tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post910019095725156886..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Saturday Morning Musings - Big ships, Carmichael and environmental processesJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-18589311702722379982015-10-21T22:01:58.807+11:002015-10-21T22:01:58.807+11:00kvd
A large number of promises were made, but als...kvd<br /><br />A large number of promises were made, but also I read media reports that certain land resumptions (for rail lines) had already been activated and were on schedule. The land resumptions are not affected by the court action, just whether things can be built or done there. Land resumptions are hideously expensive, but not quantifiable until the final figure is struck, usually several years down the track. Hence my comment. They haven't paid this money, but having acquired the land (I must admit I took the report in good faith and maybe should have caveated it) our dollars will go into buying an asset that may have no value. The reports are unclear about the Carmichael site itself - Newman's government was moving to compulsory acquisition, but it's unclear to me what the situation is now.<br /><br />Apologies for the confusion.<br /><br />2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-67160824198692176722015-10-20T16:04:31.041+11:002015-10-20T16:04:31.041+11:00So far, kvd, it would appear that Ardani were prom...So far, kvd, it would appear that Ardani were promised certain assistance, but not clear if any immediate cash went in.<br /><br />On Canada, both the Liberal and NDP parties are centre left, the Conservatives close to the Abbott Liberals. I thought that the Liberals would probably win, but the size of the victory came as a surprise. One pleasing result was the defeat of Chris Alexander who was the minister of citizenship and immigration who tried to introduce the migration and muslim cards, something Harper had been hammering on about.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-15518828855696374722015-10-20T14:13:29.968+11:002015-10-20T14:13:29.968+11:00tanners, how does "shedloads of Federal and S...tanners, how does "shedloads of Federal and State funds have been poured into this" gel with your last comment "On funds, nor do I. They were promised some funding both by Qld under Newman and Fed under Abbott and neither leader's replacement has walked away." ??<br /><br />I have sort of lapsed into taking your comments in good faith, on face value - but maybe I should reassess? <br /><br />Jim, I hope some of your Canadian readers might poke their noses in re their elections. Seems the Conervatives were rolled by their 'Liberals' and I wonder about that. I checked the policy comparisons for the two, and was left wondering by the following two items:<br /><br />Taxation - Conservatives:<br /><br />If re-elected, the Conservative Party says it will further lower the small-business tax rate from 11 per cent to 9 per cent over the next four years. Mr. Harper has also promised so-called “tax lock” legislation prohibiting increases to federal personal and business income taxes, sales taxes and “discretionary payroll taxes” such as CPP and EI.<br /><br />Taxation - Liberals:<br /><br />The Liberals would introduce a new tax rate of 33 per cent on income of more than $200,000. That would help fund a tax cut on income between $44,701 and $89,401, where the rate would drop to 20.5 per cent from 22 per cent.<br /><br />Public Finances - Conservatives:<br /><br />The Conservative government recorded a $1.9-billion surplus for the 2014-15 fiscal year and are promising to balance the budget every year for the next four years.<br /><br />Public Finances - Liberals:<br /><br />The Liberals say they will run three years of deficits that would help pay for infrastructure spending, but promise that the size of the annual deficits will not exceed $10-billion. The party says it will balance the books in 2019.<br /><br /> - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/elections/party-platform-comparison/article26758784/<br /><br />Results v promises. 'twas ever thus.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-34716082133359406952015-10-20T12:58:16.246+11:002015-10-20T12:58:16.246+11:00Pleased to provide modest amusement.
