Of course we humans don’t contribute to climate change …

Fiona Uncategorized

What an idiotic proposition! Yet, The Guardian suggests that the Little Ice Age was a consequence of Western colonialism.

Colour me pink and …

642 thoughts on “Of course we humans don’t contribute to climate change …”

  2. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Michael Koziol outlines Abbott’s call to Pell after the guilty verdict.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/devastating-tony-abbott-called-his-friend-george-pell-following-release-of-guilty-verdict-20190227-p510n5.html
    These are the ten people who wrote post-verdict references for Pell.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/thoughtful-considerate-the-people-who-wrote-character-references-for-george-pell-revealed-20190227-p510pp.html
    Nick Miller reports that the Vatican has opened an investigation into Pell and that Pope Francis may end up with the final say on whether George Pell is booted from the clergy for abusing children.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/vatican-opens-investigation-into-pell-that-could-see-him-defrocked-20190227-p510qe.html
    John Ellis is a Sydney lawyer and the survivor of a priest’s sexual abuse and he explains why history will judge George Pell, the cardinal who sought to crush him.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/history-will-judge-george-pell-the-cardinal-who-sought-to-crush-me-20190227-p510ma.html
    This is David Marr at his best.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/27/take-him-away-please-george-pell-had-not-dressed-for-prison-but-thats-where-he-went
    Bianca Hall examines the backlash against Pell’s conviction.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/cardinal-sin-critics-raise-questions-about-george-pell-s-conviction-20190227-p510iv.html
    Here is an extract from the now unembargoed book where she goes into the experiences of the two choir boys over which Pell was convicted.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/28/the-kid-and-the-choirboy-the-harrowing-story-of-george-pells-victims
    Clinical psychologist Kim Felmingham writes that while this conviction will provide a sense of justice and validation for many, the reactions of survivors and their families are likely to be complex and varied and may include anger, validation, sadness, loss and relief.
    https://theconversation.com/triggering-past-trauma-how-to-take-care-of-yourself-if-youre-affected-by-the-pell-news-112608
    Jewel Topsfield tells us what Pell’s time in prison will be like.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/pell-first-night-behind-bars-in-jail-steeped-in-misery-and-despair-20190227-p510oc.html
    Professor of Sociology Andre Singleton says that after Pell, the Catholic Church must undergo genuine reform.
    https://theconversation.com/after-pell-the-catholic-church-must-undergo-genuine-reform-112511
    John Warhurst examines the workings of the “chums”.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/hello-to-the-world-of-insiders-20190226-p510g0.html
    John Hewson is concerned that the climate issue is one that threatens our political duopoly.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/climate-the-crisis-that-threatens-our-political-duopoly-20190227-p510j7.html
    The SMH editorial says that Coalition’s late conversion to climate action stretches credibility.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-s-late-conversion-to-climate-action-stretches-credibility-20190227-p510k6.html
    Katharine Murphy reports that the Morrison government will persist with its attempted climate policy pivot by promising $50m in grants for businesses and community organisations to embark on energy efficiency projects, and an additional $17m to help building owners benchmark their energy use.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/28/morrison-pledges-50m-in-energy-efficiency-grants-as-part-of-climate-policy-pivot
    In what is not good news Greg Jericho explains that one of the key sectors for job growth looks to be slowing drastically.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/feb/28/one-of-the-key-sectors-for-job-growth-looks-to-be-slowing-drastically
    Esther Han reports that NSW Opposition Leader Michael Daley has vowed to end “no grounds” evictions in the first 100 days of a Labor government, despite a recent tenancy law review recommending against it.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/shifting-the-power-labor-vows-to-abolish-no-grounds-eviction-20190227-p510ka.html
    Jess Irvine says that mortgage brokers must be celebrating Labor’s backflip.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/mortgage-brokers-must-be-celebrating-labor-s-backflip-20190227-p510n4.html
    Industry superannuation fund members are more satisfied with the performances of their accounts than they were 12 months ago, according to new figures.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/superannuation/2019/02/27/industry-super-customer-satisfaction/
    Financial crime expert, Nathan Lynch interviews the Greens who claim that anti-money laundering reforms have been thwarted by “vested interests” in property and the legal sectors.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/anti-money-laundering-reforms-thwarted-by-vested-interests-say-greens/
    Shane Wright explains how Morrison is facing an increasingly soft economy in the run-up to his pre-election budget, with signs government spending on infrastructure is failing to offset a sharp drop in housing construction across the nation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/signs-of-economic-slowdown-as-construction-drops-off-20190227-p510l6.html
    Eryk Bagshaw outlines how the PM’s office has turned a taxpayer funded inquiry into a Liberal advertising campaign.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pm-s-office-turns-taxpayer-funded-inquiry-into-liberal-advertising-campaign-20190225-p5105o.html
    The BCA has had a gutful of politics.
    https://www.outline.com/TU9Uph
    What’s going on here? The Italian ambassador to Aust­ralia has been “recalled” to Rome in mysterious circumstances after he was accused of alleging that the Coalition government had “colluded” with the British over the billion-dollar frigate contract last year.
    https://www.outline.com/zpsnZL
    The ballooning edifice of corporate debt across the world is of ever lower quality and potentially more dangerous than it was at the outset of the Lehman crisis, the OECD club of rich nations has warned.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/companies-18t-debt-bubble-could-spark-a-devastating-global-fire-sale-20190227-p510hp.html
    Fergus Hunter tells us that former ABC chairman Maurice Newman has lashed the decision to ignore the recommendations of an independent panel in selecting the next leader of the public broadcaster, as the government prepares to announce publishing icon Ita Buttrose as its choice.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/former-abc-chair-maurice-newman-lashes-unfair-ita-buttrose-appointment-process-20190227-p510m4.html
    As I type Michael Cohen is unloading on Trump in Congress. The Republicans are in a very defensive and aggressive mood.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/racist-conman-cheat-former-fixer-cohen-unloads-on-trump-before-congress-20190228-p510qh.html
    The White House abruptly banned four US journalists from covering President Donald Trump’s dinner on Wednesday with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un after some of them shouted questions at the leaders during their earlier meetings.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/white-house-bans-four-journalists-from-covering-trump-kim-dinner-20190228-p510qg.html
    Complex legal terminology and ignorance by the mainstream media is making environmental protection increasingly difficult, writes Sue Arnold.
    https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/environmental-protection-is-no-simple-matter,12418
    Elizabeth Knight says no news is good news for the embattles Myer.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/for-ailing-department-store-myer-no-news-is-good-news-20190227-p510lt.html
    I think we need a new category – “Idiot of the Week”!
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/simply-daft-man-who-towed-boat-down-highway-with-mobility-scooter-escapes-jail-time-20190227-p510mc.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe in Hanoi.

