For simplicity’s sake for the new thread starter, I think it would be best to just link to the published report of the royal commission into this despicable chapter in the Australian Government and Public Service.
https://robodebt.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/report
Related articles and opinions, among the usual politics of the day are welcome to be posted in the comments, but I will add notice to this excellent article by Laura Tingle.
On a personal note, I think it is outrageous that the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government implemented this policy and I hope the prosecutions go far in making sure this never happens again. And I also hope that the consequences are felt across the entire public service so that filth like Kathryn Campbell don’t get to float to the top to implement sewer policies like this again.
THE PUB 
It’s truly tragic! Our Coalition Opposition party in govt have a campaign slogan, “If you don’t know about the Voice, Then just say No!” They’re smiling smugly as they all chant it, standing behind the only Aboriginal person who seems to want it! We are paying them to preach ignorance!
Our response should be, “If it’s something you don’t know about, then bloody well find out!”
Now there’s a line About The Voice I can add to the other jingles I’ve published since July 15 on my own site to which I’ve had good responses. I’m sure there will be more once you’ve published it.
“If you don’t know
About The Voice
Don’t just say ‘No’
Or maybe guess
And just say ‘Yes’
Go to ‘my gov’ link
And have a think
Then make your choice
About The Voice!”
Patricia, wonderful, thanks. Can you send it to Yes23 so they can spread it around, I’m sure they’d love it.
Thanks again, gravel,! I’m having trouble posting here, my favorite site. I think it’s my fumble fingers or my meandering memory! Let’s hope I’ve reached you this time!
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Australia will lose its triple-A credit rating by the end of the decade, driving up the federal government’s interest bill and the cost of borrowing for major companies as climate change undermines the economy and tax base. According to Shane Wright, ground-breaking research suggests Australia is likely to be one of the worst-affected countries as taxpayers worldwide face paying more than $US1 trillion ($1.6 trillion) a year in extra interest on government debt if global temperatures climb unabated.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/trillion-dollar-cost-of-climate-change-will-challenge-federal-budget-20230818-p5dxji.html
Australians would be $7000-a-year richer under a far-reaching economic blueprint including tax reform and boosting women’s participation in the workforce to be launched by the nation’s top businesses. The Business Council of Australia’s Seize the Moment report argues that the country will be left behind by competitors while living standards of Australians will be eroded – unless substantial changes are made to the economy.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/plan-to-make-australians-7000-richer-but-it-will-require-reform-20230818-p5dxlo.html
The council warns that Australia can’t just rely on continued good luck to create economic success in a new global era of decarbonisation, protectionism and extreme national competition. That requires hard, smart choices for what we do best, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/bca-calls-for-smarter-choices-urgent-action-20230819-p5dxtn
The anti-Indigenous voice campaign leader Warren Mundine’s organisation, CPAC Australia, has defended a comedian who referred to traditional owners as “violent black men” and called the Indigenous leader Bennelong a “woman-basher” at a conservative political conference over the weekend. What a collection!
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/21/cpac-australia-defends-comedian-who-referred-to-traditional-owners-as-violent-black-men
Australia cannot come close to matching the massive US climate subsidies. The response should be to remove self-imposed handbrakes on productivity, investment, and global competitiveness, says the AFR’s editorial.
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/best-help-for-clean-industries-is-getting-the-basics-right-20230814-p5dw8d
Sean Kelly sums up the ALP conference and Albanese’s aspirations.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-tortoise-and-a-hare-walk-into-a-labor-conference-which-would-make-the-better-pm-20230818-p5dxlc.html
Alan Kohler writes that, like so many before him, the PM’s housing pledge has a foundation of sand.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2023/08/21/housing-promise-albanese-kohler/
Two prominent Liberal frontbenchers will lock horns in a preselection contest that insiders warn could destabilise the party’s run into the next election. Paul Sakkal tells us that in a move that will provoke fresh debate around female representation in the Coalition, Jane Hume, the opposition finance spokeswoman, has decided to run for the top position on the Victorian Senate ticket occupied by home affairs spokesman James Paterson.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/senior-liberals-in-battle-for-top-senate-spot-20230820-p5dxz7.html
The stalling of a six-year-old Victorian social housing scheme has raised doubts among advocates that the government’s much-spruiked planning package will do little to tackle the current housing crisis, writes Royce Millar
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/government-land-was-set-aside-for-housing-in-2017-not-a-single-home-has-been-built-20230820-p5dxw0.html
Daniel Andrews says he does not believe many of the soaring costs that prompted him to cancel the Commonwealth Games could have been predicted. But there were red flags early on, says Kieran Rooney.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/warnings-about-commonwealth-games-costs-were-there-from-the-start-20230819-p5dxte.html
Matthew Knott reports that Australia will soon have naval missiles capable of striking targets 1,500 kilometres away in a major boost to the nation’s long-range firepower.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-buys-formidable-missiles-in-3b-firepower-boost-20230820-p5dxyr.html
There is no precedent for building a submarine hull in one country, installing another country’s technology and assembling it in a third which has no nuclear expertise, writes Bob Carr who says the biggest enemy of AUKUS is not the resistance of ALP branches and unions but its own over-engineered grandiosity, its naive ambition.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-biggest-aukus-risk-our-allies-plan-b-20230820-p5dxxs.html
Climate wars have not been a feature of British politics. That’s about to change, writes George Brandis.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/climate-wars-have-not-been-a-feature-of-british-politics-that-s-about-to-change-20230816-p5dx2j.html
There are some worrying signs in recent polling which raise the disturbing possibility that a third-party campaign by the Green Party may once again divert enough votes from the Democratic Party candidate, in this case almost certainly Joe Biden, to get Donald Trump over the line in some key states and thereby deliver another Trump, writes Bob McMullan.
https://johnmenadue.com/real-chance-of-trump-victory-in-the-us-election/
Donald Trump’s lead over his Republican primary rivals widened in a poll conducted after his fourth indictment, showing the kind of support that’s prompting him to deride this week’s GOP debate.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-support-grows-after-atlanta-charges-filed-in-pre-gop-debate-poll-20230821-p5dy1l.html
Trump’s coup continues. It will soon enter its fourth phase, warns Robert Reich.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/20/donald-trump-coup-effort-phase-four-us-government
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Peter Broelman
Jim Pavlidis
Megan Herbert
Leak
From the US
Does not look like 20,000 jobs to me, but what would I know. I’m not a defence boffin
The article –
Marles Mauled: Rex Patrick demolishes Defence sophistry on AUKUS, submarines, nuclear.
https://michaelwest.com.au/marles-mauled-rex-patrick-demolishes-defence-sophistry-on-aukus-submarines-nuclear/
Not that Albo would be a lone participant in the ‘game of maaates’ but not a good look. No wonder the Coorey Gazette did not paywall it.
.
