Highlights of the latest fortnightly Essential Research poll, which is lacking the really interesting stuff (the monthly leadership ratings and quarterly dump of voting intention), but covers a fair bit of ground on the budget:
• Respondents were asked whether the budget would be good or bad for various groups and interests, results for which appear to be heavily influenced by general attitudes towards the party bringing down the budget. In this cases, the budget was reckoned to be most beneficial to “people who are well off” (51% good, 8% bad) and big businesses (49% and 7%), but scored net negative ratings for people on lower incomes (30% and 33%) and “you personally” (22% and 25%). However, the budget rated more strongly across the board than last year’s, with net ratings 23% higher for the economy overall, 15% higher for families, 12% higher for younger Australians and 11% higher for average working people.
• The budget has apparently impressed respondents as being good for women, particularly compared with last year’s. Thirty-four per cent rated that it put women’s interests ahead of men’s versus 19% for vice-versa and 47% who thought it balanced, compared with respective figures last year of 14%, 31% and 54%. It would also appear easy to persuade respondents that budgets put the interests of young people ahead of old: 32% thought so this year compared with 28% for vice-versa and 40% for balanced, albeit that this is quite a lot narrower than last year’s split of 45% to 21% with 34% for balanced. As usual with a Coalition budget, many more respondents felt it put the interests of businesses ahead of employees than vice-versa (49% versus 13% with 38% for balanced, compared with 14%, 42% and 45% for last year).
• A regular question on governments’ handling of COVID-19 gave the federal government what I believe to be its weakest good rating to date of 58%, down four on last month, with the poor rating up a point to 18%. For the state governments, good ratings are down five in New South Wales to 68%, up five for Victoria to 63% and down four for Queensland to 68%.
• As did last week’s Resolve Strategic poll, and no doubt most other polls that have ever been conducted on the subject, this one finds strong opposition to an early election: 61% agreed an election this year would “just be opportunism for the Prime Minister”, compared with 39% for the alternative proposition that an early election “will be good for Australia, because a lot has changed since the last election”.
The poll was conducted Wednesday to Sunday from a sample of 1100.
One of Scott Morrison’s backbenchers says the international border should stay closed because foreign immigrants are bad for Australians’ wages.
Queensland LNP Senator Gerard Rennick also used a live television appearance to say he would “sit back and watch and see” how the vaccine rollout goes, directly undermining federal government pleas for the population to get their COVID-19 jabs.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/senator-says-borders-should-stay-close-to-prevent-foreigners-pushing-down-wages-20210526-p57v58.html
Chinese property developer wins funding for Aboriginal work-for-the-dole scheme
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/26/chinese-property-developer-wins-funding-for-aboriginal-work-for-the-dole-scheme
Owner of Tasmania museum takes council to integrity watchdog over penguin poo sign dispute
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/26/owner-of-tasmania-museum-takes-council-to-integrity-watchdog-over-penguin-poo-sign-dispute
Latest sinkhole in street in Rome swallows vehicles
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/25/latest-sinkhole-in-street-in-rome-swallows-vehicles
Shepherd hailed for saving six runners in deadly China ultramarathon
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/25/shepherd-hailed-for-saving-six-runners-in-deadly-china-ultramarathon
The Tory ‘war on woke’ has a manifesto – and its targets are crushingly familiar — Tim Bale
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/25/tory-war-on-woke-manifesto-common-sense-group
Australia is becoming bad luck country
Dumping grounds
Mice plagues
Endless covid cases and India variants….
Corruption to the highest order.
Is going against China worth it ? Is going open boarders worth it?
Cold War is more important to the libs and Murdoch.
As I’ve noted here before, Scumo has every reason to go early and the primary reason for this is that he wants to prematurely reopen borders to please his mates. This won’t be popular with voters.
Conversely, if Scumo waits till next year, then he will be in the middle of an increasingly polarised debate between reasonable and safe (and also fairly popular) border policy involving retention of quarantine (with increased throughput) and on the other hand reckless endangerment involving opening inbound tourism with weak protection (vaccination passport and all that). When that sparks major outbreaks he will be in deep shit.
So good reason to not want an early election and good reason to think we will have one.
Pete Evans fined $80,000 by health department for alleged unlawful spruiking of devices and medicines
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/25/pete-evans-fined-80000-by-health-department-for-alleged-unlawful-spruiking-of-devices-and-medicines
Morning all. Victorian Labor passed the EV tax bill last night, becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to have a tax that discriminates against electric vehicles. Acting Premier James Merlino today unveiled Victoria’s new approach to net zero emission transport, promising a new dawn of modernity in Victoria.
