Australian Politics General...

[IFocus]

Alan Kohler nails this note Germany rearming

Lenin's quote that "there are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen" is getting a solid workout these days, but last week there was a single day on which decades happened. It was Tuesday, March 18.

Here's what happened on that day:

• Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, voted to end 80 years of fiscal shackles and constraints on military spending, to Trump-proof its and Europe's economy, changing the course of European history.
• China launched its own fiscal stimulus program for the same reason, potentially changing the course of its own history, although it has much less fiscal room to move than Germany.
• In a phone call with US President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin refused a 30-day ceasefire, and started bombarding Ukraine again.
• Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza, warning that the "gates of hell" would open if hostages weren't released.
• The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold but pivoted towards easing policy, saying the impact of tariffs was likely to be "transitory", prompting markets to rise sharply.
• Trump described the judge who blocked the deportation of more than 200 men under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a "radical left lunatic" and said he should be impeached, escalating his administration's war with the American judiciary.
• Trump fired two commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission, even though courts have established that it's illegal for the president to remove officials of agencies created by Congress.
• AI computer-chip maker Nvidia unveiled the next generation of its artificial intelligence products, in an attempt to combat the Chinese firm DeepSeek, which is producing AI models at a fraction of the cost of Nvidia.
• China's advanced humanoid robot, Unitree G1, performed the world's first robot side flip.
• Microsoft and a Swiss company called inait announced they were collaborating to commercialise inait's digital brain technology.

We're at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted

While Australian politicians argue about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, pressing issues like the great US retreat, global warming and AI are being ignored.

www.abc.net.au

 

[JohnDe]

 

[The Triangle]

Alan Kohler nails this note Germany rearming

Lenin's quote that "there are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen" is getting a solid workout these days, but last week there was a single day on which decades happened. It was Tuesday, March 18.

Here's what happened on that day:

• Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, voted to end 80 years of fiscal shackles and constraints on military spending, to Trump-proof its and Europe's economy, changing the course of European history.
• China launched its own fiscal stimulus program for the same reason, potentially changing the course of its own history, although it has much less fiscal room to move than Germany.
• In a phone call with US President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin refused a 30-day ceasefire, and started bombarding Ukraine again.
• Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza, warning that the "gates of hell" would open if hostages weren't released.
• The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold but pivoted towards easing policy, saying the impact of tariffs was likely to be "transitory", prompting markets to rise sharply.
• Trump described the judge who blocked the deportation of more than 200 men under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a "radical left lunatic" and said he should be impeached, escalating his administration's war with the American judiciary.
• Trump fired two commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission, even though courts have established that it's illegal for the president to remove officials of agencies created by Congress.
• AI computer-chip maker Nvidia unveiled the next generation of its artificial intelligence products, in an attempt to combat the Chinese firm DeepSeek, which is producing AI models at a fraction of the cost of Nvidia.
• China's advanced humanoid robot, Unitree G1, performed the world's first robot side flip.
• Microsoft and a Swiss company called inait announced they were collaborating to commercialise inait's digital brain technology.

We're at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted

While Australian politicians argue about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, pressing issues like the great US retreat, global warming and AI are being ignored.

www.abc.net.au

If people in the streets don't notice anything...then nothing happened other than media/government self promotion.

Yawn. Nothing relevant happened that day. Decades didn't happen.

 

[Smurf1976]

If people in the streets don't notice anything...then nothing happened other than media/government self promotion.

It's about what's set in motion.

The economic landscape of the past few decades was heavily influenced by a single decision made in 1975 for example, that being the Lima Declaration.

It was barely reported at the time in Australian media, running well behind coverage of Cyclone Tracy and the Tasman Bridge collapse, but in that decision we'd effectively shaped the entire economic and political landscape for the next half century. A very long list of things that happened since have their genesis in that decision.

What we're seeing now in my view amounts to the rejection of pretty much everything from that era. A rejection of globalisation, a rejection of the dominance of universities*, a rejection of the idea that markets ought run essential services, a rejection of individualism over society, etc along with the in practice end of US dominance.

That'll take decades to play out just as the last change did.

