You may have heard the phrase, much-beloved by corporate types and politicians alike, “in the space”.
During question time this week, the Minister for Social Services, Dan Tehan, in receipt of a Dorothy Dixer from the member for Tangney, Dan Morton, lauded his colleague for having “a keen interest in the welfare space”.
If you keep an eye on reporting of the corporate world the same phrase pops up with monotonous regularity. A bloke who works in a bank is almost invariably described as having a “long history of working in the finance space”.
It’s an annoying phrase, vague and faddish, and I regret having to use it – but I fear I must because there is something deeply, deeply wrong in the Canberra space.
Come yesterday, the crazy-meter was already quivering at the red extreme after government senator Michaelia Cash’s outburst the previous day. It slipped into “dangerously unhinged” when Labor senator Kim Carr reached deep into his Godwin’s Law sack of epithets to refer to Liberal senator James Paterson as a member of the Hitler-Jugend.
Full column here.
It seems a no-brainer that tighter restrictions on getting firearms, a-la-Australia, will lead to fewer gun-related deaths. However, the US doesn’t seem to want to touch firearms restrictions.
It’s appalling that there are 10.5 deaths each year per 100,000 people in the US https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate
Compare this to the UK, where firearms are severely restricted: 0.23 deaths per 100,000 (the numbers aren’t strictly comparable as the reference years vary, but the policy conclusion is obvious).
It’s strange that the White House regularly talks about tougher measures to fight crime, but fails to tackle a major contributor to crime – the ready access to firearms. As an initial measure, banning sales of semi-automatic weapons to the general public is a given.
Best of luck today to our friends in Tasmania. After five long weeks of vigorous campaigning from 109 candidates across the state, about 330,000 Tasmanians will today head to the polls to cast their vote. A hung Parliament a distinct possibility.
https://tinyurl.com/yd9kcnnj
A very peaceful experience, HB. All media coverage is forbidden today, as is handing out “how to vote” cards. Hence, arriving at the polling station, all that one is confronted by are the ladies selling cakes, the sausage sizzle and a calm small queue! No belligerent people shoving pamphlets in one’s face!
It will be a very interesting evening. Until yesterday I would have given it to the Libs, comfortably – but gun laws have raised their nasty head and I’m not so sure any more. And the cable car up mt wellington is contentious. Walking through Battery Point this morning on a perfect day I looked up at the mtn – and the thought of ugly cables and cable cars defacing that magnificence is enough to make one weep.
Carnival cruiseliner in today. Take my advice – don’t cruise with them! 😣
Excellent Boadicea lets hope the result to your liking and to the betterment of Tasmania. Booth by booth tonite with Antony Green. Interesting no one handing out How To Vote Cards, they do that here in QLD but Voting early before the day you can avoid the hassle. Cheers
A terribly conincidence of timing Bo with Vanessa Goodwin losing her battle with brain cancer today. She was a wonderful woman sadly missed now.
Yes, Lou – extremely sad. She was a popular politician across all parties and a life-long friend of Will Hodgman. He saw her in the morning I believe. She died in the afternoon.
His acceptance speech was eloquent and a tribute to his friend – totally appropriate in the circumstances.
BRADMAN
1.Gary!
2. I saw some balls by our bowlers at over 150km. Was amazed few bouncers straight at the batsmen were
bowled with the new ball when they could get this speed up.
3. When it DID happen (Cummins) it worked
Bella, I noticed your comment in the previous article about my remark concerning the recent hijinx happenings in the Senate, viz – “I hope you’re joking Carl, because unlike the women who’ve suffered sexual abuse that rabid shrew is clearly a protected Liberal species.
If ever there was a thing called accountability amongst these clowns then Cash should’ve been long gone. Good riddance I say.”
May I observe Bella that your reference to “suffering sexual abuse” seems to be drawing a long bow in this instance. However, it wasn’t so long ago when the sisterhood may well have high-fived a spirited verbal response not unlike the one Ms Cash gave to her oafish Senate inquisitor, and notwithstanding her straying into what is now considered in some circles to be verboten territory. Ms Cash is neither a shrinking violet nor urban hermit. What you see is what you get.
