Many environmental problems face us today. Some species are facing extinction. The Greenhouse Effect seems to be affecting climate and weather. Bushland is still being lost to development. Weeds are proliferating. Pest species are of increasing concern.
This site aims to help us better understand the environment of northern Victoria and southern NSW. Armed with better knowledge, we are better able to assess the problems and make better decisions.
There are sections on birding, indigenous plants, bushwalking, parks and reserves and more. This page mentions recent developments. It is linked to a blog page which addresses various issues.
Environmental issues
Should the Barmah forest be a national park?
Environmental issues
Northern Victoria and Southern NSW
All views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the author, Keith Stockwell, and do not necessarily represent the views of any organisation which may have links to this page.
- Should the Barmah forest be a national park?
- Should we protect locusts?
- Global warming (modified introduction April 2007)
- Does Australia need more people?
- Australia's water crisis
- Does wattle cause hay fever?
- War on weeds (now on a separate site)
- Attacking whistle-blowers
Should Barmah-Millewa Forest become a national park?
The Victorian National Parks Association and other conservation bodies argue that the Barmah-Millewa Forest, the Perricoota-Gunbower Forest and other riverside red gum forests should become national parks. But the Barmah Protection League and others are opposed to this idea, arguing that the forests are well-managed.The Victorian Government asked the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council to investigate red gum wetlands in Victoria along the Murray River (and lower reaches of its tributaries) between Hume Weir and the South Australian border; the enquiry does not embrace red gum wetlands on the NSW side of the Murray River. VEAC produced a discussions paper and, in mid 2007, some draft recommendations.
One of VEAC's recommendations is that the Victorian government allocates additional resources to address the current and future public land management needs across the region, with priority given to fire protection, pest plant and animal control, track maintenance, on-ground staff presence and the provision and servicing of recreation and tourist facilities.
VEAC's recommendations propose the establishment of a number of national parks and conservation reserves, including the Barmah Forest (Victoria) and a part of Gunbower Island.
Another issue is whether or not a by-pass channel should be constructed from Yarrawonga to the Goulburn River so that more water can be conveyed to areas downstream of Barmah. At the moment, The Narrows (Barmah Choke), a length of the Murray River which is a perched stream (higher than the surrounding plains), the water in which is contained by natural silt jetties, can carry a limited amount of water. If bankful capacity is exceeded, a vast wetland area is flooded. The Barmah-Millewa wetlands depend upon flooding over late winter and spring, and upon drying over late summer and autumn, for their very existence. If a by-pass allows the level of the Murray River to be low over late summer and autumn, this would help the wetlands to dry out. A good thing. But if a by-pass is used over winter and spring, it would likely reduce the depth and duration of flooding, something that would be damaging for Barmah's wetlands and remaining Moira Grass plains. The ACF has already expressed its concerns. A task force has been establish to investigate the proposal and make recommendations. The proposal is unlikely to go ahead if significant environmental damage (e.g. to Barmah-Millewa wetlands) would result.
The Barmah Forest in flood during spring (K Stockwell)
The final report was tabled in late July of 2008.
Getting grazing and logging out of Barmah Forest have been short term priorities of the Victorian National Parks Association and Friends of the Earth (Melbourne). Under the draft proposals, commercial grazing and logging will be disallowed in the forest. But ecological grazing and environmental thinning of saplings could occur.
The VEAC draft proposals report proposes that cattle grazing not be permitted in Victoria in the proposed Barmah Forest National Park.
In Victoria, cattle are removed from the forest in autumn. 'The Barmah Muster' is held in autumn and attracts many tourists. The VEAC draft recommendations set aside some land near the Dharnya Centre so the Muster to continue.
According to research evidence, to help control weeds and to promote the growth of indigenous grasses, grazing is best done between Easter and late July provided, however, the soil is dry. Cattle should not be resent over spring and summer when indigenous grasses are flowering and setting seed. If and when it is appropriate to graze an area, sheep, being lighter, may be more appropriate insofar as they cause less damage. At Terrick Terrick National Park, sheep are used as an ecological control to reduce weeds and to maintain suitable conditions for the endangered Plains-wanderer. There is a case for ecological grazing being used in Barmah-Millewa Forest.
Some argue that the cattle reduce the "fuel" on the forest floor and lessen the danger of fires. Others argue that cattle increase the fire risk by spreading weeds and by promoting the spread of woody weeds and less palatable plants such as rushes and reeds.
A nasty fire in the Top End in December 2006 occurred in an area where cattle had grazed the less flammable indigenous grasses but promoted the spread of highly inflammable rushes and reeds. According to fire fighters, the intensity of the fire in the reed beds was virtually beyond belief, even in beds that were flooded to help control the fire. Someone should have told the cattle to et the inflammable reeds and leave the less flammable grasses! So bang goes that argument. Cattle can actually increase the fire risk!
A cow grazes in forest of the Top End after the 2006 fire (K Stockwell)Prolonged drought conditions may have contributed to the severity of recent fires, the causes of which appear suspicious. An unattended camp fire may have been to blame or the campers may have deliberately ignited the fire. Camp fires (using solid fuel such as wood) are banned in the NSW side of the forest over summer and the VEAC draft report recommends they also be banned on the Victorian side of the Murray River.
There are other ways of reducing the fire risk, e.g. cold burns in winter.
At Kinnairds Wetland, weeds are cut before they flower and are baled for hay. Perhaps, in places, this could be done in Barmah-Millewa forest.
There is no doubt that cattle grazing reduces plant diversity. When cattle are removed from an area, plants which have not been common may become more common. At Terrick Terrick, some old trees and shrubs not common in the park grow near the cemetery. Since cattle grazing ceased, many young specimens of these plants have appeared and are growing well. There are no specimens of intermediate age: in all probability, the cattle ate them.
Cattle cause major damage on sand ridges where they not only prevent the regeneration of banksias, hop bushes and wattles but may destroy the nesting tunnels of Rainbow Bee-eaters.
They also cause problems in reed bed swamps, pugging the soil and reducing the vegetation cover.
If cattle are allowed to graze when the soil is wet, pugging occurs.
Some (e.g. local botanist Howie Marshall) argues that 'pugging' (marks made in mud by cattle hooves) helps provide suitable habitat for certain indigenous plants. Others disagree.
