We meet on the land of the First Nations people and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Warning. Names and photos of Mr Roach, as a deceased person, may appear in this thread or links.
Archie Roach and his sister were taken from their family when Archie was two years old and so they were members of the stolen generation.
Mr Roach went on to become a legendary musical artist with great acclaim in Australia and abroad.
This is really a time of seeing an era ending, knowing the people who have died are such that we will not see the like again. The times that made them have passed and a new age with new people responding to challenges, injustice and opportunity will emerge.
People like Mr Roach will always be the star who lights the way for all of us, while remind us of our past.
We hope The Indigenous Voice in Parliament is a permanent legacy for those lije Mr Roach and his Sister, who suffered as The Stolen Generation and to aid reconciliation for the sorrowful descendants of the regime who caused such harm.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2022/07/30/legendary-songman-uncle-archie-roach-passes-away
https://www.commonground.org.au/learn/death-and-sorry-business
THE PUB 
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. This morning I have slightly relaxed my restriction on royal fluff in order to link some thoughtful contributions.
In a very informative contribution, Peter Hartcher happily declares that finally, a fully cooked federal corruption watchdog, with bite is imminent.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/finally-a-fully-cooked-federal-corruption-watchdog-with-bite-20220915-p5bib4.html
But Karen Middleton reports that according to the Commonwealth ombudsman, Australia’s law enforcement agencies have persistently accessed, retained and used private email, voicemail and text messages without legal authority and failed to provide the data protections that the law requires.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/09/17/pretty-creepy-agencies-illegally-obtained-emails-voicemails-and-texts
For months, Philip Lowe and the Reserve Bank have been kicked around by politicians like a football in the middle of the MCG. But yesterday, says Shane Wright, the RBA governor returned fire with some very pointed kicks to the shins of the political class. Lowe (correctly) pointed out that governments would soon have to either increase taxes, cut services or undertake some serious structural reform so the economy was larger and generated more revenue.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/politicians-go-lowe-he-goes-high-20220916-p5bio7.html
Writing about Albanese’s budget reality check, John Hewson says, “It is now clear that we simply can’t afford the stage 3 tax cuts, and that is over and above the extent to which they would further compound the inequity of the tax system. It is true that Albanese has committed to keep them, but he also left himself some wriggle room if circumstances were to change.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/09/17/albaneses-budget-reality-check
The death of Elizabeth II and accession of Charles III is a fascinating, real-time civics lesson and, for many, an uncomfortable reminder about who Australia serves, write Chip Le Grand and Jack Latimore.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/while-britain-mourns-australia-confronts-its-unfinished-business-20220915-p5bi7h.html
Mile Foley tells us that Engineer John Bradfield’s grand plan to irrigate the dry, dusty interior of the continent has captured the national imagination and spawned countless campaigns to fund it. Now, 80 years after he proposed it, CSIRO has counted the project’s cost and even the most optimistic assumptions show taxpayers footing a $20 billion bill, or more. Even if farmers got the water for free, Barnaby Joyce’s brain fart resurrection of the plan would not turn a profit.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/water-scheme-beloved-by-the-nationals-would-pump-20-billion-down-the-drain-20220908-p5bgdu.html
Examining the Reserve Bank’s latest statement on monetary policy, Shane Wright and Rachel Clun provide us with five economic indicators to watch for the first signs of an Australian slowdown.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/five-economic-indicators-to-watch-for-the-first-signs-of-an-australian-slowdown-20220908-p5bgcq.html
Higher taxes and cuts in spending are vital if the government wants to fund quality services and repair the budget, Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has told politicians while warning home prices are likely to fall 10 per cent as interest rates rise.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/soft-landing-not-certain-lowe-sees-growing-overseas-risks-to-australia-s-economy-20220916-p5bijz.html
Ross Gittins begins this contribution with, “If you think the rich are getting richer, you’re right – but maybe not for the reason you think. It’s mainly the rising price of housing, which is steadily reshaping our society, and not for the better.”
