Nationals WA promise to abolish first home buyers’ stamp duty, pump millions into regional heath if elected in 2025

Nationals WA have promised to get rid of stamp duty for first home buyers and spend hundreds of millions of dollars on ‘shelved’ country health projects if elected into state government next year.

At its state conference in Bunbury today Nationals WA leader Shane Love outlined plans to abolish what he said was an “unnecessary” tax for younger people looking to buy a house.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-31/nationals-wa-conference-promises-stamp-duty-cut-and-health/104295190

‘Weren’t appropriate’ seems to mean ‘This is a backflip’.
Link

So This “Expertise” Then Is It Something That Comes With Receiving Votes Or Is It Unelected Decoration

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-01/treasury-secretary-steven-kennedy-rebuild-trust-in-expertise/104294870

SCIENCE said:

So This “Expertise” Then Is It Something That Comes With Receiving Votes Or Is It Unelected Decoration

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-01/treasury-secretary-steven-kennedy-rebuild-trust-in-expertise/104294870

It’s just Steve’s way of saying ‘hey, y’know what might be a cool idea? How about if elected governments ran the country in a way that was of greatest benefit for the largest number of people, and not just for the major donors to their parties? I reckon a lot more people would like governments, if they did something like that’.

Hasn’t a chance, of course.

Linda Reynolds failed to offer a ‘basic human response’ after Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations, court told
Higgins’ lawyer also tells defamation trial Reynolds was an unreliable witness and harassed Higgins by leaking documents

https://www.theguardian.com/law/article/2024/sep/02/linda-reynolds-brittany-higgins-defamation-trial-closing-arguments-ntwnfb

Australia’s Privacy Regulator Folds on AI | The West Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBDDxD8btW8

sarahs mum said:

Australia’s Privacy Regulator Folds on AI | The West Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBDDxD8btW8

I mean I don’t know about you but I
really hate it when big corporations
steal my face and data without my
consent but I can’t speak for
everyone Australia’s privacy Watch Dog
the OIC has quietly folded its hand in
the high stakes poker game against its
opponent Clear View AI now clear viw is
a facial recognition firm that’s been
scraping social media like Facebook and
in for images of your face just like a
minor panning for gold but unlike these
oldtime Prospectors cleave you AI isn’t
interested in a Fortune of gold nuggets
in fact it’s after your face my face and
the faces of millions of unsuspecting
people around the world and now despite
having a strong hand in its 2021 ruling
the regulator has decided to walk away
from the table living Australians
privacy chips scattered and unguarded so
let’s go back back in 201 21 the
Australian information commissioner
seemed ready to play hard ball clear
viiew AI was caught red-handed violating
privacy laws by lifting images from
platforms such as Facebook and Twitter
to feed its facial recognition software
now the regulator determined that the
company cease all of its operations in
Australia and delete any data that it
already scooped up it was a clear strong
and decisive mood and exactly what one
would expect from a body tasked with
protecting its citizens privacy but as
anyone who’s played poker knows a strong
start does not guarantee a win the real
challenge comes from maintaining that
pressure and seeing the game through
right to the very end and here
Australia’s privacy regulator folded far
too soon despite the regulator’s 2021
order there’s been no indication that
clear view AI has ever really stopped
media reports from earlier this year
suggest that the company is still
merrily collecting images of Australians
as if the regulator’s ruling was little
more than a suggestion and why wouldn’t
it be in the absence of real enforcement
cleave view AI has had little reason to
change its ways look this isn’t just a
local issue either clear view ai’s data
mining escapades have sparked outrage
all around the world it turns out the UK
slapped the company with a hefty fine
only for it to be overruled due to
jurisdictional issues France Italy and
Greece also took a stand each imposing
mult million penalties and even the
United States a wild west of tech
regulation managed to Wrangle a class
action settlement that limits CLE view
ai’s operations at least on paper so
what’s Australia doing well not much as
it seems so privacy commissioner Ki K
recently described cleave viw ai’s
practices as traveling but decided not
to take further action her reasoning
well a mix of considering all the
relevant factors and a lack of of
resources which sounds more like a
bureaucratic shrug than a justification
under the Privacy Act the regulator has
the power to take noncompliant
organizations to court yet in this case
they’ve chosen to sit this one out it’s
a really disappointing decision that
underscores just how toothless
Australia’s privacy laws really are when
faced with a corporate Behemoth like
cleave you AI our regulator’s bark is
loud but the bite not so much as a
nibble so this chapter is just the
latest example of Australia’s border
struggles with privacy protection
significant penalties for privacy
breaches are very rare here in Australia
especially when compared to our European
counterparts The Regulators limited
power and resources only exacerbate the
issue and as seen in ongoing
investigations into Bunnings CO’s
Woolworth and their use of facial
recognition technology cases that have
been tied up in the judicial system for
over 2 years the message this sends to
companies like Clear View is clear
Australia is a safe bet for those
wishing to push the boundaries of
Privacy Law with little to fear in the
way of enforcement these companies can
continue to harvest and exploit personal
data with impunity look there is however
a glimmer of hope on the horizon
Australia is set to undergo Privacy Law
reforms that could in theory beef up The
Regulators enforcement Powers but even
those reforms may not be enough to
tackle specific challenges posed by
highrisk Technologies like Ai and facial
recognition some experts are calling for
specialized rules tailored to these
Technologies former Australian human
rights commissioner Ed santel for
instance has proposed a model law to
regulate facial recognition tools
specifically it’s a step in the right
direction and one that Australia would
do well to consider seriously
internationally we’re already seeing
movement in this direction the European
Union’s artificial intelligent act for
example sets strict rules around the use
of facial recognition Technologies and
ban certain applications outright it’s a
model that Australia could and should
look into as it considers how to best
protect its citizens in an age where our
faces are just another commodity so
Australia’s decision to drop the case
against cleave VI AI is a stark reminder
of the gaps in our privacy protections
as tech companies continue to push the
envelope our laws and Regulators need to
keep up if we don’t act now we risk
losing our most personal data this is
not just cleave UI by the way this is
for any company that decides our faces
are theirs for the taking it’s time for
Australia to anti up and strengthen its
privacy laws and the stakes are too high
for anything else thank you so much for
tuning in and listening feel free to
like share and subscribe down below my
name is Josh I’m the producer and video
editor for the West report and you can
expect to be seeing me a little bit more
often uh in the coming months

I

“At the same time, in Woodside’s view, electrolysis-based hydrogen production in Tasmania is currently challenging, driven by the lack of availability of new renewable energy generation,” a spokesperson for Woodside said.
The company said it would consider proposing a new Notice of Intent in the future for a revised H2TAS project if it was “appropriate in the future”.

——

Seems to me there should be scope to build considerable windpower in Tasmania…

dv said:

“At the same time, in Woodside’s view, electrolysis-based hydrogen production in Tasmania is currently challenging, driven by the lack of availability of new renewable energy generation,” a spokesperson for Woodside said.
The company said it would consider proposing a new Notice of Intent in the future for a revised H2TAS project if it was “appropriate in the future”.

——

Seems to me there should be scope to build considerable windpower in Tasmania…

I believe it is still happening. There is some bitching about a new wind farm that will be able to be seen from the overland track.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-02/only-half-of-tasmanian-students-finish-year-12/104284984

Yeah¿ Cool mate, which

“I’ve watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said,” the ASIO director-general told 7.30.

people then, which people was it¿

SCIENCE said:

Yeah¿ Cool mate, which

“I’ve watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said,” the ASIO director-general told 7.30.

people then, which people was it¿

Dutton etc.

SCIENCE said:

Yeah¿ Cool mate, which

“I’ve watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said,” the ASIO director-general told 7.30.

people then, which people was it¿

He could tell you, but then he’d have to kill you.

ah well as long as it’sn’t just being used as an excuse, when one side does it call them out hard, when someone else does it say you can’t get all partisan or name names

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

News to be and I read the Melbourne press voraciously.

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

News to be and I read the Melbourne press voraciously.

ooops… be=me

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

News to be and I read the Melbourne press voraciously.

The other news from the interview that I hadn’t heard before, but apparently is true, is that he was recently sacked by Nine without warning.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

News to be and I read the Melbourne press voraciously.

ooops… be=me

‘Not long before they started marching, police had told them to back down and leave, before firing non-fatal pellets into the crowd. Empty cans and water bottles were thrown back at the police… …Victoria’s police chief commissioner, Shane Patton, said officers used pepper balls, foam baton rounds, smoke bombs and stinger grenades which deploy rubber pellets.’

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/21/victoria-covid-update-rubber-bullets-fired-on-second-day-of-construction-protests-which-block-freeway

…

I wonder if pellets and rubber bullets are the same thing?

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

Sept 2021.

The supposed ‘tradies’ protest in Melbourne, which was augmented by anti-vaxxers and far-right ratbags.

Link

Police used ‘stinger’ riot control grenades, which spray .32 cal size rubber balls over a 15 metre/50 foot radius

Sting grenades: Link

Sting grenades effect/treatment: Link

These are not rubber bullets as such, and, when used correctly in open areas, are unlikely to produce any significant injuries, and are far,far less risky than rubber bullets.

Bear in mind that this was not done to some peaceful bunch of mums and dads holding cardboard placards and quitely protesting,. with maybe a bit of slogan-chanting.

Over 200 of them engaged in stand-off with police at the Shrine of Remembrance, setting off flares, and throwing bottles, cans, batteries, and golf balls at police.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

This al-Jazeera article from 2021 says they used pepper spray, foam batons, and rubber bullets during an anti-lockdown/antivax protest in Melbourne in September 2021. Nothing to suggest it was as they were leaving, though.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

No they were not peacefully leaving. They were attacking Police and using weapons (throwing stuff).

https://www.google.com/search?q=Victorian+police+rubber+bullets+at+anti-vaccine+protestors%2C&sca_esv=790745a775e4282d&sxsrf=ADLYWIJ4PgGa-kziR6BR4CHwwiGc-Zf2NA%3A1725319887511&ei=z0rWZsr4Hpa8juMPlfGFmAo&ved=0ahUKEwiKnJO4taWIAxUWnmMGHZV4AaMQ4dUDCBA&oq=Victorian+police+rubber+bullets+at+anti-vaccine+protestors%2C&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiO1ZpY3RvcmlhbiBwb2xpY2UgcnViYmVyIGJ1bGxldHMgYXQgYW50aS12YWNjaW5lIHByb3Rlc3RvcnMsSOZeUJoLWPwccAF4AJABAJgB7AGgAbwGqgEFMC4yLjK4AQzIAQD4AQGYAgCgAgCYAwCIBgGSBwCgB7cJ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Witty Rejoinder said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Heard our mate Leunig having a nice chat on the radio yesterday.

Amongst the many things about why he doesn’t like how things are done these days, he mentioned that Victorian police had shot rubber bullets at anti-vaccine protestors, as they were peacefully leaving the protest.

Is that actually true?

News to be and I read the Melbourne press voraciously.

I feel dirty – I looked at a sky news clip, which did say police fired rubber bullets – and it did look dodgy…

then I found this https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.9NN4GV which states Graphic photos do not show Melbourne protesters wounded by rubber bullets… Melbourne riot police used pepper spray, foam baton rounds and rubber ball grenades to disperse a violent protest on September 21 against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for construction workers.

load up, load up, the rubber bullets.

next on the sovereign libertarian citizen talk show, should police enforce laws

wait of course there’s no such thing as law

SCIENCE said:

Yeah¿ Cool mate, which

“I’ve watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said,” the ASIO director-general told 7.30.

people then, which people was it¿

He’s not allowed to say.

Booted out of Pauline Hanson’s party for being too extremely right, this MP speak at a rally of deliberate liars and misinformation pedlars.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-04/steve-andrew-mp-criticised-fire-ant-rally-misinformation/104303648

Michael V said:

Booted out of Pauline Hanson’s party for being too extremely right, this MP speak at a rally of deliberate liars and misinformation pedlars.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-04/steve-andrew-mp-criticised-fire-ant-rally-misinformation/104303648

Nutter, I wonder how he is on 5G.

04 September 2024
Union ordered to halt TasNetworks strike action across state
Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union state organiser Chris Clark has denied claims that his union is interfering in storm recovery efforts and putting lives in danger. Picture by Ben Seeder

The Fair Work Commission has ordered electrical union bosses to halt industrial action amid claims strikes are interfering in storm recovery efforts, leaving more people without power for longer and putting lives in danger.

TasNetworks filed an application with the Commission seeking an order compelling the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union to end strikes, chief executive officer Dr Dean Mc Goldrick said on Tuesday.

Exeter resident Geoffrey Dean first reported downed power lines on Saturday
He claimed that union leaders were directing TasNetworks employees to slow recovery efforts as part of their strike action and claims for a 35 per cent pay boost.

“We took this action as a last resort to protect Tasmanian industry, ensure our transmission network’s safe, and ensure our transmission work’s free from interference and obstruction by CEPU leaders,” Dr Mc Goldrick said.

TasNetworks chief executive officer Sean Mc Goldrick. Picture by Ben Seeder
“While thousands of Tasmanians, including businesses and industries are suffering long periods without power, our people are working outstandingly hard to restore customers.

“The only instructions our transmission people should be receiving are those of their TasNetworks leaders and dispatchers.”

He claimed the union was directing TasNetwork employees about which transmission outages to restore and which to leave.

“ must play no role in deciding or instructing TasNetworks’ operational priorities, and must play no role in deciding which outages are prioritised as a safety risk, and which aren’t.”

CEPU state organiser Chris Clark denied Dr McGoldrick’s claims of interference in recovery efforts.

He said lawyers for TasNetworks made numerous “unfounded” accusations of union activists at the hearing before the Commission on Tuesday night.

“What they were able to do was to find a legal loophole within our undertakings around safety and say that we weren’t fulfilling our commitments.”

He said the Fair Work Commission president “erred on the side of caution” by making the stop order after TasNetworks lawyers claimed lives were being put in danger.

“It’s a real kick in the guts to our members that TasNetworks would take this approach given the mammoth effort they’ve been putting in.”

In particular, he said one of the incidents used by TasNetworks lawyers in the hearing concerned down power lines affecting the Woolnorth wind farm.

He said the lawyers claimed the lack of power to the wind farm was preventing the turbines from safely powering down.
“If they were so concerned about a safety risk and needed that transmission line to safely power down the turbines, then why would they be immediately exporting power straight away after the line was back on?”

He said TasNetworks has deliberately misinterpreted its agreement with the union over work to be carried out during the strike.

“We maintain that any planned work wouldn’t be done, … and that we’d only be restoring power in instances where it was declared there was emergency work needed to avoid imminent risk to health and safety.”

There were nearly 12,000 customers without power across Tasmania as of Wednesday morning, down from over 20,000 the evening before.

Numerous customers, especially in the North and the North-West of the state, reported being without power for multiple days.

Exeter resident Geoffrey Dean reported local power lines on Saturday, but said as of Wednesday, they had not been restored.

The CEPU began strike actions and various work bans, including switching, in late August, after negotiations over a new enterprise bargain with the company collapsed.

The union is seeking average pay increases of up to 35 per cent over a number of years, and claims that would bring its members into line with average pay of similarly employed mainland workers.

But TasNetworks has said such a pay increase would increase electricity prices for Tasmanians, and that its employees are already paid, on average, on par with the mainland median.
——

I smell Liberal spin.

Peak Warming Man said:

Michael V said:

Booted out of Pauline Hanson’s party for being too extremely right, this MP speak at a rally of deliberate liars and misinformation pedlars.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-04/steve-andrew-mp-criticised-fire-ant-rally-misinformation/104303648

Nutter, I wonder how he is on 5G.

He’d be onto that for sure.

Justin:

Linda Reynolds is seeking damages of more than half a million dollars for the hurt and loss of reputation she says she suffered because of three defamatory social media posts published by her former staffer Brittany Higgins, a WA court has heard.

OCDC said:

Justin:

Linda Reynolds is seeking damages of more than half a million dollars for the hurt and loss of reputation she says she suffered because of three defamatory social media posts published by her former staffer Brittany Higgins, a WA court has heard.

she can just f off.

sarahs mum said:

OCDC said:

Justin:

Linda Reynolds is seeking damages of more than half a million dollars for the hurt and loss of reputation she says she suffered because of three defamatory social media posts published by her former staffer Brittany Higgins, a WA court has heard.

she can just f off.

Let’s hope the judge agrees.

OCDC said:

Justin:

Linda Reynolds is seeking damages of more than half a million dollars for the hurt and loss of reputation she says she suffered because of three defamatory social media posts published by her former staffer Brittany Higgins, a WA court has heard.

Sex and travel to her.

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

OCDC said:

Justin:

Linda Reynolds is seeking damages of more than half a million dollars for the hurt and loss of reputation she says she suffered because of three defamatory social media posts published by her former staffer Brittany Higgins, a WA court has heard.

she can just f off.

Let’s hope the judge agrees.

He’s certainly not buying some of the stuff that Reynolds’ lawyer is putting forward. But, as he’s set to ‘retire to consider his verdict’, we may not know the outcome until some time into 2025.

