Is this the worst year the world has experienced since the Spanish Flu epidemic? Or since the combined years of WW1? Or since the combined years of WW2? Korea? Vietnam? Eritrea? Sudan? Zimbabwe? The 1990s Balkan wars? ISIS? And I could go on and on reciting devastating appalling “local” conflicts for hours.
Is this the worst year since HIV-AIDS manifested itself? Or SARS? Or Ebola?
Singly each of those wars/epidemics, has been appalling.
However (taking a deep breath), 2020 is, possibly in the modern era, the worst single year since all those catastrophes.
Not to mention mere asides like political corruption …
Can we reflect on what’s happened? Can we learn lessons? Can we move forward? Can we still have hope?
My answer:
YES WE CAN!
We are grandparents, parents, children, spouses, siblings. We care for our friends. We have non-human animals for whom we care deeply. We care for our fauna, our flora, our environment, for everything that allows to exist on this extremely thin skin of the ecosphere.
We care for truth, for honesty, for trust, and for mutual respect – not just for our cultures, or our own species – but for everything that lives on and enables life on Earth.
Yesterday afternoon I listened to the first global broadcast of Max Richter’s decade-in-the-making composition Voices – essentially a musical representation of the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights. I found it incredibly moving.
If you don’t have time for/want to listen to it, may I recommend its precursor: Mercy.
Because I think that’s what we all need now.
Unto us a child is born.
Please let that be a child of, and with, hope.
THE PUB 
Covidiots!
Like this, taken earlier today. Very few masks, no social distancing.
First Dog
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/18/2020-was-a-poisonous-sea-snake-lurking-in-the-foam-covered-storm-lashed-beaches-of-a-year
Some excellent news.
Energy giant loses Bylong coal mine appeal in win for anti-coal groups
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/energy-giant-loses-bylong-coal-mine-appeal-in-win-for-anti-coal-groups-20201218-p56orq.html
.
leonetwo,
[ so much for freaking gold standard in NSW. ]
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first read that tummy rub for Gladys and from a Fairfax Journo too.
They must go about their narrow existence not taking any notice what has been happening in other places, some quite close to NSW such as the Act, Qld and Victoiria for just 3.
Then we have the NT which was probably the first off the block with negative transmissions, WA which has not recorded a community transmission for ages, Tasmania and SA which had been doing well but did have a hick-up recently.
NSW has had constant community transmissions ever since the Ruby princess debacle with just an occasional false dawn when no infections were logged but were there in the background all the time.
So called “Super Spreaders” are bloody hard to deal with & pin down. They seem to have had quite a number of them this year. Gold Standard my arse.
Scorps,
They aren’t Fairfax journos any more. They are Channel 9 journos, operated by Peter Costello.
And congrats on your latest grandchild!
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/liberals-in-a-cash-quandary-after-casey-developer-donations-revealed-20201218-p56os4.html
I became a Grandfather again this afternoon (4 now) with Grand-daughter number 3 arriving safely from Daughter number 3. LOL
Well done, scorps! All that hard work …
Congratulations, especially to your daughter who did all the hard work.
Funny thing about the way the MSM fete Gladys and never, ever criticise her, even making daft “Poor Gladys” comments when her love affair with Dreadful Dazza turned sour, yet wanted to see Dan and Annastacia crucified for daring to close their borders. Wouldn’t have had anything to do with Gladys being a Liberal and the CrimeMinister’s pet premier while Dan and Annastacia are Labor would it? Of course not, the CrimeMinister would never use a pandemic to play politics, would he. (Cough, cough, cough………)
Scorps is right, NSW has has community transmission mumbling along since the Ruby Princess but you never see the usual suspects mention that gross breach of every imaginable standard, do you.
All NSW residents are now being asked to monitor themselves for symptoms. Just as well I haven’t been anywhere except to a doctor’s appointment and a chemist in weeks. Looks like I will be staying home and still playing lucky dips with online supermarket shopping well into next year.
Leone,
The hypocrisy of the LNP and the msm is appalling, but unsurprising.
I want to puke, there are no words to describe the following news item.
– Rupert Murdoch receives dose of Covid vaccine in UK –
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/18/rupert-murdoch-receives-dose-of-covid-vaccine-in-uk
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
According to the SMH, Sydney’s growing coronavirus cluster threatens to spread beyond the northern beaches and NSW Health authorities are poised to announce another spike in cases this morning.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/venue-alerts-across-sydney-masks-for-northern-beaches-as-cluster-hits-28-20201218-p56oro.html
Going hard and going early is the only way restrictions will stop COVID-19 hotspots declares the SMH editorial.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/go-hard-and-go-early-only-way-restrictions-will-stop-covid-19-hotspots-20201218-p56osx.html
With 28 cases in Sydney’s north expected to grow in coming days, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said his “strong advice” not to visit Sydney would likely last until 2021.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/festive-plans-in-pieces-as-victoria-discourages-travel-to-sydney-20201218-p56ot5.html
In the interest of “balance”, here is Adam Creighton writing, “Personal liberty sacrificed at the altar of Covid public safety”.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/personal-liberty-sacrificed-at-the-altar-of-covid-public-safety/news-story/158ba49b6b01bdf2ab70dbceac3974b5
The latest economic figures from New Zealand offer some food for thought on how differently the pandemic, and responses to it, can feed through an economy, explains Laura Tingle.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/a-potential-pandemic-lesson-from-new-zealand-20201218-p56omp
Katharine Murphy agrees, saying New Zealand shows the best strategy for economic recovery is successfully managing Covid.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/19/new-zealand-shows-the-best-strategy-for-economic-recovery-is-successfully-managing-covid
Peter Hartcher outlines what he thinks are the five big lessons that Australia learnt in 2020.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/five-big-lessons-that-australia-learnt-in-2020-20201217-p56oi7.html
Covid-19 saved Morrison, but climate is the real test, explains Mike Seccombe.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2020/12/19/covid-19-saved-morrison-climate-the-real-test/160829640010909
All politicians lie, but Scott Morrison’s untruths transcend the usual, says Dennis Atkins. Wow!
