Voters in five electorates will trudge to the ballot boxes this weekend.
The media has decided to run with the puerile Americanism of Super Saturday. I can think of a better nonpareil — the most undesirable and entirely avoidable waste of people’s time and money in Australian political history but admittedly that doesn’t have the same fetching ring to it.
Labor’s Tim Hammond resigned as the member for Perth for family reasons. Fair enough. The other four are enforced, Section 44 by-elections with Labor’s Josh Wilson (Fremantle), Justine Keay (Braddon) and Susan Lamb (Longman) and Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo) formerly from the Nick Xenophon Team and now from the Centre Alliance, all having been found to have rather imperfect understandings of their immediate ancestry.
In Perth and Fremantle, the Liberal Party decided long ago to put up the white flag before a vote was cast. Labor’s return in both WA seats is a no-brainer.
The seats of Longman in Queensland and Braddon in Tasmania are where the serious battles are being fought.
Picking the winners is tricky. Local seat polling is always fraught. Sample sizes are invariably small with gaping margins of error. Polling companies can focus on landline users only and be said to be excluding large demographic chunks from their sample size. Or they can use both landlines and mobile phones and not be quite sure the people they are polling actually live in the electorates up for grabs. Individual seat polling is not a solid basis for predicting winners and losers.
Less scientific but arguably a stronger guide to the results are the betting markets.
In Mayo, Sharkie is short odds-on to defeat the Liberal candidate, Georgina Downer, who is a long way back in the second line of betting at 11/2.
A glance at the betting guide in Braddon today shows Labor has moved in to become the tepid favourite, paying $1.50 with the Coalition at $2.40, with both being a tick under even money a week ago.
In Longman, the market has been all over the shop in the past month but as of today the LNP’s Trevor Ruthenberg leads the Labor’s Lamb $1.65 to $2.20.
The reliability of betting markets is similarly problematic. In what I imagine are fairly small betting pools, odds can be skewed with as little as a couple of hundred down on one candidate or another.
Amid all the unwelcome campaigning and unwanted badgering of people going peacefully about their business, we must bow our heads in silent prayer for the good people of Longman especially. The by-election offers not a Melbourne Cup but more a dismally untalented Cox Plate field of 11 hopefuls, offering little more than a Hobson’s choice for voters.
Susan Lamb’s tale of Section 44 woe came to a head after a tearful speech she made to the parliament, speaking of family dislocation. Her father had passed away many years back and her relationship with her mother was non-existent, she claimed. Then Lamb’s stepmother entered the discussion with her own view of the truth leading to accusations Lamb had misled the parliament.
The LNP candidate, Trevor Ruthenberg, has been forced to apologise after overstating his military honours, not once or twice but thrice on various parliamentary and personal websites. The former fitter and turner also found the term engineer had a more compelling feel to it. We could call it quibbling over not very much, but it would seem Big Trev has done a bit of a Hyacinth Bucket on his resume.
Over in One Nation land, the PHON candidate, Matthew Stephen, has been under fire for what is said to be a somewhat casual attitude to his creditors.
But it gets worse in Longman. Much worse.
Number two on the ballot paper is Jim Saleam from the Australia First Party. Those of a certain vintage with solid long-term memories will recall Saleam getting about in brown shirts and swastika armbands in the 1970s as leader of a neo-Nazi group called National Action.
Back then his sidekick, Ross “The Skull” May was often seen at Saleam’s side looking photogenic in the full Nazi kit with his pointy bald bonce and Coke bottle glasses. Sadly, it would seem the master race is prone to strabismus (crossed eyes) and microcephaly (pinheadism).
The last I heard of The Skull was in 2014 when he was said to be running with a group of ugly misfits called Squadron 88 (the 88 is code for Heil Hitler, the letter ‘h’ being the eighth in the alphabet), who were passing out flyers threatening dark-skinned Sydneysiders with serious assault.
Saleam, who claims to have moved on from those heady days, has served two jail terms, one for property offences and fraud in 1984, the other for being an accessory before the fact in a 1989 shotgun attack on the home of an African National Congress representative who was living in Australia at the time.
