The NSW Election – Gladys versus Michael.

leonetwo Uncategorized

Demolition work on Allianz Stadium has been going ahead just days before this Saturday’s election.

I’m hoping this photo is predictive of the Coalition vote crashing across NSW.

444 thoughts on “The NSW Election – Gladys versus Michael.”

    • Makes you wonder why Australian politicians still tell us we must export coal to India so “poor people” there can have electricity.

      A country that can afford to join the exclusive “We shot down a satellite” club should be able to give its people whatever they need for a comfortable life..

  2. A tick on the body politic — Andrew Stafford

    There is really only one story that matters this week. It’s the story of how a couple of bumbling idiots – one of them the Queensland leader of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party, the other its media advisor – travelled to the USA to solicit up to $20 million from America’s most powerful lobby group, the National Rifle Association, to subvert the course of Australian politics.

    https://www.patreon.com/posts/tick-on-body-25665059

    (Please consider becoming a Patron; you could be #250! Ta.)

  3. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Peter Hartcher’s truth bomb number three asks what was the point of the Turnbull government. This has been a very good journalistic triptych.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/what-was-the-point-of-the-turnbull-government-20190326-p517mh.html
    It gets worse for Hanson as video emerges of her questioning the Port Arthur massacre. She is an idiot!
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pauline-hanson-appears-to-question-port-arthur-massacre-in-video-20190327-p518a6.html
    John Hewson delivers some sage advice to Morrison. He says Morrison’s only hope is a complete image and policy reset – to recognise the risks to our future and map out a realistic path forward. This will involve the conspicuous ditching of old prejudices, policies and rhetoric. The last paragraph is a ripper!
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bathing-in-nsw-s-reflected-glory-won-t-do-pm-you-need-a-makeover-20190327-p517zl.html
    Journalism academic examines the ethics of the Al Jazeera sting.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/al-jazeera-s-one-nation-sting-was-dramatic-but-was-it-ethical-20190327-p5180a.html
    The Australia Institute’s Bill Browne goes into how Australia’s gun lobby and its political donations have been laid bare. He says Australia’s gun lobby keeps a low profile, but it is large, well-funded and politically active, with direct and indirect ties to the NRA.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-s-gun-lobby-and-its-political-donations-laid-bare-20190327-p5184g.html
    Pauline Hanson has declared she will take “all appropriate action” after her One Nation associates James Ashby and Steve Dickson were caught on video seeking a $20m donation from the National Rifle Association – but the appropriate action will have to wait until later in the week.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/27/pauline-hanson-to-take-action-over-james-ashby-and-steve-dickson-but-not-yet
    Niki Savva writes that Morrison should have seized the opportunity on Tuesday to say that unless there are even more patently unacceptable alternatives, One Nation will go last on Coalition ballot papers. Morally as well as politically it is the right thing for him to do, she says.
    https://www.outline.com/wsJuAY
    Alex McKinnon writes that One Nation is a party of bullies, and bullies flounder when they confront genuine resistance
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/pauline-hanson-and-mark-latham-are-not-inevitable
    From Michael West’s web page – Is this clickbait television? Does the headline allegation that One Nation went to the United States to lobby for a multi-million dollar donation from NRA in return for softening Australia’s gun laws stand up in the body of this story? Whilst not defending PHON, academic and journalist, Dr Martin Hirst, reminds those of us in the media that the use of entrapment remains a controversial subject.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/how-to-sell-a-television-documentary-al-jazeera-one-nation-and-media-ethics/
    Sam Maiden says Scott Morrison’s refusal to put One Nation last is contributing to “a bloodbath” in Victoria, where the blue-ribbon seat of Goldstein is under threat and senior Liberals are urging the deputy leader Josh Frydenberg to take it up with the Prime Minister.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/03/27/bloodbath-victoria-liberals-one-nation/
    The SMH editorial says helping battlers is a worthy goal but the jury is out on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s plan to give the Fair Work Commission a mandate to raise the minimum wage to a “living wage”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/caution-needed-in-lifting-minimum-wages-20190327-p5181u.html
    Two public health academics have written that we should beware of One Nation’s and other fringe parties’ efforts to water down the gun laws that have served us well.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/gun-laws-have-saved-many-lives-so-beware-one-nation-s-secret-agenda-20190327-p517zr.html
    Homicide expert Samara McPhedran looks at what can we learn from Al Jazeera’s undercover NRA sting.
    https://theconversation.com/guns-politics-and-policy-what-can-we-learn-from-al-jazeeras-undercover-nra-sting-114291
    Joanne McCarthy tells us how Senator Brian Burston has sought an AVO against One Nation staffer James Ashby.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/senator-brian-burston-seeks-avo-against-one-nation-staffer-james-ashby-20190327-p5187n.html
    The Australian’s Ben Packham reports that Shorten has made a dramatic move to win back support from Chinese-Australian voters following last week’s disastrous NSW election defeat, declaring Labor is not a racist party and that he welcomes the rise of China as a global power.
    https://www.outline.com/q8Yxrk
    According to Michael Koziol Bill Shorten has pulled unions into line over One Nation and preferencing.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/you-re-part-of-the-problem-bill-shorten-pulls-unions-into-line-over-one-nation-20190327-p5181d.html
    The president of global technology giant Microsoft has warned that the Morrison government’s encryption-piercing laws are harming Australia’s international reputation as a trusted destination for data storage and investment.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/companies-no-longer-comfortable-storing-data-in-australia-microsoft-warns-20190327-p517yz.html
    Nick Miller tells us that Theresa May has just announced that she will step down as PM if her Brexit deal passes on the third try.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/theresa-may-vows-to-quit-as-pm-if-her-brexit-deal-passes-on-third-try-20190328-p518ba.html
    Here’s the background.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/i-m-pushing-michael-g-tory-backbencher-s-reply-all-lays-bare-uk-leadership-plotting-20190327-p518al.html
    And the UK Guardian’s Polly Toynbee says farewell to the worst prime minister bar none – until the next one.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/27/prime-minister-theresa-may-eu-withdrawal
    Katharine Murphy tells us that the Morrison government will use next week’s budget to roll out funding for micro-grids in regional and remote communities, including in the hotly contested electoral battleground of north Queensland.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/budget-to-roll-out-funding-for-micro-grids-to-power-regional-communities
    Jess Irvine gives us a rather cynical, though accurate, assessment of budget time.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/our-budget-malaise-the-hardest-questions-go-unanswered-20190327-p5185r.html
    The experience of this Muslim journalist after the Christchurch shooting is worth reading.
    https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/suddenly-the-world-didn-t-feel-like-a-horrible-place-20190326-p517oh.html
    According to Benjamin Preiss Liberal rising star Tim Wilson is set to come under attack from the Victorian union movement, which is buoyed by internal research indicating Labor could snatch his inner Melbourne seat.
    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/tim-wilson-s-seat-in-liberal-heartland-under-attack-after-union-polling-20190327-p5187o.html
    Meanwhile the inquiry into Labor’s franking credits policy is struggling to cope with an inundation of submissions, one in five of which contain text written by its own chair, Tim Wilson.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/tim-wilson-helped-write-20-of-submissions-to-franking-credits-inquiry
    The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently looking to expand the list of medicines available “over the counter” – that is, via a pharmacist without a prescription. If these changes get off the ground, we could soon be able to head straight to the pharmacy for a range of medications including the contraceptive pill, Viagra, and selected treatments for nausea and migraines.
    https://theconversation.com/making-more-drugs-available-over-the-counter-would-be-a-win-for-the-public-and-the-health-care-system-113453
    Worldwide interest in moving to New Zealand has spiked in the aftermath of Christchurch’s deadly terror attacks.
    https://www.theage.com.au/world/oceania/the-world-now-wants-to-move-to-new-zealand-20190327-p51896.html
    Reports, released by the royal commission into Victoria Police’s management of informers, found that the force failed to obtain legal advice before they used gangland lawyer Nicole Gobbo.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/negligence-of-the-highest-order-secret-reports-slam-handling-of-informer-nicole-gobbo-20190327-p518ao.html
    NSW, Victoria and South Australia have been told they will experience gas shortages on peak demand days from 2023 in a shock warning that big users fear may force heavy industry and local manufacturers to shut operations.
    https://www.outline.com/Y27AKt
    Paul Karp explains how Scott Morrison has said he expects MPs to “be in their electorate”, offering a mild rebuke to George Christensen after a report the Nationals MP spent more time in the Philippines than in parliament in 2016 and 2017.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/27/george-christensens-travel-mps-should-be-in-their-electorates-morrison-says
    Elizabeth Knight says it’s only 50 days since Hayne’s report and the banks are already pushing back.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/only-50-days-since-hayne-s-report-and-banks-are-already-pushing-back-20190327-p5185i.html
    ASIC chairman James Shipton has called out the banks for resisting obeying the law and for spreading the “myth” of a credit squeeze triggered by a regulatory crackdown.
    https://www.outline.com/3WzHuy
    And Stephen Bartholomeusz reports that APRA chairman Wayne Byres has signalled that the banking regulator will dictate the shape of bank executive remuneration schemes, not shareholders. There can be only one winner he says.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/banker-s-pay-there-can-only-be-one-winner-in-this-battle-20190327-p517zq.html
    Patrick Hatch reports that air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport are so stretched that flights have to be restricted once a month on average as there are not enough staff to safely manage the congested runways. He reveals that there was an almost 50 per cent increase in the total overtime hours worked by air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport over the past three years. The responsible minister, McCormack, is lying low.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/sydney-s-air-traffic-control-at-breaking-point-disrupting-flights-20190327-p5188a.html
    John Warhurst writes that the twin success of Berejiklian and Barilaro shows that immigrant communities do inject themselves successfully into politics.
    https://www.smh.com.au/nsw-election-2019/why-the-emergence-of-berejiklian-and-barilaro-is-a-good-thing-20190326-p517v1.html
    Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse says new child abuse reporting laws that apply to adults mean priests don’t need to break the seal of confession.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/the-confessional-will-not-become-the-battleground-for-criminality-20190327-p517xf.html
    Matthew Knott writes that swinging voters in the US don’t really care too much about Russian interference in the election.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-s-problem-voters-never-cared-much-about-russia-gate-20190327-p517w9.html
    Corporate America brought $US664.9 billion ($938.3 billion) of offshore profits back to the US last year, falling way short of the $US4 trillion ($5.64 trillion) President Donald Trump said would return as a result of the 2017 tax overhaul.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/business/the-economy/trump-s-4-7-trillion-miss-the-tax-promise-that-has-fallen-way-short-20190328-p518bg.html
    Pilots flying a Qantas plane that experienced a roller-coaster descent into Hong Kong two years ago struggled to respond to the incident because of a lack of training, an investigation has found.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/lack-of-training-highlighted-after-roller-coaster-qantas-flight-20190327-p5181e.html
    An independent Australian sports merchandise maker has been forced to remove a line of T-shirts and badges featuring Tayla Harris’s athletic kick, after the AFL issued it with a cease and desist notice.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/afl/2019/03/27/tayla-harris-afl-tshirts/
    And for today’s nomination for “Arsehole of the Week” we have . . .
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/notorious-jailed-cleric-molested-homesick-boy-at-seaside-school-camp-20190327-p5187s.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe serves up a shit sandwich to Morrison but he does have some condiments.

