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[ginwritesstuff]

Lost Democracy: Why New Zealanders living in Australia should be granted the right to vote

The following is a speech written by Virginia Streit as part of course work for her master’s degree in communication.

I am a New Zealander living in Australia and though the history of trans-Tasman cooperation between our countries is as old as their European colonisation, though we fought side by side in trenches, help each other through natural disasters, share the same passions – a love of sport, Vegemite and barbeques – I am unable to vote here.

New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote, but I have lost that right, having been away from New Zealand for too long to vote there. This is because Australia, despite granting her trans-Tasman sister many other privileges, denies me this, what I believe is the most important role in democratic life.

In 1973 our governments announced the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement (TTTA), enabling citizens of New Zealand and Australia to live, work and vote in both countries.

Government studies cite that New Zealand migration has had positive benefits for Australia, yet in the 1990s, attention was drawn to Kiwis claiming unemployment benefits here. New Zealand meanwhile was concerned about a drain of skilled workers. In 2001 the two governments agreed to change the TTTA, denying Kiwis who arrived from then on access to Australian Government benefits and crucially the right to vote. The 64,600 Australians living in New Zealand continue to benefit from the same rights New Zealand citizens enjoy, such as financial support and voting.

However the changes haven’t deterred Kiwis from moving here – by June 2012 an estimated 670,000 New Zealanders were living in Australia.

If Australia is worried about the so called burden of too many New Zealanders crossing the Tasman, it should implement measures to ensure the system isn’t taken advantage of. This is preferable to denying hard working, tax-paying New Zealanders who still call Australia home the democratic right to vote.

A betters solution would be that the Australian government introduces a five year waiting period in which the New Zealander will show they aren’t a ‘Bondi Bludger’, as 90s media reports called them. Proof of the individual’s investment in Australia should be required.

For example, in order to receive a Medicare card, I had to provide receipts that showed I had shipped household goods here; letters of proof that I had full-time work, utilities contracts and a residential rental contract with my name. To grant a New Zealander voting rights on the basis of the same documentation, is not unreasonable, and it would reduce the risk of loopholes with which some might take advantage of the system. 

Whatever the criteria for eligibility, the fact remains: New Zealanders living in Australia are paying taxes and should be able to decide how they’re spent. We contribute financially to Australia’s welfare system, infrastructure, the education and health sectors – just like any other working Australian.

The fact that the changes to the TTTA have not deterred New Zealand migration, shows that we aren’t here to bludge: we come here because we feel at home; we’re among family; the same reason why Australians go to New Zealand. To deny us the right to vote, while Australians can vote for the governments of New Zealand, is not just unfair – it is simply not how brothers and sisters should treat each other.

An amendment to the TTTA allowing New Zealanders to vote in Australia would bring these two siblings closer and continue to strengthen the trans-Tasman relationship upon which so much of our nations’ shared history has already been built.

Bibliography

Australian Government Productivity Commission and New Zealand Productivity Commission 2012, Strengthening economic relations between Australia and New Zealand, <http://transtasman-review.pc.gov.au/sites/default/files/13-D%20-%20Cross%20border%20movement%20of%20people.pdf>

Fact Sheet 17: New Zealanders in Australia, Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, viewed 21 August 2013, <http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/17nz.htm>

Goff, Phil (Hon) 2001, ‘The Trans-Tasman Relationship: A New Zealand Perspective’, Australian Review of Public Affairs, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-9. Retrieved August 23 2013 from ARPA database.

Kearney, Judith 2012, ‘Unlucky in a lucky country: A commentary on policies and practices that restrict access to higher education in Australia’, Journal of Social Inclusion, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 130-134. Retrieved August 21, 2016 from Griffith University ePress database.

New Zealand women and the vote: Suffrage and beyond, New Zealand History Online, viewed 23 August 2013, <http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/womens-suffrage>

Voting and elections for Australians in New Zealand, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, viewed 21 August 2013, <http://www.nzembassy.com/australia/relationship-between-new-zealand-and-australia/australians-new-zealand/voting-and-elections>

[ginwritesstuff]

Cultural Tourism: New Zealand and the 100% Middle-earth campaign

The following is an essay written by Virginia Streit as part of course work for her master's degree in communication.

