The Punch

Gerard Henderson must have been worried about the impact of a story about Tony Abbott’s politics during his university days. According to David Marr’s account in his Quarterly Essay: Political Animal: The Making of Tony Abbott (Black Inc), Abbott approached Barbara Ramjan, who had just beaten him in the SRC presidential election, she thought to congratulate her, but instead, as Ramjan claims, “He came to within an inch of my nose and punched the wall on either side of my head."

Henderson saw the obvious resemblance to The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, first a book, then a TV series. He was so concerned that he mounted a spirited defense of Abbott on Insiders on 9 September (the story begins at 4.20 and Henderson chimes in at 5.18). You will note how angry and agitated he is as he mounts his denials of the story. Determined to kill the story, he then wrote an article on 11 September in The Canberra Times Condemnation by long memory tends to stretch matters, in which he makes the case that the incident never happened.

Henderson recounts that “David Marr told Geraldine Doogue on RN Breakfast that "the incident … was remembered very vividly" by Ramjan and that "she has been telling" people about it "for 35 years”, but Henderson categorically discounts this. While agreeing that it was “an intimidatory gesture, to be sure”, he adds: “If, of course, it ever happened.” He then goes on to argue that 35 years is a long while back, that memory fades, that this is the first we have heard about it, and that there were no witnesses. But later he says there was a witness, "a distinguished Sydney lawyer" who referred to the Liberal Party leader's past "negativity and destruction", but adds: “Since this lawyer is now so distinguished, you wonder why he/she insists on anonymity.”

Henderson’s claims are questionable - Ramjan not only insists she has been telling the story for 35 years, but also the lawyer is no longer ‘anonymous’. He is Sydney barrister, David Patch, former judicial registrar of the Industrial Relations Court and of the Federal Court, and an ALP candidate for Wentworth in 2004. He corroborated Ramjan's claim that Tony Abbott behaved in an intimidatory fashion when she beat him in a vote for Sydney University SRC president in 1977. Writing in The Age on 13 September Patch says: ''I did not see the incident, but I was nearby. The count had just finished. Barbara found me. She is a small woman, and Tony Abbott was (and is) a strong man. She was very shaken, scared, and angry. She told me that Tony Abbott had come up to her, put his face in her face, and punched the wall on either side of her head. So, I am a witness. Barbara's immediate complaint to me about what Abbott had just done had the absolute ring of truth about it. I believed Barbara at the time, and still do.'' Patch also confirmed that Barbara Ramjan has been telling that story about Abbott ever since, describing it as ''that old chestnut!''

Patch went on to state that this was not an isolated event, and cited how as president Ramjan did not want to be called ''Mr Chairman'' but preferred ''Chairperson'', yet for a whole year, Abbott called her ''Chairthing'' whenever he addressed her at SRC meetings, which Patch saw as a “gender-based disrespect for her office and her person, remarkably similar to the disrespectful way that Abbott treats the Prime Minister and her office today.”

Patch added: “…it was his personally offensive behaviour that stood out. He was always (verbally) attacking gays and feminists and lefties. You certainly knew what he was against - the trouble was that you couldn't figure out what he favoured,” adding: “Once again, the parallels with the way he operates today are, to those who knew him then, quite remarkable.”

Abbott's first reaction to the Ramjan claim was to say that he had no recollection of the incident but "it would be profoundly out of character had it occurred". Later he amended that by saying categorically: "It never happened", a line he has repeated ever since, even on the Today Show on Channel Nine on Friday, when he first emerged from his media silence to confront the story. Marr reports that these statements are the only ones from his long interview with Abbott that were ‘on the record’.

Although the story fits with others about Abbott’s aggressiveness, Henderson was having none of that, and repeated the Abbott line. He writes: “Well, it is impossible to have a recollection of an event that never happened. Even so, Marr and some others are now suspicious that Abbott has restated his position…”. Indeed!

The dander of the Abbott acolytes though was well and truly up. Greg Sheridan, Foreign Editor at The Australian, who says he was Abbott’s best friend at university, wrote a blistering piece: The Tony that I - and others - remember was never violent at uni. Describing Marr’s Essay as “scabrous propaganda”, Sheridan condemns “…his overall sloppiness as a journalist, failure as a historian and distorting bias as a polemicist.” First, shoot the messenger!

Sheridan goes through the story of the incident and concludes: “Abbott was my best friend at that time. We talked over everything. The meaning of life, the purpose of politics, who'd win the rugby league grand final, what girls we planned to ask out, petty squabbles we might have had with our parents. I remember the night in question quite well. No such incident was ever discussed by Abbott or by anyone else in his circle. It is utterly inconceivable.” At the end he says: “I knew Abbott very well and he was never, ever violent. He was a good bloke then, he's a good bloke now. Marr's dishonest and obsessive agitprop is a fraudulent caricature that manages to reverse reality at almost every point.”

A complete whitewash in print was not enough though for Sheridan. He appeared on ABC News Radio in an interview with Marius Benson. You have to listen to this six-minute interview from beginning to end to get a feeling for Sheridan’s anger at Marr’s Essay and the Ramjan story. He condemns Marr in vitriolic terms accusing him of obsessive hostility to Catholicism, accuses the ABC of a “…worshipful, uncritical interview of Marr on Lateline, which he describes as a ‘disgraceful episode’ of which the ABC should be ‘utterly ashamed’.

In my opinion, the anger of Sheridan and Henderson bespeaks extreme fear that the revelations about Abbott’s university behavior, true or denied, will severely damage him politically, and that they must pull out all the stops in an attempt to minimize the damage. Abbott’s political colleagues have been strangely silent.

Writing in New Matilda, professional cartoonist Lindsay Foyle, in a piece titled: Abbott Threatened Me Too, recalls an incident in the 1970s when he was working for The Bulletin, “…when Greg Sheridan, the education writer, arrived with some people who did not work with us…The interlopers were soon identified as radicals involved in student politics at the University of Sydney. It did not end well. They quickly explained how the world went around and why they had to extinguish their opposition at the university and the rest of the country. Unfortunately, I did not agree with everything that was said and a few feathers got ruffled. The main point of contention was a woman’s right to control pregnancy, either via contraception or abortion. My view was that it was something those involved should settle on, not people like me who didn’t have to live with the consequences of the decision. To the activists that view was just as unacceptable as abortion.

“The largest of the lot was a person named Tony Abbott. He decided the quickest way to settle our differences was to take me downstairs and demonstrate how I was wrong by punching my head in. This was not the way I wanted the evening to go…Punching heads in was something Abbott did well. A few years after he demonstrated how good he was in the boxing ring at Oxford University where he flattened anyone silly enough to get into the ring with him.

“Before Abbott had a chance to damage his knuckles on me, Sheridan interceded and got between us. He calmed Abbott down by suggesting this was not the way to settle differences. I was very pleased he did. The point was taken and the discussion ended. Then the students all departed…It was a serious incident and was witnessed by a number of journalists who were at the time working for The Bulletin. Some were still talking about it in the office the next day. In fact it was a topic of conversation for many years.”


So much for his aggression being ‘profoundly out of character’, as Abbott claims! So much for Sheridan’s assertion that Abbott was ‘never violent at uni’!

Another anonymous person has now come out in support of the Ramjan claim and says he is willing to write a statutory declaration to that effect, but the Abbott camp has peremptorily dismissed this.

On talkback radio, the commentators have been out in numbers dismissing the charges against Abbott as implausible, inconsequential, of no importance to contemporary politics, and, somewhat hopefully, asserting that it will make no difference to Abbott’s electoral chances.

Abbott first claimed that the story was not only false, but the product of a Labor ‘dirt unit’, a claim that the publishers of the Quarterly Essay deny as ‘completely implausible’, and an attempt to ‘shoot the messenger’. David Patch has vehemently denied any contact with members of the Labor Party. The ‘dirt unit’ claim looked like a deliberate attempt at distraction by Abbott, and in a weekend article: 'Dirt unit' not source, concedes Abbott, Michelle Grattan reveals that Abbott “has conceded that David Marr…heard about it from other sources.” So let’s hope that notion is put to bed.

The weekend press makes fascinating and predictable reading. Paul Kelly writes a quasi-objective article: Demonization of Abbott is Labor’s new game plan, in which he quietly lets Abbott off the hook. Greg Sheridan has another go under the anomalous heading: Selective Cold War Memories, but the subheading gives his intent away: David Marr’s account of Tony Abbott’s student days is biased and untrue. It features a lovely photo of Tony with his parents on his graduation. Christopher Pearson writes: Tony Abbott is not homophobic. You can predict the rest. Angela Shanahan writes a piece about campus politics in Abbott’s days, and say she doesn’t care about the ‘wall-hitting’ incident. Dennis Shanahan seems to be having a day off! The second editorial in The Australian: If only the walls could talk with its subheading: Labor’s personal smear campaign could backfire, is unsurprisingly defensive of Abbott, but seemingly unaware that Abbott had already backed away from his ‘Labor dirt unit’ accusation. The first two ‘Letters to the Editor’ are defensive of Abbott.

As we would have expected, The Australian is stridently defensive of Abbott. The intensity of its offerings suggests it is deeply disturbed at this turn of events, as well as hopping mad, and is out there defending its man with all its muscle.

Other News Limited outlets don’t say much, but Laurie Oakes is unforgiving in his piece: Punch or not, Tony’s aggression is a worry, and Dennis Atkins writes a critical article: Abbott needs to bring back his old candour.

Fairfax is pretty quiet. Apart from the Grattan piece, Tony Wright writes a ‘we all did stupid things in our youth’ article that is not worth the time it takes to read it.

Today’s Insiders gave little time to the Marr Essay. When asked, program guest Tanya Plibersek offered the view that Tony Abbott ought to apply the same standard for disclosure of past events as he demands of others, but that he seemed reluctant to do so, walking away when the questions get tough. The preamble to discussion of the Ramjan affair showed Wayne Swan in parliament using the term ‘Biffo’ to characterize Abbott in an oblique reference to the affair, and then the panel took a desultory walk around the wall-punching event, concluding that Abbott made matters worse for himself with his confusing response – first that he couldn’t remember, then that it never happened, finally conflating the two into a bewildering and implausible defence. The ‘Talking Pictures’ segment did not mention the matter.

No doubt, there will be more talk about this matter in the media in the time ahead, with strong claims that it is true, and equally vehement denials. As we may never know the full truth of the matter, each of us will have to reach a judgement ourselves based on the evidence and the plausibility of the participants. For me, the story seems more plausible than false. Abbott’s denials, coming as they do from a habitual liar, do not ring true to me. You will have to make up your own mind.

Abbott has form though when it comes to losing elections. On another occasion, he kicked in a glass panel in the SRC front door after narrowly losing an election for student fellow in the University Senate. This intense anger at losing an election, anger that persists, was seen again when he lost to Julia Gillard in the fight to form minority government in 2010.

Archies Archive gives an interesting account of that long past election loss and details of more recent behaviour in Where There is Smoke -: “In the years following that loss, he was repeatedly accused in the university paper of being a right-wing thug and bully who used sexist and racist tactics to intimidate his opponents.” A teacher who was at Sydney University with him has described him in these terms: "He was a very offensive, a particularly obnoxious sort of guy. He was very aggressive, particularly towards women and homosexuals". Has he changed?

Despite its dramatic aura though, is the Ramjan event really the main issue? To me the details of this story are not as crucial as is the recurrent pattern of behavior that we see in the man who seeks to be our prime minister, our leader. Tony Abbott has longstanding form when it comes to aggression, belligerence, intimidation, bullying, destructive behavior, and misogyny.

Let me draw a parallel between Abbott’s use of ‘chairthing’ in addressing SRC president Barbara Ramjan, and his constant use of ‘this Prime Minister’, ‘her’ and ‘she’ in QT and press interviews. This is the same childish attempt at intimidation.

Abbott’s continual use of the term ‘untrustworthy’, his regular reference to her ‘lying’ about the carbon tax, is meant to be intimidatory, and if PM Gillard had been less resilient, would have been.

Reflect on how Opposition Leader Abbott addresses his questions to PM Gillard in QT. He is habitually aggressive, belligerent, angry, and disrespectful as he asks his questions. Recall how he has spoken to and about PM Gillard in the numerous Motions to Suspend Standing Orders. The bullying anger he displays, the disrespectful words he uses, and his finger poking gestures are archetypical – it is the same aggressive behavior that blighted his early days.

Remember the incident during the 2007 election campaign when Abbott was late for a debate on health with Nicola Roxon, who on being told by her that he ought to have been on time said: "That's bullshit. You're being deliberately unpleasant. I suppose you can't help yourself, can you?” Three female ministers assert that Abbott has a problem with women in power, to which he replies that he is a modern man who works under women all the time!

So let’s not buy this nonsense that what happened 35 years ago is past history, irrelevant to today’s politics and Abbott’s quest for the top job, and simply the behavior of a rough and tumble, wild young fellow who is now a changed man. Abbott’s behavior then is Abbott’s behavior now. Nothing has changed.

We ought not to be surprised.

Almost three years ago, just ten days after his election to Opposition Leader, I wrote in The pugilistic politician: “Tony Abbott’s recent threat to ‘give the Government the fright of its life’ is code for the new leader’s real metaphor – to give the Government the fight of its life. Have you noticed how aggressive and combative Abbott has become since his election? He has always had a reputation as a pugilist – his boxing exploits during his Rhodes scholarship at Queen’s College, Oxford are legend. But he seems to have kept this tendency under control pretty well while in the Howard Government, except of course when Howard used him as his attack dog…”

But on election, “…with nothing much in the ledger but opposition to almost everything the Government was trying to do, trenchant opposition to the Government’s ETS leading to its defeat, a heap of political baggage, a mediocre team, and a disgruntled ex-leader…he reverted to what he knows best – pugilism. For some he may appear like a threatened animal trapped in the hunter’s spotlight, and that his ‘fight to the death’ approach is merely reactionary, merely a strategy for survival. That may be partly true, but it seems more likely that fighting is his natural response to any challenge.”

“In fact he wants a fight on everything. Abbott intends to criticise everything the Government does, to fight everything it attempts to do, to refuse to collaborate on anything, and to decline to reveal any policies until the last moment…”

“So to what can we look forward? If one can judge from Abbot’s demeanour and performance during the last week, from the look in his eyes, from his aggressive attitude, from his determination to fight in hand to hand combat, we are in for a ruthless, cruel, bare-knuckle fight with no holds barred. This week Abbott reminded me of the familiar scene before a prize fight when the combatants line up – hairy-chested, jaw-jutting, throwing punches in the air, loud-mouthed, asserting their prowess, and promising to knock their opponent out early in the bout…we can expect Abbott, the pugilistic politician, to attack Government policies and actions incessantly and relentlessly, to keep Coalition policies under wraps as much as possible to avoid having to defend them, and to exhibit venom, vitriol and vituperativeness the like of which we have not seen in politics in Australia for a long while. It will be unremittingly ugly.”


If it was so easy to predict Abbott’s behavior three years ago, why should anyone be surprised that the aggressive, combative, belligerent, intimidatory, destructive Abbott that we know now is the same as he always has been? Why should the Ramjan episode be painted as an aberration from an earlier time when that behavior is still so obvious today?

Of course, as LadyinRed points out, apart from Abbott’s aggressive behavior, Marr’s Essay shows that “Abbott is the same man, deeply religious, looking back rather than forward, very conservative, very retro thinking”. It is Abbott trying “to refit the past into the present”, as manifest by extreme policies towards for example, abortion, that ought to alarm us as much as his behavior. That is for another piece.

‘The Slap’ was a sad story about how an incident at a family gathering simmered under the surface, stirring deep-seated family tensions until it erupted into angry discord and distressing family disruption.

‘The Punch’ threatens to do the same to the Coalition family; its leader, the would-be prime minister, the Honorable Tony Abbott, is entirely to blame.

Because his behaviour is as unpleasantly belligerent now as it was 35 years ago, the prospect of an Abbott prime ministership is as frightening as it ever was.

What do you think?

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Michael

16/09/2012Here's a great complementary/supplementary read to AA's excellent review of recent events and their continuing pertinence. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/father-of-the-year-how-abbotts-abortion-stance-rendered-ridicule-20120910-25o0g.html?skin=text-only

KHTAGH

16/09/2012Great read Ad Astra All I can say that he is the personification of a sore loser. It is so much against his right to rule family ethic that he just can't accept the umpires rule. It will be all downhill now. This came be seen by the out right rage that this has stirred in the right wing cheer squad. Hendo & Sheridan's chorus of no consequences. Well done Jaycee at least we don't have Maralyns tripe starting this thread.

KHTAGH

16/09/2012Jaycee your post just vanished?

Ad astra

16/09/2012jaycee It is a case ‘the biter bit’, and Tony Abbott does not like it one little bit. Michael Thank you for you complimentary remarks, the link to the interesting Kate Gleeson article, and for reposting your remarks about Abbott’s supposed ‘self-control from the last piece. Gravel I share your anger, not only about Abbott’s aggressiveness, especially to females, but that he gets away with it so often because of a lily-livered media, unwilling to really confront him with his awful behavior.

Marilyn

16/09/2012While you all give Abbott more oxygen than he deserves this is the government at work. force against refugees, babble and prattle about non-smugglers lying to people when they tell them only that Australia is safe, all legislated by the Gillard coward. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/a-group-of-40-asylum-seekers-plus-afp-officers-to-land-on-nauru-today/story-fncz7kyc-1226473836306 Senator Lundy said such speculation was "inflammatory and disappointing". She said under the law, officers can use force if necessary and reasonable. "Section 198AD refers to the taking of people to a regional processing country - provides for certain actions that may be taken to effect that transfer, including placing the person on a vehicle or vessel and restraining them," she said. Now the UNHCR told the parliament that Nauru is not a regional processing centre but a lawless dumping ground. so instead of babbling about Abbott's violence from 35 years ago look at Gillards. Then there is this gem. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2012/09/16/from-the-sublime-to-the-shamefully-ridiculous-the-australian-senate-on-vikki-riley-and-west-papua/ See what the racists say on both sides - West Papuan support is against our foreign policy because if we criticise the Australian trained murderous thugs working to ethnically cleanse West Papua then the Indonesians might stop doing this for us. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3443826.htm You all partisan ALP hacks have to get over the notion that they are any less violent than Abbott because they are not, they are worse. On the same day as the motion for Vicki Riley was voted down by the two racist packs of thugs they also voted down a vote to codify our obligations under the safety of lives at sea protocols. Abbott does not need any more oxygen, he has never been fit for public office of any kind but Gillard is not a fit PM - brute force against innocent refugees is a frigging crime.

Patriciawa

16/09/2012Well done Ad Astra, more great writing from you, keeping up the pressure. The things you are saying today are the things you have been saying consistently about Abbott through the several years I have been reading here. You describe the man as he conducts himself in public life. David Marr's narrative reveals nothing new in his character but provides a story from his past which for most people, Greg Sheridan and Gerard Henderson excepted perhaps, would simply confirm their opinion of him as a bully who lacks respect for women and whose fixed idea for leading the Opposition is to wreak havoc.

Bultaco Metrella

16/09/2012Congratulations on an excellent article. What should worry Abbott's suppporters and fellow travellers is his reaction to this incident. He stopped talking to the media. Just like that interview where he stood dumbstruck. What if another such incident should occur at the height of an election campaign? Will he go to ground for a week? Or will he stand wide eyed and catatonic? It gave me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction when he was beaten to the Prime Ministership by a woman. I cannot think of anything that would make his life more miserable. More strength to Julia and may she do it to him again.

archiearchive

16/09/2012Excellent summation of the Abbott persona. While I tried to remain separate from the post where I listed all the incidents which show snippets of his character I could not help but to wonder about the possible use of the Dirt Unit in the Grech case. For Abbott's benefit, not Turnbull's. After looking at the available evidence, I am left with the overwhelming feeling that Abbott is an untrustworthy thuggish bully. But then I don't know the man.

Ad astra

16/09/2012Bultaco Metrella If you haven’t been here before, welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family, and thank you for your kind remarks. Do come again. You are right – Tony Abbott being beaten by a woman is the pits for him, as he demonstrated when Barbara Ramjan beat him way back in 1977. archiearchive Thank you for your comment. Your website was a great help in writing this piece. Who could disagree with your conclusion: [i]”…the overwhelming feeling that Abbott is an untrustworthy thuggish bully.”[/i]

Tom of Melbourne

16/09/2012It’s great comedy here!! Those who don’t accept that Gillard’s actions as a middle aged professional were an indicator of her honesty and competence, now argue that the actions of a 19 year old set him for life! The hypocrisy is so entertaining!

Jason

16/09/2012Troll of Melbourne, If you read a bit more widely you would have seen Laurie Oakes piece yesterday where he repeated what Abbott himself asked us to do! "I am not asking the Australian people to take me on trust, but on the record of a lifetime," the Opposition Leader said. "As student president, trainee priest, Rhodes Scholar, surf life saver and volunteer firefighter, as well as a member of parliament and as a minister in a government." www.heraldsun.com.au/.../story-fndo317g-1226474485053 Just because you think the only opinion on all topics is yours doesn't make it so!

Ad astra

16/09/2012TT I can't find your comment here, although it has arrived on my email. Could you please post it again.

TalkTurkey

16/09/2012Bultaco Welcome to you and all the people I miss out on welcoming here. Ad astra our host and/or Tweety Lyn our peregrinational cyberspacial informational canary nearly always get everybody anyway but we Gnomes love new goodwilled contributors always. Ad agreed with you: [i]"Tony Abbott being beaten by a woman is the pits for him, as he demonstrated when Barbara Ramjan beat him way back in 1977."[/i] [b]And on the glass-door smashing occasion too![/b] Yep for him it's deja vu happening all over again and again! This coming week is going to be dreadful for him. Face to face with his nemesis!

Lyn

16/09/2012Hi Ad I think you must have missd Twitterverse, Tweeples Tweepgoss on the last thread, there were 2 good posts by Bushfire Bill and a few other bits and pieces. Thankyou for another fantastic piece, I said Nasking is in fast foreward, you must be in overdrive. Dan Gulbery, thankyou for your lovely comment, we all enjoy your work. Michael all your posts are enjoyable, today @ 03:12 PM most enjoyable. :):)

bilko

16/09/2012AA Another excellent piece I have only one complaint the use of the word honorable in your penultimate paragraph with regards to the subject. I know it is correct but as we know it is applied to one who has never exhibited any such behaviour or to my mind even knows what the word means.

Ad astra

16/09/2012Jason There have been several posts that disappeared today – Web Monkey is investigating. Here is yours: Troll of Melbourne, If you read a bit more widely you would have seen Laurie Oakes piece yesterday where he repeated what Abbott himself asked us to do! "I am not asking the Australian people to take me on trust, but on the record of a lifetime," the Opposition Leader said. "As student president, trainee priest, Rhodes Scholar, surf life saver and volunteer firefighter, as well as a member of parliament and as a minister in a government." www.heraldsun.com.au/.../story-fndo317g-1226474485053 Just because you think the only opinion on all topics is yours doesn't make it so! [b]Jason[/b]

Ad astra

16/09/2012TT Thank you for your very generous compliment. We together need to strain every fibre of our being to expose this charlatan who wants to be our leader. He pretends to be what he is not. He denies what we all can see – a belligerent, pugilistic misogynist who would take us down a path destructive to our country. Ausdavo Thank you for the compliment; I’m glad you enjoyed the piece. I agree: [i]”He, and they, are patently unfit to govern our great country.[/i] 42 long You are right. Abbott is unfit for office, quite unfit. bilko Here is your post, which has disappeared, as have others today: [i]AA Another excellent piece I have only one complaint the use of the word honorable in your penultimate paragraph with regards to the subject. I know it is correct but as we know it is applied to one who has never exhibited any such behaviour or to my mind even knows what the word means.[/i] bilko Thank you for your complimentary words. I should have said “Unhonorable’!

Ad astra

16/09/2012Folks I've spoken to Web Monkey about the disappearing posts, and he thinks it may be a DNS synchronisation problem because the domain has just been renewed for the next year and the multiple DNS servers have to resynchronise, which should be complete in a day or so.

Tom of Melbourne

16/09/2012Regardless of Abbott’s comments, perhaps Ad Astra, you would explain why his behaviour as a 19 year old is so relevant to his political life, but Gillard’s actions as a mid 30s professional aren’t relevant.

Ad astra

16/09/2012Hi Lyn [b]You are a super sleuth. There were indeed two versions of [i]The Punch[/i]. The comments were almost identical but not quite. Fortunately I am with Web Monkey and we were able to delete one version from the server, so now there is but one. I note Michael that your re-post from the last piece is missing, so you may care to re-post it here. If any of you have noticed your comment missing, please repost it. Apologies for this blip, which we have never encountered before. And thank you Lyn for picking up this error.[/b]

Ad astra

16/09/2012TT Your second post seems now to have disappeared, so here it is, with my response. Ad You make it hard How can we your Gnomes keep paying ever-better tributes to your ever-better articles? But, well, they are 'way better than ANY of the MSM writers' lead articles. Only a few, of whom Laura Tingle and (reluctantly) possibly Laurie Oakes, are even within a distant bull's roar. Bushfire Bill and a few others on the Fighting 5th Estate are very good, but your pronouncements put everything together with such calm good sense . . . We all are glad humbly to acknowledge your primacy. The steadfast strength in your words have sustained my own determination for these last two years since I have known this blogsite. And I know that many others have drawn comfort and found focus here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gravel wrote I read an article recently, laughingly say abbott was Punch to Julia's Judy. I was disgusted at the physical implications then. I have to put my hand up to writing that. I think I said wtte it was almost too apposite. Check this fine History on this fine site: www.prestonspunch.folkaustralia.com/history.html Here's one excerpt" The early shows feature Mr Punch , a hook-nosed comic figure with a stick who is a cowardly braggart but strangely likeable. He hides, lies, cheats, steals, beats, boasts, eats, drinks and loves his way through a difficult life. He is a rascal but is also an "Everyman" figure in that he represents the average person. In the old storyline he has an argument with other characters, fights them, sometimes he kills them, is chased by the law, taken to jail, but beats the hangman and the devil and ends as triumphant anti-hero. In between, the whole drama is treated as a total farcical comedy with lots of action, routines, jokes and slapstick moments. Other characters include Judy his wife and their Baby, Scaramouch the neighbour and his dog Toby (often played by a real dog) Joey the Clown, The Beadle or Policeman, The Quack Doctor, The Crocodile, Sweet Polly the Mistress, The Hangman, The Devil. In particular the characters of Hangman and Devil owe their origins to the medieval English dramas and early theatre of the Elizabethan period. Talk Turkey My response: TT Thank you for your very generous compliment. We together need to strain every fibre of our being to expose this charlatan who wants to be our leader. He pretends to be what he is not. He denies what we all can see – a belligerent, pugilistic misogynist who would take us down a path destructive to our country.

Truth Seeker

16/09/2012Ad, another great piece, and like Bilko I believe that there is absolutely nothing honourable The Abbott or pretty much all of his front bench. You wouldn't believe them if they said that the sky was blue, you'd have to check for yourself. Cheers

Wake Up

16/09/2012Looks like Abbott has been Foyle'd again............ http://newmatilda.com/2012/09/13/abbott039s-punchline-returns

debbiep

16/09/2012 I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when one of my friends made a comment referring to not being surprised if Abbott come out and blamed the carbon tax for his behaviour of the wall punching incident. Tony Abbott has been showing signs of bad behaviour long before becoming Opposition Leader yet he has not changed. That's why the 35 years ago debate has no relevance to me as Abbott continues to show a mean unpleasant streak. Laurie Oakes sums it up when writing about Sheridan's attack on David Marr and the ABC while supporting Abbott, this is all becoming weird now .

Ad astra

16/09/2012TT Thank you for your message on my phone, which received when I got home. The second version of [i]The Punch[/i] is now deleted. Truth Seeker Thank you for your kind comment. You are right – believe nothing that is not ‘scripted’ as Abbott advises. Wake up Foyled indeed! That is a a pretty nasty story too. Debbiep Good to see you back after your problems getting onto [i]TPS[/i]. Those problems are now fixed. Abbott’s behavior is just as bad now it was in 1977.

