Even in despair, there are people who try to profit in a major way and we are seeing that now at the highest levels of politics with the drought and bushfires in Australia. An issue that is being missed and that needs to be put on the table is what impact, if any, the mining industry has had on the drought, bushfires and climate change and who has potentially profited from it.
So, let’s have a look at Matt Canavan and his mining executive brother John Canavan, Managing Director at Winfield Energy, who made a $435 million takeover offer for Stanmore Coal in August 2019.
Matt Canavan, who is the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, was recently in Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office giving him a mouthful because the approval for a new coal-fired generator wasn’t happening as quickly as he wanted.
The New Daily reported on the 29/10/19:
Scott Morrison has copped the f-bomb in a 20-minute spray from a Nationals frontbencher – and the unrepentant MP has declared he is “guilty as charged”.
Matt Canavan is accused of confronting the Prime Minister during a closed-door meeting over a new coal-fired generator at Collinsville, in central Queensland.
According to some reports, the blow-up was so loud that the Resources Minister could be heard down the hallway.
“I don’t go into details of conversations with my colleagues. But, yep, guilty as charged. I passionately and forcefully argue for the great things the coal industry does for our nation,” Senator Canavan told The New Daily. (Click here to read more)
Why was Matt Canavan so aggressive is his conversation with the Prime Minister? It sounds like he has skin in the game as we know his mining executive brother John Canavan does. John is a multi-millionaire who has made his money buying and selling coal mines and in August 2019 he was involved in a $435 million takeover offer for Australia’s Stanmore Coal. (Click here to read more)
The obvious question: Is or was Matt Canavan’s brother John involved in the new coal-fired generator at Collinsville? One thing we know for certain is that coalition MP’s don’t let a conflict of interest get in the way of a good deal. Just ask federal MP Angus Taylor and his $80 million watergate scam.
There are no further reports on what happened to the $435 million takeover bid so it looks like it never succeeded. Whatever the case there has to be a huge question mark over whether or not Matt Canavan should be the federal Resources Minister when his brother is looking to become filthy rich from the resources sector.
I previously showed the below video, “Dirty Power” featuring investigative journalist Michael West, before the last federal election but it is probably even more relevant now. It is a must-watch as it exposes the power and control the mining industry has over our federal government.
The video shows the former mining industry executives who are now politicians and the former politicians who are now mining executives and it’s very disturbing and leaves the viewer with no doubt that our democracy has been highjacked by big business. And it wouldn’t be the only industry that has infiltrated the government to a similar degree.
A lot of the mining companies are foreign-owned so it could be argued it is a type of backdoor foreign intervention in Australian politics.
While the video is focused on the coalition government the mining industry has a long history of also having a huge influence over the Labor Party as well.
Barnaby Joyce again blames everyone except the government
The Greens have never controlled any government, federal or state, so to blame them for the bush fires because of a lack of back burning is a scandalous attempt to avoid taking responsibility which Barnaby Joyce has down to an art form:
The Australian reported (12/11/19):
Barnaby Joyce says the policies of the Greens have increased the bushfire threat, as he claims a lack of hazard reduction burning has helped fuel fires in regional NSW and Queensland.
The former deputy prime minister said “people are once again talking about indigenous land management” because there were too many regulations around controlled burning ahead of bushfire season.
“The problems we have got have been created by the Greens,” Mr Joyce told The Australian.
“We haven’t had the capacity to easily access (hazard) reduction burns because of all of the paperwork that is part of green policy.
“We don’t have access to dams because they have been decommissioned on national parks because of green policy. We have trees that have fallen over vehicles and block roads, so people cannot either get access to fight a fire or to get away from fires. And we can’t knock over the trees because of Greens policy.
“So many of the practicalities of fighting a fire and managing it have been stymied by the Greens.
Mr Joyce said it was “infuriating” the Greens were attempting to score political points by saying the government’s “inaction” on climate change had contributed to the fires that have killed three people.
He said climate change action in Australia would do nothing to reduce the bushfire risk unless there was also action taken by China, India and the United States.
