I lost my political virginity today. I went to Parliament House to watch a 'debate' on the motion by Greens member Tim Morris. Now I don't know about you, but my past experience of debating (albeit very limited) would suggest that the question at issue should be addressed. Apparently not in Parliament. The motion was a very moderate one under the circumstances - given the applicant is telling us they do not intend to frack during the first three years of exploration. It was that a moratorium be established on fracking for a period of two years. That exploration for resources that would require fracking be under the same moratorium. It was careful to exclude coal and other resources currently being exploited in the State. The argument was that there is no driving need for additional energy resources here at present and that there were serious science-based concerns about the impacts of fracking. So that was the motion. The Labor response was that we are all a bunch of scaremongering NIMBYs and that the farmers were singing a different song when they wanted economic support (well, no, they were arguing for the resources (irrigation water) required to allow them to intensify their productivity and it remains to be demonstrated what economic benefit might derive from an interstate come-and-go company might offer us (other than a couple of truck-driving jobs). Further it was posited that the moratorium was not on this limited field but on all mineral exploration, that this would damage us overseas etc etc. Then the Libs ponderously rose to their feet (which they have not seen for some time) and launched a tirade about banning the mining industry and what had happened to the forestry industry... Now I may not have been paying much attention over the last few years, but I do know that the forestry industry was given the heads up 40 years ago that they were on a short rope. They argued then that it would take at least 30 years to get plantations going. The government encouraged their intransigence and continued to do so for the next 40 years. OK, they started plantation planting when was it? say 20 years ago if I am being generous? Then they decided to build a pulp mill which again the government encouraged them to believe they would get away with despite the electorate saying no ... so how is it that caution is causing our international standing to be damaged?I would say it is the illadvised determination of our elected members which has caused this. An exploration permit encourages the applicant to spend money looking for a resource that we WILL NOT ALLOW TO BE EXTRACTED!!! So surely discouraging them at this point until we can get some facts (instead of the platitudes our representatives offer) would be sensible. Then we, as a community, can form a view as to whether we want to eat or keep warm, and everyone will know where they stand. Idiocy and 1950s bullying tactics inherited from their fathers who stood in parliament before them in my view ... Anyway I otherwise had a nice day. Lunch was a pumpkin and goats cheese open pie from Daci and Daci washed down with a bottle of Lucaston park apple juice in the company of a nice young seagull with impeccable manners on the docks. Then a wander over to The shop of two names that I can not recall where i indulged in eye candy and the wonderful odour of chocolate (on Salamanca, you know the one) and so back to the House for the debacle of the vote (predictable outcome but the more disappointing since neither of the other parties bothered to address the question. Following that i darted over to Spice World and now have a stockpile of Kaffir lime leaves for the pantry and so home. Fire is lit though barely necessary as it was a lovely day and the house is fairly cosy, but just in case ...