This story on the ABC’s World Today program quotes Union officials who are unhappy with possibility that “local workers” might be losing their jobs ahead of migrant workers here on the long-term subclass 457 visa.
This story in The Australian carries a similar message, reporting a CFMEU organiser from Mackay saying the union would approach senior [...]
The world of politics, policy and public life
Monthly Archives: March 2009
Push to sack migrant workers
March 17, 2009 – 12:07 am
By Andrew Bartlett
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Posted in immigration
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Tagged 457 visas, migration, trade unions
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Comments (3)
Waiting for the miracle
March 15, 2009 – 10:42 pm
This story from the New York Times about the search for alternative energy sources suggests two things to me:
– firstly that, unlike Australia’s stimulus package, President Obama’s – regardless of how well it works at helping restore the economy – at least makes a decent effort at using the stimulus to [...]
Senate's climate change inquiries
March 14, 2009 – 10:38 pm
Last week, the Senate established two Inquiries into greenhouse issues. One, to be conducted by the Senate’s Economics Committee, will look at the exposure drafts of the government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation. It is due to report by 14 April when the Senate is out of session. The other inquiry will be conducted by [...]
By Andrew Bartlett
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Posted in Committee Inquires, climate change, environment
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Tagged climate change, meat consumption, Senate Committee inquires
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Comments (0)
Putting families first by keeping political donations secret?!
March 13, 2009 – 11:46 am
It’s probably redundant to express bafflement at Steve Fielding’s actions in the Senate, so instead I’ll state that I’m flabbergasted at the Family First Senator’s decision this week to block an attempt to restore some transparency to political donations in Australia. It’s hard to see how Australian families benefit from enabling the wealthy to keep [...]
By Andrew Bartlett
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Posted in Senate, democratic engagement, electoral issues
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Tagged Family First, political donations, Senate
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Comments (6)
Senate debate starts on workplace law changes
March 10, 2009 – 11:35 am
Given public statements made by both the Coalition and the Greens, it is very hard to see a majority of the Senate insisting on any amendments it makes, should the government reject them in the House of Representatives. This means Labor will make the eventual decision on what type of amendments, if any, they are willing to wear and the Senate debate will serve mainly as a vehicle for the various parties to do some positioning on what is still a politically significant issue.
By Andrew Bartlett
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Posted in Senate, economic issues, workplace relations
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Tagged Fair Work Bill, Senate, workchoices, workplace relations
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Comments (0)
It couldn't really happen, could it?
March 8, 2009 – 12:59 am
There was an interesting feature article in the glossy magazine section of the latest Weekend Australian (not online), detailing the recollections of some of the people of Marysville in Victoria in the hours leading up to the horrendous bushfire which all but wiped out the town.
The story reconstructs the last 24 hours of Marysville’s life [...]
Thinking globally versus being unthinking locally
March 6, 2009 – 4:49 pm
The Age carries a report of a presentation by Melbourne University professor, Roger Short to an international conference in Sydney. The Professor says that “for the first time in history, human activity is outstripping the natural world’s ability to cope.”
The reason, he says, is exploding and uncontrolled population growth. Professor Short will bring to the [...]
Justice and Einfeld: agreeing with people I disagree with
March 6, 2009 – 3:56 pm
James Allan is a professor of law at the University of Queensland. I rarely find myself agreeing with his public comments, especially when he is writing for The Australian. He is a key booster for the overblown moral panic approach that seeks to undermine efforts to strengthen human rights protections in our laws. I’ve found [...]
Queensland and its icons
March 3, 2009 – 3:46 am
It will be difficult for anyone who resides in Queensland to get to the end of this year without being made well and truly aware that 2009 is the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Queensland as a separate colony.
The Queensland Premier has released a list of 300 potential Queensland icons, across ten different categories. [...]
European instability grows
March 2, 2009 – 11:01 pm
A little over a week ago I pondered which country would be next to follow Iceland and Latvia on the list of national governments which have fallen as a result of the global economic turmoil.
Reports suggest Ukraine is heading into some major instability, with daily queues outside banks and some cities “going days without heat or [...]
By Andrew Bartlett
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Posted in economic issues, international issues
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Tagged EU, global financial crisus, Ukraine
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Comments (0)
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