A rash of lightning storms leading to a swathe of fire outbreaks in Tasmania have been attributed to climate change by the Director of the University of Tasmania's Fire Centre Research Hub, Professor David Bowman.

Professor Bowman, the founder of the centre, talked about the work of the new centre with RN Breakfast with the host, Fran Kelly, and surprised many by referring to the upside of the present difficulties experienced in Tasmania as the Australian state wrestles with what Professor Bowman described as the "new reality".

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Australia's Great Barrier Reef is huge and public and yet our market-driven coalition government led by Scott Morrison has handed over nearly $500 000 000 to a tiny private company and while doing that has claimed it has made a significant investment in protecting what is Earth's largest living organism.

Acting Environment Minister, Senator Simon Birmingham, argued that way during and interview with Radio National's Breakfast host, Cathy Van Extel. Shadow Environment Minister Tony Burke rejected the claims of Senator Birmingham arguing the government's first stop and expense should be in containing, as best it can, climate change.

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Privatisation of the protection of the Great Barrier Reef

Minister David Littleproud says massive fish die-off was natural event.

Looking at climate change through the eyes of a gadfly

University of Melbourne anthropologist, Hans Baer, describes himself as a 'gadfly'. And while that may be true - a gadfly is someone who annoys or criticizes others in order to provoke them into action - Hans cares about the specific and broader welfare of humanity and although he may be annoying, he is absolutely unafraid to call out someone, or something, that he sees is not in the best interests of all people, whatever their role or social position in life.

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The mass die-off a fish in the lower Darling River below the Menindee Lakes in New South Wales has been declared by the Federal Agriculture and Water Minister David Littleproud (pictured) as 'natural' and and another example of something which has happened many times before.

During a discussion Sabra Lane from Radio National's AM program, the minister called for mature debate predicated on science, which is somewhat out of character for a coalition Minister as our government appears to prefer shrill conversations/arguments completely devoid of facts, particularly those rooted in sciences.

Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, said, quite publicly that the die-off of the fish could be attributed to corruption, cotton and climate change.

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Solar panels, swimming pools and air conditioners - cooling down, but warming the world

My Shepparton home is about 70 years old, it's weatherboard and was built at a time when sustainability was barely in our vocabulary and while we have made many changes probably the most significant was the installation last year of a five kilowatt solar system, courtesy of Goulburn Valley Community Energy (GVCE).

Unfailing accurate advice came from GVCE Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Lodge (pictured), who gave what appears at this point appears to be a conservative estimate on the payback period.

The solar panels have delivered as promised cutting our power use from about 26 kilowatts a day to just a handful.

Geoff advised against a back-up battery arguing, again with figures, that batteries were not yet financially viable.He did say, however, that they were improving every year, becoming cheaper and would soon be a worthwhile proposition.

Our evaporative air-conditioner also draws on power provided by our solar panels and with the present heatwave (three successive days in excess of 35 degrees Celsius constitute a heatwave) will give us a clear indication what to expect as the temperature warms up.

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Damning words of Darling River fish deaths from Sarah Hanson-Young