CC,
I expect him to announce that COVID-19 vaccines are available to all – then call the election before voters discover they can’t actually get one.
Queensland blackout to be investigated after fire at Callide Power Station cuts power to large parts of the state
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-26/qld-callide-power-station-biloela-investigation/100164942
‘Socrates says:
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:05 am
Morning all. Victorian Labor passed the EV tax bill last night, becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to have a tax that discriminates against electric vehicles. Acting Premier James Merlino today unveiled Victoria’s new approach to net zero emission transport, promising a new dawn of modernity in Victoria.’
————————————————
It does not discriminate against electric vehicles. It ensures that EV road users pay for roads just like other road users.
In particular, it ensures that wealthy EV buyers do not scam average road users.
Essentially it stops yet another middle class welfare scheme from growing before it starts.
Jaeger
That lie wouldn’t last the election campaign. Besides there are bigger issues in play.
China and the Philippines’ tense stand-off over Scarborough Shoal leaves fishermen in fear
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-26/china-philippines-stand-off-over-scarborough-shoal/100145586
Meanwhile in Queensland, power authorities demonstrated the unreliability of coal and gas, with 500,000 homes losing power after an explosion in Callide power station. Coal advocates laughed at the suggestion that a $150 million dollar big battery would have prevented the billions in business losses that have no doubt already occurred. Jay Weatherall looks forward to hearing apologies from Scott Morrison, Matt Canavan, Angus Taylor and Chris Uhlmann, though they are all unlikely to be available for interview for some time.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-power-station-likely-not-operational-for-days-after-explosion-20210525-p57v3o.html
The SA battery has already prevented similar blackouts occurring in neighboring states in 2017 and again in 2019 after coal turbine failures. There should be a big battery in every state. Australian energy policy seems to completely ignore good engineering practice these days.
Friend of Christian Porter’s accuser wanted rape allegation public to stunt political career, court hears
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/25/friend-of-christian-porters-accuser-wanted-allegation-public-to-stunt-political-career-court-hears
‘Jaeger says:
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:12 am
China and the Philippines’ tense stand-off over Scarborough Shoal leaves fishermen in fear’
———————————————————–
Chinese military and economic thuggery is a thing for poor people in poor nations.
The ONLY South East Asian state that China treats with any respect is Indonesia. When China threatened to conquer Indonesian islands in the same way that it is doing in the Philippines, the Indonesian Cabinet held a Cabinet meeting in the target islands on board an Indonesian warship.
The notion that if Australia treats China with respect China will behave with respect goes against all the evidence.
The New Daily
“Collingwood and Port Adelaide”
🙂
Boerwar
I see you have resorted to class warfare and the politics of envy to justify the Victorian EV tax. Shame.
The arguments are also false. Fuel excise is not allocated towards road maintenance. It hasn’t been for over forty years. Road maintenance is in theory paid for by rego fees; in reality all cars, which are too light to damage road pavements, subsidise trucks, whose rego fees are too low to reflect the damage they do. Construction is paid out of consolidated revenue, or tolls on toll roads.
People who buy EVs are not all rich. They simply care about the future more than Labor staffers. Good day all.
Greenland’s Melting Glaciers Are Polluting Coasts With Shocking Amounts of Mercury
https://www.sciencealert.com/greenland-s-melting-glaciers-are-polluting-coastal-ecosystems-with-mercury
More of the Liberal Uglies faction branch stacking their way to rule over us…
‘One of the Coalition’s most senior women, the federal environment minister Sussan Ley, is expected to face a challenge in her rural New South Wales seat of Farrer amid allegations of “toxic” branch-stacking by far-right conservatives in the seat.
The threat comes as the prime minister, Scott Morrison, urged Liberal colleagues not “to get distracted” by a tumultuous preselection season in NSW in which at least four sitting MPs are being challenged, including two female marginal seat holders.’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/26/sussan-ley-could-face-preselection-battle-amid-claims-of-toxic-branch-stacking-by-far-right-liberals
Minns has now left the frontbench.
Mr Minns said he was “very disappointed” by reports a dirt file on him was circulated to the media by the office of Yasmin Catley, Labor’s deputy leader and a close ally of leader Jodi McKay.