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2020/12/19/scott-morrison-political-liars/
Executive bonuses inflated by JobKeeper, rising property and share prices, tax cuts for the wealthy. What’s not to like about 2020 for the top end of town? Tasha May takes a closer look at how the pandemic is exacerbating wealth inequality in Australia.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/vintage-year-for-the-wealthy-covid-19-widens-gap-between-rich-and-poor/
Ross Gittins says that we shouldn’t blame gig economy for job insecurity because it’s only half the story. He points to new organisational structures that are designed to minimise costs, transfer risk from corporations to employees, and shift power away from employees.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/don-t-blame-gig-economy-for-job-insecurity-that-s-only-half-the-story-20201218-p56olb.html
Paul Bongiorno has come to the conclusion that there are big holes in the Coalition’s pre-election bucket list. Quite an interesting analysis.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2020/12/19/big-holes-the-coalitions-pre-election-bucket-list/160829640010910
Tom Rabe reports that the NSW corruption watchdog revealed yesterday that it was taking “further investigative steps” as part of its inquiry into Daryl Maguire, who allegedly used his position in parliament to improperly further his suspect business dealings.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/maguire-corruption-inquiry-delayed-as-corruption-investigation-widens-20201218-p56oti.html
As Australia enters what may be an election year, Scott Morrison’s approval is high rather than solid, while Anthony Albanese has strategy rather than tactics, opines Karen Middleton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2020/12/19/morrison-albanese-get-ready-2021/160829640010912
Rob Harris describes the Cabinet reshuffle as a boring end to the most remarkable of years.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/cabinet-reshuffle-a-boring-end-to-the-most-remarkable-of-years-20201218-p56osg.html
Michelle Grattan has some thoughts on the reshuffle.
https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-aged-care-to-cabinet-tehan-to-trade-in-morrisons-modest-reshuffle-152322
The Saturday Paper’s editorial says that the quality that makes Scott Morrison uniquely equipped to lead Australia in 2021 is his preternatural inability to feel shame.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/editorial/2020/12/19/sliding-towards-zero/160829640010907
As Australia takes the serious step of referring its top trading partner to the World Trade Organization, China watchers wonder whether a truce is now impossible, writes The Saturday Paper’s Michael Wesley.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2020/12/19/trade-war-can-the-china-relationship-be-salvaged/160829640010911
Tony Wright reminds us of the time in 1995 where it was revealed that Australia had extensively bugged the new Chinese embassy.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/half-angels-fighting-half-devils-the-secret-world-of-le-canberra-20201217-p56oas.html
Royce Millar tells us that the Victorian Liberals find themselves in a cash quandary after Casey developer donations have been revealed. Fancy that!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/liberals-in-a-cash-quandary-after-casey-developer-donations-revealed-20201218-p56os4.html
Millar goes into considerable detail here as he explains all the things that have been learned from the Casey corruption scandal.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/how-money-talks-in-victorian-politics-five-lessons-from-the-casey-corruption-scandal-20201218-p56oo3.html
Peter van Onslen reckons Scott Morrison could retire as a Liberal legend.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/scott-morrison-could-retire-as-a-liberal-legend/news-story/6ffd9c4f151109ddc2913ba688a6d5ff
The government has just further stacked the AAT with its cronies.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/trio-of-former-politicians-join-administrative-appeals-tribunal-ranks-20201218-p56ort.html
Adele Ferguson says Rio Tinto’s decision to appoint an insider based in London as its new leader epitomises a board with a tin ear.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/inside-job-rio-s-appointment-reveals-board-s-tin-ear-20201218-p56otx.html
Latika Bourke writes that China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has called for better relations with the incoming Biden administration, saying a confrontation between the US and China would “spell disaster” for “humanity as a whole”.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/china-s-foreign-minister-wants-better-ties-with-biden-administration-20201218-p56okm.html
Peter FitzSimons picks out his top sports people for 2020. He makes particular mention of the narcissistic Greg Norman.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/so-long-farewell-and-thanks-for-the-year-that-was-20201218-p56omf.html
An injury-causing accident at AGL Energy’s ageing Liddell coal power station in NSW has torn to shreds expectations for a relatively relaxed summer for electricity supplies.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/liddell-outage-revives-summer-power-fears-20201218-p56onb
As a senate inquiry launches a scathing critique of the legislative failures that led to the destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves, traditional owners in the Northern Territory are fighting a fracking project that threatens water sources and sacred sites, writes Rick Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2020/12/19/fracking-country-the-nt/160829640010913