    David Pope and budget development.

    Andrew Dyson and the problem with social media.

    Cathy Wilcox and Morrison’s issues.

    Matt Davison and the state of the budget.

    From Matt Golding.





    John Shakespeare with an image makeover.

    A good one from Zanetti.

    Cathy Wilcox goes to Hanson’s motives.

    Sean Leahy on the parlous state of Queensland hospital emergency departments.

    Jon Kudelka and what’s actually ailing Hanson.

    Something similar from Alan Moir.

    Jon Kudelka gives Morrison a tick bite on the bum.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/2b92f5c31bd01f65a40e76bef561f296?width=1024

    From the US.






  5. So the contraceptive pill, Viagra and assorted other medications will become available over the counter at pharmacies but we still have to get a prescription for an ordinary painkiller that contains codeine. We are supposed to make an appointment with a GP whenever we run out of the painkillers that until a year ago we could buy over the counter whenever we wanted them, but younger women are to be allowed to buy their birth control pills over-the-counter for years, if they want, without ever seeing a doctor and men will be able to buy Viagra whenever they want.

    Have we gone completely nuts?

    It is important to have a health check with your doctor at least every year. Getting a new prescription for medication taken regularly is possibly the only time many people see their GP for their own health concerns. It’s important that visit includes a check-up, some routine blood tests, a blood pressure check and anything else a GP thinks necessary.

    A regular GP check-up is essential for everyone, especially for those who take serious, heavy-duty medication like the pill or Viagra. Neither are just trivial little pills you take without any regard for the consequences. They have side effects, some of them lethal, and should be given with medical supervision. Buying this medication (and whatever else is on the list) over-the-counter for years without any accompanying health checks simply because it is more convenient than making a doctor’s appointment is asking for a health disaster.

    We seem to be on a path to cut back GP visits, allegedly because it’s more convenient, yet we are now forced to make extra appointments just to get routine painkillers. The flawed logic in all this is astounding. Is this part of the government’s plan to cut Medicare costs? If it is then it’s nuts. What’s the point of saving government funding on a GP visit if it means that patient may end up requiring hospitalisation for a problem that could have been detected and successfully treated simply by having a routine check-up?

    See your GP, people, have a check-up at least every year. Hang “convenience”. Nothing is more inconvenient than being rushed to hospital with a problem that could have been prevented by regular health checks.

    • Well said. And make sure the doctor does her/his job, without you having to tell them, to take your blood pressure and to prescribe a blood test.

