Australia’s King Canute: Tony Abbott

 

Has there ever been a more destructive politician in Australian political history than Tony Abbott, Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition? His ‘give me what I want or I’ll wreck the place’ approach has been documented from the day he missed out on becoming PM after the Independents decided to go with Julia Gillard. This behaviour was predicted. His past behaviour, as described in The pugilistic politician written ten days after he was elected leader, foretold the aggression and destructiveness that we have seen ever since.

He has opposed virtually everything the Government has proposed, even when opposing seemed to be to his disadvantage. For example, by blocking the proposed changes to the law governing asylum seeker processing that would have made good the defect uncovered by the High Court, amendments that would have given any government, including one Abbott might lead, the right to choose its preferred country for offshore processing, which is Coalition policy, he refused to cooperate. It had to be his way or no way at all. Like the pugilist he is, winning the battle with the PM now, or at least not losing it, was all that mattered. Whether the loss would cripple him later seemed to be of no consequence.

Julia Gillard was not asking him to adopt the Malaysia arrangement, only to give any government, present and future, the right to choose its preferred option. But his obsession with obstructing left him no alternative but to block, thus cutting off the Coalition’s nose to spite its face. Perhaps he believed Nauru, the option he wanted PM Gillard to adopt, would meet the High Court’s rulings, but this was something he could test only after his election and his resumption of the ‘Pacific Solution’. I suppose he saw that as a long way off, something he could deal with at the time, an approach consistent with his short-term agenda of obstruction at every turn, and let the future take care of itself.

In an article highly critical of the Government’s asylum policy in the October 15-16 edition of The Weekend Australian titled Asylum policy a failure on all fronts, Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan still found space to say this about Abbott: “In frustrating the government’s attempt to legislate to overcome the High Court’s ruling that the Malaysia Solution was illegal, Tony Abbott has disabled not just the government but the nation.” Sheridan’s contention is that "losing control of boat arrivals puts us on the road to European-style dysfunction” and threatens our sovereignty. Sheridan went on to say: “It is the single most irresponsible and destructive thing Abbott has done in his political career. It reeks of hypocrisy. For the opposition to be arguing that a country has to be a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention before boatpeople could be sent there is hypocritical on every level. Nauru was not a signatory when the Howard government sent people there…”

Despite the PM having been advised by experienced officials that Nauru would be ineffective as a deterrent to people smugglers, which after all is the whole point of offshore processing, Abbott was unprepared to listen, preferring to accept as gospel his mantra: ‘It worked before, so it will work again’, although the circumstances are quite different now from when Nauru was last used.

Challenged to confirm that the Coalition would continue its ‘turn back the boats’ policy despite the life-threatening hazards to the boatpeople and Navy personnel, and Indonesia’s insistence that they don’t want the boats back, Abbott confirmed that the policy is extant and will not be changed regardless of advice from the Navy that this practice is dangerous.

Stubborn opposition for its own sake, despite the damage it might do to his own policies, and persistence with policies that are unworkable and outdated constitutes one level of obstruction, but now Abbott’s obstruction has progressed to a deeper and more sinister level, one that is best described as the King Canute approach, one where he believes he can beat back the tide of events, the tide of history, simply by saying he will.

Readers will remember the story of King Canute, which may be apocryphal, but it serves to make the point of this piece. King Canute of Denmark, sometimes know as 'Cnut the Great', set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. (Wikipedia)

This is what Abbott is doing politically. He thinks he can command the tide. He believes he can beat back the tide of any event, any proposal which he derides. Let’s look at some examples.

Most brazen is his threat to repeal the Clean Energy Future legislation. Designed to reduce carbon pollution by Australian industry and thereby contribute to slowing the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the global temperature rises they are inducing, and in the long run saving the planet and its occupants from the dire consequences of global warming, Abbott has sworn a blood oath that he will repeal any legislation this Government has passed to this end. To hell with the planet seems to be Abbott’s attitude, perhaps reflecting his previously stated belief that ‘climate change is crap’, one he has now opportunistically modified for public consumption.

Not only is he vowing to repeal the legislation, but also all the associated mechanisms for its implementation. He has warned business not to acquire carbon credits, which are said to be legally enforceable property rights, threatening that a future Coalition Government might not compensate firms for their carbon credit outlays. This might be a moot legal point, but Abbott cares nothing about the legalities; what he is attempting to do is once again create fear, uncertainty and doubt, so as to intimidate businessmen to hold back. It is almost certainly nothing but bluff, but Abbott is a past master at bluff and intimidation. No doubt he fears that left to their own devices, businesses will buy credits on the futures market where prices would likely be more favourable, and leave him with a massive compensation bill.

It gets worse. While Abbott was hammering nails in the NT, Andrew Robb was out warning business not to seek funding from the soon-to-be-staffed $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation.  Joe Hockey echoed his message, warning investors in renewable energy not to count on money from the corporation, which he vowed the Coalition would abolish.

So King Canute Abbott and his henchmen are already out there telling everyone that they can halt the carbon tax tide. That is as futile as King Canute’s command to the tide to halt so that his feet and robes would not get wet. They know they can’t, but they are trying on the intimidation anyway.

Business is disconcerted and unsettled by this threat. In the 19 October issue of Climate Spectator, Giles Parkinson, in an article Pricing in Abbott's carbon extremism, says: “With each day that passes, the conservative Coalition in Australia more and more resembles the Tea Party reactionaries in the US, promoting policies that defy the science, are economically illiterate, are based on a distant technological past, and might as well have been orchestrated by Alan Jones, the NSW radio shock jock and Coalition puppeteer – or Rush Limbaugh, his US equivalent. Scarily though, the prospect that this strategy might actually succeed threatens to add billions of dollars to the cost of energy in the country, and to the cost of carbon abatement. Sovereign risk has never been a greater threat.

“The Coalition climate change policy, as it stands, makes as much sense as someone who declares that the world is flat but they intend to sail around the globe anyway. The difficulty for corporates and their strategic planners, is that they have to somehow make sense of all this and price this incoherence into their business models.”

In his Crikey piece, The Coalition game of deterring renewables investment Bernard Keane says: “The two significant problems for the strategy are the issue of compensation for carbon permits and one of the direct action components of the package, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The latter is problematic because, even if Abbott’s warnings about repeal deter private investment in renewables, there’ll still be billions available via the corporation…”

Read what Angela MacDonald Smith and Perry Williams had to say in The Australian Financial Review on 18 October in Abbott’s stand sparks power price anger and you will see the uncertainty and fury that Abbott’s stand has created – it is destructiveness writ large.

On October 20, writing in The Age, in an article Carbon tax praised by investors, David Wroe and Katherine Murphy had this to say: “The world's four major green investment groups representing $20 trillion in funds have hailed Australia's carbon tax as a boon for investors, strongly backing the government's claim that the scheme will deliver economic benefits. The report, commissioned by groups representing 285 pension funds and other institutional investors around the globe, found that Labor's carbon price and financial assistance for green technology ''should provide investors with real confidence'' in investing in renewable energy in Australia.

“It backs recent accusations by some in the energy industry that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's vows to repeal the carbon tax and the uncertainty this was creating could damage investment. Mr Abbott has faced questions about whether his decision to axe the scheme - including the permits electricity generators say they need for ''hedging'' - will expose a future Coalition government to compensation claims and trigger a jump in power prices. Yesterday he said: ''We are very confident that we can remove the carbon tax without becoming liable for compensation.''

King Canute Abbott continues to believe he can hold back the tide.

On the personal domestic front, Abbott’s bland assurance that if there is no tax there is no need for compensation belies the extreme political difficulty of clawing back tax benefits and pension increases already in people’s pockets. It’s another Canute strategy that he knows won’t work, but he persists.

His insistence that a win for him at the next election would give him a mandate to repeal all aspects of the carbon legislation, and that Labor and the Greens would be morally obliged to support him in the repealing, is another of his flights of fancy. Does he really believe that this Government and its supporters in the parliament, having gone through the tortured process of getting the legislation passed because they believe the future of the planet depends on it, would turn around and throw it out? Such a notion reflects his disordered Canute-like thinking.

But that’s not all. Abbott has threatened also to repeal the MRRT, the minerals tax, one that the three largest miners have already agreed to, thereby foregoing around $10 billion over the forward estimates that is to be applied to the reduction of company tax, enhanced superannuation from 9% to 12% of salary, and simplified taxation for millions of citizens. Why would a potential PM and government deliberately pass up such revenue, entirely on the spurious grounds that such a tax would jeopardize the minerals industry and the jobs that it provides, a proposition made ludicrous by recent massive investments in mining.

Despite his knowing that he would have to make savage cuts to government expenditure, amounting to around $70 billion, to compensate and do all the other things he has promised, he presses on, living in his King Canute fantasy world.

This Canute behaviour is a stark example of Abbott’s obsession with winning at all costs, his political extremism, and his destructiveness, even if it destroys him in the process. His blood oath, his fight to the death approach, is dangerously bordering on the pathological.

If you are not yet convinced that Abbott is a latter day Canute, reflect on the NBN. Remember how he commissioned Malcolm Turnbull to ‘demolish’ the NBN, yes demolish it, destroy it – a mark of Abbott’s inherent destructiveness. He wanted Turnbull to beat back the tide of this telecommunications revolution.

Turnbull started with his ‘colossal white elephant’ and ‘gross waste of taxpayer’s money’ mantras, demanding a cost-benefit analysis before proceeding. As the Government pressed on, he reverted to techno-talk, insisting that he could deliver all the services Australians need at a fraction of the cost. Next we had his fibre-to-the-node proposal as an alternative to the NBN’s fibre-to-the-premises, and then he resorted to techno-babble that was quickly discounted by the experts.

He has now retreated from Abbott’s original idea of demolishment, assuring us that no cable will be dug up, but Abbott’s intent is still to halt the partly finished infrastructure despite the fact that this would mean very costly recompense to Telstra and for broken contracts, would give us a mongrel mess, and would deny access to those not yet connected to this brilliant new technology and all the benefits it will bring. Abbott seems stuck in ‘what we already have is OK for my emails and for my daughters to download movies’ mode, and appears unable or unwilling to contemplate the massive benefits to health, education, business and agriculture the NBN will bring, and the enormous cost savings it will enable, which in health alone would pay for the scheme according to telecommunications economists.

The extent of the disappointment that would result from Abbott halting the NBN, beating back the telecommunications tide, can be judged from the reaction to the PM’s recent visit to Wollongong, as recorded in Illawarra Mercury in an editorial PM delivers on promises to Illawarra.

“Ms Gillard’s attendance at Regional Development Australia’s Transforming Illawarra conference marked a good day for her. More importantly, it was a good day for Wollongong. The excitement at the conference over the NBN was palpable. The opportunities that could arise from our connection to the technology permeated through various sessions and was all the talk in between. RDA Illawarra could not be more chuffed.

“NBN is far more than just faster internet, a point made by former Tasmanian premier David Bartlett, who now works for ‘digital futures’ enterprise Explor. He says the NBN will offer communities, businesses and individuals new opportunities to create wealth, to communicate and to find solutions to old problems. The Federal Opposition would like to pull the plug on the NBN, which reflects the view of many people who say it is too expensive for what it will achieve. However, we believe the generations ahead will look back and see the roll-out as an example of enlightened thinking. And, in the Illawarra, we are finally seeing in some tangible ways how our ‘old economy’’ can be transformed to the benefit of everyone.”

Abbott’s persistence with his intent to halt the NBN is yet another example of where his egotistical Canute-like behaviour is taking him, and should he succeed, the prosperity of this nation with him. He is dangerous.

These examples suffice to illustrate how Abbott has become Australia’s King Canute. Does he really believe that he possesses the powers Canute declared he possessed? It certainly seems like it, but maybe it is just more Abbott bully-boy bluff.

The story of King Canute has more to it: “Continuing to rise as usual, the tide dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. Then the king leapt backwards, saying: ‘Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.’ He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix, and never wore it again ‘to the honour of God the almighty King’. (Wikipedia). The House of Commons Information Office records that Canute set up a Royal palace during his reign on Thorney Island (later to become known as Westminster) as the area was sufficiently far away from the busy settlement to the east known as London. It is believed that, on this site, Canute tried to command the tide of the river to prove to his courtiers that they were fools to think that he could command the waves.”

There is a salutary lesson here for the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, but is the zealot Abbott open to Canute's insight? Or will he and his courtiers continue to be foolish enough to believe that they really can command the waves and turn back the tide?

What do you think?

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2353

20/10/2011It's a shame that Abbott's "hold my breath until my face turn blue" recent outbursts introduce unnecessary sovereign risk into an economy that will again be battered by local and overseas weaknesses in the next few years. Canute's quest was in the end a spectacular failure - and made him a laughing stock. In addition to the self proclaimed lack of interest in economics, Abbott's knowledge of history seems to also be on the light side. Here's another thought for you AA - is Abbott going to turn into the LNP's Mark Latham, reduced to trying and again failing to get the ultimate "gotya" at the 2016 election for a TV station that should know better? The similarities are striking. Latham and Abbott "burst" onto the scene, both turned the polls around really quickly and seemed unstoppable for a period of around 18 months and also seemed to be quite destructive personalities. While I never though much of Latham, it was sad to see his "resignation" speech and subsequent fall from creditability. If Abbott is heading the same way - and it seems from numerous posts by the regulars on this board that the cracks are starting to appear in the mutual love in between media and Abbott. At least he gets Super for life as he was a politician prior to the Latham amendments, so he shouldn't have any difficulty paying his $700,000 mortgage (which makes him more highly geared than the Australian economy - but that's another story!)

Feral Skeleton

20/10/2011It's very apt metaphorically to conflate the effects of Global Warming with the King Canute metaphor and say that sea level rises are what will lap at the feet of Tony Abbott eventually.