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-housing-dream-that-became-a-nightmare-and-isn-t-over-yet-20220915-p5big7.html
Academics and bank workers are pushing for the right to ignore calls and emails outside of hours to restore their work-life balance and mental health in a new battlefront opening up in the fight for better conditions, explains Angus Thompson.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/weekend-the-new-frontline-in-the-white-collar-battle-for-the-right-to-unplug-20220916-p5bikc.html
And the SMH editorial supports this, saying that employers must respect the right to disconnect from work.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/employers-must-respect-the-right-to-disconnect-from-work-20220916-p5birp.html
Matthew Knott tells us about Manasseh Sogavare, the ‘paranoid’ Pacific leader tormenting Canberra.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/manasseh-sogavare-the-paranoid-pacific-leader-tormenting-canberra-20220914-p5bi3n.html
“Now that Charles is King, who will badger environmental vandals?”, wonders Nick O’Malley.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/now-that-charles-is-king-who-will-badger-environmental-vandals-20220915-p5bidr.html
Perhaps, behind the crown lies nothing at all, posits a singularly unimpressed Richard Flanagan. He says, “In Australia, the coverage of the royals this past week has resembled the official lamentations more commonly associated with the passing of totalitarian leaders, in equal parts insincere and increasingly ludicrous.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/perhaps-behind-the-crown-lies-nothing-at-all-20220916-p5biop.html
King Charles, deeply familiar with our long but dismal debate about the republic, is far better prepared to manage this issue than his Australian advisers who sit atop an Australian public lacking the energy or game plan to pursue the republic. Paul Kelly says that Anthony Albanese has done the republic a service by dismissing any referendum this term.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/ours-to-command-lessons-republicans-must-learn/news-story/3863ae49d23ab30e644718e0c7c347e0
The pageantry of the royal succession has all but eliminated debate on an Australian republic, opines Malcolm Farr.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/17/the-pageantry-of-the-royal-succession-has-all-but-eliminated-debate-on-an-australian-republic
It remains unclear exactly how Anthony Albanese plans to manage the inevitable debate brewing over when and how Australia makes the transition to a republic. But that doesn’t mean he has no strategy, writes Peter van Onselen.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/three-steps-albanese-needs-for-to-secure-a-republic-victory/news-story/739e6a1ccb18891b36605fbee4a1af39
The Queen’s death will not change the PM’s timeline for a referendum on Australia becoming a republic, but how we vote on the Indigenous Voice could have a major bearing, argues Michelle Grattan.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-voting-on-an-indigenous-voice-will-shape-prospects-of-republic-referendum-20220916-p5bijg.html
Australia’s most ardent monarchist prime minister – not Tony Abbott or John Howard but Robert Menzies – would have been very impressed with the response of our avowed republican leader, Anthony Albanese, to the passing of our borrowed head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, writes Paul Bongiorno who says, “Uneasy lies the head of a republican prime minister”.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/09/17/uneasy-lies-the-head-republican-prime-minister
Julia Baird, frequently frustrated by blocked access to historical records, declares that it’s time King Charles called off the royal censors.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/god-save-our-history-it-s-time-king-charles-called-off-royal-censors-20220915-p5bib5.html
The British Empire is long gone. However, watching the procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall late on Wednesday, it was evident that the United Kingdom can still put on a fine military parade, writes Gerard Henderson in an article redolent in his usual attacks on the ABC.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/end-of-monarchy-not-without-a-genuine-debate/news-story/7a1f477f62bcf0b6520f558f0acf4c50
There is set to be some anxiety in monarchist groups in the community as they reconcile the ascent of King Charles III to the throne with their fear. Even in educated hard right circles like The Spectator Australia’s readership, conspiracy theories about him are evident, writes Lucy Hamilton.
