Summary: This week on Something Wonky, The Review Review makes a stunning return to the Focus Group and brings along another new segment “Bad Policy Corner”. Australia versus Humanity is short, but deadly. LOLBolt makes a comeback, while Sharri Markson vies for his title of most predictable stenographer in Australia. THE FOCUS GROUP Good and Bad Marches March in August The march to war in Iraq - Herald Sun terrified of hypothetical muslim terrorists in Melbourne. “We Are Practically At War” Greens Warn as Major Parties Shut Down Iraq Debate - Joe won’t be intimidated by beheadings - far from, he’ll use them to justify war - Kellie Merritt, Australia’s first Iraq widow, is an anti-war campaigner - Tony Abbott Godwins ISIS and declares them worse than the Nazis The Review Review as Abbott govt’s asinine public “inquiries” and “reviews” into their predecessors continue Govt’s “independent review” into RET in - concludes it must be dropped in favour of govt’s bullshit hypothetical “emissions reduction fund” by ignoring the evidence - because working too well. Completely ignores the biggest questions around the scheme. Meanwhile SURGE IN SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLES FLIES IN FACE OF COALITION’S PLANS Govt’s “inquiry” into home insulation in - blames ALP! Ignores fact that insulation death rate actually fell. No recommendation for tougher workplace safety laws to save lives in future. Contrast: actual review to try to find out what happened as Morwell mine fire inquiry points finger at operator GDF Suez Cliev gets two reviews of his own Bad Policy Corner Mining tax repeal: Joe Hockey says $6.5 billion hit to budget bottom line is ‘damn good deal’ for Australians. Meanwhile Small businesses stung through mining tax repeal compromises. Ben Eltham points out The Mining Tax Abolition Is A Great Victory For Foreign Wealth Over Common Cents TONY ABBOTT’S SUPER ATTACKS EXPLAINED Govt negotiating with crossbench to drop its 6 months without income to 1 month, which is still unacceptable, as ACOSS points out - No income means no income, whether it’s 26 weeks or four weeks. Meanwhile govt loses vote to cut people off for 8 weeks as punishment Why the ATO is losing the battle against the ‘transnationals’ - they’re hiring the people the govt is sacking to help them run rings around those left behind. Govt insisting on its idiotic ineffective anti-piracy scheme - mocked by Choice, but finally shows that you can have a lose-lose policy, like the LNP used to say the mining tax was. Tony Abbott to keep secular workers out of school chaplaincy program - 620 SCHOOL WELFARE OFFICERS TO BE SACKED FOR LACKING RELIGIOUS CONNECTION Metadata retention? AFP mistakenly publish metadata from criminal investigations Wondering why nothing meaningful will be done to improve housing affordability? Check out the property portfolios of our MPs Medibank boss wanted its members to get priority treatment in emergency departments Eric Abetz launches attack against public service union, the CPSU Koukoulas shows how the Coalition has both kicked the poor AND doubled the deficit New Matilda argues that The dash to corporatise Australian universities is, at its core, an act of violence against those who can least afford it. Political Correctness Gone Mad Labor senator criticised after branding terrorism focus a budget diversion ploy Someone is Lying About Kevin Andrews - re him pulling out of WCF. Meanwhile if you went to the WCF you got an adorable murdered foetus stress toy Tony Abbott slaps down Joe Hockey after stoush over WA GST anger Tony Abbott names white settlement as Australia’s ‘defining moment’, remark draws Indigenous ire Silence the Whistleblowers Government wants East Timor spy charged Lucky escapes No thanks to govt, Consortium scraps plans to dump waste in Great Barrier Reef and here DLP senator Joh
