Comments
ABC's Vote Compass - limited
True planning has been corrupted
Faifax media continues cover-up of frame-up of Schapelle Corby
The Australian newsmedia's unconscionable treatment of Schapelle Corby continues. The latest example is: Schapelle Corby: Time to let go of our obsession by Michael Bachelard, Indonesia correspondent for the Fairfax Media:
... Many people have spent a great deal of time and energy poring over this one woman's case – the Australian consulate in Bali; authors; lawyers; dozens, if not hundreds of journalists; prison officials, professional internet conspiracy theorists, politicians in both Australia and Indonesia.
It is not just about "one woman". It is about a grave hazard that many Australians unknowingly face when they go to Bali for their holidays. As Author, Kathyrn Bonella has shown, in Hotel Kerokoban (2009), Snowing in Bali (2012) and Schapelle Corby - My Story (2006), the ludicrous crime for which Schapelle has been wrongly convicted and for which she was sentenced to prison for 20 years -- the alleged smuggling of 4.2 kg of Marijuhana from Australia to a country where its market valued is less-- pales into insignificance in comparison to the corruption practised routinely by many Inodonesian government officials, police and local entepreneurs on Bali.
A Texan tragedy: ample oil, no water
Lab grown Meat - a success
Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands publicly unveiled his lab-grown burger at a high-profile London taste-testing event. Some people think they have to eat real meat, despite tasty soy and gluten convincing alternatives. Post made his by placing stem cells taken from cows into a culture dish and feeding the cells with fetal calf serum to make them grow. He says that one sample of muscle cells taken from a live cow during a biopsy could create up to 20,000 tons of cultured beef.
It uses stem cell technology to produce up to 10 kilos of beef. No harm is done to the cows. PETA is offering $1 million for the production of in vitro chicken meat to the market.
Animal rights group PETA supports this development. Besides eliminating the need to slaughter billions of animals every year, growing meat in a laboratory would end clear-cutting of forests for livestock production, conserve vast amounts of water and energy, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions for meat production by 78 to 96 percent.
For those who insist on eating animal flesh, this lab-produced meat is an ideal alternative, environmentally and for a more humane society.
World Vasectomy Day October 18th 2013
MEDIA RELEASE:AiAUS
BALLS ON THE LINE FOR PLANET EARTH
For release: 10am Monday July 8, 2013, Adelaide, Australia
Australia hosts the world?s-first vasectomy-athon asking men to take a very
personal action to save the planet, protect their families and do right by
themselves.
On October 18, 2013 men all over the world, who are ready to exit the gene pool, will dedicate their vasectomy to Planet Earth.
1,000 men in 25 countries will take the ultimate snip to show they care about the growing strain that population is placing on the planet?s resources, their families and themselves.
The world?s most prolific vasectomist, Dr Doug Stein will perform live
vasectomies in front of an audience in Adelaide at the Royal Institution of
Australia (RiAus) to launch the inaugural World Vasectomy Day event
streamed live online. Renowned thinkers, academics and activists will
surround the operating room as they debate the future of our planet.
World Vasectomy Day (WVD) is the creation of Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jonathan Stack, who while setting out to tell his own story about getting a vasectomy, met legendary Florida-based vasectomist Dr Doug Stein and together, ended up making a film about population on the planet – THE VASECTOMIST. But it didn?t stop there. The journey inspired them to create a movement to raise global awareness of: the dangers an ever-increasing population has on the planet?s finite resources; and vasectomy as a viable solution to prevent
unintended pregnancies.
“We?re asking men who do not want more children to shoulder the burden of family planning, to fight for their family, their community, their country and our planet,” says Stack. “To be like Frodo in ?The Lord of the Rings?! By throwing our fertility into the fire, we?re protecting our women, our families and future generations.”
Australia has one of the highest uptake rates of vasectomy in the world and this trailblazing spirit led the producers to launch WVD in Australia to set the stage for the global conversation. Director of RiAus Paul Willis welcomed the partnership as a prime opportunity to host a world-class knowledge-sharing forum addressing critical science related issues within the context of a highly innovative and ambitious multiplatform public event:
“This event will take vasectomy out of the medical suite and into the homes of people who may never have considered vasectomy. It will be an important way of encouraging people to think about how their ecological footprint leaves its mark on the planet,” says Willis.
The live-streamed vasectomy-athon will feature Dr Stein performing vasectomies while fielding questions from both the live Adelaide audience and an international online audience. Simultaneously, a gathering of diverse thought leaders including population expert and author of The Population Bomb Professor Paul Ehrlich will weigh in on the social, political, cultural and ethical issues raised by the event and Dr Stein?s mission to save the planet, one vasectomy at a time...
“Can vasectomies really make a difference? Mine made a big difference in my life, and to this day I consider it the single most important contribution I have personally made to the wellbeing of future generations, “ says Ehrlich.
World Vasectomy Day is coproduced by Jonathan Stack?s New York-based Gabriel Films and Sydney-based Smith&Nasht – a media production company focused on social issue storytelling founded by Simon Nasht and Dick Smith.
For all media enquiries and interviews contact
Ruth Cross - Producer
ruthecross&nbdp;[ AT ] gmail.com
+61 435 556 339
http://thevasectomist.net
http://facebook.com/thevasectomist
http://youtube.com/thevasectomist
https://twitter.com/thevasectomist
RiAUS - Bringing science to people and people to science
Fukushima nuclear fallout hero dies of cancer
Masao Yoshida, the man in charge of Japan's stricken Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant in the wake of the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami, has died at 58 from oesophageal cancer. Yoshida was called a "hero" for his actions during the disaster that helped curtail the spread of nuclear fallout. Yoshida-one of the "Fukushima 50"- risked his life to do so, even disobeying orders by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), to stop pumping cooling seawater into the overheating reactors. The "Fukushima 50" were the 50 engineers and workers who stayed on at the plant, braving potentially lethal amounts of radiation, in an attempt to restore the damaged cooling system.
At first reprimanded by the company for his disobedience, Yoshida's decision helped to lessen the damage of the meltdown, and later they praised Yoshida for his resolve. In fact, Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan tweeted about Yoshida saying, "I bow in respect for his leadership and decision making." Yoshida stayed at the disabled nuclear facility for nearly nine months, heading up the disaster response. In a December, 2011 statement after Yoshida stepped down from his post as plant head of Fukushima due to illness, Tepco President Naomi Hirose said, "We deeply appreciate his contribution and the way he handled the accident."
http://news.msn.com/obits/hero-chief-of-stricken-japan-nuclear-plant-dies-of-cancer
Wildlife forgotten in the election grab-bag
The political parties vying for votes are offering a selection of goodies for those who vote for them. However, there's is more at stake than ourselves, and our own concerns and the economy.
National laws require the Australian Government to develop recovery plans for all 112 birds listed as threatened … but there is no dedicated fund to implement them.
This is not a big commitment. Birdlife Australia estimate it would only cost an average of $380,000 for each species. And we know funded recovery plans work – they save birds.
Save the Birds - Birdlife Australia
They are urging both major parties to fund the implementation of national recovery plans for threatened birds. They need your help to ensure threatened birds have a voice in this election campaign.
