Frogfingers posted:

Only 3500 for attacking animals that only exist on one island on earth?

What a Quokka poo poo.

The ABC posted:

Treasurer Scott Morrison has declared record low wage growth the "biggest challenge" facing the Australian economy.

His comments come after the Federal Government cautiously endorsed the Fair Work Commission's decision to reduce Sunday penalty rates for thousands of hospitality and retail workers, arguing it was an independent body with the power to make such decisions.

That triggered a fierce political fight, with the Federal Opposition accusing the Government of failing to protect the income of thousands of low-paid weekend workers.

But Mr Morrison today told Bloomberg he was committed to ensuring workers took home more money each week.

"The biggest challenge we have is to ensure what Australians are earning every week is increasing," he said.

"We've had flat wage prices; our wage price index has been flat for some period of time now.

Bogan King posted:

That's just the guy filming it. The guy who did the attacking is still to face his day.

Bogan King posted:

If the biggest problem facing the economy is the money people are taking home and you are cutting the amount of money that people take home then maybe it is time you faced the fact that it is you who are the problem.

open24hours posted:

Someone who thinks like that probably isn't going to be convinced by statistics, but here's a chart with links to the data. http://unemployedworkersunion.com/job-seekers-v-job-vacancy-data/

gay picnic defence posted:

yeah, the notion of an unemployed workers union wasn't really well received, despite the fact that they're simply using ABS stats

Bogan King posted:

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

NPR Journalizard posted:

I am completely amazed.

gay picnic defence posted:

same


is there a specific name for this phenomenon of people rejecting facts and authoritative sources of information in favour of whatever bullshit coincides with their worldview? I wouldn't mind doing some reading on it

gay picnic defence posted:

same


is there a specific name for this phenomenon of people rejecting facts and authoritative sources of information in favour of whatever bullshit coincides with their worldview? I wouldn't mind doing some reading on it

Urcher posted:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_exposure_theory

quote:

Gary Adshead
Monday, 13 March 2017 6:48AM

In the death throes of the Barnett Government, a madcap scheme was hatched — the Fast Ferry Frenzy.

The plan was to put the media on a vessel on the Swan River on Friday with Colin Barnett and his deputy Liza Harvey and showcase some of the achievements of the Government.
Ministers, playing action-man roles, would be used along the way to sell the message.

Obviously struggling to cut through the wall-to-wall One Nation coverage, party svengalis hatched the plan for an amphibious assault on the consciousness of West Australian voters.

By the way, this is all true. A script had been prepared and instructions given.

Fisheries Minister Joe Francis was to play a fisherman on a jetty and the boat would pull up to collect fisherman Joe. As the boat tugged upstream Joe would spot a jetskier.

“Isn’t that Treasurer Mike Nahan,” he would have bellowed.

With Dr Nahan safely on deck, the boat was to continue until another minister was seen on the water — Environment Minister Albert Jacob in scuba gear.

Alas, the plan didn’t happen because key players in the script decided to mutiny the day before.

The FFF plan and then the government were sunk.

Starshark posted:

There's not only people who get paid to come up with this poo poo, they get paid even if you never use their idea. Think about that next time you do an honest day's work.

Konomex posted:

This idea is glorious, I don't get the ire dripping from your words.

I want to see more stupid election stunts on boats with people going 'Isn't that Jet skier the Treasurer!'

hooman posted:

Mark McGowan has marked his first working day as premier of Western Australia by announcing that work on the controversial extension to Perth’s Roe highway has stopped.



What is this strange emotion I am feeling towards western australia.. could it be.. pride?

hooman posted:

Mark McGowan has marked his first working day as premier of Western Australia by announcing that work on the controversial extension to Perth’s Roe highway has stopped.



What is this strange emotion I am feeling towards western australia.. could it be.. pride?

quote:

Research by economic forecasters BIS Shrapnel and commissioned by the AWU suggests that without affordable and reliable gas, one in five heavy manufacturers will close by 2021, with the loss of 235,000 jobs.