    Oh dear! David Pope with Howard’s character reference. And look at the incense lamp!

    Cathy Wilcox and some causation information.

    An Alan Moir reflection.

    From Matt Golding.





    Matt Davison and the Catholic Church.

    John Shakespeare with Morrison’s headwear selection.

    A good one from Andrew Dyson.

    From Glen Le Lievre.


    Jon Kudelka in Hanoi.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/f5d568f621a7a75fe7fb60cf3f492694

    From the US



  6. Pakistani PM Imran Khan appeals for talks with India to avoid war
    Kashmir preparing for conflict after airstrikes but experts suggest countries are posturing
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/27/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-appeals-talks-india-war-kashmir

    Both Pakistan and India have nuclear weapons.

    Then there’s this – the US won’t be able to bring about a peaceful agreement this time because they have Trump.

    Who will pull India and Pakistan back from the edge this time?
    The US has usually been the decisive voice of calm, but its influence has waned under Trump
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/27/who-will-pull-india-and-pakistan-back-from-the-edge-this-time

  7. ParentsNext welfare program breaches human rights, inquiry hears
    Human Rights Commission tells Senate inquiry that punitive impacts of the program risk ‘entrenching poverty and inequality

    The inquiry also heard claims that participants had been told by their consultants to take photos of themselves to prove their attendance at compulsory activities.

    Department officials said such requirements were not part of the guidelines.

    “But that’s what’s happening,” the Greens senator Rachel Siewert said.