The Morrison government has been accused of embarking on an “expensive plan for a climate catastrophe” after it announced it would pay the gas industry up to $50m to speed up exploration in the Northern Territory.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/19/zero-return-government-savaged-over-taxpayer-grants-to-open-up-new-gas-basin-in-australia
While there is every reason to be grateful that the pandemic did not dramatically exceed the capacity of the Victorian health system, there is a real possibility this system now will be overwhelmed without specific interventions.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2020/12/19/health-system-exposed/160829640010908
SafeWork NSW has allowed an extension on repairs to the troubled residential block that would have seen businesses at its base close over the festive period.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/mascot-towers-given-extension-on-repairs-retailers-remain-open-over-christmas-20201218-p56orj.html
The NSW Land and Environment Court has upheld a decision by the state’s Independent Planning Commission to reject a controversial coal mine planned for rich farmland north-west of Sydney.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/energy-giant-loses-bylong-coal-mine-appeal-in-win-for-anti-coal-groups-20201218-p56orq.html
Crispin Hull thinks Ireland’s unification will be one upside of Brexit. He says that when the British voted for Brexit they voted for Little England. On January 1, they will have put in place the inevitable steps to get it.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7060131/irelands-unification-will-be-one-upside-of-brexit/?cs=14258
Bloomberg says that Google, Amazon and Apple are facing the nuclear option as governments make threatening noises.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/google-amazon-and-apple-face-the-nuclear-option-20201217-p56o6c.html
President Joe Biden’s big policy agenda starts with Covid-19. In first 100 days US to rejoin World Health Organization and Paris Agreement. Donald Trump’s legacy is a Supreme Court with a conservative majority, explains Jonathan Pearlman.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/world/north-america/2020/12/19/kamala-harris-pivotal-democrats-eye-the-future/160829640010891
According to Steve Holland, sources in the White House paint a portrait of a lame-duck president who spends hours holed up with cronies and shows little interest in running the country.
https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/still-seething-trump-hunkers-down-in-white-house-man-cave-20201219-p56ovs
Cartoon Corner
Alan Moir
David Pope
Mark Knight
Andrew Dyson
Matt Golding
Jon Kudelka
There is a heap of excellent Mark David cartoons here!
https://independentaustralia.net/life/art-display/cartoons-mark-david-puts-the-blowtorch-to-2020,14630
Johannes Leak
Matt Davidson
John Shakespeare
Jim Pavlidis
Joe Benke
From the US
“As a senate inquiry launches a scathing critique of the legislative failures that led to the destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves, traditional owners in the Northern Territory are fighting a fracking project that threatens water sources and sacred sites, writes Rick Morton.”
Excellent article, highly recommended.
Some information about Empire Energy.
This company website cunningly gives the impression it is Australian –
https://empireenergygroup.net/
However, if you dig a little deeper you find another page on the same site that tells us the truth. The Australian company, Imperial Oil and Gas, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of US-based Empire Energy, taken over in 2018.
https://empireenergygroup.net/company/company-structure/
Then there’s this – pay particular attention to the second paragraph.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/empire-energy-group-ltd-eeg-225500925.html
Here are Empire’s plans for the NT – there won’t be much left once they have finished.
https://empireenergygroup.net/australia/
So a US company plans to take advantage of subsidies by Australian taxpayers to frack sacred sites in the NT, avoid paying any tax and when it has finished do the usual thing oil, gas and coal companies do – leave behind ruined land and destroyed sacred sites.
This morning Gladys did a presser to give an update on the latest virus numbers.
Just four (alleged) journalists attended, so obviously they were the ones Gladys could trust to not ask difficult questions.
No Peta Credlin, no Rachel Baxendale, just four unknowns. Even with that help Gladys could not bring herself to say exactly how many cases in total NSW now has, neither could the CHO Kerry Chant. It seems they are hiding the true position in NSW. Brad Hazzard insists the outbreak is still very localised. It’s not.
So, for those keen to know there are 23 new cases in the Northern Beaches cluster, bringing the total there to 38. Not getting a mention are the other cases floating around Sydney especially at Cronulla and Bondi.
Can NSW borrow Dan Andrews to help contain this outbreak? Please? Gladys doesn’t have a clue.
Why is anyone really surprised when things like this happen.
In some ways Murdoch, Morrison, Trump and Xi are all aspects of people who have never considered others except as means to an end.
Sometimes I feel incredibly sorry for them and others like them. Can’t remember how the world dealt with the last lot of really corrupt “leadership” types, but occasionally think that we could do with another attempt at doing so…
A follow up to my earlier post
Chris Hayes –
Oh FFS!