Ad astra

16/09/2012Michael To save you the trouble, I’ve posted below your re-post that was deleted because we ended up with two versions of [i]The Punch[/i]: Also 'supplementary', and in concern that my post of earlier this Sunday becomes lost at the tail end of the previous post page, and because it's 'punch relevant'... The myth of Tony Abbott's "self control". Michelle Grattan, Peter Hartcher, Phil Coorey, all trundled out articles this last week referring to Tony Abbott's supposed 'self control', an ability not to demonstrate the expected im/explosion people expected from him once he became Leader of the Opposition. Anyone's who's been watching him ever since that single vote elevation has seen that his vaunted 'self control' is a complete myth. Mark Riley exposed it publicly, Anna Burke demolished it from the Speaker's Chair, and Abbott himself displayed it walking away when a 'doorstop interview' (with second string journos, incidentally) just got too hard on Friday. Just three examples which reached the wider Australian populace through a mainstream media that couldn't not present them beyond the cottonwool coddling the little man came to rely upon because they were too public to play down. Certainly anyone who's a regular Shouldabeen watcher saw nothing unusual in any of those three performances. The man has a glass jaw, a six-pack jelly-belly, a stripe of yellow down his back regularly on view as he rushes away from anything requiring truthfulness, rational explanation, or even the hint of statesmanship. "self control"? In a pig's eye! Michael

Wake Up

16/09/2012Talk Turkey said: "This coming week is going to be dreadful for him." Ain't that the truth TT, if it wasn't bad enough that Foyle has come out with another personal character account of head punching Abbott (see my link above) now we have the latest NewsTroll showing it's all over red rover !!! http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-competitive-again-newspoll-20120916-260sk.html It's more than a 'Punch' AA, it's more like a 'KO' !!!

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16/09/2012Wake up WOW that is an almost unbelievable jump in TPP support for Labor to end up 50/50, and Julia Gillard’s PPM now at 46 to Abbott’s 32. No doubt, it will be labeled a rouge poll by Abbott’s men, and [i]The Australian[/i]. Read all about it folks at http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/gillard-competitive-again-newspoll-20120916-260sk.html Isn’t it interesting that Fairfax is reporting [i]Newspoll[/i]!

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16/09/2012Folks Let’s not get too excited about [i]Newspoll[/i]; there is also the [i]Age/Neilsen[/i] Poll tomorrow. It’s still twelve months to the election, and we know they are not predictive this far out. Polls go up and down, but they makes happier sleeping for the beneficiaries when they are on the up. I wonder how Coalition members, who place such store on the polls, will feel about this one? Goodnight.

TalkTurkey

17/09/2012Comrades! While this might not be the beginning of the end, I think we may be sure it marks the end of the beginning. Let us not be too cock-a-whoop, but we may certainly rejoice and self-congratulate a little about the overall trend of the polls over the last few weeks, and especially last night. They're just polls and I am dubious of their accuracy and meaning, but they are in the direction of our hopes and of my confident predictions. The jump tonight is a bit beyond my best hopes, but then a few auspicious events have concatenated in the last little while, and at last the government is getting traction. Good stuff for Labor, bad stuff for Abbortt: we get the carrot, they get the stick! Abbortt is seen for the evil creep he is, *J*U*L*I*A* hits heights not seen for nearly 2 years! I do feel uniquely gleeful about all this - My Eye of Time that I rave on about really did get his downfall dead to rights, Oh yes he'll remember the Ides of September all right! But the credit for my spot-on prediction goes entirely to our Prime Minister and her team, all I did was correctly to suss her strategy. For all the exigencies both positive and negative - Slipper's co-optation, Mary-Jo Fisher, the Rudd challenge, the Carr accession, the Slipper and Thomson persecution (still to be resolved), and now the Punch - the agenda has proceeded steadfastly according to her plan, until now virtually every piece of legislation to which the government aspired has been passed. This was always going to be the case as long as the government survived, and the next year from now I was sure would be cleared for action to fight the election. But tonight has been a special treat. Abbortt's misogyny, his lies, his cowardice and hypocrisy and hubris are all rolled into one issue here, a perfect storm for him and a perfect piece of poetic justice at that. By this coming Friday the 21st - The Spring Equinox - he will have been hounded and pursued and worried by the resentful disappointed Media, with the very ones who were most sycophantic before his chief antagonists. No Eye of Time involved, but I do predict a spring election next year. I would love it to be as close to the Ides of September - The Political Sword's approaching 5th Birthday - as the calendar allows. If it were a Saturday that would be perfect, but any day 10th-21st will do. But we are in a winning position [i]anytime[/i] from now on, Wow can you imagine the panic in the Abborttian ranks tonight! Do I even need to say it any more? [i][b]VENCEREMOS![/b][/i]

Lyn

17/09/2012TODAY’S LINKS Missions and omissions of 'Political Animal', Andrew Elder, Politically Homeless Abbott has done all the learning he is going to do, and if people don't accept the scraps of contrition he tosses out from time to time then to hell with them. Such an unstable man cannot deliver the stability in government that conservatives crave, and that conservatives need to convince voters of if they are to form government. That's why he relies so heavily on Howard http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/missions-and-omissions-of-political.html Who are these people?, Victoria Rollinson Abbott never condemns, and even encourages the behaviour of his supporters in their offensive campaigns that ignore every common standard of decency. Perhaps these two media stories are one in the same. Abbott doesn’t criticise the behaviour of his vile supporters, because he is one of these people. He and Milton Bradley are, http://victoriarollison.com/2012/09/15/who-are-these-people/ Where There Is Smoke – - -Archie, Archie Archives Tony Abbott has come under much closer scrutiny over the past week. There have been many reports of his actions and alleged actions over the past four decades. Each one, individually, has received a contemptuous flick from the Leader of the Opposition and his supporter.Perhaps it is time to look at them in totality. http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/where-there-is-smoke/ Tony Abbott's Lies and Deception, Phonytonyabbott On April 27, 2012, Tony Abbott gave an speech at the Institute of Public Affairs. During the speech, Tony Abbott stated the following: Within a week of taking office, I would go to Indonesia to renew http://www.phonytonyabbott.com/lies-and-deceptions/lies-deceptions Carlo's Corner: Poor oppressed Tony Abbott would never hurt a wall, Carlo Sands, Green Left Interviewed by ABC Radio on September 14, Sheridan blew the lid on an organised campaign of bigotry, insisting “it comes down to anti-Catholic sectarianism on the part of the ABC and on the part of Marr”. “This,” said Sheridan, “is the most disgraceful, sectarian, anti-Catholic campaign I’ve ever seen.”That is a bold call. Stories about Abbott's actions as a student activist http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/52261 The Dark Lord of Queensland politics is …John Quiggin The simple fact is that, despite hiring Peter Costello, this government has been unable to find a black hole. And you need not take my word on this. At least three professors have completely discredited the Costello audit, this budget and the LNP’s political strategy. Only on Wednesday night on Lateline a Professor Clive http://johnquiggin.com/2012/09/16/the-dark-lord-of-queensland-politics-is/ Rupert Murdoch’s crazy house, Rodney E Lever, Independent Australia Far from being a “hands off” proprietor, News Ltd’s former Queensland general manager Rodney E. Lever reveals the manic control Rupert Murdoch exercises over News Ltd newspapers — even so far as allegedly using them to try to buy off Australian politicians. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/rupert-murdochs-crazy-house/ The Daily Telegraph's moral outrage , Gary Sauer-Thompson, Public Opinion What Green doesn't refer to this the way Murdoch's tabloids condone practices which had encouraged their journalists to pay cash for unauthorised disclosures – from the alleged bribery of police officers and public officials. It is a well-established procedure in the tabloids that is fostered and condoned by Murdoch and it results http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2012/09/the-daily-teleg.php#more Andrew Bolt’s climate fact drought, Graham Readfearn This delighted News Ltd columnist and climate science mangler-in-chief Andrew Bolt, who promptly wrote a blog arguing that this was why “local warmists” have been predicting worsening droughts for Australia. But before we look at why Bolt is wrong to link the study to Australian conditions, let’s first have a quick look at what the paper actually did and what it concluded http://www.readfearn.com/ The Murdoch Virus Part 5 – Murdoch And The Internet, Dan Gulbery, The Daily Derp After a decade and a half of people getting their content for free, the success of the pay wall model has not exactly been overwhelming. After all, why would anyone pay to read general news items on a Murdoch owned site when they can get it all for free from the BBC, the ABC, CNN and Al Jazeera. The readers of columns by Bolt, Akkerman, Devine and their ilk, aren’t paying to read their vitriolic http://thedailyderp.net/2012/09/16/the-murdoch-virus-part-5-murdoch-and-the-internet/ Political Death by a 1000 Cuts- the slow eviscerating of Tony the Rabbit – the political assasin, Frank, A Frank View http://afrankview.net/2012/09/political-death-by-a-1000-cuts-the-slow-eviscerating-of-tony-the-rabbit-the- As Peter Dutton welcomes Queensland Health upheavals, an authority on remote area health warns about the long-term consequences, Melissa Sweet, Croakey Federal Shadow Health Minister, Peter Dutton, today congratulated the Queensland Health Minister, on reviving Queensland Health and putting the system back on track with an $800m investment and a strategy of getting more money to front line services. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2012/09/14/as-peter-dutton-welcomes-queensland-health-upheavals-an-authority-on-remote-area-health-warns-about- Hypocritical Turnbull Demanding ‘Answers’, Michael Wyres Yet he can’t be honest and answer reasonable questions about his alternative NBN policy, or have the courage to release his policy for comparison.Dishonest. Disingenuous. Hypocritical.Or is he just taking the piss? Either way, we deserve better. http://michaelwyres.com/2012/09/hypocritical-turnbull-demanding-answers/ Extraordinary incompetence”: Turnbull on NBN greenfields, Renai LeMay Delimeter Turnbull is perhaps exaggerating the situation with respect to greenfields estates and the NBN. It’s easy to head out there and find estates with no connections that have been waiting for a while for them. But is it the case that all greenfields estates rollouts are substantially delayed, or that there is an endemic problem in this area? I don’t quite think so http://delimiter.com.au/2012/09/14/extraordinary-incompetence-turnbull-on-nbn-greenfields/?utm_ Prime Minister Julia Gillard address the Queensland Labor State conference, Prime Minister Julia Gillard addresses the Queensland Labor State Conference in Brisbane on September 16, 2012 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-16/prime-minister-julia-gillard-address-the-queensland-alp-confere/4264300 Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 17 September 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

2353

17/09/2012Well researched article AA. It draws on a number of sources to make convincing case that the "it never happened" and "controlled" memes of the current LNP leader are frankly crap. The New Matilda article linked above adds fuel to your fire. On the surface, the responses by Sheridan and others seem to address their own bias (or have been requested by LNP HQ). The destabilisation of Abbott seems to have similar hallmarks to the campaign that destabilised Rudd last February. Whuile I'm not doubting it happened - there are similarities. On top of the [i]Newspoll[/i] at 50:50, [i]Neilsen[/i] also shows the "red team" improving rapidly to 47:53. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/pms-rating-highest-in-16-months-20120916-260m2.html. So Ad, the news is better than when you went to bed last night. Lyn thanks for the Quiggin link - it's brilliant. Who said Uni Professors (and Economists) have no sense of humour? The commerical radio news on in the background at the moment is reporting that Palmer will make comment on the LNP's suggestion he "consider" his memebership today. Could it be that this week is the beginning of the end for Newman too?

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17/09/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

jaycee

17/09/2012This poll was a reflection on LOTO ; the man. The party without "the man" is weak...but be warned..there is always a "Tampa" over the horizon for the opposition and they will now have to create a catastrophe to get back on top. They have a few dirty tricks up their sleeve yet....however, there is now the Slipper/ Thomson affair to play out!

2353

17/09/2012Some interesting news out of Queensland this morning (part 2) Newman drops around 10% in a month. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/poll-finds-queenslanders-less-happy-with-newman-20120916-2606m.html A rebuttal of the "no public servant has been sacked" line from Newman. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/weasel-words-come-to-the-fore-20120915-25yju.html And a report of Gillard's speech to the Queensland ALP Conference on the weekend - with the line "You know the ship is going down pretty fast when the bloke who wants to resurrect the Titanic is seen leaving it" highlighted! http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/even-clive-palmer-is-having-doubts-gillard-blasts-newman-government-20120916-26007.html#ixzz26fu2OZOR

TalkTurkey

17/09/2012ABC 24 News leads with: [b]The Opposition is accusing the Government with denigr[/b][i](urbling the burble blabber bblb bulobbleglub blurp.)[/i] THAT is the important news. (Joe and Josie Lunchbox thinking: That bloody Government, what's it done this time?) Not the fact that *J*U*L*I*A* has kicked Abbortt's arse through a hoop, that he will never never recover no way, that Labor is at 50-50 on 2PP in one of the MSM's beloved polls. That followed yes, at minimal exposure and volume. But the headline is something to do with this rotten Government being dishonest again. Meme meme meme meme me me me me me. We don't care Comrades of the Fighting 5th. What hasn't killed us [i]has[/i] made us stronger!

Tom of Melbourne

17/09/2012…back on topic. Would Ad Astra, or anyone else, explain why Abbott’s actions as a 19 year old are so relevant that they warrant a specific thread, while the actions of Gillard as a middle aged professional, a political activist, aren’t relevant to her character and judgement? Do you accept that Gillard was young and naïve at 34, but Abbott wasn’t at 19? They hypocrisy here is hilarious.

DoodlePoodle

17/09/2012The introduction by Wayne Swann yesterday voiced what so many of us on TPS believe. Well done JULIA!! "She is the strongest, toughest warrior this party has ever produced," he said. "...(she has weathered attacks from) the grubs and freak shows associated with the Liberal party. "She has been magnificent in the face of adversity."

nasking

17/09/2012 [quote]The vicious behaviour by both sects of religion in this weeks' Sydney and international violence demonstrates why religion has to be contained to the home or registered places of worship..ie.: churches, mosques, temples etc. there is no need to take sectarian hatred to the theatre or the streets...Religion and its' fanatics have done untold damage and violence over the years...[/quote] Jaycee, spot on. N'

TalkTurkey

17/09/2012I know a man who knows a man who knows someone who is married to one of the cleaners in Parliament House Canberra who says that certain individuals in one of the Parties have long-standing coke-snorting habits which she has on a number of occasions accidentally witnessed being indulged. I have never given the rumour much attention until this morning when I saw a certain politician on ABC24. Cocaine-snorting progressively dissolves the nasal septum, causing the nose to droop perceptibly, while the sniffing wiping and general wear and tear on the outside means that it is often red and swollen. "Queen of Drugs", cocaine is a powerful stimulant and I must say its frequent long-term use by this particular character would go a long way to explaining his hyperactive behaviour, his elongate swollen red nose, his irascibility and his red red red red face. Not that I would want to start any hares running . . . :)

nasking

17/09/2012 [quote]Tanya P was excellent on insiders.  Panel okay, soft on Abbott as usual but did give it an airing.  Watched Julia at the ALP conference in QLD. She was just brilliant.  I think even with the distress of her dad's death, she actually had a bit of a rest, and looked really fit and well.  Very disappointed they didn't televise all of Swanny's intro or any of the other contributors.  The bits I am catching through twitter, sounds like they are all upbeat and ready to get back to governing in QLD in a couple of years.[/quote] Gravel, couldn't agree more. Tanya's a natural. Best speech from the PM this term...confident, motivating, reached out to the people, great policies pushed... just wish I'd seen her introduced. Odd cut by the ABC...and bloody awful camera work during Swanny's speech. Abbott looked shaken, fibbing and slighly demented this weekend. Beneath the mask revealed an oddball character. He depended on the National party primarily to distract and try to dig him out of the hole. Tells ya something. Then whiney, spinning, annoying Pyne showed up this morn playing that boring negabore role. He's caught the Abbott negabore virus. Soon Pyne will be claiming Abbott is Mother Theresa in guise. N'

nasking

17/09/2012 Make that Mother Teresa.

nasking

17/09/2012 Top post Ad. Having spent much of the 70s in Canada I missed the Whitlam sacking...and didn't feel aggrieved enuff to delve into Australia's Liberal party and its supporters much...I just assumed 'Liberal' meant liberal. Seems this is not the case. Ad, you bring up Gerard Henderson...rabid defender of Tony Abbott...I found this interesting: [quote]Henderson attended the Jesuit Xavier College in Melbourne. He studied arts and law at the University of Melbourne before completing a Ph.D. At the University of Melbourne, Henderson was President of the DLP (Democratic Labor Party) Club. Like other political clubs at the University of Melbourne during the 1960s the DLP Club was not affiliated with the political party of the same name, but supported DLP policies and invited DLP parliamentarians, including the then Senator Jack Little to speak on campus in 1968 at public meetings. [/quote] Wikipedia N'

Lyn

17/09/2012Good Morning Ad & Everybody Twitterverse for you. Bushfire Bill Posted Monday, September 17, 2012 at 8:01 am This will be third time unlucky for Shannas: 2007, 2010 and now a failure in 2013 is looking more than just an outside chance http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/all-comments/#comment-1411404 Sparring in the ring of truth, Robert Manne There are, however, no grounds for doubting that Tony Abbott has seriously misled the nation with his comments to Stefanovic on Friday, because the story of the punch he threw at Barbara Ramjan is almost certainly in essence true http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/politics/sparring-in-the-ring-of-truth-20120916-260d0.html#ixzz26gALe9uz Prime Minister Julia Gillard climbs back in the game , Dennis Shanahan There has also been a double-edged attack on Mr Abbott as a cohort of Liberal premiers make unpopular decisions - especially in Queensland - and personal attacks on his "problem with women". Yesterday, Ms Gillard continued to campaign against Mr Abbott as a partner of the Liberal premiers and demanded Mr Abbott deny the suggestion of NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell that the GST should be increased to help fund the states. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/prime-minister-julia-gillard-climbs-back-in-the-game/story-fn59niix-1226475380768 Eric Campbell a letter to Greg Sheridan, About his ABC accusations. http://www.scribd.com/doc/106086385/Letter-to-Greg-Sheridan Gillard up as Abbott hits record low: poll, Laura Tingle Mr Abbott’s net approval is down five points to minus-23 per cent, which Nielsen pollster John Stirton says is a new personal record low and the lowest for an opposition leader since August 2009 when Malcolm Turnbull was leader. http://www.afr.com/p/national/gillard_up_as_abbott_hits_record_LPWxvsrGXiOAqLN3vRqgXI Political Tragic‏ Big boost for Gillard in latest Newspoll http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-17/big-boost-for-gillard-in-latest-newspoll/4264478 @abcnews Idiot Boy will be spewin'. Party Games--Fighting words put Julia Gillard in good stead, for now , Dennis Atkins There was a taste of the next election campaign in Gillard's Brisbane speech and, if she can stay out of trouble and keep Kevin Rudd at bay, it could be much more willing than it looked two months ago. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/party-games-fighting-words-put-julia-gillard-in-good-stead-for-now/story-e6frerc6-1226475180116 PM's rating highest in 16 months, Phillip Coorey JULIA GILLARD'S personal standing with voters is improving and Labor's support growing but the government would fast-forward to an election-winning lead if Kevin Rudd were at the helm now, according to the latest Herald/Nielsen poll. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/pms-rating-highest-in-16-months-20120916-260m2.html#ixzz26fRxU1oM Audacity of hope: Gillard's new campaign weapon, Peter Hartcher While Abbott mastered the art of the negative campaign, it has gradually come to master him. It blackens his leadership even more than it darkens Gillard's http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/audacity-of-hope-gillards-new-campaign-weapon-20120916-260ki.html#ixzz26fQmxbI7 Swords come at Gillard from all sides, KATHARYN Murphy Now to poor old Tony Abbott. What a messy few weeks. Free-range Barnaby colliding with Liberals who'd had more than a gutful of the good Senator Joyce and the reflexive populism he personifies. Scrappy media performances. David Marr's Quarterly Essay unleashing a few anecdote-wielding ghosts from 1977. Conservative state governments hacking into services people know and care about. A sense that the Coalition doesn't quite know where to position the carbon price attack post-July http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/swords-come-at-gillard-from-all-sides-20120916-260cq.html#ixzz26fcUXnyy Gillard continues her rise, Michelle Grattan LABOR'S primary vote and Julia Gillard's approval are continuing to improve, although switching to Kevin Rudd could turn the government's current prospect of defeat into the chance of victory, according to the http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-continues-her-rise-20120916-260ms.html#ixzz26fbaVSG4 Fill black hole with more GST , Simon Benson A core group of federal Liberal MPs, including backbencher Jamie Briggs, privately support a broadening of the GST. And yesterday federal Nationals leader Warren Truss said he could never rule out changes to taxation in a future coalition government. http://www.news.com.au/national/fill-black-hole-with-more-gst/story-fndo4bst-1226475233968 Big boosts for Gillard, Labor in latest Newspoll, Video Latika Bourke ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-17/big-boost-for-gillard-in-latest-newspoll/4264478 The Australian‏@australian O'Farrell caught in party feud: Liberal Party branch members who have launched legal action against NSW Premier... http://bit.ly/RaIerS Lift GST rate to ease our cash drain – O'Farrell, Sean Nicholls Mr Baird has called for consideration of whether the GST-free threshold for online purchases from overseas websites should be cut from $1000 to about $30, which would potentially raise hundreds of millions of dollars in extra GST revenue. This could pave the way for an abolition of stamp duty, or be used for infrastructure and services http://m.smh.com.au/nsw/lift-gst-rate-to-ease-our-cash-drain--ofarrell-20120916-260j1.html Newman Government's full-page newspaper ad promoting redundancy package slammed by unions as 'farce' http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/lnp-advertisements-slammed-by-unions/story-fndo1yus-1226475154468?

nasking

17/09/2012 Tony Abbott and the present Liberal party sure rely on angry characters to defend and attack: [quote]Hadley's bar room-brawler style is crucial to his appeal. "People who don't express a firmly held opinion disappear down a ratings drain and never get heard of again," he says. But it has also earned him plenty of enemies. The former premier Nathan Rees, who was savaged on air by Hadley in 2008, says: "I don't have time for bullies generally, and I certainly don't have time for him." Likewise, the federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan, had to ask Hadley to stop "screaming and yelling" at him during an interview in May. A former 2UE colleague, Mike Carlton, describes Hadley as "aggressive and abrasive … his technique is to tell people that all sorts of evil things are happening out there - we are being overrun by refugees, the economy is shot - and then you present yourself as the guy who can fix it by shouting at cabinet ministers." [b]Hadley's temper is legendary, as 2GB news director Justin Kelly discovered during the 2004 Olympics. When Hadley's call of the women's 4 x 100 medley victory didn't make it onto 2GB's 6am news, Hadley exploded, telling the station boss John Brennan that Kelly was a "f---en idiot" and a "f---en spastic" who had "done nothing since he got here but f--- up". The outburst didn't make it to air but a recording of it was leaked to the media, forcing Hadley to apologise to Kelly on air. Asked about it now, Hadley says simply: "I don't suffer fools nor do I take any prisoners[/b]."[/quote] A pattern of behaviour. I imagine the nation's listeners have increasing blood pressure listening to this ranting. Rush Limbaugh from America-like stuff. Non-stop ranting and accusations. Rush comes across like he's drank a gallon of coffee with a gallon of cough mixture. Add a bad hangover. And annoyance his staff won't do the serf bit day in day out. That's what it comes across as. Bizarre. N'

nasking

17/09/2012 Whoops...link: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/brawler-of-the-airwaves-20100924-15qg2.html BTW, how much money do these shock jocks make? Do the radio stations do well from their combination of agro outrage, faux sincerity, softly spoken scumbag spin, affordable charity...and spruiking of products? Just a profiteering formula isn't it? Bit of a sham...a show. Amazed people fall for it. Someone's doing well out of it. Do the callers get paid for their contributions? N'

Michael

17/09/2012Ad Astra, hi. Thanks for re-posting my orphaned piece on 'Tony Abbott and self-control', a non sequitur if ever there was one. There was another mischievous non sequitur on the front page of this morning's Sydney Morning Herald. A top of page sub-headline read "Rudd would win election now". In the ensuing article, headlined "PM's rating highest in 16 months", keyboard-entered by Phil Coorey (is "keyboard-entered" too harsh a description of his journalistic skills?), this sub-heading was exposed as both misleading and... well, mischievous. The two pertinent words from it are "win" and "now", as these two paragraphs later in the text demonstrate: "...the Coalition [has] a two-party preferred lead of 53 per cent to 47, a 3-point swing since the last Federal election. But this situation would be reversed, at least temporarily, if the former prime minister Mr Rudd were Labor leader". Labor under Rudd would "win" at this exact moment, right "now", if the poll numbers were actual votes counted. However, even Coorey accepts that in the real world, the Rudd rising above the Coalition "situation would [only] be reversed... temporarily", because he then quotes Nielsen poll director John Stirton as saying that this very same poll (right now) indicates Kevin Rudd's popularity is in decline. Ergo, the front page sub-headline is misleading, false except in an unreal situation closer to the mysteries of quantum mechanics than everyday arithmetic, and clearly designed to misrepresent the trend of results relating to preferred leadership of the Federal Labor Party. Further statistics in ensuing paragraphs concerning the decline in support with Labor Party supporters for the reascension of 'Kevin from Queensland' demonstrate in everyday arithmetic terms just how increasingly fewer people wish him to come back to 'help' Labor. And further to the rebuttal contained in those hard numerical facts, these paragraphs also rebut the message of the sub-headline at the top of the page. So why did Fairfax give a false and misleading observation such high presence on their front page? We're back to "mischievous" again. Mischievous, and perhaps, just perhaps, still trying as an increasingly irrelevant and wrong-footed mainstream Press, to work towards muddying the public's perception and understanding of just how effective Julia Gillard and her government are as a government, and how fragile and unrooted the Coalition is, under Abbott now, under anyone in the foreseeable future. Why "under anyone"? Because Abbott has worked so hard to craft an Opposition driven by a claim on government based on nothing other than a claim of the "illegitimacy" of the current government, the replacement 'leader' would have at Press Conference Number One no worked up and locked down policies to present as a credible alternative government. Nothing more than Abbott's fanciful nonsense about a 'golden age' and yearnings to return to when 'we were all government ministers'. Since the ever more likely tossing of Abbott to the nosebleed seats of the backbench will render all his positions on why the Coalition should be in government anathema to whoever replaces him (would anyone, even Julie Bishop, want to be seen as 'Tony Abbott Lite???), whoever the anointed one is, they'll have nothing but the wasted time of the last two years till they took over, and little time ahead of them until an election, to both scrub out Abbott's stains on Coalition credibility, and craft an election-ready 'whole of alternative government' suite of policies and proposals. One that's costed in hard dollar everyday arithmetic and not the bogus-audit figurings of Perth accounting firms and Peter Costello on a five figure retainer, that is. Leadership of the Federal Coalition post Tony Abbott will be so poisoned a chalice even a fair dinkum 'how could you be more Australian than this?' flag and boxing kangaroo adorned stubbie-holder won't stop it burning the fingers of the poor bugger it's thrust into.

nasking

17/09/2012 My views on a couple of issues here: http://www.facebook.com/nick.king.1232760?ref=tn_tnmn N'

DMW

17/09/2012... and for all you people who reckon that Our ABC is nothing but a nest of right wing apologists and LNP backers YOU ARE WRONG ... I know 'cos Greg Sheridan told me and he writes for The Australian and the paper of national record would never lie. Neither would any of its' employees unlike those pinko commie watermelon lot at the ABC. :P :P :P :P :P

DMW

17/09/2012... oh and it is time for me to hit the road again ... and tune in to the Rabid Right Radio National hang on ... the pinko, commie, greenie hugging, conservative bashing HayBeeSea help, I'm torn maybe I can find some ShockJockRadio instead

Jason

17/09/2012ToM, If Abbott won’t provide any policies to scrutinize, then we scrutinize what we can: his character.

