Considering the Premier of NSW office doesn't accept emails from outside it's electorate...

First, here's part of the email I received in return: "If you are a constituent of another electorate

Due to the large volume of emails we receive, your correspondence will not be forwarded to the Premier’s office."

So, here is one I penned (the last 4 paragraphs are not mine) quite some time ago, November in fact:

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dear Mr Baird 

I am from South Australia, and have recently attended a public forum on the future of water looking ahead to 2050 held by the Goyder Institute. The conversation is already starting to take shape about what we need to do to protect our farmers, indigenous land owners, environment and general public in regards to water security for the future. 

Recently I sat with my family and we watched the documentary "Gaslands" about the issues that Coal Seam Gas extraction (fracking) has created in communities across the United States. I can only use one word to describe the reaction we all had: horrified. 

Water belongs to everyone, not corporations, and is a basic human right. 

I have also recently spoken to an old colleague who is now working in inland Queensland, who sadly reported to me they had lost two more farmers in the past week to suicide. She stated that it was because the support in infrastructure is not there for them, and they could not see forward into the future. They are trying to get this information heard, but it is not being heard loud enough. I find these kinds of stories exceptionally sad because although I do not know these families personally, I acknowledge that we rely on them for our local food sources and should be easing any stresses they have in relation to security in all its forms, including natural water supplies. 

I have seen and heard reports coming from NSW of communities fighting to keep fracking wells out of their communities, with some success. Please continue to listen to these people, and there rest of the country when we say CSG is not the way forward. It is a dangerous practice that should be banned in Australia. 

I believe the only way forward with regards to energy is via wind and solar. 

A scientific review presented to the NSW Great Artesian Basin Advisory Group has said that the Great Artesian Basin may not be able to survive the water extraction methods used in CSG operations. 

CSG could deplete the pressure that keeps water flowing through bores throughout the basin. The basin's recharge area makes up only about 10 per cent of the overall basin area, and most of this is in the Pilliga region, where Santos is now conducting exploratory drilling. 

CSG threatens to stop bores flowing throughout the basin, thereby cutting off the sole water source for 22 per cent of Australia. 

This represents an unacceptable risk to a water supply that's critical for farming, irrigation, and drinking water for rural communities.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

begin rant...

If We Don't Dig It Up, Someone Else Will: Coal Giants Argument in Court
https://newmatilda.com//2015/04/09/if-we-dont-dig-it-someone-else-will-coal-giants-argument-court

No. Just no.  It is bad enough that this is a company from outside Australia with such an exposed poisonous, horrendous environmental record, but to say 'nobody is doing anything anyway, someone else will just do it anyway' is just shit.

YES we absolutely need to bring the developing world out of many forms of poverty and provide more stable energy and safer ways for households to cook, etc. to many; we are all equal and should be assisting in making the world safer in this way for the basics of living; but I would hope we can do this with alternative energy sources and with existing infrastructure, or at LEAST coal Carbon Capture technologies being added to existing sites. This particular type of technology has been discussed in many papers I have been reading (back to 2008), so what is the hold up?! And why are these paid think-tanks still getting away with spouting crap like this?! Urgh. Why is it NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY?! It is going to take everyone, Adani, you just can't opt out of this global issue of keeping the ecosystems sustainable and safe.

It is very obvious, and well documented, that China and others are moving well away from coal as an energy source because of the health issues/pollution it is creating in their Countries. Arguing to build another coal mine, another port, and to temporarily create jobs etc etc in a very vulnerable part of the ecosystem is a giant cop out.  There IS existing infrastructure in place, if we must continue to use it. We are smarter than this, Adani forgets that.

Don't get me started on Australia cutting foreign aid. What a joke!

Forwards, not backwards, you bag of DICKS (Liberal party - hehe).

/rant

Divestment...

Just hit UNsubscribe on my current Superannuation Funds email newsletters...

