Author: peterimrich

Climate Change

Climate Emergency: India’s Unprecedented Heat Wave blights Wheat Crops, adding to Global Bread Shortages

India’s governments– first the colonial British and since 1947 the independent state — have been keeping temperature records all over the country for at least 122 years. 2022 is crashing through many previous records.

This was the hottest March since records began being kept. Aniruddha Gosal at AP notes that a Lancet report last year foound that India’s vulnerability to extreme heat increased 15% from 1990 to 2019. India and Brazil are the two countries where most people die annually of heat exposure.

Source: Climate Emergency: India’s Unprecedented Heat Wave blights Wheat Crops, adding to Global Bread Shortages

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Top Biden health official says trans youth being ‘driven to depths of despair’ | The Hill

Religious hate has been imported directly from America for use by the “blessed” Scott Morrison. A political tool applied by his “Captains Pick” Katherine Deves in Warringah to hopefully divide the whole Australian electorate by hate, in order to squeeze a few votes from the ultra religious right, god botherers, transphobes, and homophobes hidden under rocks. Even worse, he defends this action in the guise of “free speech” and ” the defense of women”,  Single handedly Morrison has shown he’s lower than a snake’s belly and a hypocrite who speaks in tongues. Particularly when he doubles down and says  he will protect children ( LNP politicians) from any “digital trolling” if they win. Morrison has shown he’s as two faced and corrupt as any tent crusader, QAnon, or other hate-preacher,we have seen here or come out of America.

Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine said trans youth are being “driven to depths of despair” and committing suicide at alarming rates, during a speech on Saturday about the dangers of anti-trans laws being passed in red states across the country. Levine, the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, said in a speech at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth that LGBTQ youth are being “attacked” and have “few places to turn” for help. “I want to say this very, very clearly: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans are committing suicide at a rate that should shock our conscience,” Levine said during the Out For Health Conference. “Even after decades of progress, the most vulnerable among us continue to suffer … transgender women of color not only continue to be harassed, but are more likely than the population at large to suffer violence and even murder.”

Source: Top Biden health official says trans youth being ‘driven to depths of despair’ | The Hill

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- “Stronger Economy Stronger Future” See Josh MBA Frydenberg advertise on a closed Bank

Fighting Fake News with REAL 2/5/22; Only “I”s exist in the LNP “TEAM”; Dirty Election: Anti- “free speech” Flip; Morrison’s Miracle; Laugh at Frydenberg; Josh “endorsements”; Newscorp business; Morrison’s secrets; LNP Hypocrisy;

Election

The Dirty Election: how the cards are stacked in favour of Scott Morrison – Michael West

Albanese and Morrison

To get to the point, Labor may be streets ahead in the polls but Scott Morrison is now in his element. His government is a shambles but, with the three major media houses backing him, and the ABC and others truckling to their daily news agendas, Anthony Albanese will have to win this thing, not wait for Morrison to lose it. The propagandists of News Corp will run hard for Morrison. Already, according to their questionable Newspoll, the gap has narrowed sharply. Sure, they want a contest, it sells their propaganda sheets, but given all the subsidies and favours which Rupert Murdoch, Nine Entertainment and Seven have wrung out of the Coalition they will be surely be barracking for the Coalition and bagging Labor till the cows come home.

Source: The Dirty Election: how the cards are stacked in favour of Scott Morrison – Michael West

Uncategorized

Josh billboard begging, more wacky Rupert scares, Labor to buy you a house – Michael West

Image

Billboards are bobbing up around Kooyong desperately imploring voters to “Keep Josh”, and we are only at the mid-point of the 2022 election campaign. Thanks, Scott Morrison.  

“Mothball Him”

Meanwhile, Labor has sallied forth with its solution to the housing crisis, the government buying a share of peoples’ homes. This despite both parties ignoring, for decades and still now: negative gearing, SMF lurks, a 15-year delay in implementing money-laundering reforms, capital gains relief, and other incentives for property developers.

And talking about the latter, Rupert Murdoch’s front pages this weekend are splashing with dubious numbers in a report by government consultants and donors EY, commissioned by property lobby Master Builders, claiming that cutting red tape – that is, abolishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) – will cost us $50bn. How good is a six-week election campaign!

Source: Josh billboard begging, more wacky Rupert scares, Labor to buy you a house – Michael West

LNP

Frydenberg’s ‘charity endorsements’ likely violate the law: EXCLUSIVE

Judged out of order and corrupt the CEO of Guide Dogs Victoria has been stood down.  Rules guiding Charities have been broken. Meanwhile, the Inclusion Foundation examined itself and conveniently declared “No wrong doings” with the stench of corruption all over it. But then that’s the way Josh MBA Frydenberg travels.

