I'm going to be really busy the next couple of weeks, which means I should post less, or at least at night rather than during the day. But the world is such a hot mess at the moment (literally, and socio-politically), it's hard not to read and be appalled by the news. Such as this:
* the warning about rapidly increasing, low oxygen dead zones in the oceans got a lot of publicity, which is good. I think one report noted that some sea creatures do OK in naturally low oxygen waters, such as squid. "Well", I thought "that's probably good news for sea turtles." But then I remembered that their gender mix is being changed hugely by increased heat around the eggs, so maybe things aren't even great for them...
* I saw Insiders yesterday, and they spent a lot of time on how this Morrison government considers itself unaccountable - if they don't want to answer a question, they just refuse to answer and move on, and journalists pretty much give up and move on too.
This is very true, and a part of the increased authoritarian bent of the Right - but it all started under Tony Abbott and the refusal to disclose anything about how boats on the high seas were being dealt with. And that was Scott Morrison too, citing "operational matters."
He got away with it then, and he's getting away with it now. A Newspoll overnight at least shows he has a negative approval rating (48% disapprove to 45% approve), which is something to at least be grateful for; but the government overall is at 52%/48% TPP, in a period where I think it's looked pretty crook. Mind you, I still think we are in a "let's ignore politics" period still after the last election.
Oh - and Labor is still looking internally terribly conflicted on climate change and coal. It needs to get a grip on that issue fast.
* Republicans continue to be disgusting alternative reality nutters taking lines they are specifically told are false and dangerous by their own national intelligence services.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteNewspoll is garbage unti they fess up on how they got it so badly wrong.
ReplyDeleteyes the government is arrogant and won't answer questions. My guess it will come back to haunt them
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteScoMo was not well received in Sydney where he announced the Freedom of Religion Bill while people were choking on smoke filled air. He is caught on the issue because if he addresses the fires inevitably the question of climate change will be put to him. He is avoiding that at all costs because if he admits to human influence there are those in his party who will be unhappy and if he doesn't just about everyone else will think he is being intransigently stupid.
ReplyDelete