https://theaimn.com/the-right-wing-disinfosphere-and-the-king/
Thomas Keneally writes about what the ascension of King Charles means for the republican movement.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/09/17/what-king-charles-means-the-republican-movement
This week the country’s most eminent legal minds started a nationwide consultation process to pressure test Anthony Albanese’s proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine a First Nations voice. This is an important step in the long road to constitutional recognition that this country has been journeying on for decades, explains The Australian’s Megan Davis.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/our-brightest-legal-minds-are-working-for-a-sound-voice/news-story/d1e542bb0781bb5732fa8093302144eb
Shareholders in such a heavy-regulated industry as casinos ought to bear some of the risk that their agents – board members and top management – breach their licence requirements, argues the AFR’s editorial.
https://www.afr.com/companies/games-and-wagering/casino-shareholders-should-lose-on-dirty-money-bets-20220914-p5bi3j
The Saturday Paper has learnt that the Albanese government was squeezed between the CMO being undecided about whether it was safe to make that cut but being inclined towards caution, and neoliberal New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet noisily pressing for the abandonment of mandated isolation altogether. Chris Wallace writes about how the government can pass the Covid test.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/09/17/how-government-can-pass-the-covid-test
Considering the government’s withdrawal of funding for the G-G’s $18m charity, John Lord says, “What angers me most is the bloody secrecy and the belief that you can get away with it”.
https://theaimn.com/what-angers-me-most-is-the-bloody-secrecy-and-the-belief-that-you-can-get-away-with-it/
The families of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot dead by police constable Zachary Rolfe during an attempted arrest in Yuendumu in 2019, have waited three years to hear what they described as “absolutely horrific” revelations in his inquest this week – not about the way their young man died, but about the “disgusting and racist” words and alleged questionable conduct of the officer who shot him.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/17/racist-texts-cover-up-allegations-kumanjayi-walker-inquest-poses-big-questions-for-police
The High Court has upheld a state law that undermines a core guarantee of liberty and will disproportionately punish Indigenous offenders, explains Kieran Pender.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2022/09/17/the-high-courts-disturbing-ruling-preventive-detention
In her weekly media roundup, Amanda Reade writes about the ABC going well over the top in its coverage of the death of the Queen. She also gives News Ltd a good serve over its biased reporting (fabrication) on Victorian crime levels.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/sep/16/conservative-critics-have-nowhere-to-turn-as-the-abc-goes-all-in-on-coverage-of-the-queens-death
Are we royally stuffed by the coverage of the Queen’s death rites? Or should anyone who wants to carp stay under the couch? Analysis from MWM‘s man on the ground Callum Foote and one-time staunch republican Mark Sawyer.
https://michaelwest.com.au/abc-media-monarchy-reporting/
With the cost of living growing and home ownership becoming increasingly distant, governments need to pull Australia out of its downward spiral of poverty, writes Gerry Georgatos.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/poverty-is-a-persistent-crisis,16773
An ‘alliance’ of unions and environmental groups is helping change the debate on energy transition in Australia’s biggest coal region, explains Tom Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environment/2022/09/17/im-not-loyal-coal-the-hunter-readies-change
In SA, the conservative wing of the Liberal Party is expected to seize power from the moderates at the party’s annual general meeting this weekend, bringing to a head a months-long factional power struggle.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/conservative-wing-of-liberal-party-set-to-seize-power-from-moderates-at-agm-this-weekend/news-story/47934d081c466abbc115b1ae3262de9f?amp
Victorian sperm donations plummeted during the pandemic. Now, women are struggling to find donors, in particular, from Caucasian men, reports Shona Hendley.
