National Disability Insurance Scheme – Make It Real

Every Australian counts

Fantastic news – we have just received an email from Prime Minister Julia Gillard confirming she will attend one of our Make it Real rally events on Monday, April 30.

The Prime Minister will address the rally in Sydney at the Allphones Arena at Olympic Park.

We want to share the email with you.   It reads:

Dear Friends,

On Monday, thousands of people from around the country will gather in capital cities to show their support for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

I’ll be joining you at the Sydney rally because I want to make the NDIS a reality too.

You and I know the current system is letting people with disability down and it’s time for change. Monday’s rally is going to be an important one.

I’m looking forward to joining you at Sydney Olympic Park.

See you on Monday.

Julia

Our nation’s leaders are listening – so don’t miss this chance to have your voice heard.

It’s more important than ever that we hit the streets on Monday and show everyone that we will not stop until the NDIS becomes a reality.

We will see you all on Monday – and don’t forget to wear red!

Yours,

The Every Australian Counts campaign team
www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au

Make it Real
National rallies
April 30, 2012

Sydney
AllPhones Arena
Olympic Boulevard
Sydney Olympic Park
12 noon

Melbourne
Federation Square
Corner of Flinders and Swanston streets
12 noon

Hobart
Parliament House lawns
Salamanca Place
12 noon

Adelaide
Hindmarsh Square
Corner of Hindmarsh Square and Pirie Street
11.30am

Brisbane
11am: Meet at State Library Queensland
29 Stanley St, South Brisbane
12 noon: March to Reddacliff Place
6 Queen St, Brisbane
1pm: Rally at Reddacliff Place

Perth
11.40am: Meet in Hay Street Mall (William St End) Perth
12.00pm: March down mall and Barrack St to Stirling Gardens, Council House,
Corner of Barrack St and St Georges Terrace, Perth
12.30pm: Rally at Stirling Gardens, Council House

* All times local times

P.S. If you are on Twitter please tweet on Monday using the hashtag #NDISrally – let’s see if we can get everyone talking about the NDIS!

Independent Media Inquiry

Media Release

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

---

Independent Inquiry into the Media and Media Regulation

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today released the Report of the Independent Media Inquiry.

The Independent Inquiry into Media and Media Regulation was undertaken by Former Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, Mr Ray Finkelstein QC, with the assistance of Dr Matthew Ricketson, Professor of Journalism at Canberra University.

“I’d like to thank Mr Finkelstein QC and Professor Ricketson and their team for their efforts. I would also like to thank all the individuals and organisations that contributed to the Inquiry,” Senator Conroy said.

The Report has been forwarded to the Convergence Review Committee for its consideration.

“The Government will take a considered approach to the Inquiry’s report in conjunction with the Convergence Review before responding,” Senator Conroy said.

The Convergence Review is taking a broad look at range of regulatory issues across the broadcasting, telecommunications and radio-communications sectors and is on track to present its final report to Government by 31 March 2012.

The Inquiry’s Report is available at: www.dbcde.gov.au/digital_economy/independent_media_inquiry

Date: 2 March 2012
Contact: Suzie Brady 0408 258 457

http://www.dbcde.gov.au/digital_economy/independent_media_inquiry

There is much to read about the Media Inquiry so I’ve posted it to a separate page here without comment as it’s a very long read.

Clear air – yeh, right!

A popular theme with journalists, who talk among themselves in a groupthink kind of way, is that the government just can’t get it’s message out.

“Why is that?”  they ask each other.  They tell their viewers the government just can’t get their message out.  Every.  Day.

“Do you think the government will find some “clear air” in 2012?”

Any fool could give them their answer.  

If there were less talking heads spinning their own agendas which are dutifully reported across all of the main stream media, and more coverage given to the real business of government, which concerns us all, there would be no need to ask “why can’t the government get it’s message out?”

One possible answer is that the media bosses don’t want us to know about what the minority government has achieved, but surely that can’t be it.

Can it?