Mining at Tarkine approved, despite Tasmanian Devils
Environment Minister Mark Butler announced that he approved the mine in Tasmania's Tarkine, which was halted two weeks ago by a Federal Court decision that found his predecessor, Tony Burke, had failed to properly consider official departmental advice about its impact on the Tasmanian devil. The mine’s development was halted by a federal court ruling in May, which found the mine to be unlawful due to its potential impact on Tasmanian devils.
"Environment" Minister Mark Butler is quite comfortable about going down in history as the "Minister for extinction"
There are currently 58 exploration licences granted over the Tarkine. Exploration activities such as drilling, geophysical surveys and pit tests have a substantial impact on the Tarkine through clearing, roading and introduction of contaminants.
The Tarkine is the last stronghold of disease-free Tasmanian Devils. Economic benefits are not to be thwarted by the small problem of protected and threatened Tasmanian Devils! They are disposable, natural assets!
Australian Greens leader Senator Christine Milne said the future of the Tasmanian devil and the tourism potential of the Tarkine were being trashed by Labor for short-term political gain. Also trashed is any legal guarantees and policies that protect even threatened native species.
The conditions of the new approval stipulate that Shree Minerals Limited make contributions to organisations that protect flora and fauna in the area, including a donation of $350,000 to maintain an insurance population of devils in response to the deadly facial tumour disease epidemic. This is pure and futile tokenism considering their mining trucks and heavy equipment will access the area and trample on any flora and fauna inhibiting their access.
Over-density of koalas - causing their own demise!
Thousands of koalas have taken refuge in the vast timber plantations that have emerged across the region, which are increasingly maturing for harvest. In plantations that are used for wood pulp, hundreds of koalas are being killed and suffering from horrific injuries and left to slowly die. A plantation harvesting operation is so mechanised and cost-efficient, it has no time to look for and avoid koalas in trees.
According to the Victorian government's Department of Environment and Primary Industries, "there are significant numbers of koalas across suitable habitat in the South west. The high population densities have resulted in many koalas moving into the blue gum plantations in the region. This is a significant issue for the timber plantation industry that they haven'??t had to address in such magnitude before".
In other words, the koalas are being shredded in Blue Gum plantations because of their own population growth. It's their own fault for over-breeding!
"DEPI is working with the Blue Gum Plantation industry in the south west to make sure it responds humanely and effectively to the influx of koalas onto its plantation estate". It's more like stress on their habitats, fragmentation and lack of it that they are going into the plantations, only to suffer callous carnage during logging.
There are a lot of motherhood statements about caring, and guidelines, and policies for koala management.
"DEPI, in partnership with Wildlife Carers, is developing a training program for operational forestry field staff focusing on koala awareness, signs of distress and handling techniques for those operating in koala environments. This new training will begin in August".
The Victorian government should buy the plantations, at any costs, to save our wildlife. Why would foreign plantation owners care about koalas, any more than palm-oil plantation owners care about orangatans or other native animals.
The Business Council of Australia: Ponzi pyramid economics
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is proposing to reduce the corporate tax rate from 30% to 25%.
To make up for lost revenue, company tax revenue would be replaced by increasing and expanding the GST so all Australians would pay more for our basic essentials such as food, education and health care.
The Grattan Institute estimates this would add another $3000 a year to average household costs.
They're also proposing to slash penalty rates and reduce the minimum wage for workers, meaning you would have less money in your pocket to pay bills and feed your family. This is to create more "prosperity" for Australia, and create a future surplus.
They would increase immigration too.
It's pure Ponzi economics, a way of getting working Australians to participate in the scheme so that more of their hard-earned saving and wages drift into corporate hands - those at its peak!
Only dodgy and questionable organisations rely on population growth for their revenues. It's about accumulating consumers, as business resources, to boost business profits and opportunities. There's no guarantee of jobs for the migrants they would like to import.
And homebuyers would be invited to pay even more, by introducing a new land tax on home owner-occupiers.
Mitigating an ageing population by adding would mean a further ageing deficit for the next generation. It's Ponzi demographics and is intellectually dishonest.
Financial and corporations, and collectives such as this business "council", make demands and create reports that suit their vested interests.
Russia's ban on importing kangaroo meat applauded: AJP
July 2013
RUSSIA'S DECISION TO FORBID KANGAROO PRODUCT IMPORTS
APPLAUDED BY THE ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT NOW FACES DISGRACE AFTER SUPPORTING AN INDUSTRY WHICH MOSCOW NOW UNCOVERS AS DECEPTIVE AND CORRUPT
It has been confirmed with the Animal Justice Party by Yury Aleshin, Chief of the Agriculture Ministry at the Russian Embassy, that Russia has again imposed a full ban on the importation of kangaroo meat from Australia on grounds of fraudulent and deceptive conduct.
Following an investigation and seizure of containers containing 1,860kg of meat it was discovered the meat was sourced from unapproved plants via unregistered companies owned by Macro meats. The decision follows two former bans in 2008 and 2009 after major contamination was detected.
This will help bring this grotesquely brutal, rogue industry to an end. A core goal of the Animal Justice Party for the current election campaign is now well on the way to being achieved.
Both Labor and the Coalition have provided significant financial and lobbying support for the kangaroo killing industry to access overseas markets in recent years. This was in return for votes in rural areas. Until now, Russia was the largest importer of kangaroo meat which was enough to keep this brutal, unregulated and heavily subsidised industry operational.
“The kangaroo killing industry is an international disgrace and has been the main contributor to Australia having the unenviable distinction of the highest rate of land-based wildlife slaughter on the planet”, said AJP President Professor Steve Garlick.
“The end of this industry is now in sight thanks to the Russian Government. But there is no thanks to Labor and the Coalition who actively propped up this industry, or to the Greens who have failed to oppose this brutal industry. The Greens have never supported Australia’s iconic fauna emblem.” said Professor Garlick.
Animal Justice Party members played a key role in providing evidence to Russian Government officials in order to help them in their decision to ban these imports from Australia.
A full list of AJP policies, including its policy on kangaroos and wallabies, and its manifesto can be found at: www.animaljusticeparty.org
For further information please email [email protected] or tweet us @justice4animals.
Media Enquiries: Professor Steve Garlick – AJP President – 0428 880 564
Mark Pearson - lead Senate candidate for NSW – 0417 252 107
SPP is being blamed for stopping people buying houses!
Japan's economic growth on a declining population
Fury over news that annual electricity bills will average $2000
Fury over news that annual electricity bills will average $2000
PERTH residents have vented outrage that their power bills will increase to an average of $2000 within three years.
State Budget papers reveal yearly "approved increases" of 7 per cent for electricity prices from 2014 through to at least 2016-17. They have already gone up 4 per cent this year.
This will take the average annual family power bill from $963 to $1998 under Mr Barnett's reign, despite his promise during the March state election campaign to keep electricity prices "at or around the rate of inflation" which is now 2.5 per cent.