    Terese Edwards, the chief executive of the national council for single mothers and their children, told the inquiry one woman had told her she had been signed up, without her consent, to attend medical appointments for her children as her compulsory ParentsNext activity

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/27/parentsnext-welfare-program-breaches-human-rights-inquiry-hears

    More, plus a link to some of the submissions to this inquiry –
    https://www.hrlc.org.au/news/2019/2/27/senate-inquiry-told-to-scrap-discriminatory-parentsnext-program

    How dare some tinpot little clerk in an office of a money-grubbing provider decide it’s OK to make medical appointments for someone’s children without even consulting the parent?

    Grrrrrrrr!

    What really pisses me off is no-one seems to know this inquiry is happening. The MSM are certainly not talking about it, except for The Guardian. The attitude seems to be “Meh! Who cares about single mothers?”

    It’s time this Victorian-era “single mothers are all sluts who should be punished for not being married” attitude was done away with, but I have absolutely no expectation that a Labor government will be any better regarding single parents than this lot has been. I remember what past Labor governments have done, or tried to do to single parents and my memories go way back to the Hawke/Keating era. Whitlam was the only one who cared, subsequent Labor governments have worked hard to pull back his government’s provisions for single mums and dads.

    • Ita was another captain’s pick.

      FauxMo seems to think being PM means being a dictator, he makes decisions and appointments all on his own, he ignores advice from government bodies and, for the ABC position, ignored the advice of a selection process we paid for. His decisions so far have been disastrous. Think of the Jerusalem embassy move for starters.

      Other captain’s picks have included over-ruling the Gilmore selection committee and installing Warren Mundaine as the Liberal candidate, choosing the GG without any regard for the convention of consulting the LOTO and his bizarre decision to spend millions on a replica of HMB Endeavour, which no-one had asked for and no-one wants. We already have an Endeavour replica.

      I’m thinking Ita won’t want to be ABC chair for long. She’s 77 and subject to all the physical and mental frailties that come with old age. It’s likely she will resign long before her term is up. Although she was once a great print media star that was decades ago. Her more recent media appearances have been limited to appearing on various TV panel shows. She left her last gig, at Channel 10, very suddenly after a disagreement with fellow panelist Denise Drysdale, When she left that show in April last year she said “I’ve got five grandchildren … I want to spend a bit more time with them. I’ve come to an agreement with a publisher to write a couple of books,”
      https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/such-a-shock-ita-says-goodbye-to-studio-10/news-story/ade7cb63a124b0ddb532b006c1720bec

      So much for spending time with the grandkids and writing more books. Offer her a cushy, lavishly paid job as ABC chair and she snaps it up.

      Let’s hope she does not bring disharmony and in-fighting to the ABC board.

      I really would have liked to see a younger person with plenty of experience in digital and online media as chair, instead of an old woman whose media experience was in print media only.

    • FauxMo tries to justify his choice by saying “Australians trust Ita”.

      FFS!

      I don’t trust this woman. Why should I?

      It sounds like more advertising speak to me. “Australlans trust Vegemite”, “Australians trust Weetbix”. Therefore it follows Australians must trust Ita.

      i can’t find an up-to date list of the most trusted Australians, just ones that are a few years out of date. Ita Buttrose does not appear on any of them.

      For your information, these are the brands allegedly most trusted by Australians last year. Most of them are foreign-owned.
      http://www.homeoftrustedbrands.com.au/

      http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7653-aldi-most-trusted-brand-in-australia-201807060755

  9. TLBD @ 11;15am

    This the best and most poignant post on the whole Pell Guilty saga. Thank you. Let us not lose sight of the pain and anguish of the victims, their families and their friends.

