9 December 2009
Greetings!
The Gundagai Shire Council Dog on the Tuckerbox review is available to be viewed by the public by downloading from the Gundagai Shire Council website www.gundagai.nsw.gov.au or alternatively by using this direct link http://www.gundagai.nsw.gov.au/news/pages/10294/NewsDoc/DogonTuckerboxFinalReport.pdf
An Extraordinary meeting of Council to debate the Dog on the Tuckerbox will be held on Monday 21 December 2009 commencing at 4:00pm.
Gundagai Regional Enhancement Group meeting is on tonight at 7:30pm at Mirrabooka. If you are not a member and would like to become one (encouraged) please complete the following membership form. For information contact the chairperson David Crooks at info@greginc.org.au
Don't forget the Business Houses Group Plaza night coming up next Thursday, December 17.
Planning is well underway for the 2010 Italian Connection Touring Assembly which will be stopping over in Gundagai on Friday May 21, 2010. I will be a competitor in the Rally, so if you are interested in sponsoring the "Gundagai" car, or other sponsorship opportunities during the event, please contact me for details.
I would not normally provide a commentary on state or federal politics, but the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme bill which has been before the Australian Parliament is one of the most important proposals to come before our federal politicians.
On December 2, 2009 the Australian Senate voted down the Rudd Government's ETS. I watched the majority of the forty some hours of debate in the Main Committee, where the Rudd Government's arrogance was truely displayed with Minister Penny Wong refusing to properly answer important questions from a number of Senators.
An extract of Senator Barnaby Joyce's speech to the chamber "Let us ask the minister some very simple questions. Minister, what amount in parts per million will the Australian scheme reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by? I will ask again: what amount in parts per million, Minister Wong, will the Australian scheme reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by? Now, you watch while the minister does not answer this question. She cannot. She is the one who says that the mantra of her debate is one of science. Surely we would expect the minister to be able to answer a simple question like that. She will be able to tell you how much the tax is going to be. She will be able to tell you how much the permits are going to be. She will be able to tell you how much money she is going to rip out of your pocket, but she cannot tell you how many parts per million this scheme will reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by."
The CPRS is a $120 billion tax which will effect everything and everyone in Australia, and when compared with the Federal Budget of $282 Billion, a single $120 billion tax is significant to say the least, and full and honest disclosure from the Government must be made with the Australian People. Until then, how can people support something they know nothing about?
I have three questions:
- How many parts will the Australian Scheme reduce carbon dioxide?
- How much will it cost per part to reduce that carbon dioxide?
- Is that cost per part to reduce carbon dioxide acceptable in comparison to the rest of the world?
Until such disclosure occurs, Australian's should not be supporting such a preposterous bill, rather, doing what they can at a local level to improve their energy efficiency and reducing their carbon footprint. As individuals we should be encouraged to make a difference, not heavily taxed to make a difference.
Regards,
William.
Something I should know about?
Email your stories, issues or concerns to shire@william.maslin.com.au