crikey--2020-06-24--Defunding the humanities? This hurts STEM education too

The government 's plan to restructure university fees will have disastrous consequences for all students , not just those studying the humanities .
The Australian government ’ s proposed fee restructuring for universities will have disastrous consequences for the humanities .
But it ’ s bad news for STEM education , too .
How do I know ?
Because I ’ m an Australian teaching the history of science to STEM students in a major public university in the United States , and I see first-hand how desperately science undergraduates need training in culture , politics , and society .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ geneticists without having ever heard of eugenics .
Future doctors without any understanding that medicine can cause pain and injustice just as adeptly as it can give relief .
Future engineers who have never had a forum to voice their concerns about how technology can erode our rights as citizens .
As it stands , Australian STEM students are even less exposed to these discussions because , unlike the US system , Australian universities usually do not require students to cross-enroll in humanities credits .
This was the case when I was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I was funneled into science-only courses .
I was never taught that biomedical sciences are social systems — that therapeutic innovation can be racist , sexist and classist .
Not once in my science degree did I learn how evolutionary theory was born on the assumptions of white supremacy , and how this racism still reverberates in 21st century institutions .
Never was I made to appreciate that our abusive relationship with the environment is at once a scientific , economic , historical and philosophical problem , and that intelligent policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from all these fields .
I only learned about these things when I stumbled into a humanities elective .
Taking this first humanities subject was transformative , and it made me a better scientist .
Engaging in discussions about race , class , and gender truly reoriented my engagement with the sciences .
Not only did I become better and more creative in my biology classes — who knew that a history class could help me better understand and challenge theories of heredity ?
— but I had an eye to how science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science for what it is : plonked in a complex social milieu , bigger and more complicated than just “ facts ” and “ data ” .
Like me , many science students in Australia stumble into humanities classes and make these same realisations .
Some of them do what I did : declare a dual degree in Science/Arts , and continue thinking deeply and compassionately about how STEM works in our world .
Under the new government plan , this fortuitous act of stumbling into a humanities class will occur less often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door to Arts subjects is closed to science students , so too is an opportunity for enrichment .
Australia ’ s plan to restructure funding at universities is touted as an investment in the sciences , but it is actually a heavy blow .
The next generation will be less equipped to operate in a competitive international marketplace , and less able to adapt their science-making to the increasingly complicated world that demands their attention and expertise .
It takes more than just a science degree to educate future scientists .
They need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in a type of critical thinking that can not be found in a laboratory .
Patrick Walsh is an Australian PhD student in the history of science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison .
He holds a masters degree from the University of Wisconsin , and bachelors degrees with honours from the University of Queensland .

The Australian government’s proposed fee restructuring for universities will have disastrous consequences for the humanities. But it’s bad news for STEM education, too.
How do I know? Because I’m an Australian teaching the history of science to STEM students in a major public university in the United States, and I see first-hand how desperately science undergraduates need training in culture, politics, and society.
They come to my classroom as future geneticists without having ever heard of eugenics. Future doctors without any understanding that medicine can cause pain and injustice just as adeptly as it can give relief. Future engineers who have never had a forum to voice their concerns about how technology can erode our rights as citizens.


crikey--2020-06-24--Another COVID conflict? Calls for transparency over second role for Liveris

Chemicals billionaire and former Trump adviser Andrew Liveris is sparking more questions about his potential conflicts of interest as the chair of a second COVID commission Welcome to the first article in Crikey ’ s Conflict of Interest beat , where we take a look behind the curtain to see who ’ s benefiting from what .
Today : does Andrew Liveris stand to gain anything financially from his role on Australia ’ s COVID-19 recovery commissions ?
Billionaire Andrew Liveris is one well-connected man .
He ’ s apparently so key to Australia ’ s post-COVID economy that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advisory commissions , tasked with shaping the economy for years to come .
Yet his potential conflicts of interest are still not clear .
When the oil and gas executive popped-up on Scott Morrison ’ s National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission ( NCCC ) it raised questions about his role as special adviser .
Now the former Trump adviser is facing more scrutiny over how he will manage his financial interests as the chair of another powerful group of COVID advisers : the Northern Territory ’ s Economic Reconstruction Commission .
Both of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe Australia ’ s natural resources , particularly gas , is key to an economic recovery .
And yet like other advisers Liveris , who made his fortune from the resources and chemicals sector , is not required to tell anybody whether his advice will make him richer .
The NT commission is another COVID advisory body that has a lot of power yet little oversight .
As its terms of reference say , the body is non-statutory and its role and functions are “ advisory in nature ” .
But the NT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made up of high profile corporate and government leaders , including former Westpac CEO Gail Kelly and former secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Martin Parkinson .
It ’ s also putting a lot of emphasis on the role of resources to pull the state out of recession .
Liveris is not just any member of the NT commission — he is the co-chair .
Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick says Liveris must declare his interests to ensure full transparency .
“ He needs to declare publicly his interests in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of decisions made by the government , ” he said .
Liveris made his fortune as the head of Michigan-based Dow Chemicals , where he spent 14 years as CEO .
He was hand picked by Trump to advise on economic policies .
Yet his private financial interests are not clear , and they will remain opaque unless he and other NT commission members are required to disclose them .
Liveris has talked up the potential of the NT ’ s Beetaloo Basin to contribute to Australia ’ s onshore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Australian , he said there was a lot more gas onshore that could be produced .
“ There is a lot of gas sitting under the ground in Australia onshore ( which could be tapped by ) working with state governments , ” he said .
In a leaked report he wrote for the national commission , he argued for Australian taxpayers to underwrite an expansion of the gas industry .
Rick Wilkinson , head of consulting at energy advisory firm EnergyQuest , says that an energy company which Liveris deputy-chairs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development in the region .
“ Worley would benefit from increased activity in the oil and gas industry because they do the engineering work for oil and gas , ” he said .
Crikey tried to contact Liveris to ask about his potential conflicts but received no response .
But we understand that the NT government may be considering new measures to increase the commission ’ s transparency .
At the moment , there is virtually none .
As the commission ’ s own terms of reference on accountability make clear , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role and functions are “ advisory in nature ” .

Billionaire Andrew Liveris is one well-connected man. He’s apparently so key to Australia’s post-COVID economy that he’s on not one but two advisory commissions, tasked with shaping the economy for years to come.
Yet his potential conflicts of interest are still not clear.
When the oil and gas executive popped-up on Scott Morrison’s National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission (NCCC) it raised questions about his role as special adviser.


crikey--2020-06-24--Premier confuses the public but once again finds herself ahead of the curve

Annastacia Palaszczuk 's strict border controls have been controversial ( and confusing ) , but the breaks have gone her way .
This article first appeared at InQueensland .
After three months of COVID-19-driven restrictions and deprivations , the single thing I ’ d most like to do is fly to Melbourne , visit friends and relax at one of the Victorian capital ’ s fine restaurants .
However , it ’ s not going to happen and I ’ m fine with that .
I ’ m willing to wait until there ’ s more certainty and safety in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become the outstanding hotspot in Australia for new COVID-19 infections with an alarming number resulting from community transmission .
Annastacia Palaszczuk is sticking firm with her controversial — and at times a little confusing — line about this state ’ s borders .
The enforced lockdown of Queensland to outside travellers is staying and we locals needn ’ t think about heading south unless we want to have a stay-at-home order when we return .
When Palaszczuk ’ s border closure message was as clear as the water flowing in the Yarra River @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 10 date for opening up for a “ maybe we ’ ll wait until September ” policy — the premier was widely criticised .
Despite having steadied her gaze and returned the original roadmap released in early May , which proposed a review at the end of June and opening borders on July 10 if all the ducks lined up properly , a coalition of conservative politicians ( state and federal ) , tourism operators ( big and small ) and their media cheer squad have kept up loud demands for opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week .
The LNP ’ s Deb Frecklington has been in the media almost every day since her leadership went to the brink of destruction , calling on Palaszczuk to open the borders on July 1 .
At first it sounded opportunistic and a bit off the main game — which has been to cement the virus-busting gains achieved in Queensland since March .
Now it sounds dangerous .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also demanding the states open borders with particular criticism heaped on Queensland and Palaszczuk — it seems his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can be parked when there ’ s some tough guy politicking to do .
It ’ s said Palaszczuk is a leader blessed with a mix of uncanny good luck and being able to extract herself from tight corners or deep holes filled with toxic political waste .
During the 2017 election campaign , Palaszczuk turned around a situation where , midway through proceedings , she was headed for certain defeat and came up a surprise winner .
Many Labor insiders remain unsure how she did it and suggest even she might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knocked into gear at just the right time .
It ’ s a great weapon to have in your political armoury but you wouldn ’ t want to rely on it too often .
Right now Palaszczuk is in the middle of what might be remembered as a turning point in the campaign trajectory for the October 31 poll .
The LNP leadership blew up four-and-a-half months out from polling day but wasn ’ t really resolved .
The plotters correctly diagnosed the party ’ s chances would increase significantly if Frecklington was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cack-handed way all they managed to do was leave things as they were .
Frecklington ’ s position as leader is secured and her chief antagonist , party president David Hutchinson , is also standing firm , sending the parliamentary and organisational wings of the LNP off to battle without a hint of trust , cooperation or coordination .
It ’ s as if they found a secret plan plotting the route to a Labor victory and are following it step by step .
The borders controversy is just another misstep by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a tin ear for what Queenslanders are thinking .
As Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced a winding back of scheduled easing of COVID-19 restrictions and the national health advisory body identified specific local government areas around Melbourne as effectively out-of-bounds , the Queensland government ’ s cautious policy on borders looked considered and in touch with what most people were wanting and saying .
When Health Minister Steven Miles hit back at continued criticism of the state ’ s border closures by saying those advocating an early opening of the barriers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people around Queensland nodding in agreement .
On the hierarchy of needs , being reckless with the wellbeing of the community is not a winning move .
The response of Gladys Berejiklian — telling people in her state not to go Victoria unless there was a compelling reason — highlighted how the argument has turned in Palaszczuk ’ s favour .
A week ago the New South Wales premier was telling her Queensland counterpart to open the borders without delay .
There are plenty of possible twists and turns between now and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all the breaks are going the way of the Queensland premier .