  13. I was listening to ABC Radio when we switched to the Press Conference where Scomo was asked why the ABC went through a selection process to have Scomo helicopter Ita in
    His answer Labor set up the selection process inside department of Prime Minister & Cabinet. A head hunter was appointed who provided a list of 3 or 4 names

    Cardinal Pell is not a subject I mention with brother inlaw. He & his brothers were educated at Xavier where their father was a very active member of the lay organisation. All of the grandchildren were educated at Anglican secondary schools

    Parents Next: I listened to bits and pieces of Senate Estimates in Melbourne
    Lucy Guichi (Deputy Chair SA) was connected by her mobile phone – almost as though she was on speaker so her voice was patchy. Seiwert had to repeat her questions so they were audible and along the way Siewert tidied the questions up as she paraphrased
    Turns out the pilot was a success, when it was rolled out nationally the coercive reporting regime was added in and the Parents Next dedicated Helpline that existed during the pilot was withdrawn. Parents failed to report in a timely manner when the computer system in Canberra went down, when the internet connection went down and when clients couldn’t afford to top up their data

  14. Netball courts before unfreezing Medicare rebates? I don’t think so.

    Both the Coalition and Labor are making some daft funding promises about sport.

    FauxMo has promised funding to get a Fijian team into the NRL by 20120.
    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/fiji-team-a-potential-step-to-nrl

    Labor want to see a PNG team competing in the same thing.
    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/labor-will-back-png-team-in-nrl

    I really don’t see why these things should be prioritised over much-needed funding for health, education and replacing coal power with renewables.

    To me and my less than zero interest in all forms of professional sport it seems a complete waste of money. Don’t Fiji and PNG need help with other big-cost items like health care more than they need elite football teams travelling to Australia to compete?

    And now little Timmie Wilson wants money spent on fracking netball courts!Isn’t that the sort of thing local councils are supposed to fund?

    • I’ve lost the thread of what Wilson’s up to here. He’s a government MP, proposing a petition to submit to the government, to fund netball courts. In a sense, he’s encouraging us to petition him to come up with the funding. Surely a more effective use of his time would simply be to discuss it with his fellow Liberal MPs? Or does he really think that we’re going to believe his claim (one he’s made previously) that he’s just a member of Parliament, not a member of the Government?

      I know he’s just being cravenly populist, pretending to be a campaigner on local issues. But we all know that he’s not that, so this one looks even more brainfarty than usual.

    • It’s impossible to understand why he is petitioning his own government to do something.

      I get the state government thing, he’s trying to make the Andrews government look bad, but why his own government?

    • I thought Timmy was getting a list of young folk interested in netball courts – much like his bogus retirement tax meetings. This electorate should be the natural heartland of the Liberal party

      It has just rebuilt a state high school bringing its total to 8 state high schools (2 are on MacNamara boundary Most kids go to private schools – say 70%

      The LNP believe in self help. If you are poor or sick you must have done something wrong. Fate and bad luck are alien concepts. I can believe the LNP believe that if you exercise and keep fit you will stay healthy so the Medicare freeze can remain in place

  16. I’ve been watching ABC24 for the last 30 minutes or so. They are doing interviews about what happened, and what didn’t happen, in Hanoi. It’s very good.

    Well, their precious L/NP is not on the radar.

    • “Liberal Party’s Curtin frontrunner Celia Hammond once refused to describe herself as a feminist because she claimed the movement had become “pro-abortion, anti-men, anti-tradition and anti-family” ”

      A perfect candidate.

  20. The scare campaign about a deluge of rapists and paedophiles coming into the country didn’t work. Now it’s time for “they are stealing our hospital beds”.

    Australia has a duty of care for those in detention, whether it is on the mainland or off-shore. Better they are treated here, it costs far less than the millions allegedly poured into almost non-existent, facilities on Manus and Nauru. What facilities do exist are substandard and yet Dutton & Co keep on insisting they are better than facilities in regional Australian towns.

    I’ve lived in some small country towns where the facilities, even 50 years ago, were better than those currently available for off-shore refugees and asylum seekers. Dutton thinks we are all so stupid we will believe everything he says without question.

  21. Billie:

    The LNP believe in self help. If you are poor or sick you must have done something wrong. Fate and bad luck are alien concepts. I can believe the LNP believe that if you exercise and keep fit you will stay healthy so the Medicare freeze can remain in place.

    That’s probably a fair call, though sometimes I wonder whether it’s worse than that. I think they just don’t care. Politics for them is a kind of career advancement thing, and once they’re there, the only real aim they have is to gather as much public money as possible into their own hands, or those of business associates favourable to them. And that’s pretty much it. They’ve been quite inventive about it too. I can’t begin to imagine how much has been scooped off in the name of ‘border protection’ for instance. Those sums don’t even go close to adding up.

