crikey--2020-08-20--From Lib staffer to big pharma: an unsurprising journey of lobbying at work

Drug companies and government affairs are inextricably linked , and the recent announcement of a potential COVID-19 vaccine `` deal @ @ @ @ @ .
Beneath the euphoria of the government ’ s announcement this week that it had @ @ @ @ @ to supply a COVID-19 vaccine to all Australians , there were signs of the political @ @ @ @ @ All drug companies have powerful government relations squads to help grease the wheels of power @ @ @ @ @ different .
Kieran Schneemann is head of the government affairs team at the Australian arm @ @ @ @ @ , which on Tuesday reached an informal agreement with the Morrison government to supply Australians @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccine – assuming it clears clinical trials .

Beneath the euphoria of the government’s announcement this week that it had “secured a deal” to supply a COVID-19 vaccine to all Australians, there were signs of the political lobbying machine at work.
All drug companies have powerful government relations squads to help grease the wheels of power, and AstraZeneca is no different.
Kieran Schneemann is head of the government affairs team at the Australian arm of the British pharmaceutical company, which on Tuesday reached an informal agreement with the Morrison government to supply Australians with the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine – assuming it clears clinical trials.


crikey--2020-08-20--Coal is in crisis regardless of what Labor does

Climate denialists on both sides of politics can rail all they like , but thermal coal is increasingly unviable and miners want out .
While there are still a lot of coal fetishists in business and politics -- Matt Canavan and his LNP cronies , the ALP 's Joel Fitzgibbon , the mining division of the Construction , Forestry , Maritime , Mining and Energy Union ( CFMEU ) , Liberal donors like Trevor St Baker -- they seem oblivious to the gathering forces that present a major threat to the coal industry , and particularly thermal coal .
BHP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week confirming it wants out of all coal except its ( relatively ) high value metallurgical coal operations in Queensland ’ s Bowen Basin that it owns with Mitsubishi .
The rest -- its weaker metallurgical mines in the Mitsui Coal joint venture , plus its Hunter Valley thermal coal operations and a big mine in Colombia -- are on the market .
The CFMEU accuses BHP and Mitsui of running down working conditions at the mines , and says it `` welcomes new owners '' who might restore them .
But BHP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- which went into and out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US in 2017-18 and still faces an uncertain future -- is cutting between 50 and 150 staff of its Wambo underground mine in the Hunter Valley .

While there are still a lot of coal fetishists in business and politics — Matt Canavan and his LNP cronies, the ALP’s Joel Fitzgibbon, the mining division of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), Liberal donors like Trevor St Baker — they seem oblivious to the gathering forces that present a major threat to the coal industry, and particularly thermal coal.
BHP is just the latest example, this week confirming it wants out of all coal except its (relatively) high value metallurgical coal operations in Queensland’s Bowen Basin that it owns with Mitsubishi. The rest — its weaker metallurgical mines in the Mitsui Coal joint venture, plus its Hunter Valley thermal coal operations and a big mine in Colombia — are on the market.
The CFMEU accuses BHP and Mitsui of running down working conditions at the mines, and says it “welcomes new owners” who might restore them. But BHP isn’t alone. US miner Peabody — which went into and out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US in 2017-18 and still faces an uncertain future — is cutting between 50 and 150 staff of its Wambo underground mine in the Hunter Valley.


crikey--2020-08-21--How our lockdown reality became stranger than fiction

Countless movies of our youth were about this sort of world , and now it 's come to pass — @ @ @ @ @ training us for what was to come .
First , it has to be borne @ @ @ @ @ always , how strange this is .
The mornings are grey , usually -- flat @ @ @ @ @ window when you wake .
You set the alarm now , where the gathering sound @ @ @ @ @ you .
You move through the place you would once have been out of for @ @ @ @ @ hour , every centimetre of which you now know .
As Radio National tells tales @ @ @ @ @ are going to public inquiries and offices , you scrub your hands , before you @ @ @ @ @ touch your face -- like you were operating on yourself .

First, it has to be borne in mind, always, always, how strange this is. The mornings are grey, usually — flat dark clouds reach across your window when you wake.
You set the alarm now, where the gathering sound of traffic used to wake you. You move through the place you would once have been out of for the day within half an hour, every centimetre of which you now know.
As Radio National tells tales of elsewhere, where people are going to public inquiries and offices, you scrub your hands, before you brush your teeth or otherwise touch your face — like you were operating on yourself.


crikey--2020-08-21--‘It should never have happened’: Albanese speaks out on Witness K

In a live interview for Crikey subscribers , the leader of the opposition directly addressed the Witness K issue for @ @ @ @ @ leader Anthony Albanese has offered the party 's most unequivocal condemnation of the ongoing Witness @ @ @ @ @ , speaking in a live interview on Thursday evening for Crikey subscribers with editor-in-chief Peter @ @ @ @ @ Keane .
Responding to a question submitted by a Crikey reader , he said was @ @ @ @ @ in this case -- the idea that there should be a prosecution of a whistle-blower @ @ @ @ @ shameful part of Australia 's history , is simply wrong '' .
`` What happened @ @ @ @ @ .
It should never have happened . ''

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has offered the party’s most unequivocal condemnation of the ongoing Witness K and Bernard Collaery scandal, speaking in a live interview on Thursday evening for Crikey subscribers with editor-in-chief Peter Fray and politics editor Bernard Keane.
Responding to a question submitted by a Crikey reader, he said was “very concerned about transparency in this case — the idea that there should be a prosecution of a whistle-blower, for what’s a shameful part of Australia’s history, is simply wrong”.
“What happened in East Timor was wrong. It should never have happened.”


crikey--2020-08-24--Morrison’s mates team up for new advisory firm. But don’t call it a lobby group

Three of Scott Morrison ’ s closest friends and associates have teamed up to form a new advisory firm , @ @ @ @ @ walking a fine line between providing advice and lobbying .
Three of Scott Morrison ’ @ @ @ @ @ have teamed up to form a new advisory firm that will help foreign companies get @ @ @ @ @ Australian assets .
The new venture , FIA Australia , says it can help “ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign Investments Review Board ( FIRB ) ” .
It ’ s particularly timely given @ @ @ @ @ to the review process which will make it harder for foreign companies to buy up @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .

Three of Scott Morrison’s closest friends and associates have teamed up to form a new advisory firm that will help foreign companies get government approval to buy up Australian assets.
The new venture, FIA Australia, says it can help “guide complex transactions through the Foreign Investments Review Board (FIRB)”.
It’s particularly timely given Morrison’s recent changes to the review process which will make it harder for foreign companies to buy up distressed Australian assets during the pandemic.


crikey--2020-08-23--How Australia is helping the US ‘clean’ the internet

Australia once sold itself as a bridge to Asia .
Now , the Australian government is seemingly working with the @ @ @ @ @ and infrastructure .
As the Trump administration actively pursues the `` splinternet '' , Australia @ @ @ @ @ ) between its geography and its politics .
In the real world , Australia will @ @ @ @ @ always been .
But in the virtual world , it risks being moored somewhere off @ @ @ @ @ The `` splinternet '' is essentially the regional and national fragmentation of the once global @ @ @ @ @ US is pushing for a “ clean ” internet that excludes Chinese apps and infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ About 1.6 million Australians ( mainly female , mainly young ) use TikTok , and @ @ @ @ @ ( it ’ s all but ubiquitous in the Chinese diaspora ) .
During the @ @ @ @ @ major parties advertised on WeChat to reach Chinese-Australian voters .

