Hi there,

Some sad news that my old Dad, Geoff, passed away early this morning.

Writing this blog was one of the great joys of his life, especially in his later years as his health and mobility became more of a challenge.

But he loved the discipline of researching and writing his blog, ready to get up at 5 am each day and hit that ‘publish’ button.

And he just loved the blog map, so proud that he had followers from so many countries and would happily monitor the spread of his ‘international followers’ with great pride.

As his daughter, I also loved his blog but for different reasons. As his health deteriorated over the past few years, I could quietly log on to his blog and check that he had posted and the time. As that was an indicator of his well being. Anything between 5 and 530 am was fine but later than that meant that he was  unwell. So I could could keep a watching eye on him without being being the pushy, old nurse ( that I am)

For those of you who have been reading this blog, you will know that he was a very thoughtful man who valued fairness, reason, social equity and commonsense. He loved challenging the status quo, looking for better options, different ways to solve a problem.

He had an endless curiosity and energy to look for explanations and answers.

I would like to thank you all for supporting Dads blog.

Vale Geoff  25th December 1933 - 5th July 2021.

Signed

His daughter, Deb

A Gang War Rages !

 We have a crime war raging in central Sydney.  This war is a test of strength between two crime families and on Thursday night the head of one of those families was brutally murdered after consuming a meal at a prominent Japanese restaurant.

Bilal Hasmze died in a hail of bullets as he crossed Bridge Street, just five minutes from Circular Quay. He is is part of an ongoing fued with the Alameddimes family and Hamze is a relative of the nororious  " Brothers for Life " founder  Bassam Hamze.  Police have issued warnings that similar attacks on several  others in the Hamnze network now seem inevitable.

All this seems a reversion to the  Americasn gangland wars of Prohibition, back in earlier times.  Fortunes were being made running illegal alcohol to the mass market and this quickly fell to the task of organized  Crime. " Speakeasies " cropped up in most neighbourhoods and these fought an ongoing war with the Police.

Over the years that followed, gangster gangs  acquired automatic weapons and hijacking the inwards supplies of others became common.  Alcohol was coming ashore on beaches, coast to coast as the world's alcohol industry responded to an export market.

The American Treasury became alarmed at this untaxesd profit flowing into gangster hands and repealed prohibition.  Vast sections of the country elected to stay " dry " and remains that way today.  Gun violence remains an untended problem because the right to own a gun is protected in the Constitution.

Guns became harder to legally acquire in Australia after the Port Arthur massacre.  There is more profit to be made running guns now that strident control measures are in place. The gun numbers in Australia are again steadily growing.

It will be interestintg to see how the police respond to this challenge.  As long as the two gangs continuie to wipe each other out they are conent to let gangsters take care of gangster business.  It only becomes a police matter when the public get involved.

Unfortunately, life just doesn't work that way.  Both police and public casualties are inevitable in this gang war unti law and order institutes control.

Legislative Inertia !

 Seven years ago, ICAC asked the New South Wales parliament to enact legislation to protect whistleblowers who voluntarilly provide evidence to one of its enquiries.  This week it was learned that no less than twenty-seven drafts had been compiled, and as yet none had be taken to a vote.

The parliament was currently working on a twenty-eight draft and if this got the nod it would probably go to a vote sometime next year.

There is a vast difference between how a voluntary witness is treated compared  to those summonsed before the enquiry and compelled to give evidence.  Under existing law, those compelled to give evidence  against corruption  are protected against any criminal or civil liability, including defamation, breach of confidentiallity  and any disciplinary action by their employer.

This same protection is not extended to any voluntary witness giving evidence to such an enquiey and this was having a chilling effect on whistleblowers.

It sends a message that they had better be prepared to lose their jobs or be sued because the government will not protect them.  Even if they tip off authorities to major corruption.  It is poor treatment of public spirited citizens who shine the light of discovery in dark places and suffer financial injury as a result.

As usuaL, it is the politicians looking to their own survival.  Both sides of politics have their dirty little secrets and exposure hurts them at the polls,. They do not wish to open the evidence door too widely and that is why each of these drafts have been rejected - and sent back for more work.

It is in public interest that citizens be encouraged to watch over public finances.  Suspicion is constantly aroused where vast sums of money are involved and the business of government can be very tempting and often easily covered.  There is innunendo of graft surfacing on a regular basis and the legislation in force at present simply keeps witnesses silent.

The watchdog first recommended that the ICAC evidence act be ammended early in 2014.  This was supported by an upper house enquiry in 2017 so it is quite evident that the matter is not going to be allowed to rest.

This sort of delay is giving parliament a bad name.  It is public money beintg used to fund projects and its distribution needs to be squeaky clean.  If there is further delay in passing this twenty-eight draft many will suspect deliberate corruption is highly placed.

A Wicked World !!

There once was a time when the laws of most countries were in tandem with the laws of whichever Church was foremost in attracting the support of the population.  Great congregations dutifully went to church every Sunday and the government ruled by obeying the laws of the church.

That is still common in some parts of the world, but a vast schism has opened up between church liturgy and the will of the people We are fast reaching the stage where. the laws in force run directly opposite the teachings of the church.  The church voices its opposition but party politics is dependent on votes and the decisions made mirror the opinion  of the masses.

To a high degree, the divisive point between Church and state revolved around the sexual act. The  churches insist that marriage is a union for life and refuse to offer the sacrament to those who divorce.

We have now reached the stage where divorce has been taken out of the hands of the church and is the jurisdiction of a Federal court.  Each parliament will decide who gets a divorce - and for what reason.  Marriage as a ceremony practised by an ordained minister is now more commonly administered by a civil celebrant.

Abortion was long held to be a civil crime, but today is legal in many parts of the world. Homosexuality has long been forbidden, but referendum's in many countries has seen it attain legal status and same sex marriage is now widely practised openly.

Sex before marriage was once seen as a cardinal sin, but the majority of the world's population cohabit today without the benefit of a church blessing.  Sex is a tradeable commoddity in the world marketplace and is publicly extolled in the movie industry.

Attendance at church has fallen away over many centuries but still attracts followers at Christmas and Easter.  It would be impossible for the great churches of the world to change their message and accept the fundamentals of how the population chooses to live their lives.

What we are seeing is the emergence of various sects which offer forgiveness for the wickedness of humankind.  The great religions are in retreat because of the emergence of sexual relations moving out of control and guided by the masses.

It is evident that the churches have lost the power to deliver shock and their threat to impose vengeance in the afterlife no longer terrifies sinners.  

Limits on Car Density !

At the mid point of the twentieth century, the warranty on cars was twelve months, or tweve thousand miles, whichever came sooner.  As we edge our way into the twenty-first century that has widened appreciably.  A five year warranty is now fairly common, and one Korean maker extends that to seven years with unlimited distance covered.

That is even more extended on electric cars.  One Japanese manufacturer is now offering a ten year warranty with ten year service at a fixed price, but there is a distance limitation of 200,000 kilometres travelled.

The standard of engineering has made great strides in recent years.,  All the major manufacrturers now produce a high standard, four cylinder car that sells somewhere about the $20,000 price range.,  Provided it is properly serviced, the owner can expect to travel 300,000 kilometres before that engine shows signs of wear.

High quality and low price have simply inundated the market with cars to the point that we are approaching gridlock.  Billions are being spent to improve the daily commute but the scarcity of parking, both at home and wherever we work is putting a limit on cars as a means of personal transport.

New housing estates tend to shoe horn homes onto ever smaller blocks of land and what used to be called " the backyard " has disappeared.,  This modern home has off street parking for two cars, but the children stay at home longer because of the elevated home prices and their cars need to find a parking place on the streets.

Any district with high employment numbers has become a parking conundrum.  Many require the driver to take a bus trip from where they can legally park to their place of work and this adds to both inconvenience and expense.

We are fast reaching the stage where a long weekend means a tangled mortorway getting to our destination and a similar experience on the trip home.  Even weekend motoring is becoming similar to the mid week commute.

The call to use public transport and leave the car at home falls on deaf ears.,  In the majority of cases, the driver is alone in the vehicle and that is unlikely to change when the car is powered by electricirty and not petrol.  We cling stubbornly to the car as our personal means of transport..

Eventually, the electric car must be cheaper than the internal combustion model because of the limited engineering needed.   We are fast reaching the stage where sharing will be the only viable option to limit cars to the capacity of the road system.

We will probably need a legally sanctioned personal parking space before we can register a car.

Supersonic Airliners !

 The Boeing 707 was the first of the big jets that brought seat prices crashing down, and then we were told the next big thing would be supersonic speed.  The world airplane makers went into a frenzy doing costings and creating design, but then the Americans walked away from the concept.

Boeing decided it was possible, but that it would never turn a profit.  The British and the French decided to combine their efforts - and that brought us Concorde.  A remarkable plane that could cross the Atlantic Ocean in 3.5 hours, flying at 2124 kph - and carrying just 128 passengers.