This article first appeared at InQueensland.
After three months of COVID-19-driven restrictions and deprivations, the single thing I’d most like to do is fly to Melbourne, visit friends and relax at one of the Victorian capital’s fine restaurants.
However, it’s not going to happen and I’m fine with that. I’m willing to wait until there’s more certainty and safety in terms of travelling to Victoria which has become the outstanding hotspot in Australia for new COVID-19 infections with an alarming number resulting from community transmission.


crikey--2020-06-24--Donation laws prove tricky in phoney war on super — while the real war hots up

While the Liberal Party continues to attack the industry super sector , the profound flaws on the retail super model are about to be played out in court .
While the Liberal Party , and associated media organs continue to attack superannuation , a very real sequel to past attacks is about to play out in court .
Crikey has been waiting with bated breath for when the latest set of answers to questions about super funds asked by House of Reps economics committee chair Tim Wilson would mysteriously turn up in the offices of the Financial Review and News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called this peculiar phenomenon out and began asking Wilson on Twitter about when we could expect anti-industry funds articles based on the answers to start showing up in the media , no such articles appeared ; instead , the answers popped up where they ’ re supposed to be — on the committee ’ s website .
On closer inspection , however , we can ’ t take any credit for that , because it appears that super funds gave Wilson and his tame journalists little to work with .
Take for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lending equity to two favourite targets of the anti-industry fund campaign , Hostplus and REST .
“ Since 12 March 2020 , has your fund provided any liquidity to : a ) REST ?
b ) Hostplus ?
c ) any other superannuation fund ?
” Wilson demanded of super funds , anxious to sniff out a suggestion that industry funds were propping up their mates .
“ No , ” they unanimously chorused — including Hostplus and REST .
But Wilson went further .
He asked Hostplus , REST and another industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund currently facing a liquidity crisis ?
” and if not , “ is there another crisis your fund is currently experiencing ?
” Let ’ s step back for some perspective here : this is the chair of Parliament ’ s economics committee suggesting — as part of an ideological campaign against industry super funds — that three industry funds may face a liquidity or some other kind of crisis .
If the market didn ’ t know that backbench hacks like Wilson are simply engaged in their routine attacks on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real and damaging consequences for the funds — which surely could not have been Wilson ’ s intention ?
Hostplus noted that given there was a global pandemic , it had activated its crisis management plan “ to ensure the safety of its staff and the continuity of service to its members ” but otherwise there was no crisis .
“ Cbus is not currently facing a liquidity or any other type of crisis , ” Cbus replied .
It was industry fund peak body Industry Super Australia , however , that embarrassed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ISA out in the fabled Labor fundraising that Liberals have been accusing the industry sector of .
“ In the 2018-19 year , according to AEC records , ISA made a contribution of $ 1,600 to the Labor Party .
Can you provide clarification on that ?
” he demanded at a hearing in May .
ISA was happy to .
Wilson had been caught out by his own party ’ s refusal to provide transparency about its political donations .
While Wilson and co are wasting the time of super funds with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investments Commission — these days at least trying to do the job it conspicuously avoided doing for so many years — was preparing a major case against Colonial First State and its former owner ( now part-owner ) , the Commonwealth Bank .
In an action filed on Monday , ASIC claims that CFS paid CBA to sell its “ Essential Super ” product through its branch network from 2013-18 — paid $ 22 million , to be exact , covering nearly 400,000 people who ended up signing up .
After the Hayne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a civil case against both of them under the conflicted remuneration provisions of the Future of Financial Advice laws put in place by Bill Shorten when Labor was in government .
That ’ s the FOFA laws the Liberals tried desperately to repeal when they got into government .
The Essential Super case is the perfect demonstration of what was wrong with retail super and why the FOFA laws were crucial .
The Commonwealth Bank was paid by its subsidiary to flog a super product to customers allegedly regardless of their personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the fund .
And Essential Super and CSF members paid for the privilege through a flow of revenue to CSF ’ s owner .
There was indeed a crisis in superannuation — one the Liberals ignored until they were forced to call a royal commission that exposed such rorts .

While the Liberal Party, and associated media organs continue to attack superannuation, a very real sequel to past attacks is about to play out in court.
Crikey has been waiting with bated breath for when the latest set of answers to questions about super funds asked by House of Reps economics committee chair Tim Wilson would mysteriously turn up in the offices of the Financial Review and News Corp papers.


crikey--2020-06-24--Labor offers to deal with terrorists in climate wars

In offering bipartisanship on energy , Labor is offering to do a deal with the 'terrorists ' who have thwarted all forms of climate action for years .
After the second hottest year on record globally , the hottest year on record in Australia , our second hottest summer ever after 2018-19 , an unprecedentedly catastrophic summer of bushfires and record-breaking Arctic and Antarctic temperatures , Labor has opted to , in effect , surrender on climate to the denialists of the Coalition .
Anthony Albanese ’ s Press Club speech today — liberally distributed , as usual , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even fifth-best policy positions on climate in favour of offering the government a chance to establish a bipartisan energy policy .
By abandoning any interest in a National Energy Guarantee , Anthony Albanese will position Labor as weaker on climate action than Malcolm Turnbull , who at least sought to include both energy security and emissions reduction within his energy policy framework before another right-wing/Murdoch putsch forced him out .
Albanese ’ s bottom lines for a bipartisan policy are that it be scalable , so that Labor can embrace stronger targets than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current policies ) 26-28 % on 2005 reduction targets , that the Coalition ’ s infantile “ soil magic ” Emissions Reduction Fund be discontinued , and that nuclear power remains off the table .
However , Labor is happy to accept carbon capture and storage — which like nuclear power suffers from massive cost blowouts and long delays , but unlike nuclear power has never actually been shown to work .
The problem with the “ scalability ” argument that is that , ultimately , all policies are scalable — it just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the Coalition first committed to the 26-28 % target under Tony Abbott , the Australian Industry Group , not exactly known for its radical climate activism , calculated that achieving such a target with the Coalition ’ s Direct Action policy ( then , and now , the only climate policy the government has ) would cost taxpayers between $ 100 and $ 250 billion .
Given that the Coalition shuns all forms of climate-based regulation , let alone a carbon price , taxpayer funding is the only remaining mechanism for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding emissions abatement undertakings by business and the community ( with or without the kind of dodgy brothers accounting that the Emissions Reduction Fund comes with around sequestration ) , or by incentivising investment in emissions reduction technologies like renewable energy and storage infrastructure .
In the Coalition ’ s hands , direct funding ends up being treated as a pork barrel , handed to key supporter groups like farmers , or to its donors .
By accepting — though not proposing to fund — CCS , Albanese can offer the coal wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can continue as a legitimate industry on a warming planet , even as the ruined communities continue to clear up the wreckage from the summer from hell .
In doing so , he ’ s peddling in the same fiction as the government — that CCS can ever make a meaningful contribution to reducing emissions .
It can not .
That all said , ordinarily , the offer of genuine bipartisanship on a key area of long-term infrastructure investment would be a sound one .
Investors need policy certainty in energy , something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost government .
But there can be no bipartisanship with the Coalition on anything to do with climate .
It is run by climate denialists , and any attempt to take meaningful climate action will lead to a repeat of 2018 .
As Malcolm Turnbull correctly put it , these people operate like terrorists , intent on blowing up their own government , with the support of News Corp , if anyone tries to address climate change .
You can ’ t do any sort of deal with them .
That merely rewards @ @

After the second hottest year on record globally, the hottest year on record in Australia, our second hottest summer ever after 2018-19, an unprecedentedly catastrophic summer of bushfires and record-breaking Arctic and Antarctic temperatures, Labor has opted to, in effect, surrender on climate to the denialists of the Coalition.
Anthony Albanese’s Press Club speech today — liberally distributed, as usual, to media outlets a day ahead — abandons even fifth-best policy positions on climate in favour of offering the government a chance to establish a bipartisan energy policy.
By abandoning any interest in a National Energy Guarantee, Anthony Albanese will position Labor as weaker on climate action than Malcolm Turnbull, who at least sought to include both energy security and emissions reduction within his energy policy framework before another right-wing/Murdoch putsch forced him out.


crikey--2020-06-24--How did Dan Tehan stuff up higher education reform so badly?

