View Full Version : question for Australians...
rabidbadger
11-28-2007, 12:03 AM
What in God's green Earth is a Shadow Minister? (http://www.petergarrett.com.au/460.aspx)
I loved Midnight Oil in the Eighties, still do, And now the lead singer Peter Garret is in the New Prime Ministers Cabinet. But before that he was the:
"Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Heritage and the Arts"
what the heck is that? I left Australia when I was 10, so have no Idea about their political structure.
Heyseuss
11-28-2007, 12:30 AM
I think it means 'interim', 'temporary' et al
I think it means 'interim', 'temporary' et al
No.
It's a member of the opposition party (the party not in power) whose job it is to make the life of a real minister as annoying as humanly possible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet
So, for example, the Shadow Foreign Minister would follow the "real" Foreign Minister round all day ('shadow' him), pulling faces at the camera when he does TV interviews, putting banana skins under his feet and bags of flour above doors the minister is about to walk through. (At least that's the way politics should work.)
rabidbadger
11-28-2007, 01:38 AM
haha
5677432
tokenuser
11-28-2007, 02:26 AM
What Dom said. Its the Westminster Parliamentary system. If Garret slips up again though (like he did in the elections) he will be a backbencher instead of a frontbencher (Ministers sit at the front of the class).
rabidbadger
11-28-2007, 02:37 AM
I'm lost. I thought he just got more prominence with the new PM?
tokenuser
11-28-2007, 02:48 AM
I'm lost. I thought he just got more prominence with the new PM?He did, and now forms part of the cabinet in a postition that was a minor cabinet position, but it is rising in prominence with an increased focus on the the environment in Australia (especially with respect to water conservation).
rabidbadger
11-28-2007, 05:33 AM
Yea, wats te deal wit water in aussie?
tokenuser
11-28-2007, 11:43 AM
Yea, wats te deal wit water in aussie?The country is essentially a giant desert or at least clasified as semi arid that has been in severe drought for over 20 years (despite recent floods - they happen too fast to be of benefit and actually make things worse).
There are parts of Australia where the weatherman doesn't talk about the day's rainfall, but the day's evaporation.
Heyseuss
11-28-2007, 11:33 PM
The country is essentially a giant desert or at least clasified as semi arid that has been in severe drought for over 20 years (despite recent floods - they happen too fast to be of benefit and actually make things worse).
There are parts of Australia where the weatherman doesn't talk about the day's rainfall, but the day's evaporation.
My aussie friends were just visiting me here and I noticed they would be out of the shower before the commercials were over (that's not true, I don't have tv, but it was quick), when I commented on the third time they'd done it, they told me how there is a 4 min shower limit per person. There are heavy water restrictions, 'x' litres per person per household. My sister keeps a bucket in the shower to throw on the car or lawn, and they reuse washing machine water. The dam that holds my ex-areas water supply is said to be at 15-20%.
rabidbadger
11-28-2007, 11:51 PM
wow,
My mom keeps in touch with a friend there, and it was mentioned in a phone call, but had no idea it was that bad!!
tokenuser
11-29-2007, 01:08 AM
My aussie friends were just visiting me here and I noticed they would be out of the shower before the commercials were over (that's not true, I don't have tv, but it was quick).I shower quickly as well. Its something that you just get used to doing. I don't go to the extreme of having a bucket in the shower to catch the water while it warms up, but my showers are brief. Yes our toilets are low flush models, and we have water saver shower heads.
Having said that, we are looking at moving next year (potentially), and are thinking of building a house or getting an old house and renovating. Part of what I am looking for in a house is water harvesting for us to use, and using grey water (showers, washing machines, sinks - not toilets) for flushing toilets (after filtering) and irrigation (lawn and ornamental plants - grey water can be hazardous to edible plants).