Scott Morrison rules out changes to government’s climate change policies amid bushfire crisis

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made clear that there will be no change to current climate change policies, as he addressed the ongoing bushfires crisis after returning from holiday.

Speaking to the media at the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Sydney, Mr Morrison said a range of measures in place were adequate and contributing to a reduction in emissions.

Yesterday, while still in his capacity as Acting PM, Nationals leader Michael McCormack conceded that Australia “absolutely” must do more to tackle climate change.

“I agree entirely,” Mr McCormack. “Yes I do. We will have those discussions.”

But today, just hours after jetting in from Hawaii in the wake of ongoing criticism over his absence while large parts of the country burn, Mr Morrison ruled out any immediate changes.

“What we will not do is act in a kneejerk or crisis or panicked mode. A panic approach and response to anything does not help,” he said. “It puts people at risk.”

Mr Morrison defended the government’s climate policy and reaffirmed his commitment to “meet and beat” Australia’s emissions targets under the Paris agreement.

“There is no argument, in my view and the government’s view, and any government in the country, about the links between broader issues of global climate change and weather events around the world,” he said.

“But I’m sure people would equally acknowledge the direct connection to any single fire event is not a credible suggestion to make that link. We must take action on climate change and we are taking action on climate change.”

However, climate change experts have criticised the government’s use of a so-called “loophole” that allows it to use carry-over credits from the Kyoto agreement to meet Paris targets.

Mr Morrison deflected a direct question about the loophole today, instead reiterating his view that current policies represented a “balanced” approach.

“Emissions are lower than at any time they were under the previous government. “We have had record investment in renewables in Australia and now, thankfully, as a result of policies the Government has put in place we are also getting electricity prices down, some $65 a year.

“And on top of that we’ve been doing it without embracing the reckless job destroying and economy crunching targets that others are seeking to force upon us.”

Later, when asked about Mr McCormack’s remarks, the PM denied it was an indication that new targets are needed.

“The Kyoto targets that were set by the previous Labor government, when we came to government there was the projections were that we would miss those by some 700 million tons,” Mr Morrison said. “Now we’re going to beat them by 411 million tons.”

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Foreign fishing boat caught with huge catch

They've nearly fished out their own waters so now they try to raid Australia's carefully conserved fish stocks.  At least we burn their boats when we catch them

AN INDONESAN fishing boat has been apprehended by border patrol after being caught with more than 14 tonnes of fish in Australian waters. The Maritime Border Command, a multi-agency taskforce in the Australian Border Force, apprehended the vessel north of the Gulf of Carpentaria for suspected illegal fishing in Australian waters, in a joint operation with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

On December 15, ABF Cutter Cape York sighted the vessel about 139 nautical miles inside Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone with fishing gear in the water. ABF officers found 11 crew on board with the catch of fresh and frozen shark and fin fish.

The vessel was confiscated and disposed after material that may have posed an environmental, safety or quarantine risk was removed.

MBC commander Rear Admiral Lee Goddard said such incidents had become less common. "This shows that our regular patrols of Australia's borders are effective in protecting our waters," he said.

Peter Venslovas of the AFMA said the vessel's crew would be held in Darwin while possible breaches of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 are investigated.

From the Brisbane "Courier Mail of 21 Dec. 2019






Party for workers now can’t stand them

In the process of making themselves supremely woke Labor in Australia and Labour in Britain also have made themselves unelectable.

Caroline Overington

I was listening to the car radio a few days back when a woman came on and said: “Politics should be like the underwire in your bra.” I can’t remember who was hosting but whoever it was kind of choked, then said: “OK.”

The caller went on: “You want to know the government’s there, doing its job, but you don’t want to be conscious of it. You don’t want it to be irritating.”

Probably this caller was not the first person to come up with this analogy — probably it will turn out to be somebody famous — but the lady had a point, I thought, so allow me to labour it.

Most of us, when we’re young, don’t need much support (Are we still talking about bras? No, but then again, maybe.) Anyway, most young people are perfectly capable of getting some kind of starter job. They date, they travel, they hopefully save some money, then it’s time to get married, and so begin the child-rearing years. You’ll be needing your bra, ladies.

You also will be tapping the government for extra support, things such as healthcare and the maternal child health nurse; or else paid parental leave, family tax benefit and the childcare rebate: the point being the underwire is there when people need it.

Problems begin when politicians decide that it’s not enough for them to take care of the basics — the economy, national security, the roads, the schools — but to interfere unnecessarily in people’s daily lives.