https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/too-many-women-not-enough-sperm-the-victorian-donor-dilemma-20220906-p5bfqy.html
Labor has inherited the likely choice of a submarine not yet designed – in an exercise supposedly about the urgency of our strategic situation, writes Laura Tingle who says the politics of submarines are reaching a pivot point.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-politics-of-submarines-are-reaching-a-pivot-point-20220915-p5bi8v
Our eighteenth century health workforce structure needs a root and branch overhaul. But governments are too frightened to tackle health providers like doctors and pharmacists. Blue collar workers however are easy prey, says John Menadue about how the demarcations and restrictive work force practices in our health ‘system’ are a public scandal.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-demarcations-and-restrictive-work-force-practices-in-our-health-system-are-a-public-scandal/
An inquiry has found alleged triad-linked junket operators were running a de facto casino at The Star, and the casino routinely misled regulators, writes Rick Morton in the wake of the inquiry into its operations. What Australians have seen, he says, first with Crown and now The Star is a culture where casino operators are willing to hoodwink regulators by almost any means.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2022/09/17/casino-within-casino-stars-extraordinary-breaches
Victoria’s powerful police union claims the force is on the brink of a crisis, with officers routinely taking an hour to attend high-priority callouts such as armed robberies and home invasions.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/union-warns-of-police-callout-crisis-as-opposition-pledges-to-publish-response-times-20220916-p5bimg.html
The AFL is sticking out its tongue at the NRL. Literally. A map of Aussie Rules clubs across the nation reveals a tongue-shaped projection encroaching deep into NSW. Roy Masters points out that the “Barassi Line” – a divider separating the AFL states of Victoria and the south and west of Australia from the rugby codes in NSW and Queensland – has moved significantly north.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/how-afl-is-poking-its-tongue-out-at-rugby-league-heartland-20220908-p5bgmp.html
More from Mike Gilligan on the Defence Strategic Review.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-defence-strategic-review-part-1-the-hollywood-version-of-anzus/
It’s foolish to expect King Charles to save us from a government gone rogue, says Gaby Hinsliff.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/16/king-charles-government-hereditary-monarchy-survival
As Europe battles to keep the lights on this winter, there is growing optimism that Russia now has few ways left to ratchet up the energy stand-off without causing pain to itself, explains the London Telegraph’s Matt Oliver who says Putin’s gas blackmail is in danger of backfiring on him.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/putin-s-gas-blackmail-is-in-danger-of-backfiring-on-him-20220915-p5bi60.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Richard Giliberto
John Shakespeare
Simon Letch (referring to Julia Baird’s article)
Jon Kudelka
Alan Moir
Andrew Dyson
Jim Pavlidis
Matt Davidson
Fiona Katauskas
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
Bill Maher – (new rules 45:25)
Overtime –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Chris Hayes –
The morons in Britain believe asparagus spears are experts at predicting events. What next? Carrots making predictions? Onions foretelling the future?
I really hope she (or the asparagus) is wrong about Boris.
King Charles will abdicate next year according to psychic who reads asparagus
Jemima is also predicting the return of Boris Johnson. She famously correctly predicted Brexit, Prince Philip’s death, Theresa May being ousted as PM and Harry and Meghan stepping back from the Royal Family
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/king-charles-abdicate-next-year-25032754
Was the asparagus raw, or cooked with certain ingredients?
Going only by the photos it seems to be raw.
Apart from predicting the demise of Prince Philip (he was old after all) every last one of those “predictions” were heavily “promoted” by a particular newspaper group. And haven’t we done equally accurate predictions just by watching what is in the papers and talking to folk around us?
I am not particularly comfortable about “predicting the future” on the basis that hindsight is always 20/20! But “reading the consensus” is far more likely/possible these days…
James O’Brien calls out the vicious bullies of the British media in just how eager they are in targeting Meghan Markle for abuse.
