From the excellent crew at Credit Suisse today: When political correctness is key… Perspectives in the domestic gas market, certainly in terms of scrutiny and public perception, have changed beyond all recognition in the past few weeks. To quote APA CEO, Mick McCormack, every petshop parrot now was a view on it all. As of
Primary Section
Barnaby cuts through 18c guff
I’m not a big Barnaby Joyce man but yesterday he cut through nicely: “It’s like fascinating yourself with the drivel scrawled on the back of a toilet door,” a frustrated Barnaby Joyce explains. “It’s best you just ignore it, do your business and move on.” He’s talking about the ongoing distraction over the conservative cause
Coalition roars with 18c triumph as nation yawns
At The Australian: Malcolm Turnbull has presented his government’s proposed changes to the wording of Australia’s racial vilification laws – and the administration of race-hate claims by the Human Rights Commission – as a defence of free speech. The Prime Minister said the government was “defending the law by making it clearer” and better protecting
Some sense at last but only one policy can save the Do-nothing Government
Through a combination of good fortune and panic a more sensible Do-nothing Malcolm government is emerging. That does not make it sensible on any objective measure but less stupid is a start. The Government has been behind the curve on every major issue since the election: on housing affordability it has been getting a caning
AFR continues gas propaganda war on Australia
This is pure gas propaganda headlining the AFR today: For some earthy, cut-through clarity on the state of Australia’s gas markets, who better to turn to that Mick McCormack. McCormack runs APA Group, the nation’s biggest gas piper. And it is his firm view that, right now, we do not have a gas supply crisis.
Newspoll cuts Do-nothing some slack
Via The Australian today: Voters have given the Coalition a vital boost in the wake of Malcolm Turnbull’s plan to expand the iconic Snowy Mountains power scheme, shaving Labor’s lead to 52 to 48 per cent in two-party terms and lifting the Prime Minister’s personal ratings.The Coalition has regained ground against Labor by increasing its
Labor must face its fear of mining
A story from The New Daily today contains some important content: Just how much money did the Western Australian mining lobby spend in its campaign to unseat Nationals leader Brendon Grylls in his seat of Pilbara? Enough to remove the leader of a political party from his seat, if the claims can be believed. Unlike
Was John Howard Australia’s worst Prime Minister?
By Leith van Onselen Fairfax’s Crispin Hull penned a thought-provoking piece over the weekend claiming that Australia is “still plagued by destructive policies of John Howard, our worst prime minister”: Howard led us into Iraq just to please the Americans and that the decision was based on a falsity. That decision cost a lot of
Right is more “politically correct” than Left
Marriage equality CEO’s will not be silenced, quite rightly: “It has utterly nothing to do with political correctness,” Australian Super chair Heather Ridout told AFR Weekend. “It is too much about politics and not about the actual principle here. What we need is a debate about the substance of the issue, not a debate about whether people are being politically
Do-nothing Malcolm is enraging the nation
Two national outbursts this week deserve political strategist’s urgent attention. Yesterday’s fantastic dressing-down of Energy Minister Josh Frydenburg at the hand of SA Premier Jay Weatherill has something in common with the saga engulfing Coopers Breweries and the public reaction to its ill-conceived gay-marriage debate advertisement. Both are enraged responses to deep Federal Government betrayal and
Where did Do-nothing get his Snowy hydro vision?
You can make this stuff up, apparently: The ABC has more on whether or not it’s a good idea: Engineering experts are less critical than the South Australian Premier but some are warning that the expansion of the hydro-electric scheme won’t be a “magical” solution to Australia’s power problems. And they point out that it
No pooftas, Dutton tells CEOs
No pooftas, Dutton tells CEOs: Australia’s most senior conservative politician has lambasted a campaign by the chief executives of 30 of the nation’s largest companies for the “near-term” legalisation of same-sex marriage, saying they should focus on running their own businesses instead of jamming “politically correct views down our throats”. Immigration minister Peter Dutton was scathing
The mining versus manufacturing death match
Matthew Stevens captures the ongoing gas farce today nicely: A group of former BHP Billiton and BP executives has opened discussions with the South Australian government over a $600 million private-equity funded solution to the state’s gathering energy crisis. The proposal involves the construction of a 350 megawatt gas-fired peaking power plant that would be fuelled
Snowy hydro’s owners in the dark
Pretty clearly another brain fart: Malcolm Turnbull declared himself a “nation-building prime minister” as he announced plans to expand the iconic Snowy Mountains scheme, insisting his government was building on the “real courage” and “confidence” of Australians who built the engineering wonder. While a feasibility study will determine the final design, the most likely new project
When will The Greens phonies stop mass immigration?
By Leith van Onselen Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, yesterday fronted the National Press Club for the first time since last year’s federal election and gave a 3,000 word speech outlining The Greens ‘vision’ and ‘accomplishments’. To be fair, there was some good stuff in there. Di Natale banged on about addressing negative gearing and
Coopers woes deepen as Coalition snowflakes arc up
From Loon Central: “What do they have to gain by backing down like this?” Mr Hastie said. “They were subjected to online bullying and mass outrage and unfortunately they took counsel from it. “This is the spirit of the age. You can’t even endorse a civil, respectful conversation between two disagreeing friends about an important
Coopers stumbles into culture war
Amazing stuff this: Senior representatives from the South Australian brewery Coopers have apologised and said they support marriage equality after the use of their beer in a video-taped debate about the issue sparked a boycott campaign. Coopers came under fire after one of its beers was featured in ‘Keep it Light’, a video by the
Do-nothing Malcolm tasers self with SA electricity
Rather than work with SA on its new energy plan, the truly idiotic Do-nothing Malcolm Government is calling the lawyers, via The Australian: The Turnbull government is seeking legal advice on whether the South Australian government’s decision today to “go it alone” on energy policy constitutes a breach of national electricity market rules. Energy Minister
Mining sedition wins again as Grylls loses Pilbara
From the ABC: West Australian Nationals leader Brendon Grylls has conceded defeat in his seat of Pilbara, following a $2 million campaign against him by the mining industry angry at his iron ore tax proposal. Speaking to Australian Associated Press, Mr Grylls said he would not be able to overturn a deficit of several hundred
Shell dribbles gas from largest east coast reserve
The Australian: Arrow Energy, the joint venture between Shell and PetroChina that is sitting on the east coast’s biggest undeveloped gas resource, is spending up to $850 million boosting supply into the tight gas market as shortages loom. And it appears a bigger plan to develop its Surat Basin ground is finally taking shape, seven
Is Scott Morrison a negative gearing lies idiot savant?
While recent rumours that Scott Morrison has been sidelined by Do-nothing Malcolm probably owe more to the latter’s predilection for betrayal than anything that the Treasurer has done, he really isn’t doing himself any favours with this sort of clangor: Speaking on radio 2GB, the Treasurer said the idea that curbing negative gearing would ease
Barnett destroyed, Do-nothing Malcolm next
Via the ABC: Colin Barnett’s eight-and-a-half-year reign as WA Premier is over, after his Liberal-National Government was swept out of office by a huge swing towards Mark McGowan’s Labor Party. Mr McGowan will be sworn in as the state’s 30th premier within days, after Labor won a clear majority in parliament and the Liberals suffered