Day to Day Politics: Frydenberg’s another Hunt.
Thursday 9 March 2017
Tony Abbott came to power on 18 September 2013 and served as PM until 15 September 2015. The two things that stood out to me were firstly,when he appointed Malcolm Turnbull as Communications Minister, he wanted him to destroy the internet and secondly that he would repeal Labor’s ‘Carbon Tax’. He thought the internet was to access pornography and that Climate Change was a socialist plot to replace communism. Despite his luddite mind the internet survived, albeit a second-rate version.
The Carbon Tax did go and three and a half years later the decision can best be summed up with this comment in “The state of the environment Report 2016” tabled in parliament on Tuesday:
”The government has no national plan to protect the environment in the years to 2050.”
An observation.
”In terms of the environment I wonder what price the people of tomorrow will pay for the stupidity of today”
What a bloody disgrace this government is. Josh Frydenberg, The Minister for the Department of “I couldn’t care less’’ tried to jump the gun by writing a column for the Guardian. In it he said the Coalition will “use this report to continue the good work” the government is doing in environmental policy. Frankly the man needs a manager. He’s been handling himself too long.
The report is commissioned by the government every 5 years and is written by independent experts. They say that Climate Change is beyond debate and that it will cause enormous damage in the future. Climate change is now irreversible.
Freydenberg was out and about doing what his predecessor Greg Hunt did for year after year, creating the illusion they were doing something whilst doing nothing. Telling lies, in other words. The tide has turned and people are now taking in the catastrophic damage that climate change will do to future generations. That a government can just continue to pay lip service to the science is beyond belief.
I suppose I have never come to grips with the fact that supposedly intelligent men can be so dismissive of the science.
An observation.
“How can one man hold the future of the planet in his hand while the remaining leaders kowtow to him?”
In the same year that Abbott came to power I wrote an essay titled “Climate Change. A Lay person’s dilemma”. Here are a few paragraphs:
For the life of me, I cannot understand people who accept science in fact and use it every day somehow become brain-dead when it comes to climate science. However, lay people like me who believe in the existence of climate change cannot honestly claim to know the veracity of the science for ourselves but are happy to delegate this task to climate scientists. Laypeople simply do not have the knowledge to adjudicate on the issue.
On the other hand the, those who deny the overwhelming scientific consensus seek to justify their belief by attaching themselves to a minority of science sceptics with obscure qualifications or worse to right-wing shock jocks and journalists with no scientific training what so ever. These people (like you and me) have no way of evaluating the volume of data produced by the various scientific institutions. One of the most outspoken sceptics (Andrew Bolt) has recently been found guilty of deceptive lying in that he defamed some white skinned aboriginals. One has to wonder how many he has told when writing about his favourite topic climate change.
If I do not support the 95% of scientists, every major scientific institution and the research that is constantly peer evaluated I am obliged to accept the alternative. That is that I should take seriously the likes of Andrew Bolt, (A journalist) Alan Jones, (I’m not sure how you would describe his contribution to society) Lord Monckton (A discredited something who was once a lobbyist for the tobacco companies) Nick Minchin and Tony Abbott. (Both politicians). In fact, Minchin is on the record as saying that climate change is a left-wing conspiracy to replace communism. None of the aforementioned people has a background or expertise in climate science.
Now that’s not to say that they should not have a view and that view should not be considered as should any laypersons if they are of that ilk. But surely, we must respect the science otherwise; you put into question all science.”
When a government is so out of step with science, public expectations and what we call common sense, we need in our democracy some sort of trigger that overrides the normal decision-making process and gives the public a greater say. Some sort of people’s referendum after a suitable petition.
On this day in 2016 I wrote the following:
4 Meanwhile in the US. ‘Only in the US,’ Donald Trump, in scenes reminiscent of a Hitler rally, asked, no demanded, that thousands of people at a rally swear an oath of allegiance. And they did. It was a scene that people of my vintage thought we might never experience again.
‘I do solemnly swear that I, no matter how I feel, no matter what the conditions, if there are hurricanes or whatever, will vote on or before the 12th for Donald J Trump for president.’
5 After last week’s embarrassing debacle over Negative Gearing you might have thought that The Australian might leave the chill of those waters behind for a while. But no, yesterday’s headline read.
