Barely a word has been spoken by his Coalition colleagues against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s secret ministerial power grab, writes Dr Jennifer Wilson.
Category: Coalition Plan
Dutton fail is to not talk of the change he helped create
The difference between a Secular Education in a Democratic Society and the Education a Coalition demands, isn’t one that recognizes cultural, sexual, racial, or physical diversity or change. It’s one that rather demands Assimilation, uniformity parental control and acceptance of a social order that has continued from the inherited past. A unifying secular democratic education threatens that. Dutton’s education is assimilation, generational integration with the past and not problem-solving is what he’s talking about when he says “discipline”, “respect” ” and “orderly” classrooms.
Dutton’s education doesn’t question the generationally handed down norms youth no longer feel are fit for purpose in the world they experience. So one way or another they problem-solve to survive in a world that doesn’t recognize their issues. Parents are as frustrated and can no longer find the time to service their needs because gone are the days of one-income families of 4 last seen 50 years ago.
The process of learning and problem-solving starts with questioning our patterned institutional behaviours and cultural beliefs lending them support. Cultures, patterns of behaviours handed down through the generations which may have once served a majority of us well may no longer today and no longer deserve “respect” but change today. Learning isn’t acceptance, it’s systemic and progressive problem-solving moving forward. Labour accepts Australia’s multicultural diversity united in an institutional system of secularism. A Democracy significantly different from what Dutton is talking about. Learning for him is acceptance of the past and its benefits for a shrinking and fewer fewer Australians who still remain largely white and privileged.
“Where the teachers lead the instruction and are supported to have orderly classrooms, where students learn respect, discipline, and ‘how to think’ not ‘what to think’.”
The Coalition’s election war-chest will be brimming with fossil fuel donations thanks to demands by Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt to transfer $250bn from Australia to Chinese and other coal and gas companies. Michael West reports on the National Party’s latest brainstorm.
Source: Reds Under Bed: Barnaby and Keith’s plot for Australia to subsidise China – Michael West Media
Government Guaranteeing the investment viability of coal in their “free market” economy” (ODT)
Activist groups warn providing finance for coal-fired power stations is inconsistent with banks’ commitments to Paris agreement
Why is it since Howard the Coalition seems to portray everyone as our enemies except the Anglosphere and Israel? Both Howard and Abbott have taken us to 2 wars we aren’t winning and Abbott was ready to take us to the Ukraine as well. Are we being fed the wrong information and for what purpose? (ODT)
Last December, Russian strategic bombers conducted exercises out of an Indonesian airfield close to Australia, forcing Australian Defence personnel in Darwin into a state of “increased readiness”. There were concerns the exercises may have been aimed at information gathering.
Then in March, two “undeclared intelligence officers” were expelled from the Russian embassy in Canberra, raising more questions about Russian covert activities in Australia. Two months later, a Russian training warship visited Papua New Guinea — the first visit of its kind for the Russian navy.
EU doesn’t think Australia 1% of the words emmissions are insignificant as the Conservatives do (ODT)
The Coalition’s internal climate war risks damaging the economy after Europe declared it would reject a $15 billion trade deal with Australia unless the Morrison government keeps its pledge to cut pollution under the Paris accord.
The EU bloc is Australia’s second largest trading partner, third largest export destination and second largest services market. The EU was also Australia’s largest source of foreign investment in 2017.
Mr Morrison – who is in Jakarta for trade talks – and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham declined to comment on the European Parliament’s position.
via ‘Is this a red line for us?’ $15b European trade deal doomed if Australia dodges Paris pledge
A stoush between a Queensland law student and Labor frontbencher Terri Butler over claims of a “racist smear” is bound for court after he bluntly rejected her apology as a “sham” and vowed to press ahead with a $150,000 defamation lawsuit.
Source: ‘See you in court’: Student rejects Labor MP Terri Butler’s apology and vows to continue lawsuit
Source: LNP plays gutter politics with Safe Schools – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The Abbott government’s push to double advertising on the SBS during peak viewing periods is part of a plan to sell the public broadcaster, former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser says.
Mr Fraser criticised the government’s cuts to the SBS and the ABC, which total more than $300 million over five years.
“Forced cuts from the ABC and SBS … it is part of a whole ideological approach, which to me is to ultimately get rid of publicly funded broadcasting,” Mr Fraser said.
“The government does not believe in government activity. They’re not prepared to say so straight out in relation to ABC and SBS, because both are too popular.”
Mr Fraser’s comments after the boss of Ten Network Holdings Hamish McLennan said the government’s proposed changes to SBS’s advertising structure was creating a “fourth free-to-air network by stealth”.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said government would seek to average out the SBS’s current advertising limit of 5 minutes an hour over the day, allowing it to double it in peak viewing periods. This would increase the broadcaster’s “savings” back to the federal budget to $53.7 million, or 3.7 per cent, over five years, he said.
“[That is] assuming that the additional revenue to the SBS from advertising changes amounts to $28.5 million over five years,” the minister said.
But the commercial free-to-air networks have disputed the government’s figures, saying doubling advertising during peak would rob them of more than $200 million.
Mr Fraser said he was concerned that ongoing cuts and more advertising on the SBS would eventually lead to the government privatising the broadcaster.
“They’ll say ‘what’s the point, you’re behaving like a commercial [broadcaster], you’re getting your money the same way’.
“If there is any value left, they will sell it to somebody or if there is no value left they’ll wind it up,” he said.
“We are seeing an ideological program designed to get rid of both [the ABC and SBS].”
Mr Fraser said it was “lousy” politics and that the government did “not accept that there were some things that the government needs to do if they are going to be done well”.
“I would like to see the ABC operating, certainly throughout Asia, with the kind of reputation that the BBC holds worldwide. And the BBC is one of the most reliable news reporters. It always has been and that’s good for Britain.
“The ABC is the only organisation that can do that for Australia.”
Mr Turnbull defended the cuts on Wednesday, saying “the work I’ve undertaken with both broadcasters is about more than repairing the [federal] budget, it is also about reform that will modernise both organisations, pave the way for productivity gains and ensure our national broadcasters are focused on good business practices for the long-term”.
Mr Fraser’s comments were at odds with commercial network bosses, who say that the ABC should be able to absorb a cut over five years.
John Hartigan, chairman of regional TV broadcaster Prime Media and former News Limited boss, welcomed the Abbott government’s push for greater financial transparency and governance at the national broadcaster and also its proposal to strip Mark Scott of the combined role of ABC managing director and editor-in-chief.
“I applaud the fact that editorial responsibility is finally being split or will be split, and even more so, the directors now will have to not sit on the fence,” Mr Hartigan said.
“They have got to be active. That’s what boards are in place for to represent their constituency, and finally they will have to put up or shut up. You just can’t hide. There is no place to hide in today’s transparent world.”
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