My previous post dealt with the report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters’ inquiry into representation of the territories, which recommended the Northern Territory be crudely guaranteed a second House of Representatives seat while removing the more sophisticated statistical fiddle that helped preserve it when the issue last arose in 2003. As Antony Green noted, this proposal raised the strong possibility that the Australian Capital Territory might lose its recently acquired third seat the next time the determinations are made during the next parliamentary term. However, the federal government has sprung into action with new legislation that promises to preserve both territories’ seats by following Antony’s advice rather than the committee’s.
This is to be done by having the territories’ seat entitlements calculated through the harmonic rather than arithmetic mean, at least so far as their first three seats are concerned (beyond which the issue is likely to remain academic). The principle behind the harmonic mean can best be explained by using a simplified version of the Northern Territory case as an example. The basic problem is that the territory has around 150,000 voters, whereas the average House of Representatives seat has around 100,000 (population rather than voter enrolment is actually used, but the near accuracy of these nicely round figures means I will continue with them for purposes of illustration). Using the conventional arithmetic mean, this places the territory right at the cut-off point between a one-seat and two-seat entitlement. Two seats prevailed when the local economy had the wind in its sails during the late mining and resources boom, but in the more straitened circumstances of the present it only makes it to one.
Using the harmonic mean, the point at which rounding occurs is based not on the mid-point between the two quotas, but the point at which electorates’ populations differ least from the national average. Were the Northern Territory to lose its second seat, the remaining seat with its enrolment of around 150,000 would have 50,000 voters more than the national average. But if its second seat is retained, the two would have around 75,000 each, differing from the national average by only 25,000. The harmonic mean is all about minimising this difference, which in the present example would mean only one-and-a-third quotas would be needed for a second seat, or around 133,333 voters. For the Australian Capital Territory, which similarly stands on the precipice of two quotas and three, the third seat would be retained with 2.4 quotas (240,000 voters in the present example) rather than 2.5. The differences between the arithmetic and harmonic mean tipping points continue to reduce with each additional seat. By Antony Green’s reckoning, the ACT would have fallen below the arithmetic mean benchmark at 2.4796 quotas without the aforesaid statistical fiddle, which the committee had proposed to abolish without the remedial action of using the harmonic mean.
It is perhaps not surprising that the federal government has determined to save the second Northern Territory seat, notwithstanding that both seats are held by Labor: both are winnable for the Country Liberal Party, particularly the Darwin-based seat of Solomon, and an overstuffed single electorate for the Northern Territory would essentially amount to an act of malapportionment to the disadvantage of the territory’s substantial indigenous population. However, there is no such impetus in the Australian Capital Territory, where the Liberals only win House of Representatives seats under extraordinary circumstances (the most recent being the Canberra by-election of 1995), and the removal of a seat could be rationalised, if not justified, with recourse to public service bashing. At a time when mainstream conservatism in the United States is taking to the foundations of democracy with an axe, our own government’s defiance of self-interest to preserve Labor-held seats is worth acknowledging and celebrating.
Elsewhere: in the only bit of polling news to relate right now, JWS Research has released its latest True Issues survey of issue salience, as it does around three times a year. When respondents were asked to nominate the country’s three most important issues without prompting, 42% offered a response within the “hospitals, health care and ageing” category, which is down five from July but well up on the 24% recorded in the pre-COVID days of February. Results are otherwise very similar to the July survey, with economy and finances steady in second place at 32% after shooting up from 18% in February. A plunge in concern for the economy and climate change, down from 26% to 16% last time, has only slightly corrected to 19%, remaining well behind third-placed employment and wages on 32%, up two from July and eleven from February. The poll was conducted online between November 20 and 22 from a sample of 1035.
Endeavoured to understand all of this while drinking a cup of coffee. Now going back for extra shot.
