Auspol December : Fuck its hot. - The Something Awful Forums

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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol December : Fuck its hot.

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Countdown to trollopaclypse...

# ¿ Dec 1, 2015 06:50

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 04:31

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Blood in the Water!

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/labor-accuses-mal-brough-of-misleading/6992958

quote:

Labor accuses Mal Brough of misleading Parliament, calls for him to step down Wednesday 2 December 2015 7:37AM (view full episode)

The Prime Minister, who's just arrived home from the Paris climate summit, returns to face mounting calls to stand aside his Special Minister of State Mal Brough, over Brough's alleged role in a plot to topple former Speaker Peter Slipper. Labor is accusing the Minister of misleading Parliament over his claim the 60 Minutes program selectively edited an interview in which he admitted asking former political staffer James Ashby to make copies of Peter Slipper's diary. 60 minutes responded by releasing the full, unedited question and answer.

Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus has lead the Labor assault on Mal Brough. Mark Dreyfus joins Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast.

Brough was always a bold promotion and it is really hard to see him escape from this one. Well because he is as aledgedly guilty as gently caress for a start.

There was some boffin from some think tank on recently who suggested that the reason there was so much reliance (In the West) on signals intelligence is because the equipment manufacturers (from the military industrial complex) keep putting glossy brochures on the meeting room tables of all of the agencies that spend money on intelligence gathering. While this is undoubtedly a factor the one overarching problem with human intelligence sources (HUMINT as opposed to SIGINT) is they have a long lead in time (and are therefore expensive) but are prone to causing embarrassing moments for who ever is running them. Philby, Mata Hari, Petrov (etc.) The cold hard wires and chips of the SIGINT systems only spill the beans if they are hacked, compromised or inadvertently exposed. Even more troubling when the people who you have been cultivating and funding swap sides or finally show who's side they have been on all along (eg) Bin Laden. Little wonder SIGINT is now ruling the roust.

Posted without comment http://www.thatslife.com.au/Article/Real-Life/Real-Life-Stories/My-secret-life-as-an-Aussie-spy

Kommando posted:

I've noticed that it's inside, not outside, someone's house.

Late to the dog pile but that is a pretty typical terrace house front 'garden'.

Who needs the aged pension when youth suicide and global warming will take care of everything nature's way?

# ¿ Dec 2, 2015 01:07

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

ScreamingLlama posted:

I just got a letter today from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal informing me that my appeal was successful and I can stay in the DLP.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Grats I guess.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/productivity-commission-finds-poor-progess/6996722

quote:

Productivity Commission finds poor progress made on Closing the Gap Thursday 3 December 2015 7:43AM (view full episode)

Seven years ago, Australian governments pledged to 'Close the Gap' on Indigenous disadvantage, setting six ambitious targets from life expectancy, to early childhood education and employment. For the first time, the Productivity Commission has assessed progress on the Closing the Gap targets�and its findings are grim. Employment outcomes are worse than they were in 2008, and targets for life expectancy are unlikely to be met.

To discuss the report's findings, Productivity Commission chair, Peter Harris joins Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast.

And does the Productivity Commission have any worthwhile answers? *laugh track* For one of the most high profile and trumpetted public health issues this is a savage indictment of all the hand wringing interventionist busy bodying that has actually made poo poo go backwards. Peter Harris, you are not worth the minimum wage that you are so keen to reduce.

-/-

If you watch the parliamentary proceedings on one day of the year make it today. I can't obviously tell the future but I suspect it will include tears and recriminations. Well that and a bunch of dodgy bad legislation being passed by the ALNP.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2015 00:39

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Jumpingmanjim posted:

Mr Macfarlane a gifted and capable politician may now become a beacon for many Liberals for whom the National Party is emerging as the conservatives natural home.

L O L

Cartoon fucked around with this message at 05:47 on Dec 3, 2015

# ¿ Dec 3, 2015 05:44

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

So apparently all of the resignation and changing teams shenanigans yesterday are to force the numbers issue for having more Nationals in cabinet under the coalition agreement.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/barnaby-joyce-on-ian-macfarlane%27s-move-to/7000772

This will surely lead to more women in cabinet as the Nationals actually have one (1), http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=249764, Michelle Landry. Well..

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/12/04/macfarlane-hints-at-further-liberal-defection.html

quote:

One of Mr Macfarlane's new Queensland Nationals colleagues Michelle Landry would like to see him return to cabinet. 'He's got a lot of experience to bring to the party and I think that it's a wonderful move,' she told ABC TV. But she admitted any promotion would have to be based on merit, saying the partyroom had a 'very frank' discussion about Mr Macfarlane coming in. Ms Landry said she wouldn't be surprised if Scott Buchholz also joins the Nationals fold. Also a Queensland MP, Mr Buchholz lost his position as chief whip under Mr Turnbull.

If the Ministry for Comedic Timing is on their game hopefully there will be some pre-Xmas developments in the Brough brouhaha. At least enough to keep the dysfunctional government story in the air till they can return from the summer adjournment and take up the reins for themselves.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2015 01:55

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

hooman posted:

gently caress me.

:mrapig:

"Don't mind if I do!"

# ¿ Dec 4, 2015 02:26

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Hey guys look over there some poop! You wouldn't want to... *Is trampled in the stampede to touch it.* There really is no hope for you guys. Fortunately that means Australian Politics is a perfect fit.

=/=

Arsetralian - Don't touch the :eng99:

:eng99:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/malcolm-turnbull-pulls-out-of-190-a-head-ian-macfarlane-event/story-fn59niix-1227634571911

The Arsetralian posted:

Malcolm Turnbull pulls out of $190-a-head Ian Macfarlane event DECEMBER 5, 2015 12:00AM

Recriminations over former industry minister Ian McFarlane�s decision to join the Nationals are deepening. Malcolm Turnbull has pulled out of a $190-a-head fundraiser for Liberal turncoat Ian Macfarlane as recriminations over the former industry minister�s decision to join the Nationals deepen. One senior Liberal yesterday declared there was �white-hot anger�� towards Mr Macfarlane. The Prime Minister was to be a guest speaker at the dinner in Toowoomba, in Mr Macfarlane�s electorate, tomorrow night, but his office confirmed yesterday that he would not be attending. Mr Macfarlane, dumped as industry minister when Mr Turnbull took power from Tony Abbott, has made it clear that a key part of his switch to the Nationals is due to his desire to return to the frontbench.

North Queensland Liberal MP Ewen Jones confronted Mr �Macfarlane, telling him the last person who �ratted�� on the Liberal Party for a job was Peter Slipper, who left the party for the parliamentary speakership. After a stellar career Mr Macfarlane would be remembered for being a rat. �It is a dummy spit, pure and simple,�� Mr Jones said. Rural Victorian Liberal Dan Tehan accused Mr Macfarlane of �naked ambition� and said it would be bitterly disappointing if he was rewarded with a ministry for trying to �game the system� for self-advancement.

As Liberal MPs denounced Mr Macfarlane and urged their leaders not to reward him with a frontbench job, conservative South Australian Liberal senator Cori Bernardi underlined tensions within the government in a messy end to the year. In a protest over the lack of consultation about changes to the government�s bill cracking down on multinational tax avoidance, Senator Bernardi crossed the floor on Thursday night to vote against amendments agreed to with the Greens. �Our party had a very clear decision, at my initiative, to abandon Labor�s policy of publishing private companies� tax details,� he said. �With no reference to any of us or the partyroom, the decision was made to reinstate basically a decision that we agreed we didn�t support. It�s a principle issue.�

Bill Shorten seized on Mr Macfarlane�s defection to underline �divisions in the government. �Watching what�s happened with Ian Macfarlane is the first visible crack in terms of a deeply divided and unhappy government,�� the Opposition Leader said. Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce pushed for a reshuffle in the ministry. He noted that when Nationals senator Julian McGauran defected to the Liberals in 2006, Nationals minister De-Anne Kelly was almost immediately demoted. �It is a game that is generally ruthlessly governed by the numbers and that also is a discussion between Warren and Malcolm,� Mr Joyce said.

