Australia’s inflation rate is rising and set to rise further still. In the first three months of this year, it rose 5.1 percent, according to Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer of the newly elected Labor government. He has suggested that further interest rate rises are on the horizon. The Reserve Bank has not made back top back interest rises for 12 years. The last time was soon after the Global Financial Crisis. Something is in the air. Continue reading Australia’s inflation rate is rising and why this is happening?→
Chris Bowen, Australia’s new climate minister has vowed to cut taxes on electric vehicles and a $20 billion “rewiring the nation” commitment to build a renewable energy grid. A climate bill will be introduced into the parliament. This bill includes a target to reduce carbon emissions by 43 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. There will be discussions with state governments on how to implement this. The Climate Changer authority will be returned to its former authority, to give science-based advice on a new emissions target by 2035. Continue reading Chris Bowen announces new government’s climate policy→
We are facing challenging times. The economy is not meeting the needs of society and may soon fall over the precipice. Global warming brings a threat on a scale that we have never seen before. Democratic rights are being curtailed. Meanwhile, the billionaires continue to have their pockets filled by crooked politicians. This should not be the Australia we want.
The onus is on us, to find a way out of this mess and chart a clear alternative direction. We must focus on what is most important and leave differences behind.
Australian for a New Democracy has emerged to champion this cause. We are not associated with a political party.
Progress can only be made through widespread consultation and the involvement of many within their communities, organisations, and workplaces. Join us.
Come along to this forum. Hear the speakers and contribute to the discussion. The aim is to achieve agreement on some practical measures that will take us onto the next step.
There is immunity for the silver spoons sand none for the working-class British, says Owen Jones The Guardian 25 May 2022). The Partygate investigation reveals that security staff and cleaners were treated abysmally. The police brass refused to investigate the illegal parties. Meanwhile, those without the protection of power were treated harshly. prime Minister Boris Johnson’s excuse is long hours of work at 10 Downing Street. A pity similar consideration hasn’t been offered to nurses and other health workers battling the Covid pandemic. Their real wages have been cut. But Partygate is not their greatest crime.They have done much worse.
Coming into office, the new Albanese Labor government faces some formidable challenges. The two most all-encompassing ones are an economy in poor health and the threat of climate change. This government will be remembered by how it takes on both. Continue reading The Albanese government faces serious challenges→
According to John V Walsh (La Progressive 20 May22022), until recently a professor of of Physiology and Neuroscience at the University of Massachusetts, The New York Times is the leading propagandist for the United State’s role in the events unfolding in Ukraine. Its sudden shift on this proxy war signals recognition that it is going bad, that it is time to rethink and avoid getting stuck in the quagmire. Meanwhile, the United States military leader is talking to his Russian counterpart. Read on.
A few days into the election campaign and two big issues are already being ignored, the falling share of wages and the even worse opposition faced by those trying to live on social security payments. If campaigning had been about people, surely, what determines the standard of living of every adult and child in Australia would rate far greater importance? Continue reading Wages and social security justice should be at centre stage of election campaign→
The following by Mark Willacy, Josh Robertson, Stephanie March and Kyle Taylor, is the result of an investigation for the ABC’s Four Corners program about an ugly episode of Australia’s involvement in East Timer (Timor Leste). The torture of detainees by members of the Australian contingent of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET), is another episode of human rights abuses in the new emerging nation. Here too there is evidence of cover up by the military brass. This time it is of the existence of a torture centre and what it was doing. There has still been no one taken to account for the wrongdoing. The report reproduced below was published on 11 April 2022.
