaten Rudd over workplace reforms

19 December 2007

Union have threatened to campaign against the Rudd Government unless the Coalition's workplace laws are dismantled in 12 months, after Julia Gillard confirmed that Labor's planned restoration of unfair dismissal claims could be delayed with other changes until 2010.

The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday held out the prospect of Labor waiting until the next election year before honouring the party's promise to give all workers unfair dismissal rights.

The uncertainty over Labor's position has unsettled unions, which campaigned for the ALP during the election campaign and had expected a faster timetable for abolishing John Howard's Work Choices.

Unions were taken by surprise yesterday that Ms Gillard could delay unfair dismissal changes until 2010, allowing employers to continue sacking employees with impunity until then.

Ms Gillard met employers and unions yesterday at a private meeting in Canberra to discuss Labor's plans, with unions hoping she would accept a "progressive implementation" of Labor's industrial laws between now and 2010.

But asked specifically on Sydney radio about the timing for unfair dismissal laws, Ms Gillard, the Workplace Relations Minister, left open a delay of a further 25 months, saying "every bit of it" would be in operation on January 1, 2010.

"That's when awards will be modernised; that's when our new industrial umpire, Fair Work Australia, will come into operation," Ms Gillard said.

"Obviously, that (legislation) will deal with a number of matters, including unfair dismissals."

According to policy documents released earlier this year, Labor's unfair dismissal regime is to be run by a branch of Fair Work Australia, which Ms Gillard confirmed would start operation from January 2010.

Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd said unions would lobby the entire federal Labor caucus in a bid to ensure Work Choices was scrapped by the end of next year.

"Two years is far too long," he told The Australian. "We have to accelerate the process of dismantling Work Choices. It's got to be done sooner rather than later.

"There are a lot of working people out there who should not be left still at the mercy of the Work Choices machinery. We know these things take time, but I don't think it needs to take two years.

"Our view is that the dismantling of Work Choices should be accelerated through 2008 and not go beyond 2008."

Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said his understanding remained that unfair dismissal laws could be in force before 2010. However, other union leaders said Ms Gillard was vague on timing.

"She may not have even made a decision yet," one said.
...

See - Unions want return on their investment.

The Climate Change letter the UN refused to read ...

See - Water Futures blog - Taking the World in entirely the wrong direction.

Climate change - good for business ...

Watch DWS Investments, part of Deutsche Bank, pile on the panic as part of their investment fund push.

The DWS Global Climate Change Fund.

See - It's getting hot on earth. Click on 'Climate Change'.

Were we wrong to save the Franklin ...

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Were we wrong to save the Franklin?

18 December 2007

Greenies are not the only group in society who revel in the mistakes of the past - those follies committed or intended by past governments, departments and companies in the names of greed or even honest misapprehension. But they do love it and, in their line of work, looking back in anger and confusion and frustration comes easier than it does for other people.

"Imagine that," they remark wistfully as they shake their heads. Loggers were just about to take down the blue gum forest in the 1930s when the chance passage of a group of bushwalkers led to a campaign that saved one of the wonders of the Blue Mountains.

Swim out into the azure brilliance of Jervis Bay and imagine how the nuclear reactor John Gorton wanted to build in 1969 might have improved the experience.

Until at least the 1970s a farmer in NSW could still be forced off a lease if he failed to clear it of all those inconvenient - and totally unproductive - trees, while bitou bush, an appalling weed blighting the coastline, was planted for more than 20 years by the Soil Conservation Service of NSW.

And that's just for starters.

What about Lake Pedder, the jewel of south-western Tasmania? The unique glacial lake with a beach of pink quartz was buried beneath the Upper Gordon River hydro-electric generation scheme in 1972, despite a campaign that was the genesis for the political wing of the environmental movement.

"The day will come when our children will undo what we so foolishly have done," postulated Edward St John.

Then came the Franklin Dam, the campaign that made Bob Brown, a campaign so successfully prosecuted it remains the shining jewel in every environmentalists' crown.

I remember 1983 vividly. It was the first election for which I bothered to enrol, specifically to save the Franklin. Bob Hawke's ascension was my first intense experience of the politics of the warm inner glow.

The dam was a curse, the case open and shut. Shane Howard's protest anthem captured the mood perfectly:

"The hardest heart could understand

"Just to feel your wilderness

"Your silence sings to me."

But with the world looking to Bali as the Arctic ice cap melts and as Pacific nations measure their future in decades rather than centuries, I wonder whether the perspective of passing time will smile as kindly on Brown as it currently does. Might, just might, the former Tasmanian premier Robin Gray - perhaps for all of the wrong reasons - have been right? Might Brown have been the environmental vandal?

