Many eminent scientists have said those words. One of the latest is Professor Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal. In an interview for This Cambridge Life in June this year he had this to say on the urgent need to address climate change –
Our planet is getting more crowded and our climate is warming. Climate change is not under-discussed but it’s dismayingly under-acted-upon. On the positive side, we have several politically realistic ways to mitigate the CO2 emissions warming the world by directing technology wisely.
The IPCC report was released today, it tells us it is crucially important, no matter where we might live on this planet, to ensure emissions are reduced, and to keep any increase in temperature below 1.5 C. Australia has many Pacific neighbours already being affected by climate change, but our government continues to deny them any help at all, let alone devise a way to reduce our increasing levels of emissions. It’s imperative our government stops adopting the ostrich posture, stops buck-passing by saying other nations need to do something before Australia acts and stops denying there is any such thing as climate change.
You can read the full report here – http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
If you prefer, here’s a summary prepared by the Climate Council.
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/limiting-temperature-rise/
Our interim prime minister decided to rubbish the report even before it was released. He said the report was not about Australia and there was no need for this nation to do a thing about it. He was wrong, of course. Maybe he should have waited and read the report before he spoke, but that doesn’t seem to be his style. The report has the word “Australia” more than 30 times in the main body of text, and in addition there are the mentions of all the Australia scientists – more than a dozen – who contributed. Then Morrison went further. The Guardian reported his words.
Morrison repeated his claim that Australia would meet its Paris emissions reduction target “in a canter”, despite environment department figures showing emissions increased 1.3% in the year to March 2018, suggesting Australia is likely to miss the target.
Advice from the Energy Security Board has said that a business as usual scenario will mean the electricity sector will “fall short of the emissions reduction target of 26% below 2005 levels” by 2030.
Asked if Australia would be held to the target to reduce emissions by 26% to 28% from 2005 levels, Morrison said: “No, we won’t … we’re not held to any of them at all. Nor are we bound to go and tip money into that big climate fund. We’re not going to do that either. I’m not going to spend money on global climate conferences and all that nonsense.”
Australia has contributed $200m to the Green Climate Fund from 2015 to 2018, but the Coalition has come under pressure from One Nation to rule out making further contributions. The fund’s purpose is to help developing countries respond to climate change.
Morrison’s mendacity, ignorance and arrogance are breathtaking. Most Australians understand just how urgent it is to address climate change, to do all we can. Even the most conservative farmers are now, finally, beginning to understand climate change is real and is affecting the way they farm, yet Morrison keeps on pandering to the extreme right wingers in his government, all climate science deniers to their fingertips. He is really on the losing side of this debate, but he can’t seem to understand that. Why is he taking this stance? Why does he keep insisting our ageing and inefficient coal-fired, carbon-pumping power stations should have their lives extended, at huge cost, when renewables are cheaper and are what the power companies want to go with? Is he pandering to Trump, in the hope he will get an invitation to the White House? Is he after bigger donations to the Liberal Party from mining and gas companies? Is he just plain stupid? Or is there more to it? You can decide.
Meanwhile our only hope of reducing carbon emissions and starting to take action that might save what’s left of the Great Barrier Reef and our entire agricultural industry is to change the government. That cannot happen soon enough.
THE PUB 
Very nice, very nice indeed.
From t’other post
BK, looks like you have admin privileges.
If you need help getting your comments out of spam, just yell.
Because we have no Planet B, I repost this . . .
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. Quite a big, mixed bag today.
Peter Hannam reports that Australia’s mining industry and the Morrison government have rejected an international climate report that demands nations phase out all coal-fired power by mid-century and leave most fossil fuel reserves untapped to avoid dangerous global warming. What a national disgrace!
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/mining-sector-morrison-government-on-the-defensive-over-ipcc-report-20181008-p508ee.html
David Crowe writes that the political will to prevent climate change is lacking, even as the cost climbs.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-political-will-to-prevent-climate-change-is-lacking-even-as-the-cost-climbs-20181008-p508g2.html
Hannam and Hasham unpack the IPCC report – and it’s not pretty.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/next-decade-critical-perils-mount-at-1-5-degrees-of-warming-says-ipcc-20181008-p508ci.html
Paul Bongiorno says Morrison found himself in a very awkward spot on the day the world’s most authoritative climate science body released its latest report. He’s in political hot water, he says.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/10/08/political-climate-hot-scott-morrison/
World leaders have been told they have moral obligation to ramp up their action on the climate crisis in the wake of a new UN report that shows even half a degree of extra warming will affect hundreds of millions of people, decimate corals and intensify heat extremes. Mr Morrison, where in the bloody hell are you?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/world-leaders-have-moral-obligation-to-act-after-un-climate-report
This one chart shows how terrifyingly urgent the climate situation is.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2018/10/08/one-chart-climate-change-ipcc/
Ben Potter thinks that Labor and the Coalition will square off in a Great Barrier Reef election.