As the Trump administration actively pursues the “splinternet”, Australia is being wedged (again) between its geography and its politics. In the real world, Australia will be where it’s always been. But in the virtual world, it risks being moored somewhere off the coast of California.
The “splinternet” is essentially the regional and national fragmentation of the once global, open internet. The US is pushing for a “clean” internet that excludes Chinese apps and infrastructure like TikTok and WeChat.
About 1.6 million Australians (mainly female, mainly young) use TikTok, and approximately 1.5 million use WeChat (it’s all but ubiquitous in the Chinese diaspora). During the 2019 federal election, both major parties advertised on WeChat to reach Chinese-Australian voters.


crikey--2020-08-24--Taxpayers continue to foot the bill for factional playgrounds

The system of taxpayers funding the electorate staff of MPs is ripe for abuse , and factional hacks know it @ @ @ @ @ branch stacking stories -- apart from rampaging egos , sundered alliances and political self-obsession -- @ @ @ @ @ staff for internal party politicking .
There 's a long list .
The claims that @ @ @ @ @ were involved in Adem Somyurek 's branch stacking within the Victorian ALP .
Claims of @ @ @ @ @ officer for that most expired of political has-beens , Kevin Andrews , that led to @ @ @ @ @ of family members as electorate office staff .
The involvement of electorate office staff in @ @ @ @ @ for political purposes .
Now , Kevin Andrews ' office is back in the news @ @ @ @ @ Nine television and newspapers that electorate office staff there were engaged in branch stacking and @ @ @ @ @ .
The staff were said to be under the direction of the Victoria Liberal Christian @ @ @ @ @

The recurring theme of branch stacking stories — apart from rampaging egos, sundered alliances and political self-obsession — is the misuse of taxpayer-funded staff for internal party politicking.
There’s a long list. The claims that electorate office and ministerial staff were involved in Adem Somyurek’s branch stacking within the Victorian ALP. Claims of branch stacking by an electorate officer for that most expired of political has-beens, Kevin Andrews, that led to a resignation. The employment of family members as electorate office staff. The involvement of electorate office staff in the misuse of taxpayer funding for political purposes.
Now, Kevin Andrews’ office is back in the news over sensational evidence reveaed by Nine television and newspapers that electorate office staff there were engaged in branch stacking and “facilitating factional operations”. The staff were said to be under the direction of the Victoria Liberal Christian right powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan.


crikey--2020-08-25--A good day for women, but so much more to do

From Washington to Pyongyang to AMP , it 's been a good 24 hours for female empowerment .
It was @ @ @ @ @ empowerment yesterday with the dinosaurs vanquished and the bullies and strongmen axed from toxic workplaces @ @ @ @ @ t even got to AMP yet .
From Washington to Sydney to the Korean peninsula @ @ @ @ @ happening -- though the narrative of woke women winning was not always that clear .

It was a glorious day for female empowerment yesterday with the dinosaurs vanquished and the bullies and strongmen axed from toxic workplaces.
And we haven’t even got to AMP yet.
From Washington to Sydney to the Korean peninsula the cultural change wave was happening — though the narrative of woke women winning was not always that clear.


crikey--2020-08-25--How we let down the residents of Newmarch House — and what we failed to learn

The federal government claimed it had a plan for when aged care workforces were wiped out by COVID-19 .
Its @ @ @ @ @ , it failed to learn from that failure .
The report into the Newmarch House @ @ @ @ @ insight into systemic failure , demonstrating how , despite the best will in the world @ @ @ @ @ Sydney aged care facility became infected .
It also reveals how the federal government talks @ @ @ @ @ media releases , and blithely insists all is well , when reality is anything but @ @ @ @ @ 19 people died .
And hundreds more have died in Victoria .
So many the @ @ @ @ @ from day to day .

The report into the Newmarch House COVID-19 outbreak provides a rich insight into systemic failure, demonstrating how, despite the best will in the world, 71 people in a Sydney aged care facility became infected.
It also reveals how the federal government talks a lot, and issues media releases, and blithely insists all is well, when reality is anything but.
In the end, 19 people died. And hundreds more have died in Victoria. So many the aged care minister loses count from day to day.


crikey--2020-08-24--Sovereign citizens — white fury at neoliberalism dressed up in legal flummery

Being a 'sovereign citizen ' is less about a specific ideology than resentment that white privilege is being undermined .
@ @ @ @ @ own sovereign citizens and other ideological anti-maskers recall an old Onion joke about a libertarian @ @ @ @ @ a conference with his fellow ideologues without using any roads .
The white people -- @ @ @ @ @ -- who insisted police have no legal authority to pull them over and force them @ @ @ @ @ seemed perfectly happy to drive on the roads provided by the government , which they @ @ @ @ @ over them .
Presumably they would n't knock back a trip to the hospital in @ @ @ @ @ or prevent their garbage being collected by the local council .
Likely they have no @ @ @ @ @ jailed by the state .

The caperings of Australia’s own sovereign citizens and other ideological anti-maskers recall an old Onion joke about a libertarian wondering how to travel to a conference with his fellow ideologues without using any roads.
The white people — they’re always white people — who insisted police have no legal authority to pull them over and force them to comply with pandemic restrictions seemed perfectly happy to drive on the roads provided by the government, which they insist has no legal authority over them.
Presumably they wouldn’t knock back a trip to the hospital in the event of an accident or prevent their garbage being collected by the local council. Likely they have no problem with violent criminals being jailed by the state.


crikey--2020-08-25--Clowns to the left, jokers to the right — and you know where the rest of us are

The lie of the Liberals ' claims of liberalism is again laid bare — they scorn the value of anything @ @ @ @ @ of power itself .
Look if you 're going to be a would-be Liberal powerbroker @ @ @ @ @ have a name like Marcus Bastiaan .
Is n't it great ?
It 's like @ @ @ @ @ '' or something .
It sounds like the name of a firm that makes steel @ @ @ @ @ has now quit the Victorian Liberal Party at the age of 30 , having created @ @ @ @ @ `` social conservatives '' in branches across the state .
The move forestalls his being @ @ @ @ @ his rapid rise to power , complete with the usual : gauleiter-style texts ; accusations @ @ @ @ @ taxpayer-funded adviser jobs for the purposes of factional finagling ; loyal foot soldiers rolling up @ @ @ @

This article was amended on August 26, the day after initial publication, following contact from Brighton Rotary. See below.
Look if you’re going to be a would-be Liberal powerbroker, you absolutely have to have a name like Marcus Bastiaan. Isn’t it great? It’s like being called “Person Bastard” or something.
It sounds like the name of a firm that makes steel dildos. The aforementioned Bastiaan has now quit the Victorian Liberal Party at the age of 30, having created a powerful network of religious “social conservatives” in branches across the state.


crikey--2020-08-25--Archbishops arc up to highlight Morrison’s mandatory vaccine stumble

Scott Morrison 's blunder on making a COVID-19 vaccine compulsory has caused trouble with religious conservatives .
While the government doesn ’ t face a religious boycott of its so-far fictional COVID-19 vaccine , it ’ s increasingly clear that its smart-arse announcement of a “ vaccine deal ” last week was more trouble than it was worth .
While most of the press gallery cheered on cue for a deal that didn ’ t exist to make a vaccine that didn ’ t yet exist in Australian facilities that couldn ’ t make it if it did exist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine being as mandatory as possible .
He then had to backflip on that , using his friends at 2GB to assure Australians “ there are no compulsory vaccines in Australia ” .
Now it has bought a potential argument with religious conservatives , with Catholic archbishop Anthony Fisher , Anglican archbishop Glenn Davies and Greek Orthodox archbishop Makarios Griniezakis signing their own letter of intent expressing concern about the vaccine Morrison has a letter of intent for , given it is derived from a cell line from an aborted foetus .
Fisher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns are .
There ’ s no talk of Catholic boycotts or campaigns against the vaccine .
“ Many people will have no ethical problem with using tissue from electively aborted foetuses for medical purposes , ” Fisher says .
“ Others may regard the use of a cell-line derived from an abortion performed back in the 1970s as now sufficiently removed from the abortion itself to be excusable.
” But some , he says , won ’ t want anything to do with it .
“ I , for one , don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use this vaccine if there is no alternative available , ” Fisher says .
“ But I am deeply troubled by it.
” And particularly troubled by any mandatory aspect to the vaccine .
It ’ s pretty rich for a senior figure in an institution that engaged in industrial-scale child abuse and covered it up to claim concern for the unborn .
But the concerns expressed by the religious leaders take their place in a spectrum of opinion , ranging from lunatic conspiracy theories and vaccination denialism to wholly legitimate ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine that , if it ever arrives , will have been rushed into mass production , and continuing mysteries about COVID-19 itself .
It is Morrison ’ s blundering on compulsion that will continue to fuel this issue .
The conspiracy theory fringe will continue to make hay with the idea that the government will compel people to get a jab .
And the entry of religious conservatives into the debate complicates things immensely .
A pro-government outlet like The Australian , which has been backing Morrison and business leaders in criticisms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed , is also the platform of reactionary Catholics for whom Fisher ’ s “ troubles ” would not just be issues to be taken seriously , but the stuff of potential culture wars .
Female journalists at News Corp tabloids , on the other hand , have been a strong force against anti-vax lunatics in recent years .
Morrison himself , unsurprisingly given his ardent Pentecostal faith , says that he has conservative issues on abortion but has indicated he ’ d prefer to leave the issue alone .
Except , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he ’ s the one who insisted on hyping the vaccine announcement as some sort of Liberal triumph .
Still , it ’ s all hypothetical at the moment .
It ’ ll be a nice problem to have if it ever becomes reality .

