A Right Royal Wedding

With a Royal Wedding in the offing, the Coalition should be full of the joys of Spring, revelling in bonhomie and offering best wishes to the young couple who are just about to tie the knot. However, for the Coalition, it was the worst of times, and showing signs that it was about to get even worser.

Not only is the hated revolutionary regime of Citizen Gillard still in power, but it only stays there due to the class treachery of those traitors who should know better – Tony Windsor-Castle, “Royal” Rob Oakeshott, and “Baron” Bob Katter.

So, for their part, the Coalition has lots to complain about. For example, Citizen Gillard and her oafs have enclosed the commons and other nature-strips, to enforce the implementation of their collectivist NBN (“Neuter Business Now”) five-year chimera plan.

Also, they have infiltrated, with union thugs, the workforce engaged in renovating the landmark communications hub of the Coalition – the Boatphone Bastille. By installing pink batts in the roof-space, they made them self-combust and the Bastille has been burnt to the ground. However, on a more positive note, the ABC has agreed to take over where the Bastille left off.

And, the nature of parliamentary democracy itself is at stake, due to the Machiavellian bastardry of Citizen Gillard and her henchmen, such as “Robespierre” Rudd and “Bonaparte Bill” Shorten. As an example, resort to the dreaded guillotine in the House is on a daily basis, and, “Madam Defarge” D’Ath knits, as yet another member of the Opposition is dispatched by the Speaker, Harry “Jacobin” Jenkins.

And even the Church is not safe. Recently, two bishops, Julie and Bronny, have been imprisoned. A ransom (dubbed by the Opposition, a GNBT – “Gillard’s Nobble the Bishops Tax”) has been demanded for their release. So far, the Opposition say, on a matter of principle, they will not pay it. Off the record, however, the coalition forces reckon they would do a better job with the pair of them out of the way anyway.

But, thankfully, the Opposition is not taking it all lying down. For example, a people’s counter-revolutionary militia, the RAT (“Revolters Against Terror”) Army, has been formed, under the capable leadership of Alan “Aristocrat” Jones.

Also, thousands of journalists from the Fourth Estate, ably led by Lord Dennis of Shandringham, are threatening to go on strike. However, the latest reports say that they will keep on working, as the Coalition reckons they are of more use to them manipulating their Blackberries than manning the barricades.

However, of all the good things going for the Coalition, their most prized asset by far is that intrepid hero, that master of disguise, who can infiltrate any situation, laying the lefties low. He is none other than – THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL!!!



So, to escape the ennui at home, Citizen Gillard and Tim the First Bloke, are happy to get on the plane to Blighty for Bill and Kate’s nuptials.

Having landed and set up base-camp at the Savoy, they are busily getting themselves ready to set out for Westminster Abbey. Tim, however, is down on all-fours, scanning under the bed.

Jooles: Erm...if you’re looking for your cuff-links, darl...they’re over there on the dresser...

Tim: Nah...I’m just checking that the Scarlet Pimpernel isn’t hiding under the bed – you can’t trust the bugger...

Jooles: Oh, don’t worry about him – he’ll still be in Oz, listening to Alan Jones, and stuffing his face with Easter eggs...

[Jooles and Tim head off to the Abbey and are seated with the other Heads of Government, near the front. Jooles looks at her watch.]

Jooles: Hmmm...it’s traditional, I’m told...heh...heh..., for the bride to be late, but so far there’s no sign even of Billy-boy...

[Then, in speak-of-the-devil-style, in marches Bill, down the centre-aisle, and straight up to the lectern. Clearing his throat, he begins to address the congregation.]

Bill: Erm...lords and ladies...and everybody else...I must apologise for the delay...we will have things under way in a jiff...But, now that I’ve got the floor, I would like to take this opportunity to tell a few home truths about the Australian national carrier, QANTAS...And QANTAS indeed it is – Quisling Airlines Network with Traitors And Socialists! I’ll have you know that I recently flew with them and the meals are kruddy and the stewardesses are real bitches!...

[As you can imagine, in the cathedral, you could have heard one of the nails from the original cross drop. Understandably, Jooles is outraged by this sleight on a prized Australian institution. She is just about to get the First Bloke to go and punch him on the nose, when Bill leaps off the sanctuary, bolts down the centre aisle, and disappears out the front door. A few seconds later, however, Bill marches up the centre aisle again, but is intercepted by a retainer who whispers something in his ear. Bill has a look of incredulity on his face. He glances sheepishly at Jooles and approaches the lectern again.]

Bill: Erm...lords and ladies...and the rest of you...I must apologise for my lateness...errr...one of the corgis did a whoopsie on my shoe and it took me ages to get it off...I hope you’ll forgive me...But, on another matter, I need to apologise profoundly for the actions a few moments ago of an imposter, who took the opportunity to pretend he was me and then make mischief...I hope the Prime Minister of Australia was not unduly contrafibularitied...

[Bill sprints away from the lectern and takes his seat in the front pew, awaiting the entrance of the lovely Kate. After a few more awkward moments, the Archbishop of Canterbury enters the sanctuary from a rear cloister and approaches the lectern. Tim whispers out of the side of his mouth to Jooles.]

Tim: About bloody time too – I wish they would just get this show on the road...

Archbishop: My brothers and sisters in Christ...I am delighted to inform you that the bride is on her way and I will journey forthwith to the front door to welcome her...But, before I do that, I need to issue a few words of warning...Y’know, don’t believe all this old tosh, from those revolutionary ratbags in Australia, about this so-called ‘global warming’ – it’s a load of crap actually...and to quote the words of a great, distinguished, Australian theologian and statesman – it was really a lot friggin’ warmer in Jesus’ day...

[Again, Jooles is outraged by such a public sleight on her government’s international reputation, and is just about to extract her bottle of hair-dye from her pocket (she forgot her hand-bag again!) and fire it at him, when the Arch strides down the centre-aisle and out the front door. After a few moments, the organ starts up with the usual ditty and in comes Kate, looking so beautiful, she would make the Mona Lisa look like Bronny, just out of bed, without her make-up. However, the Archbishop can’t fathom why everyone is looking askance at him. He plods up the aisle anyway.

The rest of the service goes to plan, thankfully, with no more outrageous interjections, and the select few head over to Buck Palace for the follow-up shindig. The wedding reception is being held around the Palace pool (a number of the heavier retainers had been chucked in earlier to break up the ice). However, no-one is game enough on put on their bathers and risk the sub-arctic temperatures of the pool. No-one except Prince Phillip, that is. If people thought old Phil was barmy, this merely confirmed their suspicions. After doing a few hundred laps, he gets out and approaches the mic-stand, still in his bathers. Ready to utter a few words of welcome, he is caught off-guard somewhat, by one of the corgis doing a whoopsie right in front of the mic-stand. Phil carries on regardless.]

Phil: I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you here this afternoon to Buckingham Palace...But, before I go on, I would like to speak in favour of introducing that good old Australian system for keeping the staff in their places – WorkChoices! We haven’t been allowed to flog the buggers for a while now, so I’m all for giving the bolshie blighters a good belting...

[At the mention of WorkChoices, for Jooles the penny drops. She pushes her way to the front and confronts “Phil”.]

Jooles: Tony!! That’s you, isn’t it!! You’re not Prince Phillip, are you!! Why, you’re nothing but that arch-counter-revolutionary, the Scarlet Pimpernel – the red budgie smugglers are a dead giveaway!! And, you also impersonated Prince William and the Archbishop at the Cathedral, didn’t you?

Pimpy: But...but...but...I wouldn’t have done it if someone had sent me an invite as well – why do I always miss out...I’m never going to get the keys to The Lodge...boo...hoo...

[The police surround Pimpy and cuff his hands behind his back, ready to transport him to the Tower. However, Jooles raises her hand to stop them.]

Jooles: Hey, Tony...I’ll tell you what – I’ll hand you the keys to The Lodge...

[Jooles stretches out her hand, but, instead of slipping the keys down the front of Pimpy’s budgies, she drops them straight into the do-do the corgi deposited.]

Jooles: There you go, Tony...you can bend over and fetch the keys out if you wish, but, if you do, this time it won’t be me who will be wearing the shit-eating grin...heh...heh...

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Current rating: 2.5 / 5 | Rated 2 times

thenewjj

29/04/2011AC, What a load of crap. Why dont you try something original for once and write something satirical and denigrating about the ALP. We know you hate the Coalition and all that it stands for, so why not extend yourself to satirize the current state of the Labor Party.

Jason

29/04/2011AC, Pay no attention to young jj he would complain about having sex on his wedding night, I enjoy what you write, and I guess while they keep providing plenty of material you might as keep serving it up.

Rx

29/04/2011Hahaha Kick him, Jooles! Well done Acerbic C! About time someone took some piss out of the Liberals and their media colleagues. Or should that be the media and their Liberal colleagues. Journalists aren't going to ask the Opposition any tough questions, such as about WorkChoices, so thank god for blogs where we can do what the slack media will not do - poke fun at the conservatives and ask the questions that never get asked in the so-called mainstream. PS: Ignore any sourpusses who aren't accustomed to their own side coming in for attention.

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011jj, The only 'crap' is Tony Abbott's 'Absolute crap' of a Direct Action' plan to deal with Climate Change. Friendless in the business community. It must be a dog! :)

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011jj, Acerbic Conehead can write about whatever the hell he wants. He doesn't have to satisfy you. If that would ever be possible. Anyway, there are plenty of other blogs that spew bile against the Labor Party that will satisfy your bloodlust against the ALP without us here at TPS having to kowtow to your outrageous demands. Such as the one you have made today. What a hide you have. If you don't approve of what TPS does, or stands for, you know where the door is, jj. As I said, I imagine you'll find yourself more at home with, say, the Right Wing zealots at Menzies House blog. Where, I imagine, you probably go anyway to stoke up on anti-ALP outrage before you come back here and vomit it up. Or somewhere similar. Neither of the original contributors here have to change the subjects we write about to please you. Nor will we. If you don't like that, tough luck. We are not yet under the thumb of Tony Abbott's 'Guided Democracy' yet, so are still able to say what we please about the Rightards in the Coalition. And will continue to do, whether you like it or not. Anyway, for you to so contemptuosly dismiss out of hand the work that Acerbic Conehaed does for us at The Political Sword, just proves what a tiny mind you have, jj. I'd like to see you do better. How about, if you want to see a satirical demolition of the Labor Party, you do it yourself? However I doubt someone with the limited linguistic ability you have displayed here would be capable of such a thing. All you are capable of, IMHO, is being a half-way decent troll. And, sometimes, you don't even achieve that pedestrian goal.

Ad astra reply

29/04/2011AC Take no notice of thenewjj, who only enjoys taking Labor to the cleaners. He obviously missed your satirical references to union thugs, the reference to Citizen Gillard’s oafs, her Neuter Business Now (NBN) plan and your mention of “Robespierre” Rudd, “Bonaparte Bill” Shorten, “Madam Defarge” D’Ath and Harry “Jacobin” Jenkins, and the GNBT – “Gillard’s Nobble the Bishops Tax” and saw only your send up of Tony Abbott about some of his expressions, his beliefs and his policies and actions. He needs to loosen up and enjoy the satire. It’s much better for one’s health than anger. Your selection of the Blackadder clip was so apt, and such good fun. Thank you again.

Ad astra reply

29/04/2011AC I should have mentioned to you before that the Liberal Party has taken out an exclusive worldwide patent on the word ‘crap’ and all associated connotations. Believing they are the experts in the field, they assert that they should have sole and unrestricted use of the term. So under pain of legal action, we will have to use some other word in future.

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011AA, The Liberal Party have such a familiarity with crap I'm not surprised they have taken a patent out on the term. :)

lyn

29/04/2011Hi Acerbic Conehead What an absolutely delicious article you dished up today, thankyou very much, Conehead your work is getting funnier and funnier, as Jason says, we know who keeps providing plenty of material for you. We appreciate your work very much Acerbic Conehead. [quote]Pimpy: But...but...but...I wouldn’t have done it if someone had sent me an invite as well – why do I always miss out...I’m never going to get the keys to The Lodge...boo...hoo... [/quote] Boo hoo he is very upset about not being invited, that's why he went and sat in the dirt with the aboriginals, so the camera would feel sorry for him. Did you see the Miserable Liberals are starting to question why Julia Gillard is going to the Wedding, she should be here doing the budget. Oh wow! sour grapes, also one Liberal has decided Julia might not be able to see very well, because her seat is behind someone or other, that is tall, sour grapes. Oh! and she could be in danger of being compared to Kevin 747, Oh! and the Royal wedding has nothing to do with running the country, it's just a photo shoot for Julia. Acerbic Conehead remember what Talk Turkey said about the trolls, RX reminded us yesterday, when you come to answer JJ's comment remember also Grog said a troll is: [quote]There is a well know saying among those who participate in online discussions – [b]Don’t feed the trolls[/b]. The trolls are those areshats who go on blogs and twitter etc and sprout bullsh*t just to get those who hold the opposite view to bite. [b]They hate being ignored, and engaging with them never leads anywhere because logic and intelligent discussion is not their [/b]game, nor within their ability. [/quote]

Acerbic Conehead 2

29/04/2011Fellow Swordians, I have it on good authority that jj is posting from London. After Tones’ arrest, jj snook into the Tower, intending to rescue him, but it wasn’t necessary, as the guards, keen to see the Royal wedding on the telly, forgot to lock the cell door! So, the pair of them are now attempting to gain entry to any of the after-parties that are being held throughout the metropolis and beyond. However, they aren’t having much luck, as Tones’, with his hairy chest, is being taken for a werewolf, and no-one wants to invite him or his little puppy mate, jj, in. They are the unloved and unwanted “Werewolves of London”. Cue Warren Zevon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZa3EYWCY3w&feature=fvwrel :- ( I saw Tones the werewolf with his puppy jj on a chain Runnin’ through the streets of Soho in the rain Tried to crash a party at Lee Ho Fook’s, No-one wanted to know ‘em, told to sling their hooks :- ( Aaahoo, werewolves of London Aaahoo (2x) :- ( If you hear ‘em howlin around your kitchen door You better not let ‘em in Little old lady did last night, and had to endure A Tea Party never-endin’ :- ( Aaahoo, werewolves of London Aaahoo (2x) :- ( Tones is the hairy-chested gent, who ran amok in Kent Lately he's been cyclin’ through Mayfair You better stay away from him, and jj the dim-sim Two Machiavellians, never play fair :- ( Aaahoo, werewolves of London Aaahoo (2x) :- ( Well, I saw Julia walkin’ with the Queen Upstagin’ the werewolves of London I saw Julia n’ Tim walkin with the Queen Stickin’ it up the werewolves of London In the gutter, down on their haunches I heard the werewolf and his pup Sayin’ with a sigh, “shit happens!” :- ( Aaahoo, werewolves of London Aaahoo (2x)

2353

29/04/2011jj - if you don't like it, don't read it. Grow up and move on, AC - well done and the best I've seen. As I won't be watching The Chasers Royal Wedding Coverage, your effort may not be beaten.

