Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

The Titanic Clive rises from the deep

By John Mikkelsen - posted Wednesday, 1 May 2019


History repeated when a port worker in Gladstone asked him about tax relief for him and his mates who were earning $250,000 a year …."Well, were going to look at that". (He already has, and plans to hit those workers and others classed as "the big end of town" with higher taxes).

If he's that incompetent or untruthful, he should give the game away.

But, with all the media focus on Clive Palmer's Australia United Party preferences, Labor's traditional ties with best mates, the Greens, continue to fly under the radar.

Advertisement

It must have been a pretty easy choice for the PM when that party also wants death duties, defence spending diverted to overseas aid, a nation-destroying ban on coal mining ($67 billion for the economy last year) 100 percent renewables and 100 percent electric vehicles.

We know they are soft on drugs and want to legalise cannabis, but have they got a secret plot of money trees in amongst the pot plants?

What will Labor's climate policy cost? Don't ask, unless you want to see the most inept ducking and weaving since Anthony Mundine's latest bout with Jeff Horn. Or, almost $0.5 trillion if you believe expert analyst Brian Fisher of BA Economics (who was an adviser to Hawke, Keating and Howard governments).

Shorten says that's wrong, so come on 'fess up, Bill, we're sick of hearing "It's a specific mythical number... what's the cost of doing nothing?" ... Er, that would be nothing, if you believe Australia's chief Scientist Alan Finkel. Cut our CO2 emissions to zero, for practically zero effect, as we represent just 1.3 percent of the world's total.

We'd be better off spending those billions on preparing for extreme weather events by building more dams and hydro-power, allowing our hard-hit farmers to build effective fire breaks, and clearing undergrowth in national parks. Remember the recently revised Bradfield Scheme, feeding northern floodwaters into the Murray/Darling? Too damn logical?

We'll probably persist with largely ineffective water buy-backs while the major parties throw mud over 'Watergate' deals with a company based in the Cayman Islands in an attempt to keep the rivers flowing.

Advertisement

Labor and the Greens have questioned the $80 million buy-back in 2017 from Eastern Australia Agriculture (EAA) when Barnaby Joyce was Agriculture Minister, but Joyce hit back by pointing out Labor also dealt with the same company, and the deal was approved by the department.

Two years on, it seems to be water under the bridge.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

5 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

John Mikkelsen is a long term journalist, former regional newspaper editor, now freelance writer formerly of Gladstone in CQ, but now in Noosa. He is also the author of Amazon Books memoir Don't Call Me Nev.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by John Mikkelsen

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of John Mikkelsen
Article Tools
Comment 5 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy