JOURNAL

Postkyoto Journal

DEMOCRACY AND THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE:     Peter Vintila        July 2008
Democratic values and institutions are implicated in the politics of climate change in many ways. This paper reflects on the paradoxical observation that effective climate change policy calls for enhanced democratic capacities nationally and internationally (Part 1) even while the escalating impacts of climate change progressively undermine such capacities by moving us towards and, ultimately, compelling an authoritarian politics of emergency (Part 2). ….. more 

 

Bali’s roadmap to nowhere… :        Peter Vintila and Miyume Tanji (draft paper)       July 2008
This paper reflects critically on the recent United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference in Bali. It argues that the Conference served to undermine the Convention’s Article 3: the principle of common and differentiated responsibility. The importance of this can hardly be overstated ….. more 

 

Knowledge Rich, Knowledge Poor             Peter Vintila 2001

  Opportunities for a university education are 250 times more available in the city's inner and western suburbs than they are in the east. Where the east (providing home to some 500,000 people and well over one third of Perth's population) provides just 1 place for each 5,000 residents, the city's west enjoys the benefit of 1 place in 20. In the inner west (the wealthiest dozen or so of Perth's central and western suburbs clustered around the Swan River provision is richer still: 1 place per 4 residents. These privileged areas are effectively selling - and even exporting - knowledge to Perth's outer suburbs. This astonishing picture is shown in mapped and tabular form below. However much in need of qualification this broad sketch may be - especially in relation to the city's north western and south western regions, Perth's east would, by any measure, be grossly underprovided with easily accessible university. Nor does this highly skewed geography of higher learning opportunities relate meaningfully to demand or ability: almost one third of Perth's university students have eastern post codes attached to their permanent home addresses. more

Climate Change War or Climate Change Peace – Part I: Spoiling for war!      Peter Vintila 2007

  Climate change is forcing us to think again about how we conduct ourselves as material beings on the planet when we are at peace. For the same reasons we should now also be thinking again about war, about why and when we go to war and about what we do when we are at war – not just to each other, but to the planet and especially to our capacities for managing its complexities in difficult times. Yet, this appears to be widely overlooked – not just by those who think about war but by many who think about climate change as well. Parts II (War will cost the Earth!) and Part III (Give peace a chance!) will be posted in coming weeks. more

REACH FOR THE STARS: CEO SALARIES AND THE CULTURE OF CELEBRITY IN WA’S PUBLIC SERVICE     Peter Vintila        September 2006
You will be aware that corporate CEO salary packages have risen spectacularly in recent decades. You are apparently not aware that these rises enjoy no significant connection with job difficulty or performance. Even, your federal counterpart, Mr Costello has recently become worried. Although CEOs in the public sector are paid far less, their salaries are also rising fast and pay structures in the sector are rapidly becoming steeper – see Rising stars in Perth. Should we expect better links between pay and performance in the public sector? If not, what does all of this money mean? This letter is intended to suggest a number of the things: that CEOs are paid a great deal; that their ambition can be without limit; and that, taken together, their rewards and insatiable hunger may well, for worse rather than better, register an emerging celebrity culture within the public as well as the private sector – Dr Fong, superstar, relates to this point. ….. more 

 

BRAIN DRAIN: Higher educational opportunity in the city's north-east and the case for midland city university     Peter Vintila        September 2005
This aim of this Report is to build on the considerable momentum and community support that already exists for the development of university facilities in Midland. ….. more