Meanwhile down in Braddon, there are reports that the Australia People’s Party candidate, Bruno Strangio, is an undischarged bankrupt. If so, clearly both he and Saleam would be ineligible to sit in the federal Parliament in the unlikely event they would win.
If anything, the so-called Super Saturday reveals our democracy may not yet be cooked but it is roasting slowly over the embers of ineptitude and straight out electoral chicanery. Just to clarify, it is not the Australian Electoral Commission’s role to test the eligibility of candidates. All candidates sign a statutory declaration specifically stating they are eligible under Section 44 of the Constitution.
There may yet be more Section 44 surprises to come. In what is yet untested in the High Court, triumphant candidates may be found to be ineligible for receiving preferences from candidates who are prima facie ineligible. Labor and the LNP have both put Saleam last but PHON has placed Saleam above Labor. In Braddon, the Liberals have preferenced Strangio ahead of Labor.
Will it matter? In a close-run election it might and then the prospect looms of the people of Braddon and Longman having to do it all over again. Again.
I’m exhausted just thinking about it and no doubt like the denizens of Braddon and Longman, I think it’s time I had a long lie down.
This article was first published in The Australian on 25 July 2018.
It would require a team of 8 surgeons to remove the smile from Shorten’s dial.
Hes busy with a victory lap at the moment. Although all that happened was they won the seats they already had.
Better get used to the grin.
Some people might describe it as a shit eating grin!
I’m wondering, due to MT’s poor campaigning skills, if they are better just going a short and sharp next year to try and save a bit of the furniture.
Yes please. I don’t think they realise how much the public loathe the campaigns. Get it over with.
And in what might be considered the first volley, Morrison has announced that he’s going to kill the women’s sanitary product GST. Took some bad news to finally get that one off and running.
Kids had a pet rat once – “Ron the Rat” – black and white and smart as.
He used to wander around the back garden and had a cage under the back steps.
Came down one morning and the first thing I saw was Ron on his hind legs in the corner of the cage staring upwards. Then I saw the lovely Diamond Python wrapped around the cage eyeballing Ron.
Another time I picked the little shit up for some reason – he took a dislike to it and bit me – their teeth are like scalpels.
The kids could do anything with him.
We get them all the time and I leave baits out under the house. One of them got into the heating ducts – the only thing we could do was turn the heating up high. put fans on with all the windows and doors open – it went on for a few days – not pleasant and it was a cold winter.
Baits are bad! Not only can the rats die and stink as you experienced but other animals feeding on the corpse can die too. Think collateral damage. Traps set with peanut butter are the way to go.
They love chocolate too
We used to have three (of assorted sizes) Diamond Pythons that would hang around in our back courtyard area/stairs down to the pool, didn’t have a single rat when they were around.
They haven’t been around for a couple of years (apart from one that was found behind my sons bedroom door) which is a bit of a mystery as they are supposed to be territorial in their habits.
Please excuse the question Tracy but do you live in Kakadu? You are very lucky there are very few places in suburbia anymore that have any real wildlife. That comes from developers essentially getting two D9’s and a chain and clearing all bush land so they can get as many blocks in as possible.
North Shore of Sydney Razor and if you back onto reserves or national parks one gets them from time to time.
We had one that took up residence in the little fish pond in the front yard while it shed its skin. It had its head resting on the edge and watched you as you walked past. It must have been at least 2 meters.
Forestville Razor, the biggest rodent around here is actually called Tony and it’s a bugger to get rid of!
The other side of my back fence is Garigal National Park, can’t be developed and below us is Carroll Creek which flows into middle harbour, so plenty of wildlife comes out of there……….the exception is that bloody wallaby that eats my plants in the small hours, usually a dark shape with nose down and bum up.
Best thing I’ve seen is the Echidna, wouldn’t think we are 20 mins (off peak) from the CBD
http://thewildcook.blogspot.com/2015/10/wallaby-casserole.html
Tracy is on the Northern Beaches Council area Razor, oft called the Insular Peninsula as am I. Gods own country.
We have the bush rats, more possums than you can jump over, water dragons, bush turkeys, powerful owls, diamond pythons, pelicans down on Middle Harbour, colonies of bats feeding off the giant Ficcus trees, Kookaburra choirs every day, sun sand and surf.
