Government has already accepted PUP amendments: Hunt

Coalition and PUP senators have spent the weekend going over PUP amendments to the repeal bill, which Mr Hunt says have already been accepted by the Government.

"All three sets of amendments they presented were accepted in full by the Government. The last of them was literally two minutes from being moved by one of their own senators when their senators were pulled off the floor," he said.

"That is something that they have to explain."

The amendment in question was tabled to impose penalties on power companies that fail to pass on savings from the carbon tax repeal to consumers, but it was curiously withdrawn by the PUP itself.

It later emerged the clerk of the Senate had advised PUP the amendment was unconstitutional because the 250 per cent penalty that applied to companies could be seen as a tax, and would therefore have to pass the House of Representatives first.

Mr Palmer accused the Government of "double-crossing" his party.

But in Mr Hunt's interview with Fairfax Radio, he said the final version of the amendment had been approved by the Senate clerk.

"The final version, which had been ticked off by the clerk of the Senate, was constitutional. [It] was about to be moved by the Palmer senators and they walked out on their own amendment. They never presented that constitutional version," he said.

Mr Hunt is confident that the final version of the amendments will be passed and the carbon tax will be repealed by the end of the week.

"There have been some minor edits [over the weekend] to ensure that any remaining questions about the scope and unintended consequences on small businesses are removed," he said.

"My hope and expectation is that by the end of the week we will have repealed the carbon tax."

Mr Hunt also said Family First Senator Bob Day and Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm were both comfortable with the clarifications to those amendments.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-13/carbon-tax-repeal-greg-hunt-blames-clive-palmer-for-senate-delay/5592916

read also: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/13/coalition-confident-carbon-tax-repeal-is-finally-secure-under-pup-deal

 

and also read: so what's the real purpose of the abbott-palmer war?...

 

TROPICAL STORM RAMMASUN UPDATE NUMBER 001 
Issued at: 6:00 PM PhT (10:00 GMT) Saturday 12 July 2014
Next Update: 6:00 AM PhT (22:00 GMT) Sunday 13 July 2014

The Tropical Depression (TD) which passed over Guam this morning has strengthened into a Tropical Storm (TS)...and is now named "RAMMASUN" - a Thai word for "God of Thunder." This cyclone is forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) ...

http://weather.com.ph/announcements/tropical-storm-rammasun-update-number-001

 

-------------------------------

This little cyclone about to hit The Philippines soon is followed by another not yet on the "official" public charts but already showing on the 7 days forecast for professionals. Just for your information.

The debate around climate change in Australia has turned into a circus over the years, and all because of one thing: money, writes Ian Verrender.

"The world's climate scientists have provided us with a clear message - that the balance of evidence suggests humans are having a discernible influence on global climate."

As the Senate shimmies and shakes to Clive Palmer's bizarre dance routine around the carbon tax, and with the Federal Government looking increasingly desperate to deliver on a major election plank, it is worth harking back to these words, uttered by an eminent Australian.

The year was 1997. And the landmark speech - Safeguarding the Future: Australia's Response to Climate Change - was seen as a turning point, an awakening even, for the nation and its attitude towards a global challenge.

It was a speech that spawned the birth of Australia's renewable energy sector and the man who uttered those words went on to champion plans for an emissions trading scheme in an effort to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases and global warming.

And just who was this environmental warrior? If you guessed Greens leader Bob Brown, you'd be barking up the wrong tree. Paul Keating, perhaps? Wrong again. Malcolm Turnbull? Nup.

It was John Winston Howard, the 25th prime minister of Australia, who would go on to establish the country's Renewable Energy Target.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-14/verrender-climate-debate-trashed-for-short-term-gain/5593536

 

Wild weather that tore through Perth's southern suburbs, causing widespread damage, has been categorised as a tornado by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Residents of Hilton and O'Connor woke on Monday to find roofs torn off houses, downed powerlines and smashed trees, and a dinghy landed in someone's front yard. More than 80 State Emergency Service volunteers responded to 75 calls for help.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman said a wind engineer had inspected damage in Hilton and concluded a tornado had hit the suburb, with winds well exceeding 125km/h.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/14/tornado-hits-perths-southern-suburbs-with-winds-exceeding-125kmh

Police are investigating medical equipment relied on by two men who died during a storm which cut power to a number of Perth suburbs this morning.

The ABC understands the men, both aged 25 and living in the southern Perth suburb of Beaconsfield, had muscular dystrophy, a neuromuscular, genetic disorder which results in the progressive deterioration of muscle strength and function.

Western Australian Police have confirmed their coronial unit is investigating the incident, after being called to the men's residence at about 7:30am today.