Spiderbait: Alex the Seal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwKlRq9qm4c
In the ACT the Coalition are ever-hopeful I guess. Just enough votes to elect a Liberal Senator means they might hope that one day a Liberal MP will be elected for the HoR. Especially as they are politicising the Public Service these days with their own people.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Peter Hartcher describes our former trade relationship with China as a “racket, and he says that the “racket” has fallen apart. It’s an interesting contribution.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-threats-to-australia-s-economy-and-democracy-are-grave-but-not-insurmountable-20201207-p56l7o.html
And overnight China has slapped on another Australian beef company import ban.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/china-suspends-beef-imports-from-sixth-australian-beef-supplier-20201208-p56lgk.html
Tensions have resulted in trade restrictions with China, but there may be a silver lining to what seems like an unfavourable economic scenario, writes David Joy.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/why-we-do-not-need-to-fear-trade-sanctions,14594
Eryk Bagshaw reports that former ambassador Dave Sharma says Australian security agencies should harness the Chinese community in the same way they have co-operated with Muslim leaders.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/empower-chinese-community-to-resist-beijing-s-pressure-liberal-mp-20201207-p56la4.html
Adam Morton and Katherine Murphy tell us that Scott Morrison does not yet have a speaker’s spot at a global climate ambition summit this weekend despite telling parliament last week he intended to use an appearance at the event to “correct mistruths” about the government’s heavily criticised record on emissions reduction.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/07/scott-morrison-yet-to-be-granted-speaking-slot-at-weekend-climate-summit
According to David Crowe, federal parliament’s peak security committee will be asked to open an immediate inquiry into right-wing extremism amid fears the coronavirus crisis is fuelling conditions that intensify the threat.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-pushes-for-inquiry-into-right-wing-extremism-20201207-p56ldg.html
Rob Harris writes that David Littleproud says the Nationals leader Michael McCormack will lead the party to the next election if he wants to, ruling out any potential challenge for the job. Harris describes the party as “deeply divided”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/michael-mccormack-will-lead-nationals-to-election-if-he-wants-littleproud-20201207-p56lcq.html
Paul Bongiorno looks at the political “killing season” just being entered.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2020/12/08/paul-bongiorno-political-leaders/
Household spending is key to our economy, but it is still too early to know what will happen next year, says Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2020/dec/08/is-the-trend-really-our-friend-well-see-if-australias-shopping-habits-hold-up
Matt Johnson explores the changes in household spending on food and drink over the pandemic.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/your-budget/2020/12/08/sacrifice-dinner-food-budget/
Advertised job vacancies increased by 13.9 per cent in November as Victoria emerged from its protracted lockdown. But in a worrying sign for the economic recovery, part-time jobs are coming back much faster than full-time positions, says Euan Black
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/work/2020/12/07/job-ads-november-covid/
Shane Wright explains how things are very different these days when it comes to ratings agencies’ determinations of governments’ credit ratings.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-ratings-agency-religion-may-be-dead-but-there-are-still-lessons-20201207-p56lb4.html
Following on from yesterday’s story from Adele Ferguson, former federal court judge Ray Finkelstein has called on market regulators to make an example of one or two “short and distort” attackers to deter the release of false and misleading research
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/former-federal-judge-says-regulators-must-make-an-example-of-short-and-distort-attackers-20201207-p56ldn.html
Katherine Murphy reports that Scott Morrison has written to the clerk of the House of Representatives correcting the record and apologising to Kevin Rudd after declaring erroneously in question time that the former Labor prime minister had been allowed to leave and re-enter Australia during the pandemic.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/07/pm-apologises-for-erroneously-stating-kevin-rudd-had-left-and-re-entered-australia-during-covid
Nick Bonyhady tries to unpick the logic of Christian Porter’s casual work legislation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-penalties-for-wage-theft-and-part-time-flex-work-in-major-industrial-shake-up-20201207-p56las.html
Industrial relations researchers, Stephen Clibborn and Chris F Wright, say that this industrial relations package swings the pendulum too far towards business.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/industrial-relations-package-swings-pendulum-too-far-towards-business-20201207-p56lcy.html
Labor is set to have itself a nervy little Christmas, but it’s not too late to make 2021 sing, opines Chris Wallace.
