Talking Politics

[Baloo]

Serbia scraps plans for Rio Tinto lithium mine after protests

Government revokes lithium mining licences after being accused of ignoring project’s potential for environmental harm

www.theguardian.com

The Guardians perspective seems to be,

that the environmental protests fell on deaf ears,

until last week.

'surprise U-turn', apparently

Um, no, that article doesn't quote or reference the Serb PM mentioning Novax.

 

[Redford]

They should support effected industries, I agree that's fundamental. Are they?
They have set a triple vax number at 80% which is unbelievably difficult and is going to take a long time which makes the above support even more important
I just worry that they have boxed themselves into an impossible corner where they have set criteria for a safe opening of borders which can never be achieved and is going to do immeasurable harm. By all means open slowly, open with public health measures in place and take them off slowly, set a plan with KPIs and stick to it. At the moment noone knows when it will happen and how.
I may be wrong, it's an opinion.

Is VIC and NSW supporting the decimated hospitality, health services, logistics industries and countless others ? Highly debatable.

How are they “boxing themselves into a corner” ? They’re only contending with the same issues as everyone else. Not sure closing borders for a few extra weeks will cause any greater issues for them than they’re already facing into, other than actually slow them down a bit. Sensible lever to use imo.

Where a difficult 80% triple vax rate is concerned, should they abandon that goal and accept the destruction that’d undoubtedly come without any target at all ? Because that’s the alternative.

Has McGowan said explicitly that he won’t open the borders until 80% are triple vaxxed anyway ??? Don’t think so.

 

[Sintiger]

Did she actually reference Novax? There's been massive protest against the mine for some time and the pressure was on the government to stop it even before Novax was vacated

No she didn’t
The fact that it happened a few days after their “national hero” was deported from Australia makes a strong case that this is not a coincidence.

 

[Sintiger]

Is VIC and NSW supporting the decimated hospitality, health services, logistics industries and countless others ? Highly debatable.

How are they “boxing themselves into a corner” ? They’re only contending with the same issues as everyone else. Not sure closing borders for a few extra weeks will cause any greater issues for them than they’re already facing into, other than actually slow them down a bit. Sensible lever to use imo.

Where a difficult 80% triple vax rate is concerned, should they abandon that goal and accept the destruction that’d undoubtedly come without any target at all ? Because that’s the alternative.

Has McGowan said explicitly that he won’t open the borders until 80% are triple vaxxed anyway ??? Don’t think so.

NSW and Vic governments have not done enough to support effected businesses and individuals
I’ve already explained how they are boxing themselves into a corner, by creating a target of safe opening that can’t logically happen. It can’t be as safe when it happens as it has been so far in WA unless omicron disappears or west aussies are physiologically different to the rest of the world.
The 80% triple vax was reported on the ABC this morning.
I have already said that by all means set targets, impose public health measures etc etc. Right now there is no plan just locking the state away from the rest of the country and delaying the inevitable.
I have never been a let it rip person and I still am not, if you read my posts you will know that. This variant changes things, there is no totally safe option only less bad options. The best WA can do is have a plan to reopen with milestones and dates and do it in a way that slows down the inevitable level of infections and if that plan includes a triple vax target then support those people who will have their livelihoods severely effected by the border closures for what would be many more months.

 

[Redford]

NSW and Vic governments have not done enough to support effected businesses and individuals
I’ve already explained how they are boxing themselves into a corner, by creating a target of safe opening that can’t logically happen. It can’t be as safe when it happens as it has been so far in WA unless omicron disappears or west aussies are physiologically different to the rest of the world.
The 80% triple vax was reported on the ABC this morning.
I have already said that by all means set targets, impose public health measures etc etc. Right now there is no plan just locking the state away from the rest of the country and delaying the inevitable.
I have never been a let it rip person and I still am not, if you read my posts you will know that. This variant changes things, there is no totally safe option only less bad options. The best WA can do is have a plan to reopen with milestones and dates and do it in a way that slows down the inevitable level of infections and if that plan includes a triple vax target then support those people who will have their livelihoods severely effected by the border closures for what would be many more months.

