You may be wondering, like I am, who is running the country.
It certainly isn’t the prime minister.
One could pose a forlorn argument that it is the executive, the cabinet calling the shots but that, too, doesn’t pass scrutiny. On Tuesday, Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull were strident in opposition of a Royal Commission into the banks. It would not happen they said. Not on their watch. The commitments lasted less than 48 hours.
Tuesday’s titans have once again become Friday’s flotsam.
So who is running the country?
Sam Dastyari thinks the Chinese might be in charge, if not today then at some point in the not too distant future. Wealthy Chinese businessmen with strong links to the Chinese government imagine Australians as their drinks waiters and golf caddies of the future so with a gleam in his eye, Shanghai Sam has got out of the blocks early.
“The Chinese integrity of its borders is a matter for China. Seven iron, Mr Huang?”
Full column here.
It looks like the Banking Royal Commission is going to be a sham. Already Dutts and Morrison have said the Liberals are going to use it to go after the Unions once again. Will it ever end? Why? Just because unions are represented on Industry Super Funds which out perform the for profit super funds on a regular basis. These are funds that unlike the banks, look after their members. With all of the scandals the banks have been associated with, the Liberals want to focus on Industry Super Funds instead of the endemic corruption of the banking system.
Morrison has already said those people who have lost their lifes’ savings because of bank mismanagement will not be covered by the terms of reference and will not be eligible for compensation. Well what a great start that is and a big free kick for the Big End of Town. What is the point of it all if only to go after the unions as the Liberals always do! No wonder the banks suddenly wanted a RC. There is no way they would want a Labor government to frame the terms of reference for obvious reasons.
Looks like if Labor win the next election they will have to do it all over again like the NBN.
Wife has some money in Australian Super.
Takes out her 5% and it still goes up by 5%
Other money is in a commercial fund who are happy with a return of 5%. (Interest plus capital gains). Their shares return 5% and so with dividend imputation the shareholders get more than the people providing the money.. By the way, they floated the joint a few years ago and went from a mutual organization to fund to a company structure.
I can understand why the big end of town hate the Industry Funds – the industry funds just outperform the money grubbing, high salary I do not give a Sh** about anybody else but me Commercial Funds.
People should be more worried about the culture of these funds than the banking culture.
Got mine in a Industry fund, wish I had moved it across earlier.
Third time I’ve transferred the super, pays to shop around.
I’ve got mine in UniSuper, absolutely fantastic. Had some in a banking fund and it earned bloody nothing….
Aren’t the older uni super schemes based on defined benefits?
I’ve got some super in Australian Super, too, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by its performance so far.
According to Antony Green, it’s Barnaby in a hand canter, from a huge field of starters.
So good to see Barnaby have an even bigger victory! Just hope Alexander does likewise.
It is indicative of how fed up Australians are with this citizenship fiasco.
Should quieten Billy down a tad.
I have my money on Kristina, Boadecia, she’s coming back from a long spell, has galloped the track down and am tipping a first up win for her. Cheers
And she got kicked out of government for good reason, she shouldn’t be on the tax payer teat again
The man can talk through wet cement.
Assuming you’re talking about Power Bill, can we bury him in wet cement to test your theory?
dry it then
Bill Shorten didnt start up the citizenship fiasco, perhaps you might like to research who did, then get back to us. See if your opinion changes.
Doesn’t really matter now who instigated the Joyce citizenship thing. Apparently it was a retired barrister from WA with time on his hands. He certainly opened a can of worms and is probably still on the hunt.
But Shorten was very smugly assuring us all that his MP’S enrolments were carefully scrutinsed and were squeaky clean.
Last week he changed his tune to “superior to those of the Coalition”
So one suspects that a couple of Labor heads may roll next week.
Time will tell.
I think Shorten was playing for time – hoping maybe to get past the Xmas break without any dramas or bring down the Turnbull govt whilst he still had a full hand maybe?
It was Wraith a Constitutional Lawyer in WA in fact. We know you hate Bill Shorten Boa, I’m not that fond of him myself. But if you can demonstrate how and when he instigated the Citizenship saga, I’d be interested. I would also like you to give us examples of how Malcolm Turnbull has proved to be a good PM.
I have never said Shorten instigated the citizenship fiasco – I was referring to his duplicity regarding the probability that he would have his own dubious party members. Which as we speak is proving to be accurate.
I have always been aware of the WA QC’s existence.
I have also never said Turnbull is a good PM. In fact I have recently expressed disappointment, after what seemed a promising start when he was first elected – on more than one occasion. I have likewise commented, again on more than one occasion. that the Libs are in trouble.
However I certainly think Turnbull is a more honest politician than Shorten. I’m not sure what one would use as the benchmark on that though .