    • Given the apparent selection of medications proposed to be loosed on the Australian public, the first thought in my cynical little brain was – How much profit that would gain the phamaceutical companies, as all those medications are not yet out of patent, where as codine containing ones are.

      Or is that too cynical even for a Thursday morning, just before an election-sweetening budget of pork-barrel proportions?

    • Curioz

      Good point. If you don’t need a prescription to buy, let’s say, your usual migraine drug, then how much will you be paying once it’s open slather?

      What happens to those who currently get a PBS subsidy on these drugs? Will they be expected to pay full price or will pharmacies need to see a pension card or a health care card? Will there be a price war as pharmacies fight to give the cheapest price?

      Welcome to the Americanisation of our PBS, something conservative governments have been trying (and failing) to do for years.

  6. Angus Taylor was on 7.5 last night.

    What an absolute tosser! Wouldn’t give a straight answer to anything.

    Leigh was not impressed. Didn’t even smile when she said “Thank you!”

  7. Kicking and screaming. Not guaranteeing to put ON last.

    Scott Morrison says One Nation will be put below the Labor party at the coming federal election by the Liberal party on its how-to-vote cards, a concession following mounting controversy about his uncomfortable fence-sitting on the question.

    The prime minister’s statement to journalists on Thursday morning follows rising internal pressure to distance the Liberals from One Nation in the wake of the Christchurch tragedy and the extraordinary revelations this week about the far-right party’s pursuit of foreign donations in exchange for efforts to water down Australia’s gun laws.

    But Morrison refused to clarify the government’s position until he had the support of key organisational figures, which he finally secured on Thursday.

    “I have been in touch directly with them today and overnight, because ultimately this is a decision for the party organisation, but my recommendation to them, which they’re accepting, is that One Nation will be put below the Labor party at the next election by the Liberal party,” the prime minister said.

    Morrison’s decision covers Liberals, but not Nationals, many of whom are signalling they will do what they believe is in their electoral interests when it comes to preferences. The New South Wales election result suggests there is a strong protest vote gathering in regional Australia, with Queensland the epicentre of One Nation support.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/scott-morrison-liberals-preference-one-nation-labor

  8. FauxMo says the Libs might still put ON ahead of the Greens because the Greens are a real danger to Australia.

    i wonder how Dodgy Dick feels about that, after spending so much time sucking up to the government?

    What deluded rubbish FauxMo spouts.

    The Greens are about as dangerous as a stale lettuce leaf but ON is very dangerous because they are headed by a brain-dead idiot who believes every fruit-loop conspiracy theory that comes along, because that leader is manipulated by the likes of Ashby and Dickson and because unlike the Greens ON has been conspiring to weaken Australia’s gun laws.

    The real danger to this country is FauxMo and his chaotic rabble of a government, not a bunch of inner-city trendoid Green voters.

  10. No evidence of a tick bite, not a sign. No evidence of her face being so swollen yesterday she was allegedly “unrecognisable”.

    No need to watch this, it’s really just a long whinge about the media daring to criticise her. I’m just posting it as evidence Hanson was telling porkies about her alleged injury.

  11. Twitter to the rescue.

    This is the alleged tick bite.

    A makeup artist would have had no trouble coming up with this. You make the little prosthetic lump and include the little hole, you attach it to the face, you apply makeup and bingo! A nasty-looking bite alleged;y caused by a rogue tick.

    I would not put it past Hanson to organise this to get sympathy – poor, bitten Pauline staggering from her sick bed to face the mean, nasty media …….

    • I really hate to defend this idiot woman, but a lot of years ago I felt a sting just above my ear lobe and was lucky enough to catch the culprit (one of those paralysis ticks) before it actually dug in for the feed. Even so, I ended up with a ‘cauliflower’ ear which was horribly painful…..If Poorline did have one of those ticks that managed to embed itself a little, she would have had a painful swelling which may extended across most of that side of her face.

    • Are you sure that’s Pauline? I thought the tick bite was supposed to make her “unrecognisable”… 😀
      (Unfortunately, I don’t think they meant that she’s become a “leftist”.)

  16. I don’t normally watch The Young Turks anymore because I find their narrative overall harmful in US politics and may help Trump win next year, but, I do like it when they report on Australian politics. This is their report on the One Nation-NRA scandal.