Some Queensland Liberals want to have Mr Macfarlane hauled before the state executive where he could be given the option of recanting or facing the reopening of his preselection. Others believe this is futile. A senior Liberal said the numbers on state executive and in Mr Macfarlane�s electorate of Groom would favour the Nationals and he was expected to win endorsement for the change. One senior Liberal said Mr Macfarlane�s defection had the potential to start a �civil war�� in the Queensland Liberal National Party. �The Nats are riding roughshod over the essence of the �merger,� a Liberal source said. �It is an internal coup in which they took back Groom.�� The Liberals seized Groom from the Nationals in 1988 in the aftermath of divisions over the Joh for PM campaign, which derailed John Howard�s 1987 election bid.

However, the Liberal source said they would probably have to accept Mr Macfarlane�s switch as continuing division in the party would only damage Mr Turnbull�s prime ministership. The organiser of the Groom fundraiser, Jim Curtis, said he had been asked to cancel the function because the Prime Minister could not attend and he would refund the money raised. Mr Turnbull is still expected to visit Toowoomba on Monday morning for a sod-turning on the second Toowoo�mba range crossing. Another Liberal, Scott Buchholz, who was dumped as chief government whip when Mr Turnbull deposed Mr Abbott and holds the rural southeast Queensland seat of Wright, is also weighing up a switch to the Nationals.

Mr Macfarlane�s switch has put Mr Turnbull under pressure to increase the Nationals� representation in cabinet from three to four. A senior Nationals source said Nationals leader Warren Truss would demand an extra cabinet minister from Mr Turnbull. The Weekend Australian understands the Prime Minister is not of a mind to make an immediate change to cabinet unless there is a trigger. One such trigger could be replacing Special Minister of State Mal Brough, who is under pressure over a federal police investigation but yesterday brushed off any concerns about his future.

The right poo poo stirrers aren't going to go quietly into the night but I'm not sure that can stop the Turdball rolling into power with a horrible raft of regressive and business friendly policies. At a time of historically low wage growth apparently employment 'arrangements' need to be more 'flexible' too. Well if you were credulous enough to talk to the buffoons in the Productivity Commission about it.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2015 00:23

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Recoome posted:

So it'll be interesting to see what happens in the lead-up to the 10th anniversay of the Cronulla race riots. It appears like the Reclaimers (or whatever right-wing racist group is doing this) wants to attempt to circumvent council laws by holding the rally on Cronulla beach, below the high-tide mark.

e: The question is, is by and large the message espoused by groups such as Reclaim Australia actually protected, or does it fall under the Racial Discrimination Act (against Muslims). I'd say that they are certainly pushing a political communication, but the message is such that I'd say there's a reasonable chance that it'll lead to the targeting of certain ethnic groups.

If they are below the high-tide mark they are outside the migration zone and can not be reported on because it is an on water matter.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2015 02:58

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Remember how our physical terror profile was hard to identify because it's so non-existent?

Looks like that's true for the IT threat too, despite what window lickers like David Irvine have been saying in the press.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/10/27/australia_on_the_very_brink_of_cybergeddon_says_exspook/

quote:

<snip>Irvine was launching this document by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which has been widely � and wildly inaccurately � cited as saying that Australia's cyber security is slipping. It's not, it's just that the breathless community of national security reporters didn't bother to read the report (which is probably worth its weight in cybers, given the woeful inadequacy of political and administrative clue in Canberra). Australia's score in the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Cyber maturity in the Asia-Pacific Region 2015 rankings rose slightly between 2014 and 2015; so did some other countries, three of them slightly further than Australia's.<snip>

Even better it's not just us. Squirrels are a bigger threat to IT driven infrastructure than ISIS/Dae$h.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/24/cyber_terror/?page=1

quote:

So, in summary, hackers have never been credited with taking down a power grid. States themselves, which have a lot more resources behind them, have only been credited with a handful of full-on, serious enterprise attacks. Only the combined brainpower of America's NSA and Israel's IDF Unit 8200 has ever produced something that affected a physical plant. Again, that we all know of.

From what we know in the public domain, it�s not fanciful to think that Daesh might be able to launch a cyber-attack, but its capabilities in the area lag far behind those of even hermit kingdom North Korea. That third-party hackers might help them in accomplishing their goals is also a stretch.

Hackers have never taken out a power grid; squirrels have more luck sabotaging electrical systems. They love to chew through cables, a habit that results in bangs, fried meat, outages, all sorts of problems for power distribution utilities, and occasionally even fires.

You'd laugh except they'd put you in the van.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2015 04:58

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Birb Katter posted:

That is well and truly the long way round from usage to disposal.

In unrelated news Plibersek tries to score points on the Greens for doing that deal with the LNP the other day. It goes about as well as expected

loving lol

quote:

Eddie Alexander - Tanya Plibersek you and your petty excuse for an opposition party stand for nothing. You are a toothless tiger that will get crushed at the next election because Bill Shorten is spineless and lacks any initiative or leadership qualities. He has simply spent the last couple of years bickering with the idiotic Tony Abbott and now that someone with charisma has taken over the coalition, Bill Shorten is crumbling with no sight of improvement or direction. I will always have faith in the The Australian Greens for standing up for Australia's environment and for equality within this country, not the ALP. Get rid of Bill Shorten and become a progressive party that doesn't sit an inch left of our current government.
Like � Reply � 77 � December 3 at 3:15pm

Not sure about the inch. I think we do that in mm these days (NOTE: mm not mms).

# ¿ Dec 5, 2015 06:46

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

NTRabbit posted:

I look forward to the day when, regardless of race, gender, or creed, we are all paid equally poorly by our benevolent corporate job creators

You're not thinking outside the box. What we need is a workforce that is paid by the state, funded through a broad based consumption tax. The job creators work in partnership with the government to provide ongoing skills based training at little or no cost to the government in return. It's defeatist types like you NTRabbit that have seen our productivity growth slide to precariously low levels.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2015 10:38

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Or how they select members of the cabinet - Formula Sausage

# ¿ Dec 6, 2015 07:13

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

BlitzkriegOfColour posted:

If you were given a choice of going back in time and killing Adolph Hitler or going back in time and killing John Howard, who would you choose and why?

https://youtu.be/vqgSO8_cRio?t=06

I find it hard to use temperate language when I hear this sort of bollocks:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-07/pm-to-unveil-20-measures-to-foster-innovation/7005696

quote:

Innovation statement: Malcolm Turnbull to unveil $1b package including entrepreneur visas, cash for CSIRO By political reporter Peta Donald, staff Updated 31 minutes ago

In his first major economic statement as Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull will today unveil a $1 billion plan to foster greater innovation across 11 different Government portfolios.

Key points

$1 billion plan to 'kick start innovation culture', including $100 million to CSIRO
Tax, research infrastructure, education affected
Changes to bankruptcy laws, 457 visa scheme, tax exemptions for investors
Labor announces its own 20 measures
Among the measures will be a $100 million boost for the CSIRO, which was hit by around $110 million in funding cuts in the 2014 federal budget. (So let me get this straight you unashamed bowel squirt. Your innovation plan is to only cut $10 million from CSIRO? Well W H O O P T I E loving DO! Kick start? More like kick to death.)

