Hopefully now that uni and work have petered out a bit, I should get back to my regular posting schedule… Hope you are all having a lovely Easter Weekend.
The past fortnight began, with flood and cyclone damage being cleaned up across the bulk of the north-east coast. The NSW town of Lismore, and Queensland town of Rockhampton as well as the Whitsunday Islands were the three areas with the bulk of the damage. Researchers have also been able to survey the Great Barrier Reef – and it has had a tough run, with some major damage and stress bleaching.
Interest rates may go up in the next few months, due to the high rate of investment buying and interest-only loans. However the RBA is anxious about raising these rates because it will cause stress on the mortgages of low-income households, as well as lead to defaults on mortgages in some cases, as many households do not appear to have enough of a buffer if the earners were to lose their jobs.
The other issue is that somehow, an internal Liberal Party debate on whether to allow people to dip into their super to buy a house has been played out in the public, making the party look a bit uncoordinated. The suggestion has been panned by many people, including the people in my household, because it is a stupid idea. The only place that does allow superannuation to be used to buy a home is Singapore – but Singapore’s super contribution level is 33%.
Pauline Hanson had a tough time with an ABC Four Corners exposé on the One Nation Party. There have been accusations of mind-control and manipulation. One former member has claimed the party is run like a dictatorship, and the journalist behind the stories was asked multiple times by James Ashby (remember him?) to leave one of Pauline Hanson’s press conferences.
A documentary has been made about life on Manus Island, which shows the centre as quaint and quiet, but also reveals the uncertainty of the detainees. Filmed on a phone, the clips had to be sent bit by bit to the co-director in the Netherlands, the Manus-based co-director wanted a record of what happens on Manus before the centre closes in October. Manus was also rocked by a shooting incident this week, in which Papua New Guinean military staff attempted to break in to the centre armed with guns.
There are concerns that staff working on the NDIS are not familiar enough with some of the disabilities they are meant to be catering plans to. Several plans are missing or omitting vital equipment needed by recipients, and many consults are being done over the phone, leading to suggestions that maybe staff need more training or to meet with recipients face-to-face.
Finally this fortnight, Malcolm Turnbull went to India for bilateral talks; private schools are concerned that they will lose funding from the federal government; Australia has supported the launching of nearly 60 tomahawk missiles by the USA, targeting Assad Government sites in Syria; The Emissions Reduction Fund is running out; and Scott Morrison has been dumped by Ray Hadley for ‘cheating’ on him with ABC Radio in Melbourne.
Tweets of the Fortnight
Things I’ve Been Looking at Online
Euthanasia debate on Q&A – ABC Online
Ben Pobjie on John Clarke’s passing – ABC Online
Kara L 