……multiple sources within PwC, Albanese and Gregory discussed an internship at PwC for Albanese’s son Nathan. Gregory then passed on Nathan’s information to the firm’s HR department and in June 2021, Nathan completed a two-week, unpaid placement in PwC’s Economics & Policy Unit in Sydney under PwC’s chief economist Jeremy Thorpe……
……the revelation that Anthony Albanese had procured a membership of the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge for his adult son Nathan and never declared it on the parliamentary register of interests..This cannot be brushed aside as normal. Yes, all federal MPs and their spouses are given Chairman’s Lounge membership. But in the 15 years Alan Joyce has been chief executive of Qantas, no other serving prime minister – and no other politician, full stop – has prevailed upon the airline to also provide Chairman’s Lounge membership to their progeny.
https://www.afr.com/rear-window/anthony-albanese-s-son-in-pwc-internship-20230820-p5dxzm
F.M
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/21/what-even-is-a-planigale-thats-right-its-time-for-marsupial-news
Never heard of them before. Vicious buggers 😆
.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Amy Remeikis unpacks the latest Essential poll which indicates populism is alive and well.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/22/essential-poll-australia-rental-crisis-prices-rise-cap-housing-inflation-economy
“Can we prevent war with China by getting ready to fight one?”, asks Peter Hartcher after the Tomahawk missile announcement.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/can-we-prevent-war-with-china-by-getting-ready-to-fight-one-20230820-p5dxya.html
Greg Sheridan says that these missiles are useless unless we have the ships to put them on.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/were-all-at-sea-when-it-comes-to-our-dire-defence-state/news-story/56a81134d75d0171b07282d912090c81
Former chief scientist Alan Finkel says it would take decades to develop a local nuclear energy industry, as he and other experts reject the Coalition’s push to switch focus from renewables to nuclear energy as implausible since Australia needs urgent replacement for its ageing coal-fired power plants.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-s-campaign-for-nuclear-energy-implausible-experts-say-20230821-p5dy2a.html
The release of the Intergenerational Report is taking on many of the features of a long-running TV soap opera, with the Treasurer leaving us begging for more after every episode reveals another piece of the story, writes Paul Bongiorno who says that the future shocks in it highlight the urgency for bolder action.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/08/22/labor-australia-future-bongiorno/
We won’t fix inflation while economists stay in denial about its causes, argues Ross Gittins who says, “In the real world, industries are increasingly dominated by just a few huge firms – firms that have become so mainly by taking over their smaller competitors. This is true in all the rich economies, but none more so than ours.” He concludes that we won’t fix inflation until we have stronger laws defending competition.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/we-won-t-fix-inflation-while-economists-stay-in-denial-about-its-causes-20230820-p5dxxw.html
The steady decay in Australia’s wealth generation capacity continued throughout the Liberal National period, as Alan Austin reports.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/global-wealth-report-confirms-coalition-incompetence-right-to-the-end,17827
Energy consumers are getting used to dancing with their provider each year to not be ripped off. But that’s no easy waltz. The twists and turns can make anyone dizzy. Sandi Logan knows the score.
https://michaelwest.com.au/bill-shock-does-waltzing-with-energy-companies-comparison-sites-get-your-costs-down/
Jack Waterford thinks Anthony Albanese is paralysed and failing to grasp the moment.
https://johnmenadue.com/anthony-albanese-is-paralysed-and-failing-to-grasp-the-moment/
Professor Nicole Gurran proffers the real reason housing supply isn’t keeping up with demand. She says we lack an alternative, affordable and non-profit housing sector of sufficient capacity to guarantee ongoing countercyclical construction.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-real-reason-housing-supply-isn-t-keeping-up-with-demand-20230821-p5dy40.html
Royce Millar writes that Melbourne’s Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said it was unfortunate the Andrews government had not adopted the council’s idea four years ago and that the housing crisis had only worsened since then. The council had urged the government to introduce mandatory “inclusionary zoning”, a system that requires a proportion of social or affordable housing be delivered as a condition of approval for larger housing projects. It is already used in the US, Europe, South Australia, the ACT and parts of NSW.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/city-of-melbourne-urges-state-government-to-reconsider-its-prescient-2019-housing-pitch-20230821-p5dy8c.html
The consultancy-military-industrial complex continues to reveal its sinister nature as serious questions are raised over conflicts of interest in the tender process for KPMG’s $46 million REDSPICE contract with the Australian Signals Directorate, says Binoy Kampmark.
https://johnmenadue.com/redspice-and-kpmg-the-consultancy-industrial-complex/
The Yes case for the voice is logical and rational. It’s No that’s confused, inconsistent and incoherent, writes Troy Bramston who says, “At the heart of the No case, riddled with confusion and inconsistency, is a promise of more of the same. The No campaigners offer nothing to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. Instead, they promulgate fear and misinformation for squalid political purposes. They fail to see the unifying opportunity the referendum holds for all Australians. It is a moment we cannot afford to miss.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/the-yes-case-for-the-voice-is-logical-and-rational-its-no-thats-confused-inconsistent-and-incoherent/news-story/d09f8d0fd0331cf942c32cfd6d7f23b6?amp
Donna Lu and Melissa Davey outline how Catholic hospitals across Australia are using the cover of religion to opt out of providing reproductive care – and experts say it has created a ‘postcode lottery’ for access to services. Enough!
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/22/do-australian-catholic-hospitals-perform-abortions-provide-contraception-reproductive-care
Australia’s classrooms are ranked among the worst in the world when it comes to discipline and the responsibility for that should not fall solely on teachers, education experts have told a federal senate inquiry into disruptive classrooms.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/teacher-made-to-apologise-for-giving-child-improvement-strategies-20230815-p5dwqa.html
Melbourne’s iconic Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has become embroiled in a research misconduct scandal after an investigation discovered experiments in an important cancer study were likely never performed. The centre could now be required to repay taxpayer dollars used to run the melanoma study, writes Liam Mannix.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/peter-maccallum-cancer-centre-embroiled-in-sham-research-scandal-20230818-p5dxmr.html
“Australia is registering 5000 new healthcare workers a month. So why is there still a staffing crisis?”, wonders Natalia Chrysanthos.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-is-registering-5000-new-healthcare-workers-a-month-so-why-is-there-still-a-staffing-crisis-20230817-p5dxab.html
Powerless in the face of Britain’s crises, Rishi Sunak has now entered his self-pitying era, writes Nesrine Malik saying the prime minister has the condescending air of a man who believes he is doing the public a favour by governing the British.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/21/rishi-sunak-britain-crisis-self-pitying-era
Trump’s legal woes are part of his quasi-religious mythology of martyrdom, opines Sidney Blumenthal who says the criminal entanglements are not only means but ends – not a sideshow, but the heart and soul of Trump’s campaign
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/21/trump-election-giuliani-sidney-blumenthal
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F4CYe8XbQAAfaS4
David Pope.jpg
Matt Golding
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Mark David
Andrew Dyson
Fiona Katauskas
Glen Le Lievre
Dionne Gain
Spooner remounts his hobby-horse
From the US
Latest Essential report with various issue questions here.
https://essentialreport.com.au/reports/22-august-2023
Essential voting figures are here.
https://essentialreport.com.au/reports/federal-political-insights
TTP+: ALP 51 L/NP 43
Primary: ALP 33 L/NP 33 GRN 14 ON 8 IND 7 UAP 3 Undecided 6
Both TPP & Primary figures do NOT exclude the 6% undecided, so they will seem lower and can’t be face value compared to other polls like Newspoll or Morgan.
When being ‘beige’ makes you stand out from the crowd.
.
Spotless giraffe
Animal thought to be only one of its kind in world born at Tennessee zoo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/21/spotless-giraffe-tennessee-zoo
From Grauniad live blog.
