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.
What a wag that Vlad Putin is, Mr Insider, last week unveiling his new “Superweapons” he is ready to unleash on the West. Of course it was made all the more comical as he did this while campaigning for “Re-election” FGS! Given he has already shut down the Website of his “Opposition” I am still amazed that we do have the odd “featherhead” still championing this appalling and brutal regime and others like it, yet they denounce Free Democracies. Strewth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7bUHc4jAI0
The US is withdrawing. China and Russia are filling the vacuum. This is not good for the world.
Certainly Trump is not keen on spending US coin on foreign interventions, and I think he made the point of expecting some financial input from those who benefit from these costly incursions, during his election campaign. It is probably fair to say that Obama was also disinclined to insert US military in foreign arena’s.
And yes, Russia and China are not shy in filling the vacuum. But China seems content to show its muscle within its region, whilst Putin seems to want to reclaim the old the USSR and exert some influence beyond that.
Whether it is good for the world, perhaps you are right, but the US are in so much debt as a result of their military involvements and as thanks they incur the wrath of not only most of the middle east but also the spoilt western world.
I’m curious regarding the debt and expenditure of Russia and China in military expenditure in comparison to the US.
China might only be showing their muscle in their region Milton but they’ve got their hooks in everywhere else, here included. Been to Africa lately?
No I haven’t, Trivalve though I know what you mean. They got a few hooks here too.
“……. wants to reclaim the old USSR….” Really?
Anyway, what the people believe The US is doing overseas and what they are actually doing is one of the greatest propaganda achievements in history. Parenti. I think.
This is why China and Russia will be so successful in their overseas ambitions.
http://jfmxl.sdf.org/JohnMarciano/8MP-part1.html
You bet he does JB. Has been sticking out like the proverbial since Yeltsin had his last hangover.
Why?
Why wot? Why does he want to get the band back together? I guess he’s just your average megalomaniac.
trump is the vacuum. No Surprises.
https://theconversation.com/economic-history-shows-why-trumps-america-first-tariff-policy-is-so-dangerous-92715
I like the vibe of Putin’s nuclear-powered missiles. It’s a stretch, tho suspect he’s snuck it in to get ahead of the US & PRC with that one.
the US has spent some years withdrawing, is it still doing so?
too early to tell.
One little reported event caught my eye. Mid year last year, Trump suggested US troops could hit the ground in Venezuela. This caused some consternation among a group of Latin American nations and four foreign ministers from Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica and Chile headed off to DC to discuss their concerns. They met with state officials and then Tillerson before attending a meeting with Trump. They left that meeting so disappointed with Trump’s lack of knowledge of their countries that one later offered the comment they may as well go to China for support. I’m not a Trump basher per se but the strength of US diplomacy which dwindled under Obama now has little or no direction. Greg Norman on 7.30 offered the view Trump was going after the bad guys. Besides the Kim lad, I wonder who he might mean. Do you have any idea? It sure ain’t Putin.
I don’t think Trump knows what day of the week it is, appalling President.
Guess he’s so unpredictable though it will make others behave in case he does something stupid.
Nick Faldo and and Larry Mize
Good one, TV!!
Yes, China have their hooks in all over the place, and at home seem to moving back to a strongman type of government, un-doing the changes that Deng Xiaoping ushered in after the disaster of the Cultural Revolution.
Its hard to see it ending well.
BTW Dismayed, China and Russia have been filling this vacuum for the best part of ten years, Trump has been president for a bit over a year.
Absolutely right and the some here and the many all over the place who make the mistake of being anti-US should start thinking about large chunks of the world operating under the aegis of two of the nastier regimes in the world. As HK Jack says, it’s hard to see it ending well.
Putin and Xi, President’s for life.
Jack and JTI, if you have a look at quite a few countries in SE Asia, you’ll find the Chinese influence is becoming scary. Russian influence in Thailand and (obviously Vietnam) is also an issue. It’s a problem when the US asks Australia to help out in the South China and we hear screams from both sides of politics that if we do, we risk upsetting China who is our biggest trading partner. When China owns the Darwin Port and then the Australian Government wonder why the US won’t commit to increasing the number of Marines based in Darwin. I know who I’d rather go with and despite the problems with the incumbent in the White House, it certainly isn’t China or Russia
All of the above, Penny and more. China is everywhere writing cheques for influence – Africa, the South Pacific, the Caribbean. The Chinese claim their naval build ups are all about securing trading lanes. For now the US has strength in numbers in the Pacific. Don’t know if you saw Putin’s guide to Russian military strength which featured a scary arsenal of nuclear and non nuclear weapons. Propaganda it might have been. What is certain is there is a rapid arms build up going on in both countries.
Paul Monk had a good article in the Oz on the 4th dispelling some of the nonsense people spout about China. Stalin’s useful idiots now seem to be on Xi’s payroll. Had my students do an essay on OBOR and it amazed me how many saw it as entirely benign–they didn’t want to see the political purpose behind it.
As for Putin, ask the Georgians and Ukrainians.
Paternity a “gray area”? Man, what a low class thing to say. Shut up!
