Gassing us up Ok, I think we can call it: if it ever meant anything, the phrase “cancel culture” is officially meaningless. Following COP26, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) — a group of 18 gas exporting countries headquartered in Qatar — have put out a statement lamenting the “the ongoing reductionism and cancel culture on hydrocarbons”.
Between this and John Cleese voluntarily withdrawing from a Cambridge University event and calling it “cancel culture”, I think we can haul the phrase off in a body bag.
Adem’s adventures in good government Disgraced former Victorian Labor MP Adem Somyurek is the latest aggrieved party to attach themselves to the movement against Premier Dan Andrews‘ pandemic bill. With palpable, audible glee, he is returning to Parliament to vote against it. He writes in The Herald Sun that the bill gives “too much power to the government”:
Since I did not trust the opposition (Coalition) with such power I would argue that without meaningful parliamentary oversight and independent review mechanisms as Victorians we all risk the prospect of being unjustly governed by a Coalition despot in the future.
Ah yes, we’re so glad that Somyurek is continuing his life long commitment to consistency in government, ensuring proper oversight, and ensuring that government figures don’t accrue too much unchecked power.
Quantum of solace With the government playing catch up with most developed countries and yesterday announcing it was tipping money into quantum computing (the most hyped technology until blockchain came along to change the game), we were treated to Minister for Science Melissa Price being allowed out of witness protection to pronounce “Australia is a world leader in quantum”, refraining from adding that only a quantum computer could ascertain her whereabouts most of the time. It swells the heart to hear that we’re a world leader in “quantum”, but we have some competition for that title — indeed, when it comes to quantum computing, the leaderboard is more crowded than the first day of the Masters.
“The UK is a world leader in quantum technologies,” according to the UK government . So is the Netherlands, says the Dutch government. And “Canada is a true global leader in quantum“. Then there’s Austria — a world leader in quantum technology according to the EU president. Let’s not forget the United States is a world leader in quantum computing research. Japan is among the leaders in quantum research. Finland too. Then there’s the second tier leaders: “Today, France is a leader in quantum technologies in Europe”. and those who aspire to leadership: “Spain intends to rub shoulders with world leaders in quantum computing” while the Swedes also want to become “a leading player in quantum technology“.
Except there really is only one world leader in quantum computing, and that’s China. We’re surprised the announcement wasn’t sold as a crucial step in our brave defence of Taiwan.
Taming of the new (website) Well, I guess this counts as a little forward sizzle, but it looks like Australian of the Year Grace Tame is launching a foundation — or at least someone has put together a website (still locked at time of writing) and an (as yet post free) Instagram account to that effect:
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