Nacht und Nebel

Fiona Uncategorized

(Image credit: Wikipedia)

Fifty days ago, the Australian electorate blinked, and chose a Coalition government led by Mr Abbott – devout Catholic, Rhodes Scholar, Oxford Blue, sometime journalist, advisor to former LOTO Dr Hewson, exercise junkie, father of “not bad-looking daughters”, self-proclaimed political offspring of Mrs Bronwyn Bishop and Mr John Howard – a man who counts among his political and spiritual mentors B. A. Santamaria and Cardinal Pell.

The government as a whole, and Mr Abbott in particular, are deeply indebted to two powerful individuals, Mr Rupert Murdoch, and Mrs Gina Rinehart. The debt owed by the new Federal government and prime minister to Mr Murdoch in particular is extraordinary, and is most likely to be paid through the sale hand-over of the NBN and, possibly, the privatisation or abolition of the ABC. Mrs Rinehart’s rewards are the repeal of the MRRT, the “liberalisation” of 457 visas to enable the employment of ever-cheaper labour in her mines, and an open-slather approach to exploration and mining, maybe even in national parks, and to coal seam gas fracking. After all, what else is the environment for?

So, what has the new government achieved over the past 50 days?

  • Abolished the Climate Commission.
  • Sacked three departmental heads.
  • Sacked the NBN Board.
  • Announced the privatisation of Medibank Private.
  • Appointed the head of a major business union to chair the Commission of Audit which also includes (gaia help us) Ms Amanda Vanstone. Mr Tony Shepherd also chairs a company that has substantial contracts with the Commonwealth.
  • Announced a witch-hunt judicial enquiry into the Rudd Government’s home insulation scheme.
  • Cut disaster relief payments in the middle of major bushfires in New South Wales.
  • Denied any possible connexion between bushfires and climate change.
  • Released draft legislation to repeal the MRRT, which also (among other things) repeals
      • – the schoolkids’ bonus
      – the low-income tax superannuation contribution
      – geothermal exploration provisions.

    Then, and worryingly, are

    1. The increased demonisation of asylum seekers arriving by boat by requiring the Immigration Department and detention centre staff to call them “illegal arrivals” and “detainees”,
    2. The militarisation of border protection, which is the excuse for
    3. Attempts to restrict information about the arrival of asylum seekers, and their movement to and from various places of detention.

    What we are witnessing is an attempt – by shutting down sources of information, whether they are bodies like the Climate Commission, or reports in real time of boat arrivals – to keep Australians ignorant of the real state of affairs, and ultimately and as soon as possible to silence dissent. How long will it be before there is federal legislation of the type Queensland Attorney-General, Mr Bleijie, released two weeks ago – legislation that has the potential to control what people wear, what music they listen to, maybe even what books they read and films they see? How long will it be before all Australian courts are effectively instructed to do as they are told by the government that – in Mr Newman’s words – they should come down from their ivory towers and make decisions in line with community expectations?

    Silencing dissent sounds to me very like Mussolini’s third principle of fascism:

    1. “Everything in the state”. The Government is supreme and the country is all-encompasing, and all within it must conform to the ruling body, often a dictator.
    2. “Nothing outside the state”. The country must grow and the implied goal of any fascist nation is to rule the world, and have every human submit to the government.
    3. “Nothing against the state”. Any type of questioning the government is not to be tolerated. If you do not see things our way, you are wrong. If you do not agree with the government, you cannot be allowed to live and taint the minds of the rest of the good citizens.

    Prime Minister Abbott has made it clear time and time again that he will not brook questions, he will not brook debate, he will not brook dissent. He is, as Jeff Sparrow points out, a cultural warrior par excellence. He has no compunction about establishing the slush fund, ”Australians for Honest Politics”, that resulted in the jailing of Pauline Hanson. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that he might act in a similar way to anyone who dissents, disagrees, or differs? It may seem ridiculous in 21st century Australia even to ask such a question. However …

    … remember,

    Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

    Remember Argentina in 1966, Chile in 1973, Germany in 1933.

    Nacht und Nebel has happened before, and will again unless we heed Martin Niemöller’s words:

    First they came for the communists,
    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

    Then they came for the socialists,
    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.

    Then they came for the trade unionists,
    and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

    Then they came for me,
    and there was no one left to speak for me.

    883 thoughts on “Nacht und Nebel”

    5. A bit of Karma. Murdock pleasant headkicker Col Allen gets a guernsey and another Murdock paper in the dock.

      “We are extremely pleased with Judge Schofield’s thoughtful opinion and look forward to holding the NY Post and Col Allan responsible at trial for their discriminatory actions,” said Guzman’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor.

      The Post’s parent company, News Corp., will not be part of the legal proceedings, as the judge granted its motion for dismissal. But both the Post and Col Allan, its editor-in-chief, had their motions denied.

