Latest news with #TheAustralian
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Sussan Ley's shadow cabinet reveal causes Coalition divide
Some Liberals are suggesting Sussan Ley has risked making enemies in unveiling her new shadow ministry. Conservatives who voted for the Opposition leader have expressed disappointment with her decision to demote those who voted against her leadership. According to The Australian, several Liberal members expected Jane Hume to be given a more junior role rather than being removed entirely from the frontbench. Other Coalition members have voiced their support for the Opposition leader's decision.
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Jeff Kennett warns ‘dysfunctional' Victorian Liberals face ‘extroadinary implosion' as fallout from Deeming-Pesutto case continues
Jeff Kennett has lamented the state of the Victorian Liberal Party, warning it is on the cusp of an 'extraordinary implosion' as the fallout from Moira Deeming's successful defamation battle against John Pesutto continues. Mr Pesutto is in a race against time to raise the $2.3 million needed to cover Ms Deeming's legal costs after a federal court found he had defamed his own MP as someone who 'associates with Nazis'. Liberals are divided on whether the party or its fundraising body, the Cormack Foundation, should cover the costs of the debt in order to prevent a by-election in Mr Pesutto's seat of Hawthorn – which could result in a Teal victory. Speaking to the Herald Sun on Wednesday, Mr Kennett said there was a complete absence of leadership in the party, labelling it 'dysfunctional'. 'Leadership is absent (and) they are prepared to bankrupt one of their own. What values does the party have when it won't embrace one of its own?' Mr Kennett said. 'Our members and volunteers deserve so much better.' Mr Pesutto has until Friday before bankruptcy proceedings begin. He will then have 21 days to either pay the amount owed, agree on a payment plan, or be declared bankrupt – an outcome that will result in his expulsion from parliament. Lawyers for Ms Deeming have also begun preparing to go after key Liberal figures who helped fund Mr Pesutto's legal case, taking advantage of a precedent that allows the successful party in a defamation case to recoup costs from the financial backers of the unsuccessful party. The Australian revealed earlier this week that Ms Deeming's lawyers had written a legal letter naming nine Liberal figures – including Mr Kennett and two other former premiers – as potential targets, if Mr Pesutto is unable to pay the $2.3 million owed. The letter sought further information about the contributions of Mr Kennett, former premiers Ted Baillieu and Dennis Napthine, and six other Liberal figures had made to Mr Pesutto's legal case. Mr Kennett is on the public record as having supported the Hawthorn MP, but the former premier has told The Australian he only made a 'token' contribution. 'My army training taught me you salute the uniform and support the leader, so when John (Pesutto) was under pressure, very early I made a token donation as a public gesture of supporting the leader,' the former Premier said. 'After that I had no idea or involvement in the conduct of the court case. It was a token donation.' Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ms Deeming said there was 'no case except the one against John'. The Western Metropolitan MP took out a loan to fund her successful defamation battle, which the $2.3 million in costs and the $315,000 in damages Mr Pesutto has already paid are being used to cover. 'My lawyers ensured that when Mr Grugeon (NSW businessman Hilton Grugeon) generously agreed to loan me millions of dollars to defend myself against the campaign to destroy my life, he was fully aware of the fact that he could be held liable to pay for mine and Pesutto's costs if I lost and went bankrupt,' Ms Deeming said in a statement earlier this week. 'So I have no doubt that Mr Pesutto, being a lawyer himself, ensured that his financiers were aware of that same risk prior to accepting their support.' Mr Pesutto has embarked on a publicity tour since the costs order was issued, and on Monday he told Sky News Australia he was 'hopeful' of raising the money. 'I'm working with a number of potential supporters to try and raise that money,' he said. 'There are some hopeful signs that I can get there. 'I do want to meet that debt that I owe Ms Deeming, and I want to discharge the court's order, so I'm working very carefully to try and do that by the due date.' A GoFundMe page set up on his behalf has now raised more than $187,000, and reports late last week indicated he had also managed to raise an additional $500,000 from donors and supporters.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Floods, drought, dust and climate hypocrisy
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The day arrived sickly yellow. Where the escarpment stood there was now just a faint outline. It was hard to breathe and the eyes stung. South Australia's crippling drought had delivered choking dust to the continent's east coast. With the physical discomfort came a reminder of the unfairness. Large tracts of NSW had just been submerged by floods only to be shrouded in dust from a parched place that hadn't seen meaningful rain in months. Offering what comfort he could, the Prime Minister told the country that we'd been warned extreme weather would become more common and more intense with the changing climate. It certainly seems that way. What we knew as one-in-100-year floods recur every few years. Lismore's turn in 2022 becomes Taree's in 2025. The pattern of cold fronts, which usually bring winter rain to South Australia and western parts of Victoria, has changed, with those fronts held at bay by high-pressure systems we normally associate with summer. Those who suffer the worst of the climate's