In August 2012 Tourism New Zealand unveiled its 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand campaign in the lead up to the world premiere of Peter Jackson’s new movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first in a series of three films to be released based on JRRR Tolkien’s novel. The campaign visualises New Zealand not just as the shooting location of the film, but as the ‘real Middle-earth’; a promise of a holiday adventure of epic proportions targeting fans and potential tourists across the globe.

According to Tourism New Zealand, in 2004, the year after the release of the last film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, six percent of visitors to New Zealand said that the Lord of the Rings films was one of the main reasons for their trip and since then an average of 47,000 international visitors each year have visited one of these film locations (Tourism New Zealand 2013).

Furthermore, tourism plays an important role in New Zealand’s economy. In the financial year ending in March 2012, tourism generated a direct contribution of $6.2 billion to the nation’s GDP, equating to 3.3%, with an indirect value added through other industries generating an addition $9.7 billion for tourism (Statistics New Zealand 2012). With no other country able to market itself as the world’s most famous cinematic fantasy land, Tourism New Zealand leveraged the building hype over The Hobbit to give their new campaign a unique and exotic angle.

Central to the campaign is a series of images used on New Zealand’s destination website and other promotional material, which show landscapes identifiable with the film (and the previous Lord of the Rings trilogy, also set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth and also filmed in New Zealand). The photographs denote possible activities visitors can undertake, such as hiking, horse riding, wine tasting, swimming and cycling, while viewing breath-taking scenery. These images are intercut with sketches of scenes from the film, cleverly created to be able to be overlayed across the photographs, giving the viewer the sense that they are of the same landscape. The juxtaposition of photographs and sketches reminds the viewer or educates those not familiar with the films about scenes from The Hobbit and connote a sense of adventure and perhaps even danger. They have a dual role of advertising places to see and things to do in New Zealand, while acting as signifiers of journeying to another land.

The images also form the basis of a television commercial, in which a gentle, mature, male voice narrates: “Your journey starts beneath southern skies…” (YouTube). The spoken words do not make direct mention of The Hobbit or Middle-earth, although the final scene shows “Hobbiton”, one of the film locations which is now open to the public. According to a spokesperson from Tourism New Zealand, this is mainly to ensure sign off from Warner Brothers, who own all assets to the movie (‘Tourism New Zealand’s online campaign goes live today’ 2012). Despite the lack of reference to the film, the commercial supports the key message of the ‘real Middle-earth’ experience through the repetition of imagery used in other parts of the campaign, as well as phrases which recall scenes from the film. “Giant eagles” and creatures dwelling in caves both feature in The Hobbit, while the lines “wizards turn water into wine”, “treasure is found under foot” and “play on mountains protected by gods” are reflective of moments in the film narrative. The commercial concludes with “traveller, your dreams are waiting”. All these vignettes connote adventure, escape and a fantasy experience to entice anyone, fan of the films or not. The images are indexes of the ‘essence’ of New Zealand and belong to the paradigm of things in nature: mountains, lakes, caves, ocean, plains and the sky.

In addition to promotional imagery, Tourism New Zealand turned parts of New Zealand into replicas of Middle-earth: its “iSITE” information centres were given a makeover of round doors reminiscent of The Hobbit’s “Bag End” and shoot locations from the film were rebadged as “Rivendell” and “Hobbiton”. New Zealand’s website promotes The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings tours (NewZealand.com.au) and offers the chance to take helicopter flights over mountains or kayak across lakes shown in the film.

Facebook and Twitter promoted the campaign by sharing images of New Zealand as Middle-earth and encouraging social media users to add the hash tag #realmiddleearth when sharing their stories about their trips. The hash tag succinctly sums up the key message of the campaign: ‘Come to New Zealand – it is the real Middle-earth which you are able to experience, not just see on the silver screen’.

