[Oz-envirolink] perhaps my final poll exhortation of the year

[Bro]

Should the Bald Hills wind farm have been approved? vote at www.news.com.au/heraldsun/opinion 

Yes this is the one that Federal Environment Minister Campbell has held up for most of this year citing an heroic analysis suggesting that the operation of the wind farm might cause the death of one orange-bellied parrot per millennium, although Neophema chrysogaster has never been reported within many tens of km of the site.

Also Chanticleer  has led his final column for the year in the Australian Financial Review with:

"Hot issues will roll over into the new year

"The arrival of big time private equity and a radical switch in the climate change debate from questioning its validity to how to combat the damage were the prevailing themes of 2006.  They will also dominate the new year.

"A combination of Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, the drought and a massive swelling of funds into so-called [sic] environmental, social and governance investments has pushed any remaining doubters in the shadows.

"Even the Business Council of Australia's Michael Chaney is toying with change - albeit behind the veil of "only when the world moves too" [well business leadership does exist, but is only slightly less rare than political leadership]

"And while Prime Minister John Howard can try to use the same tactic, corporate chiefs are making their own adjustments and are demanding that the government takes a lead on the issue.

"How strong the backlash will be to perceived talk and no action from the government remains to be seen.  But the switch in the public's attitude in recent months is truly extraordinary."

Also there's a great op ed in today's from John Legge on the Faustian approach to climate change at http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/shortterm-gain-promises-longterm-pain/2006/12/21/1166290678446.html

Be prepared for next year being the most significant one in history for awareness and action on the environment - see I'm still an optimist and it just has to be! 

Cheers, bro 
Dr Bro Sheffield-Brotherton B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Dip.Ed, MEIANZ
Chairman, Sustainable Solutions Pty Ltd
Scientific Advisor, National Toxics Network
Honorary Life Member, Australian Conservation Foundation
Member, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
47 Prentice Street 
Elsternwick 3185
AUSTRALIA 
Ph: +613 9528 1957, Mob: +614 1230 3 718
Fax: +613 9528 5100
Email: bro at c031.aone.net.au 

"The ultimate measure of people is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy." - Dr Martin Luther King Jr

"The danger is when you get old like us you may become soonical." - Dagmar Schroeder