https://outline.com/LvRtFX
Peter Hartcher tells us about the different designs Russia and China have on the West.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/stealth-doorway-china-s-stunning-server-hack-shows-its-true-hand-20181008-p508co.html
Noel Towell explains that women are in the driving seat when it comes to the outcome of the Victorian election.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/women-voters-in-poll-position-as-parties-court-the-female-vote-20181008-p508gg.html
Alexandra Smith writes that Gladys Berejiklian is steering a rudderless ship. She says the Coalition is beginning to resemble a government in its dying days.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/gladys-berejiklian-is-steering-a-rudderless-ship-20181008-p508fg.html
And Jenna Price, having praised Gladys a year ago, has gone right off her now.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/last-year-i-wrote-in-praise-of-the-premier-i-ve-changed-my-mind-20181008-p508fz.html
According to Alan Tudge new migrants will be forced to live outside Sydney and Melbourne for up to five years under a federal government plan to ease congestion in the nation’s most populous cities.
https://outline.com/HzPkZE
Financial counsellor Elizabeth Minter explains how the Centrelink system is against people who are vulnerable – financially and emotionally. She says that delaying benefit payments is saving the government millions
https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/delaying-benefit-payments-is-saving-the-government-millions-20181008-p508d0.html
Paul Malone describes the secrecy, paranoia, suspicion and hostility within the /Home Affairs/Immigration department and why it should stop.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/immigration-secrecy-paranoia-suspicion-and-hostility-needs-to-stop-20181002-p5079d.html
In a hard hitting contribution Karen Maley writes that both sides of politics are determined to ignore the key question of banker bonuses raised by Commssioner Hayne and both engaged in breath-taking hypocrisy by bashing ASIC after cutting funding.
https://outline.com/NqP3qD
Buried among the data in the latest ABS report is an even more frightening figure: the number of suicides of women of aged under 25 has increased by 76 per cent over the past 10 years.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/frightening-story-hidden-in-latest-suicide-statistics-20181007-p5089o.html
Josh Wilson writes that it is time to bring the dangerous neoliberal love affair with deregulation to an end. The government’s so-called war on red tape has weakened the rules that protect Australians from the sharp end of the profit motive.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/08/red-tape-protects-us-this-dangerous-love-affair-with-deregulation-must-end
The lovely Judith Sloan is in full bitter and twisted flight in The Australian today! Unbelievable stuff.
https://www.outline.com/MpLus3
https://outline.com/98V23n
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will be based in Adelaide after the Oakden scandal led to the city being declared “ground zero” in Australia’s nursing home crisis. I hope the commission is not too narrowly focussed.
https://www.outline.com/b3JsfR
Senator Rex Patrick has penned an op-ed in which he says Dutton’s airport ID checks are ripe for abuse and take us closer to a police state.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/09/duttons-airport-id-checks-are-ripe-for-abuse-and-take-us-closer-to-a-police-state
Professor Kurt Iverson describes why the creeping sell-off of public space for private ads is so wrong.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/why-the-creeping-sell-off-of-public-space-for-private-ads-is-so-wrong-20181008-p508el.html
Michael Lallo explores the influence of Alan Jones and concludes that it’s not as powerful as politicians think.
https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/alan-jones-is-not-as-powerful-as-politicians-think-20181008-p508df.html
George Williams contrasts the highest courts in Australia and the US and concludes that a “Kavanaugh” could not happen here.
https://outline.com/Mam4Mq
And Lee Duffield says that the clearance by the United States Senate of Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court judge has further shown up angry divisions in American society.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/on-the-nose-brett-kavanaugh-squeezed-through-as-us-supreme-court-judge,11969
Elizabeth Knight tells us that on the eve of bank chief executives fronting a gruelling parliamentary inquiry and only weeks before full-year results are posted, confession season has taken on a whole new dimension.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/banks-spooked-as-behavioural-ghosts-won-t-be-put-to-rest-easily-20181008-p508ff.html
The fight over legal professional privilege has the big four accounting firms in the sights of the Tax Office, which is considering tax promoter penalties that could cost millions.
