Memories…

bushfirebill Uncategorized

SIAbbott Turnbull Renaissance
Ah… memories!

Remember how they moved the Budget forward so that the timetable for a DD would fit the Constitution?

Remember how important it was to “reform” the Senate so that cross-benchers couldn’t dominate it?

Remember how vital the ABCC bill was? And how the journos told us that this time Turnbull had a sure-fire election issue? Yep, the Great Reckoning of 2016 was going to be on industrial relations: unarguably a Coalition winner.

(This was after the election was also centered on States rights, income tax, education funding, negative gearing, boats, and of course, terrorism. Turnbull had shown us all “how it’s done”).

Remember how “bold”, “brilliant” and “decisive” Turnbull was? Or so we were informed, breathlessly.

The long election campaign was going to do Bill Shorten slowly. He’d run out of steam by the end of it. Not to worry that the Coalition ran out of steam instead, and Turnbull had to chip in $2 million to buy the party the last fortnight’s worth of telly. “Jobs and Growth” hammered at us from all directions, on all channels, day and night and night and day: that did the trick.

They might have used the $4 million the NSW Electoral Commission was withholding, but Baird would have had to say where their real money came from first (and with so many apartments going up all over and above Sydney, and tunnels beneath it, admissions like that might have caused embarrassment in certain circles).

Remember Mediscare? How absolutely ridiculous it was to say that Turnbull intended to hive it off, bit by bit! Another Labor lie! Geez, that’s all they do! Malcolm got the AFP onto them. But even they yawned.

And at last we’d get some sense on Climate Change! Malcolm had already shown in 2009 that he was prepared to die in a ditch for that. He was sure to do it again, just as soon as he finished slagging off South Australian windfarms, and thenVictoria for closing down dirty brown coal.

We were going to have an exciting Innovation Nation. We’d all be writing apps, or something. With the CSIRO now leaner and meaner after mass retrenchments, how could we fail? When asked by Andrew Bolt to name three things that Turnbull had done, Eric Abetz famously answered: “Innovation, Innovation, and Innovation.” That really meant something to Australians.

While it might look like nothing’s fucking happened in the over a year since Turnbull came along to turn this somnolent nation out of it antipodean torpor with pure excitement, that’s wrong. Hartcher told us Malcolm was really doing: “Simply governing”. “Governing’s” not sexy. “Governing’s” not exciting. But “governing” is what brilliant minds like Turnbull’s do best. A tactical thrust here on State income taxes, a feint there on 18C or The Plebiscite. A bold advance by massed union-bashing tanks to crash through a weak Bill Shorten, flattening a Labor party riven with factionalism. Malcolm would show them The Turnbull Method, and it wouldn’t be pretty. Kath Murphy assured us he was holding back the brilliance, all the better to deploy it with devastating effectiveness: once he’d gotten an opportunistic” and “cynical” Shorten out of the way, and dealt with the Monkey Pod in swingeing style.

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Malcolm was the fairest, after all.”

Turnbull Mirror

Malcolm has so many brilliant things to say at any one time, he occasionally appears to be tongue-tied. But that’s an illusion. He simply has trouble figuring out the very best way of putting {whatever-it-is-he-has-to-say} to the simple folk, the little guys like youse and me, so they can share in the inspiration. The hesitancy and what looks like waffling are Malcolm choosing his words carefully.

And there are so many words! There are enough thoughts, bon mots, insouciances, anecdotes and sheer inspirations inside that pumpkin head of his to keep Australia in words for 300 years. We’ll never run out of ’em. If only we could get the Chinese to buy them all, we’d wake up rich and stay that way!