Herald Sun: Fury over news that annual electricity bills will average $2000 by 2016
Perth has "enjoyed" solid and sustained population growth. Last year alone, 75,000 people moved to the city – and the people transport network catered for an extra five million boardings. Almost one in three renters in the marginal seat of Canning south of Perth, currently held by the Liberals’ Don Randall, are suffering rental stress, and almost 3000 households in Pearce, northeast of Perth are in mortgage stress.
“We have 500 community organisations saying (housing affordability) has reached crisis point, so it’s a national issue,” said Roland Manderson, Deputy Director of Anglicare. Not for profit organisations and charities should not be overwhelmed by demands, from the fallout of government mismanagement of population growth. They are becoming a fixture of our society, of "growth" that displaces people from the economy.
As for electricity, the main cost is the poles and the wires, and they need to be maintained and expanded for a swelling population - blowing out the electricity prices. Having power, water and gas are accepted amenities as a first world country, but now they are biting into hip pockets.
McDonalds at Tecoma an example of unwanted "planning"
John Carbonarri for Deakin
Australia First Party
PressRelease
John Carbonari For Deakin
Australia First Party has chosen John Carbonari as its candidate for the electorate of Deakin in the poll of 7th September. Mr Carbonari has been a small businessman, and is committed to the values of Australian Independence, Identity and Freedom, which underpin the standard of living, and quality of life for our People.
Mr. Carbonari said:
“In this campaign, our party places Australia and Australians first.
Australians are now experiencing the effects of the Globalisation Programme of Big Business, introduced over the last few decades by their servile Lab/Lib politicians. This programme of free trade agreements; financial deregulation; UN agenda’s: along with plague level immigration, multicultist disorder, and environmental ripoffs, has reduced Australia’s economy to a “trinket” sale type focussed on the flogging off of resources and use as a living space for other peoples; and to our decline from “Lucky Country” status.
Free trade scuttling of our manufactures under an avalanche of cheap imports, has caused unemployment despair not seen in decades. Some 800,000 Aussies are now on new start benefits. 25% plus of our youth are under/unemployed.
6,000 applicants for 350 jobs at a new retail business in Ringwood in June tells the truth of unemployment misery!
This is intolerable - what hope is there for a society that denies employment opportunity to any of its citizens? Australia First intends to utilise Aussie resourcefulness to eradicate this blight on our youth, and working people.
The brunt of the immigration disaster is now befalling Aussie families, and effecting our quality of life. Clogged infrastructure - roads, hospitals, schools, etc; bleeding off of welfare from OUR needy; skyrocketing house prices forcing many out of contention, or into mortgage slavery, stress, and homelessness.
I reject outright the Lab/Lib plans for population-led push to high rise and unwanted business hub development in the electorate, supporting local heritage and the preservation of sensible urban living. The intended Lib/Lab explosion of the population of Greater Melbourne to six millions, a single merged urban sprawl from Geelong to Packenham will degrade our lifestyle irrevocably.
Many Aussie families are further struggling to pay the sky rocketing bills of the now foreign owned utilities, sold off under the trade agreements opening all and every enterprise in Australia to multinational corporations.
Australia First supports ending the immigration programme - full stop - enough of population overload; and to lower bills, pledges to renationalise our utilities.
The Lib/Lab parties are lying brazenly on the issues of refugees, and sustainable population. They play act a tough game that they are going to stop the fake refugee swarms, but it is all a con - their stopping of boats will be by flying such unwanted into Australia by planes, - for this supports the Lab/Lib 50 million population plans. Australia First will withdraw our military from American foreign wars for forward deployment to protect Australian Sovereignty from this assault - no ifs or buts - Australia for Australians!
Australia First concepts of Strategic National Self-sufficiency and Steady State economic objectives are at the core of our guarantee as a Nation, and for rebuilding a vibrant productive economic system for full employment of well skilled/trained Australians, earning their independence, dignity, and quality of life. The politicians of Big Business who parrot for never ending exponential growth economics, are for a system that is now of the past, in the interests of the money changing class only, offering real Australians nothing but continuing decline to third world standards.
Against the political caste jargon for “The Asian Century”, Australia First unashamedly demands an Australian Century for our people - and return of the “Lucky Country”.
I stand to serve the constituents of Deakin, and for our Australian future”.
VOTING FOR OTHER THAN AUSTRALIA FIRST IS JUST A WASTE OF TIME
www.australiafirstparty.net [email protected] Tele: 0418 535516 P.O. Box 223, Croydon, 3136
Authorised by R Blythe Warbuton Hway Wesburn 3799. Editorial comment: Whilst we wish the Australia Firtst Party well
NSW "energy crisis" threats by CSG companies
According the Climate Spectator, the state is heading for a major energy crisis in the next three or four years, and that will severely affect its future living standards and economic growth. The problem for NSW is this low-cost gas supply is disappearing. The demand for gas in eastern Australia will triple in the next three years.
A diminished gas supply means prices for goods and services will go up too. Additional flow-on effects are company closures and job losses as some industries become incapable of absorbing the additional costs.
The NSW Government introduced legislation to restrict gas exploration. Exploration is now excluded over much of the Sydney Basin, the part of the state most likely to yield CSG. The government can minimise risks using the knowledge already at hand to regulate the industry, continue to monitor the process, and take a longer term approach to fully understand the environmental impacts though research funding.
It's an admission of accepting the worst case scenario of lack of energy, and spiraling population growth.
CSG and New South Wales' looming energy crisis at http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/12/energy-markets/csg-and-new-south-wales-looming-energy-crisis#ixzz2blCnGxsQ
Read more: at http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/12/energy-markets/csg-and-new-south-wales-looming-energy-crisis#ixzz2blCnGxsQ
at http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/12/energy-markets/csg-and-new-south-wales-looming-energy-crisis#ixzz2bjPldmcB
There is a contrary opinion that it's all a fabrication of the CSG industry.
“This is a scare campaign with no basis in fact, the public is being completely misled with a lot of postulating and huff and puff from the coal seam gas (CSG) industry, which is desperate to develop as much gas as it can and ship it out to Asia at high Asian prices,” said Matthew Wright Executive Director of energy security think-tank Zero Emissions Australia.
Matthew Wright of Beyond Zero Emissions, says “NSW never supplied its own gas, was never self-sufficient and therefore cannot run out. The supplies that are already connected and available to NSW consumers from Victoria and South Australia aren’t about to run out any time soon either. “The push for developing more gas fields is about exports, fossil gas exports at prices that are 300-500 per cent greater than historic domestic prices and with an open, unregulated market (as exists with petrol) the price will no longer be set here in Australia.” -
“The future is clean zero emissions renewable energy, that doesn’t cost the earth,” said Mr Wright.
NSW gas crisis a fabricated myth of the export CSG industry at http://ccag.org.au/csg/nsw-gas-crisis-a-fabricated-myth-of-the-export-csg-industry/#sthash.sZy84xjp.dpuf
Stable Population Party would help homelessness
lab grown meat creepy way to grow human pop even more
Lab grown Meat - a success
Rudd has promised to leave 50,000 still homeless after 2020!?
The standard of political discourse seems to have become so low that many politicians don't even feel the need to promise to do anything useful to win your vote
Kevin Rudd's promise to halve homelessness by 2020 also seems to be a promise to leave 50,000 of the 100,000 curently homeless Australians still homeless after 2020! In all probabilty Rudd will no longer be in politics to be held to account should he have failed to honour his first promise 7 years from now. How many of the other 'lucky' 50,000 will have to remain homeless until 2020 even if Rudd were to keep that promise?