https://outline.com/y9SVL9
Bloomberg explains that for no other reason other than the outcome of the presidential election, Republicans bought more stocks, while Democrats shifted to bonds and cash. It says this serves as yet another reminder to avoid investing based on emotions and that the range of reason so many of us use to make investment decisions are impulsive, irrational and often costly.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/trump-s-election-shows-how-much-investors-have-to-learn-20181009-p508i9.html
Sally Whyte reveals how PM&C has doubled the spend on consultants over 12 months.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/prime-minister-and-cabinet-doubles-consultant-spend-in-one-year-20181005-p5080v.html
Stephen Bartholomeusz says that one of the more unusual and curious facets of Wesfarmers’ demerger of its Coles food and liquor businesses is that about $12 billion of assets will disappear in the process.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/wesfarmers-and-its-12-billion-vanishing-act-20181008-p508db.html
The AFR tells us about the documents that Glencore wants to keep from the Tax Office – the emails, the board briefings, the step plans and PowerPoint presentations that detail how the Swiss trading group moved $30 billion of resource projects out of the Australian tax net after a $16 billion writedown.
https://outline.com/BpJwAW
Mungo MacCallum writes that the Morrison Government is unperturbed that Medecins Sans Frontieres has been ordered to cease treating Australia’s refugees on Nauru, despite the island being declared a humanitarian emergency by health professionals.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/mungo-maccallum-mental-health-on-nauru-not-our-problem-says-pm,11974
Mary Ward gives Melania Trump a serve saying that if she wants a focus on what she does, she should actually do something.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/if-melania-wants-a-focus-on-what-she-does-she-should-do-something-20181008-p508bq.html
Mark Latham has “sensibly” cut dozens of pages from his written defence in a defamation battle with journalist Osman Faruqi, a Federal Court judge has said, and the case should now proceed swiftly to trial. Michaela Whitbourn reports on progress of the case.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/mark-latham-s-ill-considered-defamation-defence-takes-a-cut-20181008-p508ca.html
The validity of the safe-access-zone laws in Victoria and Tasmania that prevent anti-abortion protesters from harassing women seeking medical treatment will be challenged before the high court today.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/09/abortion-clinic-safe-access-zones-face-challenge-in-australias-high-court
Stephen Koukoulas explains how a crashing bond market will affect all of us.
https://thekouk.com/item/637-the-bond-market-is-crashing-and-it-ll-affect-you.html
The promise of an afterlife – to meet departed family and friends – appeals to many, but especially younger Australians. Are private religious schools playing a part? And why do they dismiss the evidence of physics, asks Brian Morris.
https://newmatilda.com/2018/10/08/private-school-daze-heaven-millennials/
Australia’s national recycling body has urged governments to address stagnating recycling rates and lagging energy capture from waste, warning the nation is “now at a crossroads”.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/call-to-action-as-australian-recycling-rates-stagnate-20181008-p508by.html
A work order for annual preventative maintenance of the Thunder River Rapids Ride was entered into Dreamworld’s computer system the day after the 2016 tragedy that killed four people, and not by the park’s maintenance planner. There’s something fishy here methinks.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/queensland/ride-maintenance-was-entered-into-dreamworld-system-day-after-tragedy-20181008-p508ez.html
Whether you were born in December, January, August or September can have a significant and long-lasting impact on your life. New research shows your birthday month may also contribute to shaping your personality. In particular, we found people’s self-confidence can significantly differ because of their month of birth.
https://theconversation.com/how-your-birth-date-influences-how-well-you-do-in-school-and-later-in-life-102401
Telstra has been ordered to audit its priority assistance systems after two seriously ill people died when their landlines failed. It follows an investigation by the communications watchdog which revealed Telstra was aware both customers needed a working landline due to their life-threatening, chronic health conditions.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/10/08/telstra-faces-audit-health-call-fail/
Now Trump is calling the Kavanaugh sexual assault claims a hoax.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/trump-calls-kavanaugh-sexual-assault-claims-a-hoax-20181009-p508i7.html
The limousine that crashed in upstate New York, killing 20 people, failed an inspection last month and its driver was not properly licensed, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2018/10/09/deadly-limousine-failed-inspection-says-new-york-governor/
And for today’s nomination for “Arseholes of the Week” . . . .
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-09/learn-and-churn-mcdonalds-accused-of-exploiting-young-workers/10342934
Cartoon Corner
Mark David has Morrison coming to the aid of a struggling Gladys.
Some beauties from Matt Golding.
A big Sean Leahy catch up.
David Pope adorns the Opera House.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_828/t_resize_width/t_sharpen%2Cq_auto%2Cf_auto/6d2f961f21687eadc497fd3a3500924c0add1d73
A nice little gif from Glen Le Lievre.
Et voila!!!!!!!
Well done, and congratulations on your new admin powers.
