Monday, April 09, 2018
Shell (the company) and Climate Change
Go here for a lesson on why we must never ever trust corporates, political parties, or governments
Labels: Climate Change
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Why Turnbull is a "gonner".
Michelle Gratten has written a piece: goo.gl/A5v53l which goes some way towards explaining why Turnbull is a 'gonner' as we used to say. She writes that he doesnt know "what to do" with the job of being PM. I think that she has nailed Turnbull's problem.
My very wise Aunt Vi told me as a child that "what you want to "be" ( jet fighter pilot or PM) is not as important as what you want to "do". On the evidence, Malcolm was raised to want to "be PM" without any concept of how to do the doing bit.
Malcolm just wanted to "be a leader" without any idea of where he wanted to lead people to. Not knowing where he wants to go he has no direction and no strategy. He lacks the skills of strategic thinking.He references himself as a Captain. But the best Captains come from the ranks of the best players. They become Captain because they think strategically and devise strategies for achieving objectives. But Turnbull is no player he has no worthwhile objectives and no strategies for getting anywhere. And he does not have the support of his team; he doesnt know how to win that support and he never will - unless he pulls a rabbit out of a hat; he may may win support then but only until his team sees that its a sleight of hand.
Turnbull is a maverick and not a good one. The best mavericks can make good leaders, for a while, usually because they have some really good idea that people want to see developed; or they have a good strategy for achieving a set of objectves which they are most suited to implement. The only idea that Turnbull has is that of himself in the role and clothing of the PM.
Turnbull spruiks innovation. But he himself is no innovator. Innovators don't set out "to be" (that term again) innovators. They set out "to do" something: invent and develop a new way of "doing"; a process, a gizmo, a management structure, a better governance. And in so doing they may be said to have been innovative and to have earned the title of innovator.
Those are some arguments as to why Turnbull is a "gonner" why Grattan is right when she says that he doesnt know what to do with the job of PM. So where does that leave us? Frankly, in a tangle which looks like becoming worse because he is representative of the parliamentary LNP. We can only prepare and wait for the next election and vote Turnbull and his "hangers- on" leadership team out of office.
On the evidence of the 2016 election, Shorten's Labor would make a far better government.
10/09/2016
10/09/2016
Labels: Turnbull. The Turnbull Government. Politics. Governance of Australia.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Australia's asylum seeker disgrace. Where I stand March 2015
1. Where I stand on asylum seekers
I stand opposed to the Australian Government's treatment of Asylum Seekers. Certainly during and since the Howard Government it has descended into inhumanity and cruelty akin to tyrannous regimes of other places and times past.
Under the Abbott government and the administration of Minister Morrison supported by the entire Cabinet, Australia has interceprted asylum seekers at sea and transported them under duress and against their wishes to gulags and concentration camps in neighbouring countries with the deliberate intention of causing them maximum harm.
As well the Government does this under conditions of secrecy concealing as much as they can from the Australian peoples.
That seems very close to being the following Crime against Humanity: (d) deportation or forcible transfer of population (forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law)
Those acts seem very close to being the following Crimes Against Humanity:(e) imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rule of international law;(f) torture (the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, upon a person in the custody and under the control of the accused except that torture does not include pain or suffering arising from, inherent in, or incidental to lawful sanctions).(h) persecution against any identifiable group or collectively on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, or other grounds that are universally recognised as impermissible under international law.
I accuse the Australian Government of inflicting extradjudically, severely cruel inhumane and punishment upon my fellow human beings which, if not actually found to be Crimes Against Humanity, are nontheless crimes or other odious contraventions of international conventions such as the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), for which they should be held to account.
February 2015
Saturday, November 16, 2013
The Australian Government's treatment of asylum seekers is an odious offence
The Australian
Government's treatment of asylum seekers is a policy deliberately
designed to harm fellow humans. It is extremely harsh and cruel. It
is imprisonment without trial and a psychological torture. It is a
grotesque denial of basic freedoms, human rights and natural justice
which threatens all of us. It is an odious assault on people the like
of which happened under Nazism, Communism and the Pogroms against
peoples of times past. It has no place in our modern, compassionate,
freedom and justice loving democracy. It is a gross wrong that needs
to be set right.