The story, referred to by nimby is also in the Sydney Morning Herald of 11 August 2013 : Parties offer no real hope for the many homeless.
An older story is: Shame on us: Rudd pleads for homeless of 28 Jan 2010.
"Humane" killing of sick dogs and puppies
Last week Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said is could be quite acceptable to "humanely" kill sick dogs and puppies with a hammer! This is part of the proposed draft code for puppy factories, to avoid vet fees. The only "humane" way of euthanasia is provided by a vet.
Allowing the hammering of dogs will open all sorts of "humane" crimes against animals, including pets.
Dogs are not livestock and should not be under the control of the Minister of Agriculture, or the DEPI.
Kevin Rudd's pledge to halve homelessness by 2020
Australia's population growth causing enslavement
Immigration as Ponzi scheme = fake economy
World Vasectomy Day October 18th 2013
FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR FALLOUT HERO DIES OF CANCER
Wildlife forgotten in the election grab-bag
Overdevelopment of Moonee Valley Racecourse - submissions
Youth unemployment - fear of a "lost generation"
Greens Party cruelty to animals
Supreme Court Vic review Frankston covenant ban on sub-divisions
We Will Decide
Media Release - dingoes help sustain biodiversity
Economic Expansion and Population Growth as Ponzi Schemes
Mining at Tarkine approved, despite Tasmanian Devils
Budget deficit used as club to beat working Australians
In the early years of the government of John Howard, who was elected to the office of Prime Minister in 1996, massive cutbacks were made to education and other government services in order to turn the previous Keating Labor goverment's deficit into Howard's much ballyhooed financial surplus.
In fact, these cutbacks created a massive deficit in the work skills of Australia's workforce. When employers discovered they didn't have sufficient numbers of workers with the required skills, Prime Minister Howard ramped up immmigration in order to fill this deficit.
Over the ensuing years, this has been extended to the more recent scam in which 'temporary' foreign visitors and workers with 457 visas are taking the jobs of even skilled native Australians.
The record budget deficit, which is filling Australia's news is almost certainly a result of record immigration into a country which has few vacancies in industries which produce export income earnings. Whilst our booming housing industry, for which many of the skilled migrants are brought in, cannot possibly produce export earnings, Federal, state and local governments all have to spend more to meet the needs of a growing population.
Should it be any surprise tha governments, which have also privatised many of their wealth producing assets in recent decades, now have huge deficits in their budgets?
Our economy fraying at the edges
New government-appointed watchdog to support live exports
Over-density of koalas - causing their own demise!
Reply to comment | (We) can do better
The Business Council of Australia: Ponzi pyramid economics
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is proposing to reduce the corporate tax rate from 30% to 25%.
To make up for lost revenue, company tax revenue would be replaced by increasing and expanding the GST so all Australians would pay more for our basic essentials such as food, education and health care.
The Grattan Institute estimates this would add another $3000 a year to average household costs.
They're also proposing to slash penalty rates and reduce the minimum wage for workers, meaning you would have less money in your pocket to pay bills and feed your family. This is to create more "prosperity" for Australia, and create a future surplus.
They would increase immigration too.
It's pure Ponzi economics, a way of getting working Australians to participate in the scheme so that more of their hard-earned saving and wages drift into corporate hands - those at its peak!
Only dodgy and questionable organisations rely on population growth for their revenues. It's about accumulating consumers, as business resources, to boost business profits and opportunities. There's no guarantee of jobs for the migrants they would like to import.
And homebuyers would be invited to pay even more, by introducing a new land tax on home owner-occupiers.
Mitigating an ageing population by adding would mean a further ageing deficit for the next generation. It's Ponzi demographics and is intellectually dishonest.
Financial and corporations, and collectives such as this business "council", make demands and create reports that suit their vested interests.
Russia's ban on importing kangaroo meat applauded: AJP
July 2013
RUSSIA'S DECISION TO FORBID KANGAROO PRODUCT IMPORTS
APPLAUDED BY THE ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT NOW FACES DISGRACE AFTER SUPPORTING AN INDUSTRY WHICH MOSCOW NOW UNCOVERS AS DECEPTIVE AND CORRUPT
It has been confirmed with the Animal Justice Party by Yury Aleshin, Chief of the Agriculture Ministry at the Russian Embassy, that Russia has again imposed a full ban on the importation of kangaroo meat from Australia on grounds of fraudulent and deceptive conduct.
Following an investigation and seizure of containers containing 1,860kg of meat it was discovered the meat was sourced from unapproved plants via unregistered companies owned by Macro meats. The decision follows two former bans in 2008 and 2009 after major contamination was detected.
This will help bring this grotesquely brutal, rogue industry to an end. A core goal of the Animal Justice Party for the current election campaign is now well on the way to being achieved.
Both Labor and the Coalition have provided significant financial and lobbying support for the kangaroo killing industry to access overseas markets in recent years. This was in return for votes in rural areas. Until now, Russia was the largest importer of kangaroo meat which was enough to keep this brutal, unregulated and heavily subsidised industry operational.
“The kangaroo killing industry is an international disgrace and has been the main contributor to Australia having the unenviable distinction of the highest rate of land-based wildlife slaughter on the planet”, said AJP President Professor Steve Garlick.
“The end of this industry is now in sight thanks to the Russian Government. But there is no thanks to Labor and the Coalition who actively propped up this industry, or to the Greens who have failed to oppose this brutal industry. The Greens have never supported Australia’s iconic fauna emblem.” said Professor Garlick.
Animal Justice Party members played a key role in providing evidence to Russian Government officials in order to help them in their decision to ban these imports from Australia.
A full list of AJP policies, including its policy on kangaroos and wallabies, and its manifesto can be found at: www.animaljusticeparty.org
For further information please email [email protected] or tweet us @justice4animals.
Media Enquiries: Professor Steve Garlick – AJP President – 0428 880 564
Mark Pearson - lead Senate candidate for NSW – 0417 252 107
Orang-utans evolving to come down from trees
PTUA Public Transport Community Forum, Newport, Thurs 8 August
Community Forum:
The 2013 Federal Election and Public
Transport in Melbourne’s West
Thursday 8 th August 6.30pm doors open 6pm, food and drinks available from the bar
Newport Bowls Club, 4 Market St Newport
The Public Transport Users Association is hosting a community forum looking at public transport issues in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs. With a federal election imminent, residents are concerned about how transport policy will impact on access to jobs, education and services, as well as household transport stress.
This community forum is an opportunity to hear from transport planning experts alongside local Members of Parliament, Councillors and federal candidates. Come along and ask your questions and learn what they plan to
do to solve public transport in Melbourne.
Guest Speakers Include:
Dr Sophie Sturrup, University of Melbourne
Janet Rice, Greens Lead Senate Candidate
Tim Watts, ALP Candidate for Gellibrand
Lisel Thomas, Maribyrnong Truck Action Group
Any questions please contact
Cait Jones: 0412 549 589
Petition: McDonald's abandon plans for McDonald's in Tecoma
Pets that have been saved, not wildlife pets!
