Australian politics thread.

So finally the idiotic blanket ban on live export is lifted. Without knowing the details as to where and why, this looks like yet another case of "beware the well-intentioned idiot".

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-06 21:39:01

#1055

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6440|what

did you watch the 4 corners report?

2011-07-06 21:44:26

#1056

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6962|Canberra, AUS

Yes.

Still didn't justify a blanket ban on trade to the entire country. Populist knee-jerk reaction without proper consideration of the potential consequences, with predictable results. All it's done is left a lot of people in unfortunate limbo and done significant damage to our most important diplomatic relation, to (if the answer in today's QT is to be taken as correct) not that much effect.

Last edited by Spark (2011-07-06 21:45:45)

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-06 21:52:02

#1057

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6440|what

It was a knee jerk reaction, but I still think that a reaction was needed.

Now that this idocy is done, they should properly investigate and punish those who are abusing the animals.

2011-07-06 22:25:16

#1058

Little BaBy JESUS: m8; +394|6436|'straya

Obviously there are humane ways to kill cattle and those should be used if possible, but I reckon that most of the people calling for the ban are sitting comfortably in their cities eating their meat which for them comes cling-wrapped on the self in coles or woolworths. Most of the time people are perfectly happy to ignore facts like how the meat ended up on their (or other's) plates, but as soon as a video pops up on their TV they go crazy over it.

There are bigger problems in the world people, investigate it and then move on.

EDIT: inb4you'reaheatlessbastard

Last edited by Little BaBy JESUS (2011-07-06 22:33:01)

2011-07-07 02:50:58

#1059

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,817|6393|eXtreme to the maX

Allowing gratuitous cruelty is wrong, fuck the Indonesians.
Bottom line is there is no cruelty-free way to kill an animal.

Halal and Kosher slaughter shouldn't be allowed here either, along with various other medieval practices.

Fuck Israel

2011-07-07 05:19:00

#1060

Ty: Mass Media Casualty; +2,398|7062|Noizyland

While I agree that religious methods of slaughter are stupid the halal method with all the prayer bullshit removed is just one cut across the throat, it's not anything particularly cruel. In Australia halal butchers use stunning as well because it's not against anything written in religious texts. The problem with Indonesia was that they weren't doing halal or any other method, they were just slicing up cows like Freddy Krueger would.

This thing got a bit stupid when the Government announced compensation. For $30m you could actually invest in stopping the bullshit in Indonesia and get the trade going again.

Here in NZ we've stopped live exports anyway and we're not any worse off because of it. I don't think so anyway. Thing is even if live exports were to be stopped in Australia you can't just impliment a blanket ban immediately - in the export season of all times - and expect things to go smoothely.

[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon

2011-07-07 05:24:28

#1061

Jaekus: I'm the matchstick that you'll never lose; +957|5466|Sydney

AussieReaper wrote:
It was a knee jerk reaction, but I still think that a reaction was needed.

Now that this idocy is done, they should properly investigate and punish those who are abusing the animals.

The reaction was needed to send the message IMO. I know it affected our industry as a result, but it hopefully has sent in motion the necessary changes that needed to occur.

Might sound a little rose tinted, but I think overall it was a good thing to have happen.

Still, it's good to see everything back on track again.

2011-07-07 05:27:55

#1062

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6962|Canberra, AUS

The only message it sent is that Indonesia can't always trust our government to make rational, reasoned and above all predictable decisions.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-07 05:31:01

#1063

Jaekus: I'm the matchstick that you'll never lose; +957|5466|Sydney

I'm pretty sure Indonesia isn't going to stop buying Australian cattle.
They will probably clean up their act pretty quickly if they want those abattoirs to remain in business.

2011-07-07 05:31:59

#1064

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,817|6393|eXtreme to the maX

Spark wrote:
The only message it sent is that Indonesia can't always trust our government to make rational, reasoned and above all predictable decisions.

And Indonesia can?

Fuck Israel

2011-07-07 05:35:43

#1065

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6962|Canberra, AUS

Jaekus wrote:
I'm pretty sure Indonesia isn't going to stop buying Australian cattle.
They will probably clean up their act pretty quickly if they want those abattoirs to remain in business.

This isn't about cattle - although obviously the welfare of those farmers whose entire livelihoods depend on the trade is rather important - it's about our most important diplomatic relation, by far.

And Indonesia can?

Predictable? Sure.

---

Not to mention policy-setting processes. Policy should not be set by populist short-term outcry over a TV program. It should not be set to placate factional disputes. And above all it should not be about "sending a message". It should be about getting the most reasonable, balanced outcome that achieves the stated goal whilst minimizing harm. This has not, as far as we can tell thus far, achieved the goal in the most effective manner. As far as I can see all that's happened is that some new regulations have been brought in. Why, precisely, was a live export ban necessary for that?

Last edited by Spark (2011-07-07 05:39:36)

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-07 05:40:46

#1066

Jaekus: I'm the matchstick that you'll never lose; +957|5466|Sydney

Yeah, I see your point there re: diplomatic relations.

2011-07-07 05:46:05

#1067

Ty: Mass Media Casualty; +2,398|7062|Noizyland

I've got to ask, Meat and Livestock Australia have been keeping very low key - what have they been doing? There's been plenty of blame on the Government for this one but MLA haven't really said or done anything - and it was their job to ensure proper practises were kept in Indonesia.

[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon

2011-07-07 05:48:12

#1068

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6962|Canberra, AUS

Because MLA are not precisely clean themselves wrt to this matter. Catch 7:30 earlier on in this week?

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-09 19:22:36

#1069

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6962|Canberra, AUS

After me, 1...2...3.. about fucking time!

$23/tonne, starting in a year more/less.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2011-07-09 20:17:04

#1070

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,817|6393|eXtreme to the maX

The detailed implementation is shockingly stupid, exempting vehicle fuel for one....

Fuck Israel

2011-07-09 22:06:41

#1071

Ty: Mass Media Casualty; +2,398|7062|Noizyland

So what was left to be revealed? Last week we already got the starting price, the number of companies that would be effected and the Greens' new independent body ARENA.

[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon

2011-07-09 22:13:01