Following a busy day of G20 engagements on Saturday, world leaders took time out to meet some of Australia's most recognisable residents: koalas.

The leaders wrapped up the day's proceedings with a reception at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, after a walkabout along the city's river.

During the reception leaders and delegates mingled inside the gallery, which showcased traditional Indigenous artwork, and became acquainted with koalas.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-16/leaders-show-their-softer-side-with-koala-cuddles/5894728

read also: the rabid liberals (CONservatives) hate forests but love logs...

Koala one: we're the cuddly ones... What cuddly side do these suited monkeys have?...

Koala two: they are very clumsy chimps... they only have one thumb on each paws... WE HAVE TWO!...

(note: Koalas have "two thumbs")

And right now, on our behalf, he is squaring up to Vlad, who has a much nicer dressing gown and probably better trainers.

Over what? The allegation a Soviet BUK bought down MH17. He saw it as his Howard/Bali/unify the country moment, but he blew it. Unlike Bali, there has never been any hard evidence — fog of war.

Supposed photographs from a low orbit satellite, which might themselves be photo-shopped, purport to show a Ukrainian MIG firing on and bringing down the jetliner. (daily mail)

The images of the Cameron Abbott love-fest at G20 are enough to make Cecil Rhodes orgasm in his grave. Mad dogs and Englishmen.

In none of the media reports of the Russian nuclear fleet pacing menacingly off the coast was there any mention of a U.S. or British seaborne force.

So let’s hope the LNP have Plan B.

Punching with your eyes shut is no way to fight.

Ross Jones will be speaking at the IA function at the Summer Hill Hotel on Friday. If you'd like to attend please get in quickly as there are only a few places left.

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/punching-with-your-eyes-shut,7100

First Dog on the Moon – koalas at the G20

The Greens have accused the Federal Government and Opposition of turning renewable energy certificates into "dead koala certificates".

Last night, the Parliament passed a bill to cut the renewable energy target (RET) from 41,000 gigawatt hours to 33,000 gigawatt hours.

The legislation included allowing burning of native wood waste to be counted as a renewable energy source.

Greens co-deputy leader Larissa Waters said it was a "lifeline to native forest logging" that will revive the industry.

The change means forestry companies are eligible to sell renewable energy certificates, which the Greens fear will lead to more logging of koala habitats.

"This, basically, is dead koala certificates they're making by allowing native forests to be logged and burnt," she said.

"It's not economic for native forest logging to occur unless they can find some sort of market for what is about 90 per cent of logs that don't make the grade to be sawmill logs.

"Native forest logging was actually finishing up and we were transitioning to plantation logging — which the Greens support."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-24/greens-accuse-government-of-creating-27dead-koala-certificates/6569594

See toon mischief at top... Zoos, G20s and circuses are not a compensation for extinction...

The NSW Government is ignoring its own guidelines to build a Highway upgrade through nationally important population of koalas. Sue Arnold reports.

A nationally designated important population of koalas will shortly be subjected to starvation, dehydration, blasting, heavy vehicle traffic, loss of habitat, stress, noise, blasting, vibrations, bushfire risk, entrapment, and death — all sanctioned by the NSW and Federal governments.

The site of sacrifice is section 10 of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway Upgrade. Instead of developing a route through nearby flat cane fields, NSW Roads and has elected to ram through pristine forests. The Highway Upgrade will result is the loss of around 90 hectares of koala habitat, nearly 40% known to be supporting resident koala populations, estimated to be around 196 adult koalas.

Around 50% of the preferred food trees will be cleared for construction.

As the "important population" designation was an inconvenience to the State and Federal governments:

... the Department of Environment revised its Koala referral guidelines. The revised guideline does not require that ‘important populations’, as defined the Department of Environment’s Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1, to be identified in undertaking impact assessments due to the paucity of information about the distribution of koala populations across the range of the species. The guidelines now focus on habitat assessment, field survey, consideration of the severity of potential impacts and the likely success of mitigation as main factor in assessment.

This statement ignores a mountain of research demonstrating that virtually all koala populations in the state are in decline or extinct.     

In spite of major efforts by scientists, lawyers, conservation and community organisations, in the next week, NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), will begin an effort that can only be described as an environmental holocaust. What was once an “important” population will be trashed in the obscene haste to finish the Pacific Highway.

read more;

https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/pacific-highway-koala...

See toon at top...