I feel somewhat sad for that country, getting all their news by a cadre of vicious bullies. At least here in Australia we’ve managed to overcome them in the election earlier this year, but they have yet to overcome their bullies. For the past half-century, it seems to be doff cap, tug forelock, vote for who the right wing press tells them to vote for.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Anthony Galloway writes that crossbench MPs have declared there are still major sticking points with the federal government’s proposal for a national corruption watchdog as Anthony Albanese tries to avoid breaking a key election promise to legislate the body by the end of the year. They are concerned that it will not be broad enough to go after corrupt union officials and businesspeople who seek to influence the government, as well as a lack of protection for whistleblowers, and independent funding.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/unresolved-crossbenchers-declare-sticking-points-with-labor-s-corruption-watchdog-20220915-p5bibr.html
Labor is facing intense calls to axe the stage three tax cuts over concerns they disproportionately benefit the wealthiest earners and will blow out the budget. This time it comes from Paul Keating’s assistant treasurer who has called on the Albanese government to scrap tax cuts scheduled to come into effect in 2024, saying Labor was forced into backing them by a Coalition scare campaign.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/former-labor-minister-calls-on-albanese-government-to-scrap-stage-three-tax-cuts-20220915-p5bibv.html
Mary Ward reports that more than 18,700 people are overdue for surgery at the state’s public hospitals by June, nine times higher than before the NSW Delta lockdown.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/surgery-backlog-highest-on-record-as-hospitals-trial-shorter-stays-to-address-issue-20220914-p5bi02.html
A global report released on Wednesday highlights massive global failures in the response to COVID-19. The report, which was convened by The Lancet journal highlights widespread global failures of prevention and basic public health.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/eleven-ways-to-prevent-another-covid-catastrophe,16776
Sumeyya Ilanbey and Melissa Cunningham take us inside fight to save Victoria’s triple-zero service.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/a-uniquely-victorian-problem-inside-fight-to-save-the-state-s-triple-zero-service-20220908-p5bghr.html
Mental health outcomes are worse in the bush, partly because it’s easier to get a gun than get help, writes James MacKenzie Watson.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/18/mental-health-outcomes-are-worse-in-the-bush-partly-because-its-easier-to-get-a-gun-than-get-help
More from Mike Gilligan on the Defence Strategic Review where he says that understanding Australia’s existing defence capability is critical.
https://johnmenadue.com/defence-strategic-review-understanding-australias-existing-defence-capability-is-critical-part-2/
The Timor-Leste secret spy trials are not over, with costs already $5m and rising, Rex Patrick writes the Government will be back in court spending more public money trying to censor one of the former Chief Justice’s decisions to keep secret the finding of the Court that the spying operation took place.
https://michaelwest.com.au/cost-of-secret-trials-rises-as-government-covers-up-timor-spying-fiasco/
Ben Schneider reports that Scientology’s leader has avoided being served with a summons on 14 occasions as part of a human trafficking case brought by three Australians
https://www.theage.com.au/national/scientology-leader-evades-legal-service-in-australian-trafficking-case-20220916-p5bim7.html
Jacqui Maley thinks Charles III will be a teal King, and maybe an offensive one.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-charles-iii-will-be-a-teal-king-and-maybe-an-offensive-one-20220916-p5bio0.html
The development on a disused factory in Harris Park would be one of Sydney’s first major build-to-rent projects since state planning laws changed in 2021, but it borders nationally significant historic sites and a busy cathedral.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-plan-for-483-apartments-next-to-a-cathedral-in-historic-sydney-district-20220830-p5bdy2.html
Farrah Tomazin explains why migrants have been sent to an island playground for celebrities and the rich in the US.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/using-them-as-props-why-migrants-have-been-sent-to-an-island-playground-for-celebrities-and-the-rich-20220917-p5biuu.html
Cartoon Corner
Glen Le Lievre
Alan Moir
Peter Broelman
Richard Giliberto
Matt Davidson
Andrew Dyson
Mark Knight
From the US
Very interesting –
If you think this problem is only applicable to the US then take a look at this list of private equity companies which invest in Australia.
https://fundcomb.com/blog/a-list-of-australian-nz-pe-funds
There are a few locally owned companies, the most notorious would be Transfield.
Related article –
The brutal economics of celebrity culture is turning children into marketing mannequins
Van Badham
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/18/the-brutal-economics-of-celebrity-culture-is-turning-children-into-marketing-mannequins
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
For the first time, a QC has won the Brownlow medal!