Anyway, anyone who was a Minister in Morrison’s government…

…how much reputation can they have to lose?

Oh yeah¿ So who controls the press and a fuck load more money than you could get chairing the ABC then eh¿

Mr Williams also took a swipe at the conduct of media baron Keith Murdoch, father of billionaire News Corp chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch, as having pushed “fake news” during World War I. He said Mr Murdoch and fellow war correspondent Charles Bean had campaigned to have General Sir John Monash removed from battlefield command in Europe, using their dispatches from the front to lobby the government. “It was out-and-out nonsense — a disinformation campaign which collapsed when Prime Minister Billy Hughes, touring the front line, was told … that Monash had the esteem of all who worked with him,” Mr Williams said. “Bean’s and Murdoch’s folly was a great example of the idiocy of spreading fake news and of basing decisions on prejudice and ego.”

04 September 2024
Credlin role revealed in Higgins’ case

Senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer has revealed the involvement of Sky News anchor Peta Credlin in the Brittany Higgins saga, as legal representatives give their closing addresses.

What we know:
Reynolds’ representative Martin Bennett submitted new documents to the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday, as part of the defamation trial brought against Higgins (Canberra Times);
Reynolds is suing Higgins over social media posts that suggest she was uncaring and unsupportive, after her former staffer was allegedly raped in Reynolds’ office (7am);
The documents included a statement released by Higgins after her interview with The Project that had been edited by Credlin, who had also been a Coalition staffer;
Bennett said Higgins’ partner, David Sharaz, told Credlin to “make edits as you see fit”, with the news anchor responding: “here are some suggestions”;
Credlin confirmed her involvement during a live broadcast on Tuesday evening and said she helped craft the statement with the “full support” of then-prime minister Scott Morrison and her boss at Sky News believing reform was needed;
Higgins’ defence lawyer Rachael Young did not object to the documents being submitted but said it should be no surprise there would be various drafts of a media release;
Young earlier used the final hour of her closing address to conclude that Reynolds’ evidence had failed to support her claim that Higgins and Sharaz had devised a malicious plan to attack her in a political conspiracy (The Age);
It comes as Higgins and Sharaz put their French home on the market, after flagging that the property had to be sold to fund mounting legal fees (The Guardian);
The trial continues today when Bennett is scheduled to complete his closing remarks.

Bill Shorten is retiring.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

Don’t buy a boat Bill you’ll end up dying two weeks before retirement, killed by bad guys

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

Some comfy ambassador job on offer somewhere?

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

I always thought he was quite forthright myself.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

Some comfy ambassador job on offer somewhere?

For China ?

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

I thought he died years ago.

ChrispenEvan said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

I always thought he was quite forthright myself.

Yeah he was no shrinking violet.

Cymek said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bill Shorten is retiring.

Some comfy ambassador job on offer somewhere?

For China ?

Canberra University.

roughbarked said:

Cymek said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Some comfy ambassador job on offer somewhere?

For China ?

Canberra University.

Is that one of the radical left breeding grounds threatening to side with HAMAS to destroy Israel and challenge the communist Labor student migration bans¿

And another one bites the dust:

“Pauline Hanson has dropped her party’s sole West Australian MP from the One Nation ticket, after the state’s party leader claimed he didn’t “pass the pub test” in his commitment to the job.

Just six months after joining One Nation, Ben Dawkins has now failed to be endorsed by One Nation ahead of the next WA election, expected in March 2025.

A decision is yet to be made on whether he will remain with the One Nation party until then, or rebrand as an independent.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-05/pauline-hanson-boots-ben-dawkins-from-one-nation-ticket/104314248

Michael V said:

And another one bites the dust:

“Pauline Hanson has dropped her party’s sole West Australian MP from the One Nation ticket, after the state’s party leader claimed he didn’t “pass the pub test” in his commitment to the job.

Just six months after joining One Nation, Ben Dawkins has now failed to be endorsed by One Nation ahead of the next WA election, expected in March 2025.

A decision is yet to be made on whether he will remain with the One Nation party until then, or rebrand as an independent.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-05/pauline-hanson-boots-ben-dawkins-from-one-nation-ticket/104314248

Geez he must be really shit/ I mean they have extremely low standards, how could he not be good enough for them? Finished high school and so too educated? Not got a criminal record?

05 September 2024
State’s hospitals cancel thousands of surgeries over 12-month period

There were 1188 surgeries postponed at the LGH over 2023-24 and more than 700 postponed at the Mersey Community Hospital and North West Regional Hospital.

More than 3700 elective surgeries had to be cancelled in Tasmania’s four public hospitals in 2023-24, with a majority due to an overriding emergency situation or a more urgent elective surgery case taking priority.

This is about 300 surgeries above those that were cancelled in 2022-23.

Other reasons included a surgeon being unavailable for procedures to take place or deciding to postpone a surgery, and unavailable hospital beds

The new Health Department data has been sourced by Labor through a question to Health Minister Guy Barnett taken on notice last month.

The information shows that 257 surgeries were cancelled due to a lack of beds and 102 were cancelled due to theatre equipment malfunctions or unavailability.

Hospitals in the North-West had a higher rate of malfunctioning equipment than the Launceston General Hospital and Royal Hobart Hospital.

There were 1188 surgeries postponed at the LGH over 2023-24, 261 postponed at the Mersey Community Hospital, and 446 postponed at the North West Regional Hospital.

Labor’s health spokeswoman Ella Haddad said about 1000 surgery cancellations were due to staff shortages, such as unavailability of theatre staff, surgeons and anaesthetists.

“We know that Tasmania’s health system is stretched to its limit,” she said.

“Cuts to health are likely to make up a substantial portion of the Liberal minority government’s $300 million efficiency dividend.”

In response to Ms Haddad’s question, Mr Barnett said there had been a record number of elective surgeries undertaken in the past two financial years through the government’s $196.4 million statewide elective surgery plan.

“There may be occasions where a surgery is booked but does need to be postponed,” he said.

“There are a range of reasons why a surgery would be postponed, such as an emergency surgery taking priority, or where it has been deferred on clinical advice.”

Spiny Norman said:

Michael V said:

And another one bites the dust:

“Pauline Hanson has dropped her party’s sole West Australian MP from the One Nation ticket, after the state’s party leader claimed he didn’t “pass the pub test” in his commitment to the job.

Just six months after joining One Nation, Ben Dawkins has now failed to be endorsed by One Nation ahead of the next WA election, expected in March 2025.

A decision is yet to be made on whether he will remain with the One Nation party until then, or rebrand as an independent.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-05/pauline-hanson-boots-ben-dawkins-from-one-nation-ticket/104314248

Geez he must be really shit/ I mean they have extremely low standards, how could he not be good enough for them? Finished high school and so too educated? Not got a criminal record?

Just maybe, he’s smart enough to disagree with Pauline?

Kat McNamara of the Greens did end up winning Nightcliff in the NT election.
This is the first time the Greens have won a seat in the NT assembly.
OTOH this is salt on the wound for Labor, who now hold no seats at all in the Darwin/Casuarina area.

so what’s the consensus, is this NDIS thing legit’, is it Labor’s robodebt ¿ what

well, just make primary school go for longer and there, problem solved

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-06/kimberley-school-attendance-rates-falling/104316756

1) What is the person’s gender?

Man; Boy; Woman; Girl; non-binary; uses another term; prefer not to answer

2) How does the person describe their sexual orientation?

straight; gay or lesbian; bisexual; uses another term(specify); don’t know; prefer not to answer

3) Has the person been told they were born with a variation of sex characteristics?

yes; no; don’t know; prefer not to answer

Hey you know what you’re absolutely

The government — and ABS — announced at short notice that it would not be proceeding with releasing the questions for testing amid reports of concerns at the top echelons of the government that they would start a culture war, and public commentary by senior ministers that there were concerns they would be divisive.

right, if you don’t measure it or you don’t treat for SARACAIDS-CoV then it doesn’t exist or there’s no pandemic¡ It’s genius¡ No question, no culture war¡ No NATO, no occupation of Ukraine¡ Nobody left alive in Gaza, no atrocity committed against people in Gaza¡ No ability to consent, no need for consent¡

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

SCIENCE said:

1) What is the person’s gender?

Man; Boy; Woman; Girl; non-binary; uses another term; prefer not to answer

2) How does the person describe their sexual orientation?

straight; gay or lesbian; bisexual; uses another term(specify); don’t know; prefer not to answer

3) Has the person been told they were born with a variation of sex characteristics?

yes; no; don’t know; prefer not to answer

Hey you know what you’re absolutely

The government — and ABS — announced at short notice that it would not be proceeding with releasing the questions for testing amid reports of concerns at the top echelons of the government that they would start a culture war, and public commentary by senior ministers that there were concerns they would be divisive.

right, if you don’t measure it or you don’t treat for SARACAIDS-CoV then it doesn’t exist or there’s no pandemic¡ It’s genius¡ No question, no culture war¡ No NATO, no occupation of Ukraine¡ Nobody left alive in Gaza, no atrocity committed against people in Gaza¡ No ability to consent, no need for consent¡

The 2026 census questions on gender and sexual orientation that have been at the centre of a political brawl for the past week have been revealed to the ABC, despite the Albanese government declining to release the details.

The ABC has learned the exact wording of the questions that had been under development by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in conjunction with an expert panel from the LGBTQI+ community, for some months after extensive public consultation revealed an interest in more details on these issues.

Link

So do you agree or disagree¿

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

Hey you know what you’re absolutely

The government — and ABS — announced at short notice that it would not be proceeding with releasing the questions for testing amid reports of concerns at the top echelons of the government that they would start a culture war, and public commentary by senior ministers that there were concerns they would be divisive.

right, if you don’t measure it or you don’t treat for SARACAIDS-CoV then it doesn’t exist or there’s no pandemic¡ It’s genius¡ No question, no culture war¡ No NATO, no occupation of Ukraine¡ Nobody left alive in Gaza, no atrocity committed against people in Gaza¡ No ability to consent, no need for consent¡

The 2026 census questions on gender and sexual orientation that have been at the centre of a political brawl for the past week have been revealed to the ABC, despite the Albanese government declining to release the details.

The ABC has learned the exact wording of the questions that had been under development by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in conjunction with an expert panel from the LGBTQI+ community, for some months after extensive public consultation revealed an interest in more details on these issues.

Link

So do you agree or disagree¿

Prefer not to answer.

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

Hey you know what you’re absolutely

The government — and ABS — announced at short notice that it would not be proceeding with releasing the questions for testing amid reports of concerns at the top echelons of the government that they would start a culture war, and public commentary by senior ministers that there were concerns they would be divisive.

right, if you don’t measure it or you don’t treat for SARACAIDS-CoV then it doesn’t exist or there’s no pandemic¡ It’s genius¡ No question, no culture war¡ No NATO, no occupation of Ukraine¡ Nobody left alive in Gaza, no atrocity committed against people in Gaza¡ No ability to consent, no need for consent¡

The 2026 census questions on gender and sexual orientation that have been at the centre of a political brawl for the past week have been revealed to the ABC, despite the Albanese government declining to release the details.

The ABC has learned the exact wording of the questions that had been under development by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in conjunction with an expert panel from the LGBTQI+ community, for some months after extensive public consultation revealed an interest in more details on these issues.

Link

So do you agree or disagree¿

It is none of my business.

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

The 2026 census questions on gender and sexual orientation that have been at the centre of a political brawl for the past week have been revealed to the ABC, despite the Albanese government declining to release the details.

The ABC has learned the exact wording of the questions that had been under development by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in conjunction with an expert panel from the LGBTQI+ community, for some months after extensive public consultation revealed an interest in more details on these issues.

Link

So do you agree or disagree¿

Prefer not to answer.

It is none of my business.

Just Asking Questions

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Prefer not to answer.

It is none of my business.

Just Asking Questions

Ask all you like.
I’m staying in the closet.

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

It is none of my business.

Just Asking Questions

Ask all you like.
I’m staying in the closet.

Not only is it none of my business: it’s not in the least a matter of interest to me.

I hope that, in addition to asking questions about gender, sexuality, whatever, they also ask, ‘do you think that gathering this information is in any way worth the effort it requires?’.

captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

Just Asking Questions

Ask all you like.
I’m staying in the closet.

Not only is it none of my business: it’s not in the least a matter of interest to me.

I hope that, in addition to asking questions about gender, sexuality, whatever, they also ask, ‘do you think that gathering this information is in any way worth the effort it requires?’.

Ummm…

Why not though when fascist conspiracy theorists just ask questions it’s cool and edgy and the done thing and worthy of debate and important free speech to be platformed but when some actual research survey for data to guide demographic policy asks questions it’s useless and wasteful and distracting and needs to be cancelled and oh wait¿

Sure maybe possibly but

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-07/david-pocock-creates-ai-deepfake-of-albanese/104323688

how is this really any different to people just plain lying like in the good old days ¿

ACT senator David Pocock created and shared AI-generated videos of the prime minister and opposition leader as a warning to pass urgent legislation on artificial intelligence. Senator Pocock said his videos, which depicted the two leaders promising a ban on gambling ads, highlighted how easily AI could be misused in election campaigning next year. The issue of deepfakes and generative AI has been much debated but the government has not confirmed whether regulation will be passed in time for the federal election.

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

After all, Rupert has been growing these gene pools rather than shrinking.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

After all, Rupert has been growing these gene pools rather than shrinking.

Education would rule, if only Channel nine and seven actually worked towards that.

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

Sure but seriously how do they actually enforce these fines, there’s news about it from time to time but it’s like either they just cough up a tiny amount for the token slap on the wrist, or they just say well you can’t touch us anyway so we’ll just block all your news¿

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

Sure but seriously how do they actually enforce these fines, there’s news about it from time to time but it’s like either they just cough up a tiny amount for the token slap on the wrist, or they just say well you can’t touch us anyway so we’ll just block all your news¿

These are tougher times than we have ever experienced, though we had thought we were educating ourselves out of this, our technology has thrown all caution to the winds of “buggerorf, if the world is fucked, we are going to enjoy our arses off before the walls fall in on us”.

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

And how do they

Social media giants would be forced to ban children under the age of 14 from their platforms or face hefty penalties, under proposed laws in South Australia that could be replicated in other states. The SA government has released a 276-page report by former High Court justice Robert French on how companies providing social media services like Facebook and TikTok would need to take “systemic responsibility” for restricting children from using their products. The report outlines how the draft legislation is “available for other state governments to pursue” if they choose to and could be rolled out across the nation.

enforce these ideas for multinational corporations based outside their juris wait uh¿

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

Sure but seriously how do they actually enforce these fines, there’s news about it from time to time but it’s like either they just cough up a tiny amount for the token slap on the wrist, or they just say well you can’t touch us anyway so we’ll just block all your news¿

They create user agreements that stipulate minimum age requirements for an individual to sign up, they will probably also be some form of parental 2FA. Then the rest is left to parents to manage. Not sure there really is any other way.

diddly-squat said:

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

The enforcers would need to threaten each and every household with tactical nukes on them and on all their relatives.
Gene pool shrinkage.

Sure but seriously how do they actually enforce these fines, there’s news about it from time to time but it’s like either they just cough up a tiny amount for the token slap on the wrist, or they just say well you can’t touch us anyway so we’ll just block all your news¿

They create user agreements that stipulate minimum age requirements for an individual to sign up, they will probably also be some form of parental 2FA. Then the rest is left to parents to manage. Not sure there really is any other way.

I know and I’m sure you do too, how to get around minimum age requirements unless, everyone on the planet is restricted to Nazi style control and even then, they lost the war

Here’s one for the psephology nerds

I wouldn’t call myself a psephology nerd, but this is QI.

ABC News:

The Coalition has floated powers that would force the break-up of Qantas and Jetstar.

Bridget McKenzie says she does not want to see those powers used, but they would be an effective threat.

Ah. Bridget McKenzie. Not unfamiliar with a bit of off-the-record raising and/or allocation of funds here and there.

Like, maybe, ‘hey, QANTAS, Virgin, if we get back into government, we might think about forcing you to break up your operation and sell of bits ofthem. Of course, if there was to be some discreet donations to our election funds, we may just somehow forget all about that idea’.

captain_spalding said:

ABC News:

The Coalition has floated powers that would force the break-up of Qantas and Jetstar.

Bridget McKenzie says she does not want to see those powers used, but they would be an effective threat.

Ah. Bridget McKenzie. Not unfamiliar with a bit of off-the-record raising and/or allocation of funds here and there.

Like, maybe, ‘hey, QANTAS, Virgin, if we get back into government, we might think about forcing you to break up your operation and sell of bits ofthem. Of course, if there was to be some discreet donations to our election funds, we may just somehow forget all about that idea’.