  17. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    Peter Hartcher drops truth bomb number 4. This time he goes into Dutton’s patient, careful game as part of Turnbull’s inner circle. This has been an excellent series of articles and we can look forward to another one tomorrow about the final days of the Turnbull government.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-s-patient-careful-game-as-part-of-turnbull-s-inner-circle-20190326-p517sy.html
    Michael Koziol tells us that Morrison has set up a high-risk clash with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson over preferences at the upcoming election which threatens a number of marginal Coalition-held seats in the important state of Queensland.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/key-seats-at-risk-after-scott-morrison-sets-up-clash-over-preferences-with-pauline-hanson-20190328-p518ku.html
    Former NSW premier Barrie Unsworth has nicely bagged Hanson and her presser.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/you-came-here-baying-for-my-blood-hanson-s-denial-and-defiance-on-guns-scandal-20190328-p518oj.html
    Tony Wright’s piece today is about Pauline Hanson and the ooze of Port Arthur conspiracy mania.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pauline-hanson-and-the-ooze-of-port-arthur-conspiracy-mania-20190328-p518js.html
    The SMH editorial declares that it’s time to isolate Pauline Hanson and One Nation. It also says that Morrison should drop the offensive and divisive claim he made on Thursday that the Greens are the moral equivalent of One Nation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/time-to-isolate-pauline-hanson-and-one-nation-20190328-p518h7.html
    David Crowe has a good look at the appalling Tina McQueen, how she got there and what it says about the party.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minor-star-or-major-embarrassment-the-baffling-rise-of-teena-mcqueen-20190328-p518ge.html
    Nicky Ison says that Morrison’s latest stunt continues a trend of captain’s calls replacing policy.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/29/scott-morrisons-latest-stunt-continues-a-trend-of-captains-calls-replacing-policy
    Katharine Murphy gives us the story of how Scott Morrison finally got off the fence over One Nation scandal
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/scott-morrison-sat-on-the-fence-with-the-one-nation-scandal-finally-he-has-acted
    Dana McCauley reports that a plan to deliver cheaper medicines to millions of Australians by doubling the number of tablets that can be dispensed in a single trip to the chemist has been scrapped by Health Minister Greg Hunt after lobbying by the powerful pharmacy guild.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/greg-hunt-shelves-plan-for-two-month-scripts-after-pharmacist-backlash-20190328-p518gw.html
    Michelle Grattan tells us how Morrison is struggling to straddle the south-north divide.
    https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-scott-morrison-struggles-to-straddle-the-south-north-divide-114461
    Richo says that, unlike One Nation, minor parties are not all stupid.
    https://www.outline.com/9BuDVx
    Politicians – particularly Scott Morrison – weren’t welcome in Australian Muslim communities last week. They went anyway. Michael Brull explains.
    https://newmatilda.com/2019/03/28/muslims-australia/
    The Prime Minister’s moves to regulate social media should alarm all who cherish their democratic freedoms, says the Institute of Public Affairs.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/let-s-not-forfeit-our-own-freedoms-in-the-rush-to-silence-terrorists-20190328-p518cl.html
    Pauline Hanson has declared Scott Morrison has “handed the keys to the Lodge to Bill Shorten” by resolving to put One Nation below the Labor party on Liberal how-to-vote cards. Katharine Murphy looks at Hanson’s presser.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/28/one-nation-says-liberal-preference-decision-hands-bill-shorten-keys-to-the-lodge
    Paul Karp reports that today Penny Wong will say that “racism is a threat to our democracy” in a speech taking aim at those who see “political or commercial advantage” in increased cynicism towards public institutions.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/29/penny-wong-warns-racism-and-hate-speech-in-parliament-threaten-democracy
    If you have private health insurance, or are considering getting it, a series of changes coming into effect on April 1 are worth knowing about. These include the annual premium increase, a small decrease in rebates, the introduction of a new tiered system designed to simplify things for consumers, and some premium discounts for young people.
    https://theconversation.com/premiums-up-rebates-down-and-a-new-tiered-system-what-the-private-health-insurance-changes-mean-114086
    Bilal Cleland examines the role played by the media in the Islamic immigration discussion and the rise of white supremacy.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/white-supremacist-terror-the-new-australian-export,12513
    An independent political expert says explosive footage of One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson questioning the Port Arthur massacre may be the one act that loses her loyal followers.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/qld/2019/03/28/pauline-hanson-port-arthur/
    The dangers presented by political parties stirring anti-Islamic sentiment can be prevented when it comes time to vote, writes Noely Neate.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/extremist-political-parties-are-a-danger-we-can-end,12516
    James Adonis exposes the harmful practice of workplace “hazing”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/workplace-hazing-how-it-arises-20190328-p518fr.html
    Forget Trump – anti-vaxxers are the clear and present danger, writes Emma Brockes.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/anti-vaxxers-measles-new-york
    Investors will have just over six months to beat new curbs on negative gearing and capital gains tax if Labor wins the May election.
    https://www.outline.com/9Hq6gs
    The world’s ocean heat content reached a record high last year and extreme weather events affected the lives of about 62 million people, displacing more than two million of them, the World Meteorological Organisation said.
    https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/great-concern-world-meteorology-agency-reports-bad-climate-tidings-20190328-p518hz.html
    David Crowe reports that the Morrison government will create a $44 million foundation to mend relations with China as it sends a new ambassador to Beijing after tensions over trade, the South China Sea and foreign interference.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-ambassador-and-44m-plan-to-mend-fences-with-beijing-20190328-p518me.html
    Nicole Hasham reports that mercury levels near coal-fired power stations in Victoria and NSW have skyrocketed since the facilities opened despite assurances from their operators, and have urged the federal government to curb emissions of the lethal substance.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dangerous-mercury-has-skyrocketed-since-coal-plants-built-20190328-p518iw.html
    According to Fairfax journalists (I can’t bring myself to say Nine!) senior government ministers blocked the appointment of a close friend of Malcolm Turnbull as chief executive of the $50 billion NBN project over fears the move would be politically damaging.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/turnbull-s-yachting-buddy-was-blocked-from-nbn-s-top-job-20190327-p517ya.html
    Wendy Touhy says that one legacy of the sexualised trolling of Carlton footballer Tayla Harris is that a line was drawn by a shocked community: such vile misogyny online is intolerable. Another is the understanding that for women – the main targets of gendered abuse – any remnants of a safety barrier between online and “real life” have gone; as far as potential impact is concerned, it’s all the same thing.
    https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/for-women-what-happens-online-is-not-virtual-20190328-p518ov.html
    Jenna Price blasts Graeme Samuel’s comments about women on boards.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/the-world-according-to-samuel-men-are-better-than-women-20190328-p518j5.html
    Stephen Bartholomeusz explains that when investors rush to pay governments to hold their money, something is rotten in the state of the global economy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/barometer-of-fear-manic-bond-investors-send-a-chilling-signal-20190328-p518fk.html
    More than a dozen South Australian groups are being monitored for their extremist views as authorities boost the state’s counter-terrorism firepower.
    https://www.outline.com/dSZmEK
    Andrew Wu writes that multiple sources have confirmed that star bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were intending to withdraw from the fourth Test of last year’s infamous series if Warner had been free to play.
    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/revealed-australian-bowlers-considered-test-boycott-if-warner-wasn-t-banned-20190328-p518m9.html
    Dr Ben Koh is concerned about sporting concussion injuries and how players self-diagnose after head clashes. He says it’s time for change by sporting bodies.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-will-we-stop-butting-heads-over-sporting-concussion-20190328-p518ci.html
    An election budget looms Tuesday, surely chock with goodies. Is your marginal rate what you really think it is? There are really eleven tax brackets, not four. Michael West reports. This is interesting.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/bizarre-your-true-pay-brackets-revealed/
    Jordan Baker writes about the lengths some parents got to in order to enrol their kids in certain schools.
    https://www.smh.com.au/education/very-suspicious-the-schools-cracking-down-on-enrolment-fraud-20190328-p518hs.html
    Sally Whyte reports that Defence can’t show that its program to monitor underperforming procurement projects actually has any effect on bringing budgets and timelines under control, an audit report has found. The program has become less transparent at the same time as a greater emphasis has been placed on maintaining good relationships with industry, the report said.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/defence-s-management-of-troubled-projects-trades-rigour-for-industry-20190327-p517zy.html
    Kate Aubuson reports that a critically compromised computer-based test meant to determine the futures of aspiring physicians was signed off by a low-level employee, triggering a disastrous IT meltdown.
    https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/infamous-junior-doctors-exam-meltdown-caused-by-high-level-stuff-ups-investigation-reveals-20190328-p518dv.html
    Wages for the pharmacy giant Chemist Warehouse’s distribution centres will rise by as much as 22 per cent as part of a deal with the union following a two-week strike.
    https://www.outline.com/7vrUW4
    Disability groups, Labor and some states are demanding the government rule out using unspent funding on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to bolster the budget bottom line.
    https://www.outline.com/Aa7v5N
    Beginning next week, adultery and gay sex will be punishable by death in the Brunei as strict new laws take effect. Should Australia react?
    https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/tiny-asian-nation-to-punish-gay-sex-and-adultery-with-death-by-stoning-20190329-p518qi.html
    Nick Miller says that Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson have a large meal of words to eat after throwing their lot in with Theresa May’s ‘still-doomed’ Brexit.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/once-brexiters-vote-for-brexit-they-lose-their-brexit-cred-20190328-p518cb.html
    Nick O’Malley writes about a triumphant Trump and a worried America.
    https://www.smh.com.au/please-explain/a-triumphant-trump-a-worried-america-20190327-p5180t.html
    A Sydney magistrate earns a nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/he-broke-me-court-hears-evidence-from-graeme-curran-s-alleged-victim-20190328-p518ld.html

    Cartoon Corner

    Two from David Rowe today.


