Rudd breaks pledge to buld 260 childcare centres on schoolgrounds
Rudd breaks pledge to build 260 childcare centres on school grounds
- From: The Australian
- April 22, 2010
THE Rudd government has quietly dumped its election pledge to end the double-drop-off for parents by building 260 childcare centres on school grounds.
The Childcare Minister Kate Ellis said it would cause “disruption” for parents and unsettle the child care industry after the collapse of childcare giant ABC learning.
Ms Ellis said today the government would finish the 38 it has started.
Ms Ellis made the announcement today shortly after the government revealed it would ditch its home insulation program.
“The evidence tells us that an injection of more centres could threaten the viability of existing services and cause disruption for Australian families, just as the market is settling after the collapse of ABC Learning,” she said.
Replacement insulation scheme ditched
Replacement insulation scheme ditched
The Federal Government is believed to have scrapped the replacement scheme for its botched home insulation program.
The original $2.4 billion program was shut down in February after it was linked to four deaths, more than 100 house fires, and cases of rorting.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd commissioned respected former bureaucrat Allan Hawke to review the scheme and recommend changes for a revamped program, which Mr Rudd promised would start on June 1.
Fairfax papers claim Dr Hawke’s report is highly critical about the policy’s development and implementation and that timelines for starting the revised program in June were insufficient.
Message from Senator Christine Milne
Dear friend, I’ve just come from Government House in Hobart where, in a truly historic moment, Nick McKim and Cassy O’Connor were sworn in as Australia’s first ever Greens Minister and Cabinet Secretary. Please share this historic moment with us – watch this video and pass it on. This is an exciting day in Green Continue Reading →
An Update on China’s Alternative Energy Vehicle Industry
An Update on China’s Alternative Energy Vehicle Industry
Nearly a year and a half ago I wrote about China’s tentative first steps to build an alternative energy transportation industry. Since then, China’s car market has surpassed that of the United States, becoming the largest market in the world (in December 2009 vehicle sales in China exceeded 1 million units). The focus of future development is increasing the alternative energy car segment of that market.
The pieces of the alternative energy vehicle industry puzzle that now are in place (or will be in place shortly) provide an increasingly complete picture of the future of alternative energy transportation in China. Not surprisingly, the Chinese are well along in constructing a robust alternative vehicle industry and the infrastructure to serve it. It is certain that that industry will become a force worldwide.
UK conservation ‘pointless’ without tackling African climate change
UK conservation ‘pointless’ without tackling African climate change Lynn Morris 30th March, 2010 Conservation efforts towards protecting migrating bird habitats in Europe may be doomed to failure unless we tackle climate change and protect Africa’s coastlines According to Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, ‘for good or ill, we live in an age Continue Reading →
Seismic activity rises in California
Seismic activity rises in California
CARA MIA DIMASSA
April 20, 2010
LOS ANGELES: Seismologists are unable to explain a marked recent increase in earthquake activity in Southern California.
There have been 70 quakes greater than magnitude 4.0 in Southern California and Baja California so far this year, the most of any year in the past decade. There were 30 last year and 29 in 2008.
Big earthquakes tend to occur in cycles, and experts have said the region has been in a quiet cycle in recent years.
The string of quakes this year raises the possibility that Southern California might again be entering a more active seismic period. Scientists said the increase did not mean the Big One was imminent, but it could mean more quakes were on the way.