Another strong possibility is the endless stream of stories about Kevin Rudd preparing to challenge Prime Minister Julia Gillard;  that must require much thought on the part of the journalists.

Or does it?  No, I doubt it, after all they write the same damn thing every day. 

On the Insiders this morning the answer came from the horse’s mouth.

Journalist, Dennis Atkins described the problem in three words, the “news” is on “a negative feedback loop”.

Give Dennis a gold star.

Treasurer Wayne Swan gave a lengthy account of the economy but what’s the bet that it won’t get much of a run in the “news” due to the “negative feedback loop”. 

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2012/s3423316.htm

He was verballed by Barrie Cassidy [who doesn't take too kindly to answers he doesn't like], after saying that the leadership story is a “big beat-up”.

BARRIE CASSIDY: The Foreign Minister of this country behind the scenes is mounting a challenge to the leadership, that’s hardly a beat up?

WAYNE SWAN: Well let me say this, I take the Foreign Minister at his word. He’s spoken on this …

BARRIE CASSIDY: No, you don’t …

WAYNE SWAN: … and I take him at his word.

BARRIE CASSIDY: …no, you don’t.

Hard hitting, or bad manners?

The Treasurer  listed Prime Minister Gillard’s achievements:-

carbon pricing – done

mining tax, the MRRT -  passed

structural separation of  Telstra – done

health and education reform

reforms to pension system.

One-track Barrie went straight back to the leadership; “several reports”  blah blah, “would you serve on a Kevin Rudd front bench?” 

Mr. Swan then said:-

“And this Government’s got a broad visionary agenda out there, much of it coming through in the middle of this year with some very big tax reforms, the tripling of the tax free threshold, the big tax cuts to small business, all of the reforms to the pension system and so on, where our political opponents want to destroy all that, for God’s sake our political opponents want to give Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer a tax cut but they won’t sign up to a disability insurance scheme. That’s how weak and pathetic the Opposition is Barrie.”

Cassidy leapty leapt back to the leaderhip challenge one more time, Mr. Swan didn’t accept his suggestion and Cassidy bluntly ended the interview.

I couldn’t watch any more…

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-05/swan-rejects-leadership-challenge-speculation/3812084

Headlines may change any minute given that Foreign Minister Rudd arrives back from Europe today, and whether he challenges or not there will be more headlines on the subject.

There’s a new face on channel Seven tonight, which gives people a slight chance of seeing and hearing something different.

The Sunday Night program will feature veteran Mike Willesee interviewing our Prime Minister.

I’ll watch with interest the man who used to be the best interviewer in the country, but he hasn’t done anything of note for a very long time.

On the other hand he doesn’t have much competition.

Not the National Press Club – Scuttlebut Alley

“Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco pipes of those that diffuse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker”
[George Eliot "Daniel Deronda"]

Yesterday ABC24 televised the National Press Club speech given by Mr. Anthony Albanese,  then took it off the air to show a State of the Union speech by President Obama.

Usually, the NPC is also shown on ABC2 but not yesterday.   Viewers were instead treated to Mapping The World, and missed the entire question and answer segment of the NPC.  

WHY ABC?

The main stream media have all but ignored the speech given by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Leader of the House, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP.

It wasn’t difficult to find a copy of the transcript:-

http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/speech-to-national-press-club-government-with-a-purpose

Do the “journalists” have a problem with this?   If so, what?

Are they not permitted to report the contents of the Minister’s speech, or are they simply happy to put their names to third rate tabloid nonsense?

Or maybe they fell about after the long lunch laughing at their own jokes?

Update: Aboriginal Tent Embassy. This is clearly not on Pip’s topic, but that’s what this blog is about, being vibrant and accepting newsworthy items as they eventuate. At the request of Catching up, confirmed by Pip. Here is the photo referred to on wixxy’s Hey True Blue topic. (Min)

Another photo has now become available:

“Will You Walk Into My Parlour?”

A quick glance at recent headlines reminded me of a question I put to fellow whisperer ‘Catching up’ recently.