The accompanying photo by Eris O'Brien shows native annuals and exotic annuals in a lignum wetland on the Patho Plains. Eris writes:
'The left side of the photo, shows where cattle trampled the soil crust in the previous summer, while the wetland was in the drying phase. This photograph was taken the following winter season showing that the trampled section is dominated by introduced annual Medicago spp. The right side was not walked on and has 100% native annual cover of Aphanes australiana, Annual Native Epilobium and Annual Native Veronica species, growing amongst native moss. The seedbank for native and exotic species would have been identical at this site, but soil surface conditions due to "pugging" disturbance in a single season dictated which annuals grew. This re-enforces the view that spraying of such annual weeds is pointless, because the seedbank of weed seeds is not the real issue. The pugging needs to be eliminated and the weeds will disappear.'In this same wetland, prior to the late 90's there were large open areas surrounded by Lignum. These open areas were favoured by the Brolgas which nested at the site. The open areas created habitat complexity that was important for the ecology of this wetland. Due to the pugging effects of the cattle in the late 1990's, lignum shrubs established throughout the natural "pans" in this wetland because the cattle pugs created establishment places for lignum seedlings. This one pugging even in the late 1990's has caused the open areas to close up with lignum and destroyed the habitat for the Brolga. Possibly cattle pugging is also increasing the density of Redgum seedling or other higher stratum species in the Barmah lakes (which is also a negative outcome).' (End of statement by Eris).
Whilst the above observations were made on the Patho Plain, it is reasonable to assume that similar observations could be made on the wetlands of the Barmah Forest.
In short, pugging compacts the soil and damages the environment.
Cracking soil is good but the pug marks of cattle are not. (K Stockwell)Although many argue that pugging is bad, almost everyone agrees that a wetland should sometimes dry out, allowing the soil to crack. But a wetland depends on periodic flooding and long periods without adequate fresh water are not good.
Pugging at the edge of Hut Lake. (K Stockwell)Alongside Gulpa Creek at Mathoura, reeds line the town side of the creek which is not grazed. On the forest side of the creek, reeds are mostly absent and creek bank erosion is more obvious. Cattle like eating reeds (Phragmites australis). The have little or no appetite for rushes. The spread of Giant Rush (Juncus ingens) is becoming a problem.
In places, cattle damage the banks of waterways. There is a growing realisation that cattle should be excluded from such areas and, in places, fencing has been erected to protect sensitive areas, e.g. on sandy areas along Picnic Point Road, along Millewa (Aratula) Road, along Tea Tree Road and along Langmans Road in Gulpa Island. Recently, the Reed Beds and Moira Lake have been fenced off and, despite prolonged dry conditions, species diversity appears to have increased. The number of cattle which can be grazed under lease has been reduced significantly over recent years and more power given to land managers.
Cattle alongside the Murray River in Barmah State Park (K Stockwell)Cattle grazing is bad news for birds such as robins which feed low in the forest. These birds need cover and perches close to the ground. But the cattle tend to eat the lower branches of saplings and break off many of the twigs which would otherwise serve as perches.
Some argue that a cost-benefit analysis should be undertaken, comparing the benefits from grazing (income from license fees, weed control, etc) with the costs (increase in non-palatable grasses, reduction in incidence of palatable species, reduction in the diversity of vegetation, pugging, administrative costs, damage to river banks, spread of weeds, etc).
On balance, cattle probably do more harm than good. Excluding them from the forest is probably a good thing environmentally. Nonetheless, there may be times and areas where grazing is desirable, e.g. to maintain optimal conditions for Bush Stone Curlews or to help control weeds. The VEAC report recognizes this.
Click here for background information about the Barmah-Millewa Forest, where it is located and what it is like.
VEAC proposes that logging not be permitted in the proposed Barmah National Park. It has set aside forests near Barham-Koondrook for logging ~ including part of Gunbower Island ~ partly because of the importance of the industry to Barham-Koondrook.
Recent logging of a Superb Parrot breeding area in Barmah Forest has strengthened the case for the creation of a National Park in part of the Barmah-Millewa Forest. Observers report that dead trees and old trees with hollows were unnecessarily felled.
Authorities claim that sustainable forestry practices are being followed. In the NSW side of the border, where an area is selected for logging or thinning, two habitat trees and two replacement habitat trees are left, as are dead trees (unless they pose a substantial danger). Ignoring environmental thinning, around 20% of the trees in a coupe are logged once every 20 years. Logging is not permitted within a certain distance of streams, on sandhills or in exclosures. Ring barking of trees which are considered unsuitable for timber is no longer practised. In reality, however, some areas have been over-logged.
Originally, there were fewer and larger red gum trees than there are now. It was, and is, common for many trees in an area to be of similar age. Smaller trees are sometimes the same age as larger, stronger trees.
As a result of logging, fire or interference, many young saplings may grow. In the past, the weaker ones gradually died, leaving only the more robust. To simulate this, in places, areas of forest may be thinned to allow larger trees to prosper. Smaller trees may be removed.
The highest quality timber is sought out for veneer production and indoor furniture. Good quality timber is used for decking, posts, garden furniture and the like. Essentially, poor quality timber and forest residues are used for firewood. Offcuts may be processed into garden chips. Sawdust is used for paths, especially on nearby dairy farms.
After about 25 years, the coupe is revisited. Again, dead trees, habitat trees and replacement habitat trees are identified and left. Logging or thinning then occurs.
Care is taken to protect the middle storey. If the understorey contains endangered species, the area should not be logged.
Logging is not permitted within about 50 metres of watercourses. In NSW, Callitris and box trees (all species) are no longer logged in the Perricoota, Koondrook or Millewa forests. Many sandhill areas have been restored or have been fenced with restoration work (e.g. direct seeding and weed control) under way. The Big Bonum Sandhill (Koondrook Forest) is an example of a relatively new sandhill restoration project whereas the Tea Tree Road exclosure (Gulpa Island) is an example of a restored sandhill area which has been fenced off for over a decade. The small Banksia Exclosure and the large Tea Tree Road Exclosure are possibly the only places in the forests where Banksia trees survive. Some young Banksias have been planted in the Langmans Road Exclosure but most have succumbed to the present prolonged drought. Some sandhill areas (e.g. Langmans Sandhill) have been fenced to protect the feeding grounds of Gilberts Whistler and other endangered species.
Late in 2006, logging occurred on Gulpa Island right up to the edge of Langmans Sandhill Exclosure and close to The Edward. Some clear-felling may have occurred over the past year or so and tree extraction appears to have increased.
Royalties and other revenues from forestry operations are used for such conservation measures, to meet salaries of forestry officers, to maintain forestry roads and so forth. One concern is that roads may not be maintained as well should the whole area become national park.