In the process, they offend, or irritate, almost everyone.

All parties are guilty of this, but in the process of making themselves supremely woke Labor here in Australia and Labour in Britain also have made themselves unelectable. Labour/Labor used to mean jobs and job security. They were for workplace safety and eight-hour days and holiday loading and flexible hours.

Now they’re for — well, they’re apparently into berating their own base about how stupid, sexist, homophobic and racist they are.

Where is the evidence?

Most families in Britain and here in Australia are probably a bit like your own: one of the kids is gay, or else it will be one of the cousins, or else you’ll have a couple of guncles in the wings. Who gives a hoot? Nobody.

Imagine the bloke scratching his armpit on a building site trying to make sense of the idea that he’s a homophobic pig and therefore he should vote for the party that says so.

You think he cares whether his brother’s daughter wants to marry her best friend in a ceremony where the french bulldog wears a tuxedo? Knock yourselves out, is his likely response.

Labour was likewise convinced of the stupidity of its own supporters. They wanted Brexit, so their party ran against Brexit. Where is the logic?

In a similar vein, why does Labour/Labor insist on running leaders that people hate?

Here in Australia, Bill Shorten was unpopular — actually, no, talk to people, and they’ll tell you “I can’t stand him”.

I can’t stand him! There’s not a lot of wriggle room there. I can’t stand him means: if you run him, I will not vote for you. And so they ran him.

Because of course they did. Because they’re also arrogant. You don’t like him? Well, you’re having him.

Shorten’s base also comprised many people who had worked hard for many years as teachers, nurses, librarians and truck drivers to build up a nest egg. They’re now retired, and they were making a few thousand dollars a year from franking credits, meaning they’ve got some nice, safe Commonwealth Bank shares.

Shorten proposed to take the benefit from them. But that’s the money they put in cards for the grandkids at Christmas. As policy goes, it was absolute madness.

They did it anyway.

The bit they seem to forget is, people can turn up at the voting booth and say: well, to hell with you. I’m not voting for you.

You’re not? Of course, you are! You always have, your parents did, their parents were coalminers, you think you’re going to vote Conservative?

I am.

You’re not.

I bloody well am.

There’s only one way for that argument to end, of course. People are now wondering if Labor/Labour can ever come back. They say that every time there’s a landslide: oh, it will take a generation. Not necessarily.

The circumstances that allowed for Boris Johnson’s victory, and indeed that of Scott Morrison, were as precise as they were unique. They could well lose next time around. Donald Trump, on the other hand, will win a second term, and then he will probably put up daughter Ivanka for 2024.

Their first female president! Just not the one they thought they were getting. Democrats will look for people to blame — the media, especially — but actually, it’s not the media biased against them. It’s the electorate biased against them.

Traditional supporters are never gone forever, however. They can swing back in behind the party, with barely a moment’s notice. All the party needs to do is listen to people’s concerns, and respond in a way that makes voters think it understands. Bring them back to the bosom, as it were.

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Mining union slams Govt over committee gender quota

QUEENSLAND'S peak mining union urged the State Gov-ernment to put the safety of workers before gender quotas just days before the fifth industry fatality in 12 months, a scathing letter has revealed.

In a letter sent to the Government, the CFMEU slammed the handling of appointments to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee which did not meet for months because it had not met its gender quota.

The letter, dated June 19, was sent a week before David Routledge died after a high wall collapsed on the excavator he was operating at a Middlemount coal mine.

In the letter, addressed to Mines Minister Anthony Lynham, the CFMEU's Greg Dalliston said the issue had been "allowed to occur for too long" and the union would not be attending any meetings.

Mr Dalliston said the union would continue to raise health and safety matters with the inspectorate or the minister.

The extraordinaiy letter was revealed in Right to Information documents obtained by The Courier-Mail. The documents also reveal Dr Lynham wrote to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk twice about the appointments over seven months, including one sent just days before Mr Routledge's death.

Appointments were not made until July 9 — two days after Jack Gerdes died at a quarry near Collinsville. At the time, Dr Lynham said: "Our Government is committed to getting more women on boards but health and safety always comes first."

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington slammed the revelations as a massive scandal, claiming Labor's gender politics had put mine workers at risk. "For a mine safety committee not to meet because of gender representation issues shows that Annastacia Palaszczuk's priorities are all wrong," she said.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said: "As is often the case with Ms Frecklington, just because she says something doesn't make it true."

From the Brisbane "Courier Mail of 21 Dec. 2019

 Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here