AN ENERGY CRISIS
The Chinese Government pay an estimated $3.80 per gigajoule for gas from the North West Shelf in WA. This Australian contract with China to supply China’s first natural gas power station started in 2002 when the Prime Minister, John Howard called it a “gold medal performance”. But the Chinese, who negotiated this “fantastic deal” overseen by the Federal Coalition Government in 2002, will pay the same low price for our gas until at least 2027.
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Aurora Energy gas rates for private residential households, effective Jan.2017 equals 3.5377 cents per megajoule. This equates to $35.377 per gigajoule or 931 percent greater than China.
By way of comparison, one gigajoule of natural gas is approximately equal to 26 litres of gasoline @ $1.36 per litre, or 277 kilowatt hours @ $0.1277 per kilowatt hour.
It was only when the SA Premier Weatherill started to get serious about the energy crisis and Elon Musk of Tesla came on the scene that Turnbull finally realized that his lack of national energy policy may lose him office rather than give him opportunities to mock Shorten by constantly calling him “electricity bill”. The Coalition Government has been too concerned with political point scoring than governing.
Don Kelly, Kanahooka
LOOMING GAS SHORTAGE
The looming gas shortages for domestic use in Australia can be put down to generations of weakness by Australian governments federal and state, to protect our finite natural resources.
Multi and domestic energy and resource cartels, have been allowed almost unfettered access to Australia’s resources by meekly compliant political administrations. Australia’s irreplaceable and highly valuable resources have been exploited solely to the benefit of the cartels, without any consideration of the consequence to the people of Australia. For far too long; planned resource husbanding has been “a no- go “policy area for both Labor and the LNP.
Hence the problems present with the impending domestic gas shortage. It must be said however, that some have benefited from Australia being sold down the river by their governments. One need only to look at the former politicians now on the Boards of the energy and resource gathering conglomerates for confirmation.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
SEEING THE FOOD
It seems the commercial fishing reform will go ahead. But no one really understands what this will mean to the seafood we purchase and consume .
Reality is I really hope people enjoy this imported Mekong catfish also known as Basa as that is basically what we be forced to consume.
With just under 1000 professional fisherman now and that equating to 85 per cent imported seafood already for a state with proven sustainable fish stocks and a country surrounded by water this is astounding.
It seems that the way these reforms are going that number of professionals will again be reduced by at least a third,sad part is most of these are the smaller operators ,who actually care about the sustainability of these fish.
With fishers being forced to buy more shares to fish exactly as they do now ,many will simply not be in a position to do so .This will mean less fresh seafood available to us consumers once again. I will not buy imported seafood as a quick Google of the basa and what it feeds on disgusts me, or watch the YouTube video and decide for yourself. I don't think this has even been in the news or media enough as people are not aware how detrimental this will be .
I think you find super trawlers will be allowed here before you know it and that will be the end of sustainability . They destroy everything. Fresh seafood has so many health benefits why should we not have access to this super food.
Melissa Safkulovski, Port Kembla
