Yesterday was the first sitting day of the 47th Australian Parliament. In the lead up the usual suspects opinionators were hyperventilating in public, as they busily urged the Greens in the Senate – and David Pocock, I suppose – to approve the so-called Climate Change Bill 2022.
They were not alone. Labor environmental activists had been shaking their fists at the Greens before. Won’t somebody please think of the children!
Such dramatic urgency seemed a bit strange – to me. I mean, why a Bill that was virtually unknown to the public – even its precise title was uncertain, for Christ’s sake! – could be deemed so vital? Did they know something I didn’t?
In 2007 the Australian Labor Party, under Kevin Rudd, inflicted a painful defeat on the COALition. From 60 MPs the ALP had before the federal election, their Lower House representation swelled to 83 (more than enough to pass legislation). And 22 of those new MPs were replacing defeated COALition MPs, whose House contingent was reduced to 65.
To make things worse for the COALition, even John Howard, until then PM, lost his safe seat of Bennelong and “moderate” Malcolm Turnbull, who soon was chosen federal Opposition Leader, was facing an extreme Right insurgency, led by Tony Abbott and Nick Minchin.
In the Senate, things were only slightly less favourable for Rudd, the new Labor PM:
Why the difference in results? Because in Australia, normally only half the Senate seats are contested each election. So, perhaps Labor could have done much better in the Senate, but only half its seats were in dispute. (It would have taken a double dissolution for all Parliament seats to be contested).
Given the news, it’s hard for an environmentally-conscious socialist worker to focus on a single topic.
Think about it. Should I focus on the catastrophic drought, heat wave and/or wildfires afflicting Europe, north Africa and Asia? What about the megadrought that left Lake Mead dry? Should I focus on it, instead?
Rejoice, largely white and male, generally straight, often old, and invariably educated, upwardly mobile and relatively affluent progressive, identitarian and Liberal-Leftish intellectuals from English speaking rich nations! The revolution is happening in your lifetime!
Clare O’Brien, writing for Working Life, the ACTU newsletter, remind us that we must check our payslips carefully:
As we ring in a new financial year, we welcome a very well-deserved pay increase for minimum wage workers. As of 1 July, those on minimum wage should expect a 5.2 per cent pay rise while those on awards will receive either a 4.2 per cent increase or an extra $40 per week (whichever of the two is highest).
Also coming into effect on 1 July is the removal of the $450 threshold for super contributions. Are you starting to receive super for the first time? It’s important you make the right choice for you about which super fund your employer starts contributing to. Here’s a good place to start your research.
Australian union members fought long and hard for these much-needed changes that Australian workers have truly earned!
July 11, 2022 — New York City Emergency Management Department today launched a new public service announcement (PSA) that focuses on nuclear preparedness. While the likelihood of a nuclear weapon incident occurring in/near New York City is very low, it is important New Yorkers know the steps to stay safe. The new PSA encourages New Yorkers to take key, simple steps in the event of such an incident.
I suppose the irony was as lost on British journos as it was lost on Keith Starmer: Sir Keith (Labour Party leader) is calling for a regime change … in the UK.
“I don’t know how they want to get undressed, above or below the waist, but I think it would be a disgusting sight in any case”, Volodya Pew-teen, as quoted by AP.
I’m just a low-income, sort-of white, ageing, male, semi-educated Aussie worker: a pleb. To rub shoulders with such VIPs is not one of my many privileges, so I have no direct, personal knowledge on those matters and it’s impossible for me to say either way.