On the NSW side of the Murray, there are effectively two large "parks" already: the Reed Beds Exclosure (2,000ha) and the Moira Lakes Flora Reserve (1,480 ha). There is a magnificent bird observation structure in the Reed Beds, easily accessible from the Mathoura to Picnic Point Road. In addition, there are a number of smaller exclosures. Logging, grazing, soil extraction and vehicles are not permitted in these reserves which are managed by NSW Forestry. On the Victorian side there is a State Park but grazing is still permitted in the park.
Some areas of the forest are in excellent condition, with a variety of understorey shrubs and a ground covered with everlastings and native grasses. e.g. the area near Kate Malone Bend, Perricoota Forest.
More work is needed to maintain bio-diversity and to help threatened species to survive. The endangered Bush Stone Curlew is one species which may benefit from keeping aside some box forest, provided it is fenced and kept free of foxes and feral cats. The Curlew needs a hand!
But irrespective of whether or not national parks are created, good management is required. The Victorian Environment Assessment Council is to study the best use of the red gum forests on the Victorian side of the border. This investigation is to take two years. It is highly desirable, however, that the investigation cover both sides of the State border. This is, unfortunately, not likely to be the case.
Management has improved and become more conservative with respect to stocking rates and forestry practices over recent years. But over logging continues in parts of the forest. Logging should not occur in the vicinity of Superb Parrot nesting holes.
In NSW, cattle grazing is managed, it is claimed, with an eye to weed control. At a time when weeds are about to flower, many cattle may graze the area. When indigenous grasses are thriving and about to bloom and set seed (hopefully from August over summer to Easter), cattle are removed. An aim is to promote indigenous grasses, including everlastings, whilst controlling weeds. In some areas, cattle do more harm than good. Cattle licenses are now valid for six months for a certain area; the area is then rested for six months.
The emphasis in State Forests is multiple use of forests. Environmental protection, tourism, sustainability, grazing, timber getting, honey collection, etc are catered for.
Whilst it is appropriate to reserve some areas, especially sandhill areas and semi-permanent and permanent wetlands, there is clearly a case for managed grazing and timber getting in parts of the forest. As well as adequate water, adequate funding is required so that any area of national park can be adequately managed. NSW Forestry, at least, is doing such a good job on the NSW side of the border that it may be best if they continue to manage the NSW forests. It appears that the Victorian authorities are also doing quite a good job, although I would like to see more active restoration of sandhills and box forest, with emphasis on protecting endangered plant and animal species.
The main thing is that good management is essential. The Barmah-Millewa Forum was set up to help co-ordinate forest management. This Forum has, for better or worse, been dissolved and new bodies have been established to provide input to management issues. Unfortunately, the Barmah-Millewa CRG has not met for about 12 months.
In the short run, the Living Murray Agreement means a change in the role of the Barmah-Millewa Forum and its projects, along with projects carried out by catchment management authorities, which will assume an important role, will have to be in accord with the principles set out to protect icon sites. Later this year, three new committees will take over the management of the forest. The Barmah-Millewa Forest, the Perricoota-Koondrook-Gunbower Forest and the Murray River itself are three of the six icon sites listed.
In 2005, I listed a proposed management structure for the forest here. The model has now been modified and implemented. The new structure is outlined on my Barmah-Millewa Forest page. KS
Should we protect locusts?
Eris O'Brien has a web site 'Save the Locust.com' . Many assume that locusts are bad news and should be sprayed before they reach plague proportions. Eris calls for a more-balanced view and has emailed the following:Migrating locust swarms of Australian Plague Locust, are a natural cyclic event in semi-arid Australia. In the Riverina, Australian Plague Locust migrations historically occurred about once every five years. It is logical to presume that wildlife and ecosystem health and function are totally connected with this cycle.
The current control policies aim to eliminate this migration cycle with early preventative attacks on the permanent breeding areas in the Channel Country. The aim of these attacks is to reduce densities of locusts before migrating swarms can develop. This is a recent change in tactic (only since the mid 1970's) and we are yet to feel the worst effects of this in the decline in grassland ecosystem health and wildlife abundance. This will only get worse with new technology allowing more accurate detection and destruction of locusts in the channel country. Recent media hype has also boosted funding and resources for the Australian Plague Locust Commission.
Native Locusts prefer native grasslands, especially for breeding (just get hold of the DPI's locust egg bed map to see!). Locusts require a diverse diet, especially when young. Contrary to popular belief they do not like to feed on monoculture landscapes. Studies have shown that young locust which feed exclusively on lucerne are stunted and many die. This means that their density is highest in the most natural environments. So the spraying that targets nymph locusts, is most commonly done in the most natural parts of the landscape. It is only when green feed reserves run out that adult locusts may target irrigated crops and lucerne.
The broad-scale use of insecticides (including biological insecticides ~ like those used on Terrick Terrick NP) on isolated grassland reserves is completely inappropriate. Keep in mind what they are killing there are natural densities of native insects in nature reserves! Not only does it eliminate the beneficial effects of the locusts on the ecosystem, but it also kills non-target animals (especially invertebrates). In isolated grassland reserves where re-colonisation is difficult, this is particularly devastating. http://www.savethelocust.com/articles/frog-hopper.aspx
Wildlife are poisoned by the the chemicals used to control locusts. Non-target invertebrate populations are also decimated. The entire food chain suffers from this life destruction. I really recommend reading this article. Read pages 26-30 - environmental effects http://www.apvma.gov.au/chemrev/fenenv.pdf
Spraying locusts in some situations prolongs the "plague", by dispersing the swarms and discouraging migration. Locust swarms naturally come and go quite quickly. Dispersed, lower density populations (caused by spraying campaigns) are much less likely to migrate, causing prolonged problems for agriculture. This may mean that locusts are present in some areas for a number of years, rather than a number of weeks. Spraying also disrupts natural locust predators, such as parasitic wasps. This is also likely to prolong the "plague". Parasitic wasps, or flies are believed to have brought and end to many of the locust swarms throughout the last 100 years. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/ZO9530070.htm http://www.savethelocust.com/articles/article4.aspx
Repellents and barriers are the key to avoiding damage to high value agriculture crops. In many situations crops need only be protected for a matter of days until the swarm passes. In other situations, restoration of tree belts in formerly-treed landscapes or surrounding intensive agriculture developments will discourage locusts from breeding in the area. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AR9500064.htm
Locusts can, and should be, utilized as a highly nutritious food source for humans. http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/gen/2006/01/02/news/locust.eating.binge.to.hamper.control.efforts.html The effects of the recent migrating swarm of Locusts on Agriculture in Victoria was exaggerated.