LadyInRed

17/09/2012Ad astra Another great pulling together of the last weeks threads. You are good at this meta analysis stuff. And we need that type of reporting because it can all get lost when so much happens in a week. Then time goes by and we only remember snippets and we lose the total picture. It is then when we can pull out these articles and get the full picture again, a historical archive if you will. You had Retro Rabbitt picked when you wrote [i]The Pugalist Politician[/i]. I saw 5 minutes of Meet The Press and Julie Bishop was defending TAbbott: [i]"There are people who would do anything and say anything to protect the Gillard governemnt"[/i] This is just another way of saying [i]Labor Dirt Team[/i] This is the nail in her coffin. She went on to defend him as: [i]always been respectful and always being professional with his dealings with coalition women and other women to her observation [/i] No doubt he is nice to people who agree with him. Let's face it if Ramjan had been on TAbbott's side with an, [i]all hail the mighty Abbott[/i], and thus knew her place, he would no doubt have been very respectful to her. Marr admits that Abbott is very personable. However, we don't judge people only on how they handle life when it is all going their way, often the very best a person can be only really becomes apparent when things don't go their way. Rudd is a good example of not shining. The PM is a perfect example of the opposite, she has proven to be amazing under pressure, gracious and caring, never losing sight of the objective [i]she wont just roll over and die[/i]. She has suffered the most vitriolic attacks and Julie Bishop would do well to remember that when she calls this a character assasination. What has Retro Rabbit been doing other than trying to assisinate the PM's character whilst puting his own up there on a pedestal? And bringing out whiney Piney to point to his Rhodes Scholarship as proof of his great character, well I am sorry all that points out, to me, is that he is very good at hiding who he really is. Which I believe Marr also pointed to (political Tony and values Tony). He hangs his hat on people in the bygone who he believes have been successful, people he admires, the world is not heading in the right direction, we are losing our way, we have lost our values (Tony's values).

LadyInRed

17/09/2012Nasking re: Hadley and shock jocks. They make their cash from fear. Its a very lucrative market is fear. You generate it and then you profit from it. Con-man is another word for it.

LadyInRed

17/09/2012[i] Why doesn't he go out, just once in a while, without a staffer, perhaps taking his wife Margie — whom the public would really like, if they saw more of her — and look natural and normal? This is not the time to appear with her in some confected interview that the minders negotiate with terms and conditions. Just to do a bit of ''stuff'' together, despite her dislike of the public forum. Possibly — no guarantees — it would help with the ''woman problem''.[/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/tony-abbotts-real-challenge-20120917-2619d.html#ixzz26gq2Y18P Note to Grattan (maybe she reads sites like this?): This comment is offensive to women, to which last time I looked you were one. You said in a previous piece that [i]the punch happened,[/i], and you have seen his disgraceful handling of it (outright lieing and willingness to paint the woman as a liar, again). Given women all over this nation have to put up daily with 1) domestic violence both physical and emotional and 2) discrimination and bullying in the workplace, for you to come out and simply say a nice few phtoto oppotunities with "Margie" (why not bring the kids along) should fix things up nicely for Retro Rabbitt. Honestly I can't believe it, Julie Bishop (her time is nigh) I can understand but really a journo should leave this type of reporting where it belongs in the garbage pail.

BSA Bob

17/09/2012I happened to see part of Abbott's "interview" with Karl Stefanovik & it seemed to me that his defence ran along these lines: "what you can't get me for is a malicious slur on my character, what you can get me for doesn't count". Sums him up,in his view he's allowed to get away with things. I've never liked him at all. Always been vaguely scared of him.

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17/09/2012Hi Lyn Thank you for collecting together the polling material, which makes intriguing reading, particularly the commentary on the results. First, as we have been saying for a long while now, a single poll is NOT predictive a year out from the next scheduled election. It is the trends that give a better prognosis. It will be informative to see the long-term trend on Possum’s Pollytrend when he updates it http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/ and Andrew Catsaris’ ‘Poll of Polls on [i]Insiders[/i]. Pollsters are professional people whose reputations depend on carrying out their polling correctly with adequate sampling and unbiased interpretation. Generally, they carry out their professional role responsibly. It is a pity that commentators don’t listen to them more carefully. Looking at today’s [i]Age/Neilsen[/i] poll, read what John Stirton had to say on [i]AM[/i]: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3591293.htm He ends by responding to a question by Naomi Woodley: [i]"NAOMI WOODLEY: Julia Gillard is polling well as preferred prime minister in both polls as well, but Labor in your poll, in the Neilsen, says Labor would be in front if Kevin Rudd was prime minister. Will much be read into that?

 "JOHN STIRTON: [b]Oh look that's a hypothetical, on a hypothetical that we did on if Kevin Rudd was leader. 

The thing about those sort of polls is, there's no doubt Kevin Rudd would get a bounce if he returned to the leadership, but the big question is how long would he hold it and how much damage would be done to the party in changing leaders. And they're things you just can't factor into a poll like that." [/b][/i] My bolding. In support of Michael’s comment above at 10.31, here is what three Fairfax columnists had to say: Peter Hartcher could not resist dipping into the Rudd comeback story. He is not prepared to put it to bed – I suppose it’s such great copy. [i]”This trend arms Gillard's supporters with a powerful weapon: hope. Today's poll allows her defenders to make this case: stick with Gillard because her comeback is working, Abbott is in deepening difficulty, there is a year to the next election and she deserves a chance to continue to rebuild. “Yet this is not an open-and-shut response to the prospect of another Kevin Rudd leadership challenge because today's poll also contains a striking finding - if Labor replaced Gillard with Rudd, its fortunes would be transformed. “A Rudd leadership would give Labor the same scale of victory over the Abbott Coalition as Rudd delivered against the John Howard Coalition in 2007. “Rudd could do it again, on these numbers. So the horns of Labor's leadership dilemma are sharper than ever. Gillard's claim to hold on is improving. But so is Rudd's claim to be able to deliver victory. “The likely outcome is that the Labor caucus will prevaricate. This gives Abbott time to attempt a recovery. He needs one, badly.”[/i] No doubt, he’s hoping for more Ruddstoration talk. I doubt if Labor caucus shares Hartcher’s feelings about his hypothetical dilemma. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/audacity-of-hope-gillards-new-campaign-weapon-20120916-260ki.html#ixzz26glKTSN0 Michelle Grattan can’t resist either: [i]”Labor’s primary vote and Julia Gillard's approval are continuing to improve, although switching to Kevin Rudd could turn the government's current prospect of defeat into the chance of victory, according to the Age/Nielsen poll. “While the results generally are good for Ms Gillard, marking a change in political mood as the debate swings off the carbon tax and on to the PM's positive agenda, the comparison with what might happen if Mr Rudd was reinstated will be used by the increasingly active Rudd camp as it steps up its agitation for change. “Pollster John Stirton said that ''given his long-term popularity, it is not surprising that a switch to Kevin Rudd would give Labor a boost. What we don't know is how long Mr Rudd would retain this increased support.''[/i] At least she acknowledges Stirton’s caveat. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-continues-her-rise-20120916-260ms.html#ixzz26gnP7BMy Phillip Coorey walks down the same road. [i]”Julia Gillard’s personal standing with voters is improving and Labor's support growing but the government would fast-forward to an election-winning lead if Kevin Rudd were at the helm now, according to the latest Herald/Nielsen poll. “The poll shows that in a hypothetical match-up between Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott, Labor's primary vote would jump 10 points to 44 per cent, the Coalition's would fall 4 points to 41 per cent and the Greens' would fall 2 points to 8 per cent. This would give Labor a two-party-preferred lead of 53 per cent to 47 per cent. “The Nielsen poll director, John Stirton, said a boost under Mr Rudd, whose popularity, the poll shows, is in decline, would not be surprising but it would be hard to tell how long it would last.”[/i] Again, but at the end, he acknowledges Stirton’s caution. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/pms-rating-highest-in-16-months-20120916-260m2.html#ixzz26goinxi6 [b]I suppose it’s great copy for these journalists to raise again the spectre of a return of Rudd, but today’s poll data makes that even less likely as Julia Gillard’s popularity rises, Kevin Rudd’s popularity declines relative to Julia Gillard’s, and Labor’s polling improves. It seems to be too a good a ‘yarn’ for them to let go. Why? To me it simply looks like poor journalism. [/b]

BSA Bob

17/09/2012LadyInRed et al Just read today's effort by Michelle Grattan that you refer to. With this she's forfeited any right to be considered a "commentator". She's joined Dennis Shanahan in the coaches' box, screaming instructions & support at her team.

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17/09/2012Michael As a follow-up to my last comment about a Ruddstoration being less likely as a result of the [i]Age/Neilsen[/i] poll, an online poll in the SMH that so far has over fourteen thousand respondents shows that when asked [b]Who would you most likely vote for at the next federal election?[/b], the response was: Julia Gillard 44% Tony Abbott 19% Kevin Rudd 10% Malcolm Turnbull 20% None of them 7% Even allowing for the unreliability of such online polls because of sampling problems, that doesn’t look to me much like a Ruddstoration!

Patriciawa

17/09/2012Yes, AA, that SMH/Age on line poll gives the lie to the 'Rudd is still Labor favorite' meme. That's very solidly pro PMJG. Anyone wanting to add their vote can go to http://www.smh.com.au/polls/opinion/political-news/who-to-vote-for-20120917-260xm.html#poll

TalkTurkey

17/09/2012Reading Ol'Coke Bottles today. [b]What's the difference between her and a damp squib? [/b] Well - (I made this up myself) - A damp squib is a [i]phut-wick [/i]:)..

MWS

17/09/2012Does Michelle Grattan seriously think that a quick walk in public with a spouse is enough to sway somebody's vote? She must have a VERY low opinion of the average voter. Why does she bother covering politics if that it all it takes?

LadyInRed

17/09/2012oh yawn QT back on the carbon price. It must be so boring sitting through that day after day, and we pay for these wasted questions. Retro really doesn't have anything else up his sleeve. The carbon price worked before it can work again (living up to his Retro name). Patriciawa I know its not a scientific poll in the SMH, though it is definitely a heartwarming one, with the PM winning 'who would you vote for" at 43%

LadyInRed

17/09/2012I know a lot of Muslim's and they are not like the people we saw on television. Waleed Ally says it is not the video: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/the-incredible-muslim-hulk-proves-to-be-no-friend-of-islam-either-20120916-260e8.html

LadyInRed

17/09/2012i emant to add this from Waleed's article - a message for TAbbott as well? [i] It doesn't matter that they protest using offensive slogans and signs, while protesting against people's right to offend. It doesn't matter that they object to insulting people on the basis of their religion, while declaring that Christians have no morals. This is baffling only until you realise these protesters are not truly protesting to make a point. The protest is the point. Defining image ... a child carries a sign in Hyde Park on Saturday. Photo: James Brickwood It feels good. It feels powerful. This is why people yell pointlessly or punch walls when frustrated. It's not instrumental. It doesn't achieve anything directly. But it is catharsis. Outrage and aggression is an intoxicating prospect for the powerless. Accordingly, it is not an option to leave an insult unanswered because that is a sign of weakness, rather than transcendence. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/the-incredible-muslim-hulk-proves-to-be-no-friend-of-islam-either-20120916-260e8.html#ixzz26hZRDqEC[/i]

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17/09/20122353, Nasking, LadyinRed Thank you for your kind comments. You are right LiR, this piece is a meta-analysis and the conclusion derived from the evidence seems unavoidable – the alternative PM was, and is still an aggressive pugilistic misogynist wrecker, as he was in 1977. All the defensive talk about it being a long while ago and therefore irrelevant, is nonsense. This man has not changed his unpleasant behavior one jot, and it would be unreasonable to expect that in midlife it would change, given the indoctrination of his early life. If he is elected to be PM, his behavior would be just the same as it is now, possibly worse given that he would have his hands on the levers of power. Essential Research poll this week, combined with last week’s figures, shows the TPP unchanged at 55/45 in favour of the Coalition. Of more interest is an accompanying table about the attributes of the two leaders. The first figure is Julia Gillard’s percentage score, the second Tony Abbott’s: Intelligent 68, 62 Hardworking 69, 67 A capable leader 43, 37 Arrogant 40, 63 Out of touch with ordinary people 56, 57 Understands problems facing Australia 43, 43 Visionary 31, 29 Superficial 46, 51 Good in crisis 43, 35 Narrow-minded 46, 59 More honest than most politicians 31, 27 Trustworthy 30, 30 Intolerant 37, 53 Aggressive 42, 59 Erratic 43, 51 Leave aside scores that are similar, such as Intelligent, Hardworking, Understands problems, Out of touch, and Visionary. Surprisingly, after all Abbott’s talk about Julia Gillard’s untrustworthiness, they rate the same on Trustworthy. On the positive attributes, JG rates better than TA on A capable leader 43, 37; Good in a crisis 43, 35; and More honest than most politicians 31, 27. On negative attributes, TA clearly outscores JG. JG’s score is first. Arrogant 40, 63; Superficial 46, 51; Narrow-minded 46, 59; Intolerant 37, 53; Aggressive 42, 59; Erratic 43, 51. TA most notably outscores JG on arrogance, intolerance and aggressiveness. That should come as no surprise to any of us, but it is noteworthy that the public sees it as we do. There is nothing in this table that will give Tony Abbott or his Coalition colleagues any comfort. Except where the scores are equal, JG does better that TA on every attribute, good and bad. Remember too that this is from a sample of voters who still give the Coalition a ten point lead. That tells us something about how even Coalition voters feel about their leader!

Tom of Melbourne

17/09/2012During her mid 30s, the current Prime Minister displayed- • A complete lack of professionalism in protecting the interests and reputation of her employer • Incompetence such that she was drummed out of a Labor law firm • An inability to balance her personal interests and relationships with those of her actual client Poor judgment, lack of transparency and incompetence has characterised her professional life. The habits that were clearly evident in her early middle age remain with her during the later parts of her middle age. I’ve no idea what she was up to at 19. Are her activities immediately after school relevant?

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17/09/2012Folks Earlier I mentioned the trend polls. I see that there is an updated one on Katherine Murphy’s blog of parliamentary proceedings. You will need to scroll down to almost half way to see it. It shows that the TPP gap has narrowed, and is now what it was in March 2011, having been much wider for two periods in between. This Pulse Poll of Polls includes Nielsen, Newspoll, Essential and Morgan political polling data. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/blogs/the-pulse/politics-live-september-17-2012-20120917-26122.html

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17/09/2012Surveys like the one discussed are interesting. The results often depend on the questions asked and the way they are asked but I hve been incuded in quite a few surveys over the years and those were done quite well. If the topic is addressed from several aspects the reliability is enhanced. It only confirms what many have said here and it is good to find we are not as delusional as some would wish to paint us. Some have political awareness and many will never have. Many have given up discussing politics but that is not an option as what has happened in QLD would indicate. Coal royalties that do more damage to mines than anything else could in no time flat. Campbell is not a Catholic is he? If not we will have to blame the Army. How reliable is the Costello Audit?( or does it fit the order)

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17/09/2012LadyinRed I agree, as does BSA Bob, with your comments about Michelle Grattan’s ‘advice’ to Tony Abbott about his ''woman problem''. She probably doesn’t even realize how inopportune those words of hers are.

Jason

17/09/2012ToM, This is a thread about Abbott! You might like it to be on other subjects but it's not. You could always start your own blog even though the dogs might still be barking the caravan has moved on from what the PM did or didn't do at Slater and Gordon. If you have such damning evidence to prove otherwise and have no fear of being done for libel I would say to go ahead and do it! If you have nothing but your usual smear and innuendo no one is interested. ToM now is the time to put up or shut up! I think you're to much of a coward to test the laws on libel, but more than happy for you to prove it beyond any doubt.

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17/09/2012Folks If you are able to access Essential Research, you may find the other tables of interest. The sample size is just over two thousand and the margin of error 2-3%. You will see that Julia Gillard has improved her ratings since April in all except in ‘Out of touch with ordinary people’. http://essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport

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17/09/2012Jason I agree entirely with you at 4.09 pm.

Lyn

17/09/2012Hi Ad and Everybody, Ad there is something I need to tell you and keep forgetting. Remember when my gravatar changed to this dreadful scary picture, well I have found out. The name box, email box and country box are not keeping my details in there like they always used too. That means every time I post I need to fill in details, those 2 days when Mr Gravatar changed I had entered my email address wrong, eg last time no "D" on the end of Bigpond. The reason I am telling you this big story is because it seems one can sign in with an invalid email address eg not even a proper IP address. Just thought you may need to know anyway if not nothing lost, no problems. Twitterati for you, not very much on QT because Julia Gillard absent. Bushfire Bill Posted Monday, September 17, 2012 at 10:11 am Think of all that time wasted by the commentators on The Lie, Carbon Tax, how Abbott is the most successful leader of the Opposition in history (“just look at the polls”), and how they didn’t need to examine Labor policy because it had only “junk” status as no other government in history has ever recovered from such a disastrous/catastrophic/humiliating poll position http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/comment-page-15/#comment-1411636 Bushfire Bill Posted Monday, September 17, 2012 at 1:34 pm | Permalink First Sheridan took the pledge, now Grattan. Coorey’s been banging on about Ruddstoration for what seems like years. Ditto Hartcher, on the odd day you can actually figure out what he’s pontificating about at all. Katharine Murphy has told her readers again this morning that no matter what they tell her, she’ll be lecturing them on leadership for the forseeable future (great way to keep the punters reading you, Katharine). Shanahan’s been chewing on sour grapes and spitting out vitriol all morning. Kelly’s off looking for “questions that must be answered http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/all-comments/#comment-1411876 Andrew‏ Lets not judge Abbott on his distant past… his more recent political strategies are enough to sink the bastard. http://sgp1.paddington.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/political_transcripts/article_1761.asp? States to blame for electricity bills: AGL The carbon tax and the renewable energy target are often cited as the reasons for the increases in electricity prices," AGL chairman Jeremy Maycock said in the company's annual report released on Monday http://www.theage.com.au/business/states-to-blame-for-electricity-bills-agl-20120917-261mv.html#ixzz26hNkilMU David Marler‏ @kruddmp @LadyRanga And @jackietrad has all readly put it to Newman last week.I made an extract of the Hansard http://ow.ly/dKWZ6 Jeremy de Korte‏ Joyce backs Newman job cuts '100 per cent' http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/joyce-backs-newman-job-cuts-100-per-cent-20120917-261sd.html via @theage Gee, what a surprising endorsement from BJ #qldpol #AUSpol AshGhebranious‏ For those unaware, the coalition dont need to ask permission to table stuff #qt National Times‏ Live video feed of parliamentary question time. Wayne Swan and Julie Bishop lead proceedings. http://media.nationaltimes.com.au/video-national-times/national-times

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17/09/2012Folks After all the innuendo about the resignation of Duncan Lewis as Secretary to the Department of Defence, here is Julia Gillard’s announcement today read out in parliament: “[i]Following the appointment of the Hon Brendan Nelson as the Director of the Australian War Memorial, Mr Duncan Lewis AO DSC CSC has been nominated as Ambassador to Belgium, the European Union and Luxembourg. "He will, subject to normal processes being completed, also be Australia’s Ambassador to NATO. Dr Nelson, as a former Minister for Defence, was a strong and experienced hand as our Ambassador to NATO. At this stage of Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan it is important that we continue to have that strength and experience in our NATO representation. “Mr Lewis has had a distinguished career in both the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Public Service prior to being appointed as Secretary to the Department of Defence and brings considerable experience and expertise to his new role. I welcome his continued service to the Commonwealth. “Mr Lewis will leave the Department of Defence on 10 October 2012 to prepare to take up his new appointment.”[/i] That does not sound as if a sinister reason is behind his departure from Defence, as the [i]AFR[/i] suggested today.

Bacchus

17/09/2012[quote]The name box, email box and country box are not keeping my details in there like they always used too.[/quote] Hi Lyn. What broswer are you using? This can usually be set somewhere in the options for your browser.

nasking

17/09/2012 “The likely outcome is that the Labor caucus will prevaricate. This gives Abbott time to attempt a recovery. He needs one, badly.” Ad, Hartcher bores me silly these days. You get the feeling he yearns for an Abbott victory but can't say it. I bet Abbott's dirty team and allies will be out there formenting hate against the Muslim community based on the intolerant, aggressive and dopey acts of a minority. It's all the Coalition know how to do these days...fearmongering, pitting communities against each other, pointing fingers, dog whistling, nudge nudge wink wink to xenophobes and racists and misogynists...that and calling for tax cuts and redistribution of income to their chosen private sector. I noticed Ban the Burqa hate site pushing itself on Facebook. Reductionist and dangerous. Frankly, I'm not big on burqas...but provided these women choose to wear them and are not bullied into it I believe that's their choice. I prefer tho that all religious wear, symbols are kept out of schools. Secular education should be the priority. To keep our children focused on learning...not battling over religion like so many fanatical and short-sighted adults. N'

Tom of Melbourne

17/09/2012Get over it Jason. There is nothing in my comment that isn't already on the public record. My commentary is the only recent one that is on topic, which is apparently about the early years of politicians and the relevance this has to their capacity for the job of Prime Minister.

nasking

17/09/2012 [quote]If Abbott won’t provide any policies to scrutinize, then we scrutinize what we can: his character.[/quote] Jason, spot on. And when we do hear about policy, it's usually about the wrecker wanting to use his wrecking ball. :) N'

KHTAGH

17/09/2012At least he looks like the boil on the arse of TPS he is now with his new gravatar.

nasking

17/09/2012 Cheers Lyn for the supportive comment. Unfortunately I've got excruciating pain right now from a new filling sitting on the nerve...taking painkillers and antibiotics. Can barely think. Great tweets and links Lyn...yer a real asset. Our lovely tweety bird. [quote]re: Hadley and shock jocks. They make their cash from fear. Its a very lucrative market is fear. You generate it and then you profit from it. Con-man is another word for it.[/quote] Too right LadyInRed, this lot have done huge damage to western nations...taking us backwards...hindering progress...all to make big moolah for them and their greedy bosses. They aren't much different from the Muslim extremist Mullahs and radio personalities who call on the mob to show their anger. The rest of us are caught in the middle of their hate and the protests they incite. N'

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17/09/2012Hi Lyn Thanks for the Twitterati. Isn’t BB just brilliant in the way he slices and dices our journalists! The rest of the links were great reading. The 2005 interview of Abbott was classic. This man has not changed at all over the years – he is still the same old obfuscatory Abbott man. Thank you for the advice about the Gravatar issue. I guess we will have to be careful about putting in our email addresses as the Gravatar seems linked to the one we used when selecting our Gravatar.

nasking

17/09/2012 Yep, as I expected...the hate mongers and dog whistlers are out there trying to score political points by making toxic brews for the public to drink: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/mp-suggests-removing-child-protester-from-parents-20120917-2617k.html This lot won't be satisfied until they have a fanatical Christian dictatorship in place in every country they can. Like some of the more verbally aggressive protestors they are a menace to a peaceful, united society. Frankly, I don't know how intelligent and wide thinking characters like Turnbull and Fraser tolerate these One Nation style bigots and fearmongers in their party. N'

42 long

17/09/2012Predictably, J Bishop and Scott Morriscum were trying to milk heaps out of some person who said something about Israel, try ing to trap Bowen, on QT. They can't help themselves. Haven't remembered the problems THEY had with people they unjustly pilloried. It's unlikely to be all blameable on a ridiculous You tube video thing that had nothing to do with the american government or OBAMA, as the action in Libya had the markings of planning over an extended period, which far predated it. Bishop had a lot of facts wrong that the most modest research would have corrected. These people are NOT interested in truth so they are dangerous. They cry "wolf" so often that no-one should believe them. Increasingly many don't. Is the LNP based on total lies and confusion? Starting to look like it.

42 long

17/09/2012Nasking, I believe Malcom Frazer resigned from the Liberal party quite publicly a while ago. I really don't know how Turnbull can stand being there. It is no good for his character or self esteem.

nasking

17/09/2012 [quote]Predictably, J Bishop and Scott Morriscum were trying to milk heaps out of some person who said something about Israel, try ing to trap Bowen, on QT. They can't help themselves. [/quote] 42 long, I'm beginning to worry that some of these Libs are not thinking about the consequences of a war between Iran and Israel. Are they seeking apocalypse? Valuable to hear views of the experienced. [b]Ex-Mossad Chief: Attack On Iran 'Stupidest Idea I've Ever Heard'[/b] [quote]Meir Dagan, a former head of the Israeli Intelligence service Mossad, says that an attack on Iran would be the 'stupidest idea [I've] ever heard." Speaking to '60 Minutes' Dagan said: "An attack on Iran now before exploring all other approaches is not the right way how to do it [sic]."[/quote] Valuable to hear views of the experienced. Ex-Mossad Chief: Attack On Iran 'Stupidest Idea I've Ever Heard' Meir Dagan, a former head of the Israeli Intelligence service Mossad, says that an attack on Iran would be the 'stupidest idea [I've] ever heard." Speaking to '60 Minutes' Dagan said: "An attack on Iran now before exploring all other approaches is not the right way how to do it [sic]." Author: Mark Hanrahan http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/16/meir-dagan-mossad-iran-attack-stupid_n_1888840.html?fb_action_ids=10151097032858505&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582 N'

LadyInRed

17/09/2012Gee if we apply the George Christensen code of conduct to TAbbott when he was born into his religious family, then we wouldn't have TAbbott as LOTO possibly? I can't imagine he got his religious hatred of gays, feminists and anyone against his right wing agenda back in his uni days from the ether, it 'must have started in the cradle surely'. Stop spreading more hatred Christensen. Agreed 42 long - this is not about the video, and to say it is is to be naive, to participate because you believe it is about that video is naive. I linked to a good article by Waleed Aly above.

LadyInRed

17/09/2012KHTAGH I can't stop laughing at your post @4:54 PM. Good lob accross the net.

Lyn

17/09/2012Hi Bacchus Thankyou for asking, I am using Internet Explorer as I have always used, just funny this has happened lately. The other problem I have is I cannot use the biuquote at all the 4 options will not work for me. Ad thankyou for answering re the add comment requirements. I think you may have misunderstood the point I was trying to make:- Because the box will accept an invalid email that means anyone can enter any old make up address and be accepted to comment. Anway over to you maybe doesn't matter, just thought Web Monkey may be interested, funny how it works. Ad you said above "2005 interview of Abbott was classic". This man has not changed at all over the years " yes the 2005 interview is exactly as Abbott behaves today. Did you hear Julie Bishop this afternoon saying labor has conducted the nastiest campaign about Tony Abbott's past, yet again ignoring the fact it started with David Marr's Essay. http://media.nationaltimes.com.au/selections/question-time-live-from-canberra-3640832.html National Times‏ Live video feed of parliamentary question time. Wayne Swan and Julie Bishop lead proceedings. http://media.nationaltimes.com.au/video-national-times/national-times Bye for now :):):)

Ad astra

17/09/2012HI Lyn I'll talk to Web Monkey about that.

2353

17/09/2012Lyn, Bishop the younger is believing her own publicity I think. As soon as someone criticises "poor Tony", it a plot - the relentless criticism of Gillard, as well as aiding and abetting utegate, Slipper/Ashby, Thomson/Jackson and the ALP is quite OK. Funny set of values

Bacchus

17/09/2012Hi again Lyn. I use Firefox, but the principle is similar. For IE: [quote] You can control what information the Internet Explorer AutoComplete feature stores, or turn off AutoComplete completely, by following these steps: In an Internet Explorer browser window, click on Tools Click on Internet Options On the Internet Options configuration console, click the Content tab. In the AutoComplete section, click on the Settings button You can select or de-select different types of information to store in AutoComplete: Web addresses stores URL's that you type and automatically tries to complete them the next time so you don't have to type the whole thing each time. Forms stores data such as your address and phone number to try to help populate form fields so you don't have to re-type the same information every time User names and passwords on forms stores the usernames and passwords for sites you visit and automatically enters them when you visit the site again. There is a sub-option to check so that Internet Explorer will prompt you each time rather than automatically saving passwords. You can use this if you want to use the feature, but not save passwords for more sensitive sites such as your bank account. You can turn off AutoComplete entirely by de-selecting each box [/quote] http://netsecurity.about.com/od/quicktips/qt/iestorepassword.htm

Bacchus

17/09/2012Ad and Lyn, Most blogs allow non-verified email addresses. Limiting contributors to a "real" email address is probably an option for the administrators, but that obviously introduces another level of work for admins to do - probably not necessary unless there is a problem with trolls using multiple invalid addresses or other unsociable behaviour. Note the different avatar I've got on this post. Ad can probably see what email address I used.

