Rugby World Cup Wobblies

The Rugby World Cup is in full swing in New Zealand and all the spectators, global TV viewers and radio listeners are having a ball.



And, keen to get some political mileage from the event, in Australia Julia Gillard has organised a PM’s XV to play an exhibition game at the Woop Woop “Stimpac” Stadium, against an Opposition XV.

Tony Abbott has gladly accepted the challenge, as, due to the pressure of his big mortgage, he could badly do with his match fee.

The game is close to getting underway and the co-commentators for the radio broadcast are Dennis “Shanners” Shanahan and Mike “Carlo” Carlton.

Shanners: G’day listeners...and welcome to our commentary on the big game which will start pretty soon...But, Carlo, it really was a stupid idea to refurbish this old ramshackle place, in such an out-of-the-way location, wasn’t it?

Carlo: G’day from me also, listeners...And no, I don’t agree, Shanners...You know I’m a big fan of Kevin Rudd, so his Stimpac Plan was fine by me...I’m not going to knock it, so just let’s keep politics out of sport for once, shall we?

Shanners: Oh, I agree totally, Carlo – you know how objective I am on political matters...heh...heh...

[The friendly banter between Shanners and Carlo is interrupted by the response of a particular segment of the crowd to the on-field entry of, firstly, the PM’s XV.]

Shanners (deadpan): Yes...typically, these one-eyed true believers have given their team a rousing reception...But, Carlo, I notice the cheer-squad, led by Mary Jo Fisher and Melissa Clarke, turned their backs on the lefties and treated them with the contempt they deserved...

Carlo: But, what do you expect, Shanners, from shills like those two...and look...see what I mean – the Opposition XV is now coming out and Mary Jo is doing the hokey pokey, whilst Melissa is manically waving her pom-poms and jumping for joy...sheesh!

[Shanners wears a smirk that Peter Costello would have been proud of, but decides it’s better to change the subject.]

Shanners: Now, listeners...it’s clear that Tony Abbott, the captain of the Opposition XV is truly a multi-skilled character...I’ve heard that he’s doubled up today as groundsman and painted the lines on the field with some guano that he brought back from Nauru...

Carlo: Huh...I heard he had to moonlight as a groundsman to help meet his big mortgage payments...hee...hee...But, Shanners, moving right along...is there any information you can give our listeners on the make-up of the teams today?

Shanners: Funny you should say that, Carlo, but I’ve got a summary right here in front of me...I’ve heard that, due to his recent heart operation, your mate Kev will start on the bench...And, for the Opposition, Barnaby Joyce is a sure starter on the wing – in fact, I hear he’s really pumped up to make a big impression...

Carlo: Huh...I hear he wants to finish as the top point-scorer, cos the sponsors have put up an amphibious four-wheel-drive as the prize...heh...heh...But, what’s this I hear about Rupie Murdoch, Shanners – is it true he’s not playing?

Shanners: Yeah, I’m afraid you’re right, Carlo...it seems he’s gotta front the Tribunal in London for some dodgy business he allegedly got up to on the Opposition XV’s last tour of the Old Dart...

Carlo: Pity that, Shanners...haw...haw...But, what about the Opposition’s key player in the front row of the scrum?

Shanners: Oh, you mean Joe Hockey?

Carlo: Yeah, the one with the great big black hole – you sure gotta feel sorry for the poor bastards who are packing down behind him – euwwwww!

Shanners: Oh, very droll, Carlo...Now, can you give our listeners any ideas on some of the crucial match-ups from both sides?

Carlo: Yes, Shans...I see a good prospect of biffo happening between Stephen Conroy and Malcolm Turnbull, over who’s wearing the widest Broadband across their foreheads...And another strong stoush is likely between David Johnston and Stephen Smith as to which pack will have the strongest Defence...

Shanners: Okay, thanks Carlo for that heads-up...Now, let’s go down, listeners, to pitch-side and hear something from our roving reporter down there, Chris Uhlmann...

Chris: Yeah, thanks guys...Well, there’s been a lot happening pre-match down here, while you were chewing the fat in the commentary box...First, the Opposition’s official witch-doctor, Phil Ruddock, has been spreading his Juju all over the paddock, ensuring, we hope, a great Opposition victory...And then we had an explosive incident when one of the Opposition squad, Sophie Mirabella, questioned the referee over the bona fides of the PM’s XV’s captain, Julia Gillard herself...I’ll just play you a tape of the altercation...

Sophie: Hey, Ref!! I reckon this player here is a ring-in!! On the team-sheet she says she’s Julia Gillard...but I reckon she looks more like Col Gadaffi...heh...heh...

Carlo: Oh, it looks like the mind games have started already, Chris...

Chris: They sure have, Carlo...And I also had an opportunity earlier to interview the Opposition captain, Tony Abbott, and this is what he had to say in answer to my question about their likely over-physical approach to the game...

Tones: Look, Chris, I know we’ve got a reputation of being a pack of mongrels who are lower than a snake’s belly, but, in all honesty, today we’ll be going in very fairly – utilising a kinder, gentler polity, so to speak...

Chris: WTF!! You’ve gotta be kidding, Tones – how can a leopard change its spots that quickly?

Tones: Erm...don’t worry, Chris…it’s just another one of my unscripted remarks…hee...hee...

Shanners: Thanks, Chris...Now, while you were playing us that tape, it appears the two teams are ready for the kick-off, and the Opposition are doing their unique version of the All Blacks’ Haka...Talk us through it, Chris...

Chris: Okay...First, Tones calls it the Whacka...So, the Opposition players have lined up across the paddock, facing the PM’s players, nodding and staring bizarrely, shit-happens-style, each brandishing menacingly above their heads a shovel borrowed from Kathy Jackson’s shed...

Shanners: Jeeze, Chris, I’m packing it and I’m way up here out of harm’s way! What must the PM players be feeling at the moment...heh...heh...

Chris: But...but...but...there seems to be a surprising innovation introduced by the Leader of the Opposition team at this juncture...Yes, Tony Abbott has just pulled down his budgie smugglers and is brown-eying the other tream! But, what’s that on his bum...hmmmm...it looks like a tattoo of sorts...

Carlo: Yes, I’m looking at it through the binos, Chris...it says, “arse for sale – big mortgage owed”...

[As the President of Tony Abbott’s fan-club, Chris quickly decides to change the subject. However, before doing so, he hands out clip-on mics to the main players, so that Shanners’ and Carlo’s commentary during the game can be spiced up a bit.

The game starts, but, unfortunately at the first maul, Bronny Bishop comes a cropper and has to be carted off.]

Shanners: Oh, that’s a bad stroke of luck for the Opposition XV, Chris...can you throw any light on what happened?

Chris: Well, Shans...the PM’s people say that one of their players mistook Bronny’s beehive for the ball, and nearly wrenched her scone off her shoulders...but I don’t think it was done accidentally at all...the bastards...grrrrrr...

Carlo: Hey, Chris – does that mean Bronny’s off for an early kero bath...heh...heh...

[The Opposition side bring on a sub but, within a short while, it’s the PM’s side which has to make a change of its own.]

Shanners: Chris, it looks like Mark Arbib got dragged by the coach – I didn’t think he was playing that badly...what’s your take on the issue?

Chris: Yeah, he wasn’t playing that badly at all, Shanners...However, he was playing the wrong code, the silly bugger...He thought he was a quarterback in American Football and kept getting pinged for chucking the ball up the field!

Shanners: Erm, sorry to interrupt you there, Chris, but the Opposition team have scored a try, and it was by their speedy right-winger, Scott “Ban the Boats” Morrison...But...but...but...what is he doing now? My-oh-my, he’s doing a most unusual post-try celebration...he’s down on all fours, sniffing the guano line, Robbie Fowler-style...Jeeze, doesn’t he just love that guano stuff!

;">


[Play re-starts and the Opposition’s rough-house tactics are very evident. One of the PM team’s players catches a “stray” fist in the nuts, but, heroically, keeps on running.]

Shanners: Ouch! That must have hurt!

Carlo: Nah, he’ll be alright – he’s got his Doug on...

Shanners: Erm...what’s a “Doug” when you’re writing home, mate?

Carlo: Why, his jock-strap – his Doug Cameron!

[Shanners notices a bit of sledging going on off the ball between Penny Wong and Andrew Robb. He switches on their clip-on mics to get a first-hand delivery of what’s being said. It seems that Penny had just been charging up and down the field and is totally knackered.]

Penny: Phew! Wheeze!

Andrew: Huh...you sound like you’re practicing the breathing instructions you’re gonna give your partner whenever she’s trying to pop her sprog...heh..heh...

Shanners (interrupting): And it’s another try for the Opposition XV! And this time it’s scored by Glenn Milne...He went on one of his trademark weaving runs and crashed over the line...

Carlo: Yeah, he seems to have re-discovered his old Walkley Awards form...heh...heh...

[After the re-start, the Opposition’s onslaught continues apace. They have obviously been working on their rolling maul in training, as they are carrying the ball forward like it was a lump of weightless coal.

Then, Tones is given a pass just in front of the other team’s posts and he clinically slots over one of his specialities – a “guided democracy” drop-goal.

But, every time Jooles touches the ball, the Revolting People in the Forgotten Families enclosure boo her roundly and wave their chaff bags at her. The half-time whistle can’t come quick enough for the dejected PM’s XV, and, in the safety of the change-rooms, Jooles decides on a radical strategy – she’ll bring off the bench three of the Indo substitutes, hoping they’ll spark a reaction that’ll bring her team back into the game.

