As a conversation thread starter, here are some links to help understand the recent election in France. I will avoid all but one of the obvious “This isn’t the end of Macron or France’s problems” articles, of which there seem to be at least a thousand.
Firstly, it is interesting that the polls moved to Macron between the first and second round, and his final vote slightly exceeded his best final poll, which might be partly accounted for by the fact that there is no last day polling by law. As with the 2017 election, I think some who don’t like Macron and who love to complain about the way things are, admit to themselves in the last week or even the last day that they will still vote to block the one they like even less. This 2021 post on french performative miserablism and polling on vaccination partly covers what might be a national political and polling tendancy.
https://www.tomforth.co.uk/miserabilism/
The below by John Lichfield from before the vote is a good read, he argues that the old French Right-Left system has mutated into a muddled pattern of three broad tribes: the scattered Left and the Greens; a pro-European, consensual Centre; and a nationalist-populist, anti-migrant and anti-European Right. No winner will ever be really popular with more than a third of the country.
Late last year Manu Saadia wrote a series of Substack posts on the French election for the benefit of the non french, explaining the basics and background really well. He stopped well before the vote, but they are still a good read. https://lacampagne.substack.com/
In particular I draw your attention to the one on why the Presidential vote matters so much, “Camembert President.” He writes “France is a monarchy that undergoes a succession crisis every five years, by way of an election. It is by design. Under France’s current constitutional arrangement, the so-called Fifth Republic, the sole real seat of power is the office of the presidency. It is therefore unsurprising that all civic and political life would revolve around it.”
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/camembert-president
Another good read, “Eric Zemmour and the long shadow of France’s defeat in Algeria”
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/the-long-shadow-of-frances-defeat
The amazing mechanics of an election that spans the entire globe
https://lacampagne.substack.com/p/a-vote
Finally, I recommend to you the recently launched Le Monde english language edition. Why read US and UK takes on European news when you can now get the news direct? Most of the best European newspapers are only in the local language, so this is a good development for us. Some articles are subscriber only (although you can usually still read good chunks of those), but many are free to read. Worth bookmarking the site for french news. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/
Two articles to start…
Jean-Luc Mélenchon devises plan to become Emmanuel Macron’s main opponent
The leader of the radical left hopes to win the legislative elections in June. Labor Day protests on May 1st will be the the left’s first show of strength against President Macron.
Quarrelling French far right struggles to unite for legislative elections
Marine Le Pen has already set her sights on the June 12 and 19 elections, hoping to induct a significant far-right group to the Assemblée Nationale. Eric Zemmour called for an alliance while criticizing her defeat, fueling their rivalry.
THE PUB 
When he started to attack the Premiers. Funny thing, that.
Good Morning and welcome to the day, why not start it off with a bit of First Dog on the Moon? It’s good for what ails ya.-
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/11/so-many-unreleased-secret-government-reports-how-much-worse-could-everything-be
And if that did not raise a smile, here’s a little ditty for you to sing to yourself all day long –
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
The NineFax journos give their debate verdicts.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-won-the-final-leaders-debate-our-experts-give-their-verdicts-20220511-p5akhp.html
And The Australian’s “experts”, say Morrison slightly edged Albanese out in said debate.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/federal-election-2022-expert-verdicts-on-the-third-leaders-debate-between-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/news-story/b10ad1f4eeba4866f9d92cb44c50e778
Any lingering doubts moderate Liberals might have had that Scott Morrison was prepared to sacrifice heartland seats, including Kooyong held by his Treasurer and deputy Josh Frydenberg, to harvest votes in the regions and outer suburbs have been dispelled, writes Niki Savva who wonders whether Morrison’s strategy is a political masterstroke or moral failure.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-s-strategy-a-political-masterstroke-or-moral-failure-20220511-p5akb9.html
Jennifer Hewett writes that it took just one word from Anthony Albanese. Scott Morrison has leapt on it with the ferocity of a hungry dog spying a meaty bone lying on the ground. A desperate prime minister knows this attack probably offers his last chance to define the opposition leader as a terrible risk to the economy and all household budgets.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/like-a-hungry-dog-a-desperate-morrison-attacks-loose-albanese-20220511-p5akfa
The PM previously said Albanese had no power to do anything about wages – now he’s arguing the Labor leader wants to do too much, writes Katherine Murphy who watched last night’s debate.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/12/the-pm-previously-said-albanese-had-no-power-to-do-anything-about-wages-now-hes-arguing-the-labor-leader-wants-to-do-too-much
It shouldn’t be such a shock that Anthony Albanese believes the minimum wage should rise with inflation, explains Greg Jericho. He shows how, for some time, real wages increase has lagged behind that of productivity.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2022/may/12/it-shouldnt-be-such-a-shock-that-anthony-albanese-believes-the-minimum-wage-should-rise-with-inflation
Labor would win government in its own right and secure a modest majority with 80 seats in parliament if an election were held today according to the most sophisticated poll conducted across Australia measuring voter intention in every electorate in the country, writes Simon Benson about The Australian’s big YouGov poll.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/federal-election-2022-labor-to-win-modest-majority-with-80-seats-yougov-poll-predicts/news-story/84c4634d4fd3671e5194a2c5739b3e2c
Momentum towards Labor is all but missing in Queensland, but Labor may not need it says Cameron Atfield.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-struggles-to-win-over-queensland-but-it-may-not-need-to-20220508-p5ajiz.html
With falling real incomes and rising prices many people don’t believe the story of prosperity Scott Morrison is preaching, writes Richard Denniss.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/11/with-falling-real-incomes-and-rising-prices-many-people-dont-believe-the-story-of-prosperity-scott-morrison-is-preaching
The recent spurt in inflation has little do with workers being paid more, economists say, warning the claim that wage increases could set off inflation is “over-the-top alarmism”, reports Peter Hannam.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/over-the-top-alarmism-economists-dismiss-concerns-wage-rises-cause-inflation
“If you believe the commentariat, one of Labor’s most underwhelming leaders in recent memory is headed for the Lodge, flanked by ministerial retreads from the failed Rudd-Gillard era, promising little in the way of reform beyond greater deficits, higher social welfare spending, a faster trajectory to net zero and, this week, increased wages, which is not in the remit of government to deliver.”, whines a flailing Peta Credlin.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/lose-quiet-aussies-and-lose-the-election/news-story/44fe5e6dd3c5172b0fa3d6762236a18b
Katina Curtis tries to make sense of Barnaby Joyce’s NPC appearance.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-says-selfish-independents-must-name-who-they-support-20220511-p5aken.html
Barnaby Joyce’s return to centre stage was always going to be unpredictable, says Gabrielle Chan who also did her best to decipher what Joyce was saying.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/12/the-nosebleed-seats-barnaby-joyces-return-to-centre-stage-was-always-going-to-be-unpredictable
A Labor MP in Australia’s most marginal electorate has condemned a “disgusting smear campaign” from an anti-abortion group backing the Coalition which claims the opposition wants to enact an “extreme abortion agenda”.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/labor-denounces-disgusting-smear-campaign-on-abortion-in-australias-most-marginal-seat
According to NineFax, Labor has softened its stance for a 5.1 per cent increase in the minimum wage after a political firestorm over the cost to employers, saying it is yet to decide whether to set the target in a formal submission if it wins the May 21 election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-leaves-room-to-retreat-from-albanese-s-wage-rise-call-20220511-p5akes.html
The editorial in the SMH calls for a minimum wage rise is needed but says it is no substitute for real economic reform.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/minimum-wage-rise-is-needed-but-no-substitute-for-real-economic-reform-20220511-p5akgp.html
Economist Warren Hogan says that Australia must avoid entrenching a US-style ‘working poor’. On the face of it, he seems to be supporting Labor’s positions.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-must-avoid-entrenching-a-us-style-working-poor-20220511-p5akbe.html
“Albo, there are much bigger issues in this election than Scott Morrison’s ‘smirk’”, sneers Amanda Vanstone.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7734098/albo-there-are-much-bigger-issues-in-this-election-than-scott-morrisons-smirk/?cs=14258
Stephen Duckett tells us what he would do if I were the Minister for Health and Ageing in the next government. He says a new minister in any portfolio has two tasks: fix the past and fix the future.