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011AcerbicC., Bill Maher's description of the Tea Partiers, of whom Tony and little jj are Australian envoys, is very apt: "The Teabaggers are Capitalism's useful idiots." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0xioVJMTCk&feature=player_embedded#at=595

lyn

29/04/2011Hi Ad This is the first photo online of Julia Gillard arriving at the wedding, she looks very lovely, top designer label clothes. I hope the papers at least say something nice: Gillard chooses Australian fashion legends Ms Gillard emerged in an [b]Anthea Crawford [/b]navy skirt, [b]Carla Zampatti [/b]navy camisole, and a creamy, silver jacket by Perth designer Aurelio Costarella. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/royal-wedding/gillard-chooses-australian-fashion-legends-20110429-1e0kn.html#ixzz1KufOkT2a

TalkTurkey

29/04/2011Hi Swordsfolks, Guess what, after I got back from Mildura with my head full of ideas, I went to visit Julia in person, wow, I was received really cordially, we shared Osso Buco cooked in-house, I made a few suggestions which I think were quite well-received, and I came away bearing gifts! I'm just winding down now!

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011Interesting article from Rob Burgess about the Gillard government's attempts to prevent the 'waste and mismanagement' of government money that the Opposition rails against, and the Opposition's opposition to it http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Labor-BER-spending-bill-funding-pd20110429-GCSU7?OpenDocument&src=kgb

Feral Skeleton

29/04/2011lyn, Sad, isn't it, when you have to say about the first female Prime Minister of Australia: 'I hope the papers say something nice.'?

TalkTurkey

29/04/2011Do you feel that the Rotten Right is gradually finally losing its puff? I do. They are quietly losing ground despite their desperate swimming against the tide, they've given it their best shot, labor keeps gaining ground by the passage of legislation and by the passage of time. If this were a footy match we'd just be coming to the end of the first quarter, and we'll have a useful wind behind us after July. Dog knows we have had it against us for years! We the fifth estate are gaining clout too, it is our burden and challenge and honour to grow our influence. I believe we have already had a noticeable and significant effect on the MSM in the last few months - actually, only about the last month really. The shock jocks are losing credibility even among the bogans, having conflated things to an unsustainable degree. Meanwhile we have howled righteously at the ABC, I think our jibes are stinging, and we must press home what advantage we have gained. The media is SO important to who ends up governing this country! Making it responsible is our responsibility. Nobody else will do it, there isn't anybody else, the Evil Empire of Dark Lord Murdoch controls the whole MSM. But we can fight it ONLY by winning back fairness in the ABC. I hope we are already seeing a change - that self-styled "well-read head"ed #itch Sales might have been the high water mark of unprofessional bigotry, I do hope it can be turned back from here on.

TalkTurkey

29/04/2011FS said "lyn, Sad, isn't it, when you have to say about the first female Prime Minister of Australia: 'I hope the papers say something nice.'?" Damn right.

Ad astra reply

29/04/2011Hi Lyn Yes, Julia looked very elegant. Dressed stylishly but not overdone. She is a credit to Australia. Her overseas visit has been well received by all media outlets I have seen. What a change! Wasn’t the Royal Wedding a magnificent spectacle! The British do ceremonial better than any race on Earth. We shall never see another Royal wedding like that in our lifetime. What an experience! FS What a great You Tube of the David Letterman show! I loved Bill Maher’s description of the Tea Party – ‘corporate America’s corporate idiots’. Bob Burgess’ article read almost like satire. He certainly saw the irony of the Coalition harping on Labor’s ‘waste and mismanagement’ yet opposing the Gillard Government’s intention to ‘follow the dollars’ when it hands out grants for flood relief, even if it does upset some state Coalition governments. TT I have similar feelings to you about the media, but I hardly dare believe they represent a genuine change for the better. Let’s wait a while. I agree that if the ABC returns to its charter and resumes balanced reporting, the rest of the media may feel pressure to follow suit. Hope springs eternal.

janice

30/04/2011Oh no, Ascerbic. Not the keys to the Lodge! Julia should take a mini pooper-scooper out of her handbag, scoop up the doggie do and empty it down the front of the red budgie smugglers....as usual Ascerbic, a good piece of satire. I see our PM was "summoned" by HM the Queen at the wedding reception for a one-on-one meeting. Wonder how that will go down with Abbott's breakfast. The captcha two words were: received; chsit. Appropriate for your piece Ascerbic?

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Ad I am anxiously waiting for only a nice comment, just one thing nice, something, anything nice about Julia Gillard all dressed up at the wedding. Her fascinator looked lovey up to the minute fashion, her hair was lovely. Julia as you say Ad, did Australia proud. Having said all that, this morning at 7am I am suffering Virginia Trioli. I just had this warm feeling Virginia was going to be kind, well up go the morning papers for discussion, me with a nervous feeling. On one front page had 4 ladies all dressed up, Julia Gillard's picture was third in the row. They got to Julia and the interviewee, whoever she was, gave Julia some half hearted praise. Virginia said she doesn't agree, mumbled something about "Oh! those jacket tails again", "I want to go to page three, something about cancer". My nervous feeling has gone now, I have come out of denial and have prepared for the onslaught of spite, gossip and nastiness brewing up against Julia. Poor Julia. Yes Ad, I enjoyed the wedding, the spectacular carriages, the protocol, the sheer splendour is, as you say magnificent. Cheers

lyn

30/04/2011[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]Trolls, April 15th, 2008 John Quiggin [/i] I’m no longer interested in, and no longer have time for, dealing with people who are rude and insulting, particularly if they are rude and insulting to me ([b]biased I know, but I do the work to produce this blog and it comes with my biases[/b]). So, from now on, trolls will get [b]one warning if I’m feeling generous and none if I’m not.[/b]http://johnquiggin.com/2008/04/15/trolls/ [i]When it’s only your opponents who are making noise, Jeremy Sear, Pure Poison[/i] taken full advantage of these misunderstandings and whipped each other into a frenzy of “this Government is finished! FINISHED!” pronouncements. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/04/29/when-its-only-your-opponents-who-are-making-noise/ [i]Uhlmann on aboriginal issues, Opinion Dominion[/i] I have noticed that Tony Abbott's contribution about the drinking issues in Alice Springs have so far consisted of asking that public drinking laws be enforced. Yet when Uhlmann asked him about large bars http://opiniondominion.blogspot.com/2011/04/uhlmann-on-aboriginal-issues.html [i]The Billy Tea Party demands Gillard proof of birth, Independent Australia[/i] disgruntled Australians who are demanding to see Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s birth certificate. If she can’t prove that she was born outside Australia, they say, then she must resign at once. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/the-billy-tea-party-demands-gillard-proof-of-birth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-billy-tea-party-demands-gillard-proof-of-birth [i]Update from “Parliament House, Canberra” – 29th Apr 2011, Eyeball, Eyeball Opinion[/i] it is well-known that Tony and Malcolm are as different as Edna and James Bond look-alike competitions – and we all want to see them have another go at one another – we just have to bide our time – smoke signals have been sent and I’m told it will happen … http://bleyzie.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/update-from-parliament-house-canberra-–-29th-apr-2011-…/ [i]Doomed Planet,Vac Klaus, Quadrant Online[/i] human-induced climate change was backed by virtually all scientists. He described the views of climate change sceptics as “illegitimate arguments that you could call scientific bastardry” . http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2011/04/insults-replace-debate [i]The Truth Is Out There & You Need To Find It For Yourself, Neil Cook, The Bannerman[/i] listen to partisan players who have ideological or fiscal barrows to push. We have to do our own research, develop our own understandings and be confident in our own abilities to decide for ourselves. http://www.waddayano.org/blog/2011/04/the_truth_is_out_there_you_nee.php#more [i]Carbon piranhas: first kill to the money grid, Francis Grey, WME[/i] Lindsay Tanner told the ABC last night. Unfortunately he is right. Modern politics is deadened by this deluge of silliness, but only because it lacks the intellectual wit, and more likely the practice, to respond in a powerful manner. http://www.environmentalmanagementnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=2357938 [i]Give Tony Abbott a horse, Miglo, Cafe Whispers[/i] He had to troll around dusty camps in Alice Springs while the real Prime Minister was jetting around the world winning friends and admirers. How humiliating. “She should be toughing it up here while I’m posing in Fukushima in my Gae Waterhouse approved suit”. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/give-tony-abbott-a-horse/ [i]Communications issues bane of NBN existence, James Hutchinson, Computerworld[/i] more streamlined communication methods such as wider information campaigns by Web and a standard model of communication with local councils as the wholesaler ramps up to pass more than 6000 homes a day at the peak of construction. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/384797/communications_issues_bane_nbn_existence/?fp=4&fpid=5&utm_content=awesm-publisher&utm_medium=idg.to-twitter&utm_source=twitter.com [i]Environmental shock and awe,Ted Lapkin, ABC[/i] The environmentalist movement has been waging the mother of all scare campaigns in an effort to muscle through a revolutionary agenda that would end modern life as we know it. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/387130.html [i]Aim high on climate change action, Amy Mullins, ABC[/i] Julia Gillard and Labor must do now in order to regain public support and garner consensus in order to act on climate change. It's time to aim higher and land with effective reforms rather than aim low and land with ineffective political folly. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/561988.html [i]The climate change trade-offs we want from our politicians, Jordan Louviere, The Conversation[/i] self-interest largely influences public preferences for redistributing revenues. Older people prefer plans that return revenue to them, while wealthier prime-age workers favour reducing the GST http://theconversation.edu.au/articles/the-climate-change-trade-offs-we-want-from-our-politicians-1180?utm_source=The+Conversation+Daily+updates&utm_campaign=4a987ca9c7-DailyNewsletter&utm_medium=email

janice

30/04/2011[quote]Saturday, April 30, 2011 » 04:46am LIVE News: Watch it now 1Share Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been called to a one-on-one meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The Queen left her grandson Prince William's wedding reception for a private meeting with Australian Prime Minister and republican Julia Gillard. Following Friday's Westminster Abbey marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Ms Gillard went to Buckingham Palace for a lunchtime reception where she was summoned to a one-on-one meeting with the monarch. 'I can confirm that yes, the Prime Minister did have a private meeting at the palace today,' a palace spokeswoman told AAP. [/quote] Haven't heard a word of the above news on ABC radio as yet. Maybe they want to find out what "the Opposition says.." first.

Crowey

30/04/2011thenewjj AC, What a load of crap. Why dont you try something original for once and write something satirical and denigrating about the ALP. We know you hate the Coalition and all that it stands for, so why not extend yourself to satirize the current state of the Labor Party. thenewjj I,m convinced that your hatred towards the Labor Party replicates a blogger over at GT, who goes by the of Neil of Sydney.

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Hi Lyn I fear we may wait indefinitely for an even mildly generous comment about Julia Gillard’s appearance at the Royal Wedding. Virginia Trioli will not give her an inch, especially after her successful Asia tour. I wonder what she will say about Julia’s private meeting with the Queen? Troili is yet another journalist who engages in the trivializing of politics that Lindsay Tanner speaks of in his new book. janice, do you have a link for the story of Julia’s audience with the Queen? Since the protocol for these conversations is to keep them confidential, we may hear nothing of its content, but the mere fact that the two met is noteworthy. Crowey, your comment about thenewjj is interesting. What is ‘GT’?

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Crowey I agree, maybe JJ and Neil of Sydney are the same person. Having read Neil of Sydney's comments, they are very similar, certainly the same anti anything the Government does, attitude. Neil of Sydney apes Bolt's blog, what does that tell anyone.

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

janice

30/04/2011Ad astra, I just cannot do links (I know, it's easy but I'm obviously too dumb :) - However, the story can be found at Bigpondnews/articles/topstories/. Cheers

Crowey

30/04/2011Ad, I'm Sure you have heard of that extremely respectable site called Gutter Trash.

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011janice Thanks, I’ll go look there. Crowey Thanks. Yes, I do know Gutter Trash well – I’ll take a look there at the comments of Neil of Sydney, a pseudonym that I know I’ve seen before on other websites. Jason, NormanK I have responded to your comments on the last post at the end of that post.