Excellent.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Not wearing a mask out and about should be as socially unacceptable as smoking around kids, says Peter FitzSimons in his weekly column.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/not-wearing-a-mask-out-and-about-should-be-as-socially-unacceptable-as-smoking-around-kids-20201218-p56osz.html
Last night senior Victorian officials were locked in discussions on tightening border restrictions with NSW and enforcing tougher testing measures amid growing concern Sydney’s northern beaches COVID-19 cluster is spiralling out of control.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria-to-ask-military-for-help-on-borders-20201219-p56oz0.html
Australians can strap themselves in for continuous outbreaks that put the country at risk if the “flawed” quarantine system isn’t fixed, experts have warned.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/coronavirus/2020/12/20/coronavirus-nsw-quarantine-system/
Meanwhile. Bevan Shields reports that a mutated coronavirus strain up to 70 per cent more transmissible than earlier versions is spreading rapidly across Britain, shattering the Christmas plans of tens of millions and stoking fears of a major third wave in Europe.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/worst-moment-of-whole-epidemic-britain-says-new-virus-strain-up-to-70-per-cent-more-transmissible-20201220-p56ozr.html
A new study has confirmed that COVID-19 is indeed “far more serious” than the seasonal flu.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/coronavirus/2020/12/18/coronavirus-flu-study-covid/
Katherine Murphy says that Scott Morrison’s economic “humblebrag” has been disproved by the New Zealand comeback.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/19/new-zealand-shows-the-best-strategy-for-economic-recovery-is-successfully-managing-covid
Any politician who claims to care about housing affordability but leaves negative gearing untouched ought to be laughed off the podium, declares John Faine.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/government-must-act-to-make-housing-affordable-20201218-p56ooi.html
Mark Kenny says, “Australia’s third-rate leaders are failing the climate Test”.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7060816/australias-third-rate-leaders-are-failing-the-climate-test/?cs=14329
The shock decision by the Court of Appeal to quash Mokbel’s 2006 drug trafficking conviction has potentially removed the legal grounds used to seize assets that police alleged were the proceeds of crime.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/mokbel-could-be-paid-compensation-for-20m-in-seized-assets-20201219-p56oxk.html
Deborah Snow reports that a former head of the defence force is backing a call for a royal commission or its equivalent to further probe the findings of the recently released Brereton report on war crimes allegedly committed by some Australian special forces in Afghanistan.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/call-for-royal-commission-into-alleged-afghanistan-war-crimes-20201218-p56orp.html
The Government is well and truly broken, writes Peter Henning who says that the Coalition has a “right to rule” mentality.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-coalitions-right-to-rule-mentality,14637
The AIMN’s Rossleigh writes, “So, all things considered, Morrison has had a great year. In spite of doing things that would have had the media calling for rioting in the streets, he has been congratulated, praised and has a high approval rating in the polls. Yes, the fact that he’s made just about every mistake in the book and it’s only been the premiers and the National Cabinet that’s saved him from himself. he’s still PM.”
https://theaimn.com/scott-morrisons-successful-year/
Cait Kelly writes that a former president of BP has warned Australia’s coal industry is slowly dying, and without a transition plan taxpayers can expect to be slugged billions.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/12/20/coal-dying-australia-bp/
The New York Times explores what the UK will be facing as the Brexit moment of truth approaches.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/the-big-deal-about-no-deal-what-s-wrong-with-worst-case-brexit-20201219-p56oxq.html
“Instead of gaming the system, let’s help schools lift their game”, implores Jordan Baker.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/instead-of-gaming-the-system-let-s-help-schools-lift-their-game-20201218-p56ose.html
Matt Wade tells us that Greater Sydney has more toll-road kilometres than any other urban area in the world, and a new study has found lower-income suburbs are bearing a disproportionate share of the city’s toll burden.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-families-who-pay-the-price-of-sydney-s-love-affair-with-toll-roads-20201218-p56orm.html
As 2020 becomes 2021, one thing remains ominously certain: the Australia-U.S. alliance will continue to threaten the peace of the region and Australia’s economic security, says political economist William Briggs.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/australia-caught-in-the-middle-of-a-diplomatic-stoush,14633
Just days after reaffirming the festive “bubble” plan and claiming it would be “inhuman” to cancel Christmas, Boris Johnson announced the creation of a new, stricter “tier 4”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/19/pm-announces-tier-4-covid-curbs-and-curtails-christmas-mixing-in-england
These lovely siblings have earned nomination for “Arseholes of the Week”.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/18/sackler-congress-opioid-purdue-hearing
Trump raised $200m from false election claims, so what happens to the money now, asks Chris McGreal.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/19/trump-raised-200m-from-false-election-claims-what-happens-to-the-money-now
Cartoon Corner
Matt Golding
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
From the US
I had a trip planned for the Mid North Coast in early January. Seeing that Forster has now joined the list of active sites, I expect I’ll be cancelling that one.
But enough about me. Let’s talk Morrison. I’ve been keeping an eye on his movements this year. Some people are suggesting he runs away when things get tough, as if it’s some kind of an ad hoc thing. I think it’s more structured than that. It looks to me as if there’s a deliberate strategy to position him as the face of ‘good news’ in this country, and as far as possible to only have him appear in public when there are positive things to announce. They want a good vibe around him. So all ‘vaccine’ announcements are handled by him, and he got out there with encouraging words when Victoria had its outbreak back under control. Bad news and most of the sledging of ALP states is delegated to ministers. The Robodebt payout was carefully managed. Morrison timed an unnecessary trip to Japan (to make an announcement that was mostly speculative and seemed to baffle the Japanese as to its timing) specifically so that he’d be overseas and then in quarantine when the bad news hit the media. While ministers bore the brunt, Morrison took a PR team home with him and did some arty lockdown shots. It was all about distancing himself from bad news.
