Meme of the Week

 

via @L_DeWeaver

State of Play in the Occupied Palestinian Territory of Gaza Strip, Day 214 on 17 May 2025

 

According to the United Nations by Day 214 (08.05.24) there were 34,622 recorded Palestinian fatalities in Israel's War on Gaza, 24,686 of which have been fully identified and of those identified 7,797 were children, 4,959 women, 1,924 elderly, and 10,006 men.

Today is Day 223, there is still no ceasefire and est. 1.7 million Palestinian men, women and children have been internally displaced by Israel's ongoing punitive war.

Of these internally displaced persons tens of thousands have had to flee the Jabilia refugee camp in northern Gaza since 11 May 2024 due to an sustained IDF assault and another est. 600,000 people have been part of a forced evacuation from Rafah and it refugee camp since 6-8 May, as Israeli forces completely closed the border crossing bringing humanitarian aid to southern Gaza and continued to target the city.

Internally displaced Palestinians arrive to Khan Younis after leaving Rafah following an evacuation order issued by the Israeli army, southern Gaza Strip, 11 May 2024. EFE-EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

 

The Israeli Defence Force killing of civilians continues across the Gaza Strip.

On 13 May 2024 Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the country intends to file a declaration of intervention in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in light of Israel’s increasing aggression against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, as well as the systematic practices perpetrated against the Palestinian people, such as the targeting of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure. Egypt’s announcement follows Columbia and Libya's requests to intervene in the case.

On 15 May the bloc of 27 nations comprising the European Union issued a statement titled "Gaza: Statement by the High Representative on Israel’s operation in Rafah" calling on Israel to refrain from further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and reopen the crossing point of Rafah and warning that should Israel continue its military operation in Rafah, it would inevitably put a heavy strain on the EU’s relationship with Israel.

Yesterday,16 May 2024 and again today 17 May the International Court of Justice scheduled public hearings in the matter of Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) having received an urgent request for the indication of additional provisional measures and the modification of previous provisional measures from the Republic of South Africa.

Former Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison exceeding his authority and expertise while in the US this week

 

In the U.S. this week in an attempt to drum up sales of his meagre memoir, Scott Morrison meets with Donald Trump in New York in between Trump's criminal trial hearings. 

Heaven knows how indiscrete Morrison has been during this conversation. His own party was worried about the national security risk he may have represented in 2021 in relation to this AUKUS submarine deal.

Is this going to be one of the shorter 'neutral' periods in that dance Australia's weather conditions do between El Niño and La Niña climate patterns - approximately 44 days before the pointer swung towards "La Niña Watch"

 

It appears that Australia has a 50-50 chance of entering a La Niña event in the second half of 2024.

La Niña typically means:

• Increased rainfall across much of Australia

• Cooler daytime temperatures (south of the tropics)

• Warmer overnight temperatures (in the north)

• Shift in temperature extremes

• Decreased frost risk

• Greater tropical cyclone numbers

• Earlier monsoon onset

According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology: In eastern Australia, the average December-March rainfall during La Niña years is 20% higher than the long-term average, with eight of the ten wettest such periods occurring during La Niña years. This is particularly notable for the east coast, which tends to be less affected by La Niña during the winter months but can experience severe flooding during La Niña summers.

The record breaking NSW Northern Rivers floods of February-March 2022 occurred in a La Niña event - part of the 'triple dip' La Niña which occurred in 2020-2022.

Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Climate Driver Update: Climate drivers in the Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans and the Tropics

14 May 2024

SUMMARY

La Niña Watch—some signs of La Niña formation later in 2024

La Niña Watch

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently neutral. There are some early signs that a La Niña might form in the Pacific Ocean later in 2024. As a result, the Bureau's ENSO Outlook has shifted to La Niña Watch. When La Niña Watch criteria have been met in the past, a La Niña event has subsequently developed around 50% of the time. There is about an equal chance of neutral ENSO conditions in the same outlook period.

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central Pacific have been steadily cooling since December 2023. This surface cooling is supported by a significant amount of sub-surface cooling in the central and eastern Pacific. Recent cloud and surface pressure patterns are ENSO-neutral.

The Bureau's modelling suggests that ENSO will likely remain neutral until at least July 2024. It is important to emphasise that early signs of La Niña are most relevant to the climate of the tropical Pacific, and that the long-range forecast for Australian rainfall and temperature provides better guidance for local climate.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently neutral. The most recent 2 weeks have seen the IOD index within neutral thresholds, and follow 7 weeks of the index being above the positive IOD threshold (+0.40 °C). The current SST observations suggest that recent development of a positive IOD may have stalled. If a positive IOD eventually develops, it would be earlier in the calendar year than is typical historically.

Global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) have been the warmest on record for each month between April 2023 and April 2024, with April 2024 SSTs warmer than April 2023. The global pattern of warmth is affecting the typical historical global pattern of sea surface temperatures associated with ENSO and IOD variability. As the current global ocean conditions have not been observed before, inferences of how ENSO or IOD may develop in 2024 that are based on past events may not be reliable.

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is currently neutral (as at 13 May). Forecasts indicate the index is mostly likely to remain neutral or become positive in the coming fortnight.

The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is currently weak. Most models forecast indicate that the MJO will remain weak before re-strengthening over the eastern Indian Ocean or Maritime Continent region from mid- to late-May.

Centrepay remains a dysfunctional gamble for many welfare recipients in 2024

 

Unfortunately the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme did little to rid the Australian Public Service of all key individuals nurturing the rotting cores of the Dept. of Social Services, Services Australia, NDIS and Centrelink.