A “shitfight” is an understatement
‘Socrates says:
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:31 am
Boerwar
I see you have resorted to class warfare and the politics of envy to justify the Victorian EV tax. Shame. ‘
———————————————————————
It is a reprise of rooftop solar panels. Wealthy middle class homeowners have been getting free or heavily subsidized electricity at the cost of poor renters.
The notion that wealthy EV car buyers should get a free ride off the poor is same, same.
Little did someone think that after all those years of training and study before gaining employment at such prestigious institution that they would one day issue such advice 😆
.
.
Stop Kissing and Snuggling Chickens, C.D.C. Says
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/health/cdc-chickens-salmonella-outbreak.html?surface=intl-hp-latest&fellback=false&req_id=303360890&algo=bandit-all-surfaces-geo-intl_diversified_impression_cut_il_2&variant=2_bandit-all-surfaces-geo-intl_impression_cut_2&pool=pool/d4e6b93b-b1fe-4f58-95ba-629cf6bbc73c&imp_id=548248524
“Minns has now left the frontbench.”
Minns doesn’t appear to have ever been on the frontbench.
I suspect “the dirt file” was a blank sheet of paper listing his accomplishments since being elected to parliament.
Too bad, so sad that LvT & Oakeshott Country’s boy, Chris Minns didn’t get up. 😐
boerwar says:
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:19 am
Thuggery? Is the west invasion of Middle East “thuggery”?
Strong words for a racist.
Watson Watch @ #28 Wednesday, May 26th, 2021 – 8:16 am
There would be one line:
‘Best friend of the disgraced Jamie Clements.’
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. Sorry it’s a bit late this morning.
A person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Melbourne’s northern suburbs this week had attended an AFL match at the MCG on the weekend, forcing some football fans into isolation.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/unknown-zone-fears-of-fresh-lockdown-as-covid-19-cluster-expands-to-nine-cases-20210525-p57v3s.html
The news of fresh cases of COVID-19 across Melbourne has left the city rattled – understandably so, given the trauma we have endured over the past year, writes Liam Mannix who looks at the winter months ahead.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/will-cold-weather-increase-australias-covid-risk-20210525-p57uw0.html
Millions of Australians could receive their Pfizer shots from GPs, in pharmacies and Commonwealth run respiratory clinics after a crucial decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration to allow the vaccine to be stored in regular refrigerators for up to a month.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/pfizer-could-be-administered-by-gps-as-melbourne-cluster-grows-to-nine-20210525-p57v39.html
Being open about why Australia’s vaccination take-up is low is the first step to improve it, posits Julie Leask.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/25/being-open-about-why-australias-vaccination-take-up-is-low-is-the-first-step-to-improve-it
Meanwhile, Queensland LNP Senator Gerard Rennick has used a live television appearance to say he would “sit back and watch and see” how the vaccine rollout goes before getting a jab.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/senator-says-borders-should-stay-close-to-prevent-foreigners-pushing-down-wages-20210526-p57v58.html
Incentives could boost vaccine uptake in Australia, but we need different approaches for different groups explain two social marketing experts in The Conc=versation.
https://theconversation.com/incentives-could-boost-vaccine-uptake-in-australia-but-we-need-different-approaches-for-different-groups-161363
The AIMN’s Rossleigh celebrates the number of Australians vaccinated having just exceeded the number of government announcements on the subject.
https://theaimn.com/breaking-number-of-australians-vaccinated-just-exceeded-number-of-government-announcements-on-the-subject/7
Scott Morrison has repeatedly reiterated that all decisions in relation to Coronavirus public health measures have been taken in accordance with medical advice. But the advice itself has frequently been considerably less than transparent, even as he has had medical officials standing alongside him, giving every appearance of having crafted his words and drafted his decisions, writes Jack Waterford.