The Government will unveil plans in the areas of tax, research infrastructure, and education in the STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths - in a bid to "kick start an innovation culture". The ABC understands there will be a commitment to provide capital gains tax exemptions for investors who hold shares in a start-up for three years or more. It is also expected there will be a relaxation of bankruptcy laws, and changes to 457 visa scheme to encourage more entrepreneurs and highly skilled workers to travel to work in Australia. The full plan will be detailed by Mr Turnbull and Innovation and Science Minister Christopher Pyne at the CSIRO in Canberra at 12:30pm (AEDT).

Since taking over as Prime Minister, Mr Turnbull has vowed to put innovation at the heart of his Government's agenda, especially in the areas of climate change and increasing productivity and economic growth. Assistant Minister for Innovation, Wyatt Roy, told ABC News Radio the key to driving future prosperity of our country was enabling and collaborating with the private sector. "That's where we've got to see the role of government is bringing together both sides - the private sector the incredible research we do, so we commercialise things and create these incredible businesses, products, ideas that change the world for the better," he said.

Labor sought to get on the front-foot on Friday, announcing its own suite of 20 measures to encourage innovation, especially in regional Australia. "We'll wait with bated breath, like many people are, to see if the innovation statement lives up to all the hype," said Ed Husic, Labor's spokesman on digital innovation and start-ups. He pointed out that the CSIRO, the location for today's announcement, has had to cut 140 jobs as a result of budget cuts by the Coalition Government. Millions of dollars have also been cut from other national science and research institutions, including Cooperative Research Centres, the Research Training Scheme, Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology. "As much as we welcome the fact that the Government is making this innovation statement, it really is important for them to spell out all the damage caused by the cuts," Mr Husic said.

Professor Les Field, from the Australian Academy of Science, said he hoped for long-term and secure funding, including for major pieces of scientific equipment, which are currently being funded for two years at a time. Business groups are meanwhile hoping the innovation statement will provide a realistic strategy for the Australian economy. The chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, Innes Willox, told AM solutions are needed to account for the winding down of car manufacturing in Australia, the ageing population and the end of the most recent mining boom. "We are regarded in Australia as being very strong when it comes to research, quite poor when it comes to collaboration between universities and institutions and business, and particularly poor when it comes to commercialisation," he said. "So it's those last two legs that the Government really needs to try to fix."(The government plans to fix it by linking university funding to commercial outcomes. Unfortunately the problem lies outside the university gates with Australian Business who are about as agile as bricks and smart as them too)

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/industry-group-calls-for-overhaul-of-corporate-tax/7006170

quote:

Industry group calls for overhaul of corporate tax and innovation incentives Monday 7 December 2015 8:05AM (view full episode)

When he took over as Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull promised to increase innovation and entrepreneurship in Australia to help the economy grow beyond the resources boom. His long-awaited Innovation Statement�to be released later today�will now aim to chart a course to this 'agile' future. The $1 billion package of measures will reportedly include capital gains tax holidays for investors in start-ups, and a $100 million funding boost to the CSIRO. But one industry group says unless the corporate tax and innovation incentives landscape is dramatically overhauled, Australia will continue to lose the innovation race, and Australian intellectual property will be lost to overseas.

Shill for business sees the only way forward to be dropping corporate tax rates. :doh:

:doh:

That's right the best and brightest thinkers in Australian business all got together over a series of long lunches and this is the fruit of their labour. What Australia desperately needs is a machine that grabs neck ties and kills the still warm turds they decorate.

So just how clever are we?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-07/state-opposition-criticises-cost-of-new-south-wales-logo/7006034

quote:

Cost of New South Wales Government logo criticised by State Opposition By Danuta Kozaki Updated 29 minutes ago

Questions have been raised about the cost of the New South Wales Government's latest logo, after it emerged it cost $160,000 to develop.

The NSW Opposition said the cost of the NSW � Making it Happen logo, which was unveiled a few months ago, was excessive. A request lodged under the Government Information Public Access Act revealed $160,000 was spent on the new logo, the chairman of the Opposition's Wastewatch committee Chris Minns said. "It is an enormous amount of money to be spent on what is essentially a government enhancing their own image," Mr Minns said.

Mr Minns said the document showed nearly $40,000 was spent on the research and review of NSW Government branding, including a private agency talking to government departments. "It's all the more concerning because the Government was talking to itself and charging taxpayers for it." A spokesman for Premier Mike Baird said the cost of the new branding was significantly lower than what was paid in other jurisdictions, including Victoria. He said the old logo was four years old and it was time for a refresh. "NSW is the number one state and we are doing everything possible to attract even more investment here," the spokesman said. Mr Minns said the figure did not include the cost of new stationery. "NSW taxpayers shouldn't have to fork out that kind of money particularly when you consider a business card hasn't been printed or a sign has been changed. "I'm not sure there would be any businesses or investors who would come to NSW due to a logo."

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/12/06/440573/opec-policy-oil-prices-global-market-saudi-arabia

quote:

OPEC�s current policy may further lower prices: Analysts Sun Dec 6, 2015 3:55PM

Current policy adopted by the OPEC to keep its output high despite market glut may put more downward pressure on oil prices, oil market analysts say.

Oil market analysts say the current policy adopted by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is very likely to lead to further slump in global oil prices, a new report says. Analysts say OPEC's policy of maintaining high oil production risks mounting more downward pressure on oil prices, especially with Iranian crude set to enter the global marketplace, AFP reported. "The ongoing supply surplus should continue to exert heavy pressure on oil prices in the short term," said Fawad Razaqzada, analyst at Gain Capital trading group, adding, "This could force some weaker (non-OPEC) oil producers out of the market," resulting in tighter supplies next year.

Though lower prices will reduce the revenues of OPEC�s member states, cheap crude oil may result in decreased production by non-OPEC nations, helping countries like Saudi Arabia preserve their market share. During its recent meeting in Vienna last Friday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries decided not to slash the organization�s oil output despite sliding prices at a time that Iran is expected to increase its production next year. OPEC also did not reveal its precise collective output target in Friday's final communiqu�.

"In our view, the lack of guidance on a production quota underlines the discord among members," said Barclays analyst, Miswin Mahesh. "Past communiqu�s have at least included statements to adhere, strictly adhere, or maintain output in line with the production target. This one glaringly did not,� he added.

Since last year, OPEC, whose members together pump out more than one third of world oil, has consistently struggled to keep production at a target of 30 million barrels per day. Although oil prices have slipped by more than 60 percent in past 18 months, Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf state members of the organization are defying calls to reduce output, alleging that they aim to preserve market share and fend off competition from non-OPEC and world-leading producers, Russia and the United States.

OPEC's policy of "keeping high production and keeping prices under pressure has taken more time" than it would have expected, Natixis bank analyst, Abhishek Deshpande, told AFP on the sidelines of the recent OPEC meeting in Austrian capital, Vienna. Before OPEC convened its meeting in Vienna, Iran�s Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh wrote a letter to OPEC, calling on the organization to cut its production by 1.3 million barrels a day. In his letter to OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri, the Iranian minister asked the organization to stick to its output ceiling of 30 million barrels per day (bpd), saying, �Currently, the output ceiling has to stand at 30 million bpd but the production has reached about 31.3 million bpd.� �This is while it is clear which countries are producing above their quota�. Crude production by certain countries has increased so much that it has surpassed the ceiling,� he added.

The US shale oil production has recently come fully online and is (in my opinion along with Iran's re-entry into the global market) what has driven this drop in prices.

-/-

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-06/increasing-gst-to-15-pc-could-raise-$27b-grattan-institute-says/7005514

quote:

Increasing GST to 15 pc could raise $27b, Grattan Institute modelling shows, suggesting tradeoffs for low-income households By political reporter Stephanie Anderson Updated about 2 hours ago

Increasing the goods and services tax to 15 per cent could raise as much as $27 billion annually for the Federal Government, new modelling has shown.