https://johnmenadue.com/what-i-would-do-if-i-was-the-minister-for-health-and-ageing-in-the-next-government/
And John Dwyer is concerned that healthcare reform is not featuring in the current election.
https://johnmenadue.com/healthcare-reform-is-not-featuring-in-the-current-election/
Australian taxpayers forked out almost $20 million as an incentive for the Northern Territory to sell the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company, sparking Labor to claim that Prime Minister Scott Morrison actively encouraged the deal when he was treasurer, writes Anthony Galloway.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australian-taxpayers-paid-almost-20-million-to-sell-the-port-of-darwin-20220511-p5akc8.html
This Government seems to have departed from a tradition of liberal conservatism and broken a fundamental continuity that has defined the Coalition since Robert Menzies, writes Joel Jenkins.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/net-zero-is-dead-so-is-the-coalition-we-used-to-know,16345
Former submariner Rex Patrick has found time to stick a periscope up the collective clacker of the Australian government over its cruel treatment of its poorest neighbour. Senator Patrick’s battle with the bureaucracy reveals Australia’s problem with transparency, reports Callum Foote.
https://michaelwest.com.au/bernard-collaery-timor-leste-foi-rex-patrick/
Uncertainty across the electoral map and a high-profile challenge against sitting MP Trent Zimmerman has led both major parties to conclude that Labor could snag the traditional Liberal seat of North Sydney, writes Tom McIlroy.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/major-parties-say-labor-could-snatch-north-sydney-20220511-p5akfp
Robert Harley lays out the three key issues missing from the housing affordability debate.
https://www.afr.com/property/residential/the-three-key-issues-missing-from-the-housing-affordability-debate-20220511-p5akd5
Alexandra Smith looks at what Chris Minns is drilling into his party as they sniff a chance of victory in NSW. Minns has described a bleak outlook for NSW families’ real incomes if inflation continues.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/eye-on-the-prize-the-reason-labor-ditched-nurse-to-patient-ratios-20220511-p5akc1.html
A trial program to give women fleeing violent relationships financial support is taking more than four weeks on average to get the money to them while demand is almost twice as strong as the government anticipated, explains Katina Curtis.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/delays-and-high-demand-hamper-payments-to-escape-domestic-violence-20220510-p5ajxq.html
Michaela Whitbourn reports that yesterday the court heard that a former elite soldier who has been accused of murdering an Afghan prisoner with his friend Ben Roberts-Smith was twice invited by the Australian Federal Police to an interview but his lawyers declined on his behalf.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-s-friend-declined-interview-with-australian-federal-police-court-told-20220511-p5ak99.html
Electricity prices are spiking, ten times as much as normal. Bruce Mountain puts forward some educated guesses as to why. He praises South Australia which he says by 2021, more than two-thirds of its electricity came from variable renewable generation, more than in any developed economy we know of.
https://theconversation.com/electricity-prices-are-spiking-ten-times-as-much-as-normal-here-are-some-educated-guesses-as-to-why-182849
Professor John Wilson has walked away from Melbourne’s major trauma centre after 30 years, citing untenable and deteriorating conditions in Victoria’s health system.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/a-dire-situation-that-is-unprecedented-senior-alfred-doctor-quits-warning-of-mass-burnout-20220511-p5akcx.html
Crypto assets were supposed to behave quite differently to conventional investments. It turns out that they do, but not in a good way, writes Stephen Bartholomeusz in the wake of the currency’s $2 trillion meltdown that is ringing bells.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/crypto-s-2-2-trillion-meltdown-rings-alarm-bells-20220511-p5akbn.html
Sydney’s Anglican archbishop has warned the church is in a perilous position after bishops narrowly vetoed a statement affirming that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Have at it, worshipers!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/fundamentally-awry-bishops-block-move-to-reject-same-sex-marriage-20220510-p5ak3d.html
A first-of-its-kind federal study of Native American boarding schools that for over a century sought to assimilate Indigenous children into white society has identified more than 500 student deaths at the institutions so far, but officials say that figure could grow exponentially as research continues. Will an apology be forthcoming?
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-finds-500-native-american-boarding-school-deaths-so-far-20220512-p5akkf.html
Robert Reich believes that the second American civil war is already happening.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/11/second-american-civil-war-robert-reich
A New York judge said he’ll lift the former president’s contempt finding if Trump meets certain conditions, including paying $US144,000 in fines he’s racked up so far.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-must-pay-144-000-meet-conditions-to-end-contempt-judge-says-20220512-p5akkd.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
David Rowe
John Shakespeare
Mark Knight
Andrew Dyson
Fiona Katauskas
Peter Broelman
Dionne Gain
Leak
From the US
So Albo won two debates and the third was a draw – or a win for Albo depending on what you read. Yet Nine journalists insist (most of them) that Scovid was the winner last night.
I did NOT watch, why would I when the earliest reports had the host telling Scovid he was “killing it”?
The pro-Liberal bias of the media has been front and centre through all 3 debates and still Albo won. Scovid hand-picked friendly media and still it did not help him. He is TOAST.