It’s been his MO all year. When he was finally forced back from Hawaii (or wherever he was) at the start of the year due to bushfires being out of control, his first move was not to mobilise defences against the fires, or provide support for those affected – or even to mount an information campaign for that matter. His first move was to invite the Australian cricket team to Kirribilli for a series of uncomfortable-looking photos. In other words, his first concern was for his image. When he went to Cobargo, it was clear he was only interested in being seen to be shaking people’s hands (which backfired terribly). And we all know he’s been conducting a Facebook/Instagram campaign throughout the year to make him look like a ‘family man’, holding hammers and hovering over ovens – usually at times we needed our leader to take some decisive action over something.
Same thing this last week. An outbreak begins to take hold in Sydney. International quarantine, a federal responsibility, is central to it. We need strong leadership and decisive action. Morrison gives a shortish presser where he praises NSW’s ‘gold standard’, tells us it’s now Berejikian’s problem, and says he’s going on holiday. Just before things get out of hand. He’ll be very hard to track down from here.
Aguirre,
I think you’re on the money. Good analysis.
It is mildly annoying seeing people on social media claiming Victorians are laughing at NSW over the latest situation. For a lot of us it’s disruptive to our own plans, and not only that, it gives us flashbacks to what happened to us just a couple of months ago, and the fear resurfaces that we might have to go through it all over again.
For mine, I think the situations are similar. The notion that Andrews acted swiftly and decisively is untrue. Locking down limited sections of the city was the first move, and that came only after it was clear we had a problem, not right from the start. Berejiklian is doing a similar thing with the Northern Beaches. Masks weren’t made mandatory here for a while either. The trouble up there is probably not so much a bad government response but the lingering opinion amongst the rest of the country that Victoria just ‘did things badly’ and that the same dangers don’t exist for everyone else. It doesn’t sound as if enough people in Sydney are thinking “look what happened to Victoria, we don’t want the same thing to happen here…” So they’re trapped in a “do we wear masks or not?” mindset. Which ultimately comes down to politics: the Liberal approach was simply to make the ALP states look like the bad guys, and in a sense that lessened the sense of threat for other states – the enemy was presented not as the virus, but as the ALP leaders. It was an immature response politically, one which reached its juvenile heights in the comments by Victorian Liberals, who ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Anyway, we here in Victoria are mostly concerned that the hubris of certain sections of Sydney is going to make a bad situation worse. Other than that, we’re entirely supportive.
Aguirre – I’ve said the same thing about the CrimeMinister – he only wants to be there for the good news.
I believe this strategy comes direct from him, not “they”. It’s all marketing, and despite his well-known failures in every marketing job he’s had (as well as all the others) he was actually sacked not for poor marketing skills but for other reasons
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/where-the-bloody-hell-is-it-did-scott-morrison-lie-about-the-report-that-saved-his-bacon-at-tourism-australia/
He knows the theory of marketing and he knows how to sell himself, even down to having an army of trolls who flood his social media pages with “we love you, ScoMo” comments whenever he posts yet another faked photo of himself allegedly “building” something, pretending to hang Christmas lights or a photo with his family. This could have come unstuck with the now infamous cubby house video where he repeatedly called his older daughter Abbey “Lil”. This is probably because Lily had been promoted as the originator of the project but was not available for the video (or refused to take part) so Abbey had to take her place. The ploy didn’t work because the two girls are very different in build and looks. It just made the CrimeMinister seem like a dad who can’t tell the difference between his daughters. The MSM, of course, didn’t notice or if they did, didn’t say anything.
As an example of this constant selling of the “daggy dad from the Shire” image nothing is better than the fakery around that damned cubby house. RonniSalt covers it well here –
Dan Andrew press conference live, and when it ends you should be able to replay it here.
Dan gives far more useful information on the NSW situation than Gladys, who chooses not to mention any cases outside the northern beaches or any possible transmission areas.
This is what happens when Gladys gets to choose the journalists at her pressers.
Proof only the chosen are allowed in –
Well, isn’t this a doozy of an idea, straight from Rob Harris, said to be one of the CrimeMinister’s pet journalists, chosen to feed his press releases to us almost verbatim.
I’m putting this rubbish in the “Most Desperate Attempts At Leadershit” file.
I did not know this – Dan Tehan was given the job of sacking the CrimeMinister from Tourism Australia.
Who knows how many active cases there are in NSW. Gladys will only talk about the Avalon cluster which apparently stands at 68 cases with more expected by tomorrow morning.
A map in The Guardian shows cases scattered across what is being called “Greater Sydney” which extends from Wollongong up to the Central Coast and out to the Blue Mountains.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/covid-restrictions-tightened-across-sydney-as-nothern-beaches-cluster-grows
I found out far more from Dan’s presser this morning than I did from Gladys’s. Gladys won’t even admit there were infections showing up across Sydney.
Seventy-two, by the looks. Maybe …
https://covidlive.com.au/nsw
Good luck with that one! Think the CrimeMinister is up for a few hard questions?
