Testing, testing. Hey I managed it..sort of, the link to the old Open Thread is still up the top. Can this one please be avoided if possible as it’s almost impossible to download due to the number of comments.
Thank you: The Management. 😉
Well done Min! And unlike other members of “The Management Team” you got the Roman numerals correct 😉 😆
Bacchus, I remember that one..but didn’t it eventuate that Migs was also right as there was an alternative to the one commonly used. Now you’re testing my memory, but wasn’t it IX…
Cu on Open Thread XVIII and Peter Dutton’s “white hot rage”. Why the rage? Hasn’t Abbott promised to cancel the NBN anyway?
Yes Min – it was VIII vs IIX. Turns out IIX used to be used back in the middle ages but even then was less common than VIII 😆
lol Min – interesting in that article, Mr Roy (Longman, just north of Dixon) wasn’t having a whinge about the NBN rollout – perhaps that’s because quite a bit of his electorate is in the rollout plan…
But still, even if we have to harken back to the Middle Ages, Migs was still right. 😉
To make it a bit easier, here is the link that Cu put up on the previous thread..
I can’t help but think, so what if Labor does give priority to Labor seats..it’s about time that the government woke up that it has to use strategy.
It’s all a bit nonsensical anyway Min. NBN is planning the rollout in the most efficient way for them – it’s got nothing to do with electorate boundaries, more to do with where the major telephone exchanges are sited, now that they’ve got Telstra’s pits and pipes to use…
In light of these new findings I think it would be prudent of Julia to delay the implementation of the tax on CO2 until after the election.
Nothing like embracing the results of an online poll which conform to your own heartfelt zealotry.
So credible.
Such a genuine indication of the ‘bigger picture’.
Now let me think, who to trust – the 95% confidence of the majority of the world’s climate scientists, or an obscure market research company and an online poll by a Murdoch rag. Tough decision 🙄
grodo, wouldn’t be the first piece of unpopular legislation to go ahead and let’s face it, the carbon pricing scheme is only unpopular because of the snow job perpetrated by the Liars and their barrackers.
And unlike the GST, the government won’t be hijacking everybody’s wallets every time they buy something. There will be more money in their wallets when they buy a pair of shoes, not less.
And the $18,000 tax free threshold will be even more popular.
I think that’s why Sneerleader is so frantic to have Thomson blackened, smeared and gone from the Parliament asap.
Once the above two measures are cranked up, it will be that much harder for him to spin his bullshit. People will see that they’ve been deliberately lied to by the Liars AND the msm. No extra tax imposed, in fact the tax take will more than likely be lower.
I predict that the huffing and puffing from the three big fat pigs will come to nothing and they’ll have to fork out their due. Another win for the government and we punters.
The rusted ons will still badmouth the government, even as the hypocrites pocket the dough.
So, nice try, but still no cigar.
I was lurking at LP a day or so ago and I notice that they are also infected with the broad brush condemnation of the government and the PM.
Never anything to support their claims, just the usual Liars Party bullshit-incompetence, poor legislative record, too much legislation passed, baaad legislation, carbon “tax” (accompanied by scowl), PM has big bum, wears jackets, pointy nose, leads badly, government in disarray, almost, but not quite, saying she shouldn’t be negotiating, Labor hopeless at getting their message out while carefully avoiding the role of the msm in the inability to get the message out, etc, etc.
The greens would NEVER compromise on their program blah, blah, mainly from Fran Barlow. The fact that they will probably never be in the position where they have to negotiate or compromise makes that argument pretty hollow.
It amazes me that they seem to have swallowed the Liars Party bullshit whole.
Is it my internet at fault, but it seems that every time I log on just lately, I have to re-enter my details, even if I’ve already logged on with the same computer that day?
If Fairfax did a similar poll the result would be the same.
The electorate are unsure of the science and request a clear explanation of why we should introduce a tax in the first instance.
Julia has put the cart before the horse, a classic case of over reaching ambition.
so what if Labor does give priority to Labor seats
Considering the outrage expressed with a totally non-political rollout Min, the campaign against the NBN should what you say be the case would make the Carbon tax outrage pale into insignificance.
Labor are far better just doing policy, and not politics. They are screwed with perceptions anyway, all they have now is facts (not much in this day and age, granted)
Perhaps this might explain why our ‘news’ is anything but
It appears as if the way political journalism is being reported could be widening the public’s knowledge gap rather than bridging it.
Bacchus, there was a mild song and dance about the NBN being rolled out in Tony Windsor’s electorate – but it was an ideal place to start due to the presence of the University of New England. All major city based universities have had super fast broadband for a number of years, they’ve had to in order to compete.
It seems to me that the Liberals’ message is becoming mixed (good!). One moment it’s a complete waste of money, the next they’re whinging about not getting it now..and I want it now!!!
If Roy Wyatt was a true Liberal he and his electorate would be demanding the NBN not be rolled out in his electorate. In that way he and his electorate could save the government from such awful waste.
Here are some slogans for the Liberals and Nationals
Stop the waste
Stop the NBN
No NBN for (insert name of electorate)
No NBN for Nationals
Barnaby and Dutton could lead the campaign for Qld
Bernadi and Pyne for SA
Abbott and Turnbull for NSW
Mirabella and Robb for Vic
This one is well put.
“Oh dear. This is the same man who is off still looking for his long lost sperm deposit… I mean son. You see. As it turns out, If FWA is Julia Gillard’s baby, then Tony Abbott is the sperm donor.”
AntonyG at 1.22
Thanks for the link to an interesting piece. This whole thing has been turned into a quasi criminal investigation purely to suit Abbott’s convenience & is a shocking conspiracy on the part of the MSM in its entirety. A complete triumph for the Perpetual Present. From an industry on a permanent hair trigger readiness to tout its own infallible capacity to police itself.
Min, they forget to mention that the choice of Windsor’s electorate for NBN roll-out was made before the election. 🙂
Can’t stop now……. I’m off to the football….Go Crows 😀
Pip tips hat to Jane ….
BSA Bob, if the msm had any ethics whatsoever they would have stood up for principles. The media has degenerated into little more than gossip magazines. Thomson was guilty the media decided, therefore it was just a matter of finding the evidence which they and Tony Abbott demanded.
Bob,
It’s a well written one. Ash’ comes up with some excellent pieces.
Roswell & AntonyG
Agreed.
I saw a comment on twitter last night…
the mass media is about power – not news – we already know that!
Pip, to me it seems that so call current affairs has become almost like a game show, from the superficial “host” to his air-head female side kick, to the dumbed down questions.
O’Farrell now in the shit with his own, especially the Federal Libs.
He is refusing point blank, against his own report, to allow an urgently needed second airport for Sydney.
Not only that he is going against that same report that says his Canberra Airport expansion linked to high speed rail to Sydney is not viable and is pushing it.
But then he goes and shits off the media and they have turned around to bite him. He was due for one of his now regular grandstanding outings, this time at a big horse race meet but the press were there to grill him over his second airport stance, so he didn’t show, and the media gave him curry for it.
I was going to give O’Farrell a second term and though the Liberals might be in power four years hence for another four methinks O’Farrell won’t be.
And there are so many similarities between O’Farrell and Abbott.
Sue, I agree with you. To me, if someone is “brave” then the implication is that there is some danger there. And why should there be. Should I be “brave” for being blonde..hang on, don’t answer that. 😉
Back on track..brave to admit that a person is gay? Brave to admit that one has Aboriginal blood? Brave to admit that one is Muslim? The implication is one of danger or something not acceptable.
No wonder Abbott needs govt before July 1, he knows he will not be able to simply say No to this Carbon Tax benefit, and so do Hockey and Robb.
“One million workers will no longer have to pay tax or lodge a tax return under a tripling of the tax-free threshold to apply from July 1.
A new analysis prepared by Treasury reveals that the decision to triple the tax-free threshold will ensure 121,000 Queenslanders no longer have to pay any tax.
Part-time workers, students, mums in casual work as well as retirees will benefit from the Government’s decision to lift the tax-free threshold from $6000 to $18,000.
From the new financial year, workers will be able to earn $336 a week without paying tax under the tripling of the tax-free threshold to compensate for the carbon tax.
Gillard is a girl who knows what she’s doing. By the 2nd half of this year Abbott’s leadership is going to be the subject of a lot of headlines.
Speaking of the media, and I don’t know whether it’s been mentioned here on this blog but did anyone notice the article where Bob Carr was asked whether he would make a play for the leadership. This was followed by further speculation that Peter Garrett would step down to make way for Carr.
This interview says it all. We do not know what will happen when the FWA releases it report.
For Mr. Abbott, it is not about justice. It is about his obsessive quest for power.
I believe that much of what Mr. Fitzgibbon was accuses of, that led to his resignation as Defence Minister was also found to be false.
My emphasis.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Well, Fair Work Australia’s report will be publicly released within four to six weeks; won’t that give Tony Abbott more ammunition against the Government?
JOEL FITZGIBBON: Well Tony Abbott will be hoping the release of the report gives him more ammunition; he’s demonstrated that he will use any method and any means to grab power. His view of the world is that if he can’t run the country, he won’t allow anyone else to do so.
We don’t know what’s in the Fair Work Australia report, so I can’t say whether it’s going to help Tony Abbott or not. But I do know Tony Abbott’s behaviour more reflects someone hungry for government than it reflects a person who is keen to uphold longstanding conventions, including, of course, the very important convention of the separation of powers.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Do you think that this report will clear Craig Thomson has he has said it will?
JOEL FITZGIBBON: Well I have no idea what the report says but it’s obvious that Tony Abbott is hopeful that it’s going to say something that is helpful to his quest for power. But we’ll have to wait and see.
I saw that and immediately thought the msm was trying to create controversy.
Particularly as the msm had been shown up as being ABSOLUTELY wrong about attacking Carr on his comments on PNG.
Yes the msm and Bishop were keen to say the “new boy” in foreign affairs had made a huge mistake by talking about sanctions.
Well guess who read the developing situation in PNG and who was wrong. And guess who has been showing up the msm for not doing their job on Abbott. So rather than apologising or even being journalists the msm tries undermining Carr by suggesting a leadership battle.
What utter BS.
Cu and it’s very worthwhile repeating…
His view of the world is that if he can’t run the country, he won’t allow anyone else to do so.
Joel Fitzgibbon has it to a tee. That is precisely Tony Abbott’s attitude. In the history of Australia there has never been a politician who is so completely centred on self.
Archie, can you bear with me on this one. I somehow mucked up the tabs and have to wait until Miglo comes back to fix it. I’ve therefore copied your post below.
Ahhh – so now I find the new page 🙂
The Decline and Fall of the ALP is an attempt to go beyond the surface symptoms of the ALP’s unpopularity and to find the cause of said unpopularity.
Warning. Some people may find this depressing.
I think Joel F is awaiting a decision by a judge on whether The Age have to disclose their source. The judged declared they did and then The Age appealed. Helen Liu has always claimed the source was a fiction.
By the way, has anyone noted Mr. Carr’s age. I know that old age does not ban one from being PM, but gee he would not have much time left, if this was his aim.
Mr. Carr might be many things, but wanting and not recognizing the impossible is not one of them.
Why would Mr. Garrett want to resign. He seems to be enjoying his present job.
Why is Mr. Abbott’s coming out at this time. Why the continuing of discussions. Is he still attempting to counsel her.
Is it Mr. Abbott or the sister that has put this in the public arena.
If Mr. Abbott, it backs up the impression that he will do anything to gain being PM. It shows that he is becoming desperate.
If it is the sister, is gives the political message that she does not believe with her brother.
It appears that one or the other has bought the matter to the public’s notice.
The Opposition leader said the decision of Christine Forster, 47, to confirm her relationship with Virginia Edwards was courageous.
However, it would not affect the Coalition’s policy on marriage.
“We’ve had a lot of interesting discussions and we’ll keep those discussions going, but fundamentally I want to be a politician that keeps my commitments,” Mr Abbott told The Sunday Telegraph.
and if this is true, what is her motive.
Ms Forster and Ms Edwards triggered media speculation after the pair were photographed together supporting gay marriage at the Lesbians in the (Opera) House concert last year.
The decision to come out followed extensive consultation with her family, Ms Forster said.
“I have decided to publicly confirm that I am gay and am in a committed, live-in relationship with Virginia,” she told.
el gordo, once again being in government and good governance is nothing to do with polls or headlines.
It is with doing what is necessary and right for the Nation.
Polls are about popularity at one point in time. They are not even about what will happen 18 months down the track.
Mr. Hitler was very popular in pre-war Germany. The people in this case were terribly wrong.
Hitler proved that public opinion can be manipulated. Manipulated to the degree that they believe things that are not in their favour.
The present day media and Mr. Abbott in particular are once again proving that Goebbels was correct. Say something often and loud enough, the people will believe for a short period of time.
I does not mean that the public are correct in their beliefs. Mostly it means the opposite.
The face of things to come?
I’ll still respect them in the morning
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s attitude
on the eve of the
Federal General Election 2013
Cu, thank you..I think… That is a somewhat scary pic…
Cu, and Hitler did very nicely by targetting a focus group and running with the theme that the average person 1. should be afraid 2. that the average person was missing out and that ‘the others’ were stealing from good citizens.
Fear and resentment…
Nothing else said on the site. Nothing else needs to be said.
Needs to be discussed. What does the Henry report have to say on negative gearing.
Cost of housing is high. The rental coast much worse.
It is not only about buying a house. It is harder to rent one at an affordable price.
Does negative gearing contribute to either.
‘Everyone I talk to is concerned about how their kids are going to buy a house,’ he said.
‘There is no real appreciation about what negative gearing is doing in terms of putting pressure on housing prices for their kids to get their foot in the door.’
Sue @10.07am, obviously all these idiots have forgotten how long Carr has been in politics. this is no green horn they’re trying to flim flam, but a seasoned performer.
Min @10.09am, CU has gone straight to the heart of the matter. And as the quote from Sue’s link confirms, he has to force an election before the punters have a taste of the benefits from the budget.
I figured that was the reason for his increased hysteria; he can’t afford for people to reap the benefits of this government’s economic policies. Most have not appreciated the benefits of the $900 cash handout, nor the economy rescue implocit in the BER and HIP programs, because the msm and Liars were able to successfully poison their minds against them.
However, the increased tax free threshold and the compensation flowing directly into their pockets will be more difficult to spin negatively.
I thought Joel Fitzgibbon handled that interview adroitly. Government spokespeople seem to be gaining in confidence daily and are much less prepared to put up with msm bullshit!
CU @10.21am, Garrett won’t resign. He’s really coming into his own under this PM. Yet another msm fishing expedition.
And @10.27, he’s not becoming desperate, he’s past that and into melt down.
Hitler proved that public opinion can be manipulated. Manipulated to the degree that they believe things that are not in their favour.
And proved again in the US recently when the Tea Party and their cheerleaders convinced the poor and disenfranchised that Obama’s health plan was against their interests.
Jane, I’m not so certain that it’s to do with the punters waking up that this government is actually delivering..but more to do with people waking up that Abbott could indeed be our next Prime Minister..(shakes head).
Sometimes you have to be very careful what you wish for..therefore it will be a reality check, is this the person who you want to be Prime Minister??
Another link to NorthCoastVoices. this story highlighting the NSW Attorney General, Smith. Has Smith lied to the NSW Parliament? This story as well as the one form 7.30 regarding the priest, should be investigated by the msm.
Cu@ April 8, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Did you notice that if you move about the room the eyes follow you
Min, I agree, a very creepy picture…. nudge, nudge…. enough said. 🙂
According to Mr. Bolt, this week has been disastrous for Labor.
He has Ms. Belinda Neal on who has never got on with Mr. Thompson.
I can still remember election night 2007.. Belinda hardly acknowledge Mr. Thompson,
She is one who should know how allegations can destroy one.
Michael Kroger, the other guest.
I do not think I have heard so “many she should or he should have done” in one show.
It was generous in saying what Mr. Richardson would have said, if he was still in the government. ha hah hah.
I am sad when I send him up, I used to like him once. Just tells how bad a judge of character I am. I also thought Mr. Ruddock was OK.
This show should be labelled make believe or wishful thinking.
It is NOT about current affairs or news. It is not even opinion.
IMO, I believe the PM and the government had a very good week. They are moving forwarded while Abbott is going backwards at a hundred miles a hour.
jane, I have a daughter that every time I even look like talking politics,turns me off. She did not turn me off today.
She is interested in the extra money for the kids and think that the new threshold is marvelous. She works from home and does not earn a great deal more. She does have a wonderful accountant that get the amount down, but this still benefits her, especially not having to put in a return. A million more taxpayers will be in this position.
From her reaction, saying she heard something this morning, tells me the message is slowly getting through.
I remember when I was a young child, visiting Vauclause House in Sydney.
Two thing that still remain clear in my mind, was a ball about the size of a soccer ball and the picture on the wall, that eyes followed me all over the room.
The ball was a meteorite.
I am still uncomfortable around such portraits.
PS jane, I bet if I mentioned Thompson name, she would not have known what I was talking about.
No, Garrett won’t resign – this was just an indication of the pathétique of the current media. They had one foreign minister as a constant challenge so let’s move onto the next one.
It is hard to believe. Senator Brandis has actually read the Constitution.
We are left with the dilemma of when he speaks, he is either a liar or he does not comprehend what the very short Constitution means.
Senator Brandis says technically, Senator Carr wouldn’t have to switch parliamentary chambers.
‘The constitution doesn’t even recognise the existence of the office of prime minister – it’s a convention,’ Senator Brandis told the Ten Network on Sunday.
He recalled that in January 1968 Senator John Gorton was elected leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party after Prime Minister Holt drowned and there was a brief interlude before he resigned to contest a by-election in the lower house.
Senator Brandis said the last time a national Westminister parliament had a government run from the upper house was in 1902 whenhttp://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2012/04/08/Carr_a_constitutional_curiosity_Brandis_737537.html
This statement of his is more frightening. Is he saying, anything goes.
Maybe they can handover to Mr. Howard outside parliament.
‘It’s an interesting constitutional curiosity,’ Senator Brandis said.
‘People said it was impossible to lead the opposition from outside parliament but we all know what Campbell Newman achieved two weeks ago.’
Senator Brandis said perhaps constitutional conventions ‘weren’t set in stone as people imagined’.
…..and this not not lying. Where did the information come from that it was on a Federal Statutory Form. After this article, I question the independence of the NSW Police and DPP.
On Thursday, Kath Palmer told The Daily Examiner the statutory declaration she signed was on the back of a NSW speeding infringement notice.
Inquiries to the Office of State Revenue yesterday confirmed all NSW
Brandis is perfectly correct, there is nothing in the Constitution which provides any job description for the office of Prime Minister, so he/she could come from either House of Parliament. However, convention dictates that our Prime Minister is the leader of the ruling political party.
As Australia does not have an individual election for the office of Prime Minister then clearly the only way that he/she could be elected to this office is by being the leader of the party which wins the election
Theoretically we could have a person being Prime Minister who is either an Independent or from the opposition benches. There is nothing in our Constitution barring this. However it’s very far fetched.
Ha, alone in the cafe at last… now where is that cellar door….. KEY, who needs a key, i’m from the hill, we know how to improvise…… ( i.e. it’s been put on el gordos tab,shh)….just found a bottle of Torbreck’s The Laird, crickey Mig’s what a great cellar fella, now where are the cashews and the chicken thins…… aint I the gourmand….cheers big ears…. 😉
Just popped in to check all is well, and what do you know, LOVO’s been on the slops !!
(Min whispers an aside..remind me to remind Migs about cellar security issues when he comes back…)…
(It’s probably too late – Miglo once tried to hide ‘Stanner‘ as a keyword and as a (self-)directed homework (re)source from me – but, I’ll wish him and his a very Happy Easter, too, in his quasi-absence.)
I’M told I have a problem. I see in Tony Abbott qualities many can’t – or won’t.
Here are some: compassion, kindness, tolerance, courtesy and integrity.
People who see none of this in the Opposition Leader say this proves I am biased, but what if the real problem is the bias of others in the media?
He does indeed have a problem, or the rest of us are blind.
Integrity, as in that Tony is not to be believed unless it’s in writing – compassion such as badmouthing a dying Bernie Banton – courtesy as in swearing at Nicola Roxon – tolerance such as saying that women wearing the hijab were confronting and that the Tent Embassy was past its use by date.
OOOOHHH where am I….. come to think of it who am I….an WTF was I think’n…… cant find any coffee any where, what sorta cafe is this…. me,ow !!!
LOVO, I think that today must either be shopping..or snoozing..or a bit of both.
Min, Yeah might go shopping, get some new shoes, then everything will be alright…. 🙂
Why are we not hearing screams from Mr. Abbott on this issues. If the allegations are true, much more money of the members, he claims to be acting on behalf of, is much greater.
The union peak bodies are more interested in this man than Mr. Thompson.
Noticed that the police are also slow in acting in this matter as well. Could it be that any inquiry into union is very complex. This is made harder by the fact, the investigations are over nearly a decade.
Hardly a word from Mr. Abbott. Nothing about the many others in the firing line as well.
Only one he is interested in is Mr. Thompson. One reason only, he sees him as a ticket to the job he so much envies.
Members of the union’s national executive had a telephone conference today to discuss Mr Williamson’s fate.
HSU acting national president Chris Brown says ten of the fourteen members had decided the controversy surrounding Mr Williamson had caused enough damage.
He says the national executive had been waiting for the various police and other investigations to produce their findings over allegations of corruption and fraudulent activity against Mr WILLIAMSON “but these investigations are dragging on and on and we just cant wait any longer.”
Mr Brown says he spoke to Mr Williamson yesterday and he has refused to quit.
The way Mr. Bolt is pushing how well Mr. Abbott has coped with his sister’s coming out makes one sick.
It supports the suspicion that one might have, that this spin on Mr. Abbott’s part and the feelings on his baby sister counts for nought.
They say money does not solve the education problem.
Tell me why than, living in a wealthy area sure does.
Thanks to the PM’s effort we now have the proof this is so,
There was in the USA a programme aimed at lifting Negro kids out of poverty.
I think it was called Headstart.
Money was thrown at the children from birth, enhancing the environment they live in.
‘I believe that Labor is on the right track when it is aiming some of the budget at pre-school.
It is at this stage that it is easier to bring change about.
The secret is in enhancing and improving the home life of these kids.
Of the schools funded under the federal government’s national partnership in literacy and numeracy, Ms Gillard says 17 were initially identified as performing substantially below the standard of schools teaching similar groups of students.
“As of 2012, they are no longer classified as below-standard,” she says.
“A further 110 schools were identified in 2010 as performing at levels substantially below that of similar schools . . . and as of 2012, there are only seven of these 110 schools classified as below-standard.
“We may not run schools or directly deliver education services, but we are still driving the most significant education reform agenda in living memory.
“The conclusion of The Australian’s analysis, that there is not currently a level playing field in our education system, is spot-on and has been one of the two central reasons for Labor’s reforms.”
Before the meeting of the Council of Australian Governments this week, Ms Gillard says she will be seeking support from state and territory governments to validate the recommendations of the independent review of school funding, chaired by businessman David Gonski.
“As Australia does not have an individual election for the office of Prime Minister then clearly the only way that he/she could be elected to this office is by being the leader of the party which wins the election”
Who ever leads the party, has to gain confidence on the floor of the lower house.
That would be hard to do, if one was not allow in the house.
CU @5.04pm 8/4, I’m betting you’re right.
And @8.40am 9/4, obviously the Dolt has never heard of Bernie Banton. That takes care of those alleged qualities.
Catching Up at 3.57 yesterday. Agreed that Abbott’s sister counts for nought & it’s all to suit him. The same can of course be said for Craig Thompson & you & me. We’re all usable & disposable.
They say money does not solve the education problem.
Tell me why than, living in a wealthy area sure does.
People with high socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds tend to live in particular locations but the location is co-incidental NOT causal. It’s the SES ‘location’ that’s crucial.
Not that any of this is new. In the early 1960s James Coleman was commissioned by the US Department of Education to write a report on educational equality in the US. It was a seminal undertaking with more than 150,000 students in the sample resulting in report of more than 700 pages.
Coleman found (among other things that) that the greatest predictor of educational success was a students SES location.. And no study, (and there has been many) have ever found otherwise. So the ‘news’ is 50 plus years old. it was the ‘logic’ behind the Karmel Report and is also behind the Gonski recommendations.. (I won’t go into how Howard gave new meaning to the SES concept to suit his base political ends at this time.)
As for:
think it was called Headstart
It was. And the results were mixed. But an additional program called ‘Headstart Follow through’ was much more successful
The secret is in enhancing and improving the home life of these kids
Yes! But the truth is that’s almost an impossible dream. For starters, how does one ‘educate’ the parents (it’s more than awareness)? A more realistic path is to provide additional resources at the school level. it’s what karmel recommended. It’s what Gonski recommends.
This Labor Government ought to get off its arse, forget about a ‘surplus’, and do the ‘correct’ thing.
From a society based point of view, it can be seen as the attitude towards education – that is, a matter of expectations. Children from wealthier families are expected to go to university whereas children from lower income families are expected to leave school and get a job. The anomaly comes from low income migrant and refugee families where there is a high value placed on being well educated. It is nothing for extended families to pool their resources in order to obtain the best education for their children. The children therefore are expected to excel on behalf of the entire family.
Col, therefore it’s absolutely correct, one cannot educate the parents/change their attitude and so it is essential that lower income children be provided with the best equipment and especially the best teachers. Previously and I do not know the current situation, but it was inexperienced teachers who were given “the worst school”, ie those in poorer neighborhoods. Inexperience does not necessarily equate with a bad teacher, but neither does it ensure a good one.
Michelle Grattan writes..
VOTERS are not as keen as the government on a rapid return to surplus, especially if it means spending cuts and imposts.
However, I would have to be suspicious..would the msm support the government in a delay in attaining a surplus or would the headlines scream: Labor fails to deliver..
But the truth is that’s almost an impossible dream
Sadly, that is true. And, the worst thing to have happened in recent years is the availabilty of cheaper private education, which takes away from the public schools an ever increasing number of children with parents who are active in their childrens education. The public system is left with an ever increasing percentage of students with parents who it appears really couldn’t care. That is not to say that all public students are like that, as our children go to public schools, and I do care, a lot. Unfortunatley, the teachers there are becoming more and more like day-care operators, and the overall expectations within the class are lowered as larger number of successful students are filtered out to these private schools. And, really, I don’t blame the parents of these kids who are leaving, we have agonised over it ourselves. And now, it has become a self-perpetuating policy, the more that go, the harder it is to leave your kid there.
The Government need to rectify this inbalance soon, before it becomes too difficult to rectify, and we end with a totally unbalanced educational system.
Interesting how the oo is playing this now though, considering how staunchly they supported the initial move by howard that created this abysmal mess.
My thinking is that they see they can now, in hindsight, as it is Labor lumped with the mess.
would the headlines scream:
Hmm, interesting question Min. I might mull that over for a while 😉
What is interesting is that, six months ago, Swan was being lambasted in the media cos he couldn’t get a surplus,
Now, when it is apparent that they will get one, the story has changed, and a surplus is apparently bad for us. I even saw an article the other day telling us how bad lower interest rates would be 😯
What is most troubling now is not how biased the papers are, but how blatant they are about it. The best thing the Government can do, is go to war with them, and, at every soundbight, just reiterate facts, don’t get into mindless debates with the toadies, tell them what the Governemnt wants to get out, not what they want.
ignore the one holding the microphone, concentrate on the microphone itself
I remember the discussion around the time of the ’07 election..that if Labor won that at last they would receive a fair hearing, the assumption being that it was the government who received the positive publicity and that it was the opposition who received little at all. Little did we know that it was not to do with who was the government, but all to do with the political party.
I think that a bad mistake was made from the start of Labor in power, that they also thought the same thing – that they being the government, that the media would have to provide appropriate publicity for it’s programs. Of course, the opposite has been true.
So therefore yes, The best thing the Government can do, is go to war with them,
I read someone musiing over at pollbludger that one reason the media are so anti Gov is that they are looking for Government advertising. If the media won’t report their message, the Governemnt will be forced to use it’s own revenue to advertise it, and that will have to go through the media agents.
Conspiracy theories abound 😉
Personally, I thnk it is just that they are diametrically opposed to the Governements programs, and prefer to misinform their readers rather than admit that, just perhaps, they were wrong.
Tom R, the questions that parents need to ask, are they receiving better education for their private education.
I suspect that the answer maybe they are not.
The parents that send their kids to state schools do have it in their power to ensure the school meets the needs of their children. They need to make the effort to support the school.
If they can afford the fees, why not take the child over seas every couple of years, to places like Greece. Provide the after school activities.
The child be end up with a better rounded education.
are they receiving better education for their private education.
There is definitely that perception, fed largely by our media (who, as I said, appear to be having second thought)
I am beginning to question it myself. I do know that a larger and larger proportion of a teachers time in the public education system is taken up with looking after problem students, which, as I said, is largely due to the larger proportion of them these days.
I can only see this as having a detrimental effect on education. We balance that with the realisation that we, as parents, have to take a more pro-active role than previously, and, I must admit, the teachers themselves are very helpful (and appreciative) in this regard.
