Anyway, back to Oz, and what about the politics? Well there's a general election on Saturday. Its a two party race, pretty much like it is in the UK, but at the moment its the Liberals, let by John Howard versus Labor (note the Yankee spelling) led by Kevin Rudd. Rudd is in the lead in the polls, and the Liberals have pulled off the gloves and now its all low down and dirty. If Howard were to win, it would be his 5th term. If he wins he'll hand over the reigns to the second IC who is a guy called 'Costello' as in Abbot and Costello. Many people here see it pretty much like that, and the fact that Howard will not do the whole term, means that they are voting for two unknowns....which is probably why the Labor party are getting a toe in... OK, there is the natural turning over of power that happens despite being good at the job, and that is a fact in any country.
One thing that's different here though is that its against the law NOT to vote! (Unless you're not a citizen) so Daile has to go out to vote. One of the things that the Liberals reckon they believe in is: '...preserving Australia's natural beauty and the environment for future generations'. So what's this about then....
..this is Sovereign Island, (the one we sailed round Gill, on the first day you were here in 2002) which is an 'gated community', only accessed by a bridge. Its an exclusive development, for people with money, not for 'future generations' unless of course they have money. Note that its been built in a rather 'naturally beautiful' place... stuff the rest of them... lets make some money eh! Socio-spatial exclusion, established and maintained through subtle, but non-the-less effective, creation of social and physical landscapes that are so imbued with a sense of prestige that they arguably initiate a process of 'self-othering' amongst those beyond their margins. OK, its nothing new from a social perspective. People have been making this kind of thing for as long as there have been 'star bellied sneetches' but why is it that governments insist that they are green when they are patently far from it. I accept that this is a morally relative point, and that there are always social and cultural pasts that provide the context out of which these thing arise, and that as such it is not a fault in any one administration per se....but on the other hand, the will to save ourselves will not come from more of the same, more stuff, more bullshit, more meaningless discussions about discussions. Moral relativism will taste pretty salty to these wealthy land owners when the sea level rises no doubt, and they'll blame it on whoever it is that is in power at the time. Like I say, the politics is the same here as it is in Blighty.
So what of Labor? Well, do you remember Peter Garrett and the band Midnight Oil? He's now a senior politician in the Labor party and famous for his gaffes, a bit like Prince Philip is. He's heading up the Labor environment bullshit and this is some of what they are saying: 'Increasing storm activity and sea level rise from climate change is threatening coastlines, property, habitat and the financial viability of local councils. The Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council estimates that 700, 000 coastal addresses are at risk from long term sea-level rises and large storm surges'. OK that seems to be concurrent with the things that i've read... so what are they going to do? 'A Rudd Labor Government will invest $100 million for a 5 year Coast Care Program as part of its Caring for Coasts plan to help local communities protect the Australian coastline and prepare for the impact of climate change'. So, lets see....even though I'm really crap at maths, I reckon that thats er....100,000,000/700,000 = $14.28 per at risk coastal address. This is from a country that (don't forget) is in cash surplus. (For context think about the fact that the US is $12,000,000,000,000 in deficit).
Ah yes 'why [indeed] do we weep while our beds are burning' Mr Garrett? Am I ranting yet?
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