The government 's university fee hike is a sloppy , rushed proposal which will achieve the opposite of what it proposes ... but maybe that 's the point .
The proposals for a new form of university funding announced by Education Minister Dan Tehan last week have been described as many things , but they are , above all , very , very curious .
They are a market-oriented attempt to restructure course demand and supply , which goes against all of the standard research on how prospective students choose courses , and how universities make decisions on what to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the humanities , an attack that does as much damage to traditional subjects as to the alleged “ red bases ” of social science they seek to limit .
As both actual policy and culture war , it is a blundering and ham-fisted one .
There seems little doubt now that they were done on the fly .
The tenacious reporting of Richard Ferguson and others in The Australian ( and elsewhere ) has established that the new funding mix — which lowers some courses ’ fees from about $ 3000 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidy , and raises other courses to $ 15,000 a year , which is close to their teaching cost — makes it more lucrative to offer humanities courses than the courses that Education Minister Dan Tehan wants to encourage .
Why ?
Because the job market rewards any degree better than no degree , there is more demand than supply for all places , and so there will always be enough people ready to pony up a few grand extra , deferred to a future repayment scheme .
To offer more engineering and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-contact hours courses , more buildings and equipment , more necessary on-campus teaching .
To add more humanities students requires , at a pinch , more bandwidth for online lecture attendance , and sessional fees for extra marking , and that ’ s pretty much it .
Tehan and his doltish team have created a formula for expanding the humanities and they are now desperately announcing “ new measures ” to force universities to offer the courses they want .
So , having applied market mechanisms to steer by incentives , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction — which will in turn distort the market they ’ ve set up .
Genius .
But of course , there was never any guarantee that the proposed new funding arrangements would steer course choice in the way they wanted .
As Andrew Norton has noted , all research shows that this isn ’ t how students choose courses , and that course preference is relatively rigid .
The real mess is in the humanities .
Three core streams — English , modern languages and creative arts — have fees at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spurious assumptions about employment-by-discipline .
So , to do an arts degree composed entirely of history , philosophy and social science majors would cost you $ 45,000 for three years .
But to do a course with an English major that takes up 60-70 % of the course , and supplement it with other high-price subjects as a minor , will cost you about twenty grand in total ( a one-semester English subject will cost you $ 460 ; a one-semester philosophy subject will cost you $ 1800 ) .
If your desire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows you to think and read and hangout and dissect — ha — Foucault on the cheap , you do an English major , a one-year minor in a language , and a two-year minor in creative/performing arts .
That will get you an arts degree for about twelve grand total by my reckoning .
Make it an English-languages-psychology degree , and it ’ s under ten grand .
So one would expect English , drama and visual art faculties to be swamped .
Languages less so , because you have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ( in guiding me through these funding finagles ) , there is no government supervision of subject definition for the purposes of billing at the university level .
So the process will run like the billing department of a US hospital — a lot of horse-trading and redefinition .
This is really primo higher education policy at work here .
The obvious attack is on the alleged “ woke ” social sciences — yet all humanities are damaged by the assault .
It ’ s an old “ tenured radicals ” model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are little activist factories turning out statue topplers , and that philosophy and history departments have been captured by the left .
Their aim is to limit the numbers of a certain type of student — one passionate about social change , and who orients their course choices to such .
They ’ ll manage to exclude some people from asset-poor-families .
The bougie woke ( shout out to my homies ) won ’ t be dissuaded at all .
But what this new proposal really cuts off access to is philosophy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can get to Foucault on the cheap from multiple faculties , but Plato , Aristotle , Virgil , the Greek-Persian wars , Jewish and Hebrew studies , the rise of Rome , the history of Christianity , the European middle ages will all cost you two grand a semester , and there ’ s no back alley to them via cut-price routes .
These subjects , it should be obvious , are what the right says a humanities degree should be .
Yet a degree composed of this — necessary if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter — will max you out at $ 45,000 .
The type of student this will winnow is the working-class , Indigenous , rural , or lower-middle-class student , who is drawn to and passionate about such culture , but who just decides with regret that they can ’ t come into their twenties with $ 50,000 of debt .
Since it is these types who have given much of the drive to such scholarship — because they came from a background where they couldn ’ t take it for granted — Tehan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be about as effective an assault on the transmission of “ Western civilisation ” as one can imagine .
Possibly it ’ s deliberate — to create a vacuum to be filled by an expanded scholarship program by the Ramsay Centre , and their microwave , ready-to-eat Western civ courses ( an early supporter is Wollongong VC Paul Wellings , the first VC to wave a Ramsay Centr program through ) .
As I say , a very curious proposition .
Even if it passes the Senate , it would achieve little of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courses market .
And it has the curious effect that studies in statue toppling are Commonwealth-subsidised — through , say , a course in the psychology of racism — while the study of Greek and Roman sculpture attracts no subsidy at all .
That would seem to make higher education more woke , not less .
Looks like a sloppy proposal from a minister in a hurry , because he needs to be .
The pushback will come from all quarters .
Has Desperate Dan given the Morrison government a fight it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t want ?
Worthy of study .

The proposals for a new form of university funding announced by Education Minister Dan Tehan last week have been described as many things, but they are, above all, very, very curious.
They are a market-oriented attempt to restructure course demand and supply, which goes against all of the standard research on how prospective students choose courses, and how universities make decisions on what to offer.
They are an attack on the humanities, an attack that does as much damage to traditional subjects as to the alleged “red bases” of social science they seek to limit.


crikey--2020-06-25--Time to ban facial recognition in Australia before it wrecks more lives

US states , cities , police forces and tech companies are turning their backs on facial recognition technology .
Why is Australia continuing to embrace it ?
As the profound flaws and poor track record of facial recognition become apparent , Australian lawmakers , especially at the state level , look set to be left behind in an international move to block a technology that is already wrecking lives .
Overnight , Boston banned the technology , following Oakland and San Francisco which banned it last year .
Boston ’ s ban had the support of the Boston police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as California , New Hampshire , and Oregon have more limited bans and a number of other states have restrictions on its use .
A late 2019 peer-reviewed paper by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology examined both one-to-one matching ( matching a facial image with another facial image ) and one-to-many ( matching a facial image to a database of images ) .
One-to-one facial recognition had a vastly higher rate of false positives for Asian , African-American and Native American faces , while one-to-many systems had a significantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women .
Funnily enough , systems designed outside the US delivered fewer false positives for non-white faces .
The study confirmed earlier studies showing facial recognition systems , relying heavily on white , and male , facial features , often fail with gender and racial diversity .
Unsurprisingly , a Black man was at the centre of the first case of US police arresting an individual after a failure by facial recognition systems .
Earlier this month , IBM said it would no longer sell facial recognition tech , saying “ vendors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility to ensure that Al is tested for bias , particularity when used in law enforcement , and that such bias testing is audited and reported.
” In January , Google supported EU consideration of a temporary ban , and later launched legal action against the company behind Clearview , which scrapes social media and the internet for facial data and provides it to law enforcement .
Facial recognition is a large and rapidly growing industry .
One estimate suggested it was worth US $ 3.4 billion globally already and is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in coming years .
In Australia , police have been given a free hand to use systems demonstrably biased against non-white individuals , despite the Human Rights Commission calling for moratorium on the technology .
Scandal-plagued NSW minister David Elliott even boasted about the use by NSW police of it .
Queensland has begun using facial recognition systems at sports stadiums while uploading all Queensland drivers licence photos to a national facial recognition database .
The only political pushback came last year from federal parliament ’ s joint intelligence and security committee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peter Dutton and Mike Pezzullo to establish the basis for a national facial recognition system without privacy safeguards , oversight , accountability or recognition of the deep biases of facial recognition systems .
However , this only addresses the wild overreach by national security bureaucrats at the federal level ; the primary problem is at the state and territory level , where police forces have been able to exploit surveillance technologies without check .
The federal Privacy Commissioner earlier this year launched an inquiry into the possible use of Clearview by Australian police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial bias in Australian police forces and the vast overrepresentation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system , the potential for errors and outright misuse in Australia is rapidly growing without check .