The second half starts and, almost immediately, the introduction of “Kaboom” Katter, “Towering” Oakeshott, and “Whippet” Windsor appears to be working.

Firstly, at an Opposition put-in scrum, just before their scrum-half, Greg Hunt, delivers the ball in, Jooles, on the other side of the scrum, pulls a Jesters’ pie out of her pocket and chucks it in. Joe Hockey, the Opposition hooker, drops his bind and dives on it immediately, just before the ball enters. Wayne Swann, the PM team’s hooker, takes advantage of Joe’s lack of discipline and wins one against the head, and feeds the ball back to his No. 8, “Towering” Oakeshott, who peels off the rear of the scrum, and delivers the ball to his backs who expertly engineer a well-worked try.]

Carlo: Nice one! Well played, the PM’s team! Yes listeners, that was a great CO2-induced move – the Opposition didn’t even get to within a sniff of it...heh...heh...

[Then, shortly afterwards, the grief being suddenly being felt by the Opposition side only exacerbates. George Brandis (SCum) has to retire hurt, after blaming Robert McClelland for embracing his Brandy Balls in a sly squirrel-grip in a scrum.

And next a poodle runs on to the ground. Shanners turns on Christopher Pyne’s mic, so that the audience can listen in.]

Chris: Hey, Jooles...here’s your identical twin coming – another back-alley bitch...heh...heh...

[However, the poodle by-passes Jooles and climbs on Pyney instead, vigorously humping his leg.]

Carlo: Heh...heh...it looks like it takes one to know one...

[And things are not going too well for the Opposition in the line-out either. The ball is thrown into the channel by Swannie and Penny Wong springs up like a cat, expertly catching it and delivering it to her scrum-half. Meanwhile, dejectedly, the Opposition lock, David Bushby, can only meekly retort a pitiful “miow” in response.

Shortly afterwards, in another ruck in front of his posts, John Alexander pulls Jooles by the ear-lobes, causing the ruck to collapse. The ref, Harry Jenkins, blows immediately for a penalty. Gleefully, Carlo switches on John’s mic.]

John: Shit! When we get into power, we’ll bring in a rule change and outlaw these bloody penalty rates! Sheesh!

[Subsequently, for the PM’s team, it’s a bit of a cake-walk. They turn on the style, scoring try after try. Whilst their delirious supporters mockingly chant “ole”, they expertly carry out, with military precision, all their training-ground-rehearsed party tricks, including the NBN (“Nice Ball-handling Numbers”), and the BER (“Barnstorming Explosive Runs”), and the PPL (“Perfect Pinch at the Lineout”), and MRRT (“Marvellous Rip-Roaring Tries”), and finally the mighty HIS (“Heaving Impetus at the Scrum”).

The final whistle goes and the Opposition team dejectedly mills around the centre, hoping that the post-game presentations will be as short as possible.

As the winning captain, Jooles is presented with a nice bouquet of flowers, whilst Tones is chucked a wreath, which he promptly drops on the ground, storming off petulantly to the change-rooms.]

Jooles: Oh, poor petal...heh...heh...

[No sooner has Tones entered the change-rooms, than an almighty racket can be heard, making a bull in a china-shop sound like a meditating Zen Buddhist monk.]

Jooles: Huh...sounds like he’s wrecking the place...Oh, well, it looks like paying his big mortgage won’t be the only financial outgoing he’ll have to wear...heh...heh...

[Meanwhile, up in the commentary-box, Shanners is ready to do a runner.]

Carlo: Leaving already, Shanners? I thought you and Chris would be hanging round for a few slices of humble pie...heh...heh...

Shanners: Erm...can’t really stay, old boy...Must get back to the office toot sweet...I’ve got a few previous editorials to shred before the witch can start that bloody media inquiry...Ciao!

Rate This Post

Current rating: 1.3 / 5 | Rated 4 times

2353

23/09/2011Congratulations AC, the first report of a Rugby Union game I've ever read from start to finish. Well written and entertaining (as you can probably guess, I'm not an Union fan).

nasking

23/09/2011[quote]Shanners: Erm, sorry to interrupt you there, Chris, but the Opposition team have scored a try, and it was by their speedy right-winger, Scott “Ban the Boats” Morrison...But...but...but...what is he doing now? My-oh-my, he’s doing a most unusual post-try celebration...he’s down on all fours, sniffing the guano line, Robbie Fowler-style...Jeeze, doesn’t he just love that guano stuff! [/quote] LOL AC. :) Spot on! BTW, the government might be down in the polls right now...but I reckon I'd rather be the [i]underdog[/i]...than the [i]uberwolf[/i]. N'

nasking

23/09/2011[quote]Don't worry Nasking, yet another Ltd News and Liars Party beat up and "look over there!" tactic to take the heat off Liealot. Rudd's response is just right. As John Vincent said, the Liars Party should have a bex and a good lie down. [/quote] jane, the Murdoch empire & its defecation, the neo-CON LibNat uber nation tcha party, is sooo desperate. It's like they hear the TICK TOCK TICK TOCK...all nite long... BTW, I reckon Ruddy sounded awesome at the UN. N'

Feral Skeleton

23/09/2011Thank you, AcerbicC., I don't know how you do it for us week after week, but I'm glad you do. :)

Ad astra reply

23/09/2011AC Thank you for yet another great piece of satire and for educating those of us who do not follow Rugby.

Ad astra reply

23/09/2011Folks Thank you all for the links to the Sophie Mirabella story, with which I’m gradually catching up. I wonder what the Opposition will say if she is treated as uncharitably as Craig Thomson was by them. I don’t know enough to make any judgement about her behaviour and her circumstances, but I wonder how she will feel and react if the same venom she directs so regularly at Julia Gillard is directed towards her. That, plus the Coalition reaction, will be fascinating to watch.

lyn

23/09/2011Hi Acerbic Conehead Thankyou for your brilliant article, your mind certainly does work overtime. I have got no idea about Football, or whatever they are playing, but I tell you what I am quite familiar with all the names of those players and their antics. Cheers:):):):):)

jane

23/09/2011Yes Nas and now they have their very own sordid scandal to deal with. And is it sordid; I can smell the kero from here. It would be great if she copped a goodly portion of what she hands out, but that would be lowering themselves to her level. She reminds me of a razorback but with less personality and good looks.

lyn

23/09/2011Hi Ad Seems there was a Liaberal"s reason the Asylum debate closed down I did hear today that the Liberals had a fund raiser. [i]WHY DID PARLIAMENT STOP THE VOTES? Oakeshott Independent[/i] “[b]I certainly hope rumours, that key MPs had to attend fundraisers for their political parties[/b], were not the reason we shut down tonight. “If that is the case, obviously it is ‘taking the Mickey’ out of the whole process, and the Australian people should quite rightly be asking some questions of their local MPs if this is the case http://roboakeshott.com/node/1072 Cheers:):):)

Jaeger

23/09/2011"What is it with the Right and psychopaths?" The Mirabella story should resonate with the "Financial Elder Abuse Report" that was released a month ago: http://www.statetrustees.com.au/media/latest-news/2011-08-31/financial-elder-abuse-report It could be an interesting (non-sitting) fortnight. ;-)

TalkTurkey

23/09/2011ERMMMM . . . ? Am I imagining it or did two posts with links just vanish a minute ago? It [i]can't[/i] my imagination! - Apropos Puff Adder Mirabella's circumstances, one of them directed me to the site concering Financial Elder Abuse as I just cut and pasted below: "Every year, State Trustees discovers instances where older people have been taken advantage of financially by those they trust most. In many cases, we are often asked to step in after much of the damage has already been done. Financial elder abuse involves the taking or misusing of an older person’s money, property or assets by someone in a position of trust. It includes misusing an ATM or credit card; to taking money or property, forcing or forging an older person's signature, or persuading them to change their Will and contracts or power of attorney through deception or undue influence."

Jason

23/09/2011Jaeger, "It could be an interesting (non-sitting) fortnight" Well it could be if the "media" could be bothered in (a) asking questions and (b)if we had a media that could ask something other than "gotchas". Mirabella I think for the next fortnight will go through un scathed,but it will be in the next question time where she will behave herself. She thought it was good to protest out the front of the leader of the house office, with the anti carbon tax people! now she has to cop what ever comes her way.

Jaeger

23/09/2011Me and my post are still here, TT. I think?

D Mick Weir

23/09/2011NormanK, hacked further on house keeping also done see the gambit http://ausnitpicks.blogspot.com/2011/09/opening-gambit.html

Jaeger

23/09/2011Unfortunately true, Jason. Expecting the "meeja" to do their job is probably rosé-coloured - but I'll settle for karma.

TalkTurkey

24/09/2011Yeah Jaeger, Me no know wha' hap last night to your post and Lyn's above it . . . they were there, then they weren't! Fortunately now they are back. Thank you for the link, VERRRRY interesting!!! So I'll put it in again, because it's so apposite. Swordsfolks, do read it, Mirabella must be kakking herself morning noon and night now, and I wish Howard QC's daughters who are demanding satisfaction, satisfaction! http://www.statetrustees.com.au/media/latest-news/2011-08-31/financial-elder-abuse-report Jason, could it be that this illiterate Ku Klux sheila is really Puff Adder spitting venom randomly now that she's been pinged? Sounds like! So beware of challenges like "Blow me!" It could be fatal!