While the government doesn’t face a religious boycott of its so-far fictional COVID-19 vaccine, it’s increasingly clear that its smart-arse announcement of a “vaccine deal” last week was more trouble than it was worth.
While most of the press gallery cheered on cue for a deal that didn’t exist to make a vaccine that didn’t yet exist in Australian facilities that couldn’t make it if it did exist, Morrison then blundered by talking about the vaccine being as mandatory as possible.
He then had to backflip on that, using his friends at 2GB to assure Australians “there are no compulsory vaccines in Australia”.


crikey--2020-08-27--Top lawyer speaks out: AMP’s ‘toxic culture’ silenced and bullied women

Employees are being pressured and silenced under AMP 's 'whatever it takes ' culture , experts and whistleblowers say .
A lawyer who was sacked by AMP after raising the alarm about the company ’ s “ fee for no service ” scandal has spoken out against the company ’ s efforts to silence women who blow the whistle on misconduct .
As AMP grapples with the fallout of the Boe Pahari scandal , as well as shocking new accusations that emerged on Tuesday night , the former top in-house lawyer says the company has a pattern of behaviour that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toxic culture .
Larissa Baker Cook is suing AMP over unfair dismissal , claiming she was sacked after alerting the company to the fact that it had deliberately charged customers for no service , a scandal that later blew up at the Hayne royal commission .
In court documents she alleges she was subject to bullying and harassment in the lead up to her termination last year .
She says the behaviour first arose after she discovered that AMP ’ s fees for no services may have been deliberate rather than inadvertent as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then intensified , she alleges , during the royal commission , when she made fresh complaints that were dismissed by senior staff .
Since filing a statement of claim in October , Baker Cook has been reluctant to speak out against the company publicly .
But in the wake of a series of sexual harassment claims involving female whistleblowers , she tells Crikey she believes there was a pattern of behaviour at the company of silencing women who came forward with complaints .
“ All of the women like me who have tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies to address bullying and harassment have been forced to engage lawyers or MPs to enforce our rights and protect our reputations , ” she said .
“ But for every one of us there are likely to be many more who have not had the resources or the resilience to do so.
” Baker Cook is seeking $ 2.5 million in past and future economic losses from AMP .
The company rejects her claims and says she was sacked for committing “ serious misconduct ” by downloading “ legally privileged and sensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address .
It also alleges she bad-mouthed the board and had performance issues , despite having received two bonuses and a pay rise .
In a response to her comments , AMP said : “ The court proceedings involving Ms Baker Cook relate to a breach of employment obligations and professional duties … AMP will continue to defend the matter and be respectful of the legal process.
” Baker Cook ’ s comments come in the wake of fresh allegations raised in federal Parliament that AMP silenced a whistleblower after she reported “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by more than one male employee .
The allegations were made under parliamentary privilege by Labor Senator Deborah O ’ Neill in a speech late on Tuesday evening .
O ’ Neill read out a statement by the unnamed female former junior employee , detailing her experience of harassment , which included receiving explicit photos , groping and physical harassment .
The woman said she made official complaints to the company against the two male employees , but one was given a warning and the other was promoted .
After speaking out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , victimised and ultimately silenced ” , with the company threatening to terminate her if she didn ’ t sign a non-disclosure agreement .
“ I was treated like a criminal , ” her testimony said .
An AMP spokesperson said the company took “ any complaint or issue raised seriously ” .
The claims come as AMP faces a reckoning over its corporate culture in the wake of allegations made by former employee Julia Szlakowski against Pahari .
On Monday the scandal saw the resignation of chairman David Murray and board member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was demoted to a previous role .
AMP director Debra Hazelton will take over from Murray as chair .
But insiders say her appointment is problematic given she was on the board when it voted in favour of Pahari ’ s promotion to the head of AMP Capital –despite having penalised him $ 500,000 over Szlakowski ’ s complaint .
Baker Cook said the latest sexual harassment claims , along with those made in the Pahari case , showed how the company was willing to protect its biggest earners at whatever cost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual harassment , it affects men and women who call out the poor behaviour of those who are empowered because they make money for AMP , ” she said .
“ This is not something which can be rectified by AMP focusing on employees leaking to the press or bringing in consultants to write a report .
It requires a board which has the good judgement to make the right decisions proactively not reactively.
” Monash University adjunct associate professor Hannah Piterman said the claims reflected a “ whatever it takes ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking action and the fact that they can call it a low level code of conduct breach suggests they have massaged this .
It ’ s an act of denial .
”

A lawyer who was sacked by AMP after raising the alarm about the company’s “fee for no service” scandal has spoken out against the company’s efforts to silence women who blow the whistle on misconduct.
As AMP grapples with the fallout of the Boe Pahari scandal, as well as shocking new accusations that emerged on Tuesday night, the former top in-house lawyer says the company has a pattern of behaviour that has left female employees victims of a toxic culture.
Larissa Baker Cook is suing AMP over unfair dismissal, claiming she was sacked after alerting the company to the fact that it had deliberately charged customers for no service, a scandal that later blew up at the Hayne royal commission.


crikey--2020-08-27--ScoMo muscles up on foreign deals, sets up legal bunfight with states

Off the back of Morrison 's denial of federal responsibility for COVID-related scandals and disasters , the prime minister is @ @ @ @ @ government 's powers over states and territories .
Constitutional fight , incoming .
Scott Morrison @ @ @ @ @ the backs of the necks of constitutional scholars with his proposed new law giving the @ @ @ @ @ to decide who gets to make deals in Australia and the circumstances under which they @ @ @ @ @ know so far is that the Australian foreign minister will be empowered to cancel agreements @ @ @ @ @ local governments and universities enter into with an overseas government , if they contradict Australia @ @ @ @ @ Even existing agreements , such as Victoria ’ s deal with Beijing under the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ can be cancelled .
This is muscular centralism of a whole new brand .
It @ @ @ @ @ moment , standing in stark contrast to Morrison ’ s constant denial of responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ our federal system gives most of the power to the states .

Constitutional fight, incoming. Scott Morrison has excited the hairs on the backs of the necks of constitutional scholars with his proposed new law giving the Commonwealth government unprecedented new powers to decide who gets to make deals in Australia and the circumstances under which they make them.
All we know so far is that the Australian foreign minister will be empowered to cancel agreements that states, territories, local governments and universities enter into with an overseas government, if they contradict Australia’s national interest. Even existing agreements, such as Victoria’s deal with Beijing under the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, can be cancelled.
This is muscular centralism of a whole new brand. It also comes at a strange moment, standing in stark contrast to Morrison’s constant denial of responsibility for COVID-related scandals and disasters because our federal system gives most of the power to the states.


crikey--2020-08-27--Committee takes smallest of baby steps on press freedom

Parliament 's intelligence committee has recommended some limited but welcome changes to protections around journalists .
But the committee itself @ @ @ @ @ The inquiry by Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security ( PJCIS ) into press @ @ @ @ @ entirely surprisingly -- with recommendations that fall far short of what media companies demanded , @ @ @ @ @ laws for journalists and the contestability of warrants that affect journalists .
Nonetheless the main @ @ @ @ @ expanding the current Journalist Information Warrant/Public Interest Advocate mechanism .
At the moment that relates @ @ @ @ @ kept under the Abbott government 's data retention regime , and requires secret consideration of @ @ @ @ @ about journalists is in the public interest , with the involvement of a Public Interest @ @ @ @ @ that process should be expanded to cover all police and intelligence warrants relating to journalists @ @ @ @ @ requiring more senior figures to participate as Public Interest Advocates .
It also recommends elevating @ @ @ @ @ relating to journalists to senior judicial figures .