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Janice I found one report for you, of course it's negative, they are talking like Julia is going to get into big trouble from the Queen, she has been called to the headmasters office for mentioning the Republic. Republican Gillard gets a royal summon ,Andrew Drummond and Tom Wald ,SMH While the palace declined to confirm the details of Ms Gillard's meeting with the Queen, what makes their chat topical is Ms Gillard's comments last August that Australia should become a republic once the Queen dies. http://www.smh.com.au/world/republican-gillard-gets-a-royal-summon-20110430-1e1ko.htm

Acerbic Conehead 2

30/04/2011Swordsfolk, Ever since Tones didn’t get an invite to the Royal Wedding, and with him being an ardent monarchist, he has been spitting the dummy. And, to add insult to injury, Prince Charles has had a go at him also: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/10/prince-charles-climate-change-sceptics So, Tones has spiked his hair, rent his garments, put a safety pin in his lip, and joined the nihilist punk rockers. Here he is doing his Johnny Rotten impersonation with the Sex Pistols’ iconoclastic, “God Save the Queen”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyQFNiPZTI8&feature=fvwrel :- ( God save the Queen? The uber has-been! Made me look a moron Me invite’s been pwned :- ( God save the Queen? Made Jooles look a human being! Got her prime seating At Bill n’ Kate’s wedding :- ( Won’t be told what I want Won’t be told what I need There's no future There's no future There's no future for Jooles :- ( God save the Queen? We mean it man! We love our Queen On our terms :- ( God save the Queen? She’ll be on the money As our figurehead Following our agenda :- ( God save my destiny God save a poor mortgagee Oh Lord give us guided... ...democracy :- ( When my soul is saved How can there be sin? Chucking our morals In the dustbin Ramming a spanner In the political machine We're the future Your future Be scared! :- ( God save the Queen? We mean it man! We love our queen On our terms :- ( No future No future for you Only a future for me

lyn

30/04/2011Hi again Janice I found your story on Bigpond News, more informative report than the silly looking SMH gossip about what was said. Gillard called to meeting with Queen [quote]'The Prime Minister was warmly received by Her Majesty who was keen to hear about the Prime Minister's trip to North Asia,' the spokeswoman said. 'The Queen was interested to hear about the shape of the CHOGM agenda which will focus on furthering development opportunities across the Commonwealth and the importance of shared Commonwealth values. In the past Ms Gillard has indicated Australia would again consider shifting to a republic at the next change of monarch after a proposed republican model failed to win a referendum in November 1999.[/quote] http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2011/04/30/Gillard_called_to_meeting_with_Queen_607105.html

thenewjj

30/04/2011The wedding was as boring as i expected. Not a really good advertisement for the Church of England. The ceremony was long and drawn out with the best bit being the speech of the Bishop of London. Gillard, i admit, looked quite smart (Barry Humphries is obviously not a big fan); however i believe Quentin Bryce left her for dead, she looked fantastic. After reading the SMH, The Australian, the AFR and my local rag the Northern Daily Leader, it seems as though the Government is on its death bed. Paul Kelly explains how Abbott's campaign is wedging the government on all of the key issues at the moment. There are some pieces in the AFR on the PM's trip around Asia which pretty well describe it as being non eventful. The SMH has Andrew West writing a good piece on the stupidity of the Labor Party in chasing after polling numbers by doing U-turn after U-turn. Another Essential Media poll this week showed that the Coalition lead is remaining commanding. The Federal Labor Party is on its last legs. TT, You are a very deluded person who obviously doesnt get out much. To say that the Right is slowly losing its battle (who is the 'right' anyway) is just silly. All of the quantitative and qualitative evidence around shows that this is just not true. A poll conducted by Essential Media this week shows that on all of the major political issues polled apart from one the Liberal Party is doing better than Labor. Labor is seen to stand for less than the Liberal Party; be more about grabbing votes than the Liberal Party; being more divided than the Liberal Party; having the worst team out of the two parties etc. As you continuously like to say TT, how about you base your ridiculous assertions on facts rather than whatever stupid thought pops into your head.

janice

30/04/2011Thanks Lyn. There is quite a bit of difference between the two "summons" reports isn't there? It'd be too much to expect that Oz journalists would write anything vaguely positive about PM Julia. I've no doubt that those world leaders who have now met our PM were pleasantly surprised to find her a warm, intelligent and compassionate person and wonder why Australians are so disrespectful and unkind to her. Again, I have no doubt that the British Royal Family know full well how a rabid and out-of-control media are able to destroy and denigrate those they choose to so do, and I would go so far as to say our PM has their understanding and sympathy.

Jason

30/04/2011jj, Do you make this stuff up? everyday you warn of the impending chaos to come with the sky falling in and how Labor is in its death throws. jj the opinion polls can say whatever they like there is no election today. As for Kelly he's nothing more than gossip columnist to give the likes of you hope.The real test for Abbott will be when the senate changes, cause as you know he can either engage in the political process or be like you & I spectators!

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Talk Turkey JJ resorts to personal insults again: [quote]You are a very deluded person who obviously doesnt get out much[/quote] Talk Turkey I think you are a very smart intelligent brilliant person, I wish you were my school teacher. Oh! I forgot to ask you before which University did you attend?, what was that? a PHD in? I forget, I know you did tell me you got all honours, no that's right you are a professor, yes that's right, I just misremembered for awhile. Did you tell us you just got back from Mildura, didn't you go to Adelaide recently, that's right I remember now, what about the book you wrote, also wonderful poems. Glad I don't go out as much as you, I would never get my cooking and housework done, forget the scones, Devonshire Teas. Don't tell JJ, she just gets muddled up with just silliness, delusion takes over her, bad, bad for the brain, sorry I forgot to tell you, be careful of stupidness, dreadful disease. Cheers :):):):)

thenewjj

30/04/2011Jason, and what facts have you got to back up this piece of opinion? So what if an election is not supposed to be for a while. Polls are the best snapshot of the electorate we have at the moment, and all show that Labor is losing, rather than gaining support. Lyn, Get over it. All of your followers bag anyone who comes onto this blog that doesnt follow the Labor Party. TT has got up me plenty of times for not basing my opinion on fact, and yet i dont see you pulling TT up on not providing any qualitative or quantitative evidence to back up his claims of a dying Conservatism. How about a little balance Lyn... i know you struggle with such an approach, that is why you are a member of AA's clan.

janice

30/04/2011[quote]OzPol Tragic Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 11:19 am | Permalink I didn’t know that the Whitlam government is the only government in Australian history to have no net debt. Sure he was bad with the economy, but I checked Tanner’s reference and he’s telling the truth. Kind of destroy’s the “debt is bad, no debt is good” in regards to the strength of the economy. Comparatively speaking, Whitlam wasn’t even bad for the economy – that’s compared to UK (Tory), USA (GOP) & most other national leaders in the developed world in handling the economy – it was the period of the First Oil Shock, remember, and we were an oil producer … Oh, and relative to Menzies (first term holds OZ inflation record), McMahon and Fraser – all three, especially 3rd term with Howard as treasurer (Oz record interest rates); which really should have put an end to to the myth of the Whitlam Government as the worst economic managers. But, let’s face it, Liberals have been lying to the Oz electorate to shore up their vote since Menzies discovered Reds under the beds as an election-winning strategy to cover up his first term as an economic disaster (without Korea, he’s have been a 1 term post-resurrection PM). In fact, that term’s economic disaster was capped only by Fraser’s 1980-83 term with Howard as Treasurer. Which is why they keep lying about the nation’s economy 2008-11 when it’s the best managed in “Western” nations, second best in the developed world and the envy of – and that’s internationally verifiable! [/quote] The above post from OzPol Tragic was posted on Poll Bludger and I have pasted it here for the information of fellow Swordians. The first paragraph is the post Ozpol Tragic is responding to.

Rx

30/04/2011"How about a little balance?" Why don't these whingers try saying that at the blogs of: Akerman, Bolt, Albrechtsen, Devine, Blair, Uhlmann, Milne, or on talkback radio, in the OO etc.

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Hi Lyn and janice The two accounts of the audience of Julia Gillard with the Queen differ. The [i]Bigpond[/i] account is more balanced than the [i]SMH[/i] one. But if the [i]SMH[/i] headline is dismissed, the two accounts even out somewhat in terms of balance The [i]Bigpond[/i] headline was “[i]Gillard called to meeting with Queen[/i]” whereas the [i]SMH[/i] headline was “[i]Republican Gillard gets a royal summon[/i]”. It is not an unreasonable expectation that newspapers have a command of English, yet here is the [i]SMH[/i] using ‘summon’, a verb, as a noun. Moreover, do the authors not understand that the Queen does not believe that she can ‘summon’ international dignitaries into her presence? When did she ever do that? Then the [i]SMH[/i] throws in, presumably to foster controversy, the descriptor ‘Republican’, suggesting subtly that PM Gillard’s Republican advocacy had something to do with her being ‘summoned’ to a meeting by the Queen. In the text of the [i]SMH[/i] piece it says: “[i]The Australian leader, who makes no secret of her republican beliefs, was called[/i] [not summoned] [i]to ”an audience” with the Queen in private apartments…”[/i] Again, the Republican issue is brought up, and inverted commas placed around ‘an audience’, as if that was just a polite term for being ‘summoned’, like a schoolgirl to the office of the headmistress. The [i]Bigpond[/i] headline [i]Gillard called to meeting with Queen[/i], was a much gentler take on what was simply an invitation. Why not use ‘invited’? Those who consider the above comments pedantic should reflect on how such inappropriately used words can influence public opinion. ‘Summoned’ is pejorative in that it is a demand, often used in a legal context; it is quite different in meaning from ‘called’ or ‘invited’. The raising of the Republican issue is a distraction, presumably implying that this was why the Queen invited the PM to talk, and that a ‘dressing down’ might have happened. Of course we know the Queen does not 'dress down' national leaders, and we now know that CHOGM and the PM’s Asian tour were among subjects discussed. I see thenewjj is back with his predictable comment on the Royal Wedding, and his predictions of impending death for Labor. I can only postulate that in the light of PM Gillard’s overseas successes and Tony Abbott’s near-invisibility, that he gets satisfaction from expressing his fantasy of Labor’s demise. What a pity the next scheduled election is two years away! I expect we will have to suffer many more doses of gloom and doom from thenewjj before then.

TalkTurkey

30/04/2011Lyn You are too kind - very literally. But thank you anyway. sameoldjj's targeting me reassures me that I am getting my thinking right though, I don't even have to say anything to it and it spits dummy at me even more! Isn't anybody interested in what happened when I visited Julia recently?

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Ad Sunday morning TV, Lindsay Tanner. Well, from what I have seen so far Barrie Cassidy is not going to achieve a "GOTCHA Award" from interviewing Lindsay Tanner. Your guide to this Sunday morning's political and business interviews Full program listing available at: http://sundaymorningtv.posterous.com/ 8.00am Ch10 - Meet the Press Hugh Riminton is joined on the Panel by the AFR's Louise Dodson and Malcolm Farr from News.com.au. Together they interview Treasurer Wayne Swan and ACTU President Ged Kearney. 8:30am Sky News 601 - Australian Agenda On Sky News Australian Agenda this week Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Scott Morrison. Host Peter Van Onselen is joined by the The Australian's Paul Kelly and Greg Sheridan, and political commentator Nikki Sava. 8:38am Ch7 - Weekend Sunrise - The Riley Diary Political editor Mark Riley looks at the week that was in federal politics 8:40am Ch9 - Today on Sunday The weekly Laurie Oakes interview is no more. Laurie is next expected to return to your Sunday morning screen on Sunday 8 May for a pre-budget interview with Treasurer Wayne Swan. 9:00am ABC1 & on ABC News 24 - Insiders On Insiders this week, Barrie Cassidy interviews former Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner. On the panel: 7.30’s Chris Uhlmann, the Sydney Institute’s Gerard Henderson and political writer Kerry-Anne Walsh. And Mike Bowers talks pictures with cartoonist from The Mercury and The Australian, Jon Kudelka. 10:00am ABC1 & on ABC News 24 @ 5.30pm - Inside Business This week on Inside Business a feature interview with Origin Energy CEO Grant King. A look at a new plan by the Fair Work Ombudsman to stop the illegal underpayment of staff Also a look at what the higher than expected inflation figures this week may mean for interest rates And the First Person feature looks at the tough times in the textile trade. High dollars and commodity prices are making it very difficult with one survivor that had beaten the odds with exports to the U.S. Plus the regular update of the latest news from the markets and Alan Kohler’s incisive commentary

Jason

30/04/2011jj, Brown declares 'Greenslide' with Senate balance of power http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/brown-declares-greenslide-with-senate-balance-of-power-20100822-13aa0.html Commit to full, thre-year term, key independents demand of major parties http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/independents-poll-warning-to-the-prime-minister-and-tony-abbott/story-fn59niix-1225909848288

Rx

30/04/2011If the "balance" here on this oasis in cyberspace called TPS is not to their liking, bitter sourpusses can find an abundance of their favoured "balance" all over the so-called mainstream media. There's so much of it they don't even have to look to find it. It's all around them. The OO and their ABC are full of the "balance" they approve of. Tune into a talkback station, any talkback station in the country, and they will get all the "balance" their tiny minds could wish for. Why come here in particular and demand "balance"?

Acerbic Conehead 2

30/04/2011Jason, Rx, FS, AA, lyn, 2353, janice, Crowey, I'm glad you enjoyed the Scarlet Pimpernel story. I'm also looking forward to jj's attempts at something similar. After all, I'll learn so much from such an expert. I'm reminded of the old Arab saying, "the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on..."

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Hi Lyn I hope you will take no notice of thenewjj’s taunts. You don’t deserve such comments. Ignore him like the rest of us do. TT similarly will brush aside his pejorative comments. Rx Agree. janice Thanks for the [i]OzPol Tragic[/i] comment. It’s time we all began rebutting the Coalition nonsense about ‘debt and deficit’, ‘waste and mismanagement’ and ‘GNBT’ that Tony Abbott and his front bench emit every day. There’s something coming up on that subject this week on [i]TPS[/i].

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011TT I have to go shopping now, but will look forward to reading of your visit to 'Julia' on my return.

lyn

30/04/2011Acerbi Conehead Thankyou so much for your delightful work, and 09:41 AM a bonus posted for our enjoyment. If you keep illuminating "The Political Sword" with your brilliance, not only will we be bedazzled, we will have so many new commenters we won't be able to accomodate them all because we will run out of space. Spiked hair on Mr Abbott's bald spot, now that's different.

Acerbic Conehead 2

30/04/2011Lyn, [quote]Spiked hair on Mr Abbott's bald spot, now that's different.[/quote] Here’s an aerial shot: http://www.mtdna.no/public/uploads/P9100492.JPG TT, I knew you were going to tell us about your visit to Julia anyway. You name-dropper you! Welcome back.