https://theconversation.com/labor-is-set-to-have-itself-a-nervy-little-christmas-its-not-too-late-to-make-2021-sing-150186
The Berejiklian government has escaped corruption findings over water allocations but ICAC says biased policies are bringing politics into disrepute, declares the SMH editorial.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/premier-must-adopt-icac-plan-to-clean-up-murray-darling-water-rights-20201207-p56lbz.html”
The practice of capturing flood waters moving across plains using levees and dams is almost certainly illegal in New South Wales, the state government has been told.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/08/floodplain-harvesting-likely-under-nsw-water-management-act-crown-solicitor-warns
“Should shareholders in buy now, pay later operators such as Afterpay characterise the Reserve Bank’s favourable decision on the sector as a reprieve or a case of good news now, bad news later?”, asks Elizabeth Knight.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/afterpay-and-co-have-a-reprieve-but-rba-decision-comes-with-a-warning-20201207-p56lbw.html
And Michael Pasco writes that this is a major backflip from where our central bank was heading last year, a fillip for stockmarket hotshot Afterpay and a feather in the cap for the government wanting less regulation of the for-profit finance sector.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2020/12/08/rba-afterpay-backflip-pascoe/
GPs in some Melbourne quarantine hotels will attend to their own patients after they pushed back against government demands that they work exclusively in the hotels.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/doctors-in-rejigged-quarantine-program-refuse-to-just-work-in-hotels-20201207-p56lak.html
Now it is revealed that a key Liberal Party fundraising official offered to arrange a meeting between Victorian party leaders Michael O’Brien and Robert Clark and allegedly corrupt developer John Woodman as she sought donations from him and pointed to a “loophole” to avoid public disclosure.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/liberal-fundraising-chief-offered-meetings-with-party-leaders-in-return-for-woodman-donations-20201207-p56lab.html
Nick Bonyhady reports that Labor is set to back a government bill allowing unions to split, which is likely to see the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union fragment into several smaller unions, after shadow cabinet gave in-principle support last night.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/unacceptable-cfmmeu-construction-arm-steamrolling-smaller-divisions-maher-20201207-p56lap.html
Experts are nervous many investors and savers are headed for post-work living conditions well below their expectations, but are as divided as ever about the solutions, writes the AFR’s Alecks Vickovich.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/retirement-adequacy-is-a-problem-for-australia-20201026-p568rj
Shane Wright tells us how IMF researchers have warned of recession-level impacts from cyber attacks on the financial system, saying more needs to be done by regulators and the industry.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/cyber-attack-could-bring-down-entire-financial-system-imf-20201207-p56l6y.html
Oil giants Shell, Santos, Woodside and Chevron finance the Bureau of Meteorology. Sandi Keane investigates the influence of the fossil fuel sector over the Bureau’s public documents.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/undue-influence-oil-and-gas-giants-infiltrate-australias-bureau-of-meteorology/
Peter FitzSimons says that the indigenous language anthem at the rugby union Test was a nation-changing moment.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/indigenous-language-anthem-at-the-test-was-a-nation-changing-moment-20201207-p56l7i.html
Australia’s debates over falling standards of education seem endless and circular despite the constantly increased funding. Why is it so hard to get the right answers, wonders Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/debate-runs-rings-around-figures-for-schools-20201207-p56lby
We will save lives in regional Australia by treating drug use as a health issue, not a criminal one, argues the Reverend Simon Hansford.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/07/we-will-save-lives-in-regional-australia-by-treating-drug-use-as-a-health-issue-not-a-criminal-one
The home of an accused paedophile has been restrained for the first time using proceeds-of-crime laws, in an “aggressive” new federal police strategy to target the assets of child sex offenders, reports The Australian’s David Murray.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/police-seize-home-of-pedophile/news-story/7d2feb1da39bec10d30de3101315bb4c
Christiaan De Beukelaer writes about the humanitarian crisis that’s left 400,000 seafarers stuck on cargo ships stranded at sea.
https://theconversation.com/stranded-at-sea-the-humanitarian-crisis-thats-left-400-000-seafarers-stuck-on-cargo-ships-150446
Polly Toynbee thinks that Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal will light the fuse for a Tory civil war.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/07/boris-johnson-brexit-deal-tory-civil-war-exiting-eu
The New York Times says that the economic recovery, slowing for months, is in danger of going into reverse. That’s why a growing list of economists, business lobbyists and other advocacy groups are urging lawmakers to rally around the $US908 billion (A$1.22 trillion) aid package currently gaining bipartisan support in Congress.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/starting-to-see-the-cracks-the-us-economy-needs-more-than-a-us900b-plan-to-fix-it-20201207-p56l3p.html
In Trump’s America, Michigan’s secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, said dozens of armed protesters gathered in a threatening manner outside her home on Saturday evening chanting “bogus” claims about electoral fraud.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/07/michigan-elections-chief-trump-protesters
Cartoon Corner – David Rowe has gone on leave for some time.