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011Gee, the 'learned' political commentators are all over the shop like a mad woman's breakfast atm. Some are speculating that the only thing that will save the Labor government in Canberra is Kevin Rudd's policy wonkiness. Other's, like Paul Sheehan, who is not known for his support for Julia Gillard, are dumping on Tony Abbott for not being smart enough to take up the PM's offer on Executive Right to decide policy over and above the High Court, hence leading to an embarassing snookering down the track. Then we have Shaun Carney, warning that the Opposition's 'Pit Bull politics' have gone too far this week after Joe Hockey's parliamentary outburst and tirade against the Treasurer over his Euromoney Award, cautioning that an Opposition hard on politics but soft on policy was Tony Abbott's Achilles Heel & that that was the government's greatest opportunity for attack, as the Chris Uhlmann interview with Tony Abbott helpfully (yes) pointed out. That is, when the question has no wriggle room, and goes to policy, then Abbott can be found wanting. Bringing up the rear is Peter Hartcher's latest piece which basically, and lazily, says that Julia Gillard shouuld just hand the keys to The Lodge over to someone, anyone else, so diminished is she. Which fails to take into account the fracturing effect she has had on the commentariat, evidenced by her latest trophy, the head of Michael Smith, which has been brought to her on a platter by 2UE. Anyway, all up, at least the Groupthink mentality is starting to fray around the edges as the realisation dawns on some of a potential reality. An Abbott Prime Ministership.

Ad astra reply

24/09/2011Folks I’ve just caught up with the posts since I retired last night and have deleted those by Klan Girl and the responses to that person. I will not tolerate such abusive comment, which adds nothing to the quality of the discourse, and diminishes this blogsite. TT I get a copy of all posts via email. I could not find any that had disappeared except of course the ones I deleted.

Gravel

24/09/2011Acerbic Conehead I saw the heading Rugby..... and wasn't going to read further, then curiosity got the better. I just loved it. Didn't understand the techie terms, but loved the reports and of course the results. On the Sophie Mirabella stuff, absolutely nothing on the ABC, why do I bother!! 'Cause there is nothing else to listen to where I live, that's why. I have tuned out so much that I would miss anything good they had to say about Labor. Now how is that last sentence for irony?

Ad astra reply

24/09/2011D Mick Weir I wish you great fun and good discourse on your nicely-named new blogsite [i]Picking Nits[/i].

macca

24/09/2011" Anyway, all up, at least the Groupthink mentality is starting to fray around the edges as the realisation dawns on some of a potential reality. An Abbott Prime Ministership." I think the groupthink mentality is slowly beginning to realise that the PM is going no-where. They keep trying to destroy Julia Gillard, but, they can't. I think they are fast running out of ammunition to fire at the Govt. This legislative program will be passed into law. While the media with all of the associated moronic, sycophantic and brain dead shills who leech off it, bleat and carry on, the parliament of the country functions as it is supposed to. It passes legislation into law. The minority Govt. administers the domestic policies it set forth, albeit with the occassional hiccup. The governance of the country works well. One thing is certain. Tony Abbott, the Murdochcracy, the manipulators and all the other cowards who hide behind vested interests are becoming more and more manic in their efforts to unseat this Govt. They fail to take into account one element. Courage. The courage of Julia Gillard, Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Andrew Wilkie and others. Their strength is our strength. It will see us through. Remember always; a coward has no answer to courage. sorry.....can't seem to work out how to quote

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011macca, 'A coward has no answer to courage'. I love that pithy sentiment. Thank you for bringing it to us because it's hard to maintain equanimity and a positive outlook in the teeth of a welter of negativity being flung at you from all sides. The Greens AND the Coalition have taken to flat out denying reality now in order to damage this government. All their arguments against Labor are only half an argument but very cunningly put. I never in my life thought that politics should be the Survival of the Most Devious and Despicable. But there you have it in Australia in 2011. Bob Brown should be ashamed of himself. Tony Abbott has no shame.

Michael

24/09/2011http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-24/wa-record-resources-wealth/2940652 Apparently the Coalition Government of Western Australia is quite satisfied with only gathering just under five per cent of the massive sales mining companies are raking out of the Australian people's earth over there. 100 billion dollars in commodity sales, 4.9 billion dollars in royalties to the WA Government. The Coalition, the party of business, is "better at handling money"???? Better at handing it over to business!

2353

24/09/2011I posted at the end of the last thread that Mirabella is due the same presumption of innocence as Thomson is! Lets hope she gets it - and a referral to the Victorian version of the Adult Guardian (the Queensland agency responsible for protecting the rights of those suspected of being disadvantaged by those looking after the incapacitated person's financial affairs). This could be the present that keeps on giving for the ALP for a while. As for those that claim that Mirabella is being slimed here - you reap what you sow. I'm also still of the opinion that the "Kevin 11" thing is because the LNP have nothing better to throw. Unfortunately it seems that the world's economic woes ruined that one as well. Wait fo rthe "we'll all be ruined economically" line next week - first the claim will be the Government hasn't done enough - then the Government has done too much. Abbott was saying this morning apparently the "Carbon Tax" should be abolished. It seems in Abbott's mind that will fix everything.

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011Michael, You would have thought that that was the job of a political journalist-to call out the government and the Opposition on their falsehoods and the inconsistencies in their policies and positions. Not anymore it seems. It seems that their job nowadays is to barrack for the team that their Editor and the Proprietor above them, tells them to. Or doesn't even have to tell them to even anymore.

jane

24/09/2011AC, great post, as usual. [quote]I wonder what the Opposition will say if she is treated as uncharitably as Craig Thomson was by them.[/quote] We can only hope, Ad astra. She's well overdue for a some payback. Perhpas Craig Thomson would care to lead the assault. FS @9.13am, the msm might be getting a bit jumpy, espacially now that the Spitting Cobra should be in the sights of the elegant but menacing Queen Cobra. I'd like to see the Queen toy with Spittle for a while, before she goes for the death strike. macca, well said. FS, the Greens really baffle me. Do they honestly think that lining up with the Liars Party won't taint them? And can they honestly claim that aligning with Liealot and possibly handing him government, could possibly be good for the country? I really have trouble understanding them, but I know i will [b]never[/b] vote for them, because for all their palaver they're every bit as power hungry as the Liars Party and don't really have anyone's interests but their own at heart. Michael, the Liars Party, the party that keeps on neglecting its responsibility to its constituents. However, I wonder if anyone in WA is able to look through Basrnett's spin and see who he and the Liars Party [b]really[/b]support. It sure isn't the citizens of WA. 2353, unfortunately, the repugnant Mirabella [i]is[/i] innocent until proven guilty, but won't it be fun stirring up the dingbats on Ltd News sites! However, I can't see how you'd know if Mirabella had been slimed! WRT the hoary old Rudd counting votes, you're absolutely right, a "look over there" distraction to draw attention away from the trooble at Mirabella's Mill. I don't know that they'll be able to get a great deal of traction with they've done too much/too little. Someone is going to say well which is it? Too much or too little? And of course we'll all be rooned, because the government has done too much/too little and the budget's not in surplus. WE'LL ALL BE ROONED!!! I bet we'll all be a bloody sight better off than Spain and the rest of Europe. It could mean another Depression, which no doubt they'll try to spin as Swan's fault.

NormanK

24/09/2011Acerbic Conehead Good one! In me you've got at least one rugby fan who can follow the jargon. That was a great read. Reality imitated art when the highly educated and ethical commentators working on the Broncos/Manly match last night decided to announce to the viewing public that pre-commitment legislation for pokies was dumb and (in the words of the footie experts) "it just won't work". We have one convergence review underway that is examining the way in which the various forms of new technology are effecting the delivery of news. Perhaps we could have another enquiry as to when we can expect the full convergence of politics, celebrities and sport into one long reality programme. Onya Wallabies (even if it was only the Yanks) - 67 to 5.

NormanK

24/09/2011George Megalogenis' take on the asylum seeker issue - ostensibly the distillation of the blog he instigated last week. A bob each way, a pox on both your houses and, oh yeah, Malaysia might have worked. [b]Diplomacy is lost amid our leaders' backyard squabbling[/b] by George Megalogenis [quote]THE political death-roll between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on asylum-seekers has been fascinating for its lack of basic manners. Indonesia, Malaysia and Nauru are supposed to pretend our leaders aren't using them as partisan pincushions. The Prime Minister says Indonesia won't take back the boats, while Nauru won't stop them. The Opposition Leader says the Malaysians are not fit to act as our holding pen for asylum-seekers. ************************************** It may be too much to ask Gillard and Abbott to let go. But here's a thought for the future. Australia will impress its neighbours only if it is willing to look after them first. Afghan, Iraqi and Iranian asylum-seekers are as out of place in Indonesia and Malaysia as in Nauru. The only logical home in the region for those in need of protection is Australia or New Zealand. We say we only want to take those who are prepared to wait their turn. Sure, but the debate gets bogged down on the merits of onshore v offshore processing, compassion v tough love. Neither approach works if someone has to catch a boat to get our attention. The boats would not be coming at all if Australia built, and helped run, the five-star camps in Indonesia and Malaysia that public opinion seems to think already exist on Nauru.[/quote] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/diplomacy-is-lost-amid-our-leaders-backyard-squabbling/story-fn59niix-1226144271148 And in the category of 'Did This Really Happen?' we have this effort from Tony Abbott which seems to have almost escaped the media's notice (too busy with non-stories about Kevin perhaps). If you want to wade through this ground-breaking speech, be warned that you will find the following excerpt repeated three times with slightly different wording. [b]Tony Abbott on the Coalition's plan to re-build our economy[/b] [quote]Let me be clear about what the Coalition intends to do should we win government. Our objective is to restore hope, reward and opportunity for everyone. But we can’t have a stronger country and we can’t do the right thing by Australia’s forgotten families without a stronger economy. Scrapping the carbon tax means lower prices for electricity, gas and fuel. Ending the waste means less government borrowing, lower government debt and less pressure on homebuyers’ interest rates and exporters’ exchange rates. Slashing bureaucracy and red tape means better hospitals and schools. Cutting taxes means more prosperous small businesses and more jobs. People won’t get more reviews and business-as-usual masquerading as historic change under the next Coalition government. They’ll get change they can understand; change the Commonwealth government can deliver; and change that really will be change for the better.[/quote] http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2560:tony-abbott-on-the-coalitions-plan-to-re-build-our-economy&catid=80:politics&Itemid=120 I look forward to long and detailed analyses of this keynote speech by the Opposition Leader.

