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Which Corruption? Various Updates
Feb. 3rd, 2019 11:14 pmThere are currently two unbelievably bad matters of corruption and mismanagement facing Australia that have been subject to a Royal Commission in the past week. The first was into the banking and finance sector, and various cover-ups and predatory activities. The Federal government, on no less than twenty-three occasions, blocked motions to have an investigation. When Commissioner Hayne handed down his report, the incumbent treasurer (my local member) tried to turn it into a photo opportunity. In response, commissioner Hayne showed what I think was dignified restraint. For his part, the Prime Minister is still trying to block the Commission, warning against any "rash" responses. Which is, of course, code for "we're going to ignore the recommendations, business-as-usual, lalalala".
The second that should be attracting more attention is the gross negligence of the Murray-Darling basin, the largest water system on the driest continent. You would think that this would bring down any government in a civilised country, but not Australia (not so civilised, apparently). Over a year ago it was reported that the scheme was for the benefit of cotton farmers, with the minister positively crowing that he had taken water out of the environment into agribusiness. Now the drought has hit, there's a million dead fish (some up to a hundred years old) and cotton executives have turned themselves in for millions in fraud. It stinks the high heavens, although I don't think that's where those responsible are heading.
Whilst I quietly seethe at this unbelievable combination of corruption and negligence and the inevitable results, I'm still trying to have something akin to a life in my spare time. I was supposed to be teaching this coming week, but that's been canceled because of an administrative error outside my control. I had an animal weirdness magnet hit me yesterday in two parts, the first having to carry a dead dachshund off the road; it had just been run over, and there was heavy traffic. Intervening between the body and the cars, I moved the poor thing to a side park where a neighbour of the owner took over. Then, returning home we discovered that Gremory rabbit had been dug up the previous night, presumably by a local fox.
Apart from that I've been plodding away with various coursework and installs at work, including a submission for the IEEE conference in Prague. I've been working away at the mountain that is my economics material (mostly macro this week), along with some assessable requirements for my MSc, which I've pretty much completed. There has been some opportunity for gaming, and ran both Exalted China and Eclipse Phase this week. In addition, I have made some pretty good sales on Traveller material, reducing my stock of items on said game system to just a handful of books. Plans are afoot for another RPG Review BBQ event, given that we didn't have one for the AGM; March 3 is looking like a probable candidate.
The second that should be attracting more attention is the gross negligence of the Murray-Darling basin, the largest water system on the driest continent. You would think that this would bring down any government in a civilised country, but not Australia (not so civilised, apparently). Over a year ago it was reported that the scheme was for the benefit of cotton farmers, with the minister positively crowing that he had taken water out of the environment into agribusiness. Now the drought has hit, there's a million dead fish (some up to a hundred years old) and cotton executives have turned themselves in for millions in fraud. It stinks the high heavens, although I don't think that's where those responsible are heading.
Whilst I quietly seethe at this unbelievable combination of corruption and negligence and the inevitable results, I'm still trying to have something akin to a life in my spare time. I was supposed to be teaching this coming week, but that's been canceled because of an administrative error outside my control. I had an animal weirdness magnet hit me yesterday in two parts, the first having to carry a dead dachshund off the road; it had just been run over, and there was heavy traffic. Intervening between the body and the cars, I moved the poor thing to a side park where a neighbour of the owner took over. Then, returning home we discovered that Gremory rabbit had been dug up the previous night, presumably by a local fox.
Apart from that I've been plodding away with various coursework and installs at work, including a submission for the IEEE conference in Prague. I've been working away at the mountain that is my economics material (mostly macro this week), along with some assessable requirements for my MSc, which I've pretty much completed. There has been some opportunity for gaming, and ran both Exalted China and Eclipse Phase this week. In addition, I have made some pretty good sales on Traveller material, reducing my stock of items on said game system to just a handful of books. Plans are afoot for another RPG Review BBQ event, given that we didn't have one for the AGM; March 3 is looking like a probable candidate.