Currently, there are seven, but soon to be 10, export plants liquefying gas and shipping it offshore, and recent research has found the country needs to lift its total energy output by 50 per cent just to meet its expected exports in 2020.

"Ordinarily, higher gas prices would provide producers an incentive to increase investment in exploration and development activities," Mr Sims said.

"However, the east coast gas market was caught in a 'clash of cycles', with historically high domestic gas prices coinciding with falling international oil prices."

The ACCC said LNG gas developers fell into a trap of assuming $100+ oil prices would continue, rather than planning an assumption of the long-run average of prices around $55.

Mr Sims said regulatory uncertainty delayed or stopped development, and that the industry had not expected Victoria to ban all onshore gas exploration and production until 2020. Victoria implemented the policy on environmental and social considerations.

Production forecasts indicated that from the start of the year, meeting expected demand would require the development of new reserves, the ACCC said.

Comstar posted:

The ACCC said LNG gas developers fell into a trap of assuming $100+ oil prices would continue, rather than planning an assumption of the long-run average of prices around $55.

Comstar posted:

Where can I put money there is going to be gas shortages in Australia? ACCC is screaming about it tomorrow.


So The Market failed. I have full confidence in President Trumball's regime will do nothing to hurt company profits - ScoMo was saying TODAY that you need to increase company profits above paying higher wages. Profits always comes first, said ScoMo.

quote:

Judge turns on ABCC for wasting time over 'cup of tea' CFMEU incident

A federal court judge has blasted the Australian Building and Construction Commission for wasting time and taxpayers' money on taking two Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union officials to court for "having a cup of tea with a mate".

In scathing and extraordinary criticism of the construction industry watchdog, Justice Tony North told parties on Friday it was "astounding" that commissioner Nigel Hadgkiss had briefed silk and conducted days of hearing with dozens of participants, including Australian Federal Police, over "such a miniscule, insignificant affair".

"This is all external forces that are beating up what's just a really ordinary situation that amounts to virtually nothing," he said.

"For goodness sake, I don't know what this inspectorate is doing."

He said when the ABCC "use[s] public resources to bring the bar down to this level, it really calls into question the exercise of the discretion to proceed".

The accused CFMEU officials had dropped by a McConnell Dowell building site at Melbourne Airport in 2014 to visit a friend who was a safety representative.

The men said they talked about holidays and four-wheel drives over a cup of tea for half an hour before a project manager asked them to leave or he would call the police.

The officials had failed to give the required 24-hours notice to enter the site, which put the company's ability to tender for government work at risk because of strict conditions under the then-Liberal state government's building code.

One official responded he wanted to talk to his friend for another five minutes before leaving and that if the manager called police "you are starting a war".

The manager then notified the Australian Federal Police, which sent four officers to the site, and the ABCC later accused the CFMEU of breaching the Fair Work Act by not giving notice, meeting employees during work hours, threatening retaliation and remaining on site by waiting for the police to arrive.

Justice North said the CFMEU's "war" threat, in the context of the manager not explaining his reasons and their history of friendly relations, was "a human reaction".

"This is not a threat in the sense that I'm going to start a third world war. This is a Trump-like threat."

In an earlier hearing in December, the judge observed that if the manager "had been left to his own devices without a protocol, he would have said, 'Have your cup of tea and then f--k off,' and no one would have heard another word about it".

"I'm looking at the central reality of this case. It was an hour on site. There was no aggravation, no stoppage of work, between people who got on well. I mean, really and truly, if this is what the Inspectorate thinks is worthy of its attention I would be amazed."end cut

The judge urged the ABCC to reconsider pursuing the case, which had spanned almost two years of submissions and hearings.

"I mean, we have enough CFMEU cases without every mate visiting another for a cup of tea coming to our court."

However, the ABCC returned to court last Friday for closing submissions, this time engaging the services of a barrister.

Justice North said he was "surprised the matter has come back, frankly". "I must say it's a terrible waste of everybody's time."