The Guardian, 13 May 2024:

Energy giant Origin wrongly received money from the welfare payments of former customers via the government-run Centrepay debit system, the Guardian can reveal.

Origin is now the third energy retailer known to have wrongly received money via Centrepay from vulnerable and low-income Australians after they had ceased being customers.

Centrepay gives approved businesses early access to welfare payments, prior to them hitting a welfare recipient’s bank account, a system designed to ensure individuals always have enough for essentials like rent and energy.

But a Guardian Australia investigation has identified deep and ongoing problems with the system. In one case, the Centrepay system allowed energy giant AGL to continue to take welfare money from more than 500 people who had ceased being AGL customers, resulting in overpayments over a period of years totalling about $700,000. The company says it has now paid that money back.

In other cases, Centrepay has helped to financially prop up a disgraced Christian rehabilitation centre practising gay conversion therapy and forced baptisms, and allowed rent-to-buy household appliance retailers to take excessive amounts from the welfare payments of customers in remote Indigenous communities.

Origin Energy is the biggest user of Centrepay of any energy retailer. The ASX-listed company had 32,894 residential customers paying for their energy using Centrepay last financial year, about 1.8% of its total customer base.

But Guardian Australia can reveal that Origin has also wrongly received money from the welfare payments of people who had ceased being its customers.

A spokesperson confirmed Origin had identified “issues relating to payments made through the Centrepay scheme”.

“We proactively reported these issues to Services Australia, have been attempting to contact impacted customers and are working with Services Australia to process refunds to customers,” the spokesperson said. “We have also strengthened our processes in relation to Centrepay payments.”

Both Services Australia and the energy company declined to say how many customers were affected or how much in welfare payments was wrongly received by Origin.

In response to a question on notice by a Greens senator, Penny Allman-Payne, the government confirmed that it was currently working to return Centrepay overpayments from three utilities companies and three “household services” companies.

Services Australia would not release details of which companies were affected......

Fifth Annual NSW Statewide Street Count of homeless people sleeping rough - results for the Northern Rivers region from Clarence Valley to the NSW-Qld border

TheEcho, 10 May 2024:

Byron Shire topped the state with a 16 per cent increase in rough sleepers, but the count also showed significant increases in numbers across Tweed, Ballina and Lismore shires.

While Sydney has remained stable with a one per cent increase it is the regional areas experiencing the biggest surge in homelessness in the past year. The 2024 street count found 2,037 people sleeping rough in 2024 compared to 1,623 people last year.

‘The sobering street count figures again paint a harrowing picture of homelessness and street sleeping across our state.,’ said Minister for Homelessness Rose Jackson.

‘While levels of street sleeping have stabilised in Sydney, we are still seeing an unprecedented increase of homelessness in many of our regional towns. We don’t just need data to tell us this – our regional communities are feeling this every day.’

The impact of climate disasters like the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, the 2022 floods, the rising interest rates, cost of living pressures and a shortage of rental homes are just some of the factors that are continuing to drive homelessness and street sleeping.

It is important to note that these are just the people sleeping on the street and in their cars, they do not reflect the number of people who are homeless and for example are staying with family or sleeping on friend’s couches etc.

Lismore saw an increase of rough sleepers jump from 40 in 2023 to 64 in 2024. Tweed Valley went from 145 to 174 in 2024, Ballina went from 30 to 63 and Byron Shire went from 300 to 348.....

Read the full article at:

https://www.echo.net.au/2024/05/byron-shire-sees-biggest-increase-in-rough-sleepers/

According to NSW Government Communities & Justice, 2024 NSW Statewide Street Count: Technical Paper, published on 8 May 2024:

Street counts took place between 1 February and 1 March 2024, in more than 400 towns and suburbs in 76 local government areas (LGA) across NSW.

Half of the counts took place in the evening, scheduled between 10:00pm and 3:00am, with the remaining half occurring in the morning between 3:30am and 9am.

Over 300 local organisations either consulted in the planning phase or participated in the delivery of street counts. Partners included Community Housing Providers, local councils and Specialist Homelessness Services, as well Aboriginal organisations, Local Health Districts, local community groups, and Police.

In 2024 in the Northern Rivers region local government areas (LGAs) with the largest decreases in people sleeping rough were:

Richmond Valley - 3 rough sleepers as of 22.02.24 at 5 locations. Down from 19 persons in 2023.

Clarence Valley - 58 rough sleepers as of 20.02.24 at 6 locations. Down from 69 persons in 2023.

As for the other five LGAs:

Kyogle Shire - had no rough sleepers as of 23.02.24 and zero persons in 2023

Ballina Shire - 63 rough sleepers as of 28.02.24 at 6 locations. Up from 30 persons in 2023

Lismore City - 64 rough sleepers as of 23.02.24 at 5 locations. Up from 40 persons in 2023

Tweed Valley - 174 rough sleepers as of 27.02.25 at 15 locations. Up from 145 persons in 2023

Byron Shire - 348 rough sleepers as of 29.02.24 at 9 locations. Up from 300 persons in 2023.

Across all 400 NSW sites counted in February 2024 there were 2,037 people considered homeless and sleeping rough. This represents a 26 per cent (414 person) increase compared to 2023.

 

Two years into appointment to this portfolio, and unfortunately it seems that Australia's current Minister for the Environment and Water is getting the media attention she deserves in May 2024

The Australien Government has made an ad about our broken environment laws, and it's surprisingly honest and informative #auspol 🐨🇦🇺

✨ feat. Special Guest @punterspolitix pic.twitter.com/gmRZv8no7E

— theJuiceMedia (@thejuicemedia) May 5, 2024