Monthly Archives: June 2012

NZ Climate Science Coalition, Surface Record

Christchurch coldest day recorded at 0.4 degrees C – that is since 1863

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It must be remembered that the period of our instrumental weather data is short when compared to say the ~15,000 years since the last ice age.

We must also remember that cold records are set in the face of the ever expanding urban heat island (UHI). So cold records are more remarkable than warm records that are assisted higher by the ever increasing UHI.

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Thanks to Kiwis for tip off re NASA image.

News and Views

No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics forming political party in Canberra

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No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics are wanting ACT residents to become members.

The No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics is a centrist political party, registered nationally with 800 members Australia wide, and wants to be registered in the ACT for ACT elections by June 30th.

At the next ACT election on 20th October 2012 we will campaign primarily on the issue of the wastage of money by the current ACT government on “green programs” and other ideas that do not clearly benefit the environment, and cost ACT residents money.

We believe these wasted funds should instead be used to provide better ACT services across many areas. If you live in the ACT and would like to become a member we can sign you up for free membership before June 30th and send you monthly newsletters to keep you in touch.

To download a pdf application form.

You can scan and email completed forms to – nocarbontax (at sign) exemail dot com dot au
Or mail to Mr E Chvojan – PO box 1349 Fyshwick, ACT 2609
Authorised by Leon Ashby, 270 Chambers Rd., Mount Gambier, SA 5290

News and Views

Hypocrisy of the month – Indonesia

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Indonesia has asked Australia to explain how an alleged people smuggler, known as Captain Emad, was given a refugee protection visa in Australia.

You have to love Indonesia – who have been waving boat people through to Australia for years – harbouring all manner of people smuggling activity – and they go public to increase the Australian Govt’s acute embarrassment at the stunning revelations aired on the ABC’s Four Corners program.

Incidentally I have updated my monthly boat arrivals graphic – still looking for data for 2008 to July 2009. It shows the scale of the boom in arrivals in May.

Remember the Four Corners program will be replayed on Saturday 9 June at 8.00pm on ABC News24.

Resources

Fallacies in the reasons given for the extra tax on mining in Australia

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It is said by Treasury and our GreenLabor Govt in their justification for extra taxes on the mining sector that minerals are non-renewable – and to be sure once you dig out a ton of mineral – nothing grows in its place.

But this GreenLabor view is very simplistic and misleading way to see mineral resources – like a buried treasure chest of coins with the mining company in possession of some secret code which leads them to the chest where they proceed to wreak great profits by selling the property of the people.

In reality metal orebodies tend to be zones with higher grade sections surrounded by haloes of successively lower grade ore.

If the lower grade orebodies are not adjacent they might be further distant along a known mineral belt. So the history of mining shows that in practical terms we are never going to mine minerals out. While a defined orebody will be depleted by mining – history tells us that mineral exploration on average will more than replace this from somewhere – albeit at a slightly lower grade.

The simplistic and harmful Govt view also completely overlooks the facts of huge advances in mining technologies – using copper as an example history tells us that globally we have more copper reserves than we did in 1900. – And of course mined ore grades have declined over a century but technology has enabled us to produce copper at a lower real price.

All rather contrary to the Govt & Club of Rome dogmas that resources will run out at some specified year.

This publication has some excellent graphics – of which I have picked three linked below.

Schodde RC, “The key drivers behind resource growth: an analysis of the copper industry over the last 100 years”, Presentation to the Mineral Economics & Management Society (MEMS) session at the 2010 SME Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona March 2010.

p10 of 26 – Copper endowment has grown 25 fold in 100 years
p 14 of 26 – Copper grade mined has fallen for 100 years
p 21 of 26 – Over the last 100 years, the real price and cost of copper has halved

So to sum up – I am saying that there is no rational case for higher taxes on mining compared to any other industry.

Extra taxes on mining will only tend to drive investment offshore.

There is no free lunch – the Govt might grab extra taxes to redistribute to its constituencies – but unless all countries enact identical extra taxes – overall Australia will end up weaker with a proportionally smaller mining industry.