The Inclusion Foundation is at the centre of the evolving scandal involving figures from charities endorsing Josh Frydenberg’s re-election campaign, writes Anthony Klan. THE Inclusion Foundation charity, whose founder spruiked Treasuer Josh Frydenberg in political advertisements – almost certainly against charity laws – received record government grants last year that were over six times more than average. The revelations come as it has emerged Cate Sayers has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the chair of her organisation, who happens to be her husband. In the year to 30 June, Cate Sayers’ Inclusion Foundation received $933,986 in government grants, which was 6.3 times higher than its average over the preceding decade and almost three times higher than its previous highest grants, $313,216 received in 2018-19.

Source: Frydenberg’s ‘charity endorsements’ likely violate the law: EXCLUSIVE

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

‘You may not like me’: PM tries to rally Liberal supporters

tax The PM's pledge only limits his government's options.

The point is nobody does “know the plan” because it hasn’t been laid out in detail and it keeps changing. It seems to be one that keeps “increasing debt” by “pork barrelling” and providing “benefits for the wealthiest” sectors of the community. We don’t like Morrison because he runs on dishonesty at a level never experienced before and commands a team comprised of the same qualities. His is simply not a government. He is rather, a CEO of a dodgy Corporation whose shareholders he’s trying to oblige and the nation are his workers to do with whatever he wants to service the ever flowing dividends.

“The point is you know what our plan is … now is not the time to take a risk on what you don’t know.”

Source: ‘You may not like me’: PM tries to rally Liberal supporters

LNP, LNP Government

Scott Morrison is “leading the way” in fraud and theft with his mates David Gazard and Scott Briggs as the LNP call for a Royal Commission in Queensland – Kangaroo Court of Australia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is getting election advice from 2 of his best mates David Gazard and Scott Briggs who also make $millions from lobbying Morrison and his government which has a huge stench of corruption over it. The Liberal National Party (LNP) in Queensland have called for a Royal Commission into the Queensland government because of an identical situation where lobbyists have also advised the state government on re-elections. So, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and the LNP should also call for a Royal Commission into why Scott Morrison’s mates are advising on his re-election “unofficially” when they are also lobbyists at DPG Advisory Solutions.

Source: Scott Morrison is “leading the way” in fraud and theft with his mates David Gazard and Scott Briggs as the LNP call for a Royal Commission in Queensland – Kangaroo Court of Australia

Scott Morrison

Morrison’s ‘miracle’ only delivered us pain; now, put your hand up to say he must go – » The Australian Independent Media Network

4 People died during the ALP Pink Bats scheme and the LNP went “apeshit” Our debt to GDP ratio was 20% and the “Sky was falling in” Tax was overall 20%. Today LNP “promises” so broken are now “pledges” 1) that 23.9% but it will be higher.2) there will be no integrity commission or ABC under a Morrison’s government. Despite the fact he’s raised our  International Corruption Index to the highest since it was established from 12 to 18. 3)In the meantime the LNP has been molded into greatest rabble of self-interested incompetents we have been served by  and he says “Don’t judge us by our past”

Finally, we have the Coalition tearing itself apart over net zero climate change and Mr Morrison’s intervention in the NSW branch of the Liberal Party. I could write more facts and opinions about this terrible government; however, War and Peace would then be a shorter and not so daunting book. I have put up my hand 🤚 to say I will be voting for Albanese Government. I hope after you read this article you will do the same.

Source: Morrison’s ‘miracle’ only delivered us pain; now, put your hand up to say he must go – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Albanese

Facebook- Labor would launch a royal commission into the Robodebt

Labor to launch Robodebt royal commission

Robodebt led to a greater number of deaths and breakdowns than Pink Bats. It was a protracted denial by everyone in the LNP that it was their doing, including Morrison who was the Minister at the time and who will go down in history as the worst Social Services Minister on record. When Albanese was Deputy PM and Minister for Infrastructure unlike Morrison he delivered all his projects on time and at cost.

 Labor would launch a royal commission into the Robodebt scheme if it won government to find out who was responsible for implementing the discredited program. The automated matching of tax and Centrelink data to raise debts against welfare recipients, for money the coalition government claimed to have overpaid, was ruled unlawful in 2019. A $1.2 billion settlement between Robodebt victims and the federal government was reached in 2020. But the Morrison government has never detailed who was accountable for the four-year scheme, and which ministers knew about its problems. Scott Morrison was social services minister when the scheme was conceived, but has denied personal responsibility for the disaster.

Source: Facebook

Scott Morrison

Facebook-From Sara on Twitter Again Australians are being treated like MUGS !

