What happened to Australia’s once-bipartisan policies favouring decentralisation? Why is every proposal to develop an outback mine, dam, irrigation scheme or a real power station now labelled “controversial” by the ABC and opposed by the ALP/Greens? This coastal-city focus and the hostility to new outback industry (except for wind/solar toys) has surely reached its zenith with the recent state budget for Queensland. The population of coastal and metropolitan Queensland is surging with baby-boom retirees, welfare recipients, grey nomads, tourists, overseas students, migrants and winter refugees. But the outback is dying with lagging industry and many aging farmers retiring to the coast. We are creating a country with no heart. The growing urban and seaside population needs power, water and food.

     However two critical power-water-food infrastructure projects that have been on the drawing boards for decades did not even rate a mention in the state budget – an expansion of coal-fired power at Kogan Creek and a water supply dam at Nathan Gorge. The current policy of all major parties is cluttering the countryside with piddling subsidised intermittent power producers like solar panels and wind turbines plus their expensive network of roads and transmission lines. This is inflating electricity prices, and future generations will see this bi-partisan energy policy as a disastrous blunder. It is also a mistake to encourage or subsidise private electricity cartels and put politicians, not engineers, in charge of power generation. The Kogan Creek power station with its adjacent coal mine was opened in 2007. It is connected to the National Grid and integrated with local gas-fired and solar supplies. It was always planned to add another generating unit at Kogan Creek, but twelve long years have passed with no action.

     Another addition to clown world, as the great cultural spiral down continues:
  https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2019/06/11/yoga-instructor-teaches-class-aimed-undoing-whiteness/

“A Seattle yoga instructor is teaching a class that is aimed at “Undoing Whiteness,” by showing white yoga students how white supremacy is present in their “body, mind and heart.” The class is taught by Laura Humpf, a yoga teacher of 15 years who claims that the class known as “Undoing Whiteness,” will teach students how to “unpack the harmful ways white supremacy is embedded” in the culture. “I do stand behind white people needing to talk to other white people on how to undo whiteness,” Humpf told the Seattle Times. “Can I keep refining it and doing it differently and better? Yeah, and I will forever and ever. But I believe in this space as one tool.” Humpf claims that she decided to offer the class after watching the “racist ways,” in which white people showed up to yoga classes. “I was seeing white people show up in yoga spaces in racist ways,” Humpf explained. Particularly irksome to Humpf, was witnessing white yoga instructors make racially insensitive jokes.

     The Swedish police, should be concerned about grenade attacks, friendly people waving around AK 47s and migrant no-go zones:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_grenade_attacks_in_Sweden
  https://www.euronews.com/2018/04/10/sweden-has-a-problem-with-hand-grenades-and-here-s-why
  https://www.cbsnews.com/video/swedens-no-go-zones/
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teVkiadJpXM

     But, they are not, happily accepting this as all part of diversity excitement in modernity. However, they have come up with a brilliant politically correct solution to their failure to deal with this social rot: blame the Christians, yes, the Christians:

For any association or secular institution to reach its first century is noteworthy and, in our times, remarkable enough in itself. That alone would be sufficient reason for us to join together tonight in this celebration of the centenary of the Fabian Society, brought into formal existence in London a hundred years ago this month. And, incidentally, I trust it will be noted in the appropriate quarters that those of us here tonight associated with the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Labor Government have been so far able to overcome our notorious prejudices as to celebrate a British institution - indeed in many respects a quintessential British institution.

     We have been covering the rape of Europe for some time at this site. Here is an article updating this Gothic horror:
  https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14209/sweden-self-inflicted-mess

“According to an Amnesty International report, in Sweden, rape investigations are under-prioritized, there are "excessively long waiting times for the results of DNA analyses", there is not enough support for rape victims and not enough work is done for preventative purposes. In 2017, a Swedish police report, "Utsatta områden 2017", ("Vulnerable Areas 2017", commonly known as "no-go zones" or lawless areas) showed that there are 61 such areas in Sweden. They encompass 200 criminal networks, consisting of an estimated 5,000 criminals. Twenty-three of those areas were especially critical.... "I cannot bear to see children faring so badly.... There should be no doubt that the Government does what it can for these children [of ISIS terrorists] and if possible they should be brought to Sweden." — Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. Unfortunately, the horrific fate of enslaved Yazidi children does not appear to be something that Wallström "cannot bear".