"Both men had pre-existing medical conditions which required medical assistance," the police spokeswoman said.

"The deaths are not being treated as suspicious.

"The investigation will include inquiries into electronic medical equipment they relied on."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-14/two-dead-after-power-fails-in-storm/5596048

 

 

China mudslides cause extensive damage in southwest

11 July 2014 Last updated at 17:33 BST

Torrential rain has triggered mudslides in many parts of southwest China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, causing damage to houses, roads and vast areas of farmland.

Official sources say a number of people have died and dozens remain missing.

Britt Yip reports.

http://www.samachar.com/VIDEO-Huge-mudslides-amid-China-rain-ohlwPkjadie.html

 

Rain caused by Japan's Neoguri creates fatal landside

10 July 2014 Last updated at 11:02 BST

Heavy rain in Japan brought by Typhoon Neoguri has caused three fatalities, extensive damage and forced thousands to leave their homes.

A 12-year-old boy was killed in the central farming town of Nagiso after rocks and boulders swept away his home.

Neoguri, which first threatened Japan as a super typhoon, had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it came ashore but was still gusting at up to 126 kph (78 mph).

Heavy rains prompted cancellations of hundreds of flights and trains in the country and more wet weather is expected.

Jenny Wivell 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28243164

 

Please note that present climatic variations are "normal (whatever this means)" with added extra extreme from global warming. Thus is it always going to be difficult to apportion damage done by global warming... But the point here, is that under a warming climate, extremes of weather are going to intensify. The bill for damage is going to increase and the need to mitigate, other than "building our large home away from the seashore", is going to to go through the roof — if I may say — fast... But fear not: our canberranean right-wing loonies are working on a 19th century solution — burn more coal.

 

 

 

A typhoon killed at least 10 people as it churned across the Philippines and shut down the capital, cutting power and prompting the evacuation of more than 370,000 people, rescue officials said on Wednesday.

The eye of Typhoon Rammasun, the strongest storm to hit the country this year, passed to the south of Manila on Wednesday after cutting a path across the main island of Luzon, toppling trees and power lines and causing electrocutions and widespread blackouts.

Major roads across Luzon were blocked by debris, fallen trees, electricity poles and tin roofs ripped off village houses. The storm uprooted trees in the capital where palm trees lining major arteries were bent over by the wind as broken hoardings bounced down the streets.

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said there was minimal damage in the capital but staff were trying to rescue people trapped by fallen debris in Batangas City to the south, where two people were electrocuted.

"We have not received reports of major flooding in Metro Manila because the typhoon did not bring rain, but the winds were strong," he said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/16/typhoon-rammasun-kills-at-least-10-in-philippines

----------------------

Note: there is another cyclone on the way (see: a nasty little cyclone on the way, followed by another one...) and it could hit the Philippines within a week...

 

That nasty little second cyclone to hit northern Philippines I have mentioned in a nasty little cyclone on the way, followed by another one... is now revised by serious forecasters and "pencilled in" to hit Taiwan on Wednesday 23 July. The eye of the typhoon is to pass right bang in the middle of the island. Meanwhile the first typhoon killed 77 people in The Philippines has already killed 8 in China, despite all the warnings.

 

The biggest typhoon to hit southern China in 40 years has killed 17 people, after wreaking death and destruction on the Philippines.

Typhoon Rammasun killed at least eight people on the island of Hainan, with others missing, and nine in the Guangxi region, state media say.

It made landfall on Friday with winds exceeding 200km/h (124mph).

At least 94 people were killed when Rammasun ravaged the northern Philippines earlier this week.

The storm is also affecting Vietnam, where heavy rain is expected before it starts to weaken on Monday.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28390279

--------------------------

Note my comment above this one... Another Typhoon is on the way.

Update: the eye of this new Typhoon will pass in the "northern part" of Taiwan, not the middle as predicted earlier and land in Mainland China a day after, slightly weaker.

Meanwhile:

"Intense storms" have caused flooding across parts of southern and eastern England.

A number of roads and homes were flooded across Essex, where police urged people in Canvey Island to "sit tight and wait for levels to drop".

Southend University Hospital's accident and emergency department closed due to flooding but has now reopened.

There are also three flood warnings - in East Yorkshire, Norfolk and Essex and more than 20 flood alerts.

A Met Office yellow warning for rain across eastern Britain - from Kent to the Orkney Islands - is due to stay in place until 23:55 BST on Sunday.

Forecaster Matt Taylor said BBC Weather had received reports of "intense storms" and flooding in east London, Essex and Cambridgeshire stretching up towards Lincolnshire.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-28394863

 

Typhoon "Matmo" to hit Taiwan Tuesday July 22 at around 15 UTC (Wednesday, local time). Sorry about the alarmist video... The professional weather charts are not looking good: It could be a massive hit... The eye of this typhoon is about the size of London... and is moving fast. But strangely there is no mention of it in any of the press... all too busy with other news, I suppose.