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Talk Turkey I have been waiting and waiting, in anticipation of your report on your meeting with Julia Gillard. The main thing I am interested in, is her fascinator hat, nobody has told me the colour yet, the handbag is important too. I will be upset if they didn't come from David Jones. I am positive she wore that hat to your meeting. I was too afraid to ask you to tell us about the Julia meeting you, because I thought you were joking. Now that I know for sure, you weren't just doing jest, excitement is taking me over. Post the post now Talk Turkey, we are suspended in waiting.

macca

30/04/2011Is the Govt. in trouble? Really? I don't think so. All the noise is coming from the same mouths that have been banging their gums about this for the past four years. I find it, the noise, oddly comforting, in an elevator music kind of way. It's just there on an endless loop. Droning away in the background while the elevator does the real and important work.That's why the choir that produces the elevator music is becoming increasingly manic. Julia Gillard and her Govt. are doing real and important work. The NBN, Mining tax and other legislative initiatives are solid work. The budget will be fair and balanced, not in a Fox News sort of way, but in the true sense and meaning of the words. Apparently there will some tightening up on the Disability pension and the unemployed. There are those who can work but wont. I know a few myself, as I'm sure we all do. I'm not as kind as the PM, offering them the dignity of work. I'm a bit more pragmatic. I would rather have you putting into the system than taking out of it. The system is there for the genuine. Please honour that concept. The debates will continue over issues such as Health, Education, Immigration, Refugees and Asylum seekers.....although how a population of over 20 million people can become so scared of a few hundred people in wooden boats in the Indian Ocean says more about the moral fibre of individual Australians than anything else. The likely outcome of these debates will be reflected in the legislation passed into law. Again, the product of real and important work. Not the product of the choir. Julia Gillard and her Govt. appear to be concentrating on doing the real and important work and leaving the politics aside. Government demands that of them. The Australian people demand that of them. Bringing about change, slow as that may be, is real and it is important. Changing the endless tape loop on the elevator is a job much more suited to those who are, with apologies to Bill Maher, corporate Australias' useful idiots whether in the opposition, on the radio, newspapers, television or, and God bless their polyester socks, make the occasional cameo on the Political Sword.

Gravel

30/04/2011Acerbic Conehead Again you have given me a great laugh. Ad Astra Health is slowly improving, starting to comprehend and being able to read for longer than half an hour. All will be well. Talk Turkey Okay, okay, tell us all about your visit with Julia. Did you really get to talk with her? I am so envious, just gone green with jealousy. Lyn Still not up to reading your links but keep them coming, you do such a wonderful job.

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Rx Taking up your comment about balance, thenewjj and others of his persuasion ought to understand that there an abundance of blogs for which the ‘balance’ is heavily against Labor and pro Coalition, such as the Bolt and Akerman blogs where never a good word is said about PM Gillard or her Government, and the Albrechtsen, Devine and Blair blogs that are almost universally negative to Labor, the Milne blog that more often than not is anti-Labor, and now the Uhlmann blog that is trending against Labor. Those blogs ought to give him enough anti-Labor succour, but he still comes here hoping to persuade us that Labor is hopeless, incompetent, can do nothing right, is in rapid decline and will soon die, while all the time PM Gillard is getting on with the job, passing scores of bills without one failure in this parliament, having successful overseas visits, and even meeting privately with the Queen to discuss CHOGM and her successful Asian tour. He seems to live in a world of fantasy created by the aforementioned blogs and of course the Coalition with its vast collection of disingenuous slogans. Much of the MSM is also in on the ‘bring down the Gillard Government’ push. Coalition apologists such as Dennis Shanahan, Leo Shanahan, Paul Kelly and the like write enthusiastically about Abbott’s destructive campaign of denigration of the Gillard Government, using as Abbott does the same derogatory terms as thenewjj, adding recently the view that Labor is ‘crumbling’ and will not go the two and a half years to the next election. These journalists talk about the traction Abbott is achieving with his ‘blitzkrieg’ and the erosion of confidence in Labor circles as Abbott ‘taps into the vein of uncertainty to try to convert a growing sense of despair within Labor about short term difficulties into panic about long term failure’. And the words they use suggest that they applaud and admire Abbott for his destructive efforts. What is striking is that all the while they describe in great detail Abbott’s destructiveness and its apparent success, at least in their minds, these journalists never once describe what the alternative to this appalling Gillard Government would look like. Not once have they applauded Abbott’s ‘direct action’ plan for addressing climate change, perhaps because no economist does and few business leaders. They focus solely on what they or the rent-seekers claim will be the terrible damage a carbon tax will do to their businesses, employment, the Australian economy, and the man in the street struggling with rising costs of living. There is no vision of what transforming our economy, and doing it now, will do for our future. They never discuss the damage that being left behind will do. Leaving climate change aside, have you read what an Abbott Government might look like in the fields of IR, health, education and social security? Only border security gets a run with a return to the Howard era. So we get almost no opinion from most political commentators, notably none from the Murdoch stable, about the face of an Abbott Government and how it would be better for the nation than the Gillard Government. No, all we get is rampant negativity against the Government but no counterbalancing positivity at the prospect of an Abbott Government. Do they think it would be better; if so in what way? Please tell us. thenewjj ought to understand by now that to balance this heavy predisposition against Labor there needs to be a blogsite where the vision, the actions and the achievements of the Gillard Labor Government can be expressed candidly and without the sort of ridicule that thenewjj relentless heaps upon bloggers here and on the Gillard Government. For the health of political discourse in this country, it’s just as well that we have blogs like [i]TPS[/i] and the bloggers who visit here, as well as a number of other blogs that give Labor a fair go, that can balance to some extent the avalanche of negativity that comes from elsewhere.

thenewjj

30/04/2011"I can only postulate that in the light of PM Gillard’s overseas successes and Tony Abbott’s near-invisibility, that he gets satisfaction from expressing his fantasy of Labor’s demise." AA, 1. To say that Julia Gillard's trip was a success just because she didnt make any stuff ups is just silly. tell me AA, what did Gillard achieve? 2. Tony Abbott was about as visible, if not more so than Gillard. Abbott was on AM, News Breakfast, ABC news 24, 7:30 amongst many other programs. His trips to Christmas island, South Australia and the red center got just as much coverage as Gillard's trip in the news headlines. You may not have liked the coverage, but that does not mean that it didnt happen. 3. The word "fantasy" seems to imply that what i am saying is just the prodeuct of my imagination. As you continuously say AA, 'we are all for the facts on The Political Sword' and i have provided them to you: polling conducted by Essential Research. Now you tell me AA, what qualitative or quantitative evidence do you have to say that the Labor Party is not losing support in the electorate? That the Labor Party is not slowly dying?

2353

30/04/2011It finally got to the ABC. Gillard to meet the Queen http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/30/3204209.htm?section=justin Our resident troll under the bridge doesn't like this post - then doesn't like the royal wedding anyway. Some days you just can't win [insert laughing face icon here].

TalkTurkey

30/04/2011Darling Hearts, Goes to show. You should never trust a Liar Bird posing as a Turkey. He might be telling the truth! Julia is a tiny hamlette a few miles from Eudunda, on the far edge of the Barossa Valley. There are about 7 houses there if you count those within a mile. There are about 4 or 5 in the conurbation itself, one of which belongs to my friend Erick and his French consort Dalila whom he calls Delilah. I went to visit them a few days ago. Julia is rightly famed as the childhood home of Colin Thiele, author of Sun on the Stubble and Storm Boy and Blue Fin and Gloop the Gloomy Bunyip (in rhyming verse) and much more; he was my Teachers' College lecturer and tutor, and the most inspiring influence as a teacher I ever met. $150,000 - or offer - will buy you a lovely little schoolhouse in Julia itself - one of the 4 or 5 houses - now refurbished as a well-appointed, neat smart little 1-bedroom house, rainwater only but lots of it, - where Colin Thiele himself went to primary school. You may find it on Google. It would be fun to set it up as a tourist attraction, selling Thiele books and CDs and suchlike to the many intellectual winos who visit the Barossa. No TV reception and no wireless broadband connection in my Toyota Hiace RV up there, oh what a feeling, NOT! But the countryside is fresher looking than in many years, Dog the rainfall has been down so long in SA it was looking like up to us Crowies. And yes, thank you all, I had a very pleasant little trip. I am deeply sorry for conning you like that my dearios. (Oh yeah.) I see Ad astra was suitably sceptical though!

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011TT I have a buyer for the house in Julia - her greatest fan - thenewjj. I'm glad you enjoyed Julia. We enjoy Julia too.

Jason

30/04/2011AA, thesameastheoldjj asks "Now you tell me AA, what qualitative or quantitative evidence do you have to say that the Labor Party is not losing support in the electorate? That the Labor Party is not slowly dying?" Well the answer can be given in three short words! Windsor Oakeshott and Bandt

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Rx As you read the reply from thenewjj, I’m sure you realized that it would not matter what we said about PM Gillard and her Government that we felt was good, he would disagree. He has cherry-picked from my last message to you the bits he wanted to dispute. For example, he asks about her Asia tour: “…what did Gillard achieve? The implication is that she achieved little or nothing, despite every TV journalist travelling with her that I have seen, saying that she had done a good job. Now that is saying something when what we expected was the usual carping criticism. Yet seemingly thenewjj can see no achievements because he asks me to tell him what they were. That would be a pointless exercise, even if I pointed to her being very well received and cementing good relations with Japan, Korea and China, and advancing free trade negotiations with Korea and China, just to mention two. Note too how he avoids the question of what an Abbott Government would look like and how it would be better than the Gillard Government, just as News Limited journalists avoid the same question. Like them, he wants to focus on the negatives he sees in the Gillard Government. So I am confirmed in my view that it is purposeless trying to engage him in balanced discourse while he simply echoes the Coalition lines as if they are holy writ. I am not prepared to waste my time with him unless he comes here with something positive to contribute; others blogging here can make up their own minds.

janice

30/04/2011Told you so, Ad Astra :) jj has been, and always will be, a complete waste of time.

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Ad Our favourite blogger Greg, Grog's Gamut has written a fantastic article this afternoon. I call it a "please read now column" read without delay, honestly don't miss out, lovely Saturday afternoon read. [i]The Sideshow zooms over the press gallery's heads, Greg Jericho, Grog's Gamut[/i] [quote]In the desperate desire to find a story to make a splash, the Telegraph (and other news.ltd papers) and Maiden proved Tanner’s point completely – they spiced it up and distorted it to the point where it bears little resemblance to the original substance.[/quote] http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com/

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011My head is about to explode! It has been crammed full of information from the Progressive Australia Conference which I attended today at the Sydeny University Law School. I will have more to say about it all at a later date, but I will say this one thing to Ad Astra specifically, someone mentioned exactly the same suggestion which I make in my next blog! Also, I was entertained by a talk given by Dr Rebecca Huntly, the new head of Ipsos Mackay Research, Hugh Mackay being semi-retired now. Anyway, she spends her days going around Australia, not doing the traditional type of Focus Group Research we are familiar with, with a roomful of bogans (like jj :) ), but she goes from East to West and North to South, country town to large regional centre to deepest suburbia, and targets specific groups, like a group of 16 year old girls, a group of truckies, a group of electricians, and so on. Then she just asks them to tell her what they have been talking about amongst themselves for the last couple of weeks. She collates it and writes her reports based upon it. I won't bore you with all the details, but she agreed that the best think the Labor Party have going for them atm, according to real, politically-disengaged people, is Tony Abbott. He's toxic in the wider electorate beyond us political tragics. Also, that Mark Riley/Tony Abbott interaction is what has really stuck in people's minds beyond just about anything else. So, jj, Abbott can go sit in the dirt and play at being concerned about Aboriginal drinking all he likes, because people have made up their mind about him. And the conclusion is, "He's F.I.T.H."

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011[quote]On Sky News Australian Agenda this week Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Scott Morrison. Host Peter Van Onselen is joined by the The Australian's Paul Kelly and Greg Sheridan, and political commentator Nikki Sava.[/quote] Yawn fest or Bitch Fest I can't decide. :)

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011Here's a fascinating little article to put into the mix wrt the Climate Change debate: http://www.smh.com.au/business/neglecting-the-future-to-pay-for-the-present-20110429-1e0eg.html

Ad astra reply

30/04/2011Hi Lyn That piece by Grog is magnificent. Having actually read Lindsay Tanner’s book, he critiques it well and nails Samantha Maiden and other paltry journalists as the very ones who prove Tanner’s point that the media create a sideshow to the political scene that distorts the truth and ‘dumbs-down’ the public. In the process it allows the Coalition to get away with disingenuousness writ large. Tanner’s book is obviously a ‘must read’. macca Great comments. Thank you. Gravel It’s good to see that you are on the mend. I hope [i]TPS[/i] has a therapeutic effect. 2353 Julia Gillard’s meeting with the Queen by all accounts went well, although we can expect some who blog here who believe she can do nothing right, to disagree. janice I guess I’m a slow learner, or I have too much faith in reasonableness. Silly me! FS I’m glad you had a productive weekend. We look forward with keen anticipation to reading about it. Your comment about the public’s view of TA, as per Dr Huntley’s research, is most interesting.

lyn

30/04/2011Hi Talk Turkey I really do just love that little place called Julia. Thankyou for telling us about Julia, I was just joking I really didn't care about the handbag and fascinator, I didn't believe you, but I did get curious at what you were up to Talk Turkey. [quote]It would be fun to set it up as a tourist attraction, selling Thiele books and CDs and suchlike to the many intellectual winos who visit the Barossa. [/quote] I agree it would be fun to set up a tourist attraction, I could sell devonshire teas on silver platters, Oh! no, but there would be work involved and lots of it. Second thoughts, think I would like to go and just look at that place called Julia. I can picture the lovely little rose covered cottages, with their little wooden veranda's, quaint pretty rose gardens.

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30/04/2011FS That is a rare exposition by Gareth Hutchens. It makes sense even although it addresses the complexity of action on climate change. But how many would read it carefully when the alternative is to listen to Tony Abbott's GBNT slogan, and parrot this easy-to-remember and plausible piece of deception?

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30/04/2011Jason thenewjj has not yet worked out that answer. He refuses to contemplate the continued support of the independents because it conflicts with his 'Labor is collapsing and will soon be down and out' meme.

Grog

30/04/2011Thanks Lyn, AA. The things that gets me is Tanner anticipated the coverage his book would get on Page 6 of his book! I certainly don't think Tanner's book is the final word on the issue - and he certainly give an easier ride to politicians, but to deride the book as many have done for that reason is to so completely miss the point as to be rather breathtaking.

