The Guardian reports this week’s Essential Research poll has still more results on coronavirus, together with some findings on climate change. On the former count, the poll found 63% rating a second wave of coronavirus as restrictions are eased as very likely or quite likely, with only 13% rating it very unlikely; more than 60% expected international travel restrictions to remain for between one and two years; 70% thought it would take between one and two years for employment to recover; 60% expected a prolonged impact on the housing market; more than 60% expected a vaccine would be developed “over the next few years”; and 58% that the population would build resistance through exposure over that time. Despite it all, 45% said they felt very or somewhat positive about the next 12 months compared with 33% for very or somewhat negative.
On climate change, 52% now think Australia is not doing enough, down eight on November, with 25% holding the contrary view, up three. Forty-two per cent said they were now more concerned about climate change than they were a year ago, with a further 46% saying they were no more or less concerned. Full results from the poll will be published later today. (UPDATE: Full report here).
The media is still quiet on that it was the foreign media controlled and owned Liberal/national party , who had links with Heydon and Abbott appointed Heydon as the commissioner for the royal commission into unions
I listened to the 2 day inquisition of Bill Shorten by Stojar and Heydon at the TURC and was struck by Heydon & Stojar ignorance of working conditions in the industrial areas they were investigating to wit mushroom growing and event cleaning at MCG.
Bill Shorten was very well prepared and proceeded his answers with a standard MBA SWOT case study analysis for each industry which impressed this listener and left me in no doubt that TURC was a witch hunt.
Outcome of revelations against Heydon?
Confirmed he is a partisan grub who might soon be poorer as victims win civil cases against him
billie
Heydon was so blatantly prejudiced against the “upstart, lower class unions”. I remember my anger at him saying, in effect, that Julia must be guilty because she was “too well prepared”. His contempt for all women is now revealed.
It’s amazing how many pale, male and stale members of the nation’s elite must have been out to get Julia Gillard for the crime of becoming our first female Prime Minister. It is only now becoming clearer. Just makes her Misogyny speech all the more powerful. Dyson Heydon should be condemned to watch it over and over for 24 hours straight:
https://youtu.be/fCNuPcf8L00
Misogyny speech: 2012; TURC: 2014-2015.
Abbott would have appointed Heydon because he was “sound”*, but perhaps there were other considerations.
* Yes Minister, “The Compassionate Society”.
billie,
Yet nath had the gall to come on this blog last night and state that he thought the TURC should be reconstituted by the Coalition and Bill Shorten reexamined, due to Dyson Heydon’s likely distraction by young women! What a grub! He is obsessed to the point of dysfunction with poor old Bill Shorten. So much so that he is prepared to support another Coalition witch hunt into the guy! Which says everything you need to know about nath.
Pell, Heydon. Abbott has some strange friends.
frednk @ #7 Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 – 7:33 am
Don’t forget the historical accusations of Abbott’s sexual impropriety towards women.
nath needs help.
Tulsa rally showed Trump is a ‘political fat Elvis’ who is too ‘lazy’ to change his schtick: MSNBC anchor
MSNBC host John Heilemann filled in for Nicolle Wallace on Monday and had some brutal criticisms of the president’s weekend rally.
“When I watched this event on Saturday night, I had been thinking a lot about — let’s put this up. There was this New York Times story last week that raised the question of whether Trump really wants a second term or not,” said Heilemann. “This one here, does Trump want to fight for a second term. His self-sabotage worries aides. The headline — I had read that story and struck by it because there’s a lot of people around Trump that look at his self-sabotage and his self-pity.”
“No matter what happens to the economy, race relations, anything else in America, the coronavirus, Trump is a better political athlete,” said Heilemann. “And what I saw on stage Saturday night was not a political athlete at all. I saw Donald Trump as like a political fat Elvis, who was doing his lazy, unfocused, up disciplined, a lot of schtick. Is this a candidate who strikes fear in your heart, given the kind of incredibly flaccid performance that he gave in Tulsa?”
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/tulsa-rally-showed-trump-is-a-political-fat-elvis-who-is-too-lazy-to-change-his-schtick-msnbc-anchor/
Good Morning
I am pleased at Labor joining the Greens in demanding a Royal Commission into Robodebt.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-23/labor-calls-for-robodebt-royal-commission/12381456
So how did Conor McKenna pick up the virus?