Beautiful Corruption, The Party Of Small Government, Free Market, And Non-Intervention

Senator RENNICK: I want to speak to the Chief Scientist. I’d like to get some evidence in relation to the greenhouse gas effect. We often hear today the debate around renewables is all to do with climate change, and that’s a tautology because the climate’s always changed, but I still have issues around the greenhouse gas effect and in particular the idea that an extra hundred parts per million of CO2 effectively heats up the other million parts. A hundred parts per million is one part per 10,000. The first law of thermodynamics, the equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, is that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. It’s not, but let’s assume carbon dioxide is the same weight as N2O2. How can one atom of CO2 heat up 10,000 atoms of N2 and O2 through conduction unless it itself is somewhere around 10,000 degrees?

—-
I direct this question to SCIENCE.

dv said:

Senator RENNICK: I want to speak to the Chief Scientist. I’d like to get some evidence in relation to the greenhouse gas effect. We often hear today the debate around renewables is all to do with climate change, and that’s a tautology because the climate’s always changed, but I still have issues around the greenhouse gas effect and in particular the idea that an extra hundred parts per million of CO2 effectively heats up the other million parts. A hundred parts per million is one part per 10,000. The first law of thermodynamics, the equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, is that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. It’s not, but let’s assume carbon dioxide is the same weight as N2O2. How can one atom of CO2 heat up 10,000 atoms of N2 and O2 through conduction unless it itself is somewhere around 10,000 degrees?

—-
I direct this question to SCIENCE.

potholer did a vid on this.

dv said:

Senator RENNICK: I want to speak to the Chief Scientist. I’d like to get some evidence in relation to the greenhouse gas effect. We often hear today the debate around renewables is all to do with climate change, and that’s a tautology because the climate’s always changed, but I still have issues around the greenhouse gas effect and in particular the idea that an extra hundred parts per million of CO2 effectively heats up the other million parts. A hundred parts per million is one part per 10,000. The first law of thermodynamics, the equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, is that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. It’s not, but let’s assume carbon dioxide is the same weight as N2O2. How can one atom of CO2 heat up 10,000 atoms of N2 and O2 through conduction unless it itself is somewhere around 10,000 degrees?

—-
I direct this question to SCIENCE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBV5fw6e0RM&t=939s

Link

Could this be the stupidest politician in Australia?

JudgeMental said:

dv said:

Senator RENNICK: I want to speak to the Chief Scientist. I’d like to get some evidence in relation to the greenhouse gas effect. We often hear today the debate around renewables is all to do with climate change, and that’s a tautology because the climate’s always changed, but I still have issues around the greenhouse gas effect and in particular the idea that an extra hundred parts per million of CO2 effectively heats up the other million parts. A hundred parts per million is one part per 10,000. The first law of thermodynamics, the equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, is that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. It’s not, but let’s assume carbon dioxide is the same weight as N2O2. How can one atom of CO2 heat up 10,000 atoms of N2 and O2 through conduction unless it itself is somewhere around 10,000 degrees?

—-
I direct this question to SCIENCE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBV5fw6e0RM&t=939s

Link

Could this be the stupidest politician in Australia?

He is a member of the most stupid and self-centered political party, so very likely.

fuck

PermeateFree said:

JudgeMental said:

dv said:

Senator RENNICK: I want to speak to the Chief Scientist. I’d like to get some evidence in relation to the greenhouse gas effect. We often hear today the debate around renewables is all to do with climate change, and that’s a tautology because the climate’s always changed, but I still have issues around the greenhouse gas effect and in particular the idea that an extra hundred parts per million of CO2 effectively heats up the other million parts. A hundred parts per million is one part per 10,000. The first law of thermodynamics, the equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, is that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. It’s not, but let’s assume carbon dioxide is the same weight as N2O2. How can one atom of CO2 heat up 10,000 atoms of N2 and O2 through conduction unless it itself is somewhere around 10,000 degrees?

—-
I direct this question to SCIENCE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBV5fw6e0RM&t=939s

Link

Could this be the stupidest politician in Australia?

He is a member of the most stupid and self-centered political party, so very likely.

Good to see you back, PF.

The Canberra Liberals have disendorsed sitting Ginninderra MLA Elizabeth Kikkert as a candidate for the October ACT election.

The party said the decision related to allegations about disclosure obligations for donations and electoral expenditure, and “Mrs Kikkert’s behaviour towards employees”.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-10/canberra-liberals-disendorse-elizabeth-kikkert-act-election/104330782

Bubblecar said:

The Canberra Liberals have disendorsed sitting Ginninderra MLA Elizabeth Kikkert as a candidate for the October ACT election.

The party said the decision related to allegations about disclosure obligations for donations and electoral expenditure, and “Mrs Kikkert’s behaviour towards employees”.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-10/canberra-liberals-disendorse-elizabeth-kikkert-act-election/104330782

Being Liberal behaviour towards employees she was probably nice instead of looking over the top of her glasses in disdain saying “Rebel scum, take them away”

“The position that has been reported from the Coalition is irresponsible, it is disappointing, but it is not especially surprising given Peter Dutton’s pathological negativity and Angus Taylor’s weakness,” Mr Chalmers said.

The federal government wants to enhance the RBA’s independence and create two boards, a Governance Board to oversee the bank’s policies, and a Monetary Policy Board which would set interest rates with a view to “price stability and the maintenance of full employment in Australia”.

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

sarahs mum said:

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

Surprisingly, the car ferry that transported us from the Isle of Man to Liverpool was made in Tasmania (I don’t remember by who). Make of that what you will.

And yes, expect the stadium to cost a lot more than quoted.

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

Surprisingly, the car ferry that transported us from the Isle of Man to Liverpool was made in Tasmania (I don’t remember by who). Make of that what you will.

And yes, expect the stadium to cost a lot more than quoted.

Considering who is building it you think they could finnish

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

Surprisingly, the car ferry that transported us from the Isle of Man to Liverpool was made in Tasmania (I don’t remember by who). Make of that what you will.

And yes, expect the stadium to cost a lot more than quoted.

Incat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incat

Bubblecar said:

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

Surprisingly, the car ferry that transported us from the Isle of Man to Liverpool was made in Tasmania (I don’t remember by who). Make of that what you will.

And yes, expect the stadium to cost a lot more than quoted.

Incat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incat

Yes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSC_Manannan

The world’s fastest passenger ship, HSC Francisco, was designed and built in Tasmania by Incat. Not many people know that.

Bubblecar said:

The world’s fastest passenger ship, HSC Francisco, was designed and built in Tasmania by Incat. Not many people know that.

Incat have been around for a good while. Selling fast and fancy boats to the idle rich.

Bubblecar said:

The world’s fastest passenger ship, HSC Francisco, was designed and built in Tasmania by Incat. Not many people know that.

TATE tells me that Incat are doing OK these days, which is good to hear.

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

and the stadium could cost?

09 September 2024
Spirits contract delay cost taxpayers $40m, TT-Line tells committee

Cost overruns and delays to the project to replace the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

The state government’s decision to delay signing a contract for construction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels until after alternative local manufacturers were investigated ultimately cost taxpayers an additional $40 million, a parliamentary committee heard on Monday.

Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line agreed to buy the two vessels from Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) in June 2020, but the Gutwein government prevented the company from signing the contract, TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC said on Monday.

Mr Bugg was testifying before the Public Accounts Committee in place of Bernard Dwyer, who resigned from his position as company chief executive just days before his scheduled appearance.

The committee, which is chaired by Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest, is probing the various delays and cost overruns in the project to replace the two existing Spirits and to construct the wharf infrastructure for the two new vessels.

“We were told by the government that we were not to sign,” Mr Bugg said.

“They established the Vessel Replacement Task Force to see whether or not we had any alternative manufacturing capacity in this country.”

He said once the task force returned with its findings – that there were no suitable alternatives for ship manufacture in Australia – the company returned to RMC, but was quoted a higher price.

“The federal and state governments’ desire to try and spend as much money as possible in Australia and the delay in evaluating whether that could happen cost us I would say $40 million.”

TT-Line deputy chair Damian Bugg KC testified before a parliament committee about delays and cost blowouts to the project to replace the Spirit of Tasmania vessels.

He said this cost did not include additional costs later triggered by the delays, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

In 2022, after the contract with RMC was signed, Mr Bugg said steel prices “went through the roof” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Each night we watched a steel mill in Ukraine being bombarded by Russia, and that was one of the mills that was to supply RMC with steel for the vessels,” Mr Bugg said.

The Finnish shipbuilder approached TT-Line in April 2022 with a request for a $14 million increase in the contract price, to compensate for the steel cost blowout.

He said then-Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson was informed about the price adjustment on April 25.
Labor Clark MHA Josh Willie suggested that Mr Ferguson had not been fully truthful when he testified before a parliamentary committee six months later that the RMC contract was fixed price, and that he was not aware that there had been any change.

Mr Bugg answered: “I wasn’t in the house, I didn’t hear it, but that’s what our records show.”

Port Infrastructure Mistakes
Mr Bugg admitted mistakes had been made in the project to build the necessary port infrastructure for the new vessels.
Originally priced at $90 million, the cost of construction of Devonport’s berth 3, where the new vessels were to dock, eventually blew out to over $375 million.

TT-Line blamed TasPorts for the delays in accessing the site to conduct the necessary geotechnical surveys.
The project was to be jointly undertaken by TasPorts and TT-Line, and TT-Line appointed Hazell Brady Joint Venture as its preferred contractor, Mr Bugg said.

He admitted that it would have been better to establish a joint manager across the two state companies to oversee the project.

He said the TT-Line board did not become aware of serious delays and the cost increases in the contract for the port infrastructure until late 2023.

The board later terminated its contract with HBJV and went to re-tender.

“By the time we withdrew from the preferred tenderer position we had with HBJV, the government had chosen to go to the polls, and we were in caretaker mode,” Mr Bugg told the committee.

The port infrastructure will not be ready until January 2026, well after the boats arrive.

Mr Bugg also said the company was not initially concerned enough to call the minister after hearing of financial trouble at RMC.

He said asking for bailouts was a common bargaining tactic used at the end of contracts.

The company later paid RMC an additional $81 million in a bailout.

Surprisingly, the car ferry that transported us from the Isle of Man to Liverpool was made in Tasmania (I don’t remember by who). Make of that what you will.

And yes, expect the stadium to cost a lot more than quoted.

I caught an INCAT from Troon to Belfast. iNCAT is going hell for leather these days on electric ferries.

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

The world’s fastest passenger ship, HSC Francisco, was designed and built in Tasmania by Incat. Not many people know that.

Incat have been around for a good while. Selling fast and fancy boats to the idle rich.

mostly island hopping ferries.

Redbridge poll for Qld

ALP 45.5
LNP 54.5

While this is a bit better than the June poll (43-57), with the election only 6 weeks away I’m not sure there is time to turn things around.

dv said:

Redbridge poll for Qld

ALP 45.5
LNP 54.5

While this is a bit better than the June poll (43-57), with the election only 6 weeks away I’m not sure there is time to turn things around.

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

Redbridge poll for Qld

ALP 45.5
LNP 54.5

While this is a bit better than the June poll (43-57), with the election only 6 weeks away I’m not sure there is time to turn things around.

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

Redbridge poll for Qld

ALP 45.5
LNP 54.5

While this is a bit better than the June poll (43-57), with the election only 6 weeks away I’m not sure there is time to turn things around.

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

Redbridge poll for Qld

ALP 45.5
LNP 54.5

While this is a bit better than the June poll (43-57), with the election only 6 weeks away I’m not sure there is time to turn things around.

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Jerry remembers

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Yep.

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Yep.

The L/NP always feels duty-bound, on return to government, to do two things.

Firstly, wail very loud and VERY long about how Labor has left the State’s finances in a terrible mess. They’ll be blaming Labor for there being ‘no money’ until well into the second year of their term (and possibly longer).

Secondly, punish the electorate for having violated the laws of God and nature by voting against them in previous elections. Drastic cuts to services (‘economy measures’), slashing of budgets for any and all front-line departments, and possible large increases in fees, charges and taxes (“they’re just brutish peasants, they don’t understand anything else”).

Then they can get down to the ‘outsourcing’, ‘cos, mama, that’s where the fun is.

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Yep.

The L/NP always feels duty-bound, on return to government, to do two things.

Firstly, wail very loud and VERY long about how Labor has left the State’s finances in a terrible mess. They’ll be blaming Labor for there being ‘no money’ until well into the second year of their term (and possibly longer).

Secondly, punish the electorate for having violated the laws of God and nature by voting against them in previous elections. Drastic cuts to services (‘economy measures’), slashing of budgets for any and all front-line departments, and possible large increases in fees, charges and taxes (“they’re just brutish peasants, they don’t understand anything else”).

Then they can get down to the ‘outsourcing’, ‘cos, mama, that’s where the fun is.

Good summary.

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

captain_spalding said:

It’s just Queensland.

We’re merely yearning for the simpler times, when the L/NP was in government, and they didn’t even try to hide the corruption, rorting, and pandering.

4-12 years of that, and we’ll be sated, and ready again for the subtleties of the ALP.

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

It’ll all be the fault of the working classes, and their bloody unions, requiring harsh but necessary measures.

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

^

And after 50 years of talking about leaving the grand children a better place to be while the LNP did their thing…

captain_spalding said:

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

It’ll all be the fault of the working classes, and their bloody unions, requiring harsh but necessary measures.

greens and teals.

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Short memories.

Newman’s been forgotten.

Also forgotten: Crisafulli was one of Newman’s ministers.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

democracy is the best system there is except for when there is cognition

Queensland’s LNP opposition has promised to allow clubs with more than two premises to operate hundreds more poker machines if it wins the next state election.

JudgeMental said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

Queensland’s LNP opposition has promised to allow clubs with more than two premises to operate hundreds more poker machines if it wins the next state election.

so who are the party of the red suits

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

Kennett introduced them to Victoria.

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

He’s right you know.

(If you make the minor correction of LNP to National Party, the LNP not existing until 2008).

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

He’s right you know.

(If you make the minor correction of LNP to National Party, the LNP not existing until 2008).

Just say no to fascism.

we need good strong man leaders to stand up to the dirty foreign influencers and regional bullies

SCIENCE said:

we need good strong man leaders to stand up to the dirty foreign influencers and regional bullies

I say we need our own regional bullies to do dirty foreign influence.

SCIENCE said:

we need good strong man leaders to stand up to the dirty foreign influencers and regional bullies

Pete’s the very man.

SCIENCE said:

we need good strong man leaders to stand up to the dirty foreign influencers and regional bullies

Only elpha males should be allowed to vote.

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

captain_spalding said:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

There may have been a small degree of facing reality in the attitude of the ALP.

That there was illegal casinos operating in Qld was a fact of life, and this continued even after legal casinos like Jupiters were opened, as there was still vast areas of the
state not ‘served’ by those establishments.

Opening legal casinos like Jupiters was, admittedly, initiated under the Nationals’ government, and this also recognised some realities e.g. vast amounts of money constantly left Qld to be pumped into places like the Twin Towns Services Club (literally a few steps across the Qld/NSW border). The money might as well stay in Qld, and, it being the Bjelke-petersen Nationals govt., there was almost certainly direct benefit to some Nationals luminaries in the deal.

Poker machines in clubs and pubs was further acknowledgement of how things were. I don’t like them, myself, but at least it put them in full view, in licensed places, from which at least a bit of the profits could be garnered for the benefit of the community.

Bubblecar said:

SCIENCE said:

we need good strong man leaders to stand up to the dirty foreign influencers and regional bullies

Only elpha males should be allowed to vote.

thanks for reminding us, we were going to make this and post it to memememememememe thread but now it can go here too

captain_spalding said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Spiny Norman said:

I’m not looking forwards to the LNP pushing more neofascism onto us, sod it.

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

There may have been a small degree of facing reality in the attitude of the ALP.

That there was illegal casinos operating in Qld was a fact of life, and this continued even after legal casinos like Jupiters were opened, as there was still vast areas of the
state not ‘served’ by those establishments.

Opening legal casinos like Jupiters was, admittedly, initiated under the Nationals’ government, and this also recognised some realities e.g. vast amounts of money constantly left Qld to be pumped into places like the Twin Towns Services Club (literally a few steps across the Qld/NSW border). The money might as well stay in Qld, and, it being the Bjelke-petersen Nationals govt., there was almost certainly direct benefit to some Nationals luminaries in the deal.

Poker machines in clubs and pubs was further acknowledgement of how things were. I don’t like them, myself, but at least it put them in full view, in licensed places, from which at least a bit of the profits could be garnered for the benefit of the community.

Don’t spoil PWM’s reminiscing about authoritarianism in sunny Queensland.

10 September 2024
Ship operator shake-up: Third TT-Line board resignation within a month

Almost half of TT-Line’s board has resigned in the past month, it has been confirmed.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff in state parliament on Tuesday confirmed that Anna McMahon had tendered her resignation.
She joined the seven-member board in 2021.

TT-Line chairman Mike Grainger was asked on August 14 to tender his resignation after he issued an inflammatory press release following a meeting intended to resolve conflict between the state-owned company and another fellow government business enterprise TasPorts over the Spirit of Tasmania vessels replacement project.