    Simon Letch and Teena.

    John Shakespeare has Frydenberg hosting a new game show.

    From Matt Golding.






    Cathy Wilcox has been in great form lately!

    A nice depiction of the Liberal party by Andrew Dyson.

    Mark David with an NBN history lesson.

    Peter Broelman goes after Hanson’s principles.

    Sean Leahy was at the Hanson presser.

    From the US.






  19. Hanson is really in trouble now – even Andrew Bolt, who she congratulated in her presser yesterday for “seeing though the spin and propaganda Al Jazeera and the ABC have aired” – has asked her about her views on Port Arthur.

    “It was a blue book … it wasn’t real thick”.

    Unlike Hanson, who is thicker than a double brick wall.

    Love the way it only takes her a few seconds to go from denying she ever believed any conspiracy theories about Port Arthur to trying to convince Blot about her pet theory.

    She allegedly read a book someone sent her, a book about a conspiracy. It took her years to get around to reading it. Like her followers she obviously falls for every conspiracy theory out there, so of course she believed this one.

    I’d love to read about her thoughts on Roswell, alien invasions, the lizard people who pretend to be the royal family, 9/11 being run by the US government, the moon landing being filmed in a shed in California and so much more.

  21. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/29/jacinda-arderns-speech-at-christchurch-memorial-full-transcript

    There was something both comforting and distressing about the way the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, consoled her country’s Muslim community after the Christchurch mosque attack. Comforting because here, for once, was a normal human reaction; not robotic or platitudinous, not scripted or insincere. She hugged Muslim men, just as she did women, with a comfort that betrayed no self-consciousness. The power of her response came not only from her warm physical embrace of the survivors and families of victims, but also from symbolic gestures such as wearing the hijab and refusing to use the name of the chief suspect. This was backed up with the right messaging and followed swiftly with practical measures, such as new gun legislation.

    It is a marvel to see a response so well calibrated. But it shouldn’t be. This is the distressing dimension of Ardern’s compassionate poise, that it is so unfamiliar, so rare. At a time when governments in Europe and the United States are either brazenly anti-Muslim and xenophobic, or at best silent on the matter of immigration and Islam, what should be the norm is elevated to exceptional. It is a sign of the times that Muslims feel grateful for Ardern’s outreach, and that the world is lauding her for a response that should come easily to any head of state whose citizens have been slaughtered. Already, thousands of signatures have been collected to nominate Ardern for the Nobel peace prize. Her empathy brings the shortcomings of others into relief. Her performance was impressive, but the bar is low.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/28/with-respect-how-jacinda-ardern-showed-the-world-what-a-leader-should-be

  22. Just wait for the wailing and gnashing of teeth

    Labor plans for changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing to take effect by 1 January if it is elected at the May election.

    On Friday the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, announced Labor will take just seven months to consult on and pass its signature housing tax policies and added a new measure to improve tax concessions for build-to-rent schemes.

    The timeframe maximises the revenue that Labor can expect from the measures but seemingly closes off the option of delaying the start date in order to soften its impact on a falling housing market.

    If Labor is elected, the capital gains tax discount for investments entered into after 1 January 2020 would be halved and from that date only new investment properties will qualify for negative gearing, which allows rental losses to be deducted from other income. The measures are estimated to raise $2.9bn over four years or $35.1bn over 10.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/29/labor-pledges-to-overhaul-negative-gearing-by-1-january-2020

    • Heard abc am this morning. They had a soundbite from Bowen, then somebody from the real estate mob then the so call minister, both lying about it. A total farce. I thought they would have an interview with Bowen so we could hear for ourselves what it is all about.

  23. No Shorten video today because Bill is in NZ for the Christchurch memorial service earlier today.

    Instead here’s Penny Wong, with a sensational speech in which she warns about the threat to our democracy from racism and hate speech. Made at the University of Melbourne today, when she accepted her 2018 McKinnon Prize in Political Leadership Oration and Award.

    Senator Jordon Steele-John was the other recipient of this award.

  24. Oh Damn!

    I’d forgotten all about the odious David Leyonhjelm, until I read something about him in BK’s links.

    Then I realised he’s now a member of the NSW upper house for eight years. It took preferences to get him there, but he’s in.

    FFS NSW! What were you thinking? Latham AND Leyonhjelm?

    As if having Gladys in government for four years wasn’t bad enough we now have to put up with this bizarre caricature of Muppets Statler and Waldorf as well.

    Ugh.

    Actually I think I might keep on calling them Statler and Waldorf, it’s not a bad fit. Even the upholstery in the S & W box is the right colour.

  25. After a couple of snipes at Jacinda by their in house orcs the GG let their readers have their say. FMD ,somehow Stalin and young Adolph even got a run . 😆

    …………………………….“Joseph Stalin’s two nominations deserve an honorary mention. Adolf Hitler was nominated but that was quickly withdrawn.”

    ………………….. in the end she remains what she has always been — a careerist politician totally focused on the politics of every situation.”

    ……………………….Jacinda ‘all tip, no iceberg’

    https://outline.com/Xz3ukb

  28. Grrrrrr!

    Labor would keep ParentsNext despite admitting it causes ‘great distress’
    Majority Labor-Greens committee agrees program causes anxiety to many participants but is divided on course of action

    A Labor government would retain but overhaul the contentious ParentsNext welfare program, which a Senate inquiry report said on Friday was causing “anxiety, stress and harm” for many of the 70,000 participants.

    The pre-employment program is compulsory for people receiving parenting payment with children as young as six months who are classified as “disadvantaged” by Centrelink. It should not “continue in its current form”, the Senate committee report said.

    But the Labor-Greens majority committee was split on how it should be altered. Labor committed to a significant overhaul of the program, but stopped short of endorsing one of the main changes requested by welfare groups, community advocates and the Greens: that it be made completely voluntary for all participants, if not scrapped entirely.

    Labor’s employment services spokeswoman, Terri Butler, said the evidence presented to the committee showed the program had “caused parents and their children great distress”.

    She said Labor would “overhaul the program and put in place a new approach”

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/29/labor-would-keep-parentsnext-despite-admitting-it-causes-great-distress

    Labor and the Coalition both excel at thinking up new ways to punish those on welfare, especially single mums. Both sides are as bad as one another.

    This scheme needs to be abolished. It is just another way for providers to rake in government funding.

    • It’s very sad. It must be so hard at times to bring up a child in these conditions. I really hope Labor will make it voluntary.