Heresy, I know. There was no heart harder than Gray's, none more caring than Brown's and we - the royal we, those who campaigned and those who voted - saved the Franklin as a glorious piece of wilderness. Valuable in its own right, it would be doubly valuable because of the tourists who would raft its waters and marvel at it from the comfort of a motorised launch. Save forests and wild rivers and "rent" them to people who want to watch and walk and take photo of them, was the economic argument of the time. The further away those people came from, the more they were likely to spend, the better they were.

But, in a greenhouse world, it might be time to junk all that. Flying to Tasmania from London produces 3.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every traveller. Flying from NSW, or anywhere else in Australia, shrinks the carbon footprint, but only by degrees.

It makes no greenhouse sense to fly around the world and look at nature if, by the act of getting there, you're serving to hasten its destruction.

On the other side of the ledger, hydro-electricity would seem to make a whole lot more sense in a greenhouse world than, say, burning coal. Even deep green activists appreciate a light bulb - long-life, of course - or two and love to stay vigilant on the laptop. How many solar panels would we need to produce the power that would have come from the Franklin? How many will you put up in your backyard?

So, on one side we have an industry, tourism, that actually produces nothing, that lives off the fat of a wealthy society and which, for dollars earned, comes at a massive cost in carbon. And, on the other, a power plant that might have helped secure a cleaner energy future.

I wonder when it will be time to do the sums?

See - Were we wrong to save the Franklin?

Bali climate conference - world view ...

Read the articles from the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Australia's role in the Bali discussions rates no mention at all.

For the other view from someone whom you'd think was a founding member of the KRudd fan club see - Rudd shines on global stage.

Much is made of the agreement forged between Australia and Indonesia on climate change. Indonesia is small fry compared to China - you'd think Rudd would have used his Mandarin skills to get China to agree to emission cuts. Also, no word on Australia getting Indonesia to deal with deforestation ...

KRudd's party in Bali for 75 ....

... the number of people in the Australian delegation - mainly government staffers plus some non-government ones as well. Anna Bligh added a few names to the party from Qld.



See - Bali conference - list of delegates - pages 4-6. (Full list of names in the comments section).

Total number of participants listed (including accredited media) - 10,828.

A boon for Bali hotels - and a massive carbon footprint ...

Climate change in Australia over the years ...

Images from some of the more memorable storms and natural disasters in Australia.

See - News.com.au - Rain or Shine.

Makes some of today's storms look like spitting competitions ...

Recycled sewage-water proposal gains steam ...

... in San Francisco ... for golf courses, cemeteries and public parks ...

Excerpt from the San Francisco Examiner:

Recycled sewage-water proposal gains steam

12 December 2007

Treated sewage water could be used on golf courses, cemeteries and public parks in the coming years under a series of plans being pursued by San Francisco officials.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission voted Tuesday to move forward with preliminary plans to build a sewage recycling plant in conjunction with South San Francisco and the California Water Service Company.

The recycled water would be used at California Golf Club, Orange Park and Linear Park in South San Francisco as well as some San Mateo cemeteries, according to the proposal. That would free up water for drinking and other uses from the Westside Basin Aquifer, which lies under Daly City, San Bruno and South San Francisco, according to city documents.

Under the agreement, San Francisco would put as much as $58,000 toward engineering studies for the proposed new plant, with the understanding that South San Francisco and California Water each contribute the same amount.

SFPUC commissioners also voted Tuesday to try to reach an agreement to use treated Daly City sewage water at Harding Park Golf Course.

A sewage recycling plant is already planned for western San Francisco to provide irrigation for such parks as Lincoln Park and Golden Gate Park by 2013, according to Ellen Levin, the commission's director of water resources. Levin said The City also has plans in Pacifica to pump recycled water to irrigate San Francisco-owned Sharp Park Golf Course by 2010.

Technology that will be used in the proposed new recycling plants hasn't been decided yet, according to Levin, but UC Berkeley environmental engineering professor Kara Nelson said most tertiary treatment plants, as they're called, use chemicals or ultraviolet lights to kill germs, and that they use filters to remove tiny particles from the water.

"There shouldn't be any safety concerns as long as the project is well designed and implemented," Nelson said. " California has the strictest regulations with regards to reusing water."

California recycles about 10 percent of its water and is a world leader in water reuse, according to Nelson, who described water recycling as "the way of the future."

"There's two options that we have to increase the efficiency with which we use our water," Nelson said. "One is to conserve water — so, use less of it to begin with. The second option is to use it more than once."

See - San Francisco - recycled water.

Another of those 'it's done all over the world' places ...

KRudd feels the heat in Bali ...

Rudd's much touted Kyoto ratification declared a 'lost opportunity' by the EU.

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

15 December 2007

European diplomats, frustrated with Australia and the US, threatened to boycott President George Bush's climate meeting in January if there was no progress in Bali. They also called on Australia to declare where it stood.