TT-Line chief executive Bernard Dwyer informed acting chairman Damian Bugg over the weekend that he would resign from the company after 10 years when his contract expired in December.

He holds a seat as an executive director on the board.

The board received an annual remuneration of $358,000.

Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson last month resigned as the state’s Infrastructure Minister.

Mr Rockliff in question time was forced to defend Mr Ferguson’s continuation as state’s treasurer given the bungled Spirit of Tasmania program, which Labor says has effectively cost the state more than $500 million.

The latest in the project’s problems has been a delay of almost two years for a permanent berth to be built to accommodate the new vessels.

“If Michael Ferguson isn’t fit to be the Minister for infrastructure, how is he fit to be in control of Tasmania’s finances?” Labor leader Dean Winter asked in parliament.

Mr Rockliff pushed the blame onto TT-Line and TasPorts.

“It has been a challenging project to deliver, notwithstanding the challenges along the way,” he said.

“Frankly, the two GBEs not speaking to each other is simply not good enough.

“My direction of course to all GBEs is to stand up for team Tasmania – stand up for team Tasmania for heaven’s sake and work together in the best interest of Tasmania.”

LOL

SCIENCE said:

LOL

ahahahahahaha

SCIENCE said:

SCIENCE said:

LOL

ahahahahahaha

oh dear

Spiny Norman said:

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

The LNP had a total ban on poker machines in Queensland, the ALP desperate to get into power after so long in the wilderness promised to lift the ban on poker machines if elected and they delivered, in spades.

He’s right you know.

(If you make the minor correction of LNP to National Party, the LNP not existing until 2008).

Just say no to fascism.

lol.. not so sure the LNP classifies as a fascist movement.. but hey, nothing like a bit of false equivalence.

Only Goalposts Can Be Moved ¡ Windows Can’t ¡

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-major-parties-could-disappear-if-pollies-and-journos-don-t-tell-the-truth-20240909-p5k8zr.html

This is a good time to relate some history from one of Australia’s most insightful, most remarkable journalists, Warren Denning. In 1939, Denning became the first political correspondent for the ABC in the federal parliamentary press gallery in Old Parliament House. That ended a system imposed by newspapers to preserve their power which allowed the ABC to broadcast only at prescribed times, a few hundred words of copy prepared by AAP which, as it happened, was owned by the newspapers.

Another of Australia’s greatest journalists, Laurie Oakes, wrote in a Hall of Fame tribute to Denning that: “The decision that the ABC should cover federal politics with its own staff was a crucial step towards the public broadcaster going head-to-head with newspapers across the board. The move was driven by government, not ABC management.”

It all sounds horribly familiar. The Murdoch empire continues its mission to emasculate the ABC, at times ably assisted by the ABC, which wilts in the face of pressure from politicians, other media or lobby groups, most recently and shamefully after the attacks on its senior political reporter Laura Tingle.

I am grateful to Oakes for gifting me Denning’s extraordinary book Caucus Crisis, the rise and fall of the Scullin Government, published in 1937, documenting the demise of the Labor prime minister and his government during the Great Depression. The only one-term federal government. So far.

Denning wrote that during James Scullin’s tenure, there were grave fears that massive riots caused by widespread poverty and joblessness would trigger a breakdown of social cohesion.

Denning summed up the dilemma thus: “Newspapermen found the responsibility of telling the people of Australia the story of what was happening at Canberra, so that on the one hand incompetence might not be cloaked and on the other, grave national difficulties not intensified by hysteria or panic, was a heavy one. It was increased by the reticence of the Scullin Government, and its fear or dislike of publicity and criticism.”

Denning concluded everyone had been adrift in a “vast ocean of uncertainty”.

Ignoring the pleas of his MPs to stay, Scullin sailed for England, supposedly to lift investor confidence in Australia. By the time he returned six months later, his government had splintered and collapsed.

Denning believes Scullin was mentally and physically exhausted and was really seeking refuge. Scullin was not the first and certainly not the last leader struggling to cope with the demands of the job during a crisis.

Denning’s words remain pertinent today. He captured perfectly the responsibilities and the burdens of those in public office and those who report on them.

For journalists, it’s to report as accurately as possible the turmoil inside government during a crisis, without inflaming or inciting community tensions.

For others – politicians, public servants, advisers – it’s to accept criticism, to be transparent about the challenges they face as well as the limits to their capacity to solve them.

It’s not as dire today as it was during the Great Depression, but some things haven’t changed.

Governments respond to criticism by clamping down on information, by lying, by forcing people to sign gag orders to discuss politically tricky policy like gambling ad bans, by doubling down on discipline or by pretending everything has gone exactly according to plan when it plainly has not.

Inevitably, amid the mis- and disinformation, journalists get it wrong or stretch the few facts they have.

Politicians need to stop making promises they know they can’t keep, or worse, never intend to keep. The rest of us need to stop demanding governments solve every problem and prevent every catastrophe. They can’t.

Even if he didn’t always follow his own advice, Tony Blair was right when he said in 1994: “The art of leadership is saying no, not yes – it is very easy to say yes.”

The stage 3 tax cuts Anthony Albanese delivered were fairer, but they were not what he promised, and when he promised them, the risks were obvious.

True, sticking with a promise made years before could be sheer folly. But breaches need to be explained truthfully, minus the spin and denial that drives voters mad and drives them to alternatives.

Everyone refers to the “drift” away from major parties, implying it is whimsical or unthinking or transitory, or a phase that voters will grow out of. It isn’t. It should be described as the great desertion. It is a deliberate, conscious, repudiation by Australians in their millions of traditional politics and politicians. Much like the desertion of audiences to social media or streaming services.

The existential threats faced by the major parties are real, not a passing phenomenon that will exhaust itself. There are profound implications for them and the way we are governed.

The solution does not lie in turning MPs into parrots or robots, nor in trying to starve independents out of existence with financial gerrymanders.

Unity is important, unless it becomes a tool to stifle debate or punish those who defy the “collective”. Not all rules crafted a century ago work today.

Australians need to know their MPs have a pulse, a ticker and a conscience.

Coalition MPs treasure their right to cross the floor, yet a few poor souls – unless their first name is Barnaby – are vilified or isolated if they dare do it.

Bridget Archer seems destined to spend her political life on the backbench despite increasing her margin in 2022 and even if promoting an intelligent woman with small “l” liberal values would signal there is a place for such people inside the Liberal Party. Fatima Payman’s resignation from Labor is a reason to ditch the rules threatening expulsion for floor crossing.

It would still be a thing if MPs were brave enough to weather the wrath of the leader or colleagues, but not such a big thing when it happens.

Some of us remember Labor’s nuclear wars during the 1980s. Left faction leaders like my old mate Gerry Hand called full-scale press conferences to condemn the policies of his prime minister, Bob Hawke and his cabinet.

There were passionate public and private debates over tax, privatisation, foreign policy, you name it. Those “fights” over policy did not prevent Labor governing or reforming. They did not prevent five consecutive election victories. Hand became a cabinet minister.

The Coalition paid a high price for its leadership wars during this period. But in 1993, it was in full lockstep behind John Hewson and his “Fightback”, and it still lost the unlosable election.

Voters seem destined to continue their mass migration to others in what threatens to be an ugly, divisive campaign if it is fought on immigration or a Middle Eastern war feeding antisemitism, Islamophobia and neo-Nazism.

I am indebted to the Parliamentary Library for its excellent summary of all federal elections from 1901, and to former Labor staffers Andrew Charlton and Lachlan Harris, who warned a few years ago of what was emerging.

According to the library’s review of the 2019 election, Labor’s vote of 33.34 per cent was the lowest since 1931, when it hit 27.1 per cent. The Liberals’ 27.99 per cent primary vote (which excludes the LNP and the Nationals total of 13.18 per cent) was the lowest since they first contested federal elections in 1946.

In 2022, the Liberal primary vote fell to a dismal 23.89 per cent (with another 11.6 per cent from the Nationals and Queensland’s LNP) while Labor’s dropped to 32.58 per cent. Almost one in three voters opted for minors or independents.

In a 2016 examination of minor party voting since Federation, Charlton and Harris found that on three occasions when the “protest vote” breached 25 per cent, it coincided with or precipitated, major party convulsions.

The first was between 1901 and 1903, when the rise of Labor forced the merger of Free Traders and Protectionists. The second was between 1931 and 1934, with the Lang Labor party split and the formation of the United Australia Party by Joseph Lyons after he defected from Scullin’s government. Labor’s lowest ever primary vote of 26.8 per cent was recorded 90 years ago at the federal election on September 15, 1934. The third, triggered by the death of Lyons in April 1939, came in 1943. Labor won 50.2 per cent of the primary vote, the UAP collapsed, and Robert Menzies founded the Liberal Party.

Three seismic events.

The 2022 election, where Labor lost once safe seats to the Greens and the Liberals relinquished their heartland to the community independents, was described to me recently by Harris as a volcano erupting just below the surface of the ocean. Historians could pinpoint May 21, 2022, as the day Menzies’ party died, while delivering one last warning to Labor: do better or else.

There is no way of knowing exactly what will happen next, only that something will. The aftershocks will continue. There is no law that says political parties must survive. All badly run or led enterprises inevitably collapse. Sometimes it’s desirable. That organisation needs time out to consider its reason for being, to re-examine its values, to reflect on who it is meant to serve.

Realignments have already rendered parties unrecognisable to their creators. The Coalition looks more and more like One Nation, Labor more and more like the Liberals used to, the Greens have morphed into Labor’s old guard left. The teals waft and weave between them all.

Harris says it’s unrealistic to think Labor or the Liberals can broaden sufficiently to reverse the trend so that they can govern on their own. He predicts minority governments could become the new normal, with majority government still possible, although more as the exception than the rule.

Loading
“Major parties have to get better at building coalitions with people not under their control,” he says. He certainly does not mean Labor aligning in government with the Greens, which he says would be “fatal”.

Right now, Labor looks set to lose its majority. If it’s lucky, it will survive in minority government after securing pledges from independents. It will require dexterity and flexibility to govern. It will be exhausting. There is every chance the leader and/or the government will not last the full term.

If Labor loses outright, to become the first one-term government since Scullin in 1931, the resulting bloodletting, the accusations of timidity, arrogance, complacency or incompetence could precipitate a split. It could lead to the creation of a new social democratic party. Union defections over the essential CFMEU intervention could be a portent. Anything and everything is possible.

If Labor retains its majority or falls into minority through gains by others, not the Liberals, the Liberals’ strategy of the past three years to head further right, to ape Donald Trump, to dismantle the broad church on which the party was built, will be discredited.

A Coalition minority government – assuming it finds willing dance partners – will entrench the control of the hard right and the evangelicals.

One senior Labor man told me a narrow pathway exists for a Coalition victory, but it would have to get everything right. Which obviously means the government would have to get everything wrong.

Whatever happens, the dominant right will not concede or retreat. The few remaining Liberal moderates can surrender, join the teals or hope someone founds a new socially liberal, economically conservative party.

One former PM has the resources. I doubt he has the will.

The teals’ magic would evaporate if they formed a party or joined another. Besides, as one of their admirers says, they are all alpha females, so the leadership battle would be something to behold.

Our system of government offers a level of protection, not full immunity from the extremes we have witnessed overseas and which have sprung up here. Our immunity dissolves if and when we reach the point millions of Americans have, where lies are excused or accepted, corruption is ignored and divisiveness is tolerated because politicians and the media manipulate our emotions, rather than tell us what we need to know.

This is not called a lecture for nothing, so I will finish with a bit more advice for politicians and journalists.

In this fight for survival, integrity and decency matter. A lot. If you show respect for one another, people are more likely to respect you.

To journalists: Don’t publish lies, then claim it’s balance. Also, balance is not refusing to run one side because the other side fails to turn up.

If you do your job well, you will upset people, you will be called names like “tory bitch” or “fat-arsed bitch”, you will be abused online, you will lose contacts, you will inevitably lose friends. But you will also win respect.

To politicians: Tell the truth, even if it hurts. We can handle it, and we deserve it. Never run from cameras. It always ends in disaster.

To everyone else, please stay engaged with politics.

Please subscribe to reputable news outlets. They still exist. Please encourage everyone in your orbit to do the same.
—-
This is a transcript of the fourth Speaker’s Lecture delivered by Niki Savva in Parliament House on September 9, 2024. Read the full speech here.

Niki Savva is an award-winning political commentator and author. She was a staffer to former prime minister John Howard and former treasurer Peter Costello, and she is a member of the board of Old Parliament House.

dv said:

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-major-parties-could-disappear-if-pollies-and-journos-don-t-tell-the-truth-20240909-p5k8zr.html

This is a good time to relate some history from one of Australia’s most insightful, most remarkable journalists, Warren Denning. In 1939, Denning became the first political correspondent for the ABC in the federal parliamentary press gallery in Old Parliament House. That ended a system imposed by newspapers to preserve their power which allowed the ABC to broadcast only at prescribed times, a few hundred words of copy prepared by AAP which, as it happened, was owned by the newspapers.

Another of Australia’s greatest journalists, Laurie Oakes, wrote in a Hall of Fame tribute to Denning that: “The decision that the ABC should cover federal politics with its own staff was a crucial step towards the public broadcaster going head-to-head with newspapers across the board. The move was driven by government, not ABC management.”

It all sounds horribly familiar. The Murdoch empire continues its mission to emasculate the ABC, at times ably assisted by the ABC, which wilts in the face of pressure from politicians, other media or lobby groups, most recently and shamefully after the attacks on its senior political reporter Laura Tingle.

I am grateful to Oakes for gifting me Denning’s extraordinary book Caucus Crisis, the rise and fall of the Scullin Government, published in 1937, documenting the demise of the Labor prime minister and his government during the Great Depression. The only one-term federal government. So far.

Denning wrote that during James Scullin’s tenure, there were grave fears that massive riots caused by widespread poverty and joblessness would trigger a breakdown of social cohesion.

Denning summed up the dilemma thus: “Newspapermen found the responsibility of telling the people of Australia the story of what was happening at Canberra, so that on the one hand incompetence might not be cloaked and on the other, grave national difficulties not intensified by hysteria or panic, was a heavy one. It was increased by the reticence of the Scullin Government, and its fear or dislike of publicity and criticism.”

Denning concluded everyone had been adrift in a “vast ocean of uncertainty”.

Ignoring the pleas of his MPs to stay, Scullin sailed for England, supposedly to lift investor confidence in Australia. By the time he returned six months later, his government had splintered and collapsed.

Denning believes Scullin was mentally and physically exhausted and was really seeking refuge. Scullin was not the first and certainly not the last leader struggling to cope with the demands of the job during a crisis.

Denning’s words remain pertinent today. He captured perfectly the responsibilities and the burdens of those in public office and those who report on them.

For journalists, it’s to report as accurately as possible the turmoil inside government during a crisis, without inflaming or inciting community tensions.

For others – politicians, public servants, advisers – it’s to accept criticism, to be transparent about the challenges they face as well as the limits to their capacity to solve them.

It’s not as dire today as it was during the Great Depression, but some things haven’t changed.

Governments respond to criticism by clamping down on information, by lying, by forcing people to sign gag orders to discuss politically tricky policy like gambling ad bans, by doubling down on discipline or by pretending everything has gone exactly according to plan when it plainly has not.

Inevitably, amid the mis- and disinformation, journalists get it wrong or stretch the few facts they have.

Politicians need to stop making promises they know they can’t keep, or worse, never intend to keep. The rest of us need to stop demanding governments solve every problem and prevent every catastrophe. They can’t.

Even if he didn’t always follow his own advice, Tony Blair was right when he said in 1994: “The art of leadership is saying no, not yes – it is very easy to say yes.”

The stage 3 tax cuts Anthony Albanese delivered were fairer, but they were not what he promised, and when he promised them, the risks were obvious.

True, sticking with a promise made years before could be sheer folly. But breaches need to be explained truthfully, minus the spin and denial that drives voters mad and drives them to alternatives.

Everyone refers to the “drift” away from major parties, implying it is whimsical or unthinking or transitory, or a phase that voters will grow out of. It isn’t. It should be described as the great desertion. It is a deliberate, conscious, repudiation by Australians in their millions of traditional politics and politicians. Much like the desertion of audiences to social media or streaming services.

The existential threats faced by the major parties are real, not a passing phenomenon that will exhaust itself. There are profound implications for them and the way we are governed.

The solution does not lie in turning MPs into parrots or robots, nor in trying to starve independents out of existence with financial gerrymanders.

Unity is important, unless it becomes a tool to stifle debate or punish those who defy the “collective”. Not all rules crafted a century ago work today.

Australians need to know their MPs have a pulse, a ticker and a conscience.

Coalition MPs treasure their right to cross the floor, yet a few poor souls – unless their first name is Barnaby – are vilified or isolated if they dare do it.

Bridget Archer seems destined to spend her political life on the backbench despite increasing her margin in 2022 and even if promoting an intelligent woman with small “l” liberal values would signal there is a place for such people inside the Liberal Party. Fatima Payman’s resignation from Labor is a reason to ditch the rules threatening expulsion for floor crossing.