Catching up is right. Parent involvement makes all the difference. Quite apart from what happens in school it also reflects what’s going on at home. It doesn’t even need money for overseas trips, though family togetherness in things like that is great. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to help your child make the best of whatever quality education they’re getting by helping with homework. And parents being part of all the things going on outside the classroom helps too – sports and plays and excursions. During years of teaching and then later administration I couldn’t help but notice that the kids whose parents I got to know in that way somehow did better and had a richer school experience, regardless of their particular talents and abilities and even the family’s income!
I’ve seen parents who have sent their children to private schools who have had no change in the results that their children are achieving. Many people seem to think that because they are paying $$s that it follows that their children will do better.
However, it’s been shown over and over that it’s the parents and their interest in their children’s education which achieve results. Therefore we have a stay at home mother helping her children, attending open days etc compared with both parents working to be able to afford private school fees..parents arrive home both tired and have no time for other activities such as taking kids to soccer training. Result: the child’s school results go down.
No surprises here..
THE billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer, property developers and waste management interests all lined up to help finance the Liberal National Party’s rout of Labor in Queensland, according to the party’s declaration to the state electoral commission yesterday.
Good news for Tony Abbott, his electorate will be extrememly happy.
“Opposition leader Tony Abbott, who has led the Liberal Party’s relentless negative campaign against the NBN, may be pleased he will not be able to connect to the network for at least three years, as his Davidson home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches is well outside the suburbs included in the recent announcement.”
I wonder which way Turnbull will turn? Lets hope Abbott declares that front benches have not got the right to chose, in keeping with the No the NBN policy.
“Turnbull will have the option to migrate his existing ADSL2+ service to a fibre connection running at up to 100Mbps.
But he is not happy about it: “alternative fixed lined networks will be switched off, so the NBN has hardly given people a choice,” he pointed out when contacted by Fairfax’s IT Pro.
Technically this is not correct. Since NSW has failed to introduce opt-out legislation, the NBN Co will need Turnbull’s consent to hook up his house. He declined to comment when questioned further”
a graphic on what the brits are learning about murdoch, might be fun.
then again, waiting until murdoch has an even humbler day of his life, when he fronts leveson is tantalising.
Archie, I’ve popped up a link on Migs’ Australians For An Honest Media Facebook group.
@Sue; What a great idea – I must do some research on that 🙂
@Min; thanks for that – I hardly ever use fb but being on there is always a bonus. 🙂
Sue, at 2.29 PM
So, talcum is full of words, up until it is pointed out to him that his words are bull.
Then he takes an oath of silence.
Righto Whisperers – it looks like I’m about to succumb to the trials and tribulations of MAN FLU
Any cures, tonics (especially any involving alcohol) gratefully appreciated
Sadly alcohol won’t help, Bacchus! You need as much water, ie plain H2O, as you can get into you and lots of sleep! You have my sympathy. I just had a bout of flu but fortunately I know a good acupuncturist who also prescribed a simple Chinese herbal powder to have with all that water. I was feeling better within the day and pretty well cured within three. A bit of a sniffle hung around for a while. But I did feel rotten! Such bliss to be over it.
If you don’t believe in acupuncture then even anti-histamines, e.g. minimal dose polarimine, and aspirin will help as long as you get plenty of fluids, preferably plain water or even vegetable juices, into you. Avoid sugars, even pure fruit juice. Maybe hot lemon, but go easy on the honey! And get lots of sleep! Good luck!
Bacchus
As patriciawa says plenty of h2o and pass the alcohol to any females near by listening to the sniffles.
and plenty of quiet time
and get well soon.
Bacchus, you could spend a lot of money on the ‘latest’ fad, vitamin program, use a nanna method or what ever anti-biotic your Dr. gives ya and be healed in 2 or 3 days…. you could spend no money and do nothing and achieve the same result. No matter which way you go it will still be 2 or 3 days. my only suggestion is that alcohol sterilises, mm…… so be kind on yourself, relax, get stuck in…. remember Brandy is a medicine as is Torbreck’s The Laird, so really all you need to do is go on a bender for 3 days and all will be well (ish).
I like LOVO’s cure the best (it still involves alcohol 🙂 )
It should be noted – at this stage we’re only talking “man flu” as opposed to any real illness 😉
I’ve been into the garlic to keep the vampires (and wife) away + a little extra Vit C. I’m on holidays so keeping wife away is good for the rest and relaxation part of the cure… 😆
Acupuncture would be good Patricia – the local TCM fellow is excellent, but I can’t afford to see him too often. Medicare should cover his services (well he was registered doctor in China 😉 )
Archie, lots of rest. You should be good after three months. And avoid women.
Don’t listen to ’em Bacchus, LOVO has it right
Alcohol, whisky preferrably, in quantities …… LARGE 😉
This is where the Blot comes adrift, that is the difference between freedom of speech and racial vilification. The Act indicates an exemption when:
a fair comment – but only if the comment reflects a view that a fair-minded person could have held and the person who made it actually holds that view.
The Blot’s views do not indicate that of a fair-minded person and also by attempting to excuse himself during his previous loss at court, it was shown that he did not hold those views but expressed them with the sole purpose being to incite others.
Bacchus..I agree lots of alcohol and avoid women..especially me. 😉
Pesky things, those facts. I think it is time someone took him to court over his abuse of climate science. Then we’d just have a grodo, posting links to graphs without any sort of reference. Just a squiggly line on a screen.
RUS is correct Bolt can state that people are obtaining unfair advantage due to their Aboriginality, but he has to be able to prove it. Bolt makes such claims based on his own opinions which are not backed by any factual information, and so ended up with a conviction for vilification/defamation.
Yes Min. It is amazing, the judge went out of his way to say that bolt is free to comment on this issue at will. Just don’t ‘Make Shit Up’
Yet, all we get from him is ‘I cannot comment’. Which can only lead one to assume that, in light of not Making Shit Up, bolt has nothing to offer.
Bolt can be a dill at times, there is no denying it.
In other nooze…. picked up at Watts.
‘CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Copper — the stuff of pennies and tea kettles — is also one of the few metals that can turn carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels with relatively little energy. When fashioned into an electrode and stimulated with voltage, copper acts as a strong catalyst, setting off an electrochemical reaction with carbon dioxide that reduces the greenhouse gas to methane or methanol.’
Woe is me whatever is Hockey going to talk about today.
Unemployment rate steady, 44,000 new jobs, participation rate up. Bloody hell the economy might be doing ok, under Gillard/Swan
Bolt is not just a dill, but a dangerous dill because he stirs up the slightly very unhinged element in society.
Bolt does this by giving credence to otherwise inappropriate opinions such as that a person is too white to be a real Aboriginal. Genetics have never been particularly selective – you have have 2 people, one blonde blue eyed and the other of a darker skin and brown eyed..these two people are brothers and so have an identical mix of “coloured blood”.
Bolt went right to the heart of the Stolen Generations, that the lighter children were taken but their darker skinned siblings were left behind. Then morons such as Bolt come out and say that lighter Aboriginal people aren’t really real, but have obtained BENEFIT.
Bolt is not just a dill, but a dangerous dill because he stirs up the slightly very unhinged element in society.
Michael Williamson, the suspended president of the embattled Health Services Union, has resigned as vice president of Unions New South Wales.
Earlier today, the peak union body described Mr Williamson’s position as untenable and called on him to explain to its executive why he should not be removed.
He was expected to be stripped of the job if he had not resigned.
Union NSW secretary Mark Lennon says the executive has accepted Mr Williamson’s decision to quit.
while checking out chairman barnsdall, of hamlin fistula australia, i learnt he got his oam gong last year.
in this piece on anglicans who got gongs not only barnsdall but john anderson former nationals pollie and mark scott of the abc are noted. http://sydneyanglicans.net/news/stories/anderson_leads_anglicans_honoured
Barrel O’Lies when asked would he join Can do in challenging the carbon tax’ he replied
“absolutely” “yes we will absolutely consider joining in a high court challenge depending on the advice that Newman will instigate.”
And the press let him get away with it
Oh dear..poor old Clive..I wonder if this might be Palmer’s China First project, where there is a suspended action at the High Court for misleading and deceptive conduct.
CHINESE authorities are cracking down on foreign investment after a string of troubled projects that have run up tens of billions of dollars in losses, including two big resources deals in Australia.
In a decision that will have implications for Australia’s booming resources sector, China’s State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission has published new rules that will hold state-owned enterprises and their executives accountable for bad overseas investment decisions.
The commission’s move follows two disastrous investments in Australia’s resources sector.
The largest Chinese investment project in Australia, the $7 billion CITIC Pacific Sino Iron project, conceived by the magnate Clive Palmer, has been dogged by huge cost blowouts and delay. The budget for the project has almost tripled from the initial $2.5 billion estimate.
A second big investment project, the $2 billion Sinosteel Midwest project, was shelved last year after a string of difficulties. The head of Sinosteel, Huang Tianwen, reportedly lost his job because of investments that had gone awry in Western Australia.
😯
Well I guess for the Greens it’s all downhill from here, unless Christine Milne can learn to think before she speaks…
Bacchus, it’s certainly not good news for the Greens as Bob Brown has always given the position of leader some gravitas, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone can come close to providing this sort of leadership.
He is also resigning from the Senate before June.
Said he had a look at how Murdoch has performed over the last 18 months and does not want to go down that track.
Agreement with the PM stands, as the new leased is also a signatory.
Greens have 47 bills before the parliament.
As far as I know, Mr. Abbott has one. If he went down this track, he would have had policies well and truly before the public for the next election.
I noticed that Mr. Abbott is changing his tune this week. Talking about bi-partisanship on the proposed Disability scheme.
Has left his run to late, as a joint body has already been put in place to developed future of disability insurance.
The body is made op of treasurers and other interested people. Mr. Abbott cannot expect this body to be disbanded because he has changed his mind from NO to collaboration.
I believe we will hear quickly from el gordo pointing out that Senator Milne is claiming the Clean Air Future bill.
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the Government should set up a bipartisan committee to develop a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Mr Abbott says the Coalition will support money being allocated in next month’s budget to begin the design and consultation work.
Sorry Mr. Abbott, you are too late. The body has already been set up.
I wonder if the Liberal Party ever takes time to find out what the PM and parliament is doing.
Is he completely focus on his daily MSSO and saying “no”.
His time must be spent dreaming up three word slogans and the latest stunt.
‘Once in a generation’ scheme
Disability group Every Australian Counts is calling for the states to fast-track the rollout of the NDIS at today’s meeting.
The group’s campaign manager, John Della Bosca, says a blueprint for the scheme has already been created by the Productivity Commission.
Mr Della Bosca says the leaders must avoid discussions of cost shifting or penny-pinching and take decisive action.
“It’s a huge, once-in-a-generation change,” he said.
“[It’s] an opportunity for everybody around this table today to show true leadership and make the decision that Australia needs a National Disability Insurance Scheme, [to] make the key decisions around what kind of scheme it needs to be.”
“Sorry Mr. Abbott, you are too late.”. That’s the story of Tony Abbott’s life, is it ignorance or deliberate misinformation is the question which puzzles me.
To rub salt into the wounds, Mr. Brown stole his thunder.
Maybe he should listen to Ms. Machlin if he is genuine and encourage his state colleagues to get on side.
Sue @9.51am, this will be interesting. With luck, the court system will be stocking up on eggs. I wonder how dependable the three Des Ps are?
Min, nice to see that Clive’s efficiency and honesty is being endorsed by the Chinese government! Bwwaahahahaha!
Bacchus @12.41pm, fat chance of that. She’s a drop kick imo. And wot Min said @12.43pm.
CU @1.02, 1.11 &1.14pm says it all really..
AntonyG @1.26pm, Too Late Tony’s done it again and again, and……… Like a spoiled kid who keeps changing his mind and thinks everyone is going to hold the train until he’s ready.
Sorry, Too Late, the train’s left the station and there won’t be another one for for the next big once-in-a-lifetime bill.
Happy Friday the 13th everyone. So far the husbandy substance & I overslept this morning, making him an hour late for the scrub bashing job he’s just started, I spilled a great splosh of laundry detergent over the laundromat this morning (having to do the washing at the laundromat due to lack of water) and I’ve just received a $2,000 bill from our ex-electricity provider.
And there’s still 10½ hours to go! Dare I crank up the stove?
I forgot to add, anyone else been scathed by Friday the 13th?
Kathy Jackson on ABC24. One would not know that there are also outstanding allegations against her, which all seem to ignore.
If it is found she is amiss, all other allegations may fall over.
The champion of environmental causes, human rights and peace activism has resigned from the Senate.
He will be missed and we all owe him our thanks for his lifetime of work to make our quality of life that bit better.
i must check out who is backing jackson with pro bono legal advice
How much will the Clean Energy Future really cost us.
Over the next three years, the carbon price will be fixed, starting at $23, so that component is easy to predict.
The carbon intensity of electricity in each jurisdiction is well known (see table below). It is highest in Victoria where they rely heavily on brown coal to generate their electricity; it is lowest in Tasmania where they have a lot of hydro electricity generation. In fact, Victoria’s electricity generators produce four times as much CO2 per kilowatt as their Tasmanian counterparts.
NSW/ACT
0.89
Victoria
1.21
Queensland
0.88
South Australia
0.68
Western Australia
0.8
Tasmania
0.3
Northern Territory
0.67
While emission of intensity of today’s generation is well known, what is less clear is how rapidly it will fall in response to the introduction of the carbon price and other policies. Generally, the quicker it falls, the lower the impact of the carbon price on electricity bills.
The proportion of the carbon price that is passed onto consumers is the great unknown, with most projections hovering in the 70-100 per cent range. After July 1, there will finally be hard data on whose projections were most accurate. Again, if a lower proportion of the carbon price is passed onto consumers, the impact on electricity bills will also be lower.
CU
did you catch who is assisting jackson with free legal?
CU
“what is less clear is how rapidly it will fall in response to the introduction of the carbon price and other policies. ”
On 7.30 last night was the head of Westfarmers.He was asked how much the carbon tax would cost that company. He said well no he couldn’t put a figure on it because they had already started making improvements. He said that when they did first calculations, westfarmers produced 160,000 tons @ $23 per ton. But all stores were making changes and the Company was determined to drive down its exposure. At the same time Coles were lowering food costs to its customers.
The interview was a bit of an own goal for Uhlman for as per usual he was looking for a negative reponse rather than the upbeat response he got.
Its ok I have found who is helping Kathy Jackson with pro bono legal
“Appearing alongside barrister Stuart Wood, who she says has offered to provide pro bono legal support to her, Ms Jackson called on the union’s
executive to “clean up its act”.
She says if it does not, she will urge the New South Wales Government to bring about reform of the election process for unions.
“I will not be supporting any ticket that’s put together by Sussex Street, the ALP, the ACTU,” she said.
“This is a member-driven organisation and the members need to decide how this organisation is run, not the ALP, not Sussex Street, not the ACTU.”
The outspoken secretary confirmed media reports that she is receiving a $270,000 salary from the HSU.”
he NSW government has called the carbon tax a “wrecking ball on the economy” and called for the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target to be scrapped.
But Mr Combet said the carbon tax’s projected effect on NSW electricity prices was “exactly in line” with federal government forecasts, and the biggest drivers of electricity price rises in NSW were under state control.
“Tony Abbott has deliberately and wilfully misled the NSW community about this issue,” he told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.
“Now the independent regulator has come out and said that the average price impact will in fact be exactly what the federal government had forecast.”
He said federal government assistance for NSW households – an average of $10.10 per week – would more than make up for an average electricity price rise of $3.30 per week as a result of the carbon tax.
NSW Energy Minister Chris Hartcher says the proposed price rises would devastate households and small businesses.
More important about that “jackson” the barrister said kathy had handed him lots of documentation, which he was pouring over.
And his mates in the liberal party/hr nicholls society will also be pawing over the documents.
there will be a new term there are scabs and then there is kathy jackson
Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten says the government will consider changes to the way Fair Work Australia investigates corruption allegations.
The workplace relations watchdog is under fire for taking more than three years to investigate complaints about the Health Services Union (HSU).
Remember there are already at least two investigations under way into the length of time this investigation has taken.
it is not like nothing is being done.
There appears that there maybe some problems with the powers of FWA to investigate criminal matters. Whether they need too or should needs debate.
What is clear, the guidelines for dealing with criminal matters, when they came across such matters. They are obviously not clear.
Kathy Jackson is demanding the PM talk to her now, with the intention of cleaning out the union. Surely this is not prudent until the allegations against her are cleared up.
Kathy is the whistle blower, who has been with HSU for many long years.
She does not appear to have much support within the unions.
Someone drank the cellar dry, so it will need restocking (and NO, ’tweren’t moi 😆 )
Sue, I thought Brandis had already pored over them.
I thought this lady was a nuisance and not that clever, back in the dark ages of my working life. I still have the the same opinion.
She reminds me of a puppeteers doll. The question is, who is pulling the strings.
I am sure it is no one in the union movement.
I can still not buy the allegations made by this so called whistler blower.
They are the same that were leveled against her ex-husband by the same man.
Too big of coincidence for me.
Of it was such a open and shut case as all are claiming, there would have been arrests by now.
I can only surmised that the evidence being carted around by Ms. Jackson is suspect.
I can only surmise that FWA finds itself in the position that it is in, is unable to establish the reliability of what has been presented to it by Ms. Jackson.
We do know the lady has a history of crying foul. An further example was that shovel.
We do know that this lady has had many serious disagreement with many within the union structure. The police have been involved on more that one occasion.
The Opposition believe she is credible. How they come to this conclusion is beyond me.
There is no evidence that she is more credible than Mr. Thompson.
Yes, who is pulling those strings. I believe all will be revealed in the near future.
I thought FWA had all the documents. Are they the same she gave the police.
From what I can work put they are bank statements.
The problem is, they do not prove who used the card.
Maybe that is Mr. Thompson’s Defence. He has alibis for the dates. Who knows.
Bank statements only prove the card was used. It does not prove who used it.
Am I wrong, or is that brothel next door to the HSU offices.
All I have said are only guesses on my part. They hold as much weight as what else is in the public domain.
So I imagine, the barrister would also be hiring private investigators.
WHO IS PAYING?.
Welcome home Migs.
Health Services Union (HSU) national secretary Kathy Jackson has charged colleague Michael Williamson for breaching union rules as she steps up pressure on him to resign.
She has formally charged the HSU national president under the union’s rules, a process she hopes will see him removed.
Alleged corruption and financial mismanagement in the HSU is the subject of police investigations in NSW and Victoria, an internal inquiry headed by Ian Temby QC and a Fair Work Australia investigation.
Mr Williamson denies any wrongdoing and has refused to resign as HSU president.
Ms Jackson says the union rule breaches relate to what she says is Mr Williamson’s refusal to co-operate with the Temby inquiry.
She wants a meeting with the NSW government and has hired Stuart Wood QC to help her prosecute her case.
‘The current farce has to end,’ Ms Jackson told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.
‘I want to discuss with the NSW government ideas to bring about fresh elections in HSU East.’
She said the Labor Party should get out of the HSU.
I thought that FWA has accused her of breaking union rules as well.
Baccus 😯 .. 😳
Are you outing yourself Lovo? 😆
No been dobbed in 🙄 👿
CU
Don’t forget who her current partner is. “Jackson’s fiancé or partner is Michael Lawler, a high-ranking official within FWA, appointed by Tony Abbott when he
was minister.”
And if memory serves the FWA was investigating their employee
Never in my wildest dreams would I suspect you, Bacchus. 🙄
What no more chest beating headlines
No more Can Doisms “get out of my way,
Just……”National skills agreement signed”
and just…..”in particular, the meeting agreed on a new system to guarantee the best possible environmental protection while cutting “double handling” and time delays that can prevent important projects getting off the ground.
and and just……..”Ms Gillard said the COAG meeting also supported the proposed national disability insurance scheme (NDIS)
and even more just……”Some 70 per cent of disability care and support services are funded by state and territory governments.
“To develop a national scheme it was recognised that the level and share of commonwealth funding will need to increase,” it said.
No wonder the Premiers and First Ministers and the new boy Can Do sat quietly and politely during the press conference. I bet they had their cars waiting to whisk them to the airport.
I have only three full days in which to motivate myself for work on Tuesday. Any hints?
What have we been hearing for the last week or so. The PM is in trouble. The states are hostile. The PM will achieve nothing.
Did not seem too hard today.
No real knock backs as I can see.
All states and territories have signed on to the federal government’s skills package in a deal which is worth $1.75 billion to them in incentive payments.
As well the commonwealth is putting up $7.2 billion over five years to pay for a training entitlement.
It will lead to 375,000 extra people getting skilled qualifications over the next five years, with all working-age Australia
and
Red tape can strangle that productivity.”
In particular, the meeting agreed on a new system to guarantee the best possible environmental protection while cutting “double handling” and time delays that can prevent important projects getting off the ground.
Ms Gillard said the COAG meeting also supported the proposed national disability insurance scheme (NDIS) and the next steps in what would be a nation-changing reform.
“We have all acknowledged our commitment to it,” she said.
“We have also acknowledged that this is a big reform and a big change, and we need to work on it together.
“We will be working on it together in coming months, including addressing things that could deliver real benefits even as the NDIS is built.”
The COAG communique said it was recognised that the most needy and vulnerable Australians needed support but change could only be achieved step by step over a number of years.
Some 70 per cent of disability care and support services are funded by state and territory governments.
“To develop a national scheme it was recognised that the level and share of commonwealth funding will need to increase,” it said.
The communique said broad principles had been agreed on, which now required more detail and tangible progress with “a careful and cautious approach”.
COAG has asked its select council on disability reform to work on funding, governance and the scope of eligibility and support as a priority so these matters can be considered at the next COAG meeting.
COAG reaffirmed a commitment to high environmental standards but pledge to reduce duplication and double-handling of environmental assessments.
Existing rules giving the commonwealth the final say on projects that affect world heritage sites or commonwealth waters, as well as nuclear actions and defence development will remain.
But COAG will also consider improving approval processes for those categories.
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett said he looked forward to seeing the review into the way GST revenue is carved up because present arrangements were “dysfunctional”.
The review will be given to the states and territories before the May 8 federal budget, the COAG meeting was told.
“There needs to be fundamental reform, the system is broken,” Mr Barnett said
Work on Tuesday? – that’s means it’s only a four-day week. You can’t take a flex-day on Friday can you? That’d make it 3 days – looking better already 🙂
been dobbed in
I didn’t mention any names 😯
Fair Work vice-president caught in Health Services row
BY: EAN HIGGINS AND MILANDA ROUT From: The Australian February 02, 2012 12:00AM
TWO senior Health Services Union officials have made formal complaints to Fair Work Australia president Geoffrey Giudice alleging FWA vice-president Michael Lawler, the partner of HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson, intervened in internal union politics.
He also rejected the notion the UN’s environmental arm, UNESCO, should have a say in the management of the reef.
Mr Seeney called the World Heritage zone ‘a declaration that’s made by people in Brussels and Paris who are ridiculously remote from the situation’.
Mt Isa MP Rob Katter said Mr Seeney’s comments flew in the face of statements made ahead of last month’s election, which delivered a massive majority to the Liberal National Party (LNP).
‘The LNP are proving that they are completely hypocritical with their rhetoric prior to the campaign now washed away with absolute power,’ Mr Katter said on Friday.
‘Prior to the election the LNP campaigned against Labor’s Gladstone Harbour policy but now they have rushed ahead with new approvals and are pushing to change marine park boundaries and reduce protections.’
Earlier on Friday, opposition leader Annastasia Palaszczuk said Mr Seeney would strip back powers that had been in place for many year
But did you enjoy the benefits of the new airport in Canberra. And I know you missed it but Barry wants Canberra to be the new 2nd Sydney airport. So with Barry’s wishes in mind, theoretically Barry could get in his car and drive home.
So no more airport talk.
And miglo someone had the manflu while you were gone and alcohol, medicinal puposes only, was needed and supplied.
And while you were gone Canberra had its first frost……there could be a lot more manflu about …..cheers
On the local news. The NSW town of Gunning needs a new water filtration unit. Since the floods the town has had to boil all drinking water. The federal
government has pledged half the cost, the local govt has put up money but Barrel O’Lies has not put up the remaining money. So the federal govt has said
to Barrel put up your share within the next month or the money be withdrawn.
And guess who the local NSW member is non other than Katrina Hodgkinson, the Water Minister.
“With Council committing $1.1M to the project and $7.3 million from the Federal Government, Council applied to the NSW Government for funding assistance of $6.2M in March 2011. Unfortunately the Federal funding offer is due to expire on the April 30, 2012.
As Mayor it is unfathomable to me that whilst Upper Lachlan Shire has been successful in acquiring Federal money we are unable as yet to obtain a commitment from the NSW Government to support the project. This is despite the fact that the local member is Katrina Hodgkinson, the NSW State Minister for Primary Industries (which includes the water portfolio) and that the local area has a long history of supporting both the Liberal and National parties. ” http://www.crookwellgazette.com.au/news/local/news/general/gunning-water-not-good-enough/2481842.aspx?storypage=2
Sue, the manflu is a terrible disease and it only affects the strongest bodies. Untreated in can cause a slow and painful death and it may take months to finish off its victim. Victims can only be treated by a sympathetic woman. Unfortunately, most women are unaware of the severity of a manflu.
They need to lift their attitude.
BTW, I saw snow in America.
How rude of me. I forgot to ask who had the manflu.
Snow, so did victorians , nsw and residents south of canberra, just a couple of days ago.
Cardinal Pelle believes in Darwinism and that animals have spirits or some such rubbish. Mr. Hockey must believe he has a magic pudding.
Mr Hockey’s speech contained a section entitled No new taxes’ but failed to include one word about Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s paid parental leave levy, which would actually increase the company tax rate, Senator Wong said.
Mr Hockey did tell the forum that a coalition government would introduce welfare reform to lift participation in the workplace.
He also reaffirmed the coalition’s promise to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission, which soon will be dismantled by the federal government.
And he repeated the opposition’s commitment to introducing mandatory cost-benefit analysis for all Commonwealth-funded infrastructure programs over $100 million.
Treasurer Wayne Swan told the forum that bringing the budget back to surplus had been made ‘substantially harder’ by $140 billion in revenue write-downs over the five years to 2012/13.
But he reiterated that delivering a surplus in 2012/13 was the responsible thing to do.
‘Returning to surplus ensures the government is not adding to price pressures in an economy experiencing a one-in-a-lifetime investment boom,’ he said.
‘Balancing the budget gives monetary policy the maximum possible flexibility to respond to economic developments.’
Mr Hockey said he was pleased to see that point had finally been taken on board, adding he had been been making it since becoming shadow treasurer.
I have just listened to Ms. Jackson again. I ask, is the lady capable of doing what she has announced. She is charging Michael Williamson.
Not only that, she is working with the NSW government so they can bring in new laws and allow an election to take place.
She said that she called an executive meeting but no one showed up. She has been told she is in conflict. She was not invited to the ACTU hookup for this reason.
She is only secretary. Can she act on her own.
What role would the NSW government have to play. I thought they handed their powers over to the Federal Government back in the days of Workchoices or maybe FWA.
It is my understanding that they only have control over their own employees. Many of HSU are government employees, so maybe this gives then the power.
Surely one office bearer in the HSU does not have the power she has taken onto herself.
When she called for elections last week, she was told this was against union rules.
I suspect what she did today, is also against the rules.
Maybe I am wrong.
She has said nothing about the members calling for elections. She has spent the last few months, stirring the branches up.
Could the lady be a little unhinged.
I am not sure who is using who in this matter.
The Opposition would love a union scalp. Much better than just Mr. Thompson’s.
‘Rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change are unlikely to mean the end of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, according to a new scientific study.
‘The Cell Press journal Current Biology this morning published what it says is the first large-scale investigation of climate effects on corals and found while some corals were dying, others were flourishing and adapting to the change in water temperatures.’
See, no catastrophe, adaptation is the key to survival.
El gordo, I think pollution is an equally as great a threat to the marine life in the Great Barrier Reef.
el gordo – Adaptation, or just weeds? The problem is that while some corals may survive, overall diversity is lost – and with it the fish and other critters that depend on that diversity (including human tourists.) If Kakadu was overrun with Cane Toads and Prickly Pear, no one would go there; same with the GBR.
Jaeger, el gordo is besotted when it comes to climate change denial.
She is also unaware that the forces of destruction work swifter than the powers of adaption.
First bad press, maybe
“Premier Campbell Newman backs down on demands that Federal Government hand over powers for approving environmentally sensitive
developments
The backdown came after Mr Newman said he would use his first meeting of the Council of Australian Governments to muscle up to the Federal Government.”
I haven’t read this bit anywhere else
“He also gave preliminary backing to a related traffic accident scheme already existing in most states apart from Queensland and WA, that he had previously warned would result in car registration fees soaring.”
On the local news after the press conference I saw a shot of Can Do trying to walk out alongside the PM. The PM reached forward and grabbed hold of Giddins from Tassie. Nice try Can do but it looked as though the PM had had enough.
It’s nice to see one Liberal politician speaking the truth…
THE federal government says a Liberal backbencher has revealed the coalition would revive its former industrial relations policy and strip away workers’ penalty rates.
First-time MP John Alexander, speaking at a business function in his Sydney electorate last week, said weekend penalty rates needed overhauling.
Your description of manflu @ 8:10 pm is spot-on, however I think I may be doomed to a slow, painful death. The womenfolk here just don’t seem to care 😦 Daughter, who has 8-10 sooky, snotty-nosed toddlers to care for each day, just tells me to “harden the fck up Princess”, and Mrs Bacchus thinks that the fact that she could potentially die if the melanoma she’s having sliced out of her left arm on Monday has spread further, trumps manflu.