A tale of two families.
Once again Professor Paul Kelly gets it wrong.
Leone,
The other difference is that Harold was a much fitter man than Scrott.
Labor could use this as an advertisement at the next election.
Expect a letter from Fletcher to Ita.
Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell Pagan Holiday Special
Sunday 20th December at 8:35 pm (61 minutes)
Shaun decides to direct a play about the over-commercialisation of Xmas but sees Francis decorating his doghouse and realises the spirit of Xmas is not dead. He cancels the play and goes home to watch this special instead.
Something’s up with Morrison. It looks as if he’s once again trying to con us into thinking he’s not on leave. Somebody linked to an ABC news item which showed a short grab of Morrison’s message today. Now, the reporter in that item clearly said that Morrison posted it while on leave. But we’ve had a number of journalists today saying that Morrison is at the Lodge, and he’s not going on leave until January.
The thing about the message is that…. well, basically that it’s a videotaped message from the Prime Minister, posted on Instagram early this afternoon, while his home state (indeed, his country) could really do with some leadership. Who would do that? While trying to convince people that they’re still at work? You’d do a presser, right? Or at least a live statement, even if you didn’t take questions? No journalist appears to find this weird. And the statement itself, while clearly labelled an ‘update’, contains no new information, no announcement, nothing apart from an acknowledgement that the outbreak happened in the Northern Beaches. He didn’t even mention other states closing their borders, which is pretty fundamental right now. It was just full of motherhood statements about how it’s tough and we have to get through it and it’s not the first time it’s happened this year etc etc. He could easily have filmed it on Friday after his last appearance. He could have filmed it on Thursday, it’s so lacking in specificity.
So, once again we’ve got Morrison skiving off on a holiday during a time of crisis, lying to us about it, and getting the press to run interference for him. It’s all so depressingly familiar.
Albo was reported to be on holiday in Tasmania doing some hiking
Doesnt opposition leader go on holiday when Prime Minister holidays
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Biosecurity researcher Raina McIntyre explains why she thinks Sydney is facing a super-spreading disaster.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/yule-be-sorry-why-sydney-is-facing-a-super-spreading-disaster-20201220-p56p0r.html
And epidemiologist Catharine Bennett looks closely at this latest outbreak. She says a lot can happen in the week between now and Christmas. If the cluster spreads more widely, expect further travel restrictions, border closures and a very different Christmas to the one we were expecting only a few days ago.
https://theconversation.com/australia-on-alert-as-sydneys-northern-beaches-covid-cluster-grows-linked-to-us-strain-152310
The SMH editorial says that NSW’s “gold standard” contact tracing machine is about to be tested like never before.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/vigilance-required-from-everyone-to-beat-outbreak-20201220-p56p33.html
Under the constitution, quarantine is a federal matter – one that has somehow become purely a state concern and a mishmash of varying rules. That does nothing to build trust in government in a crisis. Neither does carefully managed and truncated media conferences, writes Michael Pascoe after pulling apart presser by Berejiklian.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2020/12/21/michael-pascoe-coronavirus-accountability/
The AFR looks at how this covid outbreak is throwing Sydney businesses into chaos.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/states-to-sydney-you-re-barred-20201220-p56p2z
Ross Gittins writes that in a year of wonders, the “coronacession” was not as bad as many had feared.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/year-of-wonders-coronacession-not-as-bad-as-feared-20201220-p56p1b.html
The Morrison government’s plan to flatten the tax system and cut taxes for high income earners may increase inequality and fail to boost productivity, ground-breaking international research suggests while leaving a future government with a multibillion-dollar budget headache, writes Shane Wright.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/top-end-tax-cuts-fail-economy-and-boost-inequality-studies-20201220-p56p0d.html
Coronavirus changed our world, but Australia’s economic debate still lacks humanity, opines Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2020/dec/20/coronavirus-changed-our-world-but-australias-economic-debate-still-lacks-humanity
Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters have more on Ben Roberts-Smith that won’t do him any good.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-pictured-cheering-soldiers-drinking-from-the-prosthetic-leg-of-a-man-he-shot-20201220-p56p2y.html
The Prime Minister and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie have perpetuated tension between the Government and ADF during the Brereton investigation, writes Paul Taucher.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/give-the-adf-a-chance-to-do-the-right-thing,14639
Sean Kelly describes Morrison as a leader still in short pants. He says Morrison is better at public relations than he is at substance.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/as-a-leader-middling-morrison-is-still-in-short-pants-20201219-p56oyo.html
And Nicholas Stuart says Morrison is trapped in the perpetual present and that he can’t understand the changes and won’t connect the dots to make up the big picture.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7063159/the-importance-of-individual-action/?cs=14258
Our PM is incompetent, insensitive and incapable of good judgment, writes the AIMN’s RosemaryJ36.