Bring Back Maxine

20/10/2011Hi AA I see Abbott more as a dope who has been roped than a King Canute. In fact,I have believed for a few months now that the PM and her inner circle have successfully ensnared Abbott with a rope-a-dope strategy. [i]The rope-a-dope is performed by a boxer assuming a protected stance, in Ali's classic pose, lying against the ropes, and allowing his opponent to hit him, toward the end that the opponent will tire and make mistakes which the boxer can exploit in a counter-attack. By leaning against the ropes, much of the punch's force is absorbed by the ropes' elasticity rather than the boxer's body. In competitive situations other than boxing, rope-a-dope is used to describe strategies in which one party purposely puts itself in what appears to be a losing position, attempting thereby to become the eventual victor.[/i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope-a-dope I believe that PM Gillard has been fully aware of Abbott as a pugilistic politician and has decided to use this to her advantage. Remember when the Flood Levy and its details were announced. Abbott and the MSM went into ballistic overdrive. How dare the Government introduce a "tax" on battlers earning a mere $150K a year. So imagine how pugilist Abbott would respond to a Price on Carbon [b]without[/b] much detail! He responded with such predictable hubristic hyperbole. Towns such as Whyalla would be wiped off the map. The steel and coal industries would be decimated. Hundreds of thousands job would be lost. The economy ruined. The MSM loved it. It provided them with easy, almost unlimited headlines and copy. Those with A SINGLE DIGIT POLITICAL IQ were stirred up and encourage to revolt against the tyranny of a Government of no mandate, egged on by radio shock jocks and the print princes and princesses of hate. Hundreds of thousands were told to rise up but only a few crazies show up to make fools of themselves. Down went the PM and her Government in the polls. These anticipated bad polls for Labor have encouraged Abbott to further extremes such as making repealing the Carbon Tax a [b]blood oath[/b]. Afterall the next election is a lay down misere for Abbott to win. Abbott is tiring and making mistakes which you accurately outlined in your post, namely: 1) His hypocrisy on offshore processing of AS. 2) His failure to demolish the NBN rollout. 3) The idiocy of his DAP on Climate change. 4) His blood oath to repeal the Carbon Tax /ETS. 5) Abolition of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The PM has got Abbott where she wants him. She is on the ropes being hammered by Abbott. But his blows are being absorbed by the elasticity of the [b]ropes of good far reaching policy[/b]. The PM did warn her Caucus that the polls would remain bad for about a year. Abbott is trapped by his own hubris. Encourage by his sychophants and the ephemeral good polling, he will perform greater stunts, make more outlandish statements, become even more reactionary as he is incapable of focusing on developing detailed policy. And there is no one in the Liberals who has or will have the numbers to replace him. Meanwhile the Government is still getting its Bills passed (200+) and rolling out good ground breaking policy. When the counter attack comes, and come it will, it will be Abbott who will be hammered but without the elasticity of the ropes of good policy to absorb the blows. Whether it is the Clean Energy Future lefthook, the NBN Rollout uppercut, the MRRT jab or a combination, the PM will knock Abbott out for the count come polling day in 2013. So I'm predicting that the PM's rope-a-dope strategy will yield her Government with an increased majority. Abbott the dope that he is will be consigned to the garbage bin of political history which he so richly deserves. My understanding of Canute was that he was a wise King who showed up those sychophants and flatters in his court who boasted that the King was so powerful the he could command the tide to turn by calling out their hubristic flattery. [b]Abbott is no Canute, he is a dangerous arrogant bully of the highest order.[/b]

Trevor

21/10/2011Last Saturday while driving I happened to be listening to a repeat of The Science Show on RN. One of the segments was on a study into psychopaths. I listened for a while inattentively. Then it started to dawn on me they could be describing Tony Abbott. Typically describing psychopaths as lacking empathy while also being focused and cunning. While this description could be used to describe quite a few politicians the guest, Kevin Dutton, was describing a scale he had developed, as to a certain degree we all have a bit of psychopathy in us. The full program can be found here http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2011/3340027.htm He makes the distinction that a psychopath with a low IQ and not much education is more likely to become violent and a dangerous criminal. But a psychopath who is intelligent and has a good education can become focused on more material goals and be just as ruthless and uncaring in striving for these goals. [quote][i]It has traditionally been thought that psychopaths are all bad. Kevin Dutton says psychopaths can be fearless, ruthless, amoral and devious while still being charming, charismatic and persuasive. He says psychopaths are very good at persuasion due to a trait known as cold empathy.[/i][/quote] After listening to this show I think Tony Abbott is a psychopath with the dials turned up quite high. It is well worth a listen.

psyclaw

21/10/2011Hi Swordsters For obvious reasons I have reposted this from the bottom of the previous thread. Thanks. [quote]I propose that we now get active in emailing each of the journos who I'll list at the bottom. With minimum (ie no) consultation I respectfully suggest we refer to this action as the PEA Project (please expose Abbott). Each 3 or 4 weeks we could all (including those who only read here) send an email about a specific topic to each of the journos. I think it is important that we write in our own words. This would be the best way to powerfully and uniquely express our passion for what we request. With your indulgence and to get the ball rolling I will nominate the first topic. It is a request for journos to analyse the reality and possibility and implications and consequences of Abbott's pledge to repeal the Clean Energy Act, and the fact that he is making such an outlandish "promise". What we are aiming at is for the journos to state what Abbott would actually have to do.....reduce pensions, reduce tax free threshold, refuse to honour carbon credits bought by companies, wind back the tax breaks etc etc and show what a crap, unworkable, unsaleable action this would be. Here are some guidelines: 1) Use your own words. 2) Commence with a sentence or two complimenting/praising/sucking up to the journalist(the last thing we want is to criticise this group, since they're the possible "goodies"). 3) Describe / state the issue (Abbott's repeal promise) 4) "Beg" that the journo analyse this and inform the public. 5) State how appreciative you would be. 6) Cut and paste your words into an email to each of the listed journos. Here are the email addresses: smhcarlton@gmail.com ltingle@afr.com.au megalogenisg@theaustralian.com.au lenore.taylor@fairfaxmedia.com.au pcoorey@smh.com.au ross.gittins@fairfaxmedia.com.au If we could get even one of these to write an article (or two), that would be an achievement. Please don't hesitate to let us all know of any journo you think is worth including, but please, no intractables like Bolt, Milne, Savva, Akerman et al. Include email addresses of the journo if you can. if not, I'll find it. Take your time ..... it'll be three weeks before we start the next effort. But do follow the Nike advice ...."just do it!" May the force be with you! [/quote]

NormanK

21/10/2011[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]tonocchio ..... John Richardson yourdemocracy[/i] Of all the objectionable lies that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has told, the latest load of nonsense about repealing the Clean Energy Future is the most damaging to Australia. http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/13579 [i]Why The Ombudsman Is Being Punished Ben Eltham New Matilda[/i] The tragedy of the case is that a good man has been impugned simply for calling attention to the huge workload required of his office. The Commonwealth Ombudsman is a critical and necessary safeguard on the federal executive: a key check-and-balance on administrative abuses, and a last resort for desperate citizens caught in the coils of Australia’s huge and error-prone bureaucracy. The Ombudsman’s office clearly needs more funding and more support. http://newmatilda.com/2011/10/20/why-ombudsman-being-punished [i]Defend our Water! National Day of Action on Coal Seam Gas Kelsey GetUp[/i] It’s the campaign that brings everyone from the grassroots to Alan Jones together – better regulation of coal seam gas mining. http://blog.getup.org.au/ [i]Australia - Abbot's Vote of No-Confidence in Deputy Bishop Dr Craig Emerson ISIRA[/i] Tony Abbott has today dismissed the China Free Trade Agreement negotiations as a low priority for the Coalition, in an extraordinary rebuff to his Deputy Leader, Julie Bishop.
In a direct rejection of Ms Bishop's position, Mr Abbott has said the China negotiations would go on the back-burner under a Coalition Government.
This comes just a day after Ms Bishop urged the Government to conclude its negotiations with China to support Australia's exporters. http://www.isria.com/pages/20_October_2011_6.php [i]Small business urged to innovate under new incentive Dynamic Business[/i] The Gillard Government’s research and development tax incentive could allow thousands of small businesses to innovate and boost business operations. http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/news/small-business-urged-to-innovate-under-new-incentive-20102011.html [i]Tony Abbott, values warrior Andrew Carr The Interpreter[/i] Abbott's not a neo-con, but he's not your usual conservative realist either. He's a values warrior, at home and abroad. http://lowyinterpreter.org/post/2011/10/20/Tony-Abbott-Values-warrior.aspx [i]What Is Going On? Neil Cook The Bannerman[/i] What is it with this country lately? All manner of people seem to think they have something to whinge about. There’s the Occupy [insert preferred city/suburb/public space] movement, there’s Alan Jones & his cohort of looney-tune, blue-rinsers, there’s the dumb-f**ks-in-trucks with their pseudo-American beliefs that government is here to rip them off, put them all into communes and basically shut them down. [i]suffer little children ..... John Richardson yourdemocracy[/i] Early this morning, as Australians were lazing in the land of Nod, Pope Benedict XVI was busy blessing Cardinal Pell's new multi-million dollar pilgrim centre in Rome, known as Domus Australia ......... ........ but as one of our informant ventured, "Australian Catholics are entitled to ask if the money could have been better spent. St Vinnies or Catholic Schools could all use that sort of money." http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/13583 [i]Four powerful women is like Ladies’ Day at the races the news with nipples[/i] You had to know I’d be blogging about this nonsense from Tony Wright today: Ladies in waiting for Queen’s visit. He’s talking about the Prime Minister, the Governor-General and the Chief Minister of the ACT. And yes, I know he didn’t write the headline, but a lady in waiting is an Elizabethan era PA to the Queen or Princess. Hardly the role played by these three women. http://newswithnipples.com/ [b]Newspapers[/b] [i]Coalition lashes carbon critics David Wroe and Peter Martin The Age[/i] The Coalition faced pressure over its climate policy on another front yesterday, when Treasury head Martin Parkinson said he and his colleagues might have to "make a choice with their feet" should the Coalition win office and direct them to dismantle Labor's carbon trading scheme. http://www.theage.com.au/national/coalition-lashes-carbon-critics-20111020-1madf.html

Bring Back Maxine

21/10/2011Swordians A metaphor for election night 2013. [b](WARNING: Scenes of violence)[/b] http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80811614/

psyclaw

21/10/2011AA This is a really excellent piece, to my mind one of your very best. You have expertly pointed out the increasing irrationality, impossibility, impracticability, and sheer stupidity of Abbott's current versions of what he threatens to do regarding the Migration issue, ETS, MRRRT, and NBN. That Greg Sheridan can actually discern [b]and[/b] publish some of this is a testament to how obvious it is that Abbott is increasingly facing difficulty in keeping his wrecking ball in motion. Foot in mouth and "here we go again" are rising risks for him. Bring them on! Like many other swordsters in recent times, I am becoming cautiously optimistic that we are seeing the initial death throes of his demise. I think he is hanging by a thread. That thread is the continuing but slowly decreasing adrenalin intoxication of the moderate and reasonable members of his team who gift him his position. I don't believe that the Liberals are so totally bereft of intelligence that his rashness won't eventually worry them to action. These do not include the front benchers who are doubly drunk on adrenalin [b]and[/b] on their lust for power which (as a result of the preceding adrenalin intoxication) they wrongly see as being almost in their hands. In local press here today we read another example of their hypocrisy. The fool of a shadow minister-for-something-or-other-that-requires-no-brains, Bob Baldwin, is bitterly complaining that the NBN announcement yesterday of the next areas didn't include his electorate. Can you believe that!!!! Just like the hypocrisy of the Coalition MPs proudly turning up at the openings of BER projects over recent years. Once again, congratulations AA. If only your piece could find its way onto the front pages of the newspapers.

Patricia WA

21/10/2011Tony Abbott needn’t wait for votes To claim he can send back the boats. He’s already turned the tide of history And rules Australia by God’s ‘mystery.’ There’s a sacred pledge or covenant, An article of faith, that government Is rightly his….or soon will be. It must. His blood oath on that we have in trust. Non-believers like Julia Gillard And godless men of the old Red Guard, With no authority to rule, Have his contempt and ridicule. Businessmen can safely plan ahead Based on all this visionary has said. New fangled laws about a carbon price Should be ignored. That’s his advice. Climate crap’s all hypothetical. Believing that’s declared heretical. Pretending to he once risked hell Until shriven by Cardinal Pell. Now all can see he is pure of soul. He can speak for God; always his goal. His word‘s law now that our democracy Has unknowingly become a theocracy.

TalkTurkey

21/10/2011Ad astra I'm not arguing at all about the thrust of your article but I want to spring to the defence of the wise and modest King Canute, who, surrounded by sycophants as is Abboertt, finally spat the dummy at the lot of them by proving that he [i]couldn't [/i]turn back the tide. [Off thread but does anyone elde get 'scintillating scotomas'. the dazzling visualk disturbance that goes with migraine? I got it now, plus the thought-scrambling that goes with the early symptoms od an umpending cluster heheadahe attack. Can't hardly read anything I've written, bits of every word are visually deleted and glittered and fuzzed and spimning in the prt that I am looking at. I guess yoyknow about migraines eh Ad, pain monsters frorm the Black Lagoon osomewhere in the space bejuimg the eyes/ Iknow there's tupos in here, dam I can't srr them propperely at all. ] Anyway Canute was a sensible bloke, Oh Dog Plrase don't let him be misunderstood. He didn't really believe he could turn bavk the tide, he just wanted the sycophants with petty agendas of their ownt to STFU. He has been mis-portrayed as a fool ever since by the same sort of sycophants, stung by his ridicule, and like the MSM tryimg to turn everything on its head, blsck into white, truth into lies. But Abbortt reslly does think he can turn the tide of history, but ss *J*U*L*I*A* said wtte a week or so ago, the tide of history is rising and isolating Abbortt on his fntasy island, and his sycophants can sink or swim I don't care. [Gee I've tried to correct most othe tyoos but dam I can't see. My eyesight will come clear again in half an hour by whicj time I might have a freaky pain behind my eyes and be throwing up and my gut all clenched or I might be OK. What atrip is a full-on migraine! ] :'(

Jaeger

21/10/2011It's interesting that this appeared in Limited News, but the sentiments ring true enough: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/10/20/1226172/247471-111021-kudelka-cartoon.jpg

nasking

21/10/2011Yet another dictator has fallen...long live the people's revolution!!! Congratulations to the brave Libyan people for standing up to a brutal regime and ending the rule of the war criminal Muammar Gaddafi...after four long stressful decades the Libyan people can now breathe the fresh air of progress and freedom. Justice has also been done for those many many families & individuals who have suffered due to Gaddafi-approved terrorist actions, torture & repression. Shame on the politicians & corporate leaders who enabled this grotesque regime for profiteering &/or RealPolitiks reasons. Well done to those who achieved what others referred to as "impossible"... this includes various news organisations (particular kudos to CNN's Anderson-Cooper)the many bloggers, wikileaks & social network participants (outstanding was Avaaz.org & Facebook) who brought the Libyan crisis into focus, reminding & alerting the world of the many crimes & misdeeds, past & present of that regime...and the possibility of yet another massacre at the hands of Gaddafi's brutal forces. A brutal ending for a brutal man. He lays still now in the bed of his own making. Thumbs up to the UN, the Obama administration - a reluctant, yet highly useful military intervention that did not include boots on the ground like Iraq, yet achieved positive results w/out a single American fatality - NATO (proving itself to be a valuable asset even in wobbly economic times)...and those Arab states who had the courage to stand on the right side of history. Further kudos to Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, Americans Secretary of State Hillary Clinton & Senator John McCain due to their passionate support for a Libyan intervention. Now the beast is dead, it's essential the other war criminals are brought to justice, including Gaddafi's sons & those who contributed to the planning & high-level implementation of terrorism, murder & torture...and theft of the Libyan people's assets/revenue. It will be a confusing & challenging period but the focus for Libyans should now be on ensuring they create a secular democracy that establishes equal rights for all citizens... and protections & respect for other community participants. This includes amnesty for those who were hired guns off the back of their own poverty &/or due to fear & threats...and a welcoming of migrant workers' into the new Libyan state. It's time for healing & forgiveness...rebuilding...and constructing a new democratic Libya...w/ the aid of its enthusiastic allies...but on Libyan terms. Soon, many young Libyans who have fled as refugees will be able to join other ex-pats in travelling back to their country, now free of its chains, in order to inject vitality, vision and expertise as Libya is rebuilt & restored to its former glory as a functioning, inspiring civilisation. Never say never. Not when the people are prepared to RISE against injustice. Two thumbs up. http://www.avaaz.org/en/ N'

Michael

21/10/2011Bad Abbott... as brought to you by Dennis Shanahan??? http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/abbott-cooks-up-a-climate-pickle/story-e6frgd0x-1226172246756 An article that you really should read, with the winds of change blowing gently over your shoulder. It concludes with these two sentences: "Abbott needs to sort these issues or run the risk of facing all the pain and frustration Gillard has suffered. What's good for the goose is good for the gander." In a nutshell (with a sauce of hypocrisy, of course, for Mr. Shanahan to sup upon).

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21/10/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

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21/10/2011Folks Many thanks for your comprehensive overnight comments. I will respond to them during the morning.

Feral Skeleton

21/10/2011Nasking, Yes, just imagine if Tony Abbott had been PM. No doubt he would not have supported intervention in Libya so that those Oil companies which were doing business with Gaddafi could have kept doing so without their profits being affected. Which appears to be his justification for any company, like QANTAS, to get away with abusing it's employees' working conditions and attempting to suppress their wages.

Jaeger

21/10/2011Great article, AA - but shouldn't it be "Australia's King [b]Cannot[/b]"?