As the profound flaws and poor track record of facial recognition become apparent, Australian lawmakers, especially at the state level, look set to be left behind in an international move to block a technology that is already wrecking lives.
Overnight, Boston banned the technology, following Oakland and San Francisco which banned it last year. Boston’s ban had the support of the Boston police, who declared the technology unreliable. States such as California, New Hampshire, and Oregon have more limited bans and a number of other states have restrictions on its use.
A late 2019 paper by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology examined both one-to-one matching (matching a facial image with another facial image) and one-to-many (matching a facial image to a database of images). One-to-one facial recognition had a vastly higher rate of false positives for Asian, African-American and Native American faces, while one-to-many systems had a significantly high rate of false positives for African-American women.


crikey--2020-06-24--Ten reasons why Jacqui Lambie should reject the university funding reform bill

Jacqui Lambie is in a unique spot to derail the government 's proposed university fee hike .
Here 's why she should .
Strolling in my mind through Rome ’ s Tivoli Gardens , musing on Chapman ’ s Homer I… oh look , this article is just a direct communique to Jacqui Lambie ( and to the strange DLP-Trendies mix — the Centre Alliance — a bit ) but the rest of you can read it if you want .
Jacqui , here ’ s why you should vote against Education Minister Dan Tehan ’ s higher-ed funding proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horse-trading , get a new playground for Ulverstone in exchange for abolishing the Health Department stuff 1 .
The proposals limit higher education choices for middle and low income families Dan Tehan ’ s changes are presented as increasing job-ready uni places by reducing the fees for course such as nursing , clinical psychology and engineering .
But they do so by increasing fees on courses such as business , humanities and economics — to $ 15,000 a year — which are now required for career paths in management and admin jobs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need such degrees — many from low or middle income backgrounds — with up to $ 50,000 debt that will cross-subsidise national development .
This uses average workers ’ career advancement as a cash cow for something the government should be paying for .
2 .
The scheme makes low- and middle-income families pay for upper-income education Engineering , veterinary science and dentistry are all to have their student fees reduced to $ 4000 a year ( well below cost ) , while the other courses rise to $ 15,000 a year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ elite private school graduates , and changing that will only happen through reform of secondary education and university entry procedures , not through fee changes .
In the current setup , the new fee structure will mean low-middle income tertiary students will be subsidising the education of the upper-middle class .
3 .
The scheme makes people pay more for courses that will earn them less when they get out The existing funding model matches fees to both the income graduates can expect in the workforce , and cost of teaching ( higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example ) .
The new proposals reverse that , which means graduates on lower incomes paying off fifty thousand dollars of student debt will be cross-subsidising the lack of student debt of highly-paid professionals .
It ’ s staggeringly unfair .
Very few mature-age students enter dentistry , vet science or engineering .
Many study arts , business or law , both for professional advancement or to expand their mind .
The new fee structure will make that impossible for many , especially those with families and mortgages , because it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who do do it will be cross-subsidising 18-year-old students who are entering courses leading to high-paid professions .
5 .
The new proposal restricts the chance of study for its own sake to those on higher incomes Because the arts and humanities will be charged at ( mostly ) $ 50,000 for a three-year course , the opportunity to study for its own sake , to pursue curiosity , to learn about our history and culture , will once again be much easier for those from high-income , high-asset families , who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children ( or themselves , as mature students ) .
6 .
The proposals are an assault on the arts and humanities , which is how our culture is transmitted The Coalition says that universities are just an anarchist commune of woke statue destroyers .
Yeah , well , ok , there ’ s a few of those .
But most of the humanities consists of people who have devoted their lives to teaching and researching the literature , art and thought of Western civilisation .
In the new proposals , it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to study gum flossing ( dentistry ) swampland ( environmental science ) or Mandarin ( languages ) but $ 15,000 a year to study ancient Greece and Rome , the art of the Renaissance , or the history of Britain and Australia .
That ’ s an assault on what makes us who we are , and our greatest achievements .
7 .
The proposal is poorly designed , not based on sound research , and won ’ t achieve even the positive stuff it wants to do The proposal ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to choose courses with more post-graduate job opportunities is not backed up by evidence , which shows that the relatively low discounts on offer don ’ t make a difference , and students decide courses in terms of interests and aptitude , separate to fee cost .
The proposal will simply make overall access to higher education more unequal than it currently is .
8 .
The proposal distorts post-graduation employment data to get the result it wants By judging job readiness as direct transfer from field of study to the same field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the employment market demand for “ generalists ” , people who have learnt multiple skills of learning , research and adaptation by doing humanities or basic science courses .
Employer groups have repeatedly said that they favour generalist graduates who are capable of being flexible and adaptive in the fast-changing modern workplace .
Why is this being ignored ?
Because the Morrison government wants to wage a culture war against humanities departments , and it is willing to ignore good evidence of their importance to Australian economy and society in order to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypocrisy The Morrison government is filled with ex-student politicians — including Dan Tehan — who went to elite private schools , gained law and humanities degrees when they were free or very cheap , and who used those degrees to gain political power .
They now want to deny low and middle-income people access to the sort of degrees that would make it easier for them to get access to politics .
It ’ s a way of restricting political power to the upper-middle class .
For all these reasons , and… …you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Strolling in my mind through Rome’s Tivoli Gardens, musing on Chapman’s Homer I… oh look, this article is just a direct communique to Jacqui Lambie (and to the strange DLP-Trendies mix — the Centre Alliance — a bit) but the rest of you can read it if you want.
Jacqui, here’s why you should vote against Education Minister Dan Tehan’s higher-ed funding proposals, and not even do that peekaboo horse-trading, get a new playground for Ulverstone in exchange for abolishing the Health Department stuff
1. The proposals limit higher education choices for middle and low income families
Dan Tehan’s changes are presented as increasing job-ready uni places by reducing the fees for course such as nursing, clinical psychology and engineering.


crikey--2020-06-26--How cultural blindspots and a lack of diversity undermined pandemic response

Right-wing media is blaming a COVID-19 spike in Victoria on multiculturalism , but a lack of diversity is the more likely culprit .
Just when things seemed to be returning to normal , an alarming spike in coronavirus cases has hit Victoria .
With community transmission spreading through security guards , GP clinics and large family gatherings , the state is scrambling to get things back under control .
Why did Victoria , a state which locked down harder and more cautiously than any other , get hit by a new spike ?
The answer could be down to changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad luck .
But the roots of this current spike , which has hit large migrant and refugee families , could lie in the cultural blind spots that have hindered our pandemic response from the very start .
Primarily white health experts , politicians and bureaucrats consistently failed to speak to culturally and linguistically diverse communities in a sensitive and appropriate way .
And Victorians are now paying the price .
In the early days of the lockdown , Scott Morrison warned Australians they might not be able to see their grandparents for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that advice for the kind of multi-generational family units that are more common in many South Asian and Middle Eastern communities ?
That example is one of the many ways primary messaging around the pandemic failed to speak to the diverse life experiences of Australians .
“ Our messaging has been good if you speak English , are educated or live in a western nuclear family , ” said Australian Catholic University social researcher Dr Jen Couch .
“ But it hasn ’ t taken into account the lives that many migrant families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far too much of the health focus failed to account for the way people ’ s individual responses to a pandemic are also influenced by social and cultural factors .
“ When you ’ re in a multicultural country like Australia you can ’ t always assume that a one size fits all approach to a pandemic prevention works , ” McLaws said .
The wrong message and the wrong people Many recent virus vectors — meat processing workers at Cedar Meats , hotel security guards , large family gatherings in Melbourne — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Why didn ’ t the government ’ s messaging reach them ?
State and federal governments say they ’ ve been translating materials , and consulting with community groups , but it may well be a question of too little too late .
There have been reports going back to March about a lack of culturally-sensitive resources .
Astonishingly , the company communicating Victorian government information about confirmed cases only started using languages other than English on Monday , June 22 .
It was , they said , a blind spot .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria chair Eddie Micallef , is a lack of ethnic diversity in government and health bureaucracy .
And that lack of awareness leads to outreach that may seem theoretically good but is in reality inadequate and tokenistic .
For example , as the ABC pointed out this week , simply translating English health warnings , often written in clunky , formal language that is difficult to understand .
“ Putting a leaflet in a letterbox and sending through a translation doesn ’ t mean it ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crikey .
And when many migrants , particularly the elderly , get their information from often dubious sources like Facebook , Whatsapp and WeChat , there ’ s a worry government messages are getting lost in the noise .
Couch says one way to improve communication is to change who governments speak to .
In a study with the Multicultural Youth Advisory Network , she found young people are critical in disseminating messaging in migrant communities , since they often have the best language skills , awareness of current affairs , and internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultation tends to focus on older community leaders , like religious figures .
Couch says that while it is important to talk to these people , it means younger migrants who might be a more strategic target get sidelined .
Meanwhile , there are concerns the recent spike in Melbourne could lead to a spike in racial animosity towards migrant groups .
On Thursday , The Australian suggested a cluster was linked to a large family Eid celebration .
Muslim groups are worried this framing could lead to a dangerous rise in Islamophobia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in anti-Asian racism throughout the pandemic .
And the media dog-whistling has already begun .
Yesterday , News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt wrote that multiculturalism and racial diversity was to blame for Victoria ’ s new clusters .
Micallef says such finger-pointing is unhelpful and dangerous .
“ The outbreak on the ships were mostly Anglo , and we didn ’ t stereotype their ethnic background , ” he said .
“ [ Bolt ] says diversity is the problem , but to draw that conclusion is a very long bow and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the way the world operates.
” More diversity , after all , might have helped Victoria .