It would still be a thing if MPs were brave enough to weather the wrath of the leader or colleagues, but not such a big thing when it happens.

Some of us remember Labor’s nuclear wars during the 1980s. Left faction leaders like my old mate Gerry Hand called full-scale press conferences to condemn the policies of his prime minister, Bob Hawke and his cabinet.

There were passionate public and private debates over tax, privatisation, foreign policy, you name it. Those “fights” over policy did not prevent Labor governing or reforming. They did not prevent five consecutive election victories. Hand became a cabinet minister.

The Coalition paid a high price for its leadership wars during this period. But in 1993, it was in full lockstep behind John Hewson and his “Fightback”, and it still lost the unlosable election.

Voters seem destined to continue their mass migration to others in what threatens to be an ugly, divisive campaign if it is fought on immigration or a Middle Eastern war feeding antisemitism, Islamophobia and neo-Nazism.

I am indebted to the Parliamentary Library for its excellent summary of all federal elections from 1901, and to former Labor staffers Andrew Charlton and Lachlan Harris, who warned a few years ago of what was emerging.

According to the library’s review of the 2019 election, Labor’s vote of 33.34 per cent was the lowest since 1931, when it hit 27.1 per cent. The Liberals’ 27.99 per cent primary vote (which excludes the LNP and the Nationals total of 13.18 per cent) was the lowest since they first contested federal elections in 1946.

In 2022, the Liberal primary vote fell to a dismal 23.89 per cent (with another 11.6 per cent from the Nationals and Queensland’s LNP) while Labor’s dropped to 32.58 per cent. Almost one in three voters opted for minors or independents.

In a 2016 examination of minor party voting since Federation, Charlton and Harris found that on three occasions when the “protest vote” breached 25 per cent, it coincided with or precipitated, major party convulsions.

The first was between 1901 and 1903, when the rise of Labor forced the merger of Free Traders and Protectionists. The second was between 1931 and 1934, with the Lang Labor party split and the formation of the United Australia Party by Joseph Lyons after he defected from Scullin’s government. Labor’s lowest ever primary vote of 26.8 per cent was recorded 90 years ago at the federal election on September 15, 1934. The third, triggered by the death of Lyons in April 1939, came in 1943. Labor won 50.2 per cent of the primary vote, the UAP collapsed, and Robert Menzies founded the Liberal Party.

Three seismic events.

The 2022 election, where Labor lost once safe seats to the Greens and the Liberals relinquished their heartland to the community independents, was described to me recently by Harris as a volcano erupting just below the surface of the ocean. Historians could pinpoint May 21, 2022, as the day Menzies’ party died, while delivering one last warning to Labor: do better or else.

There is no way of knowing exactly what will happen next, only that something will. The aftershocks will continue. There is no law that says political parties must survive. All badly run or led enterprises inevitably collapse. Sometimes it’s desirable. That organisation needs time out to consider its reason for being, to re-examine its values, to reflect on who it is meant to serve.

Realignments have already rendered parties unrecognisable to their creators. The Coalition looks more and more like One Nation, Labor more and more like the Liberals used to, the Greens have morphed into Labor’s old guard left. The teals waft and weave between them all.

Harris says it’s unrealistic to think Labor or the Liberals can broaden sufficiently to reverse the trend so that they can govern on their own. He predicts minority governments could become the new normal, with majority government still possible, although more as the exception than the rule.

Loading
“Major parties have to get better at building coalitions with people not under their control,” he says. He certainly does not mean Labor aligning in government with the Greens, which he says would be “fatal”.

Right now, Labor looks set to lose its majority. If it’s lucky, it will survive in minority government after securing pledges from independents. It will require dexterity and flexibility to govern. It will be exhausting. There is every chance the leader and/or the government will not last the full term.

If Labor loses outright, to become the first one-term government since Scullin in 1931, the resulting bloodletting, the accusations of timidity, arrogance, complacency or incompetence could precipitate a split. It could lead to the creation of a new social democratic party. Union defections over the essential CFMEU intervention could be a portent. Anything and everything is possible.

If Labor retains its majority or falls into minority through gains by others, not the Liberals, the Liberals’ strategy of the past three years to head further right, to ape Donald Trump, to dismantle the broad church on which the party was built, will be discredited.

A Coalition minority government – assuming it finds willing dance partners – will entrench the control of the hard right and the evangelicals.

One senior Labor man told me a narrow pathway exists for a Coalition victory, but it would have to get everything right. Which obviously means the government would have to get everything wrong.

Whatever happens, the dominant right will not concede or retreat. The few remaining Liberal moderates can surrender, join the teals or hope someone founds a new socially liberal, economically conservative party.

One former PM has the resources. I doubt he has the will.

The teals’ magic would evaporate if they formed a party or joined another. Besides, as one of their admirers says, they are all alpha females, so the leadership battle would be something to behold.

Our system of government offers a level of protection, not full immunity from the extremes we have witnessed overseas and which have sprung up here. Our immunity dissolves if and when we reach the point millions of Americans have, where lies are excused or accepted, corruption is ignored and divisiveness is tolerated because politicians and the media manipulate our emotions, rather than tell us what we need to know.

This is not called a lecture for nothing, so I will finish with a bit more advice for politicians and journalists.

In this fight for survival, integrity and decency matter. A lot. If you show respect for one another, people are more likely to respect you.

To journalists: Don’t publish lies, then claim it’s balance. Also, balance is not refusing to run one side because the other side fails to turn up.

If you do your job well, you will upset people, you will be called names like “tory bitch” or “fat-arsed bitch”, you will be abused online, you will lose contacts, you will inevitably lose friends. But you will also win respect.

To politicians: Tell the truth, even if it hurts. We can handle it, and we deserve it. Never run from cameras. It always ends in disaster.

To everyone else, please stay engaged with politics.

Please subscribe to reputable news outlets. They still exist. Please encourage everyone in your orbit to do the same.
—-
This is a transcript of the fourth Speaker’s Lecture delivered by Niki Savva in Parliament House on September 9, 2024. Read the full speech here.

Niki Savva is an award-winning political commentator and author. She was a staffer to former prime minister John Howard and former treasurer Peter Costello, and she is a member of the board of Old Parliament House.

That is quite well written.

Fuck CHINA Style Surveillance Of All Citizens

Facebook is scraping the public data of all Australian adults on the platform, it has acknowledged in an inquiry. The company does not offer Australians an opt out option like it does in the EU, because it has not been required to do so under privacy law.

oh wait RCR

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-11/facebook-scraping-photos-data-no-opt-out/104336170

probably good

Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has been awarded $140,000 after suing former One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham for defamation over a graphic, homophobic tweet. Mr Latham posted the tweet in March last year, after Mr Greenwich described him as a “disgusting human being” in comments to the media. He replied with: “Disgusting? How does that compare with…”, before referring to sexual activity in words described by Mr Greenwich’s counsel as revolting.

ANDREW JENNER MP
My question in Parliament yesterday to ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Mr BARNETT:
Access to Autopsy Photos for Immediate Families of Deceased Persons

Are you aware that Tasmania is the only state in Australia that does not allow immediate family members of the deceased person access to autopsy photos? Eden Westbrook’s family have been desperately trying to get these autopsy photos. Whenever they have tried, they have been repeatedly denied. This is disgraceful. Attorney General, do you agree that this needs to change? If so, when?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. I note the motivation for the question and acknowledge the Westbrook family. I pass on my heartfelt condolences to the Westbrook family as a result of the tragic loss of their dear daughter. I recognise the family and other members of the community. There has been a police investigation and a coronial investigation, of which I know you are aware. I can confirm that the coronial investigation has been conducted and completed into Ms Westbrook’s tragic death. The findings were completed in 2016. Unfortunately, where a coronial investigation has been completed, as Attorney-General I do not currently have the power under the Coroners Act to order a further coronial investigation.
You have asked questions about other ways to access that information. I advise the House that I personally met with the Westbrook family some weeks ago and we had a broad-ranging discussion. It was with a heartfelt expression of condolence that I shared, and sympathy, but I also listened. It was a difficult and challenging meeting, but we left on an understanding of the pain and grief they have endured and my commitment to do what I can to get to a point where they can be more fully satisfied with their concerns and address the questions they still have. That is something that as Attorney General I am considering carefully and will be taking more advice on from my department and others.
That is my commitment to them. I have had that meeting and I gave a commitment to respond. We were awaiting further information from the Westbrook family which has now been received and I will be considering this matter in further detail and be taking further advice about this important matter. I thank the member again for the question and pass on my sincere condolences to the family.
Supplementary Question
Mr JENNER – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Mr JENNER – It was really to do with the autopsy photos, not just for the Westbrook family’s sake but for Tasmanians as a whole, being that we are the only state that does not allow that.
Mr BARNETT – I am taking advice on that matter, as I am with respect to other matters that were put to me in the meeting. Once I have that advice and consider it very carefully, I will be able to share that with yourself, the Westbrook family and others in the usual way.

sarahs mum said:

ANDREW JENNER MP
My question in Parliament yesterday to ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Mr BARNETT:
Access to Autopsy Photos for Immediate Families of Deceased Persons

Are you aware that Tasmania is the only state in Australia that does not allow immediate family members of the deceased person access to autopsy photos? Eden Westbrook’s family have been desperately trying to get these autopsy photos. Whenever they have tried, they have been repeatedly denied. This is disgraceful. Attorney General, do you agree that this needs to change? If so, when?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. I note the motivation for the question and acknowledge the Westbrook family. I pass on my heartfelt condolences to the Westbrook family as a result of the tragic loss of their dear daughter. I recognise the family and other members of the community. There has been a police investigation and a coronial investigation, of which I know you are aware. I can confirm that the coronial investigation has been conducted and completed into Ms Westbrook’s tragic death. The findings were completed in 2016. Unfortunately, where a coronial investigation has been completed, as Attorney-General I do not currently have the power under the Coroners Act to order a further coronial investigation.
You have asked questions about other ways to access that information. I advise the House that I personally met with the Westbrook family some weeks ago and we had a broad-ranging discussion. It was with a heartfelt expression of condolence that I shared, and sympathy, but I also listened. It was a difficult and challenging meeting, but we left on an understanding of the pain and grief they have endured and my commitment to do what I can to get to a point where they can be more fully satisfied with their concerns and address the questions they still have. That is something that as Attorney General I am considering carefully and will be taking more advice on from my department and others.
That is my commitment to them. I have had that meeting and I gave a commitment to respond. We were awaiting further information from the Westbrook family which has now been received and I will be considering this matter in further detail and be taking further advice about this important matter. I thank the member again for the question and pass on my sincere condolences to the family.
Supplementary Question
Mr JENNER – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Mr JENNER – It was really to do with the autopsy photos, not just for the Westbrook family’s sake but for Tasmanians as a whole, being that we are the only state that does not allow that.
Mr BARNETT – I am taking advice on that matter, as I am with respect to other matters that were put to me in the meeting. Once I have that advice and consider it very carefully, I will be able to share that with yourself, the Westbrook family and others in the usual way.

Apart from the trauma of seeing them I can’t see why they shouldn’t

sarahs mum said:

ANDREW JENNER MP
My question in Parliament yesterday to ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Mr BARNETT:
Access to Autopsy Photos for Immediate Families of Deceased Persons

Is there a lot of demand for this…

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

ANDREW JENNER MP
My question in Parliament yesterday to ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Mr BARNETT:
Access to Autopsy Photos for Immediate Families of Deceased Persons

Is there a lot of demand for this…

Last thing I’d want. Not heard of it but generally I don’t speak to the family at that stage. Except when they’re my own family.

Hmm…Sofronoff

SCIENCE said:

SCIENCE said:

SCIENCE said:

LOL

ahahahahahaha

oh dear

Successive Australian governments have done little to stop illegal land clearing. Will a new environmental regulator do the trick?

In other words: there looks to be extensive unlawful deforestation happening across Australia, despite the existence of clear-cut federal laws, and the powers of the federal environment minister to rein it in.

The federal government in 2009 said “most” of that clearing happens on cattle farms, and according to work by Professor Maron and others, agriculture has remained a continued and known threat to the majority of protected species.

Cattle producers and groups that represent them deny there’s any problem with deforestation or clearing, arguing claims otherwise are “fake news”.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/environmental-protection-biodiversity-conservation-logging/104337806

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

dv said:

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

He didn’t put much effort into that political career, it must be said.

Bubblecar said:

dv said:

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

He didn’t put much effort into that political career, it must be said.

I hope that he didn’t spend a lot of money on e.g. getting copies of his manifesto printed.

dv said:

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

Don’t recall hearing about that before.

He seemed to be doing OK for the first 25 seconds.

Mal came to visit us when Mr Arts was still in rehab.. we hung out with him at a reds game in the members bar.. nice guy.. definitely too nice for politics… glad he realised that.

The Rev Dodgson said:

dv said:

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

Don’t recall hearing about that before.

He seemed to be doing OK for the first 25 seconds.

Mal Meninga
The world’s only honest politician.

dv said:

https://youtu.be/EFQjodQjg8g?si=KHPWjp5mWZrE4mt_

Flash back to the most efficient political interview in history.

Heh.

:)

Arts said:

Mal came to visit us when Mr Arts was still in rehab.. we hung out with him at a reds game in the members bar.. nice guy.. definitely too nice for politics… glad he realised that.

:)

However, despite promising a bill to criminalise vilification and hate speech more generally, the government opted to not criminalise conduct such as inciting hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule.

—

Walking a fine line

· ·
10 September 2024
DNA LAB RAPE-KIT BACKLOG 20 TIMES VICTORIA’S

The backlog of rape kits at Queensland’s government-run DNA laboratory is 20 times the size of Victoria’s, exposing the extent of testing delays at the beleaguered facility.

New data obtained by The Australian reveals 51 sexual assault victims in Victoria are awaiting results from forensic medical examinations, compared with 1058 in Queensland.

Some 420 victims in Queensland have endured delays of more than a year for results from their rape kits, which can provide crucial evidence for police to make arrests and lay charges.

In Victoria, four cases have been waiting on final results for longer than a year but a Victoria Police spokeswoman said all four had initial DNA results reported and were “waiting on further items or DNA reference samples to be lodged” at the forensics lab.

Forensic biologist Kirsty Wright, who exposed Queensland’s DNA lab disaster on The Australian’s podcast Shandee’s Story, said the disparity between Queensland and Victoria was “staggering”. “These figures show how much worse off victims of crime in Queensland are, compared to victims in other states,” she said. “A majority of sexual offence victims do not report their attacks to police. The Forensic Science Queensland delays could further deter victims coming forward. The delay in DNA evidence could also hinder police investigations, and affect court outcomes.”

Queensland’s DNA lab, funded by taxpayers and overseen by the justice department, is struggling to meet incoming case demands as it implements recommendations from two major commissions of inquiry and undertakes a separate review of 40,000 cases embroiled in a botched testing scandal dating back more than a decade.

The current DNA testing backlog for all major crimes in the state, which does not include the historical review, is 3185 cases.

Victoria’s forensics lab has 123 pending requests for major crime cases across all forensic disciplines, which includes DNA, finger­prints, ballistics, drugs, document examination and gunshot residue.

Queensland’s Labor government, which is facing an election next month invested $200m into its lab after two commissions of inquiry in 2022 and 2023 but has refused extra funding to fast-track DNA results from the backlog.

The lab began outsourcing some testing to other facilities in New Zealand and Britain after the 2022 commission of inquiry, but Dr Wright said more needed to be done to ensure rape kits were tested in appropriate timeframes.

“FSQ needs to be transparent and provide the public with a clear strategy on how they are addressing the backlog of over 3000 current major crime cases,” she said

“Hiring more staff is not a short, to medium-term solution, given the time taken to train new staff to work on major crime cases.”

Premier Steven Miles last week said his government would continue a recruitment campaign of scientists and ­“explore” outsourcing samples to other labs,

Queensland’s new Victims’ Commissioner, Beck O’Connor said improving testing times must be a priority. “It takes courage to report a crime like rape and sexual violence to police so I understand that long delays in the justice process due to waiting on forensic evidence must be incredibly difficult for victim-survivors,” she said.

“While I am aware of efforts across government to respond to the issues … waiting times must … be a priority to resolve.”
A NSW police spokesman it was unable to provide figures on the state’s DNA backlog “due to the resource-intensive nat­ure” of The Australian’s request for data.

sarahs mum said:

· ·
10 September 2024
DNA LAB RAPE-KIT BACKLOG 20 TIMES VICTORIA’S

The backlog of rape kits at Queensland’s government-run DNA laboratory is 20 times the size of Victoria’s, exposing the extent of testing delays at the beleaguered facility.

New data obtained by The Australian reveals 51 sexual assault victims in Victoria are awaiting results from forensic medical examinations, compared with 1058 in Queensland.

Some 420 victims in Queensland have endured delays of more than a year for results from their rape kits, which can provide crucial evidence for police to make arrests and lay charges.