No other airlines but the British and French national carriers bought this aircraft and in all its years it never turned a profit.  It was military technology and it flew successfully until a scrap of junk on the runway pierced its fuel tank and killed all aboard.

Now the plane makers are in a new frenzy with plans to build a new airliner capable of supersonic speed.  To bring an economic return it will need to use military technology that makes this possible.  It will need to be bigger than Concode and carry many more passengers and it will encounter both noise problems and damage into the ozone layer.

It is likely that it will be speed restricted over inhabited land, and it will need to compete with bigger, slower competitors who pack in more seats and offer substantially lower prices.   The Concorde era attracted passengers prepared to pay extra for the experience of flying faster than sound, but that attracted international personalities rather than the tourist trade.

If this aircraft eventuates it will be reserved for a small fraction of the travelling public.It is likely to be taken up by a small number of specialist airlines and the main attraction of air travel will be seat prices. It will also be a target for terrorist activity because of the pubicity it attracts.

The introduction of a supersonic airliner comes at a bad time for planet Earth.  We are desperately trying to decrease global warming and aircraft flying around the fringe of the planet leave vapour trails that are clearly visible from the ground.  It is highly likely that some countries may refuse landing rights to aircraft that accentuate that problem.

We have just experiuenced a pandemic that spread economic chaos across ther world and it was air travel that introduced the pathogen to world audiences.  What is possible in our ever developing world of technology is not always what is desireable and we thought that supersonic speed was out of the picture when Concorde withdrew.

Faster air travel will put a cost premium on the travel industry.  We need to decide if that is what we want before newer, faster aircraft decide the iassue for us !

An Unkind Decision !

It seemed that the coinvention regarding Australian citizenship was perfectly clear.  Children born on Australian soil automatically gained the legal right to call Australia home, but for the past three years two sisters who meet that condition haver been detained on Christmas Island awaiting deportation to Sri Lanka. 

The problem is that their parents came here as " boat people "  and as such lacked the right to settle.  They were held in detention while an appeal was heard and during that time lived in the Queensland town of Biloela.  During that time their two daughters -Tharnicca and Kopika were born and the entuire family was moved to Christmas Island in the Indian Oceran.

At the time of their arrival, boat people were coming ashore in droves and the government stopped the flow by promising that none would be allowed to settle here. New arrivals were settled in  the government transit camps while negotiations proceeded to move them to other countries.

They were good citizens during their time in Biloela and its citizens would welcome their return, but the Australian government fears that if it reneges on its promise and allows them to settle it will provoke a new wave of boat people arrivals.

When Tharnicca became desperately ill the family was moved back to Australia so she could get specialist treatment.  The parliament is still trying to negotiate their removal to New Zealand or the United States.  We have the ridiculous situation of a family of four living in a vast offshore detention camp at a coast of $ 6.7 million so far.  Their plight has been taken up by government politicians and the myth has been shattered that adequate medical attention can be given at a camp 2000 metres from Perth's Childrens hospital.

All this is obviously  an embarrassment to Australia.  It seems the government may go to the next Federal election with this Muruggappan family in offshore limbo and when Tharnicca fully recovers they may be returned to Christmas island.

The government is splitting straws.  The two Australian born daughters are clearly  entitled to Australian citizenship, and their parents are not.   The government is defending its decision on principle and clearly the public opinion in Australia is solidly behind allowing the family to settle here.

It would be an act of grace and favour to allow them to return to Biloea in Queensland where they      would be warmly welcomed.   Most people think they have earned the right to be permanwently settled in Australia as a result of their Christmas island adventure.

A Successful " Sting " Operation !

 International crime was thrown into disarray when America's FBI created an App that promised communications security.  Crime fighters were listening in when this was adopted by gangsters and a film at a Sydney murder tial jury watched live scenes as a man ran up to a solicitor in a Sydney street and shot him dead.

The murdered man was was Ho Ledinh (65) and he was shot three times.   The prosecution alleges Mr Ledinh was killed by Arthur Kelikilo and that Abraham Senai collarorated with the shooter to arrange for the muerder to be carried out.  Mr Senai has pleaded not guilty.

This seems to have been a classical " sting " operation.  The prosecution allege Mr Sinai communicated with the shooter, Arthur Keleklio to arrange Mr Ledinh's murder. The App was an encrypted platform used by about 12,500 international crime figures when it was deemed " safe "  by hundreds of Australian criinals.

This was the breakthrough law enforcement has long awaited.  It appears to have ensnared one of Australia's most wanted criminals who has been hiding out in Turkey.  Law enfoprcement is keeping very quiet about where the gathered information may be taking them, but international crime syndicates are known to be very worried.

The electronic era has been infiltrated by criminals who are usually several steps ahead of the law.  The " deep web " as it is known holds many secrets that allow illicit drugs to be trafficked fairly openly and it seems that criminals have been duped into using a system that has been penetrated by the law.

Law enforcement has been successful in catching and prosecuting the small time criminals who are the conduit between the drug scene and the end customers, but the big players remain encrusted behind tight security and move their money about on the international scene.

This highly secretive, three year App operation , codenamed ' Ironside  " in Australia and " Trojan " in the US has so far led to 224 arrests across Australia, while 2.7 tonnes of drugs, 104 weapons and $ 45 Million in cash has been seized.

The news media has been reporting hyper activity in rounding up criminals here in Australia and now we know why this is happening.  This has been a massive security breach that reaches right into the world of casinos and banks and is upsetting the money trail.

There is panic in the underworld, and it seems likely that this penetration still has a long way to go to reach its end !

A " Scare " Campaign !

 The 2016 Federal election was won by the Liberal/National coalition, but Labor made up lost ground when it ran a scare campaign that suggerstesd cutbacks in the universal health system. There are indications that a similar strategy will again apply when we next go to the polls.

The government has plans to reform Medicaire and from July 1, more than 900 Medicare benefits will be charged across orthpedics, general surgery, cardiac surgical servceas, vascular and general practice care numbersy

These reforms come from the Medicare Benefits Taskforce final report which was prepared by a team of medical experts.  The task forces five year review was completed last year and contained 1400- recomenndations.  It was the largest audit since the system was introduced in 1964.

Labor is going hard against these reforms ansd says it will be part of the party's upcoming campagn platform..  Labor leader Anthony Albanese wrote on Twitter that Labor built Medicare and protecting it is in our DNA.   The Liberals opposed Medicare and cutting it back serves their interest.

The party gained ground in the 2016 election when it accused the Federal government of trying to sell off   Medicare.  It was obvious that Medicare was of significant concerrn to voters.

Over the years more drugs and procedures have been added to the services that Medicare provides, but little in the way of communications that alert the medical profession as to what changes are beimg consdidered.  Adding items increases the cost and it is necessary to spread the load to keep the servivce viable.

A spokesman for Health Minister  Greg Hunt said the changes were based on medical advice, including some new or extended items, and some extended rebates.  It was perfectly clear that the government had no intention of discontinuing this valuable medical service.

It is quite clear that many Labor supporters saw through the 2016 attack by then Labor leader Bill Shorten. A launch by new leader Anthony Albanese may give it some credence, but many will carefully evaluate the figures given and decide it is a replay of a failed accusation.

Given the problems many other world countries are experiencing in tryong to introduce a universal health service the Australian Medicare system gains widespread praise.  There are indications that it will evolve further as new treatments come online and for that to happen existing procedures meed constant review.

Scare campaigns ared simply a tactic of party politics!

A Bandit Regime !

  Qantas is Australia's National Airline and we are accustomed to seeing its Kangaroo logo at world airports.   It has an impeccable safety record and is the only commercial airline that holds a Trusted Trader accreditation with the Australian Border Force.

What that means in the world of international air freight is that every employee has been subjected to a fit and propper test.  We have not been advised of any of our people failing that test and yet we are hearing claims that organized crime has infiltrated the Quantas network and using this cover for the importation of illegal drugs.

An internal Qantas security report contends that " trusted insiders " at Australia's biggest airline have links to organized crime and were able to " casuse significant harm "  to the community by facilitating smuggling across borders.

An internal Qantas security report tabled in 2020 revealed that a former baggage handler turned into a wealthy Sydney racing identity pleaded guilty in May to importing $68.5 million worth of Cocaine,.  It was later found his import of Cocaine was valued at one billion and that this crime had not been publicly revealed.

Now a classified Federal law enforcement intelligence report has revealed that a significant number of Qantas staff - and a hundred and fifty have been suggested as being involved -  are linked to criminality. Crime agencies believe Qantas has been infiltrated by bikies and other organized crime groups to  facilitate drug importation and other activities that pose a risk to national security.

It stands to reason that given the number of aircraft movements each day, a few corrupt officials in the right location would be able to screen cargo that is not listed on the manifest and this could then pass through customs unchecked.  It could also explain why quantrities of drugs regularly appear on our streets that appear immune to law enforcement activities.

Obviously, this movement of drugs involves payment fort those creating  the right facilities to break the law and compensate for the risks involved.  In many cases it seems likely that the people providing drug cover at airports are also involved in street trafficking which provides an extraordinary gain in overall renumeration.  Such a person should stand out to authorities by the very nature of the toys they can afford for their peronal lifestyle.

Perhaps the quickest way to shut down this conduit of drug importation would be an investigation of the lifestyle of all Qantas employees.   Those living far beyond the expectation of their salary level would obviously have some explaining to do.

Wealth from. unexplaijned sources would bring the type of security attention that these criminals would most like to avoid.  Knowing they were under scrutiny would bring compliance !

A Threat to Democracy !

 Joseph Goebbells, propaganda minister for Adolph Hitler's Nazi party added a dictum that many politicians have used to their advantage.  " If you tell the same lie often enough, the majority of people will believe it is true ".

Donald Trump lost the last Presidential election  and tried to cling to power with the claim that this was the " stolen election ".  He urged his followers to storm the Capital building and for a few hours the American Democratic institution hovered on the brink of anarchy.

It is perfectly clear that Joe Biden's win was in accord with the election laws in place in America, but Trump persists with that lie and the vast majority of the Republican party supports his claim.  He is now promising that he will stand for election to the oval office at the next election, in four years time.

It seems perfectly clear that he will probably succeed in gaining Republican nomination to again try for that office.  The Republican voting block has clearly demonstrated that it will vote down any investigation of Trump's abuse of power and use of his office for personal advantage.

Trump's term in office was marred by many doubtful decisions.  At essence, he is a property developer unsuited to the machinations of  inter-government affairs. His relationship with women crossed boundaries and he failed to table his own tax returns when questions arose about his tax liabilities.,

Now out of office, he is shielded by the Republican vote from any in depth investigation which might subject him to court action which may preclude him from another attempt to hold office. Without such an investigation, he is free to maintain the lie that he actually won against Biden and that illegal voting was used to deliver an unfavourable total.

It is quite possible that with the advantage of being able to publicly maintain the untruth that Trump votes were deliberately exclusded from the count to manufactuere a Biden vicrtory, he may gain sufficient public sympathy to again win a term in office.

Such an outcome would seriously damage the American political system.  Whern a political party votes as a block to shield its leader from legitimate questionuing about his conduct in office, the integrity of politics comes into disrepute.

Republicans who now voice doubt about Trump's conduct are finding their entire structure moving against them to deny them official sanction to hold office.   They are disendorsed and replaced by others willing to toe the party line.

If this is allowed to rule politics unchecked, it will probably end party politics which has served the nation well since the United States became a Democratic entity.

Country Medical Standards !

 It is surprising the number of people who do not have a regular doctor they consult for their medical needs, and many of these live in a country town where obtaining an appointmewnt with a GP involves a very long wait.

Usually, the appearance of annoying symptoms alerts them to the presence of a medical problem and they present at a regional hospital where it is suggested that having a blood test will determine the cause. A blood sample is taken and sent to pathology and in due course the analysis report delivers the bad news. 

The patrient is suffering from one of the common ailments  that  appear as we age and the patient is connected to a doctor in a city hospital far away by tele-conference,.  It is suggested that a treatment course would be helpful and that is prescribed as the recommended treatment.

In the majority of cases this delivers relief and as the prescription  needs renewal this happens automatically, signed off by that distant prescribing doctor.  The doctor and patient never physically meet together and treatment consists entirely on the result of that blood test.

This is fast developing into the way country medicine is being practised,.  The economics of having a registered doctor stationed at remote country hospitals has been replaced by the tele-conference, aided by the prescribing doctor making visits to actually see the patient at long intervals.

That usually quickly reverts to an overload situation.  The patients treated by tele-conference grows in number and only a select few can be fitted into face to face consultation during a visit to a local hospital.Treatment standards remain unchanged as improvements come online because each case does not come under regular review.

This comes in contrast to the practice of medicione in cities where the doctor and patient  meet in consultation whenever a prescription needs renewal.  That provides an oppoertunity to discuss new medication and how that may deliver improvements to the treatmentt being offered.

Often, it is the patient who resists review by the visiting doctor.  Getting to the hospital for a timed visit would involve driving they didnt want to undertake and they were satisfiesd that the medication prescribed was offering relief.  In many cases they were suffering from a range of differing conditions, not all of which were being treated.

It would be desireable to bring country medicine as near as possible to city standards. That would be attained by making prescription renewal conditional on each third renewal being required during a face to face consultation.

Too many treatment regimes are solely ordered as the outcome of a blood test !

Making a Safe Exit !

 Criminal bikie gangs maintain a crime wave across many cities and their activities are closely monitored by the police.  Recently, information reached police ears that a member of the Finks gang had pawned a quantity of jewellery, a motorcycle and a boat with a Riverstone pawnbroker in exchange for a $11,500 cash advance.

There was a degree of mystery about the ownership of these goods. When a bikie elects to leave a club in which he is a member it is usual to impose a substantial exit fee.  It seems that this departing member actually owed his club money and this caused the club hierarchy to approach the pawnbroker and demand the jewellery be handed over.

Intimidation was threatened and the request was refused, and that caused the police to raid  seven bikie , homes in Chatswood, North Richmond, north St Marey,s, Tregear, Bidwell and Raymond Terrace.  What they discovered at these locations was knuckledusters, nineteen explosive devices, two firearms, a motorcycle engine, outlaw motorcycle gang clothing and a small amount of cannabis and steroids..

Police allege the bikies sought to extort the pawnbroker to recover money their member owed to the club. The man who is the president of that Finks chapter is an avid body builder and has been a finalist in various competitions and boasts an extensive male modelling history according to his press releases.

He has been charged with  demanding property in company, with intend to steal, intimidating to cause fear of physical harm, participating in a criminal group and not keeping a firearm safely.  He was refused bail at Parramatta local court and will again appear on June 7.

This is a timely warning to young men thinking of joining a bikie gang because of the good life it offers. His modelling portfolio describes him as an experienced model who feels very strongly about personal appearances and is open to a wide variety of photo shoots.

He was also charged with contravening a court order preventing him from associating with other bikie gang members and all these charges will be answered when he next appears in court.  It tends to illustrate the complexity of withdrawing from a bikie gang and the costs that will be involved.

Bikie gangs are usually involved in drug distribution and the penalties that apply,  The average member spends a lot of time in court and usually much longer behind prison bars.  The nature of the club activities  makes interest by the police inevitable.

This sad case of the harassment of a legitimate pawnbroker brings to focus the exceptional obligations expected of members choosing to quit their club and move onwards.  Farewells are much more -onerous than a mere shaking of hands at departure.- and that is rarely clearly understood at the time of joining the club.

Picking a Leader !

 Jodie McKay stepped down as leader of the Australian Labor party in New South Wales when support retreated in a by-election for the seat of Upper Hunter. It now seems likely that party leadership will need to be resolved by a ballot amongst party members.

The problem is that the Labor party comprises many factions and it is unlikely that whoever is selected will gain universal party support.   The front runners scrambling to put together a majority vote are Chris Minns and former leader Michael Daly, both of whom claim to have the numbers to succeed.

In a democracy like ours the party that sits in office and controls the Treasury is decided by the voters at a general election. It is usually factional disputes that rob Labor of the chance to govern and that divide looks likely to cause Labor to fall short in the future.

The voters have switched their support from the old days of a Liberal/Labor divide to create several minor parties which form the crossbench. It usually takes the party in power to attract a majority from the crossbench to get legislation to become law.

It seems unlikely that either Chris Minns or Michael Daly would attract sufficient crossbench support to form government.  The balance of power remains with the crossbench  and it seems that this arrangement sits well with the voters.

It seems possible that Jodi McKay may cling to power by default. She has a good record of settling factional disputes but many in her party find her gender a hindrance.  It seems we we are still a long way from being gender neutral in politics.

Both the state premier and the leader of the opposition are women while the makeup of parliament is primarily men.  Both parties claim to be working towards a better gender balance, but it is factional balances that seem to determine who wins seats.

In politics, it is ideal if the opposition is snapping at the heels of government and ready to take office the moment an election is called.  The government should be ready to be called to account for its spending priorities at any time and be ready to defend its actions in a vote of confidence.

Factional alliances prevent the opposition from speaking with a united voice.   The opportunity now exists for a moderate leader to arise from its ranks and clearly state how the party would govern.  If it is going to embrace socialism - and if so - to what extent.

At present, that is a mystery because it simply depends on which faction has a firm grip on power. Its manifesto means different things to different people.- and that is why its vote is divided.

Submarine Delivery Delay !

The steadily deteriorating relationship with China is putting immense pressure on our defence procurement programme.  High on that list is bringing twelve new attack class submarines into service to replace our existing Collins class boats.

After a long and tedious evaluation process we finally settled for the hulls to be built in France and the fitting out done in Australia.   Under this arrangement, the first boats are not expected to come on stream until the early 2030's.