Just when things seemed to be returning to normal, an alarming spike in coronavirus cases has hit Victoria.
With community transmission spreading through security guards, GP clinics and large family gatherings, the state is scrambling to get things back under control.
Why did Victoria, a state which locked down harder and more cautiously than any other, get hit by a new spike? The answer could be down to changing behaviour as restrictions loosened, or sheer bad luck.


crikey--2020-06-25--Scientists are enchanted by Australia’s horrifying murder-clouds (and other news you may have missed

Scientists are enchanted by Australia’s horrifying murder-clouds (and other news you may have missed)

The effects of the devastating 2020 summer bushfires are still wowing scientists .
Plus other stories that slipped through the cracks this week .
The speaker of the Northern Territory Parliament has resigned after being found to have engaged in breaches of public trust which amount to corrupt conduct by the territory ’ s Independent Commission Against Corruption .
While the story itself is both sordid and depressing , it at least illustrates the proud , vendetta-based spirit of NT politics .
So : former Country Liberal Party MP-turned-independent Kezia Purick has been speaker of the NT Parliament under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
It was in that role two years ago that she stymied the registration of a new minor party planning to call itself the North Australia Party , which contained her political nemesis — another former CLP-turned-independent named Robyn Lambley .
The party ’ s name was a registered company in Queensland , but not in the NT — until Purick ’ s executive assistant Martine Smith registered it for herself at a total of $ 84 .
And , as it turned out , it was an idea that she apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boss in a series of emails ICAC uncovered , despite Purick later claiming ignorance of the whole thing .
And this particular barney has cast something of a new light on more recent developments too .
See , back in March — oh , what a time !
— the excitingly changeable loyalties of NT parliamentarians meant that there was a big question mark over which party was number two in the parliament because there were as many CLP MPs as there were members of Territory Alliance ( at least , once ex-Labor-turned-independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The speaker declined to rule on the matter , and eventually Territory Alliance decided to give up on its attempt to be recognised as the opposition and let the CLP pick up the extra million or so in funding that the position garners — but not before its new deputy leader , the aforementioned Robyn Lambley , accused Purick of colluding with the CLP on the matter .
In any case , Purick denies that what she did was in any way corrupt and claims this is all “ the rough and tumble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NT election should be decided by battle royale : it sounds like it would be more civilised than the current system .
Speaking of elections , Singapore has called a snap poll for July 10 with registration for candidates closing in five days ’ time .
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that sure , he could have waited until April next year to hold an election , but with the nation unsure about when the coronavirus pandemic might end it was important to get it over with now , while local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score a nice five year mandate to sort everything out .
Opposition parties have a bit of a different take , arguing that it ’ s a desperate attempt to consolidate power while political rallies for any challenger are made a little tricky by the five-people limits on public gatherings .
Mind you , there ’ s not much chance that Lee ’ s ruling People ’ s Action Party won ’ t win , since they have done in every election since 1965 .
Sure , they pulled their worst result at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a comfortable 60 % .
But while the result probably won ’ t be a shock , it ’ s at least an impressive lesson in organisation .
While Australian election campaigns run for weeks and American ones seem to start the day after inauguration , Singapore is throwing its together in a bit over a fortnight .
As Australia gently moves through winter , or what future generations will know as “ the bushfire pause ” , it ’ s worth casting an eye back over our shoulders to see what last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records we might come in 2020-21 .
Mind you , we ’ ve got a hard act to follow .
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters concluded that the smoke from our summer bushfires was not only the largest smoke-vomit ever recorded ( producing up to 900,000 metric tonnes of the stuff ) , but it rose higher than any known fire event , might have actually disrupted the ozone layer and potentially left a “ chemical scar ” on the stratosphere , and still hasn ’ t dissipated in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pyrocumulonimbus clouds that the bushfires created have delighted and astounded atmospheric scientists who are wondering “ hey , what ’ s causing the 15-metre-per-second winds surrounding the rising smoke plume ?
” , unlike the rest of us who are more interested in “ are we all doomed to perish in flame and which Elder God demands our blood fealty ?
” Anyway , scientists , maybe your questions will be answered by whatever horrors await us in the months to come .
Keep watching the skies !

It’s grim up north
The speaker of the Northern Territory Parliament has resigned after being found to have engaged in breaches of public trust which amount to corrupt conduct by the territory’s Independent Commission Against Corruption. While the story itself is both sordid and depressing, it at least illustrates the proud, vendetta-based spirit of NT politics.
So: former Country Liberal Party MP-turned-independent Kezia Purick has been speaker of the NT Parliament under the previous CLP government and the current Labor one. It was in that role two years ago that she stymied the registration of a new minor party planning to call itself the North Australia Party, which contained her political nemesis — another former CLP-turned-independent named Robyn Lambley.


crikey--2020-06-26--Everything sucks: Australia — and the world — just had one hell of a week

ABC cuts , environmental turmoil , virus spikes and political malaise — Australia just had a week , and it 's not going to get any better .
Well , what a great great week it was in Australia and the world .
Great week .
Shall I count the ways ?
It began with a fresh assault on the university system that managed to be both malign and incompetent , continued with news that temperatures in the arctic circle has gone above 30 degrees , proceeded with more details about the secret trial of two whistleblowers of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relentless attack on industry super funds for not handing over hundreds of billions of workers ’ money , for management by shonk-… uh , by commercial agents .
It then peaked with mass layoffs at Qantas and the CSIRO , and finished up with the evisceration of the ABC .
And it had had a prelude at the end of last week , with the resignation of The Age editor Alex Lavelle amid a staff rebellion against the political nobbling of the papers from the top .
And this is all happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in COVID-19 cases and a pile-on on the Victorian government .
Now have I missed anything ?
I mean have I bloody missed anything ?
What would be the anatomy of this particular melancholy ?
The coronavirus is an incidental event , massive but incidental .
It may well turn out to be the prelude to a whole new stage of history , but for the moment it ’ s an incident , giving the Morrison government some cover to do a whole lot of things it would want to do anyway .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage of lockdown has not eliminated the virus , and that it is not easily removed , has spread silently and in a somewhat unspoken fashion .
It has been used to pile on the Andrews government ( including by an opposition that opposed the implementation of the first lockdown comprehensively ) , but it seems likely that this is a measure of Victoria ’ s success , not failure .
It had managed to beat down the virus so well that the inevitable re-occurrence has been somewhat stark .
Education Minister Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is brutal — and incompetent — but hardly unexpected .
The temperature spike in the Arctic circle barely registered , even though it should be the news of the week .
Qantas , well , the persistence of the virus is going to entirely restructure air travel , and laid-off workers need packages and support , but it is the leading edge of a more general crisis that we are avoiding confronting .
What made the ABC the kiss of the whip at the end of the week was the feeling , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ progressive ” or even “ liberal ” , that many things are being hollowed out from within , not merely being attacked from without .
The latter we can take ; we are accustomed to it .
But what the ABC has needed for years , and hasn ’ t got , is a head who will publicly and vigorously defend it , and the whole idea of comprehensive public broadcasting , and challenge the government to make its attack visible .
Coalition governments know that there is a residual support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want the grief of a head-on assault , so they attack it by the death of a thousand cuts .
Leadership that appeases it simply feeds that process .
More importantly , it weakens the idea of a public broadcaster as a public good .
I , and many others I suspect , would prefer a full-throated roar of defiance on behalf of Aunty , even if that risks incurring greater government wrath .
At least we ’ d be fighting for it .
That applies ditto to The Sydney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff had the guts to stand up ) , and it covers the other dispiriting event which I deliberately left out of the roll-call above : Labor ’ s announcement that it would be looking for consensus to end the climate wars — with something like a surrender of key ground to a Coalition position that is irrational and lethal .
Look , I get the dual purpose of the announcement .
The public purpose is to make Labor seem like the party of plain good sense , the Coalition as the ideologues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a concession by Anthony Albanese to the pro-coal “ Otis ” faction — pretty much the successor/new version of the Stephen Conroy faction , now reinventing itself as clients of the fossil fuel industry as backing for their wars within the party .
Albanese and the left know that the Otis faction could swing back into a new alliance with Bill Shorten , now that Shorten ally Adem Somyurek ’ s “ Mods ” have been beaten back .
The pushback against Somyurek has given them a new power .
So , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from inside the house .
Labor is either unable or unwilling to put together a comprehensive stand , a rallying of an alternative way .
As Nick Dyrenfurth noted in The Australian a few weeks ago , nothing has been done since the 2019 loss to learn from the defeat and develop a coherent , joined-up policy which would set progressive and moderate positions within a larger whole .
It ’ s the absence of this that seems killing — even given a few bracing victories in the “ statue wars ” ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ambiguous , to say the least ) .
And with it , the knowledge that there is no mass “ other ” to resist this relentless process , in a country whose mainstream has been privatised , atomised and wholly disconnected from access to power .
I have , in the space of a single article , no easy answer to all of this , and even in Australia sudden sharp shifts are possible .
But the first stage of anything is to be able to see reversal clearly , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just a bad sequence on one hand — but it was something more than that as well .