Sounds like diplomat speak congratulations for Australia reaching peak subservience to US interests.
Definitely!
Rachel Maddow –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPFpPGmRjqg&t=23s
Lawrence O’Donnell –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRHjBOMvh5U&t=2753s
Jen Psaki –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw0sDpwY2Hw
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Before she was pushed …
Also departing today – Stan Grant.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2023/aug/22/australia-news-live-economic-growth-intergenerational-report-jim-chalmers-anthony-albanese-china-aukus-indigenous-voice-to-parliament?filterKeyEvents=false#maincontent
That checks out with what I know of her, Bev McArthur has always been a bit of a nazi, so it must be really refreshing for her to be so much more open about it.
Click to access National-Poll-August-2023.pdf
Clarke and Dawe.How little things have changed since 2007……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFqGdK3bSX0
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
David Crowe tells us that Jim Chalmers will confront big companies with tougher laws to stop monopolies and protect consumers.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/treasurer-takes-on-big-business-over-mergers-market-power-20230822-p5dyju.html
Phil Coorey and Michael Read write that ambitious tax reform is off the agenda due to the political difficulties and, instead, the Albanese government will continue to make change using bite-size chunks, such as its increased tax on superannuation accounts of more than $3 million, and the $2.4 billion tweak to the petroleum tax.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-has-no-appetite-for-bold-tax-reform-20230822-p5dyja
Shane Wright reports that government figures believe If migration numbers remain strong and China avoids a deflationary collapse, Australia will avoid a recession.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/canberra-predicts-economy-will-slow-as-rates-hit-but-recession-unlikely-20230822-p5dyhf.html
One Nation in NSW is in disarray after two-thirds of the party’s MPs quit, alleging Pauline Hanson’s right-hand man attempted to misappropriate more than $270,000. Correspondence former NSW party leader Mark Latham sent to Special Minister of State John Graham last Wednesday, obtained by the SMH and tabled in parliament yesterday, urged the government to refer his allegations to the NSW Electoral Commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/latham-quits-one-nation-alleges-it-misspent-taxpayers-funds-20230822-p5dyhg.html
Industry Minister Ed Husic says critics of the government’s plans for local battery manufacturing are stuck in a decade when ABBA was on the charts and the prevailing fashion was big hair and large shoulder pads. Ronald Mizen writes that, hitting back at critiques from economists and the Productivity Commission, Mr Husic will tell the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry today that Australia can do more than “dig it, grow it and then ship it”.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/critics-stuck-in-decade-of-big-shoulder-pads-industry-minister-20230821-p5dy3q
Mile Foley and Paul Sakkal report that Victoria has rejected a revamped plan to recover water for Australia’s largest river system, shunning federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s calls to sign up to a new deal alongside NSW and other states in the Murray-Darling Basin.
https://www.smh.com.au/topic/murray-darling-basin-1nnr
Australia is projected to spend proportionately less on the age pension thanks to superannuation despite a projected doubling of people aged 65 and older, the intergenerational report will show. The report, set to be released in full tomorrow Thursday, is also expected to show a substantial change in Australia’s tax base over four decades, including a dramatic reduction in fuel excise as motorists increasingly opt for electric vehicles.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/australia-to-spend-less-on-age-pension-despite-doubling-of-retirees-intergenerational-report-shows
Michael McGowan writes that the Minns government’s electricity network review has raised concerns about whether the agency tasked with delivering NSW’s multibillion-dollar renewable energy zones is up to the job, finding there is “significant risk” with the program in its current form.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/energy-review-finds-significant-risk-in-delivery-of-nsw-renewable-energy-zones-20230822-p5dyhn.html
Why Albanese’s housing solution will help, but only a bit, opines Ross Gittins.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-albanese-s-housing-solution-will-help-but-only-a-bit-20230822-p5dyf9.html
A controversial speaker from New Zealand whose views are being co-opted by far-right groups in Australia is spreading “dangerous falsehoods”, a Māori human rights advocate has claimed. Ariel Bogel reports that now his views are being co-opted into the debate about the Indigenous voice to parliament by an Australian podcast and separate social media channels that share extremist content.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/who-is-julian-batchellor-stop-co-governance-new-zealand-far-right-speaker-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-no-campaign
Richard Marles said the quiet bit out loud ahead of the ALP conference AUKUS debate while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese seems to have been, er, “economical with the truth”, writes Michael Pascoe about it all being in the optics.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/08/23/aukus-labor-defence-marles-pascoe/
“Why are government officials manufacturing false espionage threats?”, asks Brian Toohey who says government ministers and senior officials are conditioning Australians to become frightened, very frightened.
https://johnmenadue.com/fear-why-are-government-officials-manufacturing-false-espionage-threats/
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has written to Catherine King suggesting she revise her rejection of Qatar Airways’ bid to add more flights.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/government-warned-of-grave-consequences-over-qatar-decision-20230822-p5dyjc.html
There are solid grounds for suspecting that the appointment of Ms Kathryn Campbell, of Robodebt notoriety, to the Department of Defence’s AUKUS division did not meet the normal standards required for other appointments in the public service. Those responsible for the appointment of Ms Campbell and the suspension of her salary have got little to write home about, writes Paddy Gourley.
https://johnmenadue.com/campbells-aukus-appointment-did-not-meet-standards-of-public-service/
Coles Express will begin to disappear from local petrol stations next month if fuel producer and retailer Viva Energy gains approval from the competition watchdog for its merger with the South Australian-based On The Run, an upstart quick-service restaurant and convenience brand, writes Simon Jonanson.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/petrol-station-shakeup-goodbye-coles-express-hello-otr-20230822-p5dyjj.html
As CSG mining expands, reports show discrepancies in waste tracking data, raising questions as to where the contaminated waste is being disposed of. Johanna Evans reports.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/something-stinks-about-coal-seam-gas-waste-disposal,17830
Natassia Chrysanthos bemoans the cost of women’s contraceptives, comparing Australia to other developed countries.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/1-a-day-for-half-your-life-the-cost-of-contraception-is-a-bitter-pill-to-swallow-20230821-p5dyav.html
All shark nets provide is a false sense of security for swimmers and a death trap for marine wildlife, argues marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/shark-nets-will-catch-plenty-of-marine-animals-just-not-sharks-20230822-p5dyeg.html
AI is not a one-time bomb, but a slow burn of devastation that is consuming jobs and culture, says Peter Lewis.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2023/aug/22/ai-is-not-a-one-time-bomb-but-a-slow-burn-of-devastation-that-is-consuming-jobs-and-culture
The US Fed is getting a lot of credit for the rapid decline in inflation. Should it? It may have done the right thing for the wrong reasons, says Paul Krugman.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-the-fed-chief-may-be-a-master-of-mind-control-20230821-p5dy1k.html
Adam Cranston and Jay Onley will each serve a maximum of 15 years behind bars after a judge found they controlled the “engines” of a $105 million tax fraud.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/adam-cranston-jailed-for-15-years-for-105-million-tax-fraud-20230821-p5dy70.html
Trump yearns to govern a mafia state. Fitting that he faces racketeering charges, opines Jan-Werner Müller.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/22/trump-yearns-to-govern-a-mafia-state-fitting-that-he-faces-racketeering-charges
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
David Pope
Glen Le Lievre
Cathy Wilcox
Matt Golding
Simon Letch
Richard Giliberto
John Shakespeare
Andrew Dyson
Leak
From the US
Randy Rainbow –
Chris Hayes –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uZGLToJlWc
Brian Tyler Cohen –
F.M –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/23/amazing-life-hacks-optometrists-dont-want-you-to-know-this
Remember the sixties .. when music was fun?