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21/10/2011Jaeger That is a very clever extrapolation: [b]King Cannot[/b]. How apt.

nasking

21/10/2011[quote]Not only is he vowing to repeal the legislation, but also all the associated mechanisms for its implementation. He has warned business not to acquire carbon credits, which are said to be legally enforceable property rights, threatening that a future Coalition Government might not compensate firms for their carbon credit outlays. [/quote] I agree Ad astra that Tony Abbott is acting like an irresponsible economic vandal. A quality leader examines the policies they cannot stop legislation on...and negotiates maturely in order to make those policies more palatable for their side of politics...and more beneficial for the nation as a whole. By stepping away and taking a childish NO NO NO I'LL BREAK IT WHEN I GET THE CHANCE YOU'LL SEE approach he not only creates uncertainty for businesses, investors and the general energy user... Abbott also sets a bad precedent in Australia when it comes to dealing w/ the uncertainties & complex challenges that come w/ climate change...and dealing w/ the two-speed economy... taking the [i]wrecker[/i] approach of many Republicans and a few Democrats in America who have also failed to inspire...and invest appropriately in their own country's clean energy future...so necessary in a time that calls for more vision & diversity in industries as they seek to create a positive atmosphere for job creation in order to repay debts and widen their revenue base. Change takes courage...but often does provide valuable opportunities & flourishes w/ new ideas stemming from both successes and failures. To play life as conservatively as Abbott means countries will oft fail to reach out & share in areas of trade, culture, technology, education and medical sciences so necessary for advancing our nations beyond the archaic & destructive industries & status quo that undermines global harmony, longevity, the spread of participatory inclusive secular democracy, and useful, affordable knowledge enhancing the lives of ALL. Abbott's approach to China & free trade is yet another example of his irresponsible [i]weathervane[/i] approach to policy...catering to our worst instincts...placing [i]values[/i] on issues & countries randomly & opportunistically...perpetuating confusion & lack of positivity. Abbott seems to have little time for Liberalism. Engagement w/ too many "if"s "but"s "maybe"s "us & them"s...patronising opportunism...seeding doubts & mistrust. Having watched Artscape the other night...the government via Simon Crean engaging w/ the Arts community...and the various forums on tax & job creation that included individuals representing diverse sections of our communities...I find the present government's approach far more progressive, willing to compromise & negotiate...informative & refreshing... Abbott's approach is stale, reductionist & uninspiring... The NBN, changes to tobacco packaging & investment into the alternative energy areas exemplify the government's determination to move beyond the stifling status quo... taking the necessary risks to revitalise & prepare for the future...and deal w/ present economic & climate instability...and growing health problems and bills to come w/ that epidemic... taking risks responsibly & courageously as they did w/ the stimulus packages during the GFC. N'

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21/10/2011Bring Back Maxine, Talk Turkey You rightly defend King Canute, the great and wise King Canute, portrayed in some historical records. But the story of King Canute, which may be apocryphal, has two versions. The one you mention is where he is portrayed as being wise and humble, but exasperated by his fawning courtiers who attributed to him supernatural powers. To disabuse them, he arranged for his throne to be placed at the water’s edge where he would command the waves to push back the tide, and when the tide inevitably wet his feet and robes, he would thereby prove to them that only God Almighty could control the tide, not a mere human, even a crowned head. Another aspect of this story is that he was showing them that he was not deceived by their obsequiousness. Your portrayal of King Canute is beautifully told in [i]KIng Canute on the Seashore[/i] by James Baldwin in [i]The Book of Virtues[/i]. http://inspirationalstories.com/0/91.html Another version is that Canute really did believe his courtiers when they insisted he possessed supernatural powers, but when put to the seashore test found to his chagrin that indeed his powers were not as they claimed. Here is another account of Canute in [i]Ward's Book of Days[/i]: [i]Canute is famous for the tale of the incoming tide. According to legend, Canute’s courtiers flattered him into believing that his word was so powerful that even the tide would recede at his command. Canute is said to have taken this compliment literally and had his throne placed by the shore and vainly attempted to command the waves to recede until he almost drowned. “An alternative version states that Canute was extremely wise and put on this practical demonstration to show his courtiers that he was not taken in by their flattery.”[/i] http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/12november.htm There is another reference that is worth a read: [i]Is Canute Misunderstood[/i] by Kathyrn Westcott, from which this quote is noteworthy: [i]Of course, no-one knows for sure whether or not the tide event actually happened. Some academics see it simply as a story that has little basis in fact. "It's a 12th Century legend... and those 12th Century historians were always making up stories about kings from Anglo-Saxon times," says Malcolm Godden, Professor of Anglo-Saxon, Faculty of English, at Oxford University. "The real Canute - or Cnut - showed no signs of such humility and ruled a vast empire using his military power and a fearsome set of bodyguards. "There are some signs that he was good at spin, but I can't imagine that he could afford to go around telling his followers that he wasn't as powerful as they thought."[/i] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13524677 Your comments have enriched the discussion here by raising the question of who was the real Canute, the wise and humble king who was well aware of his limited powers, and not susceptible to sycophancy, or the egotistical one who used power ruthlessly and really believed in his omnipotence. So which Canute is Tony Abbott? I can hear you saying: ‘The answer is obvious.’

Trevor

21/10/2011WRT A Robb's comment about the Clean Energy Finance Corporation being a slush fund for crazy projects. Can anyone here point to a question from the media to him querying how projects would be selected and funded under their direct action policy? I have heard him a number of times this week make these claims and the interviewer meekly accepting this. Does he get to vet questions before we will consent to an interview? This is such an obvious question I cant believe it hasn't been asked. Also I understand the chair of the CEFC will be a women who was also chair of committees under the Howard Gov so it is bit difficult to claim it is just a ALP slush fund. Still, they have now taken to forensically examining the NBN roll out and complaining if the split between ALP and Coalition electorates is not 50.000 percent. You would think they would be saying they don't want it in their electorates as they have a better plan of magic wireless from the sky. Inconsistency is their only consistent policy. Or as Fred Dagg famously put it "The only true constant is perpetual state of flux". I loved Fred Dagg

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21/10/20112353 Your reference to Tony Abbott as the Liberal Party’s Mark Latham is apt. There are many similarities. Latham was soon seen to be error prone, and from his off-the-cuff radio announcement in June: ‘I’ll bring back the troops by Christmas’, his decline was steady, and near the end precipitous. Abbott is following a different trajectory. To the surprise of many, he has maintained a big poll advantage for the Coalition for over a year, no doubt giving him and his courtiers a feeling that a win at the next election is theirs for the taking. The hubris so generated and the consequent behind the scenes back patting seem to have induced in Abbott, and his close followers Joe Hockey and Andrew Robb, the belief that, Canute-like, Abbott can do and say whatever he likes, no matter how preposterous, no matter how economically irresponsible, and get away with it. Yet there is emerging unease about Abbott’s behaviour, what sycophant Dennis Shanahan benignly calls ‘overreaching’, but which we might label ‘going way out on a shaky limb’. In my view the signs of concern about Abbott’s behaviour are slowly emerging among his media supporters as evidenced in Shanahan’s article this morning that Michael mentioned. While it is hazardous to predict political outcomes, I wonder are we seeing the crumbling of Abbott’s credibility, not so much among his intimate courtiers, but the media, even among his sycophants. Once Abbott’s edifice of infallible political judgement begins to crumble, his disintegration may be rapid, even if unexpected by the electorate. FS That is a clever connection you make – our very own King Canute getting his feet wet as the sea levels rise as a result of that ‘absolute crap’ – global warming.

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21/10/2011Bring Back Maxine Now I see from the YouTube clip what ‘Rope a Dope’ really means. Your analogy to the Tony Abbott/Julia Gillard clash is a fitting.

Gravel

21/10/2011Ad Astra That is one great post, thank you. What an interesting study is King Canute. I got a bit confused there for a while on reading a couple of other comments, but your last comment brought it all back into perspective. Talk Turkey Sorry to hear about your migraine, hope it gets better soon. Nas You have again given us a lot of food for thought. NormanK Thanks for continuing the 'Lyn's Links'. There was no link for the Bannerman, but luckily I had it in my favourites.

Michael

21/10/2011Bad Abbott #2 What a crass, pathetic little man! According to the telecast ABC1 news, Shouldabeen spent all his time in conversation with the Queen bending her ear about how he was robbed. The content of such conversations is kept private, but the last words of the Queen, referring to "minority government always being difficult", gives very clear indication of what Tiny discussed - ad nauseam. Perhaps he asked her to dissolve the Labor government forthwith? I suspect three sentences into the conversation with him, she was more prepared to regally set Labor in government for the foreseeable future.

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21/10/2011Trevor Your reference to the attributes of a psychopath is relevant. Here are some references: [i]The Psychopath – The Mask of Sanity[/i] begins: [i]“Imagine - if you can - not having a conscience, none at all, no feelings of guilt or remorse no matter what you do, no limiting sense of concern for the well-being of strangers, friends, or even family members. Imagine no struggles with shame, not a single one in your whole life, no matter what kind of selfish, lazy, harmful, or immoral action you had taken. “And pretend that the concept of responsibility is unknown to you, except as a burden others seem to accept without question, like gullible fools. Now add to this strange fantasy the ability to conceal from other people that your psychological makeup is radically different from theirs. Since everyone simply assumes that conscience is universal among human beings, hiding the fact that you are conscience-free is nearly effortless. “You are not held back from any of your desires by guilt or shame, and you are never confronted by others for your cold-bloodedness. The ice water in your veins is so bizarre, so completely outside of their personal experience, that they seldom even guess at your condition. “In other words, you are completely free of internal restraints, and your unhampered liberty to do just as you please, with no pangs of conscience, is conveniently invisible to the world. "You can do anything at all, and still your strange advantage over the majority of people, who are kept in line by their consciences will most likely remain undiscovered.”[/i] It ends: [i]”The psychopath recognizes no flaw in his psyche, no need for change.[/i] Another interesting resource is an audio YouTube clip of a radio program [i]Psychopaths and Politics[/i] where Mike Chambers interviews Thomas Sheridan, author of [i]Puzzling People[/i]. Sheridan sums up the psychopath as having ‘unrestrained impulses’ and ‘lack of responsibility for actions’, and that ‘they will do anything to get what they want’. Sound familiar? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95bMEOwOxbA It is a rather long YouTube program. I look forward to listening to your ABC link.

NormanK

21/10/2011Gravel Oops! Sorry about that. I'll sack my proof-reader. Ad astra Is it possible to replace that Link? [i]What Is Going On? Neil Cook The Bannerman[/i] What is it with this country lately? All manner of people seem to think they have something to whinge about. There’s the Occupy [insert preferred city/suburb/public space] movement, there’s Alan Jones & his cohort of looney-tune, blue-rinsers, there’s the dumb-f**ks-in-trucks with their pseudo-American beliefs that government is here to rip them off, put them all into communes and basically shut them down. http://www.waddayano.org/blog/2011/10/what_is_going_on.php

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21/10/2011TT I hope your migraine has settled by now. It is very unsettling to have one while trying to type. psyclaw Thank you for your kind comments. I hope that an occasional MSM journalist will browse [i]TPS[/i] and pick up some of the messages of those who blog here. I agree with your comment: “[i]I think he is hanging by a thread. That thread is the continuing but slowly decreasing adrenalin intoxication of the moderate and reasonable members of his team who gift him his position. I don't believe that the Liberals are so totally bereft of intelligence that his rashness won't eventually worry them to action.[/i]. In my view is will not be those intimately associated with him who will take action, as they too are living on adrenaline. It is more likely to be the backbenchers and media supporters who see their dream of the return of a Coalition government receding as Abbott becomes more extreme in his words and actions. Michael Although I have sworn off reading Shanahan articles, I did read this one from beginning to end, and find myself agreeing with you. When the likes of Dennis Shanahan and Greg Sheridan, both Abbott supporters, begin to make adverse comments about him, to me it indicates that they are worried he will blow his big poll advantage by putting offside the very ones who usually support the Coalition, the business community. Abbott is so obsessed with getting what he wants that he will wreck the place, and business and industry with it, to do so. Patricia WA Thank you for another apt poem - you are always able to come up with the appropriate words.

BSA Bob

21/10/2011Trevor, Ad Astra et al We often read & hear "Tony Abbott's quite a nice bloke when you talk to him." Intelligent psychopaths are. I thought the description quoted by A.A. was pretty good.

nasking

21/10/2011[quote]Giles Parkinson, in an article Pricing in Abbott's carbon extremism, says: “With each day that passes, the conservative Coalition in Australia more and more resembles the Tea Party reactionaries in the US, promoting policies that defy the science, are economically illiterate, are based on a distant technological past, and might as well have been orchestrated by Alan Jones, the NSW radio shock jock and Coalition puppeteer – or Rush Limbaugh, his US equivalent. Scarily though, the prospect that this strategy might actually succeed threatens to add billions of dollars to the cost of energy in the country, and to the cost of carbon abatement.[/quote] Ad, I recently watched Alan Jones' National Press Club address related to "food security & coal seam gas". Jones, per usual, has launched a frenzied & huff puff campaign based on political opportunism...and the need to secure an audience. In this case he seems to side w/ The Greens & the likes of myself who oppose the invasion of coal seam gas "frackers" who put at risk the safety of our fresh water supplies, fertile land, food bowls and lives of humans & other species if their drilling & extraction processes are not scrutinised, regulated and tempered appropriately... and the rights of landowners possibly undermined in a rush akin to the gold one...w/ coal seam gas companies, governments & councils acting like feverish addicts requiring daily shots of big moolah off the back of gas. Considering the cost & length of time it could take to repair damage to our valuable food bowls and water systems I reckon [i]caution[/i] and stringent regulations are necessary in regard to this controversial industry...particularly taking into account their record in the USA & other gullible countries. Jones might be on the right track here...but his continued support for Tony Abbott, his scepticism towards climate change science, his support for great mining pits that possibly undermine locals & workers' health & undermine Aboriginal land rights...and his mourning of QLD towns & polo grounds (hmmm) he believes eradicated by resource companies yet seems to have failed to protect in the past using his huge influence as a radio celebrity, indicates to me that his latest campaign is more about attempting to affect the upcoming QLD election...and bring in more listeners for his radio show...and in the process up ratings, increase ad dollars...than a heartfelt plea based on integrity. I wonder if Jones would offer up such a vociferous protest if it was the LNP in charge of QLD & involved so intensely in coal seam gas exploration & extraction permits, as the ALP are? I'd also like to know if Alan Jones or any of his bosses own shares related to nuclear energy. N'

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21/10/2011Nasking Thank you for your kind comments about this piece and for your comprehensive comments about Libya, on which you are well informed. I agree with your sentiment: [i]”Tony Abbott is acting like an irresponsible economic vandal. A quality leader examines the policies they cannot stop legislation on...and negotiates maturely in order to make those policies more palatable for their side of politics...and more beneficial for the nation as a whole.”[/i] How true, but I see little hope that he will change. NormanK Thank you for another great set of links. I’ve been so busy responding to commenters this morning that I haven’t yet got round to perusing them. That’s for this afternoon.

Ad astra reply

21/10/2011Gravel Thank you for your kind comments. NormanK I have repaired the Bannerman link. Nasking Thank you for your comments about the Alan Jones NPC address. Do you have a link to it?