caprice are typically farmers and regional Australians. In one week, we saw dairy farmers in tears for very different reasons. Those who had lost stock to floods and those who could not feed theirs because their pastures had turned to dust thanks to drought. And in the midst of this double-edged sword of suffering, the very people who claim to represent these Australians - the Nationals - are still quibbling over climate. Barnaby Joyce demands to know the cost of the commitment to net zero by 2050 while his party's constituents count the cost of not acting on climate - a last hurrah as he finds himself relegated to the nosebleed seats up the back of a depleted and demoralised opposition alongside the other other former deputy PM Mickmack McCormack. The same old arguments for not acting to reduce emissions are trotted out in the Murdoch press, oblivious to the fact they sent conservative politics into the wilderness for at least two more terms. Doesn't matter what Australia does, it won't make a difference, the cardigan and cravat crew bleat in the pages of The Australian and to the dwindling audience watching Sky After Dark. Australia is a huge exporter of fossil fuels. The stuff might not be burnt here but it still contributes to global emissions. Arguing that it's beyond our control is a bit like saying a drug dealer can't be held responsible for how the product they sell is used. In other words, poppycock. Which brings us to the Albanese government and its rank hypocrisy in giving preliminary approval for extending the life of the north west gas project off the WA coast for another 45 years. Here's how Greg Bourne described the decision: "They've just approved one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in a generation, fueling climate chaos for decades to come. This single project will unleash more than four billion tonnes of climate pollution. It undoes the good work they've done on cutting climate pollution and betrays the mandate Australian voters just gave them." Bourne is BP's former north west shelf manager, who now devotes his time to advocating for a transition away from fossil fuels. "It is rubbish to say that Australia needs this gas when the lion's share is marked for export and none of it will be used on the east coast," he says. "It's bad for the climate, bad for Australia's economy, and completely out of step with where the world is heading." The decision to extend the project until 2070 is grotesque for its timing alone. Barnaby Joyce is at least consistent in his climate lunacy. But for the PM to one day say, hand on heart, natural disasters are the price we're paying for climate change and then approve a major contributor to it the next beggars belief. HAVE YOUR SAY: Has the Albanese government betrayed its principles by extending the life of the north west gas project? Should Australia accept responsibility for its contribution to global emissions through its fossil fuel exports? Is there a stench of hypocrisy hanging over this decision? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has revealed her new shadow cabinet after the Coalition reunited following a dramatic split last week. Ms Ley promoted supportive backbenchers and shuffled senior Liberal party members across key portfolios. - Rescues are continuing and more than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable as further help is promised for people devastated by record-breaking floods. - Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. THEY SAID IT: "Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you're moral, saying you're moral is not the same as acting morally." - Alan Dershowitz YOU SAID IT: Confused, hurt and a little angry, Donald Trump realises he's been strung along the entire time by Vladimir Putin, an autocrat he counted as a friend. "Thanks again, Peter, for the cartoon - the Liberal Party's sense of entitlement seems endless," writes Tony. "Tweetrums is a term I'd never heard - but should be the word of the year." Sue writes: "Love Peter's cartoon. I suppose it is always possible that there could be some connection in timing between something that Trump said to someone and a resolution to the war, so that Trump could then claim to have been involved in a positive way, but the idea that anyone could influence Putin is hard to accept. I can believe that Putin genuinely wants peace, but only after he has defeated Ukraine. Any weakening of the US is attributable to Trump but he has made himself into a figure whose strings can easily be pulled and why would Putin not do so if it is in his interests? Please, let's ensure that he doesn't gain any control over the Port of Darwin. We could do with less US influence rather than more." "A very well-written piece, John, but unfortunately the person who needs to read it most is Donald Trump," writes Josef. "Can you send to him somehow? I just feel we can all agree with you but our remonstrations will come to nothing unless the orange man reads it." George writes: "It would be nice to believe that Donald Trump realised that he had made a mistake, but that would require a degree of comprehension which he has so far failed to demonstrate. He would also need a sense of shame which is also apparently missing." "Donald Trump and his gullible supporters have no idea what the tough guys he so admires are really like," writes Deb. "He seems to think they are playing a game, like Donald used to on his TV show. But these people are for real. It's not just a matter of saying 'You're fired!' to bring an end to the war. I suspect Putin thinks he's going to have to make some sort of deal eventually, so he's going to smash Ukraine to smithereens in the meantime. No doubt Donald will take the credit for any sort of deal that is brokered." Mark writes: "Yes, it seems that Putin has scammed Trump. The question now is what to do about it (if anything)? Do we want to