The DPI received no evidence from farmers on actual dollar losses due to locusts. Their overall impact on dry-land and irrigated pastures was insignificant when compared to other seasonal variables. Cereal crops were mostly not affected at all (despite SBS news reports of the states crops being decimated!). Many times this swarm was referred to as the worst plague in 50 years. Yet, despite this, Victoria recorded an almost record cereal crop harvest. ~ Eris O'Brien.
Global warming
Many species are threatened with extinction because of global warming. Ice caps are contracting, ice-shelves breaking are up, sea levels are rising and the oceans are becoming increasingly acidic as temperatures rise because of an increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Prolonged drought has hit the southern half of Australia, even much of Tasmania suffering prolonged drought.Some deny that change is occurring and that the planet is cooling down. The following graph of global annual mean surface temperature anomalies (base 1961-90) prepared from data of the Climate Research unit, University of East anglia and the UK Meteorological office shows that the climate deniers are wrong. Note the upward trend of the 11-year rolling average. One year may be cooller than the year before but the overall trend is obvious.
Note: since this section was posted on this site a few years ago, a CSIRO report outlining some dire consequences of climate change, The Garnaut Report, Al Gore's film, 'An Inconvenient Truth', the UK Stern report, Tim Flannery's appointment as Australian of the Year and a UN report on global warming have combined to help make climate change a page one news item. In Australia, the issue has been hotly (if you pardon the pun) debated in parliament, the government rejecting calls to close down the coal industry over the next few years. The Australian government has, however, announced (1) that conventional light bulbs are to be phased out in favour of energy-saving long-life globes, (2) that the world's largest solar power station is to be built near Mildura and (3) that the world's largest wind power farm is to be constructed in Victoria. More and more people are accepting that climate change is occurring and that we all need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Despite measures that we take over the next few years, climate change is built-in and we will have to try to adapt to this.
A change of government occurred in 2007. One of the first acts of the new Labor government was to sign the Kyoto Protocol. It also commissioned professor Garnaut to prepare a report on climate change, a draft of which was tabled in July 2008. The report painted a dismal picture and called for swift action. In July 20098, the new Australian government is to release a Green Paper on proposed action which Australia is to take.
Worst-case predictions made by climatologists about six years ago have come about. Average global temperatures have risen by 0.8 degrees Celsius over recent years. In Australia, winter rainfall is contracting south of the continent. According to a spokesperson for Insurance Australia Group Ltd, 19 of the top 20 insurance claim events over the past 40 years have been weather-related.
May 2007 was the warmest on record in eastern Australia, average temperatures being about two degrees Celsius above average. In particular, the minimum overnight temperatures were considerably higher than normal.
I understand that about 8,000 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are emited each year. This amount needs to be drastically reduced. Yet the figure is still increasing each year.
Much of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the clearing and burning of forests. Indonesia is one of the worst offenders. It may be imperative that forest clearing ceases and that reafforestation occurs.
China and India are growing economies and are still constructing coal-burning power stations. Australia is a major exporter of coal. About 40 per cent of the world's population live in China and India. Although China has had a one child per family policy for around 20 years, the Indian birth rate is still very high indeed.
There is a call to develop cleaner coal technologies. Others argue that coal-burning power stations should be closed as soon as possible. Some argue that nuclear power stations might take the place of coal-burning stations. Others argue that we should rely solely on renewables and, perhaps, natural gas. Renewable sources include hot rocks (geothermal), ocean currents, tidal movements, ocean waves, gases from waste water treatment facilities (e.g. a new poser station has been built at the Tatura facility), waste gases from tips, solar (new and better panels are being developed), water (hydro) and wind.
Chinese scientists and officials are blaming global warming for a number of China's recent disasters: longer and more devastating typhoons and floods in some areas and prolonged droughts in other areas.
The government of China is becoming increasingly aware of the problem. A large percentage of the population lives on land which is only a few metres above sea level. As sea levels rise, vast areas could be inundated and rendered unproductive. If present warming trends continue, China will only be able to produce about half as much rice as it currently does. China has announced that it will endeavour to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GNP but that it will continue to pursue a policy of economic growth.
One is even more pessimistic about the increasing amount of atmospheric pollution produced in India.
Some meteorologist believe that increased monsoonal rainfall in northern Australia may be associated with the increase of air pollution originating in Asia, including China and India.
There are fears that global disputes about water and arable land may intensify over coming years. Climate change may mean an increase in the number of 'refugees'.
Early in 2007, governments of Western Europe agreed to reduce atmospheric pollution and to produce more of their energy requirements using renewable means.
California has set a benchmark, imposing regulations and setting incentives.
So there are some promising signs and greater awareness of the problems caused by global warming. Global action is imperative. We need to reduce our consumption of electricity and turn to renewable sources of power. Consumption can be reduced through regulation, incentives and innovation. There is clearly a need for a carbon tax (and carbon trading), for environmentally-friendly building regulations, energy standards and so on. Once regulations and incentives are in place, innovations are likely to follow. After all, necessity is the mother of invention. Governments need to set uniform standards. Governments can have an influence by only purchasing products (e.g. motor vehicles) which meet low emission standards. Governments across the world should follow or better California's example.
In Australia, many politicians seem unable to admit the seriousness of the situation. If only we could set a good example for other nations to follow.
This decade is critical. We must act and act fast to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas pollution.
Now, here is what was written earlier.
K Stockwell, Webmeister, 2007; upgraded July and August 2008.
In We are the Weather Makers, Tim Flannery outlines some measures which could be taken to avert a catastrophic situation. It is a book which everyone, especially policy makers, should read and act upon.
Tim Flannery's book The Weather Makers, which deals with the challenge and ecological impacts of global warming, became an international best seller, spearheading popular awareness of global warming. There is ample evidence that global warming is under way and its impact is likely to be horrendous.We Are the Weather Makers is a concise and revised edition that presents the facts about climate change to an even wider range of readers. In this passionate book Tim reminds us that climate connects us all, from the Arctic to the Outback. And our climate is influenced by how we choose to live; how we use our fuels, our water and our land.
Unfortunately, there are a handful of influential people who do not accept that governments must make a concerted effort to arrest global warming and that this involves huge cuts to greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian prime minister apparently argues that Australia contributes less greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than some other countries and hence need not introduce a carbon tax in an attempt to cut emissions. The fact of the matter is that on a per head of population basis, Australians are the biggest polluters of all! If the leaders of smaller nations accept this view then we cannot less-developed nations like China which contribute relatively little greenhouse gas per head of population, but much in total, to take action.
Tim argues that whilst consumers have an important role to play, politicians and companies also have an important role. In particular, it is necessary to address the issue of pollution from coal-burning power stations. It is possible that a 70% reduction in greenhouse gases could be achieved, stabilising the Earth's climate. In reality, the 70% target is an immense challenge and if action is not taken we can expect greater climatic extremes, rising sea levels, economic and social upheaval and environmental refugees.