‘Labor’s crackdown on negative gearing ‘a threat to small business’
6 Peter Costello has warned against changes to Negative Gearing, Superannuation, and Capital Gains Tax. In fact he has urged Scott Morrison to maintain the generously immoral superannuation and tax arrangements of his tenure for the rich and privileged.
On the evidence thus far the Government never had a reform policy in the first place. They just needed something to talk about. Something they are good at.
7 I think I will stop here. I’m becoming very depressed of late about the way in which we are governed. The disrespect that we are treated with. The incompetence. Government for self-abounds. There is a stench about it that is contributing to the way I feel. I wrote last week that this mob has degrees from the world’s finest learning institutions dripping from the walls of their parliamentary offices but all the learning seems unsuitable for good governance. The problem is that conservative ideology and practicable common sense just don’t mix.
I’m not sure that I want to read ‘Road to Ruin’ but I probably will. What seems to give the book integrity and is compelling about Niki Savva’s writing is the number of sources who have gone on the record.
My thought for the day.
“A commitment to social justice demands the transformation of social structures as well as our hearts and minds.”
27 comments
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Shogan
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Keith
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silkworm
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Terry2
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helvityni
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Shogan
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Henry Rodrigues
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silkworm
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wam
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Sir ScotchMistery
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crypt0
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Harquebus
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Terry2
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guest
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Florence nee Fedup
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Florence nee Fedup
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ace Jones
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245179
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babyjewels10
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Davidius
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Ella Miller
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guest
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jimhaz
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helvityni
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margcal
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keerti
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crypt0
Return to home pageAnother great article John & thanks for the link to Fraudenberg’s piece of fiction in the Guardian which lead me to leave the following comment…
“Ummmm, I’m having a bit of a problem here Josh and maybe it’s just a senior moment, but could you please remind me what the great achievement of William McMahon was because try as I might, the only thing that comes near to a great achievement for Billy was marrying Sonia?
I wont hold my breathe waiting for an answer, but in my honest opinion Josh, adding William McMahon to a list of high achievers is as fanciful as the rest of your piece of fiction!!”
You are right in saying that Fraudenberg has been handling himself for too long and if he keeps it up he will surely go blind!!
Frydenberg has the title of Minister for the Environment and Energy; it can be argued he is Minister for Energy only.
The LNP are promoting an Adani mine, stating they will fund a billion dollar railway to help progress it, and promoting the humungously expensive “clean coal” concept.
Meanwhile, in 2015 it appeared as though an El Nino was imminent (warm East Pacific Ocean), we had an El Nino in 2016, and BOM say there is a 50/50 chance of an El Nino in 2017.
There are apriori situations ( always true) in relation to climate change:
a) We need greenhouse gases in the right proportion to survive, as do flora and fauna generally.
b) Since the Industrial Revolution greenhouse gases have been increasing in the atmosphere through human activity from about 280 ppm to the current over 400ppm.
c) Fossil fuels are sequested carbon which have formed over millions of years, greenhouse gases are created when fossil fuels are used to create energy.
These statements in my view provide a good way to challenge deniers.
The 1991 Shell film about fossil fuels has a strong theme of promoting the view of the high risks of using fossil fuels, the risks are higher now.
Lying comes easy to Liberals.
Well, well, the government’s consistent attack on Labor in recent times, including in WA this week, has been driven by electricity security and the campaign slogan “Labor can’t keep the lights on”. Now we find that there really is a very real energy crisis looming and it’s got nothing to do with renewable energy targets but is largely due to the failure to reserve some of our abundant gas reserves for domestic use.
So, it appears that the crisis has actually been driven by a lack of action on the part of the coalition government and their failure to put in place a viable national energy policy.
‘Speak in monotone, and look earnest’, and the you get the Environment.
‘Talk fast, so no one can make out what you are on about.’, gives you Treasury.
‘Smile a lot’, it’s all you need to be our Foreign Minister.
To their Education Minister, the Libs tell: ‘You really should wear glasses to appear more learned’
Look and talk like a country pumpkin and hey, the Minister for Agriculture is here.
To be the PM it’s the easiest bit: good suits, a lot of hand waving, smiling/frowning by turns….speaking in riddles and/or three word sentences always helps….it’s also better to be a male..