Oh woe is me 😆 😆 😆
At least LOVO & Tom R prescribed alcohol for my torment
Bacchus…awww poor diddums..
….how’s that for a token female sympathy gesture. 🙂
lol Min- almost as good as what I’m getting here. At least daughter’s BF has offered to bring a shovel back with him to bury me 😆
Bacchus, you’re a big shiela. Toughen up, mate.
You’re starting to sound like my daughter Migs – who’s a shiela?
Bacchus, you ain’t had the manflu until you’ve had what I’ve had. We’re talking serious stuff.
Sadly, when I have the manflu there hasn’t been a sympathetic person within 15 post codes.
Saints be praised. Because Port are playing the Swans it means we’ll get the game televised into Canberra (all the Swans games are).
If we win it was worth flying home for. If we lose, I’m flying back out.
“The O’Farrell government has launched a relentless attack on renewable energy, with chilling investment signals sent by the government throughout its first year in office,” he said.
”Solar in NSW has been stopped dead in its tracks. The draft wind guidelines are designed to chronically handicap the expansion of the wind industry,” Mr Foley said.
But I’m not tough enough to eat one of those things, Bacchus. What planet’s it from?
Earth Roswell – they’re really tasty. You just have to be patient & let the “scales” fall off before eating. I put mine in a brown paper bag to hasten the ripening process.
Yeah, sounds great Bacchus, at least you inside will be clean and rust free!!! 🙂
Oxalic acid is a constituent of many household products. It is found in many disinfectants, household bleach, metal cleaning liquids, antirust products and furniture polish. Its chemical formula is (COOH)2. Oxalic acid is a crystalline, colourless substance which is efflorescent. This means that it tends to become powdery on account of loss of water of crystallization. Its solubility is 1 in 12 in water. It is called Oxalic acid, after Greek “oxalis”, which means sorrel. It occurs in the sorrel plant, and because of this the French chemist Lavoisier, in 1787, named it Oxalic acid.”
All true LOVO, but the ripe fruit contains less oxalic acid than Beet Greens, Carrots, Collards, Parsley, Radishes and Spinach.
Bacchus, although I know that monstera deliciosa are edible ,after all their other name is the fruit salad plant, I’ve never been quite game enough to try one. My understanding is that it’s the unripe fruit which have the oxalic acid, therefore poisonous..you have to wait until the fruit is ripe.
Cringe..the Pies were done like a dinner by (choke, choke)..Carlton.. 😦
Exactly Min – I don’t like the taste of the unripe fruit – VERY sharp, but when
it’s ripe, it has a delicious fruit salad flavour. Patience is the key to eating them. The one in the link above is quite ripe – I usually can’t wait that long to start eating them. As soon as the skin starts falling off of its own accord, they can be eaten, but a little bit longer is better.
Poisonous is a strong term for these fruit – I don’t know anyone who’d like them when they’re not ripe enough to eat. All other parts of the plant – leaves, stems & roots are very high in oxalic acid, therefore poisonous, but a ripe fruit is fine 🙂
It looks like something they’d feed astronauts on long flights. Poor bastards.
Bacchus, how many people might have died working that out?
Bacchus, same as eating rhubarb leaves or sucking on the stem of a frangipani..don’t do it…
lol – interesting question Roswell. There are many more like it in the culinary world. Kopi Luwak comes to mind. Who was the first person to make coffee from the droppings of a civet? 😯
Ms Jackson called on the union’s executive to “clean up its act”
Well they got rid of her didn’t they?
CU @3.34pm 13/4, Ms jackson might get a lot more than she bargained for if she takes on the PM.
And @4.29pm, I’d say it’s a lay down misere that the “evidence” Jackson is carting around is highly suspect.
The Opposition believe she is credible.
They thought Godwin Grech was credible, too.
And @4.39pm, I do believe you’re right about the brothel being next door or close to next door. I vaguely remember something of that nature early in the peice.
As you say, bank statements only prove where the money came from and where it went, not who was using the card.
WRT who is paying for her barrister, I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
And @5.49pm, the thick plottens. Oh! What a tangled web we weave……
And @8.30pm, the only point Sloppy has been making is that he’s a complete twit.
Sue @5.24pm, quiet as little cowering meeces waiting for the ginger puddy tat to pounce.
And @7.37pm, quelle surprise?
And @12.16am. Sue the image that report conjures up for me is Can Do running alongside the PM like an ugly puppy looking for attention…..any attention.
I have only three full days in which to motivate myself for work on Tuesday. Any hints?
Lie back and think of England?
Migs, we wimmens are well aware of manflu and its causes. That’s why we have charge of the keys to all liquor cabinets. 😉
At least LOVO & Tom R prescribed alcohol for my torment
Which is probably the source of your *ahem* manflu. I’d say bottleflu is probbly the correct diagnosis.
BTW, sour sobs are a fine source of oxalic acid too as well as doggy doings. On the bright side it may well be a cure for manflu, chaps. 😯
Sounds like you got to be a ripe right fruit to eat it in the 1st place…..
I keep hearing that Labor has to return to it’s old values. That they have lost their way.
Now, when I ask what these values are, I only get nonsense answers.
No one has yet taken up my challenge to list the values they so pine for.
I get a mumble about family values, whatever that means.
I am then ridiculed if I dare say that I am comfortable with the way Labor operates today.
I then ask what the values of the Opposition are. Still no takers.
Terms like socialism and capitalism etc are OK to form ones argument in. The truth is that in the real world, governments do what is necessary to keep the economy of track.
So can some please tell me what they mean when they say Labor has deserted it’s values. Can they please list some.
Can they tell me what Labor should be doing today, they are not.
Please tell me how the values of Mr. Abbott and before him, Mr., Howard would sit with the values of Mr. Menzies.
It appears to be Labor that has made the necessary economic changes that have served us well in this century. Why are they then seen as bad economic managers.
It is Labor that is now planning for the future.
All we hear from the Mr. Abbott and Co how they are going to demolish everything in their path. We are hearing little of what they proposed to build.
Yes, I am very comfortable with this Labor government. It appears to be looking after the needs of the majority, including the vulnerable.
It is not kneeling at the knees of the rich and powerful.
CU, I think you’re right. They say Labor has moved to the right and abandoned the values of the left. To an extent that is true; there has been a shift right to a more centrist pov, but so has the country.
The world has changed radically since Labor was last in power and Labor has had to change with it. The present government is looking to the future and is doing everything it can to place us in the best position for a future most of us will not be around to see.
And that is the real difference between this government and a LNP government. They are looking backwards to the Howard era; that is where they feel comfortable and it’s where they will drag us if we let them.
The Howard government was never forward looking; it always harked back to its master’s favourite period; the fifties. And that’s where they are stuck, with the possible exception of Malcolm Turnbull.
But he seems to have no vision for the future; he’s all about the present, it seems to me.
Like you, I am comfortable with this government in the main. There are a few things I think they could do better, like gay marriage, for example. It still baffles me that the PM is so opposed to such a fundamental thing, particularly as there seems to be no logic to her stance.
I have heard once again Mr. Abbott say the deal Labor has with the Greens has been a problem for Labor.
I suggest it has been a problem for Mr. Abbott. This has been a very stable and productive government. It has manage to do most of what it set out to do. It is now moving forward. The PM looks very much in charge and comfortable.
Jane, as much as we would like it, we cannot have everything we want. at least we cannot have it all at ones.
As Mr. Brown said, gay marriage will come.
jane, Labor has always done what is necessary, in spite of their ideology.
They have always governed well in times of trouble, whether financial or war.
I believe that most governments are always limited to what they can do. They have to govern in the reality of the time.
I do not believe that a Coalition government would have dealt with the GFC as well.
It took guts to go down the path of Rudd. What was sad, Rudd then seemed to have loss his guts after dealing with the GFC.
Here are some that have answered my challenge. Do many agree. I am not too sure what most are on about.
The someone was me. I do agree that Labor should have dumped the intervention, but I suspect it is now much different from the Howard model.
Yes, there has been problems with asylum seekers but they have move to a more humane system.
The school chaplains need to go.
Still have not explained what the values should be.
Someone said something about “Labor walked away from their values” and was taken to task.
In my view it isn’t just a throwaway ‘anti-Labor’ line. I don’t speak for the other commenter but here are some examples to my mind:
Pro war.
Anti refugee.
Pro expanded uranium mining and nuclear waste storage in Australia.
Free-market fundamentalist/neo-liberal economics and policies.
The solution to climate change must be a market mechanism rather than regulation.
Blurring of church and state (eg: chaplains, education and health).
‘Pragmatic’ on the environment.
Pro ‘intervention’.
Anti Assange.
Beefed up security state (eg: using ASIO to spy on activists, war on terror).
Kow-towing to Murdoch.
(specific Qld example: Asset privatisation even though very unpopular and without campaigning on it).
This isn’t meant to be exhaustive at all, it’s just that my view is that there is some substance to the idea that ALP today has “walked away” from values it had, or only ever pretended to stand for to attract that segment on the electorate who also hold such values (‘whatever it takes’).
Megan
April 14th, 2012 at 15:05 | #3 Reply | Quote
Anti-state funded education (just heard Gillard announcing something along the lines of HECS for TAFE).
Alan
April 14th, 2012 at 16:35 | #4 Reply | Quote
The ALP has abandoned distributive justice which was their core value and the reason for their existence. Everything else flows from that one abandonment, whether it’s their absurd environmental approach, their oppression of refugees, their denial of rights to Aborigines, or their conviction that micromanaging everything will lead to good outcomes.
Bacchus, your torment would end sooner if your treatment did not contain alcohol!
But Patricia, LOVO and Tom R wouldn’t lead me astray 😯 😆
Bacchus, I believe they might. Is the misses OK.
We’ll know after Monday CU – hope he gets it all out and it hasn’t already spread…
Cu, the school chaplains have to go. There is no place for them in secular schools. Irrespective of their intentions, it’s always going to get back to Jesus. And while Jesus has some great ideas about alleviating poverty and standing up to governments, I do not trust religions to interpret his ideas accurately. Take a great idea and stuff it up, that’s what religions do.
Jane @ 2.42pm WRT who is paying for her barrister, I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
MAVERICK Health Services Union national secretary Kathy Jackson has employed a union-busting lawyer to bring union charges against suspended union boss Michael Williamson.
Ms Jackson said yesterday she had delivered 1900 pages of union documents to industrial lawyer Stuart Wood SC, a vice-president of the conservative HR Nicholls Society who acted against the Maritime Union of Australia during the 1998 war on the wharves. Asked why she had gone to Mr Wood, Ms Jackson told The Weekend Australian, “I rang Mr Wood because I tried getting representation from the labour law firms and they were all conflicted; they all work for the HSU.” Mr Wood took the case pro bono
Vex News is a little more forthcoming about Mr. Stuart Wood SC.
.
SHARK-JUMPING: HSU boss Kathy Jackson gets Wood from the union-busting HR Nicholls Society
In an astonishing move, a leading Melbourne union-busting barrister Stuart Wood, who is a former vice-president and board member of the HR Nicholls Society, has emerged as the HSU’s chief crook Kathy Jackson’s lawyer, on a pro bono basis.
Wood is not merely a barrister either but is probably one of the best union-busting advocates in the land, normally charging as much as $12,000 a day, often for clients of the highly regarded big bad boss employer firm Freehills, whose collection of art on its walls often inspired me to think that their clients were being extremely generous payers (to their lawyers if not their workers). Our visits there were purely for social or intelligence-gathering reasons.
Saturday evening..it must be time to rock..
Min, I believe the chaplains are on the way out thanks to the changes Garrett made.
It was a clever move that did not put the religious zealots off side.
Where parents have the choice, the are choosing ethics classes in the majority.
In the high 60% in my grand daughter kindies class.
I have a nasty bout of hay fever. It feels like manflu. 😦
Harden the fck up Princess
Or indulge in some alcohol – LOVO & Tom R tell me that’s good for manflu, and so far I cannot fault their prescription 😉
Harden the fck up Princess
Written while hiding behind a fake persona. 😛
Pip @ 6,21
from Vexnews
“Wood recently emerged as an interested person in the HSU case, advising Liberal shadow minister Eric Abetz on the legalities on the release of the Fair Work Australia report.”
You think Eric would have learnt something after Godwin Grech. Next thing we will hear is Eric inviting Kathy Jackson to have a chat at a Senate committee. That was such fun last time, ’cause the 2 big TV shots were Grech walking away from the Senate and the police arriving at Grech’s house to collect the evidence.
Oh dear, Miglo, are you having a spot of bother over on Facebook? 😳
Sue. EricA is way too arrogant to believe he did anything wrong in the Grech matter!
He’s never wrong. 😯
Indeed I am, Pip. Some young upstart is picking on me. 😳
I know nothinggg… 😯
Pip
on Kathy Jackson’s boyfriend the FWA commissioner appointed by Abbott
Sue, it’s looking very possible that Jackson has the same grandiose personality as EricA.
Can you imagine the old farts at the HR Nicholls Society [along with the good Senator and his colleagues, maybe], plotting ways to make things happen?
Sue, from my link to The Australian, Jackson said:-
She said recent claims Mr Williamson spent $30,000 a month on a secret black Centurion American Express card held in the name of his “close friend” Cheryl McMillan suggested prima-facie graft.
Would she know prima-facie graft if it bit her or has she been coached
by her new friend, the SC.
Or possibly the partner just wrote it for her.
No doubt lots more to come in upcoming weeks. But so far the more she yells the quieter it gets for Thompson.
I trust this Jackson woman realises that the instant she’s no use to Abbott & his support crew she’ll be out the back door wearing the contents of an H. R. Nicholls chamberpot?
Could this end up like the Grech affair. That is claiming the head of a Opposition leader.
We can only hope it does, Cu.
Sue, what gets me, it has taken this long for the story to emerge. I have been hinting at such since the affair began.
Even I am amazed at the depth of muck that is being revealed.
I knew there was trouble, but I thought it was more like back stabbing and cattiness.
This surely must end up in a TV show,
I do hope they call her before the Senate. There are a couple of senators, I am sure know where some bodies are buried. It would make good listening.
Do not worry, this one has the ability to take all out. That is Mr. Abbott as well.
Sue, the Vex News story is very interesting, and yes, Thomson seems to have slipped down the order of importance somewhat.
Bob, judging by her cockiness in front of the camera and being courted by the HRN Society, she may not see that coming.
Cu, that’s just as likely as not.
Given that Thomson might not be the road to the Lodge that the Libs were fondly imagining, it looks like they are they going after the HSU and FWA, still with the idea that they can somehow embroil the government?
Meanwhile the msm continue to support their man !
Cu, it would be fun to listen to Jackson in a Senate Inquiry, the whole thing looks like the Underbelly tv show!
“Written while hiding behind a fake persona.”
Don’t you like my “email address” Migs? 😛
CU
it sure makes interesting reading on the blogs. what i found annoying at the press conference called yesterday, was the quiet from the msm.there was
kathy beaming into the cameras asking for any questions. the only thing
revealing was the question about her income. where was the question about why did you accept a union bashing barrister?it only took a google to check out the barristers background. so were the press too stunned to ask or too conflicted? it is about time the depth or contagion of kathy jackson started being revealed by the msm or else the msm will be seen as useless as in the aftermath of the “ute” grech exaggeration.
And CU in one article I read it said that up to now Jackson had been supported by the victorian labor “right”. And if memory serves it is the same faction that gave gillard grief over same sex marriage legislation. And is why the labor mp (stephen jones) from nsw has launched the private members bill.
Actually Sue, not only has it been quieter for Thomson, the media generally have not picked up on Jackson’s latest interview with the gusto one might have expected. Some blogs yes, but is it possible that the MSM have seen the need for caution? I thought some of the things Jackson said were actionable if without proof.
I think that Abbott or friends are pulling the strings here. Looking for anti-govt noise and static. That press conference was timed to upstage the PM coming out of CHOGM, but of course with no foreknowledge of the big story of the day, Bob Brown’s departure.
I sure hope that Catching up is right and that this all spells danger for Abbott. Look at how much he involved himself in bringing Pauline Hanson down, got her jailed in fact. A decision later reversed. How he got away with that, I’ll never know.
Oh what a laugh, the head of the AOC, Coates has decided to berate the PM because she is actually doing her job, attending the G20 rather than go to a fund raiser dinner for the AOC.
And the funniest/ stupidist/ egocentrist /
“Mr Coates said the date for the dinner could have been changed if Ms Gillard had notified organisers sooner that it clashed with her commitments abroad, including the G20 summit.”
Yes the PM of Australia should check with el presidenta Coates before making her plans.
But that wasn’t enough for Coates here comes the threat
“The only thing I’ve done is talk to [Sports Minister] Kate Lundy about it and say if it is irreversible I think it would be wise if you were to get the Prime Minister to put that out as a position before you read about this.”
Well even with such a threat and a liitle bit of advice
“warned that her absence would be a missed opportunity politically”
it has not worked, so Coates decided to go to the press.
Even the reporter must have thought Coates was a bit above himself as he has decided to print some facts
“John Howard did not attend the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 or the Athens Games in 2004, but used the 2000 Games in Sydney to his political advantage.
“wants every new mum to get a $10,000 baby bonus.”
You even get those facts wrong
“to double the baby bonus for stay-at-home mums to $10,000”
And that from the first line of the article.
An election pitch for the country gals to equal Abbott’s city working wealthy mums $75000 deal. Don’t believe me? then read about it, it is only a little further on.
“Fearing a backlash over the generosity of the Coalition’s proposed paid-parental-leave scheme, which would offer wealthy working women up to $75,000, the Nationals have proposed a better deal for stay-at-home mums.”
Aspiration? Non core? Or just like Barnaby’s promise to his country cousins on the Telstra sale!
El gordo, that baby bonus is not a good idea unless it can be proven that the money is going to be spent on the baby. When this bonus was first introduced there were numerous examples of 1. women being coerced into a pregnancy so that their drug addict bf could get the money. 2. the money being spent on luxury items.
Fair enough to help young needy families – however, it should be in the form of vouchers – to buy a pram, car seat, baby clothes. That way it can be assured that the money will be spent as it was intended.
Barnaby is a Mick (for the luv of god they like big families) so its only natural that he would push a large baby bonus.
I accept there are pitfalls in the idea of offering money to women to have babies, but historically it has always been a harmless pork barrel.
On a different matter…Barry O’Farrell just said with the GFC the federal government should have put money into fast rail and not pink batts. That may not have been exactly what he said….I tend to get my facts wrong.
I tend to get my facts wrong.
no shit
Sue, from your link
It’s a big deal, this prime minister’s dinner. It’s one of the great corporate dinners in Australia,’
How bright is our corporate sector when they make a date for a ‘prime minister’s dinner’ on the same date that is well known (you would have thought) that the PM will be overseas at a very public G20 meeting.
And then, like all good corporate people, they blame her.
Bacchus, not only have you been willingly led astray, I reiterate my claims that you in fact have a bad case of bottle flu. Hope all goes well for Mrs Bacchus tomorrow. 🙂
Bob @11.37pm 14/4, I suspect Ms Jackson doesn’t have the wit to make that leap. She’s rat cunning, spiteful, self important and vindictive, but believes all the flattery and lies pouring out of Liars Party mouths.
I don’t think she’s stopped for a nano second to ask herself why a very highly paid HR Nicholls barrister would be taking her on pro bono. I’d say they’ve been stroking that inflated ego of hers for all it’s worth and she’s purring like a well-fed lion.
I also think her fairweather friends have expunged the Grech affair from their minds and are rushing headlong into another disaster of their own making and Jackson will be the first piece of flotsam ejected. I also think she’s too dumb to realise how expendable she is. I almost feel sorry for her……nah!
Sue @12.10am, the reason the msm asked Jackson no questions is the same reason they never ask Liealot any questions-there must be no scrutiny, on the Emperor’s orders.
Hopefully, the Murdochracy will turn to dust in the immediate future and all but the diehards will start doing their job.
patriciawa @1.37am, I think it is desperation measures for Liealot. Nothing he has done to unseat the PM and force an election has worked so far. It’s do or die; hopefully the latter.
Sue @8.01am, and what’s wrong with the AOC putting forward the dates for their fundraiser to check whether it clashed with the unimportant duties of running the country?
Perhaps if Mr Coates got his hand off it……….
el gordo, Barrell O’Lies record so far doesn’t inspire much confidence in anything that falls out of his gob. He seems to have been infected with Liealot’s disease-Brain Fart Syndrome. 😆
Tom R, @10.10am, well it is corporate Ausralia you’re talking about and everything revolves around them and their schedules.
Obviously, this inept and incompetent PM should have told the G20 mob they couldn’t have their stupid little meeting on a date that clashed with big important things like the AOC fundraiser.
Simple when you put your mind to it.
Sue, according to Greg Jericho on Twitter an hour ago, the Prime Minister offered three different dates for the dinner, therefore Mr. Coates has simply joined the chorus of mischief makers
The HUGE story about the PM not going to the corporate splash is now lead item on ltdnews, with a comment by wyne that this is further evidence of the Governments ineptitude
ffs
Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne said the non-attendance of the dinner by Ms Gillard was a sign of the chaotic and dysfunctional office she runs.
Hi folks. Just to let you know that I might be away for a while. My mum who is 88yrs old is currently in hospital and so I need to go down to Melbourne to help out. I’ll be keeping in touch.
Sorry to hear that Min. Hope everything is OK
So Mr. O’Farrell is in favour of Sydney Airport operating 24 hours a day and increased runways, at full capacity.
That can be the only impression one can get from his comments.
The reality is that he has to join in with planning for the future. Is there a major city in the world that copes with one airport, especially one as spread out as Sydney.
Sydney Airport cannot be extended without all that live in it;s vicinity being affected.
New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell says the Federal Government should look at improving the capacity of Sydney’s existing airport before worrying about building a second one.
Over the past few weeks, there has been renewed debate about the idea of a second airport being built either at Badgerys Creek in the west or Wilton in the city’s south-west.
Mr O’Farrell’s office has confirmed he asked a parliamentary committee exploring economic development in New South Wales to look at how Badgerys Creek could be developed for housing.
Mr O’Farrell made the request last year, six months before a report was due from an expert panel on Australia’s aviation capacity.
Thanks Jane @ 10:43 am. Just got to keep her thinking positive thoughts and not worrying about what might happen.
I’ve had a small piece taken out of my face & daughter has had a couple of larger chunks taken out of her back & shoulder, but all have turned out to be benign. This is the first brush we’ve had with melanoma for real.
Women, who obviously have no idea, would call it a head cold 😆
Hope your Mum’s OK Min – our thoughts are with you…
Bacchus, thank you. I’m an only child and mum is such a long way away. She’s in Box Hill hospital and I cannot thank the paramedics enough. Thank you David.
I see the ABC has decided to insert one line but near the end of AOC BS article .. Shame fairfax couldn’t get the facts right to begin with but…….
AS as Tom r said ffs
Yes Sue, the date of the conference changed, Where did the PM put that crystal ball. She needs it to keep the likes of Mr. Coates happy.
Ms Gillard said she had agreed on the date of the dinner based on her diary in mid-2011 but the date of the sustainable development conference had since changed.
“Once it was clear that it was critical for me to attend along side other heads of government, I discussed this matter personally with the chair of the dinner, Peter Fox,” she said in a statement.
“He was disappointed I couldn’t attend, as was I.
“Mr Fox was subsequently offered alternative dates but they were declined due to venue availability.”
Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan will represent Ms Gillard at the dinner.
Mr Coates praised former prime minister Kevin Rudd for his decision to attend the Olympics in Beijing, the first PM to do so since Malcolm Fraser in 1976.
“Rudd got it,” Mr Coates said.
Ms Gillard said she was a strong supporter of the Olympic team and her government had a proud record of supporting Australian Olympians, through funding and fundraising support.
“I look forward to following the Olympic team’s efforts in London and will be cheering them on,” she said.
The Australian Republican Movement weighed into the debate, with new national director David Morris, a former diplomat recently appointed to the role, saying it gave impetus to the argument for an Australian head of state.
Iain, we now have a new meaning for the word semantics, along with the word lying.
There is nothing semantic about what the PM said. There is a difference between a carbon tax and a market based cost on carbon emission.
Even Mr. Abbot said he would rather have a carbon tax in the past, in preference to Mr. Rudd’s ETS.
The PM said she would not do one, but intended to do the other.
There is no carbon tax. This is one of the reasons there is no rush to test the so called tax in court. The same goes for the mining tax.
You can say black is white for as long as you like. It does not make black, white.
Hi friends. I just wish to pass some news onto you. After all, we’re all friends here and I don’t mind opening up if I have to.
After nine years of marriage and 17 years together, Jedda and I have decided to call it a day. Some of you might remember seeing Jedda here (not her real name) posting the odd comment now and again.
It’s all good as we part on friendly and mutual terms. Sometimes people just grow apart and that is what we have done. It’s been that way for a year or so.
We wish each other well for the future.
She’ll be returning to Adelaide later in the year and I will continue on in Canberra. I have plans for the future and these will be revealed in due course.
Cheers,
Migs.
Sorry to hear it Migs. However, every cloud, as they say
She’ll be returning to Adelaide later in the year
Welcome back to the real world Jedda 😉
What is Mr. Thompson is doing that is wrong. A wise man follows his legal advice.
The federal opposition says Prime Minister Julia Gillard must demand embattled Labor MP Craig Thomson cooperate with a NSW Police investigation into alleged corruption within the Health Services Union (HSU).
Mr Thomson has said he’s refusing to talk with NSW Police because he hasn’t been involved in the HSU East branch since 2002.
‘I declined on legal advice,’ he told News Ltd on Saturday, adding he may agree to be interviewed by Strike Force Carnarvon if his lawyers reach agreement with NSW Police.
Mr Thomson is cooperating with a separate Victoria Police investigation into the HSU’s activities.
But opposition frontbencher Scott Morrison says that’s not good enough.
‘This is a disgrace,’ he told Network Ten on Sunday.
Murray Rose was being hailed as one the greatest swimmers of all time and an Australian Olympic legend following his death on Sunday after a battle with leukaemia.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist died in Sydney on Sunday morning, aged 73, having been ill for several months and his passing was met with by a flood of tributes from the wider Australian sporting community
Pip, Murray Rose an amazing hero and an encouragement for kids to learn to swim. We take it for granted in Australia that everyone can swim, it wasn’t always so and nor is it so in other countries. The name Murray Rose brings memories of doing laps at the Glenferrie pool.
To Min, Bacchus, Miglo and all in the Cafe, a cafe of… life, love and laughter
Min, I saw an interview with Murray a couple of years ago and he seemed like a very modest, unassuming gentle soul, who gave something back to the community.
Rose was the patron of the Australian charity ‘The Rainbow Club’ which teaches disabled children how to swim.
That’s a great song LOVO, and it does suit the Cafe 🙂
LOVO..perfect, thank you. xxx
LOL – thanks for that LOVO 🙂
That’s a mighty fine gesture LOVO.
Min, I hope everything is OK with your Mum. Please wish her well from me.
Bacchus, will be thinking of Mrs Bacchus and the Bacchus family, tomorrow.
Migs, sorry to hear the bad newsabout your marriage, but when it’s not working, it’s best to part on amicable terms. All the best to you both as you go your separate ways.
You can say black is white for as long as you like. It does not make black, white.
But he’ll keep on trying, CU. He really seems to believe that if you say it often enough he’ll convince himself at least.
Seems like O’Farrell also subscribes to the same fairy story wrt a second airport in Sydney..How does it make any sense on any level for Canberra airport to function as Sydney’s second airport?
Do you get the taxi ride or flight to get to and from Canberra airport for nix? FFS, how long does it take to drive from Sydney to Canberra? Finally, is O’Farrell completely insane or just extremely stupid?
CU, sad news indeed about Murray Rose. WRT Craig Thomson, the only disgrace is Morrison.
Jane and “is O’Farrell completely insane or just extremely stupid?”. Ans: Yes.
ABC24 Joe O’Brien reporting on major Taliban attacks in Afghanistan.
I’m following him on Twitter @joeobrien24.
Tweets
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul Attacks .. no official reports of killed or injured yet #abcnews24 .. attacks not seen like this before in terms of scale
1h Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Co-ordinated Attacks in Kabul in last 3 hrs – parlt, nato base, diplomatic enclave #abcnews24
2h Rickin Majithia @rick_maj
A friend of mine taking cover at the British Embassy in Kabul has just texted to say “It’s raining RPGs”. Praying for her safety. #Kabul
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Taliban on Kabul attacks: “These attacks are the beginning of the spring offensive and we had planned them for months.”
59m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul Emergency Hosp: We can hear rocket, small arms fire all around us. All the staff are in a panic. It has been like this for two hours.
1h Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul attacks continuing right now .. RT @AmiriEhsan reports of 3 rockets hits Japan embassy #Kabul
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC: Militants also took over a government building in Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province, police said, and a gun battle was under way.
38m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC: reports of suicide attack that has closed the centre of Jalalabad.Police said suicide bombers had attacked the airport there.
45m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC says insurgents fighting govt forces in 7 diff locations in Kabul. AFP reported that the newly built Kabul Star hotel was on fire.
51m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
RT @ISAFmedia ANSF continues to respond to attacks in #Kabul. ISAF continues to stand by to support, if requested.