  32. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    In truth bomb number 5 Peter Hartcher writes about how the Liberals got stuck in a long, demented cycle of vengeance. He chronicles the end days of the Turnbull government. Another very good read.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/how-the-liberals-got-stuck-in-a-long-demented-cycle-of-vengeance-20190326-p517sz.html
    Nick Miller tells us that Theresa May’s Brexit plan has just been voted down again, in what could be the final blow to both her premiership and her strategy for taking the UK out of the European Union.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/uk-parliament-rejects-theresa-may-s-brexit-plan-for-the-third-time-20190330-p5194s.html
    Jonathan Freedland explains how this debacle is the work of hard Brexiters.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/29/brexit-betrayal-myth-hardcore-brexiters
    Peter Hartcher has penned a long essay on the political malaise of the last decade.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/weasels-win-from-cycle-of-vengeance-20190329-p5192b.html
    Ross Gittins explains how Australia’s rapid population growth – plus the ups and downs of the resources boom – is masking the economy’s problems.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/high-immigration-is-hiding-the-economy-s-long-running-weakness-20190329-p518vg.html
    Jack Waterford laments what has been happening to the public service as he suggests they are doomed to be handmaidens to dumber policy, more cronyism, less probity and more waste.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/can-thodey-or-shorten-stop-bleeding-in-the-public-service-20190329-p518sq.html
    Crispin Hull doesn’t see and end to factional warfare, leadership squabbles, appeasing donors, cobbling together a suite of policies that might gain the support of half the population, media stunts, name-calling, blame-gaming and attracting idealists, populists, pragmatists, the self-serving and the servers of the public. He looks at the reasons for voters fleeing the major parties.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/voters-aren-t-coming-to-the-party-because-they-re-in-it-for-themselves-20190328-p518dm.html
    Shane Wright reports that multi-property owning landlords has been growing as negative gearing wanes.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/multi-property-owning-landlords-grow-as-negative-gearing-wanes-20190329-p518xx.html
    Katharine Murphy says that the PM’s too busy keeping his paper-thin party truce from shredding to worry about the budget.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/30/what-budget-pms-too-busy-keeping-his-paper-thin-party-truce-from-shredding
    Paul Bongiorno writes, “The budget will be Scott Morrison’s attempt to buy his way back to the Treasury benches. But many of his troops believe it is too late. One MP who is battling hard to hold his marginal seat says, “Nothing can save us now.” Not even massive tax cuts, which are sure to be the budget’s centrepiece, nor the promise to build roads, bridges and rail in every marginal seat in the country.”
    https://www.outline.com/PywRL3
    Paul Kelly goes down the track of equating One Nation with the Greens.
    https://www.outline.com/NZm95F
    Peter van Onselen declares that it’s time to sort out the Right.
    https://www.outline.com/6fspcp
    Laura Tingle says that the door is still open for the drunken dreams of One Nation.
    https://www.outline.com/WjZVay
    Max Kozlowski writes that as voters wait in the bush with baseball bats, the Nationals face a new kind of threat: competition.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/as-voters-wait-in-the-bush-with-baseball-bats-the-nationals-face-a-new-kind-of-threat-competition-20190328-p518oy.html
    In an ominous sign for Coalition discipline ahead of the election campaign Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce says the Nats are ready to put affluent noses out of joint.
    https://www.outline.com/hPZTER
    The AFR is telling us that Malcolm Turnbull says Coalition MPs who voted to topple his government are trying to justify their actions.
    https://www.outline.com/CfyF8u
    The AFR says that Labor’s tax crackdown on real estate and franking credits for mum and dad investors and self-managed super will push billions of dollars into big industry and retail super funds.
    https://www.outline.com/bE5cKk
    Margot Kingston tells us why the cult of Pauline won’t be enough for One Nation this time.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-the-cult-of-pauline-won-t-be-enough-for-one-nation-this-time-20190329-p518vs.html
    The al-Jazeera journalist behind a secretly-filmed documentary exposing One Nation figures discussing tactics to weaken Australia’s firearms laws has defended the project, saying senior party official James Ashby wanted to meet with the National Rifle Association and wasn’t lured there unwillingly.
    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/mar/29/one-nations-ashby-welcomed-nra-meeting-id-like-to-meet-them-theyre-powerful
    Karen Middleton goes into how authenticity will decide the election.
    https://www.outline.com/g8E5Lm
    According to Simon Benson Australia’s national security will be greatly upgraded through an unparalleled $570 million funding boost for counter-terrorism and anti-espionage operations, in a budget framed around keeping the economy and the country safe and strong.
    https://www.outline.com/JHYzNE
    Simon Cowan examines the importance of this year’s budget.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/does-the-budget-matter-it-depends-on-who-s-asking-20190328-p518jd.html
    And Dennis Shanahan warns us about a profligate budget.
    https://www.outline.com/NLcZqt
    Economists are expecting measures to shore up the Australian economy at next week’s budget but are divided on what to expect.
    https://www.outline.com/9JbN8r
    How high immigration is hiding the economy’s long-running weakness.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/high-immigration-is-hiding-the-economy-s-long-running-weakness-20190329-p518vg.html
    Eryk Bagshaw reports that a firm given the $14 million job of upgrading critical security at Parliament House in Canberra is in disarray with allegations of cocaine use, a sideline in an Uber-style app for escorts, debts to Russian friends and the intervention of a Morrison government minister. Oh dear!
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/cocaine-escorts-and-unpaid-workers-parliament-s-security-embarrassment-20190325-p517h0.html
    Mark Diesendorf writes that the government’s electricity shortlist rightly features pumped hydro (and wrongly includes coal).
    https://theconversation.com/the-governments-electricity-shortlist-rightly-features-pumped-hydro-and-wrongly-includes-coal-114503
    One of the policemen who registered Nicola Gobbo as an informer may have had “intimate relations” with her, the public inquiry has been told.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/nicola-gobbo-may-have-had-intimate-relations-with-police-handler-20190329-p51922.html
    The SMH editorial says that it’s time to force social media to take responsibility.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/time-to-force-social-media-to-take-responsibility-20190329-p518zf.html
    The ACCC has renewed calls to scrap rooftop solar subsidies by 2021, putting it at odds with both sides of the federal government.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/accc-calls-for-an-end-to-rooftop-solar-subsidies-20190329-p518xt.html
    Mike Seccombe says that of all the many ways the federal government has tried to suppress criticism of its policies from charitable organisations, its latest may be the most audacious. Now it is trying to stifle them by using Australia’s constitution as a gag.
    https://www.outline.com/2jYfuh
    The NRA has been keeping people living in fear through the media in order to keep selling guns and promoting violence, writes Kerry Cue.
    https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/the-nra-fear-hatred-and-how-to-sell-guns,12520
    Mark Latham’s success in the NSW election buoyed One Nation, but the exposé of its bid for donations from the US National Rifle Association may have shot the party in the foot in the run-up to the federal poll, says The Saturday Paper’s Damien Murphy.
    https://www.outline.com/bbU6vE
    Jim Bright argues that everyone has a responsibility to call out racism in the workplace.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/we-all-have-a-part-to-play-in-stamping-out-racism-at-work-20190326-p517n5.html
    Now Burston has threatened to sue Pauline Hanson for defamation reports Joanne McCarthy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/senator-brian-burston-threatens-to-sue-pauline-hanson-for-defamation-20190329-p5193a.html
    Elizabeth Farrelly explains why, after the biggest boom in Sydney’s history, everything new looks cheap, mean and prematurely aged.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/five-ways-sydney-is-determined-to-self-sabotage-20190328-p518hy.html
    In this contribution Barry Jones laments the demise of decent political debate and the skills underlying it.
    https://www.outline.com/ZKDqhJ
    The ACCC has laid into the practice of dodgy electricity retail discounting.
    https://www.outline.com/j3LLYe
    APRA has disclosed that Suncorp rejects more than 30 per cent of superannuation members’ total and disability insurance claims, while CommInsure accepts only one in four accidental death or injury claims.
    https://www.outline.com/y59JUH
    The ban on Huawei products is a result of the power war between China and the USA, while the rest of us are the direct losers, writes Paul Budde.
    https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/looking-at-the-broader-huawei-issue,12519
    Elizabeth Knight says Aussie retailers are fighting the Amazon Armageddon – and winning.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/aussie-retailers-are-fighting-the-amazon-armageddon-and-winning-20190329-p518z3.html
    Clementine Ford writes that as the Me Too movement continues its march, an Australian Education Union survey reveals that teachers face extreme levels of sexual harassment in the workplace, often by students.
    https://www.outline.com/9x7CRC
    Paula Matthewson writes that it was One Nation’s turn this week to learn how political fortunes can change in the blink of an eye, leaving little chance to recover. And for the PM, Scott Morrison, to find a silver lining in the most unlikely of places.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/03/29/one-nations-live-fire-lunacy-wounds-the-coalition/
    A columnist for The Australian newspaper wrote a nasty article this week denigrating New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern after many days of global media praise Alan Austin reports.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/blunders-again-murdoch-media-gets-attack-on-new-zealand-pm-jacinta-ardern-wrong/
    The Parrot has thumbed its beak at ACMA and escapes penalty once again. ACMA’s role is now under scrutiny.
    https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/toothless-acma-s-powers-under-spotlight-after-alan-jones-decision-20190329-p518yk.html
    Pope Francis enacted new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse within the Vatican and other Holy See institutions in Rome as well as by its diplomatic corps worldwide.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2019/03/30/pope-francis-targets-sex-abuse-on-his-vatican-doorstep/
    Eddie McGuire gets a nomination here for “Arsehole of the Week”.
    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/it-can-t-be-that-hard-can-it-eddie-mcguire-mocks-plane-crash-survivor-cynthia-banham-s-coin-toss-20190329-p5194g.html