Russia forbids roo-meat imports totally
Widespread fraud in immigration identities
Open Letter on the Indefensible
Stable Populationparty candidates
No fundamental difference between alternative governments
Koalas being killed in foreign owned plantations
Shallow, narrow thinking
More people added than jobs created!
Koalas face carnage as loggers harvest timber plantations
Welcome to the Asian Century!
Comments needed on NSW Govts 10800 hectare business area in west
On behalf of Geoff Brown:
I alert you to concerns about the NSW Governments plan to create the 10,800 hectare Broader Western Sydney Employment Area (BWSEA). The BWSEA straddles the LGA’s of Penrith, Blacktown and Fairfield. Of concern is that 16% of the BWSEA is endangered or critically endangered native vegetation. Ecological Australia have done a desktop study of the area and their <5 meg report can be found here http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/wsea
There are some big concerns here surrounding whether this core habitat is going to be cleared or protected. How is it going to be protected? Will there be an offset program similar to the Growth Centres Biodiversity Offset Program? (remember that the Biodiversity Certification of the Sydney Growth Centres, a total area of 27,000 hectares, meant about 2000 ha of core habitat could be developed – NSW committed to delivering a $530 million offset fund as a result – but to date very little offsetting has been provided). Ecological Australia flags Biodiversity Certification and Biobanking as a means to offset any clearing. Will Barry O’Farrell just put jobs first and legislate not to protect this areas environment? At one of his recent community cabinet meetings in Penrith he was challenged about his government failing to conserve Western Sydney Priority Conservation Lands and his response was that his number one priority was the creation of jobs so people could work closer to home. So its clear he doesn’t give two hoots about protecting Western Sydney’s environment.
In any case its likely that more of Sydney’s precious natural heritage will be destroyed in order to facilitate an income for developers and the NSW Govt. The driver of course is Australia’s record level of unsustainable population growth.
Comments can be made here http://planspolicies.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=6032
Geoff Brown
www.wsca.org.au
1.1 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd (ELA) was engaged by (DoPI) to undertake a desktop biodiversity and riparian corridors assessment of approximately 10,800 ha that forms the Broader Western Sydney Employment Area (BWSEA). The aim of this assessment is to identify key ecological and riparian constraints to assist in the preparation of a Structure Plan for the area.
Conclusion
The BWSEA is a highly fragmented landscape that has been heavily impacted by past landuses. Based on a desktop assessment, 16% of the study area is native vegetation that is either endangered or critically endangered. Critically Endangered Ecological Communities typically pose a significant constraint to development, especially when listed under both State and Commonwealth legislation. However, given the fragmented nature of the patches of vegetation (many of which will have lower long term viability) there may be an opportunity to develop a positive conservation outcome that focuses on protection and management of riparian corridors and the larger patches of good condition vegetation. Such an outcome would not only deliver security to the EECs and CEECs hat have a higher management viability, but has the added benefits of protecting riparian habitats and ecological connectivity through the study area.
In terms of priorities for additional information on ecological values, this report recommends ground-truthing of vegetation communities to determine whether patches of Shale Hills Woodland, Shale Plains Woodland and Shale / Gravel Transition Forest meet the definition of Cumberland Plain Woodland / Shale Gravel Transition Forest as listed under the Commonwealth EPBC Act. A second priority is the collection of biometric vegetation data so that landuse planning can utilise the assessment methodologies (Biobanking or Biocertification) under the TSC Act to determine how development can occur whilst delivering a positive biodiversity outcome. Other data such as threatened fauna survey and top of bank mapping can be collected at later stages of planning to inform detailed design.
Following collection of this data it is recommended that the conservation significance assessment be re-run to identify vegetation and habitat of high, moderate and low conservation value as a key input to BWSEA or precinct level planning.
Intergeneration injustice
Immigration Department audits reveal large-scale fraud of visas
Boat arrivals to top 50,000: Carr
Australia is bulking up
Malaysian official says TPP will not be signed in October
From the Global Post of 15 July 2013
A top trade official of Malaysia, playing host to the latest round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade accord, said that a basic agreement on the accord will not be reached in October as initially expected, citing many areas which have not been agreed on ...
...
The official also said, "The most important thing is that we will not compromise Malaysia's sovereignty and that we will stick to our policy," ...
Jump in kangaroo collisions in Canberra
Plea to protect whales from "scientific research" whaling : HSI
Trans-Pacific Partnership conference threatens our democracy
Nile Bowie explains to James Corbett how the forthcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership conference, to be held in secret behind closed doors on 27 July 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, threatens economic, political and Intellectual Property rights of Australians and others across the Pacific.
Fighting The Trans-Pacific Partnership - Nile Bowie on GRTV
Cornucopia Myth - disguised by "anti-immigration" accusations
"Want peace, prepare for war?" - Oksana Boyko interview on Syria
Reposted from Russia Today bi-weekly Worlds Apart program.
Every soldier is a general after the battle, but it seems we never learn the lessons of war. To discuss the elusive nature of peace, flourishing weapons proliferation and the Syrian conflict, Oksana is joined by Ambassador Fred Tanner, the Director of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
Australian Independents to fund Fraser Island dingoes
An Impertinent Question
Australia's Angry Mayors: How Population growth Frustrates
Oksana Boysenko interviews Clare Daly
Embedded below is an interview of Irish MP Clare Daly by Oksana Boyko, presenter of the bi-weekly Worlds Apart program on Russia Today. Clare Daly has used her profile as a member of the Irish Parliament to expose the criminal complicity of the Irish government with the United States in its supply of of weapons to the terrorist killers who have been fighting against the Syrian people and their government for the last two years. According to one estimate over 93,000 people have died as a result. As tragic as this loss is, it is only a small fraction of the death and destruction suffered by the people of neighbouring Iraq, who, according to one estimate, have suffered the loss of as many as 3.3 million lives as the result of illegal wars and sanctions imposed on Iraq since 1990 as the result of fraudulent pretexts such as the "incubator babies" lie and the Iraqi WMDs fraud.
The bravery and skill of the soldiers of the Syrian Arab National Army as well as the outspokenness of Clare Daly and other international opponents of war crimes have so far prevented the tragedy of Syria from becoming much worse.
Australia also complicit in crimes against Syria, Libya, Iraq, ...
The current Prime Minister, who recently ousted Australia's first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard in a coup orchestrated by the Fairfax newsmedia, played a sinister role in fanning the flames of war against Libya in early 2011. As Australian Foreign minister, he took the extraordinary step of publicly advocating the so-called "no-fly zone" which was used by the United States and its NATO allies as a pretext to deprive the Libyan government of an air force to defend itself and its people against terrorists, aerial bombardment and ground invasion.
Kangaroo Court in Canberra - hated in the Bush Capital
Gillard not a friend of the most vulnerable women
Pat O'Brien also wrote adventure books
Kevin Rudd's Press Club speech: full transcript
The Federal election campaign lacks substance, is full of vague policies, heavy reliance on personalities rather than programs, clashes with the Opposition, and vague praise for our great economy!