Well, what a great great week it was in Australia and the world. Great week. Shall I count the ways?
It began with a fresh assault on the university system that managed to be both malign and incompetent, continued with news that temperatures in the arctic circle has gone above 30 degrees, proceeded with more details about the secret trial of two whistleblowers of the government’s international criminality, proceeded with a relentless attack on industry super funds for not handing over hundreds of billions of workers’ money, for management by shonk-… uh, by commercial agents.


crikey--2020-06-26--Social Watch: ABC friends out in force … Latham’s hit list … Lambie’s trust deficit

From Jacqui Lambie to Ita Buttrose , here 's what Crikey 's followers had to say on social media this week .
It ’ s been a big week of Twitter outrage and # auspol on Crikey ’ s socials .
Let ’ s rewind to some of the week ’ s crowning moments .
It appears we ’ re once again relying on Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie to be the voice of reason and block the Liberal Party ’ s proposed university fee hike .
But when we asked Crikey readers if Lambie could be counted upon to call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bitter attack on the university sector , the resounding answer was “ no ” .
In the words of one reader , “ she talks tough , delivers nought ” , while others drew comparisons to Lambie and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson , believing she ’ d be easily talked around by the Coalition .
As the ABC confronted another grim round of job cuts , the buzz on social media was around ABC Chair Ita Buttrose and where exactly she ’ s been hiding .
With “ Where is Ita ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , asking her to fess up .
But like her esteemed ABC colleagues , we were met with silence .
However , it appears that Buttrose may have been championing the ABC behind the scenes .
This morning The Sydney Morning Herald published a story claiming Buttrose had sent a strongly worded letter to Communications Minister Paul Fletcher over the handling of the cuts .
In the letter , Buttrose reportedly accused the MP of lying about ABC ’ s efforts to collaborate with SBS .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison showed just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcaster yesterday when he lied through his teeth , claiming there have been no cuts to the ABC .
As usual , the internet was quick to call the PM out on his BS .
And because Twitter is filled with vitriolic , faceless trolls who revel in other people ’ s misfortune # defundtheabc has started trending .
The likes of Mark Latham are absolutely jubilant that 250 people have lost their jobs , responding to the news in a particularly dirtbag way : Ex-Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian is the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PM as he announced the much-anticipated ( and much-too-late ) package for the arts .
Twitter users were irate , labelling Sebastian a “ Liberal stooge ” and no better than former TV presenter and current adviser to Scott Morrison , Scotty Cam .
Sky News was quick to label the singer “ cancelled ” .
While Sebastian rushed to Twitter to apologise to his fellow artists , he also clarified that his appearance wasn ’ t meant to be political and that he has “ no input into where the money goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have broken Crikey readers ’ brains by asking you to vote on the most outrageous Order of Australia recipient .
For many , there were simply too many options : In the end , it was former prime minister Tony Abbott who won a small margin over ex-speaker Browyn Bishop .
She was followed by former senator , Labor right heavyweight and Sky News commentator Graham Richardson .
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd placed fourth , receiving a measly 3.9 % of the vote .

It’s been a big week of Twitter outrage and #auspol on Crikey’s socials. Let’s rewind to some of the week’s crowning moments.
Can Lambie be trusted?
It appears we’re once again relying on Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie to be the voice of reason and block the Liberal Party’s proposed university fee hike. But when we asked Crikey readers if Lambie could be counted upon to call out Education Minister Dan Tehan for his bitter attack on the university sector, the resounding answer was “no”.
In the words of one reader, “she talks tough, delivers nought”, while others drew comparisons to Lambie and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson, believing she’d be easily talked around by the Coalition.


crikey--2020-06-26--Where are anti-racist protests taking place globally?

Where are anti-racist protests taking place globally ?
We share the latest .
In the wake of George Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ , anti-racist protests have erupted all over the world .
Thousands of people began rallying @ @ @ @ @ solidarity against the murder of George Floyd and to end systemic racism .
Protests that @ @ @ @ @ across the country to the point where National Guard troops have been deployed in 23 @ @ @ @ @ across the globe .
You may be interested in : • How can you make @ @ @ @ @ ?
• Racism in Australia | Where does Australia rank in the world for racism @ @ @ @ @ you should listen to • Nine anti-racist books you need to read • How many @ @ @ @ @ been recorded ?
• What is the Indigenous incarceration rate in Australia ?
• Here @ @ @ @ @ should be supporting • How to promote an anti-racist workplace

In the wake of George Floyd’s death on May 25, anti-racist protests have erupted all over the world.
Thousands of people began rallying across the United States in solidarity against the murder of George Floyd and to end systemic racism.
Protests that started in Minneapolis quickly spread across the country to the point where National Guard troops have been deployed in 23 states, before igniting protests across the globe.


crikey--2020-06-29--There are no short cuts or cheap options for the government to reach its growth target

There are no easy options for returning the economy to decent growth , and no magic solutions .
It will @ @ @ @ @ , and it needs to be well targeted .
Scott Morrison recently committed to a @ @ @ @ @ above trend growth through to 2025 -- Or around 3.75-4 % a year , year @ @ @ @ @ As Crikey noted at the time , it 's a bold move for an outfit @ @ @ @ @ cooee of the sort of growth Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard presided over ( or @ @ @ @ @ growth , or investment ... anyway ) .
The government has no plan for how @ @ @ @ @ beyond saying it is `` harvesting '' ideas and having some talkfests around industrial relations @

Scott Morrison recently committed to a growth target of 1% above trend growth through to 2025 — Or around 3.75-4% a year, year in and year out.
As Crikey noted at the time, it’s a bold move for an outfit that hasn’t come within cooee of the sort of growth Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard presided over (or labour productivity, or wages growth, or investment… anyway).
The government has no plan for how to achieve this growth, beyond saying it is “harvesting” ideas and having some talkfests around industrial relations.


crikey--2020-06-28--Two for one: company gets two directors on COVID commission

Does the NT government see any problem appointing two people from the same company to such a powerful advisory group @ @ @ @ @ Crikey reported on concerns that oil and gas billionaire and former Trump adviser Andrew Liveris @ @ @ @ @ one but two COVID commissions .
Liveris is co-chairing the Northern Territory ’ s economic @ @ @ @ @ as being special adviser to the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission .
He ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ and resources firm Worley and the Saudi Arabian multinational petroleum and gas company Saudi Aramco @ @ @ @ @ profitable companies in the world .
But Crikey readers have pointed out that there ’ @ @ @ @ @ the NT commission with similar vocational interests : former Treasury secretary turned secretary of the @ @ @ @ @ Cabinet , Martin Parkinson .

A few days ago Crikey reported on concerns that oil and gas billionaire and former Trump adviser Andrew Liveris had been appointed to not one but two COVID commissions.
Liveris is co-chairing the Northern Territory’s economic reconstruction commission, as well as being special adviser to the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission. He’s also on the payroll of engineering and resources firm Worley and the Saudi Arabian multinational petroleum and gas company Saudi Aramco, one of the most profitable companies in the world.
But Crikey readers have pointed out that there’s another high-profile figure on the NT commission with similar vocational interests: former Treasury secretary turned secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson.


crikey--2020-06-28--Is it time for Aussie home buyers to go west?

Perth now has some of the cheapest property in Australia .
Is 2020 the year to make the move ?
@ @ @ @ @ the dip .
That ’ s the lesson of markets .
Stock markets have proven @ @ @ @ @ property has given us few opportunities to put the idea into practice , eschewing dips @ @ @ @ @ That is except for one place : Perth ’ s housing is well below its @ @ @ @ @ was a long time ago .
This graph shows the story since the peak , @ @ @ @ @ goes even further back .
The median property price in Perth has failed to keep @ @ @ @ @ mining boom began to ebb .

