A load of old rubbish!

The Select Committee on the Scrutiny of New Taxes (set up by the Australian Government) is looking into Carbon Tax pricing mechanisms and so far has received 36 submissions. This doesn't appear to be a huge amount given the outrage by individuals for or against the proposed carbon reduction scheme. Maybe it's just easier for some to write a slogan on a piece of board and turn up to shout in a protest?

And talking about pollution, Bruce Guthrie's article Bright lights, filthy city in the Age this morning whinges about people discarding fast-food containers, drink bottles, cigarette butts and packs as well as ATM slips onto Melbourne streets. And whose being blamed? Goths, homeless people and scantily clad late-night revellers...it's pretty clear we're not talking about Collins Street bankers or Spring Street apartment dwellers, he said. There are 300,000 visitors to Melbourne on the weekends and they can't all be bogans (his word, not mine).

If the City of Melbourne is concerned about the amount of rubbish discarded on city streets on Friday and Saturday nights and with men urinating in doorways, maybe they should consider using some of the $170 million dollars they receive every year in rates from businesses and individuals to install more rubbish bins and public toilets. They publicize the fact that they have 28 public toilets (and intend to build 5 more by June 2011), but I really don't know where they are, the only ones I'm aware of (that is not one of those disgusting underground ones that no one in their right mind would visit) is around the corner from the Town Hall in Collins Street and those at Federation Square and Queen Vic Centre.

If Council wants Melbourne to be perceived as a locale brimming with life and activity that attracts overseas visitors then diversity of population has to be part of the attraction and that means the inclusion of  'desirables' as well as 'undesirables'. We live in a society that equates having a good time with drinking alcohol and I don't think that attitude is going to change anytime soon. Carbon Tax? Maybe the government should consider a Fun Tax?