Good article - but what else is new?

I believe that Australia should definitely become the R&D hub not only for alternate fuel but for all Science in general.

We have some of the finest minds that produce amazing ideas... but alas we lose it all by exporting (them) or underpaying/overtaxing them to submission.

Oil is more than ever crucial on the world events' platform. Why do we continue to finance our enemies by buying their oil? Haven't we got any foresight beyond taxation and profits?

Australias commitment to research and development is and pretty much always has been woefull - even with tax breaks we struggled to get within a bulls roar of that of our OECD competitors - as we speak we are at the bottom , or near the bottom of the OECD league table.

While other nations investment in R&D as a % of GDP rises ours is falling.

Last year Sweden invested the equivalnet of 8.5% of GDP into R%D we plunged in about 3% against an OECD average of greater than 4.

We have the third most generous set of tax breaks for R&D compared to our copmetitors. We still fail to deliver

It says a great deal about the culture of our leading captains of industry

Comparisons are invidious even if the Scandavian countries have better lives than us etc. We are driven by the market so when the market says we should do some research you can bet there is a tax break or a ministerial pronouncement coming.
Would you kindly just bend your knee for the foremost, most insightful and forward thinking individual of our era, honest too boot.
Put your hand together for Johnny Howard. Hurrah.
Being Australian we will start when it is too late and still win. Consider the cricket! A thirst coming on time for a ---.

Let's just forget spending money on research and development. Let's save a heap of time and money.

Let's just copy Brazil. This year it is energy self sufficient. ie imports little or no oil.

It's Government legislated some time ago that every car in Brazil would run on ethanol.

Why don't we just do the same. Let's follow a leader in the third world. Why not? We'll soon be counted among them.

You know, I am a supporter of the liberal party. Yersterday I heard our treasurer exhort business not to hike up their prices on the back of the rising petrol price.

Well I'm also a business operator. My expenses have a sizeable component, about 25%, that is FUEL. Fuel prices have increased by something like 25%. Now this treasurer is suggesting I cop a reduction in income (Net) of about 6%.

I think he'd object or at least look askance at me, if I suggested he and every other employee, like he, cops a 6% reduction in net income.

I don't think the politicians in this country realise how angry we are. They think we are stupid.
Every week we watch petrol prices rise by 10-12c cents a litre every Wednesday afternoon and fall by the same amount every Mon/Tuesday.
Then they hold enquiries in to petrol pricing and the week before Easter issue a report saying there is no price manipulation of petrol. Yep the price of petrol rose by 20 cents a litre in the days before Easter. Obviously to every idiot there is no manipulation of prices there.

But what I really don't understand is that I can buy petrol at $1.19 a litre all week at one isolated and not widely known outlet (IN BRISBANE)while I watch prices vary from $1.18 to $1.30 over a week at every other servo, some only a few kilometers from MY stable supply.

No price gouging ...my ass.

There is the most urgent imperative for Australian science to concentrate on how we are going to get through the peak oil scenario (Peter Costello’s third oil shock), and steer the country away from continuous growth and towards sustainability.

As part of this, we would be very highly advised to look closely at Brazil’s approach, and to take on some of the good ideas operating in Scandinavian countries, Switzerland and the like.

I agree with Keith. How the hell can Costello expect any business not to pass on fuel price rises? We are looking at rapidly rising prices in all sorts of commodities and services as a result of rapidly rising fuel prices. Inflation will follow. Businesses will fail. Unemployment will increase. Some will not be affected while others will be severely affected. Civil strife will result.

The very fabric of our society could start to unravel.

So to repeat myself - there is the most urgent imperative for Australian science to concentrate on how we are going to get through the peak oil scenario and steer the country away from continuous growth and towards sustainability.

Well that is the first time I have posted on a thread without reading the article first.

I just read the article. Spot on Daniel.

“Peak oil is a reality and one that our government isn’t preparing us for.”

Absolutely.

This has got to be one of the most critical things in Australian politics right now…… if only people would realise it.