Sometimes you need to buy the dip. That’s the lesson of markets. Stock markets have proven it recently. But Australian property has given us few opportunities to put the idea into practice, eschewing dips for regular fresh highs.
That is except for one place: Perth’s housing is well below its peak, and that peak was a long time ago.
This graph shows the story since the peak, but Perth’s weakness goes even further back. The median property price in Perth has failed to keep up, ever since the mining boom began to ebb.


crikey--2020-06-29--Porter’s Collaery cover-up gets legal blessing, but is Labor starting to do its job?

As the government scores a win in its shameful secret prosecution of Bernard Collaery , it seems like Labor is @ @ @ @ @ .
It seems as though Attorney-General Christian Porter will be successful in maintaining his cover-up @ @ @ @ @ crime of bugging the cabinet room of Timor-Leste in 2004 to benefit political donor Woodside @ @ @ @ @ granting Porter 's application that parts of the prosecution of Bernard Collaery be held behind @ @ @ @ @ reasons .
That also means that , in a Kafkaesque absurdity , Porter will be @ @ @ @ @ Collaery that Collaery and his legal term are prohibited from seeing .
ACT Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ Porter 's favour on Friday after several days of secret hearings that some media outlets @ @ @ @ @ .
Former foreign minister Gareth Evans , former chief of the defence force Chris Barrie @ @ @ @ @ John McCarthy all gave evidence as part of Collaery 's case against Porter 's application @

It seems as though Attorney-General Christian Porter will be successful in maintaining his cover-up of the Howard government’s crime of bugging the cabinet room of Timor-Leste in 2004 to benefit political donor Woodside, with an ACT magistrate granting Porter’s application that parts of the prosecution of Bernard Collaery be held behind closed doors for national security reasons.
That also means that, in a Kafkaesque absurdity, Porter will be allowed to use documents against Collaery that Collaery and his legal term are prohibited from seeing.
ACT Supreme Court magistrate David Mossop ruled in Porter’s favour on Friday after several days of secret hearings that some media outlets have shied away from reporting. Former foreign minister Gareth Evans, former chief of the defence force Chris Barrie and former ambassador to Indonesia John McCarthy all gave evidence as part of Collaery’s case against Porter’s application.


crikey--2020-03-16--Democracy prevails — for now — in a time of social distancing

More than 3 million Queenslanders are soon set to vote in local government and state byelections .
How is this @ @ @ @ @ official warnings and public concern about coronavirus reach an ever higher pitch , more than @ @ @ @ @ corralled into polling booths over the next fortnight to vote in compulsory local government and @ @ @ @ @ unwilling to wear the state ’ s unusually stiff $ 130 fine ( or the @ @ @ @ @ , if that still counts for anything ) , the only alternative option is a @ @ @ @ @ window closed with yesterday 's 7pm deadline for applications .
The website of the Electoral @ @ @ @ @ to cope with the demand yesterday afternoon , when many prospective applicants were met with @ @ @ @ @ personal details .

As official warnings and public concern about coronavirus reach an ever higher pitch, more than 3 million Queenslanders will be corralled into polling booths over the next fortnight to vote in compulsory local government and state byelections.
For those unwilling to wear the state’s unusually stiff $130 fine (or the shame of abrogated civic responsibility, if that still counts for anything), the only alternative option is a postal vote — and that window closed with yesterday’s 7pm deadline for applications.
The website of the Electoral Commission of Queensland proved unable to cope with the demand yesterday afternoon, when many prospective applicants were met with error messages upon entering their personal details.


crikey--2020-06-11--Virus Watch: Low COVID-19 case numbers, but protester tests positive

A Melbourne Black Lives Matter protester has tested positive to COVID-19 , but Australia 's case numbers remain low .
@ @ @ @ @ low case numbers continues .
A person who attended the Black Lives Matter protest in @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 .
Scientists argue over the origin of the virus .
The OECD @ @ @ @ @ the recession .
Australia ’ s largest state , which has been the worst affected @ @ @ @ @ a major victory in the road out .
Yesterday marked 14 days -- the length @ @ @ @ @ without a single recorded case of COVID-19 spread by community transmission .
All recent cases @ @ @ @ @ returning travellers from overseas .

Australia’s run of low case numbers continues. A person who attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne last weekend has tested positive for COVID-19. Scientists argue over the origin of the virus. The OECD explains how Australia could beat the recession.
NSW passes a milestone
Australia’s largest state, which has been the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic scored a major victory in the road out. Yesterday marked 14 days — the length of one incubation period, without a single recorded case of COVID-19 spread by community transmission.
All recent cases in the state have been returning travellers from overseas.


crikey--2020-06-11--Anti-vaxxers reap rewards for spreading utter crap — and there's no stopping it

There 's big money to be made peddling lies and misinformation about vaccinations .
So why is n't the government @ @ @ @ @ It 's bracing but perhaps not surprising to see that Donald Trump was fanning the @ @ @ @ @ autism back in 2014 .
Saint Louis University Assistant Professor of Law Ana Santos Rutschman @ @ @ @ @ in anti-vaxxer misinformation from 2014 , with some of that rise traced back to automated @ @ @ @ @ generated from Russia .
In Australia , Christine Baynes , who is part of a @ @ @ @ @ skeptics '' with an interest in the anti-vax movement , told Inq that 2015 marked @ @ @ @ @ which had been prevalent for well over a decade became fused with an overarching anti-science @ @ @ @ @ linking up with the 5G conspiracy theory which ties the 5G network to the spread @ @ @ @ @ Bill Gates is behind a plan to control the world through vaccination .

It’s bracing but perhaps not surprising to see that Donald Trump was fanning the false link between vaccination and autism back in 2014.
Saint Louis University Assistant Professor of Law Ana Santos Rutschman has reported on an increase in anti-vaxxer misinformation from 2014, with some of that rise traced back to automated messaging, or bots, generated from Russia.
In Australia, Christine Baynes, who is part of a loose alliance of “active skeptics” with an interest in the anti-vax movement, told Inq that 2015 marked the time when anti-vaxxer messaging which had been prevalent for well over a decade became fused with an overarching anti-science and anti-government narrative, eventually linking up with the 5G conspiracy theory which ties the 5G network to the spread of coronavirus and holds that Bill Gates is behind a plan to control the world through vaccination.


