The week began with the government revealing their plans to protect people in crowded places, including more bollards and statues. They’re encouraging big businesses and small businesses to help contribute. There wasn’t much more they said publicly, but many feel they’re doing something.
The Australian Medical Association is concerned about certain levels of private health insurance and are pushing for the government to more strictly regulate the industry. At the moment, there are 20,000 variations in policies and some are so poor that they simply help you avoid the Medicare levy. They’re suggesting a streamlined Gold, Silver & Bronze grading system for every policy so that people know exactly what they are getting.
The government is planning to start trials for drug testing welfare recipients in several areas, including the Western Sydney regions of Canterbury & Bankstown. It’s thought that they will test 1750 people on location at the Centrelink office, and if they test positive, they will not be reported to police. They will however, have their income managed, and may be asked to attend rehab. The legislation still has to get through parliament, and with Labor and the Greens against it, it will be interesting to see if it gets through the Senate.
The citizenship saga continues, with five of the seven cases in the High Court starting this week. Hearings will take place in October, even though people wanted them heard earlier. It was an interesting day, with Tony Windsor, who lost to Barnaby Joyce at the 2016 election, being allowed to join the case against Joyce, and One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts changing his story again. In an amusing aside, Barnaby Joyce has also been nominated for New Zealander of the year.
Nick Warner, the head of Australia’s CIA equivalent, ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service), has been criticised for appearing in a photo with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte doing the President’s famous fist-pump gesture. Some saw this as Australia’s acceptance of Duterte and his war on drugs, which has led to the extrajudicial killings of many people. In fact, Warner was meeting with Duterte to show Australia’s support of the Philippines military efforts to quash ISIS fighters in Marawi.
While the country awaits the court ruling on the same-sex marriage postal survey (actual name: “Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey”), the Yes and No sides are gearing up for campaigning. There are somewhat dubious claims coming from the NO campaign regarding the evils of the gays, while the YES campaign has been focusing on making sure that all of their potential voters are enrolled. It’s believed that the push for people to enrol to vote has led to hundreds of thousands of eligible young Aussies being added to the electoral roll, not just for this vote/survey, but for every election thereafter, which could change the direction of the country.
Finally this week, the worst was realised when the 7-year-old Australian boy missing after the Barcelona attack was identified as one of the 14 killed; the government has shut nearly 125 childcare centres in a crackdown; Tony Abbott confessed to being too drunk to show up to some divisions during the passing of Rudd-era financial crisis legislation (Wayne Swan is mad because people made him retract allegations he made at the time); and there are allegations that the big tobacco companies are in cahoots with customs and police to catch tobacco smugglers – which could be in violation of a World Health Organisation treaty.
Tweets of the Week
As an ex-resident of Hong Kong, typhoons are always interesting to follow…
And somewhat related to weather, ABC News Breakfast’s meteorologist Nate Byrne was getting into science week:
Things I’ve Been Looking at Online
Leigh Sales on interviewing – ABC Online
Hillsong’s position on Same-Sex Marriage as covered by the New Matilda (N.B. – While critical of Hillsong, it does break down the church’s position)
Teachers on the joys of teaching – ABC Online
Kara L 