Mr Dimas called Mr Rudd's speech to the UN meeting "a lost opportunity" to back the scientific guidance in the text.

See - KRudd feels the heat.

Former Qld Labor MP Bill D'Arcy gets parole ...

See - D'Arcy let out of jail.

Do you think there's a jail cell on permanent reserve for former Qld Labor MPs ...

Al Gore's £3,300-per-minute global warming speech ...

... seems he just keeps recycling the same old speech and stuffing cash in his pockets.

Excerpt from Daily Mail:

Al Gore is criticised for lining his own pockets after £3,300-per-minute green speech

10 December 2007

Bore: Gore picked up £100,000 for delivering a speech 'similar' to all the others and had heads 'twitching with tiredness'

Al Gore has come under fire for making personal gain from his mission to save the planet – after charging £3,300 a minute to deliver a poorly received speech.

The former American Vice-President was also accused of being "precious" at the London event, demanding his own VIP room and ejecting journalists, despite hopes the star-studded gathering would generate publicity for the fight against global warming.

Many of the audience at last month's Fortune Forum summit were restless as Mr Gore, who has won both a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his campaigning work this year, delivered the half-hour speech that netted him £100,000.

The glittering fundraiser was held in The Royal Courts of Justice and attracted world leaders, entrepreneurs and celebrity activists including Bob Geldof, Darryl Hannah and Jerry Hall, who was there as "a Special Ambassador of The Alliance for a New Humanity". Guests had paid between £1,000 and £50,000 to attend.

But a source told The Mail on Sunday: "Many guests looked tired and began to talk among themselves during his speech. Heads began to twitch with tiredness."

"Al uses his position for great personal gain. He goes from event to event delivering a similar speech, earning a large fee, and a lot of the time he doesn't actually inform the audience."

"He refused to speak to journalists and security would usher away VIP guests and the Press.

"He was being very precious and demanded his own VIP room before the event, where he held his own exclusive reception.

"The other guests were cut off. It was very clear that many guests were disappointed by this."

Even some of the charities benefitting from the event were unhappy with the actions of 59-year-old Mr Gore and his entourage, especially the way they treated invited guests.

Paul Hetherington, media relations manager for WaterAid, said: "Pictures couldn't be taken and people were being moved out of the main hall so they couldn't experience the event. It was very disruptive.

"We had to apologise to people who were invited. We wanted to say thank you for all the support that many people had given us, but some of them were asked to leave.

"Many guests were invited by the hosts, so why should the speaker have any control over these guests and removing the media? It defeated the object of trying to raise awareness of the cause."

A source added: "Al had two people working for him: a woman who was his assistant and a male security officer who enrolled the help of security guards at The Royal Courts of Justice in a military-style operation to guard Al Gore. They took over the show."
...

See - Gore's money machine.

Qld Water Minister Craig Wallace is a real water wally ...

Listen to him babble on here - I'm Minister Wallace and I haven't got a clue about water tanks and rebates.

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Tank talk drowns in spin on rebates

13 December 2007

The credibility of Craig Wallace's Home WaterWise rebate scheme crumbled under intense questioning yesterday, minutes after he announced changes outside Parliament House.

The Water Minister had just boasted that rainwater tank rebates would increase from $1000 to $1500 for units that hold at least 3000 litres ordered from February 1.

But the catch was that all tanks would now have to be plumbed internally – with costs between $500 and $1500 obliterating his much-vaunted increase.

The same plan forced Brisbane City Council into a backdown earlier this year. But its rebate boost still couldn't stop residents deserting the scheme.

Unperturbed, Mr Wallace refused to let on he was the bearer of bad news as the rapid-fire Parliament debater ignored interjections from the assembled media.

He failed to answer 50-plus questions while he stuck to his script: the scheme is a success, 172,000 tank rebates, almost $200 million given away, mums and dads will be happy.

"This is a real win for people across Queensland," he said.

Asked 26 times how much money the Government would save by making the scheme less attractive, he wouldn't even say – or didn't know – what the rebate budget was.

"We know that this will save water right across Queensland," he repeatedly said. "This is a wonderful success story."

In fact, he was so stubborn with his answers he even ignored questions about why he was ignoring questions. And when he did answer a query – about how much residents would pay to plumb their tank – the reply was devastating.

"I'm not a plumber but I imagine a line from your tank to a washing machine or a toilet system . . .," Mr Wallace said, stopping short as he realised he had started a sentence he didn't want to finish. Well, how much will it cost, minister? "I, ah, I haven't looked into it fully."

But the Master Plumbers Association had, estimating the $500 rebate increase would only cover a "very, very basic installation" with some plumbing costing as much as $1500.

"This is quite ludicrous," MPA executive director Adrian Hart said. "They have no idea whether the industry has the capacity to meet the additional demand of plumbing these because we haven't been consulted at all."