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011NormanK, If Big George Megalogenis and Bernard Keane think the Malaysian Arrangement could have worked, that's good enough for me. Of course, you and I got to that point before them, however they do have a larger stage upon which they put their works for a larger audience to view and hence need to be more considered before they make up their minds, I s'pose. :)

jane

24/09/2011Change that will really change for the better, eh? What? is he going to jump from the tallest building in Sydney?

NormanK

24/09/2011Feral Skeleton I don't know about you but I'm starting to find it pretty lonesome out in the wilderness on this subject. What an awful mess. Chris Bowen has my sympathy as well as my support.

Gravel

24/09/2011NormanK I am sure the Abbott adorers will know exactly what he means. Everything for everyone, and everything will cost nothing, and no taxes, and there will huge surpluses. I think I have that right, don't I?

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011NormanK, So, basically, Tony Abbott wants to re-regulate those parts of the economy that he wants to control personally, as a result of his opinion that he knows best how to keep electricity, gas and petrol prices down(sounds a bit like Kevin 'FuelWatch/GroceryWatch' Rudd in redux as Tony 'ElectricityWatch/GasWatch/FuelWatch' Abbott), as, if you follow his 'logic', markets won't be allowed to rise and fall freely such that we get the Electricity/Gas/Petrol prices that the global & national trade in these commodities dictates as price, but instead, in order to keep prices low enough for the populace to feel comfortable with them(and keep giving him a tick in the polls), he will artificially depress their prices. How? With more money from Tony & Joe's Magic Pudding pool of Consolidated Revenue. Which keeps in Surplus+finds the Billions of $ to do this on an ongoing basis. How? Without raising taxes on anyone AND giving money back to Mining Businesses, when he repeals the MRRT, and Electricity/Cement/Aluminium & other big-polluting businesses, when he repeals the Price on CO2 Pollutiion+ gives them Billions of $ from Consolidated Revenue to cut down their pollution from oone outlet whilst putting up another that can start a new pollution source. It doesn't make sense...but it sounds convincing. Such is the essence of Tony Abbott.

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011NormanK, I feel pretty lonely out there in the real world too. The Greens live in Earth Motherland and the Coalition live in Orwellianville.

NormanK

24/09/2011Gravel You've got it. The weekends will be sunnier, the fish will bite more often, your footy team will win more often, if you're a cricket fan - the Aussie test team will be back to number one, you'll have more time to spend with your kids because you will be working less hours for more pay, the 'forgotten families' will be remembered, life will be simpler because broadband will be slower and you will wake up infinitely more happy each day in the awareness that you have a government that you can trust. I can't wait.

2353

24/09/2011^^^^^^^ I was just going to say Gravel, you got it. NormanK beat me to it with eloquence.

D Mick Weir

24/09/2011You can always rely on that damned DMW to find an alternative view on the whole mess that is the AS issue [b]Andrew Farran on the Malaysia Solution[/b] http://aussieobserver.blogspot.com/2011/09/andrew-farran-on-malaysia-solution.html [i]If the government proceeds to amend the Migration Act by removing the rights and protections accorded to asylum-seekers and refugees under the UN Refugee Convention (1951) and Protocol (1967), it would in effect be denouncing the Convention. It may as well go the whole way and do it formally, giving 12 months’ notice under Article 40 of the Convention.[/i] I am just back from round three of touring the traps today, bleedin heck 16 hrs with two hours of breaks can do your head in, still have to catch up on George (thanks for the link NK) I suspect I am need to put my pretend Immigration Minister hat on again and have another go at sorting this mess out. :)

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011D Mick Weir, As I was told once by a philosopher-there are 56 ways to interprete every concept. Which is how I have always subsequently consoled myself that I am never either right or wrong. Hope that helps you feel at peace with your conclusions about the AS issue. Frankly, I think it's all turning on an intersection between fine points of law, forging new paradigms and going round and round an ethical roundabout, not knowing where is the right place to get off. You also have my utmost respect for spending 16 hours-2 for respite, driving around the traps, then being so kind as to come here to visit us at TPS. :)

Jason

24/09/2011Aa, WE ARE GEELONG!

D Mick Weir

24/09/2011Hi FS, my biggest problen with the whole damned thing is the petty bs and political football that is being played with peoples lives George said [i]Gillard and Abbott are the self-absorbed bogan couple arguing over which neighbour should look after their pet greyhound while they take a holiday.[/i] While I take it a bit more seriously than that in some ways he is spot on. They both need a bloody good kick in the the groin and to be told [i]'... stop behaving like spoilt brats fighting over whose turn it is to sit in front'[/i] as the family goes off for the sunday drive.

D Mick Weir

24/09/2011sweet dreams all I have to be back on the road at sparrows f@rt, that will give me lots of time to solve the nations problems all over again :P

Feral Skeleton

24/09/2011DMW, You sound like the Fuller Brush Salesman. :)

Patricia WA

25/09/2011DMW - to suggest that our government is acting like a spoilt brat is unfair, and a simplistic description of what is a very complex situation. The UN Convention on Refugees was designed and agreed to by the international community some sixty years ago to meet the exigencies of the Cold War era. The world has changed dramatically since then and that Convention has become somewhat anachronistic. Conventions, like laws, don't always achieve what they set out to achieve. They need amendment and revision to meet the needs of different times and circumstances. The Prime Minister is not seeking to flout, or to 'compromise' the spirit of the Refugee Convention, rather she and Chris Bowen have been trying achieve its aims for as many asylum seekers as is practically possible, while at the same time managing the political realities of Australia. What is the UN Convention of Refugees worth if a venal government will sign it to satisfy the letter of its laws to accommodate the ambitions of a particular politician? Nauru no more believes in the UN convention than Iran or other like signatories. Aside from the politics of the receiving countries to which asylum seekers flee, the vast majority of refugees are poor and without the resources to do other than stay for years in increasingly crowded camps in poor countries adjacent to war zones. Exceptions to that are those who are more mobile because of a capacity to pay for passage to countries of their choice, with Australia, Canada, the UK and other European countries their preferred options. There is an obvious need for some modification to a sixty year old Convention which places an unfair burden for reception of refugees on less affluent countries like Kenya and Malaysia while permitting a 'priveleged' few the opportunity for solid and speedy settlement in more distant but wealthy countries via an expensive but well organised people smuggling system. This current stand-off here is being watched with interest because it is an opportunity for the UNHCR to work with Australia and Malaysia and other neighbouring countries to pioneer a regional solution which could serve as a model for other parts of the world where refugee numbers are reaching unmanageable proportions.

janice

25/09/2011Good morning all. Well said, PatriciaWA. It infuriates me that the likes of George Mega and others whose considered opinions are that the Government is on the right track to finding a real solution to the AS problem, will only critise the Opposition for it's wrecking stance by tarring the Government with the same brush. [quote]The Prime Minister is not seeking to flout, or to 'compromise' the spirit of the Refugee Convention, rather she and Chris Bowen have been trying achieve its aims for as many asylum seekers as is practically possible, while at the same time managing the political realities of Australia. [/quote] Precisely. On the other hand the LOTO and his mob are doing just that in their quest to wreck everything the Government does in order to deceive and bully the electorate into giving them the reins of power. It is not good enough for our one-eyed media to place the blame for the wrecking game on the Government.

lyn

25/09/2011Hi Ad Amazing this story, seems there was a car lent to Mirabella. Brings vivid memories back about Utegate, remember, Kevin Rudd should resign, he has a rusty old ute given to him by a car dealer. It was a fake. I think this story of safe seat Indi is to be continued:- [quote]No record of Mirabella declaring money from lover, Michael Bachelard, The Age[/quote] IN A potential breach of electoral laws, there is no record of Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella declaring any of the $100,000 in financial support she received from her then partner, Colin Howard, QC, in the lead up to her win in the seat of Indi in 2001. Mr Howard's daughter Lesley said her father had also lent Ms Mirabella his car and supported her financially while she set up barrister's chambers in Wangaratta to use as a base. http://www.theage.com.au/national/no-record-of-mirabella-declaring-money-from-lover-20110924-1kqw3.html#ixzz1YuHJXQkq Cheers:):):):):)

Gravel

25/09/2011Jason Agree!! There is a Cats supporter in this house and a 'Pies supporter. Neither take footy seriously but it will make an interesting game of footy next week. :-)

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011PatriciaWA, Put better than I have ever done so...but then you are a wordsmith, par excellence! :) Now, I hope you cross-posted those thoughts on George's blog...and I hope he publishes them!