And the seventies …
And that was just about that for fun music.
@TLBD
I’d contest that. There was lots of fun music after the 70’s (although yes, most of these songs aren’t so ‘fun’, but they’re about the same ratio of pre-1980 songs as ‘fun’ and ‘not fun’
Speaking of old music, today I found out what Revolution 9 was and finally got what this classic Simpsons joke was about.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner group staged a failed mutiny in June, has been killed in a plane crash over Russia, reports say. Surprised it took this long?
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/yevgeny-prigozhin-listed-as-passenger-on-plane-that-crashed-in-russia-20230824-p5dyzl.html
In trying to create a legacy for Labor, Albanese risks not doing enough for the rest of us, opines Shaun Carney.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/in-trying-to-create-a-legacy-for-labor-albanese-risks-not-doing-enough-for-the-rest-of-us-20230823-p5dyub.html
Alexandra Smith reports that the NSW anti-corruption watchdog has been given special powers to access illegally recorded private conversations in its investigation into claims senior Liberals were involved in branch stacking to help fugitive Jean Nassif secure development applications.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/icac-asks-for-special-surveillance-powers-as-it-investigates-toplace-20230823-p5dyxn.html
Michael McGowan writes that the NSW government will embark on a once-in-a-generation overhaul of the state’s health network, with Health Minister Ryan Park vowing to crack down on wasteful spending in the $33 billion system while also flagging changes to spending on locum doctors and hospital emergency departments.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/not-what-emergency-care-is-about-major-funding-shake-up-for-nsw-hospitals-20230823-p5dyr0.html
Anthony Albanese has told company chief executives he wants to set up a “structured dialogue” with business to canvass future economic reforms, hours after the federal government dismissed calls for a cut to the company tax rate, writes David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-open-to-reform-but-chalmers-shuts-down-talk-of-corporate-tax-cuts-20230823-p5dyom.html
If there’s one thing that we know about Jim Chalmers’ first intergenerational report, it’s that most of its forecasts will prove wrong, writes Shane Wright who says that, since Peter Costello released the first intergenerational report, every one of them have got at least one key fact incorrect – from the number of Australians to the health of the budget.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-ve-tried-to-predict-australia-s-future-before-this-is-what-we-got-wrong-20230823-p5dyoo.html
The AFR reports that Jim Chalmers has flagged moves to require superannuation funds to work harder to deliver steady income for the millions of Baby Boomers entering retirement and to explain why annuities have not been taken up with “sufficient enthusiasm”.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/we-re-at-an-inflection-point-big-super-is-failing-retirees-20230823-p5dyrk
Alan Kohler says that the BCA’s latest lecture to the nation on productivity would be better directed at its members than the rest of us.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/08/24/productivity-bca-alan-kohler/
If you are really worried about the next generation, the only thing that matters is climate change, implores Greg Jericho.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2023/aug/24/if-you-are-really-worried-about-the-next-generation-the-only-thing-that-matters-is-climate-change
It is hard to gauge the importance of the Trumpist Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event that took place in Sydney this weekend. There were more high-profile figures speaking than previously, and several currently serving politicians alongside white supremacists and antisemites, says Lucy Hamilton about the “insurgency”.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-insurgency/
The Andrews government is holding firm on its resistance to water buybacks, but it could see Victorian farmers miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure projects, explain Broede Carmody and Mike Foley.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/hundreds-of-millions-in-farms-funding-in-limbo-over-water-stand-off-20230823-p5dysb.html
One Nation is a one-woman band and without Pauline Hanson will eventually disappear, predicts Alexandra Smith who says that the former fish-and-chip shop owner has managed single-handedly to alienate her lieutenants one by one, from her party’s co-founders to her biographer and even her webmaster.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/losing-one-nation-mps-is-pauline-hanson-s-special-skill-20230823-p5dyr4.html
The SMH’s editorial says that One Nation shows its true colours as a party where personality trumps policy. It says the Hanson-Latham duel is the latest episode in One Nation’s risible history of internal squabbling, defamation suits, allegations of corruption and electoral fraud, disqualifications, resignations and expulsions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/one-nation-shows-true-colours-as-party-where-personality-trumps-policy-20230823-p5dyqg.html
Sarah Danckert tells us that the former chairman of the corporate watchdog said he wanted to end his life after being the subject of a “highly defamatory” advertising campaign by billionaire parliamentary hopeful Clive Palmer.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/former-asic-boss-wanted-to-end-his-life-amid-negative-palmer-ad-campaign-20230823-p5dyv6.html
The federal government paid the contractor Infosys $191m for an automated welfare payment calculator that only processed 784 claims for one type of payment during a trial before it was abandoned as a failure. The “entitlement calculation engine” was supposed to help Centrelink determine how much welfare recipients should be paid, based on their individual circumstances. It was one part of a much larger effort to overhaul Centrelink’s payment infrastructure. Stuart Robert’s name appears in the article.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/federal-government-paid-infosys-191m-for-centrelink-calculator-that-only-processed-one-type-of-payment
Australian governments are now amongst the biggest users of external consultants on the planet, writes Senator Barbara Pocock who says, “Australians want to see a public service run in the public interest with the capability and resources to do the job. The role of consultants should be constrained to specialist support and unexpected levels of demand.”
https://johnmenadue.com/the-big-4-government-procurement-and-the-rivers-of-gold/
Australian Press Council member Alan Sunderland writes, “The big question facing the ABC, then, is not who will replace Ita Buttrose as ABC chair. It is how the whole organisation will rise to the challenge of creating a media that serves the public by solving more problems than it creates, by delivering information that empowers people to understand rather than encouraging them to argue.”
https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/who-will-replace-ita-at-the-abc-you-re-asking-the-wrong-question-20230823-p5dyqq.html
As ABC chair, Ita Buttrose stood up for the broadcaster’s independence. It’s time others did the same, writes Dennis Muller.
https://theconversation.com/as-abc-chair-ita-buttrose-stood-up-for-the-broadcasters-independence-its-time-others-did-the-same-212018
Kate Kelly and Adam Morton write that landowners – including many who support the shift to renewable energy – fear proposed lines will devalue properties and destroy ecosystems.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/renewable-energy-new-power-lines-for-transmission-risks-concerns’
A number of executives and board members within the carbon farming and offsetting industry have been appointed to senior positions within Australia’s leading environmental NGOs. Callum Foote details why some experts are weary of the connection.