LOVO, I like Peter Goers. He’s a Port Adelaide supporter. 🙂
But I must ask: why on earth would Broken Hill have a memorial to the Titanic? It’s not as though it ever visited the place.
Another question. Who would build a new hotel in Kabul?
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Al Jaz .. ISAF spokesman says foreign troops not called for help in Kabul http://aje.me/A2loGq
34m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Reuters is quoting the the Afghan Interior Ministry as saying that fighting in Eastern Nangarhar and Pakita provinces has now ended.
40m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Al Jaz … The compound of the German embassy in Kabul sustained damage Sunday but no-one was injured.
Miglo. Clive…. James…?
The place will be empty so those two reprobates might see the locale as easy pickings.
Migs, It was the big band era in B.H. at the time…. there was great empathy that “the band played on”… the Barrier Industrial Union band from that era still exists today…. http://www.biuband.com.au/index.html
Barnaby takes the long way out of his latest brain fart…
Senator Barnaby Joyce
——————————————————————————-
Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water
Baby Bonus
I have never contacted Tony Abbott to push for a doubling of the Baby Bonus.
With a strong on the ground experience of the problems that large lump sum social security payments can create, I don’t think I ever will support a policy that would exacerbate these issues.
LOVO, that must be a record somehwere in the world, to have lasted since
1884. BH must be very proud of them.
what a shock for Jones and Joyce, Victorian Liberals ignored them. Bigger shock for Victorian, Michael K.
Min @10.49pm 15/4, both? Any news on your Mum? Fingers crossed that it’s very minor.
Bacchus, fingers crossed for Mrs Bacchus and the family, too.
Pip I hope the Taliban has now given it its best shot and will slink off into the caves. I doubt it, but it’s good news that Afghanistan has struggled through another assault.
Why can’t these bloody fanatics find themselves a nice walled compound and stay there and let other people live their lives without interference?
Sue, tragic news about Kroger. Bwwahahahaha! Mind you, with Minchin behind it, there’s bound to be something distasteful in the wood pile.
Is Mr. Abbott out inciting a revolution again.
But I digress.
Today’s speech was pretty much the same as all his other speeches … ‘great Australian business, manufacturing is our lifeblood, carbon tax will destroy the economy, government out of touch, etc, etc, ad nauseam‘. Yawn … cut, paste, move on. But then there was this gem:
‘I call on the workers of Australia to rise up, to rise up against this carbon tax and let the government know – ‘
Cu, i know this is as old as the hills but Abbott has taken more positions than the Kama Sutra.
Tony Abbott absolutely supported a carbon tax.
Mrs Bacchus’ has returned from her ordeal – the next couple of nights will be fun for her trying to sleep though, with a bandage the size of a small tent covering the huge chunk of arm he took out. 😯
The excision of the cancer came back with a result of 1 🙂
Clark level – This may be on your pathology report. It is a number (1–5) describing how deeply the cancer has penetrated into the skin. Lower Clark levels indicate that the cancer remains close to the skin’s surface (more superficial); higher levels show that the cancer has penetrated more deeply in the skin.
Does this mean I’ve got two reasons to open a bottle tonight Jane? A good result for Mrs Bacchus and as a further cure for my amazingly dangerous and debilitating man flu? 😆
Bacchus, that is such excellent news. We’ll even let you choose tonight’s wine. Big hugs for Mrs. Bacchus.
We’ll even let you choose tonight’s wine.
From the bottom shelf.
Thanks Min 🙂
It probably makes little difference to me atm Migs. My taste buds have gone on strike anyway 😦
The prescriptions of Dr LOVO & Dr Tom R seem to be working though. I feel the heavy fog of near certain death from my man flu slowly lifting
Dr LOVO here, I also advise that you should forthwith obtain one of those hats with the straws in it to keep those fluids up…. (not sure if they are on the PBS)…….
LOVO, we are in your indebtedness for Bacchus’s eventual recovery.
Cool Dr LOVO – do you have a plan for a red wine hat too? I reckon it’d go down well when I visit SA, ACT, NSW or especially Melbourne 😆 Not so sure the locals here would accept them though 😉
Contrary to the Leader of the Opposition demanding that the Prime Minister should interfere in the Fair Work Australia business, which would be improper,
the man that Abbott so badly wants out of Parliament, Craig Thomson has said this:-
”There are issues that have been raised about Fair Work Australia,” he said. ”Whether they are right or wrong, the best thing they can do is give their report to the police. Let the police do their job; they can investigate, they can charge and people can have some confidence in the result.”
It was reported at the weekend that Mr Thomson, acting on legal advice, has declined to talk to Strike Force Carnarvon, which is investigating allegations of extensive corruption in the HSU.
Mr Thomson may soon co-operate with the investigation but says it concerns events at the HSU’s East branch when he was not there.
Pip @ 4:03 pm, tabot actually clearly explains in that talk the difference between a Carbon Tax and a Carbon Price that was being proposed at the time (with a fixed price, that may look and smell like a tax, but is clearly different from a Carbon Tax)
tabot says he prefers a carbon tax on energy consumption
What we have is a Carbon Price on energy production. Sure it is passed on (probably) to consumers, but it is this basic structure that differentiates the two, and the media REFUSE to acknowledge this.
Instead, they play this ‘looks like, smells like’ game of Humpty Dumpty, and further confuse the poor readers over just what the Government is proposing. Gillard went to pains to highlight this distinction, she should have gone to far further pains imo. The media didn’t care though, they had their alleged ‘gotcha’.
Pet hate: the way that the opposition state that they don’t have to explain anything, not policies nor costings..in fact the opposition remains a fact-free zone. The media in response happily agrees with this, never ask questions of the opposition..presumably because they’re not the government..yet this same media are quite happy to proclaim at every available opportunity how Tony is going to romp it in. If so, shouldn’t the media be asking questions about the implications of a Tony Abbott government.
From where I sit sipping my coffee I can see the office. Oh how I hate the first day back after holidays. 😦
The man who would be king…reminded in 2011 of how much he is respected…
perhaps to be his future “title” uttered consistently by his people as he takes the PMship courtesy of the Murdochracy:
Something ironic about a Murdoch empire owned Newspoll polling on the PM’s “trustworthiness”…
N’
nasking
The man who would be king
you had to, didn’t you 😉
Nas’, because of course the implication is that she’s not. It’s the same as asking a question when you already know the answer.
Tom, I knew that you’d be able to find an excuse for something from Iron Maiden there somewhere. 😉
You’d think he would have run out of excuses. 😉
You’d think he would have run out of excuses.
NEVER! 🙂
Bacchus, fantastic news about Mrs Bacchus. I missed the news last night because Liealot’s marvellous wireless broadband was on the blink.
As a reward you may have an extra gargle for the next few days, however, Mrs Bacchus must have the lioness’s share.
Tom R @8.16am, obviously he suffers from Alzheimer’s as he clearly seems unable to remember what he said to Fran Kelly.
Perhaps that recording should be played every time he opens his lying gob about the carbon price, surely the voters have the right to know what he really thinks and would be likely to do if they gave the bugger the reins of government.
Frankly, it wouldn’t hurt the Iain Halls to hear what Liealot favours and what is and what is not, a carbon tax.
In that clip he refers to imposing a carbon tax on fuel. It also wouldn’t hurt to remind people that the Howard government, which included Liealot, also managed a double GST dip on fuel and now he wants to impose a further tax on them every time they fuel up.
That should make semi drivers especially happy.
Nas’ @9.43am, the woman with the trolley doesn’t look too impressed, either. 😆
Good one Tom R…
I reckon there are alot of ALP supporters out there real frustrated right now…poll after poll feeling like nothing changes…feeling slightly doomed…
my fave sequence from Rango…”who am I”…dig the music…
it wouldn’t hurt the Iain Halls
It wouldn’t help wither, deaf ears and all. Even when presented with the facts, they still prefer to go with, ‘but semantically’ or ‘it’s still a year early’
Facts don’t appear to be of any consequence in political debates these days 😦
on April 17, 2012 at 10:50 amMin
Nas’, because of course the implication is that she’s not. It’s the same as asking a question when you already know the answer.
Indeed Min…but of course the question of trustworthiness is the key to their ongoing attack campaign…linked primarily to the carbon price…they’re all excited due to the QLD election result…but the lack of TRUSTWORTHINESS approach is nothing unusual:
It’s a matter of trust…yea RIGHT:
Of course only Liberals can be TRUSTED:
Tony Abbott like his mentor John Howard is so TRUSTWORTHY…as an opportunistic WEATHERVANE:
The reciting parrots at the IPA aren’t faceless, they’re everywhere.
No, they’re there exclusively on behalf of their shy paymasters.
{ Twitter hash tag #GetIPAoffMyABC }
The Crackers Award* this week goes to the Institute of Public Affairs**, the cash for comment think tank of choice for the Liberal Party, Big Tobacco, Big Coal, Big Carbon and many other fellow travellers. Environment editor Sandi Keane reports.
by environment editor Sandi Keane
There’s nothing much that’s public about the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA).
…not its affairs.
…and certainly not its financial affairs.
Just because I feel like it. Trite? A cliché? The unexpected. And to prove that appearances can be deceptive and that cynicism will not prevail.
Abbott addressing a community forum in Melbourne,
Latika Bourke tweeting:-
Tony Abbott says everyone wants Australian troops withdrawn asap, but they need to come back with success under their belt.
Tony Abbott says the mission must be accomplished for the sacrifice of the 32 Australians killed in Afghanistan to be honoured.
Tony Abbott says having been to Afghanistan twice, he sees no reason why Australian troops can’t come home sooner rather than later.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says the coalition forces have ‘lost’ the war in Afghanistan and it will become another Vietnam
Greens Leader Christine Milne ‘the war in Afghanistan has been a failure on every level
“Brigadier Slog” tweeted:-
Abbott is somehere promising money for disabled & mental health. Odd seeing he’s promised to axe thousands of public servants
Pip, I have somewhat mixed feeling on Afghanistan. Just because it’s a failure, does it mean that we should not be there. What was it that we were trying to achieve? There was a lot about the emancipation of women and children. Has this been achieved? Not so, only in the allied forces zones. Otherwise, we still have forced child marriages and the stoning of women to death because they are rape victims.
What will withdrawal of our forces mean to the Afghani people..a return to fundamentalism where women are stoned because they dare learn to read.
We have been there for such a long time, and I will not recount the stuff ups along the way..but I believe that we do have some responsibility in this matter. If we stuffed it up, then we should be there to fix it.
Min,
The Afghanistan debacle is what we get for not remembering history’s lessons…
and allowing certain corporations and their ex-CEOs and employees to run a significant part of the show…and suck up taxpayer’s money like a gigantic Hoover.
Not to mention creating heaps of opportunities for the Taliban to recruit and get outside assistance due to the bombing and shooting of innocent civilians oft in pursuit of a gang of ideological thugs led by a tall man who shoulda been caught years ago (but was conveniently missed extending the war into insanity years)…until he was knocked off in Pakistan living within spitting distance of our so called Pakistani allies.
This war has been a cruel ruse and profiteering venture played on many a courageous soldier and civilian…
and should remind for yonks all voters that they cannot trust the private business sphere to do the right thing…that outsourcing war does not win wars…but it sure as hell just about bankrupts countries…that our brave troops should be remunerated a damn site better…and used for essential campaigns…not to prop up presidents, prime ministers, corporations and any dick looking to make a quick, easy buck.
Patton probably woulda shot Bush if he’d been around.
N’
Nas’ indeed. During the time when the Taliban were considered US allies, great inroads were made – the cash crop being opium for international markets had been almost eradicated and replaced with food crops. The negative at the same time was the subjugation of women and female children.
That is, people were starving while the farmers grew opium poppies. The Taliban banned the growing of opium.
However since then opium is once again the major export of Afghanistan under the auspicies of the Americans. The status of women has been raised, but only in some areas.
It is often swept under the carpet, but to my way of thinking the reason that we’re in Afganistan is to prop up the American drug lords, Afghanistan being their major supplier.
Get out of Afghanistan? Maybe. But will this stop the drug lords in America from accessing their suppliers. This then gets back to the legalisation of drugs – it will never happen as the illicit international drug trade is worth billions. Make it legal..hardly, not when it’s worth billions to have it illegal.
I’m no big fan of the Taliban but can someone tell me why we really are at war with them?
Roswell, the cynic in me would say that it’s because the Taliban stopped opium sales to the American drug barons.
What was it that we were trying to achieve?
Removal of the Taliban, who were at the time harbouring a known Terrorist. Everything else is just cleaning up the mess (although, in the case of the treatment of women, we might even leave things better off.)
It is unfortunate, but it appears to be too closely linked with Iraq in many discussions these days. They are comepletely seperate issues, and the reasons for going into each were completely seperate issues.
The UN backed the invasion of Afghanistan, they did not support the invasion of Iraq.
So, the PM makes a major speech about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The first question from a reporter is at least on the topic, but interesting, considering the way the ABC decide to release this announcement
The Federal Opposition has questioned Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s motives as she prepares to announce that most Australian soldiers will be pulled out of Afghanistan before the next election.
I understand that the opposition our degenerate beings, but does the ABC have to follow them down to the abyss?
Also, interesting that a reporters (herpaderp??) first question reflects precisley the oppositions attack on this announcement.
Just looked on theirabc main site. The link to story was ‘Walking Away’, with a big blurb about what the opposition reckons, it is now ‘Exit Strategy’.
I did get a screen grab, cos that is just piss poor journalism, ltdnewslite style, and I’m a pretty petty kinda person 🙂
Here is another item never mentioned in the main stream media, and it had precious little, or nothing, to do with women’s rights !
American troops will not be back home from Afghanistan until after 2014. That is when the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline is scheduled to be operational.
In the mid 1990s, Unocol [Union Oil Company of California, which merged with Chevron in 2005] began plans for an oil and a gas pipeline from rich oilfields in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, that would run from the Caspian Sea through Afghanistan and Pakistan and finally to India. A route through Afghanistan is the shortest route to the sea and has relatively favorable terrain for a pipeline.
The Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline is the reason the Taliban rose to power. Unocol and the CIA helped to put the Taliban in power, thinking that the new regime would permit them to build the pipeline. Once in power, the Taliban failed to keep its part of the bargain.
[In October 2001, the United States responded to the 9/11 attacks by invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban.]
From the link above:-
On December 22, 2001 a US-backed interim government headed by Hamid Karzai took office in Kabul, Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai had formerly functioned as a Unocal Corporation consultant.
Almost immediately, talks resumed about the planned Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline. The new deal on the pipeline was signed on 27 December 2002 by the leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The 1,680 kilometre (1,040 mi) pipeline will run from the Dauletabad gas field to Afghanistan. From there TAPI will be constructed alongside the highway running from Herat to Kandahar, and then via Quetta and Multan in Pakistan. The final destination of the pipeline will be the Indian town of Fazilka, near the border between Pakistan and India.
The pipeline is expected to be operational by 2014. In order to build that pipeline, the U.S. needs to subdue the Taliban.
Full speech: PM Julia Gillard sets Afghan withdrawal date for Australian Diggers
by: Julia Gillard
April 17, 2012 2:01PM
This is not my field, so will be listening and learning. Our people are not doing much good there, too small a presence. It would be better money for value if the cost of the Diggers was spend on humanitarian aid. I stand open to criticism on this one. Debate on this topic an open one as far as I’m concerned.
Can the Liberals/Nats get one single solitary piece of legislation together without stuffing it up..
NATIONALS leader Warren Truss says his party will not push ahead with a policy to double the baby bonus for stay-at-home mums to $10,000 because it is “simply not affordable in the current economic environment”.
Amid controversy over Barnaby Joyce’s apparent backflip in support for the plan, Mr Truss today said the policy was all but dead.
Min I agree wholeheartedly with you about humanitarian aid, but according to some of the right wing think tanks that’s an absolute no go, and the Liberals follow their advice to the letter!
Regarding the question, Can the Liberals/Nats get one single solitary piece of legislation together without stuffing it up..
Not a chance till Barney Rubble is leashed, which makes me wonder why the rest of the Nats., are so quiet
Let’s just send the state of Queensland back a number of decades…or is that centuries..
CREATIONISM and intelligent design will be taught in Queensland state schools for the first time as part of the new national curriculum.
Creationists dismiss the science of evolution, instead believing that living things are best explained by an intelligent being or God, rather than an undirected process such as natural selection.
Teachers are still formulating a response to the draft national curriculum, scheduled to be introduced next year.
Queensland History Teachers’ Association head Kay Bishop said the curriculum asked students to develop their historical skills in an “investigation of a controversial issue” such as “human origins (eg, Darwin’s theory of evolution and its critics”).
“It’s opening up opportunities for debate and discussion, not to push a particular view,” Ms Bishop said. Classroom debate about issues encouraged critical thinking – an important tool, she said.
With the right teacher children might learn how to think critically, but creationism need not be the topic to achieve this!
Associated Christian Schools executive officer Lynne Doneley welcomed the draft curriculum, saying it cemented the position of a faith-based approach to teaching.
“We talk to students from a faith science basis, but we’re not biased in the delivery of curriculum,” Mrs Doneley said. “We say, ‘This is where we’re coming from’ but allow students to make up their own minds.”
What the hell is “faith science basis”?
Iain, it is Mr. Abbott that is claiming the Clean Energy Future is going to bankrupt the country. Treasury disputes all his figures.
Why would that be so.
Yes, it is going to cost more, but the amount is very small.
The carbon tax that Mr. Abbott supported was on consumption. Direct cost to the taxpayer.,
Mr. Abbott laughed it off as him Being a weather vane.
I do not know how you could have missed the video clip. It has been on this site many time..
Iain, do you realise that all that is happening, is that we do not agree with you. That is our right. What I do not understand why it upsets you so.
Time will prove who is correct.
Why do you feel the need for everyone to agree with you. It bothers me naught whether you do or not.
I just do not want other to think that what you say, cannot be challenged.
That there are two or more sides to the debate.
That is what democracy is about. People having the right to disagree.
People having different wishes for their country,
I am finding the present debate a little boring and will be moving on.
Good luck with your mission to change everyone to your way of thinking. You do not seem to be having much luck here, Could be that you could be a little wrong. Who knows.
“Intelligent design”
I wonder how many Queenslanders know they were voting for this. I wonder how many support the move.
Wonder what they are going to do for facts. As far as I know, this has no basis in science.
Cu, this is to do with the National Curriculum I think.
Nas’, it’s all about a very narrow field of imagination. As always the truth sits there somewhere in the middle, or more than likely far way beyond our imaginings.
I think that ancient ancestors had it about right, that there is the creator but He is not in this narrow mindset of what creation means. Why for example can God not create evolution. That seems a reasonable thing to do. And who the hell are we to tell God what to anyway. He did warn us, that we are created in His imagination..and by God, he’s got one hell of an imagination. I kinda like the old bugger, but don’t tell Him that I said so.
When are our older peers gping to wake up.
Same-sex marriage, personal integrity and even burning the Australian flag were among the hot topics as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott faced questions from people in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs today.
Hundreds of people, mostly elderly, filled a forum at Wantirna, with regular bursts of applause following Mr Abbott’s responses suggesting most of them were already on his side.
and
The Opposition Leader repeatedly hinted at conservative spending when peppered with queries about investment in everything from youth community groups to self-funded retirees, should he run the country.
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“When you’ve got a $20 billion surplus, it’s a lot easier (to spend generously) than when you’ve got a $50 billion deficit, and that’s the problem,” Mr Abbott told the forum, pointing to a drastic
Maybe he does manage to tell the truth when is suits him. Have not seen any evidence of this so far.
When quizzed on his personal integrity, Mr Abbott said he had strived throughout his two decades in politics to be authentic, and that people should never allow things within their control to break their promises.
“I think I can put my hand on my heart and say I have done my damndest to be true to the things that I have stated I will do,” he said.
Pip, if it is, it should only be found in one place, that of comparative religion.
State schools should should not be in the business of teaching religion. I believe in NSW at least, they are prevented from doing so.
It is a religious concept. Intelligent Design is a modern one, to get around creationism.
Therefore it does not belong ion history.
Cu, on this I believe Abbott absolutely..he expects girls to remain virgins, Bernie Banton wasn’t authentic, that it’s ok to swear at women, that there is nothing wrong with standing in front of signs saying Ditch the Witch..and god only knows what else Tony thinks because he does little else than to pose in lycra.
Yes indeed, I believe Tony..that’s the authentic Tony. The Fantastic Plastic Tony Abbott.
Min,Nasking@5.21….. bottom left hand corner…… (cue twilight zone music) 🙂
Gee, thanks LOVO. Now I can’t get that music out of my head.
Don’t tell Bacchus but I have a mild version of the manflu and am taking myself to bed. I just couldn’t let it develop into a full-blown version.
Mild version 🙄
Whoops..it seems that it’s chicken soup all round here at the Cafe.
I should have added not to tell Min either. Definitely don’t tell Tom, Pip or LOVO.
I can’t see myself ever living it down. If I live through it, that is. 😦
Migs, I think it’s a manifestation of the mind. Did you not return to work today after leave?
Give it a few more months…alot more scrutiny of Mr. Abbott and his friend Barnaby…and a few of their supporters, the not so faceless…and faceless…and by early next year we should be seeing a waning of support for the “dickhead” and his Coalition.
N’
LOVO,
You’re traveling through another dimension — a dimension not only of sight and sound but of irrational, delusional mind. A journey into a bizarre land whose boundaries are that of loopy imagination. That’s an Intelligent Design signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Twilight Zone!
You unlock this door with the key of Creationism. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of naked people, a dimension of apples, a dimension of serpents. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and fig leaf…floppy thingies and gardens of utopia. You’ve just crossed over into…an acid trip…perhaps schizo moment…called the Twilight Zone.
N’
Mild phhhhtttt! – there’s no such a thing 😯 Man flu is deadly and dangerous! Yield to the disease Migs. I am alive to tell of the miracle of the Dr LOVO and Dr Tom R cure for man flu. Open another bottle and be healed Migs
Nas’ floppy thingies ??
How does this work?
From Twitter
John Birmingham
Qld police minister who resigned for speeding while unlicensed announced as new director of NBN satellite launch program.
N’….”floppy thingies “(got one of them,check..)….”a dimension of naked people,”( I wish 😳 …)..”A journey into a bizarre land whose boundaries are that of loopy imagination.” 😯 ( Right so Ive logged onto C.W. )….”an acid trip”….um, 😳 all I noticed was it said Min in bottom left hand corner of vid???? 🙂 …… doo, doo,do,do… your next stop the (oh,baby)…the LOVO zone….. 😆
Migs @ 8.25pm, mild man flu?
There’s no such thing, and I didn’t want chicken soup anyway but thanks for asking…. oh wait..
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of playing politics with the announcement of a detailed timeframe for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister made a long speech explaining the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it was clear that the decision is about all the countries involved, which will meet in Chicago to discuss the withdrawal.
JULIA GILLARD: I am now confident Chicago will recognise mid-2013 as a key milestone in the international strategy; a crucial point when the international forces will be able to move to a supporting role across all of Afghanistan.
Andrew Wilkie jumped the gun, so to speak, with this silly statement:-
TOM IGGULDEN: Critics say there’s more than military strategy feeding into the withdrawal timetable.
ANDREW WILKIE, INDEPENDENT MP: It’s all about the Prime Minister wanting to get this off the table as an election issue at next year’s federal election.
If he wanted to sound reasonable he would have mentioned the US and their election in November this year.
He would also have known that President Karzai and the military leaders will also have a say about when the forces leave Afghanistan.
If he didn’t know this then he’s a fool to say anything at all, and if he did know but chose to criticise our Prime Minister alone then a different adjective is required.
Trading on his previous talents as an intelligence analyst will only get him so far.
JULIA Gillard’s $10 billion green bank will begin writing the first loans for renewable energy and emissions reductions projects as early as July 1 next year – just weeks before a federal election will decide the future of the carbon pricing package.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation will write loans with terms of more than a decade, providing a potential complication to Tony Abbott’s vow to scrap the carbon pricing scheme in favour of his direct action plan if he wins power at the next election.
On Thursday, the Foreign Minister Senator Carr and Defence Minister Smith will participate in ISAF Ministerial discussions in Brussels.
And on 21 May, I will attend the NATO/ISAF Leaders Summit in Chicago.
There, I will put Australia’s view on the key questions before the international coalition.
I believe it is important I explain to Australians the decisions the Government is making and the position we will take to the table this month and next.
THE Nationals have launched a blitz on Labor-held seats in northern NSW, believing the electorates are ripe for assault because of electricity price rises from the carbon tax.
The deliberate campaign of lies is building up a head of steam., not just in Northern NSW.
The SA State Liberals are using the same tactic.
Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Roberts-Smith said until their mission was complete, soldiers would continue to keep Afghanistan “free from becoming a safe haven for terrorism”.
He said Afghanistan had come a long way since the start of Australia’s war commitment, when it was known as the “wild west”.
Cpl Roberts-Smith, due to return to combat soon, said troops on the ground knew there would be a time to come home.
“The withdrawal has to happen because we have to give it back to the Afghans. They have to look after their own country,” he said
If as it says Abbott wants more information, than you would think Abbott would make himself available,rather than send Brandis
.
“The Acting Chief of the Defence Force will this morning give the Federal Opposition a confidential briefing on plans to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he supports the judgement of Australia’s Defence chiefs, but wants more information from the Government about the situation.
Defence chiefs will provide the briefing to the Coalition’s acting Defence spokesman, George Brandis.”
Is this a joke,Bailleau’s way of infrastructure for Victoria.
Bailleau wants Federal money, $30 million to think about possibly asking for more money to build his number one infrastrucutre project.
So, all you tax payers around Australia, how would you judge that approach on the Waste Scale.
“Victoria has asked the federal government’s major projects adviser – Infrastructure Australia – for an initial $30 million to plan and develop the project, and will only then consider another submission for federal money to help fund it.
A spokeswoman for the state government confirmed the initial $30 million, if received, would be used to examine ”construction, delivery and finance options”. She said Victoria would then consider a second submission asking for funding to begin work.
This is something which Tony Windsor mooted several months ago..
THE Gillard government will fireproof its $10 billion green technology fund against an attack from any future Coalition government by forcing Tony Abbott to repeal legislation in order to shut down the flow of money.
Ensuring its clean energy policies are carved in stone even if it loses next year’s election, Labor indicated yesterday that the funding for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation would be ”specifically appropriated” in legislation to be introduced to Parliament next month.
Sue, it seems a wee bit psychological on Abbott’s part, that he doesn’t want to be seen as engaging in any form of cooperation with Julia Gillard.
“Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of playing politics ”
Is not politics is what is it all a out, especially in this day and age.
If what she does not appeal to some, the same PM is accused of having no political nous.
If it is not about politics, what is it about.
“It’s all about the Prime Minister wanting to get this off the table as an election issue at next year’s federal election.”
In my humble opinion, it is about the people in the country having enough of armed forces in the country.
On the history of war, these types of disputes are not winnable. The forces there are causing misery for the people.
There is little more that they can achieve.
It is the people dying, not many of the armed forces.
Ten years is long enough for all involved.
Will not hurt the budgets of the countries involved to bring the soldiers home.
What is happening is akin to a civil war, that only the people can solve.
I agree with Min, the money would have been better spent on aid, so the country does not have to rely on the drug trade..
Mn
And it was Abbot that suggested Gillard wanted the troops home for political reasons. What a sh1t he is.
It proves Abbott’s lack of interest in the War in Afghanistan, as stated in the news the international response has been to transition to the Afghannies. If Abbott thinks he is PM material he should take responsibilty and keep abrest of the facts.
Abbott has a new tactic. After putting the fear into everybody, he is now saying the government is stealing his policies.
How could this be so, when he will not tell us what they are.
In a grocery shop today. I suggest Coles and Woolworths are a bigger danger to them.
Under performing economy.
Wasteful and unnecessary spending. Why does he not tell us what the waste is.
The wheel goes round and round and round.
He is sickening. I do not know why people like being talked to like a toddler.
“If as it says Abbott wants more information, than you would think Abbott would make himself available,rather than send Brandis”
He would rather go to a shop and continue with his lies.
Such as how bad this economy is. How much better he would do.
Sue, apart from Abbott saying that he’s not all that interested in the economy, the other one was foreign affairs…exactly what is it that Tony Abbott is interested in, oh that’s right it’s Tony Abbott.
Interesting if true. They were great mates.
JENNIFER HEWETT
The night before Kevin Rudd was rolled as prime minister, he and miner Andrew Forrest had just agreed to transform the resource super profits tax into a radical proposal to revolutionise the delivery of infrastructure in Australia.
Under the in-principle agreement hammered out over a few frantic days in June 2010, mining companies could have avoided liability for the proposed 40 per cent tax by instead writing off their capital expenditure on infrastructure.
The deal was hurriedly developed by a prime minister under great political pressure to settle the damaging fight with the mining industry and a chief executive of Fortescue Metals Group who believed the planned tax would have triggered the threat of potential default for his company under United States laws.
The agreement would have split the mining industry’s fervent opposition to the resource super profits tax and immediately given the then prime minister a politically valuable and visible ally in selling a grand “national interest’’ alternative to the public
Mr Rudd’s office refused to comment yesterday. But Mr Forrest confirmed that key figures in the rest of the government were also involved in the discussions on Monday, June 21 and Tuesday, June 22, 2010, with regular input from the Treasurer’s chief of staff, Chris Barrett, and other Treasury officials, as well as advisers from the office of Resources Minister Martin Ferguson.