crikey--2020-01-29--Worm: A life-changing island getaway

Worm: A life-changing island getaway

Good morning , early birds .
Scott Morrison 's plan to evacuate 600 Australians from China and then quarantine them on Christmas Island has sparked criticism , and Huawei Australia has gained a second wind .
It 's the news you need to know , with Chris Woods .
Australia ’ s de-facto solution to most of our problems — island camps — has not gone down well among some of the 600-plus Australians trapped at the epicentre of the coronavirus .
Ahead of Qantas ’ emergency flight into Wuhan , at least one Sydney family has expressed concern about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 14-day quarantine on Christmas Island , the Sydney Morning Herald reports .
The report comes as Japan and the US begin evacuations , and Queensland , according to The New Daily , confirms Australia ’ s seventh case .
The hesitancy is perhaps unsurprising , considering not just Christmas Island ’ s limited medical facilities but , according to AAP , that one of the island ’ s four current detainees — four-year-old former Biloela resident Kopika — will attend her first day of school next week escorted by guards .
MY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that Huawei would have partial involvement in the country ’ s 5G mobile network — today , the Chinese tech giant is pushing to undo Malcolm Turnbull ’ s 2018 blanket ban and enter the Australian market to boot .
According to The Australian ( $ ) , Huawei Australia senior executive Jeremy Mitchell claims local security agencies never allowed for a discussion of “ boundaries ” or “ requirements ” , holding out hope that the Morrison government has a “ different approach ” than Turnbull , who Huawei now accuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Sydney Morning Herald reports .
Boris Johnson ’ s decision — which , defying both the US and Australia ahead of a decision by Canada , splits the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance — has been rebuked by Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings and , at CNBC , Trump officials .
Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the Australian Open in a four-set , four-hour quarter-final by Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem .
The ABC reports that the world number one had been aiming to equal Roger Federer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s majors , but has instead cleared the way for some much-needed young blood , going down 7-6 ( 7/3 ) , 7-6 ( 7/4 ) , 4-6 , 7-6 ( 8/6 ) .
The shock defeat comes as Ash Barty prepares to face off with American Sofia Kenin in the women ’ s semi-finals today at 2pm .
Barty is the first Australian woman since 1984 to enter an Australian Open semis , according to FoxSports — a historic event that , for whatever reason , organisers have deemed fit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
No matter how many questions or colour-coded grant schemes journos threw at him during yesterday ’ s Press Club address , Morrison could not publicly accept that maybe , just maybe , systematically enriching clubs in marginal electorates — at the expense of safer , often more-deserving seats — constitutes some type of political opportunism .
READ ALL ABOUT IT China to complete 1000-bed coronavirus hospital in under a week Racing NSW looking into ownership of horses held by Tinkler ’ s family company Factcheck : is New Zealand hypocritical to reject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gobsmacking ’ : State Attorney-General calls for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of honour Doctors push for radical overhaul of how Medicare pays for GP visits Scorched Scott Morrison has no one to blame but himself ( $ ) — Niki Savva ( The Australian ) : “ Elections are not tests of prime ministers .
They are tests of politicians and their campaign skills .
Scott Morrison passed that with honours last May .
National crises are the true tests of prime ministers and leadership .
The sad truth is that Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly wilfully , at almost every critical point during this rotten summer beginning with his ill-advised holiday to Hawaii.
” Not fast or cheap , but the West Gate Tunnel project is out of control — Clay Lucas ( The Age ) : “ Treasurer Tim Pallas billed it as the multi-billion-dollar road deal that was too good to refuse : a massive new motorway through Melbourne ’ s west , to be delivered by Transurban at virtually no cost to taxpayers.
” Andrew Bolt ’ s disappointment — Bruce Pascoe ( Griffith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a breath , lean across the table and assume the tone of Richard Dawkins explaining dinosaurs to intelligently designed Christians .
They believe that in my promotion of Aboriginal achievement I ’ m simply being loyal to family or wanting to take a belligerent stance on our country ’ s identity and history.
” • Premier Gladys Berejiklian will announce that former NSW Police deputy commissioner Dave Owens and former NSW chief scientist Mary O ’ Kane will lead a six-month inquiry in the state ’ s bushfire crisis , to begin within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will speak about his new book The Golden Country : in conversation on the changing identity of Australia with Australia ’ s first ambassador to China Dr Stephen FitzGerald , media adviser Sally Sitou , and Chairman of investment group Vantage Asia Jason Yat-sen Li at a Whitlam Institute event .
• Lake Macquarie City Council will host “ Womens ’ Safety ” , a domestic violence forum for local services in the Hunter Region , with NSW Minister for Domestic Violence Mark Speakman , Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence Trish Doyle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The Italian Cultural Institute and the Great Synagogue of Sydney will present the English translation of a collection of poems by Primo Levi , The Occasional Demon , to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day ( January 27 ) .
• The Royal Society of Victoria will host its first QueersInScience lecture for 2020 , “ The Biology of Sexuality and Gender ” , with biological scientist Professor Andrew Barron and GP Dr Riki Lane .
• Professor of international law at Thammasat University Thitirat Thipsamritkul will present “ Observations from Thailand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Influences of Transnational Standards on Local Legislations ” at ANU .
• The Senate inquiry into management of the Inland Rail project will hold Brisbane hearings .
• Logan City Council will hold a fire management information night for local residents and landholders .
• A court mention will be held for Zhenjie Zhang over the alleged extortion and kidnapping of 12-year-old Gold Coast boy .

IT’S NOT EXACTLY HAWAII THOUGH…
Australia’s de-facto solution to most of our problems — island camps — has not gone down well among some of the 600-plus Australians trapped at the epicentre of the coronavirus.
Ahead of Qantas’ emergency flight into Wuhan, at least one Sydney family has expressed concern about Scott Morrison‘s plan to enforce a 14-day quarantine on Christmas Island, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The report comes as Japan and the US begin evacuations, and Queensland, according to The New Daily, confirms Australia’s seventh case.
The hesitancy is perhaps unsurprising, considering not just Christmas Island’s limited medical facilities but, according to AAP, that one of the island’s four current detainees — four-year-old former Biloela resident Kopika — will attend her first day of school next week escorted by guards.
MY WAY OR THE HUAWEI
Yesterday, Britain announced that Huawei would have partial involvement in the country’s 5G mobile network — today, the Chinese tech giant is pushing to undo Malcolm Turnbull’s 2018 blanket ban and enter the Australian market to boot.
According to The Australian ($), Huawei Australia senior executive Jeremy Mitchell claims local security agencies never allowed for a discussion of “boundaries” or “requirements”, holding out hope that the Morrison government has a “different approach” than Turnbull, who Huawei now accuses of being given “incorrect advice”, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Boris Johnson’s decision — which, defying both the US and Australia ahead of a decision by Canada, splits the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance — has been rebuked by Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings and, at CNBC, Trump officials.
HASTA NADAL VISTA
Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the Australian Open in a four-set, four-hour quarter-final by Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem. The ABC reports that the world number one had been aiming to equal Roger Federer’s record of winning 20 men’s majors, but has instead cleared the way for some much-needed young blood, going down 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (8/6).
The shock defeat comes as Ash Barty prepares to face off with American Sofia Kenin in the women’s semi-finals today at 2pm. Barty is the first Australian woman since 1984 to enter an Australian Open semis, according to FoxSports — a historic event that, for whatever reason, organisers have deemed fit for business hours.
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THEY REALLY SAID THAT?
Well, I just reject the premise of the question… That is not what the government has done… I will put your editorial to one side, and your commentary on it. Scott Morrison
No matter how many questions or colour-coded grant schemes journos threw at him during yesterday’s Press Club address, Morrison could not publicly accept that maybe, just maybe, systematically enriching clubs in marginal electorates — at the expense of safer, often more-deserving seats — constitutes some type of political opportunism.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Ken Wyatt sets deadline for vote to recognise Indigenous ($)
China to complete 1000-bed coronavirus hospital in under a week
Union-busting bill 2.0 hinges on Jacqui Lambie ($)
Racing NSW looking into ownership of horses held by Tinkler’s family company
Factcheck: is New Zealand hypocritical to reject Australia’s climate accounting?
‘Gobsmacking’: State Attorney-General calls for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of honour
PM’s bushfire response must include climate change: experts
Olympian and ex-senator Nova Peris sues Jacinta Price over Studio 10 debate
Doctors push for radical overhaul of how Medicare pays for GP visits
European Parliament: MEPs set to approve Brexit deal in historic vote
Trump Middle East plan: Palestinians reject ‘conspiracy’
THE COMMENTARIAT
Scorched Scott Morrison has no one to blame but himself ($) — Niki Savva (The Australian): “Elections are not tests of prime ministers. They are tests of politicians and their campaign skills. Scott Morrison passed that with honours last May. National crises are the true tests of prime ministers and leadership. The sad truth is that Morrison faltered and stumbled, miserably, sometimes seemingly wilfully, at almost every critical point during this rotten summer beginning with his ill-advised holiday to Hawaii.”
Not fast or cheap, but the West Gate Tunnel project is out of control — Clay Lucas (The Age): “Treasurer Tim Pallas billed it as the multi-billion-dollar road deal that was too good to refuse: a massive new motorway through Melbourne’s west, to be delivered by Transurban at virtually no cost to taxpayers.”
Andrew Bolt’s disappointment — Bruce Pascoe (Griffith Review): “My friends take a breath, lean across the table and assume the tone of Richard Dawkins explaining dinosaurs to intelligently designed Christians. They believe that in my promotion of Aboriginal achievement I’m simply being loyal to family or wanting to take a belligerent stance on our country’s identity and history.”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Sydney
Premier Gladys Berejiklian will announce that former NSW Police deputy commissioner Dave Owens and former NSW chief scientist Mary O’Kane will lead a six-month inquiry in the state’s bushfire crisis, to begin within days.
Labor MP Tim Watts will speak about his new book The Golden Country: in conversation on the changing identity of Australia with Australia’s first ambassador to China Dr Stephen FitzGerald , media adviser Sally Sitou , and Chairman of investment group Vantage Asia Jason Yat-sen Li at a Whitlam Institute event.
Lake Macquarie City Council will host “Womens’ Safety”, a domestic violence forum for local services in the Hunter Region, with NSW Minister for Domestic Violence Mark Speakman , Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence Trish Doyle, Womens’ Safety NSW CEO Hayley Foster .
The Italian Cultural Institute and the Great Synagogue of Sydney will present the English translation of a collection of poems by Primo Levi, The Occasional Demon, to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27).
Melbourne
The Royal Society of Victoria will host its first QueersInScience lecture for 2020, “The Biology of Sexuality and Gender”, with biological scientist Professor Andrew Barron and GP Dr Riki Lane.
Canberra
Professor of international law at Thammasat University Thitirat Thipsamritkul will present “Observations from Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act: the Influences of Transnational Standards on Local Legislations” at ANU.
Queensland
The Senate inquiry into management of the Inland Rail project will hold Brisbane hearings.
Logan City Council will hold a fire management information night for local residents and landholders.
A court mention will be held for Zhenjie Zhang over the alleged extortion and kidnapping of 12-year-old Gold Coast boy.
Darwin