    I used to think there was a Liberal/Conservative ‘ideology’. I don’t any more. None of their actions demonstrate any consistency with that idea. They’d just rather not spend on health, or welfare, or education, or infrastructure, or anything at all if they don’t have to, because money spent on the public is money they can’t have. In that, they’ve been quite consistent. Politics is a business model for them.

    Talking about things like self-help, personal responsibility and the like, are just smokescreens, alibis they can call on for what’s fundamentally their own venal personal enrichment. Think of how keen Hockey once was to talk about ‘austerity’ and ‘the end of the age of entitlement’. And look at him now. It’s all just words to them. ‘Pay off the debt’? Don’t make me laugh.

    A general rule of thumb is that Liberal politicians only talk about local issues close to elections, and they only do it to gather short-term votes. Wilson is particularly egregious about it, but he’s not alone. Didn’t we hear Abbott rabbiting on about public toilets at Manly Beach recently? And this sudden spate of oversized novelty cheques to local concerns? After the election they’ll forget they have local constituencies at all for a couple of years.

  23. Behrouz Boochani

    The Paladin scandal is only a drop in the ocean of corruption on Manus and Nauru

    For years I have been scrutinising the security companies and medical service providers on Manus. I question why this critical approach to Paladin has only been taken up now and why it is exclusive to one company. The Paladin scandal is only one small part of this issue – hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted in the detention centres on Manus and Nauru during these years

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/27/the-paladin-scandal-is-only-a-drop-in-the-ocean-of-corruption-on-manus-and-nauru