But I found local news at: http://www.topix.net/world/taiwan/2014/07/typhoon-matmo-to-hit-taiwan-on-wednesday-july-23-2014

Matmo is the second typhoon I mentioned about eight days ago in : 

 

a nasty little cyclone on the way, followed by another one...

 

According to the professional weather charts another powerful typhoon will form on Saturday 26 July around 00 UTC, near Palau.

Typhoon Matmo made landfall along the east coast of Taiwan Tuesday night, local time, with winds over 100 mph.

Heavy rain fell across Lanyu Township, just east of the main island of Taiwan into Tuesday evening. Rainfall of 250-300 mm (10-12 inches) was been reported. Also, wind gusts over 100 mph have pelted the small island for several hours as the eye of the storm passed just to the northeast.

As Matmo moved inland across Taiwan, very heavy rain fell over eastern areas. Yuli township, near the central east coast, reported more than 460 mm (18 inches) of rain through early Wednesday morning, local time.

Heavy rain and strong winds will worsen across much of Taiwan through Wednesday morning as the storm crosses the island then moves into the Formosa Strait (Taiwan Strait) during the day on Wednesday.

read more: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/typhoon-matmo-to-threaten-taiw-1/30703680

 

The next typhoon to hit eastern Asia is only a low north east of the Philippines at the moment but can develop into a powerful typhoon south of Japan around the 31st of July. The next typhoon by then has 95 per cent chance of having formed around Palau once more and promises to be quite nastier. This typhoon could hit East Asia around the 4th of August. 

Just keeping you up to date with serious forecasts...

 

Two storms are headed for Hawaii later this week in an unusual one-two punch that could be an effect of a developing El Nino pattern, the National Weather Service said.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued advisories Tuesday for Hurricane Iselle and Tropical Storm Julio.

Iselle could be hitting Hawaii by Friday and Julio two or three days after that, said James Franklin, the chief of hurricane specialists.

“There’s enough uncertainty in the track that it’s too soon to talk specific impacts,” Franklin said.

Iselle is expected to weaken.

“Right now it’s a major hurricane but it will not be able to maintain that strength,” he said. “But it still could be at or near hurricane strength.”

The outlook for Julio is more uncertain.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/05/hawaii-weather-el-nino-storms-hurricane-iselle

 

Meanwhile the second Typhoon mentioned in the article above is slower than first estimated but far MORE massive and could hit Japan on Friday 18 UTC... Meanwhile present predictions for Iselle is that it will downgrade into a low before crossing Hawaii, while Julio will pass northward and will not touch the islands.  Another mid-Pacific typhoon will form south-west of Hawaii and gather strength until it will vanish between Japan and Hawaii...

Just letting you know.

 

Fresh snow has fallen in snowbound western New York, where longtime residents described the blast of winter weather as the worst in memory.

At least eight deaths have been blamed on the storm.

Some areas of New York state along the Great Lakes had nearly 60 centimetres of new snow on top of accumulations as high as 1.5 metres from earlier in the week.

The National Weather Service said parts of the region could expect 90 centimetres more snow before skies clear on Friday, local time (Saturday AEST).

"I've been in a lot of snowstorms, and this is by far the worst. There's been more snow in the shortest period of time I've ever seen," Chuck Specht, 58, who reported 2.1 metres of snow at his house in Marilla, New York said.

Mr Specht was trying unsuccessfully to clear a patch in the snow for the family dog to relieve itself, he said.

"Even for seasoned veterans, this is getting to be a bit much to handle," he said.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-21/snow-storms-the-worst-in-memory-for-western-new-york-residents/5908682

Please note that in order to snow, the weather does not have to be very cold... The main ingredient of snow is saturation of water vapour at a notch below zero Celsius and should a BIG mass of water vapour be evaporating from the lakes, the resultant is a MASSIVE snow storm... Global warming is adding to the behaviour of water vapour, higher concentration in higher altitudes, until the water vapour crystallises into snow flakes, hail or ice at high altitude. The fact that last year's ice storm was a "one off" and this one is worse should tell people to understand that global warming is increasing WEATHER EXTREMES. Read from top.

Presently it's hot in Sydney with top temperature at about 10 degrees Celsius (20 F) above average and nightly temperatures 6.5 degrees Celsius (12 F) above average... The entire month of November for the continent has been running at 4 degrees Celsius (8 F) above average. My personal observations. The BoM might place it at 2.5 above...