You know I don’t like to swear, Dwight, but fuckin’ hell, what a deadset Rex.
I think that statements known as keeping your options open, unbelievable.
Low class doesn’t even describe it. Certainly took the headlines away from anything else. Just when they think they’ve got something on Bill Shorten, this takes away all the impetus and media attention. How on earth does he think this is acceptable!!
Now we’re hearing about Julie Bishop’s jewelry. I do have a problem with her boyfriend/spouse/partner going to the UN though, but as the UN is a totally useless organization maybe it made no difference. Do these people even care about the Australian people?
I had to get my husband to explain that one JTI….🙂
Pretty startling, Dwight. what an extraordinary thing to tell the world!!! Unless she was happy with that, if I were her I would leave him!!
the first I read of this new twist in the tale was from Mark Kenny on Friday,
“Amazingly, it would then get even worse as Liberals spread rumours that Joyce was not the father of the baby he is expecting with his new partner, Vikki Campion
Now on the backbench, Joyce flatly rejected that as grubby and outrageous.
“It’s mine, on the record, there it is,” he told Fairfax Media. “And can I say, even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t care, I’d still go through this, I’d still love him.”
as i read that it seemed to me Barnaby was responding to rumours started by some Libs,
by Saturday Mark Kenny’s next column was headed,
‘A grey area’: Barnaby Joyce raises doubts over whether he’s the biological father of Vikki Campion’s baby.
a different story altogether.
Neither good, but one far more damning than the other.
Barry O’Farrell made a good point on twitter,
Today’s papers again highlight the two words polls have most trouble saying: “no comment”.
For a bloke demanding people respect his privacy, Joyce seems keen to discuss his intimate personal details. Just shut up, man.
Does this guy have an ‘off’ switch? He should use it. 😣
Class A grub Bella, he’s thrown both family and girlfriend under the bus in a very short period of time.
I won’t bother with Rebecca White’s concession speech which was totally lacking (no congrats to Hodgman, no acknowledgement to the Aboriginals, no condolences for Vanessa Goodwin)- but if you watch Cassie O’Connor’s seemingly interminable, aggressive rant and then watch Will Hodgman’s speech it would give an understanding of why Tasmanians have made the right decision.
Bella, no offence meant, 😊 but I think she could have earned a lot more respect by being more gracious.
When you believe that your opponents are not just wrong, but of evil intent, why be gracious?
Why put your enemy offside Dwight?
But even after the slathering attack he sustained he was gracious . “Manners maketh the man”.
Channeling Malcolm’s victory speech?
Rudd’s “concession”?
Kanye West and Taylor Swift?
Hodgman achieved a second successive term which is only the second time for the Libs in Tassie Bo. White couldnt even mention him, let alone offer congratulaions. I guess you could say she was spitting chips.
Best team won the day imho, Boadicea. Looks like the campaign told on Jacqui Lambie she looked a bit worse for wear last night conceding she had won 0 seats. Vale Vanessa Goodwin. Cheers
It was all rather sad, HB – because she seemed to be addressing an empty room. 😥
Agree she was the worse for wear. I think she had had a few. She let herself down badly.
She had best start seeking employment. Unless the book makes her a motza – or she survives on the dole. I sincerely hope she’s not getting a ridiculous pension on the taxpayer.
It’s all good Boadicea, I’m not offended that easily.
What I will say though is that the Liberal Party, in true Libs tradition, do not give a rats about your once protected environment or the poorer places with problem pokie addicts nor do they want to fess up to the fact that their vote was a direct result of a scare campaign paid for by Federal Hotels to the tune of millions. Eric Abetz avoided the truth all night & it was painful to listen to him as always.
So hang on to your backpack for the next four years B cos those beautiful places you love are all at risk of being dozed for $$$..
Oh I almost forgot, wear high-vis clothing on bushwalks cos many more Tasmanians will soon be packing real heat to shoot anything that moves.
Hodgman is taking care of their ‘needs’ now. 🌳♥
Yep I’ll be keeping my head low, Bella! There were many not happy with the gun law thing. Hard to comprehend that one. AS I said right at the start I really don’t think the ad campaign by the pokie barons would have made all that much difference. As I said then, before the ads started rolling in, there are many who play the pokies, and many businesses and clubs that depend on them for survival. Doesn’t matter what ads were running, they would not have voted for Labor if they thought they would lose that. No, the pokies aren’t socially acceptable – imho, if Labor/Greens had wanted to get rid of them they would have been advised to first get into power and then set about gradually restricting them. But they didn’t. Bad decision. Rebecca needs to gather some experience.
It was an interesting election – not only the pokie issue, but also the fantastic economic recovery this state has made under the Libs the past 4 years. Lots of people making lots of money and keen to keep making lots of money. Even just in then last 4 months the mood changed markedly, towards the Libs.
That’s why I’m off to the Tarkine soon. want to enjoy before that part gets” boutiquiefied” next Summer. Corinna Lodge is up for sale – that’s ominous! I stay in the cute little Roadmans Cottage…..