Consider also what it is doing to us. Promulgated
to the Australian peoples as being necessary to protect us, it does
the exact opposite; far from protecting us, it threatens our own
rights and freedoms. Far from bringing honour to us as Australians,
it brings dishonour. Our Australian Government's inhumane treatment
of people seeking to escape war zones and tyrannous, murderous
regimes diminishes us.
Abbott's brushing aside of human rights, in his
recent statement about the events in Sri Lanka, that “difficult
things happen in difficult times” is profoundly corrupting.
Contrast it with the contemporaneous statements by the British Prime
Minister.
“Difficult things happen in difficult times”
excuses the Sri Lankan Government for its offences and offers the
“rationale” for the Abbott Government's continuing denial of
human rights and cruel treatment of asylum seekers presenting to our
shores.
Australians should be very aware that “Difficult
things happen in difficult times” is a philosophy that presents a
serious threat to civil liberty and worse. The Abbott Government, is
building a “Terrible Australia” not a “Better Australia”.
The
Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court
Explanatory
Memorandum, defines “crimes against humanity” as being :
“particularly
odious offences in that they constitute a serious attack on human
dignity
or
grave humiliation
or
a degradation
of
human beings”;
seems to me that the Abbott-Morrison polices fulfil those criteria.
I ask my fellow
Australians, to stand against these polices; bring them to an abrupt
halt; ensure freedom, justice and human rights for all in our
country; close Manus and Nauru; promptly process applications for
asylum; and find other effective ways of “stopping the boats”.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Why vote Labor on 7th September 2013
Introduction
I am a unaffiliated with any political party. Here I argue why we should vote Labor in the coming election (7th September 2013).Most Australians prefer Labor
More Australians vote Labor than for the conservative Liberals (Libs) and National (Nats) parties. Neither the Libs nor the Nats can form government in their own right; so they have long since agreed a power sharing deal (Libs-Nats) to deny the majority of Australians their preference. This alone, gives the lie to Tony Abbott's criticism of the Gillard Government's agreement with the Greens and Independents which enabled Labor to form government in 2010. Like all such criticisms from Tony's lips, it is a pure canard, a device to deceive us. Remember that Tony himself also tried to negotiate such an agreement but failed. And it cut him deeply that a woman, Julia Gillard, was such a superior negotiator.
Remember also Tony's ambition. He said he'd do anything but sell his arse to have Gillard's job. Here we have a simple pointer to his character. His ambition is so strong that he would would do anything, and proceeded with a long cmapiagn to trash not only the Government but also our economy. Tony never sought to strengthen the economy, to win the right to govern by solving the problems he perceived, but by trashing our Prime Minister, gutlessly sotto vocce across the Parliaments Table, insulting her and us, by talking the economy down, sowing seeds of fear and doubt in our minds. Is this the kind of perosn, we want to be our Prime Minister; and do we really want the politicians who so carefully elect him to represent their values, to be their leader, their messiah, to win Government for the next three years?
The success of Rudd-Gillard Labor in Government is why we should vote Labor into office for a third time. Especially since there is so much at stake, especially since Tony's Libs-Nats will strive to undo Labor's NBN, education, disability workplace reforms.
Remember also Tony's ambition. He said he'd do anything but sell his arse to have Gillard's job. Here we have a simple pointer to his character. His ambition is so strong that he would would do anything, and proceeded with a long cmapiagn to trash not only the Government but also our economy. Tony never sought to strengthen the economy, to win the right to govern by solving the problems he perceived, but by trashing our Prime Minister, gutlessly sotto vocce across the Parliaments Table, insulting her and us, by talking the economy down, sowing seeds of fear and doubt in our minds. Is this the kind of perosn, we want to be our Prime Minister; and do we really want the politicians who so carefully elect him to represent their values, to be their leader, their messiah, to win Government for the next three years?
Nonetheless despite everything that Tony and Company threw at Labor, his gutless sotto vocce taunts across the table in Parliament, Juilia Gillard bested him. Her government passed bill after bill in a hung parliament; some of them the greates reforms in Australian history even in History period.