I hope that satisfies your query. I am not going to write an essay here on the merits or otherwise of the Turnbull government.
By the way “hate” is a strong word. I don’t believe I have used that word about Shorten either. But I may have at times described him or his actions as despicable or a synonym thereof.
I don’t intend to vote for either party. I am fortunate to have an independent in my electorate who I have a fair regard for.
And no Labor aliens (yet)
Read my comment again, s l o w l y, Wraith and let us know where I said Shorten had instigated the citizenship enquiry
Mad barnarby and turnbull are claiming an historic victory in a one horse race. HAHAHAHA. Big swing? big deal, can anyone name any other candidates? Again the cons highlight just how desperate they are. On another note I think barnarby should have a serious look at his health. His ever reddening face should be a warning to him. His belt is definitely not holding up under the weight of his mid section.
Indeed Dismayed silly Turnbull crowing over what really is a hollow victory as he had no competition at all other than a handful of hayseeds who entered to have some fun. Cheers
They needed something positive to happen HB. It did. Not surprising they were ecstatic
“…. a one horse race. HAHAHAHA. big deal, can anyone name any other candidates?”
It was a 16 horse race, including the ALP’s David Ewings.
I can understand you putting on the blinkers and desperately attempting to distort the outcome Dismayed, by not wanting to acknowledge the Labor candidate, especially given his miserable performance. Highlights your usual jaundiced commentary and a bankrupt character trait in being unable to, at the very least, recognise a great political win by one of your true blue fellow Australians.
CotC, yes it was a good win to Barnaby. But not sure I would like to look at Barnaby as a true blue fellow Australian. His personal life is in tatters, he has treated his wife appallingly, taken advantage of a junior staffer and then we also have to wonder about his involvement in the water issues in the Darling River. We were up that way in June/July and they’re not that fond of him around Goondiwindi way either. He got the sympathy vote in New England because they thought he’d been given a rough deal in the citizenship saga….as I did. But he is not a politician that we should be proud of…in fact I can’t think of one politician that meets that criteria on either side of the fence.
Hmmm …. not too sure that I’d be adjudging the propriety and morality of my fellow Australians (politicians and others) Penny, simply on the basis of an apparent subjective assessment of the trials and tribulations of their personal lives (it takes two to tango), also including seemingly unfounded claims of water ‘theft’.
Nor would I place too much currency on what may be otherwise termed the ‘Goondiwindi chatter’. What would the magpie geese think?
Quite right Carl. And if it was to be a one horse and a donkey or ass race Windsor could have put his name in the hat. But no, he remains embittered and lacking balls. Windsor, like Rudd and Keating, need to have a break, navel gaze and do a George Foreman.
now what cooking appliances could these battered ex PM’s deliver????
I’ve a few in mind but am keen to hear something smarter…
Barnaby Joyce has won the New England by-election, ABC election analyst Antony Green says, Mr Insider.
https://tinyurl.com/y766wr6j
Congrats to Barnaby.
Vile little red faced water stealing New Zealander. He still hasnt answered for his involvement in water theft and the damage it did downstream. Bring that enquiry on!
Absolutely wraith.
The longer the cover-ups continue under this dodgy government the longer those upstream water storage thieves have to get away with it.
I wonder just how much cash it takes for officials to look after these morons.
“Bring that enquiry on!”
What!?
Enquiries are just those pesky, expensive time-wasting events that thoroughly and systematically probe and search for evidence. They employ a whole host of public servants and legal people who scrutinise, study and inspect to determine facts, etc. And then they wright lengthy reports that no one ever reads, except the executive summary.
Why have an enquiry Wraith when you appear to already have the culprit banged to rights?
Good point Carl, why bother with the paper work, you get the rope, I’ll find a decent tree!
Cheers
Good point Carl, why bother with the paper work, you get the rope, I’ll find a decent tree!
Cheers
Not kicking too many goals on the domestic front
The prospect of 18 more years of child support will do that…
whenSA get that RC sorted can they do banks RC please…properly like
Just off tack a wee bit, Mr Insider, one of the greatest mysteries and shocks in my lifetime, Mr Insider, was the disappearance on 17th December 1967 of our then PM Harold Holt. The story goes he went swimming off Cheviot Beach in Victoria and was never seen again. Many theories abound but nothing ever proved. Similarly the Bogle-Chandler deaths in Lane Cove River Park on 1st January 1963. Two mysteries that may never be solved conclusively. One more too sadly the murder deaths of Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt on Wanda Beach in Sydney on January 11th 1965. So sad that people have died in strange circumstances and the deaths never solved imho.
Beaumont children disappear at roughly the same time. Holt drowned but the others are unsolved murders.
