Walter Mitty Motoring

Complete with winky blinky orange light.

This week I had another bush trip, and as has been the case recently, I was allocated a hire rather than a fleet car.

We hire from Avis, and a four-wheel drive is specified, so I’m usually set up with an SUV, mostly  Outlander or X Trail. Apparently, that is what is specified by the agency if you’re heading off the beaten track. O H & S etc.

Not this time.

When I went to collect the vehicle, Avis’ computers were down, which was creating a major headache for staff. They couldn’t tell what vehicles were required, and when, and it severely limited their flexibility.

Only vehicles not usually up for hire could be allocated, so I ended up with a Toyota Prado. With the mining downturn, plenty of these things are spare at the moment.

It was well and truly kitted out for mining work.

It had an HF radio, a bull bar, a winky blinky light on top, an orange flag, and a first aid kit.

Fortunately, I didn’t need any of these things during my trip, although I did enjoy leaving the scanner switched on and eavesdropping on the CB communications up and down the Warrego.

HF Radio, extinguisher and smelly seatcovers

 I heard language I remembered from the army.

Driving it reminded me of my stint in the North-West. In those days we used Toyotas, but they were generally 80 Series Cruisers. This thing, a J150, had done 41000 km, and was in fairly good nick.

It lacked bumps and scrapes, unlike most rental vehicles, so I don’t think it had a hard life. It felt like an 80 Series, but had all the gismos (Bluetooth, cruise, USB music and the foulest smelling plastic seat covers I’ve ever encountered.

They looked proof against nuclear attack, and could probably have been hosed clean.

It drove OK, once you accepted that it had general steering. By general steering, I mean that it generally followed the direction you pointed the wheel in. You had to be a bit patient, and wait for the direction to change. It always did, generally.

It was powered by a big lump of a four cylinder knocker (diesel) with a turbocharger, which lacked the response of (say) a Territory diesel, but cruised easily at 110km/hr.

Didn't get to use the orange flag.

Economy is not necessarily a strong point, as it averaged 9.5 lit/100km according to the readout.  

Overtaking was a bit fraught, and had to be planned carefully.

Surprisingly for a work truck, it was very comfortable, and the seat/wheel alignment could be adjusted to suit my bizarre anatomy.

Perhaps the only downside was the occasional dirty looks I received from some of the locals.

Miners aren't all that popular along the Warrego, especially in Miles.  

 Here's a bit of video (West of Dalby) - 

Taxing Times

Do you pay tax, gentle reader?

I do, and have done so  since 1963, when I started work at age fifteen.

The only exception to that was the year (1970) when I was on active service in South Vietnam.

Mind you, the ATO wasn't all that happy about that, and sent me a nasty letter in 1972 (it took them two years to catch up with me)  complaining that I hadn't submitted a return for the 1970 - 71 financial year.

Sending them a copy of my discharge certificate did the trick, but I never did get any acknowledgement or apology.

So that means I've been paying tax for fifty-two years, all my working life. It would be interesting to calculate the total I've paid during that time.

I reckon it would be well over six figures.

It is a bit mind-blowing, therefore, to be apprised of the fact that about 1500 corporate entities operating in this country haven't paid tax during the  2013 - 14 income year.

Here, gentle reader, is the complete list. It makes compelling reading.

Note, once you get past those that paid no tax (first section in the list) you get to see the list of those who did actually pay tax. For these, the interesting part is the percentage of tax paid as a proportion of income. It averages at about 5%.

Anyhow, it's fascinating to note the following -

1. Many corporations earn considerable income, but no taxable income is listed.

2. Many corporations have taxable income listed, but pay no tax.

3. Those that do pay tax, generally pay anything between 5% and 10%. Compare that with what you pay.

Some well know corporations are worth a mention -

ACER Computer Australia earned $309,078,107 and paid no tax.

General Motors Australia earned $4,138,128,813 but paid no tax.

Puma Energy Holdings (Australia) earned $2,449,375,592 but - you guessed it - paid no tax.

 

Hard to believe? perhaps, but these are official ATO figures. Obviously there's a whole litany of tax whispering dodges that mere mortals like you and I aren't privileged to access.

To quote one notorious Australian pollie - please explain!

So in summary - thousands of corporations operating in this country earn revenue in this country but pay no tax in this country. Those that do pay an average of 5%.

That's a bloody sight less than what I pay, and have paid for over fifty years. It's clearly unjust, but is possible because there is a very profitable tax minimization industry operating in Australia, as it does everywhere else in the world.

As they say in the classics, there are crooks, and then there are tax lawyers. Generally the two groups are indistinguishable.