Lyn

17/09/2012[i][/i][b][/b] Hi Bacchus Your information is wonderful thankyou very much. I have done exactly what you said: Tools Internet options contents tab Address Bar ticked Browsing history ticked favourites ticked feeds ticked use windows search ticked forms ticked user name & passwords ticked ask me before saving ticked Thankyou for the link to Netsecurity, valuable information. If I use bioquote it still won't work for me. I highlight eg your name then click b it just puts 2 b's at the front of the word likewise for underline or italic. Bioquote jumps to top of page doesn't matter where I highlight, example on your name. I use https://en.gravatar.com/site/login for my gravatar and allows you to change your picture. Cheers:):)

KHTAGH

17/09/2012IPA at it again http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/environment/ipa-goes-up-the-delingpole-for-cash/

Bacchus

17/09/2012Hi Lyn, I use Gravatar too. As far as the "bioquote" functionality, I haven't worked this one out yet. I usually just click on the "quote" or "b" that I want and make sure the opening tag is at the beginning of the text, and the closing (/) tag is at the end. I have no experience yet with BlogEngine.NET, so will attempt to install it on my PC & have a play. Perhaps some of the experienced users here can help? What codes do you use for "smilies"?

Lyn

17/09/2012Hi Bacchus Thankyou so much for bothering to help, I appreciate so much. NormanK taught me the smilies semi colan right bracket does smiley June 9. 2011 08:20 PM Hi lyn Blog Engine recognises: Tongue out full colon capital P wink semi-colon dash close bracket gasp full colon dash capital O cry full colon apostrophe open bracket embarrassed full colon dollar sign kiss open bracket capital K close bracket (courtesy of TT's nimble fingers) NormanK Cheers lyn :):):):)

NormanK

17/09/2012Bacchus Smilie happy :) full colon close bracket Smilie sad :( full colon open bracket grin :D full colon capital D Tongue out   :P  full colon  capital P 

wink    ;-)   semi-colon  dash  close bracket 

 gasp    :-O    full colon  dash  capital O 

 

 embarrassed   :$    full colon   dollar sign 
 kiss   (K)   open bracket  capital K   close bracket my lips are sealed :-# Full colon dash Hash

Bacchus

17/09/2012Excellent! Thanks so much for that Lyn (and indirectly NormanK) ;)

Michael

17/09/2012Dear ToM, you're being a very naughty boy trying to rewrite the "public record". Julia Gillard was nothing like "drummed out" of Slater and Gordon. Such attempts to shade and distort the truth by a series of posts, each offering accreting redefinitions of what actually happened, like the building up on shape-altering layers on a stalagmite, reflects badly on you. It's the technique of layering little lies, obverse of the Goebbelsian big lie. Still a fabrication. Transparently so.

NormanK

17/09/2012Lyn You're right - biuquote is not working. Hooray. My new Gravatar has put in an appearance. :)

Bacchus

17/09/2012lol - thanks NormanK. If I manage to get BlogEngine.NET up & running in the short term, I'll have to have a play and see what else works ;-)

NormanK

17/09/2012Michael [quote]... to shade and distort the truth by a series of posts, each offering accreting redefinitions of what actually happened, like the building up on shape-altering layers on a stalagmite [/quote] Beautiful. I've been trying to conjure up an analogy for that type of behaviour and you've done it perfectly. It is also ToM's standard operating procedure although I suspect that he actually believes what he is saying.

DMW

17/09/2012Hi NK that is a blooming beauty of a gravatar you have there

Lyn

17/09/2012Hi NormanK You have taken my breath away, I am just oh!, oh!, oh!, What is the name of this new rose, and such a magnificent colour, exquisite adoreable. I will do one guess "Just Joey" although perhaps the bloom is too large. Thankyou for posting the smilies proper for Bacchus and our other dear readers. I am pleased it's not just me fighting with the biuquote. 2353 Hi to you yes Julie Bishop is very spiteful as you say Funny set of values Why doesn't one of the journalists or even the News readers, anyone say, this has started because of David Marr's essay. I did put myself under torture with a cup of tea to watch Chris Uhlmann report on Tony Abbott, he spoilt my tea. :-):)

NormanK

17/09/2012Hi Lyn It's a better photo of 'Grace' but it does look like 'Just Joey', doesn't it? Joey is in full bloom in the garden at the moment.

NormanK

17/09/2012LadyInRed Your indignation at Michelle Grattan's piece set the gerbils to running. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/tony-abbotts-real-challenge-20120917-2619d.html Tony Abbott's 'real' challenge [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony!! [u]Tony[/u]: (sigh) Yes, Aunty Michelle. [u]Aunty[/u]: Did you read my article today? [u]Tony[/u]: Yes Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony? [u]Tony[/u]: No, I didn't Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: Barnaby's right, you know? [u]Tony[/u]: Yes, Aunty. What about, Aunty? [u]Aunty[/u]: Your silly John Wayne walk. You look like a fool. It might have turned a few pretty (empty) heads when you were a young wall-bashin' rugger bugger but now it's just silly. You're not a young man anymore, Tony. Face it - you're a balding middle-aged man now. [u]Tony[/u]: Yes Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: Mmph. [u]Tony[/u]: Hey, what do you mean balding? Come over here and tell me I'm balding. [u]Aunty[/u]: (sigh) These polls show that you have a real problem with women voters. You know that don't you? [u]Tony[/u]: Yeah, yeah. [u]Aunty[/u]: Here's a radical thought. Why don't you get out and about more with Margie so that ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Who? [u]Aunty[/u]: Margie. [u]Tony[/u]: ??? [u]Aunty[/u]: Your wife! [u]Tony[/u]: Right, right. Margie. Good ol' Margie. [u]Aunty[/u]: You still get along alright, don't you? [u]Tony[/u]: Sure, sure. [u]Aunty[/u]: But you didn't know who I was referring to when I said Margie? You are still ….. you know ….. enjoying conjugal bliss, aren't you? Exercising your rights? [u]Tony[/u]: Exercising ….. mmmm. Of course Aunty, no problems in that department. Heh heh. You know me. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony? [u]Tony[/u]: Well, you know what it's like Aunty. When I'm not in Canberra, I'm off overseas advising world leaders or speaking to Liberal gatherings to reinforce their prejudices or visiting small businesses to warn them of the nefarious impacts of this toxic tax built on a lie …. [u]Aunty[/u]: Mm. [u]Tony[/u]: ….. up and Up and UP ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony. [u]Tony[/u]: ….. harder and Harder ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony! [u]Tony[/u]: ….. COBRA strike ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony!! [u]Tony[/u]: ….. python Squeeze ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Tony!!! Shut up! [u]Tony[/u]: ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Get your hand off it. Enough with the rampant snake metaphors! You know what they say - those who are, stay quiet; those who aren't, talk about it. [u]Tony[/u]: But ….. but ….. but .. you're not suggesting that I can't ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: No, no, not at all Tony. I'm sure you're still punching the clock in the same way as you've always done but the women of Australia just can't see it. You need to get Margie out into the spotlight with a satisfied look ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Who? [u]Aunty[/u]: Margie. Your wife. The mother of your daughters. Not a good look incidentally - you could have at least produced one son. (sceptically) They are yours, aren't they? [u]Tony[/u]: Hey! Now! That's out of line. Molly would never dare to ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Margie. [u]Tony[/u]: What? [u]Aunty[/u]: Margie. [u]Tony[/u]: That's what I said, Margie would never dare to ….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Alright, alright. It was only a thought. It's just there was that other time when you thought you'd hit a bullseye and it turned out that you might have been firing blanks. [u]Tony[/u]: The Tonemaster does NOT fire blanks. [u]Aunty[/u]: Okay, okay. Put your hands down. I didn't mean to cast aspersions on your peashooter. [u]Tony[/u]: Who's overdoing the metaphors now? [u]Aunty[/u]: What the Australian female voting public need is a lovely bunch of flowers ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Uh-huh. [u]Aunty[/u]: ….. some expensive chocolates ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Yep. [u]Aunty[/u]: ….. a romantic candlelit dinner ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Can Do. [u]Aunty[/u]: ….. and promises of exotic holidays abroad. [u]Tony[/u]: Got it. [u]Aunty[/u]: What they don't need is to smell your beery breath. [u]Tony[/u]: No Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: Or to be asked to wash your sweaty jockstrap. [u]Tony[/u]: No Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: Or to worry about your Fists of Fury reaching for your weapon. [u]Tony[/u]: Here we go again. [u]Aunty[/u]: You need to get out there and woo the women of Australia, leave your minders behind, take Margie with you and ….. [u]Tony[/u]: Wh….. [u]Aunty[/u]: Don't you bloody dare! [u]Tony[/u]: Sorry Aunty. [u]Aunty[/u]: And learn to walk in a way that doesn't look like you've just filled your diaper and you're proud of it. [u]Tony[/u]: No Aunty. Yes Aunty.

DMW

17/09/2012In among all the writings on [i]The Punch [/i] and [i]the counter punches [/i] there was this gem: [b]Political power reveals character[/b] - Jack Waterford @CanberraTimes September 15, 2012 [i]Good political biographies usually sell well because voters are very interested in the character of their politicians. That's character in both the narrow and the wide sense, though only rarely does it successfully embrace psychoanalysis. Knowing something about the family, the background, the education and the experiences of politicians helps define who they are and who, perhaps, they would like to be, why some issues and some attitudes resonate with them and others do not, and why, at particular crisis points of their lives they have responded as they did...[/i] http://www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion/political-power-reveals-character-20120914-25xle.html Waterford could probably be called [i]Whispering Jack [/i] for the quiet way he goes about casting an eagle eye over the body politic and getting it pretty much right every time he puts the metaphorical pen to ephemeral paper.

TalkTurkey

17/09/2012 I sort of fancy I put this litle verse on earlier ! I can't find it now, maybe the Post Monster ate it? Was that its face Lyn that tried to eat Tweety that time ? That monster is dangerous! Here's the rhyme - Aussies R sick of Abbortt's skulduggery~ Lying hypocrisy bigotry thuggery~ Abborttians U can all go 2 buggery~ Abbortt go lie down & die! I also added a note to Patricia - wtte Patricia (and of course Truth Seeker and other rhyming versifiers) have you ever tried to put a 4-line rhyme or a limerick on Twitter, you have to be more creative with the number of characters than you do with the rhymes! Can anyone let me know whether I'm seeing things, or rather not, or imagining, or whether I did post that here and it's disappeared? I can't remember at all what time of day it might have been. STOP THE [b]THUG![/b] It doesn't matter now whether they roll him or not. He is punchdrunk for good. Turdball is in an impossible space, popular with the People but poison to his Party. Flummoxed on the NBN, in a ridiculous position wrt his investment in fibre in France! Sloppy Joe is a intellectually-bankrupt buffoon and he would so obviously be a stopgap - he would be a joke. And who else? Place your bets!* BTW I was saying all this I reckon by about Crispmess 2010, a long time anyway. Since then the situation of the LNP has simply become starker. [i]Starkers![/i] And the Government is closing in, [i]we[/i] are closing in on the naked Abborttians, sinisterly snackering our sheep shears and hedge clippers. :) Be afraid you lowlife. Be very bloody afraid, we are going to massacre you when *J*U*L*I*A* our Leader pulls the trigger. And she can do that any time she wants now, (though I hope and believe we'll go full term), because whenever it might be, at the end of this next campaign, which I predict will be [i]very[/i] well run by our side, we will be ever so much better understood and valued than just 50-50. We are going to wipe you out. And what rump is left had better start behaving with decorum and dignity and decency. Otherwise you will go on dealing yourselves out, a sad irrelevant plaintive and pathetic anachronism. You're done for now you lot. Along with Abbortt's disgrace goes your own. Bloody yellow MSM too. You mob won't get any more fun out of our prime Minister. Go investigating where you ought to. On the rotten Right. * I placed a decent wad on the Government on Sportsbet 10 weeks ago, I got SEVENS, they went to sixes, then to $4.50, now they're at $3.50 as from this morning. Don't say I didn't tip you off long ago! Bit late now but still good value!

Tom of Melbourne

17/09/2012“We accepted her resignation without discussion” = drummed out. The equity partner in the formal interview with the middle aged Gillard made it entirely clear that they were relieved to see the back of her. She has demonstrated incompetence, had damaged their relationship with a major client and confused her personal and professional interests.

Acerbic Conehead

17/09/2012Well said, AA and another great analysis. Yes, Tones hasn’t changed after all these years. Here he is, reminiscing about his days of frolicking fisticuffs, but admitting he’s the same old Tones even today. Sing along to Tones’ unique rendition of the old Simon and Garfunkel classic, “The Boxer”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKjEHfHINQ :- ) I am just a poor sod Who’s badly misunderstood Ramjan provoked my resistance By becomin’ chairthing of the Uni SRC Through lies and jests! Now Gillard or other girls again Won’t make me second-best! :- ) When I joined Sydney University Carried on like a little boy In the company of meatheads I made sure the sheilas and lefties were runnin’ scared Punchin’ low, rainin’ blows, Or just biffin’ a wall instead of someone’s nose Tryin’ not to get caught out tellin’ a… Lie…lie…lie... :- ) Asking only for my birthright I came lookin’ for a spot In the Uni Senate But they voted in some lesbo whore instead of me They then declared I took it out on a plate-glass door Which is a great big fat… Lie…lie…lie... :- ) Then I was laying out my wimpy foes Havin’ a real good time Dishin’ blows When the Sydney Uni leftie blood was flowin’ free Flowin’ free, dishin’ blows :- ) An’ these days I’m still a boxer Still a biffer by my trade Tryin’ not to give reminders Of ev'ry porkie pie I’ve spun ‘em Or pulled the wool over their eyes So they won’t detect when I say "I’m not bringin’, I’m not bringin’…" Our WorkChoices back, it’s a… Lie…lie…lie... :- )

KHTAGH

18/09/2012NormanK I love your new Gravatar & your post about aunty michelle was a scream.

Lyn

18/09/2012TODAY’S LINKS Abbott’s Utopia, Denis Allen, Independent Australia HAVING READ David Marr’s Quarterly Essay exposé on Tony Abbott, I am convinced more than ever that the driving force behind Abbott’s almost fanatical obsession to be PM is to turn this country into a Catholic version of Islamic fundamentalism. Anyone who lauds and worships Bob Santamaria is someone who must be feared and loathed by every sane thinking person in this country http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/abbotts-utopia/ Why We Should all Care Tony Abbott thinks Women Presidents are Things, Nuswomens from the conservative elements of the media, it was 30 years ago, he’s a changed man (he HAS had 3 daughters and cares immensely about their ‘precious gifts’) so talking about it to David Marr was really just about the evilness of the Labor party http://nuswomens.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/why-we-should-all-care-tony-abbott-thinks-women-presidents-are-things/ The real reasons behind Labor’s poll recovery, Stephen Koukoulas, Market Economics There has been a lot of information ignored when it comes to assessing the recent poll improvement for the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Labor Party.Money, wealth and jobs are important factors for any government and here are a few items along those lines that might be working towards lifting the rating of the Government http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/blog Crystal Balls, Only the Depth Varies Australia now has a Carbon Tax, and a Mining Tax, a new health system with a 50% increase to hospital funding, a new dental health scheme, a single national school curriculum, the National Broadband Network is rolling out, an increase in trades training, and in training places, and we almost have an National Disability Insurance http://onlythedepthvaries.blogspot.com.au/ Stopping the Abbott Push, Archie, Archies Archives More than that, there is a change from the unalloyed adoration which has been the Media default setting with regard to Tony Abbott. We have seen Laurie Oakes and Michelle Grattan both publish articles which were critical of Tony Abbott. Even this morning’s “Insiders” on the ABC was critical of the LOTO and his “wall punching denials”. http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/stopping-the-abbott-push/ CORY, PLEASE., Michael Stuchbery. Cory, the people of Australia thank you for your sacrifice and subsequent vigilance. For the burdensome jaunts to the US to speak at Tea Party rallies. For the agonizing, painstaking years of astroturfing to create a political machine to support your ambitions. For your groundbreaking work in bringing the American style of lunar right conservative blogging to Australia. http://mike-stuchbery.com/2012/09/18/cory-please/ Police violence and racism on display in attack on Muslim rally, Solidarity. Net There has been a continual campaign waged by the right about the supposed incompatibility between “Western values” like democracy and Islamic values and culture.The shocking impact of this racism has been confirmed in opinion polls. A 2006 Gallup poll found that four out of ten Australians believe Islam is “a threat to our way of life” and an http://www.solidarity.net.au/web/police-violence-and-racism-on-display-in-attack-on-muslim-rally/ Stirring The Pot, Gary Sauer-Thompson, Public Opinion The core of the conservative movement want a halt all further nonwhite immigration, a reduction in the the number of Muslims or the presence of Islam in society, and to prioritise native Australian values over those of other cultures. The inference is that Muslims will never truly be Australians. http://www.sauer-thompson.com/archives/opinion/2012/09/stirring-the-po.php#more ABC’s Eric Campbell to Greg Sheridan: put up or shut up, Crikey As such, you are honour bound to retract your libels and apologise, or be exposed as an empty propagandist. I have issued this challenge publicly under the Twitter hashtag#sheridanchallenged which many thousands are following http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/09/17/abcs-eric-campbell-to-greg-sheridan-put-up-or-shut-up Cuts Hurt – job cuts hurt everyone, not just the public sector, Turn Left 2013 Think you will be unaffected by the decimation of the public service in Liberal-run states? Think because you run your own business you don’t need to worry? Think because you have private schools, private transport, private health care insurance that these cuts only affect the poor and undeserving? http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/cuts-hurt-job-cuts-hurt-everyone-not-just-the-public-sector/ Australian Muslims go from Back To the Future to Groundhog Day, Shakira Hussein, The Stump We’re caught in a no-win situation here. We’ve repeated that “the extremists” don’t represent us so many times that it’s threadbare script. We need to come up with some new lines, but I’m still groping for them. It’s exhausting. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/ Excuses, excuses, Miglo, Café Whispers All the dirt thrown about the Prime Minister’s history with Slater and Gordon was incidental but the dirt thrown about Abbott’s aggressive past are poll drivers. The other excuses are candidates to cause one to choke on the morning coffee. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/excuses-excuses/ Newspoll results a warning for Abbott, Mugo MacCallum, The Drum Abbott's rodomontades about the carbon tax were wild exaggerations, and so, by extension, perhaps he cannot be trusted about anything else either. Perhaps all the stories about the Mad Monk had some substance to them; perhaps Tony Windsor was telling the truth about Abbott offering to do anything to become prime minister except selling his arse. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4265390.html Tony Abbott's character revisited, Clarence Girl, North Coast Voices It’s hard to look at this deliberately posed photograph and not wonder if the person depicted is likely to be a violent bully who makes life miserable for anyone who opposes him and, sadly, there is some foundation for that worry in the continuing reports of what Australian Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott was like in earlier years http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/tony-abbotts-character-revisited.html The Honest Newspoll Deconstructed, Bob Ellis, Tabletalk And the journos whose deck-chairs-on-the-Titanic wet dreams have ruled their prose these fourteen months will have to find a new scenario, a new Big Lie to earn their inordinate wage. What a pitiful bunch they are. Rudd was invincible, they said; Hockey the coming man; Beazley losing his brain; Bush the new Winston Churchill; the WMD a war-worthy certainty. Always wrong when it counted. And I, when it counted, mostly right. http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2012/09/17/the-honest-newspoll-deconstructed/ Latest polls big boost for Gillard, Labor, David Twomey, Eco News Labor’s view is backed by the research director at Nielsen, John Stirton, who oversaw the Fairfax poll. “The introduction of the carbon price has been a lot smoother than I think a lot of voters feared,” he said. “Tony Abbott’s campaign against the impost was extremely effective, and I think a lot of voters were quite worried about what effect it was going to have on them http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/latest-polls-big-boost-for-gillard-labor/ Queensland Commission of Audit Interim Report - June 2012: A Critical Review, John Quiggin https://dl.dropbox.com/u/29646818/QuigginAuditComm.pdf Qld Govt hypocritical on over mining tax, Crispin Hull The understanding was that that meant existing state royalties, but the three new conservative governments have obviously thought that it meant open slather for them to increase royalties and their revenue at the expense of federal revenues, and for it to be neutral for the miners http://www.crispinhull.com.au/2012/09/15/qld-govt-hypocritical-on-over-mining-tax/ The lost cause of American political fact-checkers , David Smith, The Conversation PolitiFact accuses Republicans of lying at three times the rate of Democrats. This is a solid, well-researched number, but what does it mean? That PolitiFact is biased to the left, or that Republicans tell a lot more lies than Democrats? How you choose to interpret the number is likely to depend on your existing political inclinations. And this brings http://theconversation.edu.au/the-lost-cause-of-american-political-fact-checkers-9534 NBN Co's necessary monopoly , Steve Jenkin, Technology Spectator Here’s what Turnbull has to say on NBN Co’s monopoly status.“We support all Australians having access to very fast broadband, but would prefer it be delivered by the private sector in a competitive environment as far as practicable, instead of by a government owned monopoly provider http://technologyspectator.com.au/nbn-cos-necessary-monopoly?utm_source=Technology+Spectator+List&utm_campaign=c52a334959 Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 18 September 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

Michael

18/09/2012Roget's got nothing on you, ToM. Recast the facts, redraft the language, attempt to redraw history, none of it adds up to anything more than our recognition of your desperate efforts to distort the record of events and besmirch your personal targets' characters. Abbott's "teenage" bully-boy punches might have been meant to miss the woman he was terrorising. Yours, so tightly targeted to connect and do damage? Powderpuffs.

Ad astra

18/09/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

2353

18/09/2012NormanK - nice gravatar, lifts the spririts every time I see it. Lyn - great links.

TalkTurkey

18/09/2012From Twitter Big Ideas‏@RNBigIdeas On air fault interrupted start of FIFTH Estate discussion. Hear the whole thing here http://bit.ly/Rebs9f #abcrn Retweeted by [b]Greg Jericho [/b][who was the interviewee TT]

Truth Seeker

18/09/2012TT, sorry I can't help with twitter as I don't have an account, enjoyed your 4 liner though. AC, nice re-write. Great song. Cheers

Tom of Melbourne

18/09/2012No thesaurus is necessary Michael. Just tell me …when Gillard described herself as “young & naïve” did you think this was an honest description of a professional, established woman in her 30s? If “young & naïve” is an appropriate description of a middle aged professional, is a student, about 13 or 14 years younger, entitled to a similar concession?

LadyInRed

18/09/2012NormanK Still laughing....you are gifted. What a lovely way to start the day with a good laugh. Thanks. Still chuckling.

LadyInRed

18/09/2012There is someone telling porkies on this site. I remember the PM saying 'young & naive' and I do believe this was in reference to her falling for the wrong man. She did not say with reference to her career at Gordon & Slater.

LadyInRed

18/09/2012Fantastic news conference today with the Muslim community. They are doing a stirling job, answering every question respectfully. It is really great to see such a response. The majority of Muslim's in this country do not condone the riots that occurred. I know a lot of Muslim's and they are good people, working in all sorts of professions, they are caring and kind and always willing to help. The rioting people do not speak for them.

Michael

18/09/2012Dear ToM. Naivete is a state of mind. In some ways, one it is sad to lose from one's own life, as it is all too often replaced by bitter cynicism. I'm happy to remain naive till the very last second of my dying day. As to "young", that's a calendar call. I'm well past being young whenever my dying day rolls in from... right now, but I can quite happily describe (recall, indeed) being in one's 30's as 'young'. ToM, you're just playing games, word games, phrase games. Abbot threw physical near-miss punches at Barbara Ramjan, he 'threw' despicable verbal slurs at Bernie Banton, he hurls twisted-face invective at his political opponents in public forums every day of any week you care to calendar nominate from 'yesterday'. He'll do it 'tomorrow', it's his behaviour. When he did it before, at what age, is irrelevant. He's hardwired to be aggressive. But worse, handing it out hand over fist, he can't take it. He flailed his way to an Oxford Blue in boxing, windmilling his opponents to the canvas. No finesse, just bludgeoning. Whenever anyone, particularly a woman, gives it back to him, he crumbles, he shakes, he walks away, he scuttles for cover. Do we want a cowardly crab as the head of our national government?

Tom of Melbourne

18/09/2012My only interest is in pointing to the rank hypocrisy of so many contributors here. • What they excuse in Gillard, they condemn in Abbott (eg it was 20 years ago etc) • What they condemned in Howard they support in this government (eg off shore processing, marriage equality, broken election commitments, political dishonesty) Apparently this site is intended to “put politicians and commentators to the verbal sword”. It does no such thing. With a few exceptions, it’s a political version of the Collingwood cheer club, without the intellect. ...but was Gillard "young" in her mid 30s? Should a Prome Minister be "naive" in her mid 30s? Is incompetence as a lawyer a reasonable indicator of competence as a politician?

TalkTurkey

18/09/2012NK, AC, There's hardly any whimsical satire Out There, it is almost unique to TPS. Feels a bit like dessert and champagne aboard the Good Ship *J*U*L*I*A* after Labor obviously having weathered a terrible storm. 'On ya Fellers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Comrades (I love that word) [b]Nothing succeeds like success.[/b] And failure will FAIL ya. Labor's going UP for its own good reasons, the Abborttians are going DOWN for equally bad ones. As a result of this last week, the last couple of days especially, how Abbortt must be standing TODAY. Most certainly, lower still. *J*U*L*I*A*s, higher. More interesting still to me is [i]how he'll look on [b]Friday 21st, the Spring Equinox.[/b][/i] By that time, considering rate of informational dissemination and absorption by osmosis into the society I reckon Labor really will be at a believable 50% through those social dynamics, not to say in front yet. But after Friday I reckon we will have a genuine edge. In the polls I mean, (always acknowledging the Oneness of the Poll that Counts.) Preferred PM and Two-Party-Preferred both. Which I want to be a self-fulfiller. I've always since said, on this site too, (can't find refs easy, take my word) that [i]the shortest day of last year, June 21st, would mark the lowest point on Labor's fortunes,[/i] and that after that we would climb steadily back. I think that has been exactly true: the path has been lumpier than I could possibly have imagined but our feisty Government has pushed on with its agenda with BullDog determination. The Ides of September - the 13th as I only recently discovered, and the 4th birthday of The Political Sword - really was the day Abbortt's world came crashing down, the day he made his last appearance before mouseholing for a weeeeeeek! And he returns a deeply, fatally wounded Lame Duck, he is a Gone Goose, Take it from Turkey! He has been mostly incommunicado, (respect for dead soldiers Oh yeah), but from tomorrow he will be FAIR GAME! And the MSM, bless them, will be gunning for him from every angle. BOOM BOOM! That's very TOMORROW! So the 21st of September - this coming Friday - in my mind marks exactly 15 months of Labor's steering and negotiating its way back, against everything the Right has been able to throw, until today we are looking gruntier than ever. What hasn't killed us has made us stronger. And all our main legislation has passed. I am a Member of our great historic Party, but I sort of count myself more of a footsoldier here on the Fighting 5th Estate than in any activities the Party asks of me atm. It's the best thing I know to do to fight for our victory next year. And don't underestimate our influence Comrades, I think we have been significant in nudging opinion in the WideBrown Land, shaming shockjocks and jabbing journalists, when there are no other forces holding them to account. And we are doing it by force of the ideas we write and the information we help disseminate. With Ad astra as our Light on the Hill and Lyn as our Eye in the Sky! All you folks make me proud, hopeful, strong . . . Viva the Fighting 5th! Viva TPS! VENCEREMOS!