However, we now appear to be to witnessing an ongoing recent phenomenon that has bubbled to the surface. Apparently the accepted modus operandi to assist in combating against even mildly robust conversational interaction is to jump aboard the Milano band wagon and be swept along in an epidemic of outrage and collective public indignation masquerading as emotional trauma. This will somehow salve the inevitable obstacles that human relationships throw up from time to time.
Having said that, I’m not denying there has been, and always will be, incidences when human relationships and day to day exchanges have and should be conducted in a less inimical manner.
Your admirer from afar.
Carl
Carl, you seem to be saying a lot without saying anything at all.
So, was Ms Cash’s outburst “a spirited verbal response” or something that should that have been “conducted in a less inimical manner”?
Thank you for your question at 10.50am TO.
I may have deduced from some of your previous posts that you either work or reside (or both) in that rather unique environment, otherwise know as our National Capitol. If my hunch is correct, you perhaps would be expected to appreciate that when one ventures to comment on activities emanating from and within the aforementioned locale, one’s prudence directs one to tread a fine line so as to ensure the ever present hazard of “gotcha!” doesn’t engulf one.
In this regard if you care to revisit my earlier genuine response to Bella’s concerns and which has given rise to your query, you may discover that I have reasonably covered the past, the present and the future. In particular; a future where some of the less robust folk in our community are sadly now tentatively treading the path where they are even becoming afraid to say “boo to a goose”.
I don’t think I’m able to put more concisely or simpler than that TO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyEyDiEBgv8
Thanks for your detailed response dear Carl, but there’s no chance at all that the ‘sisterhood’ of the MeToo movement would want to ‘own’ anything that grasping unpleasant harp has to say, especially after her unbalanced slur about young female office workers.
Hers was not the kind of ‘spirited verbal response’ anyone expects in a workplace environment either mate.
Cash wasn’t bullied, she snapped at Doug Cameron simply because he asked her uncomfortable questions which, if truthfully answered, would only highlight her inadequacies & lies about that raid.
Ta for your final comment Carl, you are a sweetie. 😚
Too much cough syrup Carl?
Just harking back to your last blog every so briefly if I may, Mr Insider, here is NRA’s Charlie Daniels Commercial and “tougher’ words never spoken. Charlie is now 81yo. Shocker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh8vFNynb_w
Yeah, spit ‘n grunt, reckon Charlie’s been doo wacker doo wacker doo wackin’ doo all his born days, and all the night long too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6KW7L1Vqgk
A Stephen Colbert clip, Mr Baptiste, I love Stephen he takes the micky big time out of POTUS Trump and that’s what we should be able to do in a Free Democracy. If you did that in North Korea you would only d it once before “spatto”. Cheers
So, you are saying that if a news commentator in North Korea bagged an idiot like Charlie Daniels and the fat fool Trump in the same way it would be spatto?
I think you have kangaroos in your top paddock Henry.
Boadicea says:
MARCH 2, 2018 AT 6:13 AM….TASMANIA…I was looking at some beautiful modern brick homes in Devonport on large blocks for $230k. Close to the sea and all the free oysters you can eat just down the river!
Yep, Bassy. Up north it’s still affordable – and very beautiful. Bear in mind its JLN territory. But who cares. As long as you don’t need employment it’s not a bad option.
Forget about Hobart though. This morning’s paper reveals the highest rental rates in Australia andd zero availability. Crazy.
Yep spent a month camping there with the wife and brat. I loved the place but if you are not in a big town like Hobart, Launceston-any town that does not a have a Woolies ,Coles or Supermarkets for competition amongst shops they REALLY hit you for food-especially fish and meat. Travelling all over the isle we found food VERY expensive in the coastal towns e.g. $30 for fish and chips, $22 a kilo in one spot for sausages from a local butcher. Devonport was our favourite place.
