Jumpingmanjim posted:

Thread favourite Chris Kenny is here to explain why it is not a big deal:

SynthOrange posted:

A Brisbane bicycle rider has recorded a blood alcohol content (BAC) reading more than six times the legal limit.

Smegmatron posted:

The Australian government, ladies and gentlemen.

teacup posted:

I feel so sorry for this lady. Hopefully her career is not affected by this.

quote:

DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Peter Fox will leave the NSW Police Force at midnight on Thursday – exactly 36 years, seven months and three days after walking in.

He feels vindicated by evidence at last month’s inquiry into police involvement with a Catholic Church child sexual abuse reporting group, and relieved to leave without disciplinary action against him over the November 2012 television interview that led to a royal commission, but ended his career.

ewe2 posted:

And now it's too late because the international market on the internet is far more cutthroat on inventory than any retail shop, and so Jaycar are very careful not to over-extend on kits etc.

tithin posted:

Is your store online?

quote:

Labor questions PM Malcolm Turnbull's commitment to tackling discrimination against women By political reporter Susan McDonald Updated about 2 hours ago

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's commitment to tackling discrimination against women is being questioned, with the position of Sex Discrimination Commissioner left vacant for four months.

Key points:

Position of Sex Discrimination Commissioner left vacant since September
ABC understands shortlist exists and interviews will be held soon
The appointment will decided by Cabinet in mid-February
Elizabeth Broderick left the post in early September, but her departure was long expected after Attorney-General George Brandis extended her term by a year in 2014.

Senator Brandis told Parliament in early November, in response to Labor's questions, that an announcement would be made "very soon". In a statement, a spokeswoman for Senator Brandis said Human Rights Commission President Gillian Triggs was acting in the role. "The recruitment process is well underway and an announcement will be made shortly," the statement said. The ABC understands candidates have been shortlisted for the position and interviews will be conducted in the near future, before the appointment is decided by Cabinet in mid-February.

The Opposition seized on the delay and linked it to the Mr Turnbull's handling of what it called the Jamie Briggs and Peter Dutton "debacle".

"It's all very well to talk about tackling discrimination against women and stronger ministerial standards — this farce shows Malcolm Turnbull is failing on both those fronts," Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said. Mr Dreyfus said it was "unacceptable" that women suffering discrimination had been left with no dedicated advocate for four months. "Malcolm Turnbull has simply done nothing to fill this important position," he said. "It doesn't appear to be a priority for him, and that is a disgrace for women everywhere."

Zenithe posted:

Check out the whole conversation, it's pretty amazing.

Almost as amazing as an elected leader having a conversation like this in full view of the public.

https://twitter.com/DavidLeyonhjelm/status/684128757796352000

quote:

South Kempsey project scuttled but council manages to hang onto funding By Kieran Moran Jan. 11, 2016, 3:52 p.m.

A HIGHLY publicised and lauded $1.6 million community project earmarked for South Kempsey has been scrapped due to an Aboriginal land claim.

The ‘Our Place: South Kempsey Recreational Parklands Project’ was to be part of the South Kempsey ‘One Community, One Mob’ urban social plan and was a direct result of Kempsey Shire Council-driven consultation with South Kempsey residents in 2012. The project was to transform unused Crown Land between Queen and Vernon streets, South Kempsey, through the construction of a new playground, exercise trails, a walkway and landscape improvements. The parklands project was successful in receiving a $500,000 grant in 2013 under the former Labor Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) and was launched by then Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott in June 2013. The project was supported by Nationals Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker, after the Coalition came to power in September 2013.

The clients for the project were Kempsey Shire Council, NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Australian Government Indigenous Coordination Council and the Kempsey Aboriginal Land Council. Mid Coast Communities, a not-for-profit, non-government incorporated association, who deliver a range of State and federal funded community development projects across the Mid North Coast, were set to deliver the $500,000 project to upgrade the existing 5.2ha recreational parklands, opposite the South Kempsey Community Centre.

However, in early 2015, the Macleay Argus understands that cracks started to appear in the project when it was realised the funding allocated was, in part, designated on land that was not under the control of Mid Coast Communities and no authorisations were in place to allow the project to proceed after the NSW Department of Primary Industry (DPI) and Crown Lands identified significant issues with Native Title and Aboriginal land claims. “DPI land records indicate the land is Crown Land and is the subject of an undetermined Aboriginal land claim,” a DPI spokesperson told the Argus. “In considering proposals for Crown Land, DPI Lands consider potential impacts on any native title rights or other interests that might exist.”

