quote:

Senior Cabinet Minister Malcolm Turnbull says it would be a "thoroughly bad idea" to allow young people to tap into their superannuation savings to buy their first home.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey have flagged making the super system more flexible to help young homebuyers enter the market.

In an address to the Brisbane Club, the Communications Minister joined former treasurers Peter Costello and Paul Keating in criticising the push to make superannuation rules more flexible.

"My own view is that would be a thoroughly bad idea," Mr Turnbull said.

"It's not what the superannuation system is designed to achieve.

Solemn Sloth posted:

Listening to an economist on RN regarding the Snowy scheme. He reckons it's probably going to be powered by coal generation.

If that's the case it would actually increase emissions intensity because you lose around 30% of power by using pumped hydro for storage.

Synthbuttrange posted:

quote:

Sparks fly as chiefs tell Turnbull ‘marriage equality good for business’

UPDATED: Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has urged CEOs to stop shoving “politically correct nonsense down our throats” and focus on running their businesses, after 20 heads of some of the nation’s biggest companies urged Malcolm Turnbull to legislate for same-sex marriage.

The letter comes after LGBTI activists boycotted a Coopers brewery-sponsored Bible Society video which depicted gay Liberal MP Tim Wilson and his friend and colleague Andrew Hastie discussing their opposing views on same-sex marriage.

In a letter being prepared to be sent to Mr Turnbull before parliament resumes next week, obtained by The Australian, 20 business leaders from banks, finance compani­es, legal teams, Telstra, Optus, Qantas, Apple, Amex, Holden, accountancy firms and sporting bodies urge him “to legislate for marriage equality so the government can get on with its core economic agenda”.

Mr Dutton described the move as “bizarre” and an “outrage”.

“The CEOs would be better off out there arguing at the moment for the economy to be run a particular way or for tax to be reformed in this way so that people grow their businesses and grow jobs as opposed to taking on these moral causes,” he told 2GB.

“If they want to run for politics, well resign from their position and stick their hand up at the next election but don’t jam your politically correct views down our throats.

“Some of these CEOs who are doing the wrong thing, who are part of campaigns to criticise companies like Coopers and others frankly need to be publicly shamed and I think people frankly are getting sick of all this politically correct nonsense.”

Mr Dutton gave the example of Telstra, saying he had experienced problems with his home phone last week.

“I lead a fairly busy life and the thought of hanging on the phone for an hour to some person in the Philippines and still getting nowhere at the end of the call drives me crazy.

“Now here’s a suggestion for Telstra: instead of getting caught up and spending your investors’ money, your shareholders’ money on all these political causes, what about tidying up your own back yard first and providing a proper standard of care and service to your customers?

“That actually would be a good starting point. Once all that’s done then if you’ve got time on your hands you can concentrate on all these fringe issues.”

“If people want to enter politics then do that, but don’t do it from the office overlooking the harbour on your multimillion dollar fees each year.

“It’s high time these people pulled back from these moralistic stances and we’d be a better society without them.”

Marriage equality splits CEOs

A split is emerging within corporate Australia as 20 chief executives from some of the nation’s biggest companies try to force Malcolm Turnbull to legislate for same-sex marriage “in the near term”.

The campaign from business leaders to bring in same-sex marriage laws threatens to open an ­explosive new political front for the Prime Minister, who faces a divisive debate next week within the Liberal Party over changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.

Conservative Liberal MPs are also angry about a boycott of Coopers beer by same-sex marriage advocates, which has politic­ally linked the issue of freedom of speech with racial discrimination and same-sex marriage.

Mr Turnbull’s position on same-sex marriage is that the Senate­ rejection of the government’s policy of a plebiscite spells the end of the issue for now, but some Liberal MPs are still agitating to revive the issue.

In a letter being prepared to be sent to Mr Turnbull before parliament resumes next week, obtained by The Australian, 20 business leaders from banks, finance compani­es, legal teams, Telstra, Optus, Qantas, Apple, Amex, Holden, accountancy firms and sporting bodies urge him “to legislate for marriage equality so the government can get on with its core economic agenda”.

“Enabling loving, committed couples to be married, regardless of their sexual orientation, will contribute to a stronger economy and a more inclusive Australia,” the final draft of the appeal circul­at­ing through corporate Australia says. The letter, being finalised as Coopers Brewery was forced to distance itself from a Bible Society video showing a debate on same-sex marriage, also alludes to customers becoming more “discern­ing” and selective about “products and services from companies that better represent their values”.

There is also a warning that “corporate social responsibility” is becoming a “critical factor” to a growing number of global invest­ors and capital markets.

While the ANZ and CBA banks, SBS and Telstra, Apple and IBM, Lendlease, AGL Energy, the Business Council of Australia, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Wesfarmers chiefs are listed on the letter asking Mr Turnbull to abandon the plebiscite policy, other companies have refus­ed to back the push.