The Stern report (2006) and a United Nations report (2007) both painted a bleak picture. It is imperative that governments act now to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This means that the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions must be substantially reduced. Coal-fired power stations are one of the worst offenders. If action is not taken, permafrost could start melting, releasing methane, and serious and prolonged global warming would then be unstoppable and sea levels would rise for centuries.
Climate stabilisation requires a drastic reduction in carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Australian politicians have been reluctant to take effective action because of the present importance of coal to the Australian economy: it provides cheap energy and is one of our biggest export earners. Yet an adequate climate response demands an end to the industry. It seems highly unlikely that it will ever be able to geo-sequester the lion's share of emissions safely and in the near future. Actions by other nations are likely to spell doom to the coal industry anyway The longer we continue to use and export coal, the harder it will be to fix the crises, if indeed the problem of global warming can be overcome. Some believe that we have already past the point of no return, the point where climate change is irreversible and where the very existence of human societies is threatened. If we haven't reached the point then we must be close to it. Immediate action is needed, just as it is when your nation is attacked by another.
Replacing coal-fired power stations
Coal-fired power stations are releasing much carbon dioxide into the air. In view of this, it is becoming increasingly apparent that coal-fired power stations must be closed down.Some argue that the economic cost of closing down the coal industry will damage the economy. It will. But if this is not done then the economic costs will be even greater and the entire economy is a risk. There is no time to dilly dally. Some countries have already announced that they will phase out coal mining and coal-fired power stations, e.g. Germany.
As our population numbers and energy use increase, some have advocated that we turn to nuclear fuels. Nuclear power stations, it is argued, release no carbon dioxide into the air and, as technology improves, are safer than in the past.
However, nuclear power is costly and is associated with danger. It will take time before nuclear power stations can be constructed and become operational. In all probability, nuclear power costs more than electricity generated using wind turbines, tides, waves or some forms of solar energy. Ian Lowe ~ a scientist who is President of the Australian Conservation Foundation ~ argues that "as well as the risk of accidents, nuclear power also increases the risk of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism". Ian also points out that "the argument that nuclear power would reduce greenhouse pollution presumes high-grade uranium ores are available (but) the known resources of high-grade uranium ores only amount to a few decades use at the present rate". Nuclear waste remains radioactive for tens of thousands of years. It needs to be stored safely and kept out of the hands of terrorists. This raises the question: can we trust not just present-day governments but governments over the forthcoming centuries?
Exporting yellow cake implies that present and future governments of the recipient countries can be trusted. We cannot assume that future governments will act appropriately. There are potentially dangerous outcomes.
Furthermore, the receipts Australia receives from exporting uranium/yellow cake are relatively trivial: presently the equivalent of one-third of our cheese exports.
It takes a lot of resources to build and maintain a nuclear power station. The waste from nuclear energy has to be stored for thousands of years. There is a terrible risk associated with nuclear stations: the Chernobyl disaster is ongoing.
Notwithstanding what is stated above, in some parts of the world some power may have to be generated in this way. Australia is in a position to be able to export uranium to such area.
Whilst in some areas of the world, to replace coal-generating stations, it may be necessary to generate some electricity from nuclear stations, this may not be the case as far as Australia is concerned.
Alternatives to coal-powered and nuclear power stations
What other alternatives, then, are there? Hydro-electricity stations generate some of our power requirements but they alone cannot produce sufficient power for our needs.Wind turbines are criticised for being an eye sore and for causing bird deaths. If they are placed in certain spots, this criticism is valid. But wind turbines can be placed away from sensitive coastlines and away from bird migration routes and bird feeding grounds. Although there is a place for wind turbines, they too can only supply a percentage of our needs and, because they are reliant upon favourable winds, cannot supply a constant amount of power.
Solar power, too, is likely to only supply a percentage of our needs. At present, solar cells are relatively expensive and a vast array of cells is needed to supply even a small town. However, solar technology is improving and there is a good argument for all homes to have a solar hot water service which can be augmented with mains electricity. Householders can save considerable amounts on their electricity bill if a solar hot water service is installed.
A public company, Enviromission, has been formed to construct a tall chimney near Mildura. As air is sucked up the chimney, it is hoped that the air flow can be used to generate electricity. This is an interesting idea. Hopefully, the idea will be successfully implemented and the station will be able to produce electricity economically.
Off the coast of Newcastle, waves are being used to generate electricity. There is also a project off the coast of Fremantle (Western Australia) aimed at generating power using waves. Tidal movements can also be used. Perhaps we should devote more resources to generating electricity using tidal and wave energy.
Furthermore, a company is interested in building a wave-powered station off the coast of Portland, Victoria, and use the station to desalinate sea water during periods of low electricity demand, e.g. at night.
Some sugar mills burn cane residues and use it to convert water to steam to generate electricity. But some carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as a result.
There is yet another option worth exploring, geothermal energy. There is much heat under the earth's surface and, in some places, hot rocks are relatively close to the surface. In the Cooper Basin (in northern South Australia), there is a huge body of granite which is heated to about 250 degrees C, the hottest near-surface non-volcanic rock so far known. The rock is bathed in super-heated water under great pressure. This body could help supply our power needs for many decades, especially if used along with solar energy, wind turbines, wave turbines and so on.
Geo-thermal stations should be built away from population centres. Hot rocks are likely to be close to the surface in geologically unstable areas and a geo-thermal station is such a region could trigger larger or more-frequent earth tremors.
Some electricity can be generated using gases produced from sewage and waste. Energy Developments Ltd has tried to generate electricity at tip sites with some degree of success. A new station at the Tatura waste water treatment facility is now connected to the electricity grid and is an example of what can be done. Apart from generating electricity, the station has helped reduce odours which locals sometimes found most unpleasant.
Australia has extensive gas fields and natural gas is already being used in power stations. Such stations are less polluting than coal-fired plants. A body of gas has been discovered by Lakes Oil under one of the coal-burning power stations of Victoria's LaTrobe Valley and Lakes Oil is hoping that the power station's owners will convert the station from brown coal to run on natural gas. Whilst the use of natural gas in generating power is not sustainable in the long run, natural gas is less polluting than coal and can be used as an interim measure.
We should try to produce our electricity using a combination of wind, solar, geothermal, wave and other sources of energy. As a last resort, we may also need some gas-fired power stations. There is no doubt that coal-fired stations need to be closed down, especially the least efficient ones which produce relatively large amounts of carbon dioxide.