Key points:

Grattan Institute modelling shows 5 pc GST hike could raise up to $27 billion per year
Institute suggests tax tradeoffs for low-income households, says that would still deliver $11 billion per year
If adopted, model expected to ensure poorest 20 pc of households fully compensated for higher tax
The Opposition has been targeting the Turnbull Government over potential increases to the GST, but new research from the Grattan Institute shows that a 5 per cent hike would still raise $11 billion after increased payments and tax tradeoffs for poorer households.

Grattan Institute chief executive John Daley said his model could even leave poorer households better off. Mr Daley told the ABC that, if adopted, the model would ensure that on average the poorest 20 per cent of households were at least fully compensated for the higher tax. "People in the bottom 20 per cent would actually be in a better position than they are today," he said. "They would have more money to spend and after accounting for the GST, they would be able to buy more with the income they have than they can today." The Federal Government has not proposed any increase to the GST, but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been clear that nothing has been ruled out in terms of reform.

The Grattan modelling found that a higher GST would impact more on higher-income households, with the top 20 per cent of households paying an additional $26 per $1,000, as opposed to the $25 payment by the lowest income households. Their modelling also ensured that most households earning up to $100,000 were compensated for at least of at least 75 per cent of the cost of the higher GST. Mr Daley said the research could give Labor reason to "think again" on their opposition to increasing the tax rate, saying that higher income households were likely to be the ones that paid slightly more. He said the model would also deliver a tax cut to about half of Australian workers, which would impact on economic growth.

"The assumption is that raising the GST would be regressive," he said. "If you change tax rates for people on lower incomes, many of those people are working part time, and the amount that they get to take home after tax and welfare is a material component of their decision to work an extra hour or not." The modelling follows similar work carried out by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling last month, and the Parliamentary Budget Office.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has ruled out support for an increase in the tax, stating that "jacking up the GST to 15 per cent is not innovative, agile or creative".

What about the effect on the retail sector in competition with overseas internet sales? Or have we 'solved' that by implementing a complete costs more than it makes and nobody knows how we can do it 'solution'.

It comes to the point where a population deserves the government it gets.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 01:00

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Oh is it the December being a jerk competition already? gently caress. I'll have to work pretty hard to beat the field this month.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2015 06:39

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

IANACS - This is due to the more energetic mixing of the cold and hot air masses. The increased energy in the atmosphere means cold air masses travel further than before, as do hot ones.

# ¿ Dec 8, 2015 06:52

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

freebooter posted:

And I'm again reminded of that old piece about how Bush, post-presidency, handled living in a country where only 30% of the people approved of him, i.e. by living entirely within that 30%. "I've had thousands of letters of support," Tony says. Yeah no poo poo mate but there's like 22 million people in Australia.

They were all from Andrew Bolt.

#NOTALLPOLICE

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/independent-review-reveals/7012480

quote:

Independent review reveals high prevalence of sexual harassment in Victorian police force Wednesday 9 December 2015 6:44AM (view full episode)

An independent review has revealed the extent of sex discrimination and sexual harassment in the Victoria police force.

It has found 68 per cent of female and 57 per cent of male Victoria Police employees have witnessed at least one form of sexual harassment in the workplace in the past five years. The review was commissioned by the former Victorian Police Chief Ken Lay, after internal police investigations uncovered what he described as 'grubby' behaviour. This included men filming women in change rooms, making suggestive comments, performing simulated sexual acts, and unwanted groping or touching.

The review, conducted by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, heard from about 5,000 police officers who reported abuse and intimidation within the force. The Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Kate Jenkins, joins James Carleton on RN Breakfast.

Stopping the terror one headline at a time.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-10/two-arrested-in-sydney-counter-terrorism-raids/7016270

quote:

Two people arrested in Sydney counter-terrorism raids as part of Operation Appleby Updated 13 minutes ago

Two people have been arrested by the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team in Sydney as part of the ongoing Operation Appleby.

The ABC understands the properties raided are in the Sydney suburbs of Wiley Park and Bankstown. The arrests were carried out by officers from the Australian Federal Police and the New South Wales Police. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told Macquarie Radio that investigations were ongoing. "It's a continuation of Operation Appleby," he said. "The AFP has obviously been doing some amazing work in tracking down people that may be a threat to us and that operation is underway at the moment." They are part of Operation Appleby which focuses on detecting and preventing terrorist attacks on Australian soil.

In September 2014 the operation conducted raids in Sydney and Brisbane and arrested 15 people. An alleged plot to kidnap and behead a member of the public was uncovered as part of the operation.

Police said they would provide an update about 10:30am (AEDT).

There is an outside chance that the GST has focus grouped so badly that Scott Morrison may be laying the ground work for abandoning it. At this point that's about the only hope.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-09/pbo-models-gst-scenarios-finds-extra-21-billion/7015616

quote:

GST: Fresh food, healthcare and education to cost billions more if tax broadened, PBO finds By political reporter Dan Conifer Updated about 2 hours ago

New modelling shows basic foods would cost Australians more than $7 billion extra annually if the GST was applied, while a leaked document reveals states and territories are facing a $50 billion shortfall by 2030.

The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) analysis has found scrapping a raft of GST exemptions would raise at least $21 billion in additional revenue a year from 2017-18. The PBO found applying the tax to basic foods would raise $7.2 billion in 17-18, while health and medical care would reap $6.4 billion.

PBO's 2017-18 scenarios

Applying a 10 per cent GST to basic food would raise an extra $7.2 billion ($4.8 billion after compensation)
Applying a 10 per cent GST to basic food, health, medical care, education, child care, water and sewerage would raise an extra $21.6 billion ($16 billion after compensation)
Increasing the GST to 15 per cent without expanding the base would raise an extra $32.5 billion ($24.6 billion after compensation)
Increasing the GST to 15 per cent and applying it to basic food would raise $42.7 billion ($31.4 billion after compensation)
Increasing the GST to 15 per cent and applying it to basic food, health, medical care, education, child care, water and sewerage would raise an extra $65.8 billion ($49.3 billion after compensation).
It also said education would collect $4.9 billion, childcare would add $1.6 billion, while water and sewerage would add $1.1 billion to revenue.

The PBO assumed compensation would be provided under any government change, meaning much of the extra revenue would be returned to low income households. "In the absence of compensation arrangements ... each of the scenarios analysed would have a greater relative impact on lower income earners," the PBO report said. The independent office has modelled a range of scenarios, from removing the GST-free status of basic food through to applying a 15 per cent tax to a broader base. It found the changes could raise between $7.2 billion and $65.8 billion in 2017-18, before compensation is provided to the poorest 40 per cent of households.

Meanwhile a leaked COAG document shows state and territory governments face a combined deficit of nearly $50 billion in 2030, including about $35 billion in health and $10 billion in education. The document has been prepared for Friday's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting and is the second leak in as many days before Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets premiers and chief ministers on Friday. Treasurer Scott Morrison will discuss the situation with state and territory counterparts at a meeting in Sydney today. The GST is set to be discussed, along with state-based charges, such as property and payroll taxes, along with competition reform. The Commonwealth is pressuring states to abolish about $85 billion worth of inefficient revenue-raising measures.

Tax reform options explained

Eight options for tax reform have been modelled by the Treasury, including raising the GST and broadening its base. South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said he wanted an open conversation about potential tax changes. "What I'm not prepared to do though is to turn up here and just skirt around the edges and have another photo opportunity," Mr Koutsantonis said. "Let's talk turkey, let's get some real results, let's actually achieve something for the nation and for the states. Let's, just for one day, put our partisan politics to the side and do what's best for the federation and the country."

West Australian Treasurer Mike Nahan said the GST had to be the meeting's focus, saying WA was comfortable with a 12.5 per cent GST that applied to more goods and services. "The major focus has to be GST because that's the efficient indirect tax and without increasing that you can't get rid of inefficient indirect taxes," Dr Nahan said, but warned the carve up must also be improved for his state. We're not going to tolerate an increase in GST that distributes 70 per cent of GST collections from Western Australia to other states, that's the bottom line."