Some executives believe corporate Australia should be seen to be championing economic prior­ities for business, want to avoid conflicts with customers and their boards, and are uncomfortable with the chief executives of bigger companies lobbying the heads of smaller companies that supply them with goods and services.

Corporations have also been advised that “putting the acid” on Mr Turnbull politically over same-sex marriage will be counter-­productive for business and will damage his leadership as he is wanting to concentrate on energy and the economy.

The government has already been critical of business leaders for not showing the way in public debat­e on company tax reform, industri­al relations, penalty rates, energy and trade.

One senior executive of a major corporation involved in the process told The Australian yesterday that the corporate campaign on same-sex marriage had raised concerns about responsibility to shareholders and boards, could be seen as “corporate bullying” of smaller companies and neglected economic priorities.

In April last year, Telstra was caught in a marketing fight when it announced support for same-sex marriage then had to withdraw it when shareholders and major customers, such as the Catholic and Anglican churches, complained.

Telstra chief executive Andy Penn then publicly changed Telstra’s position. Mr Penn is listed in the letter going to the Prime Minister as the Telstra chief, but the letter says the business, industry and community leaders are writing “in our personal capacity in support of marriage equality”.

The senior executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the intense preparations for the letter had included a compli­cated “telephone tree” and “buddy system” of chief executives, with specific business leaders being assigne­d colleagues to convince, but said it was possible some chiefs of smaller organisations or suppliers might have felt bullied. ­“Instead of a corporate buddy system, it could look like a corporate bully system when a bigger corporation wanted the CEO of a smaller corporation to sign up, especial­ly if they were a supplier,” the executive said.

The letter says same-sex marriag­e laws would be good for employees, business and customers and warned that consumers “are becoming more discerning and are selecting products and services from companies that better represent their values”. It also said it would be good for Australia because an inclusive reputation “helps to attract international talent­ and foreign investment”.

The 20 include chief executives Andrew Vesey, of AGL Energy; Shayne Elliot, ANZ; Ann Sherry, Carnival; Ian Narev, CBA; Steve McCann, Lendlease; Luke Sayers, PwC; Alan Joyce, Qantas; Tracey Fellows, REA Group; and Richard Goyder, Wesfarmers.

Bogan King posted:

https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/842181014600400897

And the boomers stealing money from the young train keeps chugging along.

G-Spot Run posted:

loving hell. I have hardly any super as it is.

hooman posted:

Man who's party privatised Telstra complains about quality of service from Telstra.

Solemn Sloth posted:

If that's the case it would actually increase emissions intensity because you lose around 30% of power by using pumped hydro for storage.

quote:

Pumped storage is the largest-capacity form of grid energy storage available, and, as of 2017, the DOE Global Energy Storage Database reports that PSH accounts for over 96% of all active tracked storage installations worldwide, with a total installed nameplate capacity of over 168 GW.[3] The round-trip energy efficiency of PSH varies between 70%–80%,[4][5][6][7] with some sources claiming up to 87%.[8]

quote:

'No appetite for innovation' to tackle Indigenous disadvantage, close the gap RN By Cathy Van Extel for Breakfast Posted about 2 hours ago

An Indigenous organisation training kids to be health ambassadors in their communities says Australian governments have no appetite for innovation in efforts to close the gap. The most recent report card showed Australia is failing six out of the seven key measures to address Indigenous disadvantage including life expectancy, child mortality and health. Malpa Project chief executive Don Palmer believes the Government is ignoring proven solutions. "There are real solutions the Government ought to attend to but the history is the Government defunds things that work, and funds things that don't work," he says. "So they repeat those mistakes over and over again. There is no appetite for innovation and those in government have run out of ideas, and refuse to listen to other ideas that do work, of which ours is just one."

The Malpa Project is a non-government funded organisation established four years ago in response to the lack of progress in closing the gap. Its Young Doctors program trains 9 and 10-year-old children to be health ambassadors for their communities by teaching health literacy, nutrition, hygiene, leadership and environmental health. They learn both western and traditional medicine and healing from Indigenous doctors, clinicians, and healers. So far 600 Young Doctors have graduated from the program in 40 remote, regional and metropolitan communities in NSW, NT, South Australia, Victoria and the ACT. A further 450 Young Doctors will be trained this year. In each case Malpa has been invited by the community. Mr Palmer believes the program's success lies in the fact that it is community-led, not imposed. "We've created a system where elders in the community work out what they think their kids need to be healthy and have a long life, and then they choose two of their local people to be the leaders," he says. "Those leaders then bring in experts from within the community, and that might be other Indigenous doctors or traditional knowledge holders who teach the old ways of medicine, but also local western doctors through the Indigenous Doctors Association."