Thanks BK
Noel Towell’s piece highlights the inconsistencies in opinion polls. He says that mass surveys show Labor ahead in the Victorian election but in-depth questionnaires with women aged 25 to 49 put Liberals ahead in key marginal seats.
BK
Well done. I was going to suggest you have the rights to let yourself free, but didn’t want to upset the new management. Well done everyone.
It worked well. I didn’t have to do a thing!
Now everyone is going to be wanting secret powers.
2gravel –
You would never upset the new management by making clever suggestions.
BK
Ah, the mysteries of power. Even when you don’t know you have it.
Some off-topic stuff on the Opera House issue.
Gladys wasn’t around for the handing over of this petition.
Kerryn Phelps was the only Wentworth candidate there.
And –
Then there’s this – there’s nothing like the threat of legal action to make a bully back down.
Alan Jones apologises to Opera House boss over The Everest controversy
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/alan-jones-apologises-to-opera-house-boss-over-the-everest-controversy-20181009-p508ir.html
And here’s the incompetent boob who thought up the whole idea. He was also behind the idiotic stadium redevelopment brainfart that has all but ruined this government’s chance of being re-elected.
‘He’s a can-do man’: The minister who devised Opera House plan
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/stuart-ayres-opera-house-racing-everest-20181008-p508gt.html
Leone
Thanks, Razz and I were talking about it. I know you people aren’t overly sensative, but still I didn’t want to upset anyone. Glad it’s all sorted now to everyones satisfaction.
This is good, tell of the limitations of being a young attractive woman.
Excellent!
You really have to listen to this car-crash interview – Sabra Lane (sounding very fed-up indeed) and the federal Minister for the Environment, Melissa Price.
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/adelaide/programs/am/melissa-price-paris-commitment,-ipcc-and-the-opera-house/10354540
Ms Price never got to talk about the Opera House issue, Sabra had clearly had enough lies and obfuscation without going into rubbish about about why ScumMo was absolutely right in supporting ads on the sails.
Price says she hasn’t read the whole IPCC report. Well, probably not, it’s very long and very complex, but I don’t think she has even looked at a summary. She’s the minister who should be most concerned with it yet she seems to know nothing about it. She obviously went into that interview prepared only to push the government line and was left gibbering when she was asked some pointed questions.
I’m glad Sabra called Price out on her lies about meeting our Paris target. It’s about time someone did this. We are nowhere near that target, our emissions are growing, yet the MSM never seem interested in calling out Scummo’s continual “in a canter” blathering.
Just as well the ABC board is in disarray right now, if this interview had happened two weeks ago Fifield and Scummo would have been writing stern letters of complaint to Justin Milne.
More comment –
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-09/environment-minister-says-calls-to-end-coal-drawing-long-bow/10354604
In case you missed it – Melissa Price would have to be the most inappropriate of Scummo’s appointments to his ministry, and that’s damning, considering he also dragged the odious rorter Stuart Robert back from the naughty corner to become Assistant Treasurer. Price is a climate change sceptic with a background in the mining industry, and thanks to Scummo she is now Minister for the environment.
Ms Price had a very condescending tone as she dismissed eminent scientists.
Catholic schools really ought give their girls a good grounding in STEM subjects – why do we fund them?
Sad enough in 2009 but gawd it be nearly 2019.
Our lost history of climate change
11 NOV 2009
Exactly twenty years ago, in 1989, federal cabinet first considered reducing greenhouse emissions by 20 per cent by 2005, and during the 1990 election campaign, they agreed, with some provisos, to a similar plan. At the same time, the Liberal Party was developing parallel policies, although Chris Puplick, the Liberal shadow environment minister at the time, argues that the Liberal Party was ahead of Labor on climate change, and on many other environment issues, at the 1990 election.
http://apo.org.au/node/19638
https://junkee.com/chaser-opera-house-ad/177487
F.M –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/09/the-sydney-opera-house-cant-we-have-one-thing-thats-not-covered-in-degradation-and-garbage
Friendly Jordies on the TPP. I couldn’t watch all of it as they keep chopping and changing and rambling about other issues, so your choice to watch or not –
Sharma didn’t turn up
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/wentworth-byelection-forum-the-good-hearted-people-and-the-missing-liberal
We knew last week he wasn’t going to bother attending, so I don’t know why whoever wrote this seems surprised he didn’t show up.
Poor petal, it’s a long drive from Turramurra. Maybe he wanted to save paying a toll to get across the harbour.
I wonder if Ms Phelps is regretting her decision to preference the Libs now they are running a hate campaign against her.
Scummo still repeating the lie about what the IPCC report said “last year”.
There was no report last year.