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011I read an article about Lindsay Tanner in the Sydney Morning Herald News Review today, and it was most enlightening. In it he admitted to having been an early and committed supporter of Kevin Rudd, from his first challenge to Kim Beazley on! Also that he had a 'professional and collegiate' relationship with Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan. He also said that the one thing that he couldn't put his finger on that was missing from his post-political life until he caught up with an old colleague, was the 'palace intrigue' that goes on in parliament house all the time. The gossip. :)

D Mick Weir

30/04/2011Laura Tingle in the [i]Weekend AFR[/i] backs up what Grog has said about the circus around Tanners book. [b]What's wrong with democracy[/b] [i]'If Lindsay Tanner needed any better proof that political reporting - and politics - has descended into a ludicrous sideshow, as he describes in his new book, it was unleashed the moment he appeared on ABC's 7:30 report on Thursday night. Political reporters took to Twitter to be rude about the former Finance Minister ... And his comments were almost immediately misreported ...'[/i] Tingle has writtten (yet another) good piece and, for mine, it is well worth the price of buying the Weekend AFR for this alone.

D Mick Weir

30/04/2011And another quote from Tanner: [i]"The adjective that I consistently attracted throughout my politcal career was '[b]thoughtful[/b]' which is a journalists' word for '[b]boring[/b]'. '[b]Thinker[/b]' is even more deadly.[/i] Ad, FS and all commenters I will endeavour to never say that your contributions are '[i]thoughtful[/i]' :)

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011Here's an article about the guy who gace the Keynote address at the Progressive Australia Conference today: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Former-Cabinet-Minister-James-Purnell-To-Return-To-Front-Line-Politics-With-Keynote-Speech/Article/201104415980965?lpos=Politics_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15980965_Former_Cabinet_Minister_James_Purnell_To_Return_To_Front_Line_Politics_With_Keynote_Speech

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011Sorry, I'm tired. That should be 'gave'. :(

Feral Skeleton

30/04/2011DMW, This is the alternative universe of the blogosphere here. I would actually appreciate it mightily if you were to apply the word 'thoughtful' to my work. :)

D Mick Weir

30/04/2011FS, how about: [i]FS has proved she is a deep thinker with another very thoughtful piece ...[/i] What a double :)

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011DMW, That's Journoese and I'll have none of it, thank you very much! Off to the Thesaurus young man, and then get back to me. :)

lyn

1/05/2011[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]The Sideshow zooms over the press gallery's heads, Greg Jericho, Grog's Gamut[/i] In the desperate desire to find a story to make a splash, the Telegraph (and other news.ltd papers) and Maiden proved Tanner’s point completely http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com/ T[i]he Hall of Media Mirrors , Mr Denmore, The Failed Estate[/i] the increasingly short-termist and trivial nature of reporting on politics, the focus on entertainment and fluff and the absence of any real hard analysis http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/2011/04/hall-of-media-mirrors.html [i]Tanner on gotcha ,Gary Sauer-Thompson , Public Opinion[/i] politicians always being backed into corners where they play it safe and defensive to avoid the media talk of gaffes, splits, person x attacks person y etc. http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2011/04/tanner-on-gotch.php [i]Lindsay stays loyal, Steve,Opinion Dominion[/i] It's interesting that Lindsay Tanner says that Labor dropped Kevin Rudd because they couldn't see that he could recover in the polls. http://opiniondominion.blogspot.com/ [i]The slow lingering death of journalism, Woolly Days[/i] ABC too entrenched in the status quo, only the unpaid fifth estate is showing any interest in saving democracy. But http://woollydays.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/the-slow-lingering-death-of-journalism/ [i]Why Juila Gillard is right to introduce a carbon tax , Paul Howes, The Telegraph[/i] Tony Abbott could not, and so, he is not the prime minister, as much as he likes to pedal around the countryside pretending .http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/why-juila-gillard-is-right-to-introduce-a-carbon-tax/story-e6frezz0-1226047525233 [i]A Bit of Government 2.0 from Muammar Gaddafi, Nicholas Gruen, Club Troppo[/i] The Internet is like a vacuum cleaner, it can suck anything. Any useless person; any liar; any drunkard; anyone under the influence; anyone high on drugs; can talk on the Internet, and you read what he writes http://clubtroppo.com.au/ [i]Gaming the birther denialists, Dave's Archives[/i] Donald Trump has "accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish" - the final clinching proof that the sitting US President was, in fact, born exactly where he said he was. http://davec.org/ [i]The Earl of Wentworth is debasing himself, Renai LeMay, Delimeter[/i] one thing will remain constant throughout the next few years. If Turnbull continues to attack Mike Quigley in public, he http://delimiter.com.au/2011/04/29/the-earl-of-wentworth-is-debasing-himself/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Delimiter+%28Delimiter%29 [i]Not a good look from the ABC, Richard Farmer, The Stump.[/i]Tony Eastley, to chair events on behalf of the federal government’s Climate Change Commission (CCC) is not a good look. The CCC might be called, in the words of an ABC spokesperson, http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2011/04/30/not-a-good-look-from-the-abc/ [i]It's not as if there are any Australian institutions worth celebrating, after all, Jeremy Sear. Pure Poison[/i] A baffling attack on Australian republican sentiment by the Southbank Jester this morning: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/04/30/its-not-as-if-there-are-any-australian-institutions-worth-celebrating-after-all/ [i]'There's No Problem!' Newsrooms in Denial About Rampant Errors, Scott Rosenberg, Idea Lab[/i] Roughly half of newspaper stories contain errors; only a tiny fraction of those errors ever get corrected. http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2011/04/theres-no-problem-newsrooms-in-denial-about-rampant-errors115.htm [i]Budget 2011/12. We are about to find out what Swan and Wong are made of, Peter Martin[/i] The floods have probably knocked $9 billion off the economy. At the same time the government has to spend an extra $5 billion on rebuilding http://www.petermartin.com.au/ [i]Hostages to fortune, The Watermelon Blog[/i] people complaining about a carbon tax, and standing behind Tony Abbott with offensive banners, are the kind of people who are “driving around Australia to burn our children’s http://davidhortonsblog.com/2011/04/30/hostages-to-fortune/ [i]Petition for ABC to return to its charter, Getup[/i] example would be the 7:30 reports recent interviews with the PM and Opposition leader by Chris Uhlmann -- the first was antagonistic and rude, the second was sycophantic and a virtual political advertisement). http://suggest.getup.org.au/forums/60819-campaign-ideas/suggestions/1684971-petition-for-abc-to-return-to-its-charter [i]BREAKING NEWS – Queen “orders” Australia to become a Republic, Independent Australia[/i] The Queen apparently made it clear that an Australian Republic would in no way impair the affection and special relationship enjoyed between the two countries http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/republic/breaking-news-queen-orders-australia-to-become-a-republic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=breaking-news-queen-orders-australia-to-become-a-republic [i]You get bread crumbs, they live a merry circus, Jeff Sparrow, ABC[/i] In the conservative Telegraph, Matthew d'Ancona blurts out what many liberals are too polite to acknowledge. the costumes, the ridiculous titles and the silly ceremonies generate a libidinal energy that feeds a celebrity culture, http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/576284.html [i]A Royal Wedding: The best dressed... , Miss Kitty - Cat Goes to Town[/i] the ehole look was appropriate and for once she outdid our normally very stylish Governor General. Julia's style on the most recent overseas trip has been fabulous to watch - elegant, sophisticated. http://misskitty-catgoestotown.blogspot.com/2011/04/royal-wedding-best-dressed.html

lyn

1/05/2011HI Ad Different camera shots for Mr Abbott today, "race a train" three year election campaign, Fly to Wyalla mines Fly back out again Who said the Liberal Party didn't have any money?, was it themselves crying poor mouth, to get more donations, remember the email during the floods asking for donations. Tony Abbott to take on Puffing Billy, Kimberly Seedy, Lifestyle OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott will set to test his strength against the hills’ famous steam train Puffing Billy on Sunday. http://free-pressleader.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/tony-abbott-to-take-on-puffing-billy/

TalkTurkey

1/05/2011Sunday morning in Adelaide trying to work out what time each TV program will be on is maddening. 1. We have a HALF-hour difference from most of the rest of the world, the Eastern States of Oz where our program times come from in particular. 2. We have daylight bloody saving in SA. 3. So do certain Eastern States but not all afa I know. 4. The States that do are not necessarily in synch with SA afa I know. 5. My STRONG ("not just by name") set-top box doesn't allow for half-hour updating afa I know . . . 6. ABC1 and ABC24 are separated by minus-half an hour here . . . The complexicaligulating that this promotes blows my finals when I'm trying to work out from Lyn's Sunday Links when to be watching any given program. So, Meet the Press is at 8 AM? Yeah but WTF time is that in Crow Country? Daylight saving is crazy, and the SA half-hour difference is stupid. We should either bite the bullet and go to Eastern States time, or bite the cartridge case and go to a 1-hour difference. WA has a 2-hours difference from eastern states (QLD and WA don't have daylight saving I think?) So they're getting stuffed up by Vic & NSW's mucking around with the time zone, and Dog help me SA is worst of all. Did you know there are hardly any places in the world with a half-hour difference from Greenwich? And if people want to save daylight, why not just start work and school etc an hour early, (we do anyway in real time after all), so why change the poor suffering CLOCKS? Just start at 8 AM instead of 9, would that be so hard? Dog Almighty . . . As I write the bloke tells me Meet the Press is to be at the new time of 10.30 next week! Gee once there was the Seven O'clock News on ABC, no Daylight Saving, and a choice of white bread or brown in the shop. No wonder there's road-rage and trolls. Especially when Meet the Press is as it was today. Lindsay Tanner on ABC24 with Cassidy now. Telling it like it is about media beat-up. Cassidy not interrupting, some people have too much gravitas and besides Tanner can't be gotcha'd, he's not an MHR any longer.

lyn

1/05/2011Good Morning Ad and Talk Turkey Talk Turkey, you are hillarious, thankyou for my morning grin and laugh. I can understand your problem, but you should move to Queensland we haven't touched the poor suffering clocks, so they are all ok, but we do suffer like you when NSW plays with the clocks. Even my links go up an hour earlier now, and we don't touch the clocks. One lady I know, gets so confused, she was waiting to watch the Melbourne cup and she said: "Lets phone Melbourne they know the winner, the race has finished down there". Barrie Cassidy was bending over backwards to blame the Politicians for the media's false reporting and Gotcha reporting. Lindsay Tanner was excellent as normal, he really was a big loss to the Government, not the Labor Party, hear me the Government. Lindsay's book has caused a riot amongst the Journalists, wonder if anything will improve or change, big wonder Eh!. Going shopping now to buy a basket of roses, for the dining room table and the garden.

2353

1/05/2011TT - you rightly sound confused - hope the rest of your day is better. DMW said - "FS, how about: FS has proved she is a deep thinker with another very thoughtful piece ... What a double Smile D Mick Weir " Talk about damning with feint praise :)

janice

1/05/2011Talk Turkey, I totally agree with you re daylight saving. I've always hated it and not because it fades the curtains :). For me it is the adjustment of a stubborn body clock at the beginning and end of "summer time" that caused me grief. As a dairyfarmer, I hated it more because the cows simply refused to co-operate for weeks so that getting them into the yards for the morning milking was an exercise in extreme frustration. I was pleasantly surprised with Insiders this morning. I haven't watched the programme for a long time and did so this morning knowing there would be no Bolt or Akerman and I was interested to hear Lindsay Tanner. For the first time in yonks, the panel actually had a few nice things to say about our PM and Gerald Henderson even went so far as to say that he thought a lot of stuff aimed at our PM is unfair. And Uhlman left his pius, holier-than-thou attitude at home. I wonder if Barrie Cassidy has finally taken some note of the bombardment of criticism going his way and whether Lindsay Tanner's book has given some in the media a little food for thought.

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1/05/2011Hi Lyn What a fantastic interview with Lindsay Tanner on [i]Insiders[/i] this morning. I will file it for posterity. Using his eloquent and clear way of speaking he described what we have been saying for ages here, and on other blogs such as [i]Grog’s Gamut[/i] and [i]The Failed Estate[/i], namely that the media has distorted and perverted political coverage to such an extent that it has morphed from information giving, to infotainment, and now in many outlets to almost pure entertainment with just a touch of information. As you say, Barrie Cassidy was on the defensive through the interview, and Kerry-Ann Walsh even more so when the interview was discussed. Even the inexperienced Chris Uhlmann tried to make the case that it is the politicians who are the attention seekers, by referring to a long ago confrontation. Clearly the media has been stung by Tanner’s book where he pings it for the current state of political reporting, while acknowledging that politicians too have contributed. His contention is that politicians respond to the rules that the media set, whereas Kerry-Anne Walsh and Chris Uhlmann pointed to the massive media units that political parties now have as evidence that the politicians are responsible for creating the media environment that now exists by controlling so tightly the ‘message for the day’ and through controlled leaks of policy and plans. I suppose that is so to some extent. So we are getting into a ‘chicken and egg’ debate, of which there were hints during [i]Insiders[/i]. Expect the media defence to be: ‘the politicians made us do it’, rather than what Cassidy accused Tanner of saying: ‘the media made us do it’. From my limited and amateur observations of politics in recent years, I agree with Tanner’s views, and have been saying so for a long while. Other bloggers here will no doubt express their views. There will be some debate of Tanner’s book in the media, from dismissive pieces to those mounting a defence, to a few, such as Laura Tingle’s piece in the [i]AFR[/i], that take Tanner’s views seriously. While I expect that the commercial outlets, particularly News Limited ones, will be dismissive and continue with their ‘entertainment’ agenda, outlets like the ABC might take Tanner’s comments seriously and, while not overtly acknowledging the validity of his line of argument, may quietly make some changes. All strength to Lindsay Tanner’s arm; we in the blogosphere must reinforce his message. I agree with janice’s views about this morning’s [i]Insiders[/i]; we all hope Barrie Cassidy does take Lindsay Tanner’s critique seriously and make some changes. It was ironic that near the end of the program the Donald Trump saga was reviewed and almost reluctantly the panelists agreed that what happened over the Obama ‘birthing’ issue reflected just what Tanner was saying in his book. As Obama said, he could never get virtually all the TV and news channels to cross to an important policy announcement, but they did for the press conference where his birth certificate was made public. The response from Kerry-Anne Walsh was that it’s not that bad in Australia, which is true, but should she take a close look here she will see mini-versions of ‘the Trump episode’ every day. I hope thenewjj was watching the political TV shows this morning where every journalist I saw expressing an opinion said PM Gillard had done a good job on her overseas trip. Even ‘very well’ was used. Gerard Henderson and Chris Uhlmann were quite complimentary, and almost begrudgingly Kerry-Anne Walsh was too; Mark Riley said she had done a good job on his Riley Report on ‘Channel Seven’; and the businessman being interviewed by Alan Kohler on [i]Inside Business[/i] was quite laudatory. So it seems that thenewjj’s question: ‘…what did Gillard achieve?’ has been answered in past days and again this morning. The contrast with Julia Gillard’s tour was the Tony Abbott tour of Christmas Island, Whyalla and Alice Springs. There were clips of his comments about asylum policy, the carbon tax and the indigenous intervention, but in the programs I saw there were even more clips of him punching a boxing glove, doing his abs exercises, and running. And a couple of days ago [i]The Australian[/i] had a picture of him swimming with AFP personnel. Again, this illustrates the media’s preoccupation with entertainment. They believe that the public is more interested in Tony’s fitness and sporting prowess than in his policy statements. Mind you, there is more exposure of the former than the latter. I hope you were able to find some beautiful roses to adorn your home.