I can't say that they haven't tried to be forthcoming in their communications with regards to sustainability and divestment.  In fact someone from their sustainability department tried to phone me when I was at work sadly, so could not answer.  Ultimately, with the WORLD BANK just announcing it will no longer fund coal projects (and yes, I know they aren't the best, however this is a big move), they don't really have a leg to stand on with comments like: "due to reasons of confidentiality and regulatory requirements xxxx cannot comment on individual companies or projects."  That has pretty much been a standard line in all communications I have received from a number of banks I have contacted about the fossil fuel project threatening the Great Barrier Reef.

Sod that. If some of the worlds biggest financial groups can just outright say NO, we will not fund the Adani project, why will NONE of the Big 4 Australian banks say the same.

My reply to the bank attached to my Fund:

"The World Bank was just able to announce that it will no longer fund coal projects unless there is 'extreme need'.

"The World Bank will invest heavily in clean energy and only fund coal projects in “circumstances of extreme need” because climate change will undermine efforts to eliminate extreme poverty, says its president Jim Yong Kim."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/23/world-bank-to-focus-future-investment-on-clean-energy

And with a coal mine in Australia having to shut production for 3 weeks just recently due to oversupply, it is very clear that coal is on the way out.  There has been little to no movement, it seems, in carbon capture technology and therefore trying to continue with this form of energy is simply bad investments.

I live in South Australia where the State's emissions reductions target is currently larger than the Federal one, where we are being noticed for the strong growth in renewables, and where Coal Seam Gas is also being fought against.

I will be posting my rollover form today to complete the process. I appreciate your emails but I cannot leave my money with any company I do not believe is clearly moving forward, as so many others are."

So, here's some photos... hehe.

Here are the resources I used to make my decision. All I'm asking is that you look into where your money is held. If you are comfortable with it, sure, keep it that way. But if you question the investments that your institution holds, start a dialogue with them.

Market Forces: http://www.marketforces.org.au/campaigns/banks/
Super Switch: www.superswitch.org.au
Future Super: http://www.myfuturesuper.com.au/
Go Fossil Free: http://gofossilfree.org.au/

We need everyone.
xJ

My total rant to Simon Birmingham...

I ask that you to reject the bill regarding the collection and holding of data from private email and telephone records in Australia, currently being debated in the Lower House.
The destructive policies the LNP is introducing every day in the Federal Parliament are creating fear, hatred and confusion amongst the people you are supposed to be serving.  I can personally tell you that my anxiety has gone through the roof.  I cannot see ONE thing that this current Government has done that is forward thinking.  Playing the blame game still, 12 months after being elected, is ridiculous and childish.
I see that you are the Parliamentary Secretary re: Environment.  May I also put forward my absolute disgust with not only 'Direct Action', but the approval of dredging in the Great Barrier Reef marine parks area.  Across the nation on the weekend of 18 October, thousands of people pledged to make moves to close, or did close, their bank accounts associated with fossil fuel investment. I  myself am pulling all of my money out of ANZ and BT Super (Westpac) so that my personal dollar does not continue to fund old dirty technologies which should be abandoned.  As the rest of the world moves forward, the LNP continues to push it's agenda of industrialisation which, simply, cannot be sustained.  Being a South Australian Senator, you may have noticed our State government setting it's OWN emissions target, much higher than what you are proposing Federally.
Roads are not the way forward, high speed rail is. Allowing more coal mines to be built is simply bad investment. And allowing hydraulic fracturing at ALL in this country is a terrible threat to aquifers and waterways, of which we have very limited resources.
Please pass on my comments also to Mr Hunt. I have phoned his office in the past when there was first talk of approving the Adani project to put forward my objection.
Sign the DOHA amendment for the Kyoto Protocol, committing to our future.
Regards,

Another day, another tape dubbed....

Talk about going into a time-warp! Yes I dubbed off video footage of some girlfriends and I on a cruise boat in early 1999, amongst other things. Hilarity.

One thing was for sure, I was ultimately miserable with my boyfriend at the time.  I also dragged out the last remaining box of random stuff (that I know of) in my parents house and have been going through old letters and such.  This included letters FROM said boyfriend, of which are all now in the recycling. What a joke, truly. You realise how far you came since getting rid of something so toxic out of your life.  So long ago *sigh*.