“Essendon defender Conor McKenna attended five open-house inspections last Wednesday, according to the Herald Sun.
It comes as the AFL weighs up a sanction for the Irish international, who became the first AFL player to test positive for coronavirus on the weekend.
McKenna recorded a low-level irregularity on Friday before testing positive on Saturday.
The Herald Sun’s report that McKenna attended five open homes looms as a grey area in the AFL’s COVID-19 protocols around moving houses.
Senior foxfooty.com.au reporter Tom Morris said McKenna might have some wriggle room to argue that he didn’t clearly violate league rules by inspecting rental properties.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-live-news-updates-2020-fixture-conor-mckenna-open-house-essendon-vs-carlton-live-blog-ladder/news-story/e173b41c13cc03fa3d9cc6661c6edc5e
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Well done Jacqui Maley and Kate McClymont in breaking this story about Dyson Heydon.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-judge-s-hands-became-very-busy-under-the-table-lawyer-says-heydon-groped-her-20200622-p554zg.html
In what Law Council president Pauline Wright called a “me too# moment” for the legal profession, the court said it was “ashamed” at what happened in Mr Heydon’s decade on the court from 2003 to 2013.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/high-court-ashamed-of-heydon-sexual-harassment-20200622-p5552l
And here we go! The Australian is concerned that the inquiry that made damning allegations against former High Court judge Dyson Heydon may have lacked procedural fairness and was conducted by a person who was not a lawyer.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/heydon-inquiry-concerns-over-procedural-fairness/news-story/9eaaf5d810d96943421d4d9509afc70a
Peter Hartcher outlines why Scott Morrison sounded the cyber alarm.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/like-when-the-asteroid-is-heading-for-earth-why-scott-morrison-sounded-the-cyber-alarm-20200622-p554v8.html
And Clive Williams says China’s cyber attacks against Australia should be of great concern.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6801916/chinas-cyber-attacks-against-australia-should-be-of-great-concern/?cs=14258#gsc.tab=0
Calls from Australian business leaders to mend the diplomatic relationship – or at least to not further widen the division – now seem from a distant political era, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-rupture-with-china-is-permanent-20200621-p554r8
Christopher Knaus dips into the latest Essential poll.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/23/essential-poll-majority-of-australians-expect-second-wave-of-covid-19-infections
Kevin Rudd says Morrison’s crusade on super is the biggest attack on working Australians since WorkChoices. He reckons that if Morrison succeeds, it may boost his popularity among neoliberal zealots. But it will entrench stark inequalities between rich and poor.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/scott-morrison-s-crusade-on-super-is-the-biggest-attack-on-working-australians-since-workchoices-20200622-p554xp.html
Shane Wright reports that Josh Frydenberg is being urged to bring forward the government’s planned personal income tax cuts to deliver a much-needed boost to the post-pandemic economy as the Reserve Bank warns the coronavirus will cast a shadow for years.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/call-to-hasten-tax-cuts-as-nation-faces-years-of-low-rates-20200622-p55500.html
Tom Switzer writes that the country’s first female prime minister achieved more than her conservative critics will acknowledge and he believes that history might be kinder to her.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/history-may-be-kinder-to-julia-gillard-20200622-p554tp
Human Rights supporter Alison Battisson says Peter Dutton’s confidence in ignoring the judiciary mocks Australia’s system of government.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2020/jun/22/peter-duttons-confidence-in-ignoring-the-judiciary-mocks-australias-system-of-government
The SMH editorial says that Australia would be well advised to be doing its homework on what a Biden presidency would look like.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/preaching-to-the-diverted-tulsa-dumps-trump-20200622-p5552b.html
The AFR editorial says the priority now is to contain localised clusters to stop a second wave, and allow Australia to live with COVID-19, as Scott Morrrison says, without going backwards into a costly stop-start shutdown cycle.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/second-wave-fear-must-not-stop-us-living-with-virus-20200622-p554to
Rob Harris tells us that Labor will campaign for a royal commission into the government’s controversial robo-debt scheme. Well, over the last decade the Coalition has set a very low threshold to overcome to justify a royal commission!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-proposes-royal-commission-into-robo-debt-scheme-20200622-p554xh.html
The Opposition says inquiry could investigate scheme’s human cost, including reports some victims took their own life
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/23/labor-calls-for-royal-commission-into-coalitions-robodebt-scheme
Stephen Bartholomeusz writes that late this week the US Federal Reserve Board will release the results of its annual stress testing of US banks, which should provide some early indications of how the banks are coping with the first phase of the coronavirus. Australia’s banks will be watching this closely.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/banks-are-the-known-unknowns-of-the-pandemic-s-fallout-20200622-p554wi.html
According to Richard Gluyas the prudential regulator and the banking industry are in deep discussions about cushioning the impact of the nation’s looming financial “cliff” by trading a longer period of loan deferrals for extended capital relief.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/banks-apra-to-soften-blow-as-loan-repayment-cliff-looms/news-story/061a9f1b38dd8727d14551f10e165b7a
Record low interest rates will remain in place for years, Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has warned while raising fears the coronavirus pandemic will cast an enduring shadow over the Australian economy.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/low-rates-for-years-as-economy-meanders-lowe-20200622-p554w6.html
Australia has failed miserably on energy efficiency – and government figures hide the truth explains Hugh Saddler.
