Australia Report And Update 14 February 2014 -- Murray Allatt Hello to everyone receiving this note. As all would know this has been a long hot summer so far with little rain anywhere on the continent except perhaps in far north Western Australia with the monsoons. Yes there was a cyclone in north Queensland that brought not much inland rain. And temperatures in much of the south east of the country from South Australia to Victoria and inland NSW has regularly got into the mid forties. So it was that early in the week Victoria was dealing with over 432 grass fires ( a dozen of which were believed arson) and the loss of 45 homes and tens of thousands of scorched acres as well as attendant stock losses. abc.net.au/news/2014-02-14/victorian-fires3a--45-homes-destroyed2c-thousands-of-stock-lo/5260722 South Australia also bore the brunt of fire and Adelaide broke a 117 year record for the number of days with temperatures over 40C. abc.net.au/news/2014-02-11/sa-fire-at-bangor-breaks-containment-lines/5252774 While at the end of the week there is widespread rain moving across various areas it is not drought breaking but various reports say it could be “drenching” over the weekend. https://google.au/#q=Rain+across+NSW Also early in the week the last auto builder standing”, Toyota, announced it would cease production in 2017. With Ford and Holden already having announced shut downs, from that time Australia will no longer make motor vehicles. Up to 50,000 may have to change their jobs. Most of those are in the auto parts industry as well as the several thousand directly employed in assembly lines. Reports and statements from Toyota cited various reasons and, as with Holden GM recently, stated additional taxpayer bailouts would not have changed their mind. Recently the union ran a successful case in the Federal Court opposing Toyota putting a proposal to workers to vary their Enterprise Agreement to reduce labor costs. The Gillard appointed judge, a former Melbourne barrister who almost exclusively in private practice worked for and appeared in Court for unions, found Toyota did not have the right to put such a proposal directly to workers without first having a vote of workers to allow the proposals be put. Toyota plainly decided it was too hard and that good unionists would just vote the way the shop stewards told them to. Which would be a NO. They had one chance to attempt to save their jobs and it seems decided they would rather be unemployed than lose some perks. The news has been littered with horrendous crimes this week or the aftermath. A fellow convicted of throwing his American fiancé off a 15th story balcony at Hyde Park in Sydney got an 18 year minimum. Many might have thought 35 or 40 years minimum would have been a more fitting minimum (non parole) as the circumstances and the appalling character of this wretch played out in evidence (noting that Australia does not allow the death penalty). Just two days ago a 14 year old Pacific Islander girl was pack raped in western Sydney while walking a short distance home from a girl friend’s home. The “alleged” perpetrators a gang of six Africans. A Sudanese born 16 year old is the first to be arrested. While elsewhere in a Victorian country town a father estranged from his family, allegedly suffering a psychiatric condition, beat his son to death with a cricket bat after cricket training. He was later shot dead by police when he confronted the police with a knife. These are just a couple of the “newsworthy” incidents. There are many other incidents of violence this past week. And you know next week will yield much the same. You just shudder and trust nothing such as that will come nigh thy house. But we know it can. The second baptism candidate again could not be baptised last weekend because of continued problems from concussion after being bashed unconscious on a Sydney train – reportedly by – Pacific Islanders. And yes, it appears the other passengers who witnessed the attack did stand by but rendered assistance and called for help after the thugs had left. On the light side there has been the Winter Olympics to brighten some parts of the week. After the incomplete hotel rooms (sinks without pipes, etc) it seems the Russians have got things organised and ready. For a reported $50 Billion cost you’d expect so. Then there is the Middle East. Week in, week out the Middle East constantly pushes itself into the news. You could consume a whole day or two a week just trying keep abreast of all of the news feeds dealing with the many, many issues that at any one time make up the broiling Middle East, from Turkey to Syria, to Lebanon to Egypt and the Gulf, capped off by the ever petulant Iran. Just one item this week is a summary report in “The Israel Project” of the threat to Israel from Hezbollah and Hamas and their missile arsenals – with a little help from Iran. Iranian-backed terror groups in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip are prepared to saturation bomb Israeli population centers across the country, according to assessments provided this week by intelligence analysts and boasts issued by Iranian figures. Hossein Sheikholeslam, the Iranian Parliament speaker’s top adviser for international affairs, reportedly bragged to Iranian media that Now Hezbollah has tens of thousands of missiles ready to be fired at Israel, describing Israeli missile defense as a theoretical joke. Israeli intelligence assesses that the Lebanese terror group has an arsenal of more than 100,000 projectiles, and that it is capable of blanketing civilians living anywhere in the country with rockets and missiles. Meanwhile David Horovitz, a veteran Israeli journalist and the founding editor of the Times of Israel, outlined how the Palestinian Hamas faction has in recent months substantially bolstered its capacity to fire on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the rest of central Israel, and describing an arsenal filled with dozens of indigenously produced M-75 rockets, with a range of 75 kilometers and more. The rockets range enables Hamas to target central Israel, a capability that the group found during the November 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense immensely bolstered its prestige. The Times of Israel also disclosed that Hamas has created a substantial network of tunnels... dozens of miles of underground networks in key areas of the Strip, which will be used in any future conflict to plant mines, move personnel, hide underground launchers, and harden command and control infrastructure. Then there is Germany. This story from Der Spiegel warrants a read: spiegel.de/international/world/how-world-war-i-peace-guaranteed-more-violence-a-950982.html Otherwise last weekend’s GTA telecast offering “Europe and America in Prophecy” brought some new contacts. This Sunday we have again , “The Bible, fact or fiction?”. We are once more promoting the program in the Sydney area through Facebook ads and posts and perhaps that will bring it to the attention of many who are unaware of it’s existence and perhaps a few will tune in. Well, also hopefully, those of us in areas needing rain (where doesn’t?) will enjoy some pounding on our roofs in the next day to two. Enjoy a restful and inspirational Sabbath. Murray Allatt Sydney
Posted on: Sat, 15 Feb 2014 01:57:50 +0000
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