     Well, well, well … YouTube has banned an instrumental music group, musicians with no lyrics at all on grounds of hate speech. Wow, that is new, even abstract sounds can be racist/hate blah blah now! But, there is no ban on numerous music videos showing what most of us would call race hate: showing white Trump supporters being tortured to death, or a non-white group praising the grooming and rape of white children.
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6478981/Paedophiles-grooming-children-young-six-live-streams-YouTube.html 
  https://www.vox.com/2019/6/7/18656597/youtube-harassment-policy-susan-wojcicki

     So, no, it is no just videos promoting Nazi stuff, that is old hat and was done relatively long ago. Here are some basic items to bring one up to speed on the banning issues:
  https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jun/05/youtube-bans-videos-promoting-nazi-ideology
  https://www.amren.com/commentary/2019/06/voxadpocalpyse-and-the-guild-of-journalists/
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-06/will-not-end-well-youtubes-latest-purge-extremist-content
  https://www.rt.com/news/461170-youtube-bans-videos-reactions/
  https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/internet-shutdowns-don-t-make-anyone-safer-1.1268141
  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-07/when-whining-becomes-weapon-latest-youtube-ad-pocalypse

     It is only natural that at the end of the West things will go this way, as the body social goes mad through a kind of mad liberalism disease, banning everything in sight and making laws against traditional Britain:
  https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14351/britain-blasphemy-law

The long-running dispute revolves — most recently — around an effort by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims, a cross-party formation of around two-dozen MPs in the British Parliament, to institutionalize the definition of Islamophobia in racial rather than religious terms.

     While the journalists in Australia have been complaining about the police raids that have occurred, which when you think about it, do have, rightly or wrongly, some national security arguments in their favour, the real concern is not Australia, but the erosion of freedom in the US, even with its liberal constitutional guarantees. We have nothing like what goes down in America, and our police are very fair in comparison, even if people don’t like getting speeding tickets! Ok, some female journalist had her underwear drawer searched; was she harmed? Who knows what secret information about the national security could have been hidden there? You simply don’t know if you don’t look, do you? Where is the problem, gloves were worn? Why, in America they do body cavity searches at airports! And, why should Ita be so upset? As see it, the problem is with having vast underwear drawers that police have to go through, knicker by knicker in the search for evidence. Does any one care about that?
  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abc-chair-ita-buttrose-raises-grave-concerns-with-minister-over-unprecedented-raids-20190607-p51vgn.html

But, America has moved to full-on police state, and this is alarming as it shows what the modern police state can do if it wants to. Really, we have not seen anything yet in Australia, and things are far worse in the US, getting worse by the day.  Exhibit number 1:
https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/youre_under_arrest_how_the_police_state_muzzles_our_right_to_speak_truth_to_power

     Older readers should well remember Dr David Mitchell, scholar, lawyer, minister and general Christian gentlemen. All of us need to refresh our minds about this truly great man, in the Eric Butler league, by obtaining a tremendous new book by Dallas Clarnette, Courageous for Truth and Justice (2019), which gives a fitting tribute to Dr Mitchell’s life and works.
     Such a book is necessary because Dr Mitchell was one of those quiet workers, who steadfastly keep working away defending traditional Christian Australia, especially institutions such as the constitutional monarchy, over many decades. He saw before many of us the civilizational threats that the 1960s revolution had rung in, most notably in law. Thus, Dr Mitchell engaged in numerous pro bono (none paying cases) to defend those who were being abused by the politically correct legal system. I recall him saying to me, when I asked him, perhaps 15 years ago, about how he got on with judges, “Well Ian, they must just think, here comes Mitchell again!”
     I want people to buy this book and support the author, so I am not one for spoilers. But I cannot resist reporting on an extraordinary case where a Christian group was facing what seems to be an early race-hate case. Dr Mitchell defended the group by the most unusual move of denying that the church as such existed, so there was no defendant! He kept this line of argument up for over a year until the court awarded for him! Dr Mitchell also helped in the famous Noah’s Ark case, aiding the Creationist’s case against an academic who was a critic of Christianity, but now is beloved by us because he is attacking global warming.
     Overall a most worthy book for a truly good man. If only all men were made of the same moral fibre of Dr Michell, we would not be facing the problems we now do. But, alas. Hopefully, the hard times ahead will create other worthy champions of truth, freedom and justice. I would imagine that copies of Dallas Clarnette’s book would be available from the League; nothing comes up on Amazon, which is hardly surprising.

     Trump intends to flood America with legal immigrants to take all of the jobs that he supposedly created for Americans. With any luck the jobs will disappear quicker than the migrants can be brought in. Or maybe people will rise up against this madman. Meanwhile back in the real world, not orange-haired clown world, factories are being closed down:
  https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/06/02/laid-off-gm-workers-in-ohio-fed-up-with-ruling-class-nobody-has-our-backs/

“Middle-class Americans whose livelihoods have been thrown off course after being laid off by General Motors (GM) in Lordstown, Ohio, are fed up with the country’s political and business ruling class in Washington, DC.
For months, the community of Lordstown has had to grapple with GM closing the region’s assembly plant, which has resulted in the immediate layoff of about 1,600 American workers, and since 2017, GM has laid off about 4,500 American workers in Ohio. The GM plant closure is also expected to leave more than 8,000 American workers jobless in and around Lordstown as well as cut out about $8 billion in economic activity in the area. Already, more than 900 workers in supporting industries have been put out of work. At the same time, GM has announced that it will manufacture a slew of new vehicles in South Korea, while GM CEO Mary Barra still plans on idling three other American manufacturing plants — two in Michigan and one in Maryland.”