rid the world of Putin and the old-school Russian thinking? Have Trump and his allies the guts to do this?" "I do not trust Donald Trump," writes Arthur. "A few weeks ago we were wondering what influence Russia has over him. Now he is acting like a spoilt little boy who has not been able to get his way. Is he just covering his tracks or is he sincere in trying to end the war in Ukraine? I have my doubts." Brad writes: "As with Rome, this is the fall of the US empire. While not 'burning' yet, Donald is definitely fiddling. Unfortunately, the puppets in Congress just think it's his secret plan at work. (I keep seeing the aliens from Toy Story.)" "There is a significant problem with Donald Trump's recognition that Putin has been playing him for a fool," writes Daniel. "Trump has the attention span of a budgerigar, no capacity for more than very short-term memory retention, and his own unique concept of the truth. By the time he has fired off another 20 inane messages on Truth Social, he will be thinking he has Putin eating out of his hand again. It is hard to comprehend how a man with his obvious intellectual, moral and social deficiencies could become president of a kennel club, let alone the USA. But, if his tariff wars result in more equitable international trade and he does manage to end the Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he will be the first person to win Nobel prizes for Economics and Peace in the one year. Sadly, not at all likely." Elizabeth writes: "Wonderful piece. I do so wish The Donald would/could read it, and all his supporters in the USA. He is such an embarrassment to them. The thinking Americans must cringe every time he opens his mouth. And as for showing the world he can actually sign his name. What other president has ever shown us that?" "There is a strange, manic obsession with Donald Trump among the left," writes Murray. "Vladimir Putin has dropped the thin disguise that he is a global citizen, and gone full Soviet. Those in Europe, especially the eastern states, will about now be very anxious indeed. And yet, the topic of conversation is that Donald Trump is upset about it. Really?" Davis writes: "Has the US been weakened by Trump, you ask. As I pick myself up off the floor from rolling about laughing, I wonder where we start with which of Trump's gullibilities, excesses of greed, or tantrums of rage and vengeance has weakened the US the most. As we wonder whether it is his love of Putin or any other of his crazy loves and hates that has most weakened the US this year, a great exodus from that country is happening. Capital of every kind is leaving or furiously making plans to leave. Nobody can flourish in a country that has turned fascist, dictatorial and governed by infantile emotions. Smart people are no longer listening to their Wall Street advisers who say 'the market will correct itself, leave your money with me'. They are getting as much of their assets as possible into other parts of the world. Smart people are taking their 'human capital' away and trying to get jobs in Canada, Europe, even Australian companies and universities. I can't think of enough unprintable words in unprintable combinations to describe what Trump and his minions have done to the US, and even to the world, this last five months." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The day arrived sickly yellow. Where the escarpment stood there was now just a faint outline. It was hard to breathe and the eyes stung. South Australia's crippling drought had delivered choking dust to the continent's east coast. With the physical discomfort came a reminder of the unfairness. Large tracts of NSW had just been submerged by floods only to be shrouded in dust from a parched place that hadn't seen meaningful rain in months. Offering what comfort he could, the Prime Minister told the country that we'd been warned extreme weather would become more common and more intense with the changing climate. It certainly seems that way. What we knew as one-in-100-year floods recur every few years. Lismore's turn in 2022 becomes Taree's in 2025. The pattern of cold fronts, which usually bring winter rain to South Australia and western parts of Victoria, has changed, with those fronts held at bay by high-pressure systems we normally associate with summer. Those who suffer the worst of the climate's caprice are typically farmers and regional Australians. In one week, we saw dairy farmers in tears for very different reasons. Those who had lost stock to floods and those who could not feed theirs because their pastures had turned to dust thanks to drought. And in the midst of this double-edged sword of suffering, the very people who claim to represent these Australians - the Nationals - are still quibbling over climate. Barnaby Joyce demands to know the cost of the commitment to net zero by 2050 while his party's constituents count the cost of not acting on climate - a last hurrah as he finds himself relegated to the nosebleed seats up the back of a depleted and demoralised opposition alongside the other other former deputy PM Mickmack McCormack. The same old arguments for not acting to reduce emissions are trotted out in the Murdoch press, oblivious to the fact they sent conservative politics into the wilderness for at least two more terms. Doesn't matter what Australia does, it won't make a difference, the cardigan and cravat crew bleat in the pages of The Australian and to the dwindling audience watching Sky After Dark. Australia is a huge exporter of fossil fuels. The stuff might not be burnt here but it still contributes to global emissions. Arguing that it's beyond our control is a bit like saying a drug dealer can't be held responsible for how the product they sell is used. In other words, poppycock. Which brings us to the Albanese government and its rank hypocrisy in giving preliminary approval for extending the