The inquiry by Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) into press freedom has ended — not entirely surprisingly — with recommendations that fall far short of what media companies demanded, especially in relation to shield laws for journalists and the contestability of warrants that affect journalists.
Nonetheless the main recommendations represent a start in expanding the current Journalist Information Warrant/Public Interest Advocate mechanism. At the moment that relates only to warrants for metadata kept under the Abbott government’s data retention regime, and requires secret consideration of whether a warrant for metadata about journalists is in the public interest, with the involvement of a Public Interest Advocate.
The committee thinks that process should be expanded to cover all police and intelligence warrants relating to journalists, and beefed up by requiring more senior figures to participate as Public Interest Advocates. It also recommends elevating the authority to grant warrants relating to journalists to senior judicial figures.


crikey--2020-08-27--Nice work, Tehan. Knocking off our Western heritage without even knowing it

To understand the layers of irony in Dan Tehan 's plan to destroy the study of humanities , you would need ... well ... a humanities degree .
The classics department of Sydney University was established in 1850 , that of Melbourne University in 1855 .
They are older than the unified nations of Germany and Italy , of the city of Budapest , of Berlin and Manchester as anything more than towns ; of the knowledge of dinosaurs , the works of Charles Darwin , the writing of Tolstoy , the sculpture of Rodin , of all except six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed , departments such as philosophy and “ natural philosophy ” ( i.e science ) have been hived off , but for seven generations teaching of the European heritage has been handed down in an unbroken chain , with the common consent of all governments .
Now , the Morrison government and Education Minister Dan Tehan want to kill them .
Oh yes they do .
Tehan ’ s cracked higher-ed funding plan , which passed the House yesterday and is heading towards the Senate , leaves classics out of its capricious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while selected science subjects go below cost in fees , subjects like classics get billed at around $ 15,000 , for a degree total of $ 50,000 .
And history subjects .
And philosophy .
And most of what , for half a millennium , has made up the humanities .
The ham-fistedness of Tehan ’ s changes has already been laid bare .
The funding model costs cash-strapped universities money to teach intensive , high-cost STEM subjects , and profitable to increase the ratio of arts students .
Since , employment-wise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degree , any degree , this will increase arts enrolments .
Now Tehan proposes to have some commission trawl universities ’ offerings subject by subject , which essentially draws universities fully into the state and would be a chaotic bureaucratic tangle .
Tehan ’ s wonks kept the price of English subjects in the lowest band ; you can do an English arts major for about $ 15,000 total for three years , if it ’ s almost all English .
Belatedly , they realised that an English degree is not three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of… horror !
… theory .
Same with psychology and languages .
So there is now talk that Tehan ’ s department will price courses , semester-unit by semester-unit , to accomplish the real aim of the moves : to kill the teaching of critical thinking in the humanities .
Should it go through , it will be a mess , but that ’ s the point too : this is , in part , wrecking-crew politics , designed to destroy efficient state-public functioning , if it can not tame it .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to think critically and forensically about the world they live in .
And that must be stopped at all costs .
Yet what is most striking about the proposed changes is that they mount the very attack on “ western civilisation ” that they have been campaigning against .
There is a purpose to this too , which is bound up with the expansion of Ramsay Centres into multiple universities .
The Ramsay Foundation would then have the right to award scholarships that take care of that $ 50,000 in fees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth and create a bounded caste within the university .
In that process , the actual humanities are collateral damage that the Coalition is willing to put up with .
The ironies of this are so multiple that you would need training in , well , classical rhetoric to catalogue them fully .
But consider this : the worst and most simplistic dimension of the current left had been expressed in a renewal of the ’ 60s assault on “ Western civ ” — the proposition that you can ’ t teach Virgil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equal prominence to non-Western , not white-male-author texts , etc etc .
The Tehan proposals join that assault on the canon and the humanistic tradition , but from the right .
Classical studies and the like rely for their continued robust transmission on the fact that a small number of people want to do nothing but the subject they have become obsessed with .
The Tehan proposals mean that the kid who at high school has become so thrilled by reading Homer that they want to — must — know how it reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families are asset poor , think twice about pursuing that passion .
That only really has to happen to a couple of hundred potential arts students per year to seriously damage the transmission of traditional European culture in this country .
The social justice aspects , the effects on indigenous cultural study and much more are terrible too , but I ’ m not fool enough to expect the right to give a damn about that .
What is grotesquely fascinating is the way in which they enact the destructive politics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics-first attack on the humanities is a right wing mirror of a Maoist-style attack on the “ olds ” ; the determination to let money run the business of cultural transmission is more undermining of cultural value than any Foucault course ( always Foucault ) .
Capital is the great deconstructor of our age , turning everything that our tradition valued for its own sake into an exchangeable commodity , thus annihilating its intrinsic value ( yeah , comrades , I know these arguments are problematic , but shut up , he explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against that .
The right ’ s politics have been so nihilised by capital that they don ’ t even value value anymore .
Nor will there be a peep of protest from the dwindling band of self-styled “ conservatives ” , meek clients of capital , mostly ageing , white , male neurotics , wholly defined by their resentment of having to share the culture with blacks , browns and w-w-w-omen !
Is anyone from the right going to speak up for the idea that we shouldn ’ t be using fee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Egyptian , Hebrew , the tragedies , Aquinas , David Hume , the War of the Roses , the Mughal empires , the Song dynasty ?
Quite possibly not .
So one doffs one ’ s Lenin-style cap to this mob , and their ruthlessness .
In the matter of cultural destruction , the left are pikers .
We pull down the odd statue ; you are trying to topple the edifices of European culture in this country .
It would be their ultimate achievement that no one in the country would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reference that they make a desert and call reform .
What is really behind the Coalition ’ s attack on universities ?
Let us know your thoughts by writing to [ email protected ] .
Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey ’ s Your Say section .

The classics department of Sydney University was established in 1850, that of Melbourne University in 1855. They are older than the unified nations of Germany and Italy, of the city of Budapest, of Berlin and Manchester as anything more than towns; of the knowledge of dinosaurs, the works of Charles Darwin, the writing of Tolstoy, the sculpture of Rodin, of all except six British universities.
Their organisational form has changed, departments such as philosophy and “natural philosophy” (i.e science) have been hived off, but for seven generations teaching of the European heritage has been handed down in an unbroken chain, with the common consent of all governments.


crikey--2020-08-26--When politicians fail rape victims they only have themselves to blame

Victorian parliament 's passing of a bill which suppresses the voices of rape victims is the result of lazy pollies @ @ @ @ @ how our politicians manage to read and comprehend all that complicated legislation that gets presented @ @ @ @ @ vote into law ?
The dirty truth is that almost none of them read almost @ @ @ @ @ some proof of that outrageous accusation ?
OK. Not long ago , Victorian Attorney-General Jill @ @ @ @ @ parliament a bill making sweeping amendments to that state ’ s evidence laws , specifically @ @ @ @ @ suppression that has infected Victoria ’ s justice system in recent years , and to @ @ @ @ @ justice .

Have you ever wondered how our politicians manage to read and comprehend all that complicated legislation that gets presented to parliament and that they vote into law? The dirty truth is that almost none of them read almost any of it.
Want some proof of that outrageous accusation? OK.
Not long ago, Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy presented to the Victorian parliament a bill making sweeping amendments to that state’s evidence laws, specifically to address the culture of suppression that has infected Victoria’s justice system in recent years, and to reinvigorate the principle of open justice.


crikey--2020-08-26--As the private sector slumps, governments must step up and be good bosses

This is not the time for governments to freeze wages .
They should be helping economic recovery , not undermining @ @ @ @ @ election last weekend was , according to News Corp and Sky News , a further @ @ @ @ @ our country : a bloated bureaucracy , where workers are shielded from the pandemic pain @ @ @ @ @ ( and vote accordingly ) .
It is becoming a common complaint among conservatives that @ @ @ @ @ scot-free during the coronavirus when they should be just as miserable and impoverished as the @ @ @ @ @ MP Craig Kelly recently used valuable parliamentary committee time with the RBA governor to complain @ @ @ @ @ entering the public service instead of private enterprise because of greater pandemic job security .

The Northern Territory election last weekend was, according to News Corp and Sky News, a further demonstration of another plague confronting our country: a bloated bureaucracy, where workers are shielded from the pandemic pain of their private sector counterparts (and vote accordingly).
It is becoming a common complaint among conservatives that public servants are getting off scot-free during the coronavirus when they should be just as miserable and impoverished as the rest of us.
Liberal MP Craig Kelly recently used valuable parliamentary committee time with the RBA governor to complain that university graduates may consider entering the public service instead of private enterprise because of greater pandemic job security.


crikey--2020-08-26--How meetings became the nightmare of Newmarch

While the residents of Newmarch House died from COVID-19 , bureaucrats , clinicians , managers and staff were locked in @ @ @ @ @ except waste valuable time .
In years to come , the report on the Newmarch @ @ @ @ @ Professor Lyn Gilbert and adjunct professor Alan Lilly , should be a must-read for any @ @ @ @ @ in the health sector .
It demonstrates how careful planning , strong oversight , stakeholder @ @ @ @ @ achieving commonly agreed goals can count for nothing in the face of a relentless enemy @ @ @ @ @ required reading for bureaucrats with a passion for meetings .
The reviewers ' discussion of @ @ @ @ @ Anglicare , its managers on-site at Newmarch House and the plethora of state and federal @ @ @ @ @ involved involved is startling .
It 's worth quoting at length :

