A job application to Clive Palmer
Clive Palmer (image by news.com.au)
Dear Mr Clive Palmer,
May I call you Mr? It’s not Sir Clive yet is it? I’m sure it will be in the offing should you aspire to a knighthood – it’s Tony’s best reward for pre-eminent people like you.
May I congratulate and commiserate with you on your entry into the sordid world of politics. I have watched your campaign and realised that you are a man who wants to get things done, a trait I admire. You have also said things that echoed with me like being a representative for the little people, the people without a voice. Some other things, not so much, but it would be a bad move for me to begin an application with criticism.
Your Senators now carry a grave responsibility – just ask Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott about that. With the balance of power they need to be familiar with every bill and every amendment. It’s a huge workload. I saw that Tony Abbott refused your request for extra personnel to help with the legislative workload, which is what prompted me to apply to help out. I will work for free for a period and if Tony changes his mind about that, and you find my work valuable, then a small stipend would be most helpful.
Obviously the carbon tax is a big issue that will require your attention in the immediate future. I have taken the opportunity to provide a brief summary for the Senators’ perusal with attached links should they require further reading. I am also happy to answer any questions should you or any of your iron force have one.
CARBON TAX
1. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim called for a price on carbon, requiring companies to disclose their climate risk exposure, and greater investment in green bonds in the fight against climate change.
2. The planet is “perilously close” to a climate change tipping point, and requires urgent cooperation between countries, cities and business, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has said. Addressing an audience in London, Lagarde said reducing subsidies for fossil fuels and pricing carbon pollution should be priorities for governments around the world.
“Overcoming climate change is obviously a gigantic project with a multitude of moving parts. I would just like to mention one component of it—making sure that people pay for the damage they cause. We are subsidizing the very behaviour that is destroying our planet, and on an enormous scale. Both direct subsidies and the loss of tax revenue from fossil fuels ate up almost $2 trillion in 2011—this is about the same as the total GDP of countries like Italy or Russia.”
3. John Kerry has described the UN’s latest report on the science of climate change as “chilling” and warns of a “potential catastrophe” without urgent action. The US Secretary of State made the remarks at the annual Munich Security Conference held at the weekend, citing terrorism, radical sectarianism, food security, water availability, and climate change as the “great tests of our time.”
Kerry also highlighted the potential financial benefits of moving to a low carbon economy, pointing to the $6 trillion energy market that will gain an extra five billion users by 2050. “It is the mother of all markets, and only a few visionaries are doing what is necessary to reach out and touch it and grab it and command its future,” he said.
Kerry warned of an “absence of collective leadership” from politicians where the environment is concerned. “We have enormous challenges. None of them are unsolvable. “That’s the agony of this moment for all of us. There are answers to all of these things, but there seems to be an absence of will, an absence of collective leadership,” he said.
4. Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN climate secretariat, said that it was amoral for people to look at climate change from a politically partisan perspective, because of its impact on future generations.
Figueres said that examples of recent extreme weather around the world were a sign climate change was here now. “If you take them individually you can say maybe it’s a fluke. The problem is it’s not a fluke and you can’t take them individually. What it’s doing is giving us a pattern of abnormality that’s becoming the norm. These very strange extreme weather events are going to continue in their frequency and their severity … It’s not that climate change is going to be here in the future, we are experiencing climate change.”
5. The independent Climate Change Authority, which advises on climate change action around the world, called for Australia to lift its emissions reductions goal from 5 per cent to 19 per cent to take into account international moves, Australia’s fair share and the urgency of the climate change threat.
Professor Garnaut believes the ultimate cost to the budget of the Abbott government’s climate policy could be much greater than $4 billion a year, given many countries are committing to more ambitious emissions reduction targets.
6. Senate Committee: Direct Action
Recommendation 1
2.63 The committee recommends that the Australian Government immediately adopt the emissions reduction targets outlined by the Climate Change Authority in its final report released on 27 February 2014. Namely that Australia’s 2020 minimum emissions reduction target be set at 15% below 2000 levels and that Australia’s carryover from the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol be used to raise the 2020 emissions reduction target by 4%, giving a total 2020 target of 19%.
