Sunday, 17 May 2020
Thanks a lot Scott Morrison & all those Lib-Nat goons who piled on China once he opened his mouth. The NSW Northern Rivers really appreciates the loss of trade
In mid-April 2020 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne decided that the middle of a global pandemic and, with a domestic economy in freefall, was a good time to antagonise our biggest trading partner.
It didn't take long for National Party backbenchers to join these three Liberal Party ministers and mainstream media reported the situation thus.......
"But given clear evidence that China is deeply unhappy with Australia’s aggressive calls for an inquiry, in a way that it sees as Australia teaming up with the Trump administration to point the blame at China, the foreign exchange markets are making up their own minds on the prospects of Australia being on the brink of a serious deterioration of ties with our largest trading partner." [The Australian, 13 May 2020]
"Mr Morrison said Australia could not rule out that the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab, but “the most likely (origin) has been in a wildlife wet market”." [The Australian, 6 May 2020]
"..it was immediately clear that the purpose of the Australian "initiative" was not to conduct a review of benefit to the whole world, but to engage in political warfare with the Chinese state, using failures of organisation and leadership as a stick with which to beat the state. This was underlined by the way in which the first Australian public mention of the need for such an inquiry, along with some words about "accountability and transparency'', came from Peter Dutton, otherwise in a witness protection program avoiding any transparency or accountability for Commonwealth failures to screen several thousand passengers and crew from cruise ships. Marise Payne took the idea further, if with every appearance of playing to a pre-prepared script several days later, before Morrison took extra steps to make the proposals unacceptable to the Chinese by advocating the equivalent of weapons inspectors battering down doors to catch those with secrets to hide."
"Scott Morrison insists it would be "absolutely nonsense" to suggest the coronavirus started anywhere other than China. The prime minister is pushing ahead with calls for a global inquiry into the origins of the deadly disease despite diplomatic blowback from the Chinese government. "I don't think anybody is in any fantasy land about where it started - it started in China," he told 2GB radio on Friday. "What the world over needs to know - and there's a lot of support for this - is how did it start and what are the lessons to be learned." [AAP Bulletin Wire, 1 May 2020]
"The Morrison Government is leading the international call for an independent review of the COVID-19 crisis to determine the origin of the virus and if more could have been done to slow its spread." [The Mercury, 20 April 2020]
Morrison, Dutton, Payne & Co got the column inches and media attention they craved, but it is rural and regional areas like the NSW Northern Rivers which are bearing the brunt of their total lack of a genuinely diplomatic approach to China on the issue.....
The Daily Examiner, 15 May 2020:
Casino’s Northern Cooperative Meat Company is one of the four Australian abattoirs that China imposed an import ban on this week.
The black-listing of the three Queensland and one NSW red meat abattoirs is believed to be a “trade war tactic” from Beijing as trade tensions between Australia and Chine rise. There are fears the bans from China come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent investigation into the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.
Northern Cooperative Meat Company chief executive Simon Stahl revealed the ban on imports relates directly to labelling and product description non-compliances.
Mr Stahl was uncertain of the short or long term financial impacts to the business, but revealed NCMC production imports ranged from 15 to 25 per cent.
“It’s too early to tell you about the financial impacts, I couldn’t put a figure on it at this point in time, could be a week, could be a month,” he said. “I’m always optimistic we can satisfy the authorities.....
Food Leaders Australia general manager Bruce McConnel said it was unknown yet whether the bans were because of a breach of protocol or an act of political retribution.
“The technical reasons have not been made available,” Mr McConnel said. “We’re not sure whether there has been a breach of protocol or if it’s pure political retaliation.
“We’re awaiting details on how to alleviate tensions. “It’s not catastrophic, but it is a real issue that needs to be sorted out.”
Mr McConnel said the banning of the Northern Co-operative Meat Company at Casino was a major concern for smaller beef producers, who use that meatworks to sell to China.
“The government need to get sorted how real are the technical aspects of this and how much is political tension around the relationship with China,” he said....