In years to come, the report on the Newmarch House COVID-19 outbreak, by Professor Lyn Gilbert and adjunct professor Alan Lilly, should be a must-read for any bureaucrat — not merely those in the health sector.
It demonstrates how careful planning, strong oversight, stakeholder engagement and strong commitments to achieving commonly agreed goals can count for nothing in the face of a relentless enemy.
It should particularly be required reading for bureaucrats with a passion for meetings. The reviewers’ discussion of the incessant meetings that involved Anglicare, its managers on-site at Newmarch House and the plethora of state and federal agencies and providers that were involved involved is startling. It’s worth quoting at length:


crikey--2020-08-25--Teachers aren’t failing COVID kids. The pollies are by not listening

We listen to health experts about the pandemic , and economists about the recession .
So why do n't we listen to teachers and principals about education ?
During lockdown mark one , year 5 students at one school were all given a shiny computer to take home to keep up with their teachers who would pop online each morning to convey the day ’ s lessons .
There were weird hat days , dress up days , maths cluster days , and group online play dates — all delivered into their lounge rooms and home play rooms .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , primary school teachers used their own money to photocopy pages and pages of lessons .
They then climbed into their own cars and drove from family to family to deliver the curriculum .
The inequity in the education delivered to students is just one prodigious snag in the forest of challenges delivered by COVID-19 .
There are many others .
Anxiety including school refusal , particularly among teen girls , has reached menacing levels .
Young children , given phones to keep in touch with friends during COVID-19 , are struggling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school students are handing in drawings with a coronavirus monster knocking at their front door .
NAPLAN might not go ahead because of an agreement between the union and government in one state .
The spectre of unemployment and the cancellation of gap year plans means applications for universities next year have jumped by up to 40 % in some regions .
But silver linings have popped up too .
Kids Helpline has recorded a drop in bullying-related calls .
Some students with autism have blossomed away from the packed classroom .
Shy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of two dozen others , have seen a jump in their marks in assessments .
And despite the loss of some rites of passage , the delivery of online lessons to students in years 11 and 12 has provided them with both flexibility and easy sleep-ins .
That ’ s what principals and teachers are telling their school communities , and some individual schools are reshaping lessons and timetables and delivery modes to accommodate changes .
But why aren ’ t we having these discussions at a national level ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senseless .
We don ’ t value the expertise and experience of those responsible for the education of our children .
We don ’ t seek the advice of principals on the value of NAPLAN , or the mental health challenges facing our children .
We develop policy without their input , use them as scapegoats when it suits , and then wonder why we are on a perpetual chase to match other countries ’ education wins .
Perhaps this is another lesson being offered by COVID-19 .
We are listening to health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confronting this generation .
The names of our chief health officers and pandemic experts roll off our tongues in debates .
The same goes for those experts able to offer rational explanation of the economic crisis we face .
Take the public role of Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe , for example .
This is a health and economics crisis first , second and third .
But that doesn ’ t mean it won ’ t become an education crisis too .
Our schools are jam-packed with men and women whose expertise spans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a generation , what makes a leader and what doesn ’ t .
School counsellors who can change the way a child thinks .
Guidance officers who can teach children to grow dreams beyond what they can see .
And the principals — those CEOs of our public and private schools — who run budgets into the millions while juggling everything from legal issues around child protection to future-proofing tomorrow ’ s workers .
So why don ’ t we seek them out as we plot the future of education in Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it now , as COVID-19 risks disrupting the next year or two of schooling ?
Decisions made in schools can and do matter for decades .
You don ’ t need an ATAR to understand that .

During lockdown mark one, year 5 students at one school were all given a shiny computer to take home to keep up with their teachers who would pop online each morning to convey the day’s lessons.
There were weird hat days, dress up days, maths cluster days, and group online play dates — all delivered into their lounge rooms and home play rooms.
A few kilometres away, at another school, primary school teachers used their own money to photocopy pages and pages of lessons. They then climbed into their own cars and drove from family to family to deliver the curriculum.


crikey--2020-08-25--The road toll should have ceased during lockdowns, but the data says otherwise

With traffic a distant memory , you 'd think road deaths would have also disappeared .
Not so .
Traffic is a distant memory .
The roads are empty .
You can ’ t take an interstate road trip .
There are no tourists piloting rental cars along the wrong side of the road .
For most of the year of 2020 you haven ’ t been able to go to the pub let alone drive home drunk .
So you might expect a welcome side-benefit of the COVID-19 crisis would be a big fall in the road toll .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on roads .
Deaths are down a modest 8.5 % on the average of the previous five years , not that much better than the usual annual downtrend of -4.4 % .
This data — from the Bureau of Infrastructure , Transport and Regional Economics — shows April is the only month of the year where road deaths hit a record low .
Deaths were down about 20 % compared with the average of the past five years .
Of course petrol sales fell 43 % in April , suggesting the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sad news for all the families involved .
The silver linings in this COVID cloud are faint and hard to find .

Traffic is a distant memory. The roads are empty. You can’t take an interstate road trip. There are no tourists piloting rental cars along the wrong side of the road. For most of the year of 2020 you haven’t been able to go to the pub let alone drive home drunk.
So you might expect a welcome side-benefit of the COVID-19 crisis would be a big fall in the road toll. Not so.
Australians continue to die on roads. Deaths are down a modest 8.5% on the average of the previous five years, not that much better than the usual annual downtrend of -4.4%.


crikey--2020-08-28--Yes, it’s time to talk about Labor again: a lost party on a long losing streak