Recommendation 5
3.143 The committee recommends that the transition of the fixed carbon price to a fully flexible price under an emissions trading scheme with the price determined by the market occur on 1 July 2014.
Recommendation 10
5.129 The committee recommends that the Emissions Reduction Fund not be substituted for the carbon pricing mechanism.
7. Growing numbers of investors and now being attracted by three key benefits of wind farms:
•Social Responsibility: Investing in clean renewable energy is socially responsible
•Lower Risk: Now that thousands of wind farms exist globally, construction and operational risks are very low.
•Longevity: Long term demand for renewable energy will increase driven by declining fossil fuel sources and carbon reduction policies.
8. National solar provider Energy Matters has released consumer insights that rank cities for solar viability and also reveal the true investment potential of solar power in comparison to shares, property, gold, global fixed interest or even fine art.
The figures will startle many; with it outperforming all other investment options using current ASX figures and other key organisations that rate investment opportunities.
The consumer insights also revealed Townsville in Queensland was Australia’s top address for solar, giving its residents a healthy return of investment of 21.8% per year. Other mainland capital cities included Brisbane (annual return of investment of 20.2%), Adelaide (19.1%), Sydney (18.9%), Perth 17.8%) and Melbourne (13.2%).
9. The solar PV industry employed about 13,600 as of late 2013, and the number will sink this year to about 12,300 across about 4300 businesses as state-based subsidies are wound back, according to a report for the REC Agents Association, a body representing firms that create and trade in renewable energy certificates.
The solar workforce, though, would dive immediately by 2000 if the government were to end support for the industry by scrapping the RET, with the total number of jobs lost or foregone swelling to 6750 by 2018, analysis of the research by industry group SolarBusinessServices found.
10. China is spending billions to control air pollution, banning imports of low-grade coal, launching carbon-trading markets, exploring shale gas, getting more efficient, and building the crap out of renewables. And remember, it has its own coal mines. They just couldn’t keep up with the boom. Now that things are leveling off, domestic Chinese coal will get cheaper, they’ll buy more of it at home, and there will be less market for imports.
Since China was the main driver, its rapid deceleration will serve as a drag on the whole seaborne coal market. Goldman Sachs analysts “expect average annual growth (in demand) to decline to 1% in 2013-17 from 7% in 2007-12.”
No less an investor than the mighty Warren Buffett has proclaimed that the decline of coal in the U.S. will be gradual but inevitable. Given flat demand for electricity, cheap natural gas, burgeoning renewables, rising efficiency, and future carbon regulations, new coal-fired power plants are a bad bet, which is why they aren’t getting built.
11. Economists are convinced that carbon pricing will yield the greatest environmental bang-for-buck at the lowest economic cost.
Recommendations:
- Get rid of your investments in coal and invest in renewable energy
- Move to a floating price ETS on July 1 either this year or next (preferably next)
- Increase our emission reduction target to 19% and confirm our renewable energy target of 20% by 2020
- Under no circumstances allow Tony Abbott to waste taxpayer money on that silly Emissions Reduction Fund bribery to polluters
-
Give me a job
I hope this has been of use to you and your Senators in getting up to speed on the issue. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future to discuss terms of employment.
Yours faithfully
Kaye Lee
Dame-in-waiting
PS I looked into your idea about reducing natural greenhouse gas emissions but have been unable to think of a way to stop respiration, evaporation, organic rotting, volcanoes or farting, but I will keep working on it. By the by, cutting down trees is not a good start.
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Kaye Lee
Return to home pageThumbs Up! Here’s hoping the Palm will hear you …..
Go on Clive!!! you own your company, you and your family are guaranteed wealth, why not aim your policy towards sustainability so that your grandchildren can actually enjoy that wealth the same way?
Break away from the stereotypical self interested billionaire and Put Kaye in charge of policy while you be in charge of funding the marketing!