  25. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Can Dutton possibly sink any lower? Michael Koziol tells us about his latest bit of dog whistling.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-claims-australians-will-be-kicked-off-hospital-waiting-lists-in-favour-of-refugees-20190228-p510w6.html
    Netanyahu is about to be indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Are the Israelis being anti-Semitic?
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/corruption-charges-announced-against-netanyahu-weeks-before-election-20190301-p51111.html
    Greg Sheridan writes that reality hit the fan in Hanoi and as a result Donald Trump’s illusions got splattered all over the shop.
    https://www.outline.com/pe5L4w
    Waleed Aly writes about George Pell’s powerful friends coming out of the woodwork.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-george-pell-s-powerful-friends-came-out-of-the-woodwork-20190228-p510tl.html
    Melissa Cunningham tells us that the names of more than 100 institutions that have yet to sign up to a national child sexual abuse redress scheme have been revealed by the federal government.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/institutions-named-shamed-over-failing-to-join-abuse-redress-scheme-20190228-p510us.html
    David Crowe says that on the long list of broken promises in Australian politics, none compete with the pledge to voters three years ago when the Liberal Party promised stable government and then delivered civil war.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/and-the-winner-of-the-political-broken-promises-award-goes-to-20190228-p510ua.html
    Jennifer Hewett explains why Shorten’s chances are looking better in Western Australia.
    https://www.outline.com/AUX9W5
    Gabrielle Chan tells us how disillusion with policies on climate, water and regional services could pose problems for incumbents such as Barnaby Joyce and Angus Taylor
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/01/how-the-rise-of-the-bush-independents-threatens-coalitions-big-names
    Phil Coorey writes that the message from Wentworth and the Victorian state election was that economically conservative and socially progressive voters were upset. It appears to still be resonating.
    https://www.outline.com/4n7yLe
    Dana McCauley looks at how unions have vowed to challenge a controversial bid to create a new “permaflexi” category of employment, slamming the proposal as a “ruse” aimed at further eroding job and wage security.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-ruse-to-reduce-pay-unions-to-battle-permaflexi-proposal-20190228-p510w2.html
    Patrick Hatch reports that Retail Food Group, the troubled owner of Gloria Jeans, Donut King and a string of other well-known food chains, has fallen deeper into the red, after its retail sales further evaporated and it took a scalpel to the value of its brands.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/gloria-jeans-donut-king-owners-falls-deeper-into-red-with-111m-loss-20190228-p510y2.html
    Richo says that the UK’s Theresa May is unconvincing while Trump is getting harder to predict. He thinks Australia has got it right though.
    https://www.outline.com/Eex5e9
    The builders have been ordered to pay the multimillion-dollar sum to owners at the Lacrosse building in Docklands, but a judge has ordered several contractors to reimburse the company for almost the entire amount.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/apartment-tower-residents-awarded-millions-in-damages-after-cladding-fire-20190228-p5110n.html
    Ray Hadley has given Abbott and Howard a serve over their support for Pell.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ray-hadley-condemns-john-howard-and-tony-abbott-for-gross-errors-of-judgment-on-pell-20190228-p510t5.html
    Matt Peacock, a former staff-elected ABC board member, writes that Ita’s a fighter, but b=she’ll need to be to save the organisation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/ita-s-a-fighter-and-she-ll-need-to-be-to-save-the-abc-20190228-p510y9.html
    The political future of SA’s Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Vickie Chapman is being decided by the state’s top prosecutor. The findings of a top-level police inquiry into whether Ms Chapman breached the ICAC Act are now being assessed and adjudicated by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
    https://www.outline.com/97GcFm
    In a very informative contribution Professor of Evidence Law David Hamer explains how an appeal could uphold or overturn George Pell’s conviction.
    https://theconversation.com/how-an-appeal-could-uphold-or-overturn-george-pells-conviction-112620
    After George Pell’s conviction, a few voices were heard in the media in his defence. Criminal lawyer Peter Kemp explains why these people are wrong.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/those-saying-cardinal-pell-is-not-guilty-need-to-understand-how-criminal-law-works,12424
    The implication of Pell’s conviction are not hard to gauge. A high official of the Catholic Church, officially found guilty for historical sex crimes, will be a reminder about a global movement of accountability and redress. Cardinal George Pell was a reminder about Church intransigence, authoritarian beastliness and secrecy. He rose through church ranks, defended its virtue, and targeted detractors. To accusers alleging impropriety, he was withering.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/the-conviction-and-fall-of-cardinal-george-pell,12421
    Michelle Grattan looks at the battle for Warringah.
    https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-warringah-votes-abbotts-challenger-has-yet-to-penetrate-the-streets-112712
    The government’s controversial ParentsNext program breaches Australia’s human rights obligations by unfairly targeting disadvantaged women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/parentsnext-breaches-australia-s-human-rights-obligations-inquiry-told-20190227-p510kp.html
    Australia is the only developed country that allows climate change funding to be used to upgrade coal-fired power plants, green finance experts say.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/01/out-on-its-own-australia-the-only-country-to-use-climate-funding-to-upgrade-coal-fired-plants
    The New York Times reviews Cohen’s appearance yesterday.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-his-foibles-and-his-secret-school-grades-the-cohen-sideshow-20190228-p510w1.html
    Gun control campaigners celebrated a precious win on Wednesday when the US House of Representatives passed its first major legislation on the issue in nearly a quarter of a century.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/27/house-gun-control-legislation-passed
    The SMH editorial opines that Trump is a bad advocate for American values.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/trump-is-a-bad-advocate-for-american-values-20190228-p510uv.html
    James Adonis explains why the profit motive demotivates employees.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/why-the-profit-motive-demotivates-employees-20190228-p510zk.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Pope has been on fire lately!

    Cathy Wilcox with a sad reflection.

    Peter Broelman and a particular character reference.

    David Rowe in Hanoi.

    Zanetti goes there too.

    And Sean Leahy.

    From Matt Golding.







    Alan Moir is unimpressed with the government’s report on climate action.

    Jim Pavlidis on Pell’s sentencing submission.

    Andrew Dyson and priestly power.

    Simon Letch.

    Jon Kudelka with Morrison’s latest captain’s pick.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8c56f8352c36179cb39df6380a26e399

    From the US






  26. Just so you know –

    Refugees from Nauru and Manus Island who have been resettled in the US do have to pay for their air fares.

    The Twitter stories are true.

    The US pays for the flights initially but the cost is an interest-free loan which refugees must repay. For a family that is a huge burden.

