Victoria’s hot air about gas

The justification of the Victorian government’s forthcoming ban on gas supplies to new homes on health grounds seems less than convincing, given the much greater problem posed by particulates from diesel and wood burning stoves.

Battery blues

Electric vehicles are slowly becoming more common on the nation’s roads, but ideologically appealing developments can easily produce more intractable problems than the technologies they replace.

Another way of hearing “The Voice”

The proposed referendum on an indigenous ‘Voice to Parliament’ has generated a great deal of debate, with passions rising on both sides.

Melbourne’s wildlife battlefield

The 30,000 strong flying fox colony on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne offers an interesting case study on the difficulties of managing wildlife in urban settings.

Indigenous people are human too!

The present struggle for power and influence on all sides in relation to “The Voice to Parliament” attests to the fact of our common humanity.

Playing politics with food

Environmental evangelists would do well to consider the disastrous “Holodomor“ that caused mass starvation and extreme poverty in the Ukraine during the 1930s.

Questions remain over electric vehicles

The current excitement over electric vehicles looks like a classic case of putting the cart in front of the horse, and when there’s much excitement about the destination without knowing how to get there, it’s easy to end up on the wrong track.

Cultural burning

Advocates of the practice of “cultural burning” fail to acknowledge the potential health effects of particulates generated by such “cool burns”.

Last stand of the Karaaf wetland?

The Karaaf Wetlands on Victoria’s Surf Coast looks like an untouched oasis with its kangaroos, wallabies, and birds that migrate to it from Japan and China, however it is under threat as the town of Torquay grapples with a population boom and our endless hunger for development.

What kind of voice to Parliament?

The government’s pledge to hold a referendum on an indigenous ‘voice to Parliament’ has been well received, but a number of issues remain to be resolved before the vote takes place.

Thank you Queen Elizabeth

The passing of Queen Elizabeth has reignited republican calls for Australia to sever links with the crown, and although the monarchy remains a bulwark against ambitious politicians, there are possibilities for reform.

Storm in a brickworks

Strategies to deal with storm water runoff need careful planning, exemplified by the furore around the Burwood brickworks development stormwater system.