A thesis for the past was focus, when we should have been discussing the future

Candidates for the Seat of Shepparton (L-R):
 Greg Barr, Rod Higgins, Suzanna Sheed,
Dianne Teasdale, and Michael Bourke.

A thesis that would have been warmly welcomed in the mid-twentieth century prevailed in Shepparton on Wednesday night.

Candidates for tomorrow’s Victorian election for the State Seat of Shepparton, well, five of them at least as Greens candidate, Damien Stephens, was missing, all seemed oblivious to the unfolding changes that will impact on everything from that which is economic to social.

Four of the five candidates said the “believed” in climate change, but then proceeded to talk of their hopes and dreams for the Shepparton electorate as if the science warning of significant changes was irrelevant.

Independent candidate, Dianne Teasdale, has not been convinced by the rigour of climate science and so stands proudly with those who deny that our climate is changing.

Nationals’ candidate, Greg Barr; Labor’s representative, Rod Higgins; Australian Country Alliance candidate, Michael Burke; and independent, Suzanna Sheed, all declared that are “believers” in climate change.

The Committee for Shepparton organized function at Shepparton’s Harder Auditorium attracted about 150 people, most of whom it seemed, bar one questioner, had little grasp that the future, something which will be the focus of whoever win tomorrow’s State Election, will be an unavoidable reality.

And that future, of course, is going to be quite different from what was with too much rain, too little rain, an increased intensity of heatwaves and so bushfires, floods and events such as that which tor through Brisbane yesterday.

Colliding with climate change induced social and physical difficulties will be restrictions on energy that will further complicate life for all in the State seat of Shepparton; complications that we not at all address.

Polite bunch doesn't press for answers Beneath the Wisteria

by Robert McLean

Few matters of consequence were discussed Beneath the Wisteria on Saturday morning.

Those who gather each month are a polite bunch, rarely being confrontational in that they demand others, or guests, to clearly articulate their position on any process that worsens carbon dioxide emissions.

 

Guests on the Saturday just gone (October 25) were candidates for the Seat of Shepparton in the November 29 State Election, Rod Higgins (Labor), Greg Barr (Nationals), Fern Summer (independent) and Dianne Teasdale (independent).

Michael Burke, the Country Alliance candidate, was an apology.

Each candidate was allowed several minutes to talk about their response to climate change, explaining policies they would pursue and how they would do it. However, their observations and comments were largely rhetorical and rarely, if ever, alluded to what positive steps they would take to mitigate our emissions and how they would instigate the needed societal changes.

The general congenial nature of Beneath the Wisterians was on display last Saturday and most of the hard questions were simply not asked.

There appears to be a sense that, and maybe this is my interpretation, the process in which such things as state elections are embedded and integral to, is a societal behaviour that is at the root of worsening circumstances that are manifesting themselves as climate change.

Subsequently, as all four candidates had no idea of what impact they could, or would have on a deeply entrenched political system, their observations and replies were somewhat superficial.

Beyond that their generosity in spending an hour Beneath the Wisteria was appreciated.

Acidification of the world’s oceans appears remote from Shepparton concerns, but is of critical importance to everyone who lives here, but was something that most certainly wasn’t discussed on Saturday.

The world’s oceans impact dramatically on Australia’s weather and can bring weather of massively damaging dimensions to the Goulburn Valley, in terms of protracted droughts, exceedingly hot weather which combined with conditions worsened by drought produces bushfires that quickly become unstoppable wildfires and rainstorms of a magnitude that produce never seen before floods.

Scientific American tells us that acidification of the world’s oceans, a serious implication of our relentless burning of fossil fuels, is costing the world dearly.

A story headed: ”Oceans Could Lose $1 Trillion in Value Due to Acidification” says one estimate looking only at lost ecosystem protections, such as that provided by tropical reefs, cited an economic value of $1 trillion annually.

Being 'positive' is not what many imagine

“Let’s be positive, let’s focus on the future,” Victorian Agricultural Minister, Peter Walsh, told a Shepparton meeting on Wednesday night (September 10).

Victoria's Agriculture Minister,
Peter Walsh.

The Minister was being not only positive, but naïve when he claimed it was his aim to see food production doubled in the state by 2030.

Although Minister Walsh argued that would be achieved by “focussing on the future”, it appeared that in reality he, and his head-nodding cohort were looking in another direction – backwards, rather than to the future.

It seems that the future Mr Walsh can see and is so positive about, is not the one that all Victorians will be engaging with.

That future, despite his positivism and unbridled optimism, will be plagued by water shortages, energy depletion, and weather quite unlike anything farmers and the communities that are integral to their infrastructure have ever had to deal with in the past.

Beyond that there will be a collapse of the services that the production and growth the Minister so idolizes depends upon.

There were many questions at the “Vison for the Valley“ meeting organized by the Committee for Shepparton, but they were all about machinations of maintaining the status quo and none ventured at all into the vacuum that will suck the productive life out of Victoria as our climate changes.

Deputy Premier, Mr Peter Ryan was holding the same song book and although she was at the other end of the table, the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development and the Minister for Housing, Wendy Lovell, appeared to reading from the same pages.

The National Party’s endorsed candidate for the November 20 State Election,

Greg Barr was the only person on the night to mention climate change, and that was only in passing.

There was considerable excitement at the meeting to have such an event at which people could openly and freely engage with senior politicians who either answered questions on the spot or promised to get back to the individual quickly with an answer.

Some said after the meeting that the process was democracy at work however, that was a rather hopeful exaggeration as fewer than 150 people at the meeting represents less than one per cent of Shepparton’s population. That appears to be democracy by the tyranny of the minority.

National Party candidate to speak at next Beneath the Wisteria

Greg Barr will be the guest at Saturday’s (May 31) Beneath the Wisteria.

Greg Barr.

The National Party candidate for the Shepparton electorate has been asked to talk about his and his party’s views on climate change.

Mr Barr, who will represent the National Party at the November State elections, is familiar with the concerns of the area as he was office manager for retiring Shepparton MP, Jeanette Powell.

Saturday’s Beneath the Wisteria, at the northern end of Shepparton's Maude St Mall, starts at the new time of 11am and is free.

Some public seating is available but those planning to attend this free event are advised to bring a folding chair.

The gathering, which is simply about providing people with reliable information, is aimed at helping people to respond appropriately to climate change.