The success of Rudd-Gillard Labor in Government is why we should vote Labor into office for a third time. Especially since there is so much at stake, especially since Tony's Libs-Nats will strive to undo Labor's NBN, education, disability workplace reforms.
Despite its shortcomings, Labor serves the Australian Society better than the Libs-Nats. Setting aside their treatment of Asylum seekers, Labor has always been far more humane, inventive and creative than the Conservatives/Tories.
Labor sees beyond the short term monetary bottom line whereas the Libs-Nats do not. Labor aims to achieve multiple socio-economic objectives whereas the Libs-Nats just want the money. Labor's vision is 3D and the Libs/Nats' 2D.
Labor takes direct action to improve the wealth/quality of life of all of us, whereas the Libs-Nats take direct action to improve the monetary bottom line. Labor invests, the Libs-Nats disinvest.
Labor manages the economy of the whole whereas the Libs-Nats manage the accounts of the parts. In this, the Labor way is the right way; the whole is always more than the sum of its parts. Every time I have examined a public sector development project, "whole of system" options have resulted in far greater life long economic returns than component options.
See: Why taxes would rise under Abbott" Ross Gittins. Business Day SMH 28 September 2013
Labor successfully managed the economy to minimise the impacts of the GFC on all Australians. Abbot and Company opposed the stimulus and have ever since trashed the Australian economy with the assistance of the Murdoch press and the "radio shock jocks" Yet the Rudd-Gillard Governments have won high praise internationally and the Australian ecomomy is one of the worlds strongest; witness the current historically low interest, unemployment and inflation rates.
Labor manages the economy of the whole whereas the Libs-Nats manage the accounts of the parts. In this, the Labor way is the right way; the whole is always more than the sum of its parts. Every time I have examined a public sector development project, "whole of system" options have resulted in far greater life long economic returns than component options.
"The Coalition will continue to declare: “You can trust us with the economy. We ran things well before.” Don’t believe them. They didn’t. They were, in fact, utterly incompetent." http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/we-really-must-talk-about-the-howard-and-costello-economic-disaster/
Abott and Company are telling us that they will tax Australia less. Well apparently thats a "whopper". In fact Abbott is planning to ".... impose new taxes, increase taxes and eliminate tax breaks .... to cover the cost of the taxes he's geting rid of and ..to help pay for his new spending promises ..:- a 1.5% levy on big companies to cover the net additional cost of hispaid parental leave scheme
- a 0.5% increase in ALL rates of income tax to help cover the national disability insurnace schem
- ending the instant assett write-off
- removing accelerated depreciation for motor vehicles
- ending the phase-down of interest witholding tax on financial institutions and
- ending the "Tax loss carry-back"
See: Why taxes would rise under Abbott" Ross Gittins. Business Day SMH 28 September 2013
Labor successfully managed the economy to minimise the impacts of the GFC on all Australians. Abbot and Company opposed the stimulus and have ever since trashed the Australian economy with the assistance of the Murdoch press and the "radio shock jocks" Yet the Rudd-Gillard Governments have won high praise internationally and the Australian ecomomy is one of the worlds strongest; witness the current historically low interest, unemployment and inflation rates.
The great socio-economic reforms have all been initiated by Labor; consider education, industrial relations, economics, health care, social infrastructure, basic wage, social justice; and our very human rights and freedoms. The Rudd-Gillard Governments continued that tradition. And true to their much vaunted DNA, in every case, the Libs-Nats have opposed those reforms and sought to roll them back; Abbot and Company seek to continue their tradition of resistance to advanced socio-ecomonic reforms; it is, as they boast, in their DNA.
Why is this? Well perhaps it really is the DNA. Labor arose from the populace and thus has a far more diverse soci-economic base. The Libs-Nats base is the much narrower base of business which, naturally, believes that our economy should be run much like a business. They also believe that they are the natural leaders; as putative business leaders they think that they have a modern version of the divine right.
The problem with the business model is that business has one 'simple-simon' objective of maximising the monetary bottom line.