The campaign makes use of strategic promotional partnerships between Tourism New Zealand and other entities, such as Air New Zealand, New Zealand Post, Channel One News and of course Weta Workshop, Peter Jackson’s celebrated prop and effects company. New Zealand Post released stamps featuring characters from The Hobbit (NZ Post), which when affixed to letters being sent overseas, promote not only the film but New Zealand to their international recipients. The country’s international airports have been dressed up to mimic sets from the film and some of Air New Zealand’s planes were even given a movie make-over (Air New Zealand). In the airline’s tradition of unusual and humorous in-flight safety videos, it called itself “Air Middle-earth” and dressed its onboard personnel as elves, while passengers (including Peter Jackson himself and an animated crawling Gollum) dressed as a variety of Middle-earth inspired characters, demonstrate the safety procedures.

Leading up to the world premiere of The Hobbit in the nation’s capital Wellington, arriving visitors could choose to have their passport stamped with “Welcome to Middle-earth” (Facebook). Channel One News host Tamati Coffey dressed as an elf and presented the weather forecast in Elvish, after being coached by an official ‘Sindarin Elvish’ dialect coach (‘New Zealand airs Middle-earth weather forecast’ 2012).

These various parts of the campaign form a fantasy projection of what life in Middle-earth could be (‘Lecture 10 – Big Things’ 2013 p.10). There are literal recreations of the fictional country in which The Hobbit is set. Locations such as “Hobbiton” are open for explorers to visit and safari tours of various settings throughout the film and the previous Lord of the Rings movie trilogy show visitors “why this magnificent country was chosen to portray Middle-earth” (NewZealand.com.au).

For fans of Tolkien’s books or Jackson’s movies, the 100% Middle-earth campaign promises travellers the opportunity to live out a fantasy of being in the story themselves as explorers in an exotic and exciting adventure, experiencing what feels like danger, from the safety of tourism board created reality. Using their knowledge of the film, fans can decode the imagery used in the campaign to recognise locations, characters and themes, such as the emphasis on the journey, adventure and treasure seeking. They are rewarded for their knowledge with the ability to purchase official souvenirs created by Weta Workshop in tandem with the campaign, such as the “One Ring” and other movie replicas. Unlike the travellers in The Hobbit however, tourists feel assured that there is no real threat and confident of their return home. This assurance is achieved through using images of families with children, uplifting music and light-hearted humour to disarm any real danger. For example, Lord of the Rings’ Witch-king is asked to switch off his electronic devices before take off during Air New Zealand’s in flight safety video.

Despite the fact that Tolkien set his books in a land akin to medieval England and based many of his locations, names and languages on Norse mythology, New Zealand, far from the land of its settlers, has been fashioned to accommodate the author’s vision. There is an element of “ritual pilgrimage” (‘Lecture 10 – Big Things’ 2013 p.9) for fans, especially given how far away New Zealand is from most of the world. For members of the ‘cult of Tolkien’, making the long trip across the world to New Zealand could be seen as akin to travelling the stations of the cross, with tours taking them on each stage of The Hobbit’s titular character’s journey. Weta Workshop, even sell a map of New Zealand styled as Middle-earth (Weta Workshop), which shows travellers film locations.

There is a sense of exclusivity and prestige available only to those who make the pilgrimage to New Zealand. They can return content that they have taken their viewing of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to the next level, not merely as an observer, but as a participant experiencing Middle-earth in real life. They can return bearing a replica of “The One Ring” and have photos of themselves taken in “Hobbiton” or holding swords used by Dwarfs, as if they themselves were part of Tolkien’s story. The Middle-earth traveller can declare him or herself as a true fan. In return, the sites visited by them also gain prestige and benefit through commerce and further publicity, when the travellers return home and tell their friends and family about their trip, or writes about it in blogs and Facebook, encouraging new visitors to make the pilgrimage. Revenue is generated, jobs created along the tourist trail and perhaps there is a sense of celebrity for locals who can claim to be part of the Middle-earth experience.

Those less familiar with The Hobbit universe, without the knowledge of the films required to decode the Middle-earth related meanings, haven’t been excluded from the campaign. For them, the fantasy projection is of a land beyond the boundaries of the reality of work, family duty, city life, politics and the concerns of the modern day. “Welcome to a place where fantasy comes to life”, says a slogan at Auckland Airport. The font it is written in can be decoded as similar to script used in the middle ages or (to those with Middle-earth knowledge) to Tolkien’s script in his books. It is surrounded by a pattern reminiscent of Elvish devices in both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. The slogan heralds the traveller’s arrival in Middle-earth. For non-fans, the slogan connotes the beginning of an adventure and the leaving behind the daily grind: the aforementioned fantasy projection.

