Julia Gillard quickly adopted Tony Abbott's plan to process asylum seekers offshore - because it has the " out of sight - out of mind " factor.
It is clear that the steady stream of refugee claimants arriving on our shores is a vote loser that would have a profound effect on voting intentions at the coming election - so now both sides of politics has adopted the " quick fix " solution.
Tony Abbott has the advantage that processing asylum seekers in Nauru has the approval of that island's government, while Julia Gillard may strike trouble negotiating such a scheme with the government of East Timor.
Nauru and East Timor are both in desperate need of industry, and setting up migrant detention and processing centres will create jobs for locals - and ensure a steady income stream. In the case of Nauru - the centre is already up and running - hence Abbott's proposal has the advantage.
What is new is the condition that new arrivals who have destroyed all forms of identification will not be even considered for residence, but immediately moved offshore.
The whole point of engaging a " people smuggler " to get to Australia was the notion that once they arrived here they jumped the queue - and their status would be decided sooner than those waiting in camps elsewhere for classification.
Once the incentive to pay money for illegal passage is removed - the people smugglers are put out of business - and the boat arrivals stop.
And that is precisely what the voters demand !
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
A recycling charge.
Plans are being considered to impose a national deposit/recycling scheme on bottles, cans and all manner of containers - similar to the ten cent laws that apply in South Australia.
What works in a relatively small state may not be so manageable in large cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
It is said that those who ignore history are destined to repeat it - and a deposit on containers is not new. We had such a scheme in place just after the end of the second world war - and it was dropped because it was a failure.
At that time, the retailer was responsible for repaying the deposit and collecting the returned containers until they could be returned to their manufacturer. This resulted in valuable retail space being lost - and an unsightly and unhygienic mess at supermarkets and corner stores.
The theory was that parks and beaches would become pristine because kids and teenagers would happily collect discarded containers - and return them to gain extra pocket money.
That completely ignored the whims of child minds. It became " uncool " for kids to cash in discarded containers - and most kids would not be seen dead by their peers heading to the shop with a pile of discards.
Being " cool " is almost a cult similar to religion. When did you last see a kid wearing a regulation school hat ? Or wearing a raincoat on a wet day ?
Deposit/recycling may be possible, but it will require more than just casual thinking to create a system that actually works - and creative thinking is not the usual way that government bodies go about doing things !
What works in a relatively small state may not be so manageable in large cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
It is said that those who ignore history are destined to repeat it - and a deposit on containers is not new. We had such a scheme in place just after the end of the second world war - and it was dropped because it was a failure.
At that time, the retailer was responsible for repaying the deposit and collecting the returned containers until they could be returned to their manufacturer. This resulted in valuable retail space being lost - and an unsightly and unhygienic mess at supermarkets and corner stores.
The theory was that parks and beaches would become pristine because kids and teenagers would happily collect discarded containers - and return them to gain extra pocket money.
That completely ignored the whims of child minds. It became " uncool " for kids to cash in discarded containers - and most kids would not be seen dead by their peers heading to the shop with a pile of discards.
Being " cool " is almost a cult similar to religion. When did you last see a kid wearing a regulation school hat ? Or wearing a raincoat on a wet day ?
Deposit/recycling may be possible, but it will require more than just casual thinking to create a system that actually works - and creative thinking is not the usual way that government bodies go about doing things !
Monday, 5 July 2010
" Ambience " - at last !
There is nothing more dismal than a partly built structure abandoned in a busy shopping centre. The good news is that " Ambience " - that forty million dollar shopping/residential complex is Fairy Meadow is up for sale.
" Ambience " was the factor planned to rejuvenate Fairy Meadow. It was contracted to have a Coles supermarket as the key tenant, surrounded by sixteen speciality shops, a floor of office services - and thirty four residential apartments.
The construction is two thirds complete - far too advanced for anything other than completion to be considered.
All the advantages exist for the new buyer. The complex will probably go for a fire sale price, leaving only a modest injection of capital to create a magnificent finished object that will result in a good return.
It's completion will also guarantee that the Fairy Meadow shopping precinct will not be swallowed up by the expansion of Corrimal. Without " Ambience " - a similar fate to what has happened to Woonona shopping centre is on the cards !
" Ambience " was the factor planned to rejuvenate Fairy Meadow. It was contracted to have a Coles supermarket as the key tenant, surrounded by sixteen speciality shops, a floor of office services - and thirty four residential apartments.
The construction is two thirds complete - far too advanced for anything other than completion to be considered.
All the advantages exist for the new buyer. The complex will probably go for a fire sale price, leaving only a modest injection of capital to create a magnificent finished object that will result in a good return.
It's completion will also guarantee that the Fairy Meadow shopping precinct will not be swallowed up by the expansion of Corrimal. Without " Ambience " - a similar fate to what has happened to Woonona shopping centre is on the cards !
Sunday, 4 July 2010
The con artists !
There is an interesting little book being mailed to selected people which claims to have the cure for almost every ailment known to mankind. It suggests that the pharmaceutical industry is deliberately keeping these cures secret - because they can not be covered by a patent - and therefore they have no profit potential.
The book suggests that if the reader cares to subscribe with a hefty payment the keeper of this secret will provide a whole series of booklets describing how the use of a cheap and easily obtained herb will cure everything from heart disease, diabetes - and cancer.
Obviously this is a get-rich-quick scheme, but unfortunately there is a grain of truth embedded in medical hocus-pocus.
It is a well known fact that aspirin - a medication that was discovered centuries ago and on which the patent has run out - can have magnificent medical effects if taken on a daily basis.
Statistical evidence shows that aspirin thins the blood - and as a result those who take it have less chance of death from heart disease or bowel cancer.