In Victoria, four cases have been waiting on final results for longer than a year but a Victoria Police spokeswoman said all four had initial DNA results reported and were “waiting on further items or DNA reference samples to be lodged” at the forensics lab.

Forensic biologist Kirsty Wright, who exposed Queensland’s DNA lab disaster on The Australian’s podcast Shandee’s Story, said the disparity between Queensland and Victoria was “staggering”. “These figures show how much worse off victims of crime in Queensland are, compared to victims in other states,” she said. “A majority of sexual offence victims do not report their attacks to police. The Forensic Science Queensland delays could further deter victims coming forward. The delay in DNA evidence could also hinder police investigations, and affect court outcomes.”

Queensland’s DNA lab, funded by taxpayers and overseen by the justice department, is struggling to meet incoming case demands as it implements recommendations from two major commissions of inquiry and undertakes a separate review of 40,000 cases embroiled in a botched testing scandal dating back more than a decade.

The current DNA testing backlog for all major crimes in the state, which does not include the historical review, is 3185 cases.

Victoria’s forensics lab has 123 pending requests for major crime cases across all forensic disciplines, which includes DNA, finger­prints, ballistics, drugs, document examination and gunshot residue.

Queensland’s Labor government, which is facing an election next month invested $200m into its lab after two commissions of inquiry in 2022 and 2023 but has refused extra funding to fast-track DNA results from the backlog.

The lab began outsourcing some testing to other facilities in New Zealand and Britain after the 2022 commission of inquiry, but Dr Wright said more needed to be done to ensure rape kits were tested in appropriate timeframes.

“FSQ needs to be transparent and provide the public with a clear strategy on how they are addressing the backlog of over 3000 current major crime cases,” she said

“Hiring more staff is not a short, to medium-term solution, given the time taken to train new staff to work on major crime cases.”

Premier Steven Miles last week said his government would continue a recruitment campaign of scientists and ­“explore” outsourcing samples to other labs,

Queensland’s new Victims’ Commissioner, Beck O’Connor said improving testing times must be a priority. “It takes courage to report a crime like rape and sexual violence to police so I understand that long delays in the justice process due to waiting on forensic evidence must be incredibly difficult for victim-survivors,” she said.

“While I am aware of efforts across government to respond to the issues … waiting times must … be a priority to resolve.”
A NSW police spokesman it was unable to provide figures on the state’s DNA backlog “due to the resource-intensive nat­ure” of The Australian’s request for data.

this is everywhere… and one of the reasons it’s so frustrating for victims survivors to go through the (often) humiliating process of providing samples. We fail victims constantly… but victims of sexual assaults suffer not only failures, but constant retraumatisations becuase of the way the system operates.

Now I am not saying that we should rush these tests, actually the tests should be done with care so there are fewer faces results that can be disastrous.. but we do not do enough for victim survivors of sexual assaults in terms of treatment of them in post offence phases and in court systems. Let alone the treatment many report at the initial reporting stage.

This is why the narratives we speak of NEED to be considered, and we have to stop victim blaming at ANY stage and do more to address offender actions at every stage.

this is everywhere…
——

:(

so are quantitative measures valid or is it qualitative only these days

12 September 2024
State Budget to reveal new record $8.5bn debt for Tasmania
David Killick

Treasurer Michael Ferguson and Attorney-General Guy Barnett speak to the media at Parliament Square in Hobart on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

A series of deficit budgets will more than double Tasmania’s government debt to a record $8.5bn by 2027-28, Treasurer Michael Ferguson has revealed

Net debt currently stands at $3.5bn and was last year projected to reach $5.5bn in 2026-27.

Mr Ferguson said Thursday’s state budget will contain forecasts showing a massive increase in the state’s debt while announcing an additional $423m to fund the response to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.

The Liberal minority government has been criticised for running up debt by delivering repeated deficits on the back of massive infrastructure investment and big-spending election promises.

Even before the latest debt blowout, economist Saul Eslake noted the state’s finances were arguably “in worst shape of all states and territories”.

The Preliminary Outcomes Report for last financial year revealed a $1.2bn blowout in the budget deficit for 2023-24.
Mr Ferguson said the additional debt in the 2024-25 budget would reflect spending a total of $1.1bn on the Commission of Inquiry response “and other expenditures”.

“As I’ve said in the past, this will be expensive, this will hurt the budget, but it’s necessary to attempt to heal the wounds of the past,” he said.

“We’re able today to indicate that these expenditures are going to be met in the upcoming budget, starting with the $650m provision that’s been recognised, which is well understood, together with Thursday’s new allocations in the budget of $423m.

“These are massive expenses for the budget, and we make them willingly, we’re not apologising for it.

“We believe we need to do this. It will be hard on the budget to 27/28
“These and other expenditures will take state net debt to $8.5bn.

“These are expensive investments, including protecting children and righting the wrongs of the past.”

Mr Ferguson said he did not expect Thursday’s budget will be well received — and there was no surplus in sight.
“I expect to be heavily criticised on Thursday because the pre-election fiscal outlook identified deficits in the budget year and in the forward estimates and that won’t change on Thursday because we’re making more investments into health and education and commission of inquiry responses,” he said.

“This will be an expensive phase for the state government and those frontline services will in fact be supported with greater funding in those key agencies than they had in last year’s budget.”

Labor leader Dean Winter said the Liberals had been terrible economic managers during more than a decade in power. .
“This goes to a pattern of behaviour: this is early election after early election, and when they get to an early election, it’s about spending as much as possible.

“And the Liberals have now taken Tasmania to record debt, record deficit.

“Last year’s deficit of $1.5bn is almost triple the record deficit in Tasmania’s history and the record debt means that over the course of next couple years, Tasmanians will have to start paying over $700m per year just to service the debt.”

Idiocy, if they wanted decent stability

Chalmers, having lambasted the Coalition at the collapse of talks to make changes to the RBA, ended the week following through on his threat to negotiate with the Greens, a crossbench party that has repeatedly said its door remained open. Chalmers had said he wanted bi-partisanship with the Coalition to ensure RBA changes could be implemented for the long-term.

they would shift the frame to the point that bipartisan means between red and green and then there might actually be progress for the first time in 800000 years.

Arts said:

sarahs mum said:

· ·
10 September 2024
DNA LAB RAPE-KIT BACKLOG 20 TIMES VICTORIA’S

The backlog of rape kits at Queensland’s government-run DNA laboratory is 20 times the size of Victoria’s, exposing the extent of testing delays at the beleaguered facility.

New data obtained by The Australian reveals 51 sexual assault victims in Victoria are awaiting results from forensic medical examinations, compared with 1058 in Queensland.

Some 420 victims in Queensland have endured delays of more than a year for results from their rape kits, which can provide crucial evidence for police to make arrests and lay charges.

In Victoria, four cases have been waiting on final results for longer than a year but a Victoria Police spokeswoman said all four had initial DNA results reported and were “waiting on further items or DNA reference samples to be lodged” at the forensics lab.

Forensic biologist Kirsty Wright, who exposed Queensland’s DNA lab disaster on The Australian’s podcast Shandee’s Story, said the disparity between Queensland and Victoria was “staggering”. “These figures show how much worse off victims of crime in Queensland are, compared to victims in other states,” she said. “A majority of sexual offence victims do not report their attacks to police. The Forensic Science Queensland delays could further deter victims coming forward. The delay in DNA evidence could also hinder police investigations, and affect court outcomes.”

Queensland’s DNA lab, funded by taxpayers and overseen by the justice department, is struggling to meet incoming case demands as it implements recommendations from two major commissions of inquiry and undertakes a separate review of 40,000 cases embroiled in a botched testing scandal dating back more than a decade.

The current DNA testing backlog for all major crimes in the state, which does not include the historical review, is 3185 cases.

Victoria’s forensics lab has 123 pending requests for major crime cases across all forensic disciplines, which includes DNA, finger­prints, ballistics, drugs, document examination and gunshot residue.

Queensland’s Labor government, which is facing an election next month invested $200m into its lab after two commissions of inquiry in 2022 and 2023 but has refused extra funding to fast-track DNA results from the backlog.

The lab began outsourcing some testing to other facilities in New Zealand and Britain after the 2022 commission of inquiry, but Dr Wright said more needed to be done to ensure rape kits were tested in appropriate timeframes.

“FSQ needs to be transparent and provide the public with a clear strategy on how they are addressing the backlog of over 3000 current major crime cases,” she said

“Hiring more staff is not a short, to medium-term solution, given the time taken to train new staff to work on major crime cases.”

Premier Steven Miles last week said his government would continue a recruitment campaign of scientists and ­“explore” outsourcing samples to other labs,

Queensland’s new Victims’ Commissioner, Beck O’Connor said improving testing times must be a priority. “It takes courage to report a crime like rape and sexual violence to police so I understand that long delays in the justice process due to waiting on forensic evidence must be incredibly difficult for victim-survivors,” she said.

“While I am aware of efforts across government to respond to the issues … waiting times must … be a priority to resolve.”
A NSW police spokesman it was unable to provide figures on the state’s DNA backlog “due to the resource-intensive nat­ure” of The Australian’s request for data.

this is everywhere… and one of the reasons it’s so frustrating for victims survivors to go through the (often) humiliating process of providing samples. We fail victims constantly… but victims of sexual assaults suffer not only failures, but constant retraumatisations becuase of the way the system operates.

Now I am not saying that we should rush these tests, actually the tests should be done with care so there are fewer faces results that can be disastrous.. but we do not do enough for victim survivors of sexual assaults in terms of treatment of them in post offence phases and in court systems. Let alone the treatment many report at the initial reporting stage.

This is why the narratives we speak of NEED to be considered, and we have to stop victim blaming at ANY stage and do more to address offender actions at every stage.

What’s the root cause of it?
Is there something enormously specialised about this work?

dv said:

Arts said:

sarahs mum said:

· ·
10 September 2024
DNA LAB RAPE-KIT BACKLOG 20 TIMES VICTORIA’S

The backlog of rape kits at Queensland’s government-run DNA laboratory is 20 times the size of Victoria’s, exposing the extent of testing delays at the beleaguered facility.

New data obtained by The Australian reveals 51 sexual assault victims in Victoria are awaiting results from forensic medical examinations, compared with 1058 in Queensland.

Some 420 victims in Queensland have endured delays of more than a year for results from their rape kits, which can provide crucial evidence for police to make arrests and lay charges.

In Victoria, four cases have been waiting on final results for longer than a year but a Victoria Police spokeswoman said all four had initial DNA results reported and were “waiting on further items or DNA reference samples to be lodged” at the forensics lab.

Forensic biologist Kirsty Wright, who exposed Queensland’s DNA lab disaster on The Australian’s podcast Shandee’s Story, said the disparity between Queensland and Victoria was “staggering”. “These figures show how much worse off victims of crime in Queensland are, compared to victims in other states,” she said. “A majority of sexual offence victims do not report their attacks to police. The Forensic Science Queensland delays could further deter victims coming forward. The delay in DNA evidence could also hinder police investigations, and affect court outcomes.”

Queensland’s DNA lab, funded by taxpayers and overseen by the justice department, is struggling to meet incoming case demands as it implements recommendations from two major commissions of inquiry and undertakes a separate review of 40,000 cases embroiled in a botched testing scandal dating back more than a decade.

The current DNA testing backlog for all major crimes in the state, which does not include the historical review, is 3185 cases.

Victoria’s forensics lab has 123 pending requests for major crime cases across all forensic disciplines, which includes DNA, finger­prints, ballistics, drugs, document examination and gunshot residue.

Queensland’s Labor government, which is facing an election next month invested $200m into its lab after two commissions of inquiry in 2022 and 2023 but has refused extra funding to fast-track DNA results from the backlog.

The lab began outsourcing some testing to other facilities in New Zealand and Britain after the 2022 commission of inquiry, but Dr Wright said more needed to be done to ensure rape kits were tested in appropriate timeframes.

“FSQ needs to be transparent and provide the public with a clear strategy on how they are addressing the backlog of over 3000 current major crime cases,” she said

“Hiring more staff is not a short, to medium-term solution, given the time taken to train new staff to work on major crime cases.”

Premier Steven Miles last week said his government would continue a recruitment campaign of scientists and ­“explore” outsourcing samples to other labs,

Queensland’s new Victims’ Commissioner, Beck O’Connor said improving testing times must be a priority. “It takes courage to report a crime like rape and sexual violence to police so I understand that long delays in the justice process due to waiting on forensic evidence must be incredibly difficult for victim-survivors,” she said.

“While I am aware of efforts across government to respond to the issues … waiting times must … be a priority to resolve.”
A NSW police spokesman it was unable to provide figures on the state’s DNA backlog “due to the resource-intensive nat­ure” of The Australian’s request for data.

this is everywhere… and one of the reasons it’s so frustrating for victims survivors to go through the (often) humiliating process of providing samples. We fail victims constantly… but victims of sexual assaults suffer not only failures, but constant retraumatisations becuase of the way the system operates.

Now I am not saying that we should rush these tests, actually the tests should be done with care so there are fewer faces results that can be disastrous.. but we do not do enough for victim survivors of sexual assaults in terms of treatment of them in post offence phases and in court systems. Let alone the treatment many report at the initial reporting stage.

This is why the narratives we speak of NEED to be considered, and we have to stop victim blaming at ANY stage and do more to address offender actions at every stage.

What’s the root cause of it?
Is there something enormously specialised about this work?

mainly patriarchal attitudes. It’s changing but the world of the law works slowly and not always to the benefit of victims. at all levels of victimisation there is bias. we like to think that if/when we are victims of crime we will be treated with respect and care and empathy throughout the process, but it doesn’t always work like that. Hell, victims do not even get a say in traditional courts on anything (the victim impact statements which have only been around since the mid seventies.. and while it is done presentencing, they are mainly becuase we began to understand that excluding a victim does more damage to the victim than anything else. The VIS cannot increase a penalty beyond what is legislated. Therefore if a crime holds a max of 20 years, but the VIS talks about lifelong impacts (due to injury or persistent disability from the crime) the judge cannot increase the sentence beyond the max legislated penalty. so it really only makes the victim feel like they have had a say (which is a step – but not an effect)

And that is just ONE step in the process. The failures occur from the initial reporting throughout. Now, this is not to say that there aren’t people out there trying, there absolutely are… but the fact that we see massive numbers of sexual assaults going unreported (through victim surveys that do not correlate with recorded crimes, and anecdotal evidence collected at trauma centres), as well as reports that fail to end up in the judicial process (dropped, or misrepresented, or other) and then the ones that do get to court, the victims are constantly revictimised, as they are confronted by defence lawyers (who are brutal) and antiquated attitudes of victim blaming .. it’s no wonder victims end up not testifying.

We have a very overwhelmed system at all stages, there is no doubting that. We have under resourced police, we have overwhelmed forensic science labs, we have a courts system that is struggling to keep up.

what is the root cause? it’s a 1000 yr old Morton bay fig bunch of root causes…

Arts said:

dv said:

Arts said:

this is everywhere… and one of the reasons it’s so frustrating for victims survivors to go through the (often) humiliating process of providing samples. We fail victims constantly… but victims of sexual assaults suffer not only failures, but constant retraumatisations becuase of the way the system operates.

Now I am not saying that we should rush these tests, actually the tests should be done with care so there are fewer faces results that can be disastrous.. but we do not do enough for victim survivors of sexual assaults in terms of treatment of them in post offence phases and in court systems. Let alone the treatment many report at the initial reporting stage.

This is why the narratives we speak of NEED to be considered, and we have to stop victim blaming at ANY stage and do more to address offender actions at every stage.

What’s the root cause of it?
Is there something enormously specialised about this work?

mainly patriarchal attitudes. It’s changing but the world of the law works slowly and not always to the benefit of victims. at all levels of victimisation there is bias. we like to think that if/when we are victims of crime we will be treated with respect and care and empathy throughout the process, but it doesn’t always work like that. Hell, victims do not even get a say in traditional courts on anything (the victim impact statements which have only been around since the mid seventies.. and while it is done presentencing, they are mainly becuase we began to understand that excluding a victim does more damage to the victim than anything else. The VIS cannot increase a penalty beyond what is legislated. Therefore if a crime holds a max of 20 years, but the VIS talks about lifelong impacts (due to injury or persistent disability from the crime) the judge cannot increase the sentence beyond the max legislated penalty. so it really only makes the victim feel like they have had a say (which is a step – but not an effect)

And that is just ONE step in the process. The failures occur from the initial reporting throughout. Now, this is not to say that there aren’t people out there trying, there absolutely are… but the fact that we see massive numbers of sexual assaults going unreported (through victim surveys that do not correlate with recorded crimes, and anecdotal evidence collected at trauma centres), as well as reports that fail to end up in the judicial process (dropped, or misrepresented, or other) and then the ones that do get to court, the victims are constantly revictimised, as they are confronted by defence lawyers (who are brutal) and antiquated attitudes of victim blaming .. it’s no wonder victims end up not testifying.