Jason

1/05/2011AA, "THINK your broadband internet connection is fast? Two separate research groups have just lapped the field, setting a world record by sending more than 100 terabits of information per second through a single optical fibre. That's enough to deliver three solid months of HD video- or the contents of 250 double-sided Blu-ray discs http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028095.500-ultrafast-fibre-optics-set-new-speed-record.html

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011I've just now picked myself up off the floor after seeing and hearing Gerard Henderson doing the gentlemanly thing and defending the Prime Minister against the attacks of the other bench warmers on 'Insiders' this morning. Not only that but he defended the contents of her Sydney Institute speech! Which some on the bleeding edge of the Left might take as a condemnation of the PM in their eyes, but frankly, I'm over them. To the Left of Che Guevera is never far enough left for them, apropos the Asylum Seeker debate, wherein the urgers from the Refugee Action Coalition take the ultramontaine and unrealistic view that every Asylum Seeker is sacred, all 100 million of them around the world, and should they wash up on our shores we should welcome them with open arms. Just as I believe that the Gillard government can never go far enough Right of Genghis Khan for the Coalition when it comes to the Asylum Seeker debate, as was evidenced by Scott Morrison's 'helpful' suggestions from his interview on SkyTV earlier this morning. Now the Coalition want to send the naughty Asylum Seekers to their rooms and take away their pocket money, or somesuch similarly inane suggestion, when they misbehave. Um, isn't that what they did under Howard, and wasn't that the progenitor for the self harm incidents and the catatonia and the like? Well 'ard, Scott. Alex and the Droogs would be proud of you.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011Talk Turkey, You missed a golden opportunity just now to start your Time Zone complaint with, 'Stone the bloody Crows!' :) Now, I don't know what sort of broadband speeds you've got in Upper Palookaville, SA, or wherever it is you reside in this brown and pleasant land, but if you have enough of a download limit to play with you can always watch the ABC Sunday political shows, at least, live as they are being transmitted in the Eastern States on the ABC website.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011[quote]Tony Abbott to take on Puffing Billy, Kimberly Seedy, Lifestyle OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott will set to test his strength against the hills’ famous steam train Puffing Billy on Sunday.[/quote] Talk about Sideshows, Carny Barkers, Clowns and Circus Acts.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011lyn, Do you think Tony Abbott might just have 'Jumped the Shark' today? :)

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011What a great idea! This comment from Gary Sauer-Thompson blog today, put in our links by the magnificent lyn, has got me thinking: [quote]Apparently Tanner refers to a couple of bloggers for good policy reporting. If politicians are so sick of stupid media, isn't it time they made better use of bloggers? If they really wanted decent policy reporting, shouldn't they be engaging with people who are actually interested?[/quote] Wonder if the equally magnificent Ad Astra is one of those bloggers Lindsay Tanner refers to? :)

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011I think I'm going to start putting requests in to politicians for interviews! Once I think of some decent questions to ask them. :)

TalkTurkey

1/05/2011Royalty eh. There's some great articles this morning on Lyn's Links about Royalty, and now I'll tell you my Royal Story: The Cleverest Thing I Ever Said When I was in Grade Four, Australia was abuzz with the news: The Queen is coming to Adelaide! Every day we had to go out onto our all-bitumen schoolyard to practise a sort of square-dance jig thing - with the GIRLS, even! - to the tune of The Cuckoo Waltz. It is branded into my memory. Da DA Dah! Da DA dah! Da DA-da da-dudda Dahhh! We did it day in day out for MONTHS, true. "Now when you do this in front of the Queen (et cetera, blah blah). . . " Mr Frick kept telling us, for we knew that schools from all over Adelaide would be there with us in one huge demonstration of our adoration and our splendid physiques. It never happened. It all got cancelled for us plebs. Zip. We got given a little New Testament. O joy. Oh no, I just remembered, that was when She was coronated. It was all a long time ago. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I was in Grade SEVEN, Her Majesty was due to come again! I was at a school where more than half the kids were the spawn of Ten Pound Poms, living in a nissen-hut migrant hostel just down the road, (and many of these people had really improved the society of Merrie England by the leaving of it.) They were really rough and tough, poor and mean, but they were oh-so-loyal to the country which had offered them nothing and been only too pleased to lose them, and they loved the Queen like she was their own Nanny. Anyway the day came around, it was high summer and hot. All the kids from Reception up were loaded into buses - this is a school of about eight hundred kids, two-and-a-half Grade Sevens, classes each of FIFTY kids, (as I myself had occasion to teach later!) and the youngest of course being five-year-olds. It took a long time to load the buses, then the ride to Wayville Showgrounds was about eight slow miles through the middle of the hot city, and at last we pulled up at the jumping-off place, outside the oval where She was due to give us the honour of her presence. It was alongside the Animal Barns where the prize pigs and cows and other critters got judged, and it was on dry dusty dirt, with a North-facing iron wall behind us, in the sun, hundreds of kids standing and waiting. Of all the schools we were the first there, so they put us on the very far end so other later schools could be marshalled conveniently in front of us. We waited. Schools kept arriving and getting slotted in front of us, we all waited. More and more schools, thousands and thousands of kids. It was very hot, dust puffed up if you shuffled your feet, and all the kids were getting thirsty. Some of the little kids started to cry. We big kids, I must say, did very well trying to comfort them, but there wasn't much we could do. Our teachers, Mr Hall and Mrs Wallwork, tried to fetch us drinks but there were only a couple of glasses that could be found and the taps were fifty yards away and utterly crowded with uncontrolled other schools' kids who really did need a drink too but my school needed it most because we'd been there longest. No good. Several kids including in my own class fainted. There was no help for them except to get us bigger kids to carry them into the bit of hot shade some distance away. One little tiny boy came up to Mrs Wallwork, the other Gr7 teacher, and said in a tiny little shy voice, pointing gravely to another tiny kid who was in tears, "Please Miss Wallwork, 'e done a wee!" (it was EXACTLY those words, I will never forget!) and there was this poor little boy who would have to have wet pants for hours standing there crying his eyes out, my heart went out to him. Our poor teachers were beside themselves with trying to do something for the most distressed kids, but we were hemmed in and helpless. We were there for probably an hour and a half, standing in close concentration. At last the crowd started to move at the far-distant end of the assembled school groups - the last were first, and the first were last, just like in the Bible, and it took quite a while even for our school to start shuffling off to the oval entry gate, and at a snail-pace even then. We had the dust of tens of thousands of kids before us, it was hot, we were thirsty, kids in tears, shuffle shuffle shuffle, dust clouds, shuffle shuffle . . . . . . It was then I thought of The Cleverest Thing I Ever Said: I pointed my head downwards so I was fairly hidden, and yelled, MOOOOOOO!!! INSTANTLY other kids took it up! Maa-aa! MOOOOOO! BAA-AA-AA! THOUSANDS of kids! It went viral within seconds! Kids started scuffing their feet surreptitiously deliberately, dust rose like in a big cattle drive, just about everyone was doing it. A few kids started barking like dogs, there was neighing of horses and grunting lke pigs, chooks cackling, and many many sheep and cattle! The teachers were in a panic, running around trying to shut us all up. But it was like punching holes in water, as quick as we were silenced in one part other kids started up again elsewhere, we were suddenly all laughing and loving it, the discomfort notwithstanding, and the insurrection lasted ten or so minutes, nearly all the way to the main gate. Every kid knew just what we were saying, and every kid was a revolutionary! I know Mr Hall was secretly delighted too, he earnt a lot of kudos with me that day. So I knew now that the other kids like me were Republicans after all, and that forever they would feel as I have forever myself ever since then, that the Royals were privileged parasites and horrible hypocrites and I want an end to them and I want their symbol erased from the flag of my country. When we finally got into the showgrounds we were the last and we were also the last this time, at the back in the bleachers and still standing in the sun. All the shaded stands were empty, but then got occupied by kids in private school uniforms, who were sneaked in late by a different gate, with the bluest nearest the front, but I didn't really mind - MUCH! - knowing as I did that She was going to get a stony reception from all my staunch kid compatriots when She came at last to grace us with her radiance. In She came at last, in her black Roller, open top, ZOOM! around the oval at about 30 MPH, not even looking our way as they sped past, and my staunch troops, what did they do, they bloody-well CHEERED Her like you never heard kids cheer before in allyour life! I knew then that the Republic was never going to be easy . . . I really did . . . from age 12. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

NormanK

1/05/2011Ad astra I've sent you an e-mail.

thenewjj

1/05/2011AA, No that doesnt answer my question of what did Gillard achieve. i saw Hugh White, professor of international studies at ANU say that Gillard achieved nothing more than putting the face to the name for her Asian counterparts. Did Gillard advance the China-Australia free trade agreement any further? We wouldnt know, the journos didnt ask. Did Gillard raise human rights extensively in her talks? Once again, there were no probing journos to push her past the usual, "it was raised along with many other issues". You may think that just because she didnt trip up it was a success, but to many others there is an expectation that our leaders can perform a bit better. You may want to set the bar of competence on overseas matters for the PM extremely low to accommodate your darling leader, but we expect more. Once again it is an issue of authority. What did Gillard say that wasnt said by Rudd, Smith, Downer or Howard? On Tanner's book, I believe much of what he says is true about the sorts of rubbish journalism we see today. However when Tanner himself was in Government he didnt seem to do anything to show his disquiet. To combat this new form of entertainment journalism requires leadership, which none of our current leaders seem to have. To say that politicians duck questions because they are scared of being misrepresented is just garbage. If we had true leadership in this country than these media hacks wouldnt get away with misrepresentation. And anyway, doesnt it look better for a politician to answer all questions asked directly rather than try and duck the issues raised. Isnt such ducking of questioning part of the reason why politicians have such low approval ratings in the public? I would argue however that much of this change from policy coverage to entertainment began after Rudd became leader of the Labor Party. He, Rudd, started the daily press conferences. He begun the whole, announce something, announce anything, as long as it gains us some media attention. It was Kevin Rudd who started the Sunrise and Rove appearances rather than going on programs such as Insiders to avoid scrutiny. To say that, oh kevin had to go on such programs to gain media attention is just garbage; he continued to go on such programs when he became PM, now surely you cant say that he didnt have a profile? If there is one lasting Rudd legacy that has caused a huge amount of harm to Australian politics it is this new type of media obsession and management; something Labor cannot be proud of.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011jj, Hugh White is a shill for the Right Wing. I don't give credence to any of his opinions. I still remember him spruiking Howard's case for the Iraq War. He was convinced there were 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' in Iraq, or at least he was prepared to say so over and over agin in the media in order to bolster Howard's weak case for Pre-emptive attack on Saddam Hussein. So much for his expertise. And don't come the raw prawn that the ALP thought there were WMD's too. The ALP gave the strident advocates for the presence of WMD the benefit of the doubt, nothing more.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011jj, I note you have studiously avoided mentioning the media clowns Abbott and Joyce. Also you say: [quote]If we had true leadership in this country than these media hacks wouldnt get away with misrepresentation.[/quote]. I think, if we had true media leadership in this country media hacks wouldn't get away with misrepresentation.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011A companion piece to the 2 articles linked to by lyn this morning, the one about Donald Trump and Obama's Birther problem, and the other to do with Andrew Bolt's 'Right' to 'Free Speech'. I'd also keep the tenets of the article in mind when, or if, you take a look at the Andrew Bolt 'Free Speech' fest next weekend, or seek to reflect on his recent court case: http://www.alternet.org/story/150791/10_ways_that_the_birthers_are_an_object_lesson_in_white_privilege_?akid=6906.172728.S02__1&rd=1&t=5

Patricia WA

1/05/2011I hope everyone then watched Inside Business too and heard that comment about Julia Gillard's in China? "She did sterling work as statesman!" I usually give jj, new and old, the go-by, but yesterday he actually inspired me with this very true comment [quote] Tony Abbott was about as visible, if not more so than Gillard. Abbott was on AM, News Breakfast, ABC news 24, 7:30 amongst many other programs. His trips to Christmas island, South Australia and the red center got just as much coverage as Gillard's trip in the news headlines. You may not have liked the coverage, but that does not mean that it didnt happen.[/quote] [b]So where was our PM?[/b] Are you like me and wonder why Images of our PM seem zero While news media let not a chance go by For a story picturing their ‘hero?’ Why, when he has an early morning dip, Is there always someone from the press On hand to get another photo clip Of Tony Abbott in ‘undress?’ On Christmas Island he’s a ‘pop star’ Where he ‘plays some pool and has a beer. Chatting up a blond perched at a bar,’ Slighting our PM to raise a cheer. But, overseas on affairs of state, Conferring with heads of government, Partnered by a true Australian ‘mate,’ Her competence gets no acknowledgement. Julia Gillard, in the desolation Of Japan’s earthquake, sharing their distress, Provides, it seems, just an illustration Of how she needs to improve ‘her dress.’ In London amongst the royal wedding crowd, Compared with any other famous guest, Our PM really does Oz proud. She’s poised, elegant and well dressed., We’ve glimpsed her once. Perhaps we may again As daft old Dame Edna makes a fuss About her hat, mocks her origins, and then Sneers at her because she talks like us. On ‘Insiders’ today we get more spin, Lots of footage of the Coalition’s ‘Action Man’ As if the Opposition was already in And our Prime Minister an ‘also ran.’ But did you hear that banker whose opinion was, After travelling with her on the China trip, “She did sterling work as statesman!” So now, will Oz, At last, commend her? Or will that be just another media blip?