Perhaps the only action open to the mug taxpayer (like you and me) is to reveal the truth, and perhaps boycott the tax evading corporations. Maybe a social media campaign would be effective.

The News Limited media writes about dole bludgers. I wonder what it would take to get them to acknowledge tax bludgers?

But hang about, News Limited paid no tax on their $2.8 billion revenue last financial year.

There's a connection there somewhere.

Locusts - Update

Pics courtesy Weekend Australian

Regular readers will recall this post on 27th June.

The Weekend Australian cottoned on to the same issue I posted about back then, and did a feature story yesterday. It's tucked behind Rupert's firewall, but if you click on the link above, you can read the text.

They obviously spoke to the same people I did.

It's good to know they look to this humble blog for story tips.

The Last Straw?

I listened to an interview on ABC Southern Queensland this morning with the head honcho from one of the regional councils on the Downs.

The issue was the granting of public accommodation licences to mining companies whose accommodation facilities were emptying rapidly as they transition from exploration to extraction. They reckon they can make a quid by getting into the Grey Nomad market.

This mayor, when asked about unfair competition with existing motels, said that was not part of the submission process.

I wonder how the moteliers in these towns feel about this.

The fact is, many are on the verge of bankruptcy as occupancy rates drop to almost zero, after they have invested heavily in extensions, refurbishments, and in some cases, new facilities in anticipation of the boom that never eventuated.

The local government authorities seem to be in league with the mining companies in a quest to destroy the communities that pay their salaries.

It's more than shameful.  

I Dare Not Speak Its Name

There was a time when I used to comment on Sinclair Davidson's Catallaxy blog.

It is a refuge for a weird bunch. Regular contributors include bitter ex-service personnel who never left Australia, raving imperialists, absolute nutters, and the occasional psychopath, but it was always excellent entertainment.

Then I was banned.

The reason for this was my mention of the fact that mining companies receive a rebate on diesel fuel costs, which amounts to a fair old whack (it will amount to $14 billion in the next four years). This was in the context of complaints about the taxpayer subsidising alternative energy investment through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

This issue is being kicked around again. Metronome Tone has thrown a tanty because he has been unable to shut down said CEFC. The senate won't let him.

The point is, the extent of subsidies to the mining industry to those with a finger in the pie like Davidson is censored information. You dare not speak its name. There are too many irons in the fire - too much vested interest. The truth spoils the narrative.

The report of the Australia Institute is lengthy, but this extract from the introduction gives you an idea of the extent of the taxpayer support for these profitable enterprises -

This paper is the first attempt to put a dollar figure on the value of state assistance to the mining industry. It shows that over a six-year period, state governments in Australia spent $17.6 billion supporting the mineral and fossil fuel industries. Queensland’s assistance was by far the largest of all states, totalling $9.5 billion, followed by Western Australia’s at $6.2 billion.
State government assistance to the mineral and fossil fuel industries appears substantial even when compared to big budget items, such as health, education and law and order. For example, Queensland’s expenditure on these industries in 2013-14 is similar to the amount to be spent on disability services and capital expenditure on hospitals. Queensland will spend as much on supporting the mining industry as it does on supporting some of its most vulnerable citizens. Similarly, industry assistance in Western Australia is substantial when compared to police and health, and in New South Wales, it is comparable to other important budget items such as managing the state’s national parks and providing accommodation for those with disabilities.

If you are interested in the history and quantum of these subsidies, read this. 

You'll need to put some time aside. It's 70 pages long.

The amount of these subsidies is eye-watering.

But, whatever you do, don't speak or write about it in public. 

Locusts

Mining camp - Pic courtesy Toowoomba Chronicle

"Bastards!"

That was the description the motelier used when I asked him how the town was faring now that the gas projects had moved on to extraction. I was booking into a motel in a town in the Surat basin. 

It's not a large town, there aren't very many motels, and he was in conversation with me, gentle reader, not you, so I won't identify the place.

I was the only person booking in that night (last Tuesday).

The motelier was referring to the mining companies which have recently moved from the construction phase of their projects to the extraction phase.

"Bastards!" He repeated. "They're sending us all broke".

I had driven into town from the south, passing the airport. There was an Alliance 717 on the Tarmac. Three charter buses were pulling up, discharging a gaggle of blokes in hi-vis gear. 

Later, after this brief and bitter conversation, I wandered down to the Foodworks to pick up some tucker. There weren't any blokes in hi-vis gear in the supermarket.They're not in the habit of shopping there. 

Everything they consume at the camp is trucked in under contract from hundreds of kilometres away. 

They spend no money in the town.When I pressed the motelier about what he meant, he alluded briefly to locals investing in businesses and property in town in anticipation of growth, only to be left in the lurch. 