https://johnmenadue.com/advice-being-tailored-for-political-not-medical-need/
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay is facing further attempts to destabilise her leadership with more MPs expected to quit her frontbench, furious over the release of an internal dirt file on her main rival Chris Minns.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/mckay-digs-in-as-labor-leader-as-internal-party-warfare-worsens-20210525-p57v3q.html
Labor frontbencher Meryl Swanson has warned Anthony Albanese he is leading the opposition to an election defeat, telling a closed-door caucus meeting in Canberra the party is “sleepwalking off a cliff”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/i-worry-we-are-sleep-walking-off-a-cliff-labor-mp-s-dire-warning-to-albanese-20210525-p57v2i.html
“NSW Labor followed the Joel Fitzgibbon playbook in the Hunter and look what happened”, says Felicity Wade.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/nsw-labor-followed-the-joel-fitzgibbon-playbook-in-the-hunter-and-look-what-happened-20210525-p57v0c.html
David Crowe reports that Liberal and Nationals MPs are being urged to raise money for a federal election to be held next year out of concern at the power of activist groups and the union movement to threaten the government’s hold on power.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-tells-mps-to-raise-war-chest-for-election-next-year-20210525-p57v24.html
Albanese may not inspire hope, but he knows how to hold on to leadership, says Shaun Carney.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/albanese-may-not-inspire-hope-but-he-knows-how-to-hold-on-to-leadership-20210525-p57v0d.html
Paul Kelly pontificates that “Labor’s dual identities are well known – it is the party of educated progressives, public sector and service delivery employees, minorities and cultural adherents of woke or grievance politics on one hand and, on the other hand, Labor loyalists holding jobs in coal, resources, electricity, gas, water, manufacturing, agriculture and industry, many being cultural conservatives.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/scott-morrisons-poll-plan-to-pick-off-labors-working-voters/news-story/7e352647b24373fb2bb5bdb7f962ef5e
Dennis Atkins describes Scott Morrison’s four favourite ways to bend the truth.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2021/05/25/scott-morrison-crikey-lies/
Michaela Whitbourn reports that Jo Dyer, who is seeking a court order to stop a high-profile barrister acting for Christian Porter in his defamation proceedings against the ABC, has said she believed the allegation should be made public. The court case continues today.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/friend-of-porter-accuser-tells-court-she-believed-rape-allegation-20210525-p57uxf.html
According to Jennifer Duke, controversial superannuation reforms giving the federal government the ability to intervene in funds’ investment decisions are facing an uphill battle with crossbench MPs who say the changes hand too much power to the government. Bob Katter and Craig Kelly are two of them.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/superannuation-reform-faces-uphill-battle-as-bob-katter-craig-kelly-reject-changes-20210525-p57v1v.html
Scott Morrison’s chief of staff has ruled there isn’t strong evidence that media advisers gave negative briefings against the partner of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins after she made public allegations she had been raped. (That’s because the journos to whom the backgrounding was allegedly leaked have all not responded to questions because they don’t want to lose their sources.)
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/no-first-hand-evidence-the-pm-s-staff-undermined-brittany-higgins-partner-20210525-p57v27.html
Penny Wong has said Morrison’s staff were not cleared over the Brittany Higgins backgrounding allegations.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/25/morrisons-staff-not-cleared-over-brittany-higgins-backgrounding-allegations-penny-wong-says
Josh Butler writes that Brittany Higgins was apparently blindsided by the release of “malicious” content within a report that cleared the Prime Minister’s staff of running a background smear campaign against her partner.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/05/26/brittany-higgins-backgrounding/
And Michelle Grattan says the report from John Kunkel, Scott Morrison’s chief of staff, on whether the Prime Minister’s office briefed against Brittany Higgins’ partner David Sharaz has been drafted with Jesuitical subtlety.
https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-morrisons-top-staffer-doesnt-find-colleagues-briefed-against-higgins-partner-but-reminds-them-of-standards-161512
Rob Harris tells us how more than 700 highly paid employees at NBN Co, the taxpayer-owned body which runs and operates the National Broadband Network, received average personal bonuses of $50,000 last year. So, is it only big bonuses on top of big salaries that will allow employees to do the job they were taken on for?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nbn-co-paid-some-bonuses-equivalent-to-88-cartier-watches-20210525-p57uwl.html
Government and private sector money must go into telecoms projects across Australia, writes Paul Budde who laments that internet access is still lacking in parts of Australia.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/internet-access-still-lacking-in-parts-of-australia,15121
Nick Toscano and Mike Foley tell us that Snowy Hydro chief executive Paul Broad said the business case for Kurri Kurri forecast the “internal rate of return is double-digit”. Snowy was in commercially sensitive negotiations for turbines at the plant, Mr Broad said, but he committed to releasing the business case within two months.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/snowy-hydro-bosses-defend-600m-gas-plant-as-key-to-avoid-blackouts-20210525-p57uz4.html
Matthew Elmas reports that fresh questions have emerged about whether Australia needs a new $600 million gas-fired power station after it was revealed an existing government-owned plant was not used during a recent spike in prices.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/05/25/snowy-hydro-gas/
Foley writes that the Labor Party will oppose the federal government’s proposed changes to expand the remit of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to allow it to fund fossil fuel technology including carbon capture and storage and “blue” hydrogen which is produced with gas.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/clean-energy-agency-shake-up-a-climate-policy-test-for-labor-20210525-p57uyj.html
The Morrison government is under increasing pressure to act on the climate crisis, with a new poll showing seven in 10 Australians want the Coalition to lock in stronger commitments in the lead-up to this year’s Glasgow summit. The Lowy Institute’s annual survey of sentiment on climate action finds strong domestic support for Australia committing to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and majority support for a ban on new coalmines., explains Daniel Hurst.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/26/seven-in-10-australians-want-government-to-take-more-action-on-climate-survey-finds
Jenny Hocking declares that it is a national disgrace that the National Archives has turned to crowdfunding to save irreplaceable historic records.
https://johnmenadue.com/a-national-disgrace-the-national-archives-turns-to-crowdfunding-to-save-its-irreplaceable-historic-records/
Alan Fels opines that a mental healthcare levy the right move to fix a broken system.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/mental-healthcare-levy-the-right-move-to-fix-a-broken-system-20210524-p57un3.html
A cynical Ross Gittins examines the government’s response to the Aged Care Royal Commission and concludes that adequate reform of the system has a long way to go. He says until it gets there, the critics are right to fear it will be only a few years before the system’s back in crisis.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-bright-young-things-have-lost-interest-but-there-s-more-to-say-on-one-of-the-budget-s-very-big-deals-20210525-p57uu5.html
Rates of homelessness are rising alarmingly, particularly among Australians aged 65 to 74. The government offered them nothing in the budget, in defiance of the Aged Care Royal Commission recommendations. Jeff Fiedler reports.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/more-will-be-given-home-owners-rewarded-in-budget-as-homelessness-continues-to-surge/
Katina Curtis reports on the AFP’s appearance yesterday at Estimates where it was revealed that they are investigating 15 claims of misconduct involving federal politicians or their staff, including sexual assaults.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/police-investigating-15-claims-against-federal-mps-and-staff-including-sexual-assault-20210525-p57v2h.html
Lucy Cormack explains how sexual consent laws in NSW will be overhauled to require a person to show they took active steps to find out if a person consented to sex before they can rely in court on a mistaken but reasonable belief in consent.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/accused-must-prove-consent-through-words-facial-expression-or-gesture-under-new-laws-20210525-p57uwb.html
If intelligence agencies are to continue to stop foreign agents committing nefarious acts, they will need the trust and support of the diaspora communities, urges the SMH editorial that says Chinese Australians are not to blame for the actions of CCP.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/don-t-punish-chinese-australians-for-the-actions-of-their-government-20210525-p57v2q.html
Anthny Galloway reports that Australia’s Defence Department has been warned its spending on contractors is a “looming iceberg” that risks eating into its acquisition budget and demoralising its own workforce.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/looming-iceberg-defence-warned-spending-on-contractors-could-explode-20210525-p57uwy.html
The US and its NATO allies are cutting defence spending in preparation for economic reconstruction in a post-Covid world. Not so Australia, which is increasing its spending on expensive weapons that will not deter any potential aggressor in the slightest. Alison Broinowski reports.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/cache-splash-australia-bucks-global-trend-ramps-up-defence-spending/
Georgina Mitchell writes that a court was told yesterday that Ben Roberts-Smith wiped the contents of his laptop five days after he was told by lawyers in a defamation case to retain certain information and documents. Said man keeps digging holes for himself!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-wiped-laptop-days-after-being-told-to-retain-documents-court-told-20210525-p57uxa.html
The Australian Taxation Office is targeting cryptocurrency profits, investment property deductions and work-related expenses in annual tax returns this year. John Collett writes that, while many investors like the anonymity of crytpocurrency trading, when it is held as an investment it is classed by the ATO as an asset. If later sold at a profit it is subject to Capital Gains Tax .
https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/tax-office-has-crypto-profits-firmly-in-its-cross-hairs-20210521-p57u1i.html
Julie Szego examines Peter Dutton’s political motives in his early actions as Minister for Defence.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/being-awake-to-dutton-might-just-be-a-woke-trap-20210525-p57uuz.html
National Australia Bank and the Finance Sector Union are headed to the Federal Court over what could be the nation’s biggest staff underpayment issue, possibly in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/financial-services/nab-facing-fsu-federal-court-action-over-huge-underpayments-claim/news-story/69e967b99a1a75a84efd7019d536803a
Investors are becoming more risk-averse, reining in speculative bets such as bitcoin and showing a stronger appetite for assets such as gold, explains Karen Maley.