We have a very overwhelmed system at all stages, there is no doubting that. We have under resourced police, we have overwhelmed forensic science labs, we have a courts system that is struggling to keep up.

what is the root cause? it’s a 1000 yr old Morton bay fig bunch of root causes…

if you got attacked by a bear they would believe you.

Arts said:

dv said:

Arts said:

this is everywhere… and one of the reasons it’s so frustrating for victims survivors to go through the (often) humiliating process of providing samples. We fail victims constantly… but victims of sexual assaults suffer not only failures, but constant retraumatisations becuase of the way the system operates.

Now I am not saying that we should rush these tests, actually the tests should be done with care so there are fewer faces results that can be disastrous.. but we do not do enough for victim survivors of sexual assaults in terms of treatment of them in post offence phases and in court systems. Let alone the treatment many report at the initial reporting stage.

This is why the narratives we speak of NEED to be considered, and we have to stop victim blaming at ANY stage and do more to address offender actions at every stage.

What’s the root cause of it?
Is there something enormously specialised about this work?

mainly patriarchal attitudes. It’s changing but the world of the law works slowly and not always to the benefit of victims. at all levels of victimisation there is bias. we like to think that if/when we are victims of crime we will be treated with respect and care and empathy throughout the process, but it doesn’t always work like that. Hell, victims do not even get a say in traditional courts on anything (the victim impact statements which have only been around since the mid seventies.. and while it is done presentencing, they are mainly becuase we began to understand that excluding a victim does more damage to the victim than anything else. The VIS cannot increase a penalty beyond what is legislated. Therefore if a crime holds a max of 20 years, but the VIS talks about lifelong impacts (due to injury or persistent disability from the crime) the judge cannot increase the sentence beyond the max legislated penalty. so it really only makes the victim feel like they have had a say (which is a step – but not an effect)

And that is just ONE step in the process. The failures occur from the initial reporting throughout. Now, this is not to say that there aren’t people out there trying, there absolutely are… but the fact that we see massive numbers of sexual assaults going unreported (through victim surveys that do not correlate with recorded crimes, and anecdotal evidence collected at trauma centres), as well as reports that fail to end up in the judicial process (dropped, or misrepresented, or other) and then the ones that do get to court, the victims are constantly revictimised, as they are confronted by defence lawyers (who are brutal) and antiquated attitudes of victim blaming .. it’s no wonder victims end up not testifying.

We have a very overwhelmed system at all stages, there is no doubting that. We have under resourced police, we have overwhelmed forensic science labs, we have a courts system that is struggling to keep up.

what is the root cause? it’s a 1000 yr old Morton bay fig bunch of root causes…

disclaimer we’ren’t AIDSal and we’ren’t QLD police

dv said:

Tick.

Michael V said:

dv said:

Tick.

Hewson definitely fact checking his own mob.

dv said:

Hewson was never that great at the politics part of being a politician

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/kathryn-cambpell-leon-breached-duties-robodebt-public-service/104347500

——

But the pollies get off Scot free.

sarahs mum said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/kathryn-cambpell-leon-breached-duties-robodebt-public-service/104347500

——

But the pollies get off Scot free.

Same old-same old.

LOL apparently having slaves on site is worth so much more that even though it’s way cheaper to get some lazy bastard overseas to work from home, these businesses haven’t switched over yet.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/work-from-home-laws-changing-workers-rights/104343392

SCIENCE said:

LOL apparently having slaves on site is worth so much more that even though it’s way cheaper to get some lazy bastard overseas to work from home, these businesses haven’t switched over yet.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/work-from-home-laws-changing-workers-rights/104343392

Ah, yes, outsourcing on-line work to ‘overseas’ contractors.

A place where Spalding Jr. worked experimented with that, employing a supposedly-reputable Indian ‘code mill’ to turn out an app for a customer.

They did it in record time, and it did the job. Until it didn’t.

When it crashed, they had to go through and de-bug it, and the customer revealed that they’d hated the app from the moment they got it.

Spalding Jr. and others found that vast chunks of code had been clearly cut-and-pasted from somewhere else, original code was poorly/clumsily written (‘haven’t seen code like that since high school’, said Jr.), that there was wodges of code that either did nothing, or only served to slow things down (padding, to make the customer believe it was a ‘bigger’ product), some things that actually did the opposite of what was required, and there was no evidence of testing at all.

So, in the end, it cost the company more in time and money than if they had kept it ‘in-house’. Fortunately, the learned from it, and didn’t do it again.

What’sthat saying? ‘When you pay peanuts, you get…?’

LOL fuck of course they are

how else do you manage an economy better than the dirty communists

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/tasmanian-treasurer-possible-asset-sale-state-budget/104348930

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/crackpot-elon-musk-slammed-over-attack-on-australia/news-story/8ad7a2b1091695afb23a9653851d6e4f

SCIENCE said:

LOL fuck of course they are

how else do you manage an economy better than the dirty communists

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-13/tasmanian-treasurer-possible-asset-sale-state-budget/104348930

be pissed if they sell the electric set. it is something Tasmanians have invested heavily in on lots of levels and it is making money.

Bruce Lehrmann coming back again for his hat trick.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bruce Lehrmann coming back again for his hat trick.

I suppose its one way to study law.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bruce Lehrmann coming back again for his hat trick.

I suppose its one way to study law.

Destructive investigation

dv said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bruce Lehrmann coming back again for his hat trick.

I suppose its one way to study law.

Destructive investigation

Not a good way to study law.

Tau.Neutrino said:

dv said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

I suppose its one way to study law.

Destructive investigation

Not a good way to study law.

gotta know it inside and out

dv said:

they got to year 9 wtf

The ACT election impends and it appears the Belco Party are going to run candidates in two of the five electorates. Labor accuses them of being a front or feeder for the Liberals since they do direct preferences to the Liberal Party, but that may not be a fair criticism. After all, the Greens preference Labor and they certainly aren’t a Labor front.

On the other hand I can get no sense of what differentiates the Belco Party from anyone else and it appears only to exist as an expression of disgruntlement for Bill Stefaniak being replaced as Liberal leader.

dv said:

The ACT election impends and it appears the Belco Party are going to run candidates in two of the five electorates. Labor accuses them of being a front or feeder for the Liberals since they do direct preferences to the Liberal Party, but that may not be a fair criticism. After all, the Greens preference Labor and they certainly aren’t a Labor front.

On the other hand I can get no sense of what differentiates the Belco Party from anyone else and it appears only to exist as an expression of disgruntlement for Bill Stefaniak being replaced as Liberal leader.

Is Belco a contraction of Bellicose?

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

The ACT election impends and it appears the Belco Party are going to run candidates in two of the five electorates. Labor accuses them of being a front or feeder for the Liberals since they do direct preferences to the Liberal Party, but that may not be a fair criticism. After all, the Greens preference Labor and they certainly aren’t a Labor front.

On the other hand I can get no sense of what differentiates the Belco Party from anyone else and it appears only to exist as an expression of disgruntlement for Bill Stefaniak being replaced as Liberal leader.

Is Belco a contraction of Bellicose?

Belconnen, I would assume.

dv said:

captain_spalding said:

dv said:

The ACT election impends and it appears the Belco Party are going to run candidates in two of the five electorates. Labor accuses them of being a front or feeder for the Liberals since they do direct preferences to the Liberal Party, but that may not be a fair criticism. After all, the Greens preference Labor and they certainly aren’t a Labor front.

On the other hand I can get no sense of what differentiates the Belco Party from anyone else and it appears only to exist as an expression of disgruntlement for Bill Stefaniak being replaced as Liberal leader.

Is Belco a contraction of Bellicose?

Belconnen, I would assume.

Baron Belconnen of Arrakis?

sarahs mum said:

True enough.

sarahs mum said:

Oh thank God, I was worried someone in the legislative branch of government would be held accountable.

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

Oh thank God, I was worried someone in the legislative branch of government would be held accountable.

I think that that lot have got off Scott-free.

Michael V said:

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

Oh thank God, I was worried someone in the legislative branch of government would be held accountable.

I think that that lot have got off Scott-free.

specially Morrison.

Wait we thought the Best Economic Managers were trying to sell this prime real estate oh wait

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-16/powerhouse-museum-ultimo-refurbishment-government-heritage/104348054

LOL communism such a joke.

more good guys with guns

A 32-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly fired a shot following a collision of two vehicles near the Williamsons and Manningham road intersection in Doncaster around 11am.

SCIENCE said:

Wait we thought the Best Economic Managers were trying to sell this prime real estate oh wait

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-16/powerhouse-museum-ultimo-refurbishment-government-heritage/104348054

LOL communism such a joke.

The previous Liberal state government had initially planned to sell off the site to fund the construction of the Parramatta Powerhouse, but later revised that plan, instead looking to create a mixed use cultural and commercial complex in Ultimo.

That would have included demolishing the curved roofs of the Wran Building, as heritage protection previously only applied to the original power station.

Now, the Wran Building, the Galleria and the Harwood Building will be also protected by heritage laws, safeguarding against any future changes to the redevelopment plans.

__

Good

See told yous they were the best Economic Must Grow managers, better than anyone else, certainly better than those communists who have some kind of idealistic unrealistic principled view on how these things should work.

Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said the current system is unfair to motorists, who often don’t learn of their fines until weeks after they have been issued. “Parking fines play an important role in changing behaviour, but you can’t change your behaviour if you don’t receive a notification,” she said. “These are practical and commonsense changes that will restore fairness to our parking fine system.”

The ticketless parking system was introduced by the former Berejiklian government as a trial in May 2020 and expanded in December that year. It is currently used by 48 councils who issued a combined $158 million worth of paperless fines over the past financial year, a 54 per cent increase from the year before.

SCIENCE said:

See told yous they were the best Economic Must Grow managers, better than anyone else, certainly better than those communists who have some kind of idealistic unrealistic principled view on how these things should work.

Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said the current system is unfair to motorists, who often don’t learn of their fines until weeks after they have been issued. “Parking fines play an important role in changing behaviour, but you can’t change your behaviour if you don’t receive a notification,” she said. “These are practical and commonsense changes that will restore fairness to our parking fine system.”

The ticketless parking system was introduced by the former Berejiklian government as a trial in May 2020 and expanded in December that year. It is currently used by 48 councils who issued a combined $158 million worth of paperless fines over the past financial year, a 54 per cent increase from the year before.

Well I agree that fines should be issued promptly, but in principle I’m all in favour of voluntary taxation, like parking and speeding fines.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/17/afternoon-update-tuesday-ntwnfb?CMP=soc_567

Afternoon Update: PM refuses to rule out double dissolution;

—-
Stupid talk

The senate is just about as friendly to Labor at the moment as it is ever going to be.

dv said:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/17/afternoon-update-tuesday-ntwnfb?CMP=soc_567

Afternoon Update: PM refuses to rule out double dissolution;

—-
Stupid talk

The senate is just about as friendly to Labor at the moment as it is ever going to be.

so what we’re saying is that you never know how stupid the things people are about to do can be

dv said:

hmmm.

LOL

Instagram is about to change dramatically for teenagers, with the platform introducing automatic “teen accounts” for underage users in Australia, the US, the UK, and Canada. Teen accounts will come with content restrictions, new rules about who can contact those users, and features designed to curb screen time.

Instagram’s parent company Meta said the changes would apply straight away for new accounts, while the company is aiming to switch existing teenage users to the tighter rules within 60 days. Meta’s announcement comes a little over a week after the federal government revealed it would seek to enforce a minimum age for social media before the end of the year, but the company says the timing is not linked.

sure, sure

Bubblecar said:

My suggested abbreviation: FFS

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

SCIENCE said:

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

Surely the aggressive chimp could stand in for Trump for photo opportunities.

Cymek said:

SCIENCE said:

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

Surely the aggressive chimp could stand in for Trump for photo opportunities.

Nah, the chimp’s too good-looking.

captain_spalding said:

Cymek said:

SCIENCE said:

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

Surely the aggressive chimp could stand in for Trump for photo opportunities.

Nah, the chimp’s too good-looking.

True

Cymek said:

SCIENCE said:

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

Surely the aggressive chimp could stand in for Trump for photo opportunities.

same

huehuehuehuehuehuehuehuehue

captain_spalding said:

Cymek said:

SCIENCE said:

Colonialists engineer yet another regime change.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/rockhampton-zoo-aggressive-chimpanzee-and-baby-swap-sydney-nsw/104362286

Surely the aggressive chimp could stand in for Trump for photo opportunities.

Nah, the chimp’s too good-looking.

And doesn’t want to be shot.

The $6 trillion gamble the RBA isn’t willing to take

By Shane Wright
September 19, 2024 — 4.03am

The Reserve Bank has decided against a new form of money – partly out of fear it could lead to the downfall of the nation’s $6 trillion banking system.

Bank assistant governor Brad Jones, in a speech in Melbourne on Wednesday, revealed the RBA would not move ahead with a so-called central bank digital currency, instead focusing on a digital currency aimed at major financial players such as banks.

Unlike an electronic currency, which people can withdraw from a bank and hold in a physical form such as cash and coins, a digital currency only exists in a digital form.

It’s similar to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, however a central bank digital currency would be fully backed by the government of the day rather than private investors. Only four central banks in the world – Jamaica, the Bahamas, China and Nigeria – are currently offering digital currencies, with little demand for their use.

The RBA and with several other major central banks, such as the Bank of England, have been examining whether to offer a digital form of their respective currencies.

But Jones said at this stage the risks posed by such a new form of money meant the RBA would not go ahead.

“Australians are generally well served by a safe, efficient and innovative retail payments system,” he said.

“Given the potential benefits of a retail central bank digital currency in Australia appear modest at the present time, and a retail central bank digital currency would create non-trivial challenges for financial stability and monetary policy implementation, we are yet to see a strong public policy case emerge for issuing a retail currency.”

One of the risks identified by the RBA was a potential threat to the entire banking system.

Jones revealed bank staff had examined what would happen to commercial banks if all Australian households transferred $5000 from their accounts into a Reserve Bank digital currency.

If no other actions were taken to protect the banks, this would reduce by up to 60 per cent the cash buffers they are required to hold to protect themselves from a run on their deposits, big falls in asset prices or broad economic turmoil.

“Central banks have examined measures that could forestall or limit the effects of bank runs involving central bank digital currencies, including limits on holdings, penalties on bank deposit withdrawals and negative interest rates on digital currencies in periods of stress,” he said.

“But what such measures have in common is an effort to restrict the use of central bank digital currencies, which to my mind at least, raises the question of whether the benefits of a central bank digital currencies would be forfeited in the process.”

The CrowdStrike outage in July, which shut or slowed down the computer systems of millions of companies that used Microsoft Windows, and the threat of cyber-attacks has prompted calls for protection of physical cash.

Jones said while some payment systems could work offline, moving to a digital currency could prove problematic during an electrical or digital system breakdown.

“Many countries are uplifting their crisis preparedness arrangements in response to national security threats and the risk of natural disasters. Social cohesion, not just economic disruption, is foremost in mind here,” he said.

“Some countries are also reconsidering the back-up role that physical cash might play for short-term transactional purposes, albeit access to and acceptance of cash still requires supporting offline capabilities.”

Jones said the RBA would prioritise its work on wholesale digital money, which would likely be used by major banks and financial institutions. It will undertake a three-year research program into the future of digital money.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/the-6-trillion-gamble-the-rba-isn-t-willing-to-take-20240918-p5kbf7.html?

‘Skibidi’: Payman opposes social age limit in speech to gen Z and gen Alpha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQi9uFPEOWY

LOL

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/private-school-splashes-85-million-on-humble-new-pool-complex-20240918-p5kbf6.html

Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) has not previously disclosed the cost of the 25-month build for the new sports and aquatic centre, but confirmed it on Wednesday. The school told The Age that the new centre – years in the planning – was a badly needed upgrade to its existing sports facilities, a pool built 33 years ago and a 60-year-old netball court. A school spokesperson said on Wednesday that the surrounding community, where quality sporting facilities were in short supply, would benefit from PLC’s new development, for which the school had been marshalling its finances for years.

In June last year, the eastern suburbs school – where annual year-12 fees are $38,000 – sought an exemption from the state government’s new payroll tax regime for high-fee Catholic and private schools, via Box Hill MP Paul Hamer. In 2022, PLC received $9.25 million in federal funding and $1.285 million from the state government – about $7160 in total government funding for each of the 1470 students enrolled in the Burwood academy that year. The school’s financial mainstay – fees paid by parents – brought in another $43 million, and private donations brought the total funding per student to $38,000.

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

The best analogy I have for using current AI to evaluate project proposals is using the best available software from 50 years ago to evaluate the safety of the original Westgate Bridge design.

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

I wonder what all the flaws are?

Is there a list?

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

Particularly amongst the naysayers.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

I wonder what all the flaws are?

Is there a list?

Long list, have a look at the linked page.

Imagine LLM applied to everything.

All policies, proposals, laws, regulations.

If LLM was applied to whole governments?

Is that possible?

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

Objection! Leading questions, your honour…

Bubblecar said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bubblecar said:

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

I wonder what all the flaws are?