“By Monday night, we felt we had an agreement,’’ Mr Forrest said. “I believe Rudd briefed his senior ministers on Tuesday morning on his plan to switch the RSPT into the biggest infrastructure boom imaginable. It would have been a huge legacy for a Labor government. The prime minister wanted to go public with the new deal on Friday.
Australia has the strongest economy in the developed world and it is expected to outperform all comers for at least the next two years, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Yes Min, Tony once again talking the economy down.
Have you listened to him lately. His way of addressing the public is worse than ever. One would think carefully before addressing a three year old in the same manner.
He is also getting plenty of media time to spread his lies. Once again he is blaming everything at the foot of government debt and borrowing is it one hundred million every day.
This in spite of no one agreeing with him.
Can we trust anyone connected to the nuclear industry?
Road workers were sent for medical treatment after vomiting when suspected nuclear material was unearthed during work on an upgrade to the Pacific Highway on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.
The materials, which include caesium, were buried north of Port Macquarie after a truck carrying radioactive isotopes from Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor crashed in the area in 1980.
The isotopes were being taken to Brisbane en route to the shipped to the United States.
Now the view that Government debt is having a significant impact on interest rates might pass muster if we lived in a closed economy where the Government and banks had to fight for the same domestic source of finance.
But the reality is banks now raise funds through a number of ways (as I discussed in February). The sense that the Government’s borrowing is increasing the costs for banks to raise money on the international bond market is laughable. The line however contains enough "oh he's talking about finance stuff, he must know what's going on" to allow him to get away with it.
And if he says it enough, well then people start to think it is truth, and it gets nary a challenge.Except here’s a shock: banking costs in the past few months have actually gone down. Yep down.
As I said earlier today, a little truth would go a long way with Mr. Abbott.
Interesting NPC on employment and causalisation of the workforce.
THE Reserve Bank has raised fresh doubts over banks’ justification for raising mortgage rates outside of official moves, saying lenders have benefited from a ‘‘significant’’ drop in the cost of borrowing.
ANZ sparked a political backlash after it raised mortgage rates last week by 0.06 of a percentage point, blaming higher bank funding costs.
But minutes from this month’s Reserve Bank board meeting, published yesterday, said the banks’ cost of wholesale debt had fallen in March, capping further falls in previous months.
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The minutes said bank funding costs had dropped ‘‘significantly’’ since the start of the year. Long-term debt was 50 basis points cheaper, helping ‘‘alleviate the pressure of higher funding costs in coming months.’’
“government debt and interest rates have no connection”,
“bank funding costs had dropped ‘‘significantly’’ since the start of the year.
Long-term debt was 50 basis points cheaper, helping ‘‘alleviate the pressure of higher funding costs in coming months.’’,
Yet all we see on any news outletis is wall to wall Abbott spruiking his inaccurate campaign slogans, none of which should recommend him as a credible leader.
The media have been so hung up on the hung Parliament, {sorry :lol:} and it’s “fragile” situation, they’ve assumed that it didn’t matter what the government is doing because it will be knocked off any day now, and proceeded to count the ways it might happen.
Min, good news about the economy, but Liealot will still get the nodding heads despite the truth.
Pip, as usual Grog gets it right.
CU, giving the lie to the dog whistling from the ignoramuses in the Liars Party and the dissemblers in the rip off banking industry.
Reading all the bullshit emanating from Andrew Wilkie and the usual Liars Party suspects, I heard the PM’s broadcast re the withdrawal of Australian troops from Afghanistan and at no time did she say it will be done without consultation with Defence chiefs and all the other parties involved.
If agreement is reached, troops may start being withdrawn as early as 2013.
I think Mr Wilkie is mischief making because his pokie reform legislation has been knocked on the head for the time being. But there’s little chance of it reaching the Senate atm, so there obviously needs to be negotiation with Windsor and Oakeshott for it to have a chance.
I think there needs to be a huge public awareness campaign from the pro reform camp, to negate the barracking from Big Clubs etc. For a start making it known how little of the giant profits is coughed up to the communities would be a good start, imo.
People might realise how badly they’re being ripped off and turn on the pokies lobby and their puppets the Liars Party.
Just as a matter of interest, how many hands belonging to big business and their lobby groups are pulling Liealot’s strings?
If he gets the nod, how many pipers will be bending him over? Although he’s already sold his @rse it seems, so he must be used to bending over by now.
Jane, one tends to go a little glassy eyed at times when you read “the strongest economy in the developed world”, and it’s still not good enough.
CU
A funny take on the Twiggy/ Rudd non-story by Pascoe
“And next month we’ll discover the Ruddster was minutes away from achieving peace in the Middle East and a cure for dandruff.”
the jericho article is such an indictment of journalists, that they should hang their heads in shame. the analogy that a sports writer knows more on his subject than a political/economics writer is so apt that the sports guys should laugh at their colleagues.
As to wilkie, reporters and the pokie lobby shame on all. a simple look at the annual reports of all the clubs is all that was required for any reporter of any worth to shoot down the pokie lobby lies. wilkie could and should have stood at all his press confereces with the evidence and challenged the reporters, who flocked to his press conferences. every time a reporter asked “will you withdraw your support of the govt” wilkie should have said “will you look at the evidence and report on it.”
Tough luck, the clubs were and are lying, wilkie has spoiled his own importance and the reporters are fools willing to run a press release as a story without due investigation.
WTF Tony Abbott
“Mr Abbott says child abuse is “a terrible blot on society” that has to be eliminated but the blame should not be solely directed at the church.
“There has been a lot of pretty gruesome behaviour in many institutions over the years and we should be careful not to single out particular institutions, given that a lot of this has been or it was pandemic a generation ago,” he said.”
Because I’m tough I went to work suffering with the man flu. Because I’m sensible I’ve come home early.
Do you know that the chances of spilling coffee on your suit are greater if the suit has just been dry cleaned?
Believe me, it’s true. 😦
Good on you Migs – take it to work and share it around. Very thoughtful of you 😉
Sue, what he is ignoring, and I say knowing ignoring, is what is being discussed is systematic institutional abuse of children.
A institution that has great power over the children.
A parliamentary is not the inquiry needed.
I know that I would not appear in one for this type of crime. I failed to see how a few elected politicians have the knowledge or insight to know even where to begin.
No wonder the church is happy, especially Mr. Abbott’s friend, Cardinal Pelle.
I thought that Mr. Abbott’s reply was weak and was more interested in defending the church.
I am sure those who have knowledge, experience or have been a victim will feel the same.
But it is not about victims. It is about protecting the church as much as possible.
Being a victim of child sexual abuse is not the same as having your home burnt down in a fire.
It can be nit much more than another white wash. It could lead to more victims topping themselves, because they will feel that once again they have been let down.
I believe one of the reasons for having an inquiry was to try and rach many of the hidden victims.
Once again, Mr. Abbott let off the hook, he so aptly snagged himself.
PS, if it is in the past, as Mr. Abbott says, there is only one reason for this. Priest do not have the access to children as in the past.
My last connection was back in 1987, at a school my son attended. He was not abused but did witness the events. That priest is now serving a long jail term. He was highly thought of at the time.
One of his victims ended up in Boggo jail, and convicted of two murders. I would be surprised if he is still alive. He was my sons nest mate. Spent time in my home. That is not in the past to me.
I knew this boy at the time. It was the abused that sent him off the rails.
No Mr. Abbott, sadly it is not in the past.
jane, how many from the business world, big or small, do you hear barracking for Mr. Abbott and his party. I must be deaf, as I do not hear any. Well any from the main stream business world. We can leave Mr. Palmer and Forester out of the picture. They are not the norm.
Bacchus..you know Migs better than that..he does not share his coffee 😯
Sue, what else would be expected from Tony Abbott.
A problem was that victims of abuse were up against some very substantial institutions, the Catholic Church of Rome for one. How would one little girl or one little boy expect a fair hearing when the RC’s main aim was to protect itself.
That has been the pattern of behaviour, that pedophiles and other predators deliberately put themselves in situations of absolute trust. Be it scout masters, a priest or a teacher..it’s the same theme a position of trust and with access to children.
Then we have the situation where abuse of young boys was until recent times, to be seen as just a joke: Hey did you hear the one about the priest and the choir boy *guffaw*.
And then we have our former Governor General Hollingworth saying that the 13yr old girl was “wise beyond her years”, which then prompted her to put up a picture of herself, that being of a chubby child.
Café Whispers 
Testing, testing. Hey I managed it..sort of, the link to the old Open Thread is still up the top. Can this one please be avoided if possible as it’s almost impossible to download due to the number of comments.
Thank you: The Management. 😉
Well done Min! And unlike other members of “The Management Team” you got the Roman numerals correct 😉 😆
Bacchus, I remember that one..but didn’t it eventuate that Migs was also right as there was an alternative to the one commonly used. Now you’re testing my memory, but wasn’t it IX…
Cu on Open Thread XVIII and Peter Dutton’s “white hot rage”. Why the rage? Hasn’t Abbott promised to cancel the NBN anyway?
Yes Min – it was VIII vs IIX. Turns out IIX used to be used back in the middle ages but even then was less common than VIII 😆
lol Min – interesting in that article, Mr Roy (Longman, just north of Dixon) wasn’t having a whinge about the NBN rollout – perhaps that’s because quite a bit of his electorate is in the rollout plan…
But still, even if we have to harken back to the Middle Ages, Migs was still right. 😉
To make it a bit easier, here is the link that Cu put up on the previous thread..
I can’t help but think, so what if Labor does give priority to Labor seats..it’s about time that the government woke up that it has to use strategy.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/rage-at-nbn-rollout-timetable/story-fn59niix-1226320748337
It’s all a bit nonsensical anyway Min. NBN is planning the rollout in the most efficient way for them – it’s got nothing to do with electorate boundaries, more to do with where the major telephone exchanges are sited, now that they’ve got Telstra’s pits and pipes to use…
In light of these new findings I think it would be prudent of Julia to delay the implementation of the tax on CO2 until after the election.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/nation-goes-off-global-warming/story-fn6t2xlc-1226320777816
The poll attached illustrates the point.
toiletboss over at TFR says it all el gordo…
Now let me think, who to trust – the 95% confidence of the majority of the world’s climate scientists, or an obscure market research company and an online poll by a Murdoch rag. Tough decision 🙄
grodo, wouldn’t be the first piece of unpopular legislation to go ahead and let’s face it, the carbon pricing scheme is only unpopular because of the snow job perpetrated by the Liars and their barrackers.
And unlike the GST, the government won’t be hijacking everybody’s wallets every time they buy something. There will be more money in their wallets when they buy a pair of shoes, not less.
And the $18,000 tax free threshold will be even more popular.
I think that’s why Sneerleader is so frantic to have Thomson blackened, smeared and gone from the Parliament asap.
Once the above two measures are cranked up, it will be that much harder for him to spin his bullshit. People will see that they’ve been deliberately lied to by the Liars AND the msm. No extra tax imposed, in fact the tax take will more than likely be lower.
I predict that the huffing and puffing from the three big fat pigs will come to nothing and they’ll have to fork out their due. Another win for the government and we punters.
The rusted ons will still badmouth the government, even as the hypocrites pocket the dough.
So, nice try, but still no cigar.
I was lurking at LP a day or so ago and I notice that they are also infected with the broad brush condemnation of the government and the PM.
Never anything to support their claims, just the usual Liars Party bullshit-incompetence, poor legislative record, too much legislation passed, baaad legislation, carbon “tax” (accompanied by scowl), PM has big bum, wears jackets, pointy nose, leads badly, government in disarray, almost, but not quite, saying she shouldn’t be negotiating, Labor hopeless at getting their message out while carefully avoiding the role of the msm in the inability to get the message out, etc, etc.
The greens would NEVER compromise on their program blah, blah, mainly from Fran Barlow. The fact that they will probably never be in the position where they have to negotiate or compromise makes that argument pretty hollow.
It amazes me that they seem to have swallowed the Liars Party bullshit whole.
Is it my internet at fault, but it seems that every time I log on just lately, I have to re-enter my details, even if I’ve already logged on with the same computer that day?
If Fairfax did a similar poll the result would be the same.
The electorate are unsure of the science and request a clear explanation of why we should introduce a tax in the first instance.
Julia has put the cart before the horse, a classic case of over reaching ambition.
so what if Labor does give priority to Labor seats
Considering the outrage expressed with a totally non-political rollout Min, the campaign against the NBN should what you say be the case would make the Carbon tax outrage pale into insignificance.
Labor are far better just doing policy, and not politics. They are screwed with perceptions anyway, all they have now is facts (not much in this day and age, granted)
Perhaps this might explain why our ‘news’ is anything but
It appears as if the way political journalism is being reported could be widening the public’s knowledge gap rather than bridging it.
http://sciencenordic.com/political-news-hard-understand
Bacchus, there was a mild song and dance about the NBN being rolled out in Tony Windsor’s electorate – but it was an ideal place to start due to the presence of the University of New England. All major city based universities have had super fast broadband for a number of years, they’ve had to in order to compete.
It seems to me that the Liberals’ message is becoming mixed (good!). One moment it’s a complete waste of money, the next they’re whinging about not getting it now..and I want it now!!!
If Roy Wyatt was a true Liberal he and his electorate would be demanding the NBN not be rolled out in his electorate. In that way he and his electorate could save the government from such awful waste.
Here are some slogans for the Liberals and Nationals
Stop the waste
Stop the NBN
No NBN for (insert name of electorate)
No NBN for Nationals
Barnaby and Dutton could lead the campaign for Qld
Bernadi and Pyne for SA
Abbott and Turnbull for NSW
Mirabella and Robb for Vic
This one is well put.
“Oh dear. This is the same man who is off still looking for his long lost sperm deposit… I mean son. You see. As it turns out, If FWA is Julia Gillard’s baby, then Tony Abbott is the sperm donor.”
AntonyG at 1.22
Thanks for the link to an interesting piece. This whole thing has been turned into a quasi criminal investigation purely to suit Abbott’s convenience & is a shocking conspiracy on the part of the MSM in its entirety. A complete triumph for the Perpetual Present. From an industry on a permanent hair trigger readiness to tout its own infallible capacity to police itself.
Min, they forget to mention that the choice of Windsor’s electorate for NBN roll-out was made before the election. 🙂
Can’t stop now……. I’m off to the football….Go Crows 😀
Pip tips hat to Jane ….
BSA Bob, if the msm had any ethics whatsoever they would have stood up for principles. The media has degenerated into little more than gossip magazines. Thomson was guilty the media decided, therefore it was just a matter of finding the evidence which they and Tony Abbott demanded.
Bob,
It’s a well written one. Ash’ comes up with some excellent pieces.
Roswell & AntonyG
Agreed.
I saw a comment on twitter last night…
the mass media is about power – not news – we already know that!
Pip, to me it seems that so call current affairs has become almost like a game show, from the superficial “host” to his air-head female side kick, to the dumbed down questions.
O’Farrell now in the shit with his own, especially the Federal Libs.
He is refusing point blank, against his own report, to allow an urgently needed second airport for Sydney.
Not only that he is going against that same report that says his Canberra Airport expansion linked to high speed rail to Sydney is not viable and is pushing it.
But then he goes and shits off the media and they have turned around to bite him. He was due for one of his now regular grandstanding outings, this time at a big horse race meet but the press were there to grill him over his second airport stance, so he didn’t show, and the media gave him curry for it.
I was going to give O’Farrell a second term and though the Liberals might be in power four years hence for another four methinks O’Farrell won’t be.
And there are so many similarities between O’Farrell and Abbott.
http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/04/05/Why-Julia-Gillard-will-win-the-2013-election.aspx#.T3-UPyDhfQI.facebook
My question to Abbott is why is your sister brave? Why does she even have to be considered as “brave”? It should not even be an issue.
“TONY Abbott has commended his sister for her bravery in coming out, but says it will not shift his stance on gay marriage.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/tony-abbott-praises-sister-for-coming-out-but-it-wont-change-his-policies/story-e6frfkvr-1226321272585#ixzz1rOr5HQAe
Eddie, great piece by our friends over at TPS.
Sue, I agree with you. To me, if someone is “brave” then the implication is that there is some danger there. And why should there be. Should I be “brave” for being blonde..hang on, don’t answer that. 😉
Back on track..brave to admit that a person is gay? Brave to admit that one has Aboriginal blood? Brave to admit that one is Muslim? The implication is one of danger or something not acceptable.
No wonder Abbott needs govt before July 1, he knows he will not be able to simply say No to this Carbon Tax benefit, and so do Hockey and Robb.
“One million workers will no longer have to pay tax or lodge a tax return under a tripling of the tax-free threshold to apply from July 1.
A new analysis prepared by Treasury reveals that the decision to triple the tax-free threshold will ensure 121,000 Queenslanders no longer have to pay any tax.
Part-time workers, students, mums in casual work as well as retirees will benefit from the Government’s decision to lift the tax-free threshold from $6000 to $18,000.
From the new financial year, workers will be able to earn $336 a week without paying tax under the tripling of the tax-free threshold to compensate for the carbon tax.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/money-matters/lump-sum-for-families-to-ease-carbon-tax-pain/story-e6frfmd9-1226321241700#ixzz1rOuQllNd
$336 per week tax free!!!!!! Hows zat tony Abbott
Sue,
Gillard is a girl who knows what she’s doing. By the 2nd half of this year Abbott’s leadership is going to be the subject of a lot of headlines.
Speaking of the media, and I don’t know whether it’s been mentioned here on this blog but did anyone notice the article where Bob Carr was asked whether he would make a play for the leadership. This was followed by further speculation that Peter Garrett would step down to make way for Carr.
This interview says it all. We do not know what will happen when the FWA releases it report.
For Mr. Abbott, it is not about justice. It is about his obsessive quest for power.
I believe that much of what Mr. Fitzgibbon was accuses of, that led to his resignation as Defence Minister was also found to be false.
My emphasis.
AntonyG
I saw that and immediately thought the msm was trying to create controversy.
Particularly as the msm had been shown up as being ABSOLUTELY wrong about attacking Carr on his comments on PNG.
Yes the msm and Bishop were keen to say the “new boy” in foreign affairs had made a huge mistake by talking about sanctions.
Well guess who read the developing situation in PNG and who was wrong. And guess who has been showing up the msm for not doing their job on Abbott. So rather than apologising or even being journalists the msm tries undermining Carr by suggesting a leadership battle.
What utter BS.
Cu and it’s very worthwhile repeating…
Joel Fitzgibbon has it to a tee. That is precisely Tony Abbott’s attitude. In the history of Australia there has never been a politician who is so completely centred on self.
Archie, can you bear with me on this one. I somehow mucked up the tabs and have to wait until Miglo comes back to fix it. I’ve therefore copied your post below.
Ahhh – so now I find the new page 🙂
The Decline and Fall of the ALP is an attempt to go beyond the surface symptoms of the ALP’s unpopularity and to find the cause of said unpopularity.
Warning. Some people may find this depressing.
CU
I think Joel F is awaiting a decision by a judge on whether The Age have to disclose their source. The judged declared they did and then The Age appealed. Helen Liu has always claimed the source was a fiction.
By the way, has anyone noted Mr. Carr’s age. I know that old age does not ban one from being PM, but gee he would not have much time left, if this was his aim.
Mr. Carr might be many things, but wanting and not recognizing the impossible is not one of them.
Why would Mr. Garrett want to resign. He seems to be enjoying his present job.
Why is Mr. Abbott’s coming out at this time. Why the continuing of discussions. Is he still attempting to counsel her.
Is it Mr. Abbott or the sister that has put this in the public arena.
If Mr. Abbott, it backs up the impression that he will do anything to gain being PM. It shows that he is becoming desperate.
If it is the sister, is gives the political message that she does not believe with her brother.
It appears that one or the other has bought the matter to the public’s notice.
and if this is true, what is her motive.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/tony-abbott-praises-sister-for-coming-out-but-it-wont-change-his-policies/story-e6frfkvr-1226321272585#ixzz1rP6dqAZz
el gordo, once again being in government and good governance is nothing to do with polls or headlines.
It is with doing what is necessary and right for the Nation.
Polls are about popularity at one point in time. They are not even about what will happen 18 months down the track.
Mr. Hitler was very popular in pre-war Germany. The people in this case were terribly wrong.
Hitler proved that public opinion can be manipulated. Manipulated to the degree that they believe things that are not in their favour.
The present day media and Mr. Abbott in particular are once again proving that Goebbels was correct. Say something often and loud enough, the people will believe for a short period of time.
I does not mean that the public are correct in their beliefs. Mostly it means the opposite.
The face of things to come?
I’ll still respect them in the morning
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s attitude
on the eve of the
Federal General Election 2013
http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/trust-me-im-tony-abbott.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/UtodS+(North+Coast+Voices)
Cu, thank you..I think… That is a somewhat scary pic…
Cu, and Hitler did very nicely by targetting a focus group and running with the theme that the average person 1. should be afraid 2. that the average person was missing out and that ‘the others’ were stealing from good citizens.
Fear and resentment…
Nothing else said on the site. Nothing else needs to be said.
Needs to be discussed. What does the Henry report have to say on negative gearing.
Cost of housing is high. The rental coast much worse.
It is not only about buying a house. It is harder to rent one at an affordable price.
Does negative gearing contribute to either.
Sue @10.07am, obviously all these idiots have forgotten how long Carr has been in politics. this is no green horn they’re trying to flim flam, but a seasoned performer.
Min @10.09am, CU has gone straight to the heart of the matter. And as the quote from Sue’s link confirms, he has to force an election before the punters have a taste of the benefits from the budget.
I figured that was the reason for his increased hysteria; he can’t afford for people to reap the benefits of this government’s economic policies. Most have not appreciated the benefits of the $900 cash handout, nor the economy rescue implocit in the BER and HIP programs, because the msm and Liars were able to successfully poison their minds against them.
However, the increased tax free threshold and the compensation flowing directly into their pockets will be more difficult to spin negatively.
I thought Joel Fitzgibbon handled that interview adroitly. Government spokespeople seem to be gaining in confidence daily and are much less prepared to put up with msm bullshit!
CU @10.21am, Garrett won’t resign. He’s really coming into his own under this PM. Yet another msm fishing expedition.
And @10.27, he’s not becoming desperate, he’s past that and into melt down.
And proved again in the US recently when the Tea Party and their cheerleaders convinced the poor and disenfranchised that Obama’s health plan was against their interests.
Jane, I’m not so certain that it’s to do with the punters waking up that this government is actually delivering..but more to do with people waking up that Abbott could indeed be our next Prime Minister..(shakes head).
Sometimes you have to be very careful what you wish for..therefore it will be a reality check, is this the person who you want to be Prime Minister??
Another link to NorthCoastVoices. this story highlighting the NSW Attorney General, Smith. Has Smith lied to the NSW Parliament? This story as well as the one form 7.30 regarding the priest, should be investigated by the msm.
http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/did-nsw-attorney-general-tell-truth-to.html
Yamba and Iluka are very pretty but I am glad I haven’t bought a retirement property there. All hail the prosperity of coal exports.
http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/more-new-england-madness.html
Cu@ April 8, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Did you notice that if you move about the room the eyes follow you
Min, I agree, a very creepy picture…. nudge, nudge…. enough said. 🙂
According to Mr. Bolt, this week has been disastrous for Labor.
He has Ms. Belinda Neal on who has never got on with Mr. Thompson.
I can still remember election night 2007.. Belinda hardly acknowledge Mr. Thompson,
She is one who should know how allegations can destroy one.
Michael Kroger, the other guest.
I do not think I have heard so “many she should or he should have done” in one show.
It was generous in saying what Mr. Richardson would have said, if he was still in the government. ha hah hah.
I am sad when I send him up, I used to like him once. Just tells how bad a judge of character I am. I also thought Mr. Ruddock was OK.
This show should be labelled make believe or wishful thinking.
It is NOT about current affairs or news. It is not even opinion.
IMO, I believe the PM and the government had a very good week. They are moving forwarded while Abbott is going backwards at a hundred miles a hour.
jane, I have a daughter that every time I even look like talking politics,turns me off. She did not turn me off today.
She is interested in the extra money for the kids and think that the new threshold is marvelous. She works from home and does not earn a great deal more. She does have a wonderful accountant that get the amount down, but this still benefits her, especially not having to put in a return. A million more taxpayers will be in this position.
From her reaction, saying she heard something this morning, tells me the message is slowly getting through.
I remember when I was a young child, visiting Vauclause House in Sydney.
Two thing that still remain clear in my mind, was a ball about the size of a soccer ball and the picture on the wall, that eyes followed me all over the room.
The ball was a meteorite.
I am still uncomfortable around such portraits.
PS jane, I bet if I mentioned Thompson name, she would not have known what I was talking about.
No, Garrett won’t resign – this was just an indication of the pathétique of the current media. They had one foreign minister as a constant challenge so let’s move onto the next one.
It is hard to believe. Senator Brandis has actually read the Constitution.
This statement of his is more frightening. Is he saying, anything goes.
Maybe they can handover to Mr. Howard outside parliament.
…..and this not not lying. Where did the information come from that it was on a Federal Statutory Form. After this article, I question the independence of the NSW Police and DPP.
Brandis is perfectly correct, there is nothing in the Constitution which provides any job description for the office of Prime Minister, so he/she could come from either House of Parliament. However, convention dictates that our Prime Minister is the leader of the ruling political party.
As Australia does not have an individual election for the office of Prime Minister then clearly the only way that he/she could be elected to this office is by being the leader of the party which wins the election
Theoretically we could have a person being Prime Minister who is either an Independent or from the opposition benches. There is nothing in our Constitution barring this. However it’s very far fetched.
Ha, alone in the cafe at last… now where is that cellar door….. KEY, who needs a key, i’m from the hill, we know how to improvise…… ( i.e. it’s been put on el gordos tab,shh)….just found a bottle of Torbreck’s The Laird, crickey Mig’s what a great cellar fella, now where are the cashews and the chicken thins…… aint I the gourmand….cheers big ears…. 😉
Just popped in to check all is well, and what do you know, LOVO’s been on the slops !!
(Min whispers an aside..remind me to remind Migs about cellar security issues when he comes back…)…
(It’s probably too late – Miglo once tried to hide ‘Stanner‘ as a keyword and as a (self-)directed homework (re)source from me – but, I’ll wish him and his a very Happy Easter, too, in his quasi-absence.)
He does indeed have a problem, or the rest of us are blind.
Integrity, as in that Tony is not to be believed unless it’s in writing – compassion such as badmouthing a dying Bernie Banton – courtesy as in swearing at Nicola Roxon – tolerance such as saying that women wearing the hijab were confronting and that the Tent Embassy was past its use by date.
OOOOHHH where am I….. come to think of it who am I….an WTF was I think’n…… cant find any coffee any where, what sorta cafe is this…. me,ow !!!
LOVO, I think that today must either be shopping..or snoozing..or a bit of both.
Min, Yeah might go shopping, get some new shoes, then everything will be alright…. 🙂
Why are we not hearing screams from Mr. Abbott on this issues. If the allegations are true, much more money of the members, he claims to be acting on behalf of, is much greater.
The union peak bodies are more interested in this man than Mr. Thompson.
Noticed that the police are also slow in acting in this matter as well. Could it be that any inquiry into union is very complex. This is made harder by the fact, the investigations are over nearly a decade.
Hardly a word from Mr. Abbott. Nothing about the many others in the firing line as well.
Only one he is interested in is Mr. Thompson. One reason only, he sees him as a ticket to the job he so much envies.
The way Mr. Bolt is pushing how well Mr. Abbott has coped with his sister’s coming out makes one sick.
It supports the suspicion that one might have, that this spin on Mr. Abbott’s part and the feelings on his baby sister counts for nought.
They say money does not solve the education problem.
Tell me why than, living in a wealthy area sure does.
Thanks to the PM’s effort we now have the proof this is so,
There was in the USA a programme aimed at lifting Negro kids out of poverty.
I think it was called Headstart.
Money was thrown at the children from birth, enhancing the environment they live in.
‘I believe that Labor is on the right track when it is aiming some of the budget at pre-school.
It is at this stage that it is easier to bring change about.
The secret is in enhancing and improving the home life of these kids.
“As Australia does not have an individual election for the office of Prime Minister then clearly the only way that he/she could be elected to this office is by being the leader of the party which wins the election”
Who ever leads the party, has to gain confidence on the floor of the lower house.
That would be hard to do, if one was not allow in the house.
CU @5.04pm 8/4, I’m betting you’re right.
And @8.40am 9/4, obviously the Dolt has never heard of Bernie Banton. That takes care of those alleged qualities.
Catching Up at 3.57 yesterday. Agreed that Abbott’s sister counts for nought & it’s all to suit him. The same can of course be said for Craig Thompson & you & me. We’re all usable & disposable.
People with high socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds tend to live in particular locations but the location is co-incidental NOT causal. It’s the SES ‘location’ that’s crucial.
Not that any of this is new. In the early 1960s James Coleman was commissioned by the US Department of Education to write a report on educational equality in the US. It was a seminal undertaking with more than 150,000 students in the sample resulting in report of more than 700 pages.