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said the disincentive showed there was more interest in saving money than water.

"The minister was sent out with a bad-news message the Premier didn't want to deliver," Mr Seeney said.

Back at Parliament House, Mr Wallace was hitting the eject button and retreating to his office, all the while repeating his mantra about water-savings and mums and dads.

When he reached the front door, he spun on his heel and gave an encore – again.

"It's a wonderful success and please keep applying for your rebates, mums and dads."

See - The Water Minister is a complete wally.

Also see - Bligh blasts Water Minister.

Ex-Minister Nuttall's lawyers to quit ...

See - Nuttall to lose lawyers.

Dalby eases water restrictions ...

Excerpt from Dalby Town Council media release:

Watering hours extended

13 December 2007

Welcome rain over the last few weeks has brought water flowing back into Loudoun Weir and a change to Dalby Town Council’s current level three water restrictions.

Dalby Mayor Cr Warwick Geisel said watering hours had been relaxed to allow residents to use sprinklers for a two hour period, but cautioned residents to remain sensible with water usage.

"Even though watering restrictions have been relaxed the community still needs to be mindful of their water use," Cr Geisel said.

“Remember using more water will increase your water bill,” he said.

“Residents need to be aware that in some households using a garden hose or sprinkler can cost up to $2.00 per hour.

Council’s spokesperson for water Councillor Barry O’Shea said Council would continue to monitor water levels and review restrictions in the New Year.
...

- Ends -

Toowoomba City Council's sustainable housing project falls over ...

Excerpt from Minutes of Toowoomba City Council Committee meeting - 4 and 5 December 2007:

4. Sustainable Home Toowoomba Update
...

Sustainable Residential Lots

As Council is aware, there are three lots adjacent to the Sustainable Home and nine lots in Greenway Court (Ethan Street) that Council developed as part of this project.

The three lots fronting Ramsay Street are intended to be sold for the construction of sustainable display homes, to complement Council's house and to provide the community with options in terms of house design and materials.

The remaining nine lots at the rear of the nursery (Greenway Court) are proposed to be sold for the construction of private homes that incorporate sustainable principles.

In October/November 2006 Council sought expressions of interest in the three lots fronting Ramsay Street from local builders and developers for the construction of display homes. No expressions of interest were received.

In October this year, the Mayor and Cr Englart met with some local builders to again seek interest in the three lots.

To date only one Brisbane based company has shown some interest in one of the lots. Officers are pursuing this interest.

It is unfortunate that no local builders show any desire to display their "green" credentials on these lots.

In early 2008 it is proposed to provide Council with options for the disposal of the Ramsay Street and Greenway Court lots.

See - Sustainable house unlikely to be joined by others.

How much did this little frolic by the Councillors cost ratepayers ...

South Africa - recycled water for toilet flushing ...

Excerpt from Cape Times:

SA consider other water sources to flush loos

10 December 2007

Instead of wasting top-quality drinking water to flush toilets or to water gardens, South Africa is looking at the feasibility of using recycled sewage water, storm water or sea water.

The proposed dual water reticulation scheme is known as the "purple pipe system" in some countries because recycled water pipes are colour-coded in purple or lilac to distinguish them from drinking water pipes.

The colour-coding is intended to ensure that people do not drink the second-grade water supply by accident, and also to reduce the risk of accidental cross-connections during plumbing alterations

The Water Research Commission in Pretoria says the purple option continues to attract interest at high political level - despite findings that suggest recycling and desalination are too expensive.

The cost of altering home plumbing is also seen a major barrier.

But Jay Bhagwan, the commission's director for water use and waste management, says recycling technology has evolved considerably since the studies in the late 1960s.

Because South Africa is likely to face significant water shortages in the near future, the commission has decided to revisit purple pipe options.

Experts from the Universities of Johannesburg and Witwatersrand are to complete a feasibility study in March.

Bhagwan said parts of Hong Kong had been using a dual system for several years. Toilets were being flushed with sea water and Hong Kong authorities were thinking of extending the system to other parts of the district, using recycled sewage water instead of salt water.

Some Australian cities have installed the purple pipe system in new residential areas. In one such development, Rouse Hill, north of Sydney, demand for drinking water is said to be on average 40 percent lower than in older areas.

Because of critical water shortages, the Namibian capital, Windhoek, began to recycle sewage water for irrigation in 1968 and nearly 35 percent of its drinking water is from ultra-treated sewage water.

Yet the purple system is not without mishap.

In 2001 in the Netherlands, about 200 people developed gastrointestinal problems after an accidental cross-connection of drinking water with purple water at a housing development.

A similar problem arose in Milnerton in May 2004 involving a primary school that used recycled water to irrigate its sports fields.Investigations after several people developed diarrhoea and vomiting suggested school officials had cross-connected the two systems to remedy low pressure problems in the recycled water pipeline.

