Perspective: Our dirty fuel is a bigger killer than COVID-19: how Australia fails on car emissions | johnrhewson
In his recent controversial speech in London, Tony Abbott said we should be less like “trauma doctors” and think more like “health economists, trained to pose uncomfortable questions about a level of deaths we might have to live with”. Abbott asked: “How much is a life worth?” He contested lockdowns as an appropriate policy response to the pandemic, preferring “a course of conduct that individuals choose for themselves”.
Vehicle emissions, second only to emissions from the energy sector, are a major challenge to the essential transition to a low-carbon Australia. In large part, our political and policy processes have been distorted, if not corrupted. It has much to do with the power of the four oil majors – BP, Viva , Mobil and Caltex – which supply our fuel, and exercise undue influence over our governments. Some 90 per cent of fuel is imported – 60 per cent directly, and the four majors refining the rest using 80 per cent imported crude feedstock.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Andrews denies Victoria COVID-19 strategy has shifted to 'eradication strategy' | Sky News AustraliaPremier Daniel Andrews has labelled criticisms he has shifted Victoria's COVID-19 approach from a suppression strategy to an eradication strategy 'nonsense'.\n\nThe Victorian Premier defended his approach claiming it was agreed upon by the National Cabinet that 'very low, to no mystery cases' would be a crucial component of dealing with the virus.\n\n'In order to have confidence you can keep numbers low for the long term, you need to get numbers low, as low as you possibly can to have confidence,' Mr Andrews said.
Read more »
COVID-19 vaccine would be a 'gamechanger' for Trump | Sky News AustraliaUnited States Studies Centre CEO Simon Jackman says the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine before the November election would be a “gamechanger” for President Trump.\n\n“If there were a vaccine rolled out and it was efficacious and it was widely distributed and really knocked this thing on its head before election day, that would be nothing short of a political triumph,” he told Sky News.\n\nThe President faces a political deficit on the pandemic with COVID-19 the “single biggest factor” where Donald Trump has a negative rating relative to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.\n\nMr Jackman also highlighted the widely publicised news story reporting Donald Trump made disparaging remarks about America’s fallen soldiers. \n\n“The idea that the commander in chief was reported to be talking that way about people who serve, people who have died for their country, that is a massive political dagger,” he said.\n\nAccording to Mr Jackman the significance of this news story was it “put Trump on the defensive” and resulted in a situation where he was not in control of the agenda for a good two or three news cycles over the Labor Day weekend.\n\nImage: AP
Read more »
AstraZeneca suspends trials of COVID-19 vaccine | Sky News AustraliaPharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has suspended its COVID-19 vaccine trial after a participant suffered an adverse reaction, casting doubts on whether the vaccine would be ready by early next year.\n\nSky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell said it was 'pretty optimistic' to suggest a COVID-19 vaccine would be ready by 'early next year'.\n\n“I was surprised that Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt were so definitive the other day,” he said.\n\nMr Clennell pointed out the statement from Astra Zeneca “doesn’t even definitively say the illness from the person in the trial was related to the trial” but said he had always thought the development of a vaccine would take 2-3 years.\n\n“I guess I saw this coming,” he said.\n\nHe said while it was important for the Morrison government to give people hope, the public would not be overly kind if the Prime Minister “overpromises and under-delivers”.\n\nThe federal government sealed a deal to ensure priority access to an Oxford University developed trial vaccine which would be manufactured in Melbourne and distributed by AstraZeneca as part of its $1.7 billion commitment.\n\n
Read more »
Andrews 'not interested' in politics of COVID-19 | Sky News AustraliaDaniel Andrews says he will speak to the prime minister about the future of JobKeeper and JobSeeker for Victorians and says politics “is of no use” in the fight against COVID-19.\n\n“I will be having some conversations with the Prime Minister later on this week and it is best that I have those conversations with him rather than broadcasting my message,” Mr Andrews said.\n\n“I don’t think that necessarily achieves anything. I am not interested in, at all, at all in the politics of this. I am just not. It doesn’t work. It doesn’t work. Politics is of no use in the fight against this virus.\n\n“That has always been my view and that won’t be changing.”\n
Read more »
NSW records nine new COVID-19 infections, all known sources or in hotel quarantineNSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says there have been nine new coronavirus infections in her state in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday.
Read more »
Victoria reports 76 new coronavirus cases and 11 COVID-19 deathsVictoria has recorded 76 new coronavirus infections overnight and 11 further deaths, taking the state's COVID-19 death toll to 694.
Read more »