Coleman found (among other things that) that the greatest predictor of educational success was a students SES location.. And no study, (and there has been many) have ever found otherwise. So the ‘news’ is 50 plus years old. it was the ‘logic’ behind the Karmel Report and is also behind the Gonski recommendations.. (I won’t go into how Howard gave new meaning to the SES concept to suit his base political ends at this time.)
As for:
It was. And the results were mixed. But an additional program called ‘Headstart Follow through’ was much more successful
Yes! But the truth is that’s almost an impossible dream. For starters, how does one ‘educate’ the parents (it’s more than awareness)? A more realistic path is to provide additional resources at the school level. it’s what karmel recommended. It’s what Gonski recommends.
This Labor Government ought to get off its arse, forget about a ‘surplus’, and do the ‘correct’ thing.
From a society based point of view, it can be seen as the attitude towards education – that is, a matter of expectations. Children from wealthier families are expected to go to university whereas children from lower income families are expected to leave school and get a job. The anomaly comes from low income migrant and refugee families where there is a high value placed on being well educated. It is nothing for extended families to pool their resources in order to obtain the best education for their children. The children therefore are expected to excel on behalf of the entire family.
Col, therefore it’s absolutely correct, one cannot educate the parents/change their attitude and so it is essential that lower income children be provided with the best equipment and especially the best teachers. Previously and I do not know the current situation, but it was inexperienced teachers who were given “the worst school”, ie those in poorer neighborhoods. Inexperience does not necessarily equate with a bad teacher, but neither does it ensure a good one.
Michelle Grattan writes..
However, I would have to be suspicious..would the msm support the government in a delay in attaining a surplus or would the headlines scream: Labor fails to deliver..
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/voters-favour-budget-surplus-delay-20120410-1wn2k.html#ixzz1rg4ISsCb
But the truth is that’s almost an impossible dream
Sadly, that is true. And, the worst thing to have happened in recent years is the availabilty of cheaper private education, which takes away from the public schools an ever increasing number of children with parents who are active in their childrens education. The public system is left with an ever increasing percentage of students with parents who it appears really couldn’t care. That is not to say that all public students are like that, as our children go to public schools, and I do care, a lot. Unfortunatley, the teachers there are becoming more and more like day-care operators, and the overall expectations within the class are lowered as larger number of successful students are filtered out to these private schools. And, really, I don’t blame the parents of these kids who are leaving, we have agonised over it ourselves. And now, it has become a self-perpetuating policy, the more that go, the harder it is to leave your kid there.
The Government need to rectify this inbalance soon, before it becomes too difficult to rectify, and we end with a totally unbalanced educational system.
Interesting how the oo is playing this now though, considering how staunchly they supported the initial move by howard that created this abysmal mess.
My thinking is that they see they can now, in hindsight, as it is Labor lumped with the mess.
would the headlines scream:
Hmm, interesting question Min. I might mull that over for a while 😉
What is interesting is that, six months ago, Swan was being lambasted in the media cos he couldn’t get a surplus,
Now, when it is apparent that they will get one, the story has changed, and a surplus is apparently bad for us. I even saw an article the other day telling us how bad lower interest rates would be 😯
What is most troubling now is not how biased the papers are, but how blatant they are about it. The best thing the Government can do, is go to war with them, and, at every soundbight, just reiterate facts, don’t get into mindless debates with the toadies, tell them what the Governemnt wants to get out, not what they want.
ignore the one holding the microphone, concentrate on the microphone itself
I remember the discussion around the time of the ’07 election..that if Labor won that at last they would receive a fair hearing, the assumption being that it was the government who received the positive publicity and that it was the opposition who received little at all. Little did we know that it was not to do with who was the government, but all to do with the political party.
I think that a bad mistake was made from the start of Labor in power, that they also thought the same thing – that they being the government, that the media would have to provide appropriate publicity for it’s programs. Of course, the opposite has been true.
So therefore yes, The best thing the Government can do, is go to war with them,
I read someone musiing over at pollbludger that one reason the media are so anti Gov is that they are looking for Government advertising. If the media won’t report their message, the Governemnt will be forced to use it’s own revenue to advertise it, and that will have to go through the media agents.
Conspiracy theories abound 😉
Personally, I thnk it is just that they are diametrically opposed to the Governements programs, and prefer to misinform their readers rather than admit that, just perhaps, they were wrong.
Tom R, the questions that parents need to ask, are they receiving better education for their private education.
I suspect that the answer maybe they are not.
The parents that send their kids to state schools do have it in their power to ensure the school meets the needs of their children. They need to make the effort to support the school.
If they can afford the fees, why not take the child over seas every couple of years, to places like Greece. Provide the after school activities.
The child be end up with a better rounded education.
are they receiving better education for their private education.
There is definitely that perception, fed largely by our media (who, as I said, appear to be having second thought)
I am beginning to question it myself. I do know that a larger and larger proportion of a teachers time in the public education system is taken up with looking after problem students, which, as I said, is largely due to the larger proportion of them these days.
I can only see this as having a detrimental effect on education. We balance that with the realisation that we, as parents, have to take a more pro-active role than previously, and, I must admit, the teachers themselves are very helpful (and appreciative) in this regard.
Catching up is right. Parent involvement makes all the difference. Quite apart from what happens in school it also reflects what’s going on at home. It doesn’t even need money for overseas trips, though family togetherness in things like that is great. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to help your child make the best of whatever quality education they’re getting by helping with homework. And parents being part of all the things going on outside the classroom helps too – sports and plays and excursions. During years of teaching and then later administration I couldn’t help but notice that the kids whose parents I got to know in that way somehow did better and had a richer school experience, regardless of their particular talents and abilities and even the family’s income!
http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2012/04/10/Fear-uncertainty-and-doubt-grip-the-Coalition.aspx
I’ve seen parents who have sent their children to private schools who have had no change in the results that their children are achieving. Many people seem to think that because they are paying $$s that it follows that their children will do better.
However, it’s been shown over and over that it’s the parents and their interest in their children’s education which achieve results. Therefore we have a stay at home mother helping her children, attending open days etc compared with both parents working to be able to afford private school fees..parents arrive home both tired and have no time for other activities such as taking kids to soccer training. Result: the child’s school results go down.
No surprises here..
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/industry-giants-gave-2m-to-lnp-20120410-1wn00.html#ixzz1rhL5oAZc
Good news for Tony Abbott, his electorate will be extrememly happy.
“Opposition leader Tony Abbott, who has led the Liberal Party’s relentless negative campaign against the NBN, may be pleased he will not be able to connect to the network for at least three years, as his Davidson home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches is well outside the suburbs included in the recent announcement.”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/government-it/party-line-v-fixed-line-when-politicians-will-connect-to-the-nbn-20120411-1wpok.html#ixzz1rhc8KEjj
I wonder which way Turnbull will turn? Lets hope Abbott declares that front benches have not got the right to chose, in keeping with the No the NBN policy.
“Turnbull will have the option to migrate his existing ADSL2+ service to a fibre connection running at up to 100Mbps.
But he is not happy about it: “alternative fixed lined networks will be switched off, so the NBN has hardly given people a choice,” he pointed out when contacted by Fairfax’s IT Pro.
Technically this is not correct. Since NSW has failed to introduce opt-out legislation, the NBN Co will need Turnbull’s consent to hook up his house. He declined to comment when questioned further”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/government-it/party-line-v-fixed-line-when-politicians-will-connect-to-the-nbn-20120411-1wpok.html#ixzz1rhcvHrxS
I have written upon some strange interpretations of polling results in Western Australia. And of their consequences. http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/incompetence-shines-through/
I have also created a graphic which, with the help of Douglas Adams, explains just why Australians love Murdoch and his press http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/thank-god-for-murdoch/
archiearchive
a graphic on what the brits are learning about murdoch, might be fun.
then again, waiting until murdoch has an even humbler day of his life, when he fronts leveson is tantalising.
Archie, I’ve popped up a link on Migs’ Australians For An Honest Media Facebook group.
@Sue; What a great idea – I must do some research on that 🙂
@Min; thanks for that – I hardly ever use fb but being on there is always a bonus. 🙂
Sue, at 2.29 PM
So, talcum is full of words, up until it is pointed out to him that his words are bull.
Then he takes an oath of silence.
Righto Whisperers – it looks like I’m about to succumb to the trials and tribulations of MAN FLU
Any cures, tonics (especially any involving alcohol) gratefully appreciated
Sadly alcohol won’t help, Bacchus! You need as much water, ie plain H2O, as you can get into you and lots of sleep! You have my sympathy. I just had a bout of flu but fortunately I know a good acupuncturist who also prescribed a simple Chinese herbal powder to have with all that water. I was feeling better within the day and pretty well cured within three. A bit of a sniffle hung around for a while. But I did feel rotten! Such bliss to be over it.
If you don’t believe in acupuncture then even anti-histamines, e.g. minimal dose polarimine, and aspirin will help as long as you get plenty of fluids, preferably plain water or even vegetable juices, into you. Avoid sugars, even pure fruit juice. Maybe hot lemon, but go easy on the honey! And get lots of sleep! Good luck!
Bacchus
As patriciawa says plenty of h2o and pass the alcohol to any females near by listening to the sniffles.
and plenty of quiet time
and get well soon.
Bacchus, you could spend a lot of money on the ‘latest’ fad, vitamin program, use a nanna method or what ever anti-biotic your Dr. gives ya and be healed in 2 or 3 days…. you could spend no money and do nothing and achieve the same result. No matter which way you go it will still be 2 or 3 days. my only suggestion is that alcohol sterilises, mm…… so be kind on yourself, relax, get stuck in…. remember Brandy is a medicine as is Torbreck’s The Laird, so really all you need to do is go on a bender for 3 days and all will be well (ish).
I like LOVO’s cure the best (it still involves alcohol 🙂 )
It should be noted – at this stage we’re only talking “man flu” as opposed to any real illness 😉
I’ve been into the garlic to keep the vampires
(and wife)away + a little extra Vit C. I’m on holidays so keeping wife away is good for the rest and relaxation part of the cure… 😆Acupuncture would be good Patricia – the local TCM fellow is excellent, but I can’t afford to see him too often. Medicare should cover his services (well he was registered doctor in China 😉 )
Archie, lots of rest. You should be good after three months. And avoid women.
Don’t listen to ’em Bacchus, LOVO has it right
Alcohol, whisky preferrably, in quantities …… LARGE 😉
He really is a smarmy prick
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/04/09/andrew-bolt-does-not-support-amazon-bombing-critics-books-and-he-wishes-his-readers-would-stop-following-the-link-he-gave-them/
which then leads to this
http://www.theage.com.au/national/bolt-link-to-racist-reviews-of-book-20120411-1wsa1.html
Bolt link to racist reviews of book
This is where the Blot comes adrift, that is the difference between freedom of speech and racial vilification. The Act indicates an exemption when:
a fair comment – but only if the comment reflects a view that a fair-minded person could have held and the person who made it actually holds that view.
The Blot’s views do not indicate that of a fair-minded person and also by attempting to excuse himself during his previous loss at court, it was shown that he did not hold those views but expressed them with the sole purpose being to incite others.
Bacchus..I agree lots of alcohol and avoid women..especially me. 😉
no comment 😦
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/04/11/i-am-using-this-forum-as-it-would-be-illegal-for-me-to-express-these-views-in-australia/
That is just about right from First Dog… 😦
First Dog is often the most perceptive one in the news Min.
Although, I reckon RUS might be onto why bolt offers up so many ‘no comments’
Bolt is free to express his opinion – he just has to get his facts right.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/04/09/andrew-bolt-does-not-support-amazon-bombing-critics-books-and-he-wishes-his-readers-would-stop-following-the-link-he-gave-them/all-comments/#comment-78292
Pesky things, those facts. I think it is time someone took him to court over his abuse of climate science. Then we’d just have a grodo, posting links to graphs without any sort of reference. Just a squiggly line on a screen.
RUS is correct Bolt can state that people are obtaining unfair advantage due to their Aboriginality, but he has to be able to prove it. Bolt makes such claims based on his own opinions which are not backed by any factual information, and so ended up with a conviction for vilification/defamation.
Yes Min. It is amazing, the judge went out of his way to say that bolt is free to comment on this issue at will. Just don’t ‘Make Shit Up’
Yet, all we get from him is ‘I cannot comment’. Which can only lead one to assume that, in light of not Making Shit Up, bolt has nothing to offer.
Bolt can be a dill at times, there is no denying it.
In other nooze…. picked up at Watts.
‘CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Copper — the stuff of pennies and tea kettles — is also one of the few metals that can turn carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels with relatively little energy. When fashioned into an electrode and stimulated with voltage, copper acts as a strong catalyst, setting off an electrochemical reaction with carbon dioxide that reduces the greenhouse gas to methane or methanol.’
Woe is me whatever is Hockey going to talk about today.
Unemployment rate steady, 44,000 new jobs, participation rate up. Bloody hell the economy might be doing ok, under Gillard/Swan
http://www.theage.com.au/business/economy-adds-44000-jobs-20120412-1wv2l.html
Bolt is not just a dill, but a dangerous dill because he stirs up the
slightlyvery unhinged element in society.Bolt does this by giving credence to otherwise inappropriate opinions such as that a person is too white to be a real Aboriginal. Genetics have never been particularly selective – you have have 2 people, one blonde blue eyed and the other of a darker skin and brown eyed..these two people are brothers and so have an identical mix of “coloured blood”.
Bolt went right to the heart of the Stolen Generations, that the lighter children were taken but their darker skinned siblings were left behind. Then morons such as Bolt come out and say that lighter Aboriginal people aren’t really real, but have obtained BENEFIT.
Bolt is not just a dill, but a dangerous dill because he stirs up the slightly very unhinged element in society.
He may well have been at it for a while
http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2011/06/correction_andrew_bolt_likely.php
Barrel O’Lies was delayed in his travel to attend a COAG meeting held today in the Nations Capital.- fog at Sydney Airport apparently.
Why didn’t he use Sydney’s alternate airport – Canberra? You know, the one just down the road..
Is it a year ago that I wrote this one..
And from Migs’ supermarket partner..the people you run into in an aisle at Woolies..from Grog.
http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/unemployment-steady-at-52-media-bull-on.html
If you saw this on 7.30
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-12/rift-threatens-to-tear-africa-charity-apart/3947072
latest news
http://www.hamlinfistula.org.au/news/latestnews.html
while checking out chairman barnsdall, of hamlin fistula australia, i learnt he got his oam gong last year.
in this piece on anglicans who got gongs not only barnsdall but john anderson former nationals pollie and mark scott of the abc are noted.
http://sydneyanglicans.net/news/stories/anderson_leads_anglicans_honoured
Barrel O’Lies when asked would he join Can do in challenging the carbon tax’ he replied
“absolutely” “yes we will absolutely consider joining in a high court challenge depending on the advice that Newman will instigate.”
And the press let him get away with it
Oh dear..poor old Clive..I wonder if this might be Palmer’s China First project, where there is a suspended action at the High Court for misleading and deceptive conduct.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/chinese-get-tough-on-foreign-projects-20120412-1wwob.html#ixzz1rsQLxY2J
Bob Brown has resigned as leader of the Greens.
What!!!!!! Thank you Cu.
Here is a link re Bob Brown’s resignation..
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/bob-brown-resigns-as-greens-leader-and-senator-20120413-1wxoz.html
😯
Well I guess for the Greens it’s all downhill from here, unless Christine Milne can learn to think before she speaks…
Bacchus, it’s certainly not good news for the Greens as Bob Brown has always given the position of leader some gravitas, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone can come close to providing this sort of leadership.
He is also resigning from the Senate before June.
Said he had a look at how Murdoch has performed over the last 18 months and does not want to go down that track.
Agreement with the PM stands, as the new leased is also a signatory.
Greens have 47 bills before the parliament.
As far as I know, Mr. Abbott has one. If he went down this track, he would have had policies well and truly before the public for the next election.
I noticed that Mr. Abbott is changing his tune this week. Talking about bi-partisanship on the proposed Disability scheme.
Has left his run to late, as a joint body has already been put in place to developed future of disability insurance.
The body is made op of treasurers and other interested people. Mr. Abbott cannot expect this body to be disbanded because he has changed his mind from NO to collaboration.
I believe we will hear quickly from el gordo pointing out that Senator Milne is claiming the Clean Air Future bill.
Sorry Mr. Abbott, you are too late. The body has already been set up.
I wonder if the Liberal Party ever takes time to find out what the PM and parliament is doing.
Is he completely focus on his daily MSSO and saying “no”.
His time must be spent dreaming up three word slogans and the latest stunt.
Mr. Abbott once again playing catch-up.
Catching up,
“Sorry Mr. Abbott, you are too late.”. That’s the story of Tony Abbott’s life, is it ignorance or deliberate misinformation is the question which puzzles me.
To rub salt into the wounds, Mr. Brown stole his thunder.
Maybe he should listen to Ms. Machlin if he is genuine and encourage his state colleagues to get on side.
Sue @9.51am, this will be interesting. With luck, the court system will be stocking up on eggs. I wonder how dependable the three Des Ps are?
Min, nice to see that Clive’s efficiency and honesty is being endorsed by the Chinese government! Bwwaahahahaha!
Bacchus @12.41pm, fat chance of that. She’s a drop kick imo. And wot Min said @12.43pm.
CU @1.02, 1.11 &1.14pm says it all really..
AntonyG @1.26pm, Too Late Tony’s done it again and again, and……… Like a spoiled kid who keeps changing his mind and thinks everyone is going to hold the train until he’s ready.
Sorry, Too Late, the train’s left the station and there won’t be another one for for the next big once-in-a-lifetime bill.
Happy Friday the 13th everyone. So far the husbandy substance & I overslept this morning, making him an hour late for the scrub bashing job he’s just started, I spilled a great splosh of laundry detergent over the laundromat this morning (having to do the washing at the laundromat due to lack of water) and I’ve just received a $2,000 bill from our ex-electricity provider.
And there’s still 10½ hours to go! Dare I crank up the stove?
I forgot to add, anyone else been scathed by Friday the 13th?
Kathy Jackson on ABC24. One would not know that there are also outstanding allegations against her, which all seem to ignore.
If it is found she is amiss, all other allegations may fall over.
The champion of environmental causes, human rights and peace activism has resigned from the Senate.
He will be missed and we all owe him our thanks for his lifetime of work to make our quality of life that bit better.
an interesting read on kathy jackson
http://www.vexnews.com/2012/04/beware-of-jacksons-bearing-gifts-jackson-gave-williamsons-wife-julie-3500-bulgari-ear-rings-as-thank-you-for-bailing-out-her-sinking-union/
i must check out who is backing jackson with pro bono legal advice
How much will the Clean Energy Future really cost us.
CU
did you catch who is assisting jackson with free legal?
CU
“what is less clear is how rapidly it will fall in response to the introduction of the carbon price and other policies. ”
On 7.30 last night was the head of Westfarmers.He was asked how much the carbon tax would cost that company. He said well no he couldn’t put a figure on it because they had already started making improvements. He said that when they did first calculations, westfarmers produced 160,000 tons @ $23 per ton. But all stores were making changes and the Company was determined to drive down its exposure. At the same time Coles were lowering food costs to its customers.
The interview was a bit of an own goal for Uhlman for as per usual he was looking for a negative reponse rather than the upbeat response he got.
Its ok I have found who is helping Kathy Jackson with pro bono legal
Barrister Stuart Wood
HR NICHOLLS SOCIETY
that says it all
http://www.hrnicholls.com.au/archives/vol29/vol29-profile.php
Sue,
Excellent pick up, the news behind the news.
What a ***
“Appearing alongside barrister Stuart Wood, who she says has offered to provide pro bono legal support to her, Ms Jackson called on the union’s
executive to “clean up its act”.
She says if it does not, she will urge the New South Wales Government to bring about reform of the election process for unions.
“I will not be supporting any ticket that’s put together by Sussex Street, the ALP, the ACTU,” she said.
“This is a member-driven organisation and the members need to decide how this organisation is run, not the ALP, not Sussex Street, not the ACTU.”
The outspoken secretary confirmed media reports that she is receiving a $270,000 salary from the HSU.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-13/kathy-jackson-calls-for-expulsion-of-hsu-president/3948908
PM on ABC24. COAG meeting has concluded. PM is saying it has been successful.
There is agreement on skills programme. So much fore the negative noise outside the room.
Remember that the PM has something they all want. Money.
The states can only overcome this, is to take back the income tax they handed over to the Federal Government, during the great war.
If they did this, they would then be directly responsible for all money they raised.
A good thing in my mind, but not many others agree.
https://twitter.com/#!/sspencer_63/status/190653754192834561
Tom, I’m not quite getting the gist of that. No a QC cannot level charges. A QC is a private person..only police can level charges.
The “charges” are internal HSU disciplinary matters…
Excellent pick up on the barrister Sue 🙂
Greetings friends. I arrived back home a few hours ago and jet lag is starting to take a grip on me.
It’s great to be back and it’s great to see you all again.
re tabot being late for the party
https://twitter.com/#!/latikambourke/status/190672976503504896
More important about that “jackson” the barrister said kathy had handed him lots of documentation, which he was pouring over.
And his mates in the liberal party/hr nicholls society will also be pawing over the documents.
there will be a new term there are scabs and then there is kathy jackson
Remember there are already at least two investigations under way into the length of time this investigation has taken.
it is not like nothing is being done.
There appears that there maybe some problems with the powers of FWA to investigate criminal matters. Whether they need too or should needs debate.
What is clear, the guidelines for dealing with criminal matters, when they came across such matters. They are obviously not clear.
Kathy Jackson is demanding the PM talk to her now, with the intention of cleaning out the union. Surely this is not prudent until the allegations against her are cleared up.
Kathy is the whistle blower, who has been with HSU for many long years.
She does not appear to have much support within the unions.
Love to see what was said here
https://twitter.com/#!/Pollytics/status/190676097409630208
https://twitter.com/#!/Pollytics/status/190676942649954304
G’day Migs – got any money left? 😉
Someone drank the cellar dry, so it will need restocking (and NO, ’tweren’t moi 😆 )
Sue, I thought Brandis had already pored over them.
I thought this lady was a nuisance and not that clever, back in the dark ages of my working life. I still have the the same opinion.
She reminds me of a puppeteers doll. The question is, who is pulling the strings.
I am sure it is no one in the union movement.
I can still not buy the allegations made by this so called whistler blower.
They are the same that were leveled against her ex-husband by the same man.
Too big of coincidence for me.
Of it was such a open and shut case as all are claiming, there would have been arrests by now.
I can only surmised that the evidence being carted around by Ms. Jackson is suspect.
I can only surmise that FWA finds itself in the position that it is in, is unable to establish the reliability of what has been presented to it by Ms. Jackson.
We do know the lady has a history of crying foul. An further example was that shovel.
We do know that this lady has had many serious disagreement with many within the union structure. The police have been involved on more that one occasion.
The Opposition believe she is credible. How they come to this conclusion is beyond me.
There is no evidence that she is more credible than Mr. Thompson.
Yes, who is pulling those strings. I believe all will be revealed in the near future.
I thought FWA had all the documents. Are they the same she gave the police.
From what I can work put they are bank statements.
The problem is, they do not prove who used the card.
Maybe that is Mr. Thompson’s Defence. He has alibis for the dates. Who knows.
Bank statements only prove the card was used. It does not prove who used it.
Am I wrong, or is that brothel next door to the HSU offices.
All I have said are only guesses on my part. They hold as much weight as what else is in the public domain.
So I imagine, the barrister would also be hiring private investigators.
WHO IS PAYING?.
Welcome home Migs.
All I ask, who is paying. Why now.
I thought that FWA has accused her of breaking union rules as well.
Baccus 😯 .. 😳
Are you outing yourself Lovo? 😆
No been dobbed in 🙄 👿
CU
Don’t forget who her current partner is. “Jackson’s fiancé or partner is Michael Lawler, a high-ranking official within FWA, appointed by Tony Abbott when he
was minister.”
And if memory serves the FWA was investigating their employee
Fair Work vice-president caught in Health Services row
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/industrial-relations/fair-work-vice-president-caught-in-health-services-row/story-fn59noo3-1226260070545
Never in my wildest dreams would I suspect you, Bacchus. 🙄
What no more chest beating headlines
No more Can Doisms “get out of my way,
Just……”National skills agreement signed”
and just…..”in particular, the meeting agreed on a new system to guarantee the best possible environmental protection while cutting “double handling” and time delays that can prevent important projects getting off the ground.
and and just……..”Ms Gillard said the COAG meeting also supported the proposed national disability insurance scheme (NDIS)
and even more just……”Some 70 per cent of disability care and support services are funded by state and territory governments.
“To develop a national scheme it was recognised that the level and share of commonwealth funding will need to increase,” it said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/national-skills-agreement-signed-20120413-1wyiu.html#ixzz1ru1lK0vf
No wonder the Premiers and First Ministers and the new boy Can Do sat quietly and politely during the press conference. I bet they had their cars waiting to whisk them to the airport.
I have only three full days in which to motivate myself for work on Tuesday. Any hints?
Sue, don’t mention airports. I’m over them. 😦
G’day Migs, welcome back 🙂
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-motivate-yourself/
What have we been hearing for the last week or so. The PM is in trouble. The states are hostile. The PM will achieve nothing.
Did not seem too hard today.
No real knock backs as I can see.
Work on Tuesday? – that’s means it’s only a four-day week. You can’t take a flex-day on Friday can you? That’d make it 3 days – looking better already 🙂
been dobbed in
I didn’t mention any names 😯
Another lie.
Miglo
But did you enjoy the benefits of the new airport in Canberra. And I know you missed it but Barry wants Canberra to be the new 2nd Sydney airport. So with Barry’s wishes in mind, theoretically Barry could get in his car and drive home.
So no more airport talk.
And miglo someone had the manflu while you were gone and alcohol, medicinal puposes only, was needed and supplied.
And while you were gone Canberra had its first frost……there could be a lot more manflu about …..cheers
On the local news. The NSW town of Gunning needs a new water filtration unit. Since the floods the town has had to boil all drinking water. The federal
government has pledged half the cost, the local govt has put up money but Barrel O’Lies has not put up the remaining money. So the federal govt has said
to Barrel put up your share within the next month or the money be withdrawn.
And guess who the local NSW member is non other than Katrina Hodgkinson, the Water Minister.
“With Council committing $1.1M to the project and $7.3 million from the Federal Government, Council applied to the NSW Government for funding assistance of $6.2M in March 2011. Unfortunately the Federal funding offer is due to expire on the April 30, 2012.
As Mayor it is unfathomable to me that whilst Upper Lachlan Shire has been successful in acquiring Federal money we are unable as yet to obtain a commitment from the NSW Government to support the project. This is despite the fact that the local member is Katrina Hodgkinson, the NSW State Minister for Primary Industries (which includes the water portfolio) and that the local area has a long history of supporting both the Liberal and National parties. ”
http://www.crookwellgazette.com.au/news/local/news/general/gunning-water-not-good-enough/2481842.aspx?storypage=2
Sue, the manflu is a terrible disease and it only affects the strongest bodies. Untreated in can cause a slow and painful death and it may take months to finish off its victim. Victims can only be treated by a sympathetic woman. Unfortunately, most women are unaware of the severity of a manflu.
They need to lift their attitude.
BTW, I saw snow in America.
How rude of me. I forgot to ask who had the manflu.
Snow, so did victorians , nsw and residents south of canberra, just a couple of days ago.
Cardinal Pelle believes in Darwinism and that animals have spirits or some such rubbish. Mr. Hockey must believe he has a magic pudding.
Get them lazy buggers back to work will solve all. Trouble this will cost more than it is worth.
I have just listened to Ms. Jackson again. I ask, is the lady capable of doing what she has announced. She is charging Michael Williamson.
Not only that, she is working with the NSW government so they can bring in new laws and allow an election to take place.
She said that she called an executive meeting but no one showed up. She has been told she is in conflict. She was not invited to the ACTU hookup for this reason.
She is only secretary. Can she act on her own.
What role would the NSW government have to play. I thought they handed their powers over to the Federal Government back in the days of Workchoices or maybe FWA.
It is my understanding that they only have control over their own employees. Many of HSU are government employees, so maybe this gives then the power.
Surely one office bearer in the HSU does not have the power she has taken onto herself.
When she called for elections last week, she was told this was against union rules.
I suspect what she did today, is also against the rules.
Maybe I am wrong.
She has said nothing about the members calling for elections. She has spent the last few months, stirring the branches up.
Could the lady be a little unhinged.
I am not sure who is using who in this matter.
The Opposition would love a union scalp. Much better than just Mr. Thompson’s.
‘Rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change are unlikely to mean the end of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, according to a new scientific study.
‘The Cell Press journal Current Biology this morning published what it says is the first large-scale investigation of climate effects on corals and found while some corals were dying, others were flourishing and adapting to the change in water temperatures.’
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/why-climate-change-might-not-spell-death-for-the-reef-20120412-1wwdb.html#ixzz1rvGOAZRJ
See, no catastrophe, adaptation is the key to survival.
El gordo, I think pollution is an equally as great a threat to the marine life in the Great Barrier Reef.
el gordo – Adaptation, or just weeds? The problem is that while some corals may survive, overall diversity is lost – and with it the fish and other critters that depend on that diversity (including human tourists.) If Kakadu was overrun with Cane Toads and Prickly Pear, no one would go there; same with the GBR.
Jaeger, el gordo is besotted when it comes to climate change denial.
She is also unaware that the forces of destruction work swifter than the powers of adaption.