     The United Nations have revealed—and senior scientists confirm—that they can’t prove human emissions cause dangerous global warming. Global warming fear is powered by the belief that we cause it, but the UN now tacitly admit they can’t prove it, after a group of prominent New Zealand sceptics asked the IPCC Secretariat for evidence of dangerous man-made warming and got nothing. The Secretariat said the evidence could be found in Chapter 8 of the Fifth Assessment Report, but didn't elaborate. The sceptics invited some senior scientists to review the chapter and they found no proof. Richard Treadgold, convenor of the Climate Conversation Group, said today, “It is deeply troubling that the UN claim to have proof of warming when they don’t—it defines deceitful. After decades of sermons against fossil fuels, they cannot legitimize global industrial disruption.

“They distort the science. Twelve trillion tonnes of airborne water vapour dominates greenhouse warming, yet water also dominates cooling by melting and evaporating, and the vapour condenses into cooling clouds and rain. Our thermostat is not CO2, it’s water.”

     This is getting complicated and journalists with heaps of work naturally look for a quick and easy summary. Here is the best beast I could find:
  https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2019/06/02/daily-beast-says-facebook-helped-them-dox-trump-supporter/

“The Daily Beast recently doxed a black forklift driver and reported Trump supporter for the alleged high crime of creating a parody video of Democrat speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi. But there’s more to the story — it appears Facebook may have helped the left-wing journalists identify him. The Daily Beast identified the video creator as Shawn Brooks, whom they described as a forklift driver and Trump supporter from the Bronx. A Twitter account claiming to be Brooks disputed key details of the story, claiming he is not a Trump supporter, did not create the parody video, and does not live in the Bronx. By doxing Brooks, The Daily Beast followed the example of CNN, which threatened to unmask an anonymous Trump supporter over a parody video, forcing to him apologize in exchange for not revealing his identity. The scandal caused “CNNBlackmail” to trend on Twitter. But there’s another aspect to the Daily Beast story which has major implications for the privacy of Facebook users — according to The Daily Beast reporter himself, Facebook gave him information on Brooks’ activity on the platform.

     It doesn’t take much of an issue to generate calls for a Bill of Rights. People believe it will enhance their freedoms. In fact a Bill of Rights can restrict freedoms because it actually prescribes all rights available.  Obviously then, any ‘right’ not mentioned is forbidden. Our system provides us maximum freedom where we have the lawful right to do anything except the minimum number of things which are forbidden. Not having a Bill of rights can be likened to our road rules where we are free to drive wherever we choose provided we obey any road rules like speed limits and “No Entry” signs.
  Ken Grundy

     You would think that by the logic of identity politics and multicultism, that every ethno-interest group would have rights, included by definition white heterosexuals. It is just live let live; that was how it was all pushed in the 1960s. But what about when your white identity group is singled out and not given its multicult rights? What does that say about the entire system? Just think about it:
  https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/06/05/straight-pride-parade-boston-group-planned/

“Days before Boston’s Pride parade fills city streets, celebrating the LGBTQ community, another parade proposal is causing an uproar on social media. John Hugo is the president of a group calling itself Super Happy Fun America. His goal is to create a straight pride parade. Hugo explains, “We want people to be aware that there is not only one side of things. There’s a lot of people that are uncomfortable with a lot of things that are going on in our country and they’re afraid to speak up.” The idea for a straight pride parade is one Mayor Walsh is quick to dismiss. “Come on, I don’t know what this straight pride parade is all about. I know that we have a pride parade on Saturday and that’s what I’m going to march in,” Mayor Walsh said. Boston Pride President Linda Demarco says in a statement: “Boston Pride welcomes everyone to march in the Pride Parade this Saturday, June 8th. We know that straight allies of the LGBTQ community are among the thousands of supporters who come out every year to march, observe and celebrate. We are looking forward to seeing our straight friends, family, and neighbors at the Boston Pride parade and festival this Saturday along with members of the LGBTQ community. In the meantime, we are focused on putting on our largest Boston Pride parade ever.”