Strangely, aspirin is rarely proscribed by the medical fraternity. Instead they proscribe a whole range of medication which is only available by prescription - and which costs a lot more money.
The big pharmaceutical companies have been successful in brain washing doctors and patients into ignoring something that is low cost and using a product that makes them a handsome profit - but achieves the same result.
A curious case of con artists working both ends of the medical scale !
The book suggests that if the reader cares to subscribe with a hefty payment the keeper of this secret will provide a whole series of booklets describing how the use of a cheap and easily obtained herb will cure everything from heart disease, diabetes - and cancer.
Obviously this is a get-rich-quick scheme, but unfortunately there is a grain of truth embedded in medical hocus-pocus.
It is a well known fact that aspirin - a medication that was discovered centuries ago and on which the patent has run out - can have magnificent medical effects if taken on a daily basis.
Statistical evidence shows that aspirin thins the blood - and as a result those who take it have less chance of death from heart disease or bowel cancer.
Strangely, aspirin is rarely proscribed by the medical fraternity. Instead they proscribe a whole range of medication which is only available by prescription - and which costs a lot more money.
The big pharmaceutical companies have been successful in brain washing doctors and patients into ignoring something that is low cost and using a product that makes them a handsome profit - but achieves the same result.
A curious case of con artists working both ends of the medical scale !
Saturday, 3 July 2010
A dispute is settled !
The mining super tax dispute is over - but whether that resolution is a cave in or a brilliant bit of diplomacy depends on the political view prevailing.
In a democracy a major taxation change requires intense negotiation. Kevin Rudd tried to force his view without any form of compromise. It was a " crash through - or crash and burn " approach. Rudd is now a smouldering pile of ashes !
The solution leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
The tax now only applies to two commodities - iron ore and coal
There are 320 companies in Australia mining coal or iron ore, and Julia Gillard only bothered to talk to three of them - and obviously these were the largest operators. The other 317 have every right to feel ignored !
Of course solving this problem was in need of speed - and consultation with three hundred people would take time.
Julia Gillard is desperate to get some quick runs on the board - and then call an election while there is still bounce in her approval rating during this honeymoon period.
Pity that immigration and the " boat people " can not be so easily solved !
In a democracy a major taxation change requires intense negotiation. Kevin Rudd tried to force his view without any form of compromise. It was a " crash through - or crash and burn " approach. Rudd is now a smouldering pile of ashes !
The solution leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
The tax now only applies to two commodities - iron ore and coal
There are 320 companies in Australia mining coal or iron ore, and Julia Gillard only bothered to talk to three of them - and obviously these were the largest operators. The other 317 have every right to feel ignored !
Of course solving this problem was in need of speed - and consultation with three hundred people would take time.
Julia Gillard is desperate to get some quick runs on the board - and then call an election while there is still bounce in her approval rating during this honeymoon period.
Pity that immigration and the " boat people " can not be so easily solved !
Friday, 2 July 2010
New Real Estate emerging !
If the global warming people are right, within a decade or so both the Arctic and the Antarctic will be ice free in summer ! That will raise the thorny question of - ownership !
Half a millennium ago that was clear. The first explorer to find new territory simply planted his country's flag on the beach - and proclaimed it the property of his king, emperor or president.
Nobody bothered with the frozen lands at both the poles because it was so covered in ice to be uninhabitable - but that is about to change.
If the ice retreats it will leave a land with the potential to be a rich source of various minerals - and possibly oil !
Perhaps now would be a good time for the United Nations to plant the world flag and claim these territories, under the jurisdiction of the International court of justice.
At least that would be the first step to getting the various countries of the world to recognise the United Nations as the supreme authority - something that has been sadly lacking since it's inception !
Half a millennium ago that was clear. The first explorer to find new territory simply planted his country's flag on the beach - and proclaimed it the property of his king, emperor or president.
Nobody bothered with the frozen lands at both the poles because it was so covered in ice to be uninhabitable - but that is about to change.
If the ice retreats it will leave a land with the potential to be a rich source of various minerals - and possibly oil !
Perhaps now would be a good time for the United Nations to plant the world flag and claim these territories, under the jurisdiction of the International court of justice.
At least that would be the first step to getting the various countries of the world to recognise the United Nations as the supreme authority - something that has been sadly lacking since it's inception !
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Winners - and losers !
Welcome to the first day of a new financial year !
Let us have a look at what the balance sheet offers !
Electricity and gas will cost 13% more from today - and water will increase by 7%. When car registration comes round, expect to contribute somewhere between $5 and $ 30 for this new motor vehicle weight tax - and traffic fines will also increase by an amount to be announced. Council rates will also increase, depending on where you live.
And now for the good news ! The third round of tax cuts will cut in today - and low income wage earners will make a saving - of just three dollars a week !
Many people will hoard this largess to pay for all the price increases, but some will be less thrifty and blow the lot.
If they are careful and shop around they may find a cheap cafe somewhere offering a cup of coffee - once a week - in exchange for that three dollars.
But don't look for a sandwich or piece of cake to go with it !
Let us have a look at what the balance sheet offers !
Electricity and gas will cost 13% more from today - and water will increase by 7%. When car registration comes round, expect to contribute somewhere between $5 and $ 30 for this new motor vehicle weight tax - and traffic fines will also increase by an amount to be announced. Council rates will also increase, depending on where you live.
And now for the good news ! The third round of tax cuts will cut in today - and low income wage earners will make a saving - of just three dollars a week !
Many people will hoard this largess to pay for all the price increases, but some will be less thrifty and blow the lot.
If they are careful and shop around they may find a cheap cafe somewhere offering a cup of coffee - once a week - in exchange for that three dollars.
But don't look for a sandwich or piece of cake to go with it !
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