https://michaelwest.com.au/offsetting-industry-environmental-ngo-connections/
Qantas boss Alan Joyce has been summoned to a parliamentary inquiry for the first time in nine years, where he’ll be subject to questions about the group’s role in affecting cost of living pressures. Could be worth watching.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-chief-alan-joyce-summoned-to-front-cost-of-living-inquiry-20230823-p5dyxj.html
Discrimination based on identity is contributing to an alarmingly high rate of suicide in our children and youth, writes Gerry Georgatos.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/judgemental-society-killing-our-youth,17832
Nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and physiotherapists will push for greater powers to prescribe medicines or treat patients, as a review of health professionals’ roles examines how to boost capacity in Australia’s strained primary-care system. Natassia Chrysanthos tells us that the process threatens to fuel tensions among health practitioners, with the Australian Medical Association already warning against giving various professions more independent roles in the workforce.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nurse-and-pharmacy-prescribing-powers-to-be-probed-in-new-review-20230818-p5dxl4.html
The ABC has reappointed managing director David Anderson for another five-year term, with the national broadcaster extending his contract until mid-2028 in a bid for stability as it pushes ahead with a new five-year plan.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/abc-managing-director-david-anderson-wins-another-term-20230823-p5dyya.html
The Catholic church has successfully used the death of a known paedophile priest to permanently halt a civil claim by two Indigenous survivors, one of whom is dying of cancer. The New South Wales supreme court ruled on Wednesday that the church could no longer receive a fair trial due to the death of assistant priest David Joseph Perrett, which, along with the deaths of other key witnesses, caused the church serious prejudice in attempting to mount a defence.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/23/david-joseph-perett-nsw-court-rules-catholic-church-cant-get-a-fair-trial-in-civil-case-against-paedophile-priest
China seems to be teetering on the edge of a crisis that looks a lot like what the rest of the world went through in 2008. But it’s not the same, explains Paul Krugman who writes on the good news about China’s looming financial crisis.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/the-good-news-about-china-s-looming-financial-crisis-20230822-p5dyhe.html
European conservative parties are out of ideas, but absorbing the far right isn’t the answer, argues Oliver Haynes.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/23/europe-centre-right-out-of-ideas-absorbing-far-right-not-the-answer
A witness in the criminal case against Donald Trump over the hoarding of classified documents retracted “prior false testimony” after switching lawyers last month and provided new information that implicated the former president, the justice department said late on Tuesday.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/23/trump-witness-false-testimony-flipped-mar-a-lago
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Dionne Gain
Andrew Dyson
Steve Bell
Leak
From the US
I guess they would be a bit lost after so much of the ‘Left’ took a right turn.
“If you are really worried about the next generation, the only thing that matters is climate change” –
Greg Jericho
Yes.
Duckie! “Aye! Aye!”
We cry back! ”
Shut the Dutton up!
Give him the sack!
“Quack! Quack!”
Michael West –
What a nasty snide comment! Not just the content, but the tone. That may have been our busy and popular PM’s rare chance to be with his 23year old son any time recently, where and why is nothing to do with political commentary. A ‘good’ look or ‘bad’ depends on the dirt digger’s point of view, I guess. For me it’s good to think the PM may be trying to cross paths mid-air as it were. I hope it was something like that and he’s had some private time in that dull old Chairman’s lounge. Chance to do that with him or anyone else in his immediate family must be hard while travelling all over the world on our behalf. I don’t imagine he’s given his son the OK for wild mid-air parties with his mates in that lounge at the tax payer’s expense. I imagine the PM might get lonely at times. The only significant lowering of standards here is by this nasty comment from a gutter rat sniffling around for any whiff of scandal for the media. Is this all you can on Albo? Yuk!
You probably won’t see this Patricia, but very well said.
Chris Hayes –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJl1F7YrrlM
Lawrence O’Donnell –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoJ96lutVro
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Hi gravel, just tried posting this here, then elsewhere in the cloud but it wafted back…………………I did see your latest at the Pub! I was glad of your feedback. I go there regularly for old timers like you and CKW and of course for BK’s mighty work! Others too of course, but somehow, I guess, as with any old local, the regulars come for years and then they die or fade away into some sunny retirement. I still get stimulus from new names and more fresh talent like that is sure to come along to the Pub in the future. I don’t like ‘twittering’ and so I do find it somewhat difficult to find my way around to there from here these days, not sure why. Probably my old head! My own site at ‘polliepomes.wordpress.com’ is enough for me, and though it is not meant to be a ‘blog’ in the usual way, I always respond to the odd comment there. Now I’ve found your own site, gravel, we can’t miss each other, can we?
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
The intergenerational report shows how changes in our population, workplaces and society will shape the economy and federal budget over the coming 40 years. Shane Wright uses five charts to explain the most important takeaways.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-financial-future-in-five-graphs-20230823-p5dyy0.html
Follow the release of the latest Intergenerational Report, Mark Kenny tells us why the opposition makes it hard for the government to be bolder. ee says The Coalition’s sadly predictable fear mongering on taxes elicited assurances from government.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8322188/trojan-horse-opposition-makes-it-hard-for-govt-to-be-bolder/?cs=14329
Jim Chalmers needs to make hard decisions, not just grim forecasts, declares David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/jim-chalmers-needs-to-make-hard-decisions-not-just-grim-forecasts-20230823-p5dyy1.html
The release of the Intergenerational Report has been accompanied by a level of intellectual preening from the treasurer, who hopes one day to be leader, writes Phil Coorey.
