farmdoc's blog post number 681

Last Sunday night Sweetheart Vivienne and I watched, the 2-part Australian Story titled ‘Something in the Water’. Originally screened on ABC TV last month, it can be streamed from here [1, 2]. It’s about water pollution in north east Tasmania [3]. I found it riveting – partly due to the focus and persistence of Drs Bleaney and Scammell. But much more so due to the nay saying – no, antipathy – by politicians and bureaucrats who have clearly lost sight of the fact that their only raison d'être is to serve the Tasmanian public interest. I should’ve known better. I learnt the lesson years ago that politicians and bureaucrats march to a different drum. From 1996 when the first F1 Grand Prix [F1GP] was held in a subjugated Albert Park, it’s been obvious to the proverbial drover’s dog that the event in that location’s a triple-bottom-line disaster. And it always would be. Years ago Save Albert Park advocated a purpose-built state-of-the-art permanent venue. Our proposal fell on deaf political, bureaucratic and media ears. In fact it was met with scorn. Until now [4]. Why the change? I don’t know; but 2010’s an election year. Of course now even a permanent venue’s anachronistic – because in this peak oil era, motor sport’s immoral and antisocial. In any event (pun intended) judging by this Herald-Sun item [5], you can’t rely on Premier Brumby or F1GP boss Walker (pictured) to make wise decisions in the public interest. I don’t.

farmdoc's blog post number 318

The Australian parliamentary term isn’t fixed, but if it’s nominally three years then, as the latest election was on 24 November 2007 and the Rudd government was sworn in nine days later, the current parliament’s almost half-way through. Because the global financial crisis doesn’t threaten human existence on Earth but climate change does, global warming must be the government’s top priority. But to me, it doesn’t seem so, because the government hasn’t done, and isn’t doing, nearly as much as it should if global warming/climate change’s really top of its list. Putting almost all its eggs in the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme basket is pitiful, as is a 5% carbon emission reduction target. I’ve previously praised the ABC-TV program Australian Story. Recently I watched the 9 February episode – about marine biologist Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg (pictured) who 10 years ago predicted the death of the Great Barrier Reef if the water continued to warm from climate change. His prediction, initially derided by his colleagues, has since gained mainstream acceptance. And his work’s been embraced by Al Gore and David Attenborough. The Great Barrier Reef, an Australian icon, is in trouble. Desperate trouble. As is the entire planet. It doesn’t matter if the Rudd government’s dragging its heels or sitting on its hands. With an election due in late 2010 it must get moving. Pronto.

farmdoc's blog post number 170

Eleven days ago I wrote how Australians seemingly prefer to be life spectators rather than participants. That led me into a rant about reality television which has little if anything to do with reality, and much to do with contrived nonsense. In contrast, a program much closer to reality is Australian Story which is broadcast weekly on ABC TV. It also streams on the internet via this site. I try to watch it each week. As Wikipedia says, ‘Australian Story is a weekly biography program…(that)…aims to present a varied and contrasting picture of contemporary Australia and Australians, both known and unknown’. I find all the profiled people fascinating, which is saying something because it usually takes little to make me uninterested. I like the lack of breast-beating by the central characters and browbeating by the interviewers. Come to think of it, there’s no interviewing; rather the central and subsidiary characters tell the story interlinked with some voice-overs but without questions and answers. Some of the central characters have existing public profiles of varying heights; and others, maybe most, have no public profile but have done something interesting or had something interesting happen to them. Nothing about this program is contrived; at least that’s the impression it gives to me. Have a look at it some time – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.