Behind Twiggy’s headline
It’s amazing how much money can be found to respond to a disaster when people seem so unwilling to spend anything to avoid one.
Remember how emissions reduced when we had a price on carbon? And how our power prices were supposed to tumble when it was removed?
It’s also fascinating how innovative companies become when sticking with the old polluting ways may hurt the bottom line as well as the environment.
Not to be outdone in this flurry of philanthropy, up steps Twiggy Forest to announce he is donating $70 million towards relief efforts and to building the nation’s long-term resilience to bushfires.
Except he’s not really donating it so much as deciding how he will spend it.
His charity, Minderoo Foundation, “has committed to mobilise volunteers from Western Australia,” for whom he will pay interstate travel and accommodation expenses. He is calling for “at least 1250 volunteers – including firefighters, medics, tradespeople, mental health workers and ground clean up personnel.”
These volunteers will be deployed “in response to direct requests from relevant authorities and communities.”
Another logistical headache? And what about employing the locals?
Twiggy will give another $10 million to a recovery fund.
“The initiative will provide funds directly to communities, in collaboration with organisations such as Australian Red Cross and The Salvation Army, with all administration costs covered by Minderoo.”
Why not just give it to the Red Cross Appeal?
But the bulk of the funds – $50 million – will go towards “convening leading experts to develop a globally relevant national blueprint for fire and disaster resilience.” Is such a thing even possible?
“With the support of leading international non-profit environmental organisation Conservation International, these efforts will draw on existing research and expertise in Australia and overseas and accelerate innovation to develop new approaches to mitigate bushfires.”
Who is Conservation International you may ask?
They are an American “environmental charity” who have no connection to Australia and nothing to do with firefighting.
A 2011 report questions their credibility as well as their “close links with controversial companies, including Cargill, Chevron, Monsanto and Shell.”
“A leading environmental charity has been accused of corporate ‘greenwashing’ after a senior employee was secretly filmed by undercover reporters discussing ways in which the organisation could help an arms company boost its green credentials, the Ecologist can reveal.
The female CI employee was recorded describing how the organisation could help the arms company develop key environmental messages, identify target audiences and craft a communications plan as part of one package offered by the charity.”
In their 2018 report, What If, Conservation International discuss part of their strategy to combat climate change.
“Fortunately, nature can provide at least 30% of the annual emissions reductions needed. We work to confront climate change by protecting and restoring the forests and mangroves that absorb and store carbon.”
Oops. Too late.
This ‘what if’ approach appeals to Twiggy’s Minderoo Foundation.
“We begin with a sense of curiosity – is there a better way to solve this intractable problem? We form and test ideas, then seek to implement and analyse them. Once evidence bases exist, we work to ensure these new approaches are embedded in mainstream policy and practice. Success is doing ourselves out of business. We want to find sustainable solutions to the challenges we are tackling.”
The old trial and error method? Or damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead?
Speaking about his foundation to the AFR Magazine in May 2018, Twiggy said “We are prepared to lose, to come second, to fail, in order to explore what systemic change looks like.”
Or you could read all the research by the myriad of experts in the various fields and listen to their advice,
And maybe stop making a fool of yourself before you even begin by saying, whilst global warming might be a thing, “the biggest part” of the devastation was caused by arsonists.
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44 comments
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DrakeN
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Clare De Mayo
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johno
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josephus
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New England Cocky
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Henry Rodrigues
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David Evans
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Harry Lime
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roma guerin
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Patricia
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Roswell
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Phil Pryor
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Zathras
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Rezenebe
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Vikingduk
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totaram
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Geoff Andrews
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New England Cocky
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Warren Curry
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Kaye Lee
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Humanity-1
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Roswell
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Kaye Lee
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Harry Lime
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Terence
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Roswell
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Kaye Lee
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Roswell
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Anon E Mouse
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Harry Lime
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Kaye Lee
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Daryl Marshman
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Kaye Lee
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Kaye Lee
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Daryl Marshman
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Kaye Lee
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Michael Taylor
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Dora Jahnes
Return to home pageTwiggy Forrest = P.T.Barnum reincarnated.
The irony is jaw-dropping: a mining magnate looking for ‘innovative solutions’ to an environmental disaster. Perhaps, getting into a different line of work?