“There is nothing we have done in the Australian parliament that has brought about the absolute devastation on so many people’s lives,” Mr Joyce said. (Click here to read more)
Barnaby says it was ““infuriating” the Greens were attempting to score political points” regarding the bush fires but he spent the whole interview blaming The Greens which was a deceptive and deceitful way for Barnaby Joyce to try and score political points. And Barnaby tells us we have to wait for “China, India and the United States” to do something otherwise we are wasting our time.
Gina Rinehart and Barnaby Joyce
Today (12/11/19) Barnaby Joyce has continued with attempts of political point-scoring and has been quoted as saying in relation to two people who died in the bush fires: “I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party so I’m not going to start attacking them. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
It is well known that Barnaby Joyce is close friends with mining billionaire Gina Rinehart who also helps fund Barnaby’s political career. What impact does Gina Rinehart and her money have on Barnaby Joyce’s political views, his views on the environment and his influence in the federal government?
At the time of writing this article and with bushfires still raging in NSW and Qld the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her coalition government have introduced a bill that “would weaken environmental protections in the state.”
The bill in question, introduced by Planning Minister Rob Stokes, would remove the requirement for planning authorities to consider downstream greenhouse gas emissions when approving development applications for coal mines, making it harder for authorities to block mine developments on environmental grounds.
Parliament is set to debate the bill as NSW braces for ‘catastrophic’ bushfire danger, the highest fire danger rating. This is the first time that the greater Sydney region has reached this danger level. (Click here to read more)
One has to suspect that the coal mining industry has greased some Liberal Party palms to get the proposed new laws into parliament. It’s interesting that the “NSW government prepared sweeping climate change policies to decarbonise the state’s economy only to have the plans shelved when Gladys Berejiklian became Premier in 2017.” Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been a godsend for the coal industry.
When there is a review on the drought, bushfires and climate change one key issue that needs to be on the table is the impact that the mining industry corrupting politics has or hasn’t had on drought, bushfires and climate change. We know the coal mines use a lot of water that farmers could otherwise use, we know that coal-fired power stations pollute the air and water and it could be argued the mining companies also have had an indirect influence on the bushfires by corrupting the politicians to downplay environmental issues.
Mining has been a huge income earner for Australia but that doesn’t give the mining companies the right to bribe the politicians and highjack democracy.
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Categories: Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan, Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Well said.
Fires burning across the state while the LNP are bending over backwards to accomodate the industry with the strongest links to the same human-induced climate change that’s exacerbating fire conditions, not only in Australia but around the world.
Our entire political system is corrupt to the point where even the government is doing whatever it can to undermine a legal and judicial system that’s designed to protect our people, our environment and our unique wildlife.
As an Australian voter in New England I am greatly offended when the media describe Barnyard Joke, aka Barnaby Joyce, as “the former Deputy Prime Minister”. This is an irrelevant label because nobody cares about his previous positions in the national$ as Senator for Queensland responsible for privatising Telstra for the benefit of politicians retirement packages.
Moreover, it suggests without any substantive evidence that Barnyard is a fit and proper person to be the 2IC of the Australian Parliament. Indeed, a review of his performance would likely show otherwise.
Rather, Barnyard should be correctly described as “representative of the national$ in New England” or more accurately “Adulterer-in-Chief of the national$” for his unwillingness or inability to keep his penis in his pants or live up to the ‘family values” that the national$ crow about and rarely practice.
Equally, few voters remember the disgraceful deal done in the 70s between the COALition parties to remove the New England New State Movement (NSM) from the political arena by coupling leadership of the now national$ with the Deputy Prime Minister position. Sadly, this was the second instance of betrayal of Australian voters by representatives of the Country Party/national$ that followed the 1933 treason when 6/10 NSM politicians sided with the then conservative parties in the NSW Parliament and were correctly swept from office by their disgusted electorates.
tamworth women supporting adultery support national$ & we all get screwed.
Mr.Joyce, do you know what is really infuriating? You blaming everyone else but yourself, for the current raging bushfires.
“There is nothing we have done in the Australian parliament that has brought about the absolute devastation on so many people’s lives,” Mr Joyce said.
