The final sitting day in the parliament yesterday provided a timely reminder that Labor has a long and illustrious history of finding itself in golden situations only to totally stuff them up.
Forget the next three years, Bill Shorten and Labor could turn the dumpster fire that is Canberra at present into an inferno that could engulf it and everyone in the general vicinity in less than 12 weeks.
In other, brighter circumstances it might be the kind of efficient service delivery the punters expect from government.
Presuming Shorten and Labor win the next election (and that requires a sizeable leap of faith if not logic after yesterday’s shenanigans), one can only speculate what disasters will come its way in government. My best guess is Shorten will do a Nick Greiner, establish a federal anti-corruption commission only to find multiple members of his cabinet and ultimately himself, ensnared in it, providing an alternative meaning to the term “conviction politicians”.
In what stands as an extraordinary political achievement, Labor managed to disappoint everyone across the political spectrum yesterday — people who vote Labor, people who don’t and people who were thinking of voting Labor but now probably won’t.
It was as if the tactics committee met, handed Shorten a ball-peen hammer and told him to belt himself over the head with it, on the basis that it would feel better when he stopped.
The telecommunications access and assistance bill became law yesterday, passing through the Senate 44 votes to 12, after being waved through the House with bipartisan support.
It is, of course, a bill of the government’s making. It is a disaster, created by legal minds with little or no apparent expertise in technology. The problems with it are numerous but the biggest lies in the fact the law would require technology companies to target a single device or small number of devices, but only in a way that does not introduce a “systemic weakness” that impacts all users.
The techs I have spoken to say this is all but impossible and may lead to tech companies feeling obliged to leave the country rather than run afoul of this putrescent law. One of our most prolific and profitable industry sectors may leave our shores in droves. Well done, everyone. Throw another log on the dumpster fire.
The other major problem with the bill is it is yet another intrusion into the privacy of the citizenry. Predictably the response from the government and the opposition is of the tedious, “if you done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about” kind.
Labor’s favourite urger on Twitter, member for Gellibrand, Tim Watts, lectured a clearly unnerved Twitterdom on Tuesday night in an effort to bring some calm. “Wait and see our amendments,” the young MP promised. In the end Labor dropped its amendments altogether and waved the bill through.
It is a dreadful piece of law and by Labor’s own admission will need to be amended early next year, leading to the obvious question, and one that remains unanswered, why wave it through the lower house at all?
Timidity and cowardice
The old maxim that any day when the political debate turns to border security is a bad day for Labor seems to have Bill Shorten and his front bench spooked.
Labor is everywhere and nowhere on this issue. Jelly nailed to a wall.
Timidity and political cowardice are never far away with this mob.
The day started with Prime Minister Morrison facing a humiliating defeat in the parliament, with Labor and the Greens supporting a crossbench bill which would leave the decision on refugee repatriation to Australia entirely in the hands of those with medical expertise. Instead it was Shorten and Labor who were left pink-faced in embarrassment as the bill was filibustered to within an inch of its life in the Senate.
Everything Labor sought to achieve did not happen and everything it did not want to happen came to pass.
News reports today indicating Labor has softened its policy stance on refugee policy lends strength to the prevailing view that Labor is soft on border control while Shorten et al have simultaneously upset Labor voters who were hoping for a more humane policy response.
Faced with the prospect of multiple triumphs in the parliament in the morning session, all Shorten could do was lament the scoreboard at the end of the day. Win-win had become lose-lose.
As the House adjourned for the Christmas break, it was difficult to determine who felt more relieved — Scott Morrison or Bill Shorten. The only good news for both men is the parliament will sit so rarely in the New Year, they may as well call in the caterers and hire out both chambers for weddings, parties, anything. Maybe a funeral or two.
The focus in recent times has naturally been on the Morrison government and its travails. There appears to be no way out for the government, that is until we pause and turn our gaze to Bill Shorten and the Labor opposition.
And when we do, we are drawn to the conclusion that it would be madness to underestimate Labor’s capacity for political self-harm.
This column was first published in The Australian on 7 December 2018.
No but our depot in Paris has sold fifteen thousand of them.
There are some great meme’s doing the rounds of the net on the stilted horror show that was the Schumer Pelosi media event yesterday.
Both shockers Razor and all that is wrong with the disjointed Democrats. Playing right into the hands of POTUS Trump imho. Nancy nearly 80yo and although Chuck is only 68yo he looks in his 80s. Cheers P.S. I expect Hilary to step in next year and make a right mess of it all
Funny, because I saw Pelosi and Schumer stand up for themselves and the majority of US voters who voted for the Democrats. It’s also funny that you seem to think that getting American taxpayers to pay for a wall, when Trump campaigned on Mexico paying, is something that the Democrats should support.