life of the north west gas project off the WA coast for another 45 years. Here's how Greg Bourne described the decision: "They've just approved one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in a generation, fueling climate chaos for decades to come. This single project will unleash more than four billion tonnes of climate pollution. It undoes the good work they've done on cutting climate pollution and betrays the mandate Australian voters just gave them." Bourne is BP's former north west shelf manager, who now devotes his time to advocating for a transition away from fossil fuels. "It is rubbish to say that Australia needs this gas when the lion's share is marked for export and none of it will be used on the east coast," he says. "It's bad for the climate, bad for Australia's economy, and completely out of step with where the world is heading." The decision to extend the project until 2070 is grotesque for its timing alone. Barnaby Joyce is at least consistent in his climate lunacy. But for the PM to one day say, hand on heart, natural disasters are the price we're paying for climate change and then approve a major contributor to it the next beggars belief. HAVE YOUR SAY: Has the Albanese government betrayed its principles by extending the life of the north west gas project? Should Australia accept responsibility for its contribution to global emissions through its fossil fuel exports? Is there a stench of hypocrisy hanging over this decision? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has revealed her new shadow cabinet after the Coalition reunited following a dramatic split last week. Ms Ley promoted supportive backbenchers and shuffled senior Liberal party members across key portfolios. - Rescues are continuing and more than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable as further help is promised for people devastated by record-breaking floods. - Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. THEY SAID IT: "Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you're moral, saying you're moral is not the same as acting morally." - Alan Dershowitz YOU SAID IT: Confused, hurt and a little angry, Donald Trump realises he's been strung along the entire time by Vladimir Putin, an autocrat he counted as a friend. "Thanks again, Peter, for the cartoon - the Liberal Party's sense of entitlement seems endless," writes Tony. "Tweetrums is a term I'd never heard - but should be the word of the year." Sue writes: "Love Peter's cartoon. I suppose it is always possible that there could be some connection in timing between something that Trump said to someone and a resolution to the war, so that Trump could then claim to have been involved in a positive way, but the idea that anyone could influence Putin is hard to accept. I can believe that Putin genuinely wants peace, but only after he has defeated Ukraine. Any weakening of the US is attributable to Trump but he has made himself into a figure whose strings can easily be pulled and why would Putin not do so if it is in his interests? Please, let's ensure that he doesn't gain any control over the Port of Darwin. We could do with less US influence rather than more." "A very well-written piece, John, but unfortunately the person who needs to read it most is Donald Trump," writes Josef. "Can you send to him somehow? I just feel we can all agree with you but our remonstrations will come to nothing unless the orange man reads it." George writes: "It would be nice to believe that Donald Trump realised that he had made a mistake, but that would require a degree of comprehension which he has so far failed to demonstrate. He would also need a sense of shame which is also apparently missing." "Donald Trump and his gullible supporters have no idea what the tough guys he so admires are really like," writes Deb. "He seems to think they are playing a game, like Donald used to on his TV show. But these people are for real. It's not just a matter of saying 'You're fired!' to bring an end to the war. I suspect Putin thinks he's going to have to make some sort of deal eventually, so he's going to smash Ukraine to smithereens in the meantime. No doubt Donald will take the credit for any sort of deal that is brokered." Mark writes: "Yes, it seems that Putin has scammed Trump. The question now is what to do about it (if anything)? Do we want to rid the world of Putin and the old-school Russian thinking? Have Trump and his allies the guts to do this?" "I do not trust Donald Trump," writes Arthur. "A few weeks ago we were wondering what influence Russia has over him. Now he is acting like a spoilt little boy who has not been able to get his way. Is he just covering his tracks or is he sincere in trying to end the war in Ukraine? I have my doubts." Brad writes: "As with Rome, this is the fall of the US empire. While not 'burning' yet, Donald is definitely fiddling. Unfortunately, the puppets in Congress just think it's his secret plan at work. (I keep seeing the aliens from Toy Story.)" "There is a significant problem with Donald Trump's recognition that Putin has been playing him for a fool," writes Daniel. "Trump has the attention span of a budgerigar, no capacity for more than very short-term memory retention, and his own unique concept of the truth. By the time he has fired off another 20 inane messages on Truth Social, he will be thinking he has Putin eating out of his hand again. It is hard to comprehend how a man with his obvious intellectual, moral and social deficiencies could become president of a kennel club, let alone the USA. But, if his tariff wars result in more equitable international trade and he does manage to end the Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he will be the first person to win Nobel prizes for Economics and Peace in the one year. Sadly, not at all likely." Elizabeth writes: "Wonderful piece. I do so wish The Donald