Much has been made of the Turnbull government’s successes in the last week of sitting in the federal parliament. Malcolm Turnbull is crowing but there is a broad understanding the hot ticket item, the ABCC legislation which passed through the Senate earlier this week, has been rendered a dud and that Derryn Hinch was played by the CFMEU to cough up concessions.
While being tricked by the CFMEU’s office bearers is hardly something anyone would want to put on their political resumes, Hinch would not see it that way. He may have his own explanation for it. I have no doubt he could spout some rationalisation at the drop of a hat. That is a talent he undoubtedly possesses.
More generally, I’d suggest voters should be leery of people like Hinch becoming representative politicians. Perhaps we should adopt a tacit rule that wherever a political party appears with the word ‘justice’ in it, that party is not worth the ballot paper it is written on. Where it appears featuring the name of a media personality before the word ‘justice’ you can put the house (or indeed the Senate) on it being a self-serving exercise in the sort of ‘look at me’ politics we have come to know and despise in this country.
Full column here:
I see a gunman just walked into comet ping pong. Just shows that lies allowed to go unchallenged for long enough will sooner or later result in the unhinged acting on them violently. Welcome to Amerika…
Lies expressed from the very top of trumps basket of fools.
Karen of Brentford, Orville little Sundog and Indian Cricketer – did you all go to the same school?
Orville seems to be off the reservation. I wonder if he’ll return?
And then to strengthen my point, up bobs a racist. Thanks for that.
Apologies if I’ve offended you, my Fender Pretender.
However, I suspect that you’re as likely as me to be Indian.
Interesting point there, TO. Can one be racist against a person pretending to be of that race? Discuss…
ps technically North American Indians do live on reservations, so Im not sure that “off the reservation” is actually racist…
Darren,
I’m ready to smoke a peace pipe with Orville. However, Orville doesn’t want me in the tent.
I haven’t posted here for a while. Too few points of view, a closed shop. Or an open shop stocked with closed minds. Maybe people are using the same spell-grammar-readability checker?
Very perceptive of you Yvonne in terms of my Indian connection for I am a distant relation of Princess Matoika, though you probably know her as Pocahontas. Also, I’m schooled in the vagaries of those funky “c” words cardamom, curry, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and chili.
The coalition supporters blindly follow this ridiculous coalition government. the coalition chased the automotive industry out of the Nation due to an investment of $250 million a year producing a return of $20 billion a year to the National economy and now want to finance a train line to nowhere starting at $1 billion. But they will not undertake real infrastructure investment. Shameful.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2016/12/05/adani-handout-a-toxic-mix-of-crony-capitalism-and-protectionism/
Labor Govt in Qld has approved the mine Dismayed. The premier is flying up to Townsville to sign off on the deal today.
Don’t tell him that Mack. he will flip
I see Britain has decided to go with an approach of ”you fit in with us” rather than telling the locals they have to ”adapt to them”.
Fresh article – which will no doubt unleash a barrage of racist comments over in East Berlin as the afternoon wears on. But it seems to me, that that is the way things are turning across the globe – and Trump is one of the leading proponents of that policy.
Ho hum, I’m off to see the movie I, Daniel Blake, which I believe is very good and very thought provoking.
the essence of successful migration countries is that they bring in young migrants who want to build a new life, and that there is a path to becoming Australian, Canadian, American, Kiwi.
not just in a legal sense but culturally and socially as well.
It is only in these “newer” countries that you’re buying into the _idea_ of being a citizen, not born into it. Went to my first citizenship ceremony two weeks ago (since my own) to support a Polish/Canadian friend. It was wonderful.
and notably in countries with a bit of british heritage.
the europeans have not the first idea about this, they look at the success of migration elsewhere and draw all the wrong conclusions.
they think it is about pious multiculturalism.
i agree the ceremonies are very good, in an understated aussie way.
Because they did all the migrating themselves?
TV, could be, or maybe some cultural difference.
it is obvious though that their experience is different. it is five years since mrs merkel said multiculturalism was a failure, and in germany it still is.
they still haven’t assimilated the Turkish guest workers from the sixties, so how well will the next million migrants fit in.
i see mrs merkel is making a new lot of promises about banning burkas and stopping migration so the focus groups must be going nuts.
Jack, when we log onto this page, there is some kind of cabalistic logo that shows in the tab. It looks like a squiggle hanging inside a teepee. Or a fish.
I think that’s the WordPress logo. I could probably change it but meh.
Illuminati…
There ya go Daz!
Nah Jewish world conspiracy mate. Illuminati is soooo yesterday!
Just back from the cricket at Manuka. There were 10yo kids in their Milo cricket gear talking about the Illuminati. I kid you not. I guess we just breed them differently here.