    Travel to the US
    Once the resettlement city and VOLAG [voluntary agencies] have been selected for a refugee, the overseas Refugee Support Center (RSC) then works with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to transport the refugee to the US. The cost of refugee transportation (airline tickets) is provided as an interest free loan organised by IOM. Refugees typically begin repaying 6 months after arrival and finish 42 months after arrival. These payments are used to reimburse the US Government for the funds it provided to IOM for refugee transportation.

    The VOLAGs typically oversee the repayment process for the refugee and their loan counselors’ help refugees gain basic financial literacy if needed and establish good credit in the US

    https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/us-resettlement/

  27. Once again the government copies Labor policies.

    The Morrison government will on Friday open public consultations on a national hydrogen strategy, after engaging Australia’s chief scientist to develop a roadmap with the cooperation of Canberra and the states.

    The Coalition’s move, which is part of a broader climate and energy policy reboot executed this week, follows a commitment from Labor in January to set aside $1bn in funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for clean hydrogen development, and to invest up to $90m from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency for research, demonstration and pre-commercial deployment of hydrogen technologies

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/01/coalition-launches-push-for-hydrogen-power-in-energy-policy-reboot

    Stand by for the government to copy this Labor plan –

    Labor to establish national fuel reserve to boost emergency stocks
    Bill Shorten proposes a government-owned corporation to safeguard Australia’s fuel supplies
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/28/labor-to-establish-national-fuel-reserve-to-boost-emergency-stocks

    Matt Canavan has dismissed this as “a thought bubble” so that means it’s worthwhile and needs to happen. Matt would only approve if “fuel reserve” meant more heaps of coal.

  30. Now this is YUGE
    .
    WASHINGTON — All American troops would withdraw from Afghanistan over the next three to five years under a new Pentagon plan being offered in peace negotiations that could lead to a government in Kabul that shares power with the Taliban.

    https://outline.com/4mcHS2

  31. I’m so sick of lies and scare campaigns.

    Just call the election now and let’s end this abysmal behaviour from a dyiing government and an incompetent nincompoop of a PM.

    Morrison backs Dutton claim refugees’ medical care will ‘displace’ Australians
    Medevac bill yet to become law but is already threatened by new Nauru telemedicine ban
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/01/morrison-backs-dutton-claim-refugees-medical-care-will-displace-australians

    Is FauxMo actually admitting that the Australian health system is overloaded and under-funded? It certainly looks like it.

    If our hospitals can’t cope with a few refugees then they won’t be able to cope with normal population growth either.

    And a question – why has the GG not yet signed off on the so-called Medevac Bill? What’s causing the delay? Legislation normally gets royal assent as soon as it passes both houses. Is our government hoping the Nauru legislation will save them?

    There’s an easy way to deal with the Nauruan government – threaten to close the detention centres, shut down the attempts at planting refugees in the local community, bring them all here ASAP and cut off the very generous funding we pay Nauru to pretend to look after asylum seekers and refugees.

    No Australian government, Coalition or Labor will do that, so the Nauruan dictator knows he has Australia at his mercy. Without our funding the miserable little place would collapse within days.

  32. Pell appealing his conviction

    As every one knows police do not prosecute rape cases unless they are sure the event happened because it’s so hard to get a conviction. So if Vicpol took this to court they are sure he did it

  35. This is just a marginal observation, considering all the major things that have been happening lately, but every time I see an ad for Paul Murray’s show on Sky I have to snigger. He bangs on about what a big deal this year – and his show – is going to be, and then claims he’s got all the ‘big names’ in politics on his show. The three he namechecks, I kid you not, are Pauline Hanson, Mark Latham and Cory Bernardi. Way to go, Paul. Sounds like compulsory viewing, that.

  37. This is my most trusted journalist…..and I believe him, I had the same thought.

  38. Buttrose appointment ‘political’: analyst

    Ita Buttrose’s first test as incoming ABC chair will be to remain impartial, according to a media analyst who says her appointment was political.

    Peter Cox, who has advised media companies for over 30 years, says the Morrison government’s decision to handpick the 77-year-old publishing icon was “odd,” given she wasn’t included on a shortlist of recommendations for the position.