Morrison pledges greater control over Facebook why? More for the amount of negative reaction he’s getting than “trolling”. “Trolling” in the mind of the LNP is voter reaction to them. Imagine if Albanese was PM and he promised the same We’d be a huen cry from Morrison about “free speech”. It’s not hard to predict given the increased surveillance on us all this past decade. Dutton’s even been advocating Government ministers should be funded to sue and defended at taxpayer cost anyone on social media. This government has increased the level of secrecy never seen before and wants more. They want to be the the ultimate arbiter of what is corrupt and should be investigated. They have been incrementally degrading democracy as we know it.

National Times 14h · From Sara on Twitter Again Australians are being treated like MUGS ! Scott Morrison asked by Journo “ Is it appropriate Fiona Meagher daughter of former High Court judge Ian Callinan with no interview…Mr Callinan called you in late 2020…his daughter to be appointed deputy president of the Administrator Appeals Tribunal. Scott Morrison answers “ I’m not aware.” Body Language – Guilty You gotta ask yourself this question, if he’s “unaware” of so many things relating directly to him, how can he possibly be a well informed Prime Minister when he keeps saying I’m not aware of that of this. Morrison has lost control of the country and the economy.

Source: Facebook

Australia's Shame

The corral sea: Australia adrift in the Pacific as China builds a friendship circle – Michael West

Manasseh Sogavare

In 2013 Abbott killed Radio Australia. He Cut Foreign Aid and commercialized it, turning it into a Q uid pro Quo program. Fiji warned us that LNP policies were alienating our Pacific relationships. Since then  Morrison has shown little interest and has had a tin ear. We even saw the lack of regard with which he treated the French a Pacific neighbor. Basically treating them like mushrooms. in the dark and feeding them bullshit.

The sun may have set on Australian leadership in the Pacific. In 2019 I passed through French Polynesia, the Cook Islands and Tonga. Much of the experience was beautiful, although living conditions, including shipping crates as accommodation, spoke of the poverty that is just below the surface. But what struck home was the sight of the two wharves in Nuku’alofa, Tonga: the old crumbling one built by Australia, and the impressive new structure built by China.

Australia and India struggle to break through ‘’curry, cricket and the Commonwealth’’. In the Pacific it seems to be climate, China and condescension. The week’s events show that Australia and Pacific nations live in separate worlds. What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach. – Cool Hand Luke

Source: The corral sea: Australia adrift in the Pacific as China builds a friendship circle – Michael West

Fox News

If Fox Was A Real News Network, Hannity Would Be Fired | Crooks and Liars

If Fox Was A Real News Network, Hannity Would Be Fired

By John Amato — April 30, 2022

The Mark Meadow text messages to Sean Hannity, newly released from CNN, exposed the Fox News host as working hand-in-hand with the Trump administration on his re-election bid.

On the afternoon of Election Day, Hannity texted Meadows at 1:36 p.m. to ask about turnout in North Carolina. Two hours later, Meadows responded: “Stress every vote matters. Get out and vote. On radio.”

“Yes sir,” Hannity replied. “On it. Any place in particular we need a push.” “Pennsylvania. NC AZ,” Meadows wrote, adding: “Nevada.” “Got it. Everywhere,” Hannity said..

This would be an embarrassment and a firing offense for any member of the press: secretly acting as agent to a sitting president, coordinating with him to help him win an election, and especially not informing their employer and audience they were doing so.

Source: If Fox Was A Real News Network, Hannity Would Be Fired | Crooks and Liars

Fox News

‘Trump’s heir’: NYT analyzed 1,150 episodes of Tucker Carlson’s ‘racist’ Fox News show in 3-part exposé – Raw Story – Celebrating 18 Years of Independent Journalism

'Trump's heir': NYT analyzed 1,150 episodes of Tucker Carlson's 'racist' Fox News show in 3-part exposé

Murdoch’s destroying America’s 450 year Dream

Fox News personality Tucker Carlson is the focus of an in-depth three-part report by The New York Times that was published online on Saturday and will appear in the Sunday newspaper. Part one is titled “How Tucker Carlson Stoked White Fear to Conquer Cable.” “In the years since, Mr. Carlson has constructed what may be the most racist show in the history of cable news — and also, by some measures, the most successful. Though he frequently declares himself an enemy of prejudice — “We don’t judge them by group, and we don’t judge them on their race,” Mr. Carlson explained to an interviewer a few weeks before accusing impoverished immigrants of making America dirty — his show teaches loathing and fear. Night after night, hour by hour, Mr. Carlson warns his viewers that they inhabit a civilization under siege — by violent Black Lives Matter protesters in American cities, by diseased migrants from south of the border, by refugees importing alien cultures, and by tech companies and cultural elites who will silence them, or label them racist, if they complain,” the newspaper reported.