Now that Australia has a sensible Senate with no crackpots, lurk merchants, incoherents, con men, thieves, sleeve-tuggers, gun nuts, tree clearers, religious cranks, CSIRO bashers, spivs, shonks, homophobes, pedophile obsessives, Hansonites, Trump supporters, refugee tragics,  or unelectable slime-bags with less than 100 votes, “simply governing” has become so much easier. Now that Malcolm has his own healthy Reps majority of “1”, and every morning every one of them has to be marked off the roll by Head Prefect Christopher Pyne, can there be any doubt that The People have flocked to his side? Now that Abbott has accepted his lot in life as the Human Doorstop, we’ll have no more aggro from that poisonous little corner, thankyouverymuch. We’ll soon be rid of Gillian Triggs, too. So there.

Now that the Press Gallery’s prediction has come true, and the Ship Of State sails in the right direction, we can get some wonderful, brilliant, exciting things done. Let’s not forget the scribblers were right about Tony Abbott… both times (and all the times in-between). And they were right about Malcolm Turnbull as he dazzled them with charm, brilliance and wit. It’s so so wonderful to have a policy-driven 4th Estate that eschews the temptations of ball-by-ball politics, governance as a horse race and rank partisanship in political coverage, not to say their utter rejection of hero worship. No “Labor Split!” click bait for them! Most of all it’s wonderful to have a press corps that is never wrong, by its own modest (and frequent) admission.

Malcolm is setting us up. He’s getting his ducks all in a row so he can shoot them down with one brilliant bullet. He’s feigning weakness to lull his enemies into a false sense of security. Then he’ll Strike. Etc.Etc.

Pity his enemies now appear to have been those with whom he once travelled in fellowship: gays, Climate scientists, alternative energizers, the Jews in his electorate, IT professionals, human rights advocates and leather coat manufacturers (by the way, what did happen to the leather coats?). More fool them. They fell for Malcolm, hook line and sinker. The only ones who’ve stuck with him are the Gallery and Lucy. Even the cat has left the building.

Any day now we’ll see the Master Plan, from The Master Planner.

  • We’ll learn how Malcolm’s NBN is the best in the world.
  • How Teh Evil Unions have been doubling construction costs so that Bob Day can not pay them even more than he not paid them before. Bludgers.
  • Why 18C is threatening the very fabric of our society.
  • How reducing pensions will toughen up octogenarians and make them more self-reliant.
  • We’ll be ahead of the World in emissions reduction (what am I saying? We’re already out in front! Greg Hunt’s job is done, and he’s done a real job on the environment, that’s for sure).
  • The gulaged in Nauru and Manus will shout with joy as “humanity breaks out” (Kath has a such a way with words, doesn’t she?).
  • Gays and lesbians will fall in love with him all over again, after a peaceful, tender, informed Plebiscite debate has blessed their unions with the traditional generosity towards sexual matters commonly found in key sections of Catholic Church, the Anglicans, the Salvos, the Marists and the Yeshivas, all of whom suffered the little children to be brought to them. And boy, did the little children suffer! The $7.5 million funding to be given out to spread this calming gospel is worth every cent, but only Malcolm Turnbull saw that. After all, the Plebiscite was an election promise, and the Coalition never breaks election promises. Some things remain sacred. Even when Tony Abbott thought of them first. That’s why Malcolm got rid of him. If Labor forces Malcolm to go back on his word (but not, funnily enough, on theirs), you can bet he’ll tell us “They broke a nation’s heart”.

All Malcolm needs now is for the “opportunistic” Opposition to stop Opposing. That’s so 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 (and in the last three they weren’t even the Opposition!). Even Tony agrees. And for the Senate to stop obstructing. And (I nearly forgot) for Tony Abbott to give up the guerilla warfare habits and backstabbing proclivities of a lifetime. Should be easy. The course ahead will then be clear to all, not just the political savants in the Press Gallery. Just all of them stop disagreeing with Malcolm for Chrissake!

Sleepers wake! Our never-been-so-exciting time in the sun is upon us! Certainty has triumphed over brutishness. Civilization over anarchy. We’re playing by Point Piper Rules now. Watch – and weep, doubters – as the well-oiled wheels turn.

