54 — Roasted celery

We cover the Dutch welfare scandal, the government shovelling more subsidies into the gas industry, the Celery Discorse and what Michael McCormack has been up to.

Clog scandal
The Netherlands have done a mini-Robodebt, wrongly accusing thousands of families of abusing a childcare allowance scheme.
The entire Dutch government have “quit” over this scandal.
However, they remain in place in a caretaker capacity. Shades of Bridget McKenzie’s “resignation” here.

Climate news
The Federal government is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidies into gas fracking in the Beetaloo Basin.
The gas from the basin is set to emit up to 117 megatonnes of greenhouse gas per year. The entire Australian transport sector produces about 100 megatonnes.

Farm news
Farmers in Victoria have been forced to dump $150,000 worth a celery crops.
International students were abandoned by the government response to COVID.
Fact check: Celery is good. A real team player. Put it in a stir-fry you dummies, or this fish stew is seriously great.

Sports corner
The Australian open has been delayed, and is bringing Coronavirus-positive players and staff into Australia.
Tennys Sandgren II has covid.
Players are furious after being forced into hard hotel quarantine, despite being promised practice time.
Premier Dan Andrews pushed for the Australian Open to remain in Melbourne.
Who remembers last year’s Australian Open, when Slovenian player Dalila Jakupovic due to bushfire smoke?

Michael McCormack watch
Scott Morrison is on holiday, leaving real man and Nationals Leader Michael McCormack in charge.
First, he equated the US Capitol riots to Black Lives Matter.
Then he doubled down, dropping an “All Lives Matter”.
During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson attempted to introduce a motion that “All Lives Matter”.
Australia doesn’t have a right to free speech.
McCormack also defended George “Unusually Complex Online Presence” Christenson.
Read Jeff Sparrow’s article on the rise of Australia’s far-right.

Actions
Shoutout to Quantas workers and their unions, fighting back against the airline for underpayment and abuses of the Jobkeeper scheme.
Keep an eye on the Australian media coverage of the US Capitol riots, and complete our bingo card.
Attend the Invasion Day rallies around Australia.