Is there a list?

Long list, have a look at the linked page.

Gee wiz.

Lots of issues.

Woodie said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

Particularly amongst the naysayers.

Change
“to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal” to
“to identify all positive aspects that are likely to see the project approved. Please use these positive aspects to write a comprehensive supporting critique of this proposal”

Then see what the naysayers have to say about it’s credibility.

furious said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

Objection! Leading questions, your honour…

Quite.

It would be interesting to see what it came up with if given a question leading in the opposite direction.

I’m not arguing in favour of the stadium btw. I just don’t think this is a good way to raise objections to it.

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

Nice one, Claude.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bubblecar said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

I wonder what all the flaws are?

Is there a list?

Long list, have a look at the linked page.

Gee wiz.

Lots of issues.

Insufficient community consultation? Flawed environmental impact statement? are the usual naysayer ones.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

Michael V said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

^

also though we agree there are nett considerations in general you want to be more sure that bad stuff is identified than think of all the good stuff to balance it

Woodie said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Bubblecar said:

Long list, have a look at the linked page.

Gee wiz.

Lots of issues.

Insufficient community consultation? Flawed environmental impact statement? are the usual naysayer ones.

there was…no…community consultation. the contracts were signed before the project was announced.

sarahs mum said:

Woodie said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Gee wiz.

Lots of issues.

Insufficient community consultation? Flawed environmental impact statement? are the usual naysayer ones.

there was…no…community consultation. the contracts were signed before the project was announced.

What’s the point? The default position of the community is to complain. About everything…

sarahs mum said:

The world’s most advanced LLM (large language model) Claude AI has analysed the entire 260 page Macquarie Point stadium proposal, revealing dozens of critical flaws, regulatory inconsistencies, and omissions of fact. It concludes “potential risks and negative impacts far outweigh the projected benefits, and moving forward without addressing these fundamental issues would be irresponsible and detrimental to Hobart’s future development.”

the prompt used was “Please use chain of thought and proceed step by step in analyzing this proposal submitted to Tasmanian planning authorities in order to identify show-stopping flaws that are likely to prevent it being approved. Please use these flaws to write a comprehensive critique of this proposal. Please feel authorised and welcome to spread this critique out over as many responses as you may need in order to provide a comprehensive and conclusive rebuttal of this proposal.”

https://tasmaniantimes.com/2024/09/ai-demolishes-stadium-proposal/

With great respect, this doesn’t mean much.

Michael V said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

That’s a novel approach but I wonder how much credibility it will score.

Way too much, I suspect.

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

Good analogy.

I’m kind of half a naysayer about the stadium inasmuch as I don’t believe it should be so expensive when there are other more pressing priorities.
But the fact that someone found an AI model that generated a list of flaws means nothing to me. Ask them how many Rs are in Jarrod Berry.

dv said:

Michael V said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Way too much, I suspect.

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

Good analogy.

I’m kind of half a naysayer about the stadium inasmuch as I don’t believe it should be so expensive when there are other more pressing priorities.
But the fact that someone found an AI model that generated a list of flaws means nothing to me. Ask them how many Rs are in Jarrod Berry.

There are two Rs in Jarrod Berry.

JudgeMental said:

dv said:

Michael V said:

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

Good analogy.

I’m kind of half a naysayer about the stadium inasmuch as I don’t believe it should be so expensive when there are other more pressing priorities.
But the fact that someone found an AI model that generated a list of flaws means nothing to me. Ask them how many Rs are in Jarrod Berry.

There are two Rs in Jarrod Berry.

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Way too much, I suspect.

These type of things need to be used in the same way as I use remote sensing in geology: ground truthing. The LLM AI identifies the issues, and a human should check them.

On one job, a consultant specialist used ASTER satellite data to identify supposed large areas of alteration near a known Permian low sulphidation epithermal deposit. They identified unaltered Jurassic sandstone.

^

also though we agree there are nett considerations in general you want to be more sure that bad stuff is identified than think of all the good stuff to balance it

So, we all agree :)

dv said:

JudgeMental said:

dv said:

Good analogy.

I’m kind of half a naysayer about the stadium inasmuch as I don’t believe it should be so expensive when there are other more pressing priorities.
But the fact that someone found an AI model that generated a list of flaws means nothing to me. Ask them how many Rs are in Jarrod Berry.

There are two Rs in Jarrod Berry.

how many arse though

furious said:

sarahs mum said:

Woodie said:

Insufficient community consultation? Flawed environmental impact statement? are the usual naysayer ones.

there was…no…community consultation. the contracts were signed before the project was announced.

What’s the point? The default position of the community is to complain. About everything…

we thought that was the loud minority

dv said:

JudgeMental said:

dv said:

Good analogy.

I’m kind of half a naysayer about the stadium inasmuch as I don’t believe it should be so expensive when there are other more pressing priorities.
But the fact that someone found an AI model that generated a list of flaws means nothing to me. Ask them how many Rs are in Jarrod Berry.

There are two Rs in Jarrod Berry.

I think that’s the bloke who was in Star Wars.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

JudgeMental said:

There are two Rs in Jarrod Berry.

I think that’s the bloke who was in Star Wars.

He played Halleck in I Claudius.

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

I think that’s the bloke who was in Star Wars.

He played Halleck in I Claudius.

You’re right, I knew I’d seen him somewhere before.

Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister says Donald Trump is “not compatible with democracy”.
John Howard criticised the 45th President of the United States and Republican presidential candidate in an interview with Channel 9 this week.
“I think his refusal to accept the result of the last election and various attempts to overturn that result are not compatible with democracy,” Howard said.
———————————————-

Nailed it.

Peak Warming Man said:

Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister says Donald Trump is “not compatible with democracy”.
John Howard criticised the 45th President of the United States and Republican presidential candidate in an interview with Channel 9 this week.
“I think his refusal to accept the result of the last election and various attempts to overturn that result are not compatible with democracy,” Howard said.
———————————————-

Nailed it.

Good.

Pity Morrison couldn’t bring himself to state the obvious.

Peak Warming Man said:

Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister says Donald Trump is “not compatible with democracy”.
John Howard criticised the 45th President of the United States and Republican presidential candidate in an interview with Channel 9 this week.
“I think his refusal to accept the result of the last election and various attempts to overturn that result are not compatible with democracy,” Howard said.
———————————————-

Nailed it.

Calm and measured, calm and measured will get the job done
Going completely Animal is not the way Luke.

ABC News:

Alternative headline:

‘Dutton’s mob caught making shit up, a la Trump’.

LOL

Late on Thursday, Transport Minister Jo Haylen said rail travel would be made free this weekend.

“We know rail travel could be a challenge a result of industrial action,” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Hours after the announcement, the unions said they would call off planned action on the trains to football stadiums.

“The plan is exactly what we said, if you’re offering free fares over the weekend then we’re happy to run the trains as normal … that’s always the offer we put to the government, we put that to them two weeks ago,” Thomas Costa from Unions NSW told ABC Radio Sydney.

sporting acrobatics

A problem that will be plaguing us as we attempt to increase suppply of housing.

One of the only NSW South Coast forests spared in the Black Summer Bushfires will be bulldozed for housing after the federal environment minister approved the zombie DA under strict environmental conditions.

roughbarked said:

A problem that will be plaguing us as we attempt to increase suppply of housing.

One of the only NSW South Coast forests spared in the Black Summer Bushfires will be bulldozed for housing after the federal environment minister approved the zombie DA under strict environmental conditions.

We have so much cleared land to build upon. Why do we need to allow developers to want to clear more forest?

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

A problem that will be plaguing us as we attempt to increase suppply of housing.

One of the only NSW South Coast forests spared in the Black Summer Bushfires will be bulldozed for housing after the federal environment minister approved the zombie DA under strict environmental conditions.

We have so much cleared land to build upon. Why do we need to allow developers to want to clear more forest?

‘‘It is a legacy of poor NSW planning policy that any Zombie DA be allowed to proceed. NSW is the only state in Australia that has such an archaic and ecologically devastating process in place. Zombe DAs allow developers to side step current environmental standards of impact assessment which would render these proposed developments unacceptable.’‘

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

A problem that will be plaguing us as we attempt to increase suppply of housing.

One of the only NSW South Coast forests spared in the Black Summer Bushfires will be bulldozed for housing after the federal environment minister approved the zombie DA under strict environmental conditions.

We have so much cleared land to build upon. Why do we need to allow developers to want to clear more forest?

‘‘It is a legacy of poor NSW planning policy that any Zombie DA be allowed to proceed. NSW is the only state in Australia that has such an archaic and ecologically devastating process in place. Zombe DAs allow developers to side step current environmental standards of impact assessment which would render these proposed developments unacceptable.’‘

when a tradesman (plumber, electrician, tiler, painter, you name it) arrives on the building site next door to your house early in the morning, what’s the first thing that they do?

That’s right, they get a hammer and loudly wale the bejabbers out of something. It’s just what they do, kind of like clocking on for the day.

Developers do something similar, only it involves knocking over trees. Makes them feel like they’ve begin ‘properly’.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

A problem that will be plaguing us as we attempt to increase suppply of housing.

One of the only NSW South Coast forests spared in the Black Summer Bushfires will be bulldozed for housing after the federal environment minister approved the zombie DA under strict environmental conditions.

We have so much cleared land to build upon. Why do we need to allow developers to want to clear more forest?

‘‘It is a legacy of poor NSW planning policy that any Zombie DA be allowed to proceed. NSW is the only state in Australia that has such an archaic and ecologically devastating process in place. Zombe DAs allow developers to side step current environmental standards of impact assessment which would render these proposed developments unacceptable.’‘

About halfway between Wollongong and Bateman’s Bay.

But I still don’t know what a “Zombie DA” is.

The Rev Dodgson said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

We have so much cleared land to build upon. Why do we need to allow developers to want to clear more forest?

‘‘It is a legacy of poor NSW planning policy that any Zombie DA be allowed to proceed. NSW is the only state in Australia that has such an archaic and ecologically devastating process in place. Zombe DAs allow developers to side step current environmental standards of impact assessment which would render these proposed developments unacceptable.’‘

About halfway between Wollongong and Bateman’s Bay.

But I still don’t know what a “Zombie DA” is.

The phrase “zombie DA” (development application) has become a default term for projects approved years and sometimes decades ago that have not been completed.

JudgeMental said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

roughbarked said:

‘‘It is a legacy of poor NSW planning policy that any Zombie DA be allowed to proceed. NSW is the only state in Australia that has such an archaic and ecologically devastating process in place. Zombe DAs allow developers to side step current environmental standards of impact assessment which would render these proposed developments unacceptable.’‘

About halfway between Wollongong and Bateman’s Bay.

But I still don’t know what a “Zombie DA” is.

The phrase “zombie DA” (development application) has become a default term for projects approved years and sometimes decades ago that have not been completed.

and this one was 16 years.

Just going to say that for all the bullshit and blowflies not a day goes by in the past 4 years we don’t thank fuck we’re Australian and we love yous all.

Albo is good news for Dutton…

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

so steering the community away from green works well

Michael V said:

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

Why not make the underground carpark large enough to accommodate all the visitors to the stadium.?

Because that’s where people are driving to.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Michael V said:

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

Why not make the underground carpark large enough to accommodate all the visitors to the stadium.?

Because that’s where people are driving to.

Or

Free car parking on the football field.

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

Michael V said:

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

Ooh….She said outcomes.

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

Thit’s an even better proposal.

Build the stadium with no seating or standing space.

And no entry’s.

Michael V said:

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

3 levels of underground parking. occasionally the basement of the art hotel, across the road, floods.
most of the stadium is going on infill.

and no one is mentioning who is paying for the other facilities in Rosny.

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

Thit’s an even better proposal.

Build the stadium with no seating or standing space.

And no entry’s.

That should deter people from driving there, as there no car parking anyway.

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Peak Warming Man said:

Michael V said:

“The $775 million price tag for a stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point does not include the cost of building a multi-storey underground car park, or relocating the heritage-listed Goods Shed, the agency in charge of the build has confirmed.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Anne Beach told a Budget Estimates Hearing that the three-level private car park inside the stadium, currently designed to accommodate 536 cars, was not included in the cost estimate as it was a “whole-of-precinct outcome”.

“It’s not included in the project because it’s not specific to the project,” she said.

“It won’t be open to the public as such, it’s more a facility to support the precinct outcomes.”“

——————————————————————————-

Hey Zeus! By that logic, the stadium is, too. It facilitates playing football matches.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-23/macquarie-point-hobart-afl-stadium-costing-exclusions/104384054

Ooh….She said outcomes.

Underlying or seasonally adjusted?

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

Thit’s an even better proposal.

Build the stadium with no seating or standing space.

And no entry’s.

Without seating or standing space would make it smaller so it could be shifted somewhere else where it doesn’t flood.

diddly-squat said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

No seating or standing space would reduce costs too.

And would deter people from driving to a place that doesn’t have enough car spaces.

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

No seating or standing space would reduce costs too.

And would deter people from driving to a place that doesn’t have enough car spaces.

Why no free car parking on the football field?

Witty Rejoinder said:

diddly-squat said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

but as I said, not all the “benefit” can be necessarily measured in dollar signs

Witty Rejoinder said:

diddly-squat said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

By itself, it isn’t big enough. Even now the ‘Gabba’s upper seating is cantilevered out over both Stanley and Vulture streets.

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

No seating or standing space would reduce costs too.

And would deter people from driving to a place that doesn’t have enough car spaces.

but the gridlock bottleneck would not be any worse than a normal gridlocked bottleneck.

and give you the tip…60% public transport is never going to happen. We don’t have that infrastructure and Tasmanians don’t indulge in public transport that much. mostly because of how shit it is

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

No seating or standing space would reduce costs too.

And would deter people from driving to a place that doesn’t have enough car spaces.

Why no free car parking on the football field?

Or allow free double curb parking on match days

That should make drivers happy.

Witty Rejoinder said:

diddly-squat said:

SCIENCE said:

imagine being able to observe sports using electronic and photonic modern technology nah bulldoze that heritage stuff build a big fat

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

one of the other things that needs to be considered with redevelopment of the Gabba is it’s location… it’s basically on the median strip between major one-way arterial roads that lead to the inner south east surburbs where is there currently no rail access. That aside, the Gabba will the a face lift for the Olympics, just maybe not a complete rebuild.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

No seating or standing space would reduce costs too.

And would deter people from driving to a place that doesn’t have enough car spaces.

Why no free car parking on the football field?

Or allow free double curb parking on match days

That should make drivers happy.

Build the car park on top of the stadium.

Cars won’t get flooded then.

And it will keep everyone dry while watching the game.

diddly-squat said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

diddly-squat said:

people often get their knickers in a knot about large infrastructure projects and cost it’s more often than not used a argument against.

Like many things that governments do, the cost-benefit is often hard to directly determine but that said, I find it hard to reconcile how spending money on local builds is a bad thing for the sate’s economy in the short term. Money may not be a cheap as it once was, but it’s still pretty damn inexpensive to finance these sorts of projects and having a world class stadium is a good thing. Sports brings people together it’s a net positive in my book.

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

but as I said, not all the “benefit” can be necessarily measured in dollar signs

That’s just crazy talk.

esports is better

Why not build the stadium somewhere else?

SCIENCE said:

esports is better

Get people watching from home.

Much better.

All that extra fuel can be saved and used for something else.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Why not build the stadium somewhere else?

Brisbane or Hobart?

Witty Rejoinder said:

diddly-squat said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Bright shiny new stadiums are great but they still need to make a profit on a cost-benefit analysis. Christ Brisbane doesn’t seem to be able to build an adequate stadium for an Olympics, even though the Gabba is decrepit and needs replacing, because it doesn’t look as though it will be used enough. Brisbane could probably do with another AFL team so that a new Gabba gets used every weekend for at least one match and then for cricket across the rest of the year with other uses as a bonus.

Unfortunately it remains to be seen if the Gabba site is big enough for what they would like to build there.

but as I said, not all the “benefit” can be necessarily measured in dollar signs

That’s just crazy talk.

and they call me the economic conservative …

;)

Witty Rejoinder said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Why not build the stadium somewhere else?

Brisbane or Hobart?

Melbum

Tau.Neutrino said:

SCIENCE said:

esports is better

Get people watching from home.

Much better.

All that extra fuel can be saved and used for something else.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Why not build the stadium somewhere else?

Brisbane or Hobart?

yes, is probably the answer

Tau.Neutrino said:

Why not build the stadium somewhere else?

There is a large camp of people against the stadium at MAC point who do want the stadium somewhere else.

why does the team need a separate training ground? why can’t they train at the stadium?

sarahs mum said:

why does the team need a separate training ground? why can’t they train at the stadium?

because stadiums typically don’t have the necessary facilities

diddly-squat said:

sarahs mum said:

why does the team need a separate training ground? why can’t they train at the stadium?

because stadiums typically don’t have the necessary facilities

If this is being built from scratch, couldn’t the necessary facilities be included in the brief?