He should either learn a few facts, if he’s capable of absorbing some very simple information, or he keeps his mouth shut.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2018/oct/09/morrison-on-ipcc-emissions-report-there-are-a-lot-bigger-players-than-us-out-there-video
The IPCC releases Assessment Reports at intervals of several years. The last report – the 5th – was released between September 2013 and November 2014.
The next full Assessment Report won’t be finalised until 2022.
http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_history.shtml
What we saw handed down yesterday was a special one-off report on global warming of 1.5 C. How could there possibly be a “last year’s report”?
Nice timing
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-09/byalong-valley-coal-mine-gets-approval-from-nsw-government/10355668
Just on the Wentworth thing – we are constantly told climate change is the big election issue, as it should be in an electorate with so much water frontage and a famous beach that will vanish if sea levels rise.
So why is one of the indie candidates, Licia Heath, making such a big deal about finding for a new state high school in Wentworth, especially as it’s a state government problem, not a federal one? She is centring her campaign on that one issue.
https://www.liciaheath.com.au/
I understand the need – Wentworth has something like 15 private high schools and only one state high school, but the feds won’t be doing anything to change that.
Kerryn Phelps started off strongly on this issue but seems to have dropped it for other things that are actually federal issues.
‘Father of Medicare’ John Deeble dead at 87
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/father-of-medicare-john-deeble-dead-at-87-20181009-p508kk.html
The Greens are keen on campaigning about local issues that are popular but way out of the realm of the possible. In my area they want to upgrade a railway station when all the land needed to improve said station and railway has had new high rise apartment blocks built on it in the past decade or is currently expensive retail shopping mall
Coming to light another close “end of the world” call from the ‘good old days’ .
.
.
A nuclear standoff. One leader is drunk. The other is delirious. The underlings scramble to avoid the worst. This is not an end-of-the-world Hollywood thriller, or an episode in President Trump’s erratic diplomacy. It is a story of how the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves on a collision course in the Middle East
https://outline.com/egKazR
We have an anniversary today.
Six years ago today this happened.
Only 6 years! It feels like decades ago as the social polity has changed and Australians no longer look to the future with hope and confidence, now it’s more like fear and dread of what further damage the COALition can inflict before they get booted out.
I saw her speech on German TV News in Croatia and waited for 2 days to read it in the SMH
This year in Romania a Swedish woman remarked on the speech
I’ve not long read Peter Lewis in the Guardian about the latest Essential poll. Other than terrific support to do something about Climate change, most other issues I care about are split down the middle. It has brought me down with a thud. Especially the response to scummo, I’m so disappointed people are so easily taken in by his nothingness.
Don’t take it too seriously. I know how Essential does its polling and I would be very, very surprised if even 50% of the respondents knew who Scummo and Shorten are.
I said the other day I thought I had done that poll, I did. You can guess how I answered.
My advice on Essential – ignore the spin The Guardian puts on them, just go straight to the actual results (someone always posts them here, Leroy gave us a link today)) and look at the real numbers. I find it always gives a different take to the media spin.
Here’s the link to my comment above.
!!!!!!!!FMD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 1/4 of Labor voters gave Scrott a thumbs up. Insert Charlie Brown ;Good Grief: emoticon.
Ask and ye shall receiveth –
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HtEtzd31oMNk-zE4LHDqXWhbcco2bJtXfCrSXvooGfqG4bawIF_kZmfPGYkBpB5S4RqEzws=s85
Any spare woofle dust around?
ckwatt,
Can’t be done: there’s no jpg, gif, … file type
I’ll keep that in mind next time I post an image, merci monsieur canard.
Kaffee
I think that’s why I’m feeling very pessimistic about this change of leaders. What a contrast to when Labor changed leaders, the msm were just rabid. They’ve let this just slide through as if it is normal.
Worse than that, they have been presenting Scummo in a very false light and are still allowing him to get away with the most appalling lies.
Probably not exactly what NSW Racing wanted
http://www.abc.net.au/news/
Racing NSW and Jones got all they deserved. Appalling decision.
Phelps is a true Liberal, lying for all she’s worth.
Here’s what Tim Murray said yesterday.
Well, Reachtell has just reached out to the wilds of WA *snorts*
Now to remember when/where the results may be published!
I thought racing was the sport of the proletariat , but apparently not.
Bastard
I fixed my password problem. I hope.
Yippee.
I bet Baz was at the racing shindig tonight, muttering about the peasants outside.
I meant to post this tweet this morning.
Well, who would have thought ……
It’s real, I checked.
https://www.racingaustralia.horse/Aboutus/Management.aspx
ugh.