Source: ‘Trump’s heir’: NYT analyzed 1,150 episodes of Tucker Carlson’s ‘racist’ Fox News show in 3-part exposé – Raw Story – Celebrating 18 Years of Independent Journalism

Russia

Russia Kidnaps Over One Million Ukrainians, Sends Them To ‘Filtration Camps’ | Crooks and Liars

Russia Kidnaps Over One Million Ukrainians, Sends Them To 'Filtration Camps'

Russia seems particularly proud of their ethnic cleansing efforts in Ukraine so far, with one military expert on Kremlin TV yesterday speaking glowingly of a single “filtration camp” (the Nazis called them concentration camps) designed to house upwards of 100,000 “POWs.” Except most of those people, probably 99% of them are ordinary Ukrainians, not soldiers. Even official Russian news agency TASS is reporting on what are, in effect, war crimes. They aren’t ashamed of what they’re doing in the slightest.

Source: Russia Kidnaps Over One Million Ukrainians, Sends Them To ‘Filtration Camps’ | Crooks and Liars

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Morrison lies so much he has to change our language Promises always broken are now Pledges

Fighting Fake news with REAL 1/5/22; Bullshit by Omission, Promises are now Pledges;

LNP Economic Management, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Who gives a stuff about inflation in the US and UK? – Michael West

Frydenberg would have, if he could have, said “They’re doing it tougher in Ukraine therefore we should be grateful for Morrison’s LNP”

‘‘Australians couldn’t give a stuff about inflation in the United States,’’ Labor’s Jim Chalmers told a media conference. ‘’And the UK,’’ he added later. The shadow treasurer was responding to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s attempts to play down the inflation rate (5.1%, the highest in 21 years) by citing higher rates elsewhere. Malcolm Fraser tried similar to Frydenberg in 1983 amid severe recession, running the slogan: ‘‘We’re not waiting for the world’’. It didn’t save the Coalition from a thumping defeat.

Source: Who gives a stuff about inflation in the US and UK? – Michael West

Informed Comment

It’s not all about the economy, Mr Morrison. What about jobs? – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Morrison pledges more reports on which no action will be taken until the place is burning and his job is really threatened,

My thought for the day For the life of me I fail to understand how anyone could vote for a party who thinks the existing education and health systems are adequately funded and addresses the needs of the disadvantaged. ( John Lord )

Put Morrison and his proxies LAST above and below the line

Source: It’s not all about the economy, Mr Morrison. What about jobs? – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Broken promises, promises

Morrison pledges to slash medicine costs

Picture: Jason Edwards

More people died than needed because Morrison was Social Services Minister. More Asylum Seekers died when he was Immigration Minister. More have died because he is currently Prime Minister. It’s not something part and parcel of the job. Only 4 people died Under the ALPs Pink Bats scheme and the LNP went apeshit!

As for the slash across the board of medicines, Frydenberg’s “promise now a pledge” doesn’t apply to all 19M Australians but only to 2.4 M or  near 10% of us. Just turn back to Frydenberg’s interview on the Insiders a month ago. Only the most wealthy can afford to go to the doctors and get “multiple scripts” or do it more regularly than others and they are generally the most wealthy.

A $1.2 billion settlement between Robodebt victims and the federal government was reached in 2020. But the Morrison government has never detailed who was accountable for the four-year scheme, and which ministers knew about its problems. Scott Morrison was social services minister when the scheme was conceived, but has denied personal responsibility for the disaster.

Labor has long called for a royal commission into Robodebt, which Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese described as “a human tragedy, wrought by this government”. “Against all evidence, and all the outcry, the government insisted on using algorithms instead of people to pursue debt recovery against Australians who in many cases had no debt to pay,” he said on Saturday. “It caused untold misery. Only an Albanese Labor government will find out the truth.”

Source: Morrison pledges to slash medicine costs

Electricity

Coalition promises higher electricity costs ! – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Morrison even now could hold the hose and limit fossil fuel exports and cap their domestic price. In other words, reduce their profitability and tax them. Instead of subsidizing the worlds CO2 emissions industry and putting the brakes on renewables. He could have closed the expanding cost of electricity by closing the gap between the sources of electricity production.

The solution to this global market disruption according to Morrison – I don’t hold a shovel mate – is not to vote for Labor or the TEAL Independents and all will be well.

You know and I know that the real problem is that we are locked into global markets for the supply of fossil fuels and until we start to take seriously the transition to renewable energy we will continue to be price takers when it comes to coal and gas even though we are one of the world’s major suppliers of both commodities.

Meanwhile, the coalition have dropped the economy as being their strong suit and have moved on to national security and preparations for war. Over to you Captain Mainwaring.

Seriously, how could anybody re-elect this mob ?

