".... very little has been achieved" because there is nothing to be achieved that will make one iota of difference to climate change; and silly children didn't, and haven't a clue about what 'more' can be done. The kiddies, as usual, have shaken their little fists at big, bad adults, and it's all over red rover. Total waste of time and money.

"Apparently, it is a big social error to be both young and female". One of the 'isms' had to be dragged in. It's a pity Thunderbox wasn't black as well as young and female.

Everald had enough material on Instinction Rebellion and Citizen Referenda. There was no need to mention a one-off freak. ER should have been hosed off the streets like the rubbish they are. But, CIR? That's been done over before, without success. Since the last discussion, governments have tightened up even more in Australia, and we are losing democracy hand over fist. CIR will never happen outside Switzerland, the only country resembling a democracy left in the West.

I very much like the idea of citizen initiated Referendums but with these conditions:
1) there are two options presented- a yes and no. The "yes" option must be a change against the status quo or the introduction of something completely new.
2) they are not compulsory (but voting for government should still be compulsory)- so this leaves the option for people to effectively vote "other/abstain" by not turning up
3) for it to be considered a "win" for the "yes" option, the yes vote must get 50% plus 1 vote of the whole eligible voting population (not just of the votes cast- so effectively the other/abstain/apathetic vote counts towards maintaining the status quo)
4) there is an exclusion time between voting on the same of similar issue to prevent continual repetitive referendums if the yes vote loses and the supporters of it don't accept the result- say 4/5 years

Regarding point 4 in my previous post- it also prevents a losing "no" vote from immediately contesting the result of a successful yes vote.

There are other things to consider in general regarding the machinery and logistics of CIRs (citizen initiated referendums). For example:
- any referendum instantiated law (that doesn't result in a constitutional change) should have mandatory sunset clauses that explicitly states how long it remains a law that cannot be overriden by parliament. It may indeed say that it is indefinite (ie: it can only be changed by other referenda in the future), but it must still explicitly state this
- the process of petitioning needs to be formalised and orderly. An independent body would have to be created to oversee this. It would manage issues regarding petitions so that they have clear legal wording of the proposed law, documentation and authentication of petitions, scrutinizing of signatories to any petitions, time limits to collect the signatures, and that the number of signatures required has been met. Regarding the last, the article suggests specific number = 250,000 (personally for me this is way too small) but it should instead be a percentage of the eligible voting population since the population size keeps increasing.

Yes lots of gross stupidity on display here Everald, but nowhere more apparent or obvious than in over-reacting, obtuse, obstinate, obdurate, autocratic administrations absolutely addicted to coal and the alleged disadvantages being visited on 12,000 CMFU workers!?

Whose rights would seem to trump those of 25 million other Australians! And it's that very attitude by officialdom that gives all the oxygen to the alleged antichrists!

It's is not as if we had no other options other than coal for cheap power! And our addiction to it has seen this state going backwards economically, at a rate of comparable knots!

Q: Why doesn't Queensland invest in for peaceful purpose nuclear energy?

A: Labor has a prohibition on nuclear energy as its official position!

Q: why?

A: Because its official Labor party policy!

Q: Yes You told me that already, but why?

A: Because its official Labor party policy!

Q: Yes (sigh) but why is that!?

A: Because dumb bum, it's official Labor policy!

Q: Yes you told us that already, still haven't told us why!?

A: Yes I/we have! How many deleted expletive times do I need to repeat myself ( shite for brains) before you understand why we don't have, cheaper than coal, nuclear power!

Q: What time is it now? And how many years do you have?

Understand the real problem yet Everald?
Alan B

Greta, Bless her got this bus on the road and alleged environmentally conscious Labor is feeling the heat! Given around 9$% of Australians now accept that climate change is real! With the remaining 6% obviously polishing government leather?

And reacting by giving handouts in place of the desalinated or recycled water or both, deep into drought-ravaged Queensland and or Australia! As we wait for the rains that'd mean we can kick this same can a little further down the road as we argue whose turn it is next time to continue the public deception/turn in government?

It's not as there weren't (as plain as the nose on your face) solutions!

But, accepting them would also mean officially accepting (cheaper than coal) nuclear energy!

We can use the old weapon of distraction to turn the Average Australian around and have their attention diverted of the survival of their kids and grandkids and onto a few rebels causing some public inconvenience!

And such a useful distraction! Well done, useful idiots!
Alan B.

If we here in Queensland, lifted our official prohibition on, for peaceful purpose, nuclear energy?

YES, BUT! THAT'S NOT OFFICIAL LABOR PARTY POLICY! AND MATTERS NOT IF IT'S THE ONLY VIABLE SOLUTION, GOING FORWARD!

MSR thorium, as the acceptable nuclear solution, would mean, we could also task them with (in absolute, perfect safety) burning other nation's nuclear waste.

And earn annual billons for providing this service as we the do more than any other in actually addressing climate change as well as returning really affordable energy to the state and the migrating industries, that would all but be compelled by the business case to relocate here.

Moreover, we could, using current transmission and or new graphene cored flat cables positioned under national highways to transmit this new energy, in income-earning, voluminous supply, to recipient southern states.

This new technology would also allow the recharging of electric vehicles, on the fly! From the Tweed to Cairns! Or anywhere else where the road has an underlay of 200 times stronger than steel, graphene!

All we need is to get that is, replace the gormless rednecks in our state parliament with logical reasoning, adults!

And wouldn't make a nice change from the illogical kindy kids there now, throwing their tantrums in the joint as they argue for their (fair go mum) turn in the sandpit/dodgem car!
Alan B.