Malcolm, the Renaissance Man, is still on his way, but will arriving any day now. When he does, at least there’ll be no need for this type of unpleasantness…

Turnbull potty Complete with Text

862 thoughts on “Memories…”

  1. If only the silly cow had checked Culleton’s paperwork before she allowed him to become a senate candidate.

    Now he can add a stack of legal bills to the millions he already owes.

    Anyone want to bet Culleton, if he survives the High Court, which is doubtful, will soon be an independent?

  2. Okay, it’s a few years since I last watched Blott on the Landscape, but the resemblance between Geraldine James and ms hanon (sp???) is remarkable:

  3. Don’t mess with Ms Triggs.

    For Sale kept interrupting and repeating questions.

  4. Jones will have to ride shotgun for James and Georgina.

    Q&A
    Monday 7th November at 9:36 pm (66 minutes)
    Naomi Klein, Anthony Albanese, James Paterson, Don Watson, Georgina Downer: Joining Tony Jones: Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese; Liberal Senator James Paterson; This Changes Everything author Naomi Klein; author Don Watson & Institute of Public Affairs adjunct fellow Georgina Downer.

  5. From over the road. Her Maj enters the US election fray.

    MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN

    To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

    In light of your failure to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.

    Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except North Dakota, which she does not fancy).
    Your new Prime Minister will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

    To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

    1. The letter ‘U’ will be reinstated in words such as ‘colour,’ ‘favour,’ ‘labour’ and ‘neighbour.’ Likewise, you will learn to spell ‘doughnut’ without skipping half the letters, and the suffix ‘-ize’ will be replaced by the suffix ‘-ise.’ Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up ‘vocabulary’).
    2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as ”like’ and ‘you know’ is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter ‘u” and the elimination of ‘-ize.’
    3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
    4 You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can’t sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you’re not ready to shoot grouse.
    5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
    6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
    7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.
    8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
    9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth – see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion. 10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialect in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one’s ears removed with a cheese grater.
    11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).
    12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
    13. You must tell us who really killed JFK. It’s been driving us mad.
    14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
    15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.

    GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

  11. Leone,

    I can’t say – I’ve never seen this, not ever.

    I have read a lot of Tom Sharpe’s novels, and in my opinion Wilt and Blott on the Landscape are the cream of the crop.

    The 1985 TV series of Blott was magnificent and very true to the book.

  13. Fiona

    His “Riotous Assembly” and “Indecent Exposure” gave me a larf. When I see Dutton I think of Konstabel Els.

  14. Fiona

    Oh and thanks for ‘ Blott on the Landscape’ heads up. After leaving UnZud i did not see/read any of his work.

  15. James Paterson (Q&A) is very easy to dislike.

    Albo is putting him in his place.

  21. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/newspoll no article up yet, but you can fee the figures on this page (scroll down)

    http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/07/19/47/liberal-mp-slams-one-nation-christensen

    http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/07/17/14/hinch-wants-proof-of-abbott-citizenship

    http://pressthink.org/2016/11/miss-bigger-missed-story-final-reflections-trump-press-2016/

  22. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/newspoll/newspoll-labor-vote-highest-since-turnbull-became-pm/news-story/06bad63df71b3b54043b8c5a21f7e6a1

    The Australian 10:44PM November 7, 2016
    Phillip Hudson Bureau Chief Canberra

    Labor has extended its ascendancy over the Coalition to lead by 53 per cent to 47 per cent, boosted by a rise in the opposition’s primary vote to the highest level since Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister 14 months ago.

    The latest Newspoll, taken exclusively for The Australian, reveals the ALP’s core support has climbed to 38 per cent, up one point in the past fortnight and 3.3 points higher than at the July 2 election.

    The Coalition’s primary vote remains below 40 per cent for the fourth consecutive Newspoll survey, and at 39 per cent is 3.1 points lower than at the election.

    The Greens are unchanged at 10 per cent, while support for other parties and independents slipped from 14 to 13 per cent.

    Based on preference flows from the election, Labor has improved its lead in two-party terms from 52-48 per cent, where it has sat for the past three surveys, to 53-47 per cent.