The tape also had really short bursts of footage from my old home just North of Adelaide. Friends doing stupid shit like discussing why christ was ultimately in smarties chocolate, and making a bunch of toys dance to random music. And failing at buying milk, apparently. It actually prompted me to look up a few people to see if I could find them in the social media sphere. I found a couple and sent them messages explaining what shenanigans I had found.

Still have a number of VHS tapes to go through, it is quite fun really. One tape I knew I wouldn't bother keeping but thought I would watch was very early season South Park.  I was feeling rather under the weather yesterday, a cold is trying desperately to get me but I won't let it!  So I slothed in front of the box whilst looking through paperwork and watched a half dozen episodes at least of that, then put the tape in the box with the others to go to the recycle place.

On the membership card challenge front (only a few days until the end of the month - EEK!), I put one for a nail salon in the recycling. Ultimately I tend to only do that girly stuff whilst in North America once I've destroyed my feet at a couple festivals over the summer there. Besides the business was actually pretty average and I know I won't go back.

I've asked the company I was querying AGAIN about their fair trade, workers rights, environmental practices. I'd sent them an email about it over a month ago when they queried what kind of information I was after. They never came back to me.  We shall see. They have about 5 days to do so or bye bye membership card.

I've downloaded the PDS and the other information from the Super fund I am most likely to switch to. NO investment in fossil fuels whatsoever. It's brand new. Some people might think it a gamble, but realistically, I'll be working probably another 35 years so sod it. I'd rather have a clear conscience than worry about if money will be there or not - at least right now.

Namaste.

xJ

SA Water Future Hypothetical

Hmmm... I still don't know how to react to what I saw last night.

Recently I watched the following film about how we are clearly doing things wrong.

Peak Oil was only mentioned once last night (by the moderator, the delightful Rod Quantock) and I wonder why we are still managing to ignore this.  It's why it infuriates me so much our Government is so backwards when it comes to renewables. Eventually things will start to run out, oil and coal are not reusable forms of energy, you burn them and that's it. Why is that so hard to comprehend?!

Currently the Australian Government are attacking the Renewable Energy Target, seemingly allowing some concessions for 'trade' if you believe a tweet by the "Environment Minister" Greg Hunt. I put him in inverted comma's because he is not doing the best job.

I am desperately trying to understand all of this. The fear, hatred and sheer confusion this Government is creating is completely frustrating. I want clear language, I want them to actually DO something, I want a Leader who can actually public speak, and a party who does not continue to play a blame game 12 months after they elected. You won, you fools, so actually work for the people you are supposed to serve, instead of playing he-said-she-said.

I'm so over it!
xJ

Lies! All lies!

I have to admit I am getting pretty annoyed actually, with just feeling angry at our Government all the time lately. They barely deserve capitalisation and all.

You know, I'm no economist but this magical idea that electricity prices will immediately drop as soon as the carbon 'tax' (which isn't a tax by the way) is repealed is an outright lie.  Firstly, if they expect businesses providing this service to be able to just overnight change a price, they are sorely mistaken.  Secondly, well the industry is saying it - plus they do have other costs.  Thirdly, they are mostly all privatized, they are there to make profits for shareholders, they absorb these kinds of costs into their business or they wouldn't survive. Fourth, our wages here are really high. Fifth, fifth... you get my drift.

I saw something else pop up on the screen today that said the initial amount our government (capitalisation now removed) offered to the Philippines initially was 390K. That's the cost of a nice house in the suburbs. If this was actually serious thank GOODNESS they have revised it to $10M.  Okay, so I see the 390K was for 'emergency supplies' and the rest is in 'aid' (see below link). Their initial offer was disgusting. Where is the military deployment in all this you utter GEESE!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-11/global-aid-response-typhoon-haiyan-australia-red-cross/5082024

Their complete disregard for the poor in the rest of the world when we are so rich is a real joke.

The fact that the *people* are now funding something as vital as the Climate Council is a joke.  But at least this one action by the people of Australia, funding this so quickly, shows we all give a damn.