This is a big ticket price item and was subject to many negotiations, not the least of which is the arrival timing.  It would be quicker - and cheaper - to have these submarines completely built overseas but we want Australian industry to gain the technology aspect and learn the intricate repair function.

A Defence Committee hearing was told that delays are causing the government to have second thoughts about the viability of this arrangement.  The possibility of conflict in the South China sea is such that bringing these submarines into service is becoming more urgent.

Under the existing contract, it impossible to predict a certain delivery date and we might do better to buy the completed submarines from another country.  That is a thought percolating through the minds of our defence planners, although there is also support for maintaining the present arrangement to avoid the cost of contract termination.

The lack of operational submarines leaves a gap in our northern defence. The old Collins class boats are past their use by date and long overdue for replacement.  We have chosen diesel/electric over the option of nuclear units on cost effectiveness and quietness.  A submarine fleet has the ability to offer protection to a continent surrounded by water, as is the case in Australia.

We were not facing any immediate threat when this submarine contract was negotiated, but tensions have increased with time and now an indefinite delivery date is a reason for concern.  Delivery could blow out even further and the ability to produce world class submarines is a capability of several other NATO countries.

Many of our defence procurements are bought in on a " ready to use " basis and this submarine contract seems to be the exception.  France was awarded the contract despite spirited competition from both Germany and Japan.  The boats all were offering were comparable from a military point of view. Unless we can resolve this difference with France the cancellation option should be seriously considered.

Having a fleet of operational submarines in place as soon as possible is an imperative defence necessity.

Solving the Household Gas Problem !

When we discovered vast deposits of natural gas in Australia we quickly became an exporter of this type of energy, but we neglected to reserve a base supply for our own industrial and household use.  It was learned that we were experiencing a gas shortage across our entire eastern seabord.  It was proposed that we fill this shortage by a new type of gas extraction known as " fracking " in which the rock containing the gas is shattered and the gas pumped to the surface.

Unfortunately, this was usually under agricultural land and the fracking tended to divert aquifers and create earthquakes.  It was vigorously opposed by farmers and we are now establishing a gas " hub " at Port Kembla.  We seem likely to become an importer of gas from other world countries to meet our domestic needs.

We are also developing a  new means of gas supply.  Electricity applied to water causes it to break into two components - oxygen and hydrogen.  Hydrogen is being converted into fuel cells and water is one of the most common elements on this planet.  There is the expectation that hydrogen will be a useful form of energy in the years ahead.

Now our energy needs are turning in a new direction.  Sydney Water's Malabar treatment plant is able to turn the existing biomass and waste stream into a new clean energy source.  It processes wastewater from 1.4 million households and the biogas produced is about sixty percent methane

This process will be expanded by 2022 and 95,000 megajoules. of biomethane will be produced each year, enough to meet the energy needs of 6300 homes.  It is likely to spread to other wastewater plants throughout the country.

At present, most of the biogas output is being used for electrical power generation and water heating. This is a new source of energy and it comes from a renewable source.  Basically, we are creating energy from sewage.

The gas we are extracting from the ground in Western Australia and exporting to world markets is a finite source.   Eventually it will be exhausted and we will need to look for new fields.  We have in place sewage pipelines to carry away human waste from citizens homes and this is being constantly renewed.

At present, most of this biogas is used for generating electrical energy and heating water but as a constantly  renewable base product it is unlikely to decrease in volume in the future.  It seems that our scientists have devised an energy source that converts a waste product into an asset.  In fact we are converting something that creates harm to humankind if disposed of wastefully, into a product that is urgently needed to sustain the quality of life we value.

Mice in Plague Proportions !

 We have a mouse plague eating its way through cereal crops in inland Australia.  The television news illustrates millions of mice rampaging through farm sheds and reducing sileage  to powder.  They are even travelling on freight trains and it is feared they will successfully transfer to the nation's cities.

Ideal weather conditions have spawned this plague and the numbers show no sign of letting up. It is feared they may destroy this years winter crops and already they have created havoc with their destruction of stored food supplies in country grocers.

Farmers are desperate to end this problem and have called on the Agriculture Minister to release 10,000 litres of bromadiolone from the stock held by the Australian Pesticide and Vetinerary Medicines Authority., and that has some leading scientists worried.

Bromadiolone is a second  generation coagulant and needs only one feeding before the animal dies from uncontrolled bleeding.  However, this poison can be accumulated in the food chain, killing animals such as Lizards and Kookaburras which would eat dead mice.

The CSIRO suggests that zinc  phosphide would be a better option because its potency has recently been doubled and it has few secondary poisoning risks because it does not accumulate.  Zinc Phosphide is not  subjected to a blanket ban, but must not be used within eighty metres of native vegetation.

These mice numbers are so great that conventional means of mice control would be useless.  Control methods have exhausted Liverpool Plains croppers and graziers and left unchecked they could wipe a billion dollars off this years winter crops.

Where bromadiolone has been used in the past it has been permitted only on the perimeter of paddocks, leaving the mouse hordes ensconced unaffected.  The use of this virus is like a " toxic time bomb " that will kill any manner of predator that dines on the victims.

So far, the mice affected areas have not had a visit from premier Gladys Berejiklian or Deputy Premier John Barilaro.  This horde is progressing towards the coast and has now reached the Hawksbury Valley.

There seems to be just these two options to bring it under control and it is imperative that a decision be made and implemented.    The number of mice ravaging the country is growing to biblical proportions when some scientists predict a coming world famine.

A decision is urgent !

Insurance Premium Hike !

 Australia's tourist industry was hit hard by the lockdowns made necessary to combat the coronavirus pandemic early last year.,  International airlines simply shut down and the inward flow of tourists ceased. Thousands from this country enjoying a holiday overseas were stranded in many parts of the world and repatriation is still uncertain.

The cessation of backpackers was disastrous for our fruit and vegetable industries.  Last years crop went unpicked  and was left  to rot on the ground  There was an expectation of a surge of unemployment but Federal government spending covered the shortfall and most jobs were saved.

Australians were urged to " holiday at home " and that saved many holiday resorts from bankruptcy.  Now a vast vaccination programme is under way and tourist trade seems likely to return to pre-pandemic levels to service the loans that created those holiday resorts.

Just as owners and shareholders were expecting an end to this pandemic, a new threat has emerged. .  The insurance industry has hiked premiums to unsustainable levels and many businesses face the prospect of trading uninsured.

That is a serious threat.  One bushland retreat has been knocked back by thirty-eight insurance companies, save for an " insulting " offer of a $6.5 million premium for a business valued at just  $ 3.5 million.  It is obvious that the insurers are taking into account the extensive damage done during last summers bushfires. This property has been unaffected by bushfires in the past and is located in a Eucalypt forest where grey Kangaroos and Cockatoos outnumber guests.

Businesses warn that this escalating problem threatens to derail economic recovery in regional areas where  operators have been battling natural disasters, border closures and pandemic lockdowns.  It is evident that this problem has been kept from publication because it would affect resale values if the property became uninsurable.

This insurance problem would prevent new companies thinking of establishing bases in tourist areas and have a cascading effect on the existing supply chain. This highlighted a pressing need for government intervention.

 It recommended expansion of the Federal government  underwritten reinsurance of Reinsurance Pool Corporation to cover " significant natural events .  In the May budget., a $ 10 billion government reinsurance pool was established to cover cyclone and flood damage in north Queensland.

Before the pandemic we had in place recognised tourist havens which attracted visitors from all over the world.  The insurance cover that underpinned that structure is in danger of ending and with it will go our tourist trade.

The problem was passed back to the Federal government for rectification !

Equity Rental levels !

The price of housing in Australia is sucking in first buyers  with ever smaller deposits with the result that mortgage repayments are absorbing a greater share of their pay.  If that becomes uncomfortable, they know they can put the home back on the market and make a profit from its new value.

Unfortunately, this is reducing the number of homes available on the rental market and we are now seeing Estate agents culling the numbers allowed to inspect the stock available.  Only those with an impeccable  rental history and the ability to lodge a substantial bond make the cut.

Many low income earners find themselves shut out of this rental market or find themselves restricted to the city perimeter with a lengthy commute.  The cost of fares to and from the city restricts their ability to have a roof over their heads.

During the coronavirus lockdown emergency legislation prevented evictions from rented property because of rent arrears.  This reduced the rental stock available and new tenants are now finding a severe shortage of rental opportunities.  The numbers sleeping rough on Sydney streets is ever increasing.

During the second world war the government imposed rental control.  The families of those serving in the armed forces had tenure until the war ended and the rent was pegged to accord with a serviceman's salary. Often, the return to the buildings owner was less than the council charged for rates.

This arrangement persisted long after the end of the war and the owners of rental property were seriously disadvantaged.  Should this rental drought persist, the government would be likely to again impose rent control and that could have serious consequences.

Interest paid by banks on term deposits is at a historical low.  Buying property - and living off the rent is a good way to invest superannuation money, but the rent needs to equate to the value of the property bought.  That is unlikely to coincide, given the present high value of housing.

