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I first met Ruby in late 2017 when I visited India. My family there is unable to take care of her to the high standards of Western countries due to financial issues and time shortage. Rather than sending them money to take care of her, I thought since I love animals and know a lot about dogs (having owned two previously) - why not bring her to Australia to live with me? In India, animals are generally treated poorly so I know in Australia the medical care she'd be given would be a lot better. I could also train her and help her transition into being a purely indoor dog. Because she is largely an outdoor dog at present, she had a pretty bad mite infection. I was able to fix this with the help of a vet in Cochin, Kerala, India but it would be best if she got my close attention living with me in Canberra. I think of it like adopting a kid from overseas. I have retained the company Dogtainers to assist me with the transport and it will cost me $20,000 in total (their fee is $17,000 but there are other miscellaneous costs). The reason it is so expensive is because India is not an approved country for import purposes. Therefore, I have to take Ruby via Singapore. Boarding her there and arranging vet transfers has been delegated to Dogtainers because I have no family there who can help me. Hence why the expense is higher than bringing her from, say, New Zealand. If you'd like to donate to help cover the costs, click here. There is continuing debate among scientists over the extent and causes of global warming. Some say warming will be minimal; others argue that the world is facing a significant challenge which could harm future generations. Almost nobody suggests that the planet is cooling.
Yet science is only half of the debate. The other half is concerned with the appropriate policy response. This involves economists, not scientists. Unlike its scientific counterpart, the debate on what exactly should be done in response to global warming is not even close to completion. Here too, there is diversity of opinion. Some say Australia should implement a carbon tax. Others prefer a carbon trading system. Most agree the best solution would be one which reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and also does not harm economic growth. The Rudd government acted quickly without waiting for the economics debate to run its course. A new department dedicated to tackling climate change has been established. Its mandate is to implement and recommend policies that would reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. But there’s a problem. While bureaucrats in the Department of Climate Change are busy coming up with ways to ward off the global warming bogeyman, their colleagues in the Department of Industry are diligently subsidising the very fossil fuel companies that contribute to global warming. A study released by the Australian Conservation Foundation in 2006 found that a large amount of corporate welfare is given to causes that hurt the environment. As The Age reported on October 29 of that year, “Analysis of this year’s federal budget papers reveal that programs for activities that increase greenhouse gas emissions will attract total funding of about $8 billion in the 2006-07 financial year.” Does it seem odd that two agencies are actively working against each other? It appears to be accepted practice within the government, judging by the lack of protest. About $570 million was distributed as industry assistance to car manufacturers. Of course, eliminating this subsidy could result in the loss of jobs. However, as the car industry receives recurring grants on an annual basis, it would be cheaper to give every sacked worker a taxpayer-funded severance payment, rather than persist with a policy that not only harms the environment but also distorts the market. Some environmental groups prefer increased government spending on other more ‘appropriate’ programs, regardless of whether these subsidies are eliminated. This can only exacerbate the problem. As politicians must always be seen to be ‘doing something’ about the environment, there is a risk that ill-conceived ideas adversely impacting standards of living will be implemented. This would not be so bad if measures addressing climate change occurred at a state rather than Commonwealth level. Some states with heavy industry like Western Australia, could adopt a different response to states with less industrial development. Unfortunately, this ideal is practically impossible given the growth in federal government power over the past century, so we are stuck with a one-size- fits-all environmental management that does not adequately take into account regional variations. Anything the states do tends to supplement, rather than replace, federal environmental regulation. We must not hand further discretion to the government to spend on programs considered beneficial, as this additional spending could result in similar unintended consequences. We should only demand that all subsidies to fossil fuels cease. The effect of eliminating these subsidies could then be noted, and this evidence could further contribute to environmentally-friendly policies. A cautious approach towards climate change is appropriate given that the costs of government intervention, when mistakes are made, can be exceptionally high. And the benefits can be disappointingly low. Which politician will have the courage to stand up to vested interests that benefit from lavish subsidies? Once time permits, a thorough analysis of the Rudd government’s budget for 2008-09 (released on May 13) will reveal if there is any improvement upon the Howard government’s record. However, I am not optimistic! Originally published in Indian Link (May 2008). If David Ellis wants to put a halt to development and preserve green wedge that he considers to be valuable, then he should organise a coalition of like-minded people and buy the land so that it remains untouched.
Environmentally concerned activists in other countries have been known to put their money where their mouth is and buy land from developers in order to prevent unsightly construction. I believe this sort of voluntary cooperation is far superior to Mr Ellis' solution, which is to use government policy as a mechanism to coerce developers who may have equally valid claims. Arguably, increasing the supply of land available for development would greatly alleviate the housing affordability problem by reducing prices. (Letter to the editor, published April 2 2008, Manningham Leader) |
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