“Has Wilkie done a deal with Abbott?

Just asking the question seemed a little out of place at the time, but now, I’m far from sure about the answer.  

Whether ‘deal’ is the right word or not, something has changed over the last few days,  just as Mr. Wilkie’s statements changed.

ANDREW Wilkie has warned Labor will pay a high price for its pokies reform betrayal, vowing to pursue “warmer” relations with the Coalition, to vote against key budget measures and even to bring down the government if it acts improperly.

.

The government now views the other elements of its September 2010 power agreement with Mr Wilkie as void, and Ms Gillard will no longer meet regularly with him and will deny him access to Finance and Treasury briefings. But the government’s $340 million commitment to Royal Hobart Hospital will be honoured.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/julia-gillard-to-pay-for-betrayal-andrew-wilkie/story-fn59niix-1226250813763

That makes sense.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37069309/The-Hon-Julia-Gillard-and-Andrew-Wilkie-the-Parties-agreement

Mr. Wilkie has dealt himself a Joker for the time being at least as the government is still intent on progressing the pokies reform and has released documents which show it will pay clubs at least $37 million to trial poker machine restrictions in the Australian Capital Territory.

The Government has now released the offer it sent to Clubs ACT on Friday, promising to compensate for and fund the changes to all pokies.

It promises to pay clubs a monthly compensation fee totalling $36 million for the year, and is also offering a total of more than $1 million for training, specialist workers and business planning.

A committee will then review whether more payments are needed during the trial.

New pokies plan

• Original deadline abandoned.
• Pre-commitment built-in to new machines from 2013.
• 12-month trial of mandatory pre-commitment in 2013.
• Trial to end early 2014 and be reviewed.
• Poker machines to display electronic warnings.
• $250 limit on ATM withdrawls.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-22/pokies-fallout-deepens-as-trial-cost-revealed/3786972

The real road-block in Wilkie’s way is the powerful cashed-up lobbyists, and if he thinks for a minute that an Abbott-led Coalition government would upset it’s powerful corporate friends he’s a fool.

An Abbott government might put forward some sort of legislation in an effort to please Wilkie and to wedge the Labor party, but it would not be intended to harm the Clubs and pubs and their pokies profits.

For the Coalition this is about bringing down the government, not the pokies industry.

Another point to consider is the Coalition’s desire to see this man out of Parliament….

A potholed pokies path.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/trials-and-errors-on-potholed-pokies-path/story-e6frezz0-1226250740991

Craig Thomson

• From: The Daily Telegraph
• January 23, 2012

THERE is little doubt that Australia has a gambling problem and in particular, a poker machine gambling problem.

The worst of the problem exists in NSW and there is a side to this story receiving very little attention.

The Wyong Shire local government area in my electorate on the Central Coast has the fourth highest number of poker machines in the state.

In 2010, $80 million was lost by Wyong residents on pokies.

We are talking about an area where the average income in 2009 was $39,694.

Nearly a third of the area’s wage and salary earners are paid less than $20,800 per annum. This is incredibly disproportionate and clearly something needs to be done.

After reporting these comments from Mr. Thomson in The Daily Telegraph,

The Prime Minister’s decision at the weekend was a victory for common sense.

It was timely and important.

The PM provided judgment and skill to course a path that is sensible and logical.

It is something that I and many NSW Labor MPs have been calling for – a comprehensive trial so that ultimately any legislation that comes before parliament is backed by scientific research.

Given the lack of evidence for a “silver bullet” for this issue, this is a commonsense approach. To do otherwise would have flown in the face of proper policy making.

It would have put the horse a mile in front of the cart, hoping the cart kept up.

This way we can be sure what works and what doesn’t.

Mr. Thomson makes the point that less than 2 per cent of the poker machine takings go back to the community.

news.com twisted the above words into something quite opposite….no surprise in that.