Really, Mr Joyce??? Your government did nothing, the government before that did nothing, the current government is doing nothing, basically not one government has done anything to reduce the causes or effects of climate change. All you and your “mates” have done is cause it. All you did is cause the devastation to so many people’s lives!!!!
By letting big business (foreign or national) log and log trees, therefore causing destruction of soil layers and less rain (many know that to create rain, you need trees), and therefore a drier climate. Of course, so have nearly all countries. But the difference with many other countries is, is that they are doing something to try and prevent the warming up of our planet by 1,5 – 2°C.
All you have done is damage our environment, causing enormous havoc to the habitat of our unique flora and fauna. All you have done is build and build, causing the heating up of cities and towns (concrete and bitchumen absorb heat), and the destruction of much needed green areas and trees.
All you have done is sell water, that is owned by all Australians, without their knowledge or consent, to the highest bidders or your friends who own major farms. You withheld water from the citizens who voted you into power!!!! But moreover, you and your “mates” have blatantly sold the whole of Australia to the highest, foreign bidders. Without an once of shame!!!! All you did was make yourself and your “mates/friends” richer and richer!!!!
All you did, was not invest in clean energy, and certainly not in waterbombers. Which is so incomprehensible: year after year after year, bushfire season starts earlier and lasts longer, becomes fiercer and fiercer, and all we have is ONE waterbomber for the whole country. ONE!!!! Even the U.S. learned from previous bushfire years, and invested in multiple waterbombers.
These are just a couple of examples of what you have/haven’t done.
All because you and your “mates” were/are to scared/greedy to lose a couple of dollars on your bankaccounts, to listen to scientists who know what they are talking about, to acknowledge climate change and declare a climate emergency.
So, how dare you blame a political party that never reigned?
And then on top of that: saying this country won’t do anything until China, India and the U.S. will do something? So, if the Chinese president were to jump in a lake, you would too?
Here’s some news for you: these countries are already doing more to try and keep the warming up to an as low point as possible, than you think. Just because your “friend” Mr. Trump says he isn’t, citizens and companies are.
Such a shame you and your “mates” don’t have the courage and pride to want to lead the world in the prevention of the warming up of this planet with more than 1,5°C. Such a fake… Such a disappointment…what must your family really think of you? Are you sure your parents raised you with the ideas of to never take responsibility for your actions? To always hide behind others? To always blame someone else for the things you didn’t do?
You have lost the right to say anything about our country, our environment, our climate, the citizens of Australia. You are not entitled anymore to say anything about policies, other political parties, about…well, basically anything.
You are, however, allowed to resign from politics and business for good, and seek shelter from disastrous bushfire seasons for the rest of life. And hope and pray that your shelter never burns down.
“When there is a review on the drought, bushfires and climate change one key issue that needs to be on the table is the impact that the mining industry corrupting politics has or hasn’t had on drought, bushfires and climate change.”
First, mining can’t have had any impact on climate change because it’s the height of arrogance to even presume that such a small thing as mining could change the weather according to climate change preachers. That’s not to say Geo-engineering isn’t influencing weather, which is definitely caused by man, but no-one is considering it’s effects.
“We know the coal mines use a lot of water that farmers could otherwise use, we know that coal-fired power stations pollute the air and water and it could be argued the mining companies also have had an indirect influence on the bushfires by corrupting the politicians to downplay environmental issues.”
“It ain’t what we don’t know that gets us into trouble, it’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” Mark Twain. He also said, “If you don’t read the newspapers you are uninformed, and if you do read the newspapers you are misinformed.”
We do not KNOW that coal mines use a lot of water that farmers could otherwise use. Show us proof.
We do not know that coal power stations pollute the air and water. They belch out steam into the air from steam turbines, but I’ve heard coal fire ash is dumped from planes as part of their Geo-engineering box of tricks. I can’t recall the purpose, but it ain’t to improve the soil, that’s for sure.
It could not be argued mining companies have an indirect influence on bushfires, unless you want to spin that line.
Truth is a real bitch because we don’t get to pick and choose which truths we accept and which we deny because it suits us better. Either we accept the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or it’s still a lie.