Seems like a shitload of money going nowhere. As you say Kaye, why not just give it to the Red Cross Appeal, and Conservation International – wtf, weird.
Well a goldminer I know has reinvented himself as a greenie. He is into lucrative lithium mines, which are as dirty and often exploitative as are gold mines, but that resource goes into wind mills.
Twiggy is generally regarded as a bush smart individual, but on the basis of the known press releases Twiggy seems to have had poorly thought out brain spasm. Still, Twiggy is showing more leadership than all the COALition Lazy Nasty People misgovernment put together.
@johno: Yes, a shitload of money going everywhere except where it can create change and build a better future for the fire victims.
@jospehus: Lithium is a afar earth metal used in battery technology. Most of the known world deposits are found in communist PRC (much to the chagrin of capitalist multinational mining entrepreneurs). However, there are good deposits in Australia and I think Lynas are among the corporations involved in Lithium mining.
Just another tactic to deflect scrutiny of the mining industry’s overwhelming destructive role in degrading the environment. He will point out that his companies mine iron ore, but he is as culpable as that fat slob digging up coal. Which is why we never hear from her because Twiggy runs interference. If he really wants to help, acknowledge that coal is bad for the planet.
Always READ THE FINE PRINT, there is always a devil in the detail. A bit like morrison’s firey’s “compensation” really? “READ THE FINE PRINT”….All photo ops, “look at me, I’m doing something”! Would I be TOO cynical in saying that these clowns are doing these “great things” purely to prompt the already breaking, broken, broke REAL Australians into feeling guilty, and parting with the last of their dole money, welfare payments, Aged Pensions, few remaining possessions and assets? Where were these “great Australians” over the last few years when climate change was being ignored by “government”, Climate science funding was being withdrawn, emissions control measures, yes, the “carbon tax”, were being repealed, and the clowns were rejoicing and dancing hand in hand on the floor of the reps, when successive prime ministers were caving in to the demands of kelly and his gangs demands? Of course, they were all kicking back reading and believing murdochs b/s and drip feeding murdochs molls the latest “exclusive” tit bits, in return of course for the “kingmakers” support. What we are seeing now from these clowns is purely advertising and electioneering. If they were “fair dinkum” they would have been quietly doing “great things” over the last 10 years or so, not just headline grabbing now. The only suitable place for these people, and murdoch and his molls, is on the actual fire front, stripped bare…. Unfortunately, that will never happen, the puppets would still be saying “look at me” “quick”, “get a photo”. .And Morrison says we shouldn’t be laying blame on anyone, and now is not the time to discuss his and “governments” failings. FFS!
Twiggy,can’t see the legerdemain for the Forrest.Slippery as a butcher’s dick.
Yep. You can fool some of the people most of the time.
So Twiggy wants 1200 trades people to down their income generating tools, you know, that activity the pays mortgages, educates children, puts food on the table etc. and wants them to forgo this income and donate their time to volunteer to rebuild bushfire ravaged communities. If nothing else about this egocentric announcement this shows how completely out of touch the mega wealthy are when they decide to run other people’s lives. It needs to be remembered that Andrew Forrest was and still is the driving force behind the Indue income management card. He has just lost a 15 year court native title battle but instead of acknowledging that the First Nation people’s have rights he will spend even more money on legal fees and appeal to the high court. None of the $70 million that he has so publicly announced is for the bush fire victims or their communities will be out of his control and little if any of it will actually benefit individuals. This announcement of his is a chest puffing exercise to make Andrew Forrest look and feel good, full stop. Call me cynical but this is not a donation from the heart, it is not even philanthropy, it is ego stroking at its finest. Andrew Forrest through his foundation is acting like a government but with no care, no responsibility and no need to answer to anyone and we should be aware of the influence he has on governments And the fact that this money has come from the hard work and sweat of the of workers who through their labour have generated the means by which Forrest can appear to be so generous. Do not be fooled though, there is an enormous quid pro quo in this for Forrest and he would not be doing it unless there was.
All I’m seeing is a tax dodge for someone who doesn’t pay any tax.
A tax bludging, self centred, ego promoting, mining, wrecking, ruining, exploiting, filth and fraud self promoter wants to help? I’ll read the obituaries. Meanwhile the fat frau of the far west keeps quiet, counting the cash, calories and clowns she employs.