I'd critic NTATA's mouth poo poo but I think even kindergartners know enough about history to see it for the utter crud and manifesto of falsehood that it is.

# ¿ Dec 10, 2015 00:21

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

EXAKT Science posted:

I bet he vapes.

His own farts.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2015 03:06

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

EXAKT Science posted:

Looks an awful lot like water.

Yes, a lot of HALAL water!

# ¿ Dec 12, 2015 11:07

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Axel Ferguson posted:

Look I'm not saying there is no dumb racist poo poo in Western Europe. As a matter of fact there is plenty (i.e. firebombing a refugees house). However it is the reaction I got from a few people when I told people I was moving to Australia.

It probably is the fact that Australia had a well known recent race riot. It just high lights things like the White Australia policy, treatment of indigenous Australians and goddamn lovely foreign refugee camps in people's minds.

While we have a political system that only has three representatives who will vote against putting infants in indefinite detention (Might even be less these days) the world needs to keep telling us we are unforgivable scum.

It's a personal obssession of mine but I found this http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rearvision/social-activism-and-popular-protest/7002312 really interesting. Have to listen, sorry.

quote:

Social activism and popular protest Sunday 13 December 2015 12:05PM

In recent years the world has been shaken by protest but the Arab Spring uprisings, the Occupy sit-ins, the SlutWalk campaign and the climate change marches are all part of a long tradition of social activism.

Rear Vision looks at popular protest and social change.

Related to multiculturalism this was followed by an interview with Helen Joyce most notable for the comment, "Although Brazil congratulates itself for being multicultural if you compare people on the metric of income they follow the gradient of their skin colour." Dulux have a lot to answer for.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2015 03:53

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Birb Katter posted:

You know, if you take this out of context it is kind of enlightened.

Well except for the going against the entire theory of modern demonstration: non-violent resistance. Suppressing people's right to express themselves eventually results in Ghandian style resistance because of the futility of taking a violent response in a power imbalance. So yeah even out of context about as enlightened as a deep dark hole.

The point about the media is superficially appealing but experience in Australia would suggest it encourages complacency and normalises what was once considered monstrous rather than inciting a violent back lash. We have been won over by casual racism and the dehumanisation of our victims.

# ¿ Dec 13, 2015 05:44

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Pickled Tink posted:

Isn't that below the award for tour guides?

Not if it's a group tour and a bunch of people are paying the 30bux

Cartoon fucked around with this message at 08:03 on Dec 13, 2015

# ¿ Dec 13, 2015 08:01

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Serious question. With MYEFO coming out tomorrow is a budget bottom line the same as a visible panty line?

# ¿ Dec 14, 2015 00:53

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Wow some amazing developments in the MYEFO announcement! :eng99:

:eng99:

Nope the same tired low rent trolls and the same loving nongs biting. :gas:

:gas:

# ¿ Dec 15, 2015 02:49

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Until the actual inquest comes to a conclusion I'm not prepared to call it one way or the other.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-26/experts-divided-over-sydney-siege-as-terrorism-or-mental-illness/6726772

quote:

Sydney siege inquest: Experts divided on whether Lindt Cafe attack was terrorism or result of mental illness By Jessica Kidd Updated 26 Aug 2015, 4:35pm

Experts are split on whether Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis was a terrorist or whether he was acting as a result of mental illness, an inquest has heard.

Three terrorism experts have given evidence at the inquest into the Lindt cafe siege and all agreed that Monis's mental state played a significant role in his decision to attack in December 2014. Professor Clarke Jones from the Australian National University told the inquest he believed Monis was acting out of a need to belong and had demonstrated this desire when he tried to join the Rebels bikie gang in the months before the siege.

Key points:

Three experts agreed Monis's mental state played significant role in attack
Professor Clarke Jones said Monis acted out of need to belong; Professor Greg Barton said the attack was an act of terrorism
Professor Rodger Shanahan said siege had more to do with mental health than terrorism
"I wonder if they had accepted his membership, whether we would be here today," he told the inquest.

Professor Jones said that may be why Monis claimed he was attacking Australia on behalf of the so-called Islamic State. "I think he saw Islamic State as the one organisation that might accept him," he said. Islamic extremism and counter-terrorism expert Professor Greg Barton told the inquest he believed the siege was an act of terrorism but he said that, compared with other lone-wolf terrorists, Monis was unusual. "Even in the context of lone-wolf attacks, this one was an outlier," he said.

But Professor Barton said that when compared with other lone-wolf terrorists, such as Norwegian gunman Anders Breivik or the American Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Monis was not "consistent in articulating a manifest or position".

I think the state of his mental health was relevant to the siege he carried out and I'm of the opinion it was not a terrorist act. - National security expert Professor Rodger Shanahan

Professor Barton conceded that Monis was suffering from mental health issues and was the kind of person Islamic State sought to exploit. "It goes after anyone who can join, it goes after damaged goods," he told the inquest. "I think we should expect more unstable, complex individuals to emerge." National security expert Professor Rodger Shanahan backed the theory that the siege had more to do with mental health than terrorism. Professor Shanahan told the inquest that Monis would have been under considerable stress in the days before the siege when he lost a High Court application for leave to challenge his conviction for sending offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers. Professor Shanahan said that loss, combined with Monis's schizophrenia and the fact he was facing criminal charges of sexual assault and being an accessory to murder, would have "piled up" on him. "I think the state of his mental health was relevant to the siege he carried out and I'm of the opinion it was not a terrorist act," he told the inquest. "It's a great deal of stress on someone who has a violent past."

But why let mere facts get in the way of what ever mouth spew seems most appropriate :shrug:

:shrug:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-15/martin-place-siege-what-we-do-and-do-not-know/7021524.

# ¿ Dec 15, 2015 11:29

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Just when you thought it was safe to send Australians on a diplomatic mission (yes you had been drugged and your signature is an obvious forgery):-

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-16/australian-delegation-to-west-bank-%27very-explosive%27/7032084

quote:

Delegation to West Bank led by Christopher Pyne 'not well educated', local minister says By Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill Updated about an hour ago

An Australian-led delegation to the West Bank featuring Minister Christopher Pyne, former speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has been criticised by a Minister in the Palestinian Authority, who said the group had "false information" and were "not well educated".

Mr Pyne, the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, on Sunday led the delegation � which included members of the British parliament � to Ramallah. All the delegates were visiting Jerusalem for two days as part of an annual Australia-UK-Israel leadership dialogue. Mr Wilson said the group "quizzed" the Palestinian Prime Minister and Education Minister about a range of topics. Palestinian Minister for Education Dr Sabri Saidam described the meeting as "very explosive and very challenging" and said the group had asked "rude and blunt" questions.

We couldn't do anything as stupid as send Minister Christopher Pyne, former speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson to a Middle East hot spot could we? Well looks like we can do a bunch of dumb stuff even without their direct involvement!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-15/audio-captures-raaf-challenging-chinese-navy-in-south-china-sea/7030076

quote:

South China Sea: Audio reveals RAAF plane issuing warning to Chinese Navy during 'freedom of navigation' flight By defence and national security reporter Andrew Greene and China correspondent Bill Birtles
Updated yesterday at 8:46pm

A radio recording of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance plane conducting a freedom-of-navigation flight over the South China Sea has emerged for the first time. The audio has been published by the BBC following a reporting assignment in the disputed Spratly archipelago. In the scratchy radio recording, an RAAF pilot is heard speaking to the Chinese Navy. "China Navy, China Navy," the voice says. "We are an Australian aircraft exercising international freedom of navigation rights, in international airspace in accordance with the international civil aviation convention, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - over."

