Friday, September 17, 2010

Chicken little growth

There are at least 3 reasons why we can't trust Brumby's government on matters of environmental threat
1. The major constituency are easily threatened because they don't know.. Polys exploit this means of control and more and more becasue they cultivate a mood of non  independence in the Public service.
2. Vic Labor have had time to cultivate people who are as arrogant and ignorant as they are- without confession
3. Now risking the truth on the whole truth on a regular basis . Scientists are alienated by constant meddling in their workplaces  Again polys meddle and risk , not only there own exposure to the truth , but that of the publc as well . The Government are stupid enough to institutionalize and therefore preserve for eternity the reality of a single threat when threats are mediated rare and regulatable to those of who still operate as indepenedent scientists ( see post  below DSE ---the department for servicing emergencies; That way too  the government are not responsible - the Dept is?  )
The Hugh Millars of this world are obliged to keep their organisation alive by spinning and hyping into whatever issue inflames the passions of the panic prone .
There is of course always threats ( and even farmers rely on the science in this case preventing the city from seeing the real truth - that being , that there is no need to panic ! ) .
Hugh and his team including many now  in DSE are jeopardizing the long term independence of his very own staff by  not talking the truth . In talking up the "amenity"  effects of having locusts down here buzzing around ( nothing new) he is playing word games with risk - in other word he's drumming up concern when he should be hosing it down . The point is they allow fear to drive everything and not science and familiarity with the environment .  Absolutely No need to say " everybody is involved " as the ad does"- bit of patronising psychological drivel .
This process is not new . the cultivation of crap on risk has ruined many PS institution's .
What a tragedy for Victoria- the end of independent experienced science on environment and the dominance of those schooled in mere description - most of whom who have yet to find their feet in the real world  .
 The development of the institutionalized chicken little  phenomena is threatening the independence of advice from the Public Service . Take the way Penny Wong controlled the CC debate by institutionalizing it and seeking to sink the more legimate and more balanced advice from Garrett's department . Not that they know things now , till we tell them.  I could be wrong , but then kinder is easy when you have played and won  at Senior level.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Wet behind the ears on water- and most issues of environment

State Labor are experts at disaster management. See earlier posts . Their clones in the water authorities are ready for anything that looks like a disaster .
Floods this week in the northern rivers .
But don't give them or their myriad of water authorities a planning job - like diverting flood water to be stored for example. Normal things are not planned for -just extreme thoughts
John Brumby gives himself and his team a clap yesterday even though their planning outside of emergencies is complete crap .
Just closed down Lake Makoen and let the water go because they have a policy - but not one that takes in the most reasonable of environmental events - a flood.
Their environmental flow policy is not a policy . It gave someone a nice feeling of warmth at the time, but has only smelt bad and stunk ever since - but no one seemed to notice same till yesterday.