mel announcements, page-33

DB,

I do pity the long suffering NSW voters. What I don't get is why they've tolerated it so long ? There again , here in VIC we've got virtually no opposition either so I've probably just answered my own question. DOH!

I agree that the coal lobby in Australia is very powerful and don't forget that coal is Australia's largest export. Lots of royalties and lots of jobs.

Surely the govt could tippy toe around the power industry and still get a local lng industry going. More jobs , helps fund port expansion etc. Then as the world reduced emission policies take hold , the power generators can use some local gas in the power stations as the new 600mw HRL demonstration plant at Hazelwood is going to utilize. I wouldn't say that the coal industry is totally opposed though , they're just looking for compensation ( funded by a carbon tax or whatever ) which unfortunately we're all going to have to pay for.