Clare in full putting back in box mode with Lisa Millar
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2022/may/12/federal-election-2022-live-morrison-albanese-labor-coalition-wages-talk-inflation-health-economy#maincontent
Managed to vote at the prepoll today, only about a 10 minute wait in line. All the candidates were there, I greeted Catherine King with a smile and gave the stink eye to the Liberal who was talking to the old blokes in front of me, being all smarmy and nasty.
Ballarat is 60-40 to Labor currently so hopefully that lead widens on the 21st.
Jonathan Pie at the Bad Press awards –
Seth Meyers –
JImmy Kimmel –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
I’m HOME after a month in hospital including 11 days in iso with Covid.
Miss Nicki – now an only cat – has not let me out of her sight since I arrived.
Feels SO good to be back in my own territory again.
Happy return!
So pleased you’re home at last – and Miss Nicki is making sure you know you were missed. I hope you’re fully mended and won’t have any lingering after-effects.
Yay, Leone, we are so pleased for you.
Welcome back, Leone. Glad to hear that you’re home from hospital.
Goodness. I thought you were already baaaack. It has been a while. Probably feels even longer to you. So……..
Thinking about my Senate vote (I went below the line), the only point of hesitancy was whether or not to give Lidia Thorpe of the Greens a preference. I don’t like her, she can be an arrogant and nasty piece of work, but eventually relented and gave her my last number. Mainly because the Senate in Victoria could go 3-Labor, 2 L/NP if it scores well and I’d rather she get the last seat than Greg Mirabella (Liberal) if it comes down to it.
Sure it’s just one vote, but when it’s close in the Senate, it matters, and you never know when it’s close. But I think it’s unlikely this time. For Victoria at least, according to the polls, I think of the current seats (3 L/NP, 2 Labor, 1 Green) the only change will be Labor winning one seat from the Coalition.
No problem voting for the Senate in the ACT. Twenty-three candidates. Two of Katy, Zed and David Pollock will get in. Easy choice.
Fenner will go to Andrew Leigh.
I finally found my phone.
I finally found my phone. I have not been here much because I got very tired. Quite drained. With this attack on Roe v Wade, I am wondering if all the rights I spent my years supporting, have to be fought for all over again. t never freacken stops!
Yes – fracking right-wing males (cannot call them “men”) usually religious hypocrites, who believe they have the right to control the lives and fertility of ALL women. These types, and the women who share their views (like Amanda Stoker) make me furious.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Some Liberals fear the character assassination of Scott Morrison is complete. If true, the election is all over, but he doesn’t buy it, writes David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/waging-war-from-a-deep-trench-morrison-camp-says-it-can-defy-polls-20220512-p5akoz.html
NineFax has asked Anthony Albanese if he had thought about what it would mean to Australia’s multicultural communities to have an Italian-Australian as prime minister and the first Muslim member of a federal cabinet in Ed Husic.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/you-can-achieve-anything-in-this-country-albanese-on-his-italian-roots-and-modern-australia-20220512-p5aksu.html
David Crowe and Katina Curtis report that Labor has gained an edge over the Coalition in a new scorecard of economic and social policies for women that could sway voters at the coming election, highlighting a gulf on key issues ranging from childcare to equal pay and safety from violence.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-is-better-for-women-independent-scorecard-gives-one-major-party-the-edge-20220512-p5akva.html
By any objective assessment, Anthony Albanese has had a poor campaign. Apart from his period in isolation, he has pretty much averaged a gaffe per week, but the polls have stayed solid, writes a down in the mouth Phil Coorey.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/albanese-averages-a-gaffe-a-week-voters-don-t-seem-to-care-20220512-p5akn1
I have not seen a more backward-looking campaign by a sitting government, writes David Penberthy who says a doomed ScoMo paying the price for forgetting about SA.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/david-penberthy-the-liberals-have-forgotten-the-lesson-of-their-greatest-pm-john-howard/news-story/31401fe192b1582e470fbac1486f2fb1?amp
It’s Albanese’s to lose, as Morrison looks for some momentum, concludes Michelle Grattan. She says people were “over” Howard, as they’re “over” Scott Morrison. But the feeling against Howard was that he’d had his time – it’s visceral against Morrison.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-its-albaneses-to-lose-as-morrison-looks-for-some-momentum-182953
Josh Gordon tells us that Australia’s financial watchdog is considering launching a sweeping inquiry into the federal carve-up of infrastructure funding, after Victoria complained it has been short-changed by the Morrison government.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/auditor-general-mulls-review-of-federal-infrastructure-spending-in-victoria-20220512-p5aknk.html
A leader of the Liberal Party’s moderate faction has issued a plea to voters not to boot the party’s sitting MPs in favour of independents. New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean warned the move would leave the Liberals at risk of being taken over by fringe right-wing activists and conspiracy theorists. He’s not wrong!
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/2022/05/12/liberal-party-moderates-alarm/
The AFR’s editorial declares that the 5.1 per cent minimum pay rise Anthony Albanese wants would risk a wage-price spiral that would jeopardise Australia’s low jobless rate.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/jobs-or-inflation-that-s-the-big-question-20220511-p5ak9q
But wage Justice can be delivered while also containing inflation, explains Dr Tristan Ewins.
https://theaimn.com/wage-justice-can-be-delivered-while-also-containing-inflation/
There has never been a better time to increase minimum wages than now. And there has never been a bigger need, argues David Peetz.
https://johnmenadue.com/should-the-federal-government-support-a-5-1-increase-in-minimum-wages/
The end of coal is nigh. The next government must tell the truth, says Alan Kohler.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2022/05/12/coal-end-alan-kohler/
Were the Liberals and Nationals to win on 21 May, the successful Liberal MPs would give little if any credit to Morrison. Most would regard a win as having been achieved despite Morrison’s performance in the campaign and in the last three years of his government, writes David Solomon who opines that even if the Liberals win, Morrison won’t.
https://johnmenadue.com/even-if-the-liberals-win-morrison-wont/
Anthony Galloway reports that a former high commissioner to the Solomon Islands has questioned whether Australia is still a free country after being “manhandled” by Scott Morrison’s security when he tried to talk to the prime minister about mishandling the relationship with the Pacific Island nation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/former-solomon-islands-high-commissioner-manhandled-by-morrison-s-security-20220512-p5akuj.html
“It’s not my fault if moderate Liberals lose seats”, says Katherine Deves. Latika Bourke takes us through an interview the SMH had with her.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/not-my-fault-if-moderate-liberals-lose-seats-katherine-deves-20220512-p5akqd.html
Australia is at a critical point. A government that would cling to power to impose unpopular policy threatens the very nature of our democracy, opines Lucy Hamilton.
