More reasons why NSW is failing
More reasons why NSW is failing
- From: The Daily Telegraph
- March 05, 2010
- 40 comments
Unwilling to invest … Premier Kristina Keneally. Source: The Daily Telegraph
Reason #1: by Andrew Carswell and Nathan Klein BOEING, Boeing, gone. The Keneally Government’s reluctance to invest in vital industry has been blamed for the loss of another 350 specialist jobs – this time to Victoria.
Aviation giant Boeing yesterday announced it would close its Bankstown manufacturing plant and move its extensive operation to its Melbourne factory.
That state-of-the-art plant recently received $25 million in funding from the Victorian and Federal Governments.
While the majority of the Sydney workers will have ongoing employment if they relocate south, many Boeing veterans are reluctant to upset their family’s lives and move to Victoria.
Slated for 2012, the closure will bring the curtain down on 70 years of groundbreaking aerospace engineering in NSW by Boeing, with its production line generating components for Boeing 777, 737 and 747-800 aircraft.
Power station plans spark pollution fears.
Power station plans spark pollution fears
BRIAN ROBINS
March 4, 2010
The state government has approved plans for two large new power stations, triggering concerns about a further increase in greenhouse gas emissions, especially if coal is used as the fuel.
The approvals are for ”concept plans” for two, 2000- megawatt power stations at Mount Piper, near Lithgow, and Bayswater, which is near Muswellbrook in the Hunter.
Final plans for the power station design, including fuel source, will need separate approval before construction can begin.
PM stakes his reputation on big-bang health reform
PM stakes his reputation on big-bang health reform
- From: The Australian
- March 04, 2010
- 137 comments
THE Prime Minister has produced big-bang reform on health funding that is tailor-made for an election campaign and designed to switch attention from his current political difficulties over the bungled $2.45 billion roofing scheme and broken election promises.
Kevin Rudd has committed his government to funding 60 per cent of public hospitals direct to local community boards via a grab for 30 per cent of the states’ GST revenue.
He’s promising that new accountability and national performance benchmarks will deliver the changes voters want to surgical waiting lists, doctor and nurse shortages, waiting times for emergency treatment and availability of medical care outside hospitals.
It’s also designed to end the blame game between the federal and state governments over health funding.
Once again Rudd has put himself at risk by staking his reputation on a proposal that is going to be difficult to get past the states, has fallen behind his own schedule of election promises, is a complicated process, carries a huge price tag and is arm’s length from addressing the real problems voters experience every day.
Crop scientists discover fungi alternative to pesticides
Crop scientists discover fungi alternative to pesticides Ecologist 3rd March, 2010 Study identifies naturally occurring alternatives for controlling wireworm, a widespread potato pest in the UK Farmers may soon have a non-chemical pesticide for controlling the damaging potato pest, wireworm, after scientists at Swansea University identified a fungal alternative. The wireworm, the larvae of click Continue Reading →
The death knell for small hospitals
- From: The Daily Telegraph
- March 04, 2010
- 30 comments
Professor Bob Farnsworth, chair of the Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service’s health advisory council, said Mr Rudd’s reforms were “appalling” and “potentially a disaster” for NSW.
“It is taking healthcare in NSW back 20 years,” said Professor Farnsworth, who is also the director of surgery at Prince of Wales Hospital.
“This was a great opportunity to come up with a logical, efficient and effective single-funding system for healthcare. Some of our hospitals will struggle to operate under case mix funding. All our small regional hospitals are very much at risk.”
Climate change: melting ice will trigger wave of natural disasters
Climate change: melting ice will trigger wave of natural disasters
Scientists at a London conference next week will warn of earthquakes, avalanches and volcanic eruptions as the atmosphere heats up and geology is altered. Even Britain could face being struck by tsunamis
- The Observer, Sunday 6 September 2009
- Article history
Kirkjufell volcano erupting above the town of Vestmannaeyjar, Heimaey Island, Westmann Islands, Iceland. Photograph: Emory Kristof/National Geographic/Getty Images
Scientists are to outline dramatic evidence that global warming threatens the planet in a new and unexpected way – by triggering earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches and volcanic eruptions.
Reports by international groups of researchers – to be presented at a London conference next week – will show that climate change, caused by rising outputs of carbon dioxide from vehicles, factories and power stations, will not only affect the atmosphere and the sea but will alter the geology of the Earth.