Jason

18/09/2012ToM, "Mr Abbott is regarded as arrogant by 63 per cent (Gillard, 46 per cent); superficial by 51 per cent (46 per cent); narrow-minded by 59 per cent (46 per cent); intolerant by 53 per cent (37 per cent); aggressive by 59 per cent (42 per cent) and erratic by 51 per cent (43 per cent). Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/poll-abbott-erratic-angry-and-arrogant-20120917-262nu.html#ixzz26mPeGKBq

Michael

18/09/2012Tom, you're just mucking about again. You wrote: '...but was Gillard "young" in her mid 30s? Should a Prome Minister be "naive" in her mid 30s? Is incompetence as a lawyer a reasonable indicator of competence as a politician?'" Yes, anyone is "young' in their mid-thirties. Ask an eighty year old, ask a thirty year old, they'll both say 'yes', I guarantee it. Ask a twelve year old? Well... But then, that seems the level, the Collingwood cheer club notwithstanding (and was that a sexist slur on your part, by the by?) you pitch your 'arguments'. Pitched circularly, I note. "Should a Prome (sic) Minister be naive in her mid 30s?" When we have another woman Prime Minister, and should she hold that position in her "mid 30's", we can judge/ask her. Since Julia Gillard was not PM in her mid 30's, but does acknowledge that in the matter of a romantic relationship (not necessarily every aspect of her life) she was 'young and naive' at that time, then who are we to demean her slightly self-deprecatory self-assessment? Hasn't she ruefully admitted to something you want to beat her up about, as if she had denied the 'charge', not accepted the phrase as applicable in one personal matter of her broader life? "Is incompetence as a lawyer a reasonable indicator of competence as a politician?" The 'incompetence' in question is no more than an opinionated portion of your 'drummed out' assertion, which is historically false, linguistically inaccurate, and ethically fudging the on-the-record position of both parties. I have never been privy to a conversation amongst the Collingwood cheer club, but I feel with absolute certainty that I would find more honesty, more pertinence, more raw human transigence (there's a new word for you, just coined, an antonym for intransigence), in their company than I have ever read from you at this site. You're wearing the wheels off your barrow, mate.

Lyn

18/09/2012Hi Ad and Everybody Twitterverse for you:- They came to praise Abbott, and to praise and praise and praise, Tony Wright Hardly had the doors swung open on a new week of Parliament than Abbott's loyal knight, Christopher Pyne, fumed in bearing a torch for his leader. Abbott's deputy, Julie Bishop, wasn't having any of this nonsense about her leader having a problem with women, either. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/they-came-to-praise-abbott-and-to-praise-and-praise-and-praise-20120917-262nx.html#ixzz26lfu2CyB chris murphy The extreme wrong of the Extreme Right.LIB goons conquering Australia for their Judeo Christian religions #auspol http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/mp-suggests-removing-child-protester-from-parents-20120917-2617k.html Bushfire Bill Posted Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 5:54 am | Permalink Gone by September” was then. “December” is now… Or something. Now Julia’s got until Christmas before she gets the chop… http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/all-comments/#comment-1412772 Liberals should lay off the unions, AFR, Christopher Joye Labor confronts an identity crisis: whereas half the federal caucus are former union officials, only one in six Australian workers associate with one. Labor has been blindsided by assaults on both the left and right. A flaw in the Liberals’ prevailing policy framework is that it fails to acknowledge any productive purpose for unions at all. This engenders toxicity and prevents Liberals from tactically exploiting Labor’s brewing chaos. http://afr.com/f/free/blogs/christopher_joye/liberals_should_lay_off_the_unions_B1WKr24vbxdtx2KeNJGHtO Premier's money talk may cost Abbott dear, Sean Nicholls When O'Farrell talks about a collapse in GST revenue, he is referring to money that has been forecast to be paid to NSW across the budget forward estimates. The June budget showed GST to NSW is expected to increase by an average 4.6 per cent between 2011-12 and 2015-16. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/premiers-money-talk-may-cost-abbott-dear-20120917-262ol.html#ixzz26mUSckT5 Probe into suspect town hall votes Melbourne’s next lord mayor and councillors is being overshadowed by a revelation that hundreds of inner-city residents may have been fraudulently added to the city’s electoral roll. The applications contained several anomalies, including that many appeared to be written by the same person, leading town hall officers to question whether someone was trying to manipulate the roll. When contacted by officers, some residents were unaware they were registered to vote, further raising suspicions. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/probe-into-suspect-town-hall-votes-20120917-262nv.html#ixzz26mPsXLz2 David Marler‏ craigemersonmp And the scariest Newmanism of all, IR Reform. Lateline http://ow.ly/dMLmH Professor slams loss of funding, Frase Coast Funding Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the State Government had refused the funding because it could not afford the operating costs of the proposed facilities. http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/09/18/professor-slams-loss-of-mental-health-funding/ David Marler‏ @craigemersonmp And the scariest Newmanism of all, IR Reform. Lateline http://ow.ly/dMLmH

DMW

18/09/2012There may well be a paucity of [i]whimsical satire Out There [/i] however our cartoonists often hit the mark even if a trifle sarcastically. http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/cartoons

LadyInRed

18/09/2012ToM I have been ignoring you but I cannot stand by and have you compare the PM and TAbbott in the same way as you are. You are typical of a problem in society (please note I do not mean the genuine and caring men on this site). The message currently being sent out by people like yourself and other members of the MSM, namely Sherriden, Grattan and Henderson that this happened 35 years ago and has no bearing on the TAbbott of today. I would agree IF [b]please note the IF ToM[/b] he had used this to speak out against violence, particularly violence against women. [b]He did not.[/b] What he did do was continually was use language that distanced himself from any culpability. And did what all violent men do when they are caught is blame the woman! She is a liar. Foolish man and immature. The 'chairthing' is disgusting, because it was a prolonged and sustained attack meant to hurt and intimidate, to mentally degrade another human being. Here is some of his language: [i]As I said, it was silly, childish, embarrassing, it shouldn't have happened but this is 35 years ago, a lot of silly things happen in student politics. [/i] [b]Note the language ToM. [/b]Does he take ownership NO! He just went along for the ride? His answer is offensive to women, its what women hear all the time. It wasn't really my fault. This one below really gets up my nose, I just got caught up in it - yeah right. "there were lots of silly, embarrassing, childish things done in student politics and I wasn't immune to that" If you can't see the difference in the PM standing up and OWNING what she did and TAbbott standing up and distancing himself from what he did you need to get some emotional intelligence yourself. TAbbott can't and won't own it because actually he doesn't want to believe it of himself. And until you own the dark parts of yourself as well as the good parts of yourself you are emotionally immature and childish person, in my opinion. This was a lost opportunity for him to show growth and leadership but he is incapable of that. He lacks the maturity, he is no leader, he doesn't stand for women's rights, heck he doesn't even get it. Now I will go back to ignoring you ToM.

NormanK

18/09/2012LadyInRed [quote]If you can't see the difference in the PM standing up and OWNING what she did and TAbbott standing up and distancing himself from what he did ...[/quote] Very well said. This goes to the absolute heart of the matter and shows the striking difference between the two leaders' responses. Your posts are never boring. :)

Truth Seeker

18/09/2012LadyinRed, well put, although it is not only emotional intelligence that is lacking, but rather any intelligence. Sad really. :P ;-)

KHTAGH

18/09/2012Lady in Red I concur with both NormanK & Truth Seeker, well put.

LadyInRed

18/09/2012[i] ''While Labor was fantasising about what Tony Abbott didn't do 35 years ago, Tony Abbott spent Saturday with his local fire brigade volunteering to undertake a fire reduction burn.[/i] Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/they-came-to-praise-abbott-and-to-praise-and-praise-and-praise-20120917-262nx.html#ixzz26mx9lrC3 And I volunteer 12 hours a month often listening to women, and men, who suffer and who watch their children suffer abuse at the hands of nasty and violent people. Honestly this is just pathetic. Julie pull your head in. Pyne I can understand.

LadyInRed

18/09/2012Thanks KHTAGH, Truth Seeker and NormanK for your support. And Ad astra I know we should scroll the troll but I really cannot abide silence in the face of violence against anyone. I rile against anyone trying to normalise it. I believe ToM is doing that by trying to do a comparison or justification. Sod off ToM.

Ad astra

18/09/2012Folks I think LadyinRed has its when she concludes: “[i]
Now I will go back to ignoring you ToM.”[/i] I realize that some of you may find it entertaining to respond to ToM, but by now you must realize that it is entirely pointless. He comes here to needle, to irritate, to stir, with never a positive thing to say about Julia Gillard and her Government. She and it are all bad, with no trace anything worthwhile. You will never convince ToM otherwise, so why bother? No matter how persuasive your argument, no matter how many facts you furnish to back it up, he will remain totally unmoved. You might as well speak to an answering machine – all you will hear is his pre-recorded message of disparagement. Really, I do urge you to ignore his posts. He can comment as much as he likes so long as he is polite, but I will not waste my time trying to understand what he’s on about, let alone responding. I strongly recommend you do the same, even if he comes back in response to this comment with his usual nonsense.

KHTAGH

18/09/2012lady in Red [i]And I volunteer 12 hours a month often listening to women, and men, who suffer and who watch their children suffer abuse at the hands of nasty and violent people.[/i] You must surly be qualified to be PM. I do weekly "meals on wheels", I suppose that makes me a parliamentary secretary. They truly are grasping at the proverbial straw now, desperation is [u]never[/u] a good look politically.

KHTAGH

18/09/2012I always knew Bob Ellis was anti Julia, but I think he is way off the mark with his latest effort. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/the-economic-consequences-of-david-marr/

42 long

18/09/2012The Hypocrisy of Pisstopher Chryne absolutely amazes me. The ones who made an art form af character assasination become deeply offended whe some of it goes their way. They have been forced to back away from their outrageous assertions frequently. ( almost always) Rule 1. Don't dish it out unless you can TAKE IT.. Labor have sat there and copped plenty and have behaved in a more restrained fashion than I would have expected.. In the long term they are far more classy. Do the LNP (rightists) LIE more than the " socialists"? The opinion in america at the moment seems to be that way. Liars need long memories. Images on the internet last for a long time. Obama mentioned this years ago in a speech directed at younger folks. Abbott's method has always presupposed that the average person is a DILL. I hope he is very wrong, because we do get the government we deserve. So far there is only conjecture as to what the LNP government would look like and do,but there are a lot of pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that we can put together. This we must do because it is unlikely that we will get an honest answer from Tony, and the outcome will not help any but the privileged. That seems quite obvious. IF this is not the case someone please give me some evidence, or do we just let the powerful vested interests win the day. That is too big a price to pay at this time in history. The LNP performance has damaged Australia enough in opposition, Don't let it complete the destruction of a "Fair" Australia by letting it govern, in it's current form, and since it is unlikely to change for the better, don't take any chances. Rightists are declaring war on non-believers of pure capitalism. They don't want them to even have a chance of running governments, at all.

Marilyn

18/09/2012Lady in red, don't you think that trading and trafficking women and children to malaria infested mounds of birdshit is violence against women? Don't you think that dragging a pregnant woman and her two kids off the streets of Melbourne and jailing them without charge or trial for life is violent? Gillard is a violent coward.

Jason

18/09/2012Marilyn, What are you on today crack? Why do you just write lies,Lady in Red was informing us what she does which is a damn sight more than you do for the "Refugees" you claim to care about."oh that's right you're too poor" Poor seems to be you though Poor communicator, poor advocate and a poor human being!

LadyInRed

18/09/2012KHTAGH After what I have seen in the way the PM has been treated I am not sure I would want the job. Everything that has happened over the last few weeks with the PM facing down accusations from 17 years ago and Retro Rabbitt denying his of 35 years ago has shown me that it is not what you did all those years ago so much as how you handle yourself now that matters. What have you learnt and what can you glean of your mistakes that can take you and others forward. I would be willing to forgive Rabbitt IF he had done the right thing and not lie, and say it was and is wrong, and speak out against violence particularly against women. But he has come a bit too far now to acknowledge anything of the sort because he is still doing it today in the way that he constantly calls the PM a liar and incompetant, refering to her as she. He can't change, sadly. He had his chance and he blue it. He should have come out and told Larry Pickering he is out of line, HE should have come out in defence of women, and he didn't. Too late.

42 long

18/09/2012LiR, He is what he is. I have commented before on what could make him think he is the man for the job. Regarding doing it and wanting to generally, being out there and being public property would demand a lot. Most thinking people woulddn't risk it. You need a lot going for you especially if you come from the "left" persuasion, where you are "fair game" for those who traditionally get to run things.( and cannot imagine life otherwise) They believe in low wages no job security no education of any significance for the masses, but not denied to them because they will still be keeping most of the spoils. Being an atheist, living with a bloke ( in the Lodge, called Boganville by the charming K Rudd) Oh and she is a Wait for it,a... WOMAN). It's looking unlikely isn't it? BUT she's been through a lot and I can't see that it is to ammass a personal fortune. or run an out of control ego. If there was a test, and I believe there surely has been, she has done OK. Like really OK!!. I don't agree with everything she believes, but why would I?. She has a fairly good team around her with quite a bit of talent, and I think she works with others. Government should never be the dictates of one person. Abbott is a bit of a Rascal and somewhat of a Barbarian. He has a problem with GOD and women.(just for starters) He's trying to find himself, but that may never happen, and in the meantime we suffer, and risk electing a person that even his own party didn't support by anything but the barest of margins. His party will be very concerned at the moment about his popularity. Who else is there? Morrison/ Bishop His party have shifted to the Looney Tea/Republican right with all the powerbrokers right behind him. This NEW LNP is something quite different to what we have seen for a while. Kennet is egging Tony on to do a New man Nationally. Slash and Burn equals recession. Sacked people sell their houses and don't build new ones or spend money that they don't have. Bushfires kill towns. So does sacking workers. If you like Peter Reith and the HR Nichols Society and the Catholic Church to have an out of proportion say in the running of YOUR country, just sit back and don't worry because you will get it. Don't expect Gillard alone to do it for you.

Tom of Melbourne

18/09/2012Hilarious!! Ad Astra says he runs a political blog, but hates political challenge. He implores people to stop exchanging opinions with me because he speculates about my motivation. I make 8 comments in a thread of 140, and he gets bothered. Truly funny. LIR & Michael, Abbott says he didn’t do it and there is little evidence that he did. But I’m not particularly bothered, as I’ve posted at http://thedailytrash.wordpress.com/ … I was quite unruely at 19, but had a responsible position (with a union) several years later. There is plenty that I’d be embarrassed about at 19. But by early 30s I didn’t engage in professional or personal activities that would embarrass me. Gillard was lying when she said she was “young & naïve”. She was an incompetent lawyer and she neglected her professional responsibilities to her actual client and to her employer. She was offloaded in the last professional job she had before politics. Gillard maintains her incompetence in her political life.

Jason

18/09/2012It should be re worded I make 1 comment 9 times!

Ad astra

18/09/2012Hi Lyn Thanks for your always-interesting Twitterverse that keeps me up to date. I find Katherine Murphy’s running commentary good, as I can’t get ABC 24 here – I’ve got a very old TV, which is showing signs of dying. When it does, I’ll get one that can get ABC 24 that will enable me to keep up. As predicted, ToM has responded to my comment; I hope no one will be tempted to give him any oxygen. That would be pointless. I'm calling it a day.

Gravel

18/09/2012NormanK Beautiful rose, wonderful colours. And I loved your "Aunty/Tony" bit, well done. Acerbic Conehead Good to see you in rollicking good form too. Talk Turkey Oh, was it you with the Punch and Judy, I thought I read an article with pictures of Punch and Judy. Maybe the mind it going on me. :-) Ad Astra I'm glad you got to read my initial response which seems to have disappeared. Never mind, much of it didn't make sense. I was really angry, but LadyInRed has said what I meant and also added more. Lyn Again thanks, I now have a huge lot of bookmarks to catch up on. I am looking forward to QT tomorrow, Julia will be back. I have missed her.

NormanK

18/09/2012Acerbic Conehead Thanks for the song - a welcome respite from the tedium of the day. It's always great to see your distinctive Gravatar pop up because I know I'm in for a treat.

Acerbic Conehead

18/09/2012NormanK, Loved your tête-à-tête between Tones and Aunty Michelle. LOL. It looks like even she is getting toey with him. Lyn, Great links and tweets again. Very much appreciated. Truth Seeker, Glad you liked the Biffo Tony song. I reckon the hammering he’s started to take is making him punch drunk. TT, “We are looking gruntier than ever”. Hear, hear. VENCEREMOS! indeed. I hope you have recovered from the operation you had earlier. Gravel, Thanks again for your kind words. Hopefully, you are fit and healthy at the moment as well. AA, Well done again with another day’s fine blogging. You and many others on [i]The Political Sword[/i] make it so worthwhile to visit and post here.

TalkTurkey

18/09/2012Gravel said [i]Talk Turkey Oh, was it you with the Punch and Judy, I thought I read an article with pictures of Punch and Judy. Maybe the mind it going on me.[/i] Could be, it's happened to me a bit since a couple of general anaesthetics; still, you might recall, I put a link to a Punch and Judy site, articles and pictures? I underlined some parts relating to Abbortt.

TalkTurkey

18/09/2012Thanks AC, Yes I am much better and my new trajectory is a matter of wonderment and admiration to all who witness it! Well even if that's only my surgeon. KHTAGH Bob Ellis is a sad brainbent bitter old man now, nose out of joint about his precious Kevin, and his beloved Mike Rann getting rolled here as Premier . . . As for saying David Marr is a soon-to-be-age pensioner (wtte) well . . . :)

Trevor

18/09/2012Wallowing in schadenfreude is a guilty pleasure I usually try to avoid. However I am knee deep in it this week, watching the splutterings of Sheridan et al attempting to find a plausible defense for their deity. Their incoherent ravings are so implausible as to be comic. It does though Highlight the shallowness of the far right and the hubris that had overtaken them. So close but now so far guys. Had he had it in him Abbott could have got to the lodge. All he had to do was change tack, present a statesman like persona with some depth and demonstrated he could get across complex issues. He would have been a shoe in. Trouble is he is just not capable of that, his self proclaimed tag of "junkyard dog" is all there is, there is no more. Too many people and now too many journo's have woken up to what many here knew. The guy is is just too flakey to be taken seriously. I think there will now be some thrashing about by Tony and his supporters but he will not get to contest the next election as LOTO. Most likely, sloppy Joe will be the contender. Joe has been keeping his head down for a while and we keep reading reports that he is now taken seriously by the business leaders who thought he was lightweight (metaphoric only) previously. I havent seen any evidence of his new gravitas but that the stories are getting out may indicate a bit of an image makeover by some minders. Yes, I think that thank dog, we are in the twilight of the mad monks rampage through our politics. I just hope that both side will take note that ultimately his destructive approach failed and not think there is any mileage in using these tactics again.

Truth Seeker

18/09/2012Hey Swordsters, just thought I would share my latest luny left musing. What A Joke the LNP are. What a joke the LNP are….. they really aren’t that smart Their federal leader… Abbott….does nothing but brain fart Misogynist and pugilist… he’s good at punching walls But as far as women and policy... he really has no balls His deputy the Bishop… says the Tony that I know Volunteers with local fire-ies… to put on quite a show He guides the blind through marathons… and walks on water too But Bishop.. just like Abbott.. is full of cattle poo Pyne enunciated the same script.. falling prostrate to the floor While proving once and for all time… he’s Abbotts little hoar He’s called the mincing poodle.. and he’s great at dummy spits But as leader of opposition business.. he gives everyone the shits Rolley poley Hockey… the alternate treasurer man Proves that numbers aren’t his forte…dragging figures from the can Claiming economic management… is the LNPs great strength While to hide his budget black hole.. he will go to any length Their antics in the question time… are legendary for sure Like the time that Thomson sent Pyne and Abbot.. running for the door And asking.. nothing much of relevance… but always calling for a vote To suspend the standing orders…their stupidity to promote Abetz their senate leader… is a man with little cred Taking fact and truth and reason…and putting them to bed Opting rather for the spin and lies.. that set the libs apart Coming second to the Abbott… in the stakes for best brain fart And they talk the talk with slogans… and abuse our great PM Using lies and obfuscation to turn attention… away from them But when they’re asked the tougher questions.. then it ceases to be fun So instead of walking the walk.. the bastards turn their backs and run In Victoria.. there’s Ted Ballieu… causing death by a thousand cuts To the public service sector… by his right wing bag of nuts And in New South Wales it’s O’Farrell…with his promises all shot A hundred and thirty and counting… means he’s lied an awful lot With Campbell Newman.. the new kid on the block… cutting services galore Pushing that tired old right wing chestnut….. that less is really more Telling lies about the economy using books Costello cooked While his model’s admired by Hockey and Abbott with both completely hooked Under Labors financial management… the GFC we dodged But with Abbott and his cronies.. all we’ll get is figures bodged And so give the reigns of power… to this rabble... if you dare But don’t risk it if you have regard.. for our… Australia.. fair Cheers :-)

TalkTurkey

19/09/2012TS You are VERY good at this! Well done! I think the sort of cameraderie this kind of writing engenders is very important to the Fighting 5th Estate's cohesion and our eventual victory. We know the Right can never do it, they haven't the right kind of brain.

nasking

19/09/2012 Hope to return tomorrow after reading links and comments. In most awful pain today...had to get tooth pulled...was sawn in half, then part broke...one root had hook down bottom so took dentist half hour to pull. Before for 60 hours...then after for most of the nite in most excruciating pain. Was able to put some links and new Facebook photos up here from our recent trip to Sydney by train: http://www.facebook.com/nick.king.1232760?ref=tn_tnmn Have a goodie all. Sleep well. N'

Truth Seeker

19/09/2012TT, thank you for your kind words of encouragement, and I agree completely with your assessment of the lack of creative prowess in the right and their supporters. Sadly it is on display daily, with their statements, policies (or lack thereof) and blogs. Although they do show some small creative ability in being able to take truth and spin it into lies. If only they would use their powers for niceness instead of evil, they wouldn't be in complete K.A.O.S Thanks chief Cheers

Truth Seeker

19/09/2012BTW, I must have been tired by the time that I finished cos I wrote Luny left instead of Looney left :$ Cheers

Lyn

19/09/2012TODAY’S LINKS Stop "vilification" of Gillard, News Mail A GROUP of Melbourne Law School academics has written an open letter to federal MPs concerned about the "vilification" of Prime Minister Julia Gillard on social media. The nature of political discourse in this country has sunk to a very low point," they wrote. "We note that large numbers of ordinary Australians are contributing to this vilification with comments on Facebook and by forwarding chain emails that contain derogatory material." AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT http://media2.apnonline.com.au/img/media/pdf/StopTheAbuseLetter.pdf http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2012/09/18/stop-vilification-gillard/ Some sort of correction, Andrew Elder, Politically Homeless My long-held assessment is that the Coalition can't win the next federal election. It is only promising the reversal of pretty much everything the incumbents have done and a return to the period before they lost government last time; it's not good enough. Australia does vote conservative from time to time but never does it vote to go backwards, as though the last two elections were some sort of clerical error. The Coalition are deliberately shirking big issues affecting our country http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/ Getting The Facts Straight On Abbott, Lindsay Foyle, New Matilda When Lindsay Foyle told a story about an altercation with Tony Abbott in the 1970s, he was accused of working for a dirt unit. Abbott and Greg Sheridan may not like it, but he's sticking to his story Last week I dusted off the spiderwebs on an old story I had written about Tony Abbott and an altercation we had when he was involved in student politics. http://newmatilda.com/2012/09/18/getting-facts-straight-abbott The South Australian Libs can’t win with Redmond, Matt Donovan, Independent Australia Steven Marshall, John Gardner and Rachel Sanderson must all be fuming, now that their slim margins have now been whittled away by what must be one of the most stupid comments ever made by a current opposition leader. It seems she has as much regard to her marginal seat MPs in her own party as she does of people struggling to pay ever http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/the-south-australian-libs-cant-win-with-redmond/ Abbott starting to feel the heat from Turnbull's 'smile that wins', Rob Burgess, The Power Index The truth about the 'Turnbull question' in relation to the Liberal Party leadership is that if he ever returned to power, he'd be forced by his own side into a lot ofpolicy positions that he did not personally like -- such are the demands of leadership.He would be forced into the same kind of extreme fiscal consolidation Tony Abbott is planning, making him the Campbell Newman of Canberra -- that's nothing to smile about. http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/analysis/abbott-starting-to-feel-the-heat-from-turnbull-s-smile-that-wins Gillard mustn’t bruise a budget surplus, Stephen Koukoulas, Crikey Politically, the 2012-13 budget outcome will be released about September 2013, right in the middle of the election campaign (I am using a working assumption that the election will be held on either October 12, 19 or 26). To deliver a budget deficit would be fatal for Labor as it would also mean that the turn down in government debt currently forecast for June 2013 would not occur http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/09/18/gillard-mustnt-bruise-a-budget-surplus/ Tony Abbott versus the Universe, Miglo, Café Whispers But in Tony Abbott we have an unusual case. He is against every social, environmental and economic reform imaginable. I cannot think of anything in the known universe he might agree with.Let’s hear what he has to say about these issues, some of which you may of course agree with. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/tony-abbott-versus-the-universe/ Joe Hockey: I Feel Guilty every Single Day, Mamamia I am always hit by terrible guilt when I usually walk out the door at 6.45am and head off to work.My wife and children may not believe it but when I walk out the door I really feel “the guilts” – every single day.And the truth of it is, that guilt stays with me throughout the days, the months and the years of my life that I am away as an absent father. http://www.mamamia.com.au/parenting/joe-hockey-i-really-do-feel-the-father-guilts-every-single-day/ Chump Bucket, Lozvox, Blogspot Firstly, I just want to let you know that I had no idea what he was talking about when he said ‘chum bucket’. When I Googled it, apparently it’s a restaurant in SpongeBob Squarepants. However I suspect he means ‘chumbucket’ which is a bucket which houses fishing bait. So now the Labor party are throwing old squid at Tony Abbott. They should probably use something stickier. If they hang around until about 9am tomorrow morning, I may be able to help them out. http://lozvox.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/chump-bucket.html Greg Hunt’s carbon illusion, Ben Rose, On Line Opinion The Libs make the questionable and misleading statement that “any new global emissions reduction agreement is expected to include soil carbons.” The fact is that if soil carbon abatement is ever included, there will be compliance rules. These requirements simply cannot be met for $10/ tonne CO2; any soil offsets created for this price will be non-compliant and will never be an acceptable means of reducing a nation’s carbon emissions. http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=14129 ALP should ride the poll bump and leave the Greens alone , Nicholas Barry, The Conversation The past few months have also seen the negative focus shift onto the opposition. Tony Abbott has come under attack after his performance on the 7:30 Report, and the “wall punching” allegations raised in David Marr’s Quarterly Essay. As the government’s experiences over the past two years illustrate, it is very difficult to communicate an appealing http://theconversation.edu.au/alp-should-ride-the-poll-bump-and-leave-the-greens-alone-9645 Where are we going with this thing we’re doing?, News With Nipples That he hid from the media for a week is evidence – more evidence – that Tony Abbott is not a leader.It’s also evidence that Tony Abbott thinks women should be controlled – mainly by him – but there’s already an awful lot of evidence for that. Just because his wife and daughters are women, and he works with women, doesn’t mean that he’s Mr Equality. http://newswithnipples.com/2012/09/18/where-are-we-going-with-this-thing-were-doing/ Why the GST is failing, and why it's hard to fix, Peter Martin Lifting the goods and services tax to 15 per cent would boost Australian state budgets by an extraordinary $25 billion per year - $8 billion of which would be kept by the O’Farrell government in NSW, but experts warn it would soon evaporate. http://www.petermartin.com.au/2012/09/why-gst-is-failing-and-why-its-hard-to.html 2012 A.C.T. Election Site Now Live, Antony Green At this stage it appears the ACT election may be one of the few in recent years where there is a welcome mat for Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The ACT's Liberal opposition has no current plans to involve Fedetral Liberal Leader Tony Abbott http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2012/09/2012-act-election-site-now-live.html Product Review: The National Broadband Network some of the worst media coverage of anything, well, ever plus a raft of politicians and commentators saying things about it which are disingenuous or simply not true has led to the primary discussion surrounding it focusing on who said what. Today we're ignoring the politics and reviewing the NBN as though it were a new television or a phone: http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2012/09/18/3592785.htm Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 19 September 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

Ad astra

19/09/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

KHTAGH

19/09/2012I'm sorry for yet again throwing in another topic that is a bit left field, but I know there are some here who might like to know whats going on in the pesticide industry & the repercussions. http://www.linktv.org/video/8123/killing-bees-are-government-and-industry-responsible Dear friends, Whether you are a beekeeper, a conservationist, an ecologist, a food-producer or a parent - please take half an hour to watch this new American video documentary about the global death of honeybees, bumblebees and other pollinators. This is NOT just about the death of entire bee populations around the world, it is about the potential loss of 30% of our food supply and an all-out assault on the ecosystems of the world: insects, birds, amphibians, bats, fish - everything is threatened by the global distribution of hyper-toxic, neuro-toxic pesticides being applied to over 200 million acres of corn and crops in North America alone. These systemic neurotoxins are present in just about every single plant of maize, wheat, barley, rice, oilseed rape, peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, almonds - you name it. Hundreds of millions of acres of food crops, lawns and wildflowers now contain neonicotinoids in their pollen, nectar and fruit - which is why bees, bumblebees, butterflies and pollinators are dying by the billion. Government knows full well what is going on, as does the pesticide industry; indeed, they have known this since 1985 when they invented neonics; but the sums of money involved are colossal - enough to 'buy' government agreement, regulatory surrender - and to silence any critics in the wildlife and beekeeping sectors. This hard-hitting film lays the blame for this global ecological crisis, firmly on the doorstep of the government regulatory agencies in America and Europe - working in collusion that verges on open conspiracy with the giant pesticide companies. The film has been produced by Earth Focus in the USA, working closely with PANNA - Pesticide Action Network North America, Beyond Pesticides and a variety of independent beekeepers, notably Tom Theobald and Dave Hackenburg. CONSPIRACY AND COLLUSION The implications of this are staggering; this is the 'big Tobacco' story all over again. From the 1960s onwards, independent scientists highlighted cigarette smoking as the cause of tens of millions of cancer deaths, world-wide. However, 'Big Tobacco' fought this analysis successfully for over 20 years and kept the profits rolling in, despite the untold suffering and mass-deaths of millions of people on every continent. The weapons which they used in that battle were: Disinformation: the spreading of doubt and counter-information Corrupt Science: falsified science studies funded in universities around the globe Government Collusion and the corruption of regulatory agencies This film documents how, in the case of global bee-deaths, the same techniques are being used to castrate the regulatory watchdogs; to spread false information about the real cause of bee deaths via press, radio and television, and how national beekeeping agencies have been infiltrated, bribed and co-opted to meet the needs of the pesticide companies. Please watch this crucially important film and forward this to every beekeeper and environmental organisation that you know, via email, Facebook and Twitter. http://www.linktv.org/video/8123/killing-bees-are-government-and-industry-responsible

LadyInRed

19/09/2012Stop Vilification great link Lyn thank you so very much; it makes me proud that the up and coming young have a voice and use it so well. As I said Retro Rabbitt had the perfect opportunity to show true leadership and ingratiate himself with women, all he had to do was come out and say enough is enough, I have been guilty myself but now is the time to end it. He didn't. Too late. And some pickies with Margie won't fix it.