The project was to be on two separate Crown Land lots - but one of the lots is the subject of an Aboriginal land claim. The Argus has not been able to confirm whether the land claim was made before or after the announcement of the planned development. The Argus understands Crown Lands were able to overcome Kempsey Aboriginal Land Council issues through negotiation, but could not resolve the Native Title issue in the limited time available. As a result, Crown Lands could only give Mid Coast Communities the option of a licence over some of the project site, or to seek an extension of time from the funding body (RDAF), while they sought rights to proceed from the Federal Court. “The decision to accept the licence and proceed with the project is a matter for the proponent (Mid Coast Communities),” the DPI spokesperson said.

Due to only one licence being granted for only part of the land, Mid Coast Communities board of governance made the decision to terminate the RDAF funding contract. “Mid Coast Communities deeply regrets that the Our Place project was not able to go ahead due to the timing of approval for use of the land,” Mid Coast Communities CEO Ruth Thompson told the Argus. “We’d like to extend our gratitude to the wonderful people of South Kempsey for supporting us in our efforts to deliver the project. We acknowledge the community’s disappointment as, like us, they saw the project as a very valuable and worthwhile one.”

The Argus understands Kempsey Shire Council, after talks with the Federal Government, has managed to retain the $500,000 RDAF funding for a project within the Kempsey community, with an announcement expected in the next two weeks. Kempsey Aboriginal Land Council was invited to comment on the matter however none was available at the time of going to press.

open24hours posted:

They get quoted because they're much better at playing the game than anyone in the Socialist Alliance could ever hope to be.

open24hours posted:

It's not about blaming the left for being hopeless, it's that if the left are hopeless it's the left that loses out. You can complain about the world being unfair all you like but it's not going to help you or your cause.

quote:

Monarchists Rachel Bailes and Phillip Benwell shake hands after the defeat of Labor Clr George Simon’s motion to remove the Queen’s portrait from Ryde Council Chambers. TWT on-the-spot PHOTO.

THE Queen’s portrait will continue to preside over Ryde Council Chambers after a Labor Party motion to support to dump it was defeated by eight votes to two on Tuesday night.

Councillors also voted against several other Labor republican motions and backed an amendment to continue to honour the Queen, refuse to take sides in the republican issue and leave future debate to Federal Parliament.

The motion to dump the Queen was proposed by Labor Clr George Simon who was accused by Independent and Liberal councillors of single-handedly embarrassing the City of Ryde and causing outrage in the community.

thatfatkid posted:

Bob Brown is hardly a shining light of leftwing ideology.

quote:

Police officer and security guard shot at Nepean hospital in Sydney Updated about 4 hours ago

Staff at a Sydney hospital where a police officer and security guard were shot overnight bravely carried on with their duties as the drama unfolded around them, a witness has said. The police officer, Senior Constable Luke Warburton, was shot with his own gun, grabbed during a scuffle with a man who had earlier allegedly been threatening a doctor with scissors at Nepean Hospital. NSW Police said officers were called to the hospital just before 10:30pm on Tuesday.

A 39-year-old man, who police had dealt with earlier that night over a separate matter, was at the hospital receiving medical treatment, Acting Commissioner Catherine Burn said. The police officer suffered a gunshot wound to the upper leg and a security guard a gunshot wound to his calf. Both men underwent treatment at Nepean Hospital.

Lid posted:

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2016/01/13/the-university-of-wollongong-issues-a-phd-in-antivaccine-pseudoscience/

PaletteSwappedNinja posted:

Have Clive Palmer & Friends delivered anything for the people who voted for them? What did their supporters actually want or expect them to do? Why is he there, again?

hooman posted:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/21/by-every-meaningful-measure-todays-elites-are-gods-this-should-make-us-angry

quote:

ICAC and Arthur Sinodinos silent on claims he has been 'cleared' Date January 22, 2016 - 10:30AM Michaela Whitbourn and Judith Ireland

The NSW corruption watchdog says its high-profile inquiry into a company linked to Labor and Liberal figures including Arthur Sinodinos​ has not yet been completed, amid reports the Turnbull government minister has been cleared of corruption findings. Senator Sinodinos, a former chairman of controversial infrastructure company Australian Water Holdings, was called as a witness during the Independent Commission Against Corruption's public inquiry into the company in 2014. The NSW Senator and cabinet minister was not expected to face corruption findings. Submissions from counsel assisting the ICAC, sent on December 18 and apparently leaked to News Corp by a third party, have reportedly indicated that he will not face such a finding. However, it is not yet clear whether the watchdog will make critical comments about his time as non-executive chairman of the company. On Thursday, Senator Sinodinos told Fairfax Media he was not able to provide a comment until the inquiry was finalised.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told ABC Radio on Thursday it was "very difficult" to comment on the situation because the final report - expected around March - had not been officially released. But Senator Corman praised his fellow frontbencher as a "friend and valued colleague. Arthur was only ever questioned as a witness," he said. "He was never a target of that investigation. " The ICAC released a statement on Thursday morning stressing it had not finished its investigation.