The only way housing prices will fall to a level attractive to rental housing would be by an interest  rate surge.  Those with huge mortgage repayments would be forced to sell at a loss and make homes attractive again for investors.

Unfortunately, that is the way the market is headed unless sanity applies to the price of homes, or  wages surge to a high which can accommodate mortgage values, and that would be a profound shock to owners of existing housing.

  It takes a surfeit of buyers to maintain price levels out of kilter with reality  !

Floodplain Development !

Once again the weather bureaus is warning of a storm front that will deliver an unusually high tide, combined with a surge of giant waves that will threaten homes fronting onto Sydney beaches. There is the expectation that sand will be stripped away and home foundations undermined.

Flooding is fast becoming a new hazard with which Sydney homeowners have to contend.  Global warming will deliver a higher sea level and increase the risk of coastal inundation and the lack of new building sites is building pressure to extend housing onto flood plains.

We recently experienced abnormal rain which overfilled Warragamba dam and caused homes in the Hawksbury north of Sydney to flood.  This was financially damaging because victims were forced to replace costly items like carpets, electricals, furniture and bedding.  That incident was described as a one in a hundred years flood.

Councils have the power to refuse building approvals for flood plains but the need for housing in this ever growing city is causing a rethink. Sites that could expect moderate flooding at infrequent intervals are under pressure from developers.

The only alternative is extending the city ever outward and that creates problems with public transport and the provision of costly services.  There is also the impediment of national parks to the north and south, plus the barrier of the Blue Mountains to the west.  We will eventually reach the stage that the only land still available will be the flood plains.

With the right planning, this flood risk can be contained.   It would be essential that adequate escape roads be put in place to allow residents to evacuate in the event of a severe flood, and the size and type of housing would need to be strictly controlled.

There would need to be a complete ban on single story housing on concrete slabs on flood plains.  The living area would need to be elevated above the flood level and the area under the house used to garage cars.  Residents would need to accept that they would experience days of isolation during occasional floods and emergency services would need to be in place to deliver food and medical supplies.

The right type of building would eliminate water damage and the main disadvantage would be temporary isolation until the flood subsided.  There would be the expectation that a building site on a flood plain would be considerably cheaper than in a flood free area.

 The only alternative to that plan would be housing people in tower blocks. Learning to live with water may be a necessity in this twenty-first century.  A mix of the various types of housing can make Sydney  a more vibrant and interesting city - and solve out size problem !

Money Scammers !

 People facing the dilemma of safely investing their superannuation payout when they retire must think the  world is against them. Putting it in a bank on a term deposit is no longer an option because the interest rate offering is at a record low.

The stock market is dangerous territory for the uninitiated and many seek the advice of " investment advisers ", but that can also be far from safe.  A woman named Melissa Craddock gave such advice to sixty of her customers and bilked them of of $ 7.3 million.

The money was spent on a lavish lifestyle and many overseas trips and the investigators now think she may have gained as much as $14 million dollars.  She mysteriously disappeared and recently a human foot in a shoe that washed up on a south coast beach was identified as consistent with her DNA.

This week another " financial adviser " was arrested and taken to Chatswood police station.   This 42 year old man has been charged with eighteen counts of dishonestly obtaining  financial advantage by deception and one count of knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime with the intent to conceal.

From May, 2017 to March 2020, he took funds from twelve people meant for share holding in a wealth fund and transferred them into his personal bank account.   This same crime   involved  another eleven complainants with the loss ranging from $40,000 to$355,000.   One case involved an 86 year old woman he had defrauded.

This deceit will earn him a stint in prison, but his clients face the loss of a comfortable retirement  and may have to apply for the aged pension.   He is cooperating with the police but it is unlikely that any of this money will be recovered.

Fortunately, the vast majority of financial advisers are honest people who give sound advice and many of their clients have little experience in dealing with money matters.  It is not only lump sum superannuation payouts they need to invest.  They may be selling a home they bought decades ago when property was cheap - and now the median house price in Sydney is topping a million dollars.

It pays to be wary of accepting advice that promises an extravagant return.  Investments that pay above a moderate interest are few and far between in the present circumstances and it is safer to invest with an institution that has capital backing - like a bank - than to invest with an individual.

It is also probable that a multi branch investment service will have probity insurance to cover the misplacement of funds, and that is a field worth enquiry when masking a selection. It is also wise to keep that old piece of logic in mind that applies to all money matters.   " If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is ! "

Danger for Australia !

 The United  Nations law of the sea grants an exclusive economic zone where the borders of a country meet the ocean, and once again that is in dispute in the South China sea. Specifically it is the area around Scarborough Reef  that is suffering armed aggression.

China has claimed sovereignty over the entire South China sea on the basis of an old map.  This claim was subjected to an enquiry by the world body - and rejected.  Unfortunately, China has seen fit to ignore the ruling of what the rest of the world acknowledges as the " Umpires Decision " and has blatantly created islands from a number of rocky outcrops and fortified them into naval and air bases.

Scarborough Reef is part of the Philippines economic zone and its fishing boats have got good and reliable catches there for centuries.  Philippine fishing boats are now being harassed by a vast flotilla of Chinese boats, many of which are armed and supported by Chinese naval vessels.

China is claiming the South China sea as its own exclusive fishing ground despite a number of surrounding countries having a claim on their territorial waters.  The South China sea is an international waterway and serves as a route for the world of commerce.  It is a vital connection, serving both the world export and import trade.

The Philippine fishing fleet consists of small boats often manned by family groups and they suffer a disadvantage against the more numerous and bigger Chinese fleet.  Many of the Chinese boats are armed and are threatening to fire on the  Philippine fishermen unless they leave the area.

So far, China has made no move to interfere with commercial traffic through the South China sea but it does challenge naval ships and particularly units of the United States navy.  There have been numerous incidents of near collisions and Chinese military aircraft have flown close to ships and planes passing through the area.

The Philippines is a poor country and its defence force could not sustain a fire fight with the Chinese navy. It seems inevitable that eventually there will be a serious incident between USS ships passing through the area and Chinese aggression and the outcome of that will affect Australia.  The bulk of both our export and import trade passes through the South China sea.

In particular, we are vulnerable to any disruption of tanker traffic because our oil refineries have been closing  in favour of the lower cost of the big refineries in Asia.  We are an oil producing country but both our transport and defence capacity would be harmed if military action stopped that traffic flow which we could not replace internally.

The fact that a United Nations ruling is being ignored and a neighbour is under threat is a clear warning that this flash point is hotting up !

Legalising Flood Plain Harvesting.

 The subject of what is called " Flood plain harvesting "  is an issue up for debate in the New South Wales parliament and the licensing proposed seems to run foul of existing laws which deem it illegal.  It is evident that this is widespread in many parts of the state and many farmers see it as a means of regulating their water supply.

When rain falls from the sky the farmer gets a good crop and lush pasture, but the law prevents the capture of that water.  If water is to be retained by the building of a dam or creation of a small lake, that must have government approval because it will stop the run off water feeding into the inland river system.

Taking water from those rivers is another licensed activity and we have too many people taking too much water in many parts of the state, resulting in fish kills when water flow is deprived of oxygen levels.   This is of great concern when the flow of a river services several states.

It is also illegal to construct channels or or dig drains to direct the flow of excess water to where it will be useful for farming, and this is a form of " harvesting "  that seems about to change.   In 1995 the government capped the amount of run off water permitted to be taken in this way because of the detrimental effect on town water supplies.

Now the state Water Minister is proposing to allow this type of flood plain harvesting under license as a way of measuring the amount of water taken.  This measure is being opposed by both Labor and the crossbench who claim the government is acting in bad faith by allowing debate on an issue that has not had legal advice tabled.

There is concern that this new measure may open old wounds.  When the land was initially farmed in New South Wales there were no laws covering water harvesting and many farmers created dams and ponds on their land.  The government tends to turn a blind eye to activity that happened before water conservation legislation was enacted and now this unlicensed work may come under the microscope.

In many cases, low channelling simply diverted surface rain water to a naturally occurring low part of the property, resulting in the creation of a pond that holds water for farm use.  In the majority of cases, that work would not be permitted today and it seems inevitable that if water harvesting becomes licensed there will be pressure for this old work to be discontinued.

In many cases, water diversion can be as simple as ploughing a shallow furrow to direct the water flow to where a natural hollow will create a storage pond.  It is predicted that Australia will become a drier country as a result of global warming and how we store our water will become a critical issue in the future.

It is imperative that the parliament sorts out the legal issues before a legislative change comes into effect. 

The " Risk " Factor !

 Journalism is becoming a risky occupation in some parts of the world.  What a journalist writes is usually about events in the country they cover and if he or she is critical of the government in office  it is not unusual to face physical retaliation.

