Managing director of Ebono Institute and major sponsor of The Generator, Geoff Ebbs, is running against Kevin Rudd in the seat of Griffith at the next Federal election. By the expression on their faces in this candid shot it looks like a pretty dull campaign. Read on
Five dollar burger appeals to workers and parents alike
Cafe Briz offers a $5 lunch to get the crowd in the door. The choice of the Briz Burger, pictured, or the Beef Lasagne has great appeal to the many construction workers and students at that end of Boundary St. It is also great value for anyone with a few hungry mouths to feed or watching their lunchtime budget.
Looking at the large groups of people hoeing into steaks and other, sumptuous meals, it?s clearly not the only reason people frequent the joint. With free Wi-Fi, the relaxed atmosphere and the variety of great value options in the menu, it is a hard place to beat as a budget conscious destination for a cafe.
On Thursdays, from 2:30 pm to 9:00pm (New extended hours), they also offer a new menu with very specialised staff to deliver even better than ever value to their customers. The Cafe Briz after hours team are sure you will be back every Thursday.
Take advantage of the offer. With a few chips and some salad on the side, its a substantial serve for a purple note.
Ethno on the Road is a key component of this year’s Cultural Diversity Week
“Our culture and lifestyle are made all the richer by the contribution of migrants who’ve chosen to call Queensland home.” – Glen Elmes, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs
Queensland Cultural Diversity Week, the state’s largest celebration of cultural diversity starts tomorrow Saturday 30 August and runs to Sunday 7 September 2014.
Promoting statewide participation, the week includes events and activities right across Queensland, that celebrate and showcase the benefits of our state’s diversity. We all have a story to tell about our cultural heritage and Queensland Cultural Diversity Week is about getting involved in a local activity in your area (or putting on your own) and celebrating with your community.
Key Events this year – selected from over 60 special events already planned – include The Premier’s Cultural Diversity Awards Ceremony, a Gala Dinner open to the public for the first time; and The Multi-Faith Leader’s Dinner, bringing together community leaders to develop broader inter-faith dialogue.
Two other Key Events in this year’s Queensland Cultural Diversity Week celebrations include The Cultural Diversity Community Shield Football Tournament (hosted in football fields all over Brisbane featuring 1200 players across 64 teams from 30 different cultures) and the Ethno On The Road Regional Tour – a cross cultural musical tour with some of Queensland’s leading world musicians – which will be visiting towns and festivals all over Queensland, providing workshops and concerts.
Check online for your local events, or register your own!
Palmer United Senator for Queensland, Glenn Lazarus, this morning called on the Abbott Government to retain the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
Senator Lazarus said any move by the Abbott Government to reduce or abolish the RET was irresponsible and would not be supported by the Palmer United Party.
“The RET has to be retained. Australia needs to move towards cleaner renewable energy sources and the RET supports this.
“Australia must continue to invest in cleaner renewable energy and the clean energy sector needs certainty to continue that investment.
“Retaining the RET will support increased investment resulting in much-needed innovation and efficiencies to drive improvement and growth.
“The majority of Australians want Australia to move away from dirty fuel like coal and to increase our use of renewable energy sources.
“By reducing or removing the RET, the Abbott Government is risking the future of our environment and the health of our planet.
“The cleaner renewable energy sector needs to grow. It offers significant potential for jobs and other opportunities for the economy.
“All this talk about abolishing and reducing the RET is harming investment in this sector and jeopardising many jobs.
“At the moment, businesses are reluctant to inject further investment in cleaner renewable energy because the RET’s future is under a cloud.
“Businesses need finance to fund cleaner renewable energy projects and banks won’t lend money to businesses when the future of RET is up in the air.
“The market needs certainty and the Abbott Government needs to take a responsible and firm approach on this.
“Palmer United is firm. We will block any attempt by the Abbott Government to abolish or reduce the RET.”
Palmer United Senator for Queensland, Glenn Lazarus, this morning called on the Abbott Government to retain the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
Senator Lazarus said any move by the Abbott Government to reduce or abolish the RET was irresponsible and would not be supported by the Palmer United Party.
“The RET has to be retained. Australia needs to move towards cleaner renewable energy sources and the RET supports this.
“Australia must continue to invest in cleaner renewable energy and the clean energy sector needs certainty to continue that investment.
“Retaining the RET will support increased investment resulting in much-needed innovation and efficiencies to drive improvement and growth.
“The majority of Australians want Australia to move away from dirty fuel like coal and to increase our use of renewable energy sources.
“By reducing or removing the RET, the Abbott Government is risking the future of our environment and the health of our planet.
“The cleaner renewable energy sector needs to grow. It offers significant potential for jobs and other opportunities for the economy.
“All this talk about abolishing and reducing the RET is harming investment in this sector and jeopardising many jobs.
“At the moment, businesses are reluctant to inject further investment in cleaner renewable energy because the RET’s future is under a cloud.