    Cartoon Corner

    A couple from David Rowe.


    David Pope on the plight of Kurdish women.

    And he gives Hanson a serve over her Port Arthur comments.

    John Shakespeare and the Liberal killing filed.

    from Matt Golding.


    Alan Moir with Morrison’s own tick problem

    Mark David also involves a tick.

    And Peter Broelman also gets in on the act.

    Jon Kudelka outfits Pauline.

    Zanetti has Hanson up against the wall.

    Sean Leahy has located Pauline’s little blue book.

    Glen Le Lievre defends bats.

    Another good one from Le Lievre!

    Joe Benke on Frydenberg’s budget.

    From the US




  34. “The AFR is telling us that Malcolm Turnbull says Coalition MPs who voted to topple his government are trying to justify their actions.”

    I wish Turnbull would just go away and stop whinging. The way he’s carrying on gives the impression he thought he would be PM for life, emperor even, if he could manage that.

    I suppose he’s going to publish the first volume of his collected whinges soon. Eventually, like Krudd, he will churn out a whole series in which he will whine about the treachery of the Liberal Party and his angst over being denied his chance to become Australia’s first emperor.

    The only thing I’m sorry about in the Liberal leadership sag is this – the knifing of Turnbull denied us the opportunity to vote him out of office. I really wanted to see his concession speech. It would have been a doozy, judging by his angry victory speech in 2016 – if he bothered to turn up to make it.

    Turnbull has more in common with his namesake Governor Bligh than he maybe realises – he too may have needed to be dragged out from under a bed at the harbourside mansion to make that speech. What a shame we will never get to see it.

  35. Excellent sketch thread from Mike Carlton – easy to see what his inspiration was.

  37. Racing neck and neck with Mr McGuire for Arsehole of the Week , come on down Father Pierre Khoury

    “Are they going to believe a priest or are they going to believe you?” said Father Pierre Khoury as he stood in the doorway of a parishioner’s home, shrugging off the bounced cheque he had written in satisfaction of a million-dollar debt……………………….. in 2014 Mrs Elias, a disability pensioner, was trying to arrange the sale of large block of vacant land in Lebanon which she inherited. Father Pierre, who asked for the title deeds, said he knew of a prospective buyer and offered to help with the sale. He subsequently informed Mrs Elias that he had sold the block for $US1.3 ………………..They discovered that the land is worth an estimated $US6 million and rather than selling it, Boutros El Khoury, otherwise known as Father Pierre, is now the registered owner.
    https://outline.com/bb9q5D

  38. Spot the difference

    Jacinda to Waleed ““Do you mind if I give you a hug?” Ms Ardern asked.”
    .
    Scrott to Jacinda “Give me a hug,”

    • What gets me is Jacinda held out her hand for a handshake and this oaf just ignored that and went for the hug, a move purely for the cameras.

      He seems to think hugging is a virtue, something he believes everyone should do more. He has no idea about personal space. Many of us (me especially) do not enjoy being hugged by anyone but family and very close friends. If you don’t want a hug then you should not have one forced on you by a buffoon who just wants good footage for the evening news.

  41. Bill Maher – (obviously I have not watched all of it so let me know if there are faults and I’ll find a better one)

    New rules 47:40

    Overtime –

  42. Election guide update

    I’ve decided to expand what I’m doing with the guide. Instead of just doing Victoria, I’m intending on doing as many electorate as possible before nominations close. I’ve also done Tasmania and am currently adding the New South Wales electorates. Here’s another sample

    Cook (LIB 15.4%)

    Location

    Southern Suburbs of Sydney. Cook includes the suburbs of Cronulla, Sylvania, Miranda, Sans Souci and Kogarah.

    History

    Cook was created in 1969 and has mostly been represented by the Liberal Party. Its first member was Don Dobie who held it until he was defeated by Labor’s Ray Thorburn. Thorburn held Cook until 1975 until losing to Dobie, Thorburn is the only Labor to have held Cook. Dobie held the seat as a backbencher until his retirement in 1996, he was succeeded by Stephen Mutch, who only held the seat for one term before losing preselection to Bruce Baird, a former minister in the New South Wales Government. Baird remained on the backbench for his entire federal career and became a vocal dissident regarding the Howard Government’s immigration policies. Baird retired in 2007 and was succeeded by Scott Morrison.