It is not known how much the ABCC has spent on the case, although it is estimated to be as much as $100,000.

The judge has reserved his decision but he warned the ABCC "you can be quite sure I will so express my views".

V for Vegas posted:

Can't wait to read this judgment.

http://www.afr.com/news/policy/industrial-relations/judge-turns-on-abcc-for-wasting-time-over-cup-of-tea-cfmeu-incident-20170311-guw6aw

quote:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-14/cashless-welfare-card-to-continue-after-trial-success/8350946
The Federal Government has hailed its cashless welfare card trial a "success" in Ceduna in South Australia and Kununurra in Western Australia and will continue to use it in both towns.

The trial was designed to limit participants' access to cash.

It has seen 80 per cent of most recipients' welfare quarantined on a cashless debit card, which cannot be used to buy alcohol or gamble.

The remaining 20 per cent has been credited to participants' regular bank accounts and therefore was able to be withdrawn as cash.

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge said the cards would now be used on an ongoing basis in Kununurra and Ceduna, with six-monthly reviews.

"The card is having the result of reducing the alcohol, the gambling and the drug abuse," he said.

Mr Tudge made the decision after receiving a 175-page government commissioned review by Orima Research of the year-long trial.

The evaluation involved interviewing stakeholders, participants and their families.

It found on average a quarter of people using the card who drank said they were not drinking as often.

While just under a third of gamblers said they had curbed that habit.

But researchers did record claims people were finding ways around the system.

They included "a couple of examples of suspected prostitution" and merchants "overcharging for a product or services and then refunding the difference in cash."

As revealed by the ABC in September, Kununurra taxi drivers have been accused of helping customers circumvent the system.

"We're monitoring this, we're constantly trying to avoid this occurring and at the end of the day though ... and I've said this repeatedly, we're not going to let perfect be the enemy of good and we are getting good results here even though there might be some individuals who try to skirt the system," Mr Tudge said.

The review recorded anecdotal claims of an increase in crime committed by Kununurra children wanting cash, and more domestic violence in Ceduna.

But the report said it was not clear whether the increased reports of domestic violence were because of changes in reporting requirements or increased community awareness, rather than the trial.

Data suggested overall crime had reduced in Ceduna but there had been no short-term evidence of reduced crime in Kununurra.

Mr Tudge said the crime figures were preliminary and not conclusive.

"I simply point to the local police who say that this is a good intervention and that they support it and I also point to other community leaders who believe that there has been a reduction in some of the assaults and domestic violence as well," he said.

"But let's get the hard data and that will come out in the final evaluation at the end of June."

The review reported 31 per cent of participants answered yes when asked, "Since being on the cashless debit/Indue card [has this] happened to you: You've/the family has been able to save more money than before".

Asked whether such a question sounded like push-polling, Mr Tudge said the questionnaire had been done at arm's length from the Government.

"This was done by an independent evaluation, I had nothing to do with the questions which were asked," Mr Tudge said.

The big question is whether the Government will roll the card out nationally.

Mr Tudge said that decision had not been made and refused to say whether it would be revealed in May's federal budget.

"I get in big trouble if I talk about the budget before it's released and so I don't plan on doing it now," he said.

The card has its critics and one in two participants said it had made their life worse.

Ian Trust, the executive director of the Wunan Foundation, an Aboriginal development organisation in the East Kimberley in Western Australia, said his support for the card had come at a personal cost.

"People in Kununurra see me as one of the perpetrators of infecting this sort of card on them," he said

"But what we had before the card, which is just open sort of slather of people buying heaps of alcohol with the money that they get, the amount of damage it was doing, I think that this is definitely an improvement on what we had previously," he said.

Mr Trust said he would support the card being rolled out across the country.

"Yes I do, I think this is a more responsible way of actually delivering support and social services to our people regardless of what colour they are," he said.

quote:

Statement from ABC Editorial Director: exclusion of ABC journalists by One Nation officials

The ABC is deeply concerned at the decision by One Nation to single out and exclude ABC reporters from its official election night function in Perth on Saturday night.