Source: Coalition promises higher electricity costs ! – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Scott Morrison

The Risk of the Religious Right: Christian Libertarianism – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The Religious Right have always been here but was John Howard who sought the votes and money.Then Liberal Minister’s with no imagination have adopted their American policies here with Morrison leading that current move of entrenching the “blessed and recruiting Katherine Deves and any cost. Morrison is an evangelist who grew up with a very faith-based creationist background. A background  that eschews science and data as the epistemological basis for the continued change in our knowledge of the world for one that’s less progressive but is fundamentally hierarchical and a return to the Dark Ages

It arguably took one presidential term in America for the nation to move from a modern nation with a loud Religious Right, to one where in 9 states a woman enduring a miscarriage will fear arrest for the charge that she caused it.

Australia is echoing the American attack on trans people with other campaigns yet to follow the predictable American models. Amanda Stoker, Assistant Minister for Women, has been beginning to mainstream anti-choice arguments, and George Christensen introduced an anti-abortion bill to parliament last year. The Australian Christian Lobby is not only attacking Liberal candidates who crossed the floor to demand amendments to the religious discrimination bill, but is also campaigning against candidates who support late-term abortions (which are basically an emergency medical procedure).

These are the steps towards the cliff over which the US is now, suddenly, tumbling. Australians need to approach this election with full understanding of what a Coalition under siege from religious extremism means for us. The American model should scare us.

Source: The Risk of the Religious Right: Christian Libertarianism – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

The Prime Minister for Announcements and Photographs – » The Australian Independent Media Network

PUT THE  LNP & MORRISON PROXIES LAST ABOVE AND BELOW THE LINE

If you are sick of the disappointment and white noise of a presidential style campaign where two rather ordinary men vie to be the chosen one, pre-poll voting starts May 9. It gets to the stage where there is nothing left to say. I wrote this two years ago. It’s kind of tragic that, despite…

When you employ the gas industry to suggest a road map for the future, you aren’t trying to solve a “known problem” – you are looking for affirmation of the irresponsible abrogation of our responsibility to tackle global heating.

When the pandemic hit, we listened to the medical experts and took action. Sure, they have formed countless committees, but they didn’t push decisions down the road six months until the committee published their findings.

We have thousands of reviews and reports and recommendations. We know what the problems are and how to go about fixing them. And it certainly is not by creating more committees to produce more reports telling you what you want to hear and coming up with more slogans to announce.

The greatest “known problem” in this country is that we are run by ScottyFromMarketing and his inept band of backup vocals.

Source: The Prime Minister for Announcements and Photographs – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Corporate Games, corporate impunity, Corporate Politics

Don’t Believe a Corporation That Promises to Do Better

Corporate responsibility pledges are an increasingly common response to public scrutiny. But trusting private companies to keep their promises hasn’t worked in the past, and it won’t work in the future.

Source: Don’t Believe a Corporation That Promises to Do Better

Murdoch Media

Leaked texts show Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo gave Trump White House questions she’d ask president in advance – Raw Story – Celebrating 18 Years of Independent Journalism

Leaked texts show Fox News' Maria Bartiromo gave Trump White House questions she'd ask president in advance

Murdoch Practice. In the UK criminal phone taps anything to get ahead of the competion. In US largely PR staging Interviews & promoting Republican interests while trashing the Dems. In Australia, simply being the largest private player in the nation’s quid pro quo cash for comment business.

On Friday, CNN reported that Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo supplied former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with questions in advance of interviewing former President Donald Trump.

Source: Leaked texts show Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo gave Trump White House questions she’d ask president in advance – Raw Story – Celebrating 18 Years of Independent Journalism

Fox News

Newly released text messages reveal just how many people the Trump White House had inside Fox News | Media Matters for America

image

Murdoch Doesn’t Sell News. His business is a Quid pro Quo cash for comment model, the wealthy side of Politics and only a portion of a nation are his clients.

Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Maria Bartiromo actively worked to craft Trump campaign messaging and undermine election results

Source: Newly released text messages reveal just how many people the Trump White House had inside Fox News | Media Matters for America

Israel

Israeli Apartheid toward Palestinians isn’t Just a Human Rights Issue; it is about Colonialism

If both the Israeli military occupation and apartheid are derivatives of Israeli colonialism, then colonialism needs to be addressed when speaking about both manifestations of violence.

Source: Israeli Apartheid toward Palestinians isn’t Just a Human Rights Issue; it is about Colonialism

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Morrison is working hard doing deals

Fighting Fake News with REAL 30//4/22; Morrison and Clive; Monique Ryan, Grace and Albo; Peter Dutton;

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

“Change is a law of life” – » The Australian Independent Media Network

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” (John F. Kennedy, 1963)

The former United States President spoke these eloquent words at a time when the USA was releasing itself from the restrictive leashes of its past and setting out at the dawn of an exciting new era.