Just to show I am working in anticipation potential boss,
Argentine scientists have found a way to transform the gas created by the bovine digestive system into fuel, an innovation that could curb greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
Using a system of valves and pumps, the experimental technique developed by Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) channels the digestive gases from bovine stomach cavities through a tube and into a tank.
“As an energy source it is not very practical at the moment, but if you look ahead to 2050, when fossil fuel reserves are going to be in trouble, it is an alternative,” he told Reuters.
Each head of cattle emits between 250 and 300 liters of pure methane a day, enough energy to keep a refrigerator running for 24 hours.
This could be a winner (she says encouragingly if somewhat unwillingly)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5A6oZxcEmtU/UIcBGjPXKkI/AAAAAAAAG8k/FkiQ_ezcUrU/s1600/Cow+Tank.jpg
oh and boss,
Whilst waiting for the cow fart market to take off, it may be worth pointing out to Tony, our champion of roads, that cars are a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide so it might be worth investing in public transport rather than selling everything we own to build more roads.
I know I am giving you a lot to think about – we will leave Tony’s $22 billion paid parental leave bribe, and how that money could be better used, for another time.
He won’t waste his time reading this. The man is ignorant sociopathic bully.
Dear Ms Lee, although I am unconnected to Mr Clive Palmer or his political party, your application letter has come to my attention.
I wish you every success with your endeavour and hope your obvious talents – initiative, attention to detail, understanding of the subject matter, team spiritedness and exceptional language skills – are rewarded.
If I may, I would ask that in all future correspondence, you reiterate to Mr Palmer and his team that, notwithstanding their electorates, they now represent ALL Australians and that they should keep this in mind regarding any decisions they make and their actions and bearing while in public life.
Again I wish you, Mr Palmer and his political team the very best of luck. We’re going to need it.
Regards, Jan Dobson
Wow, Kaye Lee…..wot Jan Dobson said.
***
The conservatives opposed the abolition of slavery; the extension of the franchise to men other than gentry and nobility; the right of women to own property; contraception; universal adult male franchise; the vote for women; divorce; black rights; women’s rights; gay rights et-bloody-cetera. Once again they are behind the curve. The solar and wind cost curves are falling so fast that coal will within 20 years be the fuel of the past. Hard-headed investors say so: http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/citigroup-says-the-age-of-renewables-has-begun-69852. I say so too: http://volewica.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/ever-cheaper-solar-power-part-second.html
China builds 2 new coal-fired power stations a year. Air pollution is so bad that the internal pressure to go renewable is now irresistible. They will not be building new power stations, not just because coal is filthy, but because solar and wind are now cheaper than new power stations. Guess what will happen to the coal price then?
You are exactly right: coal exports will start declining soon. Coal is 20% of Oz’s exports.
As usual the conservatives are opposing yet another irresistible force: the economics of coal-fired power stations are getting irretrievably and inexorably worse. A sensible government would embrace this obvious reality, make a virtue of a necessity, and keep the carbon tax. It would start planning for a world where coal is not used to fire power stations, where one fifth of our exports will disappear. It would not be fighting the battles of long — LONG! — ago, but would have a progressive vision of a world without global warming and filthy pollution, fuelled by the free energy in sunlight. With so much sun, Oz could lead the world with cheap solar power. Instead we have the misnamed and, really, rather stupid “Liberals”, their heads firmly up their bums. Like despotic and ignorant burgomasters of some ill-favoured Eastern European dorp, fly-blown and dusty in summer and frozen solid in winter, devoid of charm as well as common sense.
I think your job application is spot on,
I am an elector and I am heartily sick of the continual harping on scrapping the carbon tax. It has gone on for far too long and now Eric Abetz is claiming it is responsible for the drop in labour votes in WA
how about my reasons for voting?
I am a long time supporter of the liberals but am fed up with the way they are going.
The blatant wooing of the top end of town and never mind the little guy,
remember the little guy votes too
Their stand on climate /enviremental issues are certainly not inspiring me to vote for them.
