The federal government announced on June 14 that it would create the 鈥渨orld's largest network of marine reserves鈥 in Australia. It will form 33 new marine reserves, adding to the current 27.
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Confirmation that billionaire mining boss Gina Rinehart now owns about 20% of Fairfax Media鈥檚 shares came as the media corporation announced plans to downsize its major newspapers. The moves spell out the future for Australia鈥檚 mainstream media: more corporate-friendly reports and less journalism.
Rinehart鈥檚 tilt for three positions on Fairfax鈥檚 board of directors sparked defensive outrage from executives and journalists alike, who said the company鈥檚 鈥渆ditorial independence鈥 should not be compromised.
Queensland public sector unions are preparing for an all-out battle with the Campbell Newman Liberal National Party (LNP) government over pay and conditions, as several enterprise bargaining agreements come up for re-negotiation.
The state's public servants are outraged after being offered the lowest pay rise yet.
Queensland's 60,000 public service workers have been offered a mere 2.2% pay rise per year and likely no additional funding for promotions over the next three years, the June 19 Courier-Mail said.
Locals from the WA town of Gingin, and visitors from Perth including members of the groups No Fracking WAy and Doctors for the Environment, left a June 22 community forum on unconventional gas fracking scratching their heads in bewilderment.
The forum, facilitated by National Party MPs, included speakers from the Department of Mines and Petroleum, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, Nationals member Philip Gardiner, a representative from Empire Oil & Gas and Peter Stone from the CSIRO.
As world leaders gather in Brazil for the Rio+20 summit to discuss the pressing environmental issues facing the world, academics, politicians, unionists, climate activists and local resident groups are preparing to meet and work out real proposals for how western Sydney can begin to tackle climate change.
The Australian government鈥檚 Climate Commission report The Critical Decade found that rising temperatures in western Sydney will impact on everything from our water supply to mental health and crime levels.
For 9 months, Baba Jan Hunzai and 4 fellow activists have languished in Pakistani jails, charged with terrorism offences, and suffered torture. Their crime? Organising the oppressed local community to struggle for compensation, after their villages were submerged by a climate-change induced landslide.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott announced his vision for a 鈥渢ougher鈥 refugee policy on June 9. Among the plans are to refuse refugee status for those who have arrived in Australia by boat without documentation.
He also said that an Abbott Coalition government would appeal immigration department decisions to grant refugee status to boat arrivals.
Abbott said: 鈥淲hat is happening now is that 90% of people who arrive illegally via boat are given successful outcomes.鈥
The nationwide "Walk Together" protests were held on June 23 in recognition that "although we've all arrived here via different pathways we share a common Australian journey". It was organised by GetUp! and sponsored by Mission Australia. This was part of several activities to mark Refugee Week.
Rewrite the Constitution
What a brilliant 6-1 decision by the High Court on the federal funding of the chaplain program. The dysfunctionality of the federal constitution and the federal system couldn't have been made more obvious.
The major parties now have to, again, find ways to circumvent the Constitution to make sensible government possible. Rudd passed up the opportunity in 2007 to replace the federal system with something far more effective with ALP governments in six states and in Canberra.
Coal seam gas (CSG) exploration and mining poses significant risks. Yet licences have been issued and development approved in vital drinking water catchments in NSW.
The promise
Before the last state election, then NSW opposition leader Barry O'Farrell made a promise to reverse this. He said: 鈥淭he next Liberal/National Government will ensure that mining cannot occur ... in any water catchment area, and will ensure that mining leases and mining exploration permits reflect that common sense; no ifs, no buts, a guarantee.鈥
麻豆传媒 Weekly鈥檚 Jay Fletcher spoke to Wendy Bacon, a Walkley award-winning journalist and professor at UTS鈥檚 Australian Centre for Investigative Journalism, about the crisis in Australia鈥檚 mainstream media
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The big structural changes announced at Fairfax 鈥 1900 jobs cuts, moving the flagship papers to tabloid, merging the Sydney and Melbourne news rooms 鈥 seem to spell the continuing trend toward more corporatism and less journalism. What are the main consequences of Fairfax鈥檚 downsizing?
Our persistent supporters who take 麻豆传媒 Weekly out into the street week after week (yes, even on the chilliest of winter days) have received a few more smiles, nods and words of encouragement as, out there in the corporate media, the billionaire bosses have been mercilessly wielding the axe and whip.
Our growing team of new volunteers for the 麻豆传媒 TV project have also been warmly congratulated and encouraged. More people now appreciate the importance of the alternative media.
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