Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Good manners and respect.
Wow! I actually agree with the Government!
All entries in this blog site to date have been critical of the Government. Just to show that I am not totally one-eyed, I thought it would only be fair to say that I finally agree with something that Prime Minister John Howard (and NSW Chief Justice James Spigelman) stated today. They say that Australians need to improve their manners and have more respect for each other.
It would be really good if we could extend our increased respect to people outside the country as well as those visiting (legal and 'illegal').
Related links:
PM to public: improve your manners
It would be really good if we could extend our increased respect to people outside the country as well as those visiting (legal and 'illegal').
Related links:
PM to public: improve your manners
Monday, January 30, 2006
AWB bribes to Saddam
The Australian Wheat Board made kickback payments of $300 million to Iraq and breached a United Nations Security Council resolution. The Government didn't know a thing about it ... hmmm, ok, they say so, so it must be true ...
Update: 1 Feb 2006. Opposition leader Mr Beazley promises that the Government will be subjected to the "most aggressive parliamentary interrogation this government has faced in its 10 long years in office," Read Wheat for weapons' onslaught (SMH). In his speach, Mr Beazley said ""In the coming weeks we are going to expose this government for what it has become, for what long term governments drunk with power descend into - arrogance, out of touch and with a sole commitment to self-preservation. So self-obsessed they've forgotten what government is supposed to be." Ouch. Go Kim!
Update 2 Feb 2006. I wonder if the Government still insist they knew nothing, after an "AWB executive discovered the company had been paying a "service fee" that was a kickback to the Iraqi regime while he was employed by the Howard government in Baghdad." View the full article on the SMH site.
Related links:
We knew nothing of bribes: Howard
US senators call for AWB ban
Update: 1 Feb 2006. Opposition leader Mr Beazley promises that the Government will be subjected to the "most aggressive parliamentary interrogation this government has faced in its 10 long years in office," Read Wheat for weapons' onslaught (SMH). In his speach, Mr Beazley said ""In the coming weeks we are going to expose this government for what it has become, for what long term governments drunk with power descend into - arrogance, out of touch and with a sole commitment to self-preservation. So self-obsessed they've forgotten what government is supposed to be." Ouch. Go Kim!
Update 2 Feb 2006. I wonder if the Government still insist they knew nothing, after an "AWB executive discovered the company had been paying a "service fee" that was a kickback to the Iraqi regime while he was employed by the Howard government in Baghdad." View the full article on the SMH site.
Related links:
We knew nothing of bribes: Howard
US senators call for AWB ban
Monday, January 23, 2006
Australian Republic
For God's sake, why is Australia still tied to England? Australia is a mature country and should be a republic. It really angers me that the Federal Government is still tied to the Motherland's apron strings.
The farcical word plays of the referendum in November 1999 really p**sed me off. The question should have been "Are you in favour of an Australian head of State?" If the answer was yes, we could have moved on to work out how to go about it. The referendum dealt with proposed models. This was nothing more than a smokescreen. Arrghh!!!
Thank goodness there is now a groundswell to get this important issue back on track. Thank you to the people at Getup!.
Related links:
An Australian Republic?
Rape of the Australian Republic
Defeat for Australian republic referendum highlights social divide
The farcical word plays of the referendum in November 1999 really p**sed me off. The question should have been "Are you in favour of an Australian head of State?" If the answer was yes, we could have moved on to work out how to go about it. The referendum dealt with proposed models. This was nothing more than a smokescreen. Arrghh!!!
Thank goodness there is now a groundswell to get this important issue back on track. Thank you to the people at Getup!.
Related links:
An Australian Republic?
Rape of the Australian Republic
Defeat for Australian republic referendum highlights social divide
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6)
The inaugural meeting of the six-nation Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6) was held in Sydney on 12 January 2006. It was attended by Australia, USA, China, Japan, India and South Korea. These countries contribute to around 50% of world greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the outcomes of the AP6 is the commitment by the Australian Government of $100 million over five years to develop environmentally friendly products to reduce greenhouse pollution levels. I'm pleased that the Federal Government has committed the money, after all, they could have done nothing!
BUT, I stand by my previous comments that we should sign the Kyoto Protocol and not continue down the energy-from-coal path. It would have shown more foresight if the $100M was invested in alternative energy research and development.
I can't help feeling that the funds put forward by Australia and the USA are not much more than a political statement aimed at making the governments appear to give a toss about the environment. Others seem to agree. How much has been spent in Iraq? Enough said ...
Related links:
Canberra, US commit $170m to aid climate - The Age
PM pledges $100m to help climate - SMH
Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate - Wikipedia
One of the outcomes of the AP6 is the commitment by the Australian Government of $100 million over five years to develop environmentally friendly products to reduce greenhouse pollution levels. I'm pleased that the Federal Government has committed the money, after all, they could have done nothing!
BUT, I stand by my previous comments that we should sign the Kyoto Protocol and not continue down the energy-from-coal path. It would have shown more foresight if the $100M was invested in alternative energy research and development.
I can't help feeling that the funds put forward by Australia and the USA are not much more than a political statement aimed at making the governments appear to give a toss about the environment. Others seem to agree. How much has been spent in Iraq? Enough said ...