Labour with the way they are going, the internal in fighting is not inspiring.
and then to put a union bully boy up well no thank you.
I voted Green this time because they appear to have more idea of the risk facing the world, we must act now not keep putting it off!
So this is just one little guy but I would think there are a lot like me out there!
Good on ya Kaye,
You and Clive both working together for a better Australia instead of the 3rd world that Abbott is pushing us back to, how good would that be. First time I have smiled thinking about politics for a while.
I’ll give you a reference.
I could be Clive’s computer Credlin, public relations purveyor, reality researcher, and messianic mediator. This could work well. Clive, I can make you the new right (provided you don’t mind swinging to the left a bit). Have your people call mine.
Kaye Lee, just don’t end up using Credlin facial expressions…
I don’t intend fronting the cameras dianna – I figure I can cover it sitting here in my jammies googling away
Reblogged this on contriteshadow.
Population of China: 1.35 billion. Population of Australia: 1.6% of that of China.
5% of China’s energy needs is produced by renewables or three times our TOTAL needs.
Just a thought.
I prefer the image of you in your jammies to anything Credlin.
https://buzztala.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/86524994.jpg
Great letter Kaye. He also needs to become science literate concerning research.
I suppose you are aware of the large number of viable solar cell technologies that are in the development stage. There are also new inflatable airship wind turbines that will be ten times more efficient. Wave technology is also making moves. Mazda has developed a new internal combustion motor that is more carbon efficient than electric cars. (see link) The thing about scientist is they are taught to think laterally and should be given the freedom to explore alternatives. Geothermal has great potential as we shut down our research. This lack of respect for science is appalling. A quick perusal of Science Daily and Psyorg will leave no doubt to the variety of possibilities. If they prove viable some will dramatically increase solar cell and all other green technology efficiencies. Materials science is also going ahead in leaps and bounds providing the components for new devices. Physic, astronomy, chemistry, engineering are highly technical fields in which we have international partnerships
Australia should be rushing head long investing in research as we generally punch above our weight in scientific innovation. Many Australians do not realize how incredibly innovate our scientist are. If it were me I would have a committee of scientist reviewing all current international technology to isolate the most promising research then see if we can further extend these innovations. The business opportunities are legion.
Where the hell is this miserable, moaning, groaning countries pride in its scientists and technologists. More so than doctors, politicians business leaders scientists are the foundation of the future and should demand great respect and support. As noted before University of Queensland Skeptical Science is at the forefront of global warming science.
Labor should produce an innovative science specific pamphlet praising the achievements of our scientists pointing out how many areas they have been successful in. They should also strongly criticize the myopic and primitive approach of the LNP.
J. Marsh,
Thank you for your comments. I hope you are right about the transfer of voting pattern with the ecological crisis. It may be the only way the major Parties will pay any attention. Yours is an interesting post, because your opinion is largely ignored by the Media.
Michael sumink wrong with posts.
<
@Kaye Lee
Are you sure you want to be a public servant :
"So please do not mention that the government has abandoned so many ordinary Australians in its seven months in office. It has caused the loss of thousands of Australian jobs; supervised a regime which allowed the murder of an innocent asylum seeker; appointed a Commission of Audit but refused to let anyone see that report in the run-up to the West Australian Senate election re-run (a delightful swing against both major parties, perhaps the ALP will eventually come to its senses); pathetically caved in to junk food lobbyist pressure by hiding important nutritional information from Australians; and appointed a host of ideologues to crucial posts which will affect the national outcome."
Read more about your "conditions" here :
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/free-speech-but-only-for-abbott-elite-20140407-zqrqv.html#ixzz2yBE6OGgc
John
I do believe this latest trick from our leading monkey has tipped us into a fascist government.
Better men than Peta Credlin have tried to shut me up before….it brings out my ugly side.
Speaking of Credlin, why is she taking up a seat at the free trade negotiations with Japan. Shouldn’t Tony have trade, legal, and diplomatic advisers rather than his secretary?
What’s happening Stephen?