BSA Bob

21/10/2011Nasking I'm not following the coal seam gas controversy so aren't entitled to an opinion. About Jones though, I get a gut feeling that he's just inserting himself as the little person's champion.

nasking

21/10/2011Cheers Ad, yer pieces always stimulate my wee grey cells. I've noticed over the past mths that Tony Abbott, Barnaby Joyce, Alan Jones, John Howard & a few others who seem to be pandering to One Nation/Tea Party-like voters w/ protectionist, parochial, extreme nationalist thinking/views have been constructing a "Don't trust the Chinese" campaign...possibly leading to anti-Chinese sentiment... it brings to mind our shabby past...the exploitation & vilification of Chinese workers who made useful contributions & helped develop Australia...attacks oft for politically opportunistic reasons...exercised by reluctant allies left & right: [quote]From the first Victorian goldrushes onwards the number of Chinese people in Australia quickly reached approximently 50,000. This was maintained up until federation although proportion in each colony varied according to goldrush and other economic opportunities. Chinatowns and benevolent societies often based on clan or district ties quickly developed across Australia to support the Chinese population. As gold and other minerals were discovered in Queensland, Northern Territory and north-east Tasmania Chinese miners followed. Along with the miners came Chinese entrepreneurs who helped provide goods and services for the emerging Chinese population. As mining became less profitable Chinese miners then became increasingly involved in and successful at market gardening, storekeeping (including importing and exporting), furniture making, the growing and wholesaling of bananas, fishing and the pearl diving industry. The contribution of Chinese labour to Australia's development was particularly significant in the Northern Territory and north Queensland area. Chinese communities across Australia grew socially and politically more complex with the development of Chinese newspapers and political and business associations. They were particularly interested in events occurring in homeland China. Many of the goldrush Chinese in Victoria were refugees who supported the Taiping Rebellion in China in the 1850s. Their anti-Qing dynasty attitude was a dominant influence on Chinese community life and led to support for Sun Yatsen and the Chinese revolutionary movement which eventually overthrew the last Chinese emporer in 1911. Another spur to engagement with politics in China occurred when Liang Qichao, an exiled Chinese reformer, visited Australia in 1901. His visit helped to awaken nationalistic, pro-monarchy and reformist ideas in Australia's Chinese and the establishment of 'Protect the Emperor' organisations. Another way that Chinese Australians engaged with China's modern development was as business pioneers. Sydney banana merchants such as the Kwok brothers and Ma Ying Piu established the first modern department stores in China from the 1910s onwards. The Chinese population were also concerned and involved in political and social life in Australia. Often through community leaders and supported by the wider community, they protested against discriminatory legislation and attitudes. Despite the passing of the Immigration Restriction Act in 1901 communities around Australia participated in parades and celebrations of Australia's Federation and the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. Although the Chinese were generally peaceful and industrious, resentment flared up against their communities particularly because of their different customs and traditions. Anti-Chinese leagues were established. Victoria was the first to pass legislation to try and restrict Chinese immigration through the introduction of a specific poll tax in 1855. This was successively followed by New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Often such legislation did not distinguish between naturalised, British citizens, Australian-born and Chinese-born individuals. Legislation in Victoria and New South Wales was repealed in the 1860s but by the 1880s there was a further explosion of anti-Chinese feeling. Despite a steady decline in the number of Chinese residents in Australia the numbers of Chinese and Chinese Australians in the more visible Chinatowns of Melbourne and Sydney was growing. In 1887 two Chinese Commissioners, the first statesmen from China to visit Australia, arrived to assess the living conditions of Chinese in Australia after numerous requests from overseas Chinese. In 1888, following protests and strike actions, an inter-colonial conference agreed to reinstate and increase the severity of restrictions on Chinese immigration. This was adopted by most Colonies across Australia and provided the basis for the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act and the seed for the 'White Australia Policy'. The 'White Australia Policy' remained in force until the 1950s.(Asian Studies Program, La Trobe Uni Chinese Australia Brief History of the Chinese in Australia) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [/quote] http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/education/history.htm America has also treated brave Chinese workers & their families in the past badly (think Truckee, California & the railroads) and some politicians need to be less rancorous in their approach to foreign & trade affairs. http://discussion.cprr.net/2007/05/chinese-nationals-forgive-and-bless.html It makes me wonder if some characters in the Australian & American right-wing parties are preparing for a Chinese economic crash partially created by the usual suspect media...and are hoping to gain more power by dividing economically distressed communities...and pointing out so called "common enemies" to be scapegoated for their nationalistic cause. We've seen it before. Governments & oppositions benefitting from social division, economic fragility & competing workers/businesses...aided by influential media, company & religious figures. BTW, recently watched on the ABC [i]The American future: What is an American?[/i] Brilliant 4th episode in doco series from the BBC by Simon Schama. Examines treatement of Chinese & other immigrants in America. N'

nasking

21/10/2011BSA Bob & Ad, noticing Senator Corey Bernardi & frontbencher Sophie Mirabella were part of Alan Jones' audience didn't help my suspicions...as he launched into anti-Chinese company attacks. Not sure if the National Press Club has transcripts. Here's a defense of the coal seam gas industry by Origin...I must admit that the doco [i]Gasland[/i] had a huge impact on my view of the industry...and some personal research, not just wikipedia...tho this link gives info on the doco: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasland Frankly, I'm not interested in living in a pockmarked, toxic QLD. The coal seam gas industry in Australia & the governments are gonna have to provide a heckuva lot more positive info to change my view. Resource addiction can blind alot of pollies...and those who financially benefit from selling land. N'

nasking

21/10/2011Whoops, here's the defense: [b]Origin Energy defends coal seam gas[/b] http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/business/items/201110/s3344739.htm N'

Ad astra reply

21/10/2011Folks I'll be out for a couple of hours shopping.

NormanK

21/10/2011Slightly edited, truncated transcript of Alan Jones' address to the National Press Club is available here (in 3 parts): http://freetexthost.com/xankr1w16d http://freetexthost.com/iw4qn1ehf0 http://freetexthost.com/xn1h4ajdzp

Sir Ian Crisp

21/10/2011What an outstanding piece from AA once more. His article foretells a dark future if this Abbott fellow is not imprisoned forthwith. Let’s forget about a trial; just lock him up. The minute I read AA’s piece I realised that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll, Head of the Consortium of Peoples, Defender of the Faith was to hold a meeting with Abbott the louche. Sensing trouble I was granted an audience with the Queen and I warned her about Abbott and his rotten behaviour. The Queen said it was too late to cancel the meeting but she would be guarded in what she would discuss with Abbott. She then looked at me in a way which indicated to me that a question was about to follow. She told me quite candidly that one of the royal jet engines had overheated on her royal plane. I told her an incident like that probably could be traced back to Abbott. She also told me that they ran out of champagne on the trip over and I said it was Abbott once again. The bloke is a serial pest and he needs to be incarcerated. I’ll bet many Australians are wishing for a return of capital punishment. AA, if you can't find a shopping trolley it's Abbott's fault. Apparently he has taken them all and won't release them until $5,000 is deposited into the Liberal Party of Australia election fund.

NormanK

21/10/2011A bit along the lines of coming up with a clever rejoinder two hours after its use-by date but in reverse, I wonder if Tony Abbott hasn't done something a little silly in his audience with the Queen? Was Her Majesty using a simple psychoanalytic trick of word association? "Interesting times" I believe she said as an opening gambit. Mr Abbott could have responded with reference to: ➠ the death of Gaddafi and the future of Libya ➠ Greece and the Eurozone crisis ➠ the Occupy Everything movement ➠ the political gridlock and uncertain future in the U.S. ➠ global warming and the 'new' hole in the Ozone Layer ➠ the natural disasters that are plaguing the planet ➠ the Rugby World Cup :) ➠ domestic politics and his part in them What was uppermost on Mr Abbott's mind in these tumultuous times as he sat down for a Royal chinwag? Why, Tony Abbott of course. I wonder if he will do what I have done so many times in my life when the penny drops 2 hours later - "oh bugger, she might have been referring to ............ and not me after all".

Casablanca

21/10/2011CLIMATE | [b]"Kerrigan Clause"[/b] may be no bar to Abbott's pledge [i]An Abbott government may well be able to repeal the carbon tax without paying compensation to the holders of carbon units. Fergus Green explains how.[/i] http://inside.org.au/kerrigan-clause-may-be-no-bar-to-abbott-pledge/

Casablanca

21/10/2011Great speech in progress from our PM ABC 24

Jason

21/10/20118:30am Sky News 601 - Australian Agenda On Sky News Australian Agenda ... awaiting confirmation of program line up. 8:38am Ch7 - Weekend Sunrise - The Riley Diary This week on the Riley Diary, Mark Riley observes as the Red Queen meets the other Queen. Should she have done the courtesy curtsy? Or would that have been bowing to acrance tradition? 8:40am Ch9 - Today on Sunday - The Laurie Oakes Interview The weekly Laurie Oakes interview is in hibernation until further notice. 9:00am ABC1 & on ABC News 24 - Insiders On Insiders this Sunday, Barrie Cassidy interviews the Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten. On the panel: the SMH’s Lenore Taylor, The Australian’s Niki Savva and the Advertiser’s Mark Kenny. And Mike Bowers talks pictures with blogger for The Australian, Jack the Insider. 10:00am ABC1 & on ABC News 24 repeated @ 5.30pm - Inside Business This week on Inside Business ... awaiting confirmation of program line up. 10.00am Ch10 everywhere but Canberra at 4.30pm - The Bolt Report - Check local program guides for encore performance timings later in the day This week on The Bolt Report UN Special Adviser on Cyprus and former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer talks to Andrew. On the panel, former NSW Treasurer Michael Costa & former Liberal MP Ross Cameron. Also, indigenous activist Bess Price. 10.30am Ch10 everywhere but Canberra at 4.00pm - Meet the Press - Check local program guides for encore performance timings later in the day. Paul Bongiorno is joined by panelists; Alison Carabine from Radio National and Malcolm Farr from news.com.au Together they interview Senator Opposition Leader Eric Abetz, and Transport Workers Union National Secretary Tony Sheldon.

Acerbic Conehead

21/10/2011AA, Thank you, great analysis as usual. I reckon that picture of King Canute deserves a caption competition. I'll start it off. I reckon old King Tones is saying: "Sheesh! Has that bloody chaff bag not sunk yet!"

TalkTurkey

21/10/2011 Royalty Eh . . The Cleverest Thing I Ever Said When I was in Grade Four, Australia was abuzz with the news: The Queen is coming to Adelaide! Every day we had to go out onto our all-bitumen schoolyard to practise a sort of square-dance jig thing - with the GIRLS, even! - to the tune of The Cuckoo Waltz. It is branded into my memory. Da DA Dah! Da DA dah! Da DA-da da-dudda Dahhh! We did it day in day out for MONTHS, true. "Now when you do this in front of the Queen (et cetera, blah blah). . . " Mr Frick kept telling us, for we knew that schools from all over Adelaide would be there with us in one huge demonstration of our adoration and our splendid physiques. It never happened. It all got cancelled for us plebs. Zip. We got given a little New Testament. O joy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I was in Grade SEVEN, Her Majesty was due to come again! I was at a school where more than half the kids were the spawn of Ten Pound Poms, living in a nissen-hut migrant hostel just down the road, (and many of these people had really improved the society of Merrie England by the leaving of it.) They were really rough and tough, poor and mean, but they were oh-so-loyal to the country which had offered them nothing and been only too pleased to lose them, and they loved the Queen like she was their own Nanny. Anyway the day came around, it was high summer and hot. All the kids from Reception up were loaded into buses - this is a school of about eight hundred kids, two-and-a-half Grade Sevens, classes each of FIFTY kids, (as I myself had occasion to teach later!) and the youngest of course being five-year-olds. It took a long time to load the buses, then the ride to Wayville Showgrounds was about eight slow miles through the middle of the hot city, and at last we pulled up at the jumping-off place, outside the oval where She was due to give us the honour of her presence. It was alongside the Animal Barns where the prize pigs and cows and other critters got judged, and it was on dry dusty dirt, with a North-facing iron wall behind us, in the sun, hundreds of kids standing and waiting. Of all the schools we were the first there, so they put us on the very far end so other later schools could be marshalled conveniently in front of us. We waited. Schools kept arriving and getting slotted in front of us, we all waited. More and more schools, thousands and thousands of kids. It was very hot, dust puffed up if you shuffled your feet, and all the kids were getting thirsty. Some of the little kids started to cry. We big kids, I must say, did very well trying to comfort them, but there wasn't much we could do. Our teachers, Mr Hall and Mrs Wallwork, tried to fetch us drinks but there were only a couple of glasses that could be found and the taps were fifty yards away and utterly crowded with uncontrolled other schools' kids who really did need a drink too but my school needed it most because we'd been there longest. No good. Several kids including in my own class fainted. There was no help for them except to get us bigger kids to carry them into the bit of hot shade some distance away. One little tiny boy came up to Mrs Wallwork, the other Gr7 teacher, and said in a tiny little shy voice, pointing gravely to another tiny kid who was in tears, "Please Miss Wallwork, 'e done a wee!" (it was EXACTLY those words, I will never forget!) and there was this poor little boy who would have to have wet pants for hours standing there crying his eyes out, my heart went out to him. Our poor teachers were beside themselves with trying to do something for the most distressed kids, but we were hemmed in and helpless. We were there for probably an hour and a half, standing in close concentration. At last the crowd started to move at the far-distant end of the assembled school groups - the last were first, and the first were last, just like in the Bible, and it took quite a while even for our school to start shuffling off to the oval entry gate, and at a snail-pace even then. We had the dust of tens of thousands of kids before us, it was hot, we were thirsty, kids in tears, shuffle shuffle shuffle, dust clouds, shuffle shuffle . . . . . . It was then I thought of The Cleverest Thing I Ever Said: I pointed my head downwards so I was fairly hidden, and yelled, MOOOOOOO!!! INSTANTLY other kids took it up! Maa-aa! MOOOOOO! BAA-AA-AA! THOUSANDS of kids! It went viral within seconds! Kids started scuffing their feet surreptitiously deliberately, dust rose like in a big cattle drive, just about everyone was doing it. A few kids started barking like dogs, there was neighing of horses and grunting lke pigs, chooks cackling, and many many sheep and cattle! The teachers were in a panic, running around trying to shut us all up. But it was like punching holes in water, as quick as we were silenced in one part other kids started up again elsewhere, we were suddenly all laughing and loving it, the discomfort notwithstanding, and the insurrection lasted ten or so minutes, nearly all the way to the main gate. Every kid knew just what we were saying, and every kid was a revolutionary! I know Mr Hall was secretly delighted too, he earnt a lot of kudos with me that day. So I knew now that the other kids like me were Republicans after all, and that forever they would feel as I have forever myself ever since then, that the Royals were privileged parasites and horrible hypocrites and I want an end to them and I want their symbol erased from the flag of my country. When we finally got into the showgrounds we were the last and we were also the last this time, at the back in the bleachers and still standing in the sun. All the shaded stands were empty, but then got occupied by kids in private school uniforms, who were sneaked in late by a different gate, with the bluest nearest the front, but I didn't really mind - MUCH! - knowing as I did that She was going to get a stony reception from all my staunch kid compatriots when She came at last to grace us with her radiance. In She came at last, in her black Roller, open top, ZOOM! around the oval at about 30 MPH, not even looking our way as they sped past, and my staunch troops, what did they do, they bloody-well CHEERED Her like you never heard kids cheer before in allyour life! I knew then that the Republic was never going to be easy . . . I really did . . . from age 12. [i][b]MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!![/b][/i]

TalkTurkey

21/10/2011AC King Cannot is saying Never mind the bloody water, [i]STOP THAT #*CKING BOAT![/i] Ad As you may see from your photo, Canute was a ranga. No redhead who survives past early childhood is dumb, not like some hair non-colours I could name. You'd have to be dumb to think you could turn back the tide, [i]ergo[/i], Canute was giving the sycophants a royal finger.

2353

21/10/2011King Cannot is actually saying: Oi Jules - Nauru is that way!

NormanK

21/10/2011King Cannot: "Forward men!! Trust me, the Lodge is that way!"

