Australia leads the way - to poverty

In 2009-2010 Australia gave $41.1 million in foreign aid to China. In 2011 the Gillard government said they would remove China and India from the foreign aid program. But, you know what Gillard does. 2012-2013 we will give China $18.1 million.

Why are we padding the pocket of the largest commodity consumer on earth? China is the largest manufacturer of solar and wind products in the world. But, they don't use them in China. They don't give a tinker's cuss about Co2, they never did and they never will. But Australia charges down the road to poverty. GC.Ed.

One thing is clear: China's solar and wind power industries have grown at warp speed. Since 2008, production capacity of both photovoltaic (PV) modules used to assemble solar panels and wind turbines has doubled annually. China now dominates the world in manufacturing of PV modules and wind power equipment, producing far more than the domestic market can absorb. For instance, in 2010 China produced 8 gigawatts (GW) of PV modules, but only about 5% were used domestically; 95% would have to be exported. 

Read more:http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/03/chinas-booming-solar-and-wind-se.html

Around 6.6 billion tonnes of hard coal were used worldwide last year and 1 billion tonnes of brown coal. Since 2000, global coal consumption has grown faster than any other fuel. The five largest coal users - China, USA, India, Russia and Japan - account for 76% of total global coal use.

Read more:http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/

Comments

[Georgina]

1.

The government should provide Australia's citizens with a financial statement of all the taxpayers' money they spend including all the millions spent in aid, to UN from carbon tax, bribes for seat on UN security council and all their income and expenditure at home and abroud. It would not be a pretty picture and a blight on taxpayers. Give us your taxes and we will spend them as we like, or I should say "squander them as we like". Any business has to provide a balance sheet. Not even the Opposition is allowed to see a balance sheet and this should be obligatoy on the Party dealing with taxpayers' money.

[Anton]

2.

Meanwhile, back at home:

AUSTRALIA'S services sector contracted in December, weighed down by falls in discretionary household spending
http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/services-sector-contracts-in-december/story-e6frfkur-1226547513273

Who would have thought ripping the wealth from middle income families through taxation and energy cost increases would cause them to spend less? Unintended consequences?

Sub-sectors linked to household spending, such as retail trade and accommodation, cafes and restaurants all reported declines in activity in December.

This is where students, mothers returning to work part time and the unskilled get jobs. Labor - for the people, you know.

[Brian Haselum]

3.

I assume the $18.1 million Gillard is giving to China is borrowed money, I wonder from whom we borrow this money. China perhaps !!

[oldman]

4.

Who would have thought ripping the wealth from middle income families through taxation and energy cost increases would cause them to spend less? Unintended consequences?

How do you reach the conclusion above when your own link suggests otherwise?

1. "the high Australian dollar were a drag on household spending".
2. "the weak state of manufacturing, and residential and commercial construction is clearly still a major brake on sales and new orders". Less money to go around.
3. "public sector purchases are also suffering as governments cut back on their spending".

[Anton]

5.

The facts in my link support my assertion, their arts faculty standard analysis as always can be ignored.

How is the high $A having a drag on expenditure? People should be getting imported goods at lower cost, leaving more money to spend in restaurants and hotels. Australians are still earning A$

The weak state of manufacturing and construction is a result of government interference, including taxes. In line with my assertion

Public sector purchases are suffering as a result of funds being directed to vote buying activities, and the fact that all states are now broke (except WA maybe)

Learn to think instead of just believing