would/could read it, and all his supporters in the USA. He is such an embarrassment to them. The thinking Americans must cringe every time he opens his mouth. And as for showing the world he can actually sign his name. What other president has ever shown us that?" "There is a strange, manic obsession with Donald Trump among the left," writes Murray. "Vladimir Putin has dropped the thin disguise that he is a global citizen, and gone full Soviet. Those in Europe, especially the eastern states, will about now be very anxious indeed. And yet, the topic of conversation is that Donald Trump is upset about it. Really?" Davis writes: "Has the US been weakened by Trump, you ask. As I pick myself up off the floor from rolling about laughing, I wonder where we start with which of Trump's gullibilities, excesses of greed, or tantrums of rage and vengeance has weakened the US the most. As we wonder whether it is his love of Putin or any other of his crazy loves and hates that has most weakened the US this year, a great exodus from that country is happening. Capital of every kind is leaving or furiously making plans to leave. Nobody can flourish in a country that has turned fascist, dictatorial and governed by infantile emotions. Smart people are no longer listening to their Wall Street advisers who say 'the market will correct itself, leave your money with me'. They are getting as much of their assets as possible into other parts of the world. Smart people are taking their 'human capital' away and trying to get jobs in Canada, Europe, even Australian companies and universities. I can't think of enough unprintable words in unprintable combinations to describe what Trump and his minions have done to the US, and even to the world, this last five months." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The day arrived sickly yellow. Where the escarpment stood there was now just a faint outline. It was hard to breathe and the eyes stung. South Australia's crippling drought had delivered choking dust to the continent's east coast. With the physical discomfort came a reminder of the unfairness. Large tracts of NSW had just been submerged by floods only to be shrouded in dust from a parched place that hadn't seen meaningful rain in months. Offering what comfort he could, the Prime Minister told the country that we'd been warned extreme weather would become more common and more intense with the changing climate. It certainly seems that way. What we knew as one-in-100-year floods recur every few years. Lismore's turn in 2022 becomes Taree's in 2025. The pattern of cold fronts, which usually bring winter rain to South Australia and western parts of Victoria, has changed, with those fronts held at bay by high-pressure systems we normally associate with summer. Those who suffer the worst of the climate's caprice are typically farmers and regional Australians. In one week, we saw dairy farmers in tears for very different reasons. Those who had lost stock to floods and those who could not feed theirs because their pastures had turned to dust thanks to drought. And in the midst of this double-edged sword of suffering, the very people who claim to represent these Australians - the Nationals - are still quibbling over climate. Barnaby Joyce demands to know the cost of the commitment to net zero by 2050 while his party's constituents count the cost of not acting on climate - a last hurrah as he finds himself relegated to the nosebleed seats up the back of a depleted and demoralised opposition alongside the other other former deputy PM Mickmack McCormack. The same old arguments for not acting to reduce emissions are trotted out in the Murdoch press, oblivious to the fact they sent conservative politics into the wilderness for at least two more terms. Doesn't matter what Australia does, it won't make a difference, the cardigan and cravat crew bleat in the pages of The Australian and to the dwindling audience watching Sky After Dark. Australia is a huge exporter of fossil fuels. The stuff might not be burnt here but it still contributes to global emissions. Arguing that it's beyond our control is a bit like saying a drug dealer can't be held responsible for how the product they sell is used. In other words, poppycock. Which brings us to the Albanese government and its rank hypocrisy in giving preliminary approval for extending the life of the north west gas project off the WA coast for another 45 years. Here's how Greg Bourne described the decision: "They've just approved one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in a generation, fueling climate chaos for decades to come. This single project will unleash more than four billion tonnes of climate pollution. It undoes the good work they've done on cutting climate pollution and betrays the mandate Australian voters just gave them." Bourne is BP's former north west shelf manager, who now devotes his time to advocating for a transition away from fossil fuels. "It is rubbish to say that Australia needs this gas when the lion's share is marked for export and none of it will be used on the east coast," he says. "It's bad for the climate, bad for Australia's economy, and completely out of step with where the world is heading." The decision to extend the project until 2070 is grotesque for its timing alone. Barnaby Joyce is at least consistent in his climate lunacy. But for the PM to one day say, hand on heart, natural disasters are the price we're paying for climate change and then approve a major contributor to it the next beggars belief. HAVE YOUR SAY: Has the Albanese government betrayed its principles by extending the life of the north west gas project? Should Australia accept responsibility for its contribution to global emissions through its fossil fuel exports? Is there a stench of hypocrisy hanging over this decision? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has revealed her new shadow cabinet after the Coalition reunited following a dramatic split last week. Ms Ley promoted supportive backbenchers and shuffled senior Liberal party members across key portfolios. - Rescues are continuing and more than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable as further help is promised for people devastated by record-breaking floods. - Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. THEY SAID IT: "Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you're moral, saying you're moral is not the same as acting morally." - Alan Dershowitz YOU SAID IT: Confused, hurt and a little angry, Donald Trump realises he's been strung along the entire time by Vladimir Putin, an autocrat he counted as a friend. "Thanks again, Peter, for the cartoon - the Liberal Party's sense of entitlement seems endless," writes Tony. "Tweetrums is a term I'd never heard - but should be the word of the year." Sue writes: "Love Peter's cartoon. I suppose it is always possible that there could be some connection in timing between something that Trump said to someone and a resolution to the war, so that Trump could then claim to have been involved in a positive way, but the idea that anyone could influence Putin is hard to accept. I can believe that Putin genuinely wants peace, but only after he has defeated Ukraine. Any weakening of the US is attributable to Trump but he has made himself into a figure whose strings can easily be pulled and why would Putin not do so if it is in his interests? Please, let's ensure that he doesn't gain any control over the Port of Darwin. We could do with less US influence rather than more." "A very well-written piece, John, but unfortunately the person who needs to read it most is Donald Trump," writes Josef. "Can you send to him somehow? I just feel we can all agree with you but our remonstrations will come to nothing unless the orange man reads it." George writes: "It would be nice to believe that Donald Trump realised that he had made a mistake, but that would require a degree of comprehension which he has so far failed to demonstrate. He would also need a sense of shame which is also apparently missing." "Donald Trump and his gullible supporters have no idea what the tough guys he so admires are really like," writes Deb. "He seems to think they are playing a game, like Donald used to on his TV show. But these people are for real. It's not just a matter of saying 'You're fired!' to bring an end to the war. I suspect Putin thinks he's going to have to make some sort of deal eventually, so he's going to smash Ukraine to smithereens in the meantime. No doubt Donald will take the credit for any sort of deal that is brokered." Mark writes: "Yes, it seems that Putin has scammed Trump. The question now is what to do about it (if anything)? Do we want to rid the world of Putin and the old-school Russian thinking? Have Trump and his allies the guts to do this?" "I do not trust Donald Trump," writes Arthur. "A few weeks ago we were wondering what influence Russia has over him. Now he is acting like a spoilt little boy who has not been able to get his way. Is he just covering his tracks or is he sincere in trying to end the war in Ukraine? I have my doubts." Brad writes: "As with Rome, this is the fall of the US empire. While not 'burning' yet, Donald is definitely fiddling. Unfortunately, the puppets in Congress just think it's his secret plan at work. (I keep seeing the aliens from Toy Story.)" "There is a significant problem with Donald Trump's recognition that Putin has been playing him for a fool," writes Daniel. "Trump has the attention span of a budgerigar, no capacity for more than very short-term memory retention, and his own unique concept of the truth. By the time he has fired off another 20 inane messages on Truth Social, he will be thinking he has Putin eating out of his hand again. It is hard to comprehend how a man with his obvious intellectual, moral and social deficiencies could become president of a kennel club, let alone the USA. But, if his tariff wars result in more equitable international trade and he does manage to end the Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he will be the first person to win Nobel prizes for Economics and Peace in the one year. Sadly, not at all likely." Elizabeth writes: "Wonderful piece. I do so wish The Donald would/could read it, and all his supporters in the USA. He is such an embarrassment to them. The thinking Americans must cringe every time he opens his mouth. And as for showing the world he can actually sign his name. What other president has ever shown us that?" "There is a strange, manic obsession with Donald Trump among the left," writes Murray. "Vladimir Putin has dropped the thin disguise that he is a global citizen, and gone full Soviet. Those in Europe, especially the eastern states, will about now be very anxious indeed. And yet, the topic of conversation is that Donald Trump is upset about it. Really?" Davis writes: "Has the US been weakened by Trump, you ask. As I pick myself up off the floor from rolling about laughing, I wonder where we start with which of Trump's gullibilities, excesses of greed, or tantrums of rage and vengeance has weakened the US the most. As we wonder whether it is his love of Putin or any other of his crazy loves and hates that has most weakened the US this year, a great exodus from that country is happening. Capital of every kind is leaving or furiously making plans to leave. Nobody can flourish in a country that has turned fascist, dictatorial and governed by infantile emotions. Smart people are no longer listening to their Wall Street advisers who say 'the market will correct itself, leave your money with me'. They are getting as much of their assets as possible into other parts of the world. Smart people are taking their 'human capital' away and trying to get jobs in Canada, Europe, even Australian companies and universities. I can't think of enough unprintable words in unprintable combinations to describe what Trump and his minions have done to the US, and even to the world, this last five months." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The day arrived sickly yellow. Where the escarpment stood there was now just a faint outline. It was hard to breathe and the eyes stung. South Australia's crippling drought had delivered choking dust to the continent's east coast. With the physical discomfort came a reminder of the unfairness. Large tracts of NSW had just been submerged by floods only to be shrouded in dust from a parched place that hadn't seen meaningful rain in months. Offering what comfort he could, the Prime Minister told the country that we'd been warned extreme weather would become more common and more intense with the changing climate. It certainly seems that way. What we knew as one-in-100-year floods recur every few years. Lismore's turn in 2022 becomes Taree's in 2025. The pattern of cold fronts, which usually bring winter rain to South Australia and western parts of Victoria, has changed, with those fronts held at bay by high-pressure systems we normally associate with summer. Those who suffer the worst of the climate's caprice are typically farmers and regional Australians. In one week, we saw dairy farmers in tears for very different reasons. Those who had lost stock to floods and those who could not feed theirs because their pastures had turned to dust thanks to drought. And in the midst of this double-edged sword of suffering, the very people who claim to represent these Australians - the Nationals - are still quibbling over climate. Barnaby Joyce demands to know the cost of the commitment to net zero by 2050 while his party's constituents count the cost of not acting on climate - a last hurrah as he finds himself relegated to the nosebleed seats up the back of a depleted and demoralised opposition alongside the other other former deputy PM Mickmack McCormack. The same old arguments for not acting to reduce emissions are trotted out in the Murdoch press, oblivious to the fact they sent conservative politics into the wilderness for at least two more terms. Doesn't matter what Australia does, it won't make a difference, the cardigan and cravat crew bleat in the pages of The Australian and to the dwindling audience watching Sky After Dark. Australia is a huge exporter of fossil fuels. The stuff might not be burnt here but it still contributes to global emissions. Arguing that it's beyond our control is a bit like saying a drug dealer can't be held responsible for how the product they sell is used. In other words, poppycock. Which brings us to the Albanese government and its rank hypocrisy in giving preliminary approval for extending the life of the north west gas project off the WA coast for another 45 years. Here's how Greg Bourne described the decision: "They've just approved one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in a generation, fueling climate chaos for decades to come. This single project will unleash more than four billion tonnes of climate pollution. It undoes the good work they've done on cutting climate pollution and betrays the mandate Australian voters just gave them." Bourne is BP's former north west shelf manager, who now devotes his time to advocating for a transition away from fossil fuels. "It is rubbish to say that Australia needs this gas when the lion's share is marked for export and none of it will be used on the east coast," he says. "It's bad for the climate, bad for Australia's economy, and completely out of step with where the world is heading." The decision to extend the project until 2070 is grotesque for its timing alone. Barnaby Joyce is at least consistent in his climate lunacy. But for the PM to one day say, hand on heart, natural disasters are the price we're paying for climate change and then approve a major contributor to it the next beggars belief. HAVE YOUR SAY: Has the Albanese government betrayed its principles by extending the life of the north west gas project? Should Australia accept responsibility for its contribution to global emissions through its fossil fuel exports? Is there a stench of hypocrisy hanging over this decision? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has revealed her new shadow cabinet after the Coalition reunited following a dramatic split last week. Ms Ley promoted supportive backbenchers and shuffled senior Liberal party members across key portfolios. - Rescues are continuing and more than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable as further help is promised for people devastated by record-breaking floods. - Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. THEY SAID IT: "Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you're moral, saying you're moral is not the same as acting morally." - Alan Dershowitz YOU SAID IT: Confused, hurt and a little angry, Donald Trump realises he's been strung along the entire time by Vladimir Putin, an autocrat he counted as a friend. "Thanks again, Peter, for the cartoon - the Liberal Party's sense of entitlement seems endless," writes Tony. "Tweetrums is a term I'd never heard - but should be the word of the year." Sue writes: "Love Peter's cartoon. I suppose it is always possible that there could be some connection in timing between something that Trump said to someone and a resolution to the war, so that Trump could then claim to have been involved in a positive way, but the idea that anyone could influence Putin is hard to accept. I can believe that Putin genuinely wants peace, but only after he has defeated Ukraine. Any weakening of the US is attributable to Trump but he has made himself into a figure whose strings can easily be pulled and why would Putin not do so if it is in his interests? Please, let's ensure that he