He has not said for one minute that re opening borders is dependent upon an 80% triple vax rate. I know that is hard for you to admit, but that’s the facts.

Otherwise, all he’s doing is delaying their border opening for a few weeks it sounds, quite sensibly imo, and then following the re opening strategy that he announced a while ago.

Big deal. Hardly worthy of histrionics about “boxing themselves in” especially with his and WA’s track record. Reckon most WA people would be onside with it and only others interstate living in a world of pain the last 2 years with a negative outlook, would be casting aspersions.

 

[eZyT]

He has not said for one minute that re opening borders is dependent upon an 80% triple vax rate.

I think he said it for about 6-7 minutes.

McGowan said the decision was based on research showing that people who received a third dose of vaccine were 64% protected against infection compared with just 4% protection when inoculated twice. He did not cite the source of the research.

“In addition, protection against severe disease is maintained at 80% to 90% for people with two doses, but increases to 98% for people with three doses,” he said.

For two years, as the Covid pandemic has stretched hospitals and killed millions across the globe, WA has remained isolated from the nation, and the world, and has been mostly virus-free.


WA has a third dose rate of just 28% – by 5 February that rate is expected to climb to between 35 and 38%. It is unknown when the state will hit the new 80% or 90% triple-vaccination goalpost, but McGowan said it would take some time.

(from the Guardian Australia)

Im no population health expert, but id say they'll be choccas with Covid months before they hit 80% triple vax.

 

[Redford]

I think he said it for about 6-7 minutes.

Um…..where ?

 

[eZyT]

Um…..where ?

strangely, I have no recollection of applying for your research assistant position

 

[Redford]

I think he said it for about 6-7 minutes.

McGowan said the decision was based on research showing that people who received a third dose of vaccine were 64% protected against infection compared with just 4% protection when inoculated twice. He did not cite the source of the research.

“In addition, protection against severe disease is maintained at 80% to 90% for people with two doses, but increases to 98% for people with three doses,” he said.

For two years, as the Covid pandemic has stretched hospitals and killed millions across the globe, WA has remained isolated from the nation, and the world, and has been mostly virus-free.


WA has a third dose rate of just 28% – by 5 February that rate is expected to climb to between 35 and 38%. It is unknown when the state will hit the new 80% or 90% triple-vaccination goalpost, but McGowan said it would take some time.

(from the Guardian Australia)

Im no population health expert, but id say they'll be choccas with Covid months before they hit 80% triple vax.

If that’s the best you can do then I have no problem in you not applying because nowhere in that is there any reference by him that the borders won’t open until 80% triple vax.

Nowhere.

 

[Sintiger]

He has not said for one minute that re opening borders is dependent upon an 80% triple vax rate. I know that is hard for you to admit, but that’s the facts.

Otherwise, all he’s doing is delaying their border opening for a few weeks it sounds, quite sensibly imo, and then following the re opening strategy that he announced a while ago.

Big deal. Hardly worthy of histrionics about “boxing themselves in” especially with his and WA’s track record. Reckon most WA people would be onside with it and only others interstate living in a world of pain the last 2 years with a negative outlook, would be casting aspersions.

You are being so argumentative. I said I was worried they were boxing themselves in … hardly histrionics

I just listened to him on the drum say he wanted a “ high 3rd dose level” before opening so I am not sure what I am admitting. As I said the ABC are reporting that is 80-90%. It is also reported in the Age that he was “waiting for a review before setting a date”.

It’s an opinion

 

[eZyT]

If that’s the best you can do then I have no problem in you not applying because nowhere in that is there any reference by him that the borders won’t open until 80% triple vax.

Nowhere.

