Climate Change / Global Warming

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 31/1/2011
Title: Climate Change / Global Warming

Our life span is not that long, so we don't really know whether this is a regular phenomenon.

One thing I am sure of, Earth / ocean warming is due to the trillions of joules of Sun energy pouring onto the Earth each day, which is absorbed by the ocean.

Don't let idiots spread the rumours that the dinosaur's farts, shits or burps emitted enough carbon dioxide or methane gas to cause atmospheric pollution resulting in Ice Age!

We have to accept the fact the temperatures will rise with time, and we must learn to adapt to the environmental changes. If we fail to recognise the importance of living with prevalent conditions, we will experience the same consequence as what had happened to the dinosaurs. On the contrary, if we are smart, we will live forever more like the insects.

Think about it, before the next raindrop falls

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 30/1/2011
Title: Think about it, before the next raindrop falls

Many new residential blocks are small, and the house, drive way and garage occupy most of the land, leaving very little room for plants.

Although earlier subdivided land sizes are bigger, many people have turned the non build-up areas into rock gardens or concreted outdoor area due to busy life style. Rain is not absorbed, and goes down to the drain literally.

With fewer plants, absorption of carbon dioxide is reduced, and in the meantime, emission of oxygen is reduced as well.

Future of Australian Graduates

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 21/1/2011
Title: Future of Australian Graduates

Australia is truly blessed by abundance of minerals, and the vast land was terrific for large-scale farming. In addition to minerals, wheat, sheep, cattle and wool became the major exports and moneymaking items.

As an English speaking country, Australia benefited from the spin-off of the Industrial Revolution. Large factories were set up which absorbed almost anyone and everyone who wanted to work after the Second World War. As the national wealth grew, so did the standard of living. In fact, blue-collar workers were making more money than the white-collar workers.

Machineries introduced earlier required replacement and cost a great deal. Compounding the problem was the rise of industrialisation in Japan, followed by other Asian countries. Due to the cheaper labour cost, many countries began importing goods from these overseas instead of manufacturing them. One by one, our manufacturing business closed.

Primary industries and mining kept the country going. The service industry replaced the manufacturing, and then came the I.T. Revolution. Many I.T. gurus predicted that the computers would create employment and give us more leisure time. Computers help to create many new jobs on one hand, and take away many more blue-collars jobs, too. They also make us work day and night.

Since the global village has no boundaries, using a computer with multimedia capability and Internet connection, any Australian office can be located somewhere else in the world. Consequently, office jobs have been outsourced to overseas countries, for examples, call centres and I.T. jobs being outsourced to India.

To overcome the problems of conforming to the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) or legal requirement, entrepreneurs in Australia or overseas set up overseas companies, where labour cost is low. They employ ex-overseas students studying in the Australian TAFES or universities, or students trained by institutions which sent teachers / lecturers overseas on secondment or exchange program.

China - the factory of the world now; China - the office of the world, soon! I am truly concerned about the employment prospect of our Australian graduands!

PM sides online shoppers

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 11/1/2011
Title: PM sides online shoppers

Julia Gillard must be one of the most unfair Australians to give fellow Australians a fair go. It is disgraceful that Julia Gillard sides with the online shoppers.

If we have to pay GST for a processed / manufactured item or a service, for more than zero dollars, why shouldn't the government tax an imported item for less than a thousand dollars purchased online from overseas? The recent outcry by some well known big retailers on this subject created big divides in the community. It seems that most Australians are unfair and selfish, and bark up the wrong tree, that is, they interpret naively that the tax goes to the large retailers instead of the government.

Shame on those who argue so strongly opposing the tax and advocating purchasing from overseas; not only do they help to create employment overseas and improve their economy, but also unknowingly putting the nails to the Australian small businesses' coffins. China is truly the factory of the world, but now the rest of the world becomes the retail outlets.

Many Australians are getting more and more hypocritical. There were campaigns to buy Australian products – well, since we don't have much to offer the "Buy Australian" is a bit of a joke. However, even with this flop, how about at least give the Australian small businesses a chance to survive, and allow them continue employing those ungrateful people. May be it's time to change the slogan "Buy Australian" to "Buy from Australian".

Proposed Monash 6-storey Development

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 7/1/2011
Title: Proposed Monash 6-storey Development

There are concerning issues regarding the proposed six-storey development including a Karaoke bar with 3 am licence:

• Over concentration of restaurants / food premises will cannibalise existing businesses
• A lot more late-night alcohol-fuelled violence will be in the precinct
• More demand on police and council resources to ensure Monash residents peace and quiet enjoyment of their properties at night
• Possible organised gangs will be attracted and infiltrated to this area with early morning licence
• Non-existing by-laws to ensure balanced mix of business

Although I'm a Chinese by descent, I definitely do not like to see the Kingsway turned into a Chinatown like Box Hill, Springvale, Richmond in Melbourne, or Eastwood, Chatswood and Cabramatta in Sydney - almost filled with Asian restaurants or businesses.

Only a balanced mix of businesses and ethnicity in the City of Monash will ensure racial harmony in the near and long-term future.