Latest news with #TimBlair
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why Anthony Albanese is being urged to get rid of his beloved dog Toto NOW: 'Awful'
The Prime Minister has come under fire for pushing climate change policy while owning a 'climate criminal' dog by a top columnist. A US-based study, published in June, said that not owning a dog was something normal people could do with the highest levels of carbon emissions reduction. Taking one fewer flight or eating lower-carbon meats were also effective behaviours identified by the PNAS Nexus report. The finding was leapt on by The Daily Telegraph columnist Tim Blair who suggested Anthony Albanese should give up his beloved cavoodle Toto if he is calling for climate action. 'It's time for Albo to turn Toto over to the authorities, because it turns out that little cavoodle of his is an awful climate criminal,' Blair wrote on Monday. 'Cavoodle Toto may be way smaller than other 'oodle' varieties, such as the Bernese Mountain doodle, the Irish wolfhoodle and the fearsome pit boodle, but she's got one hell of a carbon pawprint. 'That's because Toto occasionally rides on Prime Ministerial flights. 'She's probably racked up more air time than any dog since Snoopy took on the Red Baron.' Blair quipped that 'it should be curtains for the PM's companion critter' in order to help nature balance itself. Toto is regularly photographed with Albanese, including on election day, and has her own X account. The Age even has an article page dedicated to Australia's first dog. Blair also took the opportunity to take aim at Australian billionaire and climate change warrior Mike Cannon-Brookes for buying a private jet earlier this year. The co-founder of software company Atlassian opened up about his challenging decision to purchase the multimillion-dollar Bombardier 7500 jet in March. 'I'm not denying I have a deep internal conflict on this,' the tech entrepreneur told his followers on LinkedIn. 'Personal security is the primary reason (an unfortunate reality of my world), but also so I can run a global business from Australia, and still be a constantly present dad. 'So, this is a hard, continual trade-off I've decided to make.' Blair said the declaration was his favourite example of 'self-appointed saviours (who) aren't hurting at all'. 'Modern parenting is full of tough decisions. Sometimes your average Aussie dad just has to bite the bullet and buy a $120million private aircraft,' the columnist said. 'All members of our saintly climate community are little Cannon-Brookeses, in their own ways. 'If they do give up anything, it's only in ways that won't cause any pain.' Blair joined 2GB on Wednesday to maintain that he remains in the 'pro-dog camp'. 'It's just that I am also not a climate hypocrite who carries on about everyone else surrendering their beloved things and then running a big climate-hating dog in the household.' It's not the first time Toto's jet-setting lifestyle has come under scrutiny. Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie grilled Air Force Chief Robert Chipman at an intense Senate hearing in 2023 about Toto's travels after it was revealed she had likely been travelling on VIP flights with the Prime Minister. 'Could you provide a list of all flights since the 21st of May 2022 on which animals – and specifically an animal called Toto – have been permitted on board special purpose aircraft?' she asked. Mr Chipman confirmed that a pet had been known to travel on the special purpose aircraft primarily used by the Prime Minister for official duties.
Sky News AU
01-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Jacinta Allan mocked for becoming second-highest paid Australian politician
The Daily Telegraph's Tim Blair says Jacinta Allan is being handed a 'great reward' for failing, as the embattled premier receives a massive pay rise. The Victorian premier has now become the second highest paid politician in the country, behind Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 'Where is the incentive to do better? Where is the incentive to try and balance the books?' Mr Blair said.
Sky News AU
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘No harm no foul': Greens Party blasted for supporting Iran's nuclear weapons
The Daily Telegraph's Tim Blair discusses the hypocrisy of the Greens Party supporting nuclear programs for Iran but not nuclear energy for Australians. 'These are people who were screaming … about the terrible dangers of incredibly safe nuclear energy,' Mr Blair told Sky News host Chris Kenny. 'But then, when Iran gets onto a bit of uranium enriching … they're like wow, let them be, no harm, no foul. 'This is the shifting sands on which our friends of the left make their base.'