“Businesses need finance to fund cleaner renewable energy projects and banks won’t lend money to businesses when the future of RET is up in the air.
“The market needs certainty and the Abbott Government needs to take a responsible and firm approach on this.
“Palmer United is firm. We will block any attempt by the Abbott Government to abolish or reduce the RET.”
Daily update: Fossil fuels win battle over RET, but will they win the war?
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Renew Economy editor@reneweconomy.com.au via mail92.atl71.mcdlv.net
12:36 PM (3 minutes ago)
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Fossil fuel wins battle but will they win the war?; Renewables at risk from dinosaur govts & utilities; Hunt changes tune as policy extremists take control; Commercial scale rooftop solar market facing oblivion in Australia; Experts respond to RET review; Chile to become first South American country to adopt carbon tax; and Coal plants lock in 300 billion tons of Co2 emissions.
The predictable findings of the RET Review panel will deliver massive windfalls for fossil fuel generators. But as they celebrate a victory of short term interests over long term public benefits and good policy, their Kodak moment looms larger than ever.
Greg Hunt has spent the last year saying the costs of the RET are modest. Now he says meeting the 41,000GWh target would entail “extraordinary” penalties.
On a wet Friday evening on 22 August West End locals packed into Avid Reader Bookshop for a charge of West End history: the launch of the West End Making History Group’s third and latest walking guide, Walking with Water Rats … Kurilpa Point to Davies Park and Beyond. They were joined by special guests, Sam Watson, Heritage Architect, Peter Marquis Kyle, and Annie Keys from the walking guides’ funding body, the Department of the Environment.
The evening was a mix of celebration and protest, coming as it did in the same week the Brisbane City Council launched its Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal master plan, a plan that, if fulfilled, will result in massive change to the local landscape.
Billie Cummins kicked things off with a wonderful didgeridoo performance and a moving reminiscence of boyhood fishing expeditions to the nearby river.
Former Mayor and member of the West End Making History group, Tim Quinn, considers that by knowing our local history, we get to know ourselves. “It is very difficult for us to recognise who we are and where we might go in the future unless we understand our history,” he said.
Tim Quinn
The trail lists three state heritage listed buildings: the Coronation Hotel, the Gas Stripping Tower and the Thomas Dixon Building. While these building are protected, Tim thinks other important buildings have a far less certain future and if we value our heritage, they should be fought for. They include the delightful Foggitt Jones building at the northern end of Montague Road, the art deco facade of the Stewarts and Lloyds building near Parmalat, as well as the original Parmalat façade itself.
The disquiet in the community over the Kuripla master plan comes, Tim thinks, from a lack of consultation extending over the past 10 years. “I don’t think too many political figures responsible for making those decisions have been out to this community in the last 10 years”, he said, adding,
“We would warmly welcome the Lord Mayor on one of the walks”.
On Sunday Tim led about 60 residents on the first walk based on the guide. Joining us were other members of the West End Making History Group, Helen Abrahams, Pam Bourke, Steve Capelin, Fiona Stager and Phil Vanderzeil.
In its first Street Walker‘s Guide to West End published in 2010, the West End Making History Group exhorted its readers to,
“Slow down. Leave the car at home. Take to the streets”.
With the links to our past under imminent threat, now more than ever, is the time to follow their advice.
Copies of the book can be obtained from Avid Reader Bookshop and keep an eye on the website for details of future walks.
For people interested in talking to them about the draft Kurilpa Master Plan, representatives of the Brisbane City Council will be at the West End Markets in Davies Park on Saturday 30 August, from 8am to12pm.
The West End Community Association will be holding a public meeting on Wednesday 3 September, from 6-7 pm at the South’s Leagues Club, West End. A number of the West End Making History group members will be there.
Daily update: RET Review panel calls for large-scale, solar schemes to close
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RenewEconomy editor@reneweconomy.com.au via mail78.atl71.mcdlv.net
4:26 PM (1 hour ago)
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RET Review calls for closure of RET to new entrants, closure of small-scale scheme. AEMC compares solar to air-con in power pricing recommendations; RET changes to kill industry for decades; Yingli says Australia stalls on solar as rest of the world booms; Hawaii utilities capitulate on solar in renewables plan; RET a market distorting subsidy?; Wind energy surges in China as demand for coal fades; Making PV accessible to low-income families; Australian transport falling behind on energy efficiency; and could an independent Scotland deliver a low carbon future?
RET Review panel appointed by Tony Abbott calls for closure of the renewable energy target to new entrants as one of two options it is recommending to the government. It also wants small-scale scheme closed or limited to installations of less than 10kW.
The rule maker for Australia’s energy markets is targeting households with air-con and solar as it tries to share around the cost of networks, and to recognise role of battery storage. But will these rules reward incumbent utilities, or recognise the future? And can they be done fast enough?
Australians are using more energy to travel each kilometre than people in developed nations such as the US, and emerging economies such as China and India.
