democracy alert

I have sent the following complaint to the Sydney Morning Herald and I hope others will do the same. Was unable to use the SMH's "feedback" page, so I sent an email to [email protected]. I complained that their editorial of May 12, 2023, based on their Assange poll and his Kafkaesque incarceration, while widely welcomed, nonetheless contained errors too often repeated which I requested the SMH correct publicly or by publishing my comments.

“Yes, the audit is harsh in some of its detail, but it could have gone much further if it wasn’t so heavily constrained by its scope," say the Victorian National Parks Association, adding that, “It’s like a doctor giving you a check-up but failing to report that you have a missing hand." Candobetter Ed: Well, what else would be expect of a Victorian Government biodiversity audit, when high-rise developers have overtaken the state government? The bastards don't even want us to retain 1% of our grasslands, whilst they already have 90% of the nation's wealth!

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Transcript

Dr Dorina Pojani is Associate in urban planning at the University of Queensland, Australia, with a degree in Urban Planning from Albania.

The consultation is tagging amendments which may:  impede or prevent public protest against war activity or contractors involved in production of war materials ;  result in greater integration of the ADF with foreign forces (U.S.) ; enable the U.S.

There is a new policy blog or political movement called Low Migration Australia.  It is very well written and explains the relevant concepts succinctly.  The movement was started by Edward Smith.  Well worth a look.

Towns and regional centres with relatively small populations, existing workforce shortages and limited local housing will need to host hundreds and sometimes thousands of new workers to support alternative energy construction projects. Governments and industry don't really understand the difficult trade-offs for local communities with alternative energy projects. Without community support, chaos may well ensue.

The 100 years from 1870 is described as the innovation century in which there more more inventions, starting coincidentally with the light bulb, than in the rest of mankind's history. For the most part their roll out into society was slow enough to dampen the impact of the invention, electricity wasn't connected fully in Australia until 1989. But for me there was one event that stood out and that occurred on on the 4th of October 1957 just before my birthday.

Below is an extract from The Economist whose editor bears the unlikely name of Zanny.   Yes, I know it is naughty of me to point out that Zany is often associated with the bizarre, weird, peculiar, odd, and perhaps avant-garde.  But its also a fitting description of her introductory comments on the US economy.  

A new report finds that Australia’s housing crisis cannot be solved without a major slowing of population growth.

The CFMEU has placed a green ban on a proposed site of an indoor sports stadium at McIver Reserve in Yarraville that will reduce the provision and access to open space for the local community.  McIver Reserve is a key community hub for recreation and leisure. The proposed reduction of open space in a council with already limited provision of open space shows a lack of regard to the views of local residents by Council.

IPAN denounces recent rabid media war propaganda. Call for all people who want peace to mobilise and force the Australian Government off path to war.

Contents: Page 1 – Heritage Amendment Bill 2023; Victorian Departmental Restructure; Australian Architecture President Bells the Cat; Legislative Council Planning and Heritage Inquiry; Page 2 – Submissions Closing on World Heritage Management Plan for Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens; Speech to CROWAG, and April Forum; Level Crossing Removal FOI; War on Plastic – Clean Up Australia Day; Page 3 – South Australia’s Planning Minister Flags Change

Presentation by The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Convenor of Planning Democracy, to Combined Residents of Whitehorse Action Groups, (CROWAG) Wednesday 15 February, Blackburn Lake Visitor Centre.

The UK parliament is currently evaluating changes to the UK Official Secrets Act that would see jail for life for people who let others know of law-breaking in government and corporations (whistleblowers). Changes to the Act are aimed to prevent any public interest journalism. Journalist Mohamed Elmaazi reports on the draft legislation in fascinating and chilling detail in John Kiriakos' interview. Public interest would be erased as a defense.

In this issue: Victorian Parliament Resumes;  Protecting Democracy and Amenity – 15 February Blackburn Speech; Facebook Page; Save Lake Knox;  Ryman Healthcare; Mount Eliza Development; CROWAG April Public Forum – Save Our Canopy Trees; Stop the Great Wall of Frankston; Long Reserve Langwarrin;  Concrete coming out of the Moonee Ponds Creek; War on Plastic; Kilmore Land Upda

"Canada introduces ban on foreigners buying property, allows exceptions for refugees and permanent residents - ABC News" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-02/canada-bans-foreigners-from-buyin

Response to new Centre for Population report: Australia must stabilise its population below 30 million to stop the growing impacts on climate and biodiversity, as well as preserve quality of life, according to the environment organisation Sustainable Population Australia (SPA). SPA president, Ms Jenny Goldie, was commenting on the latest report from the ‘Centre for Population’, the Treasury office which advises the federal government on population. Their report is due to be released Friday 6 January.

In this issue: VICTORIAN ELECTION FOLLOW-UP; HUME COUNCIL APPROVES FIVE STOREY DEVELOPMENT IN SUNBURY; RYMAN HEALTH 6 STOREY APPLICATION NOW BEFORE MOONEE VALLEY COUNCIL; CROWAG 2023 TREE COVER FORUM; CROYDON CONSERVATION SOCIETY UPDATE; GOOD NEWS 1.

John Menadue might be a bit before the time of some of you here, but he is very heavy duty. He was the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet – Australia’s top bureaucrat – during the Prime Ministership of both Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser. Nowadays he writes a Public Policy Journal called Pearls and Irritations.

Former PM John Howard's latest book, The Menzies Era, is not as you might expect, an exercise in right wing propaganda, or at least not overtly, but an historical account which jolts the mind back to things forgotten or chronologically misplaced, due to the passage of time.

Next week, both the House and the Senate are sitting. We must demand that, this time, its gag on discussion about Julian Assange be lifted.

Most middle class Australians don't expect ever to finish up in prison, and they show little interest in prison conditions. A lot of people believe that all people imprisoned in Australia are imprisoned because they deserve to be. Even if this were so, which it is not (see list of research articles end of this article), removal of freedom is not supposed to be exacerbated by additional horrible conditions.