I have just about given up on Australians caring about AGW,
I just turned off my Adblocker.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
More than 1000 protesters chanting “save our sails” and “it’s our house” gathered in front of the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday night in protest at the Racing NSW projections on the World Heritage listed building.
https://www.smh.com.au/sydney-news/opera-house-illumination-time-changed-to-avoid-protesters-20181009-p508ob.html
Jacob Saulwick reports that more than 80 per cent of NSW residents are opposed to Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s decision to overrule Opera House management and ensure promotional materials for the Everest horse race be projected onto its sails, while a majority of survey participants were also concerned that politicians’ values on the issue do not reflect the community. Nice reading of opinion Gladys!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/eight-out-of-10-in-nsw-opposed-to-berejiklian-s-opera-house-sails-deal-survey-20181009-p508oc.html
Charmaine Moldrich, the chief executive officer of the Outdoor Media Association, says that speaking as someone who represents billboard owners, Louise Herron is right – the Sydney Opera House is not a billboard.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/we-need-to-tell-sydney-s-story-not-sell-it-to-the-highest-bidder-20181009-p508jf.html
And the issue blew up on Ten’s “The Project” last night as Steve Price made a fool of himself.
https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/you-re-a-w-ten-s-project-hosts-clash-over-opera-house-controversy-20181009-p508j8.html
Spurred on by shock jock Alan Jones and supported by PM Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Berejiklian is now facing a public backlash after directing that the Opera House be defaced by gambling advertising.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/alan-jones-and-the-liberal-party-turn-the-opera-house-into-a-giant-billboard,11976
Having buckled to Alan Jones in the Opera House debacle, Gladys Berejiklian faces another Jones-test this weekend, arguably a challenge of greater import, a challenge which may save lives. Michael West reports.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/gladys-versus-alan-jones-and-australias-most-sackable-chairman/
In a disturbing, though encouraging, revelation Jewel Topsfield tells us what is said to be in Ruddock’s report into religious freedom.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/religious-freedom-review-enshrines-right-of-schools-to-turn-away-gay-children-and-teachers-20181009-p508o7.html
Eryk Bagshaw tells us how the number of people waiting for skilled regional visas has blown out by more than 50 per cent under the Coalition and the number of people being approved has halved, as the Morrison government faces calls to explain how it will force new migrants to settle in the regions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/regional-visa-approvals-fall-by-50-percent-under-the-coalition-20181009-p508me.html
David Crowe reports that public schools will be offered a $14 billion spending boost over the coming decade as Shorten escalates the contest over education by pledging to fund thousands of additional teachers under a Labor government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-pledges-a-14-billion-public-school-boost-20181009-p508ok.html
The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government is still working on the discredited theory of trickle-down economics, the winners of which are not everyday working Australians, writes Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Brendan O’Connor. We have a wages problem he says.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/brendan-oconnor-australia-has-a-wages-problem,11975
John Collett bemoans the fact that many super funds fail to use their muscle at company AGMs.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/super-and-retirement/many-super-funds-fail-to-use-their-muscle-at-company-agms-20181005-p50811.html
In the meantime Telstra is facing a showdown with investors over pay for its top executives after influential advisory groups called for shareholders to vote down executive pay arrangements at the struggling telco’s annual general meeting next week.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/telstra-executive-pay-in-the-firing-line-from-shareholders-20181009-p508mg.html
All Australian churches should be made to open their books to account more thoroughly for their billions of dollars in assets and revenue, a member of the child abuse royal commission, Robert Fitzgerald, has said.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/sex-abuse-royal-commissioner-says-it-s-time-for-churches-to-account-for-their-cash-20181009-p508oj.html
Max Blenkin reports on the first day of the High Court trial on abortion clinic safe zones stop harassment and intimidation.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/abortion-clinic-safe-zones-stop-harassment-and-intimidation-court-told-20181009-p508pa.html
These academics say that as the High Court challenge to abortion clinic ‘safe access zones’ begins, there is much at stake.
https://theconversation.com/as-the-high-court-challenge-to-abortion-clinic-safe-access-zones-begins-there-is-much-at-stake-104315
Victoria legalised abortion 10 years ago – what will it take in NSW and Queensland?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2018/oct/09/victoria-legalised-abortion-10-years-ago-what-will-it-take-in-nsw-and-queensland
Nicholas Stuart writes that we have lost the fight against the influence and effects of gambling in Australia. And the same goes for climate change and the Afghanistan adventure.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/seventeen-years-and-three-days-later-we-ve-lost-the-war-20181009-p508mx.html
Labor has flagged a further crackdown on foreign workers after Bill Shorten and senior shadow ministers held private talks with a group of unions angry over the TPP.