See - Recycled water for loos.

Toowoomba Regional Council website ...

See - Toowoomba Regional Council website.

Outgoing Mayor drops price to quit house ...

Now on the market for $720,000 following the closing of tenders.

See - LJ Hooker - East Toowoomba - $720,000.

Toowoomba amalgamation - all 8 CEO's to remain ...

More and more the amalgamation of Toowoomba and its neighbouring shires is looking like just a name change on the stationery and nothing more.

With all the CEO's to remain to run the former shire areas, it appears that the main change will be an added level of bureaucracy in Toowoomba.

So much for streamlining local government and cost savings.

One concern is the reduction in the number of Councillors in the region and the accompanying reduction in Council oversight. The new Toowoomba Regional Council Councillors will have their work cut out for them keeping an eye on the bureaucrats and their personal agenda ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Amalgamation committee to call for Toowoomba employment of CEOs

11 December 2007

The committee steering the largest council amalgamation in Queensland will take the unprecedented step of recommending that all eight current chief executive officers (CEOs)be offered positions with the new Toowoomba Regional Council, in the state's south.

Under the state's local government reforms, CEOs are the only local government staff members not guaranteed employment for three years.

Transition committee chairman Peter Taylor says the eight have a wealth of local knowledge which would otherwise be lost, and their retention is part of a plan to establish a service centre in each current council area.

See - How many CEO's does it take to run Toowoomba Regional Council?

Global warming solved by baby pollution levy, offset sterilization etc ...

... babies to blame.

... China-style two child policy proposed.

... greenhouse-friendly sterilizations to earn carbon credits.

It was only a matter of time before some of the more loopy concepts were aired in the media.

Excerpt from Adelaide Advertiser:

Baby tax needed to save planet, claims expert

10 December 2007

A West Australian medical expert wants families to pay a $5000-plus "baby levy" at birth and an annual carbon tax of up to $800 a child.

Writing in today's Medical Journal of Australia, Associate Professor Barry Walters said every couple with more than two children should be taxed to pay for enough trees to offset the carbon emissions generated over each child's lifetime.

Professor Walters, clinical associate professor of obstetric medicine at the University of Western Australia and the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth, called for condoms and "greenhouse-friendly" services such as sterilisation procedures to earn carbon credits.

And he implied the Federal Government should ditch the $4133 baby bonus and consider population controls like those in China and India.

Professor Walters said the average annual carbon dioxide emission by an Australian individual was about 17 metric tons, including energy use.

"Every newborn baby in Australia represents a potent source of greenhouse gas emissions for an average of 80 years, not simply by breathing but by the profligate consumption of resources typical of our society," he wrote.

"Far from showering financial booty on new mothers and rewarding greenhouse-unfriendly behaviour, a 'baby levy' in the form of a carbon tax should apply, in line with the 'polluter pays' principle."

Australian Family Association spokeswoman Angela Conway said it was ridiculous to blame babies for global warming.

See - Baby tax needed to save planet, claims expert.

KRudd in Bali ...

See - The Australian - Bleak's Daily Cartoon Gallery.

Also see - Australia 'stalling Bali talks'.

Also see - Bali water privatisation plans.

China - choking on growth ...

... a New York Times series of articles.

See - China - choking on growth - 7 part series.

Also see - China's Water Crisis.

SHIJIAZHUANG, China — Hundreds of feet below ground, the primary water source for this provincial capital of more than two million people is steadily running dry. The underground water table is sinking about four feet a year. Municipal wells have already drained two-thirds of the local groundwater.

Above ground, this city in the North China Plain is having a party. Economic growth topped 11 percent last year. Population is rising. A new upscale housing development is advertising waterfront property on lakes filled with pumped groundwater. Another half-built complex, the Arc de Royal, is rising above one of the lowest points in the city’s water table.
...

And - Energy rules.

QINGTONGXIA, China — When the central government in Beijing announced an ambitious nationwide campaign to reduce energy consumption two years ago, officials in this western regional capital got right to work: not to comply, but to engineer creative schemes to evade the requirements.

The energy campaign required local officials to raise electricity prices as a way of discouraging the growth of large energy-consuming industries and forcing the least efficient of these users out of business. Instead, fearing the impact on the local economy, the regional government brokered a special deal for the Qingtongxia Aluminum Group, which accounts for 20 percent of this region’s industrial consumption and roughly 10 percent of its gross domestic product.

Local officials arranged for the company to be removed from the national electrical grid and supplied directly by the local company, exempting it from expensive fees, according to an electricity company official who asked not to be named, an official of the aluminum company and the official Web site of the nearby city of Shizuishan. As a result, Qingtongxia continued to get its power at the lowest price available.

