News & Politics - Australian News # 2 -

Comfortably Numb · 07-06-2011, 12:53 AM

Post away!

**sunnykerr** · 07-06-2011, 05:16 PM

I've added the tags.

Also, right off the bat, I'll add the same disclaimer that was on the opening post of the first "Australian News thread," which is that this is a thread for what I was raised to call Oceania, but what I've been told to call Australia.

So this is meant to be a thread about Australia proper, certainly, but also New Zealand, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and so forth. Again, if anyone from that region could let us know what they would rather have this thread be called, please do so.

Comfortably Numb · 07-06-2011, 11:37 PM

Thanks for adding the tags!

Comfortably Numb · 07-07-2011, 10:44 PM

Australia
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hdXN2oXdoccmtDbxO7Z_FFpsrM8Q?docId=CNG.0a6a1d4c45530dfbe8f27185ea2c06f7.711

Quote:

Grounded Tiger Airways vows 'all steps' to resume flying

Quote:

(AFP) – 1 hour ago
SYDNEY — The new chief of Australia's grounded Tiger Airways said its Singapore parent was "absolutely committed" to the budget carrier and "everything necessary" would be done to get it flying again.
Dispatched by Tiger Airways Singapore to take the top job after the former Australian CEO quit this week, Tony Davis said he was confident the airline would by the end of July overcome safety issues which saw it grounded.
"That's the date we've given ourselves, we believe we can do that and anything that needs to be done will be done," Davis told ABC TV late Thursday.
"We're committed to resuming services at the end of July, we'll do everything necessary to ensure that happens, and that's the commitment not only of me personally, but of my board and the parent company."
Tiger Airways Australia has been grounded until at least August 1 by aviation regulators over "serious and imminent" safety risks related to pilot training and competency, fatigue management and other issues.
The flight ban followed two recent incidents where flights approached an airport too low. Tiger had already been on notice to improve its performance by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Davis said the grounding was costing the airline, an Australian offshoot of Tiger Airways Singapore, Aus$2 million ($2.1 million) a week, but he insisted it would recover and had a strong future.
"The board of Tiger Airways is absolutely committed to the airline here in Australia," said Davis, until this week the president of parent group Tiger Airways Holdings.
"My appointment is a tangible demonstration of that commitment."
"We're committed to a long-term future and I think Australians want us to be here to ensure that there is competition in the air sector," he added.
In addition to CASA's investigation, Davis said Tiger was conducting a "comprehensive" internal review to satisfy itself that its services were "safe and viable" and ensure it had a clean slate.
"It's about a fresh start, it's about addressing that anything that needs to be addressed and it's about having a long-term, viable, safe airline here in Australia," he said.
Singapore Airlines holds 32.9 percent equity stake in Tiger Airways Holdings, and it has said it has no plans to reduce its share following the Australia grounding.

They want to stay in business, no shock. I hope they strive to keep safety at the top of their priority list. I think some people will take advantage of the cheaper prices until enough time passes and more people trust the company again. Then prices will go up.

Comfortably Numb · 07-08-2011, 11:00 PM

LINK

Quote:

Conservation groups in Australia say a decision to allow Shell to carry out exploratory drilling near Australia's newest world heritage site, Ningaloo marine park, could devastate the area if there was a spillage.
"It beggars belief that the government is not requiring a full environmental estimate of this drilling proposal," said Paul Gamblin of the World Wildlife Fund.
Instead, the enrgy giant must abide by certain conditions, including visual observations for whales. The Australian government said Shell's proposal did not require further assessment.
Ningaloo reef, about 750 miles north of Perth, is best known for its whale sharks, the world's largest fish. The 160m long reef is also home to rare and endangered wildlife including whales, sea turtles and birds. Ningaloo marine park, which includes the reef, was designated a world heritage site last month.
The exploration well will be dug 30 miles from the edge of the park, primarily in search of gas.
In a statement Shell said it was "mindful of significant biodiversity and heritage values of the Ningaloo region and plan to continue our operations accordingly". The proposal said in the unlikely event of a spillage travelling towards the reef "there is sufficient time to collect dispersant and boom...to contain any damage."
Several drilling and floating platforms already operate to the north of the reef but conservationists say this well – to the west – would expose a much bigger section of the reef to danger.
"One of our main concerns is a spill off the side of the reef because of the way the winds and currents work – there's only so far for a spill to go before it ends up hitting the reef," added Gamblin. The area is also prone to cyclones.
Two years ago Australia suffered its worst oil disaster in the Montara oil field off the northern coast of Western Australia. It took three months go bring the spill, which led to 2000 barrels of oil spewing into the ocean each day, under control.
The government says since Montara it has adopted a "more rigorous approach for the assessment of offshore drilling".

