13 — Money police

We remind you all that the climate still exists, then discuss the government's 'Jobkeeper' stimulus plans, cruise ship crimes and landlord crimes.

The climate is still here

• The airline industry’s push for using 2019-20 as a baseline for emissions targets has backfired.
• NSW has opened up coal mining underneath one of Sydney’s major drinking water reservoirs.
• Despite catastrophic bushfires and a coronavirus crisis the Victorian government has renewed native forest logging agreements.
• Nearly one-in-five of Australia’s big polluters are breaching Australia’s already sub-standard emissions reductions laws.
• In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has totally stopped enforcement of environmental regulations because of Coranavirus.
• Don’t forget that Flint, Michigan has been without clean drinking water for six years.
• New Orleans has no public school system, and the bodies of killed construction workers on display.

Stimulating news

• The Australian government has introduced a “Jobkeeper” payment to keep workers employed by businesses.
• Casual workers who have been employed for less than 12 months cannot receive the payment. These rules will disproportionally affect women and vulnerable people.
• The requirements to be elegible for Centerlink/Jobseeker payments have changed.
• See Episode 6 — Eat the Rich for tales of restaurant industry collapse and wage underpayment.
• The Morrison government is proposing a workplace relations shakeup which will dramatically shift power in the favor of employers at the cost to workers.
• The government’s promises of free childcare may not be as generous as initially promised.

Big business begging

• Michael West and FriendlyJordies have been doing some great investigative journalism and defamatory YouTube videos on the subject, banks hungry for coronavirus bailouts.
• Airlines Virgin and Qantas are begging for a handout, no strings though please.
• Nemesis of the show Energy Minister Angus Taylor failed to disclose free memberships he was given by both airlines.

Plague ships are princesses

• The Ruby Princess cruise accounting for 10% of Australia’s conronavirus infections is now under police investigation.
• The Diamond Princess ship in Japan should have scared people off cruises forever.
• The Coral Princess has arrived in Miami with two people dead of coronavirus. Maybe stear clear of cruises?

Landlord crimes

• Real estate agents and landlords worried about rental income drying up are demanding to know how much tenants spend on food and advising them to dip into their superannuation.
• Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission have reminded landlords that this is super illegal.
• Don’t forget to write to your MP to demand rent and mortgage freezes. We’ve got an email template you can use.

State crimes

• Refugees held in immigration detention are being kept in unsanitary conditions — especially dangerous under a pandemic.
• The government has simply ignored a tribunal’s decision to free an unlawfully imprisoned refugee.
• An Aboriginal man held in police custody was “condition deteriorated”.

Actions

• Check out Michael West media — Australia doesn’t have much independent media left so help keep them running.
• Support the Australian Unemployed Workers Union.
• Send us the funny dirt! Not serious actual dirt thanks.
• Write to your MP to demand rent and mortgage freezes.