It was a cat-and-mouse game grimly familiar to Chinese officials, who have a long tradition of spearheading ambitious nationwide campaigns that are all too often thwarted at the local level, partly because local priorities clash with national ones.
...

And - Trucks Power China’s Economy, at a Suffocating Cost.

GUANGZHOU, China — Every night, columns of hulking blue and red freight trucks invade China’s major cities with a reverberating roar of engines and dark clouds of diesel exhaust so thick it dims headlights.

The residents of Guangzhou often wake up to a sooty film on their city.
By daybreak in this sprawling metropolis in southeastern China, residents near thoroughfares who leave their windows open overnight find their faces stiff with a dark layer of diesel soot.
...

[Note - you may need to register for free access.]

A post-Kyoto agreement on emission cuts is useless without binding commitments by China ...

Sydney gets a soaking ...

See - Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney soaking photos.

Disgraced Mike Kaiser returns as Bligh's chief-of-staff ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Disgraced Mike Kaiser returns as Bligh chief-of-staff

6 December 2007

Disgraced ex-Queensland MP Mike Kaiser has quit a top job with the NSW Premier to take up the same position with Premier Anna Bligh.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma today said Mr Kaiser would finish working as chief of staff in his office at the end of the year.

Mr Kaiser was a Queensland Labor MP but resigned in 2001 after admitting to involvement in vote-rigging in party ballots in the 1980s.

He had told a Criminal Justice Commission inquiry that he signed a false declaration in 1986 when taking part in Labor Party branch stacking.

Although not charged with any offence, Mr Kaiser quit as the MP for the safe Labor seat of Woodridge and was stripped of his ALP membership.
...

See - Disgraced Kaiser hired by Bligh.

Once again showing that you're never really out of politics unless you're found with a live boy or a dead girl ...

Bennelong: Howard won the primary vote count ...

Labor will spend the next 3 years playing down the impact of the Greens on their electoral win but the numbers show a different story.

For example:

Bennelong

First Preferences

Polling Places Returned: 48 of 48 Enrolment: 97,573 Turnout: 94.43%

HOWARD, John Winston (Liberal) 39,375 (45.56%)
McKEW, Maxine (Labor) 39,139 (45.29%)
PETERS, Lindsay (The Greens) 4,769 (5.52%)

Two Candidate Preferred

HOWARD, John Winston (Liberal) 42,053 (48.66%)
McKEW, Maxine (Labor) 44,364 (51.34%)

See - AEC - Bennelong.

It will be interesting to see the first Labor/Greens stoush in Parliament. Remember, from mid-2008, Labor needs the support of the Greens (and two independents) to pass any legislation through the Senate ...

More troubles for the SEQ water grid ...

The trouble-prone Western Corridor recycled water pipeline has hit more strife after thieves stole four giant welders hours before a government press conference on the project.

Qld Libs' game of rock paper scissors to choose new leader ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

McArdle new Libs leader

6 December 2007

Mark McArdle is the new leader of the state Liberal party following a two-hour meeting this morning. Tim Nicholls is his deputy.

Mr McArdle, a 50-year-old former solicitor, was first elected in 2004 as the member for Caloundra.

He became deputy leader in August 2006 when Dr Flegg seized the leadership from Bob Quinn.

Mr Nicholls, 42, is a former lawyer and Brisbane City councillor, who was elected to the inner-northern Brisbane seat of Clayfield in 2006....

See - Qld Libs choose new leader.

Secret Kyoto emissions plan ...

... kangaroo flatulence.

Excerpt from Daily Telegraph:

Kangaroo farts could ease global warming

6 December 2007

Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas.

While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries.

"Fourteen per cent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep,'' said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland Government.

"And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 per cent,'' he said.
...

See - Roos are the answer.

Another ex-Qld Labor Minister embroiled in scandal ...

... this time it's former Justice Minister Glen Milne whose company, Tasmanian Compliance Corporation, brought down the Tasmanian Deputy Premier.

Hardly a day goes by without someone connected to the Qld Labor party mired in one scandal or another.

Excerpt from the Australian:

Labor ex-ministers paid themselves $1m in fees

6 December 2007

Two former Labor ministers whose company struck an alleged illegal monopoly deal paid themselves almost $1 million in directors' fees since 2004.

The Australian has obtained a new report by the liquidator of the Tasmanian Compliance Corporation, a builder-accreditation company run and part-owned by ex-Tasmanian health minister John White and ex-Queensland justice minister Glen Milliner.

It shows that since 2004, White and Mr Milliner as directors received more than $900,000 between them. Total payments to directors since 2004 amount to $984,442. Aside from White and Mr Milliner, the only other director during this period was David Diprose, in 2004.

Mr Diprose is listed as having received $52,733 of the $984,442.

Payments to directors have topped $200,000 each year since 2004, despite TCC telling the Tasmanian Government when it began operations that it would pay its directors only $20,000 each a year.

