Diminished Transnationalism: Growing older and practicing home in Thailand

This chapter explores the intersection of home and transnationalism for British retirees in Thailand. I argue that by making a permanent move to Thailand retirees experience a diminished transnationalism as they commit to ageing in place and their ties to Britain weaken. Using empirical research collected in Thailand in 2012, I focus on permanent British ‘lifestyle migrants’ and the way in which they negotiate ageing and migration through diverse material and emotional ‘homemaking practices’ (Walsh, 2011). The conceptual relevance of transnationalism for older age migrants is also considered as transnational networks become unworkable and unsustainable in the context of ageing

Developing Equtiable and Affordable Government Responses to Drought in Australia

Once again in 2002 Australian taxpayers are being called on to provide relief to drought-affected farmers. Under the National Drought Policy which has been in place since 1992, support is provided by the Commonwealth Government predominantly in two forms: interest rate subsidies to assist farm businesses and a special welfare payment, the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment. Support is available under these programs only to farmers in geographically defined areas which have been declared to be experiencing 'exceptional circumstances'. This paper describes a number of problems with this approach and suggests an alternative form of drought relief based on the Higher Education Contribution Scheme, which is more equitable between farmers, less regressive in its impact on tax payers, and less open to politicisation.

Income Contingent Loans for Drought Relief: Delivering better outcomes for farmers and taxpayers

Australia’s National Drought Policy is considered to be one of the most advanced in the world, recognising as it does the reality of climate and focusing on adapting farm management to climatic uncertainty rather than simply subsidising agriculture in low rainfall areas. But while the underlying principles of the Policy seem to be sound, after nearly two decades of implementation and incremental changes to the instruments applied under the policy have resulted in the loss of the risk management message, ongoing use of the exceptional circumstances provisions and growing inequities between farmers, and between farmers and non-farmers. In this paper we argue that the objectives of the Policy need to be reaffirmed and key policy changes made to ensure the outcomes of the policy more closely align with its intentions. We analyse financing policy issues and propose the introduction of an income contingent loan (ICL) for drought relief as an equitable and efficient policy instrument for delivering relief to farm businesses experiencing drought, and perhaps for other adverse circumstances. It is argued that such a policy reform would allow farm businesses to take advantage of ICL insurance benefits associated with default protection and income smoothing, while at the same time minimising taxpayer contributions to drought relief.drought relief; income contingent loans; rural policy

Income Related Loans for Drought Relief

There is arguably a consensus that the current approach to drought relief is in need of reform and possibly replacement with an improved government financial assistance mechanism. Grants to farmers, in the form of interest rate subsidies, have several difficulties, which in summary are as follows: i. There are typically too few financial resources to be drawn from government to address adequately and equitably the needs of farms in a dire drought situation. ii. The rationing arising from (i) means that access to assistance requires complex eligibility criteria, resulting in application and administrative processes that are complex and thus expensive for both farmers and government. iii. Grants for drought relief are financed by contributions from all taxpayers, and it is very likely to be the case that this is regressive. Average taxpayers will be less wealthy and have fewer other economic advantages than the majority of farmers assisted through drought relief. This paper outlines the potential advantages and challenges associated with the implementation of income related loan arrangements for drought relief as a possible alternative to the existing interest rate subsidy scheme. The conceptual basis of income related loans is explained, and reference is made to the application of policies of this type in other areas of government financial intervention. The paper addresses the administrative challenges associated with such a policy reform, with reference to the idiosyncrasies of agricultural financing. An illustrative example is offered of what an income related loan applied to drought assistance might mean for the time stream of both revenue for the Commonwealth budget and repayment obligations for farms differing by economic size.income related loans, drought policy, agricultural subsidies