Feral Skeleton

21/10/2011Good evening all! Like Talk Turkey, I had a bit of a brain fade today, after the combination of the introduction of Daylight Saving, the start of a new school term, equalling the fact that I am now getting up at what used to be 4.30am a few weeks ago, but still not feeling tired until what is now 11.30pm at night, plus having driven here, there and everywhere this week for one reason or another. So I have slept most of the afternoon in the warm Spring heat here in Sydney, and just done a bit of reading. As a result, I'll just include these stories for your perusal which I found informative(especially the one about California going to Cap and Trade, so there Tony Abbott!): http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/20/cap-and-trade-emissions-california?CMP=twt_fd http://spongeist.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/short-newspaper-companies-long-journalism/ http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/the-empire-finds-its-niche-20111019-1m7wy.html http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/abbotts-aggression-may-come-back-to-bite-the-liberals/story-e6frea83-1226172313063 Enjoy!

Feral Skeleton

21/10/2011Might I also add that I watched the Queen's Reception at Parliament House and listened to the speeches by both the PM & Tony Abbott. The PM looked lovely in her Ivory Silk Satin suit with a beautiful diamond broach. :)

Ad astra reply

21/10/2011Folks Thank you for your clever comments, kind remarks and links. We should be proud of our ranga PM today doing the honours for HM the Queen. Sir Ian Change 'Abbott' to 'Gillard' and the gender references in what you wrote, and you will see what Labor supporters have had to endure since Julia Gillard became PM.

Ad astra reply

21/10/2011Jason Thank you for Sunday's programs. Niki Savva again! {i]Insiders[/i] does scrape the bottom of the barrel and bring up the dregs! I'm calling it a day.

NormanK

21/10/2011[b]2011 Andrew Olle Media Lecture - Laurie Oakes[/b] by Laurie Oakes [quote]Laurie Oakes, a veteran journalist with some 47 years of media experience presented the 2011 Andrew Olle Media Lecture for 702 ABC Sydney.[/quote] http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/10/21/3345509.htm

TalkTurkey

21/10/2011Did everyone else wet themselves with mirth at Limpy Crisp's post? Oh, it was so funny! He must have received his elevation as Peer for humour, and he's still peeing now! Abbortt isn't looking real flash, whaddayez all reckon eh? He's like a pig at a wedding feast eh, no sense of decorum, nothing finer at all about him, he is a boor and nothing more. You'd think a spitlicker like him would at least know how to behave around Liz but he's off his tree with powerlust and he can't see anything beyond that one fixation. So a conversation with her becomes a photo-op to whinge about how hard a life he has and how unjust it all is, [i]Oh Please say something to comfort me please please Auntie Lizabeth[/i] One of the main facts of the Dismissal in 1975 was Whitlam's comments at the time, "The Queen would never have done it." She must have been dismayed at Kerr's coup, not that I personally care about her feelings much at all, but here you go again, it's the Liars Party born-to-rulers who break hard-won jurisprudential traditions and who despite their posturing have no finesse in diplomacy. It's fun this, because the people who criticised *J*U*L*I*A* for not curtseying, FFS, are the very same ones who won't be too impressed with Abbortt's yobbery. Me love it.

Jaeger

22/10/2011TT - I'm sure you're right; the "Queen of Etiquette" (I didn't vote for her...) probably did have something to say about the performance of Homuncio horribilis, but the media have moved on.

Gravel

22/10/2011I saw on TV news a great picture of our PM and the Queen, they both looked radiant and happy in each others company. Can't remember what was said, but they say a picture paints a thousand words. Talk Turkey Thanks for your memories. Unfortunately people are like cows or sheep. Follow the herd, no individual thought. Until such time as something happens then all wrath will rein down, just like in Libya.

TalkTurkey

22/10/2011I am not so very shocked by Gaddafi's lynching, it was what I expected as indeed did Geoffrey Robertson. What shocks me is the near-universal glee on all sides. Summary execution is MURDER, I object to capital punishment but this is worse still, how can so many rejoice at this outcome? I see the price of oil may go down as a result. O yeah.

Michael

22/10/2011Bad Abbott by proxy. Read this wishful tosh http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/coalition-lines-up-against-labor-on-the-economy/story-e6frgd0x-1226173332492 and gag.

Acerbic Conehead

22/10/2011NormanK, Not sure if you're doing links today, but here is the most recent "Beautiful Set of Numbers" from The Finnigans on Poll Bludger. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2011/10/20/morgan-53-5-46-5-to-coalition-3/comment-page-30/#comment-1064599 ReCaptcha Bingo: iviktio cherisher Sounds like a Harry Potter spell.

TalkTurkey

22/10/2011At 8.43 AM Bushfire Bill posted the following on Poll Bludger. At 9.46 AM it was rolled over by the next swatch of posts . . . [It must have taken a lot longer to "receive" it than it took to get rolled over.] Anyway BB I reckon your stuff is worth double-posting, on TPS it's not quite so [i]fwtt![/i] as on PB. [Oh and btw the daughter of " my say ", one of my favourite posters on PB, had a daughter by caesarean in the last couple of days. All is not well with them, they all have my best wishes and if there is anyone reading this who also writes on PB I would appreciate it if you would pass on my/our hopes for a happy outcome. (Not sure that's the best word but, well, . . .) [u]Now, over to Bushfire Bill's surprising leaked doco[/u]: Received this in error this morning via email. Unfortunately only got the first page… LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA Major Event Talking Points, October 2011 * Royal Visit * CHOGM * Obama Visit Overall Aim: To counter any positive poll movement that may be gained by PMJG from visits/events involving overseas dignitaries. Priority: TOP-AA Restricted Access: refer B. Loughane for access and permissions Item #1: Royal Visit AIM: Turn it into a farce. METHODS: (a) If PMJG curtsies: label her “hypocrite”, “does not have courage of republican convictions”, “disgrace to Australia”. (b) If PMJG does NOT curtsy: label her “ideologically besotted republican”, “rude”, “uncaring as to health of octagenarian Royal hand by setting bad example of shaking hands”, “disgrace to Australia”. (c) Check for {hat|gloves} worn by PMJG on every occasion. Omissions to be noted using words such as “bogan”, “gaffe”, “disrespectful” (see a and b above). Note: Abbott wife MUST wear gloves/hat and MUST curtsy. No exceptions (d) Organize friends in the media to praise any speech by T. Abbott as “meaty”, “witty”, “wide ranging”, “better than Gillard’s {dull|plodding|hypocritical|overblown} words”. (e) Negative coverage of “dead” republican movement, emphasizing this was “Labor wet dream”. (f) TA to engage HM in “political” chat, with emphasis on “knockabout” nature of LOTO, “robustness of debate” etc. Clips of Queen nodding (as if in agreement) optional but desirable. Note: ANY political chat by PMJG to be “condemned” as “demeaning HM’s ‘exalted’ position as Q of A”. If none, then attempt to find some. {Hadley|Smith|Jones|Others} will take it from there. RESOURCES (NB: non-exclusive list): Dress code: {Savva|Women’s Weekly|try for Kyle&Jackie – long shot} “Fat arse”: {usual tradies|general male callers} Curtsy: {Dally-Watkins|usual shock jocks|”tradies”|”old soldiers who fought for Queen and Country”|”Plummy Voice”} (executive choice on a roster basis) as callers. >>>>NO FLINT<<<<, TA Speech: {Grattan|Murphy} ——————————- Item #2: CHOGM AIM: Destroy CHOGM as meaningful forum by humiliating PMJG…………… ………..

TalkTurkey

22/10/2011Michael You warned me at 10.01 but it still took me by disgust. The MSM trying to tell us that vomit is manna!

Bilko

22/10/2011Hi to all fellow Swordsters. I lurk a lot but post infrequently, but this post AA was to good not to pass by without a well done comment. Re Canute I was stationed at RAF Thorney Island in the 60's lovely spot but being a whippersnapper did not see much of it as I was away at weekend courting my young lady now my wife of 50yrs.So the Canute reference was new and I thank you for it. Re Abbott I still maintain he will never be PM he is an out and out fruit loop, however IF the general voter fruitloops do push him through the gates of Kirribilli he will not dismantle the laws passed but will just say in classic rodenti the times have changed and so have I. BB's (1468 approx) in Pollbludger today Lieberal party doco(spoof it may be) but does reflect the noise coming from that bunch of F**wits. cheers all

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011What a desperate whacker that Ross Fitzgerald is. The Coalition have 'successfully' framed the 'Carbon Tax' as all about 'Cost of Living Pressures'? WHAT COST OF LIVING PRESSURES'??? Everyone I know has more money thans ense atm, goes on holidays at the drop of a hat, buys new cars if the fancy takes them, puts the kids in Private Schools to get away from the hoi polloi at the Public Schools, has Private Medical Cover, expensive clothes, goes out to restaurants whenever they feel like it, has big pools in their backyards, a Holiday House on the Coast, a Boat, Braces on all their kid's teeth. Sheesh! THEY'RE SELF-INDUCED 'COST OF LIVING PRESSURES'!!! AND ALL ABBOTT, HOCKEY AND ROBB HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DOING IS MAKE THEM FEEL SORRY FOR THEMSELVES AND BE EMBITTERED ABOUT 10% OF THEM HAVING TO PAY ABOUT $6/WEEK TO HELP STABILISE THE GLOBAL CLIMATE. What a greedy bunch of fools. The Australian and it's mealy-mouthed bunch of trollumists can go get a room with the Coalition behind a paywall, and leave the governing of the country up to the adults in the government.

Glorfindel

22/10/2011Has there ever been a more destructive politician in Australian political history than Tony Abbott? May I vote for Gillard, Julia. Destroyer of the Rudd government, destroyer of Labor majority rules, destroyer of the parties credibility. And in seeking the East Timor opps, PNG opps Malaysia, opps Tony please help solutions the destroyer of Labor policy.

NormanK

22/10/2011I for one will be making my best efforts to communicate to News Ltd my gratitude for their contribution to social reform through their new pre-commitment system. When addicts such as myself sit down at their computer now they will be asked how much of their sanity they are willing to risk in the quest for worthwhile news and what price they might pay for the privilege. Since the answers (in the cold light of morning before the frenzy of searching out new opinions in the hope of hitting the jackpot) are 'none' and 'nothing', it will be so much easier to avoid falling into the trap of opening that first link. As any addict knows, it is easy for the compulsive side of our personalities to convince the rational side that it won't hurt to open just one link. "I know when to stop. Trust me, as soon as you are uncomfortable with our losses or over-consumption we will pack up and leave." Yeah, right! Now that decision is taken out of our hands. With the cost of living going through the roof :) it will be a choice between paying for poison news or buying a slice of bread to go with that can of baked beans for dinner. It becomes a choice between brain farts and the other more natural kind.

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011What an apt point Glorfindel has made about Tony Abbott. That is, that through his obstructiveness has flowered great policy(even though I still believe that the Malaysian Regional Arrangement would have been the best Asylum Seeker solution, if down the track). Tony Abbott said, "No NBN!" Tony Windsor said, "I'll go with Labor, so Tamworth and Armidale can get the NBN, thanks." As a result, Australia will probably end up with an NBN. :) Seminally, Tony Abbott said, "No 'Carbon Tax'!" So Adam Bandt and The Greens came on board with Julia Gillard and worked up the CPRS. Soon to pass the Senate and give Australia 'World's Best Practice' Climate Change action, roughly equivalent to California's system. Tony Abbott said, "No Mandatory Pre-Commitment!" Andrew Wilkie, former Young Liberal, came on board with Julia Gillard after the election, and, hopefully, we will have Problem Gambling control next year. Tony Abbott said, "No changes to Parliamentary Practice!" So Rob Oakeshott negotiated a "New Paradigm' with Julia Gillard and helped her form a Minority Government. Tony Abbott said, "No Offshore Processing of Asylum Seekers!" So now we have Onshore Processing and Community Detention. Finally, it looks like the Labor government will be legislating for Same Sex Marriage before the end of this parliamentary term, and you know who would never say "Yes" to that. :D

Gravel

22/10/2011NormanK But how will we cure our addiction to The Political Sword. :-) Feral Skeleton You have condensed the last 12 months in to so few words. Well done. :-)