Yesterday Mr Frydenberg said; “now is not the time for a change of government.”

The same desperate words were spoken by Mr Morrison again this morning on The Today Show. They are desperate words spoken from the decks of the sinking ship which is the Morrison Government. However, peel back the layers of fear mongering, dog whistling, disinformation and now desperation, what lays beneath at the bottom of the Morrison Government’s ship? Nothing! There is no plan for our manufacturing sector, for our aged care sector, and tertiary education providers, to name a few. It’s just the same old song, and the Liberal Party wants the beat to go on. They ask that you ignore:

Source: “Change is a law of life” – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Julia Banks: Liberals show lack of character with attacks on independents

independents julia banks monique ryan josh frydenberg

From a Liberal who knows the inner workings of the LNP

Even in his early days as prime minister, Morrison had many moments that were characterised as ‘Trumpian’ and ended up in the international press for all the wrong reasons. One was when he said: “We want to see women rise. But we don’t want to see women rise only on the basis of others (i.e. men) doing worse.”

He actually said that. And worse still, it wasn’t off the cuff or a case of the words coming out wrong. It was in his written, prepared speech for International Women’s Day in 2019. At a time when his government’s women problem was under the glare of public scrutiny.

Over the past three years, Morrison has failed to act on this problem, on climate change (think Glasgow) and on integrity (recall the broken promise for a federal anti-corruption commission) to name a few issues. And this has given rise to independent campaigns across the country in what are regarded as safe Liberal seats.

Source: Julia Banks: Liberals show lack of character with attacks on independents

LNP Economic Management

Inflation rises at twice the rate of real wages – Michael West

Lobbyland

Inflation has risen to 5.1%, according to the latest figures from the ABS. The 5.1% annual consumer price index (CPI) figure for the last quarter was above market expectations of 4.6%. According to economist Richard Dennis, this is roughly twice the rate of real wage growth across the economy leading to the worst real pay cut for workers this century. According to Michele O’Neil the president of the ACTU this represents a pay cut of nearly $2000 in the first half of this year. Trimmed mean inflation used by the central bank to set rates, which ignores volatile changes, rose to 3.7% which is above the RBA’s target range.

Source: Inflation rises at twice the rate of real wages – Michael West

LNP, LNP Economic Management

Week three – what’s up? – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Welfare recipients were gifted with 5.1% inflation this week with a Morrison discount leaving them $400 or $ 8 a week worse off. Vegetables are up 15%. Remember when Morrison gave a generous 0.70 cents a day pay rise to aged-care workers and saw himself as a generous. He now says “we can’t keep giving”!! Yet inflation isn’t listening to the world’s “best” money manager. Morrison says he doesn’t, but does, hold of the wage hose the Public Service, Health, Education, Infrastructure, but but has only ever spent his energy trying stop stopping the flow of rising wages claiming that’s the cause of inflation. How fucking wrong is he?

The government sent $250 to every welfare recipient and pensioner today. On Twitter it is a popular meme, where the homeless and the destitute will be ‘saved’ by such generosity. Note that it is less than the ‘bribe’ Albanese was accused of offering, to drive faster take up of vaccinations. It is also less than the daily travel allowance paid to MPs who go to work in Canberra. That is $288 per day, paid on top of their salaries. Bring on the election, I say.

Source: Week three – what’s up? – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Homelessness

More affordable housing with less homelessness is possible – if only Australia would learn from Nordic nations

Why Nordic countries? Why look at the Nordic countries? One reason is their relative success in tackling homelessness. Finland is the world leader in this. There, the number of people experiencing homelessness has fallen from more than 16,000 people in the late 1980s to about 4,500 people in 2020. This represents a homelessness rate of less than one per 100,000 (Finland’s population is about 5.5 million) compared with nearly five per 100,000 in Australia.

Source: More affordable housing with less homelessness is possible – if only Australia would learn from Nordic nations

Scott Morrison

Calling the safeguard mechanism a ‘sneaky carbon tax’ is a scare campaign and an argument for inaction | Adam Morton | The Guardian

Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese

Morrison shoots himself in the mouth trying to be “sneaky”

Scott Morrison and other government MPs are accusing Labor of planning to introduce a “sneaky carbon tax” by – wait for it – using an existing Coalition policy as it was intended.

Sounds ridiculous, right? Election campaign shamelessness on steroids. But there is a lot going on here and it is worth stepping through it. What is the policy? The awkwardly named safeguard mechanism was created by Greg Hunt, the former environment minister and introduced under then prime minister Tony Abbott, a well-known climate sceptic. It was legislated in 2014 as part of what was then known as the Coalition’s “direct action” policy.