More attention needs to be given to energy efficiency. Reducing waste and using efficient electrical devices is a way to reduce greenhouse pollution. Long-life electric globes which use less power than conventional globes are on sale from a number of outlets in some larger towns and cities: hopefully they will become more readily available over time.
Light pollution is an issue which needs addressing. Street lights should be directed at the ground rather than into the sky; light globes produce far more heat rather than light. More efficient lighting should help reduce greenhouse emissions.
Coal-burning power stations and the clearing of forests are not the only contributors to greenhouse gases. Motor vehicles are also major contributors. From 2012 the average new car in the European Union will have to emit no more than 120g of carbon per kilometre, down from 161g at present, if the measures are approved by EU governments. Some car makers forced a watering down in the new standards and argue that the new regulations will significantly increase the price of a vehicle and cost jobs. The European Commission says the change is essential to hit the EU's targets for reducing emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. In California, similar strict limits have been imposed and other states of the union are expected to follow suit. In order to meet the standard, more diesel hybrid cars may be produced. In Australia, a typical six cylinder car has a petrol engine which emits over 200 grams per kilometre. Again, we are lagging behind rather than setting a good example to other nations.
Global Warming
That global warming is occurring is becoming increasingly obvious. As the recent UN report and Stern Report attest, most scientists now agree. Sceptics are becoming fewer in number.Most Pacific islands are particularly vulnerable to increases in sea level and the population of some Pacific Island states is already moving to other countries, e.g. to New Zealand.
As the sea level slowly rises, low-lying cities may be gradually inundated. A high percentage of the human population lives in coastal areas. New Orleans, much of which was below sea-level but protected by levees, has already been devastated by a cyclone ~ the levees failed. 100 million residents of Shanghai may have to be relocated should that city be inundated. Djakarta has been hard hit by flooding and it may have to be relocated. It has been estimated that 150 million people may be displaced by 2056.
In southern Australia, drought conditions prevail whilst north Queensland has been hit by cyclones and flooding rains.
The global impacts of global warming may be far worse than many of us appreciate. Diseases like Dengue Fever and malaria could spread (e.g. to Brisbane and Sydney); fresh water supplies may be reduced; political instability may increase; sea levels will rise, inundating large areas and causing 'climatic refugees'; several plant and animal species face extinction; droughts and storms could become more frequent; the Gulf Stream could cease to flow, possibly plunging western Europe into 'an ice age', the Amazon Rainforest could become a desert and the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu wetlands could be severely impacted upon. These are other possible consequences are outlined in Tim Flannery's book The Weather Makers. Policy makers need to be aware of likely consequences.
Refusing to take appropriate action now lest jobs be lost is akin to refusing to allow fire-fighters from hosing down a fire lest the water damages some household contents.
Does Australia need more people?
Early in 2008, the Australian government announced that immigration would be increased to over 300,000 persons a year. At the same time, maternity wards of hospitals were struggling to cope with the increased numbers of babies being born.In June 2007 it was reported that Australia's population had reached 21 million. Australia's federal treasurer, Peter Costello, has urged Australian families to have three children, one for each parent and 'one for the country'. A baby bonus introduced a few years ago has been increased substantially. The birth rate has risen and immigration levels exceed 150,000 per year.
At the same time, severe water shortages have been, or are being, experienced in much of southern Australia.
Much fertile farmland is being encroached upon by spreading cities. Roads and freeways in capital cities are becoming increasingly congested. Trains and trams are struggling to cope with an increasing number of passengers. More rolling stock is required and railway lines need to be duplicated in order to cope with the increasing numbers of patrons.
Can our land sustain such a high population and such a high rate of population growth without impacting upon the environment and upon our quality of life?
According to media reports, some young teenage girls, especially those with poor socio-economic backgrounds, are deliberately getting pregnant so that they can claim the bonus. One wonders what future awaits the offspring of these teenage mothers and what the impact may be on society.
Some argue that the birth rate and immigration rates should be higher because our population is ageing. Yet these advocates seem oblivious to the fact that our environment is in a state of crisis, suffering permanent and irreversible damage. Species are being lost at an alarming rate, land-clearing continues, global warming is worsening, resources are being depleted and our environmental imprint is worsening.
Reg Morrison in his book Plague Species (New Holland Publishers) asks if we have set ourselves apart from other animals by a genetic disposition for utter irrationality. Irrational and ignorant land management actions with respect to the Alexandra area are outlined in Joan Semmens excellent book Bush Seasons (Hyland House). With the knowledge we have accumulated over time, exploiting resources at the expense of our bushland and environment is inexcusable. Yet we seem determined to increase our numbers and wage a war against nature. Waging war against Nature, against our environment, is a war which, ultimately, we cannot win.
"Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, maybe we should control the population to ensure the survival of our environment." ~ Sir David Attenborough, The Life of Mammals
Each Victorian needs 8.1 hectares to sustain their lifestyle, an ecological overshoot. Resources are being used up at an alarming rate.
Some scientists believe that Australia can only support about 8 million people at our present standard of living. But if we use resources more wisely we can maintain our standard of living, supporting something like the present population. This means we must use more renewable energy and recycle more. It means we must improve public transport and develop more efficient vehicles which can run on renewable fuels (e.g. biodiesel).
A book by J Goldie, B Douglas and B Furness, In Search of Sustainability (CSIRO Publishing), points out what we must do to achieve a sustainable society.
But if Australia's population continues to grow there will still be more pressure on the environment. More pressure to develop new housing estates in coastal swamp and heath lands. More pressure on national parks and reserves. More pressure on state forests. Longer queues at sporting and cultural events. More crowded beaches. More crowded roads. In short, more people means a lower quality of life. It means it will be harder to find wilderness areas and riversides where there are no other people.
"There are more human babies born each day - about 350,000 - than there are individuals left in all the great ape species combined, including gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobo and orang-utans..." ~ Richard Cincotta, ecologist Population Action International
A group called Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) has been established. Worth checking. Counters on their web site illustrate the speed of population increase.
SPAs aims and objectives are:
- to contribute to public awareness of the limits to Australian population growth from ecological and social viewpoints.
- to promote awareness that the survival of an ecologically sustainable population depends in the long term on its renewable resource base.
- to promote policies that will lead to stabilisation, and then to reduction, of Australia's population by encouraging low fertility and low migration.
- to promote urban and rural lifestyles and practices that are in harmony with the realities of the Australian environment and its resource base.
- to advocate low immigration rates while rejecting any selection of immigrants based on race.
- to promote policies that will lead to stabilisation, and then to reduction, of global population.
It may be worth giving consideration to supporting this organisation. The two boxed quotes above are cited on the SPA web site.