Such was the experience of Roman Protasevich who was a passenger on  a Ryanair plane travelling from Athens to Lithuania.  It seems that Protasevich had very adverse things to say about the president of Belarus and while his plane was crossing that country it received an urgent report that there was a bomb aboard.  Under the international convention, it was ordered to land immediately and the nearest airport was at Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

It seems that bomb alert was personally ordered by the Belarus president and he reinforced  his demand by sending one of his Soviet era MIG-29 fighter jets to ensure that the passenger plane complied.  The moment it was on the ground, Belarus police boarded the plane and arrested Roman Protasevich.

It seems that this 26 year old journalist worked for  a Poland based news service and his report on street demonstrations earned him the ire of the president.  Passengers on the Ryanair plane reported that he had his head in his hands and he was extremely distressed when he learned of the diversion to Minsk. He was heard to say  "  I will get the death penalty there ".

Of course, a search of the plane revealed no explosives and it was quite clear that the diversion was carried out on the instructions from the Belarus president. Belarus was closely aligned with Russia during the years of the cold war and President Lukashenko has been in power since  1994.  He is clinging to power and about 35,000 citizens are in detention for widespread discontent according to human rights groups.

No doubt the western world will protest at this abuse of international airline policy but Belarus remains in Russian orbit and Lukashenko has the protection of Vladimir Putin, who is known to send GRU assassin teams into other parts of the world to silence critics,.

At least this is a timely warning to news gatherers from across the world. When international travel fully resumes they would be wise to heed the actual route that their intended airline proposes to fly.  Even tourists can find their exit from a visited country delayed if they become involved in a spat between the great powers.

What happens to Roman Protasevich will be followed with great interest.  No doubt he will face a mock trial on the basis of some trumped up charge but the publicity surrounding the legality of his capture will probably save him from the death penalty.

It is quite clear that the news we read or watch on television comes to us at great personal risk to the journalists that gather it in many parts of the world.

Changing Voting Patterns !

It is obvious that the Upper Hunter by-election loss is a continuation of the  misery affecting the Australian Labor party in recent times, and the next Federal election could possibly be held later this year. Labor seems to have lost the voter affinity which once saw it regularly hold state and Federal office.

In Upper Hunter the Labor vote retreated 2.8% from the last election and this did not result in a gain in the vote for the sitting government party.  In fact, the Conservative vote dropped by a corresponding 2.6%and the winners were a mix of independents and the lesser special interest parties. The New South Wales Liberal government was vulnerable because it is fast becoming a  minority as scandal and innuendo strip it of a numbers majority.

Upper Hunter was sent to the polls because a Labor politician accused the sitting National seat-holder of a sex crime which still has to face its day in court. Enough of the voting public thought their member to be vindicated to vote into office another National candidate

 Clearly, the big loser is the labor leader in New South Wales who has held office for ten years.  Jodi McKay has failed to make headway against the Liberal/National coalition and will face a slate of candidates eager to replace her as leader.

It is the government that holds the purse strings and being in opposition is a long, hard grind to sell an alternative policy. The ideal of good government is to have an opposition snapping at the heels of the party in office and at all times being ready to govern when the opportunity offered.

The problem is that political parties comprise factions and it is rare to combine those factions to present a rock solid agenda to the voters.   In many cases a faction will oppose a part of their party dogma with more ferocity than they show to the party in power, resulting in many voters choosing the cross bench parties in preference to the traditional two party divide.

That drift away from traditional politics is not confined to Australia and in some other parts of the world it contributes short lived governments which pass little legislation.  A mass of squabbling minor parties hold the balance of power and this makes consensus impossible.

We are fast moving into confrontation with China and our interests will be best served by a spirit of cooperation between the states and Federal governments.  We will have to develop new markets and that would be hindered by petty jealousies and state rivalry.  Cooperation reduces costs and allows Australia to present a united front overseas.

Let us hope that the replacement for Jodi McKay is a moderate who will put Australia's interest first and before party politics.    It could eventually be a matter of survival.

The Ethics of Journalism !

 It has long been a fact of life that scandal sells newspapers and that criteria equally applied to radio and television. The apex of any journalists career was to break a " scoop " story under his or her by-line and that brought fame and fortune.

Probably the most trusted news source in the English speaking world was the British Broadcasting Corporation.   " Aunty ", as the BBC was called was meticulous in checking stories and twenty-five years ago a staff journalist named Martin Bashir secured an interview with Princess Diana on the BBC's Panorama programme.

The public was aware of friction between Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife, Diana but in this candid interview it was revealed that Charles was maintaining a mistress.  Princess Diana made it clear that " there were three of us in this marriage. "  From there the split widened until it culminated in a Royal divorce.

Eventually, whistle blowers made the BBC aware of the tactics Bashir used to con Princess Diana into granting that famous interview. He used the facilities of the BBC to fake invoices and bank statements that suggested that members of her staff and trusted advisers were spying on Diana and revealing her marriage problems to the press.

Princess Diana became paranoid.  She was virtually a prisoner in her own home and her husband continued to flaunt his mistress openly. Her family believe  that this whirlwind of publicity was partly responsible for her tragic death in a car crash in Paris.

Now - twenty-five years later - the good name and trust in the BBC has been sullied by the actions of that news organization when they learned of Bashir's despicable conduct to gain that interview.   They simply " covered it up " and orchestrated a campaign to maintain silence.

Staff who raised doubts about Bashir's behaviour were pushed out of their jobs and others were terminated.  The BBC sacked Bashir, but rehired him years later  when time had taken these public events from people's memories.

In the interview Princess Diana made it clear that Charles did not deserve to be the future king, and this revision of a royal scandal is coming at a critical time for the British monarchy.  Queen Elizabeth is in the twilight of her reign and according to protocol Charles will inherit the throne on her death.

The British monarchy is one of the last remaining in a changing world and Charles is now an old man with peculiar habits.  Along with the title of King he will automatically become head of the Church of  England.  The fact that he married his mistress after Diana's death may not go down well with many in the Church of England congregation.

It also seems that trust in the BBC has been badly shaken.

A Security Threat !

It has long been assumed that China's hostility to Australia originated from our demand that the source of the pandemic that has swept the world be subjected to a scientific analysis to determine how -and why - it moved from the animal kingdom to affect humans.

The fact that this happened in China is an embarrassment to its Communist government.  They hid the outbreak, and in so doing unleashed it on the world.  They have tried to shift the blame to Europe and the selected ban on Australian imports is an attempt to silence Australia.

The real reason goes back further, to when Malcolm Turnbull was prime minister and Australia became the first country to ban the giant Chinese electronic network from participating in the installation of the 5G in this country.

There was security disquiet that the complex structure developed by Huawei would enable China to eavesdrop in on Australian communications and very quickly this same ban spread to other countries. It quickly became evident  that China would be in a position to simply shut down the entire 5G network if it passed that order on to its Huawei subsidiary.

Huawei denies this and protests that it would not comply with any such order, but that ignores the reality of the regime in power in China.  That power resides in the will of the Communist party.  The Communist government wields supreme power, over and above whatever is written in the constitution.

In2017 the Communist party passed a law that requires all companies, private and publicly owned, to co-operate with the Chinese government on any national security matter.  There is no law in China except the dictates of the Communist party bosses.

If Huawei were allowed to contribute to 5G, Beijing would be able to cause utter chaos in Australia by switching off the communications network and shutting down a large proportion of both industry and transport.  The Australian economy would rest in Chinese hands.

China has imposed selective Australian import bans and we have been able to develop new markets for most of these goods, with the exception of wine.  We are aware that China is looking for an alternative for our biggest export - iron ore - and they have listed a fifteen point manifesto of demands we must meet before they will restore trade to normality.

The number two on that list is acceptance of Huawei as a supplier of parts for the 5G installation in Australia.  We are asked to relinquish our security in exchange to trade preference, and that is something that could come back to haunt us in the future.

It simply means we must enhance our overseas sales efforts to widen our market share.  In the long run, this Chinese animosity may to be to our advantage.  That old adage of putting all our eggs in one basket comes to mind.

INTEREST RATE CONTROL !

 The Federal parliament was considering a law change that would remove some of the laws that govern lending in Australia.  In particular, this would save the four big banks a lot of investigative paperwork in processing loan applications.

It seems insane that the government should be promoting a " Trust the banks " option after a recent Royal Commission found them guilty of all sorts of chicanery, including continuing charging fees to dead customers.  They also chased profits by ignoring their money laundering obligations.

Fortunately, this proposal was struck down when it failed to gain the support of One Nation, sitting on the cross bench.  Its leader, Pauline Hanson  commented that millions of Australians should not be left vulnerable to  predatory banking conduct.

Labor is also opposed to this move and the government would need  the support of three of the five cross bench members to pass the bill.  Apart from One Nation it is also opposed by Tasmanian Jacqui Lambie and independent Senator Rex Patrick from South Australia.

It is vitally important that strict rules apply to the lending of money.  The licensing of Casinos is presently under review and gambling has long been the preserve of " loan sharks " who offer help to losing gamblers at usurious rates of interest.

In recent times we have seen the change from pawnbrokers to what are called " Payday lenders."  Where pawnbrokers lend money on the value of goods offered, this new entity gives cash loans that many vulnerable people can never fully repay.  The government laws cap the rate of interest they may charge.