It may be that only with the next defeat will Labor have the total collapse it really needs to reconstruct itself .
Good Lord , is it talk-about-the-Labor-party-again time already ?
It comes around so quick doesn ’ t it ?
What are you getting them this year ?
I ’ m hanging a sack on their mantelpiece , and filling it with nuts , since they ’ ve been so unable to grow one of their own .
Okay , last narky joke of the piece .
But what started the current round ?
Oh , yeah Joel Fitzgibbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lump .
The member for the Hunter Valley got the fright of his life in 2019 , when the One Nation candidate gained a 21 % vote , and Fitzgibbon suffered a near 10 % swing against him , leaving him with a 3 % margin .
Part of that may have been a substantial change in the seat of Hunter ’ s boundaries , but it seems likely — and Fitzgibbon is convinced — that deep displeasure with the ALP ’ s mixed messages on coal mining and jobs is a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alluding to other stuff as well , which I would guess , from spending a fair bit of time through northern Victoria/rural NSW/southern Queensland in the last few years is : an obsession with gender and representation of such , trans issues , the reprogramming men as anti-domestic violence strategy , a guilt-focused reading of our history , any desire for an immigration reduction seen as racist , etc .
Things are a bit more problematic than that , but before getting to Labor ’ s problems with progressivism , let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so large .
They do so because Labor doesn ’ t offer a genuine alternative program for creating a modern Australia , such as would make their cultural politics a relatively minor matter .
There was no program in the 2019 election and there ’ s no program now .
Labor , as a social liberal party , should be founded on the notion of a radical attack on inequality , not merely of circumstance , but of opportunity – and not merely of opportunity for economic advancement , but for human self-flourishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not defined by the market or consumption .
Instead , it has become a party focused on national macroeconomics , with the assumption that inequality will take care of itself .
It presents itself as the better bet for sustained jobs and growth , presenting itself simply as an alternative Coalition — adopting , like them , a wilful lack of projection of any sort of national social strategy or direction .
The trouble is that ’ s how the Labor Right believes things should be in Australia : a minimal social market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government with a technically , instrumentally better plan .
The true disaster of 2019 was that this basic disposition was overlaid with a series of policies from the Left , taken on as part of the stability pact deal .
So you had : jobs and growth and coal , and 50 % renewables by next Tuesday .
You had : we ’ ll put money in your pocket to spend on housing and health care and education as you see fit — but , we ’ re also going after franking credits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have .
And we ’ re doing it for “ schools and hospitals ” as Tanya Plibersek said exasperatedly .
There was no program in 2019 , there is no program now , and Labor has largely wasted the year and change since the election .
It ’ s not just me saying that .
Nick Dyrenfurth , head of the John Curtin Institute , said as much at the time of the Eden-Monaro byelection .
Dyrenfurth has taken on a thankless task — that of trying to intellectually re-invigorate the Labor right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club going among the Carlton Crew .
But both the Labor Right ’ s organ Tocsin ( the name is a measure of Labor ’ s obsessive nostalgia , which leaves outsiders cold ) and to a lesser degree the Left ’ s Challenge , are long on policy pabulum , and short on actual social and political analysis .
Maybe that ’ s circulated internally , but I doubt much of it goes on at all .
In the absence of any prospect of real change on this front , back then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural gap .
That is real , and it is insoluble on its own terms .
The other three major parties have some degree of organic relationship between representatives and represented .
Scotty from marketing doesn ’ t have to fake being ‘ burban ; indeed , the derisive nickname pays tribute to his ‘ burbosity .
The Nationals are eight or so families who act as a sort of squirearchy ; the Greens represent the knowledge-culture-policy ( kcp ) class , and used to be people with real such jobs who became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians are kcp class members , so there ’ s a fit there .
Labor alone has a major disjuncture between its kcp leadership , its inner membership .
There ’ s no point in Labor ’ s leaders trying to fake it with flag emojis and such .
No one , including people who avidly support them , believe them to be anything other than a bunch of inner-city lawyers who started as student politicians , a modern caste within a wider class .
The fact is , Fitzgibbon is right about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons this writer emphasises the notion of a “ knowledge class ” is that this is the fundamental divide in our society today , both in life chances and social values , and much political struggle is a class struggle for social recognition , for social selfhood , between the knowledge class and the working and middle classes whose lives are centred around more routinised manual/retail/office labour .
Classes hold specific social values as general truths and go to war to try and enforce them .
In an industrial society , the left-right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be , waged through economics , and culture was subsidiary .
At the moment , the war is life-as-culture , with economics as subsidiary .
Many people outside the knowledge class feel they are fighting not only to keep a hold on such prosperity as they gained in the industrial/social democratic era , but to hold onto some continuity of traditional life , and a mix of traditional and modern values .
Often this is displaced economic undermining .
In Singleton and other parts of the Hunter , all I heard about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what a disaster it had been , making community impossible — “ how are you supposed to organise a football team ?
” someone asked — and doing what irregular high wages always do : prompting spending blowouts , addiction , debt and local inflation .
The labour movement fought for the eight-hour day to create the stability that made life possible — a fight which involved talking back to workers who preferred casual hire .
It has said little or nothing about the social disaster of FIFO .
If it were to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a right to a good job , where they live , then the cultural divide would be put back in its box .
The relation between cultural and economic values and Labor ’ s elite and its base has now become utterly tangled .
Whatever people such as Fitzgibbon urge , there is no chance that Labor ’ s elite would abandon deeply held views on cultural matters , nationalism etc , because deep down they believe them to be the only possible values , and that other groups will simply “ catch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to invoke patriotism it turns into something of a masquerade , which alienates people further .
But the notion of such a cultural shift is invoked only because any form of political-economic shift is simply ruled out of bounds .
For the right , the mix of economic nationalist , protectionist and self-reliant sentiment that is prevalent among Australians and Labor voters specifically , is simply never to be taken into consideration on orthodox economic grounds .
Party base and supporters are simply to be educated out of it .
In the absence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two parts of Labor in a way that could allow them to hold their differences .
To a degree , mainstream party politics is now simply a war between the knowledge class and the bourgeois elite .
Labor ’ s fanbase gets all huffy when you say that , but it ’ s really a categorical shift across the West .
The atomisation of life in a high-tech neoliberal society has undermined the possibility of class politics in any mass institutional sense , which is one reason why events like Trump and Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pathway to re-engagement that was not controlled by a progressivist elite .
There is no sign of a desire within Labor to change the institutional arrangements that entrench such a split .
Indeed , the microfactions rely on it to maintain their recruitment .
Labor ’ s leaders and tame intelligentsia were pretty indifferent to ideas about change before the last election .
Eruptions like Fitzgibbon ’ s are occurring because a panic is setting in .
The 2021/22 election might be lost as a pseudo national-security election due to COVID-19 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a down payement on the next one , so 25 % of 2024/25 ’ s loss would occur in 2021/22 .
Labor has spent a quarter century mostly out of power , and is staring down the barrel of a third of a century .
Worse , since 1996 , it has utterly failed to create a remodelled social democracy “ offer ” that could connect with mainstream Australian sentiment .
There is no shame in repeated defeats , in our drab Murdochia , but the fact that nothing has been built as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from scratch after every loss — means that , barring a fluke win , many of its current leaders have simply wasted their lives on being not much at all , except spare meat on the opposition benches .
Maybe it is only with the next defeat that Labor will have the total collapse it really needs to reconstruct itself .
At the moment , one final service some old lags could give the party is to have a total nervous breakdown and be carried from the opposition caucus room in a rubber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them remains to be seen .
See you at next talk-about-the-crisis-of-Labor event .
Bring a template .

Good Lord, is it talk-about-the-Labor-party-again time already?
It comes around so quick doesn’t it? What are you getting them this year? I’m hanging a sack on their mantelpiece, and filling it with nuts, since they’ve been so unable to grow one of their own. Okay, last narky joke of the piece.
But what started the current round? Oh, yeah Joel Fitzgibbon. Joel Coal. Joey the carbon lump. The member for the Hunter Valley got the fright of his life in 2019, when the One Nation candidate gained a 21% vote, and Fitzgibbon suffered a near 10% swing against him, leaving him with a 3% margin.


crikey--2020-08-28--Tony Abbott and the ‘people’s revolt’ against Gillard’s climate policy

In her new book 'The Carbon Club ' Marian Wilkinson exposes the truth behind Australia 's inaction on climate change .
Among developed nations , why is Australia one of only two countries to have such a shameful record on climate change ?
And why have the brutal and divisive politics of climate change managed to topple three of our prime ministers ?
For several years , award-winning journalist Marian Wilkinson has been investigating the relationship between climate-sceptic politicians , business leaders and their allies .
For her latest book The Carbon Club , she has conducted scores of interviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expose the truth behind Australia ’ s inaction on climate change .
In this very readable book , released on Monday , Wilkinson has revealed many new details of the international campaign to undermine climate science and the urgency of the climate crisis .
No book on this topic is complete without an analysis of one of our most sceptical politicians , Tony Abbott .
In 2010 , with Julia Gillard in the Lodge , Abbott ’ s shadow parliamentary secretary and chief attack dog Cory Bernardi was let out to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with young libertarian Tim Andrews , who had trained with the Koch Brothers ’ internship in the US .
“ The two helped create the ‘ people ’ s revolt ’ against the climate policy , using the power of social media and the tactics of the Tea Party movement that was gaining ground in the US Republican party .
“ One of the driving ideas behind the campaign was to exploit the anger and disaffection among ordinary voters towards politicians , ” Wilkinson writes .
Andrews had spent 2008 working with America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norquist , who founded Americans for Tax Reform .
He famously praised the role of “ throat-slitters ” in politics – activists who could get things done .
Throughout 2011 , the two men brought together more than 20 organisations , including Christian conservative lobby the National Civic Council , the Christian Democrat Party , the Young Liberals , the Liberal Students Federation , shooters , farmers , the Lavoisier Group , the Libertarian Party of Australia and a host of fringe climate-sceptic groups .
United , they created a broad anti-carbon tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolt ” against Gillard and the emissions trading scheme passed by Kevin Rudd would fundamentally fracture conservative politics in Australia , fostering splinter parties and deepening divisions in the Liberals , Wilkinson writes .
“ It would destroy any chance of uniting the major political parties to face the enormous challenge of climate change.
” In the final chapters of the book , the author looks to the future .
Due to a COVID-related fall in demand for energy , 2020 is due to record the largest-ever fall in global emissions .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to be repeated every year till 2030 to keep global temperature rises to well below 2 degrees Celsius , she writes .
“ For over two decades , Australia ’ s politicians have been fighting the climate ward fuelled by the carbon club .
But despite the political carnage , the science of climate change has not been defeated .
The carbon club is breaking up as the climate crisis becomes more urgent .
The next decade will determine whether the country and its leaders can rise to the challenge that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her new book at a Crikey Talks event for Inside Access members next month .
Visit our Inside Access page to upgrade

Among developed nations, why is Australia one of only two countries to have such a shameful record on climate change? And why have the brutal and divisive politics of climate change managed to topple three of our prime ministers?
For several years, award-winning journalist Marian Wilkinson has been investigating the relationship between climate-sceptic politicians, business leaders and their allies. For her latest book The Carbon Club, she has conducted scores of interviews with players on both sides in order to expose the truth behind Australia’s inaction on climate change.
In this very readable book, released on Monday, Wilkinson has revealed many new details of the international campaign to undermine climate science and the urgency of the climate crisis.


crikey--2020-08-28--It’s time the body that audits the auditors lets the public audit it

Suspicions of vested interests will only grow as long as the Financial Reporting Council continues to meet behind closed doors @ @ @ @ @ .
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services has just a few months @ @ @ @ @ on audit regulation .
And while that might not sound very sexy , the committee @ @ @ @ @ the closed-shop discussions of a body that oversees rule-makers responsible for laws that force transparency @ @ @ @ @ not-for-profits .
The committee , chaired by Liberal Senator James Paterson , will issue a @ @ @ @ @ is yet to schedule further public hearings .

