A week ago today, I attended the memorial for Bill Leak at the Sydney Town Hall.
As I scanned the crowd, an eclectic group of people who had known Bill one way or another, I had to ask where were the Labor people? Where was Shorten, Plibersek or Dreyfus?
In the wake of the 2004 election, with the Howard government enjoying a majority in both houses, there was no opposition in the parliament. For at least two years, the worst part of Coalition MPs’ days was opening up The Australian and flipping to Bill Leak’s cartoon, to see another hilarious lampooning of their leader.
I would have thought some of the Labor people might have made an appearance simply out of gratitude for those dark days. It bothers me they stayed away and it speaks of a faddish clannishness the old Labor people would regard with contempt.
Bill Leak embraced everyone he met. Ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, it didn’t matter. He genuinely enjoyed the company of people but it was more than that. If he spied someone feeling awkward or a bit uncomfortable, Bill would bound up and make a fuss of them. He not only had the ability to make people feel special but he brought a sense of fairness and equity to any table.
It is a politician’s gift but Bill was not on the ballot. He wasn’t trying to sell anything. He simply loved people.
Full column here.
Why her??? I can think of dozens of other politicians more deserving
Dear God – this is a comment from over the wall on the news that Vanessa Goodwin will not survive her aggressive brain cancer. It’s hard to comprehend how a remark like that made it past the moderator.
I am so sad for Vanessa – devastating for her and her family.
Saw that on TV Boadicea so sad bless her. Puts things into real perspective doesn’t it.
Sure does, HB.
Jesus H Christ, Mr Insider, life can be tough when nothing at all is going right for you as we read today the Turnbull government may now make Senate “null and voiders” Rod Culleton and Bob Day repay all their Senate salaries and allowances! Strewth!
http://tinyurl.com/mdrpxm2
if fen it wornt fer bad luck Der be no luck at all
Bit harsh I think Enery. The lads did turn up for work after all. I think ultimately the onus should be on the voters for failing in due diligence and I believe the Senators have a viable case for damages against them, whether or not the government , naturally disappointed, is so vindictive as to put a blister on them for their hard earned pay.
Hells bells, JB. If they are unaware of the law regarding their own election, how can they be relied upon to review the legislation of this country! Pay the money back I say.
And your language Enery!
Dismayed and Bassman
Way down on this blog I asked what NEW expenditure the current Libs have come up with to produce the current deficit.
The pair of you are long on rhetoric and short on facts.
I can only conclude that the deficit is being caused by past commitments – Liberal but mainly Labor – that the current government has not been able to reverse because of the Senate.
Just asking!
You were provided with multiple $$ billions of examples. you have deliberately chosen to ignore them for your usual ideological myopia. $5 billion Northern slush fund. Over $1 billion in more Nationals slush funds for water and dairy farmers, how about K. Andrews $250 million dollar chaplains program and $250 million dollar marriage counselling program. $8.8 billion to the reserve bank. Then there is a $2.55 billion to pay polluter to pollute then there are decisions to forego revenue like removing the ETS $12 billion per year. Mining tax $3.5 billion these were figure used by Hockey himself. Oh the JSF the coalition have committed another $17 billion to it since being elected. The PEFO at the time of the 2013 election based on Labors spending commitments and forward estimates produced independently by Treasury and Finance showed debt peaking at $219 billion in 2016 and dropping after that. Surplus for 2017. What we have now due to the “management” of the coalition is very much worse. Wake Up JS your neo-liberal bullshit does NOT work. Your deliberately misleading effort here shows all that you are ideologically driven rather than being interested in the National interest.
You also claimed the deficit had blown out by $200 billion? There in lies your problem. You don’t know your deficit from your debt but you have both when it comes to being balanced. Apart from the chip on both your shoulders.
Dismayed
Remember that I was asking about new expenditures by the current Government.
They have been saddled with a lot of recurrent expenditures from previous governments that are contributing to the ever increasing deficits and the $200 billion blow out in Government debt..