https://theaimn.com/democracy-in-decline-australias-slide-into-competitive-authoritarianism/
In a speech to be delivered today, Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox will argue the next federal government needs to take the lead on establishing national standards for on-demand gig workers as states, unions and gig companies plan their own differing reforms.
https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/gig-worker-regulation-on-the-agenda-post-election-aigroup-20220512-p5akq9
The Coalition has made almost $3bn in spending promises across 10 marginal seats ahead of the election, including a surprising $300m to try to flip the Labor seat of McEwen in Melbourne’s outer north.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/coalition-targets-marginal-seats-with-almost-3bn-in-election-spending-promises
Mark McGowan has rivers of gold, a commanding parliamentary majority, ironclad caucus support and public popularity. If now is not the time for broader-reaching reforms, it’s unlikely it ever will be, says Gareth Parker.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/mcgowan-s-budget-a-reflection-of-both-his-political-instincts-and-personality-20220512-p5aky4.html
Liberal candidate for Bennelong Simon Kennedy has been forced to remove anti-vax volunteers from his campaign after they were filmed spouting conspiracy theories that the COVID-19 jab was “killing people” and Australia’s vaccination statistics were faked.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bennelong-liberal-candidate-removes-anti-vax-volunteers-from-campaign-20220512-p5akrc.html
The identity crisis of the Liberal-National Coalition around climate change action and a federal integrity commission is writ large in the New South Wales central west electorate of Calare, where a community independent has revived memories of a longstanding former representative, writes Natasha May.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/in-the-nsw-central-west-the-talk-once-again-is-of-shaking-the-nationals-grip-on-calare
Matthew Knott tells us that Labor expects its proposed national integrity commission will examine alleged misconduct from as far back as 15 years, with both former and current politicians eligible to be investigated under a broad definition of corruption.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-integrity-commission-to-investigate-allegations-from-a-long-time-ago-20220512-p5akvr.html
Petere Beattie explains why he’s unafraid of teals holding the balance of power – whether Labor or the Coalition governs.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-i-m-unafraid-of-teals-holding-the-balance-of-power-whether-labor-or-the-coalition-governs-20220512-p5aklu.html
Michael Mc Kinley chronicles the track record of Peter Dutton’s incompetence.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-track-record-of-peter-duttons-incompetence/
Peter Hannam writes that economists and advocacy groups have seized on the Morrison government’s objection to lifting minimum wages by the inflation rate, noting benefits such as pensions are tied to how consumer prices change.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/morrisons-objection-to-lifting-wages-in-line-with-inflation-puts-spotlight-on-pensions-linked-to-cpi
The Reserve Bank of Australia will pay the big banks $10 billion a year in interest for money the banks have sitting in deposit. Callum Foote and Michael West look at why the RBA has chosen to start paying interest on almost half a trillion dollars sitting in its settlement accounts.
https://michaelwest.com.au/mollycoddled-reserve-banks-10bn-gift-to-banks-to-help-with-rate-stress-or-profits/
“With surgery waitlists in crisis and a workforce close to collapse, why haven’t we had more campaign promises about health?”, ask these contributors to The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/with-surgery-waitlists-in-crisis-and-a-workforce-close-to-collapse-why-havent-we-had-more-campaign-promises-about-health-182327
Modern organised crime is leagues ahead of the police posse, with cartel bosses as wealthy as BRW rich listers. Police know this but don’t want to publicly say it, writes Nick McKenzie. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith has said these bosses have the facilitators (lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and corrupt insiders) and technology (encrypted phones, crypto currency wallets) to remain so rich. This is a very interesting read.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/inconvenient-truth-on-organised-crime-revealed-it-s-out-of-control-20220512-p5akuw.html
McKenzie follows through, writing that there are claims NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet ignored calls for counter-crime reforms from the offices of two of his senior ministers. McKenzie has quite a scoop here!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/organised-crime-rampant-across-australia-secret-briefings-reveal-20220512-p5akpa.html
The reef wants you to think about climate policy when you vote, says the SMH editorial.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-reef-wants-you-to-think-about-climate-policy-when-you-vote-20220512-p5akt7.html
Anglican disunity on same-sex marriage threatens to tear the church apart, writes Muriel Porter.
https://theconversation.com/anglican-disunity-on-same-sex-marriage-threatens-to-tear-the-church-apart-182936
A Christian school in Melbourne’s east that is under regulatory review over its handling of a former teacher’s sexual crimes against students is urging parents to vote in defence of its right to vet staff by their religious faith. In seeking the resurrection of the Coalition’s religious discrimination bill, it tells parents ,“We hope that the protection of fundamental rights which ensure that this college can continue to stand strong as a Christ-centred, God-fearing, Bible-based, Spirit-led Christian school will be one factor you consider.” Those poor children!
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/god-fearing-school-makes-vote-plea-to-parents-20220512-p5akm8.html
Elizabeth Knight writes that CBA boss Matt Comyn doesn’t think the sky is falling on the economy nor that the Australian housing market is set for a hard landing.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/why-cba-boss-isn-t-worried-about-inflation-or-higher-interest-rates-20220512-p5akrw.html
Farrah Tomazin explains why Australia’s voting system is the envy of Americans.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-eyes-australia-s-compulsory-voting-system-as-federal-election-looms-20220512-p5akkb.html
Fern Greig-Moore argues that teaching children about death would help remove the taboo.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/teaching-children-about-death-would-help-remove-the-taboo-20220512-p5akud.html
China is increasingly looking like an economic and political disaster zone. But it will take more than COVID to derail its powerhouse economy, writes the London Telegraph’s Matthew Lynn.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/beijing-s-covid-failure-won-t-stop-the-relentless-rise-of-china-20220509-p5ajlr.html
Finland has announced it would apply to join NATO “without delay”, with Sweden expected to follow, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine looked set to bring about the very expansion of the Western military alliance that Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed to prevent.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/russia-threatens-to-retaliate-as-finland-seeks-nato-membership-without-delay-20220513-p5akyc.html
The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week updated its report on excess deaths from COVID-19, highlighting an extraordinary correlation between deaths and authoritarian leaders, writes Abul Rizvi.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/authoritarian-leaders-butcher-covid-19-response,16348
A majority of Americans support abortion rights – but will this issue galvanise them to vote Democrat in November?