The Minderoo Foundation smells a lot like an Accumulation Fund.
Instead of his company paying tax he can divert profits into the fund and then allocate some of that fund to charities and hang onto the rest and also claim the entire “donated” amount paid into the fund as a tax deduction against other income – quite a bonus.
Such funds only need to pay out as little as 4.5% per annum and so is a tax minimisation vehicle with additional benefits.
It may seem generous but it’s not the same as everyone else who have to dig into their pockets and hand over already-taxed dollars. If he evades tax to achieve it his “donation” is effectively being subsidised by us all.
Twiggy gets what Twiggy wants. MRRT repeal and outrage at ALP, banding together with among others Gina Rinehart and Julie “asbestos” Bishop – who is now revelling in her new found roles to make the world a better place! Indigenous Training for Indue Card. Emissions Trading Scheme repeal for huge tax concessions. Running foundations to promote himself at the expense of taxpayers and the promotion of his own interests/business. Twiggy will probably benefit tenfold. Reminds me of when Malcolm Turnbull was outraged when issues of his PM salary were raised regarding donating it to charity. The charity was the Turnbull Foundation and he and Lucy had sole discretion on how its funds were spent/delivered – at the same time benefiting from the Tax deductions/exemptions. All these lifters doing great things for Australia at huge sacrifice to themselves!!!!
This is the same forest trash that stood on the back of a truck denigrating the Gillard gov price on carbon, the same wanker that helped with the $20 million to kill the resource tax, is this our “man”? The ego tripping wanker from the west, always keen to spread lies and misinformation. Whilst arson has played a part in this national disaster, according to those that know, a very small part. In NSW, 24 have been charged with either deliberate arson or reckless lighting of fires.
But, of course, this termite riddled stick willingly spreads lies and misinformation to add to the absolute crap flooding the internet. One of our local braindead maintains there are 180 arsonists running loose, all fires being started by these well organised fire bugs.
Accept it, even if the level of stupidity hurts your brain, these types will never change, will never accept the truth of the current reality.
Patricia: “And the fact that this money has come from the hard work and sweat of the of workers who through their labour have generated the means by which Forrest can appear to be so generous.”
Even worse, the money has come from the fact that his family appropriated lands where the iron ore is found, from the native owners, who don’t get anything but more court cases against their rights.
Don’t even mention the Indue card scam. This man is an accomplished crook, who even knows how to make himself appear a do-gooder.
I wonder how many of the “arsonists” are well-meaning but incompetent hazzard-reductionists?
Oh dear, you posters are a cynical lot … and delightfully accurate in your assessment of this “bushfire relief donation”.
Unfortunately during the Price on Carbon Price discussion, logic and common sense seem to disappear. Now that we are seeing the impact of climate change raw emotion comes to the fore because those that did not accept the science are now actually being affected. Seeing that Twiggy made so much money from digging stuff out of the ground and benefiting from massive tax breaks I think a simple thanks is all he deserves. It’s not like he is selling any properties, boats or planes to help somebody in need.
A study by Deutsche Bank in April last year showed Fortescue was one of the companies most exposed to the franking credit refund policy change with a franking credit balance worth about 7 per cent of its market capitalisation.
https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-west-australian/20190426/281784220503581
Not that Twiggy is political or anything.
As Kristina Keneally wrote on 2017, after Twiggy “donated” $400 million to his foundation to cure cancer, stop slavery, and have every child reach their full potential….
“democracies cannot allow wealthy individuals and successful organisations to use philanthropy as a substitute for paying tax. That’s no longer democracy: it is oligarchy.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/24/twiggy-forrests-philanthropy-is-great-but-he-could-have-just-paid-more-tax
The Forrests gave Minderoo $1.5 billion in two donations since 2017 (not counting this one).
Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest earned more than $1 billion worth of dividends from Fortescue Metals Group in fiscal 2019, after the company he founded reported its biggest-ever profit on Monday.
https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/forrest-s-1-24b-pay-day-as-fmg-posts-record-profit-20190826-p52kp2
A close up of Andrew and his missus on the news, showed two puffy faced fat cats with impending heart disease/stroke. It made me wonder when the last time, these parasites took a stroll in their neighborhood or rolled up their sleeves and did some real charity work? How much can the media glamorize crime, theft and dispossession? These people are not heroes, they are criminals, who swindle, steal and exploit our natural resources and cultural heritage and are stupid enough to believe they can get away with it.