Kevin Rudd said in his Press Club speech that "Our population should continue to be supported by a strong migration policy designed to mitigate the effects of our ageing population..."
Read more: Kevin Rudd's Press Club speech: full transcript of 1 July 2013 in the Sydney Morning Herald at http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/kevin-rudds-press-club-speech-full-transcript-20130711-2prqg.html .
Thanks to a unique history, our economic growth and our nation's foundation was forged through immigration - as an immigration nation. It's naively assumed that what we gained from it can continue to be propagated at our present times, contrary to empirical evidence that we are far from benefiting from our ongoing population growth.
That someone presumably as educated, and intelligent, as Kevin Rudd can actually believe that ongoing immigration can dilute our ageing population shows lack of strategic thinking, the ability to adjust his thinking from the past, and naively project it into the future. It's pure Ponzi Demographic- and growth now will mean lower wages, higher unemployment, a further blowout of homelessness and housing costs, and further demands on natural resources which will mean loosening our environmental protection policies even further. Comment: To attribute Kevin Rudd's actions to naïveté is being too kind to him in my opinion. See also Julia Gillard's attempt to enable effective scrutiny of candidates threatened vested interests of 28 June,- Ed
Joseph Chamie, the former head of the United Nations population division, has been quoted as saying: "Like all Ponzi schemes, Ponzi demography is unsustainable. Among its primary tactics, it exploits the fear of population decline and ageing. Without a young and growing population we are warned of becoming a nation facing financial ruin and a loss of national power". The irrational fear of ageing is being exploited, and ignores the fact that it's not only baby-boomers who are ageing, but migrants too!
The next generation will have an even bigger ageing population, and if the same logic is applied, are they then also to have even a bigger immigration program to compensate for it? It's a dangerous, lethal the idiotic human pyramid - one that will collapse under the weight of our own biomass!
"economic growth" brings poverty
Government hypocrisy
Shallow understanding of dingoes
Party For Freedom
A Sustainable Population Policy for Australia – Halt Third World Immigration
A Sustainable Population Policy for Australia – Halt Third World Immigration (Part 1)
Call for a population policy:
Members of government who should responsibly formulate population policy, need keep in mind that over half the continent is already grazed, where a hectare can feed from 3 to 12 head of cattle. However, this is optimistic. Even the best land would struggle to hold 12 head /hectare and the arid rangelands in WA would be lucky to have 1 head per 35 hectares.
In many areas, soils are rapidly degrading, suffering erosion, or becoming salty. While Australia may currently be a net exporter of food, it increasingly imports more types of food to accommodate a diverse immigrant population.
Through immigration, cities are expanding cities over the surrounding areas of fertile land that were once their food bowl, with property developers calling for the release of more land to take the pressure of housing.
A responsible population policy would not be subject to the specious manipulation of property developers who are far more interested in property sales than sustainable population.
It's time for other councils at the coal-face of having to deal with budgets and services also stood up to government and Opposition big immigration and big population growth for Australia. It's not just "third world" immigration, but population growth as a whole!
'Sizeable' immigration key to economic growth, says Gillard
JULIA Gillard will continue to run "a sizeable immigration program" as she steers the nation towards a population of more than 40 million by 2050. As reported in The Australian on 4th April, she did not anticipate a change in the overall rate of immigration and would not impose population targets, while defending her government's treatment of asylum-seekers.
She backed down on her "sustainable" Australia policy. She is a growth-ist.
"We will continue in the years to come in my view to be a nation that welcomes migrants and particularly welcomes skilled migrants.." There's no guarantee of jobs, affordable housing, a rein on costs of living etc. It's policy in a vacuum, without considering the overall impact and all the parameters or costs of growth. More people means more consumers, more tax payers, more customers for big businesses and more construction for developers and the housing industry.
She's in the pockets of the elite, of global, national and multinational corporations who all demand limitless growth.
It's all part of the "Asian Century" to share Asia's population and economy.
'Sizeable' immigration key to economic growth, says Gillard Ben Packham in The Australian of 4 April 2013.
Julia Gillard broke her first promise
The furore over Kevin Rudd's "big Australia" shock to the nation contributed to his downfall. To ease her transition into Prime Ministership, Julia Gillard reassured the public that she didn't approve of Australia "hurtling towards a 'big Australia'" and instead nominated Environment Minister Tony Burke as Minister of "sustainable" Population. However, nothing was ever done towards the target of a sustainable population. There were three consultative panels that discussed the issue, but Tony Burke's final conclusion had no relationship to the findings of the panel and he declared that population growth would continue. There has been no media releases, or anything, from this Department.
Julia Gillard cut immigration rates from K Rudd's over 300,000 per year, but then it has been creeping upwards. Her "sustainable" population policy is no different from Kevin Rudd's "big Australia". It's all spin, and we have an economy based on jobs, tax revenues, business opportunities for the elite, and the impossibility of perpetual economic growth at all costs. The least brain-draining way of increasing the size of the economy is population growth - and ignore the impacts on the environment, hip pockets, public welfare and long term implications.
While in the details Julia Gillard had some good ideas and enlightened presentation, she failed to have vision and humility for what was happening at grassroots levels.
Population growth now is stealing from future generations - our descendants. Gillard doesn't have children, but parents today must be concerned about Australia's eroding living conditions, a bleak jobless future, costs of living and decline of our cities.
Editorial comment: The shortcomings in Julia Gillard's policies may have, in part, been due to the fact that she would have felt constrained from doing all that she would have preferred to do in the difficult political circumstances she found herself in. If she had been allowed to remain as Prime Minister, I think it is far more likely that she would have acted soon to end population growth.
PostGrowthEra wrote, "The least brain-draining way of increasing the size of the economy is population growth." An illusion of 'growth' is created by the building of more houses, roads, government bureaucracy, retail infrastructure other infrastructure to meet the needs of the new immigrants, but as there aren't any industries which need more workers to produce either for domestic consumption or export, all of this must be paid for out of our existing national wealth. Population growth does not increase the size of the economy. It only increases the number of people amongst which finite resources must be shared.
PM of great value discarded
I am sorry to see Julia Gillard discarded as Prime Minister. In time she will come to be appreciated as a great leader. As for now, Labor under Rudd might come close in the election. But I don't think Labor will come very close, losing - who knows? - Let's say 15 seats.
I am disappointed that so many people let Julia down in the popularity polls. And WHY did they? I don't know. She kept her cool, was tough and strong, cares about Climate Change, got the National Disability Insurance Scheme (now called 'Disability Care Australia') up and almost ready to go, ran a good economy (better than most), did a lot for education and health and much else such as the national roll-out of fibre optic cables, free home insulation, she negotiated a workable tax on mining profits, attended to foreign affairs competently and so on. And all this with a minority government. God, the woman's a star! Her true achievements should have been sheeted home by the media. I am puzzled that journalists didn't air all these things more and sing her praises instead of echoing Tony Abbott's negative comments - that he and the journalists repeated ad- nauseum.
It's as if the journalists are being told what to say, and maybe they are.