     Here is an article from the American Thinker which we all would dispute, for we the enlightened ones know that immigration may have a few teething problems, but with enough of it, say in the billions, any group that was homogenous, can be made multicult, then with more migrants, ultimately homogeneous again, as the migrant populations displace the locals, which is what immigration has always been about. And, it is great for the economy too, makes the garden grow and all that. Still, in the public interest, let us explore this lack of wisdom:
  https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/06/somalis_have_changed_minneapolis.html

“Somalis have Changed Minneapolis By Sunny Lohman
Everyone not lying to themselves predicted when the federal government under Bill Clinton – aided and abetted by Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities and World Relief Minnesota -- plopped 30,000 Somalis down into the midst of the kind, virtue-signaling, eager-to-help Midwesterners of Minneapolis (of which I am one) that it would lead to some grave consequences for our community. Now, due to continuing refugee placements as well as chain migration there are an estimated 80,000 Somalis living in the Twin Cities metro area, or more like 79,000 if you subtract those who’ve left the country to join terrorist organizations like ISIS. Anyhow, here’s a week Minneapolitans had with their Somali neighbors last month:

     Controversy continues about Taylor Swift, the singing canary’s response to the question a journalist asked about her baby plans, which are none, apparently. Men don’t get asked those questions. Well, yes, they do. But, here is the take on this by Suzanne Venker, “Taylor Swift just proved my point about feminism’s harm on millennials.”
  https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/taylor-swift-just-proved-my-point-about-feminisms-harm-on-millennials

“Taylor Swift just proved my point. My last post was about feminism’s harmful influence on millennials; and less than 24 hours later, a friend sent me this USA Today article that highlights an interview Taylor Swift gave on a promotional tour in which a German reporter asks Swift if she has children or family on her mind since she turns 30 this year. A quick caveat: I feel compelled to write that this question shouldn't be asked of any woman, as it’s no one's business but hers. However, such probing questions by the media are inevitable at that level of fame. Swift is entitled to dodge the question, which she did. But her reason for not answering it speaks volumes: “I really do not think men are asked that question when they turn 30, so I’m not going to answer that now.” Here’s a newsflash for Swift and other young women who didn't get the memo: No one asks men that same question because men don’t have a biological clock. Women do. I know you’ve grown up believing since the day you were born that men and women are, or should be, sexual equals and should thus be treated as identical beings. But sexual equality is a bogus mission (which you will see in time if you ever do have children, for it is then that sex differences become glaringly obvious) because it's inextricably tethered to a progressive political movement that has no basis in reality.

     Is all of this American coverage really necessary …  I mean, how does this affect us here in little old OZ? Consider this, that Australia has dodged a US tariff bullet for the time. But in the future, who knows, Trump is insane, as the Left rightly says:
  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/02/business/trump-australia-tariffs.html

“The Trump administration considered imposing tariffs on imports from Australia last week, but decided against the move amid fierce opposition from military officials and the State Department, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Some of President Trump’s top trade advisers had urged the tariffs as a response to a surge of Australian aluminum flowing onto the American market over the past year. But officials at the Defense and State Departments told Mr. Trump the move would alienate a top ally and could come at significant cost to the United States. The administration ultimately agreed not to take any action, at least temporarily. The measure would open yet another front in a global trade war that has pitted the United States against allies like Canada, Mexico, Europe and Japan, and deepened divisions with countries like China. It would also be the end of a reprieve for the only country to be fully exempted from the start from steel and aluminum tariffs that Mr. Trump imposed last year.

To The Australian          Full marks again to Greg Sheridan, this time for his demolition of the "politically correct" tomfoolery going on in Britain and especially London ("Politically correct London becoming more nutty by the day", 17/6). The nation needs a new Dryden, Pope or Swift to adequately ridicule "the sheer psycho-silliness of the whole business." Here is a sample of what's needed.

     The public scene presents a dismal sight
     As pseudo-victims moan about their plight.
     Rather hear donkeys bray or monkeys scream
     Than suffer London's current bedlam dream!

  Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic

To The Age        You are right that any new Conservative leader in the UK will need to show good judgment and diplomatic skill in seeking a viable path forward for the nation ("Johnson as PM not a comforting thought", 17/6). However, the "great complexities" of achieving constitutional severance of Britain from the EU are not beyond the power of Boris Johnson or any other prime minister and his team. What may prove more intractable is the sheer political power of the "Remain" camp who naturally do not feel that "a narrowly won referendum" de-authorises their resistance. The British people as a whole need to bring goodwill, integrity, magnanimity and intelligent compromise to bear in this fraught situation. Let us hope they find a fruitful way forward.

  Nigel Jackson, Belgrave

     Just to jump the gun before the anti-gunners start rattling off about the need for tighter gun control following from the tragic NT shooting, the nutter who was on parole and even had a monitoring device on his leg, was in no position to have any firearm under the law, let alone a banned pump action shotgun:

“Witnesses described the shooter using a pump action shotgun to fire multiple blasts at the Palms Hotel and Buffalo Club. A victim was killed at each. Kershaw confirmed that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, but could not confirm what type. Pump action shotguns have been virtually banned from private ownership in Australia along with other rapid-fire weapons under the country's tough gun laws designed to prevent mass shootings.”