Ad astra reply

22/10/2011[b]Political Sword Media Mash[/b] Folks Michael has drawn attention to this article by Ross Fitzgerald in [i]The Australian[/i] today, 22 October: [i]Coalition lines up against Labor on the economy[/i]. Michael describes it as ‘wishful tosh’, a fitting descriptor. I thought it lent itself to critical analysis, as it is an article that says almost nothing new, provides almost no supporting evidence, is almost devoid of reasoning, and constitutes simply just one man’s opinion. We are expected to take it as gospel, yet it is just a polemic in support of the Coalition by Fitzgerald, who is emeritus professor of history and politics at Griffith University and the author of 35 books. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/coalition-lines-up-against-labor-on-the-economy/story-e6frgd0x-1226173332492 [i]”When Labor finally got its carbon tax through the lower house, the government rightly was quite relieved. But astute political watchers were taken aback, indeed amazed, at the level of self-congratulation and jubilation that followed.”[/i] [b]So Fitzgerald, being by his own definition a ‘astute political watcher’, was amazed. What’s so amazing about being delighted at the legislation’s passage? The matter of climate change and an emissions trading scheme has been on the political agenda for a decade, has had the support of the Howard Government, the then Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, even Tony Abbott on and off (currently off), has been held responsible for the political demise of a PM and a Leader of the Opposition, has been previously rejected, and has finally been passed narrowly by a minority government after a protracted deliberative process, against trenchant Coalition opposition, and Fitzgerald is ‘amazed’ at the pleasure exhibited by those responsible. Where has he been?[/b] [i]“It's one thing to mark the passing of key legislation. Both political parties have done that: take as examples Mabo, Wik, the sale of Telstra and the GST. But the scenes witnessed when the carbon tax was narrowly passed through this federal parliament may prove quite damaging for Labor in time.”[/i] [b]Fitzgerald asserts that the ‘self-congratulation and jubilation’ [i]may[/i] prove [i]‘quite damaging’[/i] for Labor. Nothing too definite there, so is this just wishful thinking?[/b] “[i]Seeing those images on the television or in the newspapers the next day simply reminded voters that 14 months after Labor promised there'd be no such tax, Julia Gillard's unstable government had done the complete opposite.[/i]” [b]Here Fitzgerald adds his little dig about ‘no carbon tax under any government I lead’, in case we’ve forgotten. And he throws in ‘unstable’ for good measure, without the slightest shred of supporting evidence of instability in this minority Government that has already passed over 200 bills. He knows that such casually inserted words stick in people’s minds, and that no ‘proof’ is required.[/b] [i]”The Coalition's attack on the carbon tax, led by Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey, has framed the debate as an economic issue. The Opposition Leader and his Treasury spokesman have taken every opportunity to link the carbon tax to cost of living pressures. They've highlighted the effect of the tax on the hip pocket and at a time when households are already under more than enough financial pressure, successfully painted the carbon tax as an economic matter, not an environmental fix.”[/i] [b]At least that is factually correct, but so what? We are well aware of that. There must be some point in him reminding us. Let’s read on.[/b] “[i]It's no accident that at the same time the Coalition is extending its lead over Labor as the preferred economic manager. Abbott and Hockey are defying many of their critics. Hockey in particular has stepped up to the plate and is strongly delivering as Australia's alternative treasurer. Since the budget in May, he has had the government on the run over its promise to deliver a surplus.”[/i] [b]So here’s the point – the Coalition is leading on ‘economic management’ in the polls, and is ‘extending’ its lead – Fitzgerald says so, so it must be true. And what’s more, ‘Hockey has stepped up to the plate’! What on earth is that supposed to mean? I might ‘step up to the plate’ on the baseball field, but my chances of hitting a home run would be almost zero. So it is with Hockey – we are interested in home runs not ‘stepping up’. Fitzgerald thinks he is ‘strongly delivering’, but we might ask what [i]is[/i] he delivering. Lots of noise and bluster certainly, but please refer me to any coherent and credible statement he has made on the state of Australia’s economy and his plans for its future. There may be one or two, but you might have difficulty finding them amongst the dross. Has he had the Government ‘on the run’? Fitzgerald thinks so, but does anyone else? Having mixed his metaphors we could be excused for musing that words like ‘on the run’ might remind people how many home runs the Government has scored – over 200. To me Hockey looks and sounds like an economic goon – remember ‘the goons’?[/b] “[i]While economists may argue the merits or otherwise of returning the budget to surplus in 2012-13, politically it's a big issue for the Gillard government and Hockey's sharp political antenna has zeroed in on this. His repeated calls on the government to stand by its commitment has seen this promise transform into an objective, an expectation, a determination, a plan and a guiding principle. So successful has been the attack that Wayne Swan has retreated, saying he'll give it "his best shot".[/i] [b]'Sharp political antenna' indeed; have you ever seen it? Is there anything sharp about Hockey? And to attribute to Hockey’s ‘attack’ Wayne Swan’s use of cautious words overlooks everything that is happening in the global world of finance and debt. Good heavens, does Fitzgerald really believe Swan is changing his rhetoric because of Hockey’s ‘attack’? Really![/b] “[i]Whether on the surplus, the carbon and mining taxes, cost of living pressures, unemployment, the lack of productivity reforms, government waste or banking, the Coalition is taking the fight to Labor. While tensions are emerging in Labor's economic team, the Coalition is showing no sense of disunity. Hockey is leading the charge to find the necessary savings to pay for the Coalition's election commitments. Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb is co-ordinating the policy review process, and two West Australians - Abbott's steel-eyed deputy Julie Bishop and up and coming senator Mathias Cormann, opposition assistant treasury spokesman - have been keeping the heat on the federal government over the mining tax. Add to that opposition spokesman on tax reform Tony Smith, a former Peter Costello adviser, and it shapes as an impressive fiscal and economic line-up.”[/i] [b]This is where Michael’s use of the descriptor ‘tosh’ is so apt. The Coalition is ‘taking the fight’ to the Government on some of the issues he mentions, but tell me when and how its is taking up the fight on unemployment at just over 5%, on banking, even on productivity reforms? Joe is loudmouthed but I can’t recall hearing any world-shattering statements on these subjects. Tell me too what signs there are of 'tension’ in the Labor economic team. This is arrant nonsense inserted so that the uniformed reader will believe it to be so. Fitzgerald may be right that there is no disunity in the Coalition economic team; they are all tarred with the same bizarre brush; all believing they are the masters of the economy, all believing they can find $70 billion in savings in the budget and bring it back to surplus faster than Labor, all believing that they can go on their merry way irrespective of the chaos and uncertainty in global financial markets, all convinced they can manage Australia’s economy, just like they did before, although the economic environment is nothing like it was before. And can you dig ‘steel-eyed’ deputy Bishop, as if being ‘steel-eyed’ was a desirable attribute, and ‘up and coming’? Cormann might be ‘coming’, but from what I have heard of him, he’s a long way off arriving.[/b] “[i]Abbott will be buoyed by the latest polling numbers showing his team leads Labor as the preferred managers of almost all key issues. It's quite remarkable the Coalition is now viewed by voters as better placed than the ALP to manage the traditional Labor strongholds of health and education. Above all, Abbott is increasingly confident his talented economic team well and truly has Labor's measure.[/i] [b]Do you think Ross that this poll result might not be surprising after all the fear, uncertainty, doubt, misinformation and lies that Abbott has spread for over a year? And do you really feel ‘talented’ is the right word with an admittedly ‘economically illiterate’ leader, a shadow treasurer whose utterances evoke no feelings of confidence among economists that he knows what he’s talking about, and a shadow finance minister who makes almost no statements that could be judged as economically coherent, and joins with Hockey in the fantasy of Coalition ‘savings’ that have been shown repeatedly to have massive black holes, and which the Coalition refuses to subject to Treasury scrutiny?[/b] “[i]Come the next election, Australia's13.5 million voters will want to see competent policies on health, education, defence, border protection and the environment, but as in most elections, the economy will be centre stage. This is not to suggest these other issues do not matter to voters, but without a strong balance sheet, no government can afford responsibly to fund them. The Coalition knows this and is determined to show the electorate that it is ready to govern.[/i] [b]Of course the electorate will want to see some decent policies, so the Coalition had better get cracking. I suppose because there is so little to show so far in policy development (Robb is of course ‘working on it’), that Fitzgerald homes in on ‘the economy’, where he believes the Coalition has such a substantial edge.[/b] “[i]Abbott and Hockey have committed to returning the budget to surplus, repealing the carbon tax and scrapping the mining tax. They've promised to control government spending and slash what many of us have seen as profligate and wasteful Labor government spending.”[/i] [b]Here he gives himself away. If readers had thought this was a balanced and reasonable account, as soon as they read [i]‘slash what many of us have seen as profligate and wasteful Labor government spending’[/i], they should realize that this is no more than a flimsy partisan puff piece.[/b] “[i]Hockey is particularly focused on this task. After all, he's got the job of making the sums add up and is determined to appeal to voters' hip pockets come election day.”[/i] [b]He sure has to make the sums add up, and so far his arithmetic has been pretty sloppy.[/b] [i]“You can almost hear the slogan now: "Tax cuts, no carbon tax." “As the election nears, this mantra will be repeated again and again. “As the Democrats constantly reminded voters in the 1992 US presidential campaign: "It's the economy, stupid."[/i] [b]So wanting ever to be helpful, Fitzgerald offers a handy, albeit awkward slogan. I’m sure the Master of Slogans will do much better than that. And in case we missed the point of his piece that it’s all about the economy, where the Coalition is so superior and must therefore prevail, he repeats the Clinton slogan. For a retired professor, so illustrious that he has been honoured with the prefix ‘emeritus’, to write such tosh, is not just amazing, it is demeaning. If a student of his were to have submitted such an essay, it would have been returned with a demand for a rewrite. Fitzgerald knows full well how decent pieces are written. He knows that facts and reasoning are their backbone. Yet he writes this partisan tosh. Synonyms for ‘tosh’ are ‘rubbish, ‘nonsense’, ‘baloney’, ‘bilgewater’, ‘bosh’, ‘drool’ – take your pick.[/b]

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011Tony Abbott's parallel universe where nothing is real: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ignore-all-facts-and-just-run-with-the-bluster-20111021-1mc4m.html

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011Ad Astra, I think I'll take 'drool' in the Delusional Coalition Boosters Cup Sweep. :D

2353

22/10/2011This is an interesting read - from someone who knew Bolt quite well apparently in the 80's. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/bolt-from-the-past-a-heartfelt-history-lesson-to-the-man-i-loved-20111021-1mcio.html

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011Shaun Carney tentatively places some very light weights on Tony Abbott: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/blood-oath-reality-is-taking-abbott-out-of-comfort-zone-20111021-1mcim.html

NormanK

22/10/2011Lightweight is how I would describe Shaun Carney these days.

TalkTurkey

22/10/2011FS (You can't pick your nag in a sweep btw), I'm backing Sicko Fancy! I agree with Gravel, Bam! Bam! Bam! You nailed Tony's record for all to see, just as *J*U*L*I*A* has nailed him personally in all those lovely ways you mention. Isn't it good that the MSM is starting to [i]Oooh Errr [/i]about Abbortt, and mixed up in the tremors running through their ranks we get utterly insane articles like the one by this *Professor Emeritus of History and Politics at Griffith University* "and the author of 35 books", Ross Fitzgerald. Such is the quality of their "best" thinkers, mon Chien! Has anyone looked up the erudite Professor's works and record? I don't think I can be bothered. As I could not be bothered reading his entire article. How'd it start? Oh yeah: "When Labor finally got its carbon tax through the lower house, the government rightly was quite relieved. But [u]astute political watchers[/u] [i][all me and me Rightist mates] [/i]were [u]taken aback[/u] [i][gobsmacked][/i], indeed [u]amazed[/u] [i][confounded][/i], at the level of self-congratulation and jubilation that followed.”[/i] Why am I going to waste my dwindling hours on Professor Emeritus Ross Fitzgerald, who sounds marginally less credible than his tennis-playing idiot namesake now in the Rodent's old seat?

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011I got this list from The Washington Post of all the companies and institutions who believe in Anthrpogenic Global Warming: Dupont Duracell Earth Charter Initiative Earthjustice Eco-Justice Collaborative EcoHealth Alliance EcoLogic Development Fund Ecological Society of America Endangered Species International Environment America Environmental and Energy Study Institute Environmental Defense Fund Environmental Law Alliance World Wide EPA (Ireland) European Academy of Sciences and Arts European Environment Agency European Federation of Geologists European Geosciences Union European Physical Society European Science Foundation Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Exxon Mobil Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (Science and Technology Australia) Food and Agriculture Organization Ford Motor Company Friends of the Earth Fujitsu General Electric General Motors Genworth Life Insurance Geological Society of America Geological Society of London GlaxoSmithKline Global Citizen Corps Green America Greenfacts Greenpeace International Health and Environment Alliance Health Care Without Harm Honda HP IBM Global Services Ikea Indian National Science Academy, India Institute of Biology (UK) (Society of Biology) InterAcademy Council InterAction International Council of Nurses International Council on Mining and Metals (representing 19 member companies and 30 member associations) International Crisis Group International Doctors for the Environment International Federation of Medical Students' Associations International Monetary Fund International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) International Union for Quaternary Research Johnson Controls Kimberly-Clark KyotoUSA League of Conservation Voters Lego Levi Strauss & Co. LG Light Blue Line Madison Gas & Electric Marine Bio Merck Motorola Munich Re NASA National Academy of Sciences, U.S. National Audubon Society National Environmental Trust National Park Service National Resource Defense Council National Science Foundation National Snow and Ice Data Center Natural Science Collections Alliance Nature Canada New Mexico Solar Energy Association News Corporation Europe and Asia Oceana Ohio Environmental Council Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition Oil Change International Open Source Systems, Science, Solutions (OSS) Organization of Biological Field Stations Oxfam International Pacific Environment Parliament of Australia Pembina Institute (Canada) PepsiCo Pew Center on Global Climate Change Physicians for Social Responsibility Pontifical Academy of Sciences Presidents’ Climate Commitment (670 colleges and universities) Procter & Gamble Psychologists for Social Responsibility Public Citizen Rainforest Action Network RealClimate Reformed Church of America REI RioTinto Rolls-Royce Unrecommend Recommended by you ReplyReport chertz 5:30 AM EDT Root Capital Royal Bank of Scotland Royal Society of Canada Royal Society of New Zealand Royal Society, U.K. Russian Academy of Sciences SAB Miller Safe Climate Campaign Samsung Save Our Seas Foundation Science Council of Japan Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Shaklee Sierra Club Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Society of Systematic Biologists Soil Science Society of America Sony Standing Committee of European Doctors Stop Global Warming Virtual March Suncor (Canada) Surfrider Syngenta T-mobile (UK) Target Tennessee Valley Authority Thames Water The Aldo Leopold Foundation The Climate Group The Episcopal Church The Evangelical Climate Initiative The Humane Society The Nature Conservancy The Ocean Foundation The United Kingdom Environmental Change Network The White House The Wildlife Society Timberland (UK) Time for Change Time's UP! Toyota U-Haul U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service Unilever Union of Concerned Scientists Unitarian Universalist Association United Methodist Church United Nations, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change United States Conference of Catholic Bishops United States Global Change Research Program United Utilities (UK) University Corporation for Atmospheric Research University Corporation for Atmospheric Research UPS US Agency for International Development US Arctic Research Commission US Department of Transportation US Global Change Research Program Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute World Bank Group World Council of Churches World Federation of Public Health Associations World Health Organization World Medical Association World Meteorological Organization World Nuclear Association Xcel Energy http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-skeptical-physicist-ends-up-confirming-climate-data/2011/10/20/gIQA6viC1L_blog.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

Michael

22/10/2011I'm sorry, Feral Skeleton, but that list you printed is nonsense on stilts. Everybody knows that climate change is crap. The 'experts' on that list? Being on it is just a comment on the quality of them, rather than on the merits of the argument. You see, "yes" doesn't mean "yes" if your "yes" is crap. "No" cuts the crap. Simple. See, it's like homosexuality. I feel a little bit threatened, because I'm a man's man, but not a man's man, if you see the distinction. I'm a woman's man. My house is full of women, my office is full of them, too. Thing is, someone has to be at the apex of the pyramid, and that's me. At home, at work, for the nation eventually. You can't have a woman running things. OK, the Queen, right, but where would she have been without her husband, Phil, injecting humanity and irreverence into the stuffy institution of royalty? Takes a man, see, even for a woman like her, otherwise the balance is all out. Stands to reason, the bloke's there to do the injecting, see, to add the humanity to the situation. That's why we have to stop the boats, you get it? It's all about humanity, all about keeping the balance right in Australia, because these boats, they don't come from countries that are free market democracies, do they? They come from places where people aren't used to the freedoms we have in this country, they couldn't begin to appreciate them without something familiar for them to come to grips with first. Australian guards in Nauru introduce these people, through something they recognise, uniformed figures of authority, to our way of doing things. Just dropping them into our local communities right off the bat wouldn't do either side any good. And if they have to pay a carbon tax the moment they go down the shop, or fill up the car with unleaded, or pay the first week's rent, then they're in the same boat as every other Australian, and that boat's definitely one that has to be stopped, the SS Carbon Tax. So, we'll tell business not to invest in Clean Energy - what a joke that is! Ever seen an engine that doesn't put out exhaust? How stupid does the Government, this inept, shambolic, they should resign straight away, her first, lead from the front, RESIGN this prime minister, RESIGN - Clean Energy, plant trees, they suck all the carbon in, don't they? So, that long list of suckers you found, they're not worth their weight in trees, because, they're people. They breathe OUT carbon dioxide. At least trees suck it in. Anyway, how many of that mob are on the government teat, anyway, slurping up taxpayers' dollars? That's how independent they are! Experts, I've seen them come and go. And I'm still here. Who's the average Mum and Dad going to believe? The fly-in/fly-out 'expert', or the fair dinkum bloke who's been consistent for a decade or more? Conviction, that's what voters want. I've got it by the shovelful. They can smell it all over me. (As told over a manly beer to...)

TalkTurkey

22/10/2011FS Huh. I suppose anybody could get a list of a few minor companies like that. Let me tell you, they are out of step with the mainstream fish shop proprietors and pencil sharpener manufacturers who are going out of business as we speak because of the carbon tax. Poor petals.

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011Michael, I guess because God isn't on that list it's crap. :)

Feral Skeleton

22/10/2011Talk Turkey, Your reference to the Fish Shop proprietor reminded of the Kirsty McColl classic song: 'There's a Guy Works Down the Fish Shop Swears He's Elvis' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccs6D1npv3I&feature=related "He's a liar and I'm not sure about you":Ode to Tony Abbott :)

psyclaw

22/10/2011I was away all day and have just read the last 24 hours of TPS. Thanks to allall contributors. It was a great smorgasboard. And very importantly there were numerous bits of implicit evidence which continues to support the emerging feeling of many of us that the slow climb back up the hill is underway and conversely that Abbott the fool is over the top and steadily slipping down the other side. Personally I don't want to see him go to freefall for two reasons. The first is I think a PJK classic (someone else might confirm /correct) about "roasting him slowly". The second is that to the extent so many of his sycophantic mob are so energetically galloping blindly along with him (drunk with pugilistic adrenalin and their confidence in an inevitable 2013 victory) his demise should create some significant confusion when it finally happens. The closer to an election, the better.

