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mitigation alla CONservative...
The Federal Government says a review of Australia's natural disaster funding system is not being motivated by the need to find budget savings.
As the Commonwealth and state governments authorise emergency payments for the victims of the South Australian bushfires, the Federal Government is considering the findings of a Productivity Commission review into Australia's disaster relief system.
"In Australia we spend an enormous amount of money dealing with the after-effects of a natural disaster and very little money up front actually alleviating or mitigating the effects of disasters before they occur," Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan told AM.
"We spend 97 per cent on disaster funding money dealing with the after-effects of things as they occur and only 3 per cent on mitigating a disaster before it happens.
- By Gus Leonisky at 5 Jan 2015 - 2:53pm
- Gus Leonisky's blog
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destroying two birds for the price of one pig...
The Federal and Queensland governments have now approved dumping the Abbott Point dredge material in the pristine Caley Valley wetlands, thereby destroying two ecosystems for the price of one. Lachlan Barker reports.
DESTROYING TWO ECOSYSTEMS FOR THE PRICE OF ONETime to catch up on the unbelievable antics of the Federal and Queensland governments, regarding Abbot Point in north Queensland.
The history (in brief) is that to expand the coal loader port at Abbot Point these two governments took the lunatic decision to dump the spoil from the dredging required into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
However, the outcry – within Australia and around the world – was so loud that even these two governments had to listen.
So they came up with a new plan: to dump the dredge spoil on land.
When this first came up, my office manager here where I do my writing, pointed to the story on the screen and said to me
“Is this a victory? Are we happy about this?
read more: https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/abbot-point-dumping-on-land-at-caley-valley,7233
no compromise after chopping the trees...
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt has claimed he will not compromise on Tasmania's world heritage values as a result of the State Government's new plan for the areas.
Last week the Tasmanian Government released a draft management plan for World Heritage Areas (WHA) which would allow some tourism developments as well as specialty species logging.
The plan has the support of the state opposition but the Australian Greens plan to notify the World Heritage Committee, calling it an "assault".
Mr Hunt said he is utterly committed to ensuring all world heritage values are fully and completely maintained.
In a statement he said the Commonwealth would assess any proposals which could have a impact on national environmental significance.
Earlier this year the United Nations' World Heritage Committee rejected the Federal Government's application to reverse protection for 74,000 hectares of wilderness.
The area was part of 170,000 hectares added to the WHA last year under Tasmania's forest peace deal enacted by the former state and federal Labor governments.
But the current Federal Government had argued the 74,000 hectares was degraded by previous logging and should be unlocked for the timber industry.
Tasmania's Environmental Defenders Office has welcomed the Minister's pledge to assess certain World Heritage proposals.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-18/greg-hunt-says-no-compromise-on-world-heritage-areas-tasmania/6023480
With monkeys making pledges like this you can say tada to the wild...