How can BHP expand production at Olympic Dam without a new source of power? Can Australia really increase production volumes in its minerals and metals industry without increasing the number of natural-gas fired plants that run on gas from the North West Shelf? These must be the questions that keep mine executives up at night, among other things.
As always, a very interesting piece of analysis from the guys at The Daily Reckoning…
Yes, it’s all good. Build more coal fired plants. Move those resources. Sell, sell.
Successive governments have failed to reinvest this country’s vast wealth. Oceans of untapped funds sit idly in the bank.
The money is being used to raise the short term standard of living and to encourage the new wave of immigrants to breed like rabbits. Little money is being spent building infrastructure. It is one of the shortcomings of set term governments. Please the masses, now!
Governments should not always operate like private enterprise. Spending money must not always be weighed up against the potential to recoup cost.
There is a pressing need to alter our landscape once and for all in order to continue living in it. Surely a country as flat and dry as ours can have a decent freight rail network? How about solar power and wind turbines? Even something simple like solar hot water?
All these however struggle to get anywhere. All a lobbyist needs do is remind “the poor battler” his power will go up by 3% and it’s curtains for solar power.
More to the point; we need power to satisfy this need? Go get it. Anywhere, anyhow. I’m not being sarcastic. When the investment starts paying off and the export dollars roll in, do something with them.
People have an inexorable hunger for power and will use the most they are allowed or afford. Chosing to use less is not an option. They sleep smugly at night with the impression their Earth Hour stunt helped saved the Planet. One wonders how the power used to promote Earth Hour weighs up against the power saved by it.
In closing I’d like to throw a Christian among the lions: When, not if, when China finishes showcasing itself to the world after the Olympics demand for our mineral exports will diminish. They’ll go back to the good old commie ways because a rich, fat, educated Chinaman is difficult to oppress. Discuss and have a good night.