87 — Beetaloo Advocate

JobSeeker was a massive corporate handout, Tasmanian Liberals don't want to frighten the kids, and the government gives millions of dollars to gas miners (with Labor's help).

 

Politics of envy

• The 2020 JobSeeker program handed out millions of dollars to prop up record corporate profits.
• Scott Morrison is “not into the politics of envy”.
• Independent MP Rex Patrick pushed for a bill to force companies to reveal information showing if they really needed the Jobkeeper grants. Labor backed down.
• Jaquie Lambie accused the Labor party of “slapping the little person”.

Don’t frighten the children!

• The Tasmanian Liberals voted down declaring a climate emergency, saying it was “scaring the children”.

Flooding the sub-basin in cash

• The Liberal party have granted $50 million for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin.
• Two of the companies funded have links to tax havens and Russian oligarchs.
• The third company, Empire Energy, received $21m. Empire Energy has close ties with the Liberals.
• Complained the the grant process was corrupt, but still voted to allow it.
• Traditional owners were cut out of the grant processes.

Meanwhile, in the private sector

• BHP is slashing value from it’s coal assets.
• Origin Energy is trying to get out of coal.
• Angus Taylor’s “CoalKeeper” plan is going to increase electricity prices by $400 per household, per year.
• For the first time, Australia generated more solar energy than coal.
• Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has been gagged from talking about climate change.

Shoutouts

• Support the fundraiser for Beyond Bricks and Bars — a trans and gender diverse decarceration project.
• Solidarity with the truck drivers striking against uberisation of the industry.