https://theconversation.com/australia-has-failed-miserably-on-energy-efficiency-and-government-figures-hide-the-truth-123176
‘Super-spreaders’ who unwittingly infect family members could be fuelling a new wave of community clusters of coronavirus infections surging in Victoria.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/coronavirus-hotspots-and-the-family-clusters-driving-its-spread-20200622-p55504.html
And The Age reports about coronavirus testing hubs around Melbourne experiencing a massive increase in demand, with people being turned away from drive-through sites or waiting for hours to be seen.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/long-waits-as-testing-stations-grapple-with-extremely-high-demand-20200622-p5551u.html
The federal government’s push to train more scientists and engineers will actually lead some universities to instead enrol more high-fee paying humanities students, a leading vice-chancellor says. It’s all about the money apparently.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/perverse-incentive-for-universities-to-use-humanities-as-cash-cows-20200622-p5551t.html
Jordan Baker explains how NSW students will be expected to meet acceptable standards before they leave school and will work through syllabuses at their own pace. This is quite a curriculum overhaul.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/courses-cut-syllabuses-rewritten-in-nsw-curriculum-overhaul-20200622-p5553l.html
Lisa Cox reveals that endangered fish species are being routinely sold to Australian and international consumers thanks to a little-known feature of environmental laws that allows for the species to be commercially fished.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/23/endangered-australian-fish-routinely-being-sold-in-shops-and-restaurants
Australia and the United States have been urged to jointly name and shame state-backed actors looking to steal health research during the coronavirus pandemic, as the Morrison government battles an escalation in cyber attacks on key networks.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/off-limits-australia-us-urged-to-name-and-shame-cyber-attackers-targeting-health-research-20200622-p554xo.html
Government funding to assure liveable wages would release workers enslaved by the worst excesses of the gig economy, writes David Joy.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/job-guarantee-would-ensure-uber-eats-and-deliveroo-workers-eat-too,14005
Nick Bonyhady writes about the trouble nick Xenophon is having with government secrecy when it comes to his defence of the former army officer being prosecuted for disclosing alleged unlawful killings of civilians by Australian troops in Afghanistan.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/whether-this-gets-me-in-trouble-it-remains-to-be-seen-xenophon-attacks-national-security-laws-20200622-p5554n.html
From Turnbull to Morrison to Somyurek, branch stacking has been a feature of the political landscape for decades, writes Binoy Kampmark.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/laborliberal-party-branch-stacking-nothing-new,14020
Elizabeth Knight examines the delicate positions of Myer and David Jones.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/david-jones-parent-runs-through-options-on-its-australian-businesses-20200622-p55505.html
Australia’s peak mining lobby group has moved to adopt a policy recognising financial risks from climate change, as investor groups say the industry could lose access to funds if it doesn’t properly disclose its exposure to global warming.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/miners-late-nod-towards-climate-risks-not-enough-for-investors-20200622-p554zz.html
Bevan Shields looks at the unlikely group of countries called the First Movers, those who moved quickly and decisively against Covid-19.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/inside-the-first-movers-group-of-countries-that-turned-virus-around-20200619-p554ft.html
The Washington Post believes that Trump is building on darker racial themes for a campaign reset.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-builds-on-darker-racial-themes-for-a-campaign-reset-20200622-p55518.html
Yesterday Trump launched a fresh attack on mail-in voting, making a series of false allegations to suggest the 2020 election will be tainted by fraud.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/22/trump-mail-in-voting-fraud-claims
Is America a ‘failing state’? George Rennie tells us how a superpower has been brought to the brink.