The Chaplaincy program was introduced by Howard and was kept going by Labor – nothing to do with the current Government. Absolutely stupid scheme.
The Marriage counselling scheme was discontinued – another stupid scheme. It did not cost anywhere like $250 million – probably less than $10 million.
The mining tax – well that turkey would have cost the government money and it was a Rudd dog from the beginning. Any government that allows companies to revalue a 20 year old railway at current costs and then allows it to be depreciated against current revenue has no idea about money.
Many of Labor’s “promises” were outside the time frame of the estimates.
The JSF is not contributing to the current deficit.
So come on Dismayed, get on to Propaganda Central and prove empirically that the current mantra by the Libs that the reason for the deficit and the subsequent blow out in debt ( I do understand the difference but worded previous entries wrongly) is that they have inherited all this recurrent expenditure from previous governments is rubbish – you need to come up with about $20 – $30 billion worth of stuff.
You are delusional. The Rudd/Gillard government stopped the disgraceful religious chaplains program and gave every school access to trained professionals. The Abbott government defunded that very worthwhile scheme and put back in place the religious chaplain program. You still refuse acknowledge billions in slush funds to appease the national agrarian socialist isolationist un your man Barnaby. You refuse to acknowledge the independent Treasury and Finance PEFO which lays out the debt, deficit and expenditures at the time of the 2013 elections. You continue to refuse to acknowledge anything that does not suit your narrow minded ideology.
Is $48billion worth of UNFUNDED gifts to the big end of town a good start? A billion a year on refugee camps. The original Rudd deal was for 12 months. I could go on but your question is stupid. The fact is gross debt has increased by over $200billion since the 23013 election. That is STILL expenditure without constraint which even your God Costello has decried.
Yes, the flagrant violations and infringements against those who simply practice candidness free from chicanery is outrageous.
Spot on observation Carl, I think the populace has had a gutful of out of touch do nothing Turnbull. Whether the Libs would risk re-electing Abbott as Leader again time will tell. His 30 consecutive negative Newspolls when PM still fresh in many minds am sure. Cheers .
Really interesting to read the comments over the wall in regards to Abbott, even his old fan club seems to have had enough of him now.
He’s determined to do a Rudd.
He hasn’t got the numbers to mount a challenge but even if he did, he knows full well a spill would mean the end of the Liberal Party as we know it today. Fully blown schism. His conduct is a bit sad really. Go and get a job, man.
He’s made some insane decision ns before, JTI !!
sounds great…split you bastards
Sad Cafe but there are people in the Liberal tent who do not seem to care about destroying the party. For example Abbott is intent on losing the next election as long as there is a guarantee Turnbull does not get another term as PM. Now he is not the only one. There are a few in the Liberal Tent with that view.
Sad, but you know, so, well ……………….. beautiful. And funny at the same time.
Yep, make that a real job.
Youse all can say what you like about Tony Abbott, Tracy but it’s a sad day when a former PM is reduced to travelling around the country on a bicycle.
Onyerbike
hehe, good one Bassy! But you’d admit that Abbott is most likely the most hands on, at the coalface (so to speak), senior politician that our country has been blessed with. Moreover, Abbott has been doing this volunteer community service for years before becoming pm and I would bet money that he will continue to do so, regardless of his political fortunes. He is the rare bird whose actions speak louder, and with more clarity, than his words. in comparison Shorten is a man boobed boob, and Turnbull is a narcissistic blowhard who believed in the fawning press. By any measure Turnbull has been a generous failure in disappointing all ideologies and demographics. A dud!
Milt son…are u aware how much tones claimed in expenses on his bike travels 2007 to 2013…it was a few hundred grand….Tones can always sniff out a quid Bald
wheels move slow but grind extremely fine….eh stevie?
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/national-security-council-stephen-bannon.html?_r=0&referer=https://t.co/ZlzndQ2TyK
Yes, it does appear that knifed PM Tony Abbott is preparing to have another crack as Opposition Leader up against a Shorten Government.