    The poll represents a 3.4 per cent swing against the Coalition, which if repeated in a uniform fashion at the next election would indicate defeat for the Turnbull government with the loss of 17 seats — seven in Queensland, four each in Victoria and NSW, and one seat in South Australia and Western Australia.

    The poll of 1846 people taken from last Thursday to Sunday shows virtually no change in the standing of the leaders.

  23. Georgina Downer, Fellow of the IPA, is a blue chip of the old thick-as -two-short-planks block.

  24. Very windy tonight…There was a time just recently, when I’d lay in the spare-room “kip-bed”, in the dark, resting my eyes while Q&A was on and I’d listen to the howling gale..and there would be “kitten”, curled up by my head, all calm and unconcerned..I’d look to her and she’d look at me with those big cat eyes and then just lick her paw…and I’d feel safe, snug and secure…
    I miss my pussy cat.

    “A bright blue balloon am I,
    As blue as blue as an azure sky…”

  25. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. The Newspoll result will not be a good base for the government seeing that overnight the letters to pensioners telling them of significant reductions went out.
    There is plenty to get through with today’s Dawn Patrol. Enjoy!

    Sydney Airport has to be the rip-off champion of Australia.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/13-million-weekly-windfall-from-sydney-airport-station-fees-for-nsw-government-20161107-gsjkq1.html
    Naomi Klein gave Australia a sidewinder on QndA last night.
    http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/qa-naomi-klein-says-australia-no-better-than-insane-and-racist-donald-trump-20161107-gsk34h.html
    Peter Hartcher takes an honest look at America today.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/rehab-or-fight-club-america-is-facing-two-stark-choices-20161107-gsjly4.html
    Mark Kenny tells us that today Bill Shorten will propose a policy for superannuation that will offer more for budget repair than Morrison’s.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bill-shorten-offers-alternative-super-plan-for-malcolm-turnbulls-budget-woes-20161107-gsjzpr.html
    Poof! There goes the plebiscite!. The table is clear now so it’s time to start hammering MPs to get on with their job.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/turnbull-governments-samesex-marriage-plebiscite-defeated-in-latenight-senate-vote-20161107-gsk1uz.html
    Michelle Grattan has a bit to say on it too.
    https://theconversation.com/senate-kills-plebiscite-leaving-same-sex-marriage-on-indefinite-hold-68373
    Mark Kenny reckons Turnbull has been “running dead” on the marriage equality issue.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbulls-halfhearted-push-for-marriage-equality-20161107-gsjjyj.html
    Tony Wright on the weirdness that descended upon parliament.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/rocket-science-lunacy-and-plain-weirdness-engulf-parliament-as-buzz-aldrin-drops-in-20161107-gsjzkw.html
    John Birmingham has a good old dig at the ridiculous ramblings of Malcolm Roberts.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/blunt-instrument/senator-roberts-beats-the-science-out-of-csiros-climate-findings-20161107-gsk39l.html
    As does Amy Remeikis.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/malcolm-roberts-climate-change-press-conference-starts-bad-ends-even-worse-20161106-gsjg86.html