Oh yes the Beaumont children what a terrible thing that one is too and many have come forward “knowing” where they are but alas still nothing Mr Insider. Cheers
JTI, JTI ! The whole world knows that a Russian Submarine (or was it a Chinese midget one)was involved in Holt’s disappearance and he spent the rest of his life living in luxury in a dacha on the outskirts of Moscow.
There again it could have been the CIA because he did go all the way with LBJ..
Thanks JackSprat mystery solved phew! We can now rest easy. Cheers
Chinese according to the book JS
Very interesting theory about the Beaumont children and a chap from Qld JTI. A bit of research to do but it smells right to me with the suspect now deceased.
I’ve seen a few theories, Razor. One a Victorian also deceased.
I think the Bogle and Chandler was decided to be the noxious gases emanating from what was then a highly polluted river, hydrogen sulphide I think it was.
Yes that was the most credible theory Tracy but who knows. I have never seen any signs anywhere there warning people of that. Cheers
Yes I saw that documentary a few years ago, Tracy. Very interesting!
Drowned. Noah’s Arks. Nothing left to see here.
Had a wry smile when I heard that there’s a Harold Holt Memorial Pool.
He was a good man, I’ve still got the porch light on.
Carl, my father was the spitting image of Harold Holt or vice versa. When he (my father) walked into the Portsea Pub to pick me up from a school party about a month after he’d gone missing, the place went deadly quiet. He just nodded to everybody and we walked out. According to friends the place was in uproar after we left
The banks who have doubled their profits since 2007 will get off lightly after Malcom and Hillsong morrion made sure the inquiry will be about the best performing sector of superannuation and not looking at the real issues.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/royal-commission-big-four-banks-good-bigger-four-lying-low/
Can we be more specific Dismal.
What was the return on capital in 2007 and what is it in 2017?
How much have they increased their capital in 10 years.
Try this web page which might be a tad more factual than the one you published
https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2017/jun/5.html
Shambles
https://mobile.twitter.com/stopadani/status/936757136364789760/photo/1
When will our politicians get the message? They’ve been repeatedly told by our big banks & business leaders that Adani is financially unviable and now multiple Chinese investers see the same picture.
It’s madness.
#STOPADANI
But its coal Bella, COAL!
Profoundly ignorant politicians would rather die rich than look to the future of humanity.
Our natural environment is irrelevant to them.
I see the multiple comments from Abbott supporters here think it would be just great to have him back so he can take down Shorten. This highlights exactly the coalition mindset and the problem in the country today. Never mind taking care of the National interest or progressing the Nation or using technology and innovation ( remember that with agility? ) to improve the lives of the people. No. As long as the cons can take down the opposition. Abbott and his acolytes are the problem, he is the most divisive leader of a party this Nation has seen. He actively demonised religious groups he deliberately shamed the poorest and least well off in the community he deliberately shut down entire industries. He chose to cut Health and Education investment the 2 most likely ways to improve the Nations future productivity. He took spending to new highest levels ever, he took taxation back to the high levels of the wasted Howard years along with lifting the pork barrelling stakes to new multi $billion highs.. But still the coalition supporters think it would be just great to have him back purely to continue his Nation dividing progress slowing agenda. It is clear where the problem is in this country. It is not those looking to bring the Nation together and progress it for more opportunities for more people. It is those cons who continue to push their narrow minded stifling agenda and think that taking down any opposition is the way to do it.
NO!
Get thee behind me Satan! Gasp, stutter, the Messiah walked among us and we cast him out.
Forget ye things that gather rust and ye false idols ye unbeliever , Abbott is on a mission from God!
Forget profane and worldly things and look to the salvation of thine soul.
I’m not quite sure which Gods exactly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD3JiXt_g_g
Sing dammitt! It’s Sunday.
.
Geez JB. That’s a bit heavy. It’s Sunday godammit!
You’re going straight to hell for that one Boadicea.
Could have a lot of fun down there JB. I’ll meet you at the gate
Don’t be frivolous Boadicea. Here is a man who has been to hell and come back to tell the tale as a timely warning to all of us. You are so blessed to receive this warning and realise you have the chance now to mend your ways and make your peace with God.
Bless you child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7FkyF4ux70
I think you should cut and paste your comment over the wall Dismayed – and go into battle against the hard right there. You’ll have plenty to cope with.
Over on this side I think you’ll find the TA observations are intentioned to be ironic! I realise you are not big on irony but it can be amusing if taken lightly 😉 JTI ‘s articles are wonderfully ironic. There are no fanatical hard Righters here.
Rudd’s out of his box again, keep the hate going Kevin.
Rather ironic that his description of Turnbull could also be applied to him.
Jack……footy tips!
Right. On it.