This is what came out of the propaganda machine:-

Craig Thomson undermines Julia Gillard’s reason for breaking her pokie promise, as her plan was improper policy making

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/craig-thomson-undermines-julia-gillards-reason-for-breaking-her-pokie-promise-as-her-plan-was-improper-policy-making/story-e6freuy9-1226250774602 

There is another factor at play here and that is the role of some States.

Law shift is pokies jackpot for clubs:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/law-shift-is-pokies-jackpot-for-clubs-20120122-1qc94.html

ONE of Sydney’s premier leagues clubs stands to reap a financial benefit from a state government decision to make it easier for registered clubs to gain approval for up to 150 poker machines in new areas of the state.

The move significantly lowers the bar for the approval of poker machines in clubs established next to new housing estates or new development areas.

When Opposition Leader Tony Abbott offered one billion dollars for the Royal Hobart Hospital Mr. Wilkie rejected the offer.

Mr Wilkie described Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s offer of $340 million to redevelop the Royal Hobart Hospital as the only credible offer, despite the $1 billion put on the table by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

”I couldn’t even have confidence that they would find that $1 billion, particularly on Thursday after the black hole appeared in their costings,” Mr Wilkie told The Age yesterday.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/wilkie-defends-rejecting-1-billion-hospital-offer-20100903-14uhf.html#ixzz1kL4wlzVO

So,  Mr. Wilkie  has been around the block….firstly,  as a member of the Liberal party, twice as a Greens candidate, then as an Independent candidate in a Tasmanian state election,  and finally winning as an Independent and until a few days ago, being a player in the federal Minority government.

Currently, he is ”warming” to the Coalition.

A backward step?

Our Oceans are at Risk from Deep Sea Trawling

Yesterday I received an email from GetUp asking for support for an email campaign regarding our island home.

What could be more iconically Australian than the Great Australian Bight? A globally significant breeding ground for rare and endangered species like the Southern right whale, Australian sea lion, juvenille blue fin tuna, sea weeds and sponges. Then, of course, there are the stunning pool and canyons of Kangaroo Island, where tourists, like the birdlife flock to see sea lions, whales and the rare strap toothed beaked whale.   Can you urgently let the Environment Minister know that you support protecting this marine hotspot before the official consultation period ends?

http://www.getup.org.au/oceansanctuaries 

Our Ocean Heritage

http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/marine/sw-marine-parks/our-ocean-heritage

Right now, fragile marine environments in South-West Australia are under threat – but because of pressure from industry groups, the government is proposing to protect only two of ten precious places as marine sanctuaries. You can help turn this around. Please use the easy tool on the right to make sure these marine environments are protected for future generations?

Need inspiration? Click on the links below to see why these precious places must be protected.

Our Island Home

http://getup-production.s3.amazonaws.com/153-Booklet6.pdf

SCALE…

The impact of sea floor trawling is horrendous for marine

life and unfortunately, it occurs across vast areas of

ocean every year. To get an idea of the scale of the impact

annually, imagine driving a bulldozer twice around the

 earth, demolishing everything in your path. This destruction

is equivalent to that of just one of Australia’s trawl fisheries.

                                                        ==============

 

Several years ago there were reports of an enormous Irish trawling factory ship, the Veronica, which was ordered to leave Australian waters;  the story of this ship the size of a couple of football ovals is one of those little niggles that are never quite forgotten.

This is the story of just one of the deep sea trawling magnates.  

Unfortunately, there are many, many more, plundering and vandalising oceans around the world.

The owner of the Veronica at the time was an Irishman, Kevin McHugh, who died in 2006 leaving  70 million pounds to his wife.

 

Atlantic Dawn owner leaves €70m to wife

Fisherman Kevin McHugh, who died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, built the world’s largest super-trawler

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6638529.ece

His business odyssey began in the late 1980s when he purchased the €15m Veronica, named after his wife. This was the first of a fleet of super-trawlers that would become synonymous with the Donegal port of Killybegs.

McHugh realised the advantage of onboard refrigeration, adding value to the fish catch and enabling his vessels to go further for longer. In the late 1990s he ordered the €63m Atlantic Dawn, which had the world’s largest catch capacity.