Well put helvityni & thanks for the laughs, always makes a good start to the day…(*_*)
Well described Helvityni. Devastating critique in its brevity. People are finally waking up to the fact that these shams are a total disaster.
… and these disasters are a total sham.
wow ch9 just said the electricity crisis is not caused by renewables rather it can only be averted by renewables.
Dear Lord, your number 4 is scary: i suggested that a god who forgives or rewards men who kill women and children cannot be respected much less worshiped and a church that knowingly puts children at risk is culpable. A young woman replied ‘purge! purge! and a union web site ‘purged’ me. Alee describes herself as a ‘feminist communist’ I don’t think she understand ‘purge’ in the communist context????
Was the nazi experience any worse than communist purges???
I know it’s trite, but on twitter when talking of Greg he is frequently #GregSpellingError
Just an elderly thing I suspect, but it still has me sniggering.
John Lord …
Thanks for this and all your other articles …
However … “Frydenberg’s another Hunt”
I really thought you could spell better than that !!! 🙂
We have a Queen. A fat f*ckin’ lot o’ good she’s been. Oops! Am I allowed to say that?
Cheers.
Harquebus
That certainly rules you out for a knighthood when Tony returns : I think he’s due to rise again over the Easter weekend.
And on Defence matters, we will be hearing more on the failure of the F-35s at Avalon. Do we think Pyne could “fix” it?
PM out of step with everyone except coal industry. Includes banks, such as AGL, scientist, farming sector. All are now voicing very loud concerns. Evidence is mounting repealing NBNco and CEF was as bad move.
Frydenberg seems to be saying I said “no”. That is end of the matter.
These politicians are low-life blood-sucking bastards, for past 10yrs. in S. A. politicians have allowed the state/pple to run out of Water, Electricity and now about to run out of Gas!! such incompetent leaders make African leaders look Saintly .
Harquebus raises point on the Queen, the Queen should hang her head in shame that she oversaw the slide of HER ministers into a corrupt abyss and did nothing for Her subjects … well if she condones the rampant dishonesty in her Aust. Ministers its high time she went to sleep permanently.
And so it is, canberra rolls along in a world of it’s own, smelling the roses, drinking the merlot, feeling warm and fuzzy “how good life is “.
Remember, they’re laughing at us.
Frydenberg is a complete Hunt.
crypt0,
Are you a frustrated editor? I thought the purpose of reading was to gain meaning..stop your winging and become an editor…becoming tiring.
Mr. Lord I always look forward to your informative pieces.
Wam,
whether the atrocity is nazi or communist is irrelevant; the problem is that a dictator is a dictator no matter what the flavour.
ace jones,
so the SA politicians are totally to blame for water, electricity and gas?
Did it ever occur to you that many things are not always in the control of politicians? Remember the fuss when water was running out across Oz and people in WA thought of a pipe from the Kimberley to Perth? Adelaide already had a pipeline from Mannum to Adelaide. The idea of desalination plants was ridiculed until everyone panicked and built them. Gas is sold at a cheaper price overseas than in Oz – and the industry goes for the money. In SA we had power lines blown over and the wind turbines were blamed. Really? In NSW where coal generates the electricity there were outages – but hardly a mention of why. In Tas there is hydro-power, but with a lack of rain the hydro-power is drying up. There is talk of pumping water up, but no real idea of which power to use
With so much of our utilities in the hands of foreign private companies – sometimes for hundreds of years – how much control does a government have? Perhaps in SA the Liberals could gain government – they love privatisation.
The point is, we cannot keep on burning coal, so what does the government , any government, do?
[the problem is that a dictator is a dictator no matter what the flavour]
Which is why I was once so very supportive of the war on Iraq and for that matter the Vietnam War. In fact I still am, as seeing as I have no skin in the game.
Ella Miller, on second reading I thought that maybe according to crypt0, John Lord’s mistake is to write hunt, instead of c..t….?
After all he put a smiley there to indicate he’s not too serious…
Ella Miller – you’ve missed the joke.
Crypt0 – I read it as you did, it just seemed so obvious. Davidius obviously thinks so too.
He’s my local member …. I did “not” vote for the self-serving C… reep.
My ex wife used to say C=nts are useful, so neither friedenburg nor hunt is one!
Thank you, helvityni and margcal …
If I was posting on the Herald Scum, I would expect many to not get it …
But not here … switch on Ella !