Thus the business CEO seeks to minimise costs and maximise profits and the monetary dividend else they fear the sack. Costs are minimised by massive cost shifting in which a business avoids paying the full costs of production by shifting the burden on to the community. This same principle underpins the Libs/Nats accounting; they seek to shift costs from the Government's Accounts to our accounts; witness, for example, the Libs-Nats' NBN fibre to the node policy: the costs from node to home are shifted to the user; this is an accounting, not an economic manoeuvre. The result will be massively increased costs to the economy as a whole. Cost shifting is a very common account based management device of business and also regrettably, Government Departments; it is antithetical to the Nation's economy.
In this 2013 election Labor has been transparent in displaying its policies, costs and benefits. Not so the Libs-Nats. The Libs-Nats are being very opaque, very shifty indeed. Replay the Sinodinos interview, ABC News, Mid-day, Saturday 31 August:
Why is this? Well perhaps it really is the DNA. Labor arose from the populace and thus has a far more diverse soci-economic base. The Libs-Nats base is the much narrower base of business which, naturally, believes that our economy should be run much like a business. They also believe that they are the natural leaders; as putative business leaders they think that they have a modern version of the divine right.
The problem with the business model is that business has one 'simple-simon' objective of maximising the monetary bottom line.
Thus the business CEO seeks to minimise costs and maximise profits and the monetary dividend else they fear the sack. Costs are minimised by massive cost shifting in which a business avoids paying the full costs of production by shifting the burden on to the community. This same principle underpins the Libs/Nats accounting; they seek to shift costs from the Government's Accounts to our accounts; witness, for example, the Libs-Nats' NBN fibre to the node policy: the costs from node to home are shifted to the user; this is an accounting, not an economic manoeuvre. The result will be massively increased costs to the economy as a whole. Cost shifting is a very common account based management device of business and also regrettably, Government Departments; it is antithetical to the Nation's economy.
In this 2013 election Labor has been transparent in displaying its policies, costs and benefits. Not so the Libs-Nats. The Libs-Nats are being very opaque, very shifty indeed. Replay the Sinodinos interview, ABC News, Mid-day, Saturday 31 August:
- the Libs/Nats will not display their costings and budget bottom line, until the 11th hour,
- all commitments are off;
- every thing will be reviewed and revised after the election.
So, what can we expect from Labor and the Libs-Nats in government, post 2013?
Social Justice, economics
Libs-Nats
- Return to 19th century ideas: Government getting out of the way; Adam Smith, Milton Friedman et.al; if the private industry isn't doing it then government shouldn't (more or less); witness the Libs-Nats NBN policy; they believe in the so called free-market, progress through let it rip competition not collaboration, co-operation or partnering; a world of free-wheelers, spseudo entrepreneurialism; de-regulation (code for return to the bad old days). Look at the low wage societies of USA and Asia for a picture of what it would be like; do you really want those kinds of societies, their vast rich-poor gaps.
- A partnership between the public and private sectors; partnership between Labour and Capital, employers and employees; a managed economy for the benefit of all in our society.
Education
Libs-Nats- More public funding to the Private Sector hence less to Public Sector
- Increased user pays fees and charges to Public Sector education at all levels
Labor
- Funding according to need at all levels of the system regardless of sector
Health Insurance
Libs-Nats- More public funding to the Private Sector profit based companies and hence less to Public Sector
- Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme DisabilityCare; DentiCare weakened;
Labor
- More to Public Sector than Private Sector.
- Medicare and PBS strengthened
- Implementation of Disability Care, DentiCare
Health Service Delivery
Libs-Nats
- Reduction of Public Sector; increase in Private Sector businesses subsidised by Government
- Weakening of Medicare Locals hence community health service provision
- Local Hospitals Boards; (this risks huge wastage and unsafe care)
- Improved planning, and management of health service provision.
- Strengthening of community health services - Medicare Locals
- Extension of Medicare to cover DentiCare
Communications
Libs-Nats
- NBN to the node somewhere. Consumers pay for node to home.