Ross Gittins thinks that the Reserve Bank of Australia’s rate hikes are raising the risk of a recession.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/reserve-bank-of-australia-s-rate-hikes-raise-risk-of-recession-20220918-p5biyf.html
David Crowe writes that Labor has extended funding for healthcare providers and aged care homes amid concerns the money allocated so far would run out. They will receive another $1.4 billion to deal with the pandemic in a rapid injection of new federal funding to pay for workers, test kits, protective equipment and medicines.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-lays-out-another-1-4-billion-for-pandemic-health-20220918-p5bj24.html
Andrew Bragg in an op-ed argues that the stage three tax cuts should be here to stay.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/why-stage-three-tax-cuts-should-be-here-to-stay-20220904-p5bfbi
According to Maurice Blackburn’s Giri Sivaraman, workplace laws are holding employees back on flexible work.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/workplace-laws-are-holding-employees-back-on-flexible-work-20220915-p5bie3.html
As a background to this, Australians want to spend more time working from home than their employers would like, according to new research, which could lead to people looking for more flexible jobs.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/more-than-a-third-of-australians-will-hunt-for-a-new-job-if-they-can-t-work-from-home-20220918-p5bixx.html
The Grattan Institute’s Marion Terrill, says that reducing truck emissions to zero by 2050 may be a bridge too far, but there’s plenty that the government could do to shrink the carbon emissions from diesel trucks (for as long as they remain the dominant type of truck on our roads), as well as to accelerate the uptake of electric and hydrogen trucks.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/let-s-get-truckin-on-a-solution-to-shrink-carbon-emissions-20220912-p5bhgr.html
Australia’s bid to host a Cop summit could shape climate action and politics for years to come, says Adam Morton.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2022/sep/19/australia-is-pushing-to-host-a-cop-meeting-if-successful-it-would-be-forced-to-ramp-up-climate-action
As resistance grows to the fossil fuel regime, laws are springing up everywhere to suppress climate activists, writes Jeff Sparrow.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/19/as-resistance-grows-to-the-fossil-fuel-regime-laws-are-springing-up-everywhere-to-suppress-climate-activists
The Albanese government should not reward big polluters by giving them new safeguard mechanism credits that do not equate to direct environmental improvement, argues Mark Ludlow.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/don-t-reward-big-polluters-with-dodgy-credits-reputex-20220916-p5biri
Placing a value on the environment through formal well-regulated markets is a better way to effect climate action and change the behaviours destroying our planet, writes Mike Berwick.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/put-a-price-on-pollution-or-well-keep-cooking-the-planet,16777
John Wright says that we should we trust science because it doesn’t trust itself.
https://theconversation.com/why-should-we-trust-science-because-it-doesnt-trust-itself-188988
Our risk-based approach to anti-money laundering gives businesses too much leeway to tolerate exposure to customers at high risk of involvement in criminal financial activity, writes Amanda Wood.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/australia-s-dirty-money-laws-leave-too-much-to-chance-20220915-p5bi8z
Australians are no better informed about what will be Australia’s most expensive-ever defence project – equipping the Navy with US or British nuclear-powered submarines – than they were a year ago when the Morrison government announced the deal a year ago, complains Richard Tanter.
https://johnmenadue.com/australia-trashes-the-international-rules-based-order-over-aukus-and-nuclear-proliferation/
‘Gamble responsibly’ message is a cop-out, writes Jon Faine who says that the regulators must step up.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/gamble-responsibly-message-is-a-cop-out-regulators-must-step-up-20220916-p5bilw.html
Nick Bryant reckons Charles will struggle to keep the kingdom united.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/hard-reign-charles-will-struggle-to-keep-kingdom-united-20220915-p5bib6.html
Once the fixated adoration with the late Queen Elizabeth II starts cooling, the accountants of public welfare and decency will be stunned to realise the costs and wealth associated with the royal institution. Her successor, Charles III, is continuing in that vein, a jarring note of wealth and pomp even as prices rise and the hefty bills for citizens (should we say subjects?), bite, writes Binoy Kampmark.
https://johnmenadue.com/royal-money-charles-iii-and-the-wealth-dimension/
Liz Truss can’t speak for the national mood because she really doesn’t understand it. Andrew Rawnsley says, “King Charles grasps that new leaders need to earn loyalty and respect. The prime minister appears not to.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/18/liz-truss-cant-speak-for-national-mood-doesnt-really-understnd-it
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Peter Broelman
Jim Pavlidis
Megan Herbert
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
Derrr! Isn’t this obvious?
