The Anti-Targ Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Well Wellington then. I'm not going to ask what "need" means, but I think Wellington has almost everything people might need from a big city even though it's a small city on a global scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karaddin Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 Just a psychological preference for living in an area with high population, although personally I like to live in an area with a high number of out LGTBQ families as well - so its really both of us. Wellington is getting pretty small though, that's only 2/3 the size of Newcastle which definitely has a different vibe to it. And yeah, when we're talking about a home, that's your castle so the vibe is important Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 One thing to be aware of is that relative population makes a difference. Because Wellington is the capital city and is one of the biggest cities in New Zealand it feels like a bigger city than what just looking at the population would make you think. Newcastle is a satellite city of Sydney, Wellington is the major city for the southern half of the North Island. I can't speak for how LGBTQ people feel in the places they live but there aren't many places in New Zealand where you can't be out and proud. The world's first openly transgender Mayor and MP (same person) was in a small town a little bit north of Wellington, that was 25 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Keen to get insights from locals on this. https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/mining/australia-on-the-brink-as-iron-ore-nickel-lithium-prices-collapse/news-story/85c15642b6e4a62e99df761c7dfa4964 Quote Australia on the brink as iron ore, nickel, lithium prices collapse The collapse of three of Australia’s biggest money spinners leaves the country very vulnerable to China’s every move. ... Canberra is having to fork out billions of dollars in emergency corporate aid and surrender royalty income after a slump in global nickel prices. They have fallen more than two-thirds – from a high of $US50,000 per metric ton in 2022 to about $US16,500 this week. Thousands of jobs are on the line as big multinational mining companies urgently review the viability of their operations across Australia. ... The Finniss lithium mine in the Northern Territory suspended operations in January. Other closures are expected to follow. BHP has written off its Nickel West division in WA as worthless. It’s preparing to suspend operations. Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest is also shutting down all his WA nickel mines. Meanwhile, Australian lithium producers and steel refineries are also reviewing their economic viability. ... “Australia is a leading producer of critical minerals, supplying all ten of the elements needed for lithium-ion batteries, and has the advantage of better environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards that make it an attractive destination for investment,” argues Monash University Associate Professor Mohan Yellishetty. But one crucial ingredient is lacking: A homegrown market. The demise of Australia’s vehicle manufacturing industry and the slow rollout of the green energy transition means poor local demand. And that means multinational manufacturers aren’t interested in building production facilities here. Another option is to underwrite the construction of large national processing facilities for the likes of nickel, lithium and the other rare earth elements Australia has in abundance. Seems to me, that mining critical green technology minerals should be considered for partial nationalisation. Instead of the Aus govt taking mining royalties, the Aust govt should own the mines and the minerals and just, contract companies to do the mining, and contract traders to find the best price, including selling it for even cheaper to companies that want to do onshore refining and processing. And of course this model doesn't need to be limited to Australia. There's an interesting tension here. The world really wants to be able to make green technology cheaper, to increase the rate of adoption and to stimulate R&D to make even more efficient green tech. But mining companies want to get the highest possible price for critical minerals. The tension disappears if govts own the minerals and can continue trading regardless of price level. The only thing govts need to consider is job preservation at the mines, which is a pretty easy calculation: estimate the total tonnage of extractable resource in a mine divide by the number of years you want the mine to operate and that gives you the maximum rate of annual extraction. The other added benefit is remediation of the land, since the govt doesn't need to eat into profits to remediate mined land there is no reason not to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Random minor thing: I think it's absolutely ridiculous that Mardi Gras is asking NSW Police not to march in the upcoming pride parade. Sure, Police could always be doing more to improve relations with the LGBT+ community. And there will no doubt be some changes stemming from the current investigation into the deaths of the Sydney couple. But I don't see how excluding Police from MG is going to help matters and in fact could worsen them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Maybe. It somewhat depends on whether the day to day evidence points to the police actually being LGBTQ+ allies or if they are guilty of tokenism, like taking part in public events and not much else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 (edited) 2 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said: Maybe. It somewhat depends on whether the day to day evidence points to the police actually being LGBTQ+ allies or if they are guilty of tokenism, like taking part in public events and not much else. There are many shitty things about the NSW Police (and other police forces across the country). Historic (and contemporary) failures to prosecute anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes. Unnecessarily strong-armed approach to policing gay events and night clubs (I rarely see cops targeting the gay scene in Toronto, but they are everywhere on Oxford St). Inability to foster a consistently safe and equitable work environment for LGBTQ+ identifying cops. But overall, I think things are getting better. And I would rather have the cops in the tent, than out. And I really don't think the deaths of these two guys is on NSW Police. Edited February 27 by Paxter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 It's the responsibility of the police to get on side with minority and vulnerable communities to meaningfully try to keep them safe, as far as it's possible to do so. It's not on those communities to invite the police in if they feel the police are not doing enough. Telling the cops they are not welcome at Mardi Gras is a clear message many in the queer community don't feel the police are doing what's required for this community. How the police respond to that message will give everyone insight into what the police culture really is. I hope the police say "we'll do better and earn back our invitation to participate in the next Mardi Gras." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 21 minutes ago, The Anti-Targ said: Telling the cops they are not welcome at Mardi Gras is a clear message many in the queer community don't feel the police are doing what's required for this community. Yeah I get that. But not all of us in the queer community agree! And I must say it annoys me that the MG Board get to essentially speak on our behalf. They have done this a lot in the past by selectively including/excluding groups and I am over it! Edited February 27 by Paxter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karaddin Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 I don't want NSW police in the parade, however the individual cops are welcome in any other float they want as private individuals rather than as cops. That's my long standing view and nothing to do with the murders however so... 2 hours ago, Paxter said: And I really don't think the deaths of these two guys is on NSW Police. I actually agree with this as it pertains to this being the catalyst for kicking them out of the parade. It strikes me as attempting to appease people with my stance while they think they have an excuse to get people with Pax's stance to accept it. That said I'm not willing to give the police a pass on culpability here, just not in any way that reflects on their relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. If they'd taken appropriate measures when he tasered a guy in the face a few years ago he might not have been in a position to do this now. If they didn't allow cops to take their service weapons home to use on the job when they're moonlighting as security guards he wouldn't have had his service weapon to shoot them with. Those are both issues I have with NSW Police but they've got nothing to do with MG. Paxter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 1 hour ago, Paxter said: Yeah I get that. But not all of us in the queer community agree! And I must say it annoys me that the MG Board get to essentially speak on our behalf. They have done this a lot in the past by selectively including/excluding groups and I am over it! Just to be clear, when you say not all of us agree odes that mean some in the queer community think the Police are doing just fine in their relationships and protection of the queer community? I'm not sure I can agree with the notion that these murders aren't on the police. Any time a cop, on or off duty, murders a person because of who they are that is not just a single bad apple, that is the tip of a systemic iceberg. Are attitudes that can be a direct danger to members of the public being actively identified in members of the force, and dealt with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 1 hour ago, The Anti-Targ said: Just to be clear, when you say not all of us agree odes that mean some in the queer community think the Police are doing just fine in their relationships and protection of the queer community? I'm not sure I can agree with the notion that these murders aren't on the police. Any time a cop, on or off duty, murders a person because of who they are that is not just a single bad apple, that is the tip of a systemic iceberg. Are attitudes that can be a direct danger to members of the public being actively identified in members of the force, and dealt with? Huh? This is a DV case. Not a hate crime. The perp is gay and an ex-BF or love interest of one of the slain couple. The perp marched in MG himself! And yeah - I think the cops are doing OK in NSW. They aren't perfect. But they're OK in my opinion. [At least based on my experiences, living in Syd 2012-2019]. Edited February 27 by Paxter The Anti-Targ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Drive-by on the Sam Kerr thing. I think it’s pathetic. What a waste of police, prosecutorial, and court resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 Have people watched the brilliant bureaucratic satire Utopia? It seems like our new govt watched it and thought it might have been a documentary https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/127001/new-government-agency-30-year-pipeline-and-private-sector-investment-are-key Quote A National Infrastructure Agency will be established to oversee this plan and is also expected to be operational by 2025, but Bishop was still unsure how it would fit into the sector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I think when freedom of speech, esp to spread lies, infringes on other people's freedom of speech that's kind of when the govt needs to step in and protect the freedom of speech of those who are not telling lies. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/512740/hastings-council-cancels-drag-queens-rainbow-storytime-after-destiny-church-protest Quote Hastings District Council has cancelled its upcoming Rainbow Storytime event due to safety concerns, after councillors and staff received "a large number" of threatening and intimidating messages. The event, hosted by drag performers Erika and CoCo Flash, was due to take place at the city's library on Wednesday - but protests planned by Destiny Church left the council fearing it could not keep people safe. The decision follows vandalism of a rainbow pedestrian crossing in Gisborne on Monday night, and a protest at the Gisborne library's Rainbow Storytime event on Tuesday afternoon, both of which involved Destiny Church members. A protest was also planned for the Hastings event, the council said. "Hastings councillors, library staff and council customer service have received a large number of messages falsely accusing the events of being a platform for sexual grooming of young people, and this misinformation has also spread to other members of the community," it said. "As time has gone on these messages have in some instances been intimidating and threatening, including death threats to the performers." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncalagonTheBlack Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 What is it with these knife attacks? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/joel-cauchi-named-as-bondi-westfield-attacker-who-stabbed-shoppers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 (edited) 9 hours ago, AncalagonTheBlack said: What is it with these knife attacks? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/joel-cauchi-named-as-bondi-westfield-attacker-who-stabbed-shoppers Stabbings not overly surprising in a country with very limited access to firearms. But very, very sad for the innocent lives lost. Edited April 14 by Paxter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 (edited) Well, Lehrmann’s defamation case backfired. The judge has concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, he raped Higgins. A fair amount of Lehrmann’s evidence was not believed by the judge and was derided. This means that Ten and co have a defence to defamation. Costs order will be interesting (deferred for now). Wilkinson and 10 will be out of pocket but not as much as Lehrmann. Edited April 15 by Paxter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impmk2 Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Kerry Stokes is backing some real winners here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyrazer Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 On 4/15/2024 at 1:51 PM, Impmk2 said: Kerry Stokes is backing some real winners here. Spending millions of dollars to prove your pals are lying rapists and war criminals. It's like he suffers from a weird case of some sort of vicarious masochism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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