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Future-Proof Investing: How Heartwood Trust Is Redefining Real Estate For A Resilient Economy
Welcome to the world of purpose-built real estate investing, where aesthetics, efficiency, and ... More equity meet. What if the buildings we live in weren't just structures, but systems of possibility? What if rental housing could be reimagined as a force for long-term financial resilience and environmental regeneration? For Heartwood Trust, a Toronto-based investment platform, this isn't just a thought experiment—it's their entire business model. As the climate crisis intensifies and the cost of living rises, we're seeing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign our most essential infrastructure: the homes we live in. It's time, as Heartwood argues, for a new generation of rental housing—one that is energy-efficient, zero-carbon, community-centered, and financially future-proof. 'We're investing in a new generation of rental housing that is beautiful and resilient,' says David Constable, co-founder of Heartwood Trust and an award-winning architect. 'By using data analytics and rigorous evaluation, we make informed decisions and aim to prove that performance and return drive each other. We're designing for both—from the ground up.' Welcome to the world of purpose-built real estate investing, where aesthetics, efficiency, and equity meet—and where architecture is not only about design but about values. From left to right: David Constable, Tim Blair - co-founders of Heartwood Trust Heartwood Trust was co-founded by David Constable and Tim Blair, a seasoned real estate investment professional with decades of institutional experience. Together, they're challenging the outdated playbook of conventional development, where buildings are often judged by short-term returns, not long-term resilience. Their hypothesis is simple but radical: design and build properties that are carbon-smart, operationally efficient, and socially responsive—and long-term value will follow. 'We don't just look at the balance sheet; we assess long-term risk and asset resilience,' says Blair. 'Our zero-carbon strategy enhances building efficiency and asset value while safeguarding properties against climate volatility and regulatory changes.' Heartwood's developments feature mass timber construction, geothermal systems, passive design techniques, native landscaping, and all-electric operations powered by clean energy. These choices aren't just good for the planet—they reduce maintenance costs, shield against rising energy prices, and future-proof properties against carbon-related regulation. 'Energy-efficient buildings don't just cut emissions—they cut costs,' Constable adds. 'You spend less on heating, cooling, and maintenance while attracting tenants who value sustainability and quality of life.' It's the kind of win-win scenario that more investors are beginning to prioritize: performance today, resilience tomorrow. Heartwood's developments feature mass timber construction, geothermal systems, passive design ... More techniques, native landscaping, and all-electric operations powered by clean energy. Traditionally, real estate investment has leaned heavily on location, timing, and cost efficiency. But Heartwood Trust is betting that the next frontier of value will be found in how buildings adapt to the seismic forces of our time—climate, energy, and community needs. Their strategy speaks volumes. With six projects already underway—totaling 727 rental units and $461 million in development—and another $1.1 billion in the pipeline, Heartwood isn't playing small. They are systematically testing what it means to embed resilience into every phase of the building lifecycle. Their secret? A systems-thinking approach that merges urban design, energy modeling, and community integration to optimize performance across financial, environmental, and human metrics. These aren't just rental buildings. They are platforms for economic durability. Heartwood's most subversive act may not be its energy systems or carbon modeling—but its return to a deeply human premise: housing should support dignity. 'Housing that reduces emissions and builds community is not just good for residents—it's good business,' says Blair. Each Heartwood project is conceived with a triple bottom line in mind. The firm invests in neighborhoods where walkability, access to transit, and proximity to services enhance both livability and long-term desirability. Their buildings are designed not only to house families, but to foster connection—through shared spaces, local partnerships, and architectural choices that prioritize light, warmth, and well-being. In a market often driven by short-term arbitrage, Heartwood's bet on beauty and community as strategic assets feels both radical and refreshingly obvious. Each Heartwood project is conceived with a triple bottom line in mind. The firm invests in ... More neighborhoods where walkability, access to transit, and proximity to services enhance both livability and long-term desirability. What we're witnessing through Heartwood Trust is a paradigm shift: from exploitative real estate models to regenerative ones. Their thesis is clear: in an era of climate volatility and economic uncertainty, resilience is not just a feature—it's a necessity. Heartwood stress-tests every investment against a future that includes climate shocks, rising utility costs, and shifting tenant expectations. And yet, their optimism is palpable. They're not just reacting to a changing world—they're building for it. 'We believe that good design, climate performance, and economic value are not mutually exclusive,' says Constable. 'They are, in fact, deeply interconnected.' For a new generation of investors—especially those looking to align their capital with impact—Heartwood offers a compelling blueprint. Theirs is a platform where capital meets conscience, where purpose drives performance, and where returns are measured not only in dollars but in decades of resilience and stability. In a sector often criticized for extractive practices, Heartwood Trust is proving that real estate can be reimagined—as a service to society, a tool for transformation, and a solid bet for investors who want to sleep well at night. They're showing us that buildings aren't just where we live—they're how we live. And by making them beautiful, low-carbon, and rooted in community, we don't just future-proof our portfolios—we future-proof our cities. Now that's a foundation worth building on.
Sky News AU
03-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
‘Please and thank you': Australians address AI with good manners
The Daily Telegraph's Tim Blair says Australians are saying 'please' and 'thank you' to artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT. 'With artificial intelligence, because it's, you know, it's part of your interwebs, and your computers and your modern society, every bit of input that you use through AI … has an energy cost,' Mr Blair told Sky News host Chris Kenny. 'Tens of millions of dollars apparently for all these various AI companies because people are saying or writing please and thank you AI, and good on you AI.'
