Australian Politics

Leith reported yesterday on the terrific shift by Jacinda Ardern against temporary migration: Both big and small companies are scrambling to hang on to their workforces, with thousands of temporary resident visas set to expire all at once….

It didn’t take long for the worst leadership class in the world to trash their good fortune.

Go to Maccas for a couple of burgers then tweet that the Government needs to spend a lot more: With this sort of information before them, it is staggering that the government is underspending to support the economy at a time of mass dislocation.

The bubble loves this: The US biotech company’s vaccine candidate produced antibodies in all 45 participants in the first cohort of the phase one trial run by the National Institutes of Health, while the paper said there were no safety problems that could curtail further trials.

Australia’s Chinese boom is basically over.

No it’s not, screams The Australian: The NSW government will prioritise economic recovery over pre-emptive lockdowns, even as it slashes the number of people who will be allowed in the state’s pubs and ramps up enforcement against venues flouting the rules.

Late yesterday, Drew Pavlou lost his appeal against a suspension from the University of Queensland (UQ) over criticising the university’s deep links to China.

People keep messaging me telling me they nominated me for a UQ honorary doctorate LMAO 😂😂😂 I support the push in so far as it pisses the UQ higher ups off pic.twitter.com/M6Qky8Qydu — Drew Pavlou 柏乐志 (@DrewPavlou) July 12, 2020 Obviously the Chinese consulate will veto any such move.

I was once a great fan of Gareth Evans but not anymore: This would be sensible if it didn’t so comprehensively misrepresent recent history.

Last week the International Gas Union issued its annual report on global gas prices.

Two things I will observe from my one week break.

There are two simple rules for public relations in politics: “Steer into it”; and “The cover-up is always worse than the crime”.

Here is the madness in full view, at the ABC: A security guard monitoring repatriated Australians in hotel quarantine in Adelaide was sent home for breaching safety protocols and a review is underway, SA’s Chief Public Health Officer says.

Via News: There’s real concern among experts that the spread of COVID-19 in the community in Victoria is about to get a lot worse.

Via the ABC: Hong Kong police made hundreds of arrests on Wednesday as protesters took to the streets in defiance of sweeping new security legislation introduced by China to snuff out dissent.

Via The Australian comes the sound of the door closing on cheap energy: Energy giant Shell said several of its high profile Australian gas projects were to blame for a massive $US8bn to $US9bn ($A11.7bn-$A13.2bn) writedown triggered by lower prices amid a Covid-19 demand shock.

The Australia/China relationship is sliding at astonishing speed towards outright strategic competition.