https://theaimn.com/our-pm-is-incompetent-insensitive-and-incapable-of-good-judgment/
Katherine Murphy reports that a centre-right thinktank with links to former Liberal ministers Robert Hill and Christopher Pyne has said the Morrison government should commit to halving emissions from coal-fired electricity this decade, and the Coalition could drive the change by using some existing policies.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/21/coalition-should-commit-to-halving-emissions-this-decade-says-conservative-thinktank
Higher iron ore prices will deliver the sector a $26 billion windfall, but other resources and manufacturers are facing a tough end to the year, explains Shane Wright.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-iron-ore-miners-cashing-in-while-manufacturers-on-edge-20201220-p56p0c.html
Adele Ferguson argues that ASIC and external audit quality need an urgent overhaul.
https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/why-asic-and-audit-quality-need-an-urgent-overhaul-20201220-p56p1o
According to the AFR’s Mark Tinkler, the Australian dollar’s march may only be halfway done.
https://www.afr.com/markets/currencies/australian-dollar-s-march-may-only-be-halfway-done-20201217-p56o7n
Is Eddie McGuire heading into politics of the Labor variety?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-labor-needs-to-lock-in-eddie-20201217-p56ogn.html
The Canberra Times tells us that Services Australia has dished out $8.25 million to external debt collecting agencies this financial year as it readies the resumption of debt recovery during one of the country’s worst health and economic crises.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7061471/services-australia-spends-825m-on-debt-collectors-as-it-eyes-restart-next-year/?cs=14350
Proactive government policy is needed to ensure that all can access appropriate housing, writes Karl Fitzgerald.
https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/housing-unaffordability-vacant-homes-increase-as-land-prices-boom,14634
Katie Burgess describes the ‘massive gulf’ over plans to hand environmental approval powers to the states.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7063169/massive-gulf-over-plans-to-hand-environmental-approval-powers-to-the-states/?cs=14350&utm_source=website&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews
Zoe Samios reports that the Attorney-General and the Australian Federal Police spent more than $600,000 of taxpayers’ money on external lawyers in a High Court case against journalist Annika Smethurst related to her report on a secret government proposal to expand domestic intelligence activities.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/afp-porter-spent-more-than-600-000-on-external-lawyers-fighting-smethurst-20201218-p56oum.html
And here she examines 2020, the toughest year for the media in decades,
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/survival-of-the-fittest-media-s-toughest-year-in-decades-20201218-p56oq4.html
Sky’s ‘after dark’ presenters may not rate strongly on TV, but online they supply the bottomless demand for pro-Trump content, writes Jason Wilson.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/21/sky-news-australia-is-increasingly-pushing-conspiracy-theories-to-a-global-audience-online
South Australian households are in line for a $200/year cut in their electricity bills, according to the Australian Energy Market Commission. The commission, which sets the rules for the market and advises governments, said the big increase in solar generation was forcing down prices.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/aemc-trends-report-projects-200-cut-to-sa-power-bills/news-story/e858cdb3f76f1497e9762b897aea6d5e
And Matt Johnson tells us that the average annual household electricity bill will fall roughly $120 over the next three years because of Australia’s developing reliance on solar and wind.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2020/12/21/electricity-prices-renewables/
There are some surprises in the list of the Guardian’s Word of the Year – but are they?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/word-of-the-year-poll-guardian-readers-describe-2020-as-shit
Andrew Rawnsley writes that, with his sudden U-turn over Christmas, Boris Johnson caps a year of debacles.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/20/sudden-u-turn-over-christmas-boris-johnson-caps-year-of-debacles
According to Reuters, options being mulled by the Biden administration to punish Moscow include financial penalties and retaliatory hacks on Russian infrastructure.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/not-just-sanctions-biden-s-team-maps-out-response-to-russian-hack-20201221-p56p4x.html
In the first major hiccup of the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine across the US, states this week found themselves scrambling to adjust as they received word they would get between 20 per cent and 40 per cent less vaccine next week than they had been told.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/i-failed-general-in-charge-of-trump-s-vaccine-rollout-admits-error-20201220-p56p0x.html
Trump’s flurry of dodgy deals will not bring the Middle East any peace, says Simon Tisdall.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/20/trumps-flurry-of-dodgy-deals-will-not-bring-the-middle-east-any-peace
Donald Trump’s flirtation with declaring martial law in battleground states and appointing a conspiracy theorist as special counsel to help his attempt to overturn defeat by Joe Biden are “really sad” and “nutty and loopy”, Mitt Romney said yesterday.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/20/donald-trump-electoral-fraud-sidney-powell-michael-flynn-republicans-mitt-romney
Cartoon Corner
Jim Pavlidis
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_800/t_resize_width/q_86%2Cf_auto/f2d9d8a7723a6a606251d5399c11ef7e4aba187a
Peter Broelman
Matt Golding
Mark Knight
Johannes Leak
From the US
“Is Eddie McGuire heading into politics of the Labor variety?”
“If Labor runs Eddie McGuire as a candidate anywhere in Australia they have lost my vote federally in both houses and in state elections as well for the rest of my life.”
“There is no way I would ever support a party that runs a known racist, misogynist candidate like Eddie.”
No, not me, just some reactions to that one article, but I believe most intelligent people would not want Eddie Everywhere anywhere near Parliament House, unless it’s as a cleaner in the male toilets.