As well as teaching children health and hygiene, the Young Doctors program is community capacity building. "We can point to so many different examples, and we've evaluated them all," Mr Palmer says. "We know we get school attendance up around 98 per cent, we know we get kids saying they're happy to go to a doctor whereas before they weren't. "And we know parents are saying they're happy to become involved in the life of the school whereas before they never felt that school was a place that welcomed them at all. "Lots and lots of benefits are happening out of this."

quote:

Federal Court dismisses Senator Nigel Scullion's appeal against $10m grant to health group By Sara Everingham Posted 3 Mar 2017, 7:29pm

The full bench of the Federal Court has dismissed an appeal by the Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion over a dispute with an organisation that helps sufferers of an incurable neurodegenerative disease. Senator Scullion had appealed against a previous decision to allow the Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) Foundation to keep a $10-million grant that had been promised by his predecessor Jenny Macklin. But the Federal Court dismissed his appeal. Senator Scullion told Senate Estimates earlier on Friday it was likely the Government would accept the decision. "Well I haven't seen the court's ruling but I think it is useful to say that we're unlikely to appeal … it's unlikely this will be appealed to the High Court," he said.

What is Machado Joseph disease?

Results in a lack of muscle control and coordination of the upper and lower extremities
Symptoms include memory deficits, spasticity, difficulty with speech and swallowing, weakness in arms and legs, clumsiness, frequent urination, involuntary eye movements
Symptoms are caused by a genetic mutation
Commonly mistaken for drunkenness and Parkinson's disease
Eventually leads to paralysis and carriers are expected to live only to their mid-thirties
Northern Territory Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy called on the Federal Government to rule out any prospect of a further appeal.

"The Federal Government needs to pay the money that is so deservedly needed by the MJD Foundation," she said. The MJD Foundation was set up in 2008 to assist people in Arnhem Land living with the hereditary neurological disorder, Machado Joseph Disease. In 2012 the foundation applied for a $10-million increase to its grant from the Aboriginal Benefits Account (ABA) based on evidence that the disease was affecting a growing number of people, and that sufferers were showing symptoms at younger ages. The then-federal minister for Indigenous affairs, Labor MP Jenny Macklin, directed the $10 million be withdrawn from the ABA, which is made up of royalties from mining on Aboriginal Land in the Northern Territory. But before the grant was handed over, the Coalition won the 2013 federal election and the incoming minister Nigel Scullion sought to revoke the grant.

quote:

Life expectancy target unrealistic: Scullion Updated: 9:07 pm, Tuesday, 14 February 2017

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion says closing the Aboriginal life expectancy gap is 'unrealistic' A target to close the life expectancy gap for indigenous Australians by 2031 is 'unrealistic', Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has told parliament. 'This target, let's be frank, was ambitious and unrealistic in such a short time frame,' he said, hours after the prime minister handed down the ninth annual Closing the Gap report on Tuesday. The minister told Sky News says the poor results are an opportunity to refresh. 'There is a new type of target, a smart target,' he said. He says the life-expectancy gap should be amended. The report found a target to halve the gap in mortality rates between indigenous and non-indigenous children by 2018 was not on track, nor was another to close the overall gap in life expectancy by 2031.

Anidav posted:

Slutlungs strikes back.

hooman posted:

Man who's party privatised Telstra complains about quality of service from Telstra.

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

“If people want to enter politics then do that, but don’t do it from the office overlooking the harbour on your multimillion dollar fees each year.

“It’s high time these people pulled back from these moralistic stances and we’d be a better society without them.”

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

You Am I posted:

loving hell this government does the complete opposite to what experts tell them to do, don't they?

I have a bit of super, but sure as poo poo not going to use any of it to buy a house, it's so stupid that it beggars belief. I can't believe Turnbull (since Morrison has been pretty well demoted from being Treasurer) is thinking of going ahead with this

You Am I posted:

loving hell this government does the complete opposite to what experts tell them to do, don't they?

I have a bit of super, but sure as poo poo not going to use any of it to buy a house, it's so stupid that it beggars belief. I can't believe Turnbull (since Morrison has been pretty well demoted from being Treasurer) is thinking of going ahead with this

chyaroh posted:

Step 3: add property value to assets at retirement to deny access to the pension.

Doctor Spaceman posted:

This already happens, and is part of the justification for allowing super to be spent on housing.

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

Senor Tron posted:

I thought the primary residence wasn't counted?

Senor Tron posted:

Anecdotally, the current state Labor strategy in SA is working pretty amazingly. The narrative is very much state Labor versus Federal government, with the State Libs barely getting a mention.

Paingod556 posted:

I've shared around the super changes article, and one mate mentioned he'd rather use it to pay off his mortgage. Which honestly doesn't sound like the worst idea to me.

What would be the consequences of allowing people to do so, as opposed to what Thimble is saying which as I understand is to use it as collateral on a home loan.

Bogan King posted:

House prices go up, the people who currently own the houses get a lot of money from the people who don't and people are left with no money to retire on.

Bogan King posted:

https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/842181014600400897

And the boomers stealing money from the young train keeps chugging along.

Bogan King posted:

House prices go up, the people who currently own the houses get a lot of money from the people who don't and people are left with no money to retire on.