The BBC said it recorded the flight audio from a RAAF AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft in the early afternoon on November 25. According to the BBC, the message was repeated several times by the RAAF pilot, but no response was heard from the Chinese. China claims most of the South China Sea� where more than $5 trillion of world trade passes through each year� in the face of rival claims from Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines and Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang has said Beijing "resolutely opposes any country using freedom of navigation and overflight as a pretext for harming China's national sovereignty and security interests". To date, the Federal Government has never publicly acknowledged that Australia has conducted a "freedom of navigation" exercise in the contested region. The Department of Defence in Canberra confirmed the flight took place between November 25 and December 4. "A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion was conducting a routine maritime patrol in the region as part of Operation GATEWAY from 25 November to 4 December," it said. "Under Operation Gateway, the Australian Defence Force conducts routine maritime surveillance patrols in the North Indian Ocean and South China Sea as a part of Australia's enduring contribution to the preservation of regional security and stability in South East Asia."

On one hand the stuff that the Chinese are doing in the South China Sea is provocative and does threaten the long term stability of that part of the world. On the other hand Australian overflights are achieving nothing worthwhile towards reducing that threat and do little more than allow us to fill the Pentagon's pockets with a slow trickle of urine.

A quick word on terrorism and the definition etc. thereof. The terrorist goal is to cause disproportionate reaction from the opponent whom it is facing in asymmetric warfare. That's the mechanism via which it delivers its payload, terror. Faced with these threats the larger powers have reacted by taking measures that actually amplify the terror message because this suits their authoritarian agenda. That is why what is and isn't labelled 'terror' matters and why those who immediately label stuff as terror related are to be held in suspicion if not outright contempt. The terror drum is even more easily beaten by those who have the means to manipulate the population directly.

# ¿ Dec 16, 2015 02:47

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

open24hours posted:

It seems like a pretty reasonable way to let China know we're not happy with their expansionist policies. If we don't do it now sooner or later we won't be able to do it at all.

Is there some insight into global politics you have that I'm missing because:

The 'reasonable' way to let China know we aren't happy is a diplomatic communiqu�. Military overflights are provocative not 'reasonable'.
'Sooner' or not at all? I'm pretty sure we can continue to provocatively overfly the South China Sea for the forseeable future. For all the good it will do in changing China's stance on territorial matters. Speaking of which the Phillipines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei have all done exactly what the Chinese have done. Where are our preventative overflights? Hint that's not why we are doing these overflights and goes to why we are actually doing them.

The US has been routinely violating Chinese airspace for decades. This resulted in the notorious incident where a US spyplane was forced down by the Chinese Republican Air Force. Australia is now recklessly involving itself in the same sort of practices not to 'send a clear message to PRC' but to gather intelligence on Chinese air warfare capabilities.

open24hours posted:

~~It's not really disputed, even China isn't claiming ownership of it yet.~~

[Edit: I mean, they're not claiming ownership to the point where they're actually going to shoot down planes, and these kinds of operations help to prevent that.]

If you mean these operations let us assist the US in determining the frequencies and types of radar and procedures and protocols (etc.) the Chinese are using for air warfare and in the event that there is a hot phase this will aid the US in deploying countermeasures I can agree in a limited sense but otherwise your entire premise and argument are laughable. Quite similar to 'shirt fronting Putin' levels of deluded practicalities.

-/-

On to MYEFO. Now I've had a chance to look at it in detail :itwaspoo:

:itwaspoo:

Not quite Hockey's first budget levels of poo but cutting health to balance the books? Even Morrison must have cringed when that made it to the final report. Structurally in the economy cutting health expenditure by the government is probably the most damaging way to 'save' money. The removal of money from the provision of pathology services will have a strong negative impact on the poor who have chronic disease (Chronic diseases that are overrepresented by Socio-economic measures) and will inevitably cause a downstream strain on the public health system. This is what you do when you are ideologically committed to breaking public health. These are savings that will cost money into the future. See also privatisation.

# ¿ Dec 17, 2015 02:18

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Doctor Spaceman posted:

They did have some comments on Q & A too. Sadly the recommendation wasn't "don't".

Fixed that for you.

# ¿ Dec 17, 2015 06:35

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

gay picnic defence posted:

Wasn't someone proposing that we bypass all the corporate tax avoidance structures entirely and just tax the gently caress out of shareholder earnings through dividends and capital gains? Probably would be a lot easier to monitor.

Not sure on treasury modelling but this doesn't work well when all the shareholders lodge their income tax in another country.

# ¿ Dec 17, 2015 07:42

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Birb Katter posted:

White dude runs over indigenous man (Who was lying in the road drunk) fails to render aid at the scene and flees, is let off.

This is one of those wicked problems where no answer is going to be right and there are plenty of gut feeling knee jerk reactions possible. Having said that, I'm going to gut feeling knee jerk react and say if it had been an indigenous driver and a white man I seriously doubt the result would have been the same if for no other reason than the indigenous man was more likely to have an existing criminal record. In all the circumstances it was probably the right outcome but it certainly doesn't look good.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2015 03:31

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Recoome posted:

hello i am an unabashed fuckhead please ignore my opinions

They were just making a snarky remark about posting stuff from the Arsetralian while quoting a very 'interesting' article by an unabashed fuckhead who you should pillory at every opportunity. Now if that was your intention (to pillory Leak) then you probably should look at making sure the context is clearer.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2015 05:22

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Tokamak posted:

The more important part regarding climate change is the generation of power, not its distribution. Besides, I've never seen the case made for why onsite-solar/wind + battery is more environmentally sound than onsite-solar/wind + grid. Usually it is for reasons such as not supporting the energy industry, a lifestyle choice, or that its cheaper over the long term. The environmental impact of running copper lines vs. banks of batteries doesn't seem like something anyone actually thinks about while discussing going off the grid.

In my experience the decision to go off-grid is always economic due to the expense of getting connected to the power grid. Connection prices of $100 000 are not uncommon. That buys a shirt load of battery. Environmentally you don't have the fire hazard, visual pollution and component manufacture impacts of the poles and wire but get a big pile of sometimes very short life batteries. Because batteries are expensive (not compared to getting connected however) and the less power you use the less you need, going off grid solar really makes people get hyper energy efficient. This extends to issues like insulation, building alignment and size. Apparently the average household uses ~ 3 MWh per year/per person. Off grid solar users are consuming around a tenth of that. On that basis it's pretty fair to say, in practice, off grid solar is more environmentally friendly than grid connected.

Sources

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4670.0main+features100052012

http://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/Home/For_Consumers/Compare_Energy_Offers/Typical_household_energy_use

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/big-battery-bank-need-run-house-83800.html <-Comedy option.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2015 06:27

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Tokamak posted:

Yes, if you live in a remote area, most definitely.
I was talking about people who live in the suburbs or regional areas where there is pre-existing infrastructure.

In which case the only reason would be to opt out of what may become a very expensive to access private monopoly. I haven't found anything yet but I'd be really surprised if someone from the Department of the Environment hadn't done extensive modelling.

Even in the case above the battery cost issue should serve as a signal to reduce consumption overall but a straight line analysis would also be interesting. It can not be overstated just how bad storage batteries are environmentally both during extraction and after disposal.

http://www.batteryrecycling.org.au/environmental-impact-of-lithium-ion-batteries

https://www.cleanup.org.au/PDF/au/batteries_final.pdf

# ¿ Dec 18, 2015 09:19

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Solemn Sloth posted:

Solution: every house has a pair of large dams at different heights. During surplus production, water is pumped from the bottom dam to the top. During excess consumption, water moves from the top dam to the bottom powering turbines.

