Bris Science next Monday, City Hall at 6:30 will be on a subject much debated here, “Wolf in a sheep’s labcoat: pseudoscience in the 20th century” by Mike McRae of CSIRO. I’m double-booked but I still hope to make it along.
The Centre for Policy Development is holding a debate between Janet Albrechtsen and Greens MP Lee Rhiannon on the subject of political donations (no donation required to attend). 13 August, 6pm, Customs House Sydney. RSVP here
According to all political commentators I’ve read, the Liberals have achieved a triumph in policy formulation on climate change, reverting to the policy they put at the last election, where climate change was a central issue. It’s a while ago now, but can anyone remember how that turned out for them?
Since I’ve previously commented quite a few times about Starbucks, I thought I should note this news. It’s a pity for those who will lose their jobs in a softening labour market, but not really a surprise.
Update A letter in the Fin Review makes the point that Starbucks suffered in competition with Gloria Jeans (for non-Oz readers, a truly horrible food court coffee chain, closely associated with one of our less appealing churches), because GJ is a franchise operation, with most franchisees being small enough to avoid payroll tax, while Starbucks were company-owned and had to pay. If the coming tax review could get rid of payroll tax, it would be a huge boon.
The euphoric honeymoon period for the Rudd government may be behind us, but we still get regular reminders that we made the right choice as a nation last November. Today’s news includes two such reminders
* The end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention, introduced by the Hawke-Keating government and hardened repeatedly by the Howard government (notable participants who deserve continued obloquy include Philip Ruddock, Peter Reith and Amanda Vanstone)
* The intervention by Peter Garrett to protect remaining cassowary habitat near Mission Beach
The Opposition’s response on mandatory detention, as on almost every issue that has come up for debate since the election, is a reminder that they need a long spell out of government. On current performances, I’d say that they won’t be a credible alternative until everyone who held office under Howard has left the political scene.
As inflows to the Murray–Darling system continue at record lows, conflict over water is intensifying. The management of both Menindee Lakes in Western NSW and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert in SA has been subject to severe criticism. Currently two of the Menindee Lakes contain nearly 600 GL of water (under current rules, this keeps them under NSW control). South Australia is calling for a release of water to prevent severe damage to the lower Murray, including the SA lakes and the Coorong. But lobbyists for the NSW irrigation sector, like Jennifer Marohasy, are arguing that the barrages preventing sea water inflow to the SA lakes, (themselves a response to flow reductions caused by the initial development of irrigation upstream), should be removed.
There’s little value in assessing these competing claims in isolation. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the current leisurely schedule for achieving a sustainable allocation of water rights is untenable. The Australian government needs to act to bring allocations into line with sustainable levels, and accelerate the repurchase of water rights from irrigators.
As I mentioned a while back, Lovemore Matombo and Wellington Chibebe, the President and General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) are facing trial on 30 July on charges trumped up by the Mugabe regime. You can help the struggle to free them by making a statement at We are ZCTU and joining a letter writing campaign.
Check out the photomosaic of these two brave men, made up of 2000 individual photos.
It’s time, a bit late in the day, for Monday Message Board. Comment on any topic; civilised discussion and no coarse language please.
It’s time once again for weekend reflections, the longer version of Monday Message Board. Civilised discussion and no coarse language please.
After the contortions of the last few weeks, I think it’s pretty safe to draw the following conclusions
(i) The Liberal Party is all over the shop on climate change and is going to stay that way, at least as long as Brendan Nelson remains leader
(ii) Whatever legislative proposal the government comes up with, the Opposition will oppose it
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Having made the bold predictions, some time back, that neither the Nationals, nor the Liberals, would ever win another election in Queensland or nationally, I gave myself two bob each way by explaining that this was because a merger, or a completely new party, was a precondition for defeating Labor. Everything looked to be going swimmingly until last night, when the Liberals suddenly backed out of the merger they’d agreed with the Nationals. On the face of it, this didn’t look too good for my record as a political tipster (which had been improving a bit).
But the great thing about an each-way bet is that there is more than one way to win. Whatever happens now as regards the merger, the Libationals have made such a mess of things that it’s hard to see Labor losing here for another couple of terms, by which time the merger will presumably have happened. And what’s true in Queensland is almost certainly true nationally. Short of an econoic catastrophe, the next serious prospect for a Libational win is that provided by the lamentable NSW government, which is not due to face the voters until 2011, IIRC.
Update Thanks to a court order, the merger has gone ahead. Given these farcical events, my prediction looks like winning both ways. Not only have the Libs and Nats ceased to exist, but they still don’t look like a plausible alternative to Labor.
John Quiggin 