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/can-biden-weaponise-the-abortion-debate-to-win-the-mid-terms-20220512-p5akmm.html
In vitro fertilization treatment is facing a “clear and present danger” and could be a “casualty” of some of the proposed anti-abortion laws that are emerging across the US, according to an advocate of reproductive medicine.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/12/ivf-treatment-us-anti-abortion-laws-bills
The House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has issued unprecedented subpoenas to five Republican members of Congress, seeking to compel their cooperation with the inquiry into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/12/capitol-attack-panel-subpoenas-five-republicans-mccarthy
An alleged war criminal who hid in plain sight in western Sydney for 26 years has been formally charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/arrest-warrant-for-alleged-war-criminal-zoran-tadic/news-story/b2444d2256462ea2b47e99ef191a00ce
A Queensland superyacht tour operator has been arrested during an alleged attempt to flee Australia, after a failed cocaine drug drop left a diver dead in Newcastle this week. James Blake Blee, 62, will appear in Cairns Magistrates Court after he was taken into custody at Cairns Airport on Wednesday while trying to board a flight to Singapore, thereby earning nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/man-arrested-after-allegedly-trying-to-flee-country-over-drug-drop-death-20220512-p5aklw.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
Cathy Wilcox
Alan Moir
Andrew Dyson
David Rowe
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Jim Pavlidis
Fiona Katauskas
Peter Broelman
Some gifs and a catch up from Glen Le Lievre
Simon Letch
Mark Knight
Leak
From the US
Phil Coorey doing his incompetent best to trash Albo’s campaign by dragging out immigration and the awful old “fear of Muslims”. Are we time travelling back to 2000 and the Howard years?
No doubt about it, this is a last-ditch effort by Scovid to swing the election his way. Coorey would be acting on Scovid’s direct orders. What an obedient little shill he is.
The fact that previous PMs have not all been Australian-born has totally escaped his tiny mind, as has the fact Albo was born in Australia.
Brilliant!
A truly ‘shocking’ headline in the deadwood Worst Australian newspaper out here in the Cave. It declared that the budget shows that, OMG, ‘Labor CAN manage the economy.” (Their caps by the way. ). Just the State government though but it is a start.
This man’s name is Trevor Schofield. He knows more about the Solomon Islands that Scovid does.
friendlyjordies –
Jonathan Pie with a clip from the excellent ‘Fake News’ show, my b/day present to myself –
Seth Meyers –
Chris Hayes –
Jimmy Kimmel –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Damn it is a relief to now say that the election is ‘next week’ . I’ve been feeling ‘are we there yet? ,are we there yet? , are we there yet? ” since about week 1.25.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/even-scott-morrison-is-trying-to-distance-himself-from-scott-morrison-now
😆 Bullshit Man 2.0
Their ABC spreading false information again –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/13/did-first-dog-on-the-moon-help-scott-morrison-win-and-other-election-quandaries
A Special Day for Our PM?
Happy Birthday to Scott?
Could be the last he’s got! Soon Oz will make its choice,
Can he hear the people’s voice?
Let’s hope so! Anyway,
From now on, let’s all pray, Friday, thirteenth of May, Scott’ll have many another in-Auspicious day!
PS It really is his birthday! He won’t be happy on BD’s ahead of him if many of us have our way! We all know about Friday 13th, don’t we? It’s doggerel, so forgive the mismatch of second verse! Nor could I fix that last unstressed pun. Anyone up to underlining the ‘Aus’ bit? By the way, I don’t seem seen other references to his birthday. Am I right?
What? There is a Chinese spy ship near Australia? I thought ScottyFromMarketing stopped all the boats?
Happy Birthday Bullshit Man. Enjoy…………..
https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/inside-focus-group-slamming-arrogant-prime-minister-scott-morrison/news-story/7e39c4187d3ae8a107d4418ec3284a49
Mordor Media’s flagship tried to jolly up news from Newspoll 😆
.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/newspoll-fumbling-albanese-takes-a-knock-but-labor-still-ahead/news-story/d73e7f273507f17b30a4c3206739d12f
Surprise early newspoll!
Preferred PM: Morrison 43 (-1) Albanese 42 (0)
Morrison: Approve 42 (+1) Disapprove 53 (-2)
Albanese: Approve 38 (-3) Disapprove 49 (+2)
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. It’s Saturday, and you have a monster!
Scott Morrison has made a gruesome election bet, and its moderate Liberals like his deputy Josh Frydenberg who stand to lose, writes Laura Tingle.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-14/josh-frydenberg-loses-kooyong-cant-blame-labor-campaign-idiocy/101064198
Peter Hartcher says that for Morrison, it may be necessary to attack Labor but it’s insufficient. If he hopes to have a future beyond the next seven days, he’ll need to show the electorate a vision of a future beyond the past three years. Morrison has trouble moving away from his incessant attack mode.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/can-a-bulldozer-vault-out-of-this-morrison-has-seven-days-to-try-20220513-p5al21.html
According to Anthony Galloway, the Coalition is now losing the debate on national security and China.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-coalition-is-now-losing-the-debate-on-national-security-and-china-20220513-p5al62.html
In an exclusive interview with his biographer, Anthony Albanese details how years of strategic planning inform his long game: winning not just this election but the next one as well. The biographer is Karen Middleton who says suddenly, in week five of this long federal campaign, Albanese is walking like a winner.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/05/14/the-four-quarter-plan-inside-albaneses-strategy-win/165245040013876
The omens suggest Australia could be on the verge of the great Albanese experiment. If the polls are correct a remarkable event is going to unfold – the public voting into office a Labor government while holding a distinct lack of confidence about Anthony Albanese as prime minister, pontificates Paul Kelly.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/the-albo-experiment-is-he-up-to-the-job/news-story/94b4c7080ccfa641f1a2ac5c39364f5f
Phil Coorey writes, “Scott Morrison’s concession that he needs to soften his manner was a desperate plea to woo soft and undecided voters, the prime minister’s colleagues believe.”
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/bit-of-a-bulldozer-pm-drops-tough-guy-strategy-20220513-p5al0m
Simon Benson fossicks around the latest 54/36 Newspoll to find something positive for the government.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/newspoll-fumbling-albanese-takes-a-knock-but-labor-still-ahead/news-story/d73e7f273507f17b30a4c3206739d12f
Scott Morrison is desperately looking to generate a last-minute momentum shift in this election, but Anthony Albanese believes it is already occurring around the kitchen tables of the nation, says Paul Bongiorno.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/05/14/the-word-absolutely/165245040013886
In a very detailed contribution, Peter Hartcher explains how secret meetings and subterfuge over many months shored up Australia’s “40-year fantasy” of a mighty nuclear marriage with the US and the UK.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/radioactive-inside-the-top-secret-aukus-subs-deal-20220510-p5ak7g.html
“Whether or not Scott Morrison can engineer the miracle of his second coming on May 21, he will leave significant negatives in terms of the Liberal Party and public policy in our country. The standard of political debate, and the respectability and responsibility of candidates, has nosedived to its murkiest levels. We are there – we are in the mud”, writes John Hewson who also says, “The bottom line of Morrison’s poor leadership and meddling in party organisational matters is that he has destroyed the soul of the Liberal Party. So many traditional members feel disillusioned and disenfranchised.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/05/14/we-are-the-mud/165245040013885
At last, as the election campaign reaches the final stretch, we’ve found something worth debating. Anthony Albanese has found his spine and supported a big rise in award wages, while Scott Morrison says a decent rise for the masses is a terrible idea that would damage the economy, writes Ross Gittins who says the PM’s wages call could cost him dearly.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-pm-s-wages-call-could-cost-him-dearly-20220512-p5akwa.html
A decent man with a modest plan: Is Anthony Albanese the Prime Minister Australia needs, asks Dan Jervis-Bardy in a long evaluation.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7733200/a-decent-man-with-a-modest-plan-albaneses-attack-is-his-contrast-to-morrison/?cs=14329
Michael Springer never thought it could happen in Australia, but Morrison with his temerarious judgment has decided to pick a fight about a $1 rise to the minimum wage, which is 38 cents more than the rise the business community has made in its submission to the Fair Work Commission.
