The arrival of the Prince Charles on Australian soil, the opening of the Commonwealth Games and the appointment of Kim Beazley as Governor of Western Australian combined to rustle up the republican debate this week. There is going to be more of it next year and beyond.
The way things are going the republican movement is set to be ripped apart again due to a lack of leadership and a deep sense of paralysis when it comes to what it should be advocating and why.
Beazley’s a nice bloke without any major flaws unless you describe an addiction to KFC as a psychological disorder. He was deputy prime minister, held a raft of heavyweight portfolios and as leader of the party, led Labor to two electoral drubbings. He was well on the way to a third when Kevin Rudd stepped in.
Since then Bomber has cashed in his chips, taken the rolled gold parliamentary super and got the gig as Australia’s Ambassador to the US, offered to him by a Labor government in the same manner as one of the rarer Hallmark gift cards, the ones of the “Sorry we knifed you” variety.
Full column here.
Prince Charle’s tour going gangbusters, Mr Insider, and he enjoyed reviewing Bundberg Rum a few days ago and is heading further north now. Also he’s off to the wilds of the Northern Territory where his daddy in 1956 shot a defenceless Crocodile 6ft long! Must have had a big gun on him. Charles of course no stranger to the “wilds” of Australia having come here for Schooling in ’66 to Timbertop in Victoria where he was a bit of a “wag”, short sheeting many a fellow in the Dorm.
https://tinyurl.com/y7dpakow
Six feet? Six metres or the cat could have dragged it in.
From ABC Insiders today, Mr Insider, and a fabulous clip from Huw Parkinson called “The Turnbullnator 30”, his take on Malcolm Turnbull’s Newspoll Judgment Day tomorrow, the Prime Minister looks to the T-800 Model 101 from Cyberdyne Systems for help. Malcolm you are stuffed buddy!
https://tinyurl.com/ycd7aufc
Consumer Alert! If you are contemplating “offing” a spy or two be sure to source your deadly nerve agent from a reputable dealer. Seems some product is not living up to it’s name.
Less mainstream purveyors don’t back their bump off gear with a warranty.
We have received an email from a customer in Essex who says that the plutonium pellet he fired using an air rifle into his neighbors cat had no effect whatsoever and when he complained to the supplier whom he thought he might give try because they were cheaper, they were most impolite.
“The one thing that is clear about our current situation is the trajectory. We have lost 30 Newspolls in a row. It is clear that the people have made up their mind about Mr Abbott’s leadership”.
I see no reason to change leader, Malcolm is doing a splendid job destroying the Liberals as is possible.
Well I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head, that didn’t hurt
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad
So I had one more for dessert
Yes he could write but couldn’t sing to save his arse!!
When you listen to the Highwaymen live Bassy his inadequacies against Jennings & Cash in particular are there for all to hear.
Rhodes scholar wasn’t he? Like Tones and Mal.
Rhodes Scholar and green beret I heard.
He was drunk most of the rime on that tour. The Brisbane concert was a disgrace.
Garbage Guts is my second favourite Kimmie. Dedicated to his excellency,
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Fat+bastard+viz&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4xPbH86faAhWBf7wKHaRqDO8QsAQIKA&biw=1366&bih=622
My 1st favourite Kimmie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajv-NrFxpIw
I say, Mr Baptiste, this Kimmie worship must stop my dear friend. We do know though that POTUS Trump is doing his best to have a “meet and greet” with the fat little chappie and I applaud that. Cheers
Alright Henry don’t throw a hissy fit just because the fat POTUS cant dance like Kimmie. Fact is Henry, Kim but for a hectic schedule would be happy to meet with “one ton tummy” Trump.
I think he has The Donald pencilled in for face to face in late September right after his important meeting with the Bulgarian PM.
Fingers crossed eh? But you never can tell, an overlooked rice planting dedication ceremony in one of the minor provinces could crop up too.
JtI – pretty extreme lengths you go to to get a break from us Jack but I wish you a speedy recovery and I hope you get a chance to enjoy some of the break.