Jason

1/05/2011jj, What are your credentials? you have an opinion on everything and knowledge of nothing. The media once had journos that had an understanding of their topic, say like Mcphedren who writes on all things defence or Roy Masters on sports. We saw during the last election campaign and now with Abbott at press conferences once the questioning gets hard he walks out! His front bench peddle the lie each day about their budget savings which treasury says was out by 11 billion, yet the gallery never say your costings were wrong how can you afford to do what you are proposing? However jj you are like some of the journos and some in the opposition it's the politics not the policy that you get off on,like the Sava rantings on how the PM dresses,or your polls you take for granted. Labor as far as I can tell since you have been on here have not done one thing right and never will,Despite the fact that the independents all seem to be happy that they supported her, that all of the legislation since the election has got through both houses. You use Hugh White as some sort of authority how the hell would he know what happend? was he in fact sitting with the PM at these meetings? and if anything happend it would make no difference to you anyway and it would've been the good work of Downer that done it. As for the Rudd legacy yes damm him for great big new tax, Stop the boats,stop the waste, and all the other mindless slogans that spews from the coalition.

NormanK

1/05/2011[b]Warning :[/b] the following article contains adult content which may be offensive to some viewers. Julia Gillard interview with Niki Savva - raw transcript Niki Savva : Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Prime Minister. Julia Gillard : That's alright, Niki and please, there's no cameras here so call me Julia. Or Juliar. Or Dullard. Ha ha ha. You can always change it when you write it up. NS : Oh no Prime Minister, I couldn't possibly. That would be disrespectful to you and the office you hold. I really wouldn't be comfortable with being so familiar. JG : Oh come on! I've just been through so much pomp and ceremony that if I can't put myself somewhere that I can just relax and be myself I think I'll burst. NS : Very well Prime Minis ..... Julia. Now as I explained on the phone, this interview and the subsequent story will act as a pilot for a project I'm hoping to sell to my editor. A sort of 'conversation with' format where I can explore the more human aspects of some of our public figures, politicians in particular. Give my readers some insight into what makes the man or woman tick, if you know what I mean. JG : God yes! That sounds like a great idea. The woman inside the woman kinda thing. I'm flattered you chose me to be your guinea pig Niki. NS : Well you are the Prime Minister, our first female one and you have just returned from an important junket to some of our largest trading partners. That's newsworthy surely. JG : Right you are, my girl. Fire away. NS : I should warn you before we begin that some of the questions might get a bit personal. I'm hoping to go a bit deeper than the usual Press Gallery interviews. JG : She's right Niki. As long as you don't want to know what sort of lubricant Tim and I prefer to use. NS : Eee-ooh. I should think not! JG : Good. Long as we know where we are going to draw the line. NS : Right there! We'll draw the line right there. JG : Cinnamon. NS : What? JG : Cinnamon. The lubricant. There's a little shop in Adelaide that specialises .... NS : No! No, no. We won't be discussing that type of thing. JG : You and your friends probably think we don't actually do it, don't you? I read your post-Christmas piece about informal polling of your friends and relatives. You think Tim's gay, don't you? Go on, you can tell me - it's just us girls here. Well, let me assure you, he's an animal .... NS : No, no, no. You misunderstood me Julia, Prime Minister. I'm looking more for what motivates you as a politician, does being a woman make any difference to how you formulate policy, that sort of thing. JG : Okay. Shoot. You ask the questions and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability. If I think you're getting too personal, I can always pull you up, can't I? NS : Of course Prime Minister. Nothing indiscreet, I can assure you. So perhaps some general questions to begin with. Lindsay Tanner has just written a book where he claims the media is trivialising political debate, dumbing it down for commercial purposes, making it about personalities and that this causes today's politicians to become gun-shy, as it were. Do you agree with that hypothesis? JG : What? Like talking about my earlobes? How BIG are they, by the way? I could bloody-well circumnavigate Tasmania using them for sails they're so big. No Niki, I reckon Lindsay's barking up the wrong tree there. Everybody's fair game in the current media environment and we've just gotta have the balls to face up to a bit of criticism. NS : So you don't mind that some journalists chose to focus on his remark about dying your hair red? Or the recent criticism of your dress-sense, some would say lack of style? Not me of course. JG : No not at all Niki. I dye my hair red because I'm a redhead. See? Collar and cuffs are matching. NS : Eee-ooh! Aaugh! Pull them up! And put that down! JG : Just trying to be transparent, Niki. Nothing you haven't seen before. Or perhaps it is? As for my dress sense - well Niki, I've got a fat arse, you know? There ain't no getting around that. There it is - it follows me around wherever I go. It takes about two and a half metres of fabric to cover that beam and if you can find me a designer who can make that much cloth look attractive without putting me in a caftan, I'd like to meet them. The only thing that stops me from forever falling on my arse is my bosom. Oh and my Rubenesque waistline. I'm not gonna get a call up to the Aussie Ballet to play Full Forward in Swan Lake, am I? NS : Er. no. JG : So, when you've got this much territory to cover and you don't want to look like a sack of potatoes or a circus tent, your options are limited. I quite like the 'little' numbers that I wear but I can see they might not be to everyone's taste. Tim especially likes the nurse's outfit I got in London .... NS : Er, yes. Does being a woman hamper some of your reform agenda or does it help inform your policy judgements? JG : I can tell you Niki that wearing heels every day gets on my goat. It's just lucky that I've got such a low centre of gravity. But to answer your question, yes it can have a detrimental effect. For example, if I give somebody a serve for making an idiotic comment then I'm being a shrill fishwife. And if I let one go through to the keeper, I'm wooden or the Ice Queen or some such nonsense. If I was a bloke I could just deck anyone I thought was playing the fool or taking the piss and if I chose to ignore them then it would be 'a dignified silence', you know? It's still not a level playing field, unfortunately. NS : What about the price on carbon debate. Most, if not all, of your opponents are men who dominate in what might be described as a boys' own club. Is there a battle of the sexes playing out here, especially in light of comments accusing you of a lack the gravitas? Would it make a difference if you were a man? JG : Oh look Niki, this whole pricing carbon thing is the bane of my existence. We took a CPRS policy to the 2007 election because we reckoned it would be a vote winner and it worked a treat! Then Kevin got a bee in his bonnet and decided to go jetting around the world telling everyone that carbon pricing was the most important thing on the world's agenda. Got that call wrong didn't he? The GFC knocked the stuffing out of that argument and then Copenhagen was a complete fizzer so I said to Kevin, "I want to see this whole thing dead, buried and cremated, Kevin". What's that look for? Where do you think Tony got the idea from? He hasn't had an original thought in his entire life. Anyway, we no sooner get rid of the CPRS, which the gutless wonder postponed rather than killed off, and next thing the Milky Bar Kid and his sidekick have decided to pick a fight with the miners. Well, I had to pull the skids out from under him didn't I? Before he got the bright idea to reform the ownership rules of Australian media. Yeah, he was thinking about doing that. Anyway, that meant I could go to the last election and quite plainly state that a carbon tax was off the table. That was a bit of a lie because as far as I was concerned, the whole CPRS/ETS was consigned to history but I couldn't say that for fear of alienating the bleeding heart lefties. Then what happens? The bloody electorate delivers a hung parliament and now I've got Bob Brown on my back, not literally, he is gay remember, and now I've got to be seen to be doing something. I don't think I'm talking out of school there am I? Most of this is already on the public record. Bloody carbon tax! I wish I'd never heard of it. NS : Yes well. Perhaps we could move on to your recent Asian Tour. You would have had a lot of high-level discussions about trade, global warming and defence for example. Was that fruitful for you? JG : Aw look Niki, I had just the best time over there. Asian men push all of the right buttons for me. It's a pity Tim was there actually. I don't know what it is about them, you know. Inscrutable faces that make me want to tickle them. Mysterious smokey eyes that make this poor little ranga's heart flutter. And they're always holding your hand and leading you somewhere. Maybe I've got an overactive imagination but I can tell you that whole trip was incredibly exciting. I felt like a princess. NS : What about the visit to the towns hit by the tsunami? That must have been very distressing. JG : It certainly was Niki. You get some idea from the pictures on TV but it's not the same as actually standing there. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get a feed of prawns in that place? And there's still mud everywhere. Lucky I wasn't wearing my new boots. NS : You seemed to get rather emotional, looking at all that devastation and loss. JG : It would be a cold heart that could remain detached from all of that Niki. I thought I chose my wardrobe appropriately - sombre black, a longish jacket that floated beautifully in the breeze. Some of the people around me thought I should have been carrying a scythe - a grim reaper kind of look - but I thought that might be going a bit far. Some of those locals are still very sad, you know? NS : Sure. South Korea. Standing on the border with the North must have been very confronting. JG : It sure was Niki. You should have seen Tim get all protective when he saw those guards staring at me. Still, it has its upsides, Tim was like a tiger later on at the ..... NS : Yes! I'm sure. Your trip to China seems to have gone very well. Relations with Premier Wen Jiabao looked cordial, were your discussions fruitful? JG : Premier Wen is a very charming man although I really didn't like his choice of tie for the occasion. They just need to lighten up a bit I reckon. But, oh wow, the reception in the Great Hall! All that red carpet matched my jacket perfectly! And the inspecting of the guard! You could practically smell the testosterone in the room. All of those fit young men standing erect just for me, what girl wouldn't be flattered? I loved China, they do Chinese food so much better than we do. Tim picked up some great recipes. NS : Okay, on to the Royal Wedding. You rubbed shoulders with some famous dignitaries and Royals during your stay but did you manage to fit in some official business during your short stay? JG : You're right Niki, I did get to meet some of the hobnobs. Charles was lovely - my but he has big hands. Huge hands. I just hope for Kate's sake that that is one attribute he has passed on to William. Lovely big hands. Although she might not be too interested in that sort of thing. NS : What do you mean? JG : Well, I've got a feeling that she might be a lesbian. It's just one of those feelings you get, you know, woman to woman. I don't think she likes men all that much but as long as she spits out a couple of kids it won't matter will it? NS : No. You were invited to a private audience with the Queen. What was that about? JG : Her Majesty is just wonderful, what a great role model she is for us girls. She doesn't have that 'old people' smell you know. Perhaps that's 'cause of her royal blood. Anyway, she was charming and just wanted to know if she should bring a plate when she pops over here next year. We didn't discuss becoming a republic but I reckon when she kicks off we'll probably take the plunge. Who wants to be ruled by someone called King Charles? Sounds like a spaniel, doesn't it? NS : We might leave it there, Prime Minister. Thanks for making the time. JG : My great pleasure Niki. Anytime. You should have plenty of material there to work up a few good headlines, eh? NS : Well, to be frank Prime Minister, I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to use any of it. JG : What?! I gave you some gems there. NS : Yes, perhaps but I don't think you were taking the interview seriously. Every time I tried to steer the conversation to weighty subjects you trivialised it with gossip and innuendo. I had no idea you were so obsessed with your own wardrobe. And as for the sexual peccadillos, who wants to hear about that? You don't seem to hold the office of Prime Minister in very high regard, I must say. JG : Aw geez Niki, lighten up a bit. Not everything is about world-changing reforms, international diplomacy and managing the economy you know. I bet some of your readers would love to know about this insider stuff. They don't want to read dry old policy evaluation every single time they pick up a paper. There's a Woman inside this woman you know. NS : That's as may be Prime Minister, we'll see what my editor thinks. JG : Oh well get back to me. If your editor's not happy, I'm sure my Press Secretary can dredge up some boring stuff about who said what to whom and what new Agreements were signed. Frankly, I'll be disappointed if that sort of thing is the main thrust of your story. NS : We all have our jobs to do, Prime Minister.

macca

1/05/2011Many people go on about the polls. Let's put it in context. Pre the 2008 GFC everyone took the ratings agencies, Standard and Poor etc., at their word. There was a general acceptance in the business community worldwide that they were the best, ethical and honest source of information on which to make big decisions. That they were above manipulation for other than honest purposes. We all know how that turned out. News Ltd owns Newspoll. Need any of us say more?

Acerbic Conehead 2

1/05/2011NormanK, Brilliant! Superb role reversal. Thanks, AC.

thenewjj

1/05/2011FS and Jason, You may not like Hugh White, but then i dint think you were fans of Henderson or Uhlman either. It seems to be that as long as the journo agrees with your interpretation of things than that makes them a good journo. As far as i am concerned, Hugh White is far better credentialed to comment on the trip of Gillard than most others. I agree that Abbott can be included in the long list of media driven political operatives. i would also have Gillard and her whole front bench included as well. Seeing as there does not seem to be a great deal of leadership in media circles at present, i think it is up to the political class to bring the media back in line. If Tanner objected to the scripted nature of his time in office, why didnt he object? If Tanner didnt like the trivialization of the media, why didnt he speak out against it? If Tanner though he was misrepresented by the media repeatedly why doesnt he, or didnt he correct the record? It seems ironic that we have a member of the most media driven government coming out now calling for leadership, when he had the chance to make changes whilst he was in the tent. If you dont think Rudd was the beginning of this new era of media driven politics then who or what was? Macca, Your comparison between opinion polls and credit ratings is really quite poor, as is your little jibe about News Limited and Newspoll. Credit ratings are determined by the opinions of economists within the credit agencies, based on the data provided to them. Their aims are to provide some sort of independent assessment of the financial standing of governments around the world, as to give a signal to the banks and other governments around the world. Polls, on the other hand, are surveys of the general community, with their aim being to gauge public opinion. They are two very different things. As for your claim that News Limited influences the findings of Newspoll, this is just another one of your warped conspiracies. Newspoll is a business. Businesses require a sound reputation to gain clientele. If the Murdoch press were to influence the statistical analysis of the samples taken than inevitably word would get out and Newspoll's reputation would be destroyed. Anyway, bloggers and journos of all political persuasions: Bumble, the political blogs of Crikey, fairfax and the ABC; have stated that this conspiracy is just that. Politicians and companies want sound information as to their product or parties standing in the community. To alter the findings would be nothing more than ridiculous, and to say that this is possibly the case without any FACTS deserves an apology.