TalkTurkey

19/09/2012TS Thanks Comrade but nobody's Chief am I, just a proud halfling footsoldier of TPS and the ALP. Once had a girlfriend named Tania but everyone called her Luny. :) KHTAGH I do know a little about the plight of bees, (I kept a see-through hive in my classroom window for years, no-one ever got stung, amazing!) Australian native bees and birds and coastal plants have suffered at the hands of introduced bees but that's another matter. But we all know now, EVERYTHING is conspiring to bring about Humanity's comeuppance. Forests, reefs, ice cover, arable land, population explosion, you name it. I reckon you're in a good place ftm, I reckon you need to be prepared to defend it against marauders though and I don't mean Tassie Devils. But all we can do most importantly is to get the Gillard Government re-elected, because LNP is hellbent on total destruction of wilderness.

KHTAGH

19/09/2012Patriciawa I'm sure it was you that came out with the line about the proverb "try & try again" I have had that going thru my mind since & have quoted it to lots of people & they all loved it. So I hope you don' mind but I tweeted it this morning. Through our own lovely Lyn & then through our Latin specialist Talk Turkey. Mr Abbortts family motto. “If at first you don’t succeed, lie & lie again”

KHTAGH

19/09/2012TT So true on all point you wrote. Cheers for the retweet too, my first ;)

Michael

19/09/2012Cory Bernardi, bark in your box, boy.

Truth Seeker

19/09/2012TT, my last couple of lines were channeling an old fav, Maxwell Smart, but on language skills you more than qualify. Cheers

TalkTurkey

19/09/2012Abbortt to address his party room in 10 mins. Some Party! :) Penny Wong addressing Senate on Marriage Equality. I guess ABC will cut her speech to give Abbortt unchallenged air in "friendly" company, but his Party won't be the jolly affair of yesterdays. I bet he doesn't do a proper presser. Anyone heard Credlin's pregnant? [i]H'MMMMMMM![/i] Who's bin a-messin' With Pretty Peta Credlin? Latin speciaiist? Hardly! Just better than Anglican Arsebigot Jeffreys! Ha Ha Abbortt saying Bernardi has resigned as his Parlt.Secy. Sinodinos segues into his role. He now threatens Abbortt himself! Anybody want to watch Tony run for his life asap?

Ad astra

19/09/2012Hi Lyn I’ve had difficulty getting on the Internet this morning and have only just succeeded. Thank you for yet another great set of links - fascinating reading. I hope the open letter from law academics has the desired effect. The [i]Crikey[/i] article about Malcolm Turnbull’s smile may turn about to be prophetic! AC Thank you for your kind comment and your verse. The line [i]‘lie, lie, lie[/i] says it all. I’ll be posting your piece tomorrow: [i]Bucket-loads of Biffo with the Bash Street Kids[/i]. TT You are so kind with your words: With Ad astra as our Light on the Hill and Lyn as our Eye in the Sky! Trevor Thank you for reminding us of Abbott’s apt description of himself: “Junkyard dog”. Truth Seeker Your verse is very clever.

archiearchive

19/09/2012Regarding Tony's presser this morning, is there a bit of a dog-whistle to Malcolm Turnbull regading "Free-lancing"? It would be interesting to see Turnbull's reaction to being dropped from the front bench.

Patriciawa

19/09/2012KHTAGH - only good lines I've read about lies lately are in AC's great song above. Welcome back, AC! [i]Punchin’ low, rainin’ blows, Or just biffin’ a wall instead of someone’s nose Tryin’ not to get caught out tellin’ a… Lie…lie…lie... [/i] Sadly these days, I forget most of my own once they're done and dusted, but I'm always happy to be reminded of them by other people using them, whether acknowledged or not. I'm sure TT would agree. As he says, the job is to get the Gillard government re-elected. We're all of us, TT, TS, AC and others just turning rhymes trying to get the truth out there as readably as possible. So if a line of mine or someone else sticks in your brain and you repeat it, all to the good. As Truth Seeker says [i]Under Labors financial management… the GFC we dodged But with Abbott and his cronies.. all we’ll get is figures bodged And so give the reigns of power… to this rabble... if you dare But don’t risk it if you have regard.. for our… Australia.. fair. [/i]

Truth Seeker

19/09/2012Ad, thanks for your gracious comments and your continued support. Cheers

adelaidegirl

19/09/2012TT your mention of bees in the classroom window rings a little bell with me, although I may also be thinking of the bees in the Adelaide Museum window - one of my favourite attractions as a child, along with the moon room and the Egypt room. I'm sure you remember these from before the refurbishment! I wonder if you are willing/able to say where you taught. As an Adelaide girl, I'm sure you could mention the region and I'd know whether you were ever my teacher or not! Re Bees and shrinking artic sea ice and pesticides and burning forests, I watched an excellent movie last night - Perfect Sense starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. For me, a perfect mirror for my existential angst. Loneliness, isolation and the degredation of ourselves, by ourselves. I highly recommend it.

nasking

19/09/2012 Abbott sure knows how to pick 'em. Joyce for finance...then not. Bernardi as parliamentary secretary...then not. Calls into question his judgement...and why he's favoured people who sound like One Nation rejects... bad for unity and tourism and exporters like Hanson's approach was found to be. Interesting that the founder of One Nation emerged from Abbott's offices years ago...before he conveniently turned on them. What games has Abbott played with this country? How economically and culturally irresponsible have they been? [b]From Bernard Keane and Sally-Anne Curtain @ Crikey.com [/b] [quote]Bernardi has repeatedly expressed extreme views on issues such Muslim Australians and climate change — and at each spray, some of the Coalition’s more centrist MPs have grumbled about the need for Abbott to pull him into line and the damage done to the party’s reputation. Until now, Abbott hasn’t — and some MPs thought that was because, privately, Abbott tended to agree with Bernardi. This move today is a victory of sorts for Turnbull over Abbott. The controversy continues a bad period politically for Abbott, who has come under increasing pressure over his performance and claims about his behaviour as a student. Nonetheless, Abbott has skilfully used the removal of Bernardi to take some pressure off another long-running problem, his talented backbench and the lack of opportunities for promotion. Abbott has promoted two of his stronger backbenchers: Arthur Sinodinos to replace Bernardi as his parliamentary secretary, and Jamie Briggs has finally been promoted, to parliamentary secretary for Families.[/quote] More here: http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/09/19/bernardi-finally-gives-abbott-a-reason-to-sack-him/ Abbott cannot be repackaged... the mask has fallen off too many times... the voters see him for the Santamaria loving, angrier than some, wrecker and weathervane he is. It's the downward spiral. Howard has sent his man Sinodinos to save him...but it's far too late. The damage has been done. The Liberal party are a rabble...the moderates and true Liberals savaged and expelled or put in dungeons by the right-wing religious extremists and nutjobs...thnx to the carelessness of Howard too long in the job...too interfering...and Abbott and his goons...knifers of Turnbull and many others. Why is Stephen Mayne, small 'l' Liberal not in parliament? Business creator...investor. He might make a useful shadow treasurer. I can see Turnbull/Mayne 2016...vs PM Gillard and Swan. A real competition. Abbott and Howard have blown it. Again. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 For gawd's sake...how corrupt, desperate and incompetent are News Corp/News International?: [b]Exclusive: News of the World 'ordered burglary' Police probe link to break-ins at homes of MPs and stars[/b] [quote]Tom Watson, the Labour politician who campaigned against phone hacking, said that, if proven to be evidence of burglary, the material showed further serious wrongdoing at the News of the World. There have long been concerns that, as well as phone hacking and police corruption, burglaries took place in an attempt to land stories. Several public figures whose voicemail messages were hacked by the newspaper, including the actor Hugh Grant, the Football Association executive David Davies, and Paul Stretford, Wayne Rooney's former agent, fell victim to break-ins where nothing was stolen. The Labour frontbencher Chris Bryant and other MPs are thought to have been similarly targeted. The Independent does not know of evidence to connect break-ins at their homes to the News of the World. But the new evidence provides an apparent link between at least one burglary and the newspaper. Police obtained the material in 2002 during an investigation into one of Southern Investigations' two partners, Sid Fillery. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the agency, based in Thornton Heath, used corrupt police officers to supply information to newspaper groups, notably News International and Trinity Mirror. At the News of the World, its contact was Mr Marunchak. In a statement to The Independent, Mr Marunchak denied he had any involvement in any illegal acts. He said: "I have never commissioned Southern Investigations or any other third party to carry out any burglaries or any illegal acts whatsoever. I have no knowledge of any alleged burglaries being committed by Southern Investigations." When contacted. Mr Fillery, who now runs a pub in Norfolk, also issued a denial, saying: "It's most definitely not correct. Let me tell you about the News of the World – despite their reputation, they behaved very correctly. The only reason they employed us was to stand stories up. We committed no criminal offences." The London Evening Standard quoted a former Metropolitan Police undercover officer, Derek Haslam, yesterday as saying that Southern Investigations burgled MPs' homes. Jonathan Rees, Mr Fillery's partner at Southern Investigations, told the newspaper: "He [Haslam] alleges that [Southern Investigations] burgled an MP's garage to remove a briefcase, photographed the contents of the briefcase and put that back. That's a lie." A spokesman for Scotland Yard declined to discuss the progress of Operation Tuleta. A spokesman said: "We are not prepared to discuss any specific operational matters." News International, Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group, said it would be "inappropriate" to comment while the police investigation was continuing. Mr Watson, whose garage at his constituency home in West Bromwich was broken into and paperwork rifled through in 2009, said: "News Corporation in the UK stands accused of phone hacking, computer hacking, bribery, conspiring to pervert the course of justice, inappropriate covert surveillance, lies and cover-up. Now added to the list is the allegation of burglary. "During the course of investigating phone hacking, I met many victims who had also suffered mysterious break-ins – burglaries where easily stolen valuables were left. I will be raising this in Parliament at the earliest opportunity."[/quote] More here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-news-of-the-world-ordered-burglary-8145238.html Go The Independent! [b]Now...aren't Murdoch and News Ltd allies of Abbott...and bashers of PM Gillard and the govt? Abbott sure knows how to pick 'em. [/b] N'

Marilyn

19/09/2012Someone needs right now to tell me the difference between a racist bigot from Wales and a racist bigot from England.

nasking

19/09/2012 Abbott's ranting in parliament sounds like a shrill Dalek. It's hilarious. EXTERMINATE GILLARD...EXTERMINATE N'

nasking

19/09/2012 These angry bad loser Liberals seem to think yelling louder and louder will get their point across. Reveals alot about them. N'

Michael

19/09/2012You'll notice Shouldabeen didn't have the balls, like a real leader would, to demand Bernardi's resignation today. He accepted it when it was offered. Manly boy. He's a born receiver, young Tony. Speaking of grotesquries, have we seen an uglier expression on a face in the House of Parliament ever than that of Christopher Pyne howling at the PM as she abandoned the floor of our legislature to yet another fatuous and disingenuous suspension of standing orders raised by a leader of the opposition clearly soon for a suspension of his own... On the famous wall of photographs of Opposition Leaders in the Coalition Party Room, alongside Brendan Nelson and Malcolm Turnbull, a trifecta of never-been PMs. But who, who will step into Abbott's merdeied breach? Please, please, make it Joe Hockey.

KHTAGH

19/09/2012N' nasking [i] These angry bad loser Liberals seem to think yelling louder and louder will get their point across.[/i] I did learn early in life the louder they shout the less confidence they have in what they say, very basic ploy.

Michael

19/09/2012Marilyn, you may wish, when calling anyone else a "bigot" (as you do a few posts back on this page), to make recourse to a dictionary, held in one hand, and a mirror in the other. In the one I use, in some comparative notes exploring the word "zealot", and its occasional but not accurately applied stand-ins, 'fanatic' and 'bigot', you seem by the quoted comment below to be painting yourself into your own corner with the word "bigot". 'But it is the bigot who causes the most trouble, exhibiting obstinate and often blind devotion to his or her beliefs and opinions. In contrast to fanatic and zealot, the term bigot implies intolerance and contempt for those who do not agree.' Mirror mirror, Marilyn?

NormanK

19/09/2012The sooner Tony Abbott is removed from his position as Leader of the Opposition the sooner our political discourse can regain some semblance of civility. On a day when the Prime Minister made an emotional speech on indulgence about the death of her father (with side references to the funerals of recently killed Diggers), Abbott still maintains his appearance of absolute hatred of her by moving yet another Suspension Motion based on some spurious notion that Ms Gillard and her government need to give a running commentary on the budget position. He is a blight on our polity. For those who may have missed the PM's speech, it is contained in the article linked to below. Note: you may wish to keep a tissue handy. [b]Gillard 'overwhelmed' by public's kindness as she remembers her father[/b] by Jessica Wright and Judith Ireland [quote]Ms Gillard said that she grew up listening to Thomas saying to his father "to rage and rage against the dying of the light, to not go gentle into that good night". Her voice breaking, the Prime Minister then told the House: "The last thing my father taught me [was] 'in the life of a man there is a moment to go gentle into that good night'. And so it was."[/quote] http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillard-overwhelmed-by-publics-kindness-as-she-remembers-her-father-20120919-2664q.html#ixzz26tPW6hwB

nasking

19/09/2012 KHTAGH, true. Albanese gets loud sometimes...but at least he's funny. Besides, he's probably half deaf having to listen to the Abbott, Pyne, Hockey rant noize day in and day out. Must be like standing in a schoolyard...sore losers blowing off and threatening...the two Bishops and Mirabella sitting on the bleachers egging them on: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT The Libs need an adult or twelve to intervene. The adolescents goons have locked them in the closet. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 [quote]On a day when the Prime Minister made an emotional speech on indulgence about the death of her father (with side references to the funerals of recently killed Diggers), Abbott still maintains his appearance of absolute hatred of her by moving yet another Suspension Motion based on some spurious notion that Ms Gillard and her government need to give a running commentary on the budget position. He is a blight on our polity.[/quote] Norman, good observation. The man has no dignity. Nor compassion it seems. Thnx for the link. Same to Lyn for hers. [quote]Speaking of grotesquries, have we seen an uglier expression on a face in the House of Parliament ever than that of Christopher Pyne howling at the PM as she abandoned the floor of our legislature to yet another fatuous and disingenuous suspension of standing orders raised by a leader of the opposition clearly soon for a suspension of his own...[/quote] Michael...Pyne is a sad case. Ambition and envy over compassion and common-sense. Quite a team Abbott has chosen. N'

Ad astra

19/09/2012Folks I'll be out for the rest of the evening.

Jason

19/09/2012If Bernardi was in touch with what was going on here in SA, and could find time in between his homophobic and racist rants he would have come across this story about a MARRIED hetro sexual couple and their friend! "Reichelt, 53, her husband Garry Paul Reichelt, 51, and Kathleen Modystack, 58, have pleaded guilty to one count each of bestiality." http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/animal-sex-a-case-of-sexual-naivety-adelaide-district-court-told/story-e6frea83-1226376736231

Ad astra

19/09/2012Folks Today, I've been preparing Acerbic Conehead's latest satire: [i]Bucket-loads of Biffo with the Bash Street Kids[/i] which I'll post tomorrow afternoon.

Lyn

19/09/2012Hi Ad and Everybody Twitterverse and Twitterati for you. Sorry for being a bit late the Doctor took up my time again:- EMILY's List Aus‏ Prime Minister JuliaGillard's moving speech about her father in parliament today: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/emotional-pm-pays-tribute-to-her-father/4270250 #auspol Happy ending or not, Gillard a heroine in political sphere concentrate on what Julia Gillard has achieved for workers, education and women since entering government in 2007. In the first Rudd ministry, Gillard was minister for education, minister for industrial and workplace relations and minister for social inclusion. As a Labor politician, are there any jobs (other than health), left to do? Gillard managed them all. Simultaneously. It was she who did the heavy lifting to end WorkChoices. It wasn't Kevin Rudd who legislated and prosecuted the case in Parliament and the press; it was the partisan former industrial lawyer from Slater & Gordon http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/politics/happy-ending-or-not-gillard-a-heroine-in-political-sphere-20120918-264i9.html Once again Abbott looks over-scripted, over-loyal, Michelle Grattan Abbott press conference in full Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's midday press conference, announcing the resignation of parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi. Once again the Opposition Leader looked over-scripted — and over-loyal. Surely Abbott, who has a gay sister, was appalled by the Bernardi contribution. But what came through was a certain reluctance to have to cut his ‘‘freelancer’’ loose. Abbott hates to dump on colleagues. Let’s hope that accounts for his demeanour — because it also raised the question of whether he is worried about upsetting the more extreme part of his right constituency. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/once-again-abbott-looks-overscripted-overloyal-20120919-265y2.html#ixzz26sw5UYhS Bernardi resigns over bestiality remark, September 19, 2012 - 2:43PM , Jessica Wright Live blog: Katharine Murphy blogs live from Parliament Michelle Grattan: Abbott looks over-scripted, over-loyal Bestiality enters gay marriage debate O'Farrell to allow conscience vote Wong vows to fight on for baby daughter http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/bernardi-resigns-over-bestiality-remark-20120919-265t0.html#ixzz26t8EJLLT Bernardi resigns after bestiality comment, ABC 24 video Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has resigned as Tony Abbott's parliamentary secretary amid a fierce backlash over comments he made linking gay marriage to sex with animals.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/controversy-over-cory-bernardi-bestiality-comments/4269604 Abbott press conference in full (07:41) Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's midday press conference, announcing the resignation of parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi. http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/abbott-press-conference-in-full-3646943.html chris murphy‏ Is Cory Bernardi an extremist? Read Wiki. Wilders fan. Ban burqa. Don't pay to bury drowned asylum seekers #auspol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Bernardi chris murphy‏ Abbott sacks Bernardi 'after 1 mistake too many'.Holding his views got him appointed.Disclosing to us got him sacked.UglyParty #auspol Victoria Rollison‏ Note to Kelly O'Dwyer: when trying to improve Abbott's image with women, it's not a great idea to call Labor women the 'handbag hit squad'. Mr Abbott said the carbon price would lead to 'unimaginable' increases in the cost of living, but now the carbon price is in the RBA says there is no evidence of any significant inflationary impact," Mr Combet told AAP in a statement. "Mr Abbott has no credible policy to tackle climate change and has been exposed for running a destructive and deceptive scare campaign." http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/rba-confirms-abbott-wrong-on-tax-combet-20120918-264dy.html The Daily Telegraph‏ NSW Liberal Party stoush taken to court http://bit.ly/RtOntQ TheQldPublicServant‏ &Worst public servant cuts are over and yr jobs are safe: Newman. Sound familiar?? Remember this - http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/public-servant-jobs-safe-newman-20110509-1ef05.html via @brisbanetimes QUESTION TIME Possum Comitatus‏ The poor old carbon tax. So popular as a #qt issue for so long, now just discarded like yesterday's left overs George Bludger‏ Pollytics which begs the question, come the next few months, what on earth will the LNP focus on? Judith Ireland‏ Abbott launches attack on Govt ... To an entirely empty frontbench #SSO AshGhebranious‏ Abbott back one day and already about to call the PM a liar #qt Stephen Koukoulas‏ Mr Abbott lying on size of govt spending and taxing. See this: http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/2115-the-size-of-government-in-australia #auspol #qt AshGhebranious‏ Joe hockey fibbing #qt Agoodopinion‏ Is this the best an opposition leader can do to justify the suspension of orders? Reading the Australian newspaper MisdaMagoo‏ Albo just kicking Abbotts head around the Chamber for fun now Giddey Girl‏ 407 pieces of legislation! Well done @JuliaGillard and Albo archiearchive‏ Glass-Jaw Pyne has been booted Not Harry JenkinsP PYNE KICKED OUT! THIS IS A GOOD DAY! #qt Geoff Pearson‏ Mr Albanese said The Leader of the Opposition is not man enough to discipline his own side :):):)

nasking

19/09/2012 From SMH poll: Poll: Do you think Tony Abbott's response to Cory Bernardi's bestiality remark was: Appropriate 26% Too weak 69% Too strong 5% 2333 votes Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/once-again-abbott-looks-overscripted-overloyal-20120919-265y2.html#ixzz26tXUhw8O

nasking

19/09/2012 [quote]Today, I've been preparing Acerbic Conehead's latest satire: Bucket-loads of Biffo with the Bash Street Kids which I'll post tomorrow afternoon.[/quote] Ad, excellent...look forward to a good larf. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 Jason, how ironic. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 Agoodopinion‏ [b]Is this the best an opposition leader can do to justify the suspension of orders? Reading the Australian newspaper [/b] Lyn, Abbott needs his daily cup of poison to keep him going. N'

NormanK

19/09/2012Is this the Shadow Leader of the Opposition? http://images.theage.com.au/2012/09/19/3647337/abbottchamber4-20120919153124810147.jpg

Lyn

19/09/2012Hi Everybody Khtagh , thankyou for your link and interesting post re bees. I am going back to read your post properly in a minute. My Grandfather was a beekeeper, he kept his hives all up around the Bathurst, Lithgow, Orange area, 60 years ago. He had a lot of hives and produced enough honey to earn a living. Later my Dad kept a few hives for a hobby. Bees are incredibly interesting how they manage their lives. Hi Lady in Red I am glad you enjoyed the article “Stop Vilification” . Notice how we will not read anything about this in the Murdoch papers. As Ad Astra said, I hope those law academics have some success with their letter. Talk Turkey Thankyou to you for your lovely little way with words eg With Ad astra as our Light on the Hill and Lyn as our Eye in the Sky! Acerbic Conehead good to see you back as clever as ever. Did you see in “Today Links” the link to the Christopher Pynes use of “Chumbucket”. It is a restaurant in Spongebob and Squarepants. Looking forward to “Bucket-loads of Biffo . Truth Seeker Thankyou for your pomes most enjoyable, you certainly are talented, we are so lucky to have your work on TPS Nasking I hope you are feeling better each day, or at least not worse. You poor fellow you really have had a bad trot. Keep up your brilliant work on TPS although hard it really is good for you. Nasking I wish I could give it to him:- (Abbott needs his daily cup of poison to keep him going). But really fancy quoting The Australian newspaper in parliament in a censure motion, honestly. Adelaide Girl, it is always great to see you, I am sure Talk Turkey will tell you more about those bees in the school window. Thankyou for recommending that movie I will try and get it, sounds like I would enjoy. “Perfect Sense starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green”. For me, a perfect mirror for my existential angst. Loneliness, isolation and the degredation of ourselves, by ourselves. I highly recommend it. NormanK Thankyou for your post at 04:05 PM very enjoyable, I like Jessica Wright she is a nice person, she tweets a lot and always worth reading. Poor Julia, who looked lovely today. I feel so sorry for her having that monkey face across the table yelling like an imbecile every QT, no wonder she walks out. This was another worthwhile article today as posted above “Happy ending or not, Gillard a heroine in political sphere” http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/politics/happy-ending-or-not-gillard-a-heroine-in-political-sphere-20120918-264i9.html Patricia You seem to be improving in your health, as always your pomes are delightfully entertaining. I love it when I read you, Talk Turkey and Truth Seeker confabing about words and comparing notes. Archie thankyou for finding time from your own brilliant work to drop in on TPS. Michael You know I always enjoy your posts as a matter of fact you are fabulous, thankyou Jason, thankyou for your always calm and clever statements also Links Ad Astra @ 4.20pm you said you were going out @ 4 26pm you came back, so I am writing a thankyou to you . Sorry about your difficulty getting on the Internet . I can’t wait for the NBN. :):):):):)

Casablanca

19/09/2012Senator Cory Bernardi quits 'after one mistake too many': Ben Packham and Christian Kerr. The Australian. September 19, 2012 4:51PM [not pay-walled] As Anthony Albanese said at the end of question time today wtte that Abbott just doesn't get it: he sacked Bernardi, not for bigoted and dis-respectful remarks but for [i]'ill-discipline' in making provocative remarks.[/i]

Casablanca

19/09/2012OOPS! Forgot to post the link to the Australian article mentioned above at 5.41 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/cory-bernardi-quits-over-bestiality-comments/story-fn59niix-1226477232022

MWS

19/09/2012There is an alternative meaning of "bigot." In WWII, those who had knowledge of the Normandy landings were called "bigots" and they were not to travel anywhere where there was even the slightest chance that they could be captured by the enemy. It was later used generally to describe those with access to highly sensitive intelligence information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIGOT_list

2353

19/09/2012As Abbott didn't sack Bernardi, rather he resigned, it could be construed that Abbott agreed with the sentiments expressed. His sister must be proud of him!

Casablanca

19/09/2012At the beginning of QT Julia Gillard delivered a very moving thanks to everyone for the support given since the death of her father. I watched the PM and marvelled at her composure so I was surprised to detect the level of raw emotion in her voice on the video - it was not evident to me on the live broadcast of QT. However, Ms Gillard did shed tears at the end, as indeed did I (and I am not easily moved to tears). The tribute was dignified, loving, humorous and moving. http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/bestiality-comments-an-utter-attack-3646078.html (lasts for 8mins)

Casablanca

19/09/2012MWS Thanks for alerting us to the derivation of the word 'bigot' very interesting. You allude to alternative meanings and clearly Anthony Albanese used it in the generally accepted sense of [quote]n. One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. [/quote] Another alternative might be to say that someone is a [i] bernardi [/i]

Gravel

19/09/2012Truth Seeker That was great you got them all very cleverly. Casablanca I had tears running down my face today, and I usually am quite controlled. Julia was just magnificent. The ugliness of Abbott and cohorts shone brightly today........they are so so so so ......ah damn there's no words to express how I feel about them. Acerbic Conehead Yippee another of your wonderful posts to look forward too. Nas Hope your feeling better soon. Just have to query your praise for Steven Mayne. I have lots of reservations about him.