      “We are pleased that the claims against News Corp were thrown out,” a New York Post spokeswoman said in a statement. “We look forward to presenting the truth about the remaining charges — which are completely unfounded — to a jury.”

      Guzman sued the Post in 2009 alleging that she had been repeatedly harassed in the newsroom and eventually fired for speaking out against a highly controversial cartoon about President Barack Obama. The cartoon depicted the author of Obama’s stimulus package as a chimpanzee shot dead.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/new-york-post-lawsuit_n_4173851.html

    7. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. BK reporting for duty.
      We got home at 11 pm last night after a 33 hour day with, for me, negligible dozing, let alone sleep. This will be a little smaller clarion call than usual but there is much here at home to catch up on.

      Mark Kenny seems to be rewriting history with one article and giving gratuitous advice with another. who does he think he is? Peter Hartcher?
      http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-had-chance-if-rudd-had-called-early-20131029-2we77.html
      Some absolute crackers from Alan Moir.
      http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/alan-moir-20090907-fdxk.html
      http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/cartoons
      David Pope is less then enthusiastic about Shorten’s chances with carbon policy.
      http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html
      A delightful contribution from Cathy Wilcox on education.
      http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/cathy-wilcox-20090909-fhd6.html

    8. Section 2 . . .

      David Rowe with an aggressive (how surprising!) Abbott attack dog still in fine form.
      http://www.afr.com/p/national/cartoon_gallery_david_rowe_1g8WHy9urgOIQrWQ0IrkdO
      Ron Tandberg has Abbott with his best negotiating face on display.
      http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/ron-tandberg-20090910-fixc.html
      http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/labor-must-leave-lost-carbon-battle-to-regather-party-for-the-war-ahead-20131029-2we78.html

    9. BK,

      Welcome back. You missed a weather event in NSW which, The Idiot tells us, has absolutely nothing to do with climate change. Then there was the one in Europe that you must just have missed.

    12. BK
      Welcome back, looking forward to a full report when you have recovered from jetlag. It was a very welcome surprised to see you here this morning, expected you to still be asleep. That damned internal clock never stops though, unfortunately.

    13. And from the Land of the Free –

      Some cartoons on Repug outreach.
      http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2013/10/29/cartoons-day-outreach-gop-style/
      Nevada and repugs – a good mix.
      http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/nevada-lawmaker-says-he-d-vote-slavery-if-h
      I have said it before, but I wish we had an Elizabeth Warren or two here in Australia.
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/elizabeth-warren-financial-crisis_n_4174123.html
      And Krugman nails the debt mantra beautifully. Have a read Joe and Boxhead!
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/krugman-reinhart-rogoff_n_4173654.html

    14. gigilene
      Jasper is STILL welcoming me!
      He was a bit overcome last night.

      duck
      We missed the bad weather in Paris and flights out of there were, fortunately unaffected. I did keep track of the NSW weather event. I must have been a shocker.

      gravel
      I will put a trip report together some time soon.

      Janice
      So far so good, but there is much to do to the place back in shape again.

    15. BK
      Welcome back.

      Yesterday’s weather events were pretty spectacular too, I hope you missed those. Big storms along the coast, huge winds in Sydney, trees down, roofs off, cars panel beaten by hail stones the size of golf balls. Just the normal Australian experience, nothing unusual, not at all.

    18. Welcome home BK. Nice to have you around. You give the place a certain feeling of comfort (in the nicest possible way).

      Good to see Jasper made the smart move and has lavished licks and jumps on you. Did he run around in circles, chasing his tail?

      This is a technical video for a quadrotor drone company in Sydney, but it turned out to be unexpectedly delightful. It will put a smile on your dial for the rest of the day…

      Rather brilliant (if unintentionally)… (oops, sorry put the wrong link in first time)

    19. Good Morning Pubsters and Welcome Home BK!

      I will be flat out emailing people for votes today but I did want to relate that listening to ABC radio this morning that they are going hammer and tong on the COAG report going through the issues with the relevent experts.(Yes, real experts not the political variety).

      If the contents and results of this report grows some legs media wise it is going to put an enormous amount of pressure on the LNP leaders around the country. Can Do will face added pressure because QLD kids performed the worst.

    20. Well, you reactionary retards:

      Climate Change Authority report to increase pressure on Government to cut carbon emissions

      http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-30/climate-report-emissions-wwf-reserve-bank/5056250

      The Coalition intends to introduce legislation in the first sitting of Parliament to abolish the authority, which is led by former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser.

      The authority was set up by the former Labor government to provide expert advice on carbon pricing and climate policy.

      Well, we can’t have independent advice can we!

    22. http://ausopinion.com/2013/10/29/the-coalition-are-not-guaranteed-victory-in-2016/
      The Coalition are not guaranteed victory in 2016

      “The Coalition’s massive victory”. “A loss that will see the ALP in opposition for potentially a decade”. “A massive win for Tony Abbott that will guarantee him the next election.”