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011psyclaw, Well may we say, Abbott=The Fool On the Hill. :)

Michael

23/10/2011Psyclaw's point is a good one - the closer to an election that the Abbott collective neurosis unravels, the better. I suspect, however, that whenever it happens it will leave the Coalition in such a split 'us and them' (of who tied themselves so tightly to Abbott they can never slime back [Julie Bishop aside, of course, the eternal shape-shifting "she's a good girl" Deputy Leader] and the others slightly less tainted) that nobody will be able to represent themselves as the leader of a coherent Opposition. The tumescent male urgency of Abbott and his merry (do NOT say 'gay') men to crush a female prime minister and all those implicitly weakened as men by following her, is spillingly clear to anyone with eyes to see. And yet, as Onan found, a lot of male energy can end up nowhere but on the ground. Abbott is a wrecker, but he's also a waster, and that wasting is of the Liberal Party itself - as a political party in any real collegiate sense; of the role of the Opposition as an alternative government; and in the damage it is doing to future Liberal Party politicians by defining political life as nothing more than the grab for power. Pragmatic - "you're in or you're nowhere"; ahead of embodying an ethos - "how do I contribute?".

Ad astra reply

23/10/2011Folks This morning I came across this headline in my [i]Wotnews[/i] list of items: [i]Abbott cannot keep promising his own useless cuts[/i] by Andrew Bolt Saturday, October 22 http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/abbott_cannot_keep_promising_his_own_useless_cuts I have longed stopped reading Bolt, but this heading attracted my attention. It turned out to be a comment, not by Bolt, but by the equally execrable Terry McCrann Take a deep breath and read what this economic wizard had to say: “[i]The claims that Julia Gillard and Bob Brown’s carbon tax will be virtually repeal-proof because an incoming Abbott government would face extended parliamentary hurdles and a massive multi-billion-dollar compensation bill are vastly and deliberately overstated… “The much bigger challenge for Abbott is to build a convincing narrative of why it is national madness to go down this general path (of cutting emissions)… “Such a narrative needs to operate on two levels. The first is that of the not simply pointless but highly damaging nature of our unilateral tax and consequent emissions trading scheme in a world which is not only not embracing mandatory global cuts to emissions, but won’t even have the operating market for permits that is a core part of our scheme..... To do as the government has done, to move not simply before the world does, but when it is blindingly clear that the world is not going to move, is the most egregious act of national self-harm we have ever seen in this country. It’s all pain and no gain. “Clear-cut and sensible, but also inadequate. Because of the great weakness and again quite frankly incoherence and plain silliness of the opposition’s climate change policy. We’re against the carbon tax but in full agreement with both the government’s core policy and the specific objectives. That’s essentially the insane and inane bipartisan commitment to the 20 per cent mandatory renewable energy requirement by 2020 and the 5 per cent emissions reduction target.... “No, what Abbott must do is lead the opposition to walk away from all this; to build a sustained narrative against the entire climate change orthodoxy, to go back to his core belief that “climate change is crap”, but this time based on substance.”[/i] [b]This excerpt further reinforces the battle climate scientists and rational economists have against the misinformation perpetrated by the likes of McCrann and of course Bolt, and Jones, and Hadley, and on the list goes. Perhaps the earth is flat after all[/b]

TalkTurkey

23/10/2011[b]*[u]Crassidy opens Lopsiders with 2 put-downs of Abbortt[/u]!*[/b] He WON'T be able to turn the boats around, and, He WON'T be able to repeal the Carbon Pricing Arrangements. Psyclaw, Keating's actual words were to the ill-starred John Hewson,[i]I want to do you slowly![/i] Company B I Wanna Do You Slowly Lyrics Paul Keating: I wanna do you slowly, holy moly I wanna turn you inside out, upside down and roundabout Wrap you up like ravioli, roly poly I wanna make you mine All good things take time... [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/company+b/i+wanna+do+you+slowly_20766129.html ] Dear boy, you know I've got your measure I'll take a while to take my pleasure Steam you like a lentil I can be so soft and gentle Boy, I know you want it fast But I... Keating and John Hewson: ... wanna make it last, ohh Keating: I wanna do you slowly, holy moly I wanna turn you inside out, upside down and roundabout Roll you round like a cannoli, roly poly Then it'll feel so right On election night On election night On election night... There are HEAPS of references to it, we all loved it at the time. :)

TalkTurkey

23/10/2011TheFinnigans and Bushfire Bill on Poll Bludger and TalkTurkey agree, in Spades! TheFinnigans said Precious moment. #TheInsiders opens with 2 negative Abbott stories... Bushfire Bill said Actually several negative Abbott stories. Looks like it was “Take Stock” week this week. No-one is yet prepared to call what Abbott is doing “stupid”, but it’s all being noted. When Abbott’s shenanigans become a subject of derision, then real progress is on the way. A couple more gaffes and it’s “Game On”. Yep. TalkTurkey is preening gleefully. It is as I have had in the script in my head ever since the election, not rocketry predictions though, it seems to me Abbortt was predestined for greatness only in his fall. The deep freeze of the MSM against the Government is melting, the truth of our nation's brilliant record is oozing out through the widening cracks in the solidarity of the mainstream media clique. And it's all exponential. I predict that the next polls, maybe the next-but-one but I think tomorrow's even, will show a significant lift for the Government, and not a good story for the Coalons. Yum. Even Nikki Savva seemed chastened and wisened, oops that is a double-edger if ever there was one . . ! . . Sorry, Old Girl. What do you think Ad astra, I'm sure you watched Lopsiders? Today's edition felt to me like the first hot day we had in Adelaide a few days ago, a sudden change, very much in our favour. The MSM's sense of self-importancee has taken a real hit, and rightly so. On the other hand, Bravo Lenore Taylor! Lyn, I hope you saw that show and enjoyed it too. And best wishes to you, we miss you. The Whales too.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2011TT Yes, I did watch [i]Insiders[/i] and agree with what you and BB have said. It was a more balanced program; even Niki Savva was more reasonable than usual. I agree with her that Tony Abbott is obliged to at least try to carry out his threat to repeal the carbon tax, and that if he doesn’t, or if he finds he can’t, he’s finished. Bill Shorten was good; Lenore Taylor was sensible as usual, Mark Kenny was too, and Niki Savva made some positive statements about Julia Gillard, and at least supported her in the stupid debate over the ‘Royal curtsy’. [i]Insiders[/i] was just another small step along the road towards portraying Abbott for what he is – a wrecking ball, a term I notice is being used more and more in the media.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2011Hi Lyn We all hope you are having a happy and relaxing time with your daughter and granddaughter and the family. NormanK is doing great job keeping you links going at their usual standard.

Gravel

23/10/2011I also watched insiders this morning. I was only going to watch Bill Shorten, got the shock of my life with the mash up thingy, and then decided, with finger poised on the off button, to stay and see what happens. Now I have to say, that is the type of thing Insiders used to do, give both sides a good go. What has been missing for the last what seems live forever, is having a go at the opposition. I feel good enough to download Albo on Meet the Press when it comes online. Hope I don't mozz the good vibes of today. Ad Astra Another good TPS mash up. Thank you. I don't and wouldn't have read that article, but enjoyed your interpretation of it. I have decided to start reading what was actually written, write to myself how I interpreted it, then read your interpretation, and see how I go.

Ad astra reply

23/10/2011Gravel Thank you for your comments. I expect you to enjoy yourself when you analyse some of the rubbish that passes for journalism in our MSM. Have fun.

Casablanca

23/10/2011The Andrew Ollie lecture by Laurie Oakes has just begun on ABC24

Psyclaw

23/10/2011T T Thanks for the PJK clarification It is a classic and it would very gratifying to see Abbott done slowly B

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Of course there is only one reason we have had the weights put on Mr Abbott a little more on Insiders today. Mr Abbott himself may be about to be challenged. We had to wait until the last seconds of the show to have this confirmed by perennial Liberal Insider, Niki Savva, however, if what my antenna have been picking up is correct, Mr Turnbull is again shaping up to snatch back the sceptre from Mad Dog Abbott. Let's look at the polls. The Liberal/National Coalition, generically, are ahead in the polls. Mr Abbott, specifically, has no traction. Has not improved his personal standing with the voters, except in the 'Preferred PM' stakes cf Julia Gillard, who is even starting to claw his lead there back. That 3 point gain in the last Newspoll would have been noticed in Coalition circles. It was statistically significant. Also, the Blood Oath and the Sovereign and Business Risk pronouncements wrt Investment certainty in the new money-making game in town, Carbon Permit Trading and Renewable Energy Investment. Nothing gives a Venture Capitalist and Investor the goosebumps more than getting in on the ground floor of an elevator going in one direction, Up! So, words in boardrooms and on top floors would have been said this week. Those words seem to have filtered through to Ms Savva, probably via her husband, a perennial NSW Liberal aid-de-camp and backroom boy. Also, I noticed a barely-mentioned interview this week, because it was on an out of the way ABC show, Newsline with Jim Middleton, that was a wide-ranging affair, covering all manner of policy areas, with one Malcolm Turnbull. There was also his speech in London, widely-reported in the local media here, a couple of weeks ago. Now, don't tell me that someone who could soldify the voting bloc for the Coalition with wavering voters, who may be considering going back to Labor, would not stay where they were if Mr T overthrew the Big A. As Laurie Oakes pointed out in his Andrew Olle lecture, which I watched today, it is the job of a good journalist to not merely recycle Press Releases and Spin Doctor and political party talking points, but to sniff the breeze of the winds of change and report it to the people. Which is what I am doing. :) (btw, he also said that if Press Gallery journos and political journalists in general didn't change their ways and start reporting again in the way described above, bloggers would have them for lunch eventually. :D ) ReCaptcha has it about right: RAIDERS

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Here's the exact quote about Bloggers from Laurie Oakes, courtesy of Waleed Aly and tveeder: [quote]"Bloggers will start to usurp the role of determining what's news" [/quote]

BSA Bob

23/10/2011Norman K at 1.09 on 22/10 Good one. Wish I'd thought of it.

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Here's the tveeder transcript of Laurie Oakes' lecture: http://www.tveeder.com/byrange?from=1319335620&to=1319338760

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011And no, I didn't copy this, otherwise I wouldn't be putting it up here now(jeez, I'm never going to live that one measley aberration down in my mind. Sigh): http://infrequentrant.blogspot.com/2011/10/compare-pair.html

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Bill Shorten Insiders i/w transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2011/s3346015.htm

NormanK

23/10/2011Not like I'm complaining or anything ;-) but the full transcript from Laurie Oakes' lecture has been up since October 21. 2011 10:15 PM. FS  On a Turnbull coup, I reckon it's far too early. Imagine inheriting marvellous polls for the Coalition and then declaring support for some sort of price on carbon. The polls would crash as all of the 'revolting' people believe themselves to have been betrayed by both sides of politics. Better to let the polls show more signs of turning (which they must) before mounting a bid. No moderate is going to be able to keep the 'Convoy of No Confidence' onside. BSA Bob A rare moment of lucidity prompted in part by the article from Ross Fitzgerald that Ad astra did a [b]Mash[/b] on. If I don't have to read that sort of partisan rubbish any more then I'm sure I will not only be better off but healthier as well.

Acerbic Conehead

23/10/2011I didn't see Bill Shorton on Inciters this morning. I hope he didn't allow Barrie to interrupt his answers with any questions.

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011NormanK, So what was Niki Savva on about? Which Cross Bencher is having tea and bikkies with which Opposition Front Bencher with a view too? Btw, where have the Convoy of No Consequence got to go? To Bob Katter's Mad Hatter Party? :D And, OK, I'll take my lumps over the Laurie Oakes transcript. Meanie. :)

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011And, speaking of Andrew Wilkie, talk about the NSW Coalition government being bought and paid for by Clubs NSW. Not only have they given them $300 MILLION from the Public Purse, to pay for their Community Services apparently(which I would have thought a better idea would be for the government to pay for that sort of thing), but they are also going to join forces to mount a High Court Challenge to the Pre Commitment legislation should the government succeed in getting it through the parliament. Talk about[b] Democracy For Sale.[/b]

NormanK

23/10/2011Feral Skeleton As with so much of what is recorded in opinion polls, when asked their voting intention many of the Convoy crowd are likely to register a protest vote of 'don't know' or 'other' and attempt to punish Mr T if he comes out in favour of pricing carbon. I am only referring to the polls and not actually an election where, as you say, they probably have nowhere else to go. Katter's party may prove to be a thorn in the Conservative's side. I'll have to watch what Savva had to say but I trust her about as far as I can throw her. 'Mean' is my middle name. :D Go the Kiwis!

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011NormanK, Is there a Rugby game on tonight? I thought the last one in the World Cup was played on Friday? ;-)

NormanK

23/10/2011FS You know that sports addicts will always find a justification for barracking for one team over another. I can't imagine a circumstance where I would support a French team. Maybe synchronised swimming. :) (Where are you DMW?) Southern Hemisphere wins! 8-7.

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Tony Abbott is right. The rest of the world is doing absolutely nothing about Renewable Energy or Climate Change, or bringing down Electricity prices: http://www.digitaltrends.com/green-technology/dow-ramps-up-production-of-solar-shingles-for-the-consumer/?utm_source=Digital+Trends+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fe65c84dd1-RSS_DAILY_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011NK, The All Blacks really do have a problem with Les Bleus, don't they? Oh well, it's on to England and Wales now in 2015. :)

Jason

23/10/2011Normank, I was viva la France! now the "all blacks" are a multiple world cup winner like us!

Feral Skeleton

23/10/2011Dragonista blog: 'Is the Tide Turning for Tony Abbott?' http://dragonistasblog.com/2011/10/23/is-the-tide-turning-for-tony-abbott/

Jason

23/10/2011FS, I was just looking at the same blog!

Ad astra reply

23/10/2011FS, Jason We are living in interesting times. Add to the Dragonistas blog the beginning of [i]Insiders[/i] this morning and the trend is becoming even better defined. Let's not get too excited, but the trend away from extolling Abbott seems to have begun.

