Jovial Monk wrote: He is also opposing the windback of the health insurance rebate altho all it does is put money into the pockets of a few private health insurers!
Considering abolition of the private health insurance rebate was a Greens initiative, Qld Greens actually, I know 'coz I was one of the delegates who voted it into existence, and was on the working group who composed wording of the motion, I find it very unlikely Bob Brown has opposed wind back as JM claims.
Ethnic wrote:This fluffy bunny has no shame:
GREENS leader Bob Brown says the coal mining industry should foot the bill for the Queensland floods because it helped cause them.
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And his evidence for making such claims is...................sweet fuck all.
Its no secret weather extremes intensify in a greenhouse world, and burning coal is undisputed as the prime source of anthropogenic CO2 emissions at 4,700 MT per annum (2007 figures) and globally increasing at 2% per annum, but only 1% in OZ per annum.
As for the imapact of dams, well the old theory is dams mitigate flooding (China's current excuse for mega dams), but in 2003 I attended a public forum at UCQ's Bundy campus which predicted Paradise dam would flood Bundy around 2013.
Flow restriction downstream of the dam causes a narrowing of the channel as vegetation fills the new gaps either side. Then a rain depression combined with king tides or storm serge leaves the water nowhere to go but up over the banks.
One thing most people seem unaware of is dams put pressure on aquifers upstream of the dam wall which leads to ground salinity. The farm I worked on until early last year has an 8km long pipeline to the Burnett River for irrigation purposes. But sometimes the water was to saline to use.
When I met Bob he was quite friendly, but was later a touch stand-offish when someone (a rival from within my own branch) told him I belted a home invader in the head with a mattock handle. I wished that Bob and the Greens in general didn't jump on the 'Free Tibet' bandwagon to bag China's admin, but he does seem to be the only pollie giving China any stick at all.
My personal perception is/was he more astute rather than reactionary than most Greens when engaging an issue, and more conservative than opposing spin doctors would prefer, but then he is an old bloke.
I joined the Greens over a food issue - to prevent a food irradition plant in Bundy - and quit/resigned over a food issue - veg nazis have achieved a critical mass enabling them to stack branches to forward pro-vegetarian motions based on ideological desires, and weasel their way into the state office so they can use party resources to promote their anti-meat agenda.
A faction of NSW Greens apparently can't stand Bob Brown, I don't know their reasons, but wouldn't be surprised if it was veg nazis/vegan fundamentalists insensed that Bob still eats steak and chips.
As for Anna Bligh, some here suggested the flood would get her re-elected. I thought just the opposite.
Admitedly her river-side home was flooded, but I bet I wasn't the only one noticing her public absence for a day or so after crying on telly. Now her crew has this to contend with ...
Brisbane River flooding 'avoidable'
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/lat ... avoidable/