      I’m sure we’ve all heard something along these lines over the past couple of months. We’ve been told the story that the Coalition romped it home in the 2013 election, that they have a massive mandate to implement their agenda (whatever that is) and that there is no chance that the ALP could turn things around in the next three years. The ALP needs to start licking its wounds and prepare for a long stint in opposition.

      It is an interesting piece of the re-writing of history that doesn’t actually reflect any reality.

      http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/clive-palmer-launches-withering-attack-on-independent-senator-nick-xenophon/story-fni0fit3-1226748888539
      Clive Palmer launches withering attack on independent Senator Nick Xenophon
      Angus Thompson Herald Sun October 29, 2013 10:21AM

      CLIVE Palmer has returned fire at Nick Xenophon’s calls for the mining magnate to release details of his Senate alliance with Ricky Muir, announcing they would be revealed as a Christmas present to the outspoken senator.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/new-york-post-lawsuit_n_4173851.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
      New York Post Will Go To Trial Over Harassment, Wrongful Firing Lawsuit
      Posted: 10/29/2013 11:40 am EDT | Updated: 10/29/2013 2:50 pm EDT

      In a setback for the New York Post, a district judge on Tuesday dismissed an effort to dispatch a lawsuit from a former employee alleging that she was harassed while at the paper and unlawfully fired.
      ………………….
      The Post’s parent company, News Corp., will not be part of the legal proceedings, as the judge granted its motion for dismissal. But both the Post and Col Allan, its editor-in-chief, had their motions denied.

    24. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/30/climate-change-abbott-emissions-target
      Climate Change Authority says Abbott must raise emissions target
      Independent body that government is abolishing says current 5% goal is not credible, posing challenge for Direct Action policy
      Lenore Taylor political editor
      theguardian.com, Wednesday 30 October 2013 09.31 AEST

      Australia’s 5% emissions reduction target is “not a credible option” and must be increased, possibly to 15% or 25%, the independent Climate Change Authority has found in recommendations posing a huge challenge for the Coalition’s Direct Action policy.

      http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-30/jericho-twenty-years-on-target/5053988
      Winners and losers in the inflation game
      By Greg Jericho
      Posted 1 hour 55 minutes ago

      Twenty years ago the Reserve Bank of Australia set a low inflation target that has stood the test of time. But price changes aren’t uniform across all industries, and low prices don’t always spell economic success. Greg Jericho writes about the winners and losers in the inflation game.

    26. Welcome home BK!

      And good morning Pubkateers.

      I have a paper to review today, which gives me a perfect excuse to be at my desk, avoiding certain household chores that are beginning to look at me with sad, droopy little faces …

    31. In Canada at the moment and so many similarities to our situation (altho Tony is floundering/excelling in hubris from the get go)! The Senate rorts, the control of Ministers – ie not allowed to talk without express approval – what’s with the right wingers? Altho, must admit, a bit mor discipline on Labors part would not go astray.

    33. Latika Bourke ‏@latikambourke 1m

      Enviro. Minister Greg Hunt says Govt will NOT increase to it’s 5% reduction target even though Climate Change Authority says its inadequate.

    34. Kate McClymont ‏@Kate_McClymont 2m

      One of Damian Obeid’s charming associates just called me a bitch and menaced me outside the lifts. #stillshaking #icac.

    35. How to completely misrepresent poll results to make the Prime Monster look good.

      The Prime Minister’s approval rating continues to climb, but voters are deeply unimpressed with his handling of the entitlements scandal, new polling from Essential Research finds.

      Tony Abbott’s rating on “leader attributes” has improved in areas such as “capable leader”, “understands the problems facing Australia” and “good in a crisis” since he became Prime Minister, with his scores on those attributes jumping 5 and 6 points since just before the election. The only noticeable fall was in “hard-working”, where he fell 4 points – not quite a significant change but perhaps related to Abbott’s slow start and low visibility since the election

      http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/10/29/essential-voters-like-abbott-not-on-entitlements-and-do-you-fileshare/

      A closer look at the Essential results gives a different picture. Abbott’s ratings were up on all the bad stuff. Since the last Essential poll Abbott is now seen as less hardworking, less intelligent, more arrogant, more superficial, more intolerant and less visionary than he was thought to be a month ago.
      http://essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport

      Tony Abbott’s key attributes were hard working (67%), intelligent (62%), narrow-minded (54%), arrogant (54%) and a capable leader (52%).”
      “Bill Shorten’s key attributes were intelligent (69%), hard working (65%), understands the problems facing Australia (50%) and a capable leader (49%).