https://outline.com/DfUrvb
Boris Johnson has penned an op-ed in which he comes out strongly I support of women saying we need the waters of righteous anger to sweep away the global injustice to the female sex.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/put-a-sock-in-it-men-it-s-time-to-end-global-injustice-towards-women-20181008-p508bt.html
More doom and gloom from Bloomberg as it tells us that the next financial crisis is staring us in the face.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/the-next-financial-crisis-is-staring-us-in-the-face-20181009-p508i8.html
PwC says it was behind a tax structure viewed by the Tax Office as “aggressive” and which triggered an ongoing investigation into the firm and its clients.
https://www.outline.com/rnWSkP
Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh has got on the front foot with new promises to stop charging the dead and end grandfathering under a new code of practice.
https://www.outline.com/dVvuF6
Anne Davies was at the candidates’ forum at Wentworth last night where Phelps was heckled and Sharma didn’t turn up.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/wentworth-byelection-forum-the-good-hearted-people-and-the-missing-liberal
A heap of letters to the SMH editor say that Morrison is insulting our intelligence with his response to the IPCC report. They are certainly justified in doing so.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/pm-insults-our-intelligence-with-climate-report-response-20181009-p508p9.html
Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor will unveil a fresh push to keep alive the reliability mechanism in the now-abandoned National Energy Guarantee in a move that will put the greatest pressure on states that have the highest renewable energy targets.
https://outline.com/uaRsMA
Also in the AFR Mark Butler has written an op-ed which, among other things, says the modern Liberal Party is plagued by a fundamental division on climate change, which has crippled the party’s ability to formulate any real climate policies, especially when such policy overlaps with energy.
https://outline.com/MUG7Rk
Paul Karp outlines the disgusting and embarrassing responses from government members to the IPCC report.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/australian-government-backs-coal-defiance-ipcc-climate-warning
These academics say that coal is on the way out and the only question is how quickly it will happen.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/coal-is-on-the-way-out-the-only-question-is-how-quickly-20181009-p508kj.html
James Fernybough also looks at the crap the government has served up after receipt of the IPCC report.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2018/10/09/morrison-emissions-lying-nonsense-explanation/
The Bureau of Meteorology has just upped the chance of an El Nino this year, meaning there is now three times the normal risk of the climate driver associated with hot and dry conditions happening this year.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/10/09/el-nino-alert-bureau-meteorology/
Alan Finkel sees a bright future for Australia exporting sunshine, in the form of hydrogen, to Japan.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/bright-future-for-australia-shipping-sunshine-to-japan-20181009-p508mq.html
Whyalla’s white knight Sanjeev Gupta has offered to work with the Federal Government to develop an energy plan it could take to next year’s election.
https://outline.com/rVx36n
Meanwhile work on a $700 million solar and pumped hydropower development near Port Pirie would start next year, if the project wins development approval. Rise Renewables says about 500 people would find work during the project’s construction phase at Baroota, about 40km north of Port Pirie.
https://outline.com/qW8ZsZ
Pollster Peter Lewis explains that voters are split on Morrison but there is a clear consensus on climate action.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2018/oct/09/voters-split-on-scott-morrison-but-a-clear-consensus-on-climate-action
Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has written to Conservative MPs warning that the party faces “dire” electoral consequences if Theresa May continues to pursue a Chequers-style deal with the EU27.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/09/david-davis-warns-tory-mps-chequers-cost-party-election
More from the Dreamworld inquiry as ex-staff will be seeking compensation for the horrific scenes they witnessed when they responded to the malfunction that killed four people.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/dreamworld-inquest-ride-tragedy
Stephen Bartholomeusz tells us that there’s a whiff of fear in the air in China as escalating trade frictions with the US begin to impact on an economy that had its own pre-existing issues.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/china-appears-to-blink-in-trade-confrontation-with-the-us-20181009-p508kd.html
Greg Jericho explores where China’s $40bn investment in Australia is going.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2018/oct/09/following-the-money-where-chinas-40bn-investment-in-australia-is-going
Almost half the people in Australia’s superannuation system hold more than one account, which collectively costs $2.6 billion in additional fees each year. Of Australia’s 15 million superannuation fund members, 40 per cent have multiple accounts, and federal budget estimates put the number of unnecessary duplicate accounts at 10 million.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/superannuation/2018/10/09/how-to-consolidate-super/
The government will face big problems in enforcing its latest proposal to send new migrants to the regions, the former Australian Border Force chief Roman Quaedvlieg has said.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/coalitions-plan-to-force-new-migrants-to-live-in-rural-areas-criticised-by-quaedvlieg
Sally Whyte reports that hundreds of public servants were granted waivers in order to gain a security clearance, possibly increasing the government’s risk of insider threats.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/hundreds-of-waivers-for-security-clearances-handed-out-20181005-p50828.html
Melissa Browne expresses the wish that the housing dip should belong to the young.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/the-housing-dip-should-belong-to-the-young-20181008-p508hk.html
More from John Collett as he tells us how Australians have long been dudded by poor rates and charged high fees on money they change into foreign currencies but there are signs the party might be over for the exchange companies.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/blatant-currency-exchange-rip-offs-under-official-scrutiny-20181008-p508d2.html
Sarah Danckert reports that the new Chinese owner of Sirtex has been ordered to notify class action lawyers when it plans to remove the local biotech’s assets from Australia after a Federal Court judge found the shareholder case had a real prospect of success.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/cancer-group-forced-to-retain-80-million-for-likely-class-action-loss-20181008-p508dk.html
Some nominations for “Arseholes of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/anaesthetist-who-infected-55-women-with-hep-c-to-challenge-conviction-20181009-p508oz.html
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/sushi-shops-forced-to-pay-back-800-000-to-workers-20181009-p508ki.html
Cartoon Corner.