Jason

1/05/2011thenewjj, I have no opinion on Hugh White one way or the other,However he was not there,and you now put forward his opinion as fact based on nothing more than it suits your argument. If he has exact details of the meetings give me the links and I will happily read them and come back and say sorry!

Jason

1/05/2011thenewjj, I forgot to say I don't want any journos "interpretation" on anything just the facts and figures.Just like what happens in a court of law, we don't see the prosecution give their opinion on the facts! the jury forms it's opinion based on the facts.

Patricia WA

1/05/2011Thanks for the belly laughs, Norman K! And insights too. And all this time I've been thinking of you in your garden weighing up political issues before comment as carefully as you prune your roses. You wit is as sharp as any secateurs.

thenewjj

1/05/2011Jason, But Chris Uhlman, Henderson and Riley were not there either, so why pay any credence to what they say on the matter. You are just picking the commentator that suits you. I am picking the academic that is an expert in Australia's foreign relations, and who has studied past trips of PM's into the Asian region. Anyway, if White doesnt know what went on in the room, than how can AA or you, Jason, take any informed view on whether she was successful or not?

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011FS, Jason, Patricia WA, NormanK You have said all that needs to be said in response to thenewjj. I admire your patience. My patience with thenewjj’s unremitting negativity toward PM Gillard and her Government has expired. Patricia WA, your delightful poem says so much about how poorly the media treats our PM, how it gives Tony Abbott a regular leg-up, and the unfairness of it all. Your clever satire NormanK highlights the ridiculousness of the media’s focus on the trivia. Niki Savva was the right target.

lyn

1/05/2011Hi Hillbilly Thankyou for your inspiration, aren't I lucky to have such good friends on TPS. Looks like it could be Grog's Gamut, Uhlmann was referring too or who's Ben Mitchell: Copied from twitter conversation: @GrogsGamut Greg Jericho ahh the"apolitcal" website @CUhlmann referred to #insiders. RT @1Ben_Mitchell: Check out: www.thisisourstory.com.au 5 hours ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply [quote]put in our links by the magnificent lyn, has got me thinking: Apparently Tanner refers to a couple of bloggers for good policy reporting. If politicians are so sick of stupid media, isn't it time they made better use of bloggers? If they really wanted decent policy reporting, shouldn't they be engaging with people who are actually interested? Wonder if the equally magnificent Ad Astra is one of those bloggers Lindsay Tanner refers to? [/quote] I hope Ad Astra was one being referred to Don't know about Abbott 'Jumping the Shark' today?, but I just saw another "sigh" TV shot of him on ABC24, he looks pretty rugged, nothing like a potential Prime Minister, more like an outback sit in the dirt hunter, spearing snakes or death adders.

lyn

1/05/2011Hi Norman K You are magnificent, thankyou so much for your, the best ever post, fantastic more than enjoyable nearly as good as the roses on my dining table. Hey I hope I never get that smell, Nah! the roses will take over. [quote]She doesn't have that 'old people' smell you know. Perhaps that's 'cause of her royal blood.[/quote] Cheers NormanK

Jason

1/05/2011thenewjj, I didn't say or give credit to Uhlman or anyone else,I simply responded to what you were complaining about,which was that you said the journos asked no probing questions about the China trip,But would have us believe that Hugh White who also asked no probing questions either was any better informed.

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

David Horton

1/05/2011Lyn, thanks very much for the link to Watermelon, your readers may like the more recent piece on Cardinal P-ll and climate change too. Good to have you back in action. Have added link and RSS feed of Political Sword to The Watermelon Blog. regards David Horton

lyn

1/05/2011Hi David How nice of you to come and visit "The Political Sword" thankyou for linking TPS on your blog. Ad Astra will come by soon, he will be happy to see you here. I did enjoy your story about the kids inheritance very much I am sure many of our readers did too. [i]Hostages to fortune, The Watermelon Blog[/i] people complaining about a carbon tax, and standing behind Tony Abbott with offensive banners, are the kind of people who are “driving around Australia to burn our children’s davidhortonsblog.com/.../ David's new piece:- [i]Peter Principle, David Horton, The Watermelon Blog[/i] This post was inspired by this latest piece of offensive nonsense from Australia’s Pope-in-waiting, the awe-full Cardinal P-ll. It compares the pathways to the top of their professions followed by scientists and religious leaders. http://davidhortonsblog.com/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog Cheers Lyn Oh! meant to mention, your name link is broken, just in case you were unaware David.

David Horton

1/05/2011Thanks Lyn, fixed old name link!

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011If anyone is interested in reading some of the commentary from the Progressive Australia Conference this weekend, here it is: http://progressiveaustralia.org.au/live-stream/

lyn

1/05/2011 Thankyou Hillbilly for the link to The Progressive Australia Conference. You must be worn out all that information in one hit, good stuff though, good on you.

lyn

1/05/2011Hi Ad Wonder what people think of the virgin remark. Puffing Billy still has puff after 30 years of the Great Train Race, Manningham Leader ALMOST 3000 runners puffed it out alongside Puffing Billy at the 30th Great Train Race today. first-timer was Mr Abbott, [b]who described himself as a “virgin”, [/b]but he wasn’t fast enough for the century-old locomotive and its driver John Hoy. http://manningham-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/billy-still-has-puff-after-30-years-racing/

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011David Horton Welcome to the [I]TPS[/i] family. Do come again. Thank you for linking [i]The Political Sword[/i] from your blogsite. I enjoyed reading your recent posts. You’re right about climate change – it’s future generations that will suffer, and we have a responsibility to them. FS Thank you for the link to the Progressive Australia website. I’ve enrolled and look forward to reading the content.

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011Hi Lyn I wonder what Tony Abbott meant; perhaps he’s a ‘virgin’ to racing old trains. He obsession with vigorous sport and exercise suggests he is addicted to endorphins. It happens!

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011Folks Early tomorrow morning I'll be posting a piece by HillbillySkeleton [i]It’s time for the ALP to drink a protein word shake and muscle up to the Coalition[/i]. I suggest Lyn you post your links on the new post.

lyn

1/05/2011Hi Ad OK Have a nice night

macca

1/05/2011JJ states that Newspoll needs to be honest, otherwise it will lose clients. As far as I can see the only client Newspoll has in the Australian political arena is News Ltd. So, jj, given that News Ltd is proven to be a corrupt entity, phone hacking just the latest example. Please don't insult us by saying it hasn't been proved in Australia. It will only be a matter of time before it comes out. Rupert knows it. His wholly owned subsidiary, the Liberal Party know it, and any rational thinking person in this country wouldn't be surprised by it. So a little life tip jj.......don't ever apologise to the turd you step on. With regard to the ratings agencies .....just do some research. Try Google for a starting point. I would suggest...credit rating agencies, GFC, 2008, scams....and come back when you have some idea of what you a talking about.....you may also wish to Google ..Newspoll Murdoch Corruption.

Ad astra reply

1/05/2011Jason I've just caught up with your link to the story of the veeeery fast broadband - one terabyte per second down a single fibre! Who would have ever imaguned that? It predicts what will be possible with the NBN.

Feral Skeleton

1/05/2011Tony Abbott is addicted to a lot of things, it seems to me. Exposure, sexual innuendo, endorphins, political stunts, slogans. Watch out if there's a community event near you involving some sort of physical exertion because the physical jerk whose motto is: 'Nature abhors a political vacuum', will be there, cameras in tow.

D Mick Weir

1/05/2011Macca @ May 1. 2011 08:28 PM much as it dismays me I will have to side with jj on Newspoll. Yes Newspolls only 'client' in the political arena is News ltd just as other polling agencies are 'aligned' to other media outlets with thier political polls. Political polls are generally a 'loss leader' for the polling organisations. They make thier money with the other polling that they do, often in conjunction with the political polling. It is quite some time since I was on the inside of polling but I can assure that tampering with, or 'fudging' the results was just not done. In that game integrity & reputation are everything. Smart clients do not expect 100% accuracy and as long as a polling organisation can show they were close to the mark with politicaal polling then they are ok. There is a conundrum that pollsters are aware of: [i]How is it that people tell us one thing on Friday and when they get to the polling booth on Saturday they do the exact opposite?[/i] This is possibly has something to do with people thinking that everybody says they are voting for the blue team so I will say that too but, when they get to the polling booth the spunky redhead gives them a red team how to vote card and well they they change thier minds. Ok I am stretching it a bit with the bit about the spunky redhead. In politics there is a well known adage: [i]If you are wondering if it is a conspiracy or a stuff up, go for the stuff up every time as you will more often than not be right, it is a stuff up.[/i] I suggest in political polling the question may be 'is it a conspiracy or polling error?' Go for the error as it is far more likely. Also note that there is a fair amount of evidence that while polling is sort of ok at predicting the outcome of an election it is only in the week or so before the real poll that you can start relying on them. May I politely suggest that conspiracy theories on Newspoll bieng biased belong with theories that the world is flat.

macca

1/05/2011D Mick Weir two words Push Polling?

D Mick Weir

1/05/2011In my meanderings around the gutters of this great nation I have come across this: [b]Coalition will end Labor's soft policy on rioting and disorderly detainees[/b] - Scott Morrison @ Menzies House http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2011/05/coalition-will-end-labors-soft-policy-on-rioting-and-disorderly-detainees.html [i]“It’s all carrot and no stick in Labor’s detention centres. This needs to change. ... “The Coalition will establish a new, enforceable and mandatory Code of Conduct for detainees in Australia’s immigration detention network that sets out the standard of behaviour expected of detainees who are being considered for a visa in Australia or awaiting return. ... “If the Coalition forms Government, as Minister I will authorise the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and their agents, namely Serco, through a formal protocol to be established in Government, to take punitive actions against those who violate the Code. ..."[/i] Womder how much of a run this will get over the next few days in the MSM?

D Mick Weir

1/05/2011While I am still down in the gutter another bit of detritus I noticed: [b]Federal Government Debt – Labor’s Dirty Word.[/b] [i]The IMF has unwittingly exposed the inconvenient truth for Labor - the Gillard/Swan government is wasting this mining boom,[/i] writes [b]Andrew Robb AO MP.[/b] (another enlightening post at Menzies House) http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2011/04/federal-government-debt-labors-dirty-word.html [i]The IMF has urged the Gillard government to put some mining boom money aside for a rainy day – to save more of the proceeds to help cover the costs of the ageing population. ... This means that every dollar of the mining boom is being spent on recurrent spending. Not one mining dollar has gone to pay down debt. In fact, it means that the ‘never mentioned’ Federal Government debt continues to grow – at $100 million or more a day.[/i] Ho hum, [i]the more things change, the more things stay the same.[/i] Wish I knew how to say that in French 'cos it really sounds cool in French :)

D Mick Weir

1/05/2011Macca, I refer you to this bit from Possum [i]'... but there’s a really big misconception over what a “push poll” is. A “push poll” isnt actually a real poll, it’s a piece of deliberate political propaganda and marketing where the facade of “being a survey” is what’s used to hook respondents into listening and being fed the propaganda. The purpose of a push poll isn’t to elicit a response from the survey respondent, it’s sole purpose is to feed (usually) negative information – usually some smear – into the minds of listeners. “Push polling” is an exercise in marketing rather than polling. The way a usual “push poll” works – which let it be said, is a pretty rare thing in Australian politics – is that large numbers of calls are made to some constituency that have been identified as susceptible to some particular issue or set of values. The push pollster pretends to be a fair dinkum market research organisation looking for answers to questions, but instead of asking a rather long set of questions (which is what proper surveys usually do), they ask a short set of questions usually framed like “Would you be more or less likely to vote for the Labor Party if you knew that they were going to abolish funding for all private schools“. The answer never gets recorded, the point of the exercise isn’t research – it’s rumour spreading. That’s a push poll.'[/i] http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2009/08/26/essential-report-redux-and-a-bit-on-push-polling/ So Macca two words: Flat Earth

D Mick Weir

2/05/2011Macca, here is a bit of a long read that will prove to you I am wrong and that it is all push polling. But; beware, it is from that totally biased organisation the ABC. [b]Background Briefing[/b] - [i]Push Your Vote Our Way[/i] - Sunday 28 February 1999 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s19393.htm

macca

2/05/2011D Mick Weir Thanks for that link. Very informative. Though I was living in the Territory at the time I was much more interested in Vic Bitter and barramundi than the local politics. To be honest, I'm not sure if your taking the p#%s out of me or not, given that I believe in a flat earth. Todays Galaxy poll on the carbon tax doesn't have any good news for the Govt and it will get a huge beat up in the msm. I wonder, though, will it be reported that the poll was commissioned by the Australian Coal Industry? This where the polls can and are manipulated by by the vested interests. News Corp. being the main players. They, the polls, are skewed to serve the agenda of those who pay for them. These polls are very much grist for the propaganda mill and are used to great effect. News Corp. is a huge company and not a particularly ethical corporate citizen. Phone hacking and the Melbourne Storm just being a couple of examples. Fox News in the USA is in class of its own. Murdoch will use all the global resources he has at his fingertips to further his agenda. That Newspoll, a tiny part of his global operation, is a pure and shining light and is in no way used to further his aims, quite simply, beggars belief. I believe that there is big story behind the manipulation of polls in Australia. Unfortunately we don't have a journalist or media organisation with the resources, morality, ethics or courage to go after it

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2/05/2011Folks I've just posted another thought-provoking contribution from Hillbilly Skeleton: [i]It's time for the ALP to drink a protein word shake and muscle up to the Coalition.[/i] http://www.thepoliticalsword.com
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?