Finally good sense prevails over the proposed rezoning of rural land on Palmers Island
Yamba Welding & Engineering Pty Ltd has experienced a set back to its plans to establish a second boat building business in the Clarence River estuary - this time on land in School's Road, Palmers Island.
Founder and managing director Bill Collingburn has stated he will continue pushing for acceptance of his developemnt application - by which I presume he means he intends to begin trotting down to Sydney again to bend the ears of relevant state government ministers.
I'm sure objectors to the creation of a industrial working waterfront on the island will be watching closely.
The Daily Examiner, 14 May 2020:
Department firm on Palmers Island decision
The possibility of boat building on Palmers Island was diminished further yesterday as the planning department plotted the possible course for industry expansion.
The Department of Planning Industry and Environment has responded to questions following its decision to reject a Yamba Welding and Engineering plan to rezone a section of Palmers Island for boat building.
DPIE suggested it was unlikely an amended plan would be considered. “The Department recognises the high importance of marine-based industries to Clarence Valley’s local economy and has encouraged the proponent to work collaboratively with (the) council and the state agencies to identify an appropriate location to support the growth of both the proponent’s business and the local boat-building industry,” a spokesperson said.
“If an appropriate location can be identified and is consistent with local and regional strategy, the proponent may lodge a new planning proposal with (the) council for their consideration and if (the) council support it they will need to seek a Gateway Determination from the Department for it to proceed.”
The department also reiterated the reasons for rejecting the plan, highlighting it was inconsistent with state and local government plans and strategies.
“Following a rigorous assessment process, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment will not rezone 11.7ha of rural land for a marine-based industry at Palmers Island,” the spokesperson said.
“It was determined that the proposal does not fit with the approach to develop a cluster of local industry, as advocated by the Clarence Valley Council’s Industrial Lands Strategy (2007).“It also contradicts Direction 11 of the North Coast Regional Plan 2036, which aims to protect and enhance productive agricultural lands.”
Saturday, 16 May 2020
Quote of the Week
"According
to a poll carried out by the Foundation
for Alcohol Research and Education, 70% of Australians admit to
drinking more alcohol than they would have prior to the pandemic and
34% say they are drinking alcohol every day.” [Crikey,
15 May 2020]
Friday, 15 May 2020
COVID-19 infections surface again in NSW Northern Rivesr region after almost five weeks virus free
Northern NSW Local Health District, media release, 14 May 2020:
An additional two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the last 24 hours in residents of the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD).
This brings the total cases to 57 as at 8pm Wednesday 13 May. The new cases include one resident who acquired the illness overseas and one resident whose case is still being investigated with regards to the source.
51 cases in Northern NSW Local Health District are recovered. There are no cases being treated in hospital.
NNSWLHD cases by likely source of infection:
Source Total Overseas or interstate acquired 53
Contact of a confirmed case or in a known cluster 2
Contact not identified 1
Under investigation 1
Total 57
More information and statistics for Local Government Areas can be found at https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/covid-19-lga.aspx
Relaxed gathering restrictions to be handled with care
As we move to easing some restrictions on public gatherings, dining and outdoor activities from tomorrow, I want to remind our community to take their personal responsibilities seriously.
It’s good news that we’ll be able to move about more freely and catch up with our friends and family, but we still have an obligation to practice social distancing measures to prevent transmission of this virus.
As we’ve seen in recent days, the numbers of new cases can vary from day to day, we have certainly not overcome this pandemic.
Please do your best to keep your 1.5 metre distance from others, keep up frequent hand washing and avoid touching your face or public surfaces where possible. I also encourage everyone to download the COVIDsafe app, to help with contact tracing as we become more mobile.
It’s also imperative that anyone who is showing flu-like symptoms, however mild, comes forward for testing and stays home while they are unwell.
Our testing clinics are open seven days a week, and we encourage people to be tested again if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms, even if they have had a negative test previously.