TalkTurkey

25/09/2011D Mick Weir said "[Gillard and Abbott] both need a bloody good kick in the the groin and to be told '... stop behaving like spoilt brats fighting over whose turn it is to sit in front" DMW I really do object to this brush-tarring attitude. I think it is worse than puerile and simplistic, it's bloody stupid unfair and you wouldn't want it to happen to you. That George Megalogenis, (whom I described in [i]The Lass at Yarralumla [/i]as having been as wimpish as a teensy flaccid penis, and he's proving me right daily imo), who gets his daily slops from sucking his employer's tit and therefore has an excuse for tarring Her with him, does so, is no excuse for you to too. WTF do you think you are to give such self-righteous blind judgment? As if they were a couple indeed, they're as much a couple as Tyson and he whose ear he bit off. Our Prime Minister has the responsibility to lead the Government, and the constitutional right to do so. What would you as groin-kicker have her do once you have satisfied your inclination to corporal punishment? Come on then!

macca

25/09/2011What seems to be forgotten in the asylum seeker debate is this; Paying to get on a boat is a cold, calculated and cynical exploitation of a humanitarian treaty that Australian citizens have no choice but to adhere to. Why should they be rewarded with citizenship?

Tom of Melbourne

25/09/2011What a load of partisan, self serving nonsense posted by some on the asylum seeker issue. There are a few thousand people arriving here by boat each year. The only crisis is that created by politicians, and the government has been a willing, and happy, participant in this crisis. When Julia Gillard was Shadow Minister for Immigration she said – [i[“Another boat, another policy failure”.[/i] How correct Rudd was when he said the election of Gillard would cause a lurch to the right on this issue. The faux safety issue was correctly ridiculed when used by Bolt as an excuse. It is an excuse that is the last refuge of latent racists. The correct and genuine response to a=safety, is to increase interception, surveillance and patrol of the region. Those who now applaud sending kids of Malaysia are the same people who condemned the human rights record of the Howard government. Hypocrites one and all.

Patricia WA

25/09/2011Thanks for the suggestion FS, have just done so. Late night brain storm and indigation with DMW did not extend beyond getting it off my chest! So a disagreement with a friend here drives me finally to take up the pen and weigh into this debate yet again. Does anyone read what we write any more than they listen to what we say face to face? I've mailed off the link to the Erika Feller article, http://www.abc.net.au/sundayprofile/stories/3314682.htm?site=sydney, far and wide. and spoken of it to many of my Greens friends as possible.article. I made a point of talking about it to a neighbour, a prominent Greens figure in WA, a former Senator. She didn't know who Keller was but was interested enough, she said, to want to know more, and gave me her email address. Days later Tacker and I met her on our evening walk, stopped to chat and I found myself having the same conversation with her again. No change in her stance. Still much wringing of hands about the government's breaching the UN Convention, and yes, 'thank you for your email about that' but no, she hadn't yet had time to read it yet! No hope there that my 'man and dog in the street' views will filter back to the Greens executive. As for hysteria.....Tony Abbott is beside himself with the thought of this once chance at a win in the Parliament as well as in the media and Sarah Hanson Young is as stridently self righteous as any adolescent I've seen debating capital punishment. Calm rationality seems the province of the government here, except that whenever the PM speaks with feeling on the issue or even raises her voice she's accused of hysteria and being a brawling brat.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011PatriciaWA, Christabel Chamarette or Dee Margetts? :) You're absolutely correct to try and point out to anyone from The Greens the hypocrisy of their 'Suffer the Little Children Come Unto Me, But Only After You Have made It Ashore In Australia & Haven't Drowned At Sea On the Way Here' stance. By the way, I'd keep trying to point out to them that the first boatload of 'Unaccompanied Minors' that came here after the Malaysian Arrangement was announced were Young Men with beards.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011Did anyone else feel affronted this morning when the journalists on 'Insiders' were advising the Labor Party to capitulate 'when' Tony Abbott wins the next federal election and allow him to enact what he is preventing the Gillard government from enabling by legislation wrt Asylum Seekers, the Malaysian Arrangement and Offshore Processing incorporating the Bali process and a Regional Solution? Though he just wants to continue the ineffective Nauru Option for Offshore Processing of Asylum Seekers. Which just makes it more of an affront as these so-called journalists are trying to tell the Labor Party to enable an ineffective policy for the Coalition but they are not advising Tony Abbott to support an effective policy option now. Not to mention snipey little Gerard Henderson giving the Royal Assent to Tony Abbott's ambitions to have a Double Dissolution election as soon as possible after the first election all are now assuming as a fait accompli to bring him to power. Not only that but Mr Henderson is confident that 5 of the High Court Judges will support Tony Abbott against any challenge by David Manne and Asylum Seekers.

Ad astra reply

25/09/2011Folks This morning, from our bedroom window we saw a large grey kangaroo on the salt marsh bordering the inlet, and watched it lope across our land while sea birds flew hither had thither and a wattle bird ate the spiders on the outside of our windows – a delightful sight. It’s quite a nice day so I’ll be out working on the property today. I'll be back later.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011Feral Skeleton Tom of Melbourne, I am only engaging with you on the issue you have raised, not because I believe that I can change your mind, you are as conservative and blinkered in your thinking about the Asylum Seeker issue, and conveniently ignore certain basic truthes, as any Liberal or Nationals supporter. Let me count the ways. * You say: There are a few thousand people arriving here by boat each year. The only crisis is that created by politicians, and the government has been a willing, and happy, participant in this crisis. Which is as may be. However, what gives them the right to self-select and place themselves before others for a place in our refugee intake? Especially considering they are all from a finite set of asylum-seeking nationalities, Afghans, Iranians and Sri Lankan Tamils, who have established well-financed networks which facilitate their trips to Australia on boats? Which, means that you are saying that they should receive preference over those refugees who are too poor or reluctant to come on boats to this country as Asylum Seekers. Nice. Not. Humane. Not. Or, you are saying that we should accomodate all the Asylum Seekers who will in increasing numbers arrive here by boat, as the borders of our country have the 'Come On Down' placed on them. And it won't just be a few thousand, as it has been up until now. As you seem to have overlooked the fact that, as soon as they saw an opening the Tamils hired a large ship to cram as many of them onto it as possible and set sail, firstly for Canada, who rejected them, and secondly for New Zealand, who rejected them. In other words, if these Asylum Seekers see a chance, they take it at warp speed, and appear to have the resources readily available to exploit what they peerceive to be any well-meaning wealthy 1st World country that is a signatory to the Refugee Convention. Your seemingly benevolent attitude towards the Asylum Seekers also, as it does with any Greens supporter, conveniently overlooks, or casually dismisses the people who do come here on boats seeking asylum, who die at sea. Callously and casually The Greens and their fellow travellers speak about 'only an 0.57% Drown Rate' asbeing OK by them, so long as the other 99.43% of boat-borne Asylum Seekers make it to the mainland. Well, I'm sorry, but that attitude is as bad as saying that 'only 0.57% of people in Australia put to death erroneously if we reintroduce the Death Penalty' is OK by The Greens. It's not OK by me. Also, could I just extend the analogy the Prime Minister makes when she points out that Tony Abbott doesn't want to agree to the Malasian Arrangement, and brings up furphies such as the Returnees will be caned, or raped, or worse, even though the legally-binding agreement signed by both the Australian Government and the Malaysian government specifically outlaws this to be done to them, because Tony Abbott is afraid that the arrangement will work to the benefit of all-Malaysia, Australia and Asylum Seekers, can I extend that fear of success to The Greens? They are no doubt just as fearful of the success of the Malaysian Arrangement for Asylum Seekers because, under an Abbott Government they would no longer be able to do their hand-wringing exercise and succeed in sucking votes from the Progressive side of politics. ToM, my support for the Malaysian Arrangement has nothing to do with your puerile epithets of 'racism' or 'a lurch to the Right', because that would be supporting Nauru, TPVs and Turning the Boats Around Back to Sea. It also has nothing to do with this juvenile 'Suffer the Little Children' sent back to Malaysia malarky. 'Children' that were exposed to be 16 and 17 year old Young Men, when the 'Unaccompanied Minors' paradigm was tested by the People Smugglers recently. Well, maybe they might 'suffer' if they can't buy a sharp pair of scissors to trim their beards with, or razors to shave with, maybe. No, I support innovative thinking, that actually provides an equal level of care and concern for ALL Asylum Seekers wishing to start a better life in Australia with our government's help, and not the fairytale that The Greens are trying to peddle, so as to support their mates in the Immigration Support Indistry and the bleeding of votes from misguided Bleeding Hearts; or the Coalition, who again wish to use Asylum Seekers as political pawns in their brutal politics.

