Issue 77 26 October to 07 December, 2015 Saving you time for eight years. A Real International Edition IN THIS ISSUE: PM travels fast and hopefully productively National Innovation and Science Agenda Paris Shorter lengthens Brough problem Goodbye Bruce McFarlane Jigsaw Thawley out, Parkinson in Upcoming Budget ideas. Tax,etc. Harpur report done.. With some poor Effects. Vocational training as good as Pinkbats. PM covers distance: Asia, Malta Paris Chinese land investment. No Coal. China. India. Australia. Other countries. Who needs it? Price? Fwacking (Kevin) Andrews remains not so quiet. Final. Yes to Boots on Ground. Contact Us Affairs of State Letter from Canberra 14 Collins Street Melbourne, 3000 A monthly digest of news from around Australia. Victoria, Australia P 03 9654 1300 Saving you time; now in its eighth year. F 03 9654 1165 Contents [email protected] www.affairs.com.au 3 Editorial 15 Agriculture, Cattle & Water 3 Feature Item 1. 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It does not have the 13 Tourism 22 Society imprimatur of government at any level. 14 Climate Change, Environment, Energy 22 Vale The only communication tool of its type, Letter from Canberra keeps subscribers abreast of recent About the editor developments in the policy arena on a local, state Alistair Urquhart, BA LLB and federal level. Alistair Urquhart graduated from the Australian National University in Canberra, in Law, History and Politics. He may Published by A.B Urquhart & Company Pty Ltd even hold the record for miles rowed on Lake Burley Griffin. trading as Affairs of State. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor to the Supreme Court of Victoria, and remains a (non-practicing) member of Disclaimer: Material in this publication is general the Law Institute of Victoria. Previously, he graduated from comment and not intended as advice on any high school in Bethesda, Maryland, and had many particular matter. Professional advice should to be opportunities to become aware of the workings of Washington D.C. sought before action is taken. For 30 years, he listened every Sunday evening to the late Material is complied from various sources Alistair Cooke and his Letter from America . Alistair’s early including newspaper articles, press releases, career was mostly in the coal industry, where he became government publications, Hansard, trade journals, involved with energy, environmental and water issues, and later in the SME finance sector. etc. He found time to be involved in a range of community The editor at Excello Cafe with friends Copyright: This newsletter is copyright. No part may activities where he came to understand some of the Filip Ivankovik and the Hon Tim Fischer be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a practical aspects of dealing with government and meeting people across the political spectrum. 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Edited words in this edition: 26,608 The firm provides the following to clients: - Two monthly publications - Events at our offices and elsewhere - Charts and specialist directories Staff - Facilitation with business and legal skills - Training courses Editor - Mentoring of senior executives Alistair Urquhart [email protected] Sub Editor (since Edition 199) Josh Davis [email protected] Design Cory Zanoni [email protected] This issue designed by Mab Rahman Copy Editor Robert Stove [email protected] Subscriptions & advertising Katie Rigg [email protected] 26 October to 07 December 2015 Letter From Canberra EDITORIAL 10 times in five minutes and was shot down by to change Australia’s rules of engagement.’ Yet two Turkish F-16s. Russia insisted the plane was these rules are increasingly being criticised as too International affairs is at the top of the media in Syrian airspace.’ tight, especially following the terrorist attacks in thermometer presently. Paris. After Paris Horror, Brussels In Lockdown ISIS and Syria and their various local relations The Herald Sun announced that Belgium’s capital For instance, Max Boot at the Council of Foreign and friends, and nations further away, in was put on full-alert security mode in the Relations insisted, in the Financial Review on particular. Australians are still not quite sure immediate aftermath of the Paris terror attacks. November 19, that the fight against the IS ‘is an whether we will be putting any soldiers on the Brussels’s threat level was raised for several days American fight, one that will not succeed without ground again in this region (apart from some to its highest setting, with the Belgian government American leadership. Far from having been trainers and other advisers). Looks like we will having imposed a city-wide lockdown based on “contained” – as President Barack Obama said in follow the Yanks and so do. direct information of a ‘serious and imminent’ an interview that aired the morning of the Paris ‘Paris’ rocketed this region’s issues to the top of attack. attacks – IS is using its operational base in Iraq the tree, and the wider Muslim issues. A week and Syria to mount an increasingly dangerous later, your editor reckons that a few more No Boots On Ground terrorist offensive … Australians including himself, and citizens of Malcolm Turnbull , according to The Australian , ‘A force of perhaps 20,000 US troops, backed by other countries and their politicians had become has rebuked those members of his government contributions from allies such as France, would more educated on the many and the most who have urged him to send Australian combat make a big difference on the ground.’ France important issues so related, including refugees. troops to fight in Syria and Iraq. On November 23 itself was described by The Age on November 24 the Prime Minister told Federal Parliament that as pushing for coalition partners in Iraq and Syria, Paris might have attracted the recent destruction while military force would be necessary to defeat Australia included, to step up their military because, partly it was soon to attract one of the the Islamic State, it would be unrealistic for contributions. other main items on the world stage, the Climate Australia to embark on a ‘boots on the ground’ Change conference 30 November to 11 campaign. (Watch this Space.) Meanwhile, former Spectator Australia editor December. No longer called global warming. Tom Switzer expressed – in a Financial Review Most countries, large and small, powerful and less The Herald Sun quoted Turnbull as observing: column on November 24 – doubts as to whether so, rich and poor, attended. Our own prime ‘We must not let grief or anger cloud our Obama would actually send combat troops to minister attended for a day or two, as did most judgement. Our response must be as clear-eyed Syria. Nor did he want the US President to do so. other national leaders, and then came home/ and strategic as it is determined. This is not a time The column states that ‘Washington’s refusal to leaving the detail to a swath of delegates, civil for gestures or machismo. Calm, clinical, change course in the wake of the Paris atrocities is servants, policy makers and others, with a mix of professional, effective. That’s how we defeat this more prudent than the assertive interventionists passion and facts. menace.’ suggest. … Your editor had many years in the international Kevin Andrews , who was Tony Abbott ’s ‘Consider this: From 2003 to 2011, coal business, so he is watching the negotiations Defence Minister but who is no longer in the notwithstanding as many as 180,000 coalition and agreements with great interest. And the cabinet, disagrees. He has said that air strikes troops in Iraq, the US struggled to defeat the Fracking were not enough to defeat ISIS: ‘More is Sunni insurgency that has morphed into a plethora required.’ This was the theme of Mr Andrews’s of Sunni jihadists. How only 20,000 ground Your editor continues to be asked whether he Financial Review column the same day, where he troops would fare better in IS strongholds in both prefers our present prime minister or the former maintained that ‘Air strikes alone will not defeat Iraq and Syria is never explained.’ one, or one of those before that.