doesn't gain any control over the Port of Darwin. We could do with less US influence rather than more." "A very well-written piece, John, but unfortunately the person who needs to read it most is Donald Trump," writes Josef. "Can you send to him somehow? I just feel we can all agree with you but our remonstrations will come to nothing unless the orange man reads it." George writes: "It would be nice to believe that Donald Trump realised that he had made a mistake, but that would require a degree of comprehension which he has so far failed to demonstrate. He would also need a sense of shame which is also apparently missing." "Donald Trump and his gullible supporters have no idea what the tough guys he so admires are really like," writes Deb. "He seems to think they are playing a game, like Donald used to on his TV show. But these people are for real. It's not just a matter of saying 'You're fired!' to bring an end to the war. I suspect Putin thinks he's going to have to make some sort of deal eventually, so he's going to smash Ukraine to smithereens in the meantime. No doubt Donald will take the credit for any sort of deal that is brokered." Mark writes: "Yes, it seems that Putin has scammed Trump. The question now is what to do about it (if anything)? Do we want to rid the world of Putin and the old-school Russian thinking? Have Trump and his allies the guts to do this?" "I do not trust Donald Trump," writes Arthur. "A few weeks ago we were wondering what influence Russia has over him. Now he is acting like a spoilt little boy who has not been able to get his way. Is he just covering his tracks or is he sincere in trying to end the war in Ukraine? I have my doubts." Brad writes: "As with Rome, this is the fall of the US empire. While not 'burning' yet, Donald is definitely fiddling. Unfortunately, the puppets in Congress just think it's his secret plan at work. (I keep seeing the aliens from Toy Story.)" "There is a significant problem with Donald Trump's recognition that Putin has been playing him for a fool," writes Daniel. "Trump has the attention span of a budgerigar, no capacity for more than very short-term memory retention, and his own unique concept of the truth. By the time he has fired off another 20 inane messages on Truth Social, he will be thinking he has Putin eating out of his hand again. It is hard to comprehend how a man with his obvious intellectual, moral and social deficiencies could become president of a kennel club, let alone the USA. But, if his tariff wars result in more equitable international trade and he does manage to end the Gaza war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he will be the first person to win Nobel prizes for Economics and Peace in the one year. Sadly, not at all likely." Elizabeth writes: "Wonderful piece. I do so wish The Donald would/could read it, and all his supporters in the USA. He is such an embarrassment to them. The thinking Americans must cringe every time he opens his mouth. And as for showing the world he can actually sign his name. What other president has ever shown us that?" "There is a strange, manic obsession with Donald Trump among the left," writes Murray. "Vladimir Putin has dropped the thin disguise that he is a global citizen, and gone full Soviet. Those in Europe, especially the eastern states, will about now be very anxious indeed. And yet, the topic of conversation is that Donald Trump is upset about it. Really?" Davis writes: "Has the US been weakened by Trump, you ask. As I pick myself up off the floor from rolling about laughing, I wonder where we start with which of Trump's gullibilities, excesses of greed, or tantrums of rage and vengeance has weakened the US the most. As we wonder whether it is his love of Putin or any other of his crazy loves and hates that has most weakened the US this year, a great exodus from that country is happening. Capital of every kind is leaving or furiously making plans to leave. Nobody can flourish in a country that has turned fascist, dictatorial and governed by infantile emotions. Smart people are no longer listening to their Wall Street advisers who say 'the market will correct itself, leave your money with me'. They are getting as much of their assets as possible into other parts of the world. Smart people are taking their 'human capital' away and trying to get jobs in Canada, Europe, even Australian companies and universities. I can't think of enough unprintable words in unprintable combinations to describe what Trump and his minions have done to the US, and even to the world, this last five months."
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Disturbing': ANU walks back on ‘reasonable' definition of antisemitism
The Australian's Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan comments on the 'disturbing story' around the ANU reconsidering its definition of antisemitism. The Australian National University has walked back on its definition of antisemitism, which Australian Jewish leaders support. 'This is a sign of the rot and the degeneracy of our university culture,' Mr Sheridan told Sky News host Peta Credlin. 'If the universities now start to walk away from what is an entirely reasonable definition of antisemitism, that indicates a resumption of a very corrupt dynamic in Australia.'
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Labor recognising Palestinian statehood would ‘reward terrorism'
The Australian's Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan has described a potential move by the Albanese government to recognise Palestine as 'counterproductive'. Former foreign minister Gareth Evans has called for Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood as well as demanding sanctions on Israel. 'It would be rewarding terrorism; Palestine doesn't satisfy the criteria for statehood,' Mr Sheridan told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