A spokeswoman said the Commission had "invited further submissions from relevant parties in Operations Spicer and Credo [which involve AWH and Liberal Party donations] as a result of recent changes to the ICAC's jurisdiction. "The submissions phase has not been completed. When it has, the commission will prepare and table a report to the NSW Parliament detailing its findings." The High Court ruled in April last year that the ICAC did not have the power to investigate a range of allegations against private citizens where no wrongdoing was alleged on the part of a public official. Laws to amend the ICAC's jurisdiction were rushed through the NSW Parliament to deal with the fallout from that ruling, but still left parts of Operations Spicer and Credo outside its jurisdiction.

Senator Sinodinos stepped aside and then resigned as Assistant Treasurer in 2014, following questions over his time as chairman of AWH. The NSW senator has denied any wrongdoing but stood aside from the frontbench, explaining he wanted to avoid any distractions for the Coalition government. He was reinstated to the frontbench as cabinet secretary by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in September, amid expectations that he would be cleared. A former chief of staff to prime minister John Howard, Senator Sinodinos was appointed to the AWH board in 2008 and made chairman in 2010, while he was honorary treasurer of the NSW Liberal Party.

The ICAC heard he was earning $200,000 a year for "a couple of week's work" and would have "enjoyed a $10 or $20 million payday" if AWH had won a lucrative government contract. The inquiry into AWH has probed a range of allegations, including that the company improperly billed the state-owned utility Sydney Water for lavish expenses, including limousines and airfares. The inquiry crossed party lines and examined allegations that the family of disgraced former Labor minister Eddie Obeid had a secret $3 million stake in the company, although the Obeids have insisted the money was a loan. Former NSW Labor ministers Joe Tripodi and Tony Kelly face allegations they misused their positions by changing a cabinet minute in an attempt to benefit the company.The men denied the claims.

After the March 2011 election that swept Labor from power in NSW, Australian Water assiduously lobbied the state Coalition government. The commission was also investigating whether Australian Water paid $183,000 to an alleged slush fund set up by a former adviser to former Liberal minister Chris Hartcher. The company's former chief executive, prominent Liberal Party fundraiser Nick Di Girolamo, gave former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell the now infamous $3000 bottle of Grange that ended his premiership.

News Corp has reported that allegations of fraud relating to the expenses billed to Sydney Water will not be pursued against Mr Di Girolamo. He had denied the claims and the subsequent High Court ruling on the ICAC's powers made it clear that allegations of fraud against private citizens generally will not be within the watchdog's jurisdiction. However, he faces a potential allegation that he encouraged Mr Tripodi and Mr Kelly to change the cabinet minute to benefit the company.

SadisTech posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h2h7U8QF2o

hooman posted:

deign

hooman posted:

BBJoey posted:

So dead the last post two posts about it were 5 and 10 posts ago respectively

quote:

Asylum seekers arriving in Denmark will have cash and valuables worth more than $2,000 taken from them at the border under controversial new laws adopted by the country's parliament overnight. The reforms, aimed at dissuading refugees and migrants from seeking asylum, also include provisions to delay family reunifications by up to three years, and have been likened by some to the Nazi-era policy of taking gold and other valuables from Jews. The government insists the change is needed to stem the flow of asylum seekers, even though Denmark and Sweden recently tightened their borders, a move that prompted Germany and Austria to turn back new arrivals heading for Scandinavia.

Key points

Denmark approves new asylum seeker reforms
The reforms include confiscating valuables
The move has attracted widespread criticism
Denmark answers that it has no alternative

quote:

Wagga Wagga 'citizen of the year' wants discussion on Indigenous disadvantage and mental health Posted 27 minutes ago

Former rugby league and boxing star, Joe Williams is the 2016 Citizen of the Year in the New South Wales Riverina city of Wagga Wagga. He said he proudly accepted the award, but would like to see the date of Australia Day changed as he sees it as 'Invasion Day'. As much awareness and education that I can get out there, not only to my people but everyone, it's only more beneficial for everyone involved.

Mr Williams has told the ABC he and his family refuse to stand for the national anthem because the song does not represent his people and they believe they are not on a level playing field with other Australians.