*Not to be confused with education where it's necessary. Nobody's rejecting the idea that doctors, engineers and bona fide lawyers need a degree. They are however seriously questioning the educational arms race and stranglehold of educational institutions over the rest.

 

[SirRumpole]

*Not to be confused with education where it's necessary. Nobody's rejecting the idea that doctors, engineers and bona fide lawyers need a degree. They are however seriously questioning the educational arms race and stranglehold of educational institutions over the rest.

Universities have been turned from educational institutions into money making devices, and it's starting to show.

Dumbing down of courses to retain fee paying students, ignoring cheating and plagarism for the same reasons and the proliferation of useless courses means standards are dropping fast.

We need to go back to concentrating on STEM courses and providing scholarships for school students that show outstanding aptitude.

Make Vice Chancellors pay linked to the graduation rate, not how much money their university can rake in. Maybe standards will improve then.

 

[wayneL]

Surprise factor - zero. The Teals are no better than the dirty stinking main parties. Hypocrites os the highest other, just like my comments about the egregious and diabolical Zali Steggel earlier.

Political vandals at best.

 

[sptrawler]

It's about what's set in motion.

The economic landscape of the past few decades was heavily influenced by a single decision made in 1975 for example, that being the Lima Declaration.

It was barely reported at the time in Australian media, running well behind coverage of Cyclone Tracy and the Tasman Bridge collapse, but in that decision we'd effectively shaped the entire economic and political landscape for the next half century. A very long list of things that happened since have their genesis in that decision.

It has barely been reported since its declaration, even now not many people know of it, or its purpose.
It is another issue, that mainstream media has quietly let slide under their radar.

 

[wayneL]

Surprise factor - zero. The Teals are no better than the dirty stinking main parties. Hypocrites os the highest other, just like my comments about the egregious and diabolical Zali Steggel earlier.

Political vandals at best.

View attachment 196047

I have to give Simon credit, he has managed to craft for himself a small army of moronic minions, in terms of candidates and voters, which support his mercantile interests

 

[basilio]

Alan Kohler nails this note Germany rearming

Lenin's quote that "there are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen" is getting a solid workout these days, but last week there was a single day on which decades happened. It was Tuesday, March 18.

Here's what happened on that day:

• Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, voted to end 80 years of fiscal shackles and constraints on military spending, to Trump-proof its and Europe's economy, changing the course of European history.
• China launched its own fiscal stimulus program for the same reason, potentially changing the course of its own history, although it has much less fiscal room to move than Germany.
• In a phone call with US President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin refused a 30-day ceasefire, and started bombarding Ukraine again.
• Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza, warning that the "gates of hell" would open if hostages weren't released.
• The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold but pivoted towards easing policy, saying the impact of tariffs was likely to be "transitory", prompting markets to rise sharply.
• Trump described the judge who blocked the deportation of more than 200 men under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a "radical left lunatic" and said he should be impeached, escalating his administration's war with the American judiciary.
• Trump fired two commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission, even though courts have established that it's illegal for the president to remove officials of agencies created by Congress.
• AI computer-chip maker Nvidia unveiled the next generation of its artificial intelligence products, in an attempt to combat the Chinese firm DeepSeek, which is producing AI models at a fraction of the cost of Nvidia.
• China's advanced humanoid robot, Unitree G1, performed the world's first robot side flip.
• Microsoft and a Swiss company called inait announced they were collaborating to commercialise inait's digital brain technology.

We're at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted

While Australian politicians argue about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, pressing issues like the great US retreat, global warming and AI are being ignored.

www.abc.net.au

That is a terrifying article by Alan Kohler. I think it is worth highlighting the intro and finish as well.
Check out the reference to the massive new development in AI - the creation of a copy of an electronic human brain that can learn, respond in real time and it's off to the races...

Microsoft will be commercializing this product.

We're at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted​

By Alan Kohler

• Topic:World Politics

10h ago10 hours ago

The world is in freefall while Australia heads into another small, dreary cost-of-living election. (AAP: Richard Wainwright/Jono Searle)

Link copied

Australia is heading towards minority government at a turning point in world history.