It’s a bloody good excuse for getting out of lawn mowing too Milton.
I’ll be sans internet out on the ocean for a few days JTI but before I go I’d like to send my sincere best wishes & positive thoughts to you & your family for a safe recovery.
Thanks for your steadfast commitment to our blog as I’d bet it’s a tiresome task sometimes but you do it so well.
Kindest regards, Bella 😷❤
Thanks Bella
it’s a lot of trouble to go to get out of a bit of lawn mowing mate, best wishes for a successful op and a speedy recovery.
Something not widely known about ‘Bomber’; he’s a polio survivor. You’ll never see Beasley in Speedos or shorts on account of what the disease did to his legs. He was one of the most articulate politicians we’ve ever had. I clearly recall his bright and breezy speech welcoming President Clinton on his first visit here. After enduring a dirge-like Howard speech that almost put everyone to sleep, ‘Bomber’, after the obligatory ‘friends and allies’ pitch opened his speech with:
‘Looking back, you are the only Southern Democrat since Appomattox to win a second term. Woodrow Wilson doesn’t count. He won it from New Jersey. So, you’re the only Southern Democrat since Appomattox to win a second term as a President of the United States’. Bomber loved history, particularly the history of the US Civil War. Clinton was delighted.
I seldom watched Parliament, but wish I had, the day Bomber gave Bronwyn Bishop a Gold Medal baking when she was minister for the Aged. The kerosene bath nightmare had just broken, (2000) and Beazley attacked. As I saw it on the News, it was the best day of Parliament ever. Bishop kept having to call her staff to get answers to Beazley questions. Beazley harangued, taunted and belittled Bishop with such scorn I thought she’d get the boot. She was revealed as utterly incompetent. Howard sat quietly by and let it happen. She was quietly shelved and dropped from Cabinet after the 2001 election.
Beazley was the best Prime MInister we never had.
Gee Wiss, these warnings on long posts seem to be falling on deaf ears, mate.
I’ll buy a new phone when I get home. Hard to tell how long a post is on the flip phone until it gets posted. 😉
I think the Asia argument is a bit of a furphy, as has been pointed out over the wall, and the real problem the ARM faces is that the country divides into rough thirds, no change, direct elected and minimalist republics, and one third isn’t a good starting position to win from.
You have nailed Fitzsimmons to the wall, well done, it was past time someone did it.
Was watching the footy at a pub last night and was asked to explain who BT is.
Now i only met him the once, he coached the Melb Law lads against Monash in about 1984 and I had to present him with the payment, a bottle of decent booze I think, and he seemed a nice fella, and I have to say i always admire a bloke who can make a decent living out of a pretty modest talent, and BT does that.
and so does the goose in the red bandanna.
Hey, jack!
Did you see that opinion piece Simon Jeans did in the Herald Sun last week? I’m guessing you would be familiar with his work.
It was about the best piece I’ve ever read on illegal boat arrivals. Really outstanding.
TBLS, no I missed that and can’t seem to find it on the net.
I knew Simon in his days as a lawyer for asylum seekers, and had heard that he had served some years as a Member of the AAT so I would be interested in his views if you have a copy you can scan.
TBLS, got a copy, thanks for the heads up.
Yes, more realistic than most of the stuff written on the subject
TBLS, I would add that I doubt that the levels of fraud, false claims etc is as high as Jeans claims, or that only 2% of claims should succeed.
I’m scratching my head trying to figure out why bandana boy wants to rewrite the entirety of Australian history, either on subjects that are well-worn out or have already been done better by others. Is he on a mission from God? Someone gave me one of his tomes for Christmas a while back. I got to the third paragraph and it was so turgid I gave up. Looked like it was written by a front-row forward.
yep, that’s my view of them as well, but he seems to sell a few.
maybe they are all christmas and birthday gifts and no-one much reads them.
If the Queen can’t match the Green’s $20 odd k living allowance she may have to go.
Milton Friedman as an advocate of what the Greens spoke about this week. This idea of universal pay is not only from the left.