An excellent idea that has already been thought through!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity

quote:

Pumped storage is the largest-capacity form of grid energy storage available, and, as of March 2012, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reports that PSH accounts for more than 99% of bulk storage capacity worldwide, representing around 127,000 MW.[1] Typically, the round-trip energy efficiency of PSH varies in practice between 70% and 80%,[1][2][3][4] with some claiming up to 87%.[5] The main disadvantage of PHS is the specialist nature of the site required, needing both geographical height and water availability. Suitable sites are therefore likely to be in hilly or mountainous regions, and potentially in areas of outstanding natural beauty, and therefore there are also social and ecological issues to overcome.[6]

And here's one neat fact that the drooling fools that keep bleating renewables something something base load power don't want you to know - :ssh:

:ssh:

It does base load power too.

quote:

The important use for pumped storage is to level the fluctuating output of intermittent energy sources. The pumped storage provides a load at times of high electricity output and low electricity demand, enabling additional system peak capacity. In certain jurisdictions, electricity prices may be close to zero or occasionally negative (Ontario in early September, 2006), on occasions that there is more electrical generation than load available to absorb it; although at present this is rarely due to wind alone, increased wind generation may increase the likelihood of such occurrences. It is particularly likely that pumped storage will become especially important as a balance for very large scale photovoltaic generation.[9]

The biggest problem (after siting) is cost.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2015 12:02

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

A Good Username posted:

NSW state government has found the best way to combat drug use - memes.

http://www.stonersloth.com.au/

George Lucas should sue imho.

# ¿ Dec 19, 2015 07:02

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Solemn Sloth posted:

The best thing about stonersloth is that it's a hundred times funnier to anyone who is currently stoned

mlyp

# ¿ Dec 20, 2015 03:27

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

my stepdads beer posted:

Hospitality, isn't it? Still hosed.

Entertainment, Hospitality and Retail. Utterly no surprises here.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-21/productivity-commission-recommends-changes-to-penalty-rates/7045624

quote:

Penalty rates: Productivity Commission recommends changes to weekend pay for entertainment, hospitality and retail workers By political reporter Stephanie Anderson Updated about an hour ago

The Productivity Commission has recommended changes to weekend penalty rates, calling for Sunday rates to be brought into line with Saturday's time-and-a-half payments.

Key points:

No changes recommended to overtime or night penalty rates or shift loadings
Commission says penalty rates should continue to be set by the Fair Work Commission
Government will examine recommendations and any changes will be taken to next election
Labor opposed to any changes to penalty rates
The recommendations � laid out in the commission's final report into workplace relations released today � would affect workers in the entertainment, hospitality and retail industries, if adopted.

The commission did not recommend any changes to overtime penalty rates, night penalty rates or shift loadings, nor changes to rates for nurses, teachers or emergency services workers. "Penalty rates have a legitimate role in compensating employees for working long hours or at asocial times," it stated. "However, Sunday penalty rates for hospitality, entertainment, retailing, restaurants and cafes are inconsistent across similar work, anachronistic in the context of changing consumer preferences, and frustrate the job aspirations of the unemployed and those who are only available for work on Sunday. Rates should be aligned with those on Saturday, creating a weekend rate for each of the relevant industries."

Announcing the report's findings, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the Government would examine the recommendations and, if the case for sensible and fair changes to workplace relations were outlined, they would be taken to the next election. Senator Cash said the commission recommended that penalty rates should continue to be set by the independent Fair Work Commission and the Government has no plan to change the rates itself. "The only recommendation that the Productivity Commission makes on penalty rates is directed to the independent Fair Work Commission and that is in relation to the weekend penalty rates for the retail and hospitality industry," she said. "Whether or not the independent Fair Work Commission accepts or rejects this particular recommendation is a matter for the Fair Work Commission."

Senator Cash said any changes would be taken to an election.

"The Government has said that if there is a good case for fair and sensible changes to the workplace relations framework, these will be clearly outlined and they will be taken to the Australian people and we will seek a mandate at the next election," she said. "That is what we promised and we intend to keep that promise."

The commission said that despite sometimes significant problems, Australia's workplace relations system was not systematically dysfunctional. "It needs repair, not replacement," it stated.

The Commission made almost 70 recommendations unrelated to penalty rates, including:

Commissioning a comprehensive review of apprenticeship and traineeship agreements
The introduction of measures that encourage migrants to report exploitation
Changes to unfair dismissal laws, including more hurdles to clear before taking it to arbitration
The Commission also recommended the creation of a new organisation to review modern awards and the minimum wage.

Turnbull's Christmas gift no worker wants: Labor

The Federal Opposition has been vocal in its campaign against any potential changes. Labor's workplace spokesman Brendan O'Connor described the report as Prime Minister "Malcolm Turnbull's gift that no worker wants for Christmas". Mr O'Connor said called on the Government to reject the recommendation to change penalty rates. "We want to see the economy grow, but people share in that growth," he said. "The fact is we do have a weekend where people enjoy themselves, spend time with their families. "We usually have weddings, christenings, birthdays, sporting events, most often are on weekends, yet of course we have millions of Australians who work on those days providing services and goods to the bulk of Australians. They should be rewarded for the deprivation that they have insofar as spending time with their friends, their family, and others."

Retailers support clarity over migrant worker rules

Mr O'Connor conceded some of the work by the commission "has been good work", a comment backed by the head of the Australian Retailers' Association. The association's executive director, Russell Zimmerman, supported the recommendation to change the Fair Work Act to clarify migrants working illegally would be covered and could seek compensation if underpaid. It comes after convenience store 7-Eleven was found to have underpaid migrant workers and forced some to breach their visa conditions. Mr Zimmerman acknowledged it had been an issue for the industry. "There has been an incredibly large amount of publicity around that at the moment and I know that many, many employers are very concerned about that, particularly in the franchising industry," he said. "They're checking through their franchisees to make sure that they are compliant with the awards."

So typical Tory small target strategy. Strip Entertainment, Hospitality and Retail workers of their rights because who the gently caress cares about those tossers. Two tiered IR landscapes are the utter death of egalitarianism. This is the thin edge of a very loving nasty wedge.

-/-

Here's a piece on our tax dilema from Ian Verrender.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-21/verrender-how-our-tax-take-has-been-royally-scrooged/7044470

-/-

Speaking of the ALP (Well if I don't nobody will). What ever happened to darling of the left Doug Cameron? He's a shadow minister but I haven't heard squat from him.

# ¿ Dec 21, 2015 10:08

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

freebooter posted:

What counts as Entertainment?

My reading is staff working in venues like theatres and cinemas but I'm sure I heard the sound of a Seven Network Executive blowing a load when they heard it on the news feed.

Cartoon fucked around with this message at 02:08 on Dec 22, 2015

# ¿ Dec 22, 2015 02:05

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

^OOOO OOOO OOOO I'm so very very loving shocked. Nice timing too Hunt you scum bag.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/federal-assistance-package-for-illawarra-steelworkers-under-fire/7047878

quote:

Federal assistance package for Illawarra steelworkers under fire By Nick McLaren Posted 45 minutes ago

With Bluescope looking to shed 500 jobs to keep the Port Kembla steelworks open back in August this year, the federal government promised financial assistance, but it didn't arrive until now. The NSW Government announced in October assistance by delaying $60-million of payroll tax for three years. Just three days before Christmas, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has pledged a $670,000 adjustment package assisting retrenched workers make the transition to new jobs, and the reinstatement of a local employment coordinator. "This funding has been provided in what I would say is a timely manner to get them back into the workforce," Ms Cash said. But Wayne Phillips from the Australian Workers Union says most redundant workers have already made the decision to retire or they've found new jobs.

"I would say only a smaller group of younger type people who left will be looking for a role in the industry," he said. Mr Phillips is hoping assistance will be extended to two hundred or so contract workers. "Although they are not directly employed by Bluescope there were many number of contractors displaced or put out of work because of the steelworks shrinking down and cutting off work to contractors," he said. "I would think it would benefit contractors more than directly employed Bluescope employees."