Tourism New Zealand has made exploring Middle-earth user friendly, by allowing visitors to decipher its displays through guides, tours and signage. In this way it has drawn upon the principle of ‘legibility’ (Dicks 2003, p. 12), ensuring visitors are focussed on specific locations created or enhanced for the purpose of tourism. Examples include “Hobbiton” in Matamata and “Rivendell” in Upper Hutt, the location for both clearly signposted and communicated on various tourist websites, guides and maps. The “iSITE” information centres, the purpose of which is to provide visitor information, have themselves been transformed into signifiers of the Middle-earth, having been made over to mimic Middle-earth style housing. The film induced tourism sites have been created so that the traveller can experience interactivity within a fictional universe, “packaged into views, walks, trails, wall-boards, little worlds and parks through techniques of encapsulation, simulation and miniaturization” (Dicks 2003, p.11).

Through the 100% Middle-earth campaign, New Zealand has become an exhibition of movie memorabilia. The country has been opened up for all to view; seemingly unexplored forests, to treacherous glaciers, wild rivers and the darkest caves are now an adventure playground for domestic and overseas visitors who themselves wish to follow the path of The Hobbit’s Bilbo Baggins. The campaign promises that this terrain isn’t just for the seasoned explorer, but can be enjoyed by everyone.

Tours, such as the ‘Lord of the Rings Edoras Tour’ not only show off New Zealand’s breath-taking landscape, but also offer participants the chance to hold replicas of swords and other props used in the films (Lord of the Rings Tours), as well as showing scenes from the films on a portable DVD player to remind travellers of scenes from the film (Lord of the Rings Tours).

The campaign shows elements of the paradigm of natural, untouched wilderness, as well as Tourism New Zealand’s primary campaign, 100% Pure New Zealand, including epic sweeping landscapes, wild forests, snowy peaked mountains and mysterious caves, brought together in syntagmatic combination.

The viewability has been enhanced through well marked coherent and legible set of views, vistas , scenes, which enable the visitor to locate the advertised cultural identity of the place easily and quickly (Dicks 2003, p. 198).

The terror and beauty of nature is an important element in The Hobbit, as the mountains turn to savage warring giants, caves are treacherous dark labyrinths and the journey across mountains and plateaus seems endless and fraught with danger. The powerful scenes of nature portrayed in the imagery used by Tourism New Zealand (Facebook) echo the Romantics’ notions of ‘the sublime’; they are “marked by grandeur, vastness, incomprehensibility and the power to cause an intense pleasure in the observer, a pleasure that has transcendent qualities” (Prickett 2007, p1). Just like the Romantics, who sought out mountains for the sublime experience, to be “in the presence of powerful natural forces” (‘Lecture 10 – Big Things’ 2013 p.15), a traveller to New Zealand is invited to feel what The Hobbit and his Dwarf companions must have felt, as they set out upon their quest.

The landscapes of New Zealand would have been viewed as beautiful before the 100% Middle-earth campaign, however now the association with the fantasy land has allowed them to transcend to the sublime because of their ability to transport the observer into another world.

In the Lord of the Rings films and The Hobbit, Sauron appears as a fiery, all-seeing eye atop his fortress tower, Barad-dur: a literal ‘eye of power’, which watches all of Middle-earth and commands armies of beasts throughout. Mount Doom is where Sauron forged the ‘One Ring’, the object of much desire in the films. In Peter Jackson’s realisation of Middle-earth, two of New Zealand’s most famous mountains, Mount Ruapehu, the highest peak in the North Island and Mount Ngauruhoe – which happen to also be live volcanoes – are used to depict it.

These open movie locations, welcoming anyone to see something which was previously reserved for a few (Bennett 1988 p.77). By hiking to the top of Mount Ruapehu, or standing against the fence of Bag End overlooking “Hobbiton”, visitors can survey New Zealand and Middle-earth, feel immersed in the fantasy, while experiencing a rare chance to be in a blockbuster movie location.

