skytrek

It's a bit scary to blame the ills of modern society and economics on a group of people whose only goal is to actually ensure the long term viability of our planet and its inhabitants. But hey, we don't want that if its going to cost money. Money talks and its cheaper to buy from the third world than it is from here because they work for something like $10 a week. The big laugh is that the CONSERVATIONISTS are probably more likely to pay more and buy local organic produce than the general population who are mostly only interested in getting the cheapest deal no questions asked and bugger our local farmers. The other big laugh is that its probably the CONSERVATIONISTS (or people like them) who lobbied for the banning of those food contaminating chemicals decades ago.
I have driven Skytrek and it is a great drive, but if the CONSERVATIONISTS have seen fit to close their section then I would prefer to hear their side of the story and hope to reach some sort of mutually satisfactory agreement than to just bash them as crackpots.
Mike

what drugs are you on?

not self sufficient?

of course we are - most of out primary industry gos overseas

just ask weat famers where there markets are or sheep farmers or beef farmers
- its not australia thats for sure

Iraq
saudi arabia
indonesia
kumait
etc etc
only a very small portion of australia would actually be required to feed just us

I am sure thats a politicaly correct answer Mike
thanks for that
GN

I hear what your saying getoutmore
and yes you are correct with some sectors but when you look at ALL food we are right on the tipping point where we are just starting to become non self suffient for the 1st time since federation.

the warning bells are being sounded but are faslling of deaf ears, they will reap what they have sown, and that will be not much.

but like the arrogant bald jirator peter garret once said "there should be no irrigation in Australia"when asked where will our food come from? he said "We are a rich nation and we can afford to import it"

regards
GN

You're welcome. I am Australian born but I've travelled to many other countries. In my opinion, anyone whining about the state of our country hasn't got enough to think about because we beat them all in so many areas. If you think that things have gone downhill over the last 40 years or so then your perception of actual reality is way different to mine thats for sure. When I was a kid in the 60's my parents couldn't afford a little car for us to drive around in so we walked. Remember, over 50% of the world's population still don't have a toilet, yet a lot of the readers of this forum can drag their own around inside expensive caravans behind expensive cars. Life sure has got tough down under.
"Politically correct" has always been frowned upon as annoying by the general population, but in my experience it usually ends up as simply being "correct" in the long term.
Anyway mate, all the best regardless
Mike

G N,
I welcome a vigorous debate but you have lost the plot.
Not self sufficient? we export a lot of what we grow. Australians are hardly starving due to lack of food.

Why are farmers older and young blokes don't want to take it up? because the machinery, fertilisers etc. are so expensive now the profit margins are simply not there for smaller farms. You need a large farm to make it worthwhile requiring large capital. The farmers in the future will be more businessmen than agriculturalists hiring seasonal workers to drive headers and tractors.

The cause of this being conservationists? Bizarre statement and I simply can't see where you get that from.

Have a look at the irrigation on the the Murray on the SA side of the border. We are running many drip systems. This uses much less water than open channels and sprinkler systems used by other states on the Murray for the same amount of produce. THESE are the issues that conservationists push for.

Australia not self sufficient??

We are a net exporter of food. Sure we import cheap stuff at the expense of our growers, but that's just a money thing.

As far as I understand, even the recent drought years we have easily produced enough food and resources for our country.

In fact we could easily provide for our energy resources if we were willing to pay more.

I accept that we may not produce enough shallots or squashes perhaps for domestic use

but theres no way in heck we could be considered aout to starve

yes im sure we seasnally import stuff and as said import some stuff espacially for further processing - but thats as said - money driven not shortage driven

obviosly markets are funny things when we export oranges and import them for example

Anyone spoken with an orchardist from the Goulburn Valley or an Orange Grower from NW Victoria recently?? Imports are killing them!!

Thanks Leigh

Nice to know someone out there is connected to reality.
reagards
GN

Leigh,
yes cheap imports hurt local producers but this is due more to the relative low prices of the imported goods rather than Australia's lack of ability to grow the food ourselves.

Big buyers such as Woolworths and Coles for example aren't interested in buying local produce. They just want to sell the cheapest goods, and if the oranges from the US happen to be cheaper than oranges from Vic or SA then that's what they will put on their shelves.

What can we do about it? Don't buy imported produce.

Well put Madfisher
GN

Well put Pete.

I have planted 60, 000 trees over the years, but happily harvest them as well.

I collect seeds and propagate local plants for my garden and windbreaks.

I teach children all over Oz about conservation issues, but farm and clear land.

I'm green but not a greenie.

I love the idea of wilderness areas locked off from most human contact.... as long as we can get into the edges to have a look at what the rest must look like! ... maybe even a couple of tracks carefully through them. A paddle down a river through them too is nice.

Nothing is clearcut.

Actually the area in question is fairly flat country, not really susceptible to too much erosion. More to do with rubbish and people leaving gates open etc me thinks..

Gotta agree Royce, when I was young most things where clear cut, now their is a lot of diff shades of grey.
We clear a couple of acres of scrub a year for firewood which you are legally entitled to do. Mind you we are facing a losing battle with weeds and feral animals.
One of the things that galls me about the extreme green element is that they want all trout removed from steams, but I have not heard a word about European Carp or Redfin which are a far greater threat to the enviroment and our native fishs.
Let me know my mm about your Tassie trip.
Cheers Pete