Kaye, Peta is his trade, legal, and diplomatic adviser. 😉
john921fraser, Id rather be a Public Servant than a local manufacturer.
I see what happened. The Spam filter misbehaved. Sorry about that Stephen. 😳
And that is what worries me Michael. Tony is being advised by a political animal who sees concluding the free trade agreements as a feather in Tony’s hat. What worries me is why both South Korea and Japan signed so quickly after all these years. What has Tony promised them? Will our car industry be the only sacrificial lamb? As Don says, manufacturing doesn’t look viable into the future. If China signs up quickly then we are stuffed – we will know he has given them the keys to the safe.
Well written Kaye and well researched, shall we start a petition to demonstrate public support? Clive is a demagogue when it comes down to it and would shift positions if he thought it would gain him more followers. No doubt calling enough attention to the man and the hot button cause (whilst providing him the ammunition to defend his change of heart) would be an excellent CV as well… If not, would you mind if I used some of your material (attributed of course).
<
I am in raptures the Packer is on the trade delegation and is looking at building a casino in Japan.
It makes me sooooooo happy to see my taxes at work.
I sincerely hope the other billionaires and lowly multi millionaires are enjoying my largesse.
Try to imagine my joy when the simpleton newman joins the moron Abbott on this trip.
I would not only give you the job, Kaye but I would put you in INSTEAD of Clive.
Anyway…what Stephen Tardrew said about the renewable future!!
The articles I linked to are all freely available on the internet Curtis. Use away.
A good word to Clive on my behalf would also be appreciated. Thanks 🙂
Kaye Lee, has Clive got any more jobs going? My factory can make anything he wants out of metal. I dont make takaway food but we have a lunch room and a coffee machine so I guess we could make takeaway coffee using all me years of engineering skills. I will even wear my jammies for you.
Don,
What we need to do is become Green Army “Service Providers”. The government will then give us $192,500 for every project we win the tender for and we will be supplied with a workforce that we can pay $10-16/ hour with no superannuation. We get to keep $22,500 per job for “administration”.
I could build Clives Titanic? Lots of Australian jobs. Or we could wash and polish Tonys new jets.
Very interesting $300 million, I could get a job in Tasmania cleaning up after Tonys logging industry.
Or perhaps a blue army that can go down and wash the dredge off the reef?
Just to point out.
There is actually a way to cut the damage of cars on the world by 80%
Came up with the concept a year ago
Also have solved the energy problem with a 100% green way of making clean free energy. No im not lying.
However i didnt finish school and no-one will listen to me.
Also figured out how to reverse air polution.
Bet 99% of you laugh……..
I am open to ideas. if they have merit then I will consider passing them on to the boss
Scrap metal is the go, pulling factories apart and throughing them in the scrap metal bin. Then I will put my back pack on and head up the bush to get a job on a Chinese owned farm. Ah now these free trade agreements are all starting to making sense. “Its all for sale” Chinese owned farms, free trade agreements, sell more farms. Deregulate power, sell more power stations. Shit Abbott wasnt lying he was serious. “Australia, its all for sale” first thing he said in September.
Why is Borack Obama investing so much money into there local manufacturing and putting his neck on the line to build Obarmacare when Tony has just destroyed our local manufacturing and selling our Medicare. Is he an Australian? Has he got a heart? Is God making him do it because we were all too happy? Tony was the Minister for Industry and Mathias Corman was a manager at HBA. Did they hate there jobs that much?
Great Letter Kaye. One hundred percent behind you. Science is another area that deserves notice.
I suppose you are aware of the large number of viable solar cell technologies that are in the development stage. There are also new inflatable airship wind turbines that will be ten times more efficient. Wave technology is also making moves. Mazda has developed a new internal combustion motor that is more carbon efficient than electric cars. (see link) The thing about scientist is they are taught to think laterally and should be given the freedom to explore alternatives. Geothermal has great potential as we shut down our research. This lack of respect for science is appalling. A quick perusal of Science Daily and Psyorg will leave no doubt to the variety of possibilities. If they prove viable some will dramatically increase solar cell and all other green technology efficiencies. Materials science is also going ahead in leaps and bounds providing the components for new devices. Physic, astronomy, chemistry, engineering are highly technical fields in which we have international partnerships
Australia should be rushing head long investing in research as we generally punch above our weight in scientific innovation. Many Australians do not realize how incredibly innovate our scientist are. If it were me I would have a committee of scientist reviewing all current international technology to isolate the most promising research then see if we can further extend these innovations. The business opportunities are legion.