Can’t wait for Karma to catch up with them. Time to bring back the gallows!
Meanwhile … I read somewhere (too lazy to look for the link) that since the fires hit us Gina Rinehart has donated $4.5 million to some climate change sceptic group.
Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, donated $2.3m to the IPA in 2016 and $2.2m in 2017, according to disclosures made to the New South Wales supreme court.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jul/21/gina-rinehart-company-revealed-as-45m-donor-to-climate-sceptic-thinktank
“Furthermore, Africans want to work and its workers are willing to work for less than two dollars a day. Such statistics make me worry for this country’s future.”
Roswell,Three cheers for Gina’s entrepreneurialism,an outstanding example of what’s wrong with our country.Of course, they own the government and expect them to run and fetch.With Twiggy’s “donation” illustrating how they treat us great unwashed with utter contempt.
Geoff Andrews
I suspect that it goes on more that is acknowledged. I know of one case in the area I used to live in where a well meaning back burn during a fire crisis went wrong and created a new fire front. Top Brass quickly went into @rse cover mode and briefed the media that the fire was “Deliberately lit.”
It was all so very Sir Humphrey of them. Technically they didn’t lie as the fire was indeed deliberately lit, it just that it was the firies that lit it and not some arsonist. But of course the media ran with the spin. You don’t question a hero.
Harry, I don’t know about you, but I’ve lots of contacts in America and England telling me how horrified it is that almost 200 bushfires were started by arsonists. Information, as it turned out, that originated in the Murdoch media.
Last week I had a healthy head of hair. Today I have a bin full of clumps of it.
I went to lunch with a girl I have been friends with for 50 years on Wednesday. She also informed me that most of the fires have been lit by arsonists. I said that may be true for a few of them but it is climate change that has made these fires so ferocious. She said don’t get me started on that climate change rubbish. I think a friendship of 50 years has now ended.
“Fires misinformation being spread through social media”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-08/fires-misinformation-being-spread-through-social-media/11846434
The misinformation about the cause of these fires presents us with a huge battle.
The experts have told us that most of the fires were started by lighting. Conditions were ripe for fires. Dry, brittle.
The truth is out there.
So, is it possible that Twiggy is actually minimising tax by shifting it into his charity. This charity can then ‘research’ into what suits Twiggy – sort of like the tobacco industry reseaching the harm caused by smoking?
Roswell,a piece in the Guardian quoting a senior Newscorpse employee sending an open email to the boss and everyone else that he has quit on the back of the lies and misinformation being perpetrated by their execrable publications.Let’s hope the floodgates open,He’s not the first and won’t be the last.”No climate change deniers around here” indeed.
A News Corp employee has slammed the organisation for its “irresponsible”, “dangerous” and “damaging” coverage of the national bushfire crisis, urging executive chairman Michael Miller to think about the “big picture”.
In an email distributed to News Corp Australia staff (removed less than an hour later) and addressed to Mr Miller, commercial finance manager Emily Townsend said she had been filled with anxiety and disappointment over the coverage, which had impacted her ability to work.
“I have been severely impacted by the coverage of News Corp publications in relation to the fires, in particular the misinformation campaign that has tried to divert attention away from the real issue which is climate change to rather focus on arson (including misrepresenting facts),” she said.
“I find it unconscionable to continue working for this company, knowing I am contributing to the spread of climate change denial and lies. The reporting I have witnessed in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun is not only irresponsible, but dangerous and damaging to our communities and beautiful planet that needs us more than ever to acknowledge the destruction we have caused and start doing something about it.”
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/dangerous-misinformation-news-corp-employee-s-fire-coverage-email-20200110-p53qel.html
Oh such wonderful comments above. A few years back the Monthly had an article about ‘Twiggy’ and how his wife is the daughter of League of Rights royalty, and there is every likelihood these 2 are carrying on the tradition, her brother apparently brought out the Holocaust denier among other things. Kaye it would be interesting to look into this and the manifesto of this group, I believe the aim is to change the world to their plans but have a patience philosophy so don’t mind if it takes decades. what are they doing in the background, obviously trying to dress it up as good and generous for society.
