At our first session in October we focussed on progress towards sustainability across our three themes; society, economic and environmental. What we found was that progress towards overall sustainability in Australia is a little bit of two steps forward, one back.
In the social area housing was a problem, primarily because the housing supply (relative to population growth) was in a poor state. This was particularly true for public and community housing, the stock proportion of which has fallen significantly since the 1950s. The relative cost of housing, and rental vacancies, is also making it more difficult for people to get the housing they need.
Economically the story is in two halves. GDP per capita is reasonably steady; even growing slowly. But the distribution of income and wealth is way out of kilter. The top 20% of households earn 12 times more than the bottom 20%. Additionally, the wealth of the top 20% of households is 93 times more than the bottom 20%.
In the environment there is both good and bad news. Clearing of primary forest nationally has been trending down this century from around 400,000 ha/annum over the period 1990-94 to under 60,000 ha/annum over the period 2015-19. Over the long-term (since European colonisation) species extinction has been very significant. However it is difficult to judge from available data how species are travelling in more recent times; but there have been some species that have become extinct this century (and some 're-found').
At our second October session we spent half out time discussing the upcoming council election and what it might mean for sustainability in Benalla. Too much time was spent discussing why the convenor left the community candidate forum early! We then covered many other topics including if governments would soon be subsidising home solar batteries given we have almost reached saturation point with roof-top solar to the extent that during sunny days utilities are/will soon be having to stop importing roof-top solar into the grid.
John Lane
In the social area housing was a problem, primarily because the housing supply (relative to population growth) was in a poor state. This was particularly true for public and community housing, the stock proportion of which has fallen significantly since the 1950s. The relative cost of housing, and rental vacancies, is also making it more difficult for people to get the housing they need.
Economically the story is in two halves. GDP per capita is reasonably steady; even growing slowly. But the distribution of income and wealth is way out of kilter. The top 20% of households earn 12 times more than the bottom 20%. Additionally, the wealth of the top 20% of households is 93 times more than the bottom 20%.
In the environment there is both good and bad news. Clearing of primary forest nationally has been trending down this century from around 400,000 ha/annum over the period 1990-94 to under 60,000 ha/annum over the period 2015-19. Over the long-term (since European colonisation) species extinction has been very significant. However it is difficult to judge from available data how species are travelling in more recent times; but there have been some species that have become extinct this century (and some 're-found').
At our second October session we spent half out time discussing the upcoming council election and what it might mean for sustainability in Benalla. Too much time was spent discussing why the convenor left the community candidate forum early! We then covered many other topics including if governments would soon be subsidising home solar batteries given we have almost reached saturation point with roof-top solar to the extent that during sunny days utilities are/will soon be having to stop importing roof-top solar into the grid.
John Lane
