Plenty of energy went into doing nothing about our energy crisis

In 2017 we heard a lot from the federal government about energy. In fact, there was too much talk, and very little action. As we head into the new year, it's time to reflect on the past 12 months, and ask ourselves whether our elected representatives have been naughty or nice when it comes to climate and energy policy?

Illustration: Andrew Dyson.

The year began on a prescient note, with federal ministers cheerily handing about an actual lump of coal in Parliament, supplied by the Minerals Council of Australia.

Read Petra Stock’s comment in today’s Melbourne Age - “Plenty of energy went into doing nothing about our energy crisis.”

Unusual hot spell for Victoria and Tasmania driven by warm seas, stable systems

Victorians mopping up after recent heavy rain could be forgiven if they were too busy to reflect for long on the remarkable heat that precede the downpours.

St Kilda beach during one of record-breaking stint of
warm evenings in Melbourne last month.

The Bureau of Meteorology, though, has tallied the many records for Victoria and Tasmania during the blistering end to spring in a special report it released on Monday. 

Despite a cool start to last month – which has returned for the start of December – southern Victoria had its second-warmest November on record, behind only 2009.

In Melbourne, the 12 November days with temperatures topping 30 degrees eclipsed the previous record of 10, set in 2009.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Unusual hot spell for Victoria and Tasmania driven by warm seas, stable systems.”