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
Matt Golding
Alan Moir
Mark Knight
John Spooner
Andrew Dyson
From the US
Is there a colour that repels mosquitoes?
Conclusion: zebras also repel insects by tail flicking and body odour.
Bird Of Paradox made a drive-by comment last night at 2.38am when he or she knew no-one would read it ’til morning, concerning what he sees as ” hatred” among PB contributors.
As to others I withhold comment. But as to myself, apparently BOP believes I hate women.
BOP bases this conclusion on my advice to young women to stay away from the combination of booze, drugs, footy stars and sex, especially group sex.
What would a father advise his daughter?
“Sure darling, get blind drunk at a nightclub with a 24 year-old, over-sexed 100 kilo NRL player and his mates, then go back to their hotel for some slap and tickle leading to group sex and possibly violent sexual assault. And remember, if anything happens you can always have them arrested!”
Or,
“You’re only going to get hurt if you do that”?
Apparently the latter advice is a profession of hate for women, and the former is what any supportive 21st century father would say to his little girl.
Things are going screwy upstairs in BOP’s mind if he or she has gotten to the stage of defending the belief that mixing sex, booze, drugs, young women and rampant footy players on a bender is a perfectly acceptable activity for the young women involved. Because the men should bear responsibility for any resultant harm. And that anyone who says different must hate women.
This is where following ideology down a blind rabbit hole gets you: a situation where even obviously dangerous behaviour is excused on the basis of misplaced belief in human rights over self-preservation.
Yes, belief in human rights can get you a long way in life, but you have to know when a reliance on them is not worth the downside. One of the best ways women can help boozed-up young footballers to make rational decisions concerning sexual assault is to stay away from them when they are blind drunk. Ask any father, brother or true friend.
Axiomatically, I, and others who chipped in along similar lines last night, were not defending the blokes involved.
It’s just common sense that young people avoid obvious situations where so much harm can be done, and with little chance of redress if things go wrong.
That’s not hating women. It’s giving them good advice.
If what C@t says about the young woman being bitten is true (I haven’t seen the reports), shouldn’t the player at least have been charged with assault/injury?
Morning all. I think this cartoon sums up Christian Porter’s “Workchoices II” bill fairly accurately. Any party claiming to care about protecting workers should be opposed to it.
https://www.pollbludger.net/2020/12/08/conservation-measures/#comment-3523272
… relatives in MY have said to me that dark clothes in the evening mozzies seem to like to hide against.
So when in the tropics I usually wear lighter colored clothing.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/jarryd-hayne-sexual-assault-trial-ends-in-hung-jury-20201203-p56k87.html
No drink. Except for Hayne who had been drinking as he arrived from a 2 day Buck’s Party.
No drugs.
No nightclub.
Zero concern for the woman.
Robert Harrington celebrates the approaching end of Betsy DeVos as US Secretary for Education.
She is the heiress of one of the original Ponzi schemes- Amway!
“She will be gone in January, and the anticipatory champagne corks have been popping across the land and in the homes of American educators on that account. Public school educators despise her, and for good reason.”
https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/betsy-devos-bye-bye/34663/
Is this because some MPs are sympathetic to them?
FWIW, the footy player acknowledges the injury, but claims it was not intentionally inflicted, and that it was not a bite.
There are no happy endings in this story, or in any of the other recent stories on the same subject.
You can’t stop women being attracted to rich young footy stars, seeking to hook up with them. Nor can you stop Trump fans attending MAGA rallies without wearing masks. Anti-vaxxers have a right to refuse being jabbed. Climbers still climb Everest. Jumpers still jump of cliffs relying on wing suits and parachutes. Surfers still dangle their legs over the edge of surfboards at 7am in the morning in shark-infested waters. Free divers still have a right to dive.
But surely there comes a point where poor judgement and common sense intersect, and some responsibility has to be accepted.
Denmark announces partial shutdown after surge in cases
From CNN’s Susanne Gargiulo in Copenhagen
Denmark has announced a partial lockdown in 38 of 98 its counties, to curb rising coronavirus infection rates in harder-hit areas.