The 144-metre vessel could carry 7,000 tons of fish — more than 18m meals. With nets the size of a football stadium, it could catch in a day what conventional trawlers took in a year. McHugh’s trawlers caught €36m worth of fish in 2003 alone.

The European commission began infringement proceedings against the republic over the 14,000-ton vessel. After 18 months of talks involving Frank Fahey, then marine minister, Bertie Ahern, the taoiseach, and David Byrne, the EU commissioner, the Atlantic Dawn was allowed on the EU register in return for removing Veronica.

McHugh was allowed to retain the Veronica’s tonnage and sell it to other owners, estimated to have netted €50m-€60m for his company.

McHugh brokered a deal with the Mauritanian government to let Atlantic Dawn fish nine months of the year off west Africa. After a coup in Mauritania in 2005, the vessel, known locally as the “sea monster” and “the ship from hell”, was forced to leave.

The Donegal Daily reported on 14th march 2011 that:-

The McHugh Family €76 million

The death of their father Kevin in 2006 meant the wealth of the fishing magnate passed on to his family. The family sold its €50 million super trawler Atlantic Dawn but kept hold of their fishing quotas. Son Kevin McHugh is MD of the Atlantic Dawn Group with another super trawler the Veronica making the cash.

Nice work if you can get it….

Carbon – Legislation Facts – Coalition calls it “junk mail”

Press Conference: Greg Combet announces Clean Energy Future Legislative Package

By Climate Change Action Team On July 28, 2011

 

http://climatechangeaction.org.au/press-conference-greg-combet-announces-clean-energy-future-legislative-package/

 

The Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer, Wayne Swan, and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, today released exposure drafts of the key bills in the Government’s Clean Energy Legislative Package.

The Prime Minister announced the Government’s plan to tackle climate change for a clean energy future earlier this month.

The plan will introduce a carbon price to reduce Australia’s carbon pollution and drive investment in renewable energy while ensuring households are assisted and jobs are supported.

“The release of the Clean Energy Legislative Package is the next step forward in this major economic and environmental reform,” Mr Swan said.

“The Government is now releasing exposure drafts of the legislation and will seek comments from the public, stakeholders and legal experts.”

Mr Combet said the Gillard Government was getting on with the job of legislating to tackle climate change by putting a price tag on every tonne of pollution produced by around 500 large polluters from 1 July 2012.

“This legislative package will give businesses and investors certainty about the carbon price, allowing them to plan new investments including in the renewable and clean energy technologies of the future,” Mr Combet said.

The Clean Energy Legislative Package includes four main bills – the Clean Energy Bill 2011 (which sets up the carbon price mechanism); the Clean Energy Regulator Bill 2011 (which establishes a regulatory body to administer the mechanism); the Climate Change Authority Bill 2011 (which establishes a new Authority to advise the government on the future design of the carbon price mechanism) and the Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011.

In addition there are several bills dealing with other consequential and procedural matters and bills dealing with fuel tax arrangements.

The legislative package also includes provisions for the Government’s Jobs and Competiveness Program, which will assist for emissions-intensive and trade-exposed industries, and for the Energy Security Fund which will assist electricity generators to ensure energy security.

An additional bill which incorporates the Government’s household assistance measures announced is currently being drafted.

This legislation will be part of the whole package that will be introduced into Parliament later this year and will deliver the Government’s commitments to households in full.

The Government will provide tax cuts, increases in family payments and higher pensions and other benefits to assist households with the modest cost impacts of a carbon price.

Submissions on the Clean Energy Legislative Package can be sent to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency until 5pm on Monday, 22 August 2011.

The draft bills and a fact sheet are available at www.climatechange.gov.au

Submissions or questions about the draft bills can be emailed to cleanenergybills@climatechange.gov.au

The Government will consider submissions on the drafting of the bills before they are introduced into the Parliament.

MAKING IT LAW

http://climatechangeaction.org.au/pricing-pollution/legislation/

The Gillard Government has released draft legisilation for community consultation regarding securing a Clean Energy Future.