We must protect natural ecosystems, realising that humans are part of these ecosystems. Population increases place more pressure on natural ecosystems. We are currently living beyond our means and rapidly using up/destroying resources.
Global warming is a growing threat. Many plants and animals are at risk of extinction. Water supplies appear to be drying up in places. We need not only to curtail population growth but work toward a more-sustainable future.
Here is an article posted on this site a few years back, retrieved from this site's archives:
Because Australia's population is ageing, some argue that we need to step up our migrant intake so that the ratio of workers to retirees can be maintained. Unless immigration increases or the fertility rate rises, Australia's population could decline in number.
But some go further. Former Prime Minister J. Malcolm Fraser has called on the government to step up migration to help Australia lift its population from under 20 million to around 50 million so that we can be "a power in Asia". Many politicians and business people claim that Australia could sustain 60 million people or more.
These calls are being made at the very time that the greenhouse debate is warming up and water shortages are afflicting much of the continent. More people might mean more greenhouse gas emissions. There is evidence that our planet is becoming warmer and that the polar ice shelves could melt, causing oceans to lose fertility and leading to a reduction in fish and whale numbers.
It questionable whether or not Australia could sustain 50 million people and enjoy our present quality of life or our present standard of living. We live in the driest continent and in the continent with the poorest soils. Good water and good soil limit the number of people who can be supported at a high standard of living. The salinity problem facing much of our agricultural land reflects the pressure our land is already under.
In the Echuca area, soil salinity problems are of grave concern in areas near Rochester, around Underra and along Green Gully. Further downstream, near Swan Hill, large areas have become so saline that agriculture is now impossible. These problems are reflected elsewhere, not just in the Murray Valley. Fanciful irrigation schemes can be dismissed as unrealistic or uneconomic.
The fact is that our continent probably does not have enough fresh water and good soil to sustain many more people at the present standard of living. Grandiose schemes to drought-proof Australia are coined by the unrealistic. Diverting rivers to the inland will only cause more environmental problems/damage and endanger more of our indigenous wildlife and plants.
In view of our limited water resources and poor soils, it may be difficult to maintain our present quality of life and standard of living with our present numbers. The greenhouse effect and environmental warming may further limit our ability to support a higher population.
In his book The Future Eaters, Tim Flannery points out that Australia has 22 million hectares of arable land. Much of this is marginal country and much of it is degraded. Much of it will have to be taken out of production shortly, e.g. due to salinity. Because we cannot assume that we could import food to provide for a large population, and because of the El Nino droughts, Australia, Flannery asserts, can only support between 6 and 12 million people in the long run at a high standard of living. If the population continues to grow, we will have a diminished quality of life. If our population was smaller, there would be less pressure to log old-growth forests and we could enjoy a high quality of life for a long period. Tim Flannery points out that we will not be able to enjoy the bonanza of non-renewable mineral exports to achieve long-term goals. To increase or maintain migration at present levels could result in Melbourne and Sydney having over 10 million people each! Those who advocate population growth should read Tim's book and digest its contents.
In Listen Our Land is Crying, Dr Mary White explains why much of our rural land is under terrible pressure and that crop yields per hectare are likely to fall in the long run. The book also outlines many of the great Landcare projects that are being undertaken.
Quality of life is very important. Some years ago, Dick Smith claimed that "one of the great advantages of living in Australia is our small population". He adds that we must "resist the temptation to try to solve our economic problems by increasing our population". (Australian Geographic, Number 14, page 6)
As Australia's population increases, our quality of life might fall. For example, it will be harder to find that remote camping site, rules and regulations will increase as population pressure grows, the risk of plagues could increase, there will be greater pressure on the natural environment, there is likely to be more crime, traffic congestion will become worse, and our biggest cities may become less liveable.
Someone advocating towing icebergs from Antarctica to irrigate the inland. Yet one of the great joys of life is travelling to remote areas like the Great Victoria Desert, away from people, experiencing a wilderness. Try to settle the interior on a large scale and we would create more problems than we solve. Let's leave such areas free of human intervention! Unsettled areas are an important refuge for plants and animals.
Population size should not be equated to power. Some populous nations have low incomes per person. The Internet and globalization can help make "small" nations rich. The Gulf War and the recent Afghani War proved that modern weapons are more important than population size when fighting a battle.
Many of our environmental problems are associated with population growth. Our planet has finite resources and has a balance. If we abuse our planet or become too many in number the balance of nature will collapse, e.g. greenhouse effect causing melting of ice caps and destruction of ozone layer leading to genetic mutations. 50 million or 60 million people is the last thing we need. So rather than "populate or perish", it's "populate AND perish"!
"Whatever your cause, it's a lost cause without population control" ~ Paul Ehrlich
Australia's water crisis
IN 2006 and 2007, some towns and cities of southern Australia were running very short of water and severe water restrictions are in place over much of southern Australia. There have been predictions that the Murray River could cease flowing sometime in 2007; recent rains appear to have alleviated the problem for now.Over the past decade or so, rainfall has fallen over the southern part of Australia. Runoff has fallen significantly. In parts of southern Australia, rainfall has fallen around 25% but runoff has fallen, say, by 65%.
In Perth, annual rainfall roughly halved several years ago. The annual rainfall has not reached the old average since. In the past few years, rainfall appears to have fallen again. A desalination plant has now been built to augment the city's water supplies. Severe water restrictions are in force.
Apart from desalinisation, there has been much talk of treating and recycling water from sewage facilities.
Irrigators have been hard hit and several have become bankrupt as a result of the lack or ample and cheap irrigation water.
Instead of using unsealed open channels to convey irrigation water, measures are to be taken to line channels or pipe water.
In many places, rainwater tanks are becoming more common. In Echuca, runoff from the roofs of the hospital and surrounding houses is directed into a number of tanks so that the water can be used to water gardens, flush toilets, etc.
It is obvious that the price of water needs to be increased and water rights (or the number of licenses issued to farmers) needs to be cut to more sustainable levels. Environmental water is required for wetlands and to maintain healthy waterways.
Insufficient flood water is reaching the lower Murray where up to 60% of the river red gums are reported to have died.
As far as the Murray-Darling Basin is concerned, the Prime Minister has proposed that the States hand over responsibility to the Commonwealth. Whilst many welcome this move, many believe that an independent commission should be established, just as control over banking and interest rates has been handed over to a central bank (the Reserve Bank). Such a body will need generous funding to help cover the cost of water-saving infrastructure and other initiatives.
Associated with the hot dry conditions, fires have become more common. Vast areas were burnt in southern Australia over the summer of 2006-07, adding to atmospheric greenhouse gases and polluting some water supplies.