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/jim-s-pilot-light-of-purpose-is-yet-to-fully-ignite-20230823-p5dyp4
Millions of Australians will miss out on home ownership as the nation heads towards a long period of slow growth in household incomes, forcing more people to fall back on the age pension to pay for shelter.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/more-people-renting-for-life-australian-dream-disappears-in-bleak-forecast-20230824-p5dz7o.html
“In Australia, why do people who produce nothing get rewarded the most?”, wonders Waleed Aly.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/in-australia-why-do-people-who-produce-nothing-get-rewarded-the-most-20230824-p5dz4w.html
The dire outlook for household prosperity was not the only grim verdict for Australians when Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed yesterday that the country was heading for lower growth, weaker income and bigger debt, says David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/our-future-report-card-shows-the-writing-s-on-the-wall-but-can-we-read-it-20230823-p5dysy.html
The dismal picture of a poorer future was painted with care, drop by drop in the news cycle this week, to make sure nobody missed the Intergenerational Report when it arrived on Thursday.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/our-future-report-card-shows-the-writing-s-on-the-wall-but-can-we-read-it-20230823-p5dysy.html
Recent data from Deloitte and the research firm Workplace Intelligence cites about half of workers saying they are either exhausted or stressed and 60 per cent of employees saying they would consider changing jobs to find better well-being provisions.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/burnout-is-back-in-a-big-way-20230808-p5dupt.html
Regardless of whether travellers see Qantas’ $2.5 billion profit as rudely excessive, its chief executive Alan Joyce isn’t apologetic for his swansong result. Qantas didn’t just better its profit record – it smashed it, writes Elizbeth Knight who says that it’s probably safe to say that for better or worse, we may never see another Joyce.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/no-apologies-from-joyce-for-qantas-super-profit-20230824-p5dz6e.html
The loquacious Alan Joyce has a ready answer for every complaint about Qantas. That’s fortunate given there are so, so many of them, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/defiant-joyce-is-flying-high-but-turbulence-is-rising-20230822-p5dyna
The Albanese government this week announced a review of competition policy. At the same time, it is not able to convincingly explain its decision to refuse Qatar Airways’ bid to expand its flights to Australia, writes Michelle Grattan.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-the-albanese-government-has-questions-to-answer-on-competition-212192
Aaron Bunch writes in The New Daily that Linda Reynolds’ high-profile defamation cases against Brittany Higgins and the former political staffer’s partner may be heading to mediation, as a judge raises concerns about the “human cost”.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/08/24/judge-urges-mediation-in-senator-linda-reynolds-defamation-cases/?breaking_live_scroll=1
The words organised crime might not immediately conjure images of illegal operations targeting the aisles of your local Coles, but this week the supermarket giant mentioned the trend that has captured the attention of investors and shoppers, explains Emma Koehn.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-global-crime-trend-taking-retailers-for-a-ride-20230823-p5dyp3.html
Michaela Whitbourn writes that each judge hearing Ben Roberts-Smith’s appeal against his devastating defamation loss will be given a safe to protect national security information and a separate computer for writing parts of the judgment based on closed-court submissions.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-extraordinary-security-measures-for-roberts-smith-appeal-20230823-p5dyvi.html
Mike Foley tells us that the IMF says Australian fossil fuel subsidies costing taxpayers $65 billion a year.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-fossil-fuel-subsidies-costing-taxpayers-65-billion-a-year-imf-20230824-p5dz0l.html
The Albanese government’s promise to introduce a fuel efficiency standard for cars has been “overwhelmingly” supported by a public consultation process, Labor says. Labor will now complete an impact analysis and release details of its preferred model for a standard “before the end of this year”, reports Elias Visontay.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/public-consultation-overwhelmingly-supports-fuel-efficiency-standard-for-cars-labor-says
Solar and windfarm investment is drying up – and Australia needs a wake-up call on the future of the electricity grid, writes Adam Morton.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/24/solar-and-windfarm-investment-is-drying-up-and-australia-needs-a-wake-up-call-on-the-future-of-the-electricity-grid
Carbon credit speculators could lose billions as scientific evidence shows many offsets they have bought have no environmental worth and have become stranded assets. Amid growing evidence that huge numbers of carbon credits do nothing to mitigate global heating and can sometimes be linked to alleged human rights concerns, there is a growing pile of carbon credits equivalent to the annual emissions of Japan, the world’s fifth largest polluter, that are unused in the unregulated voluntary market, according to market analysis.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/24/carbon-credit-speculators-could-lose-billions-as-offsets-deemed-worthless-aoe
Alexandra Smith and Michaela Whitbourn report that the NSW opposition has launched an extraordinary attack on the anti-corruption watchdog, warning the integrity agency may have broken the law in its “reckless power grab” to obtain new powers to access potentially illegally recorded conversations.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-liberals-accuse-icac-of-reckless-and-outlandish-power-grab-20230824-p5dz8e.html
In shades of John Barilaro’s police raid on Friendly Jordies, a local newspaper has been visited by police for ‘harassing’ a Liberal councillor and threatened with action from the Fixated Persons Unit. Michael Sainsbury with the story of police and political harassment of journalists.
https://michaelwest.com.au/harassed-by-journalist-local-paper-lent-on-by-police-amid-stoush-with-hawkesbury-liberal-mayor/
Lawyers for two Indigenous abuse survivors have called for reforms to address the “horrendous” Catholic church strategy of seeking to permanently block cases where alleged paedophile priests have died. Christopher Knaus describes how the church was successful in permanently blocking a claim made by two Indigenous survivors relating to alleged abuse committed by David Joseph Perrett, an Armidale assistant priest and convicted child abuser, whose crimes the church has known about since 1995.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/25/reforms-needed-after-horrendous-catholic-church-approach-in-paedophile-priest-cases-lawyers-say
Laura Chung reports that emperor penguin chicks at four out of five colonies in Antarctica did not survive the spring of 2022, prompting fears for the animal’s future.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/not-a-single-emperor-penguin-chick-survived-spring-in-parts-of-antarctica-20230822-p5dykw.html
James Massola reports that Peter Dutton has called for a re-think by the Australian Electoral Commission after it said a tick could be counted as a Yes vote in the Voice to parliament referendum, but a cross would not count as a No vote.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/peter-dutton-cross-about-aec-tick-ruling-on-voice-referendum-20230824-p5dz7q.html
Melburnians have been warned to prepare for more delays in the coming months, as major project works disrupt trams, trains and major city roads.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/how-a-new-round-of-transport-disruption-pain-will-affect-you-20230824-p5dz2w.html
“The Fed seems fixated on getting inflation all the way back to 2 per cent. Why not stop at, say, 3 per cent, and declare the job done?”’, rhetorically asks Paul Krugman.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-not-change-the-inflation-target-and-call-it-victory-20230824-p5dz1m.html
Forget guns or poisoned tea, Putin decided Prigozhin warranted something more spectacular, writes Peter Hartcher.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/forget-guns-or-poisoned-tea-putin-decided-prigozhin-warranted-something-more-spectacular-20230824-p5dzaa.html
Putin’s enemies don’t die of natural causes, but good riddance to the monster Prigozhin, says Mick Ryan.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/putin-s-enemies-don-t-die-of-natural-causes-but-good-riddance-to-the-monster-prigozhin-20230824-p5dz2h.html
Rob Harris is against the death penalty, but baby-killer Lucy Letby has shaken his stance.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/i-m-against-the-death-penalty-but-lucy-letby-has-shaken-my-stance-20230824-p5dz8x.html
The alleged founder of an international money laundering organisation has been refused bail despite offering a $4 million surety, including a home on Sydney’s lower north shore, after prosecutors told the court the sum was not so impressive, given he owned a $2 million watch. Suck it up, pal!
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/alleged-cash-kingpin-puts-4-million-on-the-table-in-bid-for-freedom-20230823-p5dyq8.html
Former “Arsehole of the Week” nominee Malka Leifer has been handed 15 years in jail for student sexual abuse. A real piece of work – along with those who whisked her our of the country.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/crime-news/2023/08/24/malka-leifer-15-years-jail-abuse/
Cartoon Corner
Fiona Katauskas
David Rowe
Matt Golding
Simon Letch
Cathy Wilcox
Peter Broelman
Jim Pavlidis
A gif from Glen Le Lievre
Leak
From the US
What “reputation”? The most useless minister in a useless government? A leader in corruption? Her reputation as a protector of the worst government ever known in Australia? Or her reputation of calling Ms Higgins a “lying cow” for eventually telling her story?
I’d like to see Reynolds bankrupt over this, reduced to begging for food and living on the streets.
I’m not sure anyone will want to watch this 90 minute vid of trump fly in, arrest and return vid but at least it has Rachel Maddow as comentator, as always it your choice to watch or not –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
Lawrence O’Donnell –
This is just wrong on so many levels –
***Mark Humphries’ comedy sketch cut from 7.30 in ABC’s latest cost-cutting drive***
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/aug/25/mark-humphries-comedy-sketch-leave-abc-730-cost-cutting-drive
Dolly ‘Fishnets’ Downer’s secret squirrel business mate has popped up in the news again. Just the sort of chap you’d trust on this issue 😆
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dont-trust-scientists-on-ai-as-they-got-covid-wrong-says-ex-mi6-chief-cdpm7zfph
What the hell is going on?!
“A 12-year-old boy has been arrested after a stabbing incident at a school in Adelaide caused it to go into lockdown.”
