Category: Government Policy

An Overview of the Capital Costs of Firming Wind Farms with Pumped Hydro

By Michael Bowden; IEng(Electronics-UK);CPL;CQP and Craig Brooking; MBA; BE(Civil); FAIC, Dip; formerly FIEAust; CPEng.

The Conclusions:

Over the next 15 years, NSW will decommission four of its five coal fired power stations which will dramatically reduce the availability of reliable and dispatchable electrical power.

According to the NSW Government, the reduced capacity will be replaced by wind and solar farms firmed with batteries, gas and pumped hydro. This paper has demonstrated that renewables firmed by pumped hydro is massively expensive and high-risk commercially and technically. The most cost-effective and technically feasible solution is to replace the four decommissioned coal fired power stations with modern HELE USC coal plants which would deliver significant advantages over the firmed renewables strategy.

Read the whole paper: https://saltbushclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/costs-of-firming-wind-with-hydro.pdf [PDF, 270 kB]

Government by Enquiry

By Viv Forbes
20 January 2020

Politicians hide behind enquiries – their magic answer to all problems, especially bushfires.

Announcing enquiries give the impression of decisive action, they generate fees for armies of barristers, lawyers and bureaucrats, and provide momentary excitement for the media.

The proposed 2020 Australian Bushfires corrobboree will provide a grandstand for the Climate Rebellion Mob who will get starring roles on ABC/Fairfax. Big business will probably propose a carbon tax to fight bushfires while foresters and land owners will hardly be heard.

When the final report is ultimately delivered, the media will be off trumpeting some new climate “emergency” to scare the public. The expensive new report will be quietly filed with all the others. Continue reading “Government by Enquiry”

The Climate Debate Bellingham, Washington USA

By Karen & Marc Johnson

I just came across your web site. Here in the City Bellingham the politicians want to force us to not replace our Gas heat or Gas hot water tanks replacing them with all electric. Furthermore the city wants to force us to either cover 50% of our roof tops with solar PV or pay a higher utility bill to fund an off site location for a large solar PV site. All this in the name of human caused climate change.

I am reaching out to you for scientific data debunking this human caused climate change claim as the main cause of climate change. I want to use  information to educate citizens in my community to stop the rip off of the people and the political influence on science.

Sincerely, Karen & Marc Johnson Bellingham, Washington USA

Renaissance in Climate Physics and Political Reform

By Bob Hoye December 6, 2019

From time to time, physics with a burst of discovery has enjoyed a renaissance. Regrettably, there have been times when it has been repressed by control freaks. One of the most daunting was the Church-mandated doctrine that the Solar System revolved around the Vatican. In the early 1600s, it was risky to your freedom and life to doubt the official word. Which consensus was based upon the authority of scripture–the most convincing peer review of the day.

Almost as threatening has been today’s state-sponsored notion that bureaucrats can and must “manage” the temperature of the nearest planet. Continue reading “Renaissance in Climate Physics and Political Reform”

Electricity in Australia – Switching from Success to Failure

By Viv Forbes, 23 September 2019

Our grandfathers built a low-cost reliable decentralised electricity supply for all states of Australia based mainly on black and brown coal-fields – Blair Athol, Callide, Ipswich, Sydney/Newcastle, Yallourn, Leigh Creek and Collie.

Then our fathers built the mighty Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric scheme which provided water to irrigate the inland while generating electricity to help pay for it. Continue reading “Electricity in Australia – Switching from Success to Failure”

Zero Emissions Australia?

By Viv Forbes

It may be possible for a perpetual committee of green bureaucrats to electrify Australia with a vast but flimsy spider-web of power lines connecting consumers to wind turbines, solar panels, lithium batteries and pumped-hydro batteries. In this wonder-world, electric scooters and mini-cars will be mandated and demand rationing will be imposed. Continue reading “Zero Emissions Australia?”

How to Create a Country with no Heart? – Stack and Pack the Coast

by Viv Forbes

What has happened to Australia’s once-bipartisan policies favouring decentralisation? Why is every proposal to develop an outback mine, dam, irrigation scheme or a real power station now labelled “controversial” by the ABC and opposed by the ALP/Greens?

This coastal-city focus and the hostility to new outback industry (except for wind/solar toys) has surely reached its zenith with the recent state budget for Queensland.

The population of coastal and metropolitan Queensland is surging with baby-boom retirees, welfare recipients, grey nomads, tourists, overseas students, migrants and winter refugees. But the outback is dying with lagging industry and many aging farmers retiring to the coast. We are creating a country with no heart.

country with no heart

Continue reading “How to Create a Country with no Heart? – Stack and Pack the Coast”

Australian Federal election – How to Vote

A personal opinion from Viv Forbes who takes responsibility for any electoral comment.
23 April 2019.

This is not meant to be a statement of Saltbush Club policy – our members have enough sense and experience to make up their own minds. But I believe these guidelines will help to achieve Saltbush policies. It also explains the background for my how-to-vote opinions.

A Quick Summary:
Hold your nose as you enter the polling booth. Then –

    • Make sure to cast a valid vote.
    • Number all squares.
    • Put the Greens last, everywhere, and the ALP just above them.
    • In the Senate, vote below the line, number at least 12 squares and give preference to minor party or independent candidates of your choice.

PDF version: https://saltbushclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/how-to-vote.pdf [PDF, 571 KB]

how-to-vote-cartoon Continue reading “Australian Federal election – How to Vote”