Where is the government?



[ad_1]

Climate change is a major problem for voters in Wentworth, much more important than the question of where the Australian embbady is in Israel. Environment Minister Melissa Price, an badaulted storm, found time to insult the former president of Kiribati and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Anote Tong. Australia to talk about the threat posed by climate change to the Pacific, to advocate for a global moratorium on new technologies. coal mines and to call on Australia for greater action.

Kiribati is already feeling the effects of climate change and Mr Tong explained that sea level rise not only threatens crops, but also fresh drinking water for the 100,000 citizens of Kiribati. After being introduced to Mr. Tong, the Australian Environment Minister reportedly said, "I know why you are here, it 's for the money, for the Pacific, it' s always the money that counts.I have my checkbook here.How much do you want? " The minister first categorically denied this to Parliament, then said that she could not remember what she had said, and then apologized if what she said was wrong. she had said had offended the former president.

Former President Tong called for a global moratorium on new coal mines. The Australian Institute's research shows that if a moratorium were imposed on the construction of new coal mines, including Adani, Australia's coal production would gradually decline as existing mines put an end to their economic life. Existing and already approved coal mines could still produce tens of millions of tons of coal in the 2040s, provided other countries are still willing to buy it, with minimal impact on the industry. 39; economy.

On which side was the minister when she flatly rejected the IPCC report calling for the phasing out of coal by 2050? Certainly not on the side of the reef or the Pacific.

In an appeal to rural voters and the agricultural sector, the prime minister announced that the unemployed would be forced to accept rural jobs or lose the 4-week Newstart payment. The farmer groups he was trying to help had widely considered impracticable.

Finally, with the majority of the government in suspense, Barnaby Joyce chose the 48 hours preceding the Wentworth by-election as the perfect time to let us know that he would like to return to the Nationals leadership, if one asked him. proving that Barnaby Joyce is on no one's side. It would be up to the national to ask some questions of rural women before questioning Barnaby Joyce.

Loading

The key to getting people to vote for the Liberals in Wentworth is stability. Before Thursday, the government had accidentally endorsed a slogan of white supremacy, insulted the Pacific, irritated Indonesia, disappointed the agricultural sector, ignored the advice of ASIO and revealed that the nationals did not appear to be of side of their own. And that is Malcolm Turnbull who was supposed to be bad in politics?

Scott Morrison promised that his government would be on the side of the Australian people, but he can hardly choose a camp, let alone stay.

However, at least three Liberal MPs have been very clear about their side. Steve Minnikin, Jann Stuckey and Tim Nicholls are three LNP MPs who broke ranks this week to vote for the decriminalization of abortion in Queensland.

In a pbadionate speech to Parliament, Steve Minnikin said, "If our society begins to say that a fetus has the right to life, it takes precedence over the right of the pregnant woman to give or refuse her consent and that the law obliges women to continue their pregnancy against With their consent, we would actually give more rights to the fetus than a real person and, as a logical and consequential extension, we would give pregnant women fewer rights than A corpse I have not yet found anyone who can convince me that women should have fewer rights when they are alive than they are when they are dead. "

Scott Morrison can hardly pick a side, let alone stay.

Tim Nicholls, former leader of the NLP, may have even more leadership. Once, he promised that all members of his party would vote against the bill. But on Wednesday night, Nicholls contributed to the decriminalization of abortion, even though he did not support it.

"I do not support abortion," he told parliament. "I support women and their right to control their own reproductive health, and I do not want any women to feel the need to ask for a termination … but I recognize the reality. on terminations of employment should reflect this reality. "

This is a historic vote, long overdue. Congratulations and thanks are extended to all the activists, especially the women who have succeeded after decades of efforts, as well as to the fifty members of the Labor Party, the Greens, the Independents and the National Party which voted to make it happen.

People might disagree with the way Nicholls, Stuckey and Minnikin voted and the forced pregnancy lobby will target them in the next election, but at least voters know what party they were. That's more than the same for the Morrison government and it will take a lot more than a pin of the flag to fix the problem.

Ebony Bennett is Deputy Director of The Australia Institute

@ebony_bennett

[ad_2]
Source link