Source: Calling the safeguard mechanism a ‘sneaky carbon tax’ is a scare campaign and an argument for inaction | Adam Morton | The Guardian

Electricity

Australia’s wholesale power prices double in a year as coal-fired power plants falter | Energy | The Guardian

Power lines lead from the Liddell power station in the Hunter Valley, Australia

Morrison yells “Don’t look at me, It’s the ALP Government’s fault” Renewables could have been put in place to prevent the ever increasing gap. these price increases aren’t universal afterall but are particular to the LNP’s policies. Morrison by restricting the TRANSITION at every turn enabled the risk that caused the jump

Wholesale power prices in Australia’s main electricity market continued to rise in the first three months of 2022, more than doubling the cost a year earlier, with the increase blamed mostly on more costly fossil fuels and the falling reliability of coal-fired power plants.

Source: Australia’s wholesale power prices double in a year as coal-fired power plants falter | Energy | The Guardian

LNP

Carbon Capture’s Epic Fail: giant Gorgon gas plant goes ‘phut’ – Michael West

Gorgon Project

 

Australia’s largest Carbon Capture and Storage project has failed on all fronts. Is CCS simply a fraud, a sneaky way for the Coalition to subsidise its large fossil fuel donors with public money? Callum Foote reports on the Gorgon failure, the global failure of CCS and the latest government hand-outs for a technology which is not commercial.

Source: Carbon Capture’s Epic Fail: giant Gorgon gas plant goes ‘phut’ – Michael West

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Policy

New Report Details Fracking’s ‘Widespread and Severe Harm’ to Health and Climate

fracking_radiation

LNP Support FRACKING

Combining findings from more than 2,000 scientific and government studies, a report published Thursday details how hydraulic fracturing has “dire impacts on public health and the climate.”

“Fracking swings a wrecking ball at our climate.” Physicians for Social Responsibility and Concerned Health Professionals of New York (CHPNY) released the eighth edition of their Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking, a comprehensive examination of the state of the hydraulic fracturing industry and its impacts.

“The scientific evidence reveals conclusively that fracking causes widespread and severe harm to people and the climate,” Sandra Steingraber, CHPNY co-founder and compendium co-author, said in a statement. “For over 10 years, individual studies have demonstrated impacts in multiple areas, including toxic air pollution, water contamination, radioactive releases, earthquakes, methane emissions, and much more,” she added. “The compendium takes stock of all the science together, which shows that continuing and expanding fracking brings with it a grave cost.”

Source: New Report Details Fracking’s ‘Widespread and Severe Harm’ to Health and Climate

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government

Morrison addresses cost of living pressure with $4.5m subsidy for single malt whiskey | The Shovel

The owner of Lark is Bruce Matheson noted LNP donor who gives the LNP $100K in return for $4.5M of taxpayer’s money. Better odds than he gives the public on his slot machines.

The Prime Minister has promised vital relief for connoisseurs of $250-per-bottle whiskey, confirming a $4.5 million grant for a boutique distillery in Tasmania.

Source: Morrison addresses cost of living pressure with $4.5m subsidy for single malt whiskey | The Shovel

LNP, LNP Government

Biggest Solar-and-Battery Installation in World, at Darwin, Australia, to Power Singapore 3,000 miles Away

While Morrison , Taylor and Joyce thump their chests about the Bettaloo Basin. The power industry is doing it for themselves. Why is it we don’t hear of projects like this? Guess it’s not ours.

Australia has lots of wilderness (the center of the continent is virtually uninhabited) and lots of sunshine, so it is an ideal producer of solar energy. The planned facility, in the Northern Territory, will consisted of 28 million solar panels on nearly 30,000 acres of land, according to Peter Hannam.

Source: Biggest Solar-and-Battery Installation in World, at Darwin, Australia, to Power Singapore 3,000 miles Away

Informed Comment

How to Put Guardrails on Twitter, How to Stop Inflation Without a Recession, and How to Win a War. | The Smirking Chimp

When the history of this horror is written, NATO and Joe Biden will get enormous credit as well. Their steady hands and steadfast strategy appear to be working. Patience, tenacity, and careful use of every tool available to them — short of putting NATO or American troops into Ukraine — is turning the tide. We have no way of knowing how this will turn out (and I continue to fear what a cornered Putin may resort to), but the courage and intelligence of Ukraine, NATO, and Biden deserve our commendation and thanks.

Source: How to Put Guardrails on Twitter, How to Stop Inflation Without a Recession, and How to Win a War. | The Smirking Chimp

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Tent Preachers have always been predatory con men and Morrison is one.