What is in the legislative package?

Labor’s plan will cut carbon pollution and drive investment in clean energy technologies and infrastructure like solar, gas and wind. Importantly the package;

• Implements a price on pollution for around 500 of Australia’s biggest polluters.The package sets out how the price on pollution will be run, and what businesses will have to do. The price on pollution will make energy produced from polluting fuels cost more than energy produced by clean technology, so companies will have an incentive to invest in cleaner energy.
• Supports jobs by providing for assistance to emissions intensive and trade exposed industries through the Jobs and Competitiveness Program.
• Gives land holders access to new income opportunities by linking the carbon price to the Carbon Farming Initiative and to credible schemes overseas;

Labor will also give assistance to Australian households that need it most, like pensioners and low and middle income earners – 9/10 families will receive assistance through tax cuts and/or payment increases.

What happens now?

Later this year the bill incorporating these household assistance measures will be introduced into Parliament later this year.

Between July 28 & August 22 the Clean Energy Legislative Package is available for public consultation before the legislation is considered by the Parliament. You can learn more about the consultation here.

For all the key milestones in the next 12 months about securing a Clean Energy Future in law download this factsheet. The Fact sheet also outlines each bill that will be considered in parliament and what the bill will cover.

HOUSEHOLDS

http://climatechangeaction.org.au/pricing-pollution/households/

A carbon price will have a modest impact on prices.  But to make sure families can deal with any changes, the Labor Government will provide generous household assistance.

• 9 in 10 households will receive assistance through tax cuts and/or payment increases.
• Almost 6 million households will get tax cuts or increases in payments that cover the entire average price impact.
• Over 4 million Australian households will get an extra buffer with assistance that covers 120% of the average price impact of the carbon price.
• Over 1 million Australians will no longer need to lodge a tax return.
• On average, it will cost households $9.90 per week but they get $10.10 per week in assistance This assistance is permanent and will increase.
• The Government will review the adequacy of assistance each year and will increase it further if necessary.

Australian families have seen electricity price rises, due to underinvestment in network infrastructure by state and territory governments.  This infrastructure includes  850,000 kilometres of poles and wires  which deliver electricity to Australian homes, businesses, hospitals and schools.

This underinvestment has already caused electricity prices to rise, putting pressure on the family budget. Unless this underinvestment is tackled, prices will continue to rise. Tony Abbott and the Liberals don’t want families and households to know the truth about why electricity prices are rising.

A price on carbon will have an impact on electricity prices, but the government has committed to giving households assistance to deal with price rises.

Every cent raised by the carbon price will go to assisting households with price impacts, supporting jobs in the most affected industries and investing in climate change and clean energy programs.

Assistance will be generous, but importantly, it will also be fair.  Assistance will be targeted towards the people who need it most.

Consultation open: Legislative package

http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/consultation-open-legislative-package/

The draft bills and accompanying fact sheet are available at the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website.

Tea Party Al

Alan Jones is the worst kind of public figure spreading malice and spite and worst of all, hate from his little studio kingdom.

Mumbrella

He says his critics are small-minded losers. I beg to differ. The placards his followers carry at their anti carbon tax rallies would suggest that they are the small-minded losers, for being led by the most vicious, malicious, bigoted little man on radio.

The current state of play in the USA is the direct result of the kind of tactics employed by Mr. Jones.
Wealthy corporations provide financial backing to partisan groups for political campaigning and the sad part is that the mugs carrying the placards will be the biggest losers

“DON’T WRITE CRAP. CAN’T BE THAT HARD”

 
It’s been a week since Prime Minister Gillard addressed the National Press Club, 14th July, 2011, and the sum total reportage of the hour long address is “Well, the first thing I would say is, don’t write crap.”   [applause from audience]  “Can’t be that hard.”
 
This is what the PM said immediately afterwards.
 
Journalist Mark Riley began :-

MR -   Mark Riley from the Seven Network Prime Minister, I’m always asking about you so I want to ask you about us.
 