https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/crypto-is-the-canary-in-the-financial-coal-mine-20210524-p57uhx
Australia’s domestic spy agency has warned ideologically-motivated extremism, including right-wing terrorism, is now approaching nearly half the organisation’s investigations.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7269257/ideologically-motivated-terror-now-taking-up-half-of-asio-work/?cs=14264
Former “Arsehole of the Week” nominee Pete Evans has just been fined almost $80,000 and ordered to stop making various claims about his wellness products.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/celebrity-chef-pete-evans-fined-80-000-ordered-to-stop-making-wellness-claims-20210525-p57v40.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
Peter Broelman
Mark Knight
John Spooner
From the US
They’ll be sorting it out in the traditional NSW manner 🙂
It seems that Fran Kelly said that Vic Health is now “scrambling” to trace contacts.
Not “working swiftly”, not “increasing their efforts”. Scrambling is much more dismissive, isn’t it.
Not the AFL! Now Melburnians will be worried! 😆
lizzie,
I imagine Fran Kelly has kept her plumb job at the ABC because she does things like that. It is noticed by those with the power.
Electric Vehicles
If you believe there is a tipping point coming, that is in 10 years time you will find it difficult to buy a petrol car then the sensible thing to do is put in a road usage charge before petrol and for that matter service stations ceases to be.
If you believe it is going to be difficult to get people to use electric vehicles and you think it would be a good thing they did, then you are going to oppose the road usage charge.
It’s pretty clear the Victorian Labor Party are in the first camp and a few Poll Bludger posters are in the second.
The posters that believe there is no tipping point for Electric Vehicles seem to be the same posters who supported the gas guzzler convoy aimed at stopping a mine that will never open from opening.
At the moment putting in a road usage charge will upset a few who lack the ability to do a bit of forward thinking. In 10 years time it will be opposed by all that want the roads but don’t want to pay for them.
In my view the road usage charge shows forward thinking by the Victorian Labor Party, something we don’t often see in politics.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/26/chinese-property-developer-wins-funding-for-aboriginal-work-for-the-dole-scheme
I have not seen the paperwork which addresses this but this, in my view, cannot sit with the right to silence. Presumably, the onus will rest with the prosecutor to show affirmative consent did not occur.
c/- BK and the SMH
“Lucy Cormack explains how sexual consent laws in NSW will be overhauled to require a person to show they took active steps to find out if a person consented to sex before they can rely in court on a mistaken but reasonable belief in consent.
Racist = prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
Also in UK – racism continues to clime:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-57243964
The woman, 24, was released with bail conditions, including not to enter the city.
A clip of a woman swearing at a bouncer in Broad Street on Saturday has been viewed more than three million times.
West Midlands Police said it was continuing to gather witness evidence before handing a file to prosecutors.
Shellbell
I am sure some interesting case law will result from the enactment of the consent legislation.
Tory Islamophobia inquiry: Former Conservative chair says report shows party ‘institutionally racist’
https://news.sky.com/story/tory-islamophobia-inquiry-former-conservative-chair-says-report-shows-party-institutionally-racist-12316840
BK
Mark Latham is out an about. He thinks it is funny to call Mark Speakman, Mark Sexman.
Look forward to a bigger effort by LNP MPs to use allowances to raise more money.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-tells-mps-to-raise-war-chest-for-election-next-year-20210525-p57v24.html
10 cases in Vic – Lockdown is coming…
The question of post-exposure prophylaxis is something that Murphy needs to be addressing, not blaming the media for vaccine hesitancy.
CDC currently saying this:
“lizziesays:
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:22 am
Victorian health authorities are bracing for more coronavirus cases after it was uncovered that a Melburnian who tested positive for COVID-19 attended an AFL match with more than 20,000 others.
The infected person is from Melbourne’s north and one of nine active community cases linked to a cluster that has the potential to send the city back into a snap lockdown.
Just before midnight Tuesday, the Victorian Department of Health revealed the positive case had attended the match between Collingwood and Port Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.
”
In an earlier post didn’t you mention that cases in Melbourne tend to spread faster ( or something similar)? If so, why so?
I don’t know about Coal Miners being made redundant due to the oncoming tsunami of Renewables and the death of thermal coal mining, and ultimately any other sort of fossil fuel, but what about all the mechanics that will be made redundant in the coming years as EVs don’t have as many moving parts to fix or break? They are in EVERY electorate!