“Teenagers in custody after stabbing at Gold Coast shopping mall”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2023/aug/25/australia-news-rental-crisis-cost-of-living-wages-jim-chalmers-intergenerational-reporrt-tax-anthony-albanese-indigenous-voice-to-parliament#top-of-blog
I’ve been watching Elizabeth R today (from 1971 starring Glenda Jackson) and I’m very impressed. I’ve come to enjoy 70’s British historical dramas like this, I, Claudius and Fall of Eagles. It’s like watching a theatre performance rather than a TV series.
Are there any other series that people would recommend like this?
Stop making me feel old 😆 , I remember watching them when they first ran.
As a one off special which has that classic all filmed indoors BBC period drama feel., I recommend this. Incident in Judea. The 1991 UK TV version of the biblical part of The Master and Margarita.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incident_in_Judaea
For a good 70s drama TV series, I recommend the 1979 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Its not period drama (although being old it now kinda is), but its great drama. Slower paced, with the emphasis on the acting and dialogue. Regularly held up as a great show.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080297/
If you want a Roman show, you may like The Eagle of the Ninth from 1977, which I remember watching on the ABC in the 80s. It guess it was aimed at a Young Adult audience, but it had a great feel to it with good acting. It was issued on DVD, I don’t know if it streams anywhere.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397778/
Some of the speeches Glenda Jackson gave as an MP in the House of Commons sometimes had the same snap and snarl as her speeches as Elizabeth I. Sometimes I sort of envied her constituents for having such a representative.
James O’Brien –
F.M –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/25/ten-dollars-for-a-block-of-cheese-who-is-making-the-supermarkets-do-this
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. The Saturday Special is back!
After only a year and a half as treasurer, Chalmers shows promise. So far, however, he has only just cleared his throat, opines Peter Hartcher who says that if Keating was the Placido Domingo of politics, Chalmers is more Michael Buble.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-keating-was-the-placido-domingo-of-politics-chalmers-is-more-michael-buble-20230824-p5dz8h.html
The arm wrestle between young and old is finally leaning towards the next generation writes George Megalogenis about the Intergenerational Report just released. He says the prospects for genuine reform will remain grim if the major parties dig in on behalf of their respective bases.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-arm-wrestle-between-young-and-old-is-finally-leaning-towards-the-next-generation-20230824-p5dz8g.html
Karen Middleton explains what is different about this intergenerational report. She says that migration is among the measures laid out in it to help address the problems of an ageing population in an increasingly indebted country.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/economy/2023/08/25/fresh-lens-the-intergenerational-report
As Australia faces its rich nation dilemma, Jim Chalmers has put his ambition up in lights and in the process increased expectations about the delivery. The gap between the challenge and the response cannot be missed, writes Paul Kelly.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/labors-great-gamble-get-ready-for-more-change-and-upheaval/news-story/f84506108d782982c3fa65a40e2c8d25?amp
The Chinese economic slowdown is both structural and cyclical, but it’s real and it is the central fact of the global economy right now. It could heighten three global crises that China is the centre of: climate change; the danger of military conflict evident in military weapons growth, nuclear weapons growth and cross-border military tensions; and the gradual erosion of the rules-based international order more generally, posits Greg Sheridan.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/xi-jinpings-age-of-stagnation-threatens-climate-peace-world-order/news-story/94f9bd85dac040af0549c423b7092022?amp
James Massola reports that the Australian Electoral Commission has rebuked Peter Dutton for making a “factually incorrect” complaint after the federal opposition leader complained that a tick on a Voice referendum ballot paper counting as a vote but a cross not counting would advantage the Yes camp.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/aec-ticks-off-peter-dutton-over-factually-incorrect-complaint-20230825-p5dzga.html
“Jim, if the future looks so bleak, why don’t you get on with reform?”, urges Peter van Onselen.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/jim-if-the-future-looks-so-bleak-why-dont-you-get-on-with-reform/news-story/ca373172f13f35c483a49e3c191a14de?amp
Labor is nibbling at tax reform, but revamping stage three cuts is too big to swallow, writes Paul Karp.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/26/labor-is-nibbling-at-tax-reform-but-revamping-stage-three-cuts-is-too-big-to-swallow
Paul Bongiorno writes about Labor’s small target syndrome.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2023/08/25/sitting-small-target
The AFR says that Australian companies have defied expectations that they would be hit by slowing demand, delivering strong results during earnings season and raising expectations that most of the economy could sidestep emerging troubles in China.
https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/strong-profits-restore-hope-in-soft-economic-landing-20230824-p5dz4m
Paul Sakkal writes that human rights and civil liberties groups have expressed serious doubts about Labor’s move to quash misinformation, claiming its proposed law threatens free speech and democratic rights. The rights groups join a growing coalition of voices criticising the Albanese government’s bid to give the Australian Communications and Media Authority powers to penalise groups like Meta if they fail to remove misinformation and disinformation.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-misinformation-law-a-dangerous-proposition-for-society-20230825-p5dzcm.html
Mark Kenny busts eight myths of the No campaign.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-busting-eight-myths-of-the-no-campaign/news-story/817723cfd407942d44da948d437e6b8c?amp
The Independent Australia says the Opposition and Right-wing media have collaborated on a scheme to turn people away from voting ‘Yes’ to the Voice Referendum.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/video-the-uluru-statement-right-wing-conspiracy-theory,17841
Michael Pascoe writes that Dutton is a populist politician who just isn’t popular. He says that “No” is a natural position for him.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/08/26/michael-pascoe-peter-dutton-no/
A push to block the anti-corruption watchdog’s request for extra powers will likely come down to one or two Upper House MPs, writes Alexandra Smith.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/vote-to-block-extra-icac-powers-likely-to-come-down-to-the-wire-20230825-p5dzek.html
According to Max Maddison and Nigel Gladstone, the Minns government has spent $22.5 million under a taxpayer-funded grants program designed to give every ALP candidate in the March state election a $400,000 edge over other candidates, raising allegations of pork-barrelling.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/labor-faces-pork-barrelling-allegations-over-37m-election-fund-20230824-p5dz6z.html
Outdated integrity measures must be removed to speed up housing delivery, even if it risks “malfeasance” creeping into the system, says the new head of the NSW Planning Department, Keirsten Fishburn.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/gloves-off-nsw-planning-boss-to-take-risks-loosen-the-screws-to-boost-housing-20230825-p5dzdb.html
Local councils are making a last-ditch defence of their planning powers, as the Andrews government works to finalise a landmark housing reform that is set to strip councils of some development authority. Tensions have increased between the Victorian government and the City of Melbourne council, which has tried to assume more responsibility for housing by replicating the government’s Homes Victoria with its own body, Homes Melbourne. However, this new body has not built any new homes since it was launched two years ago, report Royce Millar and Cara Waters.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/councils-last-ditch-effort-to-stop-government-stripping-approval-power-20230825-p5dzjy.html
“When even bankers don’t want mortgages, you know the property market is cooked”, says Kate Halfpenny.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-even-bankers-don-t-want-mortgages-you-know-the-property-market-is-cooked-20230824-p5dz62.html
Briefing documents show employment providers are paying themselves more than $40 million a year to move welfare recipients through jobs and training within their own companies, reveals. Rick Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/08/26/exclusive-millions-skimmed-government-welfare-contracts
Ride-share drivers, childcare workers and hairdressers are among more than 400 types of casual jobs that will now be eligible for guaranteed sick and carer’s pay under an expansion of a Victorian government-funded pilot program. Kieran Rooney reports that Daniel Andrews unveiled Australia’s first sick pay guarantee trial for casuals in March 2022, to run over two years with $245.7 million in funding.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/sick-day-won-t-mean-no-pay-for-more-victorian-casual-workers-20230825-p5dzh5.html
Michaela Whitbourn reports that the Australian Federal Police and war crimes investigators are seeking access to restricted documents from Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case amid dozens of active investigations into allegations that Australian soldiers broke the rules of engagement in Afghanistan.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/police-war-crimes-investigators-seek-access-to-documents-in-roberts-smith-case-20230825-p5dzf9.html
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s decision to quietly seek an expansion of power has the appearance of potential overreach and risks undermining hard-won public trust and support for the agency, says the SMH editorial.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/icac-needs-to-argue-a-case-rather-than-acting-under-cover-of-darkness-20230825-p5dzeu.html
“Rightly or wrongly, we expected the NACC to progress much faster than it has. After experiencing ten rotten years of scandal upon scandal, the National Anti-Corruption Commission was promoted as the fix-all solution to the problem”, writes John Lord who wonders why it is taking so long.