Labor
- NBN to the home
Transportation
Libs-Nats
- more investment in roads than public transport
Labor
- more investment in public transport than roads
Employment
Libs-Nats
- see what the LNP is doing to Queensland's economy ""Unemployment soars in Queensland to 10-year high of 6.4 per cent.." Courier Mail July 12 2013
- "International ratings agency Fitch has downgraded the Queensland Government's credit rating.... from AA-plus to AA ..". ABC News Sep 13 2013
Labor
- Australias unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.7% in July 2013 in both seasonally adjusted and trend terms. 6202.0 Labour Force Australia July 2013. ABS.
- Ratings agency Standard and Poor's has reaffirmed Australia's AA credit rating. SMH July 18 2013
- And Australia's productivity has increased under Labor
Labels: Abbot's Taxes, Abbott, Australian Election 2013, Australian Labor Party, Federal Election 2013, Liberal Party of Australia, National Party of Australia, Rudd, Why Labor?
Saturday, August 03, 2013
Asylum seekers and the Australian response
The year is 2013. Asylum seekers continue to come to Australia by ramshackle boats, mostly from Indonsesia. This has been happening for more than a decade. The flow has been variable but is a much greater volume now than hitherto. And in all this time, Australian Governments formed variously by the members of two clubs, the Liberal / National Party Coalition and the Australian Labor Party have been unable to do other than play to the ugly and ignorant xenophobe in our midst.
Bereft of any morality in this matter, for more than a decade, our political elite, by definition the members of the Australian Parliament governing in turn, have led us into a most dreadful place. Each and every Australian has been and is disgraced by the Governments led by Howard, Rudd and Gillard since 1966. Many of us thought we had emerged from that darkness long ago.
Well, Howard, Rudd andGillard and their ministers may lead their teams and the members of their clubs but I don't follow them; they are not my leaders. In this matter, I oppose their decisions, I oppose their ethics, I oppose their moralities. I oppose their false arguments. I abhor their demonising of my fellow humans. I abhor their denial, to the most vulnerable people, of the most fundamental human rights. I abhor their imprisonment without trial of people who are not charged with any crime. On this issue I regard their Governments with contempt.
The difference between the Morrison-Abbot-Bishop triumvirate's treatment of our refugees and Hitler's -and other governments in times past - treatment of the Jewish peoples is just a matter of degree. What is the distinction? That we are not so brutal, do not kill, do not torture? Not so brutal? Do not torture? Really? Consider the latter again and tell me that indefinite detention - that is, the denial of a future, and the denial of human rights in the most isolate parts of the world - is not a torture. And answer this: would you find it acceptable that your family, your grandmother, mother, father, wife, sister child should be so treated if they they presented to say, North Korea? And how many of our imprisoned refugees have to suicide before the Gaoler-Government can be called to account? You may consider this a bit extremene, but I see it as a matter of degree only; the outcome is the same, the only difference lies only in the numbers and that they died by their own hand.
I call upon the present and future Australian Governments to cease and desist; to adopt a policy of doing no more harm; to accept refugees into our midst and afford them the same rights as other members of the Australian community; to work with Indonesia and other source countries to find other ways of stopping human trafficing; to apply the highest principles and ethics of our society to the policy and processes of managing this matter. If the Government could do that that, Australia would be a better place; indeed, to all those who worry about the effects which the above would have on the "economic bottom" line, the trusth is well known, asylum seekers contribute to our economy as effectively or better than rest of us - google the issue, read the analyses of the Australian Department of Immigration and others; not only would our economy be bigger, we would regain our self respect and who knows, Members of Pariliament may again be worthy of their honorific.
Post script: we worry about what will replace the 'mining investment boom' here is the answer: immigration; consider the work which flows from housing a productive population influx.
Bereft of any morality in this matter, for more than a decade, our political elite, by definition the members of the Australian Parliament governing in turn, have led us into a most dreadful place. Each and every Australian has been and is disgraced by the Governments led by Howard, Rudd and Gillard since 1966. Many of us thought we had emerged from that darkness long ago.