BSA Bob

25/09/2011Janice at 7.08 It bugs me a lot too that any criticism of abbott's lot in the msm is almost always "balanced" by a corresponding swipe at Labor. An ABCism that I particularly dislike occurs on the rare occasions they have to admit to Labor winning a point, usually saying something like "Both sides are squabbling..." As to who created the asylum seeker crisis, it was the msm, who were calling it this after the second or third arrival. Maybe one day an "Investigative Journalist" will investigate where abbott, morrison etc were when Rudd's legislation was voted on as they weren't in Parliament to vote against it. But I'm not holding my breath for this to happen. Getting going now, I often think back to Turnbull's cutting & running over the whole boat people legislation issue & think the ALP should capitalise on it. But at most anything they had to say would be reported on a one off basis & not taken up. Secondarily, that event puts the lie to the much vaunted liberal "crossing the floor" that they & the msm like to taunt Labor with.

jane

25/09/2011Hear hear Patricia WA and janice. It is a nonsense to say the government is being bloody minded in trying to put in place a regional approach to asylum seekers. It is abundantly clear that the only thing the opposition cares about is acting as wreckers. They have no interest in the welfare of asylum seekers, which has been abundantly clear since the Tampa in 2001. The only use they have for asylum seekers is as a sordid political tool for their corrupt drive to power. Frankly, I don't think any of these hypocrites gives a toss about this country and its citizens. The only thing they care about is getting their repulsive paws on power. they are a disgrace! lyn, is my memory at fault when I recall the braying in the Parliament about Craig Thomson being a few months late in declaring a mortgage? Is it not intriguing that both the LOTO [b]and[/b] Ms Mirabella seem to have a somewhat ambivalent attitude about their adherence to the rules governing financial interests? This sort of thing seems to be endemic in opposition ranks-how many ministers did the Rodent have to sack before he decided to just ignore his own rules of ministerial behaviour? TT @9.12am. I love it when you talk dirty! lol Cheerleaders and the Liars Party have a lot of trouble with the concept that the government has the right to govern, the opposition has to convince the electorate that they are worthy of the right. Major FAIL, so far, Liealot. [quote]Paying to get on a boat is a cold, calculated and cynical exploitation of a humanitarian treaty that Australian citizens have no choice but to adhere to. Why should they be rewarded with citizenship?[/quote] Wash your mouth out with soap, macca. These are desperate people fleeing murderous regimes. Feel free to carp when you've travelled the same road. Once again, Patricia WA and FS, the Greens are exposed as the hypocritical hand wringers they are. No matter the rights and wrongs of onshore and offshore processing, they will never get absolutely what they want, they will never have the numbers in either house. But instead of honestly examining the realistic alternatives and making a compromise, they're prepared to leave asylum seekers (let's wring our hands, that'll make it right) in a cruel limbo. But, hey it's OK [b]holier than thou Greens[/b] principles are intact. And there's always collateral damage, right. It's a pity they're too blinkered to see that it's the very people they claim to be so concerned about who are their victims. Still, conducted hand wringing should assuage any lingering doubts. I wonder if they'll ever learn that you can't hunt with the hounds and run with the hare and get away with it? I never thought I'd say this, but the Liars party is actually more honest about this than the Greens. We all know that they couldn't give a toss about asylum seekers and are only making a meal out of this for political advantage.

Acerbic Conehead 2

25/09/20112353, Thanks for your affirming words. I hope I got the rules and jargon right, as I’m a round-ball man myself. nasking, Yes, being the underdog now is better than in two year’s time. FS, Thanks for the encouragement. It’s important we keep the faith. The thought of that clown getting into [i]The Lodge[/i] is too horrible to contemplate. AA, No worries, and thank you for your gracious support. I’ve just watched most of [i]Insiders[/i]. From the bits I saw, there was no mention of Sophie’s travails. Did she get a guernsey at all? Lyn, I’m glad you also enjoyed the commentary, even though you are unfamiliar with the game itself. Looking forward to more of your valuable links during the week. Gravel, Yes, as I mentioned to AA above, commentary on Sophie seems to be non-existent on News Ltd and the ABC. If this is the case, the hypocrisy is breath-taking. Jane, Thank you also for your kind words (Sat 1:52 PM) on the article. I appreciate your overview of the issues in your post. Your analysis is hard-hitting and strips away the hypocrisy of the Sir Liealot (thanks, FS) mob. NormanK, For a rugby fan to be happy with the article is very heartening. I have a passing interest in the game, but, as I said earlier, am more familiar with the round ball. Hopefully, Australia’s results get a bit more consistent.

Patricia WA

25/09/2011Just checked in at the GMS blog at http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/meganomics/index.php/theaustralian/comments/diplomacy_is_lost_amid_our_leaders_backyard_squabbling/desc#commentsmore. So far I haven't got a guernsey, but I picked up this revealing quote from George on what he thinks of press gallery reporting by his colleagues. [b][i]the press gallery loves Abbott even though his positions don’t pass the laugh test. It’s the same trap many fell into with Rudd: reporters don’t want to get on the wrong side of a landslide.[/i][/b]n. He likes to think he does it differently. Which some might say is true sometimes. But I still don't find him arguing strongly enough when his line is a bit different from that of his employers at News Ltd.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011PatriciaWA, Yes, George, for all his positive qualities, is a bit of a limp-wristed defender of what is good policy and against the News Ltd party line.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011jane, What can we do? It's like screaming inside the Cone of Silence on 'Get Smart'. We yell about inconsistencies and flaccid or hypocritical positions of the Opposition and The Greens, but who's listening? One thing I will say though, and this may sound strange, but it's heartening to see Channel 9 at least attempting to have a go at Tony Abbott once a week when he comes on for his 'slot' on The Today Show, and for the NSW State political reporter to keep on digging for stories about the new Coalition State government, just like he used to do about the late NSW Labor State government. A flicker of light that may yet see some scrutiny placed upon the federal Coalition. Not from any media outlet with part or full ownership by Rupert Murdoch but from some unexpected quarters.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011Sound familiar? http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_07/extortion_politics_a_new_form031209.php

NormanK

25/09/2011Acerbic Conehead Round ball football rules! Having played all four codes at various levels I will always opt for 'soccer' as a player and a spectator. But if you have to play a game with a ball that doesn't know how to roll along the ground properly and where it is 'football' in name only, I will choose union every time. I must say though that I will watch the national team play just about anything (lawn bowls being the possible exception). It will be wonderful if AFL reaches the point where there is an established international competition - a team made up of our best players would be truly exciting to watch. You did surprisingly well with the jargon if you are not a follower of the game. The Wallabies are just trying to make sure that they don't peak too early. ;-)

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011Talk Turkey, Has the river at Chittaway Point overflowed with the rain yet? :D

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011NormanK and AcerbicC., My son played Rugby Union for a few years, and so I have a passing acquaintance with it as well. :) Now, might I just say, NK, that the Wobblies sure have a funny way of 'peaking early', um, by injuring themselves badly and so not being able to play any more. Hmm.

jane

25/09/2011FS @1.14pm, it does feel like that at times, but as you say a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel from some unlikely sources. Who would have thought the "Today Show" would be one of the few to try to hold Liealot to account? Makes the rest of the limp appendages in the msm look pretty shameful by comparison. And good on the NSW State political reporter for actually doing his job. Wouldn't it be great if the rest of the msm did the same?

NormanK

25/09/2011FS I said they're trying NOT to peak too early. As for injuries, it's gamesmanship! Suck those All Blacks into a false sense of security and then whammo! Injuries are a concern though, we've only just rebuilt the squad to the quality we require to win at this level. Let's hope there is sufficient depth and eager beaver replacements. Now, on politics ............ um ............ (cough) ............ the Chestnut Breasted Mannikins have started to pair up for Spring, mangoes are setting fruit and rumour has it Tony Abbott has been kicked out of home for adultery. Should be a good Summer crop.

macca

25/09/2011[Wash your mouth out with soap, macca. These are desperate people fleeing murderous regimes. Feel free to carp when you've travelled the same road.] As against the 4000 Burmese sitting quietly in Malaysia waiting for their chance of a new life? Mainly because they don't appear to have $US to pay for passage?

jane

25/09/2011If only, NormanK. You have no idea what the situation has been for the people who arrive on our shores by boat, macca until you've travelled the same road. Just because some have some cash to stump up, doesn't mean their claims are less worthy than anybody else's. If the Malaysian solution comes to fruition, it's likely that everyone will get a chance at a new life, but until that is resolved, they are all being held to ransom by the intransigence of the Liars Party and their new best buddies, the Greens.

Casablanca

25/09/2011"rumour has it Tony Abbott has been kicked out of home for adultery" Do tell!

Acerbic Conehead 2

25/09/2011[quote]rumour has it Tony Abbott has been kicked out of home for adultery.[/quote] If this is the case, will the ABC produce a show called "Not at Home with Tones"?

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011AcerbicC., You caused a middle-aged woman with back pain, sitting at her desk femanfully(?) typing up her next blog to have a rush of endorphins to the system. Thank you! :) ps I have a son like you. Sometimes he makes me laugh so hard it hurts and I have to beg for him to stop. But only after I have had a few good laughs first. I bet your wife is in a similar position to me. :)

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011I like following a number of African American commenters on Twitter. They have a pithy way with words, as we all know from their various song lyrics. So, here's a Tweet from one of them, Black Canseco, which rings very true: [quote]Fiscal Conservatives are always real liberal when it comes to getting government taxbreaks for the wealthy/businesses.[/quote]

jane

25/09/2011Casablanca, I want to know who the hell would want to commit adultery with him? Someone whose guide dog and digital hearing aid he minds, perchance? AC, have you written the first script? I await your creation impatiently.