Yeah im not really in the frame of mind for an unpaid semantics engagement either

 

[Redford]

You are being so argumentative. I said I was worried they were boxing themselves in … hardly histrionics

I just listened to him on the drum say he wanted a “ high 3rd dose level” before opening so I am not sure what I am admitting. As I said the ABC are reporting that is 80-90%. It is also reported in the Age that he was “waiting for a review before setting a date”.

It’s an opinion

And I’m saying why would they be boxing themselves in ? They simply aren’t. They’re just being as judicious as they can be and quite frankly, they’ve been damn good at it to date. They can open borders any time.

And why are you deflecting to the ABC reporting “something” (whatever it is) about 80% ? I’ll repeat: Mark Macgowan has NEVER said borders opening is contingent upon reaching 80% triple vax. Never.

Macgowan has every right to use the border lever. He’s got the runs on the board, has a constituency backing him to the hilt, and yes finally you’ve got there - he’s trying to buy time to get to get the triple vax rate UP (not 80%) so that he can protect the vulnerable before opening back up in full. He doesnt want the stats we’ve got and he wants to apply what caution he can - regardless of whether it works or not. That’s the responsibility he’s charged to govern with so good on him I reckon. Again, nothing more than a judicious approach I would have thought.

 

[Redford]

Yeah im not really in the frame of mind for an unpaid semantics engagement either

Geez and you were pretty full on about WA’s handling of things before. Oh well.

 

[Redford]

Not sure where they got it from but the news tonight were referencing the 80% triple vax as the trigger to open, they suggested the forecast is that will be May 18.

They were talking about no WA AFL games before round 10.

As opposed to Macgowan himself not saying that, and in fact, saying that he’ll monitor and review things over February ? You don’t think the media is trying to create a story more sensational than it really is ?

Certainly he’s talked about a target for WA of 80% but never in any direct reference to borders re opening.

And as for May 18, that forecast sounds as improbable as the story itself. They’re only at about 26% right now, from memory.

And you know what, has anyone asked West Australians if they’re happy enough to go 80% triple before opening borders anyway, particularly given their relative success managing the pandemic to date ? What’s the majority view on 80% or no-go in WA I wonder ? I’m not saying that’d be worthwhile, but I get the feeling they don’t give a rats about the Feds and other states incompetency, and will continue to endorse whatever their government applies for now.

 

[MD Jazz]

True but he has to back it up with some support for some sectors. Their tourism industry is on its knees as an example

Doesn’t appear to be many business owners on PRE. Most couldn’t give a *smile* about businesses struggling. Either public servants or getting paid regardless. Easy to have a health focus when you’re not financially impacted. Good luck to them.

 

[HR]

And the vaccination of those indigenous people is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
If the treatment of our elderly in federally run aged care centres is anything to go by, heaven help the poor souls.

What! You for real?

 

[tigerman]

What! You for real?

What do you mean?

 

[HR]

serbian PM knocks RIO TINTO Lithium mine on the head,

in a backflipping

'you deport our tennis hero, we'll deport your gina rhinehart'

the day just got a whole lot brighter

You do know that Rio is a pommy company? It's not yet like Vegemite which was Aussie, then wasn't but now is again Australian.
We dont own the dirt, just fully franked dividends.
The anti vaxxed and the Serbs love this stuff.

 

[HR]

What do you mean?

As in, is the vaccination role out in WA a federal issue? If so, I back McGowan now, he had no choice but to talk *smile* about opening the borders then changing his mind as he has no control over the states vaccination roll out. Go Mark!

 

[tigerman]

As in, is the vaccination role out in WA a federal issue? If so, I back McGowan now, he had no choice but to talk *smile* about opening the borders then changing his mind as he has no control over the states vaccination roll out. Go Mark!

"The Australian Government will be responsible for leading the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people"

Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for Indigenous Australians | National Indigenous Australians Agency

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities are a priority in the Australian Government’s response to COVID-19. The Australian Government will be responsible for leading the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in...

www.niaa.gov.au