Two new motels had been built in anticipation of the boom. They're pretty much empty, as was the one I was staying in.

The mining companies simply bypassed them. Everything from the workers to the kit is sourced from the coast or down south. The anger and despair in town is palpable.

On checking out the following morning I asked the question, which as a teacher, I always ask.

"Are they employing local kids?"

The answer was "No, although they put an apprentice on last year. It was all over the paper", he said. "Nothing before or since - just a token".

As I was leaving, mine host made one thoughtful remark - 

"They've refined the methodology of destroying small communities, and they're following it to the letter. The local council went like lambs to the slaughter. They approved everything, yet they're supposed to be looking after us, their ratepayers".

I kid you not - that's verbatim.When I asked him why this was occurring, he said it was all about control. They (the mining companies) want to control every aspect of their employees lives - where they live, with whom they associate, and where they spend their money, he said.

What he didn't say was that none of them, as a condition of employment, could live outside the camp, nor could they join a union. Or more accurately, if they did, they had to make sure that their employer didn't find out about it. 

The biggest threat to corporate control of power in this country is organised labour. That's why the mining multinationals and their minions in our federal government are so determined to eliminate it from our national life.

Why "locusts?

That's what the locals call the mining multinationals......... 

Update 1 -
The ABC reads my blog. This story will be featured on Landline on Sunday at noon. 

Update 2 -
This feature article appeared in the on the front page of the Weekend Australian on 15th August 2015. It's satisfying to know that this story is worth writing about, and not simply an anti-mining rant as inferred by some of my readers who inhabit the extreme Right of the political spectrum.

The first page of the Oz story - click to enlarge.

 

Second page.

Stating the Obvious

 The Rightwing blogosphere is hyperventilating about Obama's remarks on the reef at the G20. Apparently the Queensland government is "incensed".

The only thing the Queensland government is incensed about is that they couldn’t control what the visiting leaders said.
 
Everything Obama said about the reef is true. Noddy and the collection of white shoe spivs that constitute his administration are worried that the mining and real estate interests that are the real government in Queensland will come off second best, if the mad rush to exploit coal and gas is more carefully regulated. Instead of listening to paid shills in the US media (like Andrew Bolt here), Obama actually reads and understands the science.

He also understands the difference between warming and the rate of warming. Bolt spouts the “no warming since 1998” nonsense because he believes his readers can’t tell the difference between a trend and a rate. Obviously, some of them can’t – particularly those who think the earth is flat. A quick perusal of the science shows that warming has continued unabated since 1968. The only thing that’s changed is the rate. The car is still heading for the cliff, only now it’s traveling at 40km per hour instead of 60.

The agreement between China and USA is a watershed. Obama doesn’t need congress to implement his side of the bargain, and the Chinese have no choice, given the toxic atmosphere which most urban Chinese experience.

Only 1 percent of the China’s 560 million city dwellers breathe air considered safe by international standards. Air pollution is particularly bad in the rust belt areas of northeastern China. A study done by the World Health Organization estimated that the amount of airborne suspended particulates in northern China are almost 20 times what WHO considers a safe level.

A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center before the 2008 Olympics found that 74 percent of the Chinese interviewed said they were concerned about air pollution. It’s got much worse since and kills over half a million Chinese annually. The irony in this is that the pollution is a daily fact of life for the most populous nation on earth – it’s visible – and despite the restraints of command economy, the Chinese people will not, in the long run, continue to tolerate it. The leadership is well aware that China has no choice.

China has the world highest number of deaths attributed to air pollution. The World Health Organization estimated in 2007 that 656,000 Chinese died prematurely each year from ailments caused by indoor and outdoor air.

So it’s going to happen.

The two most powerful and polluting nations on earth are taking action. The rest of the world, including Australia, has no choice. The Coalition's only remaining argument against an ETS has vanished into thin (hopefully unpolluted) air. Reference to the Green Climate Fund, of which Abbott has been highly critical, was inserted into the final G20 communiqué after pressure from Japan,  the USA, South Korea and the European Union.

If Abbott and co had any sense they’d be planning for an economy when the rest of the world won’t want our coal any more, or at least nowhere as much of it as they do know. It looks as if, behind the bluster, they've woken up to that reality. The FTA with China, whilst of doubtful value to everyday Australians, especially those who can't find work, significantly broadens the base of what we can profitability sell to China.

The pragmatists in the Coalition have sniffed the global breeze, and come to the only rational conclusion. Their spin merchants will never let that get in the way of a discredited three word slogan, of course.

Here Today - Gone Tomorrow

Camp on the Eastern outskirts of Miles.

I've been traveling through Miles now for years, almost on a fortnightly basis.