Another new innovation in the commercial sector is the offer of goods with up to a five year repayment holiday.  This is often acccompanied by the issue of a substantial sum of money on a credit card to spend as the customer pleases.  Often this brings the unwise into financial difficulties.  

It is necessary to have laws in place to govern the lending of money.   Most people have a needs to borrow sometime in their lifetime and they need protection from lenders who offer loans that are cleverly designed " money traps ".   Often repayment shortfalls are simply tacked onto a new loan and over the years a victim owes an incredible sum of money.

Many members of the public are unaware of the pitfalls associated with loans and this has recently become apparent in the marketing of smart phones. Phone companies have been heavily fined for signing pensioners on long term contracts for  phones they are unable to use and with charges for data they don't understand.   The novelty of having such a phone and the profit the seller will gain leads to misrepresentation and fraud.

Common sense dictates that protection laws remain in place.

Medical Mayhem !

 The regional hospital system serving country New South Wales is reaching breaking point.   In many instances that name " hospital " gives a false sense of security.  There is the expectation that the arriving patient will get the service of a doctor, but in many cases there is no doctor present and diagnosis - and treatment - is via videolink with a medico located in a distant city.

A parliamentary enquiry is looking into dysfunction which has led to deaths and near misses in care and it is hearing of regional hospitals running out of basic supplies, including antibiotics and incontinence pads. In some cases, doctors treating these patients remotely from afar are reluctant to sign a death certificate for a patient they have never physically seen.

The enquiry is hearing horror stories from relatives of those treated at country regional hospitals.  In emotional testimony one woman described how her mother died while being treated by videolink  in the emergency department  of Gulgong hospital, near Mudgee.

Even worse was the treatment afforded a patient who attended a hospital at Condobolin  which lacked a doctor and was so short staffed that that the hospital cook was asked to look after the patient in the car park.  That is absolutely third world medicine, and has no place in Australia.

This is not new.  There is a serious lack of doctors in many country towns and often when a town has a general practitioner, he or she is expected to serve as the emergency doctor  at the local hospital.  This imposes an impossible workload and is the reason so many  country doctors quit and leave to the city.

We are not short of doctors in Australia.  The problem is that most of them are concentrated in the cities where they enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and a big income.  There is little incentive to move to a country town with a bigger workload and few backup services.

Medicine and law are the most sought after university studies and the output of doctors and lawyers is governed by the intake permitted.    The average doctor gains a position of prestige in the community and gains a better than average renumeration for his or her services.

As  part of their training, they are required to work under supervision in a general hospital and perhaps the time has come to also require a stint at a country hospital to give them an even broader experience.  It would not be unreasonable to extend the time serving in city hospitals by an extra year in a country hospital to extend their treatment experience.

As things stand, nurses serving in country hospitals are standing in for doctors and by necessity are giving  treatment beyond their training regimen.  Doctors jealously guard their privileged position in the world of medicine and a little country service would not be a big thing to ask as part of that training routine.

Legality of Knives !

 This week a fight in a high school play area turned ugly when a fourteen year old boy being bullied pulled out a knife and stabbed his sixteen year old aggressor.  We have very strict laws in Australia and it is a criminal offence to be found to be carrying a knife in public.

The boy with the knife was from a Sikh background and what is known as a "Kirpan " is a required as part of the Hindoo religion required of Sikhs.  They are required to wear a turban, not cut their hair or beard and carry this ceremonial knife for their own defence or to aid those in peril.

This Kirpan is about four centimetres long and is contained in a sheath and it seems that it has been tolerated in the NSW school system. Australia's laws allow citizens to choose and follow the religion of their choice and usually allows whatever customs apply to the religion chosen.

 That tolerance is treated differently in other parts of the world.   In Britain it is permitted provided the knife is enclosed in a sheath from which it is difficult to withdraw and  the Canadian Supreme court recently ruled that it was reasonable to ban Kirpans in schools.

This raises the issue of when religious practice should be applied to children.  Islam requires women to cover their hair, but this is not required of girls until they reach puberty.  Newsreels from  strictly religious Afghanistan show young girls at school with their hair uncovered, but the custom changes from country to country.

Not all religious practices would be tolerated in Australia.  What was called " Suttee " was common in India until the British banned it in 1829. Women were coerced - and sometimes forced - to jump onto their husbands funeral pyre as a mark of respect, and often very old men had very young brides.  That practice still exists in some remote parts of the world.

Unfortunately, knife crime is becoming rampant in Australia.  Settling arguments with a fist fight was common in yesteryear but today many young men carry a knife when they gather socially and the paramedics are often having to deal with stab wounds.

The police are permitted to detain and pat down suspicious characters they think may be carrying a knife and that is a criminal offence when they face a magistrate.  It is obvious that now this Kirpan issue has been drawn to media attention that some people caught with illegal knives will claim to be of the Sikh religion and the knife is part of their religious duty.

Hopefully, common sense will prevail and carrying a Kirpan will apply to adult Sikhs and not be tolerated in boys of school age.  Magistrates also need the power to demand proof that a person appearing on a knife charge and pleading religious exemption is legitimately a practising member of that religion.

Religious tolerance does have its limits !

Threat to Petrol Supplies !

 In recent years Australia's oil refining plants have been steadily closing, and it is all a matter of costs.  The giant refineries in Asia can do the job at a lower cost because of the volume handled and now most of our petrol and diesel fuel arrives by ship.

We used to have a New South Wales refinery at Kurnell, but that no longer refines oil and now serves as a storage depot for the finished product from overseas.  We are supposed to have a ninety day stockpile of fuel in Australia as a backup to transport delays, but our holding is far less.

News that two of our remaining refineries were scheduled to close alarmed the government and forced a rethink.  They are offering a $2.4 billion package to enable the Viva refinery in Geelong and the Ampol refinery  in Lytton near Brisbane to remain operational and upgrade their fuel to the standard required for European cars.

The urgency of this package was illustrated by the closure of of BP's Kwinana refinery in Western Australia which produced more that one fifth of Australia's fuel making capacity.   We were skating perilously close to becoming an oil producing country that lacks the ability to service its own fuel needs.

Perhaps the prospect of a change to electric cars brought an attitude of fuel complacancy but relying on overseas refining leaves us vulnerable, from both an economic and a defence point of view.  It is as long time since the last petrol tanker drivers strike but older people remember the chaos of petrol rationing and the " odds and evens " system of number plate priority.

It is that same fuel that keeps our naval ships operating and our fighter jets flying.  Without petrol and diesel our road transport of food supplies ceases and the supermarkets  would close their doors. Fuel is the arterial blood that keeps the nation's heart beating.

We would be relying on stability in a dangerous world.  To our north, those fuel supplies pass through the South China Sea which is claimed by China and is frequently the scene of naval tension.  There is often political tension  in our Asian neighbours, some of whom have suffered coups.  The stability of our fuel supplies can not be guaranteed when refining and delivery is beyond our control.

Keeping our refineries open is money well spent.  We also need to look to our fuel reserves.  It is essential that our armed forces are able to move quickly in an emergency and it would be wise if they had fuel stocks in hand at bases throughout Australia and not relying on the commercial system to supply their needs at short notice. Keeping refineries active in Australia may cost us a few cents more at the  fuel pump but that is a small price to pay for national security.

Car Security !

 Like the price of homes, the average family car in Australia has increased in price because of the build quality and the vast safety improvements that have become standard in recent years.  Car crime has also become more sophisticated.  It is now not uncommon for a stolen car to simply disappear because it has been shipped overseas.

This is becoming common in the high end of the market and the theft method has changed accordingly. Car security has improved and taking a car by " hot wiring " is mainly used on older models.  The modern thief wants the car - and its keys, and often this is achieved by burgling the owners home.

Another method gaining credence is to wait until a wanted make of vehicle pulls into a petrol station  and the driver goes to the cashier to pay for the fuel.  Many people leave the keys in the ignition and a cunning thief slips behind the wheel and is gone in seconds.

We are also seeing a more brazen theft method when the driver returns to their parked vehicle and is confronted by a thief armed with a knife.  This type of crime is known as " car-jacking " and is fast becoming more common.  In particular, women are often the victim because they offer less resistance to an armed thief.

This high end car theft takes two forms. In some cases the stolen car is stripped for parts which are sold overseas on the second hand market, and in other cases the entire car goes into a shipping container and shipped overseas to a country where few questions are asked at the registration bureau.

The sheer volume of shipping containers in and out of Australia means that all can not individually have their contents certified and this is profitable for crime gangs.  Now older and cheaper model of cars are falling victim to a new kind of car theft.

When someone with an insured vehicle suffers damage in a crash they get a repair quote from an auto repairer.  This repairer lists the body panels required and costs them in at the price available from car dealers and this is then approved by the insurance company.

Some shonky repair firms then hand that list to local hoodlums and quote a lower price  they will pay than was applicable to buying new parts.  Often, they will offer a bonus if the parts come from a car of the same colour as the damaged vehicle to enable a cheaper paint job.