This post has been sitting here uncompleted for about a week now, but I still feel the same. I am sick of feeling angry, so sick of it.  I can't stop watching the news or reading articles because I have the need to feel informed.

Stupid people, who needs 'em.
xJ

lonely and sadly alone...

Well, you know I have to be honest here, on Friday I felt terribly alone, sitting in the lounge devouring red wine, after buying frozen sweet potato fries and baking some fish, then watching some dodgy movie on teevee that was neither fantastic nor offensive to me. You know those movies.

It could well be that 'festival remorse' is real. I mean let's face it, several times a year (well, okay, a lot of the year) I spend my time with my festival families. Then I have to leave them. All of a sudden it's "goodbye, see you next year" - as we're all transient bastards, let's not lie about it.

Spending a few weeks in Sydney was both overwhelming and lovely at the same time. Met a wonderful new crew of peoples, but also felt particularly out of place in that city. Everyone seems too well dressed, or perhaps it was just that I saw a lot of corporate people and that generally makes me shudder. There's a difference between a nice suit and a dude standing on a corner with one of those blue tooth headsets (i thought no-one used them anymore, turns out I was wrong) looking like he's talking to himself, but it being about something terribly important like the next big thing, or budgeting or some crap.

I did, however, enjoy the fact that a bunch of people were coming together to watch footage and ideas from across the globe in many languages. It really has reignited my fascination for film (like it was ever  really gone? i guess other things took precedence in recent years) and think fondly of those friends within that industry thinking 'bravo'.

And GO TEAM BOX OFFICE.

This festival remorse will become all the worse I am sure when I return to Canada soon to help out on Shambhala and have to head back to the Land Of Oz so quickly. I had such an amazing time there last year, even if I did sound like Darth Vadar for a few days and get hooked up to some oxygen therapy. And I had camping neighbours that had yip-yip costumes.

So... Festival Number 36 will you please stand up...

That continual feeling that I belong in that country instead of my own will probably never pass. I've got this strange feeling I will always regret leaving when I did, and always regret not checking out what the requirements would have been for me to stay.  I didn't want to work a lot when I was there, I made that choice, I developed other skills and kept everything flexible to fit in with my disappearing act type lifestyle.

We are so lucky here, and I get jack of people that complain and scare monger, do things for their own gain. Like SUCK IT UP all of you, we have low unemployment, medical care for all, a Government that is actually moving towards decreasing our environmental impact... I mean of course not all of these things are perfect, we are still fighting for many important things to be heard / passed / understood. But to whine and moan about pricing and such, think less. It's always more.

Do you really NEED 3 televisions, 2 cars, shoe hire, hot dog, fries and a coke?! To run your air conditioner or heater 24 / 7, then cry about electric bills?! Put on a jumper!

Our shitty media largely to blame for our over-consumption of just about everything. You need the latest gadget man, seriously, you do... *scoff*.

Look outside it, and get involved in what is local to you.

{ Actually can I ad that some of the television advertising I have seen lately REALLY gives me the shits. Clubs Australia trying to convince us that they are part of a solution... banks using high profile celebs to make them sound like a charity... mining companies trying to prove that they work along side environmental projects. Y'all make me sick. }

here ends the ranting...

Dear...

one of the Big Four Banks...

You're about to lose me as a customer. You seem upset, almost shocked about this?! But why?

I've been your customer for nearly 8 years. I've had to call you a lot to sort out stuff ups, been charged many fees, even had my correspondence denied even though lodged through my OWN account in SECURE MAIL that YOU provide for your customers to talk to you. When overseas in slightly dire financial situations, you didn't even accept my correspondence; you wanted to talk to me on the phone. What part of 'I have no money' did you not understand?! Offering to provide back up documents to that effect?! Customer service my backside.

Now you go and charge me nearly 60bux for an annual fee on a credit card that no longer exists.

Well, you can be thankful you did that. Because I'll be sayin' bye bye birdie quite soon.

End Rant.
xJ