https://theaimn.com/the-nacc-why-it-is-taking-so-long/
Malcolm Turnbull’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 project was touted as $2 billion bargain in 2017. It now shapes as a $10 billion abominable snowman. Peering through a Kosciusko/Canberra snowstorm of FOI brush-offs, Rex Patrick asks what is really going on with this “fathomless crevasse of costs”.
https://michaelwest.com.au/snow-job-snowy-hydro-2-0-in-a-fathomless-crevasse-of-costs/
Nicole Werner, Liberal candidate in the Warrandyte byelection, says her connections to an evangelical megachurch won’t cause her problems at the voting booth.
https://www.afr.com/politics/byelection-test-for-victorian-liberals-after-games-debacle-20230825-p5dzgb
Major car makers have broken ranks with the board of Australia’s largest auto industry group, accusing it of lobbying the Albanese government for loopholes to slow the shift to electric vehicles and weaken new fuel pollution limits. Australia’s largest electric vehicle brand, Tesla, says the peak lobby group, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, is urging the federal government to adopt reforms that could allow vehicle emissions to increase over time.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/rift-in-car-industry-over-loophole-in-national-electric-vehicle-scheme-20230825-p5dzd1.html
Mike Foley and Nick Toscano tell us that the Australian Energy Market Operator insists the green energy shift can still happen at the speed and scale needed to compensate for an approaching wave of coal-fired power plant closures, despite growing concerns that the transformation of the grid is faltering.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/yes-we-can-grid-chief-stares-down-renewable-revolution-s-doubters-20230824-p5dz0r.html
The same year Peter Costello delivered the first intergenerational report, the Howard government decided not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. This is the story of Australian politics, of a country stepping on a rake, over and over again, forever, says the editorial in The Saturday Paper.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/editorial/2023/08/26/the-world-burning
Kieran Pender explains how to protect whistleblowers.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2023/08/25/help-hand-whistleblowers
The Age tells us that a loophole in Australia’s visa system that allowed international students to abandon university courses for cheap ‘ghost colleges’ has been closed.
https://www.theage.com.au/education/ghost-colleges-loophole-closed-in-student-work-crackdown-20230825-p5dzim.html
The power of vice-chancellors and their empires of managers and administrators are hurting our universities’ ability to provide their core service – education, argues Tim Moore.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/education/2023/08/26/the-destruction-university-faculties
Gerard Henderson gets his withered rocks off today, whining about the left-leaning media and its boosters again.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/deconstructing-the-lefts-constructive-view-of-journalism/news-story/b4c35bdef64537b1e34559a3d21bada3?amp
With Ita Buttrose going, the Albanese ALP government now has an opportunity to reinvigorate and rebuild the ABC, says Quentin Dempster.
https://johnmenadue.com/ita-out-so-whats-next-for-the-abc/
A falling Australian dollar and rising interest rates that make debt more expensive will add to Qantas Group’s capital expenditure bill, which is already giant, explains Anne Hyland.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-eye-watering-bill-that-qantas-ceo-alan-joyce-left-his-successor-20230823-p5dyt9.html
The phenomenon of the Matildas clearly caught our political leaders off guard, leading to a series of attempts to clamber on, if not capitalise on, the bandwagon, writes John Hewson.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2023/08/25/sporting-chance
The Catholic church’s bid to block a legal ruling that would allow the father of a choirboy allegedly sexually abused by Cardinal George Pell to sue for damages has been knocked down at the first hurdle. The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, filed a claim against the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and Cardinal Pell. He claims to have suffered nervous shock after learning of allegations the cardinal sexually abused his now-deceased son in the mid-1990s.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/george-pell-catholic-church-victoria-court-ruling-can-be-sued-by-family-of-accuser-case
China is going to its crisis playbook to fix its growing economic problems – and it doesn’t seem to be working, writes Keith Bradsher who tells us why it’s so hard it to fix its real estate catastrophe.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-it-s-so-hard-for-china-to-fix-its-real-estate-catastrophe-20230823-p5dyqe.html
As China teeters on the edge of a balance sheet recession, it’s clear Australia can no longer rely on its largest trading partner to pull it out of trouble, warns Mike Seccombe.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/08/26/its-breaking-down-can-china-contain-its-economic-crisis
The natural party of government? After five PMs in seven years, the Conservatives seem all at sea, writes Geoffery Wheatcroft.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/25/natural-party-government-five-pms-conservatives-at-sea
“God help America. It’s in for a bumpy ride”, declares Rob Harris.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/god-help-america-it-s-in-for-a-bumpy-ride-20230825-p5dzeb.html
Despite the world’s worst mugshot, Trump is still in the frame for president, says Bruce Wolpe.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/despite-the-world-s-worst-mugshot-trump-is-still-in-the-frame-for-president-20230825-p5dzdu.html
After hearing the victim impact statements from those abused by former state Labor MP Milton Orkopoulos, it is obvious he deserves a bar for his previous “Arsehole of the Week” award.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/child-victims-of-predatory-labor-mp-reveal-devastating-impact-of-sex-abuse-20230825-p5dzfn.html
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe
Alan Moir
Glen Le Lievre
Andrew Dyson
John Shakespeare
Matt Golding
Matt Davidson
Jim Pavlidis
Jon Kudelka
Peter Broelman
Simon Letch
Seamus Jennings
Leak
From the US
😆 Advice from the Rum Corp State.
Screams of ‘CHINESE AGRESSION’ would reach 140 decibels were China to do anything like this. But hurrah for us practicing dying for Uncle Sam.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/australian-us-filipino-forces-practise-retaking-an-island-in-the-south-china-sea-20230826-p5dzm7.html
Chris Hayes –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw-vJbyKL24
Ali Velshi –
Brian Tyler Cohen –
James O’Brien –
Luis sounds like another Orange Baby
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/26/spain-football-federation-threatens-to-sue-protesting-female-players