Well, Howard, Rudd andGillard and their ministers may lead their teams and the members of their clubs but I don't follow them; they are not my leaders. In this matter, I oppose their decisions, I oppose their ethics, I oppose their moralities. I oppose their false arguments. I abhor their demonising of my fellow humans. I abhor their denial, to the most vulnerable people, of the most fundamental human rights. I abhor their imprisonment without trial of people who are not charged with any crime. On this issue I regard their Governments with contempt.
The difference between the Morrison-Abbot-Bishop triumvirate's treatment of our refugees and Hitler's -and other governments in times past - treatment of the Jewish peoples is just a matter of degree. What is the distinction? That we are not so brutal, do not kill, do not torture? Not so brutal? Do not torture? Really? Consider the latter again and tell me that indefinite detention - that is, the denial of a future, and the denial of human rights in the most isolate parts of the world - is not a torture. And answer this: would you find it acceptable that your family, your grandmother, mother, father, wife, sister child should be so treated if they they presented to say, North Korea? And how many of our imprisoned refugees have to suicide before the Gaoler-Government can be called to account? You may consider this a bit extremene, but I see it as a matter of degree only; the outcome is the same, the only difference lies only in the numbers and that they died by their own hand.
I call upon the present and future Australian Governments to cease and desist; to adopt a policy of doing no more harm; to accept refugees into our midst and afford them the same rights as other members of the Australian community; to work with Indonesia and other source countries to find other ways of stopping human trafficing; to apply the highest principles and ethics of our society to the policy and processes of managing this matter. If the Government could do that that, Australia would be a better place; indeed, to all those who worry about the effects which the above would have on the "economic bottom" line, the trusth is well known, asylum seekers contribute to our economy as effectively or better than rest of us - google the issue, read the analyses of the Australian Department of Immigration and others; not only would our economy be bigger, we would regain our self respect and who knows, Members of Pariliament may again be worthy of their honorific.
Post script: we worry about what will replace the 'mining investment boom' here is the answer: immigration; consider the work which flows from housing a productive population influx.
Labels: Abbott, asylum seekers, boat people, Gillard, Howard, immigration, migrants, refugees, Rudd
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
About Tony Abbott
Tony
Abbot professes a strong Christian faith. He once wanted to be a
priest; no doubt he attends church regularly. But lets see how he
stacks up against two fundamental Christian laws.
Do
unto others.
From
Matthew: "So in everything, do to others what you would have
them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Tony
would have our Navy intercept on the high seas, a derelict boat
crammed with men, women and children, seeking asylum in Australia,
and turn it around; send it back to where-ever it came from,
Indonesia, Iraq, Sri Lanka.. Or he would take the people on that
vessel and ship them to a distant deserted place and imprison them
there in a state of isolation and uncertainty so severe that it
traumatises them, forever. And Tony has done this. It is an act of
cruelty and torture so severe that some one who can, should call him
and anyone else who does it, to account.
Love
thy neighbour.
Matthew
22:35. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question,
tempting him, and saying:
Master,
which is the great commandment in the law?
And Jesus
said unto him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment.
And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Bearing
in mind what Tony Abbott has done unto others and seeks to do again,
does Tony love his neighbour as he loves himself? I think not. Tony
exhibits a very great love of himself and it is a certainty
that he would not treat himself or his family so cruelly as he treats
asylum seekers who come to Australia by boat.
Lust
for power
Tony
lusts for power. Lust is one of the seven deadly sins The Christian
Bible defines lust as the root of all evil. Job said "For lust
is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a
devastating fire that destroys to hell. It would wipe out everything
I own." Here Job was speaking of a man's lust for a woman. But
its not the object but the over-whelming wanton desire that is
dangerous.
Kissinger
said “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” Kissinger lusted for it.
Tony
is high as a kite on the lust of which Kissinger speaks. He
lusts for power so strongly that he said he would do anything to be
PM.''the only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse - but I'd have to
give serious thought to it''. [
http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-day-abbott-bared-his-soul-20110827-1jfgv.html ]
Tony
is not looking so good these days. His lust for power is consuming
him.
Is
this the kind of person in whom we should place our trust.
.
There
is a lot of literature about the effect of a lust for power on the
human psyche; here is one gem.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-lust-for-power-2/
Labels: Tony Abbott