I have been in communication with One Nation officials since early Sunday seeking an explanation.

Despite the fact that One Nation has claimed that all media were treated appropriately and obtained material from a pool camera on the night, the facts remain that:

Other media representatives from a range of organisations attended on the night without any prior arrangements or permission being required.
Those other media representatives, who included broadcasters, agencies and newspaper reporters from inside and outside Western Australia, were granted immediate access to the event.
The ABC was denied access, and was treated differently to all other media.

Throughout the Western Australian election campaign, the ABC has provided accurate, impartial and independent political coverage and all political parties have been the subject of appropriate scrutiny and questioning.

If the ABC has been denied normal access to political events for simply doing its job, then that is an attack not just on the public broadcaster but on the fundamental role of the media in a democracy.

We will continue, as we always have, to report without fear or favour.

Alan Sunderland

ABC Editorial Director


ENDS

open24hours posted:

Something to look forward to then.

quote:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/regions-pitch-for-government-departments-in-apvma-senate-inquiry-20170313-guwu1u.html
Armidale may have an unexpected new rival to its claim on hosting the national pesticides authority.

Southern Downs Regional Council, based 150km inland from Brisbane, is on the hard sell for the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in a Senate inquiry into its forced move from Canberra.

The small farming community, home to about 36,000 people, joined 16 other regional councils and bodies from across the country using the Senate inquiry to pitch for government departments.

It marks a transformation for the inquiry, originally intended to focus on the APVMA's move and risks to human and animal health, the profitability to the agriculture and fisheries sectors, chemical industries and Australia's trading reputation.

The driving force behind the APVMA's relocation, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, last month encouraged regional communities to write to the Senate committee about the benefits of decentralisation, drawing accusations he was derailing the inquiry.

As regions pitched for federal agencies, the inquiry learnt Southern Downs had its eye on several including Meat and Livestock Australia, and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

It wants to lure them with its 'crisp country air', shopping complexes and lack of rush hour traffic.

"There have been many examples of successful relocation with regional cities such as Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong all attracting a plethora of different public authorities through various decentralisation programs," Mayor Tracy Dobie said.

The council pledged to "actively campaign" for an agency in one of its centres, Warwick (population 15,000) or Stanthorpe (5,000).

And it offered something appealing to APVMA bosses tired of working in McDonald's at Armidale, boasting of "available office space or zone commercial land that can accommodate an agency."

"The Southern Downs Regional Council will facilitate the logistics of any move to ensure an agency that moves to the region is able to perform its function seamlessly."

Albury City Council made a pitch for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, while Mid-Murray Council, outside Adelaide, included the Education, Industry and Employment departments in a long list of large government agencies that could move to regional areas.

The council joined others inviting the Senate inquiry to hold a hearing at regional areas.

Lockhart Shire Council, in southern NSW, urged the government to look further afield than major centres such as Albury and Wagga Wagga in relocating departments.

"Smaller sub-regional towns should not be overlooked when considering the decentralisation of government agencies," mayor Rodger Schirmer said.

"Other smaller towns could and should be considered in respect of relocating individual business units, shared service centres, outreach posts and other government services that can be provided remotely."

Lachlan Shire Council, centred in Condobolin, said it would benefit from the relocation of people to nearby centres Dubbo, Orange and Griffith.

"This improves medical, social and educational services that residents can travel to and to take advantage of these improved services," general manager Robert Hunt said.

"Lachlan Shire would support a federal government department relocation to its area but reality is that a research office from agriculture or chemical testing would be of greater benefit."

In a submission, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr condemned the forced move as "a misguided exercise in public governance that has failed to achieve the desired public policy goals for the APVMA or Armidale."

It is a signature policy of Mr Joyce, whose New England electorate includes Armidale.

The plan has been labelled as "blatant pork barrelling" by the opposition.

open24hours posted:

quote:

"The Southern Downs Regional Council will facilitate the logistics of any move to ensure an agency that moves to the region is able to perform its function seamlessly."