https://theaimn.com/my-38-cents-worth/
An increase in the wages of the lowest paid employees, so that they can keep pace with the cost of living, is unlikely to lead to higher unemployment. Instead, it may well help improve overall economic outcomes, argues Michael Keating.
https://johnmenadue.com/wages-and-the-cost-of-living/
David Crowe and James Massola tell us that the prime minister will use his official campaign launch tomorrow to hold out the promise of better times when the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, adding new policies to assure voters they can have positive change without a change of government.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-prepares-final-blitz-as-bulldozer-admission-fires-up-character-debate-20220513-p5al5k.html
David Crowe tells us why Scott Morrison had to admit he’s a bulldozer, and why he had to promise to change.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-scott-morrison-had-to-admit-he-s-a-bulldozer-and-why-he-had-to-promise-to-change-20220513-p5al2t.html
ScottyfromCasting is now pleading with the electorate to re-elect him because there are more characters he hasn’t yet had a chance to show us, writes Kaye Lee.
https://theaimn.com/but-wait-theres-more/
The Coalition is targeting wealthy retirees in an attempt to secure another ‘miracle’ election win. But its policy platform contains little substance beyond the purchase of votes, argues Mike Seccombe.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/05/14/what-the-coalition-promising/165245040013878
Do we continue down the pathway of privatisation of health by stealth, asks a concerned Stephen Leeder.
https://johnmenadue.com/do-we-continue-down-the-pathway-of-privatisation-of-health-by-stealth-need-to-fix-link-in-first-para-jm/
Dana Daniel writes that Anthony Albanese is promising almost $1 billion in new Medicare funding if Labor wins next weekend’s federal election, while Scott Morrison is announcing support for 700,000 children to play sport.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-promises-750-million-to-for-medicare-coalition-to-invest-in-sport-20220513-p5al7l.html
Matthew Knott has been talking to faith communities at find out what they think about Katherine Deves’ remarks on transgender children. It tends to highlight what Morrison’s motives were.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-are-faith-communities-responding-to-katherine-deves-20220513-p5al3i.html
Labor is riding on wave of public demand for caring and protective government. But the question of funding it can never be escaped, says the editorial in the AFR.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/we-re-all-paying-for-a-new-world-of-big-government-20220512-p5akua
With one week left until the campaign is over, Peter van Onselen says that it’s worth considering what the state of each major party will look like if they fail in their bid to convince Australians to hand them power for the next three years.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/revolt-revulsion-and-reform-what-lies-ahead-for-theside-thatloses/news-story/d0c11dd499a14886336c5b86c7ab1699
And Katherine Murphy writes that, if the metropolitan moderates are wiped out next week, the Liberals must learn the right lesson from defeat.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/if-the-metropolitan-moderates-are-wiped-out-next-week-the-liberals-must-learn-the-right-lesson-from-defeat
Anthony Galloway and Angus Thompson write about Dutton’s announcement about the presence of a Chinese naval boat off WA and it being an “aggressive act”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/aggressive-act-chinese-spy-ship-spotted-off-australia-s-west-coast-near-a-secretive-naval-base-20220513-p5al5y.html
Fred Chaney reckons independents are the shock the major parties need. He mounts a strong argument.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2022/05/14/independents-are-the-shock-the-major-parties-need/165245040013877
Greg Sheridan delves into history and concludes that whoever wins this election will face massive security challenges. Both sides come to the table with reasonable credibility. But that is no more than the price of entry for a searingly tough assignment.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/election-2022-can-labor-keep-australia-safe/news-story/45e291ead73576e60676055bbcdd6a16
Ebony Bennett explains how Scott Morrison’s attacks on ICAC have gone too far.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7737091/scott-morrisons-attacks-on-icac-have-gone-too-far/?cs=14258
New documents show four federal ministers overruled advice from their departments to award grants – largely in key Coalition seats, reveals Karen Middleton who says the extent of grant funding, particularly without tender processes and against departmental advice, is featuring in the current election campaign, along with a push for a federal integrity commission.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/05/14/morrison-ministers-overrule-advice-grants/165245040013883
Rebekha Sharkie has threatened the Australian Christian Lobby with legal action after the group distributed flyers featuring her driving a wrecking ball through religious schools. She has claimed the ACL breached copyright laws by using a photo of her face without her permission in what she called an “unfair” attack over her vote against the Coalition’s religious discrimination bill in February. I hope she takes them to the cleaners.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/mp-rebekha-sharkie-threatens-legal-action-against-australian-christian-lobby-over-election-flyers
Australia is sleepwalking towards a recession. A bigger problem is that neither major political party seems awake to the risk, or if it is, it is unwilling to talk openly about it, laments Ross Greenwood.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/eyes-wide-shut-its-time-to-wake-up-to-recession-risk/news-story/9f03bd81059674e8020f4788587d9eb7
If Queensland doesn’t save the Morrison government, it will deliver the bulk of members – and possibly the leader – of a Coalition opposition, writes Cameron Atfield.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/marooned-how-queensland-is-key-to-coalition-s-defensive-strategy-20220512-p5akp8.html
We are on a very slippery slope with these visas towards the slavery-like conditions that have existed for migrant workers in North America and Europe for decades, warns Abul Rizvi.