Bring back apprenticeships, and teacher training, and TAFE.
<
It is a side effect of the wave of privatisation of State/Fed businesses. Much of it under Hawke/Keating. That and Hawke/Keating ‘reforms’ that saw tradies en masse take up ABNs. Working in the construction industry at the time I saw it up close. State owned enterprises like the railways used to train large numbers of apprentices. So there was a constant large flow of qualified tradies into private industry from the government owned enterprises. The taking on of and training of apprentices is, for private companies, a ‘cost’ and a ‘burden’ so you can guess what happened to their numbers. when things are privatised All those newly minted ABN armed tradies*, sure as hell weren’t keen on the ‘expense’. So voila, a ‘skills shortage’ in the construction industry. The lack of the training of apprentices -> tradies was becoming quite evident but that reality was lost in the 1990 construction industry crash. Instant ‘over supply’. Cost me my job 😦
*The construction companies who previously employed the tradies generally did have apprentice programs and it was seen as part of doing business and something the unions kept an eye on.
The stupidity of previous governments (including Labor) continually tightening eligibility for DSP has reached a drastic point. Will this government ensure all those who need and deserve DSP will get it? I expect not.
Almost half of jobseeker recipients unable to work full-time due to sickness or disability
Latest Department of Social Services figures highlight the difficulties facing those who do not qualify for disability support – despite health problems
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/19/almost-half-of-jobseeker-recipients-unable-to-work-full-time-due-to-sickness-or-disability
And a Happy Birthday to ‘Illya Kuryakin’ aka David McCallum, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is 89 today.
I really liked The Man From Uncle TV show when I was a kid.
I must be getting ancient.
I’ve banged on a couple of times about this. Surprisingly a couple of former US diplomats have cone out and pointed this out. Given the MSM reporting people can be forgiven for believing the opposite is true. But I suppose for the MSM The West is The World. . We in the West have had a good run of providing global ‘hegemons’ so it has allowed us to have such an attitude without much risk. I suspect it will not be much fun when that ends.
https://www.newsweek.com/nearly-90-percent-world-isnt-following-us-ukraine-opinion-1743061
I understand this. When there is some invasion or coup etc in the Middle East or Africa I don’t follow that daily.
I recognised early that there is an element of racism? exceptualism? because this is a Europeanist conflict, and ‘we’ are not supposed to that to each other anymore. (Even though some of Russia is part of Asia, I think. I am terrible at geography.) We can do it to others ( cue Iraq, Afghanistan) but not each other.
That is why Putin and Russia will fail. The rest of the kids on this block will not stand for it. Russia can bomb the crap out of Syria or whomever but that’s okay because those kids are only beating up the kids on the next block over.
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Jim Acosta –
I think going to the funeral was a bit of a junket for many in a lot of organisations.
I use The West loosely to mean First World economic nations rather than geographic areas.
Puff, The Magic Dragon
Yep, back when I was young and had hair The Man From Uncle was one of the ‘must watch’ programs. have not seen it since. Must Google up some Youtube clips of it. See how well it has aged. The ‘special effects’ of some of those old programs are pretty LOL to watch now.
Ouch
This is me now, HE has a tight grip on the remote
No, sir, there isn’t.
There is plenty to watch if you have a streaming service. Thank God for Netflix, Prime, Disney+ etc and even Foxtel. If you rely on the ABC then heaven help you.
There is one thing that has greatly assisted in coping with the Betty Overload. The many occasions I have the opportunity the think ‘Thank Jeebus SfM isn’t not the PM.’ and thoughts of the sort of things he would have done or said. Such morsels of gratitude help ease the pain.
With all that pomp and circumstance, I think we can give Brenda Best In Show.
F.M –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/19/tiny-solar-panels-miniature-road-ramps-what-other-cute-technological-devices-can-help-save-our-endangered-species
For those fed up with the pomp and pageantry overload, a very revealing article by Richard Flannery on how it came about. Turns out it is not something that has been around for centuries at all, despite what the media (and Albo) would have us believe.
New post: