Conflict between budgetry promises and what the world needs

Today’s news gives us inherently conflicting views.

The front page of The Age tells about likely Federal Budget decisions in which some $10bn will be spend on major infrastructure projects, most of which are about increasing Australia’s use of fossil fuels and by implication worsening our country’s contribution to global warming.

The story, headed: “$10b boost for key projects” outline projects in both Sydney and Melbourne; projects on and around the consumption of fossil fuels.

Inside the paper, Peter Hannam writes about the fact that Australia in line for another El Nino, the first in four years.

Such an en event, Hannam explains, will bring a drier than average winter and spring to much of southern Australia, including New South Wales and within that emphasise the worsening of the bushfire season.

Hannan’s story: “Get set for hot” explains that all Australia’s hottest years on record – 1998, 2005 and 2010 – followed an El Nino.

The conflict between the information readers are given on Page one and Page 4 is so extreme that resolution is pushing the boundaries of democracy.