Jennifer Marohasy

Some people grow old, I would also like to grow wise.

GARY Johns, a former colleague and friend of many years, has just had a book published by Connor Court entitled ‘Aboriginal self-determination: The Whiteman’s dream’.   I haven’t got my copy yet, so can’t provide a review, but no doubt it will be hard hitting.   Gary believes in integration, not self determination, for Australia’s aborigines.  According to Gary: “Aboriginal self-determination [...]

ONE of the best Christmas presents I received this year is a film by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan entitled ‘The National Parks: America’s Best Idea’ – as twelve episodes contained in a case of five DVDs. So far I’ve watched episodes one to four which begin with John Muir’s campaign to protect Yosemite in the [...]

State and federal governments, blinded by alarmist reports falsely predicting a dry future, have done very little about flood mitigation – except perhaps from sea-level rise. Earlier today, the small town of Theodore was evacuated as the Dawson River flooded.      The Dawson River merges with the McKenzie River, forming the Fitzroy River, which flows through [...]

“Despite its name, Christians don’t own Christmas. The celebration of the winter solstice is a European cultural inheritance that’s been purloined by the Christian branch of our global family. I say it’s high time we non-theists contested the Will. Winter festivals were a feature of European pagan calendars long before Christ. Christianity cannot claim exclusive [...]

I’ve just received an email with Season’s Greetings from Neil Hewett.  Those who have followed this blog for several years will remember Neil for his wonderful posts from the Daintree Rainforest of North Queensland – the oldest surviving rainforest in the world.  Neil wrote: As 2010 draws to a close, we reflect upon a year [...]

“ANNA Bligh, the Queensland Premier, has backed calls for the Labor Party to review its policy on nuclear power “The Queensland Premier has warned that renewable sources cannot meet the surging demand for baseload electricity…  according to The Australian. PHIL Sawyer, friend, retired fisherman, foundation member of the Australian Environment Foundation and member of the ALP, explains why the ALP will [...]

“Let’s hope Santa isn’t relying on weather forecasts from the U.K. Met Office. The British deep freeze of recent weeks (which has also immobilized much of continental Europe) is profoundly embarrassing for the official forecaster. Just two months ago it projected a milder than usual winter. “This debacle is more than merely embarrassing. The Met [...]

It’s been a big year, especially the second half. An election where they disinvited Kevin Rudd, the Republicans rolled the Democrats, and now Julian Assange rolls everyone. Plenty for bloggers to blog about, and we’re hunting for the best of them. Best Blogs is a collaboration with Club Troppo where we look for the best [...]

SNOWY Hydro has denied playing a role in exacerbating this month’s devastating floods despite a leaked document which appears to show that the authority released almost 7000 megalitres from Eucumbene Dam on December 8 – causing water levels to rise to peaks of close to 10 metres downstream in the Murrumbidgee. Any water release from [...]