WE’VE saved the world! So cried the 187 climate-change negotiators who signed the Paris agreement to keep global warming to just over two degrees. Great news; but is it enough? Only time will tell.

THAT old Oxford boxing Blue, Tony Abbott, just can’t stay out of the ring. Despite his promise not to undermine his successor, he was throwing wild rights that forced PM Malcolm Turnbull on to the defensive.

They make quite a team.

MEANTIME, Malcolm had set sail on his quest for an “ideas boom” with a billion-dollar innovation package that drew strong support from those most affected.

CSIRO boss Larry Marshall was thrilled with the $100 million replacing the funding ripped away by the Abbott Government plus another $75 million for its Data61 arm. Not surprising since Larry previously ran a venture-capital firm based in Silicon Valley, Shanghai and Sydney devoted to expanding Australian technology companies in Asia and the US.

LESS popular was Turnbull’s call for convicted terrorists to be kept in prison after they had served their sentences. Not surprising; we don’t defend democracy by abandoning the rule of law… or the separation of powers.

UNLIKE his former boss, failed Treasurer Joe Hockey accepted Malcolm’s golden handshake and started packing for Washington as our head of mission to the American court.

And the voters in his ultra-safe North Sydney seat showed their displeasure with a swing of 14 per cent against the Libs in the by-election. They know a cynical political stitch-up when they see it.

HOWEVER, the North Sydney result did show that the Libs in our own forthcoming election can’t take the “Turnbull factor” for granted in their quest for power.

They are being extraordinarily tardy in even announcing their candidates; despite Turnbull’s denials, it seems they are just as riven by factions as the Labor Party.

And Leader Jeremy Hanson should realise by now that he requires more than loud opposition to light rail to convince voters they should throw out the incumbents.

Pardon the pun, but he needs to raise the bar.

AFTER all those worthy sentiments to do something meaningful about domestic violence a couple of weeks ago, staff at Canberra’s refuges say they’re still stretched to breaking point…and their busiest times are the Christmas and the New Year “celebrations”. How sadly ironic is that?

TERRIFIC idea from Federal Tourism Minister, the previously unheard of Tasmanian Senator, Richard Colbeck, to add a Mandarin version to our road signs – particularly on the major routes – to encourage more Chinese visitors.

Already, almost a million of them spend $7.7 billion here each year, with about 40 per cent driving themselves.

“So [Mandarin] signage on roads, wi-fi and basic amenities are important to explore our vast country safely,” Richard says. And, of course, travellers to China know that the road signs there are also in English. So, it’s only courteous to reciprocate.

But will the State governments respond? Perhaps Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who boasted that his Asian visits have borne such rich economic fruit, might care to give a lead.

FINALLY, it’s been a privilege and a delight to share the weekly news with “CityNews” readers in 2015. And next year looks to be a feast in store. Have a good one!

robert@robertmacklin.com