This is a time when clear political vision and decisive leadership is called for, when the stakes for tomorrow's federal budget and the coming election couldn't be higher. Not that you would know it from the grubby squabbles that pass for national debate these days.

America's democracy is under attack from an autocratic cabal of political extremists and billionaires; Europe and China are frantically trying to Trump-proof themselves; Russia and Israel are carrying out brutal assaults and refuse to stop; the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere last year was the largest in history, and the global temperature was the hottest; and an automation and robotics revolution is in the midst of a great leap forward towards … what? No one knows.

...Meanwhile in Australia, we are heading into another small, dreary cost-of-living election, arguing about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, when we should really be talking about the great American retreat, the reality of global warming, and the potential for wholesale replacement of human employment.

We're at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted

While Australian politicians argue about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, pressing issues like the great US retreat, global warming and AI are being ignored.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SirRumpole]

...Meanwhile in Australia, we are heading into another small, dreary cost-of-living election, arguing about power bill relief and non-existent nuclear power stations, when we should really be talking about the great American retreat, the reality of global warming, and the potential for wholesale replacement of human employment.

Unfortunately , or naturally, cost of living impinges most on the lives of the electorate. The public expect the government to take care of climate change, international relations and long term employment as there is little that the average voter can do about these things.

So, we get the government we deserve, as the Americans have found.

 

[sptrawler]

Unfortunately , or naturally, cost of living impinges most on the lives of the electorate. The public expect the government to take care of climate change, international relations and long term employment as there is little that the average voter can do about these things.

So, we get the government we deserve, as the Americans have found.

Yes hopefully we can get a Government, that tries to stop our slide into a third world economy, as the U.S is trying to do. Despite the multinationals and media throwing everything but the kitchen sink, to stop it happening.

Hopefully we get the opportunity to vote for a Government with vision and a plan, unfortunately we only seem to get the the option of choosing between which party can BS the best.

 

[SirRumpole]

Yes hopefully we can get a Government, that tries to stop our slide into a third world economy, as the U.S is trying to do. Despite the multinationals and media throwing everything but the kitchen sink, to stop it happening.

Hopefully we get the opportunity to vote for a Government with vision and a plan, unfortunately we only seem to get the the option of choosing between which party can BS the best.

The are whispers of a stronger "buy Australian" campaign, which will be easier now that the Americans have abrogated our "Free" Trade agreement, as such things were apparently banned under that agreement.

 

[wayneL]

The are whispers of a stronger "buy Australian" campaign, which will be easier now that the Americans have abrogated our "Free" Trade agreement, as such things were apparently banned under that agreement.

Do we actually make anything here?

 

[moXJO]

It's pretty bad at the moment. A lot of middle class renters becoming homeless. It's absolutely ridiculous

 

[JohnDe]

Do we actually make anything here?

 

[SirRumpole]

Do we actually make anything here?

Maybe we will make more here if it's obvious that there will be government support for those that do. (Trump logic).

 

[JohnDe]

Maybe we will make more here if it's obvious that there will be government support for those that do. (Trump logic).

Maybe if we had cheap power supplies, Australia could compete against China's cheap labour. High power costs affect every aspect of manufacturing, from the worker at home requiring higher wages to pay the bills, to industry powering the machines to produce the products, and governments increasing taxes and levies to pay for handouts for citizens and businesses to stay afloat.

It is going to be a long time before we see low-cost energy in Australia.

A major $750m green hydrogen plant has been axed in South Australia, a fresh setback for the fledgling industry just days after Anthony Albanese pledged the clean-energy source would help underpin its Future Made in Australia plan.

 

[sptrawler]

Do we actually make anything here?

We are the Worlds largest producer of smugness, we just have to work out how to bottle it and we have it made.

 

[sptrawler]

Maybe we will make more here if it's obvious that there will be government support for those that do. (Trump logic).

Yes I know what you mean, like this from three years ago.
How's that working out? Time will tell, but we certainly aren't short of rhetoric, shame about the nickel and lithium industries though.

12 May 2022

Powering the Nation with Australian-Made Batteries

with Mick de Brenni MP, Ed Husic MP & Labor Candidate for Flynn Matt Burnett

anthonyalbanese.com.au

A future Albanese Government will kickstart battery manufacturing in Australia.