Come on guys, after everything this year people think this is a good idea? I wish we could learn our lesson about off shore drilling.

**sunnykerr** · 07-11-2011, 07:54 PM

Can't really expect Australia to live up to a higher standard than the competition (i.e., the United States, primarily), can we?

I agree, the risks to the environment are ridiculous and the whole thing should not be attempted.

But I imagine it must be terribly lonely to hold the high ground in these matters of economic importance.

Comfortably Numb · 07-11-2011, 11:29 PM

If morality would play a larger role in the economy our planet would be in alot better shape.

**sunnykerr** · 07-12-2011, 05:15 PM

Depends on how people would feel about the source of that morality, wouldn't it?

Comfortably Numb · 07-12-2011, 11:10 PM

Yes for sure! We would have to come up with a universal agreed upon system of morality first.

The world is very complex.

**sunnykerr** · 07-13-2011, 06:50 PM

Yeah, I don't think we'll ever get the whole world to agree on a singular morality code. The Catholic Church tried it and it's mostly remembered as a crime against humanity, really.

Anyway, back to Australia:

Quote:

Phone hacking: Inquiry at Murdoch's Australia firm

The Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch's media empire is to investigate all payments made to contributors since 2008, as the fallout from the UK phone-hacking scandal continues to widen.

News Limited boss John Hartigan said in an e-mail to staff it was "offensive" to link his firm to the UK scandal.

But he said any allegation of misconduct had to be investigated.

News Limited runs more than 20 papers and websites in Australia, including the Australian and the Herald Sun.

Mr Murdoch's UK operation News International was forced to close the News of the World tabloid after a string of damaging allegations.

The firm is now under pressure to drop its bid to take over UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB .

Mr Hartigan said there was no reason to believe anyone at News Limited had done anything wrong.

"However, I believe it is essential that we can all have absolute confidence that ethical work practices are a fundamental requirement of employment at News Limited," he said.

"We will be conducting a thorough review of all editorial expenditure over the past three years to confirm that payments to contributors and other third parties were for legitimate services."

Source

I'm giddy. I'm just giddy.

The chickens are coming home to roost for Old Man Murdoch. That man and his whole organization have given journalism the world over a bad name.

Comfortably Numb · 07-13-2011, 07:43 PM

Yeah if you are going to do stuff like that expect to get called out.

-Kelly- · 07-14-2011, 01:03 AM

Thanks for the new thread

I saw this news.

Australia may follow as Amazon.com reignites push into new countries | The Australian sounds good to me

**sunnykerr** · 07-14-2011, 06:46 PM

Amazon is awesome. And not just because it'll deliver stuff to your doorstep and be decently priced overall.

No, the thing that I really love about Amazon is the whole "used books/DVDs" market. I don't know how many books (I'd imagine it's in the hundreds by now) that I have purchased for $6.50 because the site charges $6.49 for delivering and the book was sold for a cent.

And we're not talking horribly abused books with broken spines and scribbles all over. Sure, some of them show signs of wear and tear, but they're in great shape all the same. And, for that price? I'm a happy camper.

Comfortably Numb · 07-14-2011, 11:17 PM

Yeah, I love the used movie section to, until the downloading craze hit, it was the best bang for your buck.

**sunnykerr** · 07-15-2011, 02:52 PM

I don't download movies myself. I like to have the physical disc in my hands and being able to pause, rewind, replay and re-watch as much as I'd like and with the ease that I enjoy.


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