Meanwhile, around 800,000 government workers aren’t getting paid because the Republicans insist on linking two unrelated issues.
Sad.
It’s hard to separate Walter and Donald: https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/an-old-americanwestern-tv-series-has-gone-viral-over-an-episode-that-predicted-donald-trumps-presidency/news-story/35342f9527c0cb1472ea7173d7ebb84f
Mexico sure will pay for the Wall TO through increased Trade thanks to the new USMCA Trade Agreement (replacing NAFTA) recently negotiated by POTUS Trump.
As for Nancy and Chuck, you would have to say the US Democrats are Rudderless, Leaderless and Useless. Cheers
TO,
1./ I never mentioned the wall.
2./ I think the Donald is a dickhead
3./ he has a mandate
4./ if you think the schumer pelossi speech played out well then…..
5./ old razor will give you a media psychology hint. Big statement first or, if possible, don’t look like a fuckwit.
How do you think that went?
Razor,
A government has a “mandate” to push through policies for which it has the numbers – nothing more, nothing less. Trump lost his so-called mandate in the mid-term elections.
Someone had to call out Trump for the outright lies in his speech and that job fell to Schumer and Pelosi. I don’t think they lost any Democrats from that speech, and Trump’s speech cemented his own deluded support base.
Henry – USMCA paying for the wall is a total furphy (which I’m sure you realize).
“Groan”. Cheers
American Gothic without the pitchfork? Or that Pelosi looked like Botox Barbie?
JTI,
When you see the punctuation mark posts coming through from me you know its not updating my end. This morning nothings seem OK so far.
With regard to abuse I’ve been an offender from time to time and will pull thy head in.
Be thankful that nothing is updating your end, Razor.
Not since I’ve put an extra set of jocks on Milton.
Or upending your date!
Yes, those pining for a Communist/Dictatorship type of Society here is what you can expect, Mr. Insider. The “dream” does not match the reality.
Democracies sure aren’t perfect but imho 1000% better than the gruesome alternative “some” seem to desire.
https://tinyurl.com/yau7daj8
Thats good coming from you Henry. Weren’t you just gleefully positing torture?
Toppling the mighty Sri Lankan’s should be a springboard to capture the Ashes. And I prefer my cricket series to be either 3 or 5 games. 3 against the good sides and 5 against the weaker ones. Hopefully Renshaw will get amongst the runs.
I’ve experienced a lot more ‘nothing’ than most people. There’s plenty to see if you’re prepared to look.
Very profound, Trivalve. And that covers geography and humans and the bits in between.
Let’s see if this works?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWoCJjz6He8
Pleased to see that there’s actually something that’s before my time
I think it helps if there is someone around who can help you understand just what is the ‘nothing’ you are looking at.
Got back yesterday from a wonderful trip to Goulburn. Stopped at Orange the first night and did 2 laps (in different directions) the next day of Mt. Panorama. Great stuff, even heating up the tyres heading towards poll position. Every pub in Goulburn had $4 schooners (I choose Old) everyday between 4-6 and they were still reasonably priced in most places outside of those times. Plus(!) you can even drink and smoke whilst investing in the pokies!!!. How sophisticated is that?in? May have to retire down around that part of the world. On the way back we stayed the night in Parkes. Unfortunately I discovered that the Elvis festival starts today. Bummer. On the final leg we headed out to the dish (the Parkes observatory) which was mighty impressive, despite all the beware of snakes signs. Luckily the dish made a big turn for us but I still couldn’t get over the lengths that US and Oz conspirators would go to to deceive the people about moon landings.
Still waiting for a reputable scientific article(s) refuting the possibility, Jean. You’ve got heaps of time on your hands so I would have expected something that wasn’t cringe worthy by now, old boy.
I’m also cracking down on abusive comments (many posts cut) and issuing a warning about long posts. They may be deleted from now on.
My apologies.
3 Hail Mary’s, The Confietor in Latin and a Glry Be will suffice M’Lord
Ah, Goulburn. I could tell you a few things…
Trivalve – stayed at the Astor, ate at the Tatts, Paragon Café, Soldiers club but unfortunately didn’t have a steak at the Hibernian. Had a beer at most pubs and liked the look of the Railway Hotel. Other than that watched indoor hockey. They’ve a good setup there with the national tournament, for males and females in differing age groups running between jan4-27(?) injecting a fair bit of coin into the town and beyond. btw that big Merino appeared to have only one nad, albeit a big beauty!
anywho, give us the lowdown or will ya then have to kill me?