42 long

19/09/2012There are several notable things about the Bernardy matter that are noteworthy. He was/is Tony's personal pick for private secretary. His views are very much out there and have been for a long time. He has not retracted anything. What has been done is to hose an incident down when the significant act in town was the lack of a free vote in the LNP ranks. Some LNP members were not happy with this soot he "looney" right had to be seen to be dealt with. These extreme people are the type that Tony chooses to have close to him. Cory is a climate denier. I believe Abbott STILL IS a climate denier. HE LIES about it. Climate change is STILL CRAP... Isn't it strange that most of the people that Abbott praises or wants around him are so "RIGHT". and "SUSS". IF this LNP get elected they will be more RIGHT than anything we would be prepared for, or have anticipated. Be WARNED. Read the signs. Today at question time I was aware of how UGLY and contrived it all is. I am ashamed of them. I see representatives of other governments in the Gallery viewing the worst of behaviour . The LNP trash every principle of good behaviour. OPPORTUNISTICALLY and selectively. When they are copping it, they are most outraged and indignant. HYPOCRITES. UGLY to watch..

nasking

19/09/2012 [quote]But really fancy quoting The Australian newspaper in parliament in a censure motion, honestly. [/quote] Lyn, I guess it makes him feel at home. All comfy and warm, spooning Rupert under the covers...metaphorically of course. I noticed on SLY NEWS Dennis Shanahan was out there SPINNING for Abbott. And Judith Sloan on The Drum... THE OZ motley crew spins so much for Abbott they are weaving one big fabric(ated) tangled web...which I'm sure Tony Abbott and his media allies will find themselves stuck to soon enuff. Arthur Sinodinos oughta find himself another bed to lie in...or he may find himself unable to extract himself from it...as the news about NEWS int. in the UK spreads like wildfire. Gracias for the kind words. I hope you are well...noticed you mentioned the doctor a few times. Aren't we fortunate to live in a country with Medicare? N'

nasking

19/09/2012 Cheers Gravel. Wish you best too. As for Mayne...I reckon he's a talented, articulate, wily fella...and on top of the ongoing Murdoch empire sagas. N'

adelaidegirl

19/09/2012Do you think Judith Sloane ever watches her own performances? A more petty, snarky, childless person would be hard to fine - outside of the opposition benches. I felt embarrassed for her on The Drum tonight. And as a South Australian Gorey Bernadi will not be representing me!

nasking

19/09/2012 Tony Abbott from his manifesto 'Battlelines': “John Howard … demonstrated that conservatives could be vigorous reformers themselves rather than mere obstacles to obstruct the reforms of others.” P73 Hmmm.... "Love thy neighbour as you love yourself. That second commandment is rightly the whole basis of human ethics.” P10 Obviously Abbott doesn't love his gay and lesbian neighbours enuff to provide them with the priviliges he takes for granted himself. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 From 'Battlelines'...On Guiding Liberal Policies: “…Liberal Party is concerned about the rights, responsibilities, opportunities and place in society of each person. We want each person to be empowered, as far as reasonably possible, to live the life he or she thinks best.” pXII. Yea RIGHT. As long as those rights don't run counter to the bigotry used by the bible bashers. Nor does this hypocrite give his own cabinet an opportunity to help empower those desiring the right to marry. All NO NO NO...catering to bigotry...and talk...no action. Not a true liberal. Just a religious conservative blowhard putting up hurdles and walls. N'

nasking

19/09/2012 Bob Carr was excellent on Richo. Calm, thoughtful, tells it as it is. N'

LadyInRed

19/09/2012What a beautiful moment in Parliament today when the PM told us about her father. Tears still falling as I write this, I am sincerely touched. She is a wonderful person, who clearly loved her father dearly. And Dylan Thomas - well the older you get the more "Do not go gentle into the good night" means.

TalkTurkey

19/09/2012Poor Nasking! I can't resist the pun: Bear with a Sore Head! - but don't think I don't empathise, I do. Hope you are healing well and free of pain. Adelaide Girl: Ummm Henley Beach? Second possibility Elizabeth? I had a red light inside my hive that the bees couldn't see, (they hate white light in their hives and cover white-light bulbs with sticky dark brown wax which they also use for embalming critters like invading mice which they sting to death but can't remove.) Yes I do remember that beehive at the Adelaide Museum, it was possibly where I got the idea. I knew the longtime Information Officer there, Hans Mincham, quite well. In fact in my first year teaching I took over the classroom he had just vacated when he got the Museum job. And I do recall the (spooky, when I was a little kid) Egyptian Room, and the beautiful stuffed Diprotodon - The "Giant Wombat", as big as a Hippopotamus, I would love one as a pet! I would bet that you can remember it too! (?) The Diprotodon is a real live dead one, it was one of a number preserved in mud in a salt lake - Callabonna I think - in northern SA. Not a fossil, the real thing, just dead and heavily salted. Di/proto/don = 2/front/teeth! Hippo/potamus = Horse/(of)river. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We have had a great few weeks now Comrades, starting with *J*U*L*I*A*s fronting the yellow Media for that magic hour until they slunk away confounded, Oh and Craig Thomson's pain at being at bay before the slavering media, pain so eloquently expressed in the House when he pointed straight at Abbortt and accused him of persecution. That should not be forgotten - nor should his amazing unique vote [i]for[/i] the Abbortttians which so confounded Abbortt and Pyne. We have more good stuff to come: Slipper and Thomson I expect to be completely cleared, while Abbortt will have a blowtorch on him from now on. Woe to the LNP! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh and Ad, (and Lyn), I admit to being a little pleased with myself for 'Ad astra as our Light on the Hill And Lyn as our Eye in the Sky' . . . because it feels [i]right[/i], and I know others will like the image too. Thank you for noticing it, I can never speak too highly of you both individually, and of The Sword with both of you together, and like everyone else I too treasure praise from you both. Lyn flies high and free during the daytime but she nestles in your lighthouse Ad, this is her home, it is a wonderful partnership, it gives me pleasure just to witness it. I am so glad to be able to access this forum. It makes me feel in the game, game in the deadly-serious sense, along with other Fighting 5th Blogs and Twitter, and we have much to be proud of right here and now I think. We might not be big but the opinions here and those to which Lyn links us daily are forcing the MSM to lift their game. Am I imagining it, or are there signs lately that some journalists - not just Leigh Sales and Lisa Wilkins but others too - are starting to grip on some realities about the nature of Abbortt, and the worth of this Government, and in a spirit of grudging respect for *J*U*L*I*A*, tinged with consternation and just a little panic, and vindictiveness soon to emerge towards Abbortt for failing them . . ? . . . I don't know where that sentence was going, I'm watching Bernardi and Pyne and Uhlmann, hope you get my drift though, I reckon we're forcing them to be more responsible - and then we win.

adelaidegirl

19/09/2012Thanks TT but no cigar. I'm a hills girl. Must be conflating memories of bees in windows with other school-based animal exploits! I remember the diprotodon, the whales skellies in the front windows (still there I think) and the magnificent fountain, which I still miss.

Michael

19/09/2012I was planning to write something here about the sly smugness of Judith Sloane on The Drum earlier tonight, of her being the epitome of everything the Coalition and its Praetorian yaysayers under/let loose by Abbott is. That she and Cory Bernardi are representatives on the same slimy sliding scale that Shouldabeen holds out to the people of Australia as the true natural leaders of a fair dinkum straight-talking disciplined and never freelancing group of political trustworthies who properly returned to running this country will guide us into a future even more golden than the one three Liberal leaders ago, a time and place when all Aussies will sleep secure in their beds safe within our borders, certain that with this team in charge we will be punching above our weight again on a world stage that looks to Australia and sees a people who have "that stuff" (thanks George W Bush for sharing this observation with John Howard when you did, because your meeting of such two fine Conservative minds that came up with this distilled, pointed, and all-embracing definition of what makes Australia unique has finally given all of us here 'down under' real certainty about who we are and how important we are in the order of the universe, thanks George, thanks John, and the little women, too, of course), but... A question posted above - does Judith Sloane ever watch recordings of herself? Could she do it without feeling ashamed, stupid, oleaginous and nonsensical? I bet she has every single moment on record somewhere, to sit back and watch and applaud her wit, her irony, her oh so pointed evisceration of the Labor government and the PM. Without ever seeing what anyone else can three words into every sentence she utters... the shimmering from her lips of hot air.

Truth Seeker

19/09/2012Lyn, thank you for your kind and generous comments, it means a great deal coming from one who puts so much time and effort into keeping us all so well informed. Your contributions are akin to mental breakfast, satisfying the news starved mind and soul... Cheers. Gravel, Like you I thought Julia was magnificent today, and felt her pain as she struggled to finish her speech. She stands head and shoulders above the whole of the opposition for guts, determination, strength of character, honour and decency. Those opposite are naught but a rabble of spoilt brats by comparison, and should be ashamed of themselves. Glad you liked my poem, and I always appreciate your feedback. Patricia, I also find it difficult to remember what, where and when I have posted, but if a line or two sticks in someones head, that in its self is complementary, as it has struck a chord with them and as you correctly point out, it's all about getting the message out there. We must prevail. Cheers

NormanK

19/09/2012Michael A very worthy nominee for "Sentence of the Month". One hundred and eighty-six words and still left hanging - glorious. I made the mistake last Saturday of reading one of Ms Sloane's columns and immediately regretted it. Like you, I had thought to perhaps do a review of it but since it was bollocks from start to finish I gave up out of sheer frustration. For my own sanity I could only conclude that she does not actually believe the stuff she writes (and says) but is a dedicated trooper who is quite prepared to put any reputation that she may possess on the line for a greater cause. As you succinctly put it - "hot air".

DMW

19/09/2012Loyal Foot Soldier Takes one for the Team? Drag0nista puts an interesting scenario around Senator Bernadi's antics over the last 24 hours or so. [b]Were we trolled by Bernardi today?[/b] [i]... I’m sure Abbott must have secretly been relieved when Cory Bernardi unleashed his inner Tea Party Animal in the Senate last night. The combined disgust and rage of free speech-loving tweeps, equality-loving MPs and scandal-seeking journalists created a torrent of condemnation that swept all mention of Abbott’s thuggery from our tweetstreams, RSS feeds and tv screens.[/i] http://dragonistasblog.com/2012/09/19/were-we-trolled-by-bernardi-today/

NormanK

19/09/2012DMW It was all very neat wasn't it? Cory goes overseas having had his knuckles rapped but still keeping his Parliamentary Committee income. Arthur gets a promotion to a position that better reflects his importance and puts him close to Abbott (keep your enemies close). Biggs gets his ambitious ego mollified in the short term - remembering that he is the IR agitator a la Peter Reith (keep your enemies close). The Punch disappears off the front pages. Abbott displays leadership qualities with a 'veiled' swipe at Barnaby and a few others agitating over wheat. I don't trust such neatness.

Miglo

19/09/2012Hi adelaidegirl. I'm from Blackwood. :)

nasking

20/09/2012 A few articles and quotes...put up during the sleepless hours: http://www.facebook.com/nick.king.1232760?ref=tn_tnmn N'

nasking

20/09/2012 LOL TT...bear with sore head sleeps less but is reflection fed. :) Keep well. Cheers N'

nasking

20/09/2012 [quote]I don't trust such neatness.[/quote] Indeed Norman...all part of the plan man. Iceman cometh...in the form of calm, collected, seemingly rational, smiling that sincerity smile Sinodinos. Incrementally bringing nightmares and burdens to workers in a neighbourhood near you. Convincing them it's in their best interest. Like the earnest yet somewhat charming, most definitely smart, all too persuasive fella who convinced you to purchase a subscription to Reader's Digest. And they keep coming...coming...coming. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 He cometh...they let us know: [quote]Sinodinos set to announce: JOHN Howard’s right-hand man for a decade, NSW Liberal Party president Arthur Sinodinos, is expected to announce this afternoon that he will “jump the fence” and nominate to join the politicians’ ranks by filling a Liberal Senate vacancy[/quote]. [b]Andrew Bolt[/b] http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/sinodinos_to_the_senate [b]Howard chief advisor Arthur Sinodinos sworn into senate Alison Rehn The Daily Telegraph[/b] October 31, 2011 Arthur Sinodinos is sworn in as the new Liberal Senator for New South Wales. Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Daily Telegraph Related coverage: [b]Sinodinos wastes no time to slam Labor[/b] [b]Rhiannon under fire for truthers Coalition plays down Howard's GST comments RBA told not to fall for PM rates 'con' Coalition to consider a red-tape cutter NEW Liberal Party Senator Arthur Sinodinos is back in Canberra and determined to "make a difference".[/b] ------------------------------- From Arthur Sinodinos: [quote]I am proud of our nation's Judaeo-Christian heritage. Whatever the fallibilities of individuals within our churches, these institutions have made an immeasurable positive contribution to the moral climate of modern Australia as well as through the work of their great charitable bodies. Even the most ardent supporter of markets knows that no economic system exists in a vacuum; markets are shaped as much by ethical, religious and cultural values as they are by explicit rules. In other words, you are always responsible for your own behaviour, no matter what the rules are.[/quote] ------------------------- [b]Abbott has a window of opportunity BY: ARTHUR SINODINOS From: The Australian June 02, 2011[/b] [b]JULIA Gillard's long game is turning into death by a thousand cuts.[/b] [quote]The carbon debate is not about the environment any more. It has become a proxy for public angst over broken promises, cost of living pressures and even the divide between Canberra insiders and the rest of the nation. Gillard has locked herself into delivering a compensation package soon. It will not solve her problems but she will be hoping it staunches the bleeding of her primary vote and lets her move on. [b]She does not want to spend the rest of this year on carbon matters. As with boatpeople, it is a debate that she has probably already lost. In government you limit your losses and get on with the next agenda. It is Tony Abbott who has every incentive to mire the government in endless debate on the carbon tax[/b].[/quote] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/abbott-has-a-window-of-opportunity/story-e6frgd0x-1226067451098 ------------------------- [b]The Liberal intelligentsia...courtesy of Goldman Sachs:[/b] [b]Here’s Malcolm Turnbull interviewing his parliamentary colleague Arthur Sinodinos[/b] November 29, 2011 / australianpoliticstv http://australianpoliticstv.org/2011/11/29/turnbull-interview-with-arthur-sinodinos/ ---------------------------------- [b]Arthur Sinodinos: Wikipedia [/b] He left to become a [b]director with the investment bank Goldman Sachs JBWere, [/b]and became the Regional General Manager, Business and Private Bank at National Australia Bank. In 2008, he was part of a panel that [b]mediated public input into the Defence White Paper.[/b] In March 2009, he was [b]appointed Managing Director for Government, Education and Carbon Solutions, Institutional Banking, Business Banking Australia at the National Australia Bank[/b]. --------------- [b]Libs would do well to channel Howard, not Fraser BY: ARTHUR SINODINOS From: The Australian August 25, 2011 [/b] [b]THERE are eerie parallels between the present Labor malaise in Canberra and the final chapter of the Whitlam government. The Craig Thomson affair adds a whiff of scandal to an accident-prone government. Tony Abbott will be contemplating an early by-election or vote of no confidence in the government, citing reprehensible circumstances as Malcolm Fraser did in 1975.[/b] The Rudd-Gillard imposition of big measures without adequate forethought, such as the mining and carbon taxes, is redolent of Gough Whitlam's crash through or crash approach. When the Coalition lost office in 2007 it seemed unlikely that it would be returned any time soon, given the conservatism of the electorate when it comes to changes of government. [b]Abbott's remarkable performance in effectively defeating Labor last year and his single-minded focus since on Labor's carbon tax and other negatives has created the preconditions for a big victory sometime between now and 2013, with the odds on sooner rather than later.[/b] ...[b]The struggle over the policy direction of the Coalition continued in opposition but was largely resolved in favour of the market as reflected in the Coalition's economic policies at the 1993 and 1996 elections. This consistency of approach served the Liberals well in government and while Work Choices may now be seen as a bridge too far for the punters, it is fitting that Howard went down fighting for another significant economic reform[/b]. In the face of another Whitlam scenario, the Coalition should not waste the opportunity for policy boldness. [b]It should channel Howard rather than Fraser.[/b] ---------------- Look long enuff and you see the face beneath the mask. N'

nasking

20/09/2012GOLDMAN SACHS - Wikipedia [b]The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.[/b] (NYSE: GS) is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients. Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 and is headquartered at 200 West Street in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City, with additional offices in international financial centers. The firm provides mergers and acquisitions advice, underwriting services, asset management, and prime brokerage to its clients, which include corporations, governments and individuals. [b]The firm also engages in market making and private equity deals, and is a primary dealer in the United States Treasury security market. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world, but has sparked a great deal of controversy over alleged improper practices, especially since the 2007–2012 global financial crisis.[/b] [b]Former employees include Robert Rubin and Henry Paulson who served as United States Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, respectively, as well as Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of Canada since 2008, Mario Draghi, governor of the European Central Bank and Mario Monti, the Prime Minister of Italy[/b]. [b]In 2003 it took a 45% stake in a joint venture with JBWere, the Australian investment bank. In 2009 The Private Wealth Management arm of JBWere was sold into a joint venture with National Australia Bank. Goldman opened a full-service broker-dealer in Brazil in 2007, after having set up an investment banking office in 1996. It expanded its investments in companies to include Burger King, McJunkin Corporation, and in January 2007, Alliance Atlantis alongside CanWest Global Communications to own sole broadcast rights to the all three CSI series. The firm is also heavily involved in energy trading, including oil, on both a principal and agent basis[/b]. [b]In May 2006, Paulson left the firm to serve as U.S. Treasury Secretary, and Lloyd C. Blankfein was promoted to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Former Goldman employees have headed the New York Stock Exchange, the World Bank, the U.S. Treasury Department, the White House staff, and firms such as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch[/b]. [b]Actions in the 2007–2008 subprime mortgage crisis During the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis, Goldman was able to profit from the collapse in subprime mortgage bonds in the summer of 2007 by short-selling subprime mortgage-backed securities. [/b] Two Goldman traders, Michael Swenson and Josh Birnbaum, are credited with bearing responsibility for the firm's large profits during America's sub-prime mortgage crisis.[20][21] The pair, members of Goldman's structured products group in New York, made a profit of $4 billion by "betting" on a collapse in the sub-prime market, and shorting mortgage-related securities. By summer of 2007, they persuaded colleagues to see their point of view and talked around skeptical risk management executives. [b]The firm initially avoided large subprime writedowns, and achieved a net profit due to significant losses on non-prime securitized loans being offset by gains on short mortgage positions.[/b] Its sizable profits made during the initial subprime mortgage crisis led the New York Times to proclaim that Goldman Sachs is without peer in the world of finance. The firm's viability was later called into question as the crisis intensified in September 2008. [b]Tax Rate[/b] [b]Goldman Sachs expected in December 2008 to pay $14 million in taxes worldwide for 2008 compared with $6 billion the previous year, after making $2.3 billion profit and paying $10.9 billion in employee pay and benefits. The company’s effective tax rate dropped to 1% from 34.1% in 2007, due to tax credits and, according to Goldman Sachs, "changes in geographic earnings mix" thus reducing the company's tax obligation. Many critics argue that the reduction in Goldman Sach's tax rate was achieved by shifting its earnings to subsidiaries in low- or no-tax nations. Goldman Sachs had 28 such subsidiaries at the time, including 15 in the Cayman Islands. [/b] ----------------- [b]More on Arthur Sinodinos [/b] [b]Sinodinos has served as Finance Director (2009 to 2011) and President (since 2011) for the NSW branch of the Liberal Party. [/b]Initially touted as a candidate for the lower house seat of Bradfield, ------------ Learning at the knee of... N'

nasking

20/09/2012 Handy that Greece crashed eh? Now we can get all these desperate Greek workers and entrepeneurs. [b]Involvement in the European sovereign debt crisis[/b] [b]Goldman is being criticized for its involvement in the 2010 European sovereign debt crisis. Goldman Sachs is reported to have systematically helped the Greek government mask the true facts concerning its national debt between the years 1998 and 2009[/b]. [b]In September 2009, Goldman Sachs, among others, created a special credit default swap (CDS) index to cover the high risk of Greece's national debt.[/b] The interest-rates of Greek national bonds have soared to a very high level, leading the Greek economy very close to bankruptcy in March and May 2010 and again in June 2011. Lucas Papademos, Greece's former prime minister, ran the Central Bank of Greece at the time of the controversial derivates deals with Goldman Sachs that enabled Greece to hide the size of its debt. Petros Christodoulou, head of Greece's debt management agency began his career at Goldman Sachs. Mario Monti, Italy's new prime minister and finance minister, who heads the new government that took over after Berlusconi's resignation, is an international adviser to Goldman Sachs. So is Otmar Issing, former board member of the Bundesbank and the Executive Board of the European Bank. Mario Draghi, the new head of the European Central Bank, is the former managing director of Goldman Sachs International. António Borges, formerly head of the International Monetary Fund's European Department is a former vice chairman of Goldman Sachs International. Peter Sutherland, former Attorney General of Ireland is a non-executive director of Goldman Sachs International. Karel van Miert, former EU Competition Commissioner is an ex-international adviser to Goldman Sachs. These ties between Goldman Sachs and European leaders are an ongoing source of controversy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldman_Sachs ---------- Criminal I'd say. And now something wicked this way comes. NO LONGER EYES WIDE SHUT N'

nasking

20/09/2012 There are various ways to crash an economy and use it to bring in austerity measures, cut public essential service funding and shift funding to private sector, create more flexible workplaces that ensure the money floods upwards to the chosen few... create cynicism in voters about effectiveness of govt...call it "broken government"...promote libertarianism...divide and conquer...use housing to create mass debt...use terms like ENTITLEMENTS...NANNY STATE...POLITICAL CORRECTNESS... use wars, ongoing conflicts...and upper middle class welfare... to put pressure on decent governments to increase debt... use MSM to push the debt scare campaigns...and the chosen few politicians. Wedge decent governments so they feel obliged to keep warring, increasing defense spending and supplying upper middle class with handouts. the list goes on. It's nasty stuff. WE WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN N'

nasking

20/09/2012 [b]News Corp.’s Murdoch Said to Consider Splitting Company[/b] [b]Goldman Sachs News Corp. has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for financial advice on the plan, people with knowledge of the matter said. The breakup talks are at a late stage, and an announcement may come as soon as this week, one person said. News Corp. confirmed the possibility in a statement today, without saying how the company might be divided. Michael DuVally, a spokesman at New York-based Goldman Sachs, declined to comment.[/b] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-26/murdoch-said-to-consider-splitting-news-corp-in-two.html N'

Alcyone

20/09/2012On our Prime Minister’s eulogy to her father: so glad and grateful I am to know she could reassure him of her indifference to the predatory contempt and malice that is the measure of her antagonists. How wise she is to see hostility as no more substantial than halitosis at the gates of hell – disfiguring, debilitating and so dreadfully contagious. Thought for the day: make oral hygiene your proper concern, that what comes out of your mouth might be as true, relevant and kind as you can make it.

Lyn

20/09/2012TODAY’S LINK’S Team players, Andrew Elder, Politically Homeless Labor people looked committed to their position yet bemused, like people who have agreed to disagree and leave it there. Abbott showed that his actions are not decisive, an ultimately fatal position for a leader. Today showed the Liberals lack a leader with the strength and common purpose to unify them http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/ This is a public service announcement, Victoria Rollinson But wait. What about the Liberals’ direct action policy to reduce carbon emissions? Won’t that need someone to administer it? Whoops. Worry about that later. Then there’s all that regulation – the red tape they are going to do away with; this presumably means they will abdicate oversight in various areas where they think private http://victoriarollison.com/2012/09/18/this-is-a-public-service-announcement/ MPs Are Out Of Touch With The Rest Of Us, New Matilda What do Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull have in common? They all voted against Labor MP Stephen Jones’ marriage equality bill in the House of Representatives today. It’s not just the PM who is out of touch with community sentiment, it’s also the main contenders for her job. 98 MPs put marriage rights for same-sex couples on hold — and 42 voted in favour. http://newmatilda.com/2012/09/19/mps-are-out-touch-rest-us Bernardi and Benson’s illogical arguments against same-sex marriage, Benjamin Thomas Jones, Independent Australia Next, Benson looks into his crystal ball and tells us with unnerving certainty that ‘once the law is changed there will be calls for group marriage and other variations devaluing the meaning of marriage’. Really? This sounds remarkably like what Cory Bernardi said yesterday and resigned as Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary over today. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/life/discrimination-2/bernardi-and-bensons-illogical-arguments-against-same-sex-marriage/ S and P Un-Spun, Archie, Archie Archives Bank of America Merill Lynch chief economist Saul Eslake says the Federal Government seems determined to return to surplus and is likely to unveil new measures to achieve its target in the mid-year budget review in November.“I’m sure there will be at least some offsetting action, be it re-shuffling expenditures and revenues from one year to another or policy decisions that are designed to increase revenue or cut spending in a more substantive way,” http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/s-and-p-un-spun/ Cory Bernardi and the beast, Min, Café Whispers LIBERAL Senator Cory Bernardi has suggested legalising same sex marriage would lead to demands for bestiality to also be sanctioned.“It is another chip in the fabric of our social mores,” he said. ”The time has come to ask, when will it end? If we are prepared to redefine marriage … what is the next step?” http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/cory-bernardi-and-the-beast/ Chewing the fat, or is it the gum, in the party rooms, Bernard Keane, The Stump Swan also made reference to the “Pyne and Bishop show”, the nearly endless round of interviews Abbott’s Manager of Opposition Business and Deputy made on Monday in defence of their Leader’s character. Pyne and Bishop have led the Opposition in Parliament this week as well, http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2012/09/19/chewing-the-fat-or-is-it-the-gum-in-the-party-rooms/ Protests and the hollowing of democracy, Jeff Sparrow, Overland But that sentiment – the belief that protests are themselves the problem – seems increasingly taken for granted. Here’s another ABC piece: ‘A Muslim leader says text messages are circulating in Melbourne calling for another protest against the anti-Islamic film that has prompted violent demonstrations around the world.’ http://overland.org.au/blogs/new-words/2012/09/protests-and-the-hollowing-of-democracy/ Mining. Now we're forecasting the first downturn since the GFC, Peter Martin The government’s official forecaster has taken the axe to its iron ore and coal outlook, predicting the first slide in mining income since the global financial crisis http://www.petermartin.com.au/ Losing My Religion, Peter Wicks, Wixxy’s Blog However, elements of the press being biased, ignorant, and irresponsible, whipping up anti-Islamic sentiment, does not mean its “open season” on the facts. To me going the other way and promoting irresponsible drivel as fact, in support of the violent protesters is just as dangerous http://wixxy.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/losing-my-religion/ Eric Campbell v Greg Sheridan: it’s not over yet, Andrew Crook, Crikey The gripping saga is expected to drag on for weeks. “This one will play to the end,” Campbell wrote menacingly on Twitter overnight. Don’t say you weren’t warned. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/09/19/eric-campbell-v-greg-sheridan-its-not-over-yet/ Why Cory Bernardi finally had to go, Bernard Keane and Sally-Anne Curtain, Crikey The controversy continues a bad period politically for Abbott, who has come under increasing pressure over his performance and claims about his behaviour as a student. Nonetheless, Abbott has skilfully used the removal of Bernardi to take some pressure off another long-running problem, his talented backbench and the lack of opportunities for promotion. Abbott has promoted two of his stronger backbenchers: Arthur Sinodinos to replace Bernardi as his parliamentary secretary, and Jamie Briggs has finally been promoted, to parliamentary secretary for Families. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/09/19/bernardi-finally-gives-abbott-a-reason-to-sack-him/#.UFljN4A9k8w As The Bishop Said To The Refugees...Gordon Weiss, The Global Mail Julie Bishop’s calls to deport Sri Lankan asylum seekers are fighting words, unworthy of a nation devoted to humanity and the rule of law. http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/as-the-bishop-said-to-the-refugees/368/ We need to talk about Joe, Jonathan Holes, Media Watch Hildebrand finishes his tirade by complaining that while we quoted The Punch’s Tory Maguire with approval (and no, Joe, I made no big deal of the fact that she works for News Ltd too, because I don’t think it is a big deal), we didn’t mention that he, Joe Hildebrand, “was sitting right next to Tory on that very same show, at the very same time, discussing the very same topic.”No, Joe, we didn’t. That’s because, believe it or not, it’s not about you. http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3593760.htm Setting a good example: Australia and the ozone layer , Ian Rae, The Conversation SAVING THE OZONE: The final part our series exploring the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – dubbed “the world’s most successful environmental agreement” – looks at Australians who’ve helped protect the atmosphere. http://theconversation.edu.au/setting-a-good-example-australia-and-the-ozone-layer-9248 Turnbull To Skip NBN Kiwi Briefings, Michael Wyres shadow communications minister Malcolm Turnbull — a member of the NBN committee — won't attend the hearings next week. A spokesman said he had already received "extensive briefings" around the New Zealand experience. http://michaelwyres.com/newsdesk/article.php?hash=19d42ce9921183845fde5504c30e8db1 Turnbull should demonstrate broader comms nous, Dabid Braue, ZNet Most of his arguments about the NBN, like most policies under Tony Abbott's Coalition, seem to have relied on a modicum of fact, a generous dose of blind stonewalling, and general Abbott-esque revulsion of the Labor government.Now, with Labor's popularity apparently on the rise, a major element of Coalition politicking has been defanged. Turnbull must up his game and stop being a bottomless font of NBN opposition http://www.zdnet.com/au/turnbull-should-demonstrate-broader-comms-nous-7000004468/#loop Today’s Front Pages Australia Newspaper Front Pages for 20 September 2012 http://www.frontpagestoday.co.uk/index.cfm?PaperCountry=Australia

nasking

20/09/2012 From the HERALD SUN...a Murdoch paper: [b]WHAT constitutes a good principal?[/b] [quote]In times gone by, a principal was a stern and formidable figure whose success was measured simply by getting students to the end of that long educational road. By today's standards, that's the bare minimum. Now, principals are expected to be almost transcendent. They must not only produce perfectly rounded individuals filled with a wealth of knowledge who go on to get perfect ENTER scores and achieve amazing feats, they must at the same time manage to be administrators, parental figures and visionaries to boot. Obviously this is an impossible ideal to live up to, even for the most skilled and committed educators. [b]However, if one person were to have come close to personifying this ideal figure, it would be the principal - now, sadly, former principal - of Methodist Ladies' College, Rosa Storelli[/b].[/quote] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/former-methodist-ladies-college-student-ashley-boreckyi-says-rosa-storelli-was-best-principal/story-e6frfhqf-1226477597980 ----------------------- “Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.” ― Thomas Jefferson The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.” ― James Madison I fear this country will be torn asunder by religious conflict and intolerance if we continue down the road of allowing religious characters and their organisations to have far too much influence over our policy makers, vulnerable voters, youth and the media... N' [b]Eighteen powerful people in religion[/b] http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/contenders/eighteen-powerful-people-in-religion WAKE UP...BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE N'

