Rebooting the Cormologist

Its been 4 and a bit years and I am finally getting back to the Blog. I am now only may 4 days away from becoming a father of 3 and a lot has changed for me personally and in the political and social environment in the place I call home. Over the next few months I plan to put a few posts together on the following topics: 1. Economics, the current equity and growth conundrum as typified by the debate on Thomas Pinketty and his book on Capital in the 21st Century. I think an important piece of work but whose prescriptions don't necessarily meet the political reality - except perhaps in placing like France that exist in a parallel proto-socialist universe as compared to Australia, the UK and the USA. But I think it goes some of the way to explaining how a more even society actually has a faster growing economy (ceteris paribus). Someone say Scandanavia? 2. The conservative backlash against sustainability, that is the current swing of Australian politics towards the right has also taken its toll on policy that focuses on sustainable outcomes. Examples being the Federal government's commitment to remove the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, ARENA, Carbon tax/Emissions trading and in my home state of Victoria the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target which is being phased out as of next year. Probably the best thing about these changes is the "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" argument. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency now need to stand by themselves, the role of government is probably as a legislative facilitator not as a funder of these things. But the same could be said of medical research I suppose and each regime picks its own winners even when they decry the previous government's choices. 3. The future of the Utility business in Australia. Energy Demand is falling, solar penetration continues to increase. Energy Efficiency is a no brainer. Gas prices are set to double across the Eastern Seaboard. Batteries and EVs are on the horizon. Does the current Utility structure suit the next phase of development? What do customers ultimately want from their utility? What business models are coming that could change the status quo/disrupt the industry? As usual its an interesting time to be alive, and while I focus on facilitating an improve to the demographics of this wide brown land I plan to keep thinking about the future - my kids deserve it.