  26. Section 2 . . .

    Laura Tingle says that the government’s lack of curiosity about Bob Day is a serious concern. She’ concludes that it’s not a parliamentary year that’s going to end well. Google.
    /news/coalitions-lack-of-curiosity-about-bob-day-a-serious-concern-20161107-gsjwcl
    Mark Dreyfus has asked the Auditor-General to investigate the seemingly strange $2m grant to a Bob Day VET college.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mark-dreyfus-asks-auditorgeneral-to-investigate-government-grant-to-bob-days-training-college-20161107-gsjibu.html
    The vote by Immigration and Border Force has slapped down the government’s offer so it’s likely to head to arbitration. That is certainly not what the government wants to see.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/public-service/department-of-immigration-and-border-protection-rejects-governments-public-service-industrial-policy-20161107-gsjh1v.html
    Andrew Street tells us why Senator Ludlam’s depression leave is important to us all. A very good article!
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/why-scott-ludlams-depression-leave-is-important–for-you-20161107-gsjhej.html
    Let’s hope the late US polls tell the story.
    http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/final-push-for-votes-as-late-polls-give-hillary-clinton-edge-over-donald-trump-20161107-gsk48l.html
    Kristina Keneally gives us an Australian guide to the US elections – everything we need to know.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/08/australias-guide-to-the-us-election-what-time-will-we-know-the-result
    How the FBI’s James Comey totally botched the last 10 days of the US election campaign.
    http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/james-comey-totally-botched-the-last-10-days-of-the-2016-campaign-20161107-gsjguy.html
    Here’s Paul McGeough on the FBI and the Republicans’ response.
    http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-election/fbi-chief-james-comey-clears-hillary-clinton-of-wrongdoing-over-emails-20161106-gsjdn7.html
    Bob Carr tells us what Clinton has to look forward to with Congress if she wins. It won’t be pretty! He describes Trump as a “clown and a madman”.
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2016/11/07/us-election-2016-bob-carr-us-election-clinton/
    In a blow to Trump there has been a surge in early voting from Latinos in Florida and Nevada.
    http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-election/in-a-blow-for-donald-trump-latinos-voting-early-in-florida-and-nevada-surge-20161107-gsk4xl.html
    In a Trump presidency the misinformed citizen would rule supreme.
    https://theconversation.com/under-president-trump-the-misinformed-citizen-will-reign-supreme-68355

  27. Section 3 . . .

    John Oliver blames himself for Trump’s campaign.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/11/07/john-oliver-blames-himself-for-donald-trumps-presidential-campa/?utm_hp_ref=au-homepage
    Alan Austin sees the potential for some benefit from this crazy IS election campaign – some introspection from the media.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/one-possible-positive-from-the-presidential-campaign,9700
    Win or lose the Republicans are heading for civil war after the elections.
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/07/republicans-lose-election-day-donald-trump-civil-war
    US security forces are on edge as fears grow over the potential for election violence. Google.
    /news/world/us-security-forces-are-on-edge-as-fears-grow-of-election-related-violence/news-story/b1ab1f6cd851ff89a50b3295ef4943a0
    This bit of comedy relief on the possibility of a Trump victory is worth a look.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/president-trump-could-really-be-coming-dont-panic-20161107-gsjrmn.html
    The SMH editorial comes out an tells us that a Clinton victory is the best option for America, Australia and the world.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/hillary-clinton-is-the-best-option-for-america-australia-and-the-world-20161107-gsjic0.html
    Wall Street has surged on the back of the latest polls suggesting a Clinton victory (or maybe more on a Trump loss!). Google.
    /markets/wall-street-surges-on-hillary-clinton-fbi-allclear-20161107-gsk440
    Dear old Russell Broadbent lines up the likes of George Christensen for cosying up to One Nation. A vestige of conscience still exists.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/liberal-mp-russell-broadbent-calls-out-george-christensen-for-antiislam-remarks-20161107-gsk1vo.html
    Wendy Squires who has been following the CA Royal Commission has had enough of religious institutions considering themselves as being beyond reach. It’s time to make them pay she says.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/too-many-religious-institutions-consider-themselves-untouchable-20161107-gsjhyt.html
    Alan Austin gives us Part 2 of his essay on the legacy of Labor’s response to the GFC.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/labors-gfc-legacy-part-2-what-was-really-achieved,9698
    The startling collapse of the Australian cricket team – Malcolm Knox.
    http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-vs-south-africa–the-decline-of-steven-smiths-team-is-startling-20161107-gsk026.html
    I hope the book gets thrown at these spivs! Google.
    /national-affairs/health/care-firm-dudded-staff-and-clients/news-story/7af86251cbf680de5857f38d1e9120d1
    Pauline Hanson invites Rod Culleton to enjoy the bus ride – not IN it but UNDER it!
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pauline-hanson-supports-government-move-to-refer-one-nation-senator-rod-culletons-election-to-the-high-court-20161107-gsjme2.html