David Rowe with a shocking depiction of The Parrot’s “apology”. Just look at it’s bum!
Mark David with a problem for the Opera House.
Fiona Katauskas also uses the Opera House to make a point.
Peter Broelman puts the Opera House issue into perspective.
A good effort here from Paul Zanetti.
The prolific Matt Golding has plenty for us today.
David Pope sinks the boot into Morrison.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_828/t_resize_width/t_sharpen%2Cq_auto%2Cf_auto/1fe5aa3ea09330af934af7258077905095e0720b
Johannes Leak seems to have a problem. He needs help.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/ad042bec02e26931536b4c7a5288a26c
A retired meteorologist I know despairs aboutGlobal Warming. He won’t talk about, his wife says we past the tipping point 10 years ago
Even if we stop polluting tomorrow carbon dioxide will continue to rise before it falls ie co2 already in atmosphere has to dissipate. Sorry about vagueness but year 12 science was an eon ago
Still it’s no reason to do nothing
A bit more on the “clear consensus” on global warming.
Yesterday there was this, from the ABC.
‘You can’t keep arguing this is just a cycle’: Farmers struggling to manage impacts of climate change
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-09/farmers-struggling-to-manage-impacts-of-climate-change-drought/10355686
Farmers know what’s going on, the intelligent ones, anyway. They want to see the government acting on addressing climate change. The big question has to be why do so many rural people still keep on voting National? You really wonder when you see something like this –
There are some people doing massive clearing land in Qld who have been described as businessmen rather than farmers. They intend to clear the land and sell it
And then there are farmers who buy in calves and fatten them up on the roadside reserve as their business model, around Leonie they specialise in black cattle who are invisible at night and blend into the shadows on sunny days
Nick Minchin SA Liberal was fiercely against climate change, yes he recognised the climate was changing but had no interest in acknowledging it because that implies introducing policies to mitigate
These truely seem like Scrott’s Endtimes policies! If you look at his efforts on the SOH/Jones saga, the Religios freedoms report/climate response / the list goes on…….and this is just the stuff that peeps through the 24hr news cycle sound and fury.
I don’t understand why you would take funding from any cancer research centre, or from any other health research for that matter.
I’m beginning to believe the religious conspiracy theories that say Scummo, being a devout Pentecostalist, believes prayer will solve all our problems and nothing matters anyway because we are fast approaching the end time and Jesus will soon return to take the faithful somewhere better. It’s the only way to make sense of his idiotic decisions and his incredibly arrogant and mendacious blatherings on climate change and the IPCC report. Even worse, his ministers are falling over themselves in their rush to agree with him, whether they actually do or not. Are they afraid they will be sent to the backbenches if they dare disagree with their dud of a leader?
“God is with me and my family. We won’t get cancer,” Morrison’s thoughts.
Will Ivanka Trump becaome the new US ambassador to the UN?
Nikki Haley resigns as US ambassador to UN and will leave post in January
Trump said he had been informed ‘probably six months ago’
Timing of departure a surprise to state department and UN
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/09/nikki-haley-resigns-quits-trump-un-ambassador-latest-news
Haley’s gushing about Ivanka and her shifty husband is sickening. It makes me wonder if Trump pushed her out to make way for his daughter.
So what did the Beeb’s talent scouts think of young Bowie and his band ? 🙂
“I don’t think they’ll get better with more rehearsals.”
.
“a singer devoid of personality”
.
“…there is no entertainment in anything they do.”
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/09/david-bowie-lower-third-bbc-verdict-documentary-the-first-five-years