Australian fires and the climate crisis everybody wanted to ignore
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog
tony abbott
Is Tony Abbott finished?
Tony Abbott is facing electoral defeat from Zali Steggall, an independent candidate who has put combating climate change at the centre of her campaign.
Libspill set to Toy Story
A genius has set the recent Liberal Party putsch to scenes from Toy Story.
Australia, New Zealand, and Climate Change Politics
What are the implications for New Zealand’s climate change policies of Australia’s change of Prime Minister?
Australia supports same sex marriage
Australian electors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same sex marriages.
Were people smugglers paid money to take refuges away from New Zealand?
Amnesty International has published a report “By Hook or by Crook: Australia’s Abuse of Asylum-Seekers at Sea” which has rightfully been described as a damning indictment of Australia’s handling of the refugee crisis. But New Zealand benefitted from payments of money to people smugglers. What did the Government know?
Breaking: Abbott leadership challenge
Seems to be a leadership challenge against Abbott in Australia, a conference at 6pm our time…
Update: Abbott is gone, Turnbull won 54-44.
Key and Abbott are prepared to sacrifice the Pacific
Climate change induced sea level increases poses a huge threat to most Pacific Islands. They are seeking support for a goal of limiting temperature increases to no more than 1.5 degrees. Australia and New Zealand are insisting on sticking to a goal of no more than 2 degrees even though this will likely mean that many Islands will disappear.
Naomi Klein correctly calls Tony Abbott a Climate Villain
Naomi Klein recently visited Australia and amongst other things described climate change as a crime, criticised the Abbott Government attack on renewable energy and described the importance of grassroots action and indigenous rights.
Australia where the bloody hell are you on gay marriage?
Following on from New Zealand, Ireland and many other states the United States Supreme Court has recently ruled that banning same sex marriages is a breach of the 14th amendment’s right to life and liberty. It makes you wonder when Australia is going to institute change.
Snakeheads
It is looking likely that the Australian Government has broken its own laws and international treaties by paying off people smugglers. Did John Key know? Did he approve of what may be criminal activity?
Conservatives and Human Rights
In Australia a recent attempt by Abbott and some supporters to give the Minister of Immigration the power to cancel an Australian’s citizenship status was met by a cabinet revolt. In England there is talk of the UK withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights. So much for the Conservative commitment to the rule of law.
What Tony Abbott thinks of babies
A recent cartoon summarises Tony Abbott’s views of babies perfectly.
Captain’s Call
Leaving Mike Sabin in charge of the Law and Order Select Committee was certainly a captain’s call by John Key. Just like Tony Abbott’s award of a knighthood to the Duke (as if he needed more fruit salad), this was a judgment call. And it does call Key’s judgment into question. It’s not about when he knew what he knew, it’s about what he did when he knew.
Is Tony’s tenure terminal?
Over in Australia a spill motion scheduled for tomorrow may end Tony Abbott’s reign. Former PM Julia Gillard who famously lectured Abbott on his misogyny must be grinning from ear to ear. Update: Abbott has survived with the vote reported to be 61-39 against a spill. I suspect the left will be pleased …
The Queensland State Election
The Queensland State election is on today. At the last election Labor was reduced to 7 out of 89 seats as punishment for its privatisation program. But the current Government has been that bad that the Premier may lose his seat and a resurgence by Labor looks likely. Update remarkably a change of government is on the cards …
Polity: Bonza
Poor old Tony Abbott. Thrust into the limelight of hosting the world’s biggest economic meeting, and his true colours come out for everyone to see. Not a happy weekend for Tony Abbott and, by extension, for Australia. Perhaps “bumpkin” would be a better title
A bunch of 14 year olds show up Tony Abbott
Recently Australian PM Tony Abbott decided to speak to a group of 14 year olds who were visiting Parliament. Unluckily for him this particular group of 14 year olds were very sophisticated and asked him a series of questions which neatly skewered four of his main policy positions.
Play it again John
John Key has welcomed Tony Abbott’s confirmation that Australia would extend access to students under the Higher Education Loan Program to long-term New Zealand residents in Australia. But this policy was announced eight months ago.
How to replace Tony Abbott with cats
Tired of seeing Tony Abbott’s mug in web pages on Australian politics? Well help may be just around the corner …
The least popular weasel wins
In the odd moments that I have to view and write about politics outside NZ at present, I happened upon a Wall Street […]
The Failed Estate – An Australian Blog to follow
With Australian elections just around the corner quality Australian political blogs will be in demand. If you want to read a refreshingly progressive and sophisticated analysis of Australian Politics I recommend Jim Parker’s blog Failed Estate. He writes with precision on issues such as the state of Australia’s media, the undermining of Julia Gillard, and the festering sore that is the boat people issue.
Tony Abbot: misogynist and hypocrite
It really was a pleasure last night watching the most obnoxious weasel in aussie politics, Tony Abbott, getting done over by a fired up Julia Gillard. She was pointing out that his sudden calls against sexism and misogyny could be better applied to himself. Then she spent glorious minutes detailing exactly why Tony Abbott was the last politician in Austrailia who could throw dirt using these charges.
Aussie election: Gillard holds the advantage
A week after Australia went to the polls the outcome is still unclear. However, with the last seat (Brisbane) pretty much decided, I’d put my money on Julia Gillard remaining Prime Minister and Labor retaining power. Take a look at the numbers…
Rudd for the chop, Gillard to take the reins
Kevin Rudd has lost the support of the powerful Australian Workers’ Union and an array of the ALP’s factions to Julia Gillard. It’s been a dramatic fall for Rudd, who was so incredibly popular for his first two year’s as PM (if it can happen there…). Gillard will make a stark contrast to the strange conservative leader of the Liberals, Tony Abbott, but has a lot of work to do.
Abbott laughingstock for saying Aussie should copy Key
The new Aussie Liberal leader, Tony Abbott, has been widely derided for saying Australia should ape National’s economic policies. “Abbott’s remark came the day that Australia’s unemployment rate fell from 5.5 to 5.3 per cent. The NZ rate? It’s 7.3 per cent.” We should copy their stimulus policy, not the other way round.