  28. Section 4 . . . with Cartoon Corner part 1

    And it’s Hinch’s turn to rattle the Senate cage. Google.
    /news/politics/senate-vote-chaos-rod-culleton-back-in-as-derryn-hinch-backs-off-20161106-gsjcoj
    Gillian Triggs has hit back strongly at Turnbull’s “deeply misleading” comments on 18c.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/gillian-triggs-hits-back-at-deeply-misleading-malcolm-turnbull-over-18c-claims-20161107-gsjun8.html
    In fact the QUT case proves that 18c works quite well.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/computer-lab-case-proves-18c-works-well-20161107-gsjms1.html
    Susie O’Brien writes that changes to 18c would be dangerous. Google.
    /news/opinion/susie-obrien-old-hs/susie-obrien-on-18c-of-racial-discrimination-act-resist-changes-that-just-make-racism-easier/news-story/d3e95fa335b399d0c8f964fa70f04398

    Cathy Wilcox and Donald Trump the loser.

    And she turns to Laurel and Hardy for this crack at the government.

    A very, very unkind David Rowe effort here!

    David Pope has some “orchid” sketches for sale.

    Paul Zanetti on 18c.

  29. Section 5 . . . Cartoon Corner part 2

    An absolute ripper from Warren Brown on the Trump “assassination attempt”.

    Sean Leahy also looks in on the “assassination attempt”.

    And Matt Golding goes one step further!

    As does Chris Downes.

    Peter Broelman in the home straight with Clinton and Trump.

    Ron Tandberg and the dilemma facing US voters.

    David Pope really goes to town on the Senate here.
    http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/act-news/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0
    Jon Kudelka also has a look at Turnbull’s Senate woes.
    http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/e8a3d492547c76cd973f437e780fc105
    Mark Knight goes to Mount Rushmore.
    http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/0fd406aa2d950878378f94a03fdf9f1f?width=1024

  31. Naomi Klein was very good on Q&A. Got stuck into Oz on climate change and refugees.

  32. Fizza could bring back “the plebiscite” to the Senate in February and get a trigger for a DD.

    • This year’s DD worked out so well for Fizza he must be eager to do it again. If he is still PM in February, that is.

  33. Though I have to say..I have noticed the little birdies getting more brave and coming down into the patio area again since “kitten” has….has…gone away…So I suppose my sadness is in apposite to their joy…So I offer my sadness up as a penance for those poor souls in Purgatory…God bless ’em.

    • WHATT!!??..and spoil this beeeuutiful “meanderings amongst the marigolds of melancholy” ??…Sometimes it’s nice to feel the gentle softness of sadness in splendid melancholia..

  35. It’s time the US moved into the 20th century (no, that’s not a typo). They still insist on the 18th century ‘right to keep and bear arms’, even though it was meant for a time when the head of a household needed a gun to fend off maurauders, bears and randy chaps after their daughters. Now it’s just stupid, but it’s part of their precious constitution, so it has to stay, even though it’s a few centuries out of date.

    Then there’s the voting on Tuesday thing. No-one seems to have realised farmers no longer need to hitch the horse to the buggy and spend a day riding into town to vote, then a day riding home. There’s no longer a need to make sure votin’ day doesn’t clash with church-goin’ day either.

    The leaders of the free world – so we are told – are so hide-bound they can’t even think about making their laws a little more modern.

  36. On their ABC today no mention of Newspoll. They certainly don’t want the public to worry. If the results were the other way with Labor down the news would be on a loop repeated every 10 mins. and a demand for Bill to stand down.

    Anyway I am in a good mood today after watching those two IPA stooges get schooled on Q&A.

    • Yes, I’ve noticed newspoll by it’s absence on Fran Kelly no longer dragging a Labor minister in on the faux excuse of asking about policy when the real reason was to bash them about the ears on the latest newspoll numbers.