    Candidates

    Scott Morrison- LIB: Before entering parliament, Morrison was a researcher at the Property Council of Australia and subsequently served a number of roles in the tourism industry, including as managing director of Tourism Australia, where he was responsible for the risible “So where the bloody hell are you?” campaign. Morrison was initially appointed Shadow Minister for Housing in 2008 before being made Shadow Immigration Minister in 2009. Morrison became Immigration Minister in the Abbott Government and was promoted to Treasurer by Malcolm Turnbull. In August 2018 when it was clear that Turnbull’s leadership was in terminal decline, Morrison ran as a candidate for the leadership and received support from moderates, who were anxious to prevent Peter Dutton from becoming Prime Minister. Morrison defeated Dutton in the leadership spill and subsequently became Prime Minister.

    Simon O’Brien- ALP: O’Brien is a bar manager and has also taught hospitality at TAFE.

    Jonathan Doig- Greens: Doig is a software developer and climate activist.

    Electoral Geography

    The Liberals do well in all areas of Cook with their best area being Cronulla and the surrounding suburbs. The area north of the Georges River is more marginal. The Liberal vote ranged from 47.84% at Brighton-Le Sands Public School, an external booth covering the far north of the electorate, to 77.27% at Lilli Pilli Public School near Cronulla.

    Prognosis

    Morrison will be in no danger of losing his seat.

    • Jones and Halbig: What a pair of absolute grubs. I would like to say more but I don’t want to get this site in trouble.

    • OK then –

      What a pair of unspeakable bastards, the emotional and psychological damage that this pair of fucking goons is doing to the poor parents of the victims not to mention the extended families is unmeasurable.

      These are the type of people who support phon and the unristricted sale of assault weapons and other WMD’s.

      They would be happy to see the total destruction of democracy the world over and turn us all into cap doffing serfs and be sending children down the mines to work.

      I’m fucking sick of what the world is becoming, I grew up in a time when inclusion, no matter what your proclivities or sexual orientation, was a given and you doffed your cap as a courtesy not because you were a lesser human being.

      Slavery has not been banned it has just been re-badged and redesigned. Now we are all financial slaves unable to stand up for ourselves for fear of losing our jobs and not being able to pay the mortgage thereby finding ourselves homeless.

      Education is being dumbed down to such an extent that we end up with people like trump and pauleen hanson (I refuse to use capital letters when mentioning these people) in positions of power because no one can think for themselves anymore and see through the lies and deceit, they then use the power to enrich themselves and their families and friends at the expense of the infrastructure that is needed to run our society.

      Fucking sick of it I tells ya.

      End of rant, hope I haven’t offended anyone.

      There is more to say but that will do for now, I got it off my chest for a while anyway.

  48. ck watt

    Well said. I don’t know of these things/me, but from the small bits I have picked up on social media, I have to agree with you.

  49. CKW,

    Splendid rant! I agree with you completely!!

    At the same time, I will admit to a tiny (be assured, it’s tiny) bit of concern for these individuals. My reading is that they are victims too – of their own gullibility, and the hatred that that’s taught them.

    Not an excuse. Just a possible interpretation.

    If I ever met either of them, I’m not sure how I’d react (probably scuttle away because of their aggro – but one never knows).

  50. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. It’s a bit of a slow news Sunday.

    Investigators have reportedly found the first hard link between the two 737 MAX disasters.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/investigators-find-first-hard-link-between-the-two-737-max-disasters-20190330-p5197w.html
    Claire Kimball analyses what influence preference structure involving One Nation will have in the next election.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/you-need-to-have-a-heart-to-do-politics-20190329-p51904.html
    Katharine Murphy writes that Labor is set to unveil a climate policy that will beef up the Morrison government’s heavily criticised safeguard mechanism, creating new pollution reduction requirements for the aviation sector, cement, steel and aluminium, mining and gas, direct combustion and the non-electricity energy sectors.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/30/labor-tighten-emissions-regime-climate-election
    The SMH editorial suggests that the federal Coalition could learn from Berejiklian’s victory.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/federal-coalition-can-learn-from-berejiklian-s-victory-20190329-p5191b.html
    Peter FitzSimons says Labor’s leader in waiting, Chris Minns, has a firm agenda for NSW. He also defends the Al Jazeera investigation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/in-like-minns-labor-s-leader-in-waiting-has-firm-agenda-for-nsw-20190329-p5190v.html
    Jacqui Maley derides the callous, pointless vacuum at the dead heart of One Nation.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-callous-pointless-vacuum-at-the-dead-heart-of-one-nation-20190329-p518y4.html
    The Guardian lays out the extraordinary story laid out about Lawyer X before the royal commission.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/30/lawyer-x-what-we-learnt-royal-commission
    London’s Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May was never required to pitch to party members and therein, perhaps, lay the seeds of her future difficulties. And it was not immediately apparent that she was a spectacularly poor communicator.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/europe-the-killer-of-british-tory-pms-20190328-p518ib.html
    It also reports that Citigroup has issued an explicit recession warning for the world’s largest economy, advising clients to exit risky assets and prepare to ride out the storm.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/brace-for-nightmare-before-christmas-banking-giant-warns-investors-20190330-p51959.html
    Blake Foden warns us about the late extras hidden in events ticketing. Spivs are everywhere!
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/is-the-price-really-the-price-extra-charges-could-be-lying-in-wait-20190327-p51848.html
    Matthew Knott writes that many refugees from Manus Island and Nauru arrive in the US full of optimism. But they soon found life in America is much more challenging than they had ever imagined.
    https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/nauru-refugees-struggling-with-life-in-the-us-valley-of-opportunity-20190329-p518r7.html
    A Senate committee tabled its report on the future of film and TV production in this country last week. Just don’t expect the government to respond, writes Karl Quinn.
    https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/great-ideas-to-save-oz-film-and-tv-but-government-just-isn-t-listening-20190328-p518kq.html
    John Collett reports that not-for-profit lenders and industry super funds are taking business from the big banks following the damaging findings of the royal commission.
    https://www.smh.com.au/money/banking/consumers-desert-scandal-plagued-big-banks-20190327-p517zb.html
    ASIC tells us that car dealers are gouging buyers with ‘worthless’ insurance policies. It’s a hell of a ripoff.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/your-budget/2019/03/30/insurance-warranty-cost-australia/
    Church and State discount price for rape/sexual abuse of children. Contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence calls them out.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/child-sex-abuse-rally-in-melbourne-on-sunday-to-reform-redress-scheme,12526
    An estimated 20,000 people have protested in Verona against a conference which has brought a global network of anti-gay, anti-abortion and anti-feminist activists to the northern Italian city.
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/30/christian-right-summit-in-verona-draws-massive-protest

    Cartoon Corner

    From Matt Golding.



    Zanetti has another crack at Hanson.

    Glen Le Lievre’s brief history of One Nation.

    From the US.



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