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Federal election. Bikepacking.

Election is over, and the conservatives were quick to concede defeat. A big swing against them attributed to the public’s increased concern over climate change, and “empowered women” standing as independent candidates, and winning previously blue-ribbon conservative seats.

The incoming prime minister gave a victory speech, which I listened to for maybe five minutes. A nod to the climate problem followed by promises of action on the concerns of women, pay equality and so forth, and Indigenous rights. I switched off because – sorry buddy – none of that will be of any importance by the end of this decade.

What I hoped to hear was not giggling, nods and promises made to the self-interested, but rather a straight telling of what lies ahead as a leader would when calling upon the nation to take up arms and fight for what is good and right. Not for us, but for those who will follow us. That takes crucifixion; the negation of self.

Did my local bike ride for the first time since December and am a lot faster after the thousands of kilometres riding an overloaded bike around the state of New South Wales.

Anyways… whatever.

Also have been thinking about reviving a long-dead creative business, and very nearly ordered a fresh supply of paint, but didn’t because I haven’t found anywhere to work. Maybe it’s simply not meant to be, like the writing projects, and I should just listen to that inner voice which consistently says, forget it, let go, and plan your next bikepacking adventure. Love to do Kosciusko, the highest part of Australia, where in spring there will be flowers and wild horses, solitude and beauty.

Took this heading out into the Hunter Valley, west of Newcastle in New South Wales.
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Election and climate change.

Federal election this Saturday, and with climate change on the minds of the populace, politicians put forward targets they believe are sufficient to address concerns and get them elected. It goes something like this,

Liberal/National coalition (currently in office) – 26 percent by 2030, zero by 2050.

Labor (currently in opposition) – 46 percent by 2030, zero by 2050.

Greens (currently one seat in the federal lower house) zero by 2035 or sooner.

A report published on Wednesday, states that, well, it’s zero by 2030, and if not we are in deep shit. How long have we known CO2 is a problem? Two British scientists found CO2 is a greenhouse gas in the first half of the 19th century, and in the second half a Swedish scientist sat down, did the maths and rather accurately predicted global warming. He made one mistake, and that was that he believed the oceans would absorb the excess heat. They have to a large extent, but not all the excess and there will be a point where the oceans will be one gargantuan hot water bottle.

Onward – in 1985 respected scientist Carl Sagan explained climate change to the United States congress, and to give it an idea of where things could be heading, he pointed to the fact the shorter distance Venus is from the Sun does not explain why it’s surface temperature is high enough to melt lead. Venus experienced a ‘runaway’ climate change event caused by increased greenhouse gasses in its atmosphere.

In 1988, planetary scientist James Hansen, again explained all this to the US congress, and that same year the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) ‘Quantum’ science program did a special on how CO2 levels cause the Earth’s temperature to increase. Since then we have had 26 COP talk fests, etc, and guess what? CO2 levels only know one direction and that is up, up, and away we go! Literally.

We have a few climate action groups which held demonstrations and wrote angry letters to politicians, but I’d suspect many members have yet to send their fossil-fuel automobile to the scrapyard, sign and stick to a no-fly pledge, and reduce emissions in every other way humanly possible.

“I remember your saying once that there is a fatality about good resolutions–that they are always made too late.” Oscar Wilde

Who to vote for? Not an easy decision because all three are useless. The two big parties could not expect to be elected, nor remain in office, if they put forward as policy a plan to hit net zero by 2030. As for the Greens, Adam Bandt, Greens leader, was a member of the Socialist Alliance, and much of Greens’ policy is more or less far-left and unpalatable to a nation as conservative as Australia.

Setting the target at zero by 2030, is what has to happen, but getting there requires a level of international cooperation similar to how nations addressed the Covid crisis. That being politics put aside, well for the most part, big business with their technological and financial resources onboard, and people world-wide accepting to do what they are told to do based on the science. Good luck…

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Going, going – gone

Gave in and sent the Dilly page to the trash container. Sorry for that, but I think it’s useless. Anyone know a good Zen monastery?

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Doomsday and Oz Federal Election.

Federal election this Saturday, and have to say I can’t even force myself to be remotely interested. I’ve always said that here in Australia in every race to govern the nation, Australians back the horse called ‘self interest’. Cost of housing is not becoming, but is ridiculously expensive, and so what do the conservatives in power suggest as a solution? Allow people to raid their retirement money for a home deposit. Of course, the vast majority of their supporters are property owners. Let’s drive prices even higher!

The Greens, at least one current senator, said they would push for ‘safe housing’ for the LGBTQIA++. I suppose that would be tax-payer funded and at a time when just here in the state of New South Wales there are well over 46 thousand people on the public housing waiting list. Last I heard, the wait for a place to call home is 12 years plus.

Centre left, and currently in opposition Labor party, are pushing for, in fact I’m not sure what they’re on about aside from a carbon reduction target that is better than the government’s. I think it was on the BBC news site that it was mentioned meeting their 2030 target would amount to taking every single car off our beautiful roads. Good luck with that.

Meanwhile, and looking at what’s happening around the planet, the big hand of the Doomsday clock could be moved a bit closer to midnight. Actually it’s now at 100 seconds, but me thinks it could be closer.

Blessings.