Fighting Fake News with REAL, 29/4/22; It’s not a Carbon Tax; ALP were and are better Money Managers; LNP favorite Myth;

Election

More lying, rorting, taunting Coalition capers with Josh, Bridget and Sussan

Vote 1 Monique Ryan and Vote Frydenberg LAST! or Vote 1 ALPs Peter Lynch 2 Monique Ryan and Frydenberg LAST. In the Senate  VOTE 1 ALP and  LNP LAST

1. WOULD-BE PM JOSH FRYDENBERG First, the polls indicated the would-be PM will likely lose his seat — to an Independent, no less!

Source: More lying, rorting, taunting Coalition capers with Josh, Bridget and Sussan

LNP, LNP Government

Grand designs: meet “Cate” and the Sayers — The Klaxon

Grand designs: meet "Cate" and the Sayers

Grand designs: meet “Cate” and the Sayers. The NGO promoting Josh. Is this what Quid pro Quo really means?

Source: Grand designs: meet “Cate” and the Sayers — The Klaxon

History

Federation Built a Racist and Anti-Worker Australia

Unlike some nations, Australia’s origin story wasn’t marked by revolution or a democratic movement. Rather, it was a way for the colonial bourgeoisie to unite against the union movement and close the nation to non-white immigration.

Source: Federation Built a Racist and Anti-Worker Australia

LNP, LNP Government

Warring within Coalition over 2050 target brings some gold dust for ‘teals

NB  If voting “TEAL” 1  Remember to put the LNP or their Proxy LAST both in the Lower House and the Upper House…..LAST

“The world has moved past Matt Canavan,” Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud declared on Wednesday, tossing his party colleague and former resources minister firmly under the bus as the “climate wars” exploded within the Coalition.

Source: Warring within Coalition over 2050 target brings some gold dust for ‘teals

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

It’s not a carbon tax, says Labor: a scare campaign that shouldn’t work – Michael West

Carbon Pricing has only ever been the “LNPs Cry Wolf”. It’s not a tax you can choose not to pay it and its market driven. Calling it a tax is a fabrication.  You can’t choose not to pay your taxes. OOPS! I got that wrong the rich can choose under the LNP rules. Especially Corporations. If we are making things up we can arbitrarily say LNP are taxing us with the “Cost of Living”. Or they’re taxing us with their downward pressure on Wages. Taxing us with Cheap imported Labor, Taxing us with the Casualisation of Jobs. Simply taxing us with their existense.

The Australian’s front page screams ‘’Labor carbon tax warning’’, citing comments by Whitehaven Coal chief executive Paul Flynn that Labor’s plan is a carbon levy by stealth. If only, some Labor supporters might say. Imagine a full-blooded response: ‘’Yes we damn well do plan a carbon tax. We had it before and we’ll have it again.’’

Source: It’s not a carbon tax, says Labor: a scare campaign that shouldn’t work – Michael West

Informed Comment

Michael Pascoe: Reserve Bank independent or in Frydenberg’s pocket?

reserve bank

 

If the Reserve Bank does not increase interest rates on Tuesday, it will be perceived as having surrendered its independence, the governor in Josh Frydenberg’s pocket.

Source: Michael Pascoe: Reserve Bank independent or in Frydenberg’s pocket?

Informed Comment

Informed Comment- The Week on Wednesday

Weekend Wrap: Morrison’s ”blessing” a curse on NDIS, Barnaby’s Insiders sell off plus wage theft & pork barrelling

April 24, 2022

Australia's Shame

Net Zero Transition: China, world leave Australia behind on climate – Michael West

Climate wars. Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Image: Alex Anstey

The latest Coalition climate catastrophe, Senator Matt Canavan declaring national net zero policy “dead,” rings alarm bells for what’s ahead if the Morrison government is returned to office. Meanwhile, our new rival in the Pacific region, China, is seizing the mantle of climate leadership. Blair Palese reports on Australia’s greatest failure as a nation.

Source: Net Zero Transition: China, world leave Australia behind on climate – Michael West

Russia

The Guardian view on war in Ukraine: the stakes rise higher | Editorial | The Guardian

Vladimir Putin

Steadily, ominously, the stakes are rising in the confrontation that Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has provoked with the west. Russia’s state energy company Gazprom halted gas supplies to two EU member states – Poland and Bulgaria – on Wednesday and warned that more countries could be similarly targeted. Poland, with good reason, described this as a “direct attack”. Moscow is also talking darkly of delivering a “proportionate response” to the demonisation of Russia by western governments. On Tuesday, Mr Putin’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, accused Nato of “engaging in a war with Russia through a proxy”. The risk of nuclear escalation, he said, was becoming “considerable”.

Source: The Guardian view on war in Ukraine: the stakes rise higher | Editorial | The Guardian

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Morrison actually believes lying is a necessary art form. So do all cult leaders. The problem is he’s bad at it and always has been

Fighting Fake News with REAL 28/4/22; Frydenberg and Morrison’s Economy; Cost of Living; In-Fighting in the L-NP; DARVO