Maria Reidl at the Brumby protest in Mildura yesterday
To watch the Channel 9 news item on the protest, please go here.
Yesterday, the Labor Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, visited Mildura. An election is in the air, you see. November 24 2010, to be precise. The seat of Mildura is not a traditional Labor seat. In eighty years, the ALP has held the seat for seven although an Independent did hold the seat from 1996-2006 and did support Labor under Steve Bracks when there was a hung parliament.
After the events surrounding the 2010 Federal election and The Greens' Adam Bandt defeating Labor in the seat of Melbourne to win the first Greens House of Representatives seat, there clearly will be some slight interest (that's sarcasm, Networkers) in highlighting environmental credentials by the major political parties. So it was that, after much controversy about a solar energy plant for Victoria and particularly Mildura, Mr Brumby came to town to announce the good news that a major solar energy plant will be built near Mildura.
As a background to the topic of solar energy, Networkers, attention must be drawn to Australia's tardiness - in spite of its plenitude, across the continent, of sunshine - in implementing the renewable energy of solar power. To rub salt into the wounds, one of the world's richest men is Shi Zhengrong of Suntech Power, and he gained his extensive education in solar energy at the University of New South Wales. Admittedly, China is a larger marketplace than the Land of Oz - but let's admit it. Australians - well, let's be more precise, their political and business leadership - are slack and not leaders of the pack. Innovation has no trouble finding itself in this country but struggles to get off the ground because of the faithlessness of governments and business.
But back to the good folk of Mildura. There were not many of them turned up to greet John Brumby. Apparently, his visit was not well publicised to the locals. I can understand that. The Brumby Government is not into community engagement. But it is into media events. Nevertheless, there were a few locals there to annoy Brumby with their pleas on local issues: restoration of the rail service to Mildura (download report embedded below on this subject) cut by the Liberal Kennett Government in 1993 (an excellent reason to elect an Independent at the next election in 1996) and the North-South pipeline, and I think the burdensome cost of desal rated a mention as well.
Among those who turned up to give John Brumby a 'warm' welcome was that indefatigible Water Warrior and academic researcher, Maria Reidl - with her trademark hat as you can see from the picture above. Maria has reported from the Brumby in Mildura Front as follows:
We had desal, pipeline, train signs. We had ½ hour notice as he was planning to sneak into town and just have media circus. It is all about the election as the $100mil he promised if great but what about his promised passenger train and no pipeline and yet another coal-fired power station. Sneaking didn’t work. I find him quite arrogant and unwilling to ask and seek advice from the community. And is happy to keep making promises that I do not believe he will keep as his ONLY intention is to be elected premier-as he has never been elected!
Cheers
Maria
Keep up the good work, Maria!
BTW, there is another hurdle for the solar plant. It has to get Federal funding!
BTW, there is another hurdle for the solar plant. It has to get Federal funding!
I was all settled about the federal election until I read the local paper a couple of days ago I think. It said that the ministry that worries about doctors for remote places has been scrapped, and that the minister for regional Australian lives in inner Melbourne. Then more complaints about floods in the Upper Murray, people worried water was put down the Murray, though they don't know if Khancoban was full or not, and that the bureau is not very good, well I find weather sites, change things after the fact, so I wouldn't be surprised.
ReplyDeleteThen there was the loss of acres of land belonging to people after the willow trees were removed and the floods did some damage.
ReplyDeleteOr the bridge washouts like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://linda-murrindindi.blogspot.com/2010/09/flood-blessings.html
that happened this year, in the recent flood three miles down the road. How scary that no one really cares about the approach to bridges.