    • It’s worth noting, as you posters have, that the ABC’s attitude to Newspoll started long before the advent of Michelle Guthrie. It was standard practice during the Gillard years to repeat the latest Newspoll findings (plus any other polls for that matter) at every ABC-TV News Breakfast session, amid speculation on Ms Gillard’s tenure. Fran followed suit on ABC RN.

      It lost its apparent newsworthyness once the Abbott government went seriously on the nose, and returned only briefly after the first romantic flurry towards Renaissance Malcolm. Again its lost its news value.

  38. The US Presidential election is just click bait. Perfectly so.

    There’s nothing – not.a.thing – we can do about it here. We cannot influence it in any way.

    There are literally no consequences to biased coverage by Australian media of a US election. And if that biased coverage produces “hits” on a web site, or “clicks” on a Fairfax video (with obligatory TV commercial every time now), then what else could anyone expect?

    The Australian version of this election’s coverage is perfect Reality TV: a broadcast format that allows the viewer just about the full gamut of emotions from love to hate, from suspense to boredom, and from fierce loyalty to angry revenge – with the added bonus of the tribalism that comes from shamelessly and irrationally taking sides – and to then switch off, sated, without the slightest consequences to one’s personal situation.

    The last two weeks have been perfect Reality TV. While it is slightly annoying to see Zoe Daniel’s antics, I can’t get too excited about biased coverage for that reason.

    Que sera sera.

  39. Next failure – the Backpacker Tax. Likely to be amended in the senate, but the amendments won’t get through the reps. So it all falls in a heap.

  41. This is the first time I have seen the ABC has broadcast the journo’s questions to a political leader at normal volume so they can be heard.

    I have seen questions to Turnbull actually were silenced so that even by turning up the tv volume to the loudest you could not hear them.

  43. http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/our-final-2016-picks/

    Click to access Essential-Report_161108.pdf

    https://www.crikey.com.au/2016/11/08/essential-voters-back-blocking-asylum-seekers/

    Nov 8, 2016
    Essential: voters back blocking asylum seekers

    Voters support the government’s bill to prevent refugees from ever obtaining a visa to Australia, today’s Essential Report shows, while a substantial chunk of Australian men would vote for Donald Trump.

    Bernard Keane — Politics Editor

    Voters back the government’s plan to permanently ban any asylum seeker since 2013 from ever entering Australia, while the number of voters who want still tougher action against refugees is falling, this week’s Essential Report suggests.

    A majority of voters (56%) back the government’s plan — to be opposed by Labor — that would ensure no one who arrived by boat and claimed asylum since 2013 (when then-prime minister Kevin Rudd said no one who did so would ever be resettled in Australia) would ever be given a visa of any kind to enter Australia. Even Labor voters back the government’s proposed legislation, 52% to 38%, while Greens voters are the only group to oppose it, 57%-24%.

    The number of voters who think the government is “too soft” on asylum seekers has also fallen since August: 24% compared to 29% three months ago; the number of voters who think the government’s approach is “about right” has increased from 31% to 37%. Only 23% believe the government is “too tough” on asylum seekers, compared to 21% in August.

    ………………….

    The Coalition’s primary vote remains on 38% and Labor’s is steady on 37%, as is the Greens’ vote on 10%. NXT is up a point to 3%, One Nation is on 6% and others on 6%, for a two-party preferred outcome of 53%-47% to Labor.

  46. I don’t care what the rest of Australians think, but I am proud of Labor for not supporting this last ridiculous racist stuff against refugees.

  47. Now we wait for the msm and lnp barrage going full blast at Labor. Go for it, I don’t give a damn anymore.

    Listening and watching Penny at the press clubb. k murphy just doesn’t know where to start with that, Oh dear Penny must have pressed a few buttons.

  49. Murpharoo seemed to think she was there to debate Penny Wong.

    If anyone ever doubted her political bias it was on full display today.

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