On the other hand, much of the northern half of Australis has been hit by cyclones and flooding rain. Some believe that lightning strikes have become more common.
February 2007 (amended March 2007 and June 2007)
Why should we grow native plants?
Just as a strong case can be mounted for retaining some areas of bushland, a strong case can be made for growing indigenous plants in our parks and gardens. Growing native can help ensure that our environment has an "Australian" feel. Growing native plants can also help provide habitat for native birds and other animals. And indigenous plants require less water than most exotics.If we plant mainly exotic plants, there is little to distinguish our country and our region from any other. Local plants can be propagated from seeds or cuttings or purchased through a nursery. To protect our environment, native plants should never be dug up from roadsides or the bush!
Dr Tim Flannery, author of "The Future Eaters" and who was recently appointed to teach about Australia at a leading US university, recently stated that "devotion to imported lawn, trees and pets reduces biodiversity and lessens the survival chances of wildlife". Bringing the bush into towns is important, but population control is also crucial to ease the pressure of urban sprawl and to prevent our environment from coming under increasing pressure.
The Director of Educational and Environmental Programmes for the New South Wales Zoo, Dr D. Woodside, recently said that "small marsupials, frogs, birds of prey and big lizards and snakes would be extinct around urban areas within two decades, on current trends". Clearly, this is not desirable and so it is up to every town dweller to plant native. Cats and dogs kill birds and small marsupials and it is pleasing that some cat owners now contain their pets to the house and/or to an enclosed area.
Dr Flannery believes that native trees and shrubs should replace foreign trees across whole cities in a co-ordinated plan to create bird and butterfly habitats. Such steps might also protect our sugar gliders which, in turn, help prevent plagues of such pests as Christmas Beetles (which have killed gum trees in New England, near Armidale).
Many local farmers are now doing a great job using local native plants as windbreaks and, in the case of saltbush, as fodder plants. Many bushland areas are being looked after much better than in the past. But it would be good to see even greater use of local native plants on small holdings, in town gardens, in school grounds and in parks.
Some enthusiasts have attempted to grow native grassland plants, such as Lillies and Everlastings. A lot of weeding and maintenance may be needed to avoid such a garden from looking untidy or becoming weed infested.
Care is needed to avoid such mistakes as planting trees and tall shrubs close to property boundaries or the house.
In conjunction with Bendigo Field Naturalists Club, the City of Greater Bendigo has published a colour booklet on Bendigo area plants suitable for cultivation. The Shire of Campaspe is to prepare a booklet featuring plants suitable for local gardens.
Does wattle cause hay fever?
There is a widely-held belief that wattles cause hay fever and asthma. Truth of the matter is that the hay fever and asthma are likely to continue unabated after the wattles have been cut down.
• Gold Dust Wattle (Acacia acinacea) growing beneath Mallee.
Most hay fever and asthma seems to be associated with dust mites (in carpet and woollen blankets), with cats, with horse hair, with introduced grasses, chemicals and smog. The wattle pollen is heavy and falls to the ground. An allergy specialist has confirmed that wattle is not to blame for allergies. So may be we should bring back Wattle Day and plant wattles that are native to our area! What is an Australian spring without wattles. Let's plant local wattle species in profusion and help attract back Sugar Gliders to attack insects! Remember though that some species of wattle are relatively short-lived.
Wattles are nitrogen-fixing plants. Eucalypts may grow much better when wattles grow alongside them. The presence of wattles may also reduce 'dieback' insofar as Sugar Gliders, which eat the beetles causing dieback in some areas (e.g. New England), can feed on wattles when insects are few in number.
Gold Dust Wattle (pictured above) and Bent-leaf Wattle are but two species which grow well in local area gardens.
Attacking environmental whistle blowers
A public company recently took a number of individuals and organisations to court for speaking out against the company's impact on the environment.Apart from the implications on freedom of speech, such actions do nothing to solve the economic and environmental problems resulting from actions affecting the environment.
Let us remember the public debate about the dangers of blue asbestos. Because of a fear of legal action, whistle blowers might, in future, be too frightened to speak out and, because such a debate might no longer take place, there could be undesirable economic, health and/or environmental consequences.
In July 2005, a court 'disallowed' the action but further action could yet be taken.
Apart from the action of companies, governments, too, tend to try to silence whistle-blowers and dissenters. In Australia, some non-government organisations have allegedly been pressured against criticising government policies lest their government funding/grants be lost. Some scientists have allegedly been reluctant to speak out and warn us about global warming and its likely consequences. Some have alleged that CSIRO scientists have been pressured not to speak in public on certain issues lest funding be lost.
In Australia, some experts who have expressed concerns have sometimes had their reputations trashed by a government Senator. Although allegations made under parliamentary privilege have sometimes been proved to be incorrect, the reputation of an attacked person may remain tarnished.
It is important that whistle blowers and critics feel free to alert us to potential environmental, human rights, health and/or economic issues/problems. Attempts to silence dissenters and whistle-blowers undermines democracy and good government.
This issue is the subject of a recently-released book by Clive Hamilton and Sarah Maddison, Silencing of Dissent.
Dissenters, rather than the soundness of their evidence or arguments, are sometimes attacked by politicians and/or newspaper 'journalists'. A case in point is a certain newspaper which appears to be carrying out a smear campaign, against a scientist concerned with global warming, accusing him of such actions as accepting money for speaking to audiences (what's wrong with being paid to address an audience?).
When they disagree with another's economic, social or environmental views, some politicians try to dig up dirt from one's past, resort to mockery or call others by derogatory terms rather than addressing the issue. Name calling and ridicule are forms of bullying which should be discouraged.
Government-sponsored actions which threaten human rights are also a matter of concern. A recent book by Stephen Gray, Outsourcing of Terror, alleges that some persons suspected of being terrorists have been 'kidnapped' and transported to countries such as Syria for interrogation involving torture. The allegations, if true, should concern us all. (The Italian government is allegedly seeking to prosecute several people who were involved in such actions).
Actions aimed to limit the voice of independent MPS and to limit the number of political groups which can be listed on ballot papers may be viewed as attacks on democracy.
Political donations should be revealed or outlawed. Recent steps to limit disclosure of donations is a cause of concern.
The section on weeds has been moved to a separate site. Click here to enter.
Northern Victoria & Southern Riverina Conservation and Environment Site
Section 1: Conservation News Section 5: Photo Gallery Section 2: Bushwalking Section 6: Bushland Reserves Section 3: Birding Section 7: Animals Section 4: Local Plants Section 8: Conservation Links Bonus: Short bush stories