See also: Julia Gillard's attempt to enable effective scrutiny of candidates threatened vested interests of 28 June 2012. - Ed
Rudd visits Indonesia to talk about live exports
Mr Rudd is meeting with the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta today, and the beef trade is expected to be high on the agenda.
Rudd talks beef with Indonesia of 5 July 2013 on ABC News
It's assumed that by securing supply chains from Australia, our beef can help "feed the world". There are rising protein levels required in Indonesia, and Kevin Rudd is believes the live export industry represent a "huge opportunity" for us, despite Indonesia recently considering being more self sufficient in food.
What's really chilling is that Rudd said that "I think the first thing he needs to say is apologise to the people to the government and to the Indonesians for what the Australian Government did when they stopped the trade without talking to them". Cattle were routinely smashing their heads on concrete plinths, having their eyes gouged, tails broken, and throats brutally hacked at in Indonesian abattoirs.
If we apologise for ending their stabbing, torture and atrocities to the animals we sent there is an insult to sanity and any humane standards of animal welfare. An ‘apology’ will also send a damaging message to importing countries that trade relations are more important than stopping animal abuse.
Australian Livestock Exporters' Council chief executive, Alison Penfold, says halting exports would be premature and damaging to Australia's relationship with Vietnam. There's not mention of the lack of transparency and mismanagement of the industry that allowed the shameful atrocities to being in the first place!
Australia can't provide "food security" for the world. Cattle are starving now because of drought, and we are they driest country with a rapidly rising population.
According to Animals Australia, live export represents just 0.3% of Australia's total exports. The chilled meat trade is worth nearly 6 times more to the economy. The vast majority of jobs currently supported by the live trade would still exist if livestock were being sent to local markets. Ending live export would in fact create jobs in Australia through increased domestic processing.
Population growth is not inevitable but "silly"! Matthew Guy
East-West link comments deadline today 5pm
1. Re On Line Survey by Linking Melbourne Authority on East West Link and Community Survey
Please consider completing the Linking Melbourne Authority Survey on the East West Link. It appears that there is opportunity to make critical comments on the East West Link. The online survey for East West Link can be accessed by visiting the site at http://yoursay.linkingmelbourne.vic.gov.au/eastwestlink.
You can also access the Community Survey from this site, or alternatively visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EWLCS1
There are two forum questions that Linking Melbourne Authority says "we are asking":
What is it about the East West Link indicative corridor that appeals to or concerns you?
How do you currently travel between Melbourne's eastern and western suburbs? Do you think the East West Link will make a difference to your commute?
These questions have been open for public comment for two weeks and will close on Friday 5 July (today) .
2. Comments or Submissions on the East West Link
This is of vital importance. Please try to make a submission - even a short comment. Linking Melbourne Authority says "Anyone that would like to make any other comments or suggestions (apart from on the Survey) are encouraged to email them through to [email protected]" Make sure you keep a copy. They have to be submitted today.
See Julianne Bell's paper below on "10 Reasons to Oppose the East West Link." You can select some or all of these and add any other reasons as you see fit. Suggest you cut and paste and send by email for speed.(It does not matter if many of the submissions are the same.) Remember that the Eddington Review of 2008 for construction of the East West Link was defeated by sending in submissions opposing this monster roadway. Over 2,500 submissions.were received. It was said to show "people power".
Please ensure that on your submission you put your name, address if possible, your email and mobile phone.
Keep on checking the Linking Melbourne Authority website.
Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. (PPL VIC)
10 REASONS TO SAY “NO” TO THE EAST WEST LINK TOLL ROAD
1. Public Transport Rail Projects The East West Link may cost $10 billion plus and so suck Treasury dry of funds for long-demanded rail projects, namely Doncaster, Tullamarine, Rowville and extension of the South Morang Rail line. Also Melbourne Metro Rail.
2. No Funds for Key
3. Blowout in Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Increased Car Use Encouraged: The proposed project involves construction of 4 (maybe 6 lane) lane tollway concrete road tunnels and aerial roadways or cut-and cover-roadways for 18 km., which will blow out Victoria’s green house emissions. Provision of new roads will encourage increased vehicle usage, whereas in other States rail lines are being extended for commuters and for freight transport.
4. East West Link = Truck Not Commuter Route: The road tunnels are first and foremost a city by-pass for trucks and therefore do not serve commuters. The EW Link is reportedly going underground at Hoddle Street and, with one turnoff at Elliott Avenue to Flemington Road, emerges in Royal Park, travels through the Ross Straw Field and joins CityLink in or over the Royal Park wetlands. As most traffic off the Eastern Freeway is headed south or north - including for the city – not east-west, the road tunnels do not serve the majority of commuters off the Eastern Freeway.
5. Congestion Will Remain: The current congestion and gridlock experienced in parts of the city will worsen as city commuters avoid the road tollway and turn off at Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, and filter through the inner city or continue on existing roads above ground.
6. Destruction of Melbourne’s Major Park - Royal Park: The EW Link will cut a swathe through Royal Park and in the process of tunnel or roadway construction over four to five years it will be transformed into giant quarry sites and its bushland (used for passive recreation), sports fields, community facilities, wetlands and water storage tanks ripped up by the EW Link construction.
7. Destruction of Wetlands and Water Storage Facilities: The Royal Park Wetlands which supplies water for Melbourne’s parks and street trees plus the Royal Park Golf course will be completely destroyed, including the vast water storage tanks under the Ross Straw field.
8. Loss of sports fields and club rooms: The sports fields in west and east Royal Park plus Princes Park which serve thousands of people - school children as well as adults – from across Melbourne will be requisitioned for construction for the tollway and probably never restored. This is at a time the population is growing rapidly and sports facilities are already in short supply. This will have a negative impact on people’s health.
9. Loss of the State Netball and Hockey Centre plus Urban Camp for Children: The 4 lane EW Link will come within metres of the SNHC and will wipe out the Urban Camp. As Brens Drive is in its pathway access will be closed off during construction which will take 4 to 5 years. It is doubtful if the SNHC can survive.
10. Compulsory Acquisition of Homes and Loss of Residential Amenity: Whole neighbourhoods will be severely affected by construction of road tunnels and elevated roadways along the route. We know that properties will be subject to compulsory acquisitions in Collingwood, Carlton and West Parkville. As we have no proper plans we do not know the extent of the threat to residential amenity of inner Melbourne.
11. Threat to the Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Children’s Hospital: These institutions are threatened not only during 4 to 5 years of construction with vibration and noise but from long term pollution from vent stacks. It is not known where they will be located and whether the EW Link will be open cut through Royal Park. The Elliott Avenue turn off/on is only a short distance from the RCH.
Contact: Julianne Bell Secretary PPL VIC .
Asylum Seekers from Iran "economic migrants"
Iranians become the leading group of asylum seeker arrivals and the massive numbers of Sri Lankan seen last year shrink dramatically. Government records show 1079 Iranians have made the trip to Australia by boat in 2013, taking top place from Sri Lanka, from where 6428 people arrived in 2012.
Iranians gain relatively painless entry to Indonesia, with the Middle Eastern country on the list of those whose nationals are able to acquire a visa on arrival. That has meant that Iranians ultimately seeking to arrive in Australia by boat are able to conduct the stretch of the journey as far as Indonesia without legal difficulty.