It's interesting to review the effect the Surat basin mining boom has had on this once sleepy town.

There was a time when you could land in Miles and expect to pick up a motel room on spec. Not any more. You need to phone at least a month ahead, and you'll get a room if you're lucky.

You'll also pay a good 30% more for it than you did before the "boom".

I put "boom" in inverted commas for very good reason.

It is really an oversold myth if you're a local. Sure, if you run a motel, a service station, or a supermarket, you've probably done OK.

Funny thing is, any small business that looks like it's going to do well invariably gets bought out by a large business. The mining corporations generally buy the motels.

The effect of this is that the locals get shoved aside, literally as well as metaphorically. Local kids don't get employed on the mine sites. Most of the workers come from far away - not only other parts of Oz, but other parts of the world.

Mining rigs have taken over the centre of town. Some are so long that they block access to shops and motels when parked in the main street. If I parked across a driveway I'd be booked pretty swiftly by the local plod, but these characters seem to get away with it.

I got a bit lost between Grosmont and Wandoan the other day, so pulled into a mining camp in the middle of nowhere to ask directions. 

The problem was finding someone who spoke English. I was reminded of being lost in Vung Tau a few years ago.

The first two blokes I encountered (Chinese, perhaps) didn't. Eventually I found a red haired individual who turned out to be an Irish engineer. He spoke something resembling my mother tongue, and set me on the right track to find the Leichhardt Highway.

So what the "boom"means to the locals is the following -
All costs escalate.
People from outside town get the jobs.
People from outside town get accommodation.
People from outside town fly out at the end of their shifts and spend their money somewhere else.
People from outside town couldn't give a stuff about the local community, and despite all the money their companies spend on PR, it's obvious.
No wonder the locals call them "locusts".

The panorama shows a camp built on the edge of town.
It has to be the most visually ugly construction in Miles.

As Forest Gump could have said - Ugly is as ugly does................

Unintended Consequences

On my many travels along the Warrego, I have noticed a strange and growing phenomenon.

There are heaps of Hi-Luxes with hi-viz markings tooling up and down the highway. Invariably, they clump together like some form of mobile soap scum – you know, the pattern that develops on the top of an old washing copper.

I’m old enough to remember that.

Anyway, these utes are all owned by mining companies. These same mining companies have pretty much colonised the Surat basin.

Each and every on of them is fitted with a GPS tracker. This cunning device, sends a signal back to a base somewhere. This signal contains real time information about speed and location.

If a unit exceeds the speed limit, an alarm goes off back in base, and the driver comes in for a grilling.

Consequentially, they all stay 1kph below the limit.

Given that you need to exceed the limit to overtake anyone travelling less than about 90 kph, mining vehicles don’t overtake.

Hence the “clumping” which is inherently quite dangerous, as motorists not carrying tell-tale GPS will try to pass long convoys of slow vehicles.

It indicates centralisation taken to extremes, and is a text-book example of unintended consequences.

And it is dangerous.

Driving the Warrego

I've been driving up and down the Warrego Highway in this job since 2006, 

and have seen lots of changes.

Not all of them are for the better.

This was brought home to me yesterday when I arrived on the scene of an accident at 6.30 am on the journey West.

It was an all-too-familiar scenario. Two young men in a small sedan had been heading East and had stopped on a three lane section of road (two lanes West; one lane East) to turn on to a side road. A woman driving a larger car had not seen them (sun in her eyes?) and ploughed into the back of their car at full speed.

On that section of road, full speed was probably about 80kph.

By the time I'd pulled up, a bloke in army uniform had helped her out of her car and was doing a good job of looking after her, so I went to the help of the two men in the other car. It had copped a helluva whack, as it was about two-thirds its original length. The fact that it folded up pretty comprehensively, probably contributed to the fact that neither were badly injured, although shocked and bruised.

I sat them down, offered reassurance, and set about trying to make sure that no one else ended up adding to the chaos, as the position of the sun was a problem for the Eastbound traffic.

Most drivers slowed, but about 10% didn't. Unfortunately this 10% are always on the road. I see them all the time.

The towies turned up  in about ten minutes, and the emergency services people in about fifteen. The towies obviously monitor the police frequencies.

Fortunately, none of the injuries were life threatening, but I'd be surprised if the woman in the second car didn't need to spend some time in hospital.

I resumed my 350 km journey, pondering how much more dangerous this road has become since I started driving it seven years ago.

The explosion of mining development in the Surat basin has a cost. There's so much more traffic, the road has been steadily destroyed by the heavy machinery, and seems to need rebuilding every two years.

Your taxes and mine are paying for this. It's a pity the mining companies aren't paying their share, and it doesn't look like they ever will.