At last. A High Court challenge to NT intervention

A High Court challenge to the Howard Government's Northern Territory 'intervention' is now proceeding.

 

"THE constitutional challenge that former indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough warned could destroy the emergency intervention in the Northern Territory is expected to go before the full bench of the High Court in March.

Traditional owner Reggie Wurridjal and the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation will challenge the legality of the Commonwealth's five-year acquisition of land under the intervention and question its ability to seize assets of indigenous corporations.

They will also challenge the scrapping of the permit system, which allows indigenous communities to decide who comes in and out."

The Age yesterday:
 http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/high-court-challenge-to-nt-intervention/2007/12/07/1196813026893.html

 

It is noteworthy that this attempt to redress wrongs being done in the name of emergency social intervention is not being undertaken by the new Rudd Government (which has only promised a review of some aspects of the supporting legislation) but by some of the indigenous people most affected.

It is to be hoped that the applicants are able to focus the full attention of the High Court on these matters, for Parliament had certainly lost its wits when these measures were allowed to come into existence.

Pacific solution ends but questions remain

The new Federal Labor Government appears to be moving in the right direction with regard to a more humanitarian stance towards legitimate refugees.

However, I have not heard any mention of changing the status of territories such as Christmas and Cocos Islands which were excised by the Howard Government in its hardline lockout of boat people.

November 24 was about more than WorkChoices, education, health and home affordability. Let's hope that Kevin Rudd remembers this.

Sydney Morning Herald yesterday:
 http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pacific-solution-ends-but-tough-stance-to-remain/2007/12/07/1196813021259.html

The post-election Liberals just can't help themselves

It seems the bloody nose received by the Liberal Party on election night is acting like burley tossed into shark-infested waters.

Shadow-Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull's latest contribution to the violent feeding frenzy is to let it be known that he now disputes the legitimacy of the recent Liberal Party leadership vote.

Once extensive media coverage was achieved he then issued a hair-splitting denial. An unedifying spectacle.

If this internal wrangling continues Brendan Nelson's leadership might be over by mid-2008.

However it will take much longer for the general public to take this political party seriously after all the recent dummy spits.

Brendan Nelson - a man for all seasons or is he just another political con artist?

It would seem that Brendan Nelson has become the latest fashion accessory on the Australian political scene.

Yes, Brendan can rise to the occasion, whatever the occasion. Want a Labor voter in your midst? Just call on Brendan. He'll be happy to accommodate your needs. Want a Liberal voter? Then don't hestitate, give Brendan a call.

Brendan has the rare capacity possessed only by fair dinkum political chameleons. He can change political colour, no matter what the occasion.

The Australian (December 8) carries a report headed " Nelson admits 'wrong, stupid' lie"

Read it at: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22889501-5014046,00.html

Will John Howard become the 'Guy Fawkes' effigy atop North Coast bonfires in the future?

After almost eleven years of stubborn denial and laggardly response to climate change, the former Howard Government has left Australia in a position where the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics December 2007 report can state that this country's wheat, beef, dairy and sugar commodities "could decline by an estimated 9-10 per cent by 2030 and 13-19 per cent by 2050" due to the effects of climate change.

With our export of key agricultural commodities likely to "decline by 11-63 per cent by 2030 and 15-79 per cent by 2050".

Australia is predicted to be one of the worst hit countries in terms of reductions in agricultural production and export, and because such a lot of our wool, wheat, sugar, beef, veal and lamb goes for export our balance of trade is going to resemble a third world country's economic outlook.

It seems almost inevitable that John Howard's personal attitude to climate change will result in Australia ceasing to be the lucky country within a generation.

It is by no means certain that the new Rudd Government will have the luxury of time to turn this situation around or to make a significant impact on this gloomy scenario. 

The NSW North Coast sugar industry would be unable to survive if the percentage decline in production was uniformly distributed, as there would not be a reliable harvest to keep the Broadwater and Harwood mills viable.

It is likely that North Coast residents will see John Howard as the same type of folklore bogeyman as the English Guy Fawkes - stupid and destructive.

His likeness will deserve to burn in effigy whenever a local bonfire is lit.

ABARE December 2007 report - climate change section:

http://www.abareconomics.com/publications_html/ac/ac_07/a1_dec.pdf

The Australian article on ABARE report:

 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22883995-11949,00.html

 

The new broom in Commonwealth-State health policy

The new Federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, has given the states and territories one week to come back with answers on how they will clear their elective surgery waiting lists so that people are not waiting for surgery beyond a medically acceptable time.

One has to hope that last Friday's meeting between Ms. Roxon and her state counterparts was as productive as reported.

ABC News yesterday:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/07/2113212.htm

 

The NSW North Coast also has to hope that specific health funding promised by Labor during the recent federal election campaign flows quickly through to the NSW Dept. of Health and onto the local area health service, so that our district and base hospitals will see the practical results of a much needed catch-up in infrastructure and services.

Will the Cowper electorate see even less of Hartsuyker now?

Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker has just joined the Coalition outer shadow ministry with the portfolio of business development and independent contractors.
The esteemed Mr. Hartsuyker never did live up to his promise to regularly visit areas across his Cowper electorate, and once Yamba was slated to move out of his seat at the 2007 federal election he effectively abandoned this small town.
So it will be interesting to watch how he performs as a North Coast MP holding his federal seat on a reduced margin. Especially as he takes the junior ministry carrot and tries to parley this into a higher profile within the Coalition.
I'm tipping that Cowper will see even less of its MP than before.