Early indications are that many of the Iranians arrivals are middle-class residents of big cities such as Tehran who have been able to summon up the tens of thousands of dollars to pay a people smuggler for a chance at entry to Australia. As essentially economic refugees, they face little chance of their claim being accepted.
Iranian numbers swelling on asylum seeker list of 11 Jan 2012 on crikey,com.au
Senator Carr says there have "been some boats where 100 per cent of them have been people who are fleeing countries where... their motivation is altogether economic". According to the UNHCR, Iran currently recognises almost a million Afghan refugees. In 2008, Iran said it intended to expel 1.5 million Afghans it considered to be illegally in the country.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees regional head Richard Towle attacked Bob Carr's claims the majority of Iranian asylum-seekers were seeking improved economic circumstances. The problem is due to sheer numbers and costs, causing a need to refine what "asylum seekers" really are. Bob Carr is quite right that economics could play a part in the displacement of nationals from their homelands.
Human population numbers are set to continue to swell by 2 billion more by 2050, and as a result there will be conflicts over finite resources, causing wars and revolutions. Along with climate change and failing food supplies, migrations of entire nations will soon take place as people begin to flee their homelands to seek asylum elsewhere.
GREG BARNES from the Australian Lawyers Alliance says that one of the other things that Mr Carr seems to be confusing is the fact that economic oppression can amount to persecution. "Economic oppression" could include billions of potential refugees who are denied jobs
Asylum seeker lawyer says more compensation is inevitable for detainees! ... on ABC Radio National's The World Today of 2 July 2013.
The latest figures from the Immigration Department show that in the past year the Government has paid out almost a million dollars in compensation to detainees who allege they've been wrongfully held or injured in detention.
There is a deep concern in the community that Labor is allowing migration intake to run out of control. We now have over 200,00 new skilled and family-reunion migrants a year net, along with uncapped temporary migrants, in Australia.
There is a need to have an orderly refugee process, and we certainly have credentials as a compassionate nation. However, we have to protect our borders from unsustainable surging asylum seeker numbers at a time when our cities are already under considerable population pressure.
We need a tough, strong border protection policy, and a redefinition of who qualifies as needing asylum, but there needs to be some rational debate on priorities. Permanent economic migrants arriving at airports each day are shielded because a relatively small number of asylum seekers hijack the "immigration" debate.
Fairfax Media understands that Australia is speaking to Iran and the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, about how failed asylum-seekers can be returned to that country.
Read more: Rudd plan to return failed refugees to Iran in the Canberra Times of 2 July 2103.
Australia fuel security
It is scary for national security when we have to go begging for fuel in desperation. car servicing
Editorial comment: This comment includes a link to a commercial site. However, as this comment adds to the to the discussion and as the car servicing service in the UK, described in the page linked to, seems novel and useful, we decided not to remove this comment.
Japan's whaling - they are not answerable to anyone!
New ACOSS report
Public housing at "crisis point", more Australians are homeless, many young migrants homeless:
Australia's frontline community services are unable to meet growing demand, and the homeless and mentally ill are hurting most, a new report has found.
Sixty-three per cent of legal services failed to meet demand, along with 52 per cent of youth services, 47 per cent of mental health services and 46 per cent of domestic violence and sexual assault services.
Housing Industry Association (HIA) chief executive Graham Wolfe said the report's findings didn't come as a surprise. "There has been a failure by successive governments at a state and federal level to address the fundamental constraints to housing delivery," he said.
Property developers are feigning horror and adding to the condemnation of governments for not providing support, but they are largely the cause, not the solution.
Nothing is said about record levels of immigration, largely now from third world countries!
This is the nation that a few years ago was the "Lucky Country". More impoverished and more desperate people will make our population more flexible, and more compliant as a resource to exploit for cheaper labour.
Community services can't meet demand
See also: Welfare groups 'can't meet demand', Australian Council of Social Services report says in the Herald Sun of 1 July 2013.
Greens Population policy sadly lacking substance
National Wattle Day - 1st September
Division of finite resources amongst more is not growth
At some time in our past history, when Australia had a sub-optimal population, adding to the numbers could have added to our wealth on average.
However there are no longer industries which require additional labour to produce additional goods, services or food for either domestic consumption or export. So, adding to Australia's population through immigration cannot rightly be labelled 'growth'. It can only possibly lead to our finite stock of natural resources, including arable land and living space, being divided amongst larger numbers of people. It can only make Australians on average poorer.
In addition, an ever greater proportion of our wealth has to be spent on roads, freeways, parking lots, public transport, power generation, government bureaucracy, etc. to keep our ever-expanding cities working.
It is time that our economy was properly investigated so that we can find out who gains from degrading our environment and making us poorer overall and how the economy can be fixed so that we can achieve full employment without the need to continually add to our population.
Song birds disappearing due to trapping and consumption
Australian voters entitled to be offered public banking
The privatisation of the Commonwealth Bank by the Hawke/Keating 'Labor' governments, which commenced in 1991 and was completed in 1996, was never put to voters during the elections of 1990 and 1993. Indeed, none of the many other government sell-offs of state banks, state government insurance offices and other wealth generating-assets and infrastructure and services which occurred in Australia since the 1980's was ever put to electors, except the one occasion.
New South Wales Voters repudiate privatisation in 2011 elections
That occurred at the New South Wales (NSW) state elections of 2011 after the successive state 'Labor' governments of Premiers Bob Carr, Morris Iemma, Nathan Rees and Kristina Keneally had attempted to flog off the state's electricity generators against fierce opposition from the NSW community, trade unions and rank-and-file Labor Party members and members of the NSW upper house of Parliament. At the 2011 the ruling Labor Party was trounced and Liberal Leader Barry O'Farrell, who had maintained a principled opposition to privatisation was elected a Premier.
Public banking would be offered to electors in a truly democratic election
Voters are entitled to be offered an opportunity to reverse the grave harm that was done to their interests in recent decades without their consent, partcularly bank privatisation. For the new Federal government to reverse bank privatisation, it would require far less effort and political fight than what it would take to reverse the other privatisations. As an alternative to nationalisation and re-nationalisation, private banks a government bank could be set up. This would immediately break the private banking monopoly. Thereafter open competition by open and accountable public accountable public banks, run by dedicated pubic servants would, at the very least, make it impossible for private banks to continue to impose crippling charges and impose high interest.
The public bank could also be given the right to print sufficient legal tender to enable the real wealth produced by the Australian economy to be circulated. This occurred in the American colonies in the 1770's in the days of Benjamin Franklin and those economies flourished as described in Ellen Brown's "The Web of Debt". However, after the victory of the American revolution, the private bankers were, paradoxically, able to, behind the backs of the American public, take away their right to print legal tender. Since then, a number of American Presidents including Lincoln and JFK have tried to reverse this and break the power of the private banks, with tragic consequences for those two at least.
It remains to be seen if any of the candidates contesting the forthcoming Australian Federal elections, whether standing for either of the major parties, the Greens, other minor parties or as independents, will offer that choice to voters. Where they do, we will certainly make it known to voters on the pages of candobetter.
CALD - facing higher unemployment rates