You say Bella “Tasmanians will soon be packing real heat to shoot anything that moves”, do hope you don’t mean handsome Queenslanders that come to your fair shores? Cheers
Nah, tourists are treated like royalty here, HB. Locals get irritated but not enough (yet) to want to shoot you 🙄
You’d have more chance of being shot by a fellow tourist!
Yes Tasmania $ bought and paid $ for by the hoteliers Association. The loggers and Gun freaks are laughing too. SA next, the electoral commission has handed the SA Libs. another 4 seats in redistribution after 3 seats the previous election. If the SA libs cant fall over the line this time they never will. They have No policies, and C. Pyne runs S. Marshall. It is interesting to note reports about the $Millions$ and $Millions$ in donations to individual Liberal MP’s all over the country rather than the Party from Chinese Benefactors. Of course that wont bother the cons as long as they get the Treasury benches so they can pay back their benefactors at the expense of the majority of Australians. No surprises.
The Greens a shocker in the Tasmanian election, Mr Insider, only 1 seat. Also the fledgling JLN (Jacqui Lambie Network) with 0 seats. Libs back again for a 2nd term, well done them.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/tas-election-2018/
Not my definition of a network
Shame on Tassie for shunning Jacqui Lambie.
That gal takes on a good fight & she’s incredibly loyal to veterans.
Hard to see her commitment to state issues amount to total rejection.
She’s looking the worse for wear , Bella
Appalling display on election night.
She’s had too much work done on her face too.
I think she’s lost the plot and is affected by not being in a position of power in the Senate. Like Clive, i suspect she might be history .
Anybody contemplating this or even has it, should listen.
This guy knows it all and tells you the best panels and inverters
How much U should save on power etc.
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/solar/9500930
Don’t spend money on soon-to-be-obsolete,and highly polluting solar panels. This system will be online in less than a decade. Hydrogen-boron fusion. No waste, produces electricity directly, not from a steam process, all components available off the shelf and immensely powerful. In a recent test a scaled down system produced 1 petawatt (10^E15 watts) for 1 attosecond (10^E-18 seconds). One attosecond is the time taken fora photon to traverse the length of two hydrogen atoms. You won’t get that off your roof. Save the birds! Tear down the visually obscene windmills! Save the fish! Keep worn out solar panels out of the ground and out of the groundwater!
https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/laser-boron-fusion-now-%E2%80%98leading-contender%E2%80%99-energy
Strange I have been raising the prospect of Hydrogen power here for several years and cop it each time from the conservative trogs. Yet you have receive not a comment until now. NO surprises.
It’s not hydrogen power, it’s nuclear fusion. When the hydrogen nucleus is fused with the boron nucleus under extreme pressure, the hydrogen atom releases its lone electron. No neutrons are released so there is no radiation. The released electron is electricity, so no energy conduit (steam) or ancillary generation equipment is needed. The reaction is contained in an electromagnetic toroid so no massive insulation chamber needed to contain the heat either. The lasers are available ‘off the shelf’.
AH I didn’t read it. I do know a couple of starts up in SA have been working on hydrogen for vehicles which has been an astounding success. they have moved onto small commercial units which could be used for homes. But cannot get a cent of funding from the government.
Cam Bancroft is enjoying a Morkel mournay. I’m trying to remember the last time a Test cricketer announced his retirement before a Series then performed well.
Fairly big swing away from the Greens today. They miss Bob Brown – who must feel sad.
I’m wondering if this tendency would affect the outcome in Batman?
PS: I think we’re witnessing the end of Jacqui Lambie and her party tonight. Not a very elegant concession speech.
Well it looks like the Libs have got the majority. There was a swing to Labor – but from the Greens, not the Libs. So no help there
I said it right at the start – the Labor stance on pokies have lost them this election. It was brave, but a strange thing to do when wanting to get back into power. They should have waited until they were in.
They are crying foul, dirty play and all that – but let’s face it , it’s not much different from Labor’s Mediscare campaign that took seats off the Libs in the Federal election. Ah, politics 😫
Mardi Gras in Sydney tonight, fine night after a day of shining out of its ahs. 500,000 expected for the viewing.
I stopped at the lights on the way home from golf. The guy in the front seat, covered in glitter was winking. The girl in the back seat was showing her muscles. Now I’m comfused.
Happy fourtieth anniversary, a bit different than 1978.
You were confused, Lou imagine the guy and girl trying to figure out your golf and gay angle to the evenings festivities?! They probably think they’re missing out on the latest fad.
😊
It’s those plaid pants.
Clean coal like a clever con is the definition of an oxymoron. No surprise.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/02/clean-coal-america-kemper-power-plant
My favourite oxy is ‘gamble responsibly’
In your case it should be gambol responsibly Bassy
Chuckle. Define gambol?
We see trumps tariff’s on solar products is estimated to cost 23,000 jobs this year almost 10% of the industry jobs and $Billions$ in investments already. One company alone has calculated a $50 Million loss of income this year and $100 Million by the end of 2019. Still we see people blindly supporting this catastrophe of a parody of a president. No surprises.