Ironically, you could be accused of making money off climate change as well, because the whole thing is a fraud, and anyone who consciously or unconsciously perpetuates the lie is complicit in the deception.
You should know that coal is washed before it is exported or used domestically. You would also know that coal fired power stations emit toxic gases into the atmosphere. We, as the biggest coal exporters, are exporting dangerous emissions polluting the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
Science does not support any of your assertions.
Well said. The LNP strategy is to to deny, ignore, obfuscate, trivialise, and blame while at the same time doing everything they can to accommodate the fossil fuel industry (particularly the coal-mining industry). This includes billions of dollars every year in subsidies & rebates, approving new coal-mines despite concerns being expressed by their own scientific agencies, and despite public opinion about reducing our reliance on coal and instead investing and transitioning to renewable sources of energy as quickly as possible.
The same politicians are quick to visit the victims of bushfires, offer their sympathies, and had out a thousand dollars to each victim, but they ignore the fact that it’s the coal industry that is directly & indirectly responsible for the global emissions that have created the conditions that are conducive to the numbers & magnitude of those same bushfires.
I don’t really think Barnaby is clever enough to think of this himself. I’m guessing it’s part of a larger Crosby-Textor strategy for the LNP & the coal-mining industry.
The use and words herein of ‘climate change’ is a misnomer, why did the words ‘global warming’ suddenly disappear, probably because un-smart armchair scientists in universities suddenly realised that the sun does warm the Earth otherwise we wouldn’t exist.
The current ‘climate change’ jargon used by self-acclaimed scientists, science writers and other individuals profess to know how, and why the ‘sudden’ change in climate is causing sea levels to rise to varying heights in different countries, wildfires in different parts of the world, floods in different parts of the world and all the way down the scale of everything to include the cause of humans to cough and sneeze.
Why were fire-breaks, access tracks, controlled burning not continued in National Parks and forested areas, why was tree clearing away from houses discontinued, why did the Greenies win their selfish fight to save trees, flora and fauna by ‘tree-hugging’, we now have proof that their win created a massive destruction of lives, homes, peoples’ possessions, even faith in an invisible ‘saviour’, and how many scientist and activists have been left with only the clothes they wear due their ‘climate change’ money-making failed invention.
I remember the bush fires in the Dandenong mountains in the 1960’s, Ash Wednesday and other serious bush fires, the climate was changing daily all over the world back then but did not cause those fires, no-one even heard the cries of ‘climate change’ from scientists in organisations or universities.
Protesters at that time were wanting everyone on Earth to make love, not war.
The so-called ‘climate change’ provacateurs are adamant that one of the causes, electricity, generated by coal-fired generators, used by every climate change’ activist, for almost every item they use which are manufactured in factories using electricity powered machines.
To produce the products the basic material comes from mines, dug by diesel-powered machines and transported by trucks and ships, diesel-powered.
Evidence, a complete lack of evidence to create facts from the fictitious comments and statements, relating to an impending world-wide disaster which will destroy every person, and all flora and fauna on our planet. Suppposedly, this is caused by an unseen enemy called Climate Change, but no factual evidence has yet been discovered of the various changes in Earth’s climate to become a habitable planet from when it was a ball of rock in the Solar System at a time of when no-one has a date, only assumptions.
Global warming is a direct result of climate change. I suspect from your comment you don’t know the difference between weather and climate.
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNR9xLzz87nlgZcOt1RwHRUvRgjjcQ%3A1573809915469&source=hp&ei=-27OXfH2GZ7D3LUP_4SYqAU&q=what+is+the+difference+between+climate+and+weather&oq=what+is+the+difference+between+climate+and+weather&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l7j0i22i30l3.1131.18160..22324…0.0..0.992.37099.6-43……0….1..gws-wiz…….35i39j0i131j0i333j0i22i10i30.LwTG9xbj20o
A theory held by the majority is not proof of its veracity
The meaning of the term scientific theory (often contracted to theory for brevity) as used in the disciplines of science is significantly different from the common vernacular usage of theory.
In everyday speech, theory can imply an explanation that represents an unsubstantiated and speculative guess, whereas in science it describes an explanation that has been tested and widely accepted as valid.