TCC liquidator Barry Hamilton compiled the report after a request by Mr Diprose, a one-third owner of the company, who complained directors' payments had been "excessive".

TCC lost its lucrative role in accrediting builders, engineers and architects after revelations last year that White had signed a secret three-year monopoly deal with then infrastructure minister Bryan Green.

Mr Green quit as deputy premier after a police investigation was launched into the deal.

He has since pleaded not guilty to a charge of interfering with an executive officer, while White has pleaded guilty to the same charge.

TCC charged up to 2200 builders and building professionals an average $495 a year for accreditation, giving it an annual income of more than $1million.

TCC lost its lucrative role in September last year. The Government gave the job to a government agency after a KPMG audit concluded that TCC was not providing value for money.

TCC then went into voluntary liquidation.

KPMG questioned the "appropriateness" of some payments to directors, noting White and Mr Milliner paid themselves $200 an hour for consultancy work.

Mr Hamilton, however, wrote to Mr Diprose in September saying he did not agree payments to directors "would be considered excessive". He said that "even if it could be shown that the payments were excessive" the cost of litigation would see only a "marginal improvement" in money returned to shareholders.

"Further, 66 per cent of any recovery would be paid back to Messers White and Milliner in their capacity as (one-third each) shareholders," he wrote.

Mr Diprose confirmed each of the three shareholders had recently received a $100,000 interim dividend as a result of the liquidation. He said under a deed of agreement, White would receive $60,000 for legal costs if he were not convicted of a crime. White and Mr Milliner did not respond to calls.

White's lawyer told the Supreme Court his client had no regular income and urged against a conviction being recorded, as this would see White disqualified from being a company director and threaten his work as a lawyer.

David Porter QC, for White, said his client had been personally and professionally ostracised thanks to media coverage of the TCC deal.

Director of Public Prosecutions Tim Ellis SC did not press Chief Justice Peter Underwood to record a conviction, saying although White pressed for a monopoly clause, it was Mr Green's agreement that "made it of consequence".

Chief Justice Peter Underwood will sentence White on Monday.

Mr Green, whose trial ended on Monday in a hung jury, has been bailed and will appear in court on February 4.

The monopoly deal, signed by Green on February 16, 2006 ran contrary to an anti-monopoly provision in the Building Act.

See - Yet another ex-Beattie Minister in scandal.

Are Crs Albion, Alroe, Englart, Ramia and Schneider worth $1.66m - $1.91m ...

... because that's the minimum collectively they'll be paid by ratepayers over a 4 year period (including transitional allowances) if re-elected in their current positions.

See - Councillors' new pay scales.

Somewhere between $1,662,040 and $1,915,040.

Almost $2 million for their services.

Would Toowoomba and the surrounding region be getting value for money?

What have they done over the past 4 years?

Something to consider ...

KRudd takes his Cabinet on a Bali surfing safari ...

Not content with leaving his own carbon footprint and that of Wong and Garrett on the trip to Bali, new PM KRudd is also planning to take Treasurer Wayne Swan and Trade Minister Simon Crean. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is also being considered.

How many Labor Ministers does it take to change a light bulb in Bali?

Six, apparently.

Which would be almost one-third of the KRudd Cabinet.

Five minutes into the job and the Cabinet is already heading off for taxpayer-funded overseas holidays, leaving Gillard with the keys to the place.

Gough Whitlam would be proud ...

Ex-Minister Nuttall faces another corruption charge ...

Excerpt from the Sydney Morning Herald:

Nuttall facing fresh corruption charge

4 December 2007

Former Beattie government minister Gordon Nuttall is facing a further corruption charge.

Queensland's Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) on Tuesday served Nuttall, a former state health minister, with a notice to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday to face a charge of corruptly receiving $60,000 on April 12, 2002.

Lawyer Harold Shand has been charged with corruptly making the payment to Nuttall and is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
...

Premier Anna Bligh said in a statement that Shand had agreed to stand aside from his position on the board of WorkCover Queensland.

See - Nuttall's new charge.

Also see - Top bureaucrat in corruption net.

United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali ...

Review the daily program here - UN Bali conference program.

KRudd's Kyoto ratification gets a cheer in Bali ...

... but the hangover for Australia may be decidedly worse.

Newly installed PM KRudd has indicated that Australia may miss its emissions obligations under Kyoto by around 1% resulting in penalties under any new agreement to apply from 2012.

It would include a commitment to a further reduction - 60 million tonnes - in carbon emissions plus a 30 per cent penalty added to the subsequent commitment target.

So that puts Australia in the sin bin straight away in terms of negotiations.

Nothing about that during the election campaign.

Al Gore thought Australia ratifying Kyoto would be electrifying and pressure the US to follow suit.

Seems not.