On funds, no...Pleased to provide modest amusement.<br /><br />On funds, nor do I. They were promised some funding both by Qld under Newman and Fed under Abbott and neither leader's replacement has walked away. Both Governments under new leadership/management have renewed their (verbal) support for the project. If Adani is digging in, it obviously expects something in return, although as another commentator pointed out elsewhere, while it retains the appearance of commitment, its balance sheets retain Carmichael as an asset, not as a disastrous writedown.<br /><br />I doubt it is as simple as that, though.2tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-67570538525539625852015-10-20T09:09:25.613+11:002015-10-20T09:09:25.613+11:00Snorted with laughter, Bob, but your point well ma...Snorted with laughter, Bob, but your point well made. On Ardani,what government funds have already been poured into the project? Curious. Don't know. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-75710248983060526192015-10-19T22:23:44.677+11:002015-10-19T22:23:44.677+11:00The new poll putting Turnbull ahead of Shorten is ...The new poll putting Turnbull ahead of Shorten is interesting. Shorten can no longer seek the "At least I'm not Tony Abbott" vote. Labor's lockstep in policy with the Coalition was a key part of that platform. Now the value of that stance has been entirely lost and becomes a liability.<br /><br />Possibly at last we will see a genuine contest of ideas, forced on Labor against its own will.<br /><br />If we do, someone give me a call. I'm a little busy at the aerodrome, refuelling the pigs.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-58613046969542656412015-10-19T22:13:43.749+11:002015-10-19T22:13:43.749+11:00I'm really torn about the Ardani mine. In prin...I'm really torn about the Ardani mine. In principle, I think it should simply be allowed to go ahead, subject to normal legal processes and stand or fail on its own merits. <br /><br />In practice, however, shedloads of Federal and State funds have been poured into this and all manner of quite untrue arguments deployed to support it. That has actually wedged the governments to Ardani's benefit. So now, if Ardani backs out, it will look to seek compensation from those who have already invested taxpayer dollars for no return, or worse, governments will feel obliged to throw good money after bad to prove they were right (or at least not wrong). <br /><br />I guess in the market, I'd tell Ardani to do whatever they want, including folding their tents and sneaking off, but in the political economy of the now, that seems much higher risk to the taxpayer dollar.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-87759142910284439672015-10-19T16:16:40.644+11:002015-10-19T16:16:40.644+11:00Hi Evan. Sorry for the delayed response. I agree o...Hi Evan. Sorry for the delayed response. I agree on the legal format on Ardani - applies both sides! The marshaling of evidence to support a particular position, as opposed to building a position from evidence. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-90358996273775619682015-10-18T17:58:00.432+11:002015-10-18T17:58:00.432+11:00Hi kvd and thanks. It is far from clear to me just...Hi kvd and thanks. It is far from clear to me just which constituency Mr Scruby represents - see http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp. The stats do not appear to support the arguments of the police rep. <br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-91127197497675698882015-10-18T11:11:17.880+11:002015-10-18T11:11:17.880+11:00Hi Sue. I had especially the Swedes in mind, but i...Hi Sue. I had especially the Swedes in mind, but its more than that. I need to think through, for the way things are going NSW getting to be worse than Sweden without Sweden's advantages! Or S's weather! There's a plus.<br /><br />Thought of you several times on this trip in context of our trip. Revisiting some of the same places. Will try to write piece linked to those memories.<br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-37565312611866978702015-10-18T09:47:01.412+11:002015-10-18T09:47:01.412+11:00I think the discussion of Ardani's mine (and m...I think the discussion of Ardani's mine (and much else) is in a 'legal' format - diverse arguments being used to build a case. This is political argument I think.<br /><br />As to it's being case by case - the bureaucrat's standard argument coming back to bite them. I find this appealing.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13355215688351759230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-53047540357533941542015-10-18T06:54:32.460+11:002015-10-18T06:54:32.460+11:00Totally off-topic as usual, but I was taken by the...Totally off-topic as usual, but I was taken by the shock/horror of this SMH article http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-pedestrians-stroll-straight-into-police-jaywalking-sting-20151014-gk9k5a.html about a police blitz on jaywalking in Sydney.<br /><br />So (and mainly because it contained the inevitable quote from Harold Scruby of the Pedestrian Council demanding the fine be raised from $71 to $200) I went a-searching for the stats, and I found the most amazing Road Safety statistics site: http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/statistics/interactivecrashstats/index.html?tab=5 from which I can see that in 2013 (the latest year contained in the interactive) 1 person was killed in the Sydney LGA area, and some 234 injured.<br /><br />So that means this current 'crackdown' of 8,000 fines and 16,000 cautions <i>in Sydney CBD</i> was caused by some old guy (aged 70+) getting flattened - and Mr Scruby reacts by insisting his very own constituency be subjected to further fines?<br /><br />World's gorn quite mad.<br /><br />kvd<br />ps agree that cruise ship looks the absolute pits; stuff of nightmares to be trapped on it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-69051160913257837072015-10-17T20:03:15.262+11:002015-10-17T20:03:15.262+11:00Would you care to enlarge on the Scandinavian pres...Would you care to enlarge on the Scandinavian pressures for conformity that you found cloying?Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10959624249031770681noreply@blogger.com