Despite winning an award for ‘World’s Leading Destination Marketing Campaign’ in the World Travel Awards 2012 (‘Middle Earth tourism campaign lauded’ 2012), the 100% Middle-earth campaign has also come under some criticism, which from the point of view of cultural tourism, must be noted.

One leading New Zealand based online news publication asked whether the “Middle-earth frenzy may have gone too far” (‘Hobbit-mania: Cute or cringey?’ 2012). The New York Times revealed that “while the spectacular and seemingly untarnished natural backdrops, stunning waterscapes and snow-tipped mountains might look world-class on film, critics say the realm New Zealand’s marketers have presented is as fantastical as dragons and wizards” (Anderson 2012) and refers to an international study in which New Zealand was 18th worst out of 189 nations when it came to preserving its natural surroundings. Popular blog Filmdrunk calls New Zealand the “world’s most far-flung Lord of the Rings gift shop” and that the Prime Minister might as well change his name to Bilbo Baggins (Mancini 2012).

Perhaps consumers of the promotional material created for this campaign could view the comparing of New Zealand to Middle-earth as a cheapening of an already quality product and a condescending treatment of an organically culturally rich country. A layer of visitability has been created over the top of existing reasons for tourists to come: hot springs, geysers, beaches and skiing, not to mention indigenous and settler historic places. In a way, the 100% Middle-earth has reduced New Zealand’s culture to an easily consumable Hollywood blockbuster for the mass market.

To conclude, the 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has brought New Zealand to the world by leveraging off the international exposure of The Hobbit film series. Inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the “real Middle-earth”, promotional imagery draws on scenery used in the film, as well as opening up film locations to the public. Evoking feelings of excitement and a sense of escape, the campaign is a fantasy projection enticing observers to experience what Bilbo Baggins and his travel companions might have – from the safety of an organised tour.

New Zealand’s natural beauty is not enough for this campaign. New Zealand and the fantasy land it has been fashioned into, has been made visible, safe and easily consumable. Critics might say it has reduced New Zealand’s culture to a Hollywood production, removing authenticity and turning its citizens into Hobbits and Orcs. However, like it or not, through Tourism New Zealand’s award winning promotional campaign, the country has become a replica of a fantasy world and a chance for visitors to experience their own sublime encounter in a projection of Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

  References

Air New Zealand Hobbit Media Kit, viewed 12 January 2013, < http://www.airnzhobbitmedia.com/>

Anderson, Charles 2012 ‘New Zealand’s Green Tourism Push Clashed With Realities’, New York Times, 16 November 2012, viewed 26 January 2013 < http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/business/global/new-zealands-green-tourism-push-clashes-with-realities.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>

Bennett, Tony 1988, ‘The Exhibitionary Complex’, New Formations, No. 4 Spring

COMM120 2013 ‘Lecture 10 – Big Things’, Griffith University, unpublished.

Dicks, Bella 2003, Culture on Display: The Production of Contemporary Visitability, Maidenhead (UK): Open University Press / McGraw-Hill Education

Dr Prickett, Stephen 2007, The Importance of the Sublime in the Romantic Aesthetic.

Fox, Linda (2012), ‘New Zealand airs Middle-earth weather forecast’, Tnooz,  28 November 2012, viewed 7 January 2013, <http://www.tnooz.com/2012/11/28/news/new-zealand-airs-middle-earth-weather-forecast-video/>

‘Hobbit-mania: Cute or Cringey’, Stuff, 29 November 2012, viewed 26 January 2013, <http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/8015400/Hobbit-mania-Cute-or-cringey>

Mancini, Vince 2012 ‘Attn: The real New Zealand is now indistinguishable from parody’, Filmdrunk, 27 November 2012 <http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/2012/11/new-zealand-hobbit-middle-earth-passport-stamps>

‘Middle Earth tourism campaign lauded’, Stuff, 13 December 2012, viewed 26 January 2013, <http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/new-zealand/8074715/Middle-Earth-tourism-campaign-lauded>

New Zealand, Homepage, viewed 7 January 2013, <http://www.newzealand.com/au/> 

New Zealand, Lord of the Rings/Hobbit day tours, viewed 12 January 2013, <http://www.newzealand.com.au/attractions-activities/lord-of-the-rings-hobbit-day-tours/>