The remaining 60 counties will not be affected by the new restrictions, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said during a press conference Monday.
“We have hit a serious stage of the epidemic,” Frederiksen said. “Infection rates are too high and this is worrying. We must act now so we can stay in control of the epidemic.”
Denmark has registered 2,024 new cases in the past 24 hours — the first time that number has topped 2,000.
The country’s health minister, Magnus Heunicke, said Denmark was entering a new phase of the epidemic, with the infection rate growing exponentially.
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-12-07-20-intl/h_6a33b0563a52a1fdcf044a06141c3592
Cat
I also find the reported facts of that [Hayne] case appalling. I do not understand why some form of assault charge was not also included. Consent to sex does not imply consent to assault. I hope they retrial.
No alcohol involved, except the bloke had been drinking and watching porn with his mates for two days straight, without sleep. No potential for trouble there at all.
Not quite how the jury saw it, as is all too regularly the case.
When I used to go on dates, it never occurred to me that I should be asking my partner about his drinking and porn watching habits prior to the date.
“Thanks for the dinner invite, can you please fill out this form before I get in the taxi?”
I am a very risk averse person.
None of us have read the entire brief of evidence in either the De Belin or Hayne cases, let alone heard that evidence given in court. Perhaps that basic fact should be taken into account before rendering judgement.
As to BB’s point as to self preservation, as the Great Wayne Bennet has always said, nothing good happens after midnight. To which I’d add, nothing good comes from randoms met in nightclubs, and seldom from internet hook ups. Don’t get me started about the Millennial obsession with the smartphone camera app and sexting.
I’d also add that society would be better if NRL players simply lived their lives in jail, being provided all their creature comforts under close supervision.
The Donald taking out the trash before he leaves
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-death-penalty-legacy-838932ac2b665b42373309336d130f56
(Please don’t take my comment literally)
Socrates @ #16 Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 – 8:39 am
Yep. If not Digital Rape ( if it is a thing in law, I don’t know), then Sexual Assault at the very least.
“ I also find the reported facts of that [Hayne] case appalling. I do not understand why some form of assault charge was not also included. Consent to sex does not imply consent to assault. I hope they retrial.”
The circumstances of the physical injuries were wrapped up in the charge the ODPP preferred – namely the aggravated form of sexual assault, the circumstances of aggravation being that during the sexual intercourse (alleged to be without consent and the accused knowing that the complainant was not consenting) ‘actual bodily harm’ was occasioned.
Having not read the brief I do not know whether a back up charge of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm was also placed before the jury. If not, there may well be a forensic reason to not lay such a charge, including that it could be construed by a jury as an invitation to compromise their verdicts.
There will undoubtably be a retrial.
You would have thought that someone trained in law wouldn’t try to insinuate that the facts of one case (De Belin), should apply to another (Hayne).
Nor should it be implied that Millennials mode of choice for hooking up with potential partners, via dating apps, or in nightclubs, is in some way wrong.
“ Yep. If not Digital Rape ( if it is a thing in law, I don’t know), then Sexual Assault at the very least.”
The extended definition of sexual intercourse in the Crimes Act includes the digital penetration of the vagina or anus.
Thanks BK for the Dawn Patrol.
Clearing useless addons from Chrome left these items.
Note “Timezone” and “Smooth Scrolling” not in use.
Coffee – must have coffee —☕☕
“ You would have thought that someone trained in law wouldn’t try to insinuate that the facts of one case (De Belin), should apply to another (Hayne).
Nor should it be implied that Millennials mode of choice for hooking up with potential partners, via dating apps, or in nightclubs, is in some way wrong.”
Point missed. As usual these days, it seems. Once you have read a hundred sexual assault briefs involving poor decision making by millennials, like I have, then get back to me. There is a difference between ‘wrong’ (according to law, human rights etc) and ‘unwise’.
Andrew_Earlwood @ #24 Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 – 9:12 am
Thank you sagacious A_E. 🙂
Andrew_Earlwood @ #26 Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 – 9:14 am
Not being a lawyer, that was a pretty low blow but I’ll let it pass. Happy to read briefs from both sides of the coin anytime you want to pass them along. 🙂
The Greens are calling on the senate crossbench to oppose making the Cashless Debit Card permanent and to rule out ANY extension of the trials
The Government is using the final Parliamentary sitting week of this year to push through legislation to make the current Cashless Debit Card trial sites permanent and extend the card to the Northern Territory and Cape York to replace the BasicsCard, despite no evidence it works.
