Surface to Air Missiles; Follow up to repeal of Carbon tax; Australian-Israel Relations

Surface to Air Missiles

Whoever is responsible for shooting down the Malaysian airline with the terrible loss of 28 Australian lives, it is as well to recognise that there will be other “terrorist” types who will  use surface to air missiles to heights at which planes now fly. In one sense this is a repeat of the 9/11 take-over and the (later) attempt of the shoe bomber.

Carbon Tax Repeal

It is of some interest that the Wall St Journal has congratulated Abbott and added that he “could start a trend that has greens worried” (see below). One obvious step would be to publish facts which would improve public understanding of the extent and probable causes of global temperature changes over the past century or so and what might happen in the future. It is little known for example that, of the increase in temperature of 0.8 of a degree, about half was not due to human use of fossil fuels. Similarly, few are aware that even clever climate scientists are unable to satisfactorily explain the halt in temperature increases over the past 17 years and whether that might continue or even fall in future years.

The publication of these and other facts by the Abbott government would also help it in determining its climate change policies domestically and for presentation at the international conferences scheduled over the next nine months.

A useful summary was published in The Australian of developments and possible future issues.

Australian/Israel Relations

That Israeli forces have crossed into Gaza indicates the continuing refusal  of Hamas to cease firing rockets (except for brief periods). Following is an extract from an interview of Abbott by Chris Uhlmann earlier today:

CHRIS UHLMANN: Look, also overnight, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza. You spoke to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently. What was your message to him?

TONY ABBOTT: Well again, it’s the message that Australia has consistently given. We support Israel’s right to exist; we support a two state solution in the area. We recognise Israel’s right to self-defence and we deplore the firing of rockets, the constants firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel.

CHRIS UHLMANN: But does this offensive against Gaza, particularly a ground offensive, damage Israel in your view?

TONY ABBOTT: Well again, Chris, it’s very early. There are just the opening reports that something is happening. I don’t think that Israel particularly wants to escalate this conflict, but understandably Israel does want to ensure that its citizens are as safe as they possibly can be and Israel does have a right of self-defence against an entity which is so determined to continue to launch rockets at innocent citizens.