I think reactions like the ones I quoted are exactly what the government, Nine, Rob Harris and whoever in the PMO fed him that information want to see. (Rob Harris seems to be one of the CrimeMinister’s pet journalists, he was given leaks by the PMO about Christine Holgate when the CrimeMinister wanted her gone.) It’s part of Nine’s campaign against Labor. Expect it to ramp up over the next few months as talk of an election next year increases. Saturday 7 August is the earliest possible date, although the CrimeMinister, eager to cash in on his manipulated popularity polling, may well engineer a double dissolution. He has enough controversial legislation already before the Senate to make that entirely possible.
Honestly, it’s so easy to see what these so-called “journalists” are up to, and even easier to see who is behind their “exclusive reports”. A child in pre-school could work it out.
Raina yesterday – Norman today
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/dec/21/australia-live-news-coronavirus-northern-beaches-cluster-borders-nsw-queensland-berejiklian#comments
The CrimeMinister will not be happy.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/dec/21/australia-live-news-coronavirus-northern-beaches-cluster-borders-nsw-queensland-berejiklian#comments
Thank you, The Hon. Jennifer Coate AO
Click to access 0387_RC_Covid-19_Final_Report_Volume_1_v21_Digital_77QpLQH8.pdf
Well, NSW is stuffed, and I say that with regret. Gladys refuses to order any preventative measures. Instead she basked in today’s numbers- 15 cases since 8 pm last night – and still holds out hope that the northern beaches semi-lockdown will end on Wednesday.
I say “semi-lockdown” because politely asking residents to stay home except for essential purposes is nowhere near strict enough, nor is her daft refusal to mandate masks across NSW.
This very good thread says it all, advice Gladys is ignoring.
You might have noticed the difference in media coverage of the Melbourne outbreak and the Sydney Northern Beaches outbreak.
Some things that really stand out for me –
Someone (a woman, I think) flew to Brisbane and was tested, then discovered she was infected. So did she immediately self-isolate? No. She drove back to Sydney, a very long trip that required several breaks for food, rest, toilet etc. Maybe there were several cars involved. Was she named in the media? No, she was not. In fact everyone has been very quiet about this.
An older couple, one in their 60s, on in their 70s, went on an extensive tour around the Avalon area, visiting cafes, clubs and more, while knowing they were infected. Were they named in the media? No, definitely not.
The garbage spouted by Kerry Chant, Brad Hazzard and Gladys about not knowing, maybe never knowing who the infected traveller from the US who allegedly started this outbreak could have been. Has the media asked any questions about this or about the abundant rumours the NSW government is withholding the identity of a very important traveller, possibly a politician or a “celebrity”? No, they have not. They have just repeated the spin and lies. It’s entirely likely this infection came via someone who was never in hotel quarantine. The names of all travellers are known across various state ans federal departments, someone knows who this person was but no-one is saying a word. We have seen how lax Sydney airport is with overseas travellers, so why is no-one suggesting this person dodged quarantine completely?
And last – the media cheerfully gave the names of two young women who flew from Melbourne to Queensland earlier in the year, plus all sorts of information about their alleged criminal activities during their holiday to Victoria, but now names of older people are not released. Why?
Here’s Crikey on this topic and on Murdoch’s “reverse takeover “of the Liberal Party – not paywalled.
The Liberal Party is now little more than the political wing of News Corp
https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/12/21/news-corp-sydney-lockdown-coverage/
Well, we know where the CrimeMinister is today – or was for a short time.
His presser today with Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly came from the Prime Minister’s courtyard at Parliament House.
Whether he has been in Canberra for days or as is more likely, flew from Sydney for the presser I don’t know. I’m guessing he has been hiding out at Kirribilli House for the weekend.
He is not due to take his official holiday until January. I hope his plans to visit the NSW North Coast have been cancelled, we have more than enough problems already with rain, flooding, the odd landslide and the imminent arrival of hordes of possibly infected tourists. The last thing we need is a visit from FauxMo.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/word-of-the-year-poll-guardian-readers-describe-2020-as-shit
Kiwis being less swear bear went for “Doomscrolling” followed by ‘Bubble’ and #NZHellhole.
‘Doomscrolling’ is word of the year for 2020 – Public Address
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/433300/doomscrolling-is-word-of-the-year-for-2020-public-address
Just saw a 🙂 example of just how “people are the same everywhere”. In this case homework. It was a documentary on some Afghan women who are police officers. It was a morning scene and her young son was writing flat out in a school exercise book, school homework. His mother asking “Why are you starting to write now,why didn’t you do it yesterday ?” . ‘”It’s time to go and you are just starting to write” etc etc.
Kaffeeklatscher,
It’s deliciously comforting, and restores my faith in humankind.
Sounds very familiar.
Oh good. Something else for Gladys to lie about.
Cases of UK’s highly contagious mutant COVID strain detected in returned travellers in Australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-21/uk-new-covid-strain-detected-in-australian-returned-travellers/130
What Gladys refuses to understand is well put here-
A negative test does not mean you will always be negative, it only means you did not have full-blown COVID-19 at the time of testing. You could leave the clinic and immediately become infected.
This has been pointed out again and again for almost a year now, but some, including Gladys, still don’t get it. It is why making masks mandatory is so important. Why the frack does Gladys refuse to do this?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-21/ombudsman-reports-burnside-council-corporate-credit-card-abuse/13004558