Looks very much like it, CotC. Who would have thought? We live in interesting times……………….
As in the ancient Chinese curse….
I reckon Abbott has ‘Exposure Deprivation Syndrome’, the sufferers of which instigate oh-so-casual media opportunities where they cleverly let off their caustic little bombs. Maximum success could bring a few days, hell, maybe even a week of attention. Goal!
That it’s creating chaos within the current government is a real bonus for a beaten man bent on revenge.
Hey Boadicea, what’s the GO with Forestry Tasmania burning 300 ha of post-logged areas, including 2 in the Tarkine, with a napalm-like liquid. I’ve been told it annihilates all fauna, spews smoke for miles & makes those near pretty ill.
Please tell me that’s not true. I’ve never heard of it before.
Regards, Bella
I had a look at geo earth maps of Tassie the other day. Noting the coupes, the Vandals, the Goths and the Mongols put together have got nothing on those bastards.
They are doing burnoffs at the moment Bella. Because Autumn is generally wind free – and it does help prevent rampant bushfires. So things are a bit hazy – makes for beautiful sunsets.
But I also read that thing on the napalm-like burning of logged areas – I have not heard about it and wondered if it was some mischief-making? Will try and find out.
Going to listen to Bob brown launch a book at Fullers this evening. – Tony Fenton on Port Davey.
Would not surprise me if they elect Tones as Opposition leader if the populace are mad enough to elect Shorten as PM. Why? He is the best Opposition Leader in history…just a hopeless PM.
Yairs Carl. The “knifed” Tony Abbott.
Now I’m going repeat my advice to the Liberal Party one last time. After that you’re on your own.
http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/how-to-kill-a-vampire.html
Disgraceful decision by the QLD government to allow an unlimited 60 year water licence to the scam Adani proposal. This is a con pure and simple the financing is not secured the “company” structure is a sham. The 1400 jobs it may or may not provide are not worth the damage it will cause. If the Federal government give any more funding to this project they will sign their own death warrant. Stop this Adani scam now.
Absolutely, Dismayed.
What gives with the Queensland government pushing ahead when they promised to protect the Reef?
Cyclone Debbie just did more damage to the reef than all the bleaching events combined Bella. We all need a bit of perspective.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/12/great-barrier-reef-devastating-images-tell-story-of-coral-colonies-destruction
If, as the saying goes, we borrowed the Earth from our grandchildren, then we’re giving them a shockingly depleted biosphere back.
All done in the name of greed & ignorance.
Shame on us.
So your perspective is just keep damaging then? so a few pig hunters can have a job at the expense of the rest of the planet.?
I just hate the way the reef is used as a play card Bella by people who have never had anything to do with it.
Anyway Cowboys by 30 tomorrow!
Bassy
The NBN is using VDSL2 from the node to the household unless you are an Optus cable user which, I understand, will use wireless because in many cases they will have to run twisted pair into the house.
http://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the-nbn/network-technology/fibre-to-the-node-explained-fttn.html
VDSL2 drops off substantially with distance. Don’t be more than 300m from the node.
https://nbnmyths.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/fttn-speed-graph.gif
https://www.versatek.com/blog/most-frequently-asked-vdsl2-questions/
Thanks mate
Taking that on board
Can get internet…but phone does not work…no dial tone!
“Ravishing”, Mr Insider, and of course I refer to the 1st official portrait of FLOTUS Melania Trump and I am smitten! POTUS Trump is one lucky man, he 70yo and Melania 46yo.
http://tinyurl.com/k8f5ldt
In your dreams, HB!!
Not a bad “nose job” on Melania Enery. I wonder if they could fix her up with personality and charisma transplant?
She comes across like a cold calculating Russian secret agent femme fatale with a deep secret. Oh! Hang on………………..
What a shame Mr “America First” couldn’t, from the millions of gorgeous nubile American women find one good enough for him. Twice! Probably because they are smarter than he is, eh.?
You may well be “smitten” HB, but the question is, how deeply are you in smitt?