The hoodlums then seek a car of that make and model - and colour - to steal, and strip for the parts needed. They have the expertise to do this quickly and the remainder of the stolen vehicle is then left in a suburban street.

This is developing into a form of organized crime.  Gangs of youths specialise in supplying the car trade with parts to order.  Car security is becoming a growing problem for owners of both new and old cars as the parts business flourishes !

Fire Safety Warning !

 Here we are, on the cusp of winter and that is the season most house fires occur.   When the first cold snap hits we turn on heaters that have been unused all summer and often these are old and have been around for years.  Often, they have lost a degree of efficiency and replacement delivers better warmth at a lower cost and improved safety.

Alarm is being expressed about the use of unflued gas heaters.  The flame that gives warmth also releases carbon monoxide gas and it is essential that the room in which it is used has a degree of ventilation.  That is the same reason why it is dangerous to bring BBQ's and other outdoor cooking equipment indoors because carbon monoxide intake quickly leads to loss of conscious - and death.

Another common cause of house fires is electric blankets. They definitely have a use by date and become dangerous with age.  The natural wear and tear can cause a short circuit in the internal wiring and often people forget to turn them off when they wake and arise.  They are relatively cheap to replace and should be discarded at the first signs of wear.

The fire brigades despair at the number of homes that are not protected by a smoke alarm.  Even worse are the homes with a smoke alarm serviced by a battery that has not been replaced in years and which is not working, but delivering a false sense of security.

Many people owe their life to the shrill alarm sounded by their smoke alarm when it awakes them to evacuate safely.  Our sense of smell ceases to work when we are asleep and a smouldering house fire also releases carbon monoxide gas which dulls the householders response.

It is a good idea to set a date annually on which the battery in the smoke alarm should be automatically replaced.  As a general rule, once a year replacement should be efficient and smoke alarms have a safety device which allows battery life to be checked.

All that is required is to press the protruding knob in the centre of the alarm and the device will emit a loud alarm that proves that the battery is active.  It is a good idea to make this test three or four times a year as a fire precaution.

It is not well known, but the fire brigades provide a service for the elderly and people with a disability who may have difficulty in replacing the battery in smoke alarms.  If they are advised that such help is needed, they will arrange for an officer to attend the house and in most cases they will supply the needed battery free of charge.

Perhaps the best fire precaution the average householder can take is to buy and install a smoke alarm.. Considering the ever escalating cost of the average home the few dollars to provide protection is very good value.  There is never a better time than now - at the start of winter !

The " Israel " Tragedy !

 Once again Israel and the Palestinians of the Gaza strip are on the brink of outright war.  The Palestinians are sending rocket missiles over the border into the Jewish state and Israel is responding with air strikes by its air force.

This is delivering a casualty imbalance.  Israel has the fire power and a much higher  ratio of men, women and children are being killed in the densely populated Gaza strip and neither side is prepared to call it quits and negotiate a cease fire.

This " hot spot " in the Middle East has been a war zone from the day the world body - the United Nations - granted the Jewish people a homeland they claim was granted them by God according to the bible.  The only problem was that Palestinian people already lived there and suddenly the same piece of land was in dispute by two tribes.

The answer was clear.  It needed to be divided into two states, which hopefully could learn to live in peace with one another.  Both sides rejected that solution and Israel has successfully won several shooting wars with its Arab neighbours.

Several times it looked like a solution could be found, but in every case the negotiations failed because one side or the other dug their heels in and refused to compromise.  Slowly, but surely the Israeili government has been encroaching on territory claimed by the Palestinians for their state and the laws in Israel make Palestinians second class citizens.

The problem is that Israel is the strongest military power in the Middle East.  The Jewish lobby in America has ensured it has been supplied with state of the art weapons, including a nuclear arsenal.  It seems that Israel is hoping that putting sufficient pressure on its Arabs will convince them to move out and seek a new home in Syria or Iraq.

The Palestinians see hope because Israel is suffering political uncertainty with its prime minister facing criminal charges and having repeated elections that do not deliver a stable government.  In fact Mr Netanyahu may be about to take the country to a fifth election this year to try and solve that impasse.  This shooting war is taking attention away from his political troubles.

Basically, this Israel/Arab conflict can be sheeted home to the United Nations decision to grant a Jewish homeland in Palestine.  That same United Nations should step in and make a decision on a Palestinian state which Israel would be forced to follow.

Unfortunately, that solution is impossible.  World politics is hopelessly divided and both sides have their supporters.  It seems to be too late to put divided states in place with the combination of undivided world opinion.

It seems that Palestine is to  remain a poisonous realm of hostility that will remain a flash point for the rest of this twenty-first century.

Our Electricity Crisis !

 An upgrade of power generation in New South Wales remains uncertain. Keeping the lights on still relies on a clutch of unreliable coal fired generators and there are plans to boost the Snowy Mountains scheme, but this will  be a major project that will take years to complete.

The government has promised that the Snowy will provide a gas fired power generator at Kurri Kurri if the private sector fails to replace those worn out coal fired old plants, but no provision was made to fund this in the recent budget.

Now a new player has thrown his hat into the ring.  Billionaire Andrew Forrest has promised to collaborate with the state and Federal governments to develop a new  650 megawatt power station at Port Kembla, near Wollongong.

Forrest's " Squadron Energy " company has interests in the development of a new hydrogen production unit which is also expected to be sited at Port Kembla.  Hydrogen ticks all the boxes when it comes to relieving our use of fossil fuels to stop global warming.

When  water is subjected to electricity it divides into two elements - oxygen and hydrogen.  This hydrogen is a gas that burns without leaving  pollution and is even more efficient than natural gas. Many scientists believe that developing a new hydrogen industry will be the answer to our global heating problem because water is the most plentiful element on this planet.

Just as the world is turning to battery powered cars to replace the internal combustion engine, science is looking to hydrogen as a power cell to replace petrol and now it is also is being promoted as the replacement for natural gas .  It is an idea that could shake world economics and some very serious players are putting their money where there mouth is.

We are facing a natural gas shortfall here in New South Wales and if a hydrogen plant at Port Kembla proves to be successful it will be as game changer, but it is a bit like the chicken and the egg conundrum.

To turn water into hydrogen and oxygen takes electricity.  It all depends if using hydrogen as a fuel can generate enough electricity to power the state.  That seems to be an equation that relies on the over supply of electricity  generated by rooftop solar being used to provide a surplus of hydrogen to power generators when night falls.

At least a billionaire like  Andrew Forrest is prepared to place a bet on hydrogen as a commercial proposition.  The alternative is the revamped Snowy scheme where surplus solar electricity is used to lift  water back to a higher level so it can be used to generate power at night, but that is a project funded from the public purse.

Hydrogen could be the answer to our global warming problem.  No other answer seems even half as promising !

Highs and Lows !

 This week recorded both the highs and the lows of the medical services that protect the citizens of New South Wales.   Emergency services were alerted when a man in his fifties suffered a medical incident which caused him to lose consciousness.

The unusual aspect was that he was suspended in harness, thirty metres up a communication tower. This rescue became the responsibility of the " Special Operation Paramedics " team who employed their new " Bronto "  cherry-picker type of rescue platform.

This is capable of elevating rescuers to a height of forty-five metres and serves a very useful purpose when speed is a necessity to save a life.  This worker was brought to the ground and transferred to hospital, where he is making a recovery.

This type of rescue tends to be spectacular and draws a crowd when it is performed on a public building. It is a comfort to window washers and technicians needing to work at heights to know that people trained in height rescue are on hand if they come to harm.

Unfortunately, the " low " in our medical system occurred when an Aboriginal man died in a Sydney hospital.  This man took his own life in circumstances where he was specifically hospitalized to prevent just that happening.

He became a involuntary patient after consulting his GP about suicidal thoughts and he was placed in the Acute Mental Health Unit. The protocol required that he be checked at thirty minute intervals for " suicide and aggression ". He was found dead in his room at 7-30 am the next morning.

This death resulted in a Coronial Inquest, which found that he died between 11 pm and 5-30 am.  The ward was in the care of a senior registered  nurse assisted by three junior nurses and the inquest found that the registration chart recorded that the man was " sleeping " at 12.30 am,  5.30 am and 6.30 am.

The blinds in that room were faulty and could not be fully opened and it was evident that the observation was made without entering the room. This was referred to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) which found that one of the nurses on night shift made three entries on the observation chart indicating that the patient was " sleeping " when she had not entered the room to check on him.

This 49 year old man had made several attempts on his life and had been sleeping in his car. It was evident that the protocol of a check every thirty minutes had not been followed.  All four nurses were found guilty of professional misconduct under the Health Practitioner Registration National law for failing to observe the patient.  All had their registration suspended.

It is comforting to know that failure to follow medical convention does have consequences. A man is dead and the medical career of four nurses has come to an end. Hopefully, this is a rare occurrence !