https://johnmenadue.com/morrison-governments-high-risk-visa-switch-for-migrant-meatworkers/
More aged care homes are running at a loss, according to data released by Labor amid the federal election campaign – and an industry leader warns it will get worse, writes Brad Crouch fr the Adelaide Advertiser.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/federal-election/nearly-twothirds-of-rural-aged-care-homes-running-at-a-loss/news-story/7ba9ebda98b7aadf41fb797af0cec0fb?amp
A failure as shameful as robodebt leaves questions only a royal commission can examine, declares Luke Henriques-Gomes.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/14/a-failure-as-shameful-as-robodebt-leaves-questions-only-a-royal-commission-can-examine
Before the election, the Morrison government’s charities commission began issuing letters that threatened charities with deregistration if they were engaged in advocacy. Many regard these ‘reviews’ as a means of silencing the sector, says Kristine Ziwica.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2022/05/14/new-front-coalition-war-charities/165245040013881
Susan McDonald tells us how to spot politicians tinkering with the truth.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/13/strawmen-and-slippery-slopes-how-to-spot-politicians-tinkering-with-the-truth
In his weekly whinge, Gerard Henderson takes aim at Virginia Trioli for having the temerity to bring the need for a decent ICAC to the fore.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/due-process-rolled-in-the-push-for-a-federal-icac/news-story/dafdc2bba41f117ee21efe21cfadb8ca
Michael Koziol reports that the NSW Supreme Court has issued an extraordinary order requiring a major media company to hand over copies of an upcoming television program and newspaper investigation to an interested party before the content has been published or even completed. The story is about the cosmetic surgery racket.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/court-issues-extraordinary-order-for-herald-the-age-and-60-minutes-to-hand-over-draft-story-20220513-p5al9v.html
Harriett Alexander tells us how the events of what happened in Afghanistan, and now the defamation trial, has fractured friendships and an SAS regiment.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/broken-friendships-as-soldiers-examine-conscience-and-take-sides-20220512-p5akqc.html
As the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case continues, his four star witnesses face their own difficulties in and out of the witness box, writes Rick Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/law-crime/2022/05/14/ben-roberts-smith-trial-calls-next-witness/165245040013879
Clancy Yeates reports that the chief executive of financial intelligence regulator Austrac, Nicole Rose, has rejected criticism the agency has been overly focused on banks, saying the sheer amount of money flowing through big lenders makes them a key risk for money laundering. The criticism related to what has been shown to have been happening in Australian casinos.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/austrac-boss-defends-financial-crimes-regulator-says-casinos-must-improve-20220513-p5al6d.html
The SMH editorial comes out and says organised crime thrives because NSW cannot follow the money. It declares that the issue is much wider than the failings of regulators and says many of the problems are rooted in corrupt behaviour.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/organised-crime-thrives-because-nsw-cannot-follow-the-money-20220513-p5al86.html
Meanwhile, at the inquiry into its operations, a Star Entertainment Group director has said fear of competition from James Packer’s new Sydney casino at Barangaroo was a key reason the company embraced rogue behaviour that left it open to money laundering and criminal infiltration.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/fear-of-packer-pushed-star-to-go-rogue-says-director-20220513-p5al5r.html
The Burnet Institute’s Brendan Crabb and Mike Toole lament that, five weeks into an election campaign, there has been nary a mention by either major party about the greatest public health crisis in our lifetimes. The COVID-19 pandemic is being presented to the public as something that happened in the past. They say our complacency is costing us big time and that we must do something to reduce transmission rates.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/complacency-over-covid-is-costing-us-20220513-p5akzg.html
Deception, exploitation and cover-up are messages Australia is sending to our foreign neighbours, writes Dr Kyle Mervin who says Australia’s treatment of whistleblowers will be its damnation.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/australias-treatment-of-whistleblowers-will-be-its-damnation,16351
Rob Harris writes that she has ruled for 70 years, but her increasing frailty has many royal watchers speculating if the Queen may even abdicate after the big celebrations in June.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/on-the-eve-of-her-jubilee-an-anxious-nation-frets-over-the-queen-s-health-20220513-p5akzc.html
The “green light” for same-sex marriages to be blessed by Anglican priests could cause boycotts of national church meetings and parishes to split, Primate Geoff Smith warned, as the fallout from this week’s General Synod showdown deepened, writes The Australian’s Jamie Walker.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/nation/anglican-church-on-brink-of-revolt-says-primate/news-story/21c5ba4d1ecb9ccaa70ad0f4643cf54f
Shares in Twitter have plunged after Elon Musk put his $US44-billion ($64 billion) takeover bid on hold, just weeks after agreeing to take the company private.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/people/2022/05/14/elon-musk-twitter-deal-hold/?breaking_live_scroll=1
Johnson blames today’s Brexit woes on Brussels, but that’s a load of old bull says Jonathan Freedland.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/13/boris-johnson-brexit-brussels-northern-ireland-eu
Greg Baum hands out some stern advice to Greg Norman on how he can tell the difference between a mistake and brutal, cold-blooded murder. He winds up by saying that Norman has become the Great White Witchetty Grub.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/golf/hey-greg-here-s-how-you-can-tell-the-difference-between-a-mistake-and-brutal-cold-blooded-murder-20220512-p5akwd.html
A volunteer soccer coach who sexually abused seven boys on over 150 occasions sat expressionless on Friday as he was sentenced to spend at least 20 years behind bars and gaining him nomination for “Arsehole of the Week”.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/soccer-coach-guilty-of-child-sexual-abuse-sentenced-to-at-least-20-years-imprisonment-20220513-p5al4q.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
David Rowe
Matt Golding
Jon Kudelka
Alan Moir
Mark Knight
Mark David
Peter Broelman
Some gifs from Glen Le Lievre
Andrew Dyson
Jim Pavlidis
Fiona Katauskas
Richard Giliberto
Matt Davidson
Dionne Gain
Leak
From the US
Scovid’s “promise” to change is just like all his other promises and announcements – totally fake.
He believes he is perfect, chosen by some vile dark god to lead this country. He is too entrenched in self-belief to ever have any notion of changing.
Why do the media always, always fall for his “announcements” and “promises”? Why do they always repeat them as if they were true?
They keep churning out articles about this latest promise to change as if it were gospel truth, but he will never change. He will remain the arrogant bully he has always been, since childhood if reports are to be believed.
Isn’t that what domestic violence abuser’s say?
“I have changed, it won’t happen again”
Cruel, evil bullies don’t change their spots
It is exactly what they say. “Please come home (or in
Scovid’s case “vote for me”), I have changed and won’t do it again”. Then they do the same thing again, but even worse. Maybe they even kill the female partner that time.
Easy peasy to guess in this line up who has the most cred out here in Croodsville .
The fellow in the middle was actually a Royal Australian Navy officer
Fellow on left is a failed ad man from turnkey(jailer) family in convict days
Fellow on right is now an extremely rich former old style Queensland walloper who might have some Chinese ancestry
An alleged “spy ship” 250 miles off the coast and well into international waters is “hugging the coast”??????
billie11 , thanks for the reminder. I’d completely forgotten McGowan’s time in the navy.