https://theconversation.com/is-america-a-failing-state-how-a-superpower-has-been-brought-to-the-brink-139680
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Alan Moir
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Mark Knight
John Spooner
From the US
It’s sounding like we’d better prepare for a 2000 style result. That would only embolden Trump!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/barring-a-landslide-whats-probably-not-coming-on-nov-3-a-result-in-the-race-for-the-white-house/2020/06/22/88ada5fa-b181-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html
Thanks BK. The Tom Switzer op-ed has surprised me so much I had to check it actually was him and not an early morning error!
I had a feeling Labor would be advocating for this. Great to see.
Max Boot – Everyone who isn’t a ‘tin-hat-wearing MAGA conspiracy monger’ risks termination under Trump: Conservative columnist
On Monday, writing for The Washington Post, conservative columnist Max Boot warned that anyone who shows anything even slightly less than total fealty to President Donald Trump is at risk of losing their job in the administration.
The latest assault on the rule of law, Boot, warned, was Attorney General William Barr’s move to fire SDNY prosecutor Geoffrey Berman and lie that he was resigning.
“We don’t know why Barr ousted Berman, but it is impossible to give him the benefit of the doubt given how he eager he has been to serve as Trump’s henchman,” wrote Boot. “Barr distorted the findings of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation; overruled line prosecutors to recommend a more lenient sentence for Trump crony Roger Stone; tried to dismiss the charges to which Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn had already pleaded guilty; and has appointed investigators to investigate the investigators who probed the connections between the Trump campaign and Russia.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/everyone-who-isnt-a-tin-hat-wearing-maga-conspiracy-monger-risks-termination-under-trump-conservative-columnist/
The unraveling of the rule of law under Trump is picking up speed
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/22/unraveling-rule-law-under-trump-is-picking-up-speed/
Sarah Cooper on the seats..
https://mobile.twitter.com/sarahcpr/status/1275160183598186496?s=12
Confessions @ #16 Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 – 7:57 am
Can’t wait to see Tony Abbott on the stand, wriggling like the tongue-poking lizard he is!
Chris Merritt procedural fairness article in the OZ on Dyson Heydon, which operates on the false premise that the report is a decision, has these curious sentences:
“Those close to this affair said that, when the complaints were examined, the objective of the
complaints was not apparent. They did not seek a financial settlement.”
The complaints themselves were reports on grave matters which the complainants felt should be made.
That the complaints did not say “I want some money” is the very thing one would expect.
And yes, I know he didn’t have anything to do with Robodebt but the ToR could be made quite broad. 😉
shellbell @ #21 Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 – 8:13 am
It’s a lawyer for the dark side, what other perspective do you expect them to have? 🙂
Though it has been said that Civil cases can now proceed, which may involve financial compensation.
Morning all and thanks BK. The SMH article on Dyson’s behaviour at a Uni function is damning and well written. All reported at the time |(2013) but never went further. The pattern is pretty clear.
Dyson was 60 when he was appointed by Howard to the HC. Does anyone seriously believe he suddenly turned into a predator then? This behaviour could have stretched back decades. How many women were harassed before in NSW courts and Sydney Uni? How many complaints were hushed up? He had plenty of power in both places, and powerful friends.
And yes Julia Gillard was right. A lot of far-right middle aged men associated with the Liberal party are misogynists.
Noor Blumer is a high profile litigation lawyer in Canberra. She and her husband head Blumers Lawyers who advertise extensively seeking clients. She might know a bit about suing people.
C@t:
Labor should simply follow the coalition’s standards for royal commissions 🙂
Shellbell
“ The complaints themselves were reports on grave matters which the complainants felt should be made.
That the complaints did not say “I want some money” is the very thing one would expect.”
I take it Dyson had an opportunity to make a submission to the inquiry, given that he has had lawyers quickly in action in his defense in the court of public opinion?
shellbell
A bit of a 🙂 re not asking for money. The Ruprtarium’s Smearbot 2000 has been somewhat defanged and bewildered. Their beloved cry that the ‘alleged victims’ are “gold digging’ or being “just after money” campaign would have been all primed.
poroti
It would be a fair bet that the victims don’t NEED money, being in the game they are in.
Democrats need more of this kind of heft in those key marginal states.