NormanK

24/10/2011[b]TODAY'S LINKS[/b] [i]Now this is something you won't hear Tony Abbott be man enough to admit Petering North Coast Voices[/i] Video: Kevin Rudd at the APEC Women and the Economy Summit http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/2011/10/now-this-is-something-you-wont-hear.html [i]Bolt the revisionist caught in distortions of historical facts for personal gain! Jennifer Wilson No Place For Sheep[/i] Could it be that Andrew still smarts when he remembers Suzanne’s rejection of him as a husband and potential father of her children? Could publicly pretending to forget be Andrew’s revenge after all this time? Is it an indicator of Bolt’s pathological solipsism that it apparently did not occur to him that the woman he so cruelly dismissed might strike back and show him up for the dorky manipulative tosser he really is? http://noplaceforsheep.com/ [i]And now for a course in advanced self-pity ... Dorothy Parker Loon Pond[/i] And so on and so forth as the perfidious, bitter, unladylike woman, the Fairfax rags deep in slime, and socialists and totalitarians and barking PC dogs, the Labor party, lefties and such like cop a pounding, while poor, brave, sensitive, harassed and sullied Andrew Bolt has balm applied to his fevered brow, eyes lifted to the heavens in supplication at his suffering ... http://loonpond.blogspot.com/ [i]Going Beyond Zero Karin McGregor the comment factory[/i] What if I told you that a 100% emissions-free future was possible? And that we could get there soon? Really soon – within about ten years? And that it is actually possible to start right now, with existing technologies? And that it wouldn’t cost us the earth to do it? Would you fall off your chair laughing? http://www.thecommentfactory.com/going-beyond-zero-5935/ [i]Spain’s Gemasolar 24/7 Power Plant (VIDEO) Zachary Shahan CleanTechnica[/i] In July, when we wrote about Spain’s (and the world’s) first 24/7 solar power plant, Gemasolar, it was one of the most popular stories of the month. No wonder why. Getting to 24/7 with solar is pretty awesome. With resources we don’t quite have (yet), CNN dove into the specifics of the plant a little more recently with a video tour. http://cleantechnica.com/2011/10/08/spains-gemasolar-247-power-plant-video/ [i]California regulators give green light to carbon market Reuters Climate Spectator[/i] California regulators on Thursday approved final regulations for a carbon market that is one of the biggest U.S. responses to climate change. The state believes the market for greenhouse gases, which starts in 2013, will let it address global warming in a low-cost way and become the center of alternative energy industries, like solar, although some businesses fear higher energy prices. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/news/california-regulators-give-green-light-carbon-market [i]What if Oz is partially occupied already? Richard Tsukamasa Green Club Troppo[/i] Something that I think Jericho and Possum (and I) find particularly galling is intellectual laziness, whether from #occupyoz or from right wing equivalents. It’s not that the wonks are insiders who resent outsiders – those two owe what influence they have entirely to the openness of blogs – it’s that being informed isn’t really that hard. http://clubtroppo.com.au/2011/10/22/what-if-oz-is-partially-occupied-already/#more-17728 [i]Neoliberalism and OWS John Holbo Crooked Timber[/i] ..... once upon a time, there were debates about trade ‘liberalization’ – globalization – that used to divide neoliberals and liberals and progressives. Basically, the neoliberals were gung-ho for trade on the grounds that the alternative was protectionism that amounted to shooting your own foot, and didn’t do any good for the poor in the Third World. And the progressives saw jobs being outsourced, labor unions weakening. Liberals were those caught in the squishy middle, per usual. http://crookedtimber.org/2011/10/22/neoliberalism-and-ows/ [i]Internet excelling in publicness Crispin Hull[/i] You will have to pay for News Ltd online content. Wrong model. They won’t. If Fairfax follows suit so that nearly all Australian dailies are behind the paywall, it will invite competition. Hitherto newspapers – unlike virtually every other industry – have been spared the blowtorch of international competition. If the bulk of Australian online newspapers go behind the paywall, an international news company could easily set up a free site covering Australian news and scoop the advertising. http://www.crispinhull.com.au/2011/10/20/internet-excelling-in-publicness/#more-10033 [i]# 22 What Ailes America? Part 1: Training people to fear their elected government admin Uther's Say[/i] How can a country that has led the world in human advancement in so many fields including promoting freedom and human dignity, scientific and technological advancement, and in spiritual and cultural pursuits be reduced to the nation televised into living rooms across the world by News Corporation’s Fox News network. http://utherssay.com/2011/10/20/22-what-ailes-america-part-1-training-people-to-fear-their-elected-government/ [i]The media is not there to help Lindsay Tuffin Independent Australia[/i] ..... countless people every day thrust themselves willingly into its gaping maw, to be consumed and spat out. To be the shiny object of the Meedja’s gaze — then peremptorily discarded. Or, if they are in the media-politico club it all becomes so terribly in-house; think ABC’s Insiders — insular and Canberra hide-bound. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/business/the-media-is-not-there-to-help/ [i]Breath easy! Problem gamblers are just supporting our community! admin James' Blog[/i] I was so appalled when I was reading about the clubs claiming that they were doing some gigantic community service by letting problem gamblers gamble away billions of dollars a year across Australia that I decided to put together a few little visuals to keep their “not for profit” “community organisations” whose central activity is to “provide infrastructure and services to the community” in some sort of perspective. http://jamesfiander.net/2011/10/20/breath-easy-problem-gamblers-are-just-supporting-our-community/ [i]Flick The Switch Andrew Elder Politically homeless[/i] Tony Abbott fans freely admit that their boy is a bit of a boofhead (but isn't it having some fantastic results!), and that one day he'll just flick the switch to Prime Ministerial - and when the time comes there'll be none of this talk that the Coalition polls are just some protest against the incumbents, oh no, they'll be finished. http://andrewelder.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html [i]the headlines we'd like to see... Gus Leonisky yourdemocracy[/i] mischief by Gus http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/13595 [i]Laurie Oakes is missing the point Don Arthur Club Troppo[/i] Setting the agenda is about deciding what issues to pay attention to. And when political journalists become deeply enmeshed in the culture of the people they report on, they can lose sight of what people in the outside world care about. http://clubtroppo.com.au/2011/10/23/laurie-oakes-is-missing-the-point/#more-17743 [b]Newspapers[/b] [i]Market-access porkies Ian Porter SMH[/i] "China bad, Japan good" is a simple message that plays to the public's general, if faint, perceptions about these two great countries. Not only does it have as many words as "Turn back the boats" and "Big, bad new tax", it is similar in another way: Mr Abbott is again offering a simple answer to a complex problem. http://www.smh.com.au/business/marketaccess-porkies-20111023-1meco.html [i]Walking on the vile side Paul Daley The Age[/i] ..... leaving it to the anonymous sources of superior rank to spell out the latest nuances in the saga - or should that be tragedy? - that the prime ministership has become. Trying to write this in one sentence is tiring enough. So don't hold your breath, please, while reading it. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/walking-on-the-vile-side-20111022-1mdam.html

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24/10/2011LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

Feral Skeleton

24/10/2011*cough*, NormanK, That link you put up this morning, 'California regulators give green light to Carbon market', I, *cough*, linked to A FEW DAYS AGO! ;-) But, in the sprit of generosity for which I am famous, :) , I will allow that you are merely reinforcing the point. :D

Gravel

24/10/2011Acerbic Conehead I am a bit slow, hope you are okay, we didn't get your Saturday Morning Special this week. :-(

NormanK

24/10/2011Feral Skeleton I'd love to be able to fall back on the excuse that I am only following the Boss's example of including interesting links (provided by others) in Today's Links because they go to a potentially different audience and get archived but ....... I uncharacteristically missed your earlier posting. :$ Sorry about that. Current score - one all.

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24/10/2011Gravel The reason for AC's piece not being posted prior to the weekend was that the Canute piece was posted mid week, so AC's latest [i]Junk-yard Jakes[/i] will be posted later today.

TalkTurkey

24/10/2011NormanK You are doing a splendid job with Lyn's~Links. Thank you on behalf of all of us. Several upbeat comments around the traps it seems to me. About time imo, people on our side have good reason to be sanguine, and I've heard all I want to of faint praise. It seems to me that the In Crowd of Journalists - [i]INSIDERS[/i], indeed! - and their ilk, have finally started to get it through their heads that Abbortt is a dead loss, that the Government is achieving with grim determinatiom the agenda it has set for itself, and that not only is their own mischievous agenda (regardless of any thought of national interest) going to be a fat Fail, but also, they are going to look very bloody silly and moreover perfidious, when Abbortt is a smoking heap. He will be very close to flashpoint after the last few day eh! The Coalons are getting wobbly like a cart-wheel in Indiana . . . Which wheel will wobble off first? The Turnbull wheel? The Bishop? The Hockey wheel? The Barnyard? The Abbortt juggernaut is out of puff and rolling towards its own destruction. Those aboard are thinking about how to jump off, 'cos they know, This ain't a-gonna work after all. [i]A bas les Coalons![/i] [i]VENCEREMOS![/i]

Cuppa

24/10/2011[b]MEDIA INQUIRY AND ABC BIAS[/b] Just a reminder for those concerned about bias on the ABC. The closing date for submissions to the Independent Media Inquiry is coming up on [b]31 October 2011[/b]. Readers/Swordsfolk are encouraged to put down their thoughts on this matter in submission form and send them to the Media Inquiry. Below is the transcript of an email sent by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy in response to a query on how submissions may be made. The Terms of Reference are here: http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2011/254 I draw your attention to the particular section which would best accommodate such submissions – Section (d), quote: [quote]Any related issues pertaining to the ability of the media to operate according to regulations and codes of practice, and in the public interest.[/quote] ________________ [quote]Good morning Mr xxxx I refer to your email to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy of 29 September 2011 concerning the submission process for the Independent Media Inquiry. Submissions to the inquiry should be received by 31 October 2011. The preferred method for submissions is by email to media-inquiry@dbcde.gov.au Please address any submission by mail to: Media Inquiry PO Box 2154 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Please note, submissions to the Inquiry will be made public where possible. If you wish for your submission (or part of your submission) to be treated as confidential then you should clearly indicate which part of the submission is confidential and provide reasons for that. Please also include your name, organisation (if relevant) and contact details. Note that the maximum size for any email (including all attachments) is 3 megabytes. Please attach only files in a standard document format (such as .doc, .odt, .pdf, .rtf, .txt), or a standard image format (such as .jpg, .gif, .tif). Regards Brian Kelleher Media Inquiry Secretariat Phone +61 2 6271 1382 http://www.dbcde.gov.au/media-inquiry GPO Box 2154 Canberra ACT 2601[/quote] ==============

debbip

24/10/2011~ 'NormanK You are doing a splendid job with Lyn's~Links. Thank you on behalf of all of us.' ~ I second that :)

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24/10/2011NormanK Thanks for another great set of links this morning, so varied and so interesting. The one that grabbed my attention most was the one about the ‘Gemsolar’ solar power station in Spain that stores solar energy in molten salt from which it is slowly released during the night as heat to drive turbines that generate electricity enough to power a large town. And although the subsidies that it has received to build the plant will soon disappear, it seems to be financially viable. We have at least as much sun as Spain – what’s holding us up? The other links, to the article about Beyond Zero Emissions was interesting too, as was the one about the California carbon market. Yet all Tony Abbott offers us is his Direct Action Plan that can’t attract support from economists or climate scientists. Why aren’t the media calling him out as a crazy and dangerous illiterate on climate change? I was interested to read that the Herald and Weekly Times will not pursue an appeal against the Bolt ruling. How come I missed this announcement last week? How much media publicity did that decision get?

Jaeger

24/10/2011I was pleased to see that Anna Bligh also chose to greet the Queen with a "very polite and respectable bow" this morning. :-)

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24/10/2011Folks The end of the World is nigh. We cannot any longer access [i]The Oz[/i] online unless we take out a Free Three Month Digital Pass and then pay. But why would we bother? To read the Troy Bramston (who is spruiking his new book) polemic about Julia Gillard based heavily on Kart Bitar’s ‘appraisal’ of her, to read [i]Newspoll[/i] that tells us what we already knew, or to read Tony Makin on Keynesianism? It will have to do better than this to attract paying

Gravel

24/10/2011Ad Astra Thanks for you response. It's just that I realised that I won't be around on the weekend, then I knew something was wrong. I am pleased Acerbic Conehead will be give us a good laugh (for me it will be tomorrow, after chores). Having given all the online papers, and the physical ones up ages ago, I for one won't miss any of them. I usually only go to the links provided here and a few other things, like twitter, I get a lot of links from them, not that I read many.

Feral Skeleton

24/10/2011jaeger, I see that the combined wrath of the Australian media was not brought down upon Sir Liealot's head on the weekend when he also did not bow heavily and scrape before the Queen before his audience with her on Friday, nor even when he proclaimed that he really wasn't one for formality, so that's why he didn't do it. Of course, it goes without saying that if the PM had expressed similar sentiments, the hue and cry from the Monarchists and the attendant media sycophants, breathlessly panting like the Monarchy lap-dogs they have become overnight, would have been heard from here to Buckingham Palace. As it was, all I heard after Mr Abbott's cheeky chappy pronouncements, was a collective, "Meh".

NormanK

24/10/2011Ad astra I'm glad you enjoyed today's links. I feel as though I'm pushing a barrow sometimes but that's one of the perks of doing the job, I guess. I have been trying to make the most of this small opportunity over the last month on [i]TPS[/i] to take my own advice about being positive and provide links that report advances rather than stalemates and conflict. I've been putting up a lot of [i]Loon Pond[/i] and [i]Politically homeless[/i] and I hope this hasn't become boring. To my way of thinking, Dorothy Parker and Andrew Elder offer articles that are perfect complements to [i]TPS[/i].

Feral Skeleton

24/10/2011Just posting Mungo Maccallum's latest article, which eruditely elucidates the black hole at the centre of any potential Abbott government: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3597206.html

Sir Ian Crisp

24/10/2011 [quote] [i]Folks The end of the World is nigh. We cannot any longer access The Oz online unless we take out a Free Three Month Digital Pass and then pay. But why would we bother? To read the Troy Bramston (who is spruiking his new book) polemic about Julia Gillard based heavily on Kart Bitar’s ‘appraisal’ of her, to read Newspoll that tells us what we already knew, or to read Tony Makin on Keynesianism? It will have to do better than this to attract paying Ad Astra[/i] [/quote] Does that mean the demise of TPS? Placing the Oz behind a paywall means your comment pieces will be halved because without the Oz you have very little to complain about. It might also be hard to blame Abbott for everything that goes wrong so the question is: where to from here?

Jason

24/10/2011Sir Ian, We still have you to complain about! all is not lost we still have Fairfax,Crikey,the ABC and any number of "better informed sources " than that poor excuse for a news paper called the OZ.

Jason

24/10/2011Sir Ian, I just noticed this tweet! BrigadierSlog | 2 minutes ago Excellent question, how much does Bullshit go for? #Paywall RT @sharpcontrast: How do the Lolstralian work out what to charge for? #auspol

2353

24/10/2011I wonder if the Australian will meet it's demise when they see how many people DON'T subscribe to get through the paywall (the "click through" rate would be pitiful ;-). I would suggest TPS will go from strength to strength as a result - as more people will be looking for free and relatively unbiased opinion they will find sites like this one, Politically Homeless, Crikey or New Matilda and laugh hysterically at sites like Menzies House. C'mon NoNews - put the rest of your papers behind a paywall as well. I dare ya!

D Mick Weir

24/10/2011Hi NK (and all other Swords Folk), the traps having been keeping me very busy starting @ 6-7 am finishing anytime between 10pm and 3am for last twelve days - crazy stuff. Have an early mark tonight. Today when checking the traps Her Royal Highness passed me by - didn't have time to stand to attention and salute but the motorcycle cops gave me a wave and I waved back to them. I have been lurking, reading comments and following your links in my rare spare moments - interesting selections you have made; well done. Have come across some heavy weight reading on my pet subject my weary brain is still absorbing it but good stuff. http://jrs.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/10/22/jrs.fer010.full?keytype=ref&ijkey=35VccmpMFoV9T9U (Hat Tip retweet from Grogs Gamut)

Feral Skeleton

24/10/2011Sir Ian, Lest you fret about not having us here at TPS to mock wrt our analysis of The Austrollian's delicate petals, never fear, Their ABC is here to faithfully and freely convey News Ltd's messages to the great unwashed masses. We'll therefore be able to find out within not too long a time what they thus have to say. Also, I have yet to find a Paywalled website that could stop someone from cutting and pasting an article which one individual had paid for and then shared with the multitudes. :) What's that you say? It's illegal? Oh well then, better leave The Australian behind it's Paywall. I think I'll have plenty to write about nevertheless, seeing as how I rarely, if ever, even read any of it's Conservative Bubble Boy crap, let alone write about it. Life's too short.

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24/10/2011Folks I have posted the latest delight from Acerbic Conehead {i]Junk-yard Japes[/i]. Enjoy. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2011/10/24/Junk-yard-Japes.aspx

Jason

24/10/2011Aa, I tried this and it worked! The Finnigans Posted Monday, October 24, 2011 at 8:20 pm | Permalink If you copy the url of the paywalled article into google and press search – hey presto behind paywall. Only works with google. That is because Google has been given access to index the articles. During the indexing process, it takes a copy and stores it in its cache. That’s the copy you are viewing.

NormanK

24/10/2011D Mick Weir Good to see you. I was mentally drafting a sermon about working too hard for too long since I know first-hand how harmful that can be but on reflection I figure it would be more appropriate if I just say that I hope you find time to relax a little and take stock. Thanks for the link.

2353

24/10/2011Jason - noted with the comment why would you bother?

Jason

24/10/20112353, If I could think of a good answer as to why I'd tell you! So I'll quote Marcel Marceau " "

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24/10/2011Jason Thanks for your advice re the paywalled items in [i]The Oz[/i], but I couldn't get it to work. Could you please spell out exactly what to do and I'll try again in the morning.
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?