First bad press, maybe
“Premier Campbell Newman backs down on demands that Federal Government hand over powers for approving environmentally sensitive
developments
The backdown came after Mr Newman said he would use his first meeting of the Council of Australian Governments to muscle up to the Federal Government.”
I haven’t read this bit anywhere else
“He also gave preliminary backing to a related traffic accident scheme already existing in most states apart from Queensland and WA, that he had previously warned would result in car registration fees soaring.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/premier-campbell-newman-backs-down-on-demands-that-federal-government-hand-over-powers-for-approving-environmentally-sensitive-developments/story-e6freoof-1226326201486
On the local news after the press conference I saw a shot of Can Do trying to walk out alongside the PM. The PM reached forward and grabbed hold of Giddins from Tassie. Nice try Can do but it looked as though the PM had had enough.
It’s nice to see one Liberal politician speaking the truth…
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/liberal-backbencher-john-alexander-has-revealed-coalition-will-bring-back-work-choices/story-e6frg15u-1226115430045
Migs,
Your description of manflu @ 8:10 pm is spot-on, however I think I may be doomed to a slow, painful death. The womenfolk here just don’t seem to care 😦 Daughter, who has 8-10 sooky, snotty-nosed toddlers to care for each day, just tells me to “harden the fck up Princess”, and Mrs Bacchus thinks that the fact that she could potentially die if the melanoma she’s having sliced out of her left arm on Monday has spread further, trumps manflu.
Oh woe is me 😆 😆 😆
At least LOVO & Tom R prescribed alcohol for my torment
Bacchus…awww poor diddums..
….how’s that for a token female sympathy gesture. 🙂
lol Min- almost as good as what I’m getting here. At least daughter’s BF has offered to bring a shovel back with him to bury me 😆
Bacchus, you’re a big shiela. Toughen up, mate.
You’re starting to sound like my daughter Migs – who’s a shiela?
Bacchus, you ain’t had the manflu until you’ve had what I’ve had. We’re talking serious stuff.
Sadly, when I have the manflu there hasn’t been a sympathetic person within 15 post codes.
Saints be praised. Because Port are playing the Swans it means we’ll get the game televised into Canberra (all the Swans games are).
If we win it was worth flying home for. If we lose, I’m flying back out.
“The O’Farrell government has launched a relentless attack on renewable energy, with chilling investment signals sent by the government throughout its first year in office,” he said.
”Solar in NSW has been stopped dead in its tracks. The draft wind guidelines are designed to chronically handicap the expansion of the wind industry,” Mr Foley said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/investment-fears-over-attack-on-green-energy-20120413-1wysv.html#ixzz1ryWvGL2Y
That sounds like influenza Migs, not manflu 😉
You would have got the Broncos / Raiders game live last night wouldn’t you? 😆
Just picked my first Monstera Deliciosa of the season – YUMMY!
I’m too tough for manflu.
But I’m not tough enough to eat one of those things, Bacchus. What planet’s it from?
Earth Roswell – they’re really tasty. You just have to be patient & let the “scales” fall off before eating. I put mine in a brown paper bag to hasten the ripening process.
Yeah, sounds great Bacchus, at least you inside will be clean and rust free!!! 🙂
Oxalic acid is a constituent of many household products. It is found in many disinfectants, household bleach, metal cleaning liquids, antirust products and furniture polish. Its chemical formula is (COOH)2. Oxalic acid is a crystalline, colourless substance which is efflorescent. This means that it tends to become powdery on account of loss of water of crystallization. Its solubility is 1 in 12 in water. It is called Oxalic acid, after Greek “oxalis”, which means sorrel. It occurs in the sorrel plant, and because of this the French chemist Lavoisier, in 1787, named it Oxalic acid.”
All true LOVO, but the ripe fruit contains less oxalic acid than Beet Greens, Carrots, Collards, Parsley, Radishes and Spinach.
Bacchus, although I know that monstera deliciosa are edible ,after all their other name is the fruit salad plant, I’ve never been quite game enough to try one. My understanding is that it’s the unripe fruit which have the oxalic acid, therefore poisonous..you have to wait until the fruit is ripe.
Cringe..the Pies were done like a dinner by (choke, choke)..Carlton.. 😦
Exactly Min – I don’t like the taste of the unripe fruit – VERY sharp, but when
it’s ripe, it has a delicious fruit salad flavour. Patience is the key to eating them. The one in the link above is quite ripe – I usually can’t wait that long to start eating them. As soon as the skin starts falling off of its own accord, they can be eaten, but a little bit longer is better.
Poisonous is a strong term for these fruit – I don’t know anyone who’d like them when they’re not ripe enough to eat. All other parts of the plant – leaves, stems & roots are very high in oxalic acid, therefore poisonous, but a ripe fruit is fine 🙂
It looks like something they’d feed astronauts on long flights. Poor bastards.
Bacchus, how many people might have died working that out?
Bacchus, same as eating rhubarb leaves or sucking on the stem of a frangipani..don’t do it…
lol – interesting question Roswell. There are many more like it in the culinary world. Kopi Luwak comes to mind. Who was the first person to make coffee from the droppings of a civet? 😯
Well they got rid of her didn’t they?
CU @3.34pm 13/4, Ms jackson might get a lot more than she bargained for if she takes on the PM.
And @4.29pm, I’d say it’s a lay down misere that the “evidence” Jackson is carting around is highly suspect.
They thought Godwin Grech was credible, too.
And @4.39pm, I do believe you’re right about the brothel being next door or close to next door. I vaguely remember something of that nature early in the peice.
As you say, bank statements only prove where the money came from and where it went, not who was using the card.
WRT who is paying for her barrister, I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
And @5.49pm, the thick plottens. Oh! What a tangled web we weave……
And @8.30pm, the only point Sloppy has been making is that he’s a complete twit.
Sue @5.24pm, quiet as little cowering meeces waiting for the ginger puddy tat to pounce.
And @7.37pm, quelle surprise?
And @12.16am. Sue the image that report conjures up for me is Can Do running alongside the PM like an ugly puppy looking for attention…..any attention.
Lie back and think of England?
Migs, we wimmens are well aware of manflu and its causes. That’s why we have charge of the keys to all liquor cabinets. 😉
Which is probably the source of your *ahem* manflu. I’d say bottleflu is probbly the correct diagnosis.
BTW, sour sobs are a fine source of oxalic acid too as well as doggy doings. On the bright side it may well be a cure for manflu, chaps. 😯
Sounds like you got to be a
riperight fruit to eat it in the 1st place…..I keep hearing that Labor has to return to it’s old values. That they have lost their way.
Now, when I ask what these values are, I only get nonsense answers.
No one has yet taken up my challenge to list the values they so pine for.
I get a mumble about family values, whatever that means.
I am then ridiculed if I dare say that I am comfortable with the way Labor operates today.
I then ask what the values of the Opposition are. Still no takers.
Terms like socialism and capitalism etc are OK to form ones argument in. The truth is that in the real world, governments do what is necessary to keep the economy of track.
So can some please tell me what they mean when they say Labor has deserted it’s values. Can they please list some.
Can they tell me what Labor should be doing today, they are not.
Please tell me how the values of Mr. Abbott and before him, Mr., Howard would sit with the values of Mr. Menzies.
It appears to be Labor that has made the necessary economic changes that have served us well in this century. Why are they then seen as bad economic managers.
It is Labor that is now planning for the future.
All we hear from the Mr. Abbott and Co how they are going to demolish everything in their path. We are hearing little of what they proposed to build.
Yes, I am very comfortable with this Labor government. It appears to be looking after the needs of the majority, including the vulnerable.
It is not kneeling at the knees of the rich and powerful.
CU, I think you’re right. They say Labor has moved to the right and abandoned the values of the left. To an extent that is true; there has been a shift right to a more centrist pov, but so has the country.
The world has changed radically since Labor was last in power and Labor has had to change with it. The present government is looking to the future and is doing everything it can to place us in the best position for a future most of us will not be around to see.
And that is the real difference between this government and a LNP government. They are looking backwards to the Howard era; that is where they feel comfortable and it’s where they will drag us if we let them.
The Howard government was never forward looking; it always harked back to its master’s favourite period; the fifties. And that’s where they are stuck, with the possible exception of Malcolm Turnbull.
But he seems to have no vision for the future; he’s all about the present, it seems to me.
Like you, I am comfortable with this government in the main. There are a few things I think they could do better, like gay marriage, for example. It still baffles me that the PM is so opposed to such a fundamental thing, particularly as there seems to be no logic to her stance.
I have heard once again Mr. Abbott say the deal Labor has with the Greens has been a problem for Labor.
I suggest it has been a problem for Mr. Abbott. This has been a very stable and productive government. It has manage to do most of what it set out to do. It is now moving forward. The PM looks very much in charge and comfortable.
Jane, as much as we would like it, we cannot have everything we want. at least we cannot have it all at ones.
As Mr. Brown said, gay marriage will come.
jane, Labor has always done what is necessary, in spite of their ideology.
They have always governed well in times of trouble, whether financial or war.
I believe that most governments are always limited to what they can do. They have to govern in the reality of the time.
I do not believe that a Coalition government would have dealt with the GFC as well.
It took guts to go down the path of Rudd. What was sad, Rudd then seemed to have loss his guts after dealing with the GFC.
Here are some that have answered my challenge. Do many agree. I am not too sure what most are on about.
The someone was me. I do agree that Labor should have dumped the intervention, but I suspect it is now much different from the Howard model.
Yes, there has been problems with asylum seekers but they have move to a more humane system.
The school chaplains need to go.
Still have not explained what the values should be.
Bacchus, your torment would end sooner if your treatment did not contain alcohol!
But Patricia, LOVO and Tom R wouldn’t lead me astray 😯 😆
Bacchus, I believe they might. Is the misses OK.
We’ll know after Monday CU – hope he gets it all out and it hasn’t already spread…
Cu, the school chaplains have to go. There is no place for them in secular schools. Irrespective of their intentions, it’s always going to get back to Jesus. And while Jesus has some great ideas about alleviating poverty and standing up to governments, I do not trust religions to interpret his ideas accurately. Take a great idea and stuff it up, that’s what religions do.
Jane @ 2.42pm WRT who is paying for her barrister, I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/williamson-faces-union-charges/story-fn59niix-1226326201117
Vex News is a little more forthcoming about Mr. Stuart Wood SC.
.
SHARK-JUMPING: HSU boss Kathy Jackson gets Wood from the union-busting HR Nicholls Society
http://www.vexnews.com/2012/04/shark-jumping-kathy-jackson-gets-wood-from-the-hr-nicholls-society/
Saturday evening..it must be time to rock..
Min, I believe the chaplains are on the way out thanks to the changes Garrett made.
It was a clever move that did not put the religious zealots off side.
Where parents have the choice, the are choosing ethics classes in the majority.
In the high 60% in my grand daughter kindies class.
I have a nasty bout of hay fever. It feels like manflu. 😦
Harden the fck up Princess
Or indulge in some alcohol – LOVO & Tom R tell me that’s good for manflu, and so far I cannot fault their prescription 😉
Written while hiding behind a fake persona. 😛
Pip @ 6,21
from Vexnews
“Wood recently emerged as an interested person in the HSU case, advising Liberal shadow minister Eric Abetz on the legalities on the release of the Fair Work Australia report.”
You think Eric would have learnt something after Godwin Grech. Next thing we will hear is Eric inviting Kathy Jackson to have a chat at a Senate committee. That was such fun last time, ’cause the 2 big TV shots were Grech walking away from the Senate and the police arriving at Grech’s house to collect the evidence.
Oh dear, Miglo, are you having a spot of bother over on Facebook? 😳
Sue. EricA is way too arrogant to believe he did anything wrong in the Grech matter!
He’s never wrong. 😯
Indeed I am, Pip. Some young upstart is picking on me. 😳
I know nothinggg… 😯
Pip
on Kathy Jackson’s boyfriend the FWA commissioner appointed by Abbott
“Only the clearest findings of impropriety could see him removed, with FWA
commissioners – like judges – only being able to be removed by a vote of both houses of Parliament.”
http://www.vexnews.com/2012/04/blowing-the-whistle-jackson-took-cash-from-williamson-for-her-hsu-2009-campaign/
Sue, it’s looking very possible that Jackson has the same grandiose personality as EricA.
Can you imagine the old farts at the HR Nicholls Society [along with the good Senator and his colleagues, maybe], plotting ways to make things happen?
Sue, from my link to The Australian, Jackson said:-
Would she know prima-facie graft if it bit her or has she been coached
by her new friend, the SC.
Or possibly the partner just wrote it for her.
No doubt lots more to come in upcoming weeks. But so far the more she yells the quieter it gets for Thompson.
I trust this Jackson woman realises that the instant she’s no use to Abbott & his support crew she’ll be out the back door wearing the contents of an H. R. Nicholls chamberpot?
Could this end up like the Grech affair. That is claiming the head of a Opposition leader.
We can only hope it does, Cu.
Sue, what gets me, it has taken this long for the story to emerge. I have been hinting at such since the affair began.
Even I am amazed at the depth of muck that is being revealed.
I knew there was trouble, but I thought it was more like back stabbing and cattiness.
This surely must end up in a TV show,
I do hope they call her before the Senate. There are a couple of senators, I am sure know where some bodies are buried. It would make good listening.
Do not worry, this one has the ability to take all out. That is Mr. Abbott as well.
Sue, the Vex News story is very interesting, and yes, Thomson seems to have slipped down the order of importance somewhat.
Bob, judging by her cockiness in front of the camera and being courted by the HRN Society, she may not see that coming.
Cu, that’s just as likely as not.
Given that Thomson might not be the road to the Lodge that the Libs were fondly imagining, it looks like they are they going after the HSU and FWA, still with the idea that they can somehow embroil the government?
Meanwhile the msm continue to support their man !
Cu, it would be fun to listen to Jackson in a Senate Inquiry, the whole thing looks like the Underbelly tv show!
“Written while hiding behind a fake persona.”
Don’t you like my “email address” Migs? 😛
CU
it sure makes interesting reading on the blogs. what i found annoying at the press conference called yesterday, was the quiet from the msm.there was
kathy beaming into the cameras asking for any questions. the only thing
revealing was the question about her income. where was the question about why did you accept a union bashing barrister?it only took a google to check out the barristers background. so were the press too stunned to ask or too conflicted? it is about time the depth or contagion of kathy jackson started being revealed by the msm or else the msm will be seen as useless as in the aftermath of the “ute” grech exaggeration.
And CU in one article I read it said that up to now Jackson had been supported by the victorian labor “right”. And if memory serves it is the same faction that gave gillard grief over same sex marriage legislation. And is why the labor mp (stephen jones) from nsw has launched the private members bill.
Actually Sue, not only has it been quieter for Thomson, the media generally have not picked up on Jackson’s latest interview with the gusto one might have expected. Some blogs yes, but is it possible that the MSM have seen the need for caution? I thought some of the things Jackson said were actionable if without proof.
I think that Abbott or friends are pulling the strings here. Looking for anti-govt noise and static. That press conference was timed to upstage the PM coming out of CHOGM, but of course with no foreknowledge of the big story of the day, Bob Brown’s departure.
I sure hope that Catching up is right and that this all spells danger for Abbott. Look at how much he involved himself in bringing Pauline Hanson down, got her jailed in fact. A decision later reversed. How he got away with that, I’ll never know.
Oh what a laugh, the head of the AOC, Coates has decided to berate the PM because she is actually doing her job, attending the G20 rather than go to a fund raiser dinner for the AOC.
And the funniest/ stupidist/ egocentrist /
“Mr Coates said the date for the dinner could have been changed if Ms Gillard had notified organisers sooner that it clashed with her commitments abroad, including the G20 summit.”
Yes the PM of Australia should check with el presidenta Coates before making her plans.
But that wasn’t enough for Coates here comes the threat
“The only thing I’ve done is talk to [Sports Minister] Kate Lundy about it and say if it is irreversible I think it would be wise if you were to get the Prime Minister to put that out as a position before you read about this.”
Well even with such a threat and a liitle bit of advice
“warned that her absence would be a missed opportunity politically”
it has not worked, so Coates decided to go to the press.
Even the reporter must have thought Coates was a bit above himself as he has decided to print some facts
“John Howard did not attend the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 or the Athens Games in 2004, but used the 2000 Games in Sydney to his political advantage.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/olympics-2012/pm-accused-of-olympics-snub-20120414-1x0lj.html#ixzz1s3RKvlFr
Barnaby Joyce wants every new mum to get a $10,000 baby bonus.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/the-big-push-for-10000-baby-bonus/story-e6freuy9-1226326550541
I support this idea.
No el gordo
“wants every new mum to get a $10,000 baby bonus.”
You even get those facts wrong
“to double the baby bonus for stay-at-home mums to $10,000”
And that from the first line of the article.
An election pitch for the country gals to equal Abbott’s city working wealthy mums $75000 deal. Don’t believe me? then read about it, it is only a little further on.
“Fearing a backlash over the generosity of the Coalition’s proposed paid-parental-leave scheme, which would offer wealthy working women up to $75,000, the Nationals have proposed a better deal for stay-at-home mums.”
Aspiration? Non core? Or just like Barnaby’s promise to his country cousins on the Telstra sale!
El gordo, that baby bonus is not a good idea unless it can be proven that the money is going to be spent on the baby. When this bonus was first introduced there were numerous examples of 1. women being coerced into a pregnancy so that their drug addict bf could get the money. 2. the money being spent on luxury items.
Fair enough to help young needy families – however, it should be in the form of vouchers – to buy a pram, car seat, baby clothes. That way it can be assured that the money will be spent as it was intended.
Barnaby is a Mick (for the luv of god they like big families) so its only natural that he would push a large baby bonus.
I accept there are pitfalls in the idea of offering money to women to have babies, but historically it has always been a harmless pork barrel.
On a different matter…Barry O’Farrell just said with the GFC the federal government should have put money into fast rail and not pink batts. That may not have been exactly what he said….I tend to get my facts wrong.
I tend to get my facts wrong.
no shit
Sue, from your link
It’s a big deal, this prime minister’s dinner. It’s one of the great corporate dinners in Australia,’
How bright is our corporate sector when they make a date for a ‘prime minister’s dinner’ on the same date that is well known (you would have thought) that the PM will be overseas at a very public G20 meeting.
And then, like all good corporate people, they blame her.
Bacchus, not only have you been willingly led astray, I reiterate my claims that you in fact have a bad case of bottle flu. Hope all goes well for Mrs Bacchus tomorrow. 🙂
Bob @11.37pm 14/4, I suspect Ms Jackson doesn’t have the wit to make that leap. She’s rat cunning, spiteful, self important and vindictive, but believes all the flattery and lies pouring out of Liars Party mouths.
I don’t think she’s stopped for a nano second to ask herself why a very highly paid HR Nicholls barrister would be taking her on pro bono. I’d say they’ve been stroking that inflated ego of hers for all it’s worth and she’s purring like a well-fed lion.
I also think her fairweather friends have expunged the Grech affair from their minds and are rushing headlong into another disaster of their own making and Jackson will be the first piece of flotsam ejected. I also think she’s too dumb to realise how expendable she is. I almost feel sorry for her……nah!
Sue @12.10am, the reason the msm asked Jackson no questions is the same reason they never ask Liealot any questions-there must be no scrutiny, on the Emperor’s orders.
Hopefully, the Murdochracy will turn to dust in the immediate future and all but the diehards will start doing their job.
patriciawa @1.37am, I think it is desperation measures for Liealot. Nothing he has done to unseat the PM and force an election has worked so far. It’s do or die; hopefully the latter.
Sue @8.01am, and what’s wrong with the AOC putting forward the dates for their fundraiser to check whether it clashed with the unimportant duties of running the country?
Perhaps if Mr Coates got his hand off it……….
el gordo, Barrell O’Lies record so far doesn’t inspire much confidence in anything that falls out of his gob. He seems to have been infected with Liealot’s disease-Brain Fart Syndrome. 😆
Tom R, @10.10am, well it is corporate Ausralia you’re talking about and everything revolves around them and their schedules.
Obviously, this inept and incompetent PM should have told the G20 mob they couldn’t have their stupid little meeting on a date that clashed with big important things like the AOC fundraiser.
Simple when you put your mind to it.
Sue, according to Greg Jericho on Twitter an hour ago, the Prime Minister offered three different dates for the dinner, therefore Mr. Coates has simply joined the chorus of mischief makers
The HUGE story about the PM not going to the corporate splash is now lead item on ltdnews, with a comment by wyne that this is further evidence of the Governments ineptitude
ffs
Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne said the non-attendance of the dinner by Ms Gillard was a sign of the chaotic and dysfunctional office she runs.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/coates-furious-at-pms-olympics-snub/story-e6frfkvr-1226326859495#ixzz1s4gaGTr1
Hi folks. Just to let you know that I might be away for a while. My mum who is 88yrs old is currently in hospital and so I need to go down to Melbourne to help out. I’ll be keeping in touch.
Sorry to hear that Min. Hope everything is OK
So Mr. O’Farrell is in favour of Sydney Airport operating 24 hours a day and increased runways, at full capacity.
That can be the only impression one can get from his comments.
The reality is that he has to join in with planning for the future. Is there a major city in the world that copes with one airport, especially one as spread out as Sydney.
Thanks Jane @ 10:43 am. Just got to keep her thinking positive thoughts and not worrying about what might happen.
I’ve had a small piece taken out of my face & daughter has had a couple of larger chunks taken out of her back & shoulder, but all have turned out to be benign. This is the first brush we’ve had with melanoma for real.
No, not bottle flu – man flu as defined on April 11, 2012 at 9:44 pm 😉
Women, who obviously have no idea, would call it a head cold😆Hope your Mum’s OK Min – our thoughts are with you…
Bacchus, thank you. I’m an only child and mum is such a long way away. She’s in Box Hill hospital and I cannot thank the paramedics enough. Thank you David.
I see the ABC has decided to insert one line but near the end of AOC BS article .. Shame fairfax couldn’t get the facts right to begin with but…….
AS as Tom r said ffs
“What John Coates didn’t mention was that we offered alternative dates to the AOC – but the AOC turned them down.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-15/coates-angry-at-pm27s-olympics-snub/3950918
Yes Sue, the date of the conference changed, Where did the PM put that crystal ball. She needs it to keep the likes of Mr. Coates happy.
Iain, we now have a new meaning for the word semantics, along with the word lying.
There is nothing semantic about what the PM said. There is a difference between a carbon tax and a market based cost on carbon emission.
Even Mr. Abbot said he would rather have a carbon tax in the past, in preference to Mr. Rudd’s ETS.
The PM said she would not do one, but intended to do the other.
There is no carbon tax. This is one of the reasons there is no rush to test the so called tax in court. The same goes for the mining tax.
You can say black is white for as long as you like. It does not make black, white.
Hi friends. I just wish to pass some news onto you. After all, we’re all friends here and I don’t mind opening up if I have to.
After nine years of marriage and 17 years together, Jedda and I have decided to call it a day. Some of you might remember seeing Jedda here (not her real name) posting the odd comment now and again.
It’s all good as we part on friendly and mutual terms. Sometimes people just grow apart and that is what we have done. It’s been that way for a year or so.
We wish each other well for the future.
She’ll be returning to Adelaide later in the year and I will continue on in Canberra. I have plans for the future and these will be revealed in due course.
Cheers,
Migs.
Sorry to hear it Migs. However, every cloud, as they say
She’ll be returning to Adelaide later in the year
Welcome back to the real world Jedda 😉
What is Mr. Thompson is doing that is wrong. A wise man follows his legal advice.
Murray Rose has died age 73. We are getting old.
Cu, Morrison should blow it out his ear!
Does anyone know what it was that Mangrove Jack wanted to know about Penny Wong, and why she might have been on the news?
MJ if you are around the place here is the Meet The Press transcript.
Click to access MEET_THE_PRESS_WONG_MILNE_APRIL_15.pdf
MEET THE PRESS
15 APRIL 2012
INTERVIEWS WITH FINANCE MINISTER PENNY WONG AND NEW GREENS LEADER CHRISTINE MILNE .
Cu, it’s very sad news about Murray Rose
Olympic great Murray Rose dies
April 15, 2012
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/swimming/olympic-great-murray-rose-dies-20120415-1x19s.html
Pip, Murray Rose an amazing hero and an encouragement for kids to learn to swim. We take it for granted in Australia that everyone can swim, it wasn’t always so and nor is it so in other countries. The name Murray Rose brings memories of doing laps at the Glenferrie pool.
To Min, Bacchus, Miglo and all in the Cafe, a cafe of… life, love and laughter
Min, I saw an interview with Murray a couple of years ago and he seemed like a very modest, unassuming gentle soul, who gave something back to the community.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Rose
Rose was the patron of the Australian charity ‘The Rainbow Club’ which teaches disabled children how to swim.
That’s a great song LOVO, and it does suit the Cafe 🙂
LOVO..perfect, thank you. xxx
LOL – thanks for that LOVO 🙂
That’s a mighty fine gesture LOVO.
Min, I hope everything is OK with your Mum. Please wish her well from me.
Bacchus, will be thinking of Mrs Bacchus and the Bacchus family, tomorrow.
Migs, sorry to hear the bad newsabout your marriage, but when it’s not working, it’s best to part on amicable terms. All the best to you both as you go your separate ways.
But he’ll keep on trying, CU. He really seems to believe that if you say it often enough he’ll convince himself at least.
Seems like O’Farrell also subscribes to the same fairy story wrt a second airport in Sydney..How does it make any sense on any level for Canberra airport to function as Sydney’s second airport?
Do you get the taxi ride or flight to get to and from Canberra airport for nix? FFS, how long does it take to drive from Sydney to Canberra? Finally, is O’Farrell completely insane or just extremely stupid?
CU, sad news indeed about Murray Rose. WRT Craig Thomson, the only disgrace is Morrison.
Jane and “is O’Farrell completely insane or just extremely stupid?”. Ans: Yes.
ABC24 Joe O’Brien reporting on major Taliban attacks in Afghanistan.
I’m following him on Twitter @joeobrien24.
Tweets
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul Attacks .. no official reports of killed or injured yet #abcnews24 .. attacks not seen like this before in terms of scale
1h Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Co-ordinated Attacks in Kabul in last 3 hrs – parlt, nato base, diplomatic enclave #abcnews24
2h Rickin Majithia @rick_maj
A friend of mine taking cover at the British Embassy in Kabul has just texted to say “It’s raining RPGs”. Praying for her safety. #Kabul
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Taliban on Kabul attacks: “These attacks are the beginning of the spring offensive and we had planned them for months.”
59m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul Emergency Hosp: We can hear rocket, small arms fire all around us. All the staff are in a panic. It has been like this for two hours.
1h Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Kabul attacks continuing right now .. RT @AmiriEhsan reports of 3 rockets hits Japan embassy #Kabul
Out of step, but here in the “hill” we remember such things…
http://www.bdtruth.com.au/main/news/article/3328-“And-the-band-played-on”.html
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC: Militants also took over a government building in Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province, police said, and a gun battle was under way.
38m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC: reports of suicide attack that has closed the centre of Jalalabad.Police said suicide bombers had attacked the airport there.
45m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC says insurgents fighting govt forces in 7 diff locations in Kabul. AFP reported that the newly built Kabul Star hotel was on fire.
51m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
RT @ISAFmedia ANSF continues to respond to attacks in #Kabul. ISAF continues to stand by to support, if requested.
LOVO, I like Peter Goers. He’s a Port Adelaide supporter. 🙂
But I must ask: why on earth would Broken Hill have a memorial to the Titanic? It’s not as though it ever visited the place.
Another question. Who would build a new hotel in Kabul?
Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Al Jaz .. ISAF spokesman says foreign troops not called for help in Kabul http://aje.me/A2loGq
32m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
BBC: In an updated statement, the UK Foreign Office says all its embassy staff are “accounted for”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17720617
34m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Reuters is quoting the the Afghan Interior Ministry as saying that fighting in Eastern Nangarhar and Pakita provinces has now ended.
38m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
AL Jaz .. Police discovered a vehicle full of explosives in front of the Afghan parliament. http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Afghanistan
40m Joe O’Brien @joeobrien24
Al Jaz … The compound of the German embassy in Kabul sustained damage Sunday but no-one was injured.
Miglo. Clive…. James…?
The place will be empty so those two reprobates might see the locale as easy pickings.
Migs, It was the big band era in B.H. at the time…. there was great empathy that “the band played on”… the Barrier Industrial Union band from that era still exists today…. http://www.biuband.com.au/index.html
Barnaby takes the long way out of his latest brain fart…
http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=ff2ebaedf0d3569f441cfef14&id=fbc032ab72
Senator Barnaby Joyce
——————————————————————————-
Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water
Baby Bonus
I have never contacted Tony Abbott to push for a doubling of the Baby Bonus.
With a strong on the ground experience of the problems that large lump sum social security payments can create, I don’t think I ever will support a policy that would exacerbate these issues.
LOVO, that must be a record somehwere in the world, to have lasted since
1884. BH must be very proud of them.
The power of Nick Minchin is evident as seen in the filling of the 2nd senate spot in Victoria. Minchin backed the winner, Scott Ryan over the encumbent Helen Kroger. Helen Kroger had the backing of her ex hubbie Kroger, shock jock Alan Jones and Barnaby Joyce.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/kroger-demoted-on-senate-ticket-20120415-1x1ks.html
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/joyce-appeals-for-kroger-to-keep-her-safe-senate-spot-20120414-1x0jv.html
what a shock for Jones and Joyce, Victorian Liberals ignored them. Bigger shock for Victorian, Michael K.