Daryl.
I had a bit of a look when researching for this.
Their KEY INITIATIVES:
» Spearheading a return to flourishing oceans
» Driving collaboration & change in global cancer research
» Creating parity for Indigenous Australians
» Striving to give every Australian child the chance to reach their full potential
» Nurturing new talents in the arts
» Leading innovative community development & environmental conservation initiatives
» Generating world-changing research & innovation in Western Australia
» Ending modern slavery
An ambitious list.
You can read more of the glossy brochure here
https://cdn.minderoo.com.au/content/uploads/2019/02/19161341/AR-Pages-181126_FNL_Digital-compressed-p.pdf
Minderoo on their “innovative ways to tackle Indigenous inequality”
“The team brokered $872,000 funding from the Federal Department of Indigenous Affairs to deliver the Ebenezer Aboriginal Corporation Vocational Training and Employment Centre (EAC VTEC) at Acacia Prison, and secured $500,000 from the Federal Department of Social Services to run an In-school Parent Employment Service (IPES) across the suburb of Armadale, WA.
These two new programs harness the power of our demand-led employment services model which focuses on: (1) securing employment for candidates prior to training; (2) coordinating sophisticated support and development programs to help candidates become job-ready; and (3) linking service provider payments to long-term employment outcomes.
We have seen the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) reduce drug, alcohol and gambling abuse in Ceduna SA, East Kimberley WA and the Goldfields WA. Our technology development work was also welcomed by the Federal Government and is being actively implemented to improve the efficacy of the CDC program.”
Kaye it was more the League of Rights and Forrest’s association with them. He seems to put a lot of effort into making himself look good. As for the welfare card there apparently been people in fire affected areas that have no power, these people that are on the card cannot get food or necessities as cash is needed, EFPOS etc is out of action. Great card for those who always have access to technology.
From that article in The Monthly about Forrest’s wife’s family….
Nicola;s parents, Brooke and Tony Maurice, belonged to the Australian League of Rights, a group described by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in 1991 as “the most influential and effective, as well as the best organised and most substantially financed, racist organisation in Australia”. The League’s founder, Eric Butler, who once theorised that Hitler had been a “Zionist” agent, saw Communist, Jewish and even “Fabian” conspiracies trying to subjugate white Australians.
As early as 1972, the Maurices’ station had been used for League event bookings. When Tony died in 2004, the League’s newsletter, On Target, ran an obituary for the long-time supporter, which mentioned that the Christian Alternative Movement (a front group created to contest the ’83 federal election) “was formed during meetings at the Maurice home”. The Maurices’ eldest daughter, Katrina, remains married to David Thompson, Butler’s handpicked successor, who organised Australian speaking tours of David Irving, the infamous Holocaust revisionist.
It all sounds a bit like fat slug Gina who prefers to do her donations “privately” so nobody actually knows how much (if any) and where it is going.
It looks like it’s our turn.
There’s a fire on the edge of town. We can see the smoke but it’s blowing (a gale) away from us (which is no good for those on the other side).
We’ve been told to stay indoors.
Watching the radar and rain is on its way. In the meantime it’s a bloody storm out there.
Has the southerly come through Michael?
The winds have been blowing a gale for a half an hour but the rain hasn’t hit us yet. Carol (who knows how to read radar maps) says it should be here within 15 minutes. Good timing, as the folks on the other side of town are being evacuated.
Kaye Lee, the fact that this Twiggy person is connected to the League of Rights and is yet lauded as a socially-aware reformer just shows how we are being slowly but steadily acclimatised to Nazi ideology.
The League was a major influence on the NSW Liberals faction known as “The Uglies” who still wield much power today.
Mention of Eric Butler will bring memories flooding back to folk who remember the McCarthyite culture wars of the sixties, seventies and eighties.
Another aspect of the cruelty and dishonesty turns up in the SMH:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/couldn-t-believe-it-bushfire-victims-denied-relief-payments-20200110-p53qg4.html
Well, I’ve certainly had an education on Twiggy & co in reading this article and comments. Thanks go to everyone. To top it of the skies have just opened. Nice to see the mountains covered in mist from the rain rather than dust & smoke these last 4 months. Must photograph it. Can’t take it for granted anymore. Oh the times they are a changing.
Currumbin Valley Qld