Brilliant discussion with Paul Kelly on why Labor will win the election…in a nutshell he says if the Liberals take on Labor over Coal, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, SSMarriage (It is still “on” with Ruddock remember), they will get slaughtered at the next election because the voting public are at odds with the Liberals on every one of these issues. Kelly also says if the Liberals pulled out of the Paris Agreement “it would be an act of electoral suicide and they would be seen as a bunch of climate change skeptics ” (which they are!) as would be the walking away from NDIS. A great listen.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/betweenthelines/conservative-crisis/9493950
BASSMAN just look at the Newspolls, Turnbull is coming up to his 28th Consecutive Negative one. Even ex ousted PM Abbott has now joined in the commentary about this as you know he got to 30 before being shown the door. Turnbull will easily surpass 30 but the Lib/Nats are so shell shocked he will stay at the helm like Captain Edward Smith of the SS Titanic. Cheers
It is not the number of Newspolls it is WHY are the number of Newspolls are in the state they are and Kelly explains it succinctly…..if the Liberals took their blinkers off and embraced some of the policies even Newspoll say the electorate supports, they would be in with a good chance. Presently, all the Liberals have is the scare of terrorism and refugees. The people won’t fall for this anymore. I can recall Howard very clearly saying a couple of years ago the Liberals have moved too far to the right and need to govern from the centre. My dislike of Howard on this blog is well known but many times I have said he is unsurpassed as the master politician and tactician. Nobody comes near him for cunningness.
“Cunningness”, Bassy?
I didn’t pick you bigly for neologisms.
I believe the correct term is ‘rat cunning’. And there’s history there.
Brandis-The Rodent
PS I just learned the other day that the etymological source of the word harks back to witchcraft. Duck ‘im Dano.
Cunningness is not a Bassman original.
I thought we might go X-rated there for a minute. And of course Bassy has form there too.
Oh you mean cunnilingus! Give ’em ‘eaps
No it was cunninglingus you old deviot. Best contraception going around, and clever to boot. Irish Derivative I think.
Someone should tell Barny about it
Might stop him talking, too.
And I believe it was Roger Moore who in response to the Clinton “affair” came up with cunning linguistics.
Yvonne I prefer this one from Cher or the second is good also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeWN4Zr10kM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOSZwEwl_1Q
Nah, Gary. Not into C&W
But how about this one? Heck, thanks to the joys of silicone, she still looks much the same as she did 50 years ago – it could be a welcome distraction when building our state of the art submarines down your way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G4O5AMSevc
Good American Music there to your liking Dismayed, looks like you too love the USA. Cheers
HB, straws clutching much? I enjoy music. The US is a failed nation state lead by a senile, divisive, dangerous autocrat. You should be ashamed the sycophantic rubbish you continue to post. Get off your knees and open your eye.
Ah youve invoked the whiteboard space Jack. It brings back lovely memories such as Ros Kelly’s sports funding mechanism. Our track and field has never been the same. Not an indelible texta to be found in Canberra after that.
On the more important cricket space, damn it Stark goes in the over before lunch after a lovely cameo and lusty hitting on to the all but empty hill. Such a pity, Mitch Mash now running out of partners just when his newfound maturity is paying dividends again. You predicted 300 plus as being competitive, we shall find out soon.
A singularly unedifying week of events, Jack.
Michaelia Cash’s performance was the weirdest one – by far.
Followed by duttons TO.
Yeah, Peter Dutton’s effort with Ray Hadley was particularly grubby, as it wasn’t in the heat of the moment, like Cash’s.
Furthermore, Dutton’s view that Shorten and Burke were moralising is something Dutton knows to be untrue, as the moralising has come from Malcolm Turnbull and the media.
You missed Kim Carr?
I saw it.
Kim Carr didn’t go on…and on…and on……
Carr was provoked by the hitler youth kid Patterson by making Russian revolution accusations. Patterson admitted this. The cons always claim to be the victim’s after attacking first. We see it here constantly. No surprises.
The picture says a thousand words.