Min @10.49pm 15/4, both? Any news on your Mum? Fingers crossed that it’s very minor.
Bacchus, fingers crossed for Mrs Bacchus and the family, too.
Pip I hope the Taliban has now given it its best shot and will slink off into the caves. I doubt it, but it’s good news that Afghanistan has struggled through another assault.
Why can’t these bloody fanatics find themselves a nice walled compound and stay there and let other people live their lives without interference?
Sue, tragic news about Kroger. Bwwahahahaha! Mind you, with Minchin behind it, there’s bound to be something distasteful in the wood pile.
Is Mr. Abbott out inciting a revolution again.
Cu, i know this is as old as the hills but Abbott has taken more positions than the Kama Sutra.
Tony Abbott absolutely supported a carbon tax.
Mrs Bacchus’ has returned from her ordeal – the next couple of nights will be fun for her trying to sleep though, with a bandage the size of a small tent covering the huge chunk of arm he took out. 😯
The excision of the cancer came back with a result of 1 🙂
Does this mean I’ve got two reasons to open a bottle tonight Jane? A good result for Mrs Bacchus and as a further cure for my amazingly dangerous and debilitating man flu? 😆
Bacchus, that is such excellent news. We’ll even let you choose tonight’s wine. Big hugs for Mrs. Bacchus.
From the bottom shelf.
Thanks Min 🙂
It probably makes little difference to me atm Migs. My taste buds have gone on strike anyway 😦
The prescriptions of Dr LOVO & Dr Tom R seem to be working though. I feel the heavy fog of near certain death from my man flu slowly lifting
Dr LOVO here, I also advise that you should forthwith obtain one of those hats with the straws in it to keep those fluids up…. (not sure if they are on the PBS)…….
LOVO, we are in your indebtedness for Bacchus’s eventual recovery.
Cool Dr LOVO – do you have a plan for a red wine hat too? I reckon it’d go down well when I visit SA, ACT, NSW or especially Melbourne 😆 Not so sure the locals here would accept them though 😉
Contrary to the Leader of the Opposition demanding that the Prime Minister should interfere in the Fair Work Australia business, which would be improper,
the man that Abbott so badly wants out of Parliament, Craig Thomson has said this:-
Pip @ 4:03 pm, tabot actually clearly explains in that talk the difference between a Carbon Tax and a Carbon Price that was being proposed at the time (with a fixed price, that may look and smell like a tax, but is clearly different from a Carbon Tax)
tabot says he prefers
a carbon tax on energy consumption
What we have is a Carbon Price on energy production. Sure it is passed on (probably) to consumers, but it is this basic structure that differentiates the two, and the media REFUSE to acknowledge this.
Instead, they play this ‘looks like, smells like’ game of Humpty Dumpty, and further confuse the poor readers over just what the Government is proposing. Gillard went to pains to highlight this distinction, she should have gone to far further pains imo. The media didn’t care though, they had their alleged ‘gotcha’.
Pet hate: the way that the opposition state that they don’t have to explain anything, not policies nor costings..in fact the opposition remains a fact-free zone. The media in response happily agrees with this, never ask questions of the opposition..presumably because they’re not the government..yet this same media are quite happy to proclaim at every available opportunity how Tony is going to romp it in. If so, shouldn’t the media be asking questions about the implications of a Tony Abbott government.
From where I sit sipping my coffee I can see the office. Oh how I hate the first day back after holidays. 😦
The man who would be king…reminded in 2011 of how much he is respected…
perhaps to be his future “title” uttered consistently by his people as he takes the PMship courtesy of the Murdochracy:
Something ironic about a Murdoch empire owned Newspoll polling on the PM’s “trustworthiness”…
N’
nasking
The man who would be king
you had to, didn’t you 😉
Nas’, because of course the implication is that she’s not. It’s the same as asking a question when you already know the answer.
Tom, I knew that you’d be able to find an excuse for something from Iron Maiden there somewhere. 😉
You’d think he would have run out of excuses. 😉
You’d think he would have run out of excuses.
NEVER! 🙂
Bacchus, fantastic news about Mrs Bacchus. I missed the news last night because Liealot’s marvellous wireless broadband was on the blink.
As a reward you may have an extra gargle for the next few days, however, Mrs Bacchus must have the lioness’s share.
Tom R @8.16am, obviously he suffers from Alzheimer’s as he clearly seems unable to remember what he said to Fran Kelly.
Perhaps that recording should be played every time he opens his lying gob about the carbon price, surely the voters have the right to know what he really thinks and would be likely to do if they gave the bugger the reins of government.
Frankly, it wouldn’t hurt the Iain Halls to hear what Liealot favours and what is and what is not, a carbon tax.
In that clip he refers to imposing a carbon tax on fuel. It also wouldn’t hurt to remind people that the Howard government, which included Liealot, also managed a double GST dip on fuel and now he wants to impose a further tax on them every time they fuel up.
That should make semi drivers especially happy.
Nas’ @9.43am, the woman with the trolley doesn’t look too impressed, either. 😆
Good one Tom R…
I reckon there are alot of ALP supporters out there real frustrated right now…poll after poll feeling like nothing changes…feeling slightly doomed…
my fave sequence from Rango…”who am I”…dig the music…
it wouldn’t hurt the Iain Halls
It wouldn’t help wither, deaf ears and all. Even when presented with the facts, they still prefer to go with, ‘but semantically’ or ‘it’s still a year early’
Facts don’t appear to be of any consequence in political debates these days 😦
on April 17, 2012 at 10:50 amMin
Nas’, because of course the implication is that she’s not. It’s the same as asking a question when you already know the answer.
Indeed Min…but of course the question of trustworthiness is the key to their ongoing attack campaign…linked primarily to the carbon price…they’re all excited due to the QLD election result…but the lack of TRUSTWORTHINESS approach is nothing unusual:
It’s a matter of trust…yea RIGHT:
Of course only Liberals can be TRUSTED:
Tony Abbott like his mentor John Howard is so TRUSTWORTHY…as an opportunistic WEATHERVANE:
The reciting parrots at the IPA aren’t faceless, they’re everywhere.
No, they’re there exclusively on behalf of their shy paymasters.
{ Twitter hash tag #GetIPAoffMyABC }
Crackers #4: The Institute of Public Smokescreens
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/business/the-institute-of-public-smokescreens/
Just because I feel like it. Trite? A cliché? The unexpected. And to prove that appearances can be deceptive and that cynicism will not prevail.
Abbott addressing a community forum in Melbourne,
Latika Bourke tweeting:-
Tony Abbott says everyone wants Australian troops withdrawn asap, but they need to come back with success under their belt.
Tony Abbott says the mission must be accomplished for the sacrifice of the 32 Australians killed in Afghanistan to be honoured.
Tony Abbott says having been to Afghanistan twice, he sees no reason why Australian troops can’t come home sooner rather than later.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says the coalition forces have ‘lost’ the war in Afghanistan and it will become another Vietnam
Greens Leader Christine Milne ‘the war in Afghanistan has been a failure on every level
“Brigadier Slog” tweeted:-
Abbott is somehere promising money for disabled & mental health. Odd seeing he’s promised to axe thousands of public servants
Pip, I have somewhat mixed feeling on Afghanistan. Just because it’s a failure, does it mean that we should not be there. What was it that we were trying to achieve? There was a lot about the emancipation of women and children. Has this been achieved? Not so, only in the allied forces zones. Otherwise, we still have forced child marriages and the stoning of women to death because they are rape victims.
What will withdrawal of our forces mean to the Afghani people..a return to fundamentalism where women are stoned because they dare learn to read.
We have been there for such a long time, and I will not recount the stuff ups along the way..but I believe that we do have some responsibility in this matter. If we stuffed it up, then we should be there to fix it.
Min,
The Afghanistan debacle is what we get for not remembering history’s lessons…
and allowing certain corporations and their ex-CEOs and employees to run a significant part of the show…and suck up taxpayer’s money like a gigantic Hoover.
Not to mention creating heaps of opportunities for the Taliban to recruit and get outside assistance due to the bombing and shooting of innocent civilians oft in pursuit of a gang of ideological thugs led by a tall man who shoulda been caught years ago (but was conveniently missed extending the war into insanity years)…until he was knocked off in Pakistan living within spitting distance of our so called Pakistani allies.
This war has been a cruel ruse and profiteering venture played on many a courageous soldier and civilian…
and should remind for yonks all voters that they cannot trust the private business sphere to do the right thing…that outsourcing war does not win wars…but it sure as hell just about bankrupts countries…that our brave troops should be remunerated a damn site better…and used for essential campaigns…not to prop up presidents, prime ministers, corporations and any dick looking to make a quick, easy buck.
Patton probably woulda shot Bush if he’d been around.
N’
Nas’ indeed. During the time when the Taliban were considered US allies, great inroads were made – the cash crop being opium for international markets had been almost eradicated and replaced with food crops. The negative at the same time was the subjugation of women and female children.
That is, people were starving while the farmers grew opium poppies. The Taliban banned the growing of opium.
However since then opium is once again the major export of Afghanistan under the auspicies of the Americans. The status of women has been raised, but only in some areas.
It is often swept under the carpet, but to my way of thinking the reason that we’re in Afganistan is to prop up the American drug lords, Afghanistan being their major supplier.
Get out of Afghanistan? Maybe. But will this stop the drug lords in America from accessing their suppliers. This then gets back to the legalisation of drugs – it will never happen as the illicit international drug trade is worth billions. Make it legal..hardly, not when it’s worth billions to have it illegal.
I’m no big fan of the Taliban but can someone tell me why we really are at war with them?
Roswell, the cynic in me would say that it’s because the Taliban stopped opium sales to the American drug barons.
What was it that we were trying to achieve?
Removal of the Taliban, who were at the time harbouring a known Terrorist. Everything else is just cleaning up the mess (although, in the case of the treatment of women, we might even leave things better off.)
It is unfortunate, but it appears to be too closely linked with Iraq in many discussions these days. They are comepletely seperate issues, and the reasons for going into each were completely seperate issues.
The UN backed the invasion of Afghanistan, they did not support the invasion of Iraq.
So, the PM makes a major speech about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. The first question from a reporter is at least on the topic, but interesting, considering the way the ABC decide to release this announcement
https://twitter.com/#!/crazyjane13/status/192094208331489280
Gillard to bring troops home early.
The Federal Opposition has questioned Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s motives as she prepares to announce that most Australian soldiers will be pulled out of Afghanistan before the next election.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-17/gillard-tipped-to-bring-troops-home-early/3954144
I understand that the opposition our degenerate beings, but does the ABC have to follow them down to the abyss?
Also, interesting that a reporters (herpaderp??) first question reflects precisley the oppositions attack on this announcement.
Just looked on theirabc main site. The link to story was ‘Walking Away’, with a big blurb about what the opposition reckons, it is now ‘Exit Strategy’.
I did get a screen grab, cos that is just piss poor journalism, ltdnewslite style, and I’m a pretty petty kinda person 🙂
Here is another item never mentioned in the main stream media, and it had precious little, or nothing, to do with women’s rights !
Talking Points on the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline
From the link above:-
Full speech: PM Julia Gillard sets Afghan withdrawal date for Australian Diggers
by: Julia Gillard
April 17, 2012 2:01PM
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/full-speech-pm-sets-afghan-withdrawal-date-for-diggers/story-fn7x8me2-1226330188207
This is not my field, so will be listening and learning. Our people are not doing much good there, too small a presence. It would be better money for value if the cost of the Diggers was spend on humanitarian aid. I stand open to criticism on this one. Debate on this topic an open one as far as I’m concerned.
Can the Liberals/Nats get one single solitary piece of legislation together without stuffing it up..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/nationals-rule-out-baby-bonus-boost/story-fn59niix-1226327689444
Min I agree wholeheartedly with you about humanitarian aid, but according to some of the right wing think tanks that’s an absolute no go, and the Liberals follow their advice to the letter!
Regarding the question, Can the Liberals/Nats get one single solitary piece of legislation together without stuffing it up..
Not a chance till Barney Rubble is leashed, which makes me wonder why the rest of the Nats., are so quiet
Let’s just send the state of Queensland back a number of decades…or is that centuries..
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/intelligent-design-to-be-taught-in-queensland-schools-under-national-curriculum/story-e6freoof-1225872896736
Min,
Intelligent design eh?
BRING IT ON:
Min, that is very troubling.
Iain, it is Mr. Abbott that is claiming the Clean Energy Future is going to bankrupt the country. Treasury disputes all his figures.
Why would that be so.
Yes, it is going to cost more, but the amount is very small.
The carbon tax that Mr. Abbott supported was on consumption. Direct cost to the taxpayer.,
Mr. Abbott laughed it off as him Being a weather vane.
I do not know how you could have missed the video clip. It has been on this site many time..
Iain, do you realise that all that is happening, is that we do not agree with you. That is our right. What I do not understand why it upsets you so.
Time will prove who is correct.
Why do you feel the need for everyone to agree with you. It bothers me naught whether you do or not.
I just do not want other to think that what you say, cannot be challenged.
That there are two or more sides to the debate.
That is what democracy is about. People having the right to disagree.
People having different wishes for their country,
I am finding the present debate a little boring and will be moving on.
Good luck with your mission to change everyone to your way of thinking. You do not seem to be having much luck here, Could be that you could be a little wrong. Who knows.
“Intelligent design”
I wonder how many Queenslanders know they were voting for this. I wonder how many support the move.
Wonder what they are going to do for facts. As far as I know, this has no basis in science.
Cu, this is to do with the National Curriculum I think.
Nas’, it’s all about a very narrow field of imagination. As always the truth sits there somewhere in the middle, or more than likely far way beyond our imaginings.
I think that ancient ancestors had it about right, that there is the creator but He is not in this narrow mindset of what creation means. Why for example can God not create evolution. That seems a reasonable thing to do. And who the hell are we to tell God what to anyway. He did warn us, that we are created in His imagination..and by God, he’s got one hell of an imagination. I kinda like the old bugger, but don’t tell Him that I said so.
When are our older peers gping to wake up.
Any takers.
Maybe he does manage to tell the truth when is suits him. Have not seen any evidence of this so far.
Pip, if it is, it should only be found in one place, that of comparative religion.
State schools should should not be in the business of teaching religion. I believe in NSW at least, they are prevented from doing so.
It is a religious concept. Intelligent Design is a modern one, to get around creationism.
Therefore it does not belong ion history.
Cu, on this I believe Abbott absolutely..he expects girls to remain virgins, Bernie Banton wasn’t authentic, that it’s ok to swear at women, that there is nothing wrong with standing in front of signs saying Ditch the Witch..and god only knows what else Tony thinks because he does little else than to pose in lycra.
Yes indeed, I believe Tony..that’s the authentic Tony. The Fantastic Plastic Tony Abbott.
Min,Nasking@5.21….. bottom left hand corner…… (cue twilight zone music) 🙂
Gee, thanks LOVO. Now I can’t get that music out of my head.
Don’t tell Bacchus but I have a mild version of the manflu and am taking myself to bed. I just couldn’t let it develop into a full-blown version.
Mild version 🙄
Whoops..it seems that it’s chicken soup all round here at the Cafe.
I should have added not to tell Min either. Definitely don’t tell Tom, Pip or LOVO.
I can’t see myself ever living it down. If I live through it, that is. 😦
Migs, I think it’s a manifestation of the mind. Did you not return to work today after leave?
Geez, what a shame:
Tea Party Support Stable, But Interest is Waning
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/tea-party-support-_n_1428091.html
As I expected.
Give it a few more months…alot more scrutiny of Mr. Abbott and his friend Barnaby…and a few of their supporters, the not so faceless…and faceless…and by early next year we should be seeing a waning of support for the “dickhead” and his Coalition.
N’
LOVO,
You’re traveling through another dimension — a dimension not only of sight and sound but of irrational, delusional mind. A journey into a bizarre land whose boundaries are that of loopy imagination. That’s an Intelligent Design signpost up ahead: your next stop: the Twilight Zone!
You unlock this door with the key of Creationism. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of naked people, a dimension of apples, a dimension of serpents. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and fig leaf…floppy thingies and gardens of utopia. You’ve just crossed over into…an acid trip…perhaps schizo moment…called the Twilight Zone.
N’
Mild phhhhtttt! – there’s no such a thing 😯 Man flu is deadly and dangerous! Yield to the disease Migs. I am alive to tell of the miracle of the Dr LOVO and Dr Tom R cure for man flu. Open another bottle and be healed Migs
Nas’ floppy thingies ??
How does this work?
From Twitter
N’….”floppy thingies “(got one of them,check..)….”a dimension of naked people,”( I wish 😳 …)..”A journey into a bizarre land whose boundaries are that of loopy imagination.” 😯 ( Right so Ive logged onto C.W.
)….”an acid trip”….um, 😳 all I noticed was it said Min in bottom left hand corner of vid???? 🙂 …… doo, doo,do,do… your next stop the (oh,baby)…the LOVO zone….. 😆
Migs @ 8.25pm, mild man flu?
There’s no such thing, and I didn’t want chicken soup anyway but thanks for asking…. oh wait..
LOVO has discovered smileys. 😛
And giving them a good workout. 😉
7.30 transcript
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/
Migs, LOVO is a bright spark, no doubt about it. 😀
Lateline transcripts
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/
Thank you for those Pip, that will give me some reading for the morning.
Independent Andrew Wilkie should refrain from speaking or risk looking like a twat.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3479762.htm
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of playing politics with the announcement of a detailed timeframe for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister made a long speech explaining the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it was clear that the decision is about all the countries involved, which will meet in Chicago to discuss the withdrawal.
Andrew Wilkie jumped the gun, so to speak, with this silly statement:-
If he wanted to sound reasonable he would have mentioned the US and their election in November this year.
He would also have known that President Karzai and the military leaders will also have a say about when the forces leave Afghanistan.
If he didn’t know this then he’s a fool to say anything at all, and if he did know but chose to criticise our Prime Minister alone then a different adjective is required.
Trading on his previous talents as an intelligence analyst will only get him so far.
You’re welcome Min. 🙂
Green loans to flow before next federal poll
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/green-loans-to-flow-before-next-federal-poll/story-e6frg6xf-1226330844353
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/green-loans-to-flow-before-next-federal-poll/story-e6frg6xf-1226330844353
Full speech: PM Julia Gillard sets Afghan withdrawal date for Australian Diggers
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/full-speech-pm-sets-afghan-withdrawal-date-for-diggers/story-fn7x8me2-1226330188207
This is the bit that Mr. Wilkie must have missed…
Nationals begin blitz on Labor territory
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/nationals-begin-blitz-on-labor-territory-20120417-1x5ns.html
The deliberate campaign of lies is building up a head of steam., not just in Northern NSW.
The SA State Liberals are using the same tactic.
Bring our mates home: Victoria Cross hero Ben Roberts-Smith
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/bring-our-mates-home-victoria-cross-hero-ben-roberts-smith/story-e6frf7jo-1226330701193
Australia’s war will be over, no matter what
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/australias-war-will-be-over-no-matter-what-20120417-1x5ob.html#ixzz1sJcvQCV0
We won’t repeat Vietnam mistakes in Afghanistan, says Julia Gillard
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/we-wont-repeat-vietnam-mistakes-in-afghanistan-says-julia-gillard/story-e6frg8yo-1226330840967
If as it says Abbott wants more information, than you would think Abbott would make himself available,rather than send Brandis
.
“The Acting Chief of the Defence Force will this morning give the Federal Opposition a confidential briefing on plans to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he supports the judgement of Australia’s Defence chiefs, but wants more information from the Government about the situation.
Defence chiefs will provide the briefing to the Coalition’s acting Defence spokesman, George Brandis.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-18/opposition-to-get-briefing-on-afghan-pullout/3956854
Is this a joke,Bailleau’s way of infrastructure for Victoria.
Bailleau wants Federal money, $30 million to think about possibly asking for more money to build his number one infrastrucutre project.
So, all you tax payers around Australia, how would you judge that approach on the Waste Scale.
“Victoria has asked the federal government’s major projects adviser – Infrastructure Australia – for an initial $30 million to plan and develop the project, and will only then consider another submission for federal money to help fund it.
A spokeswoman for the state government confirmed the initial $30 million, if received, would be used to examine ”construction, delivery and finance options”. She said Victoria would then consider a second submission asking for funding to begin work.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/freeway-to-miss-out-on-funding-20120417-1x5kq.html#ixzz1sKvZTOuO
This is something which Tony Windsor mooted several months ago..
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbottproof-fence-around-cleanenergy-funds-20120417-1x5k0.html#ixzz1sKwDam8G
Sue, it seems a wee bit psychological on Abbott’s part, that he doesn’t want to be seen as engaging in any form of cooperation with Julia Gillard.
“Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of playing politics ”
Is not politics is what is it all a out, especially in this day and age.
If what she does not appeal to some, the same PM is accused of having no political nous.
If it is not about politics, what is it about.
“It’s all about the Prime Minister wanting to get this off the table as an election issue at next year’s federal election.”
In my humble opinion, it is about the people in the country having enough of armed forces in the country.
On the history of war, these types of disputes are not winnable. The forces there are causing misery for the people.
There is little more that they can achieve.
It is the people dying, not many of the armed forces.
Ten years is long enough for all involved.
Will not hurt the budgets of the countries involved to bring the soldiers home.
What is happening is akin to a civil war, that only the people can solve.
I agree with Min, the money would have been better spent on aid, so the country does not have to rely on the drug trade..
Mn
And it was Abbot that suggested Gillard wanted the troops home for political reasons. What a sh1t he is.
It proves Abbott’s lack of interest in the War in Afghanistan, as stated in the news the international response has been to transition to the Afghannies. If Abbott thinks he is PM material he should take responsibilty and keep abrest of the facts.
Abbott has a new tactic. After putting the fear into everybody, he is now saying the government is stealing his policies.
How could this be so, when he will not tell us what they are.
In a grocery shop today. I suggest Coles and Woolworths are a bigger danger to them.
Under performing economy.
Wasteful and unnecessary spending. Why does he not tell us what the waste is.
The wheel goes round and round and round.
He is sickening. I do not know why people like being talked to like a toddler.
“If as it says Abbott wants more information, than you would think Abbott would make himself available,rather than send Brandis”
He would rather go to a shop and continue with his lies.
Such as how bad this economy is. How much better he would do.
Sue, apart from Abbott saying that he’s not all that interested in the economy, the other one was foreign affairs…exactly what is it that Tony Abbott is interested in, oh that’s right it’s Tony Abbott.
Interesting if true. They were great mates.
And Tony Abbott says Oh f*%k!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/australian-economy-leads-the-world-20120418-1x6ac.html#ixzz1sLuhsqYP
Yes Min, Tony once again talking the economy down.
Have you listened to him lately. His way of addressing the public is worse than ever. One would think carefully before addressing a three year old in the same manner.
He is also getting plenty of media time to spread his lies. Once again he is blaming everything at the foot of government debt and borrowing is it one hundred million every day.
This in spite of no one agreeing with him.
As usual, Greg Jericho explains the folly of Abbott’s ridiculous statements.
Government debt and interest rates have no connection
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3957366.html
As I said earlier today, a little truth would go a long way with Mr. Abbott.
Interesting NPC on employment and causalisation of the workforce.
Cu, and Min,
Yet all we see on any news outletis is wall to wall Abbott spruiking his inaccurate campaign slogans, none of which should recommend him as a credible leader.
The media have been so hung up on the hung Parliament, {sorry :lol:} and it’s “fragile” situation, they’ve assumed that it didn’t matter what the government is doing because it will be knocked off any day now, and proceeded to count the ways it might happen.
Min, good news about the economy, but Liealot will still get the nodding heads despite the truth.
Pip, as usual Grog gets it right.
CU, giving the lie to the dog whistling from the ignoramuses in the Liars Party and the dissemblers in the
rip offbanking industry.Reading all the bullshit emanating from Andrew Wilkie and the usual Liars Party suspects, I heard the PM’s broadcast re the withdrawal of Australian troops from Afghanistan and at no time did she say it will be done without consultation with Defence chiefs and all the other parties involved.
If agreement is reached, troops may start being withdrawn as early as 2013.
I think Mr Wilkie is mischief making because his pokie reform legislation has been knocked on the head for the time being. But there’s little chance of it reaching the Senate atm, so there obviously needs to be negotiation with Windsor and Oakeshott for it to have a chance.
I think there needs to be a huge public awareness campaign from the pro reform camp, to negate the barracking from Big Clubs etc. For a start making it known how little of the giant profits is coughed up to the communities would be a good start, imo.
People might realise how badly they’re being ripped off and turn on the pokies lobby and their puppets the Liars Party.
Just as a matter of interest, how many hands belonging to big business and their lobby groups are pulling Liealot’s strings?
If he gets the nod, how many pipers will be bending him over? Although he’s already sold his @rse it seems, so he must be used to bending over by now.
Jane, one tends to go a little glassy eyed at times when you read “the strongest economy in the developed world”, and it’s still not good enough.
CU
A funny take on the Twiggy/ Rudd non-story by Pascoe
“And next month we’ll discover the Ruddster was minutes away from achieving peace in the Middle East and a cure for dandruff.”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/twiggy-mischief-as-politicians-play-resources-20120418-1x6nt.html#ixzz1sMae3bWX
Pip and Jane
the jericho article is such an indictment of journalists, that they should hang their heads in shame. the analogy that a sports writer knows more on his subject than a political/economics writer is so apt that the sports guys should laugh at their colleagues.
As to wilkie, reporters and the pokie lobby shame on all. a simple look at the annual reports of all the clubs is all that was required for any reporter of any worth to shoot down the pokie lobby lies. wilkie could and should have stood at all his press confereces with the evidence and challenged the reporters, who flocked to his press conferences. every time a reporter asked “will you withdraw your support of the govt” wilkie should have said “will you look at the evidence and report on it.”
Tough luck, the clubs were and are lying, wilkie has spoiled his own importance and the reporters are fools willing to run a press release as a story without due investigation.
WTF Tony Abbott
“Mr Abbott says child abuse is “a terrible blot on society” that has to be eliminated but the blame should not be solely directed at the church.
“There has been a lot of pretty gruesome behaviour in many institutions over the years and we should be careful not to single out particular institutions, given that a lot of this has been or it was pandemic a generation ago,” he said.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-18/abbott-warns-against-singling-out-catholic-church/3957962
Paraphrasing tony abbott style
Tony Abbott says don’t blame catholic church
Tony Abbott says it is all in the past
Tony Abbott says royal commission not needed
Tony Abbott says good job Ted
Because I’m tough I went to work suffering with the man flu. Because I’m sensible I’ve come home early.
Do you know that the chances of spilling coffee on your suit are greater if the suit has just been dry cleaned?
Believe me, it’s true. 😦
Good on you Migs – take it to work and share it around. Very thoughtful of you 😉
Sue, what he is ignoring, and I say knowing ignoring, is what is being discussed is systematic institutional abuse of children.
A institution that has great power over the children.
A parliamentary is not the inquiry needed.
I know that I would not appear in one for this type of crime. I failed to see how a few elected politicians have the knowledge or insight to know even where to begin.
No wonder the church is happy, especially Mr. Abbott’s friend, Cardinal Pelle.
I thought that Mr. Abbott’s reply was weak and was more interested in defending the church.
I am sure those who have knowledge, experience or have been a victim will feel the same.
But it is not about victims. It is about protecting the church as much as possible.
Being a victim of child sexual abuse is not the same as having your home burnt down in a fire.
It can be nit much more than another white wash. It could lead to more victims topping themselves, because they will feel that once again they have been let down.
I believe one of the reasons for having an inquiry was to try and rach many of the hidden victims.
Once again, Mr. Abbott let off the hook, he so aptly snagged himself.
PS, if it is in the past, as Mr. Abbott says, there is only one reason for this. Priest do not have the access to children as in the past.
My last connection was back in 1987, at a school my son attended. He was not abused but did witness the events. That priest is now serving a long jail term. He was highly thought of at the time.
One of his victims ended up in Boggo jail, and convicted of two murders. I would be surprised if he is still alive. He was my sons nest mate. Spent time in my home. That is not in the past to me.
I knew this boy at the time. It was the abused that sent him off the rails.
No Mr. Abbott, sadly it is not in the past.
jane, how many from the business world, big or small, do you hear barracking for Mr. Abbott and his party. I must be deaf, as I do not hear any. Well any from the main stream business world. We can leave Mr. Palmer and Forester out of the picture. They are not the norm.
Bacchus..you know Migs better than that..he does not share his coffee 😯
Sue, what else would be expected from Tony Abbott.
A problem was that victims of abuse were up against some very substantial institutions, the Catholic Church of Rome for one. How would one little girl or one little boy expect a fair hearing when the RC’s main aim was to protect itself.
That has been the pattern of behaviour, that pedophiles and other predators deliberately put themselves in situations of absolute trust. Be it scout masters, a priest or a teacher..it’s the same theme a position of trust and with access to children.
Then we have the situation where abuse of young boys was until recent times, to be seen as just a joke: Hey did you hear the one about the priest and the choir boy *guffaw*.
And then we have our former Governor General Hollingworth saying that the 13yr old girl was “wise beyond her years”, which then prompted her to put up a picture of herself, that being of a chubby child.