    “This is obviously a political choice as the government is loading up all the tribunals and government bodies with Liberal Party people before the election,” Mr Cox told AAP on Thursday.

    “This is not unusual, both parties do it leading up to elections they think they are going to lose.

    “But it’s odd to do when you have a body there that’s available, that had done all the work, they were looking into people they were considering … I doubt they even got a look in.”

    The coalition spent $163,000 on a recruitment process – required through legislation brought in by a previous Labor government – that it then ignored.

    Former ABC staff similarly questioned the decision to bypass the nomination panel.

    “This is another example of a ‘captain’s pick’ and could be seen as ‘stacking’ of the board,” the group ABC Alumni said in a statement.

    “It is lamentable that the list put forward by the Nomination Panel was inadequate, again showing the farcical nature of the selection process.”

    Mr Cox said Ms Buttrose’s first test as chair would be to remain impartial and defend the public broadcaster against political interference

    https://outline.com/Cg4gVN

    I think she will fail that test by making a blatant political appointment on orders from FauxMo.

  39. Gossip about Peter Dutton being parachuted into the safe seat of Moncrieff now Ciobo is leaving parliament.

    Was Ciobo “persuaded” to give up his safe seat? He had already been pre-selected as the candidate for the election, now suddenly he’s off.

    Dutton tried moving to McPherson, a safer seat, in 2013, when a redistribution made Dickson a bit risky. He failed.He expected to just walk into the seat, but the selection committee gave the spot to Karen Andrews.

    Let’s hope he fails again.

  40. EXCLUSIVE: Praise the taxpayer! How a federal minister charged the public purse $2,300 to attend a celebrity church Hillsong conference to deliver a ‘masterclass’ on being a ‘pillar of Jesus’ – and claimed it as official duties
    Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert delivered a Hillsong mega church address
    His July 2015 lecture was billed as a ‘masterclass’ on using Jesus to be influential
    Gold Coast-based minister claimed attendance in Sydney as ‘official duties’
    Mr Robert confirmed he attended the conference to represent the government
    His wife Chantelle, who later became a Pentecostal pastor, also attended
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6749125/Turn-lights-minister-charged-taxpayers-6-160-attend-Hillsong-mega-church-event.html

    If this Jesus is the same Jesus described in the New Testament he would take a whip to all the Hillsong followers and their clones and drive them out of their temples to greed.

  41. Kelly O’Dwyer has ruled out making changes to the contentious ParentsNext welfare program before the election, despite urgent calls from the employment services sector, social service and women’s groups, and Australia’s human rights watchdog.

    Defending the $350m program as having the “right intention”, the jobs minister said the government would instead consider penalising providers that breached the rules.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/01/right-intention-kelly-odwyer-rules-out-changes-to-parentsnext-before-election

    “consider”. Don’t hold you breath.

    • Centrelink says 20% of Parents Next have been breeched in first 6 months of national rollout

      Remember that Centrelink claimed only 20% of Robodebt notices were incorrect when the real figure is over 90% of debt notices are wrong

      Did you hear that Robodebt has clawed back marginally more than it cost and Centrelink have lost the original claim data

      So to the statement that only 20% of Parents Next claimants have been breeched. I say “Yeah, sure”

  43. Jenna Price –

    Why one single mother has complained to the UN

    It’s a miserable life for a single mother on welfare in Australia, so hard that one woman, Juanita McLaren, has decided to take her complaint all the way to the United Nations. She says the way Australia treats single mums breaches human rights and now, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, will be hearing from her directly at a UN Women’s conference in New York next week.

    In fact, he will be presenting by her side. Huge honour and some of us might have put that on our credit cards. She had to crowdfund to get there

    https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-one-single-mother-has-complained-to-the-un-20190228-p510xs.html

    The last sentence –
    “And I wish I could say it would make a difference if we voted for one party or another. I fear it won’t.”

    I absolutely agree.

    Single mothers (but not single fathers, who are always portrayed as brave, battling heroes in the media) are despised by both sides of politics and are demonised by the media.

  50. FauxMo is such a sensitive soul – according to his wife

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