      Not exactly what Mr Keane said. Neither is this –

      When the two leaders are compared Abbott comes out as more narrow-minded, arrogant, intolerant, aggressive, supeficial, erratic and out of touch with ordinbary people than Bill Shorten. Shotrten is seen as a bit more intelligent. On other attrubutes they have similar ratings.
      Compared to Bill Shorten, Tony Abbott is much more likely to be considered narrow minded (+23), arrogant (+19), intolerant (+19), aggressive (+15) and erratic (+13).
      Bill Shorten is regarded by more respondents to be intelligent (-7)

    36. Spacey,
      Typical response from that little weasel Hunt – the more I see him, the more he looks like Howard which is enough to cause the hackles to rise. Can’t imagine where the coalition find these human specimens unless they trawl the cesspits constantly.

    38. Heard something this morning. Which leads to a question that I should know the answer to: does anyone here know when Kim Beazleys time in Washington is up? Some unexpected wagons may be circling.

    42. Don’t know on that, Al. When Bracks’s appointment as NYConsul got cancelled by Mesma, ABCNews 23 did a bit on it, claiming Beazley was disturbed to get a phone call with the message, “You’re next, Chubs.”

    43. GD. It’s the plumb post . Such a call may not have been unexpected. Not sure he will last.

    45. Andrew Leigh puts the odious Carabine right (I’ve copied from his e-mail since his hyperlink takes us to Room 404):

      FRAN KELLY: It’s nearly two months since the ALP’s heavy loss federally and the
      ideological battle for the future of the party is underway. A new book out today
      titled Not Dead Yet is a collection of essays by some of Labor’s best and
      brightest thinkers. And that includes the Shadow Assistant Treasurer, Andrew
      Leigh. The Canberra-based MP makes a strong pitch to his colleagues to reject
      Tony Abbott’s style of negativity when it comes to Opposition. And, in a bid to
      democratise Labor he also proposes large scale plebiscites to select candidates
      and other important party positions. Andrew Leigh is in our Parliament House
      studios and he’s speaking with our political editor, Alison Carabine.

      ALISON CARIBINE: Andrew Leigh, good morning.

      ANDREW LEIGH: Good morning Alison.

      CARABINE: There is a certain arrogance that underpins your essay. You open with
      the bold deceleration that Labor Governments do more, Labor is the party of
      ideas and reform, but by contrast the Coalition is the defender of the status
      quo. Considering the election result it would appear that voters embraced the
      status quo much than they do ideas and reform.

      LEIGH: I think Alison that’s to confuse electoral success with policy
      achievement. Fundamentally the broad contours of the Australian story, over the
      last century or so, are those of a succession of Labor achievements. And whether
      that’s putting in place the Snowy Hydro Scheme, whether it’s opening up the
      economy, whether it’s indeed bringing the troops back in World War Two to defend
      Australia, or the achievements of DisabilityCare and finally solving the Murray
      Darling Basin mess, those too were Labor reforms. I think that reflects the fact
      that ours is a party which is founded on the notion that government has an
      important role to play in improving the country. Conservatives are far more
      often comfortable just defending the status quo.

    46. free article
      http://www.afr.com/p/national/opposition_to_us_bid_for_graincorp_1wL0467eonJJJoUVunMsOP

      Opposition to US bid for GrainCorp mounting
      PUBLISHED: 12 hours 41 MINUTES AGO | UPDATE: 3 hours 54 MINUTES AGO

      James Massola Political correspondent

      Opposition to US agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland’s $3 billion bid for big grain handler GrainCorp has hardened among Nationals and country Liberal MPs, with some warning the sale could create a virtual monopoly that would hurt grain growers.

      Debate over the sale will come to a head as soon as the first joint party room meeting on November 12, a month before Treasurer Joe Hockey rules on the bid on December 17. One MP argues that, if approved, “this will really test the marriage” of the Coalition parties. Country Liberal MPs Bill Heffernan and Sharman Stone and Nationals MPs Mark Coulton, John Cobb and John Williams have all hit out publicly at the sale. Dr Stone said that approval could hand ADM a “stranglehold” similar to the position held by Coles and Woolworths, while Mr Coulton flagged “serious concerns” among the majority of grain growers in his seat of Parkes.

      Nationals MPs met last week and vowed to oppose the sale, with Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash and Michael McCormack leading internal lobbying efforts against it, which involve representations to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Nationals leader Warren Truss and Mr Hockey.

    48. Leroy

      Nationals MPs met last week and vowed to oppose the sale, with Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash and Michael McCormack leading internal lobbying efforts against it

      That will make a friend happy. He’s a cocky near Narranderra.

      The only time he’s ever talked to Michael McCormack he told him to tell ADM to ‘Get F#cked”.

      Jeffro being ‘direct’. 😀

    50. CTar1

      So in Australia you will be “without” then ? On the do list W.A. has a whole 5 . Well WA voted for the blighters in droves so tough titties.

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