CEO of the Illawarra Business Chamber, Debra Murphy, says the package is a step in the right direction, but she wants to see more emphasis on restructuring to help boost innovation in manufacturing. "What we think also needs a lot of support and help on the ground is entrepreneurial advisors," she said. "We had three of those in the region who were activily trying to help both new businesses and existing businesses to grow new products and access new markets." Secretary of the South Coast Labour Council, Arthur Rorris, has again called on Industry Minister Christopher Pyne to make a visit to the region. "We urge the government if they really want to help us out in the Illawarra to maybe get the Industry Minister Christopher Pyne to come down for a visit," he said.

Too little too late and going to the wrong people. :bravo:

:bravo:

Michaelia you are now only almost entirely worthless.

# ¿ Dec 22, 2015 02:53

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

Birb Katter posted:

SBS2 cranking out some TV for next year that may fit neatly into your must see TV collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nClYDL7jgj0

The whole of that guy's youtube account is worthy of your attention.

Content edit:

On the radio this morning Tania Plibersek was trying to explain why the ALP isn't worried about their poll standings and said that if you were in any doubt check out their policy document on line:

http://www.alp.org.au/policy_commitments

Not sure if that's not actually worse than stoner sloth.

Cartoon fucked around with this message at 23:02 on Dec 22, 2015

# ¿ Dec 22, 2015 23:00

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 10, 2024 04:31

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

It's high time that strong action was taken against the terrorist responsible.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-24/police-investigate-explosion-in-bowen/7052280

quote:

Police set up exclusion zone in Bowen after explosion Updated 32 minutes ago

Guests have been evacuated from a motel in north Queensland after a container of suspected hydrochloric acid exploded. Emergency services are on standby at the Oceanview Motel on the Bruce Highway, just south of Bowen. Police said a second, unexploded container had been found during a search. A 100-metre exclusion zone is in place, but the Bruce Highway is not affected. No-one is believed to have been injured. Police said it was not known where the containers came from. Authorities said there was no further information at this stage.

Interesting smear of heroic and fearless journalist Greg Sherriden

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/maccallum-how-an-asio-chief-came-up-against-a-hostile-media/7047624

quote:

How an ASIO chief came up against a hostile media OPINION By Mungo MacCallum Updated Tue at 12:57pm

When ASIO chief Duncan Lewis had the gumption to say Muslim baiting in Australia could be counter-productive, the usual suspects in the media were only too happy to set him straight and reassert their own agenda, writes Mungo MacCallum. Christmas comes but once a year to fill the voters' hearts with fear; so now that Tony Abbott is not here as Prime Minister to supply it, The Australian has obligingly steeped in to the space with a splendidly seasonal beat-up. It started with an interview not in the national daily, but in its little sister The Daily Telegraph, which somehow made it worse. Duncan Lewis had the temerity to assert that Muslim baiting in Australia was overblown and dangerous and could make it harder for the various counter-terrorist agencies to do their work.

And, shock horror, he had reportedly said the same thing to some of the Coalition's more bellicose backbenchers, just in case they could not read the newspaper. But what would Duncan Lewis know about it? He is only the Director-General of ASIO, our chief domestic intelligence network and the man responsible for the nation's security. Fortunately we had The Australian's fearless foreign editor, Greg Sheridan, who set him right. Lewis, thundered the paper's uberpundit, was wrong in substance and in principle. His substantial sin, it appears, was implicitly criticising Sheridan's dear friend Tony Abbott - utterly unacceptable, akin to blasphemy. And his mistake in principle was to involve his job in political debate - it was an issue of free speech, which could be left untrammelled by the Abbottistas of this world, but must be ruthlessly suppressed in the case of Lewis. And this, continued Sheridan, was not only his opinion; he had talked to lots of his friends, politicians of course, but also extensive contacts within the security services - supportive spooks. Which is really the point; while ASIO's boss, Lewis, is prepared to be upfront with the public about his carefully thought out assessments, there are still many of his unreconstructed underlings who are willing and able to leak anonymously to supportive elements in the media to further their own agendas.

Sheridan is not the only one, nor the first to be the beneficiary of such subterfuge. Since ASIO was inaugurated at the start of the Cold War there have been compliant politicians and journalists eager to feed on whatever scraps of information - and misinformation - their sources could provide. And few, if any, complained, even when they have turned out to be seriously misled. Lewis, encouraged by Turnbull, has been more open, to the chagrin of conspirators like Sheridan who love to believe that they are real players in the secret world, lurkers in the shadows. It has since turned out that Lewis spoke to just two members of parliament: Dan Tehan, who is the chair of the joint parliamentary committee on intelligence and security, and the newly-elected Andrew Hastie, who, like Lewis himself, is a former SAS officer. Neither of the two has objected to Lewis's counsel. The outrage, as Sheridan called it, came from the usual suspects in the Abbott camp: the terrible Tasmanians, Eric Abetz and Andrew Nikolic, and the West Australian Dennis Jensen, perhaps urged on by the usual suspects in the media.

Turnbull himself has firmly denied that he asked Lewis to speak to anyone in particular, but that he did say that the ASIO chief and his colleagues in the counter-terrorism business should be prepared to talk to as many people as possible - politicians on both sides, community groups and journalists - including, presumably, Greg Sheridan. But I doubt if The Australian's Deep Throat will take out the offer. After all, to tell his readers what his sources actually are would take all the fun out of it. Just to confirm that conspiracies are the paper's meat and drink, a follow up piece - no, a screaming headline - on Monday proclaimed: "PM warned on stifling Islam debate". There was, we were told, a "furious dispute" within the Coalition party room - which has, of course, been empty since Parliament rose for the summer recess, but had anyone been inside it, no doubt they would have been disputing furiously.

As it was, the report did not name a single new source; the zealous defenders of their right to free speech were carefully anonymous - if, indeed, they existed. But they were enough for Sheridan to fulminate in yet another opinion piece that Turnbull must sort out the "incredibly messy business of misusing ASIO to enforce political uniformity". And the chief stirrer of the shemozzle went on to deplore "inexperience in national security, a lack of a clear, consistent, deeply thought-out political outlook on the matter, combined with a desire to endlessly put Abbott to the sword."

But fortunately, Sheridan, as always, had a solution: Where is the national security grey beard, the hard head, someone who can blend the policy and the politics, in his (Turnbull's) inner circle?
Who could he possibly have in mind? After all, the photograph that came with the diatribe shows that Sheridan's beard is only slightly grizzled, not really grey. But, having in the previous week penned the job application for Tony Abbott to take over as Turnbull's partner, perhaps it is only fitting that he should spruik his own credentials. It would be nice to have the two close friends working together to re-educate their boss. But alas, Turnbull already has security advisers he trusts: Lewis, for instance, and also the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Andrew Colvin, who has also spoken on the need for a calm and measured approach when it comes to dealing with the Muslim community.

Sheridan will have to be content with his traditional role of ringing his bells and waving his placards, warning constantly that the end is nigh unless and until the leftie sinners like Turnbull are defeated in the final battle - when, of course, they will be cast down to burn in hell forever. And let's face it, Sheridan would never be comfortable in the rational optimism surrounding Turnbull's office. He will always be happier in the metaphysical forebodings of the Murdoch empire. After all, it is entirely appropriate that Greg Sheridan translates anagrammatically as he rigs danger. And with that thought, merry Christmas to all our readers. And bah humbug to the rest of you.

Not done as household consumption but some interesting figures here:

http://www.esaa.com.au/policy/data_and_statistics-_energy_in_australia

# ¿ Dec 24, 2015 00:27

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol December : Fuck its hot.

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