The clock is ticking. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services has just a few months to issue its final report on audit regulation.
And while that might not sound very sexy, the committee has the power to end the closed-shop discussions of a body that oversees rule-makers responsible for laws that force transparency on governments, companies and not-for-profits.
The committee, chaired by Liberal Senator James Paterson, will issue a final report in December and is yet to schedule further public hearings.


crikey--2020-08-28--Morrison’s muppet show — a galaxy of grubs, duds and also-rans

It 's a miracle the Morrison government is able to continue , given the assortment of losers , incompetents and grubs who have passed through cabinet .
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck ’ s disastrous performance this week should serve to remind us of the very long list of government ministers who have hung on until the next muppet comes to knock them off the should-be-sacked list .
Every government has its under-performers but this one has more than its share of absolute shockers ; most of whom are , incredibly , still there — or even more incredibly have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s probably not surprising that when Scott Morrison won the 2019 election it was almost singlehandedly , given the assortment of losers , incompetents and grubs behind him .
( And we ’ re leaving out the ones who couldn ’ t even make it to ministerial level . )
So here ’ s a reminder of some of the dubious stars of Morrison ’ s ministries .
This week ’ s award for worst-on-ground was won easily by Colbeck .
A weeks ago few had heard of him , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis in his portfolio during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Last Friday at a Senate inquiry he admitted he didn ’ t know the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes .
When Parliament resumed this week he still managed to give the wrong number before finally stumbling upon the correct answer .
To top it off yesterday he slunk out of the Senate chamber while Labor ’ s Penny Wong was replying to his speech .
She rightly called him out as a “ disgrace ” .
Before Colbeck ’ s incompetence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor was dubbed the benchmark for scandal .
This includes , in no particular order of disgrace : “ satergate ” , “ grassgate ” and “ Clovergate ” .
In fact some in the media have now bundled them together into the generic “ Angusgate ” .
Taylor ’ s litany of conflicts of interest , fake documents and general opprobrium made him the minister most vulnerable before the pandemic gave him some respite .
Still the front runner in the scandal stakes .
Where to start .
In 2013 he and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at $ 50,000 from a Chinese billionaire .
The next year he took a trip to China for private business interests which eventually led to him being dumped in 2016 by then-PM Turnbull for breaching the ministerial code of conduct .
In 2017 his elderly father admitted he was unaware Robert had made him a company director and used his address for a private business which had been awarded government contracts .
Then there was the matter of Roberts ’ exorbitant $ 37,975 internet bill for which he charged taxpayers .
After helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win the prime ministership , Robert was back in cabinet — but the scandals keep coming .
Most recently as government services minister he falsely blamed hackers for crashing the MyGov website .
“ My bad , ” he said , which pretty well sums up his political career .
First coming to prominence by insulting the former president of Kiribati and accusing our Pacific neighbours of “ always ” having their hands out for “ cash ” .
As environment minister she was such an embarrassment she had to hide away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s clear they prefer she stay there despite being demoted to minister for defence industry .
Last month Crikey reported that Price refused to present at a public meeting of the Shire of Carnarvon , where she was slated to appear once she realised a journalist was there .
Replacing Price as environment minister after herself being pushed out of cabinet in 2017 over expense rort allegations .
Ley was the subject of an investigation after she charged taxpayers for a trip to the Gold Coast to buy a $ 780,000 investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry after Morrison became PM and has maintained , as they all do , that she had acted within the rules .
The subject of numerous inquiries over her office ’ s role in leaking the notorious AFP raid on AWU offices .
Even though her credibility was severely damaged by the whole saga — who can forget her hiding from scrutiny behind a whiteboard — she nonetheless remains as employment minister .
Pre-pandemic , McKenzie was vying with Taylor for worst-on-ground but she won by a nose — mainly because it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports rorts scandal led her to be one of the only ministers actually dumped by Morrison although it was over a technicality for not declaring she was a member of a club which received some of the controversial sports funding .
With rumors of another putsch planned against underwhelming Nationals leader Michael McCormack , a comeback is highly likely .
This week Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar has been embroiled in the ugly Victorian Liberal branch stacking allegations .
Known as the most powerful man outside the inner cabinet , Sukkar has long been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ branches — and now we ’ ve learned also to stack taxpayer-funded electoral offices .
The list goes on .
As do the ministers .

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck’s disastrous performance this week should serve to remind us of the very long list of government ministers who have hung on until the next muppet comes to knock them off the should-be-sacked list.
Every government has its under-performers but this one has more than its share of absolute shockers; most of whom are, incredibly, still there — or even more incredibly have managed to make a comeback.
It’s probably not surprising that when Scott Morrison won the 2019 election it was almost singlehandedly, given the assortment of losers, incompetents and grubs behind him. (And we’re leaving out the ones who couldn’t even make it to ministerial level.)


crikey--2020-08-31--Canberra (and Rupert) v big tech: can the government rein in Facebook and Google?

The government 's plan to rectify the power imbalance between news publishers and big tech makes no sense .
But then again , we should n't be surprised .
In the back of your brain , you may have registered that , among the fights contrary to Australia ’ s national interest which Scott Morrison has decided to pick , is a big one with Facebook and Google .
Why ?
The short answer to that is Donald and Rupert .
Under instructions , the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ( ACCC ) has issued a draft News Media Bargaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship between the digital giants and the legacy mainstream media .
It ’ s already triggered a war of words between Google and the ACCC .
The code reflects the ACCC ’ s attempt to rectify a power imbalance between news publishers and the two big digital platforms .
Google search results and Facebook news feeds each provide links to news publishers ’ stories .
These are the source of large volumes of traffic to news publishers ’ websites .
That traffic generates advertising revenue which is precious to the news publishers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income .
In contrast , Facebook and Google derive relatively little benefit from the ability to link to news content compared to the overall value of their business .
Neither side pays any money to the other for this traffic .
What the code aims to do The code proposes a complicated system whereby news publishers can register with the Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA ) in order to obtain rights against Google and Facebook , enabling them to find out what information is collected about their audience and be notified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also require Google or Facebook to bargain with them , in good faith , including about remuneration Google and Facebook should pay to them for being allowed to “ make available ” their news content .
If they can ’ t agree , there is mandatory arbitration .
Non-compliance triggers pecuniary penalties , with the maximum going up to 10 % of annual turnover .
Wait , the tech companies pay the publishers ?
Didn ’ t you say it ’ s not actually valuable to them ?
Yeah , we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Corp and Nine want the digital giants to underwrite their failing revenue model by paying for something Google and Facebook don ’ t need , and the government has bought in .
It makes no logical sense , will warp the market artificially and won ’ t save them in the long run anyway .
Why the code is flawed ( and why Google is all huffy ) The code will force Google and Facebook to pay for the opportunity to “ make available ” the news publishers ’ content .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Is it the mere publication of a hyperlink ?
A headline ?
A snippet ?
The whole story ?
Why would they have to pay to publish a hyperlink ?
If Google or Facebook reproduces a substantial part of a news story , then they might logically pay for a copyright licence .
But the code is not about copyright .
( As a sidenote , the EU has used copyright law to require Google to pay for news snippets . )
As a result , the code essentially makes it unlawful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is ( a ) very unclear and ( b ) probably lawful for anyone else to do ; that is , “ make available ” news content without paying for it .
Next , the code will apply to Google and Facebook indeterminately .
There ’ s no scheduled review of their designation , no opportunity for submissions , no criteria which must be applied before they ( or any other business ) are designated as having the code apply .
The code also ignores the possibility of Google or Facebook ceasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altogether .
That ’ s a huge area to leave grey , especially where attempts to make Google pay for news in other jurisdictions have resulted in Google withdrawing supply .
Then we get to price .
The code doesn ’ t say how much Google and Facebook have to pay for this right to do something that everyone else can ( probably ) do for free .
It talks about the value that the digital platforms derive and the cost of producing the news .
It ignores the value of the audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publishers , which by Google ’ s calculations is about 20 times greater than the value Google receives from its news function .
The practical effect of this solution to the wrong problem is that it will only make the news publishers more reliant on their relationship with Google and Facebook .
It won ’ t fix the power imbalance .
And it will make the news outlets less interested in dealing with any other digital platforms which aren ’ t subject to such rigorous bargaining and remuneration obligations .
Again , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; this time against their competitors .
It ’ s a classic Coalition government irony : in its ham-fisted attempt to rein in the digital monopolists , its main impact will be to further entrench their monopolies .
Good one , party of the free market .
Can it work at all ?
Interesting question — there is an inbuilt impossibility to all this .
For Google and Facebook , and especially their boards , how exactly are they supposed to live with a mandatory bargaining code that exposes them to open-ended financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually value ?
Reconciling that with their duties to their shareholders is not something we ’ d like to attempt .
That ’ s one of the direct consequences of the brutal illogic of the proposed code .
The government will steam ahead with the code regardless of its flaws and anything Google says .
It has built the David and Goliath narrative and now it needs to get the code through parliament and claim victory .
The argument will move then to the courts , who will have the unenviable job of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest exemplar of compromised , irrational policy-making from the laziest government we ’ ve ever had .