Law Council of Australia is very concerned with some aspects of Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton's proposed amendments to the Australian Security and Intelligence Act 1975 (Cth) (ASIO Act)
"The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020 will modernise ASIO's powers and, in doing so, improve ASIO's capacity to respond to these threats [by]....lowering the minimum age of a questioning subject in relation to a terrorism matter from 16 to 14...empowering the Attorney-General to issue warrants, including orally....allow non-intrusive tracking devices, such as a device placed on a vehicle, or in a person's bag, to be authorised internally...." [Minister for Home Affairs & Liberal MP for Dickson Peter Dutton in House of Representatives Hansard, 13 May 2020]
Law Council of Australia, media release, 13 May 2020:
Statement on proposed amendments to the ASIO Act by Law Council President, Pauline Wright
The Law Council of Australia is very concerned with some aspects of the proposed amendments to the Australian Security and Intelligence Act 1975 (Cth) (ASIO Act) released today in parliament.
If adopted, the amendments would redesign the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation’s (ASIO’s) compulsory questioning warrant regime and repeal its specific detention powers.
It would also make some significant changes to ASIO’s surveillance powers, including permitting warrantless (that is, internally authorised) surveillance in relation to the use of certain tracking devices.
The Law Council welcomes the repeal of the ASIO detention regime in relation to the investigation of terrorism, which is consistent with its longstanding policy position. However, the amendments propose a re-design of the use of questioning warrants and we are concerned that there may be very limited time to scrutinise the proposed laws, which are lengthy, complex and highly intrusive on individual rights.
The proposal to reduce the age of minors who may be subject to questioning from 16 to 14 years and the conferral of powers on police to apprehend and detain persons for the purpose of bringing them in for compulsory questioning also requires detailed scrutiny by the Law Council, amongst the many other amendments.
The Law Council is concerned that the government is now rushing the Bill, despite having had over two years to develop the re-designed questioning legislation since the PJCIS tabled its report in May 2018.
Now there is a sense of urgency given that ASIO’s current questioning powers are due to sunset in 7 September, and the amendments are set to commence by or before that date.
This is not a Bill to be hurried through.
The Law Council will need to carefully scrutinise the Bill and we look forward to providing a comprehensive submission to the inquiry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Australian Security Intelligence
Organisation Amendment Bill 2020 can be found here.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 May 2020:
With Federal Parliament flat out dealing with the social and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, now is hardly the right time for a government to introduce legislation giving ASIO the power to question 14-year-old children, interfere with the rights of legal advisers, and enable the tracking of individuals without the need for a warrant.....
Dutton's law would allow ASIO to seek a warrant so it can question young people aged 14 to 18 if they are a target of an ASIO investigation into politically motivated violence: broad criteria to say the least.
Then there is a serious attack on the fundamental right of a person, whether they be 14 or 40, to choose their own lawyer when they are subject to investigation by ASIO. The bill allows for a prescribed authority, which is a judge or Administrative Appeals member selected by the government, to stop a person ASIO is seeking to question from contacting their lawyer if "satisfied, based on circumstances relating to the lawyer, that, if the subject is permitted to contact the lawyer, a person involved in activity prejudicial to security may be alerted that the activity is being investigated, or that a record or other thing the subject may be requested to produce might be destroyed, damaged or altered".
This power is sweeping and allows for hearsay "evidence" to be used. All ASIO would have to do is tell the judge or AAT member that it has heard from "sources" that the lawyer requested by the detainee is a security risk.
But even if the lawyer passes muster and sits with his or her client, the ASIO officers doing the questioning can have the lawyer removed. The explanatory memorandum of the bill says that can happen, "if the lawyer's conduct is unduly disrupting questioning. This may be the case where, for example, a lawyer repeatedly interrupts questioning (other than to make reasonable requests for clarification or a break to provide advice), in a way that prevents or hinders questions being asked or answered." So if the ASIO officers are badgering or harassing a frightened 14-year-old, or asking questions that are completely irrelevant, they have carte blanche.
As a lawyer, one hears and reads stories about colleagues in authoritarian states where such powers are given to and used by security agencies, but one never expected it in democratic Australia....
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