 
PM-    Let’s talk about you for a while.
 
 
MR -   Yeh, let’s talk about us.  Me and my friends here.  I think a few of us have been reflecting on this in the last few weeks and certainly in the last couple of days, very sharply, on our responsibilities.   

When we see a gentleman in Gladstone trying to encourage people to
take up arms against the government, a woman in Melbourne being shoved out of a public  meeting and harassed down the street, to tears, you confronted in a shopping centre by people screaming,   Liberal Party members calling you a liar, and then a radio station coming here and broadcasting all day, in the first day back of Parliament, to whip climate change opposers into a frenzy, how do you see our responsibility, and the way that we should be reporting this matter ?

 

PM      I think we will have a long debate about media ethics in this country,  but if I could put it as clearly as I can, I’d say to you, don’t write crap.  Can’t be that hard…….and when you have written complete crap, I think you should correct it.
 
So I’d like to see as many column inches confirming that there’s no 6.5c a litre charge on petrol, as I saw reporting Tony Abbott’s claims that there would be. 
 
I’d like to see as many column inches and minutes on the TV news reporting that the future of the coal industry is bright and strong, as verified by a huge coal company like Peabodys,
 
as I saw coverage of Tony Abbott standing in a Peabodys mine saying the coal industry was going to close down.
 
I’d like to see as many minutes of coverage and column inches on the steel industry and the work we’ve done with the steel industry, so they are satisfied with the arrangements that we’ve made about carbon pricing.  

I’m not saying they’re not under pressure.  They’re under pressure because of the global economic winds we were just talking about, but they are satisfied about carbon pricing.

I’d like to see as much time devoted to that as was devoted to Tony Abbott’s claims when he stood next to steel workers, that Whyalla was going to be wiped off the map. 
 
And there’s a new one today, we’ve had Nystar, they’re involved of course, in making zinc.
They’ve put out a statement that says, “the impact of this carbon tax is not considered to be  material to Nystar”.
 
This is against a Tony Abbott claim, if we have a carbon tax, that smelter closes down.
 
Well, I think the Nystar accuracy needs to get as much exposure as the false claim did.
 
And if we saw some of that, some accuracy and facts out there,  I think what I had the opportunity that I had to do at the community forum in Brisbane last night, and I don’t mind taking criticism on the chin, that’s part of my job,  but when I was there talking to people about the facts, and talking to people afterwards, more casually, you could see, once they got that information, the sense of re-assurance it gave them.  It changed a lot of minds.

Now you would say it’s not your job to change people’s minds about a government policy and that’s true, but I think it is your job to get information to people that’s accurate and rigourous. 
 
Some of the crazier claims we’ve seen in this debate need to be put to one side and the accurate facts get out there.
 
          
 
           AS THE PRIME MINISTER SAID……”CAN’T BE THAT HARD”
 
 
           Well, that went straight around the S-bend.
 
          
           The very next day Malcom Farnsworth wrote on ABC’s The Drum

Selling the carbon tax: less is more
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2795610.html
300 Comments
Malcolm Farnsworth
 
Julia Gillard should have stayed in bed this week, for all the good her carbon tax campaigning did.
In fact, she ought to just shut up about the carbon tax and get on with something else.
This week smacks of the same hopeless political strategy that Rudd and Gillard have fallen for before, the strategy that says you have to run around the country like a maniac and never shut up.

It’s also the strategy that gives Tony Abbott a daily free kick as the media treat the circus like an election campaign and give him equal time.
Take Gillard’s appearance at the National Press Club yesterday. Her speech on climate change was quite good, but it was overshadowed by the personal development lecture from the Unley High school girl.
Last night’s television pictures duly centred on Gillard’s teary moment and her injunction to the press gallery to “stop writing crap”. Forget about any coverage of the economic imperatives of the carbon tax.
 
Not surprisingly, the journalists did exactly that, and so did Mr. Farnsworth !
Which maniac has been running around the country and never shutting up ??