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I love my country, but we are struggling to escape from the influence of our mining magnates. Let's not forget our PM famously bringing a chunk of coal into par

I love my country, but we are struggling to escape from the influence of our mining magnates. Let's not forget our PM famously bringing a chunk of coal into parliament: https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2017/feb/09/scott-morrison-brings-a-chunk-of-coal-into-parliament-video https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2017/feb/09/scott-m...

hnick 5y ago
And notice how it's not leaving any marks. I heard it was coated/varnished. Can't have people thinking coal is dirty or anything crazy like that.
- roenxi 5y ago
  I'm don't really see an issue if he did, but it isn't hard to find a good solid sample of coal where all the dust has been brushed off. NSW mines a lot of coal and covers the spectrum of different coal grades.
- qwnp 5y ago
  It's hard to tell from images available online, but it may have been anthracite or bituminous coal, which are both surprisingly hard - more like a brittle rock than, say, the charcoal you'd use in a BBQ.
  - hnick 5y ago
    True, this article claims it was varnished but I don't see any evidence for the claim. Regardless, it was a silly stunt but did show his allegiance clearly. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/big-rocks-tiny-rocks-talking-trees/news-story/224fe8886e5f61950bf5a7acca966c9b https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine...
  - dTal 5y ago
    Apparently anthracite is even sometimes used as a gemstone. I've certainly seen ornaments carved out of it.
anothernewdude 5y ago
Yancoal, like Australia, is owned by China.
fruityrudy 5y ago
What difference would eliminating entire coal industry have on anything though?
- ceejayoz 5y ago
  In the US, the coal industry employs fewer people than Arby’s. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/31/8-surprisingly-small-industries-that-employ-more-people-than-coal/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/31/8-sur...
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    Coal is bad enough that we can justify getting rid of it without disingenuous comparisons of decently compensated mining jobs to min-wage sandwich assembly.
    - ceejayoz 5y ago
      The US is a country of 330M people. Coal employs about 60k here. There’s no reason to keep acting like it’s a key aspect of the economy.
      - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
        Nobody is saying coal is a key aspect of the economy but thanks for the straw-man. I'm saying you can justify getting rid of coal without borderline lying by comparing the jobs to burger flippers. These are respectable heavy industry jobs that pay respectable salaries and they are a large enough fraction of the economy in a couple states that you can't just hand wave it away as a non-issue. A good point of comparison is the logging/timber industry which employs similar numbers and is also geographically concentrated. We need to be honest about the fact that there will be regional economies that are hurt badly if we artificially get rid of coal faster than the market forces are doing.
        ceejayoz 5y ago
icanhackit 5y ago
The federal opposition could one-up them and carry in a PV panel and battery cell claiming it and the light reflecting from Minister Dutton's head is the key to our future (the latter part only if they want to channel Paul Keating's spite).
- Cyykratahk 5y ago
  Chris Bowen brought a solar panel into parliament just a few days ago: https://twitter.com/MichaelM_ACT/status/1405035688681111554 https://twitter.com/MichaelM_ACT/status/1405035688681111554
9387367 5y ago
Scott Morrison has always been pro coal.

hnick 5y ago

And notice how it's not leaving any marks. I heard it was coated/varnished. Can't have people thinking coal is dirty or anything crazy like that.

roenxi 5y ago
I'm don't really see an issue if he did, but it isn't hard to find a good solid sample of coal where all the dust has been brushed off. NSW mines a lot of coal and covers the spectrum of different coal grades.
qwnp 5y ago
It's hard to tell from images available online, but it may have been anthracite or bituminous coal, which are both surprisingly hard - more like a brittle rock than, say, the charcoal you'd use in a BBQ.
- hnick 5y ago
  True, this article claims it was varnished but I don't see any evidence for the claim. Regardless, it was a silly stunt but did show his allegiance clearly. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/big-rocks-tiny-rocks-talking-trees/news-story/224fe8886e5f61950bf5a7acca966c9b https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine...
- dTal 5y ago
  Apparently anthracite is even sometimes used as a gemstone. I've certainly seen ornaments carved out of it.

anothernewdude 5y ago

Yancoal, like Australia, is owned by China.

fruityrudy 5y ago

What difference would eliminating entire coal industry have on anything though?

ceejayoz 5y ago
In the US, the coal industry employs fewer people than Arby’s. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/31/8-surprisingly-small-industries-that-employ-more-people-than-coal/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/31/8-sur...
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  Coal is bad enough that we can justify getting rid of it without disingenuous comparisons of decently compensated mining jobs to min-wage sandwich assembly.
  - ceejayoz 5y ago
    The US is a country of 330M people. Coal employs about 60k here. There’s no reason to keep acting like it’s a key aspect of the economy.
    - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
      Nobody is saying coal is a key aspect of the economy but thanks for the straw-man. I'm saying you can justify getting rid of coal without borderline lying by comparing the jobs to burger flippers. These are respectable heavy industry jobs that pay respectable salaries and they are a large enough fraction of the economy in a couple states that you can't just hand wave it away as a non-issue. A good point of comparison is the logging/timber industry which employs similar numbers and is also geographically concentrated. We need to be honest about the fact that there will be regional economies that are hurt badly if we artificially get rid of coal faster than the market forces are doing.
      - ceejayoz 5y ago

icanhackit 5y ago

The federal opposition could one-up them and carry in a PV panel and battery cell claiming it and the light reflecting from Minister Dutton's head is the key to our future (the latter part only if they want to channel Paul Keating's spite).

Cyykratahk 5y ago
Chris Bowen brought a solar panel into parliament just a few days ago: https://twitter.com/MichaelM_ACT/status/1405035688681111554 https://twitter.com/MichaelM_ACT/status/1405035688681111554

9387367 5y ago

Scott Morrison has always been pro coal.