“We’ve had 13 years of this discriminatory punitive policy. 13 years of targeting First Nations peoples and those on low incomes with income management,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens Spokesperson on Family and Community Services said.
Supporting this bill essentially entrenches one of the most paternalistic measures of the Northern Territory Intervention.
This is not a bill for the crossbench to make deals over. This is about vulnerable people’s lives.
https://greensmps.org.au/articles/greens-are-calling-senate-crossbench-oppose-making-cashless-debit-card-permanent-and-rule
Trump continues his war on the environment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/07/trump-air-pollution/
Migrant workers and the gig economy
MEHREEN FARUQI
I would like to speak tonight about the recent tragic deaths and serious injuries of food delivery workers in Sydney and across the country. We have seen a tragedy unfolding on our streets over the last few months. At least five delivery riders have been killed on the roads since the end of September. Four of those deaths were in Sydney.
The Greens have been warning for years about the precarious and dangerous nature of exploitative work in the so-called gig economy. Operating outside the ordinary rules and parameters of our industrial relations systems, companies like Uber Eats, Menulog and Deliveroo profit hugely off the back of drivers and riders, who are often paid well below minimum wage and who put up with dangerous conditions that would be completely unacceptable in other industries. Riders have to work themselves to exhaustion in order to make enough money to eat, and their pay has reportedly been cut during the pandemic. Moreover, these companies do not check basic things like: Does this person know how to ride a bike safely? Is the bike in good condition? Does it need repairs or is it roadworthy at all?
The mentality behind gig economy work forces workers to bear all responsibility and risk when it comes to their ability to get home safely at the end of the day. The company wipes its hands of it. It is disgusting and an unfathomable business model. New figures revealed by SBS over the weekend show that 65 safety incidents involving food delivery platforms have been reported to SafeWork NSW in the last 12 months. The Transport Workers Union says this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg. We cannot ignore the reality that many of these delivery drivers are migrant workers and international students.
https://greensmps.org.au/articles/speech-migrant-workers-and-gig-economy
Yes, I was wrong yesterday when I said Javascript had been disabled on my computer. I meant Flash.
Daily Update:
Still no Edit function.
No ability to Log In, even using the workaround distinct Log In page, as opposed to the sidebar Log In, which I still don’t have.
I have C+ installed.
I have no AdBlock Plus installed.
I cleared a lot of cookies.
I have no clue what is going wrong or why.
Sorry to bother people about this.
Pennsylvania will run out of hospital beds and have to turn people away if infections continue to climb
From CNN’s Anna Sturla
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf spoke bluntly Monday, describing an increasingly “dire” scenario where sick Pennsylvanians could be turned away from hospitals due to lack of beds if Covid-19 hospitalizations continue to increase.
The Commonwealth reported that at least 5,421 people were hospitalized due to the virus as of noon Monday, according to the state’s Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine.
The 14-day moving average of hospitalized patients per day had increased by 4,000 since the end of September, she added.
Wolf warned of hospitals that were already diverting patients to other facilities due to “full emergency rooms and overwhelming needs.”
“If the worst happens, hospitals will not be able to treat all sick Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said. “They’ll be forced to turn away people who need treatment, and that means more Pennsylvanians will die.”
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-12-07-20-intl/index.html
GREENS TO AMEND IR BILL TO OUTLAW INSECURE WORK
Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, said the Greens will move a series of amendments to the government’s industrial relations reforms to outlaw insecure work, by introducing a legal presumption that all employment is permanent and ongoing unless there are compelling, exceptional business reasons to the contrary.
The amendments will also give effect to the Greens’ Fair Work Amendment (Making Australia More Equal) Bill 2018, which extends to gig economy workers the protections available to employees. Given Labor has also recently adopted a similar policy stance, the Greens’ amendments have a good chance of succeeding in the Senate.
“The Greens will move to outlaw insecure work,” Bandt said.
“Insecure work in Australia has got out of control.
“Casual, contract and gig economy workers are all getting a raw deal.