Bill Maher – (new rules 44:25)
Overtime –
Michael West –
Chris Hayes –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
And after the “Morrison men” have “fixed” things a real expert has to go in and not only fix the original problem but deal with the damage the fixer-uppers had created. Heaven help anyone who gets the Morrison paramedic in an emergency. He’d probably treat a heart attack as a broken leg.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/27/scott-morrisons-efforts-to-engage-with-women-are-more-me-than-mea-culpa
Lawrence O’Donnell with a segment on how far the R’s have fallen in recent times –
I am htv-ing on polling day for Labor, Tony Zappia. I am not scrutineering so I will be at the venue for the count/victory party, I hope!!!!
BTW
Has anyone else watched the Korean Drama called Law School? Damn, those Korean writers (etc) are good!
Wop wallop biff from Rudd . Top effort
After which the poor, not-so-little so-called “journalist” had a big Twitter sook about how mean Rudd had been to him.
He was howled down there, too.
OK , who broke my island ?
.
.
(Rotuma Island, part of Fiji. )
Obviously that rock dun it, then got stuck trying to sneak away.
Scotty teaching Indians how to make a proper curry ?
Begging for a caption.
Not a caption, but I’d bet that entire vat of whatever had to be chucked out after Scovid had interfered with it because it was contaminated by his vile presence.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Today, Morrison will make his final set-piece pitch to Australian voters with a superannuation policy to encourage Australians to downsize their homes in a last-ditch attempt to halt his campaign’s stumbling momentum. James Massola and Anthny Galloway have the details.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-to-unveil-superannuation-policy-in-final-pitch-to-voters-20220514-p5alc9.html
It is not often I link an article from Parnell Palme McGuinness, but today she has put together a good assessment of what the Liberal Party has come to and where it is going.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/danger-for-the-liberal-party-coming-from-the-right-as-well-as-the-teals-20220512-p5akxx.html
Jon Faine puts the case for radical change to election campaign funding rules.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/in-politics-money-talks-and-loudly-20220513-p5al43.html
Politicians’ pay has gone up by a third in a decade, but a wage rise in line with inflation is too much? Jacqui Maley looks at this and other concerns she has with the government.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/politicians-pay-has-gone-up-by-a-third-in-a-decade-but-a-wage-rise-in-line-with-inflation-is-too-much-20220513-p5al4k.html
Josh Taylor reveals how a classic “long game” by Labor is paying off by giving it the opportunity to craft a big NBN policy.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/may/15/revealed-how-a-crafty-labor-move-on-the-nbn-is-being-used-to-win-over-voters
Paul Sakkal writes that independent Monique Ryan’s decision not to allocate preferences on her how-to-vote cards is leading to invalid votes. She’s not the only independent candidates urging supporters to make their own minds up when allocating preferences.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/kooyong-voters-confused-by-ryan-voting-cards-could-be-the-difference-between-winning-and-losing-20220513-p5al6m.html
NSW’s mental health commissioner said Australia will need to recruit from abroad to boost its depleted and exhausted workforce, as demand outstrips supply for services after two years of lockdowns and pandemic distress. Jucy Carroll and Mary ward tell us that wait times for mental health specialist services have stretched to more than six months in parts of NSW, with a new report showing one in eight residents have developed a new condition since the pandemic began.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/lockdown-toll-one-in-eight-have-new-mental-health-condition-20220513-p5al4v.html
Peter FitzSimons has interviewed Andrew Denton and his passion for the campaign he has run on voluntary assisted dying comes through. Denton unloads on the opposing forces. Also we see the tweet of the week which came from Malcolm Farr – Scott Morrison is shaping up to be the worst thing to happen to the Liberal Party since Bob Hawke.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-vulnerable-v-the-entitled-how-vad-has-become-a-hugely-unfair-fight-20220512-p5akxy.html
In campaign debates, in radio stations, television studios, people to people encounters all over the nation, the name Barnaby Joyce comes up as the biggest brake on Australia making a greater commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Does the leader of the National Party deserve the brickbats? Maybe we should look to our backyards, writes Mark Sawyer.
https://michaelwest.com.au/hating-barnaby-joyce-is-it-him-or-is-it-us/
Tim Jones contrasts the LNP’s “values” and their actions.
https://theaimn.com/lnp-values-and-their-actions-a-comparison/
Rex Patrick has taken aim at three SA Liberal senators who he describes as “Canberra shirkers. Fawcett, Antic and McLachlan copped the spray.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/federal-election/rex-patrick-says-alex-antic-among-liberal-canberra-shirkers/news-story/52f660ed819b5e3a89c086e04ec02200?amp
The Coalition is running away from federal ICAC as calls for it hit fever pitch, writes Nicholas Bugeja.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/coalition-runs-away-from-federal-icac-as-calls-hit-fever-pitch,16359
Helen Pitt uses her experience of having a broken leg to describe the poor condition of the health system.
https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/time-to-fix-our-health-system-that-s-as-broken-as-my-leg-20220512-p5aktw.html
And Melissa Davey explains how Covid exposed Australia’s straining hospital system.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/15/emergency-overload-how-covid-exposed-australias-straining-hospital-system
Politicians are gaslighting us with inflated bulk billing numbers. Medicare is haemorrhaging money, says Margaret Faux.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/14/politicians-are-gaslighting-us-with-inflated-bulk-billing-numbers-medicare-is-haemorrhaging-money
Various reforms to the Australian Human Rights Commission are required to better protect and realise human rights in Australia, writes Professor Ben Saul.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/if-elected-labor-must-reinvigorate-australian-human-rights-commission,16353
Jessica Seier and Janathan Shapiro explain what was behind behind the collapse of a $26b stablecoin outfit last week.
https://www.afr.com/technology/a-week-of-terra-behind-the-collapse-of-a-26b-stablecoin-20220513-p5akzt
According to Bloomberg, the soaring US dollar is propelling the global economy deeper into a synchronised slowdown by driving up borrowing costs and stoking financial-market volatility, and there’s little respite on the horizon.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/how-the-rampant-us-is-wrecking-the-global-economy-20220515-p5alen
A gunman sporting a rifle and body armour opened fire in a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing at least 10 people before being taken into custody yesterday. Investigators believe the man may have been livestreaming the shooting and were looking into whether he had posted a manifesto online. What a failed society!
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/at-least-eight-dead-in-daylight-mass-shooting-at-us-supermarket-20220515-p5alee.html
Cartoon Corner
Matt Golding
Peter Broelman
Reg Lynch
Matt Davidson
Glen Le Lievre
Dionne Gain
From the US
Kerryn Phelps has a go at Dave Sharma’s latest stunt –