Under our Australian Made Battery plan, Labor is determined to see Australia create more jobs and greater wealth for the nation by manufacturing batteries onshore.

This plan will see a future Labor Government:

• Partner with the Queensland Government to create a Battery Manufacturing Precinct in Queensland, backed by a $100 million Commonwealth equity injection.
• Create a Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre to provide advanced technology and skills development to businesses looking to locally manufacture renewable energy technologies.
• Support 10,000 New Energy Apprenticeships, including around 2,000 expected in Queensland.
• Develop a National Battery Strategy to bring government and business efforts together for the long term good of the nation.

These commitments are in addition to Labor’s National Reconstruction Fund (including $1 billion for Value-Adding in Resources).
We have a unique opportunity to make Australia a world leader in a future industry that will create good jobs for generations.

There are an estimated 34,700 jobs and $7.4 billion in value to be made in Australia from battery technology and industries.

Labor will build a better future for Australia, one which capitalises on these opportunities.

For too long, Australians have wondered why we haven’t manufactured batteries onshore when we have one of the world’s largest deposits of critical minerals and rare earths.

On the Morrison Government’s watch, Australia is only realising 0.5 per cent of the value of global battery production.

23 May 2024

Loading...

www.pm.gov.au

The Albanese Government has today released the nation’s first National Battery Strategy, supporting a Future Made in Australia and shoring up our economic resilience and security.

The global demand for batteries is set to quadruple by 2030 as the world transitions to net zero, and our Strategy maps a path for Australia to take advantage of this growth to build a thriving battery industry.

It identifies four high-value strategic opportunities:

• Stationary storage - building Energy Storage Systems to firm renewable power generation in the national grid and for communities, businesses and homes.
• Provide battery active materials to the world by upgrading raw minerals into processed battery components to strengthen battery supply chains.
• Leveraging our world-leading know-how to build safer and more secure batteries connected to the grid.
• Building batteries for our transport manufacturing industry, including heavy vehicle manufacturing.

Funding for the Strategy was included in last week’s Budget:

• $523.2 million for the Battery Breakthrough Initiative, administered by ARENA, to promote the development of battery manufacturing capabilities through production incentives targeted at the highest value opportunities in the supply chain.
• $20.3 million for Building Future Battery Capabilities to incentivise cutting edge battery research, including support for:
  • Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre to map Australian battery capability and value chains, drive battery innovation and scale-up and deliver best practice guidelines and standards for the battery industry.
  • Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre to develop workforce skills and training.

The Budget also includes $1.7 billion for a new Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund, administered by ARENA, to accelerate deployment of innovative technologies and facilities through support for innovation, commercialisation, pilot and demonstration projects in priority sectors including clean energy manufacturing such as batteries.

The Strategy is designed to harness our world leading-expertise in battery technology, lean into our natural advantage with critical minerals and support a Future Made in Australia.

Trafigura Cancels $750M Green Hydrogen Project at Port Pirie | Market Impacts | Klean Industries

Trafigura has scrapped its $750 million green hydrogen plant in Port Pirie, raising concerns about investment stability, policy alignment, and the future of hydrogen infrastructure in Australia.

kleanindustries.com

In a major setback for Australia’s hydrogen ambitions, Trafigura has canceled its $750 million green hydrogen project at Port Pirie, signaling broader challenges facing renewable energy investment.

A primary $750m green hydrogen plant has been axed in South Australia. It is a fresh setback for the fledgling industry just days after Anthony Albanese pledged the clean-energy source would help underpin its Future Made in Australia plan.

Japan and Germany shortlisted for Australia's next warship program

Australia will begin building its next warships in either Germany or Japan after the government narrowed the field of designs for a contract worth $11 billion over the next decade.

www.abc.net.au

Meanwhile:

Austal to build US Navy ship in potential $4.8b deal

The Perth-headquartered shipbuilder’s shares soared more than 25 per cent on Friday morning after it secured the lucrative defence contract.

www.afr.com

 

[moXJO]

Every industry is collapsing under albo. Well except public service.
Was talking to some old stoner who said that even his pot dealer went out of business because of medical marijuana.