Blogs

If you want some really different "opinions", there's the closed Facebook group under the name "Australian Politcal Debate". Today one of the moderators (they're all right-wingers) suspended me from posting because - and get this - they couldn't handle having two people engaging them in a discussion on the same thread. This is a group which openly welcomes Nazis and other associated racists, various shades of climate-change deniers, anti-vaxxers, and even a literal Biblical flat-earther.

The NSW Sports Minister John Sidoti has stood down whilst the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigates him for land purchases and planned developments near planned new train stations and accepting donations from the very property developer that he has a 10% investment in. Through a family trust of course.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-17/john-sidoti-steps-down-pending-ic...

For a few weeks, as bushfires raged in NSW and Qld, a debate broke out here on whether climate change was contributing factor.

In the main part, the answer to the question fell across partisan lines with people from the Labor/Greens/Left saying that it was and those from the LNP/ON/Right saying it was not.

Something I have observed over the years however is that the LNP is very split on the question of climate change. About half seem to accept the mainstream scientific opinion, and about half don't.

For 18 years, workers at the Pearl Continental Karachi (Pakistan) have fought with unflagging determination for their collective rights and for recognition of their union.

That's an extraordinary thing -- for 18 years, denied their rights, those workers continue their struggle.

The trial of Reni Desmiria (http://www.iuf.org/w/?q=node/6944) , secretary of the SPBMI union of workers at seafood processor Bumi Menara Internusa (BMI) in Lampung, Indonesia, has concluded with her conviction and a reduced sentence. The notoriously corrupt legal system declared her guilty as expected, but faced with campaigns at local, national and international level was forced to reduce the sentence to 4 months with time served.

Somewhat notorious for his selective referencing, Alan Bolt comes first with a frankly weird act of excessive cherry-picking. Interviewing Daniel Fitzhenry, a hydrographic surveyor of NSW, it is noted that the data collected by the tidal gauge at Fort Denison by the Bureau of Meteorology, from 1914 onwards, shows rise and fall within the range of 15 centimetres, but no net overall change. The implication provided is that there is no increase in sea-level overall.

CNN announces details for climate crisis town hall
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/27/politics/cnn-climate-crisis-town-hall...

Some questions I hope to see:

Having lived in Medan, Indonesia for six years my life has changed in many ways. Living in a developing country is confronting for any person from a developed country, but so it should be. I would like to post in Bahasa Indonesia, but my skill with the language is still somewhat limited and I don't think that I would do justice to it at this time. My experiences here have changed my perspective of life, but my belief in social justice and equality is as strong if not stronger than ever.

After the surprise election of the Coalition government in Australia in May, the Director of the Centre for Economic Policy research made this rather harmless, but insightful scatter diagram of select demographics and swings.

Some potential drivers of swing to Coalition at electorate level - low income, low education, Christian religion. Age, rentals little correlation. Usual correlation caveats apply! pic.twitter.com/ZRwZPB7xj0

US-headquartered packaged seafood provider Chicken of the Sea promises ‘A Sea of Good’ and likes to talk about sustainability. Its products are well-known throughout the Americas. Like many US seafood companies, Chicken of the Sea sources products from Bumi Menara Internusa (BMI) in Lampung, Indonesia. And BMI is trying to send a brave trade union leader to prison for 6 years. Human rights violations are swimming in the Sea of Good.