Balancing values in the agricultural policy process

[Introduction]: Since the introduction of agriculture into the international trade debate in the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, there has been increased focus on the nature of agricultural support policies in the developed countries. Concepts such as “multi-functionality” have drawn attention to the multiple goals that governments attempt to pursue through agricultural policy and the negotiating construct of the “Green Box” has been introduced to accommodate “legitimate” non-trade concerns such as environmental protection, regional development programs and direct income supports for farmers that are not related to production levels or prices. The Green Box is one of three “boxes” of domestic support, the other two being the Amber Box which contains support measures subject to limits under the Agriculture Agreement and the Blue Box which covers subsides that are tied to programs that limit production. The Green Box provides recognition within the international negotiations that governments use agricultural policies to achieve a variety of objectives from income support to environmental protection. This paper proposes a means for identifying the nature of the balance that is struck by governments between different values competing for support through agricultural policy settings

Will Polish nationals feel at home in Scotland after Brexit?

How does it feel to be a Polish national in Scotland after the EU referendum? Kate Botterill (Edinburgh Napier University) discusses how the result and subsequent uncertainty affected them, and the strategies they have adopted to deal with it. Post-Brexit, the Scottish Government want a different approach to migration from the rest of the UK, which may lead to stronger identification with Scotland among many Poles living in the country. Nonetheless, Scottish public attitudes towards migration appear to be hardening

South Africa\u27s Electricity Crisis: The Need to Reconcile Environmental Policy Decisions with International Treaties

This Comment examines whether South Africa’s treaty obligations conflict with the requirement of the country’s government to provide electricity to a burgeoning home-owning population. Section II introduces Eskom, South Africa’s largest utility company, which produces most of the electricity used in South Africa and surrounding countries. Section III discusses South Africa’s role in the Southern Africa Power Pool and the additional obligations this membership places on the country. Section IV then examines the controversial loan that South Africa received from the World Bank to assist in building the Medupi coal-fired power plant. Section V illustrates South Africa’s climate change obligations imposed by its commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Millennium Development Goals the country agreed to meet. Lastly, Section VI examines the relationship between the World Bank loan for the Medupi coal-fired power plant and South Africa’s treaty obligations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This Comment then proposes the establishment of regulations to reconcile conflicting decisions or obligations of international institutions

A palaeoecological study of Cors Gyfelog and Tre'r Gof: lowland mines of north west Wales

This study investigates post-Glacial development of Cors Gyfelog and Tre'r Gof - lowland mires in north west Wales - and the vegetational history of the region over the same period. Using existing hydroseral theories, possible future successions are predicted, their desirablility from conservation viewpoints, and whether management might be considered necessary. Peat stratigraphy records vegetational changes at the two sites, supported by pollen analysis, which also reveals regional developments. Additionally, correlations are attempted between variations in peat chemistry and mineral content, and mire vegetational changes shown by the other techniques. Results from Cors Gyfelog indicate central parts of the mire were of early post-Glacial lacustrine origin, but terrestrialisation followed quickly. The wetland area expanded during the Atlantic period. Pollen and biostratigraphy indicate fluctuations between poor-fen and alder carr until the sub-Atlantic, when there was reedswamp and incipient valley bog, before general succession to sedge fen. Latterly, probably following minor drainage attempts, conditions have become drier, and large areas are now dominated by Molinia or Salix. Tre'r Gof history spans the post-Glacial. Until c.4000 B.P., conditions were lacustrine, with calcareous waters deriving from shelly Irish Sea till. Surrounding wet meadow succeeded to carr. With terrestrialisation, the mire became rich fen. Southern parts of the mire have recently been affected by drainage, leaving drier grassland areas and small patches of carr, although with some very wet patches. Whilst research on British mires suggests that eventual domination by Sphagnum mosses is normal, this does not appear to be happening here. Drainage attempts, however, could raise surface vegetation above the water table, away from nutrient-rich waters, and allow ombrotrophic Sphagnum growth. Alternatively, carr may spread and dominate, particularly at Cors Gyfelog. It is suggested that neither would be desirable, so frequent monitoring should be conducted, unwanted carr removed, and water levels manipulated to prevent excessive drying