NormanK

25/09/2011[quote]rumour has it Tony Abbott has been kicked out of home for adultery.[/quote] Sorry. A bit of Sunday mischief. But ... but ... but .... I didn't start it Mum! :'( :'( It was ......... :-#

Bring Back Maxine

25/09/2011Will Sophie M get the 'Craig Thompson' treatment in Parliament & the MSM? http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/sophie-mirabella-%E2%80%93-a-gift-wrapped-present-for-the-government/

2353

25/09/2011^^^^^^ But Mum - I wanted to see him spin his way out of that one. It would have been really interesting to watch.

lyn

25/09/2011Hi Bring Back Maxine Remember what the media and Liaberals did to Kevin Rudd, re Ute Gate. remember poor Joel Fitsgibbons a chinease friend, remember poor Peter Garrett Industrial Manslaughter. Craig Thompson crucified before proven guilty. Belinda Neal another one. We already have the right wing hacks trying to conceal: [quote]MsPraxisMs Praxis David Penberthy (HS) writes an article re online abuse Sophie Mirabella but leaves out Craig Thomson completely. #doublestandard #auspol[/quote] [quote]In cyberspace everyone can hear you scream, David Penberthy, The Punch[/quote] a lot of these people would be the first to say that any criticisms of the conduct of Julia Gillard are the result of media bias, misogyny, or everyone’s favourite, a News Limited conspiracy. Yet when it comes to Mirabella no level of abuse is off limits. The abuse has of course reached its apex in the comment sections of news websites and on independent blog sites and opinion forums. It’s a powerful demonstration of an emerging issue in publishing, with the independent body which adjudicates on the conduct and misconduct of the Australian news media is urging public discussion over the role of bloggers and online publishers. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/in-cyberspace-everyone-can-hear-you-scream/ Cheers:):):):):)

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011lyn, As Craig Emerson would say, David Penberthy is a 'duplicitous hypocrite'. I don't know how Kate Ellis can live with him, frankly. But then, Gai Brodtmann is married to Chris Uhlmann. :(

BSA Bob

25/09/2011Lyn at 6.31 Yes indeedy it takes this sort of thing happening to one of their own to elicit any criticism of online commentary from the coalition support squad. It's tempting to talk about double standards but they don't really have any. Not mentioned here is another of their rackets- the astroturfing "I've no time for Tony Abbott but in this instance..." legions. You mention Belinda Neal, I think that episode will work in Mirabella's favour as the media already has a bit of skin in this due to their portrayal of poor little Sophie who was brutalised by the nasty Belinda.

Feral Skeleton

25/09/2011Here's a lovely blog post from Kimbo Ramplin that you may be interested in reading: http://thereferral.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/nation-seeks-politicians-without-fault-apply-within/

Patricia WA

25/09/2011[b]Unnamed sources in the Coalition are concerned......[/b] Canberra is rife with rumor! The L.O.T.O. is out of humor Because his spouse has told him, “Go!" Cos she’s sick of hearing him say, "No!” Apparently our Mr. Rabbit, Offered food, will simply grab it To eat later, cos he ‘s always on the go. Which wives will tell you is far worse than “No!” She’s confident there’s no affaire. Cameras follow him everywhere. Every inch of film she’s sure would show Female advances all met with “No!” Nor would he ever sell his arse, Windsor’s fantasy won’t come to pass, Unless Senate Greens provide some beaux To join him when he needs another “No!” Besides Mr. Rabbit has no time for sex. He gets his kicks and a muscle flex When after promising a [i]quid pro quo[/i] He can deny it all with a resounding “No!” But surely he won’t meet damnation’s fire For being a cheat and a rotten liar If at the end he’s asked “Do you repentance show?” He’s not going to answer that with, ‘No?” Well now, that’ s anybody’s guess. So rarely in his life has he said, “Yes.” Perhaps he’s trained himself too well and his ego, In a stubborn old man, will still be saying, “No! No! No!

jane

25/09/2011BSA Bob, remarkable how we're being treated to the "innocent until proven guilty" schtick from the cheerleaders now that a Liars Party MP is under scrutiny for what could prove to be particularly nasty story of abuse of an elderly Alzheimer's sufferer. That duplicitous hypocrite Penberthey (thanks FS) has the gall to criticise the SMH for publishing the Mirabella story-too tacky my dear, while conveniently ignoring the lies and distortions Ltd News has printed about Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, Peter Garrett, Wayne Swan and a host of other ALP MPs. I'll be very interested to see if Liealot will give Mirabella the cold shoulder, or try his usual "look over there" attempts at distraction. Like the pome Patricia WA.

D Mick Weir

25/09/2011NormanK @ 1:42 PM [i]... I will watch the national team play just about anything (lawn bowls being the possible exception).[/i] Synchronised Swimming? I used to think similar about lawn bowls but having watched some top level matches the skill and tactics can be very absorbing. In small doses only though!

D Mick Weir

25/09/2011FS, I misread your comment @ September 24. 2011 11:29 PM first time through. I read: You sound like the Fuller [i]Blog[/i] Salesman. :P

D Mick Weir

25/09/2011FS @ 10:47 AM [i]... point out to anyone from The Greens the hypocrisy of their 'Suffer the Little Children Come Unto Me, But Only After You Have made It Ashore In Australia & Haven't Drowned At Sea On the Way Here' stance.[/i] then @ 11:47 AM [i]Your seemingly benevolent attitude towards the Asylum Seekers also, as it does with any Greens supporter, conveniently overlooks, or casually dismisses the people who do come here on boats seeking asylum, who die at sea. Callously and casually The Greens and their fellow travellers speak about 'only an 0.57% Drown Rate' asbeing OK by them, so long as the other 99.43% of boat-borne Asylum Seekers make it to the mainland. Well, I'm sorry, but that attitude is as bad as saying that 'only 0.57% of people in Australia put to death erroneously if we reintroduce the Death Penalty' is OK by The Greens.[/i] To suggest that because someone is critical of, or disagrees with, this, or any, governments policy on this is a hypocrite or has a callous disregard for those who lose their lives while attempting to get here is to my mind undignified and a poor argument. It strays into [i]Pot and kettle[/i] territory and it is just another tactic from the political football playbook. Take note of these words from a Labor member and think of them before you start casting stones. [i]There are no simple solutions. As the old Max Weber line goes, public policy is like ‘slow boring through hard boards’. Nowhere is this truer than with migration. As the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Mark Dreyfus has pointed out, this is not about being compassionate; it is about ‘competing compassions’. ... This is a hard debate, and I have had many conversations and email exchanges with people in my electorate about what is the right thing to do. I respect those who disagree with the government’s position on this. But no-one has a monopoly on compassion.[/i] [b]Migration Legislation Amendment (Offshore Processing)[/b] Andrew Leigh, 22 September 2011 http://www.andrewleigh.com/blog/?p=1562

Patricia WA

26/09/2011Thanks, jane. That was inspired by a rumor which a certain person brought here from elsewhere and started there by......well, let's not speculate. He may have had a reliable source who chatted too long with him in an airport lounge during a delayed flight. Anyway, reading that d more than a grain of truth in it without a 'real' rumor to get it going. I had fun with that first draft this arvo and have just finished tidying it up with a few comments at athttp://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/33392.html. Trying now to think of a possible illustration.

Patricia WA

26/09/2011Sorry, jane, that link above was a hangover from my 'research' and the pome is posted at http://polliepomes.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/un-named-sources-in-the-coalition/

Ad astra reply

26/09/2011Folks Apologies for the interruption to the [i]TPS[/i] service. It's working again now.

Ad astra reply

26/09/2011Folks The problem was a server crash. These events occur from time to time; maybe this one was due to a power outage.

2353

26/09/2011^^^^^^^^^^^ Damn, I was looking for the conspiracy theory for the lack of [i]TPS[/i] this morning.

