Letter to the Prime Minister

Prime Minister,

On 18 September 2013, you were made Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. You set in place certain policies and practices.

On 17 February 2014, I, Reza Barati, from Iran, prisoner on Manus Island, died from beatings by prison guards and Manus Islanders.

On 22 June 2014, I, Sayed Ibrahim Hussein, from Pakistan, prisoner on Nauru, drowned in the ocean.

On 5 September 2014, I, Hamid Kehazaei, from Iran, prisoner on Manus Island, died from untreated septicemia.

On 29 April 2016, I, Omid Masoumali, from Iran, prisoner on Nauru, died when I killed myself.

On 11 May 2016, I, Rakib Khan, from Sri Lanka, prisoner on Nauru, died from an overdose

On 2 August 2016, I, Kamil Hussain, from Pakistan, prisoner on Manus Island, died swimming.

On 24 December 2016, I, Faysal Ishak Ahmed, from Sudan, prisoner on Manus Island, died from untreated seizures.

On 7 August 2017, I, Hamed Shamshiripour, from Iran, prisoner on Manus Island, died when I killed myself.

On 2 October 2017, I, Rajeev Rajendran, from Sri Lanka, prisoner on Manus Island, died when I killed myself.

On 2 November 2017, I, Jahingir, from Bangladesh, prisoner on Nauru, died hit by a car.

On 22 May 2018, I, Salim Kyawning, stateless Rohingya, prisoner on Manus Island, died when I killed myself.

On 15 June 2018, I, Fariborz Karami, from Iran, prisoner on Nauru, died when I killed myself.

You failed in your duty of care: you killed us.

In that time, you have taken more than one million dollars from Australian taxpayers. Is eighty thousand dollars sufficient reward for each of the twelve lives?

We feel so sorry for your God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Tuesday in November

It was ordained that, on the first Tuesday of this November, a couple of dozen hexapods would chase each other round a track for about 3 minutes and 20 seconds. This, apparently, is cause for much celebration and the wearing of outfits.

This seems to have been the case for some years.

1881 (from Wikimedia)

1896 (National Film and Sound Archive)

1896 (National Film and Sound Archive)

1896 (National Film and Sound Archive)

1930 (Wikimedia)

1937 (Fin Review)

1965

1968

1970 (edition.cnn.com)

1980 (Goulburn Post)

I’ll close this one for comment after tomorrow

 

Waiting for Wentworth

Current make-up of the House of Representatives

Liberal 44 + LNP 21 + National 10 = 75

Labor 69

Bandt + Katter + McGowan + Sharkie + Wilkie = 5

And then there is Wentworth

Under starter’s orders are

Candidate Name Party
CALLANAN Robert Katter’s Australian Party
KANAK Dominic Wy The Greens
HIGSON, Shayne Voluntary Euthanasia Party
GEORGANTIS, Steven Australian People’s Party
MURRAY, Tim Labor
FORSYTH, Ben Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party
ROBINSON, Tony Australian Liberty Alliance
GUNNING, Samuel Joseph Liberal Democrats
SHARMA, Dave Liberal
VITHOULKAS, Angela Independent
DOYLE, Deb Animal Justice Party
LEONG, Andrea Science Party
HEATH, Licia Independent
KELDOULIS, Barry The Arts Party
PHELPS, Kerryn Independent
DUNNE, Kay Sustainable Australia

The ABC has all the details https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wentworth-by-election-2018/

Antony Green’s take last night on the outcome was that, on primaries and after the distribution of preferences from the “minor” players, Sharma would finish first and Phelps and Murray second or third. If Phelps finished second she would get in on Labor preferences. If Murray finished second then who knows.

If Sharma were to lose then the L/NP would only have 75 seats and then they would have problems on any vote requiring an absolute majority to get passed.