Speaking on the opening day in Bali, the United States senior climate negotiator, Harlan Watson, said the US respected Australia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, which recognises binding targets on developed countries, but made it clear the Bush Administration would not follow Kevin Rudd's lead.

Meanwhile, Canada braces for its coldest winter in 15 years.

And China, which has no binding targets, is opening a new coal fired power plant at the rate of one a week ...

San Diego - Council Overturns Recycled Water Veto ...

The saga continues ...

Excerpt from NBCSanDiego.com:

Council Overturns Recycled Water Veto

3 December 2007

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego City Council has overturned Mayor Jerry Sanders' veto of a controversial water recycling project.

The pilot program would use recycled wastewater to supplement San Diego's drinking water supply. On Tuesday, the council voted to override Sanders' veto 5-3. Councilmen Kevin Faulconer, Tony Young and Brian Maienschein were opposed.

The council voted in October to initiate a one-year test of the plan's technology and costs. Opponents of the program have dubbed it "toilet to tap," but Sanders said he vetoed it to save money, calling the plan cost-prohibitive.

In the event of a veto, the mayor had threatened to submit a notice to increase water rates to pay for the program -- the third increase in a year.

The project is set to begin in July.

See - Veto overturned.

Groom results updated ...

Voter turnout - 91.03%

First Preferences

Polling Places Returned: 53 of 53

Enrolment: 89,917

Turnout: 91.03%

Candidate

MACFARLANE, Ian (Liberal) 42,156 (52.97%)

MEIBUSCH, Chris (Australian Labor Party) 27,592 (34.67%)

COLLINS, Pauline (The Greens) 3,814 (4.79%)

FINDLAY, Peter Charles (Family First) 3,486 (4.38%)

BERRY, Rob (Independent) 657 (0.83%)

NAJEEB, Shalina (Democrats) 582 (0.73%)

VOLKER, Grahame Arthur (Independent) 580 (0.73%)

JEANNERET, Rod (Independent) 475 (0.60%)

JONES, Irene (Citizens Electoral Council) 246 (0.31%)

FORMAL 79,588 (97.23%)

INFORMAL 2,267 (2.77%)

TOTAL 81,855 (91.03%)

Two Candidate Preferred

MACFARLANE, Ian (Liberal) 46,520 (58.45%)

MEIBUSCH, Chris (Australian Labor Party) 33,068 (41.55%)

See - AEC - Groom results.

4350water blog - 71,000 + page views ...

... with the 2008 Toowoomba Regional Council election and much more to come.

Regularly read by all levels of government in Australia and many people in Toowoomba and the surrounding region. International readership on the increase as well.

No wonder the existing Councillors would do anything to shut down the blogs before the election next year ...

Global warming must be true - Kylie's singing about it ...

A prize for a global warming film.

With Kylie and all the stars jetting to Oslo to perform - with all their carbon emissions along the way.

See - Global warming should be so lucky.

Wouldn't it be better to say thank you by video-conference and forget the concert.

But that wouldn't be the media spectacle needed to keep the Gore money machine going ...

QWC's Nosworthy and other Commander Communication directors 'fiddling while Rome burns' ...

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

No saviour for telco

1 December 2007

Commander Communications has failed to attract a white knight despite desperate attempts for more than a month, leaving the company considering an equity raising to help pay off debts that have ballooned to $365 million.

Commander's management was accused by hostile shareholders at its annual meeting in Sydney yesterday of "fiddling while Rome burns" because it had remained silent over most of the last two months as the share price hit recurrent all-time lows.

More than $406 million - 88 per cent - has been wiped from Commander's market value over the past six months as institutional shareholders rushed for the exits in the wake of three swift profit downgrades and a trading suspension for failing to lodge its accounts.

Yesterday shareholders who had flown from as far afield as Perth vented their anger on the board and management. Apologies from Commander's chairwoman, Elizabeth Nosworthy, could not disguise the fact none of the directors or senior managers had fallen on their swords despite the company's plight.
...

See - Fiddling while Rome burns.

Beware Kyoto penalties, UN warns Australia ...

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Beware Kyoto penalties, UN warns Australia

1 December 2007

The United Nations' chief climate negotiator says the Rudd government's decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol is more than symbolic - and warns it faces penalties if it fails to meet its targets.

Yvo de Boer applauded the decision to ratify the protocol, and said it would make "a big difference" to Australia's standing at global climate talks in Bali which begin on Monday.

But he warned that if it fails to meet its greenhouse gas emissions target, "Australia is stepping into a legally binding international instrument that would oblige [it] to meet its target and it has penalties in place if [it] were to fail to do so."
...

See - Kyoto penalties.

Ratifying Kyoto will not prevent a single kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions but all the paper going back and forth between government departments in Canberra on the issue will increase deforestation ...