Where the hell is this miserable, moaning, groaning countries pride in its scientists and technologists. More so than doctors, politicians business leaders scientists are the foundation of the future and should demand great respect and support. As noted before University of Queensland Skeptical Science is at the forefront of global warming science.
Labor should produce an innovative science specific pamphlet praising the achievements of our scientists pointing out how many areas they have been successful in. They should also strongly criticize the myopic and primitive approach of the LNP.
Disappeared in a puff of blue smoke but magically back now. Thanks Michael
Steve, you got spammed out 🙂
<
@Rick Goodman
Come up here to Queensland.
We have a Health Minister who left school at 14 …. and his Assistant Minister of Health is a Doctor.
Wait …. wait a minute …. stay where you are !
I just realised the moron Prime Minister is also the Minister for Women's Affairs.
Kaye Lee for PM 🙂
Kaye, the clincher will be an admission (real or imagined) of a ‘foot fetish’ but only if encased in a ‘white shoe’.
Clive will understand that.
More chilling information (pun intended) about Global Warming pushing 2 degrees into 2036 – 2046 Scientific American.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mann-why-global-warming-will-cross-a-dangerous-threshold-in-2036/
I have been to the gold coast many times and I own a pair of white joggers, though I would caution against going anywhere near the feet enclosed in them. Will that suffice?
Kaye, Clive Palmer was the original ‘white shoe’ brigade leader. He made his (original) money through ‘deals’ on the Gold Coast. Further he led the ‘Joh for Canberra’ push (or perhaps that should be putsch – not that it matters.)
Palmer is no dill, (and the evidence abounds), but he is now a complete cynic. He knows that the average punter is somewhat lost. It matters not whether the appropriate analytical concept be ‘anomie’ or ‘alienation’, Palmer’s success is down to base motives, broadly defined.
While I’m so disappointed with the ALP (and now give my first preference to the Greens), I think that those who vote for Palmer, in any serious sense, have completely ‘lost it’.
All the more reason why he should employ me Matters Not. He is now playing an important game. I can show him how to be remembered as something other than the guy who bought his way into parliament.
Yep! And he knows only too well that he’s playing a ‘game’. But to suggest:
To be quite honest, what you might ‘show him’ is irrelevant and indeed ‘missing the point’ from his point of view..
Clive, like the ‘philosophy’ underpinning the IPA is all about Ayn Rand’s ‘The Virtue of Selfishness’.
And in that vein, I ask you why are you contributing these articles? How much are you being paid? If nothing? Then why? Why do you have an ‘altruistic’ tendency? Is it ‘natural’ or is it ‘learned’?
So many fundamental questions.
So you don’t think Clive would want me? I’m disappointed 🙁
Why do I do this? It’s a good way to avoid the work I should be doing. It gets the thoughts out of my head and it shares the burden rather than constantly haranguing my family and friends. But mainly, it’s because I HATE being lied to.
As I suspected, it’s all about ‘you’. Selfishness writ large? Just jokin …
At a more serious level. Is it possible that humans have motivations that go beyond the ‘self’? Perhaps, the ‘other’ writ large?
If we are going to be serious, which is difficult considering this is a job application to Clive Palmer, then yes, I hope my motivations go beyond myself. I am a teacher by profession and inclination. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping other people achieve things. I have always tried to fit in volunteer work around my paid work. My passing interest in politics in the past has now been inflamed by actions that I can no longer sit idly by and watch. I may be wasting my time but we do what we can. My husband would say it satisfies my benevolent despot tendencies.