"The opening line is 'Australians all let us rejoice for we are young and free'," he said. "Well we're not free, and we die 10 years younger than everyone else. I've been led to believe, whether it's true or not, that Advance Australia Fair actually comes across as Advance Australia Fair as in 'fair skinned'. Mr Williams said he would like Australia to adopt a new flag and new national anthem.

Meanwhile, the suicide prevention advocate said funding cuts at state and national level are only going to lead to more negative social outcomes in Australia. without making any specification, Mr Williams said millions of dollars had been cut from programs that support Indigenous people. "We lose far too many lives," he said. "Being an Aboriginal man, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the highest suicide rates on the planet; we're six and seven times more likely to die by suicide than a non-Aboriginal person. "As much awareness and education that I can get out there, not only to my people but everyone, it's only more beneficial for everyone involved."

Speaking out

Mr Williams said there was change happening, with progress in many areas, but he believed part of the solution would be about speaking out, citing broadcaster Stan Grant's recent speech on racism in Australia. "We've got a long way to go, not only as a community but as a nation, and the people who don't recognise that are either blind or not looking," he said. "I guess last night was me opening a conversation. Stan Grant's speech was about opening a conversation, but let's look at implementing programs to benefit everyone, to educate everyone, and most importantly to move our community forward."

Mr Williams hoped to make a difference in the next year changing attitudes about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. He said Indigenous people carry a lot of scars, but they were not all old scars. "Our stories are passed down from generation to generation purely by voice, but let's not forget we live these stories," Mr Williams said. "When we're talking about the racism and Stolen Generations and inequality and so forth around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, these are things that we actually live from day to day."

quote:

Over 24 hours last week, a female musician took down a powerful music industry publicist, accusing him of sexual assault. In less than a week major clients such as D'Angelo and Tyler, the Creator abandoned the man's PR firm, which then announced it was closing its doors. But the story did not end there. In an interview with Hack, the woman who first made the allegations, Amber Coffman, says music industry figures are ostracising women speaking out against sexual assault and harassment. "I know there's a whole gang of men in the music industry who have totally turned their backs on a lot of these women," she says. "Total shutdown, total blackout. Not a single word. No responses to emails."

She says others are too scared to speak out.

hooman posted:

Given the overtures that Tones was making this seems like a hopelessly optimistic prediction for a double majority Liberal party.

hooman posted:

I'm not sure they understand what 'liberty' is...

open24hours posted:

Brisbane is and always has been big enough for light rail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Brisbane

People who advocate for buses instead of trains might as well be advocating for Soviet style tower blocks. They're cheap and they sustain all the basic functions of human life, what more could you ask for?

quote:

De facto partners don’t need to be in love, judge says January 30, 2016 12:00am Sarah Crawford News Limited

In love or not — it doesn’t matter in a de facto relationship, a court has ruled.

THE government’s attempt to deny an Indonesian woman a partner visa to live with an 89-year-old man has been derailed after a Federal Court judge upheld a ruling that you don’t have to be in love to be in a de facto relationship. Federal Court Chief Justice James Allsop yesterday threw out an appeal by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, upholding a previous ruling that the couple’s de facto relationship was genuine even though it was “calculated for personal advantage on both sides”.

Ang Yenny Angkawijaya had been denied a protection visa several times and a previous application for a partner visa to live with another man had already been refused when she applied in 2009 for a visa, stating she was in a de facto relationship with a Mr Limberiou, who was more than 30 years her senior. She was granted a temporary partner visa in 2009 after which her daughter moved from Indonesia to Australia. But 58-year-old Ms Ankawijaya’s permanent partner visa was refused in 2012 after a Department of Immigration investigation, prompted by an anonymous tip-off that the couple did not live together. Ms Ankawijaya applied for a review by the then-Migration Review Tribunal which, after hearing evidence from Ms Angkawijaya and Mr Limberiou, upheld the decision to deny the application stating it did not consider the pair were committed to a “shared life”.

A summary of the tribunal’s decision stated: “Ms Angkawijaya had agreed to care for Mr Limberiou in ­exchange for permanent residency for her and her children and financial support from Mr Limberiou.” That decision was overturned by the Federal Circuit Court which ruled the tribunal was making a “value judgment” in concluding the couple needed to share a ­romantic love to be in a legitimate de facto relationship. Yesterday, Federal Court Chief Justice Allsop upheld that decision, stating the legislation surrounding partner visas does not require a de facto couple to show love or affection and ordered the minister to pay court costs.

Mr Dutton’s spokesman said the department­ was ­considering the implications of the decision and whether it was appropriate to apply to appeal to the high court.

BlitzkriegOfColour posted:

I've had it up to here with people making GBS threads on the Soviets. I'd like to see you do better to prevent all homelessness.


What's up my Tankie buddy?