2353

20/09/2012ABC Breakfast is reporting this morning that the Tory Party in the UK is greeting Bernardi's arrival to address a Young Conservatives meeting in Oxford with a message of 'we didn't invite him'.

nasking

20/09/2012 [b]News Corp shareholders in US want to sue over phone hacking scandal Murdoch family put personal interests ahead of the company's, shareholders allege, as they ask judge to amend earlier lawsuit[/b] http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/sep/19/shareholders-news-corp-sue-hacking N'

nasking

20/09/2012 [b]George Osborne wants two-year freeze in state benefits Lib Dems face veto decision as Treasury says welfare payments rising faster than wages[/b] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-osborne-wants-twoyear-freeze-in-state-benefits-8153538.html Wikipedia - George Osborne: The Deripaska claim In October 2008, Osborne's school and university friend the financier Nathaniel Rothschild stated that George Osborne had tried to solicit a £50,000 donation from the Russian aluminium magnate Oleg Deripaska, which would have been a violation of the law against political donations by foreign citizens. Rothschild wrote: "[I]t turns out that your obsession with Mr. Mandelson is trivial in light of Mr. Osborne's actions. I also think it ill behoves all political parties to try and make capital at the expense of another in such circumstances. Perhaps in future it would be better if all involved accepted the age old adage that private parties are just that." Rothschild had hosted Deripaska, Osborne and Lord Mandelson at a party in his villa in Corfu. The alleged solicitation of a donation occurred on Deripaska's yacht during the party. The Electoral Commission received a formal complaint initiated in a letter by the Liberal Democrats' Home Affairs Spokesman, Chris Huhne, requesting them to investigate the claims against Osborne. The Commission rejected the claims and said it saw "no information" suggesting an offence. The story was coined by the press as 'Yachtgate.' Political views The Financial Times describes Osborne as "metropolitan and socially liberal. He is hawkish on foreign policy with links to Washington neo-conservatives and ideologically committed to cutting the state. A pragmatic Eurosceptic". [b]There is evidence of this commitment to cutting the state in his party's manifesto, with Osborne and the Conservatives seeking to cut the deficit "faster and deeper" than any other main party as well as committing to various tax cuts such as inheritance tax and national insurance. [/b] According to an IFS report before the 2010 election, the Conservatives needed to find more money from cuts beyond what they had outlined than any other major party, although the report was also critical of Labour and the Lib Dems. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Osborne Games people play. N'

Ad astra

20/09/2012LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

nasking

20/09/2012 [b]Cory Bernardi, Australian Senator Who Linked Gay Marriage To Bestiality, To Attend Young Tory Conference (VIDEO)[/b] HUFFINGTON POST http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/19/cory-bernardi-gay-marriage-video_n_1896264.html?utm_hp_ref=uk N'

nasking

20/09/2012 Daily Mail in UK: Tories distance themselves from Australian MP... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2205439/Australian-MP-Cory-Bernardi-sacked-linking-gay-marriage-bestiality-way-Britain-lecture-young-Conservatives.html?ito=feeds-newsxml Bernardi has made a damn fool of himself and the Liberal party. Did Abbott or someone else put him up to it? N'

TalkTurkey

20/09/2012Nasking Your pain is obviously a goad to you to write write write! I have managed to read all of it this morning, you have done a lot of wide-ranging research, remarkable, thank you for your efforts. Alcyone " . . . hostility as no more substantial than halitosis at the gates of hell . . ." That's very good. "Halitosis is better than no breath at all", but anyway it's all the Abbortians have in their armoury and they've even run out of puff. Casablanca, Truth Seeker, LiR, NK, AC, KHTAGH, Bacchus, Michael, DMW . . . I know I've missed some . . . What a smorgasbord . . . On top of all Lyn provides ! . . . 2353 That is guffaw-stuff if ever I heard any! Adelaide Girl I used to live at Eden Hills until a few years ago. And Miglo, I had no idea you were a Crowie, and you live in the very next suburb from Eden Hills! We must - we will I hope - get together all the locals who can make it someday soon. From my CB radio days I know what fun it is to meet people whom one has known only per medium thitherto. Would all Croweaters like to let us know who you are? Jason Obelix and Ad astra and friends had a great meeting at the Casino early this year,(we didn't give Packer a penny), I'd love to meet more of us. Breaking: Abbortt: "The violence we saw at the weekend was not due to religion but to extremism . . " [i]D'urrrrhhhhh . . ! /i] Keep your peckers up everyone, we have the bastards running in all directions now, that includes the journalists too. And Lyn, your links . . . What more can I say?

Michael

20/09/2012"Abbott demands discipline" trumpets the front page of today's print edition of The Australian (there a wussier version online - "Bernardi gone as Abbott seeks discipline", which may be a wiser phrasing, as "Abbott demands discipline" does have echoes of a handwritten advertisement in a newsagent's window). Is there ever a clearer signal that a political leader's days are numbered than that he needs to 'demand discipline' from his party? Such discipline should be a given if a leader, as we are so often assured Abbott is, is the inspirational focus of a united and, well, disciplined, political party. In a truly disciplined party, the word "discipline" need never be mentioned. In a truly united party, a leader need never "demand" anything.

nasking

20/09/2012 Very interesting: The Associated Press Published Wednesday, Sep. 19, 2012 12:39PM EDT 5 hours ago [b]Goldman Sachs CEO: U.S. can't 'austere itself' to a stronger economy[/b] [quote]TORONTO -- Austerity measures are not the best path right now for the United States, the head of U.S. financial giant Goldman Sachs Group Inc said Wednesday. "You can't austere yourself into a higher GDP," Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein told a business crowd in Toronto. "I'm all for implementing budget changes that accelerate over the long term, but in the short term I wouldn't take too much money away from people or cut back on a lot of expenditure programs." It's also not the time for another stimulus package, he said, but the key for success in the near term will be a balance: holding off on austerity measures while not taking away "the punch bowl." He said the U.S. is approaching a "fiscal cliff" if warring politicians in Washington don't get together this fall to extend programs and tax cuts that have helped keep the economy out of recession. The current problems are self-inflicted and within everyone's power to stop, Blankfein said. He said the U.S. political system is bringing out the extremes within the two main parties -- Republicans and Democrats -- rather than the moderates. It's a "defect" of the system, he said, recalling the debate over the U.S. federal government's debt ceiling last year. "If moderation is a pejorative...and a guarantee of failure at the polls, which it seems to be in some cases, that's not a good environment for compromise," Blankfein said. But, he said, these situations have a way of working out and even though the fiscal cliff lies ahead, it doesn't have to be a problem because the "basic guts" of it are good. What hasn't worked out so far is the widening gap between the rich and the poor in the U.S., Blankfein said. The two goals of the whole financial and economic system should be to expand the wealth of the world and distribute it fairly. "No one's going to accuse me of being a socialist, and I'm not, and I don't believe in wealth redistribution over producing," Blankfein said. "But over the long term if the system works well it should accomplish both goals and it hasn't accomplished enough of the second goal in the right way."[/quote] http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/goldman-sachs-ceo-u-s-can-t-austere-itself-to-a-stronger-economy-1.962756 Goldman Sachs...sounds saner than before. Not quite the same environment Sinodinos and Turnbull worked in I imagine. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 [b]Interest Rate Manipulation Extends Far Beyond Libor, Secret Survey Reveals [/b] The Huffington Post  |  By Mark Gongloff Posted: 09/19/2012 4:59 pm Updated: 09/19/2012 [quote]Interest rates all over the world are mostly made up. That's the verdict of a new study by the International Organization of Securities Commissions, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg. It found that more than half of the benchmark lending rates in the U.S., Europe and Asia are "calculated by methodologies that were unclear, not transparent and only rarely subject to specific regulatory standards or obligations." Less than half of all benchmark lending rates, in contrast, were based on actual market transactions. In other words, the interest rates that affect personal and business loans, and hundreds of trillions of dollars in derivatives contracts around the world, are based on either guesses or lies: Not particularly comforting. “The risk of manipulation will be greater where participants in the process have both incentive and opportunity to submit inaccurate data or apply a methodology inaccurately,” IOSCO wrote, according to Bloomberg. “Furthermore, where judgment is required in determining the data to be submitted, the problem is particularly acute.” English translation: When banks can just make up these benchmark numbers, they're likely to cheat. Even when they can't just totally make up the numbers, they still try to find ways to cheat. Recently the world has been focused on the rampant manipulation of one such interest rate, the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR. Barclays Capital has already paid $460 million in fines in that scandal, and more than a dozen other banks are under investigation, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup. Meanwhile, lawsuits and potential legal costs to the banks are piling up. LIBOR is used in all sorts of financial transactions, from setting your adjustable-rate mortgage to interest-rate swaps bought by state and local governments to hedge against a jump in borrowing costs. LIBOR is supposed to be based on what a group of banks say is their daily cost of borrowing money from other banks for short periods of time.[/quote] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/interest-rate-manipulation-beyond-libor-bloomberg_n_1898135.html How comforting. The system is rigged. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 Cheers TT. Thnx to Lyn for the other useful links. No longer eyes wide shut. N'

LadyInRed

20/09/2012TAbbott never quite hits the mark does he? Rather than come out and say Barnardi's comments are offensive and don't reflect the values of the Liberal party he tells them all to tow the party line. He just doesn't get it....sound familiar? Not PM material.

nasking

20/09/2012 Rarely do I agree with The Liberals...but I reckon closing the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme by Nov 30th is going to cause problems. I know that my dentist is rushing because of this...I opted for an extraction instead of a root canal op so I had time to get a crown and a couple of fillings done in that time. I wish as a long suffering patient with dental-related pain I'd known about this scheme before. I reckon there should be a compromise...means-test it...rather than closing it. Chronic illnesses don't just stop. This could have a blowback for the govt...particularly as they offer a scheme only 19 mths later...only a thousand dollars. That's not much for real dental problems. I'm pleased they are helping children...that's a must...but an election is coming...the blowback could be bigger than anticipated. Not from me tho...I will still vote ALP. I recommend COMPROMISE. N'

Lyn

20/09/2012Good Morning Ad and Everybody Twitterverse:- Bushfire Bill Posted Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 7:40 am For two long years now she’s been declaring to us that he’s a shoo-in for PM, can’t lose the election. Labor’s policies are at “junk” status, so we don’t need to talk about Coalition policies. Anything will do. He’s a wonderful retail politician etc. etc. Now we finally hear that Aunty Michelle can see a few (purely cosmetic, of course) flaws in little Tonester. Uncle Arthur can play Spartacus with him in the sandpit. Show him a few tricks. Is that “forthright” enough for you? http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/comment-page-83/#comment-1415056 Bushfire Bill Posted Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 8:38 am The Greens obsess over minor matters on the periphery of politics and the national discourse. That they see SSM as a vitally important issue which defines a nation is proof enough of the triviality of their agenda http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2012/09/16/newspoll-50-50-7/comment-page-83/#comment-1415096 Greg Jericho ‏So Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey. About that S&P report you thought required suspending standing orders for yesterday... Stephen Koukoulas‏ Oh dear: Who is dumb on this one: Mr Hockey didn't check his facts: relied on the headline! Humiliating http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/ratings-agency-moves-to-correct-deficit-report/4270818 via @pollytics Possum Comitatus‏ Standard and Poor's has a "whoops" moment. http://bit.ly/PB63oI No $25 billion deficit forecast - just using the wrong years numbers o_O Ratings agency moves to correct deficit report, Abc But S&P now says the analyst was referring to old figures from the last financial year. It says the Federal Government remains on track to deliver the predicted modest surplus in 2012-13 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-19/ratings-agency-moves-to-correct-deficit-report/4270818 The Daily Telegraph‏ Bernardi disowned in UK over bestiality comment: BEFORE he even lands in London, Cory Bernardi is being disowned... http://bit.ly/RyqaTe Solving a problem like Bernardi nets trifecta, Phillip Coorey http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/solving-a-problem-like-bernardi-nets-trifecta-20120919-2675h.html The Australian‏ Bernardi flies into British storm: BRITISH conservatives have distanced themselves from Liberal Cory Bernardi as... http://bit.ly/T5Zr7e Gay marriage brings out the very beast in Bernardi, Jacqueline Maley http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/gay-marriage-brings-out-the-very-beast-in-bernardi-20120919-2672c.html#ixzz26xLVD29h Liberals' brawl takes new twist in court SOME of the NSW Liberal Party's most senior members are being called on to resign amid renewed factional brawling over their role in a bitter legal battle being played out in the Supreme Court. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/liberals-brawl-takes-new-twist-in-court-20120919-267b9.html#ixzz26xr4zCz1 John Pratt‏ More to be milked from the sacred cow of GST? We want better services we have to pay for them. #auspol #qldpolhttp://www.smh.com.au/opinion/-266t5.html Australian News‏ Lib senator breaks ranks for gay marriage (AAP): Liberal senator Sue Boyce has spoken in favour... http://yhoo.it/RvNfvg #ausnews #uavaus

LadyInRed

20/09/2012I hear you Nasking. Its always a problem of where do you draw the line. The present scheme should always have been means tested, and then scaled down to half by the patient half by the government perhaps? Because it is the first thing that people put off when money is tight, and for overall health you have to take care of your teeth. I think we should all contribute to a denticare scheme, like medicare.

Tom of Melbourne

20/09/2012Dental services already exist in each capital city for pensioners and unemployed. What is the rationale for having a Medicare style bureaucracy, rather than building on the existing service? I always think it is easy to argue for new federal government services and higher taxes rather than improving existing services. The arguments about some “denticare” scheme with a medicare style tax surcharge are typical of this.

nasking

20/09/2012 [quote]Its always a problem of where do you draw the line. The present scheme should always have been means tested, and then scaled down to half by the patient half by the government perhaps? Because it is the first thing that people put off when money is tight, and for overall health you have to take care of your teeth. I think we should all contribute to a denticare scheme, like medicare.[/quote] I agree LadyInRed, Health Minister Plibersek makes some good points...it is odd that the Liberals closed down the existing dental scheme in 1996...and only put this scheme in place at the last moment. It does look like an opportunity to benefit some rich people and well-off private dentists. And drive up debt for the govt. But there have also been some benefits...as I heard from patients in my dentist's office who were annoyed about the abrupt closing of the scheme. It's a difficult one. And as a keen political observer I do worry about blowback. The new scheme to be introduced is very important...obviously those on low income need help...as do kids. Two years ago I paid two grand plus for a root canal...so this has been a relief...considering since I left teaching I've paid 100-120 per fortnight for pharma due to diabetes, blood pressure and asthma medication...and sometimes the gap for blood tests, x-rays etc. And my wife pays alot on the Medicare levy. We have no problem with that. We believe paying proper taxes is essential. And we're willing to pay more to see a disability scheme and denticare system up and running. But with a mortgage etc. it is difficult even for us in the middle class income range to find 2-3 grand for dentistry every two years or so. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 And, if the Coalition were bona fide about dental care why did they hook us into unaffordable military jet costs and other defense costs...when they coulda created a DentiCare system? Looks suss. BTW, it was coming off grog that stuffed my teeth...combination of those energy drinks and cheap choc bars...til then they were fine. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 My wife reckons that before the ALP here in QLD got on top of bringing healthier foods and drink into public schools the children were sucking back the energy drinks and junk foods and soft drink from the corner shops and petrol stations...destroying their health and teeth. Shame on the Newman govt for stopping healthy school funding...and sacking Brisbane public dentists. Anna Bligh cared...about preventative health programs...and dental care for the poor in hospitals . N'

nasking

20/09/2012 From Crikey: [quote]Australia should consider a healthy food rebate, tax on sugary drinks, and regulated portion sizes argue health experts, as New York pushes ahead with government regulation to address the obesity epidemic. The New York City health commissioner behind a proposed cap on the container size of sugary soft drinks has argued government regulation of portion sizes is justifiable and could help fight America’s obesity problem. Writing in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr Thomas Farley writes governments that do nothing about the marketing of high-calorie sugary drinks are inviting even higher rates of obesity, diabetes and related mortality.  It’s a view shared by Australian health policy experts, who say self-regulation by food groups will never be enough to address the obesity problem. In the US it’s a problem that costs 100,000 lives and $150 billion in health care costs every year. “What it is necessary to do is to create a neutral environment for consumers, because at the moment we have an environment that is obesity-promoting,” said Bebe Loff, director of the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights at Monash University. “We don’t even give people a good sort of chance to combat the environment that’s encouraging them to buy more of these goods.” The food and drinks industry is using the same tactics as the tobacco and alcohol industry argues Rob Moodie, professor of global health at University of Melbourne. “There’s no way they’re going to move unless there’s regulation in my view.” Professor Moodie said saturated advertising to Australia’s children and sponsorship of key sports created a culture where eating junk food and drinking junk drinks was the norm. “Things won’t change until we get substantial changes to foods that have lower levels of salt, sugar and fat. That probably won’t happen until there’s regulation or the serious threat of regulation,” Professor Moodie said. In his article, Dr Farley details the measures taken by New York’s City Board of Health to “regulate food products that harm the most people”. The measures include banning the use of trans fat in New York restaurants, pushing food companies to reduce the high levels of sodium in food, requiring chain restaurants to post calorie counts on menus, and imposing a 1-cent-per-ounce excise tax on sugary drinks. The food industry continues to argue against the proposed sugary drinks portion rule, but Dr Farley said the sale of huge portions is driven by the food industry, not by consumer demand. Kerin O’Dea, professor of population health and nutrition at University of South Australia, agreed. “Large portion sizes are a great generator of profit. Unless there’s regulation they’re not going to change.” Professor O’Dea said labelling of menus was critical so people knew how much they were consuming, and could make informed choices. State governments have started to mandate for calorie counts on menus, applying schemes to fast food restaurants with more than 50 outlets. McDonalds already does this in Australia, and this week moved to do the same across America, catching up on New York where calorie counts on menus have been mandated since 2008. Professor O’Dea said she’d like to see measures introduced that encourage people to choose a healthy diet. “We have a diesel fuel rebate for people in the country. I would like us to have a healthy food rebate for people in isolated locations, particularly aboriginal communities… so financially people have an incentive to buy healthy food.” But Rob Moodie said with more people dying from preventable deaths and huge strains on the health care system affecting both state and federal governments, measures akin to those imposed on the tobacco industry might be required. “We have a particular problem in Australia with large, well organised and very aggressive junk food and drinks industries. To quote Professor Kelly Brownell from Yale, one of the leading scientists in this area: ‘When the history of the world’s attempt to address obesity is written, the greatest failure may be collaboration with and appeasement of the food industry’.[/quote]” http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2012/09/19/plain-packaging-for-junk-food-health-experts-call-for-government-intervention/ Finding my subscription to Crikey useful...many good articles. Luv First Dog on the Moon...and Dyer's look at TV ratings. N'

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20/09/2012Hi Lyn I took a look at your Twitterverse and Twitterati late yesterday while waiting for a meeting to start before going to a granddaughter’s school concert. Now I’ve caught up with your links this morning and your Twitterati. They are all great reading. Julia Gillard’s tribute to her father was so moving. I wondered as she concluded near to tears whether Tony Abbott and his front bench might go a little easier on her for at least the rest of the day. Tony Abbott’s immediate response was a good start, but it wasn’t long before the verbal battering was on again, this time not the carbon tax, for the first time in many months, but the ‘how will you pay for it all’ meme. They thought they had a winner in the Standard and Poor’s report, which although renewing Australia’s Triple A rating, seemed to suggest that the Federal budget would have a $20 billion deficit this year. So they went in hard on this ‘damning’ report and mounted yet another Motion to Suspend Standing Orders, replete with raucous bellowing Hockey-style. Today S&P indicates that it was referring to old figures from a previous year, and that the surplus for this year would be around $1 billion, as predicted. So Abbott, Hockey and Co went off half-cocked without bothering to check the data at source. Not that such a misdemeanour would bother them as they got their ‘damning’ accusation on the 6 o’clock TV news. I hope Wayne Swan makes them pay today in QT, which unfortunately is from the Senate on ABC1, and I can’t get ABC24. Cory Bernardi on the nose everywhere, yet although in Phil Coorey’s own paper almost 70% of its online readers thought Abbott’s response was ‘too weak’, Coorey still managed to turn it into a good news story for Abbott. If Abbott listens to Arthur Sinodinos, it might do him some good, but will Abbott listen like Howard did? Time will tell.

Bacchus

20/09/2012You can watch (or listen to) parliament online Ad astra: http://www.aph.gov.au/live

LadyInRed

20/09/2012Nasking I think there should be a tax on sugary drinks to go straight into the health care system, even a super profits tax on coca cola and the like. These companies that make mega profits on bad health outcomes should foot the bill. I have had enough of the capitalise the profits and socialise the health problems.

Gravel

20/09/2012Nasking Wow, you supplied a great lot of reading and information. Thank you. Lyn That dragonista site has set the conspiracy alight. It does all seem too pat the way it has covered for abbott.

adelaidegirl

20/09/2012Hi Migs! I'm from Birdwood, out of Aldgate :) Love the Adelaide Hills and so happy to return after some youthful years on the plains. Problem is, can not now afford Aldgate/Stirling!

adelaidegirl

20/09/2012PS Migs - love your gravatar. I'm a huge fan of D Duck. Sorry, Ad, to sideswipe your blog with off topic matters x

adelaidegirl

20/09/2012TT I lived in Eden Hills 1992-4!

Tom of Melbourne

20/09/2012Bernardi is loathesome. But it’s interesting that he’s voting on the same side as Gillard on this issue.

paul walter

20/09/2012Abbott's embarrassment over Bernardi was palpable. I think it was because Bernardi had really, let the cat out of the bag as to a pervasive line of thinking within Australian politics in general, but with the right of the coalition in particular. It bespeaks of something really, a bit medieval and angry, but is mercifully so extreme, that it now stands out for all to see. An Australian version of the insane politics of the US Tea Party it shines the light on the austerity mentality of the Coalition with its element of self-righteous emotionalism and irrationality. Clearly, Henderson, Kelly, Sheridan and their ilk, sensing the danger, have felt the need to hose down the identification of a tendency that gets close to crypto-fascism, but Bernardi has blown the lid just at the psychological "Romney" moment. Like Americans, Australian now faced an unadorned choice between a combination of very hard-core neoliberal economics and Xtian Talibanisation, against the continuation of at least some form of the Open Society we are accustomed to.

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20/09/2012Bacchus Thank you. After interruptions to my Internet I finally downloaded Flip Mac 3 Beta and have got the House proceedings working.

Miglo

20/09/2012adelaidegirl, I actually lived in Bellevue Heights on Shepherds Hill Road. Eden Hills was on the opposite side of the road. Went to school at Blackwood and played footy for Blackwood.

42 long

20/09/2012Paul I can't disagree with anything you say there and it is well stated. I think we are looking at a pivotal (possible) turning point here for a kind of government and country we don't want that might be somewhat irreversible if it happens. They don't just want to get government. They want to change things so they KEEP government. They are NOT nice people and they behave badly. The suggestion widely put is to keep most of what they will do secret until the "unloseable" election is over. If it is kept under wraps it's BAD. The sneakiness of it should be enough warning of how nasty it is. QT today is just the latest rude and unruly example of their lack of "class". That is a term I rarely use, but they sure don't exhibit any.I mention it because it is something they would accuse Labor of not having because of their "superior" attitude. They need to change the name of the party. Liberal just doesn't fit. I would like to know what schools etc that they went to so I can make sure that none of my grandkids go there.

nasking

20/09/2012 Cheers Gravel. [quote]These companies that make mega profits on bad health outcomes should foot the bill. I have had enough of the capitalise the profits and socialise the health problems.[/quote] LadyInRed, couldn't agree more. Went well in parliament. The govt were on fire. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 BTW, thought David Bradbury was really on top of his game today...he improves by the week: http://assistant.treasurer.gov.au/Main.aspx?PageID=089&min=djba Combet good too. And the PM and Swanny...top stuff. N'

nasking

20/09/2012 When I was in primary school I lived in Salisbury, some airforce hostel...and then we moved to a new house in Brahma Lodge...and I was in an asthma home on the coast somewhere for a couple of mths when I was six. My grandparents lived in Elizabeth...visited most weekends. Enjoyed Adelaide. Was there from Age 5 to 10. N'

42 long

20/09/2012Isn't Christopher Pyne Precious? Anna Gives him too much rope Julie Bishop pushed the limits with the Rudd unfair Dismissal follow up question. Clear breach of rules. She probably thought it was clever.... Like the "when are you going to revisit BOGAN ville?" (The Lodge). She certainly thought that was clever. No one caught the camera shot of her, as she turned. ( I guess it's there somewhere. BOGAN ville is one of Kevin's less nice remarks aimed at Julia. He really is a little charmer. Who needs enemies when you have friends like our KEV?.. J Bishop LIKES him..

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20/09/2012Folks I have just uploaded another delightful piece of Acerbic Conehead's satire: [i]Bucket-loads of Biffo with the Bash Street Kids[/i]. Enjoy. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/09/20/Bucket-loads-of-Biffo-with-the-Bash-Street-Kids.aspx

Jason

20/09/2012ToM, Wyatt Roy now aged 22 was 20 when he entered federal parliament! Yet you still try to make exucuse for Abbott!

Tom of Melbourne

20/09/2012Fine Jason. He's hardly the ideal MP. And Gillard was middle aged when she claimed to be “young & naïve”. No male would get away with this claim beyond about the age of 19. Gillard’s claim was only available to her as a woman, so for her comment about misogyny is trying to have it both ways.
T-w-o take away o-n-e equals?