I’m a first time reader and contributor. I have been searching far and wide for fellow Brentfordians residing in OZ and it seems I have finally struck gold with this blog. I’m easily confused but happy to read as much as necessary to reduce the confusion and so I’m appealing to Darren to explain – to whatever level of detail he feels necessary – whether section 18c is relevant when it comes to Assistant immigration minister Alex Hawke’s insensitive and inflammatory statement, “We’re very dark on that.”, in reference to the decision of the powers that be, in the City of Fremantle, to hold citizenship ceremonies, not on Australia Day, but as part of its planned events on January 28, citing Aboriginal cultural sensitivities.
I think Mr Hawke meant he couldnt find a light switch. Alternatively, you know that little light bulb that comes on over your head when you get a good idea? Well, I think Mr Hawke meant he wasnt getting that experience either (in fact I think Mr Hawke has probably never had that experience).
PS my money is on you on this one, Milton…
No, not me Dazzle. But it must be someone who knows of your previous incarnation.
Hmmm, had your witty style on it, Milton. I guess this will be an unsolved mystery….
You sweet innocent gel Karen get ready for 30 paragraphs of waffle!
Fremantle is getting what it deserves, in my opinion
A new football stadium?
I’m offended personally.
Strange a first time reader and contributor would know of someone’s nom de plume that has not been used for several years?
That would be what is known as “taking the piss”.
Bella says:
December 4, 2016 at 9:41 pm
“Did you know the Gillard govt successfully passed 561 bills which is a damn sight more productive than this train wreck government whose record stands at 2.”
Just goes to show how effective Labor is at blocking legislation and how cooperative Tony was.
It shows the Labor government were able to Negotiate with the Senate without turning every bill into a horse trading event. Nothing more nothing less. Abbott voted against massive savings measures for 5 years in opposition Dr No? and yet even after the Global Financial Crises and massive revenue drop much needed infrastructure and stimulus projects hailed as world best the Nation was able to grow its economy, reduce spending as % of GDP, reduce taxation as a % of GDP and if Abbott and Hockey had not blown up everything was on track to have the budget in balance this financial year. Now how does that compare with your coalitions efforts? Oh dear, Deficit from $17 billion to $38 billion Debt Debt Doubled where are we now close to $500 billion from $178 billion in less than 3 years. Oh my tax as a % of GDP Higher, Spending as a % GDP Higher. Industries shutting down, participation rate dropping, CAPEX plummeting, 85% of all jobs created Part time, wages growth negative, Emissions out of control and government now looking at Labor policy for emissions trading, Carbon Tax anyone? look out Whyalla the $10 lamb will surely jump to $100. Oh yes and the taxpayer funding $1 billion dollar white elephant trains to nowhere. Goodness help us from the coalition and it’s flock if sheep supporters.
It works when you push your spending out past the forward estimates. Ask Swanny.
🙂
Anyone using that as a metric of success needs to “have their head read” in the words of St. Kerry.
Tracy says:
December 4, 2016 at 12:42 pm
It looks like they started off with the idea of adding 4500? units, drew a square and then coloured it in.
Everywhere I have been, high rise development is bordered by a street.
Not this one. Let’s go along a street and mark it for high rise but do not worry about the people behind who use another street.
In Grace St they have just worked up the road and stopped. Sso you have one house that is now going to be bordered by high rise development.
No additional playing fields. No increased capacity of roads.
Now let’s develop Ingleside and add more traffic because there is no public transport of any note.
This absurdity probably costs tens of millions to develop.
Don’t know about you but we’ve been getting the stuff in the mailbox for the hospital/roadworks for the last two years and nothing was mentioned about re-zoning for higher density in an area that is already chocked with traffic.
Also surprised they want medium/high density right up against the bush in an area that is designated a high fire risk. I presume the plan when they start digging the cutting on Warringah road will be to divert traffic to Frenchs Forest road as one lane (eastbound) and what looks to be a slip road running parallel to Warringah road as the westbound, buggered if I know
There was a lot of stuff on the council web page. They had drawn a circle around the hospital and had it slated for high density living.
It had a lot of development across Warringah Road and further down toward the coast. This one has pushed it all back to Frenchs Forest. They were about to vote on it and then the council amalgamation came along.
If this plan goes through there might be a few house on the market because the expected capital gains will not eventuate.
If you are lucky enough to be in the rezoning area you will clen up.
If you are just next to it, the reverse-
Going to be a lot of objections.
PM’s jumping ship all over the place – things getting too hot in the kitchen in this crazy, polarised world we live in?…….
I see Shanghai Sam is productively using your Aussie tax dollars writing “Snack Packs, Villages and Senate Inquiries” and, “It turns out that Sam is really a superb writer,” – well Publisher Louise Adler would say that wouldn’t she. Given his skill at outsourcing travel bills, I’d thought his time would be better spent consulting on how to reduce Federal travel expenses.
Maybe he needs the extra dollars to repay his “loans”