BK thanks for your daily roundup
What do educators think of the overhaul to NSW curriculum
https://www.smh.com.au/national/courses-cut-syllabuses-rewritten-in-nsw-curriculum-overhaul-20200622-p5553l.html
Geoff Masters is CEO at ACER running computerised Education testing
Reads like he has designed curriculum changes via questionnaire. I think it will lead to a large gulf between the best students who will complete International Baccaurlaureate and the rest who will receive a certificate of attendance
Confessions @ #26 Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 – 8:21 am
I wish Julia Gillard had become a judge after parliament!
BK @ #29 Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 – 8:23 am
Pretty sure I read yesterday that several young lawyers gave up promising careers.
Shouldn’t some gaol time be on the cards ?
Ellen Fanning:Journo
@ellenmfanning
There is a culture of silence in the law. Sometimes barristers are reluctant to speak up for fear of being branded a rabble rousers in a staid conservative profession. A bad habit, for people committed to justice. (And yes, plenty of notable exceptions) #DysonHeydon
Tonight’s episode of The Drum should be a corker if they discuss this issue!
And I will add this point. Upon rewatching Julia Gillard’s tour de force Misogyny speech, I cast my eyes along the Coalition Shadow Front Bench and who do I spy smirking his way through the damned thing? Scott Morrison.
Oh dear.
Experts call for regulation after latest botched art restoration in Spain
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jun/22/experts-call-for-regulation-after-latest-botched-art-restoration-in-spain
Confessions says:
Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 8:21 am
C@t:
Labor should simply follow the coalition’s standards for royal commissions
Sorry but I don’t think Dyson will be available.
Fran a fan of peg ?
C@t:
The few times I’ve watched the Drum the discussion has been very facile. I can only imagine what they show will do with the Heydon matter.
😆 On the empty seats at BOK stadium 😆
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvSjYqsxP-g&list=PL-8pDWAJLeYjt_QWcEZ_t7eYdax-YkkS5&index=16&t=0s
FBI investigates after noose found in garage of Bubba Wallace, Nascar’s only black driver
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/22/bubba-wallace-noose-nascar-fbi-investigation-confederate-flag-ban
While Haydon was on the Bench, up to the age of 70 he could not have been dismissed.
Fran Kelly would be better off asking Howard why he appointed him there in the first place.
Abbott appointing Heydon to TURC has been widely reported in the news media including the Australian.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/inquiry-finds-dyson-heydon-sexually-harassed-associates/news-story/48844beaf5aa3b420550b875ed479e62
Also, i this same article:
[#ALP by asking Dreyfus what he did about this problem back when he was AG .. presumably Fran will also ask AG Porter to explain himself]
It would be Philip Ruddock, Robert McClelland and Nicola Roxon who were AG’s during the bulk of his time on the HC.
Wrong question anyway – it will be the CJs (Gleeson and French) and other judges who were more likely to know or suspect something.
[while allegations of non-consensual touching and assault could prompt a police probe]
If the complainants (or some of them) attended upon the AFP in Canberra, then charges would be inevitably be brought.
“ There was clear evidence that Trump and members of his circle had coördinated with the Russians, Wallander said. Trump’s recent attack on nato as being “obsolete” showed that he intended to do whatever Putin wanted. ”
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/06/29/what-fiona-hill-learned-in-the-white-house
I am sure we have all seen Trumps defeated walk back to the White House…he looks finally broken.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-VsTLBZ2A
ABC RN Breakfast:
Sex discrimination commissioner on allegations in Australia’s highest court
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/sex-discrimination-commissioner-on-allegations-in/12383054
Features: Kate Jenkins, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
———
ABC RN AM
Law Council raises concerns about harassment in the workplace
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/adelaide/programs/am/law-council-raises-concerns-about-harassment-in-the-workplace/12382280
Boris Johnson and Theresa May ignored claims the Kremlin had a “likely hold” over Donald Trump and may have covertly funded Brexit, the former spy Christopher Steele alleges in secret evidence given to MPs who drew up the Russia report.
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/22/boris-johnson-theres-may-ignored-claims-russia-had-likely-hold-over-donald-trump-ex-spy-christopher-steele-claims?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_b-gdnnews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true
Vogon Poet
A few minutes ago I also heard that three of the victims had left the law following their treatment.
So the results of Heydon’s alleged behaviour are potentially quite serious.