Related links:
Canberra, US commit $170m to aid climate - The Age
PM pledges $100m to help climate - SMH
Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate - Wikipedia
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Children Overboard
I'm still really angry that the Howard Government stated that asylum seekers (aka 'boat people') threw their children overboard. This false statement helped to fan the fires of racism and xenophobia among many Australians and in turn helped the Howard Government to get reelected in November 2001. As the Wikipedia article (see further links) states "not only was the claim untrue, but that the government knew the claim to be untrue before the Federal elections, which were held one month later." Unbelievable!. It's maddening that the Australian public chose to reelect a lying Government. Governments should be the pillars of propriety... enough said.
Related links:
Children overboard affair at Wikipedia
truthoverboard
Related links:
Children overboard affair at Wikipedia
truthoverboard
Climate change refugees
These seem like logical steps to me.
We must plan for climate change refugees: Labor
- Australia is a big greenhouse gas contributor.
- Greenhouse gases are proven contributors to the enhanced greenhouse effect.
- The greenhouse effect is leading to global warming and rises in sea levels.
- Rises in sea levels are robbing Pacific islanders of their homes as land is inundated.
- Should we feel partly responsible? You betcha.
- Should we do something about it? You betcha.
- Is our opposition (Labor) party stating that they want Australia to take Pacific Refugees? Yes.
- Is our Government willing. What do you think? Enough said ...
We must plan for climate change refugees: Labor
Monday, January 02, 2006
Outrageous new suicide law
From 6th January it will be illegal for Australians to use a "carriage service" - the phone, email, fax or internet to talk about end-of-life options (suicide). I agree that it is important for the media not to broadcast information about youth suicide. There is already an unwritten agreement in much of the media that the suicides of school students are not publicised. This is a very sensible move which minimises the pain of families and friends and also reduces the likelihood of copy-cat suicides.
On the down side however, I believe that the new law is outrageous for two main reasons. Not only will it attempt to restrict freedom of speech but it will also limit the information available to terminally ill people and elderly Australians who are considering their options.
This law won't prevent suicide. I wonder whether it will even reduce the current number of suicide deaths in Australia. I can't help feeling that the law will drive reliable information 'underground' and may unnecessarily increase the suffering of many people. Whether you agree with Dr Philip Nitschke or not, surely it is better for reliable information to be available to people who are considering euthanasia.
Related links:
Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Act 2005
Freedom of speech is dead where euthanasia is concerned
Ill-thought-out suicide law censors a generation
On the down side however, I believe that the new law is outrageous for two main reasons. Not only will it attempt to restrict freedom of speech but it will also limit the information available to terminally ill people and elderly Australians who are considering their options.
This law won't prevent suicide. I wonder whether it will even reduce the current number of suicide deaths in Australia. I can't help feeling that the law will drive reliable information 'underground' and may unnecessarily increase the suffering of many people. Whether you agree with Dr Philip Nitschke or not, surely it is better for reliable information to be available to people who are considering euthanasia.
Related links:
Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Act 2005
Freedom of speech is dead where euthanasia is concerned
Ill-thought-out suicide law censors a generation
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Hot enough for you?
Today is the hottest New Years Day in Sydney since record keeping began in 1958. It's like an oven out there, with the temperature right now (3.45pm) sitting at 44oC. Isn't it interesting that three of the six hottest New Years Days have occurred in the last 15 years and two of these have been 2003 and 2006? The trend can be further clarified by remembering that 2004 was the warmest year on record for Sydney with the average annual maximum daytime temperature of 23.4oC being nearly 2oC above the historic average. Hey, wait a moment ... what about 2005. Well surprise, surprise, it has been even hotter than 2004 and is now the hottest year on record.
Global warming is now a fact of life. I would be overjoyed if our Government would join the rest of the world (well, ok, a mere 156 countries in September 2005) in not only signing the Kyoto Protocol but ratifying it. The excuse that signing the Protocol would cost the jobs of Australians smacks of little more than a politically savvy excuse to avoid doing the right thing. I'm not sure whether I want to laugh or cry when I read that Mr Howard says Australia is already doing enough to cut emissions.
Related links:
Wikipedia's informative entry on the Kyoto Protocol
Hottest year on record as extreme weather lashes globe
Sydney sizzled under hottest January day for 20 years
Sydney has 4th hottest summer on record
2005 is Earth’s second hottest in 1000 years
Welcome to 2006 - in a blistering 44 degrees
Post script: The temperature at Sydney Airport (~9km from my home) peaked at 45.2oC today at 15:56, the highest ever recorded for 1st January. The writing's on the wall ... start reading.
Global warming is now a fact of life. I would be overjoyed if our Government would join the rest of the world (well, ok, a mere 156 countries in September 2005) in not only signing the Kyoto Protocol but ratifying it. The excuse that signing the Protocol would cost the jobs of Australians smacks of little more than a politically savvy excuse to avoid doing the right thing. I'm not sure whether I want to laugh or cry when I read that Mr Howard says Australia is already doing enough to cut emissions.
Related links:
Wikipedia's informative entry on the Kyoto Protocol
Hottest year on record as extreme weather lashes globe
Sydney sizzled under hottest January day for 20 years
Sydney has 4th hottest summer on record
2005 is Earth’s second hottest in 1000 years
Welcome to 2006 - in a blistering 44 degrees
Post script: The temperature at Sydney Airport (~9km from my home) peaked at 45.2oC today at 15:56, the highest ever recorded for 1st January. The writing's on the wall ... start reading.