New Zealand Post, online stamp shop, viewed 7 January 2013, < http://stamps.nzpost.co.nz/thehobbit>

Southern Lakes Sightseeing Lord of the Rings Tours, viewed 7 January 2013, <http://www.lordoftheringstours.co.nz/>

Statistics New Zealand 2012, Tourism Satellite Account 2012 Summary results, viewed 3 February 2013, <http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/Tourism/tourism-satellite-account-2012/summary-results.aspx>

Tourism New Zealand, Sector Marketing page, Fast Facts, viewed 3 February 2013, <http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/sector-marketing/the-hobbit/fast-facts/>

‘Tourism New Zealand’s online campaign goes live today’, Global Travel Industry News, 18 November 2012, viewed 13 January 2013, <http://www.eturbonews.com/32319/tourism-new-zealands-online-campaign-goes-live-today>

Tourism New Zealand official Facebook page, ‘New Zealand 100% Pure’, viewed 12 January 2013, <http://www.facebook.com/purenewzealand>

YouTube, 100% Middle-earth 100% Pure New Zealand – extended edition, 22 August 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64qx95Ckrwc>

YouTube, An Unexpected Briefing, 31 October 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBlRbrB_Gnc>

Weta Workshop, The Lord of the Rings: New Zealand Map of Middle-earth product listing, Wellington, viewed 20 January 2013, <http://www.wetanz.com/new-zealand-map-of-middle-earth/>

[ginwritesstuff]

Case Study: The Mallacoota Buyers Group

The following is a case study written by Virginia Streit for Energy Matters, a leading Australian solar power system provider. A companion video can be viewed here.

After experiencing the benefits of his own solar system, Jim Sakkas was keen to spread the word to his neighbours in the remote East Gippsland town of Mallacoota.

Just south of the NSW border and nestled in a national park, Mallacoota has approximately 1,000 permanent residents, with more in the holiday season. However, the isolation means that it can often be difficult to entice trades people and services to the town.

Mr Sakkas arranged for Energy Matters to attend to the first solar buyers group meeting in 2008. He placed advertising in the local newspaper and organised for the information session to be held in the town's community hall. Word spread quickly.

"The buyers group presented a package to Mallacoota, which was complete", said resident Sally Watt, who attended the first information session. "They did everything from informing us about the product, doing all the paperwork, organizing the rebate and all we had to do was sign on the dotted line. It’s just too easy."

"If we have 30 installations on the go, it means that Energy Matters can arrange for an inspector to come and get the distributors to put in the new meters all in the one go", said Mr Sakkas. "There are advantages in working as a group."

60 solar installations and two years later, a second solar buyers group information session was held in Mallacoota. Jim Sakkas was once again key to the arrangements.

"I noticed a definite change in the motivations of people who attend the latest buyers group", says Mr. Sakkas. "The first lot were environmentally centred people, but this lot were also interested because of energy prices going up. When they were told that a 1.5kw system pays for itself in about 4 or 5 years and that rest is profit - that got their interest!"

The Energy Matters team installed 22 solar power systems in just one week and enquiries continued to flood in.

With around 100 solar systems, equating to close to 150 kilowatts, now installed in Mallacoota, Energy Matters wanted to give something back to the community.

"We're arranging to install a free 1.88 kilowatt solar system on roof of the football club, with a Sunny Beam Wireless Monitor to display its performance", said Energy Matters team member, Corban Hill. "After witnessing the incredible dedication to the clean energy revolution shown by the residents of Mallacoota, Energy Matters just wanted to say thanks."

"I think the buyers’ group really helped people to make the choice to go solar - not only did they get a great group discount, but it meant that site inspections, installations and electrical inspections all happened in one go", Corban explained. "The buyers group made things easier for everyone: our customers and for us."

Source: Energy Matters

[ginwritesstuff]

Case Study: Remote Communications Solar Installation

The following is a case study written by Virginia Streit about a solar installation by Energy Matters, a leading commercial solar solutions supplier.

Remotely and permanently unmanned, the radio and data communications systems at a mining site in Western Australia require reliable and automatic power.