“The Greens will move to change the government’s bill so that every job is permanent and ongoing unless there are exceptional business reasons to the contrary.”
https://greensmps.org.au/articles/greens-amend-ir-bill-outlaw-insecure-work
C@t:
Have you tried going to PB on an incognito window in Chrome?
C@t – If this logon works bookmark it –
http://pollbludger.net/wp-admin
KOALAS AND FRASER ISLAND BURNED – CLIMATE WILL TAKE AUSTRALIA’S TREASURES
The Australian Greens have warned that the government’s climate inaction is pouring fuel on fires incinerating our country’s iconic animals, landscapes, and flora, amid news that tens of thousands of koalas died during last season’s bushfires, and as an uncontrolled bushfire tears through an untouched world heritage rainforest.
Greens Environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will this week move a ‘Save the Koala Bill’ to protect the habitat of Australia’s most iconic tree-hugger, in a bid to stave off extinction.
“Today Australia is watching one of our national treasures burn. The Fraser Island fire comes on the back of record-breaking temperatures and is a further harbinger of the climate emergency that we face,” Greens Leader, Adam Bandt said.
“Scott Morrison should be ashamed of the coal-fuelled destruction being wreaked on his watch. While the nation was burning last year he left for Hawaii, and now that it’s happening again, the best he can do is vow not to cheat on his climate commitments.”
https://greensmps.org.au/articles/koalas-and-fraser-island-burned-climate-will-take-australia-s-treasures
Step 1 back to normality achieved! Logged in as me!
Thank you, dave. 😀
Confessions @ #35 Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 – 9:26 am
OMG! Sidebar log in possible that way! 😯
Hmm. I have ads now though. Whereas, without log in functionality before, but with AdBlock Plus uninstalled, I have no ads!
Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say!
Whoever made Christian Porter Minister for Industrial Relations in 2019 (Morrison?) has deliberately given power to a person who is not only unworthy of the position, but vindictive, which can be seen in the quality of his recommendations in Family Law and casual employment.
His two portfolios include:
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/portfolio
Another example of Morrison getting someone else to fire the bullets?
The Lib/Lab estab at it again. Labor should be siding with the Greens, not the climate deniers in the Coalition.
This gets my vote if we are going to use a song that already exists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtMNiVcmlpA
C@t:
With Dave’s link though you shouldn’t need to access via incognito.
Firefox:
Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 9:20 am
[‘The Greens are calling on the senate crossbench to oppose making the Cashless Debit Card permanent and to rule out ANY extension of the trials’]
I’m in total agreement with the Greens’ stance on the CDC, the Tories’ paternalism on show once again. The only way this could be considered fair & reasonable is for everyone on benefits to be subjected to the same regime. But there are many unintended consequences with this card and it should therefore be ditched in toto. I note that Labor’s against the card,* and hopefully, three of the Senate crossbench (senators Lambie, Griff, and Patrick) will join the Greens and Labor to vote against its permanency and an extension of it.
* https://www.zdnet.com/article/labor-to-oppose-cashless-debit-card-legislation-and-nt-rollout/
Mavis
Not too sure of Patrick after his i.v. with Karvelas yesterday. The problem, as I see it, is that if this ‘small trial’ is enabled to be permanent, this will encourage the govt to extend the Card further across welfare. They need to be blocked right now.
And in doing those things, none of them have given consent to a crime being committed on them.
I have no idea of the facts of the cases being talked about. But, having been a young male adult, I, and all of my mates, knew if a girl was too drunk or drugged to have a good consensual time – you took her home or let her sleep it off.
Rudy has coronavirus.
lizzie:
Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 10:01 am
[‘Not too sure of Patrick after his i.v. with Karvelas yesterday. The problem, as I see it, is that if this ‘small trial’ is enabled to be permanent, this will encourage the govt to extend the Card further across welfare. They need to be blocked right now.’]
That sounds ominous, and of course, PHON won’t be of any assistance. I didn’t catch Patrick’s interview with PK but will say that he’s known to give the impression he’s on board with an issue only to change his mind when the crunch comes. Let’s hope this is the case.
OMG. Morrison has a top-shelf line in hypocrisy.
Selflessly cutting welfare for the poor and unemployed while dining out on the taxpayer. Selflessly denying appeals to fairness when they’ve made self-serving decisions that only benefit their own voters.
Need I go on?