lyn

26/09/2011 [b]TODAY’S LINKS[/b] [i]Un-named sources in the Coalition,Patriciawa, Polliepomes[/i] the relentless attacks with speculation and allegations about someone against whom no charges have been laid, like Labor MP, Craig Thomson. This week it seemed almost poetic justice when the media came up with a well substantiated story about Liberal MP, Sophie Mirabella, surely one of the most aggressively slanderous politicians in Canberra. http://polliepomes.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/un-named-sources-in-the-coalition/ [i]Dissecting the Body Politick, Neil Cook, the Bannerman[/i] That the loss-making Murdoch-owned outlet is engaged in a campaign of political regime change is beyond doubt. That Murdoch outlets in general are aiding and abetting is equally clear and present. Which Murdoch outlets have 'blogs' authored by Government members? None that I'm aware of. http://www.waddayano.org/blog/2011/09/dissecting_the_body_politick.php#more [i]Howard and Costello faced no adversary and yet squandered a 10 year resources boom, James 00000001[/i] The Carbon Tax retains money in Australia that otherwise flows out. It is that simple, MONEY STAYS IN AUSTRALIA and we are better off. I’m surprised conservatives do not grasp this concept. They instead focus on outflows. http://james00000001.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/howard-and-costello-faced-no-adversary-and-yet- [i]News ltd, pokies and the afl- relentless and wrong, Ceyenne,[/i] Murdoch press has the Gillard government in its sights. Just about everything they publish, apart from the obligatory pages devoted to Aussie Idol / X Factor / Masterchef / insert-your-reality-blend-here, is slanted, manipulated and fabricated to convince their readers that Canberra is being run by evil kindergarten dropouts http://www.cyenne.com/discussion/news-ltd-pokies-and-the-afl-relentless-and-wrong/ [i]'Robot Trucks' To Drive The Mining Boom, Malcolm King, New Matilda[/i] NASA-style control room in Perth. It controls the autonomous systems at the mines — Komatsu robot trucks and underground robot trains working 1200 kilometres away in the Pilbara. That’s the future of mining in Australia — robots http://newmatilda.com/2011/09/23/robot-trucks-drive-mining-boom [i]Hockey’s contempt; Lavartus Prodeo nights redux, Jennifer Wilson, No Place for Sheep[/i] Dr Bahnisch did invite me back to his blog, and said some of them really wanted me to join in. But I’m a bit squeamish about the stratospheric levels of hostility over there, especially that directed at newcomers who don’t always agree with them. The competition to write the most http://noplaceforsheep.com/2011/09/23/hockeys-contempt-lavartus-prodeo-nights-redux/ [i]REGARDING TODAY’S EDITORIAL IN THE AUSTRALIAN, Oakshott, Independent[/i] This allegation from an anonymous Member of Parliament, now reported twice, is factually incorrect, and I suspect was only designed to incite mischief http://roboakeshott.com/node/1043 [i]Environmental Issues Continue To Plague The Region, Alex Schlotzer, The Angle[/i] in countries like Indonesia, Papua, Malaysia and West Papua. They continue to log native forests to make room for more aggressive and intense agricultural methods used by industrialised nations. http://theangle.org/2011/09/24/environmental-issues-continue-to-plague-the-region/ [i]The McGorry-Hickie reform controversy- Why has mental health become so political-,Dr Tad, left Flank[/i] It is my contention that this simply deepens the contradictions found in the existing model of diagnostic psychiatry rather than overcomingthem. Yet the problem is one faced by all of medicine, which seeks to define health and illness without recognising that such http://left-flank.blogspot.com/2011/09/mcgorry-hickie-reform-controversy-why.html [i]Foolish tax breaks for dangerous oil drilling, Crispin Hull[/i] we should be looking at root causes. It certainly it not merely that Australia is a nice place to live. We know this because of the dramatic changes in numbers when overseas conditions change. The boats stopped in 1980 and there were virtually none for a decade. There was a resumption in 1990, http://www.crispinhull.com.au/2011/09/24/foolish-tax-breaks-for-dangerous-oil-drilling/ [i]People smuggling , Australian Federal Police[/i] People smugglers are paid by those who wish to enter a country illegally. The people wishing to migrate are involved voluntarily. People traffickers, onthe other hand, use coercion and/or deception, to force people to illegally enter a country. Once the illegal immigrants are in place, people traffickers often continue to exploit them. http://www.afp.gov.au/policing/human-trafficking/people-smuggling.aspx [i]Andrew Farran on the Malaysia Solution, Australian Observer[/i] Put away the funny hats and fluoro vests. Keep the Prime Minister in her office most of the time and let her out to give an occasional speech that actually says something. And instead of those door-stop interviews, schedule a formal press conference once a fortnight. http://aussieobserver.blogspot.com/ [i]Queen on our list of power visitors, David Ellery, Canberra Times[/i] Their visit will be followed by US President Barack Obama on November 16 and 17 and Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary between November 19 and 26. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/queen-on-our-list-of-power-visitors/2302712.aspx?storypage=0 [i]The poverty of rationality, John Quiggin[/i] Steve Williamson has written a much longer critique of Zombie Economics. It’s a lot more temperate in tone than the blog post I criticised here, and there are some valid points. Nevertheless, the new version exhibits the same fundamental confusion http://crookedtimber.org/2011/09/24/the-poverty-of-rationality/ [i]Toot toot, David Horton The Watermelon Blog[/i] There is no doubt that running a very fast train to link Brisbane-Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne makes a lot of sense in order to cut down air travel aswe need to reduce greenhouse gas production wherever we can. But there are quite a few Buts that I would like to see settled http://davidhortonsblog.com/ [i]Matters of public importance - Gillard Government, Anthony Albanese, Parliament House, Canberra[/i] They want to put their hand in everyone’s pocket. The shadow Treasurer said yesterday that they not only want to remove the price on carbon butwill remove any assistance that is there, whether it be tax cuts, direct payments and assistance, support for pensioners or support for industry.That is an extraordinary proposition from those opposite. http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/file.phpfile=/news/BGMPDLXGAMFDYSMXCPTZFOUC/index.html [i]Gillard Parody Shows Nation’s Blokey Culture, Bloomberg[/i] “The jibes about Gillard that upset me are the ones about her childlessness, the ones about her relationship, the assumption that there is a kind of heterosexual norm that she is somehow an escapee from,” Greer said Sept. 12 on ABC’s “Q&A” program, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-22/gillard-reduced-to-sex-under-flag-shows-nation-s-blokey-culture.html [b]Sophie Mirabella:-[/b] [i]Financial Elder Abuse Report, State Trustees[/i] Financial elder abuse involves the taking or misusing of an older person’s money, property or assets by someone in a position of trust. It includesmisusing an ATM or credit card; to taking money or property, forcing or forging an older person's signature, or persuading them to change their Will and contracts or power of attorney through deception or undue influence. http://www.statetrustees.com.au/media/latest-news/2011-08-31/financial-elder-abuse-report [i]Financial exploitation: the best kept secret of elder abuse, Paul Blunt , Life and help Library[/i] Once the exploiter obtains access to the senior's financial assets, the actual methods of exploitation are likewise predictable. One of the most commonlyused means of transferring property is the general, durable power of attorney. This instrument, which is typically quite useful in dealingwith an incapacitated elderly person's affairs http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1000/is_n367/ai_18200034/ [i]Mirabella in the spotlight over money matters, Ray Dixon, Alphine Opinion[/i] All voters in this electorate (Indi) really do need to read today’s Age article Power, love and money. Even rusted-on Liberal supporters wouldhave to agree that it raises serious questions over the integrity, ethics and honesty of Sophie Mirabella and whether or not she is a fit person to represent us. http://alpineopinion.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/oh-sophie/#more-12022 [i]Sophie Mirabella a gift wrapped present for the Government, Barry Everingham, Independent Australia[/i] Mirabella is a thorn in the side of the dignity of the House of Representatives, where she is an Abbott frontbencher known for her arrogance and ability to demean those she doesn’t like, and as she waddles to the despatch box to make her repulsive points, manages to attract many sniggers from both sides of the House. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/sophie-mirabella-%e2%80%93-a-gift-wrapped-present-for-the-government/ [i]Power, love and money , Michael Bachelard , The Age[/i] This story begins in 1994, when young solicitor Sophie Panopoulos first met the man she described in her maiden speech in the House of Representatives as a man whose "intellectual ability and integrity" had inspired her. http://www.theage.com.au/national/power-love-and-money-20110922-1knb7.html#comments [i]Mirabella – Executor and beneficiary | #Auspol, Darin Sullivan, The left Hack[/i] Mervyn and Lesley Howard say they are not interested in their father’s money. Both are well enough off not to need it, and if they received any, they would give it to charity. But they do want to be assured that their father was treated with honour and dignityafter they were locked out of any decision about his care. http://darinsullivan.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/mirrabella-executor-and-beneficiary-auspol/ [i]Sex in the Inner-City , A State of Mind[/i] I've blocked out the name they happily provided because I don't want to get sued. It appears that @vexnews is happy to prioritise a cheap laugh over a little prudence. Time will tell if they end up paying for that (literally!). http://mrtiedt.blogspot.com/2011/09/sex-in-inner-city.html

Gravel

26/09/2011Ah that rumour won't get a mention, and even if it were true, it still wouldn't get a mention......ala Sophie Mirabella.

Feral Skeleton

26/09/2011D Mick Weir, I get what you are saying about the fact that you have sympathy for those who drown at sea on the way to Australia on a fishing boat. However, surely you do not also subscribe to the silly Green's pov that Asylum Seekers, self-selecting to come to Australia on boats, should be provided with 'Safe Boats' to come here on? Also, the quite obvious point that, would it not be best for all concerned that they were assessed for refuge in Australia in the 2nd country they have landed in(usually after a plane trip to that country from their first country of refuge after leaving their strife-torn home country), BEFORE paying a People Smuggling network to preferentially get them here? That way, a dispassionate Immigration Officer can hand out refugee places on an objective basis to all the competing groups of refugees. Of course, the country that they are in, generally Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, should work with the UNHCR to observe the Asylum Seekers' human rights. Wouldn't that be the fair thing to do?

NormanK

26/09/2011The Prime Minister's opinion piece in the [i]Herald Sun[/i] today. [b]Abbott's choice to end horrific trade at last[/b] by Prime Minister Julia Gillard [quote]WEDNESDAY December 15, 2010, was a dark day in our nation's history. It was also one of the most heartbreaking days in my time as Prime Minister. The images of a boat full of people - of mothers and fathers, sons and daughters - crashing into the treacherous rocks off Christmas Island is something that will never leave me.[/quote] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/abbotts-choice-to-end-horrific-trade-at-last/story-e6frfhqf-1226145997419

debbiep

26/09/2011What a great variety range of topics in today's links lyn... your more than a gem :)

Ad astra reply

26/09/2011Folks I have just posted another fine piece by Hillbilly Skeleton: [i]Holy Rollin’ Politics Batman![/i]: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com

Ad astra reply

26/09/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/Lyns-Daily-Links.aspx Hi Lyn You may care to post your great set of links again, on the new post by H/FS.

D Mick Weir

26/09/20112353, I thought it was my comments late last night what blew the servers mind but I see PatriciaWA commented later and well, no way PWA would blow up the server :) Some of her pomes can blow yer mind tho'

Patricia WA

26/09/2011Thanks for the link, NormanK. I did comment to support the PM but it's drowned out by dozens of horribly personal assaults on her credibility. Very depressing.

Patricia WA

26/09/2011Thanks for the link to my bit of gossip, Lyn. How did you manage to hone in on what I really wanted to write about and headline that? I thought I'd done a sly bit of spin there by pretending to not mention dear Sophie at all under cover of an embedded link to the whole sad saga! I hope visitors aren't disappointed to find a comparatively tame pome about our very negative LOTO. Perhaps I'd better get to work on some pictures to spice it all up a bit!

jane

26/09/2011Patricia WA, I've commented as well, but don't expect any of the morons spraying venom around would understand what you or I said. I went for the $500,000/ year for the Liars party solution. I figured a few wasteful spending home truths should give them apoplexy, that's if my comment gets published.
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?