While diesel gensets are an option for such remote power requirements, they do require regular refueling and servicing and the cost of shipping fuel to remote locations can be as much as $3 per liter.

Energy Matters was engaged to design and install standalone solar power systems for three communications towers at the site, each with slightly different requirements.

The systems had to power transmitter/receiver equipment, phone and IT servers, some running on DC power and some on regular 240V AC.

All components were chosen for their durability and reliability in the harsh conditions of the Western Australian outback. For example Sanyo HIT solar panels perform better than other panel types in high temperatures and are extremely durable.

The remote location added logistical complexities to the installation. The components for the solar power systems travelled by train and then by 4WD to the three installation sites. All components were meticulously checked prior to being shipped, as there would be no opportunities to purchase spare parts once they had arrived on location.

Energy Matters’ installers had to abide by the complex safety requirements for mine site operation and completed lengthy site inductions and safety briefings.

In the six months since they were commissioned, the three systems have run reliably and continuously without any downtime and minimal use of backup generators.

Source: Energy Matters

[ginwritesstuff]

Debate: A tax won't fix climate change

The following is an article written by Virginia Streit for Beyond Zero Emissions' blog.

Beyond Zero Emissions Executive Director Matthew Wright took part in last week’s Intelligence Squared debate on carbon pricing schemes.

The wording of the debate topic, “A tax won’t fix climate change”, was not only confusing but also open to interpretation. Wright, who agrees with the proposition yet advocates action on climate change, was pitted against Adam Bandt MP and Chief Climate Commissioner Tim Flannery. As the audience discussed being “for” or “against”, I wondered whether they meant for or against the proposition, or for or against the government’s current carbon price offering.

Wright got straight to the point when arguing that a price on carbon would not solve climate change. Illustrating the immense scale of the climate crisis and its solutions, Wright referred to Beyond Zero Emissions and the Melbourne Energy Institute’s joint report, the Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan: “There is already too much carbon in the air – we need to decarbonise now.”

While action on climate change must be taken, argued Wright, a price on carbon could do more harm than good. If carbon prices encourage the electricity generation sector to shift towards gas infrastructure instead of renewables, then that would set back efforts to address climate change. “Gas is a diversion, not a short cut,” said Wright. “Renewables are the only alternative and can be achieved with financing from government bonds or Feed-in Tariffs.”

In contrast to carbon pricing mechanisms, the Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan identifies immediate and permanent action to transition Australia from 19th-century coal energy technology to a 21st-century renewable energy sector.

Removing the regulatory barriers holding back wind power and implementing effective deployment policies for rooftop solar would lower electricity bills through the Merit Order Effect, argued Wright. Tackling carbon emissions by integrating existing renewable energy technologies into the national energy market would save Australians money and benefit our climate.

A friend who accompanied me made an interesting point: “I feel like if I vote against the carbon tax, politicians will take that to mean I don’t want to act against climate change.” Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt (Melbourne), speaking for the opposing team, echoed this sentiment in his closing statement. “I want 100 percent renewables,” the MP said. “That journey starts with a first step and I am excited that that first step starts with a package that includes a price on carbon.”

In the end, the audience members cast their ballots: 25 per cent were for the statement, “a tax won’t fix climate change”, and 68 per cent were against it – perhaps a good sign for the government’s proposed carbon price legislation.

Whether for or against the Federal Government’s carbon price, one thing remains true: renewable energy is ready to provide Australia with reliable baseload electricity. As Wright stated, “Technology is available now and it is cost competitive – let’s use it.”

While I have reservations about the government’s planned carbon price, the way it was announced and the subsequent public dialogue, I believe that it is a good thing Australia is finally taking proactive steps towards decarbonising the economy. Carbon pricing is a good first step, but it’s no silver bullet.

Those for the proposition:

Stuart Allinson – Exigency

Matthew Wright – Beyond Zero Emissions

Sinclair Davidson – Institute of Public Affairs

Those against:

Fiona O’Hehir – CEO of Greenbank Environment

Tim Flannery – Chief Climate Commissioner

Adam Bandt MP – Federal Member for Melbourne

  Source: Beyond Zero Emissions