Froze driving through Grabben Gullen to Sydney on my 90cc Honda from Frogmore in 1967
I used to live down the hill from there. My bike was literally 10 times the engine size of yours and could freeze solid in those climes. The Great Divide around Grabby to Crookwell is now covered in wind turbines, went through there a few weeks back.
Milton, you hit all the classic spots there. But what happens in Goulburn, you know…
So you’re not going to attempt to refute one question? Just gainsay again.
It is quite obvious Milton , from easily learned science and the statements of astronauts themselves that we humans are limited to low Earth orbit , as was predicted as early as the nineteen fifties.
You are simply incapable of the imagination and logic required to come to the acceptance that that powerful vested interests have lied to an easily led population for thousands of years.
Faith in the government of Richard Nixon is no less gullible than the faith in the supposed teachings of Moses and ilk.
Ask yourself seriously, if your tenure depended on conforming to an accepted doctrine would you publish a refutation of even the most obvious fraud.
Societies are no different to big dysfunctional families where the members tacitly agree not bring the family into disrepute.
If anyone is doing the gainsaying, it is you, Jean. Alas, you continue to be incapable of providing just one respectable scientific article proving the impossibility of man landing on the moon. Please provide this ”easily learned science and the statements of astronauts”. And the rest of your comment is ignorant, juvenile drivel. There are plenty of scientist’s about who have worked in this field, who are not reliant on tenure or coin. Why would they keep silent? Why would Stephen Hawking, whilst alive, not point out the ”nonsense”? How, or why, could these specialists fail to discover what an undiscovered genius managed to uncover via Wikipedia in the 2 hours a day he was allowed to play on the computer? Please provide some facts, Jean otherwise it is impossible to debate an attention seeking “‘most obvious fraud” and I won’t indulge you any longer on this matter until you provide something, anything, of merit.
You have been provided with a comprehensive list of reasons why it is impossible to have landed on the moon in 1969 and why it will probably never be done.
You refuse to attempt to refute one of those reasons and after having pooh poohed the findings of 97% of climate scientists for years you are asking for what you will adjudge to be a reputable scientist to publicly denounce the moon landings. Which would be akin to a heretic standing up to the Vatican 500 years ago. The state though their journalistic education apparatus would come down on them like a ton of bricks and the keepers of the “perceived truth” would turn their backs on them at best.
Your garden naivety and innocence is unremarkable Milton , you cannot and will not think for yourself, you a beautiful soul, a creation of Western imperialism and superstitious indoctrination.
Its a fair bet you didn’t get very far into that denouement I provided before cognitive dissonance got the better of you.
I wish I was that simple and impervious.
As I realised, you’ve got nothing. This had nothing to do with me, AGW, heretics or Western imperialism but why not obfuscate or distract when you are bereft of reliable information, or chose to ignore it. A debate is what can be done with ideas, Jean not facts.
Uh-oh, seems there’s a suggestion that the Ms Alqunun case may have a touch of religious subterfuge attached.
We are starting to see the true impact of barnaby joyce’s incompetence and outright rorting of the Murray darllng scheme. the water he personally signed off on the be purchased at 3 times the market rate was an illusion as his department told him. Him and little to be proud of David have totally FD up system. Disgraceful.
Are you ready Dismayed for the massive attack on Bill Shorten and Labor by the Lib/Nats who have nothing to lose and everything to gain? It will be a shocker am sure. Cheers
The misinformation and attacks never stop on the other parties especially Labor. The coalition and its propaganda mouthpiece newscorp offer very little but divisive misinformation and outright falsehoods. Why would anyone support a political movement that deliberately tries to divide the Nation, attacks those that need the most help and accuse them of being leaner’s and bludger’s and demonise any culture or people who are not white supposedly “christian” ? why would people support a political movement that puts the interests of the wealthy few ahead of the National interest? Why would anyone support a political movement that dismisses science but promotes a platform to protect superstitious religious beliefs? why? Pure selfishness, greed and wilful ignorance. No surprises indeed.
This is outright corruption & some serious continued collusion with selected upstream cotton corporates Dismayed & Joyce knows it.
How is it that any possible future the MD Basin had was put in the hands of such a unconscionable, greedy individual?
Typical of a person who has form in putting dollars ahead of the putrid abuses of the live sheep trade.
There hasn’t been any water taken for the last 18mths………..it’s the drought.
I don’t think we can say that. The Royal Commission report is due for release in early Feb and should make for interesting reading.
Has anyone already checked if me old mate JB has got himself a yellow vest yet?
With matching jocks Carl I am reliably advised.
No but our depot in Paris has fifteen thousand of them.
There were a few going round in Porto last weekend. Pretty tame though, nor cars burned, just a bunch of horn honking.
I’m always up for a bit of horn honking.
Oh FFS… 🙂