In the back of your brain, you may have registered that, among the fights contrary to Australia’s national interest which Scott Morrison has decided to pick, is a big one with Facebook and Google. Why? The short answer to that is Donald and Rupert.
What’s Scott done this time?
Under instructions, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a draft News Media Bargaining Code, designed to regulate the commercial relationship between the digital giants and the legacy mainstream media. It’s already triggered a war of words between Google and the ACCC.
Why the code?
The code reflects the ACCC’s attempt to rectify a power imbalance between news publishers and the two big digital platforms. Google search results and Facebook news feeds each provide links to news publishers’ stories. These are the source of large volumes of traffic to news publishers’ websites. That traffic generates advertising revenue which is precious to the news publishers, and for many their primary source of income.


crikey--2020-08-31--And the blame game goes round and round: ScoMo and News Corp on the China carousel

The blame China carousel keeps on spinning , and neither News Corp nor the government are showing any sign of wanting to get off .
Both News Corp and the Morrison government have , arm in arm , circled back to where we were in the COVID-19 blame game just four months ago : China .
Only now it ’ s been meshed with all the other priorities of the company and the government : attacking Dan Andrews , undermining universities and aligning with Trump ’ s rising trade war .
Giddy up !
Mount up for Australia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , powered by the government and News Corp : from foreign students and the “ China virus ” back in February , Chinese companies exporting medical supplies in March , the mysterious Wuhan lab in April-May and the consequent global inquiry , and finally the trade wars in June and again last week .
As always with News Corp ’ s reporting on government policy , it ’ s hard to tell : who ’ s the chicken and who ’ s the egg ?
Does the government decide on a policy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media to puff it ?
Or does one of those front-page exclusives prompt a quick policy throw together by a prime ministerial think tank ?
And , with both News and the government , there ’ s a further question : just how far back up the chain do you go before finding , um , suggestions from New York or Washington ?
Remember , the brouhaha over Victoria ’ s remarkably anodyne memorandum of understanding over China ’ s belt-and-road infrastructure initiative was sparked back in May with matching criticisms by Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Australia ’ s Sky News .
It prompted Morrison ’ s last bite at a “ tough new national security test ” on foreign investment in early June , with last week ’ s nationalist rhetoric getting an early trot around the track , along with two of Morrison ’ s favourite rhetorical devices : emphasis through varied repetition ( “ investment in Australia must be on our terms , on our rules and in our interests ” ) and hyperbole ( “ the most significant reforms to foreign investment laws since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drowned out at the time by the Black Lives Matters protests here and in the US ( and , according to Sydney ’ s The Daily Telegraph , by the threat to Gone with the Wind ) .
But then , too , professional journalism worked with government to get the message across .
While Morrison could publicly assert that he saw no reasons why China would be offended by the announcement , news.com.au confidently relied on background briefings to head their report to the contrary : “ Australia ’ s new rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ” .
News Corp is making sure its audience doesn ’ t miss China this time around , tying it tightly to its political and culture war enemies , now collectively dubbed in the Tele as “ Panda huggers ” .
Sky after dark has been promoting Bronwyn Bishop ’ s comments to Morrison ’ s interviewer of choice Paul Murray : “ Australia has been ‘ kissing the hand that holds the whip ’ in China ” .
The Australian followed up its Friday front page ( “ Eyes Wide shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice from security agencies on China deal ” ) with a Saturday front page exclusive from its recent hire , Walkley Award-winning investigations writer Sharri Markson : “ Chinese military links inside uni ” .
But the rollout threatens being derailed ( as was the June announcement ) by the far more controversial sale of the Darwin Port to a Chinese company with alleged links to the People ’ s Liberation Army back when Morrison was treasurer with oversight of foreign investment .
Oversight , sure , but with a carefully carved out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morrison asserted : “ The Darwin port was not sold with the approval authority of the Commonwealth government .
It was not.
” The port is a greater concern for the US , under both the Obama and the Trump administrations , not least because the US Marine force in the territory rotates through the China-owned port .
As China ’ s deputy head of mission to Australia , Wang Xining , told the National Press Club last week ) the government ’ s approach “ hurts the feelings of the Chinese people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government ’ s call for an independent inquiry linked to the Tele ’ s “ COVID files exclusive ” , based in an apparent 15-page dossier tying the virus to a Wuhan lab .
More thoughtfully , he attempted to draw a distinction between influence ( which all countries attempt ) and interference ( a global no-no ) .
Too subtle for a politically focussed government .
As long as the government and News Corp can get their mutual base along for the ride , expect the China COVID carousel to take @ @ @ @ @

Both News Corp and the Morrison government have, arm in arm, circled back to where we were in the COVID-19 blame game just four months ago: China. Only now it’s been meshed with all the other priorities of the company and the government: attacking Dan Andrews, undermining universities and aligning with Trump’s rising trade war.
Giddy up! Mount up for Australia’s fifth ride around the China COVID carousel, powered by the government and News Corp: from foreign students and the “China virus” back in February, Chinese companies exporting medical supplies in March, the mysterious Wuhan lab in April-May and the consequent global inquiry, and finally the trade wars in June and again last week.
As always with News Corp’s reporting on government policy, it’s hard to tell: who’s the chicken and who’s the egg? Does the government decide on a policy and then rely on News Corp’s media to puff it? Or does one of those front-page exclusives prompt a quick policy throw together by a prime ministerial think tank?


crikey--2020-08-31--It’s time for the feds to rebuild the economy by building social housing

A $ 7.7 billion investment to build 30,000 homes and repair thousands more would raise economic output by $ 15.7 @ @ @ @ @ -- 107 homes built over eight storeys clustered around an atrium and with cascading plants @ @ @ @ @ , a few kilometres from Brisbane .
It was developed by the not-for-profit Brisbane Housing @ @ @ @ @ struggle to afford a decent home in the private rental market .
Adrian , 69 @ @ @ @ @ to pay $ 100- $ 150 more a week to a private landlord .
Erica @ @ @ @ @ have to cook her meals in an electric frypan in a cramped bedsit with no @ @ @ @ @ only has a stove , an oven and a separate bedroom , but a balcony @ @ @ @ @ was designed for the climate , she stays comfortable in a Brisbane summer without needing @ @ @

The Richmond Apartments — 107 homes built over eight storeys clustered around an atrium and with cascading plants — sits in Bowen Hills, a few kilometres from Brisbane.
It was developed by the not-for-profit Brisbane Housing Company when many residents would struggle to afford a decent home in the private rental market.
Adrian, 69, said he would have to pay $100-$150 more a week to a private landlord. Erica said that she used to have to cook her meals in an electric frypan in a cramped bedsit with no kitchen. Now she not only has a stove, an oven and a separate bedroom, but a balcony, and as the building was designed for the climate, she stays comfortable in a Brisbane summer without needing an air-conditioner.


crikey--2020-09-01--Winning the COVID war: data reveals which countries are doing well — or otherwise

New COVID-19 data shows that while many countries are weathering the storm , others are falling to fresh depths .
@ @ @ @ @ difference More than seventy countries worldwide now have the COVID-19 pandemic well-controlled , with many @ @ @ @ @ for the month of August 2020 .
Worldwide , August was worse than July , @ @ @ @ @ several countries including Australia .
Deaths in all countries are currently recorded as 171,616 for @ @ @ @ @ in July .
This confirms that countries which have put in place strict control regimes @ @ @ @ @ reduced mortality .
But many countries haven ’ t .
Hence the global picture remains @ @ @ @ @ Iceland , Singapore , Thailand , China , Taiwan and Brunei are among 21 nations @ @ @ @ @ .

More than seventy countries worldwide now have the COVID-19 pandemic well-controlled, with many recording no deaths at all for the month of August 2020.
Worldwide, August was worse than July, as a second wave hit several countries including Australia. Deaths in all countries are currently recorded as 171,616 for August, compared with 162,780 in July. This confirms that countries which have put in place strict control regimes are reaping the benefits in reduced mortality. But many countries haven’t. Hence the global picture remains grim.
New
Zealand, Iceland, Singapore, Thailand, China, Taiwan and Brunei are among 21
nations which recorded zero August deaths.