Throughout June, the United States was hit by freak storms, intense heatwaves, prolonged drought, huge floods and out-of-control bushfires that have burnt out more than 2.1 million acres.
Simon Butler
The Brumby鈥檚 Bakery chain has apologised after its managing director and 鈥渓et the carbon tax take the blame鈥. Brumby鈥檚 parent company distanced itself from the scandal, .
Not long after Melbourne鈥檚 recent earthquake a few wags leapt on Twitter to blame Australia鈥檚 carbon price for causing it. Greens Senator Richard Di Natale .
Australia鈥檚 parliament voted to set up the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) on June 26. The law was backed by Labor and Greens MPs. Mainstream environment groups have welcomed the initiative, saying the CEFC will make $10 billion available to fund clean energy.
With the dire warnings from climate scientists about the need to cut carbon emissions quickly, such a big investment in clean energy sounds like a good thing. But there is a catch: most of the money won鈥檛 be spent on clean energy at all.
Next week, 麻豆传媒 Weekly will launch its newest project: an internet-based current affairs program inspired by shows like and Julian Assange鈥檚 .
The first 麻豆传媒 Report will feature interviews with WikiLeaks supporter and activist Cassie Findlay and Cairo-based Australian journalist Austin Mackell.
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In the past few years, the world economy has fallen into its deepest crisis for eight decades with no end in sight, shocked scientists have reported new evidence the climate is changing quicker than feared and opinion polls have reflected widespread anger and cynicism with mainstream political parties openly tied to business interests.
If Australia were a democracy and governments had no choice but to carry out the will of the majority, we鈥檇 be well on our way to a 100% renewable power grid.
Recent polling organised by climate action groups around the country found that . And 93% of those polled said the government should invest public money to make that happen.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has accused the federal government of unfairly targeting waterfront workers as part of a so-called crackdown on organised crime.
Home Affairs minister Jason Clare said on May 25 that federal police would be given new powers to put waterfront workers out of a job if they have a criminal record or are suspected of involvement in organised crime.
Australian supporters of WikiLeaks announced nationwide protests after news that Britain鈥檚 supreme court will decide on Julian Assange鈥檚 final appeal against extradition to Sweden on May 30. The protest rallies will take place in most capital cities the next day, May 31.
The rallies will take place regardless of the court鈥檚 decision. Even though Assange has spent , protest organisers say the campaign to defend Assange and WikiLeaks is only just beginning.
Gina Rinehart 鈥 mining tycoon and Australia鈥檚 richest person 鈥 is now also the world鈥檚 richest woman. Last year, her wealth grew by $18.87 billion to $29.17 billion. Her wealth grew $52 million a day or $1 million every 30 minutes.
It means that for every second that passed in 2011, Rinehart made more ($598) than a minimum wage earner made in a week ($589.30).
Rinehart鈥檚 fortune is now so big, if she spent $1 million a year her money would last for 29,170 years. It would take a minimum wage earner about 950,000 years to reach Rinehart鈥檚 bank balance
The NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) has . The union says it has made the decision because 鈥渢he future of public education in NSW is at stake鈥.
The federation said: 鈥淭he purpose of the [stop work] meetings will be to hear detailed reports on the very serious impact that Local Schools, Local Decisions and other state government policies will have on working conditions, student learning opportunities and the resourcing of our schools.鈥
Right now, there is an opportunity to slash Australia鈥檚 carbon emissions by 5 million tonnes a year in one stroke. The city of Port Augusta in South Australia has all the right conditions to make it Australia鈥檚 first baseload renewable energy hub.
The two coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta are getting old. Industry experts say they may be forced to close as soon as 2015.
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