Questionable government decision draws ire on social media

Christopher Pyne.

A new Growth Centre established by the Australian Government will drive innovation, competitiveness and productivity across the oil, gas, coal and uranium sectors.

The Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Growth Centre, to be known as National Energy Resources Australia (NERA), will promote collaboration and innovation across the energy resources sector.

Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne said the Australian Government was investing $15.4 million over four years in the growth centre.

Read the story by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne - “Energy resources growth centre launched.”

(This Federal Government decision contradicts a world-wide move to renewable energy and has brought many comments on social-media ranging from stupid to confusing and mystifying and short-sighted. It is rather difficult to disagree with those observations and equally difficult to disprove them – Robert McLean).

Greg Hunt - the best Minister in the world?

Greg Hunt - best Minister in the World?

Poor Greg Hunt. No one deserves this. Least of all Greg.

The Best Minister in the World?

Imagine his return to the Cabinet room.

Striving for a suitably appropriate air of modesty, he arrives just as Christopher Pyne is regaling the colleagues with an old joke about John Lennon being asked whether Ringo is the best drummer in the world.

"He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles," screams Christopher in a marvellous attempt at a Liverpool accent.

Read Tony Wright’s “Sketch” in today’s Melbourne Age - “Greg Hunt, the greatest minister in the world,accepts his colleagues' acclaim.”

(I do wonder upon what criteria such an award as won by Greg Hunt is based. No doubt Mr Hunt’s boosters would be excited by this feeling it was entirely justified, while those at the other end of the spectrum, climate activists who are aware of his environmental failings, undoubtedly question and damn the whole process – Robert McLean).

Bjorn Lomberg loses government favour and support

T

Bjorn Lomberg.

he federal government has dropped its offer to spend $4 million on a research centre to be headed by climate change "contrarian" Bjorn Lomborg.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham said his predecessor Christopher Pyne made the decision in the last week of his tenure, which would have been when Malcolm Turnbull deposed Tony Abbott as leader of the Liberal Party. It came to light that the idea for government funding of the centre had originated from Abbott's office, with Pyne tasked with finding a University to host the centre in return for $4 million in government funding.

Read the story by Tristan Edis on The Climate Spectator - “Government dumps Bjorn Lomborg centre initiative”.