Category: Archive

Drought-hit cattle saved for precious genetic lines

admin /27 October, 2006

Cattle are being sent to Tasmania from the drought-stricken mainland to preserve precious genetic lines which have taken generations of breeding, reported The Sydney Morning Herald (25/10/2006, p.8).

Northern farms offer agistment: Gwen Norman, executive officer of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, said parts of Tasmania were also very dry and livestock was being sold, but some farmers in the north had enough feed on their properties to offer agistment.

1500 head travel south: No areas of Tasmania had been given exceptional circumstances drought status by the Federal Government. In recent weeks about 1500 dairy and beef cattle – mostly from irrigation farms in northern Victoria – have crossed Bass Strait at a cost of $85 to $100 a head.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 25/10/2006, p.8

Source: Erisk Net  

London council charges fee on polluting vehicles

admin /27 October, 2006

James Button reports in The Age (26/10/2006, p.11) that a London council is trialling a scheme that would force drivers of the most polluting vehicles to pay up to £450 ($A1110) a year to park outside their homes.

Owners of cleaner cars to get discount: The scheme being piloted by Richmond Council in south-west London is the first to penalise motorists for their choices, while owners of cleaner cars would get a discount on their parking fees.

Owners of electric cars to pay nothing: Richmond Council leader Serge Lourie told reporters: “If you’ve got an electric car you’ll pay nothing. If you’ve got a small car you might go down by 50 per cent. If you have an average car, your charge will probably go down a bit or up a bit. “But … if you’ve got a large Jag (jaguar) for example, you’ll be paying 200 per cent more.”

The Age, 26/10/2006, p.11

Source: Erisk Net  

Victoria gets world’s 2nd largest solar power station

admin /26 October, 2006

The world’s second biggest solar power station will be built near Mildura in northern Victoria, The Daily Telegraph reports (25/10/2006, p.11).

Green power to 45k homes and 1000 jobs: The super plant will provide green power to 45,000 homes and create 1000 jobs.

Joint contributions to venture by Federal and Victorian governments: It is understood the Federal Government will put in $75 million and the Victorian Government $50 million.

On-line by 2013: Power from the 800ha site, which will be operating by 2013, will not emit greenhouse gases.

The Daily Telegraph, 25/10/2006, p.11

Source: Erisk Net  

Australian Conservation Foundation rages against ANZ Bank

admin /26 October, 2006

The Australian Conservation Foundation has vowed to maintain the rage against the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group’s continued relationship with Malaysian-based logger Rimbunan Hijau, says John Durie in The Australian Financial Review (25/10/2006, p.72).

Treasurer refuses to get involved: Last week Treasurer Peter Costello declined to become involved in the situation after the ACF filed a complaint under Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines requesting government assistance to play the role as mediator.

No investment nexus: His reasoning was there wasn’t an "investment nexus" between the bank and the logging company, which is ripping through Papua New Guinea forests.

Evidence needed that bank can control the company’s activities: The nexus required would be some evidence that the bank could actually control the company’s activities, but from the bank’s perspective the risk is the damage is already done if it gets a name as financial sponsor to the likes of Gunns in Tasmania and Rimbunan in PNG.

ESG investment growing force: The so-called ESG (environment, social and governance) investment movement is a growing force in global markets and Goldman Sachs JBWere in Australia is a leading flag carrier highlighting the risks and rewards for companies that take their ESG principles seriously.

Companies need to maintain highest ESG standards: Irrespective of the actual facts of the PNG issue, the bottom line is clear: companies more than ever need to ensure that they maintain the highest ESG standards and importantly do their bit to ensure their customers do likewise.

The Australian Financial Review, 25/10/2006, p.72

Source: Erisk Net  

Bolivian warning: water bills leapt 300pc after privatisation

admin /26 October, 2006

Australians should be wary of any Federal Government moves towards privatising the nation’s water trading system, a community activist from drought-stricken Bolivia has warned, reported The Age (23/10/2006, p.5).

Instant pain under 40-year deal: Water bills leapt 300 per cent when, in 2000, the then Bolivian government granted a 40-year privatisation lease to a company to provide water to a city with more than 500,000 residents, Gissel Gonzalez told the Latin America and Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference at Melbourne’s Trades Hall.

Citizens charged for rainwater: Mr Gonzalez said the company took control of the city of Cochabamba’s communal wells and "could even charge you for collecting rain water". Outrage led to days of bloody street battles with police. As the revolt worsened, the government cancelled the privatisation deal.

Resource not for private control: "Water is not a resource for the profit of private companies, it is for communities to control," Mr Gonzalez, a member of Bolivia’s coordinating committee for the defence of water and life, said.

The Age, 23/10/2006, p.5

Source: Erisk Net  

Bondi beach will disappear by end of the century

admin /25 October, 2006

Global warming is not going to end at the boundaries of the state or even the nation, and maybe the responsibility shouldn’t stop there either, says The Sydney Morning Herald (23/10/2006, p.15). Predictions becoming alarming: Meanwhile the predictions on the impact – and cost – of global warming in Australia are becoming more alarming. We’ll Continue Reading →