Its a battle keeping all the tourists and visitors in check, but we’re working on it.
I thought we were Westie’s compared to you lot😀
Isn’t Warringah Road fun these days!
But you also have ferals, e.g. Smithus Dickus!
He’s almost as good at moaning as Gerry Harvey
JB This link may be of interest…..☹
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156213066390932&id=155430570931
I respect Watto greatly Bella, always have, I sure wish I could share his optimism.
“One day the sheep will look up and realise…………… ” What a dreamer.
Fact is the fat lady is clearing her throat, and Mother Earth is well on the way to being a gasping worn out old hag no longer capable of keeping her children alive.
It’s too late now, theres no satisfaction in telling morons they are morons, so live it up!
On the plus side, sales of our ” Gold Passes to Heaven” are going ballistic. I’m a glass half full kind of fella.
Give ’em heaps.
(Those Gold Passes are backed by a money back guarantee btw. We are still doing them for a grand but scalpers are asking up to $2500 for early numbers. Even God wont tell us how many places are available.)
Thanks for respecting our Captain Paul Watson mate, he’s a legend.
Good luck with your business venture Jean but if it’s all the same to you I’ll take a pass on the “Heaven” ticket.
Can’t imagine I’d enjoy being surrounded by happy-clappers. Is there another option for me?
I’ve heard that’s good. But the mouse in our place must have a peanut allergy as it won’t touch it.
We used to have a Rat on the blog
What happened to Rodent?
We also had Roddy Rodent and from memory, Swamprat of the Lagoon, who no longer scurries about in her mortal coil.
Crikey. I hope he wasn’t baited!
And a crab
I have a landline I’ve had it for years and I very seldom get polled , maybe they have red flagged me as a rusted on Labor voter, I’m thinking they just add me to the Labor numbers anyway… Hey, did you hear the Liberal Party has given our Fed. MP Jane Prentice the big flick they don’t want her anymore , how rude is that, what the hell did Jane do to them or did she reach her use by date ? …..
Hey, I hope you are keeping well and everything is going along fine….
Replaced by one of her former staffers, mate who beat her for preselection. In the LNP, it’s never what you know, it’s who you know. Meanwhile, the LNP loses another woman in the parliament.
That’d be like which Union / faction you belong to in Labor I suppose JTI.
You might want to look at the recent reports in the US showing 80% of people live week to week, pay to pay and need more than one job just to do that and how the average income is the same as it was 40 years ago and how the unions have declined over the last 40 years. The wealth has overwhelmingly gone to the highest 10% of income earners and corporate profits. Corporations can and do form oligopolies and then monopolies and have convinced dolts like you that unions are the enemy. It is clear you are very confused you claim to want jobs for the ordinary people yet support corporations exploiting these same people. you are just like phony. you are part of the problem due to your toxic and blind ideology and Need to have an enemy in every shadow. external locus of control work harder on your failing stop blaming every shadow you imagine.
What has that rant got to do with political parties and the who you know principle? You have a serious anger management problem and I’d suggest borderline personality disorder.
Now put your manners back in, stop generalisations and seek urgent help.
Maintain the rage Dismayed. It’s actually good for the immune system.
I cant comment on “manners”, a deprived child I never got any!
If you need guidance, ask God, that’s what I do, and he always come through.
Quite the opposite for four proud Labor women last Saturday night. What gives with the LNP’s lack of female representation?
With Jane Prentice losing pre-selection there are now only 2 women of 21 LNP federal MPs — Karen Andrews and Michelle Landry.
21 LNP federal MPs Jack? You must have gotten rid of a fair number there.
Reps and senators from the LNP in formal coalition in QLD as opposed to the rest of the country where it is either Liberal or National.
Appalling situation I agree.
Maybe they thought it was a reality show called The Prentice . “Jane – you’re fired!”
Don’t tell people on here you’re a rusted on Labor supporter Bill, they will make it hard for you to express an opinion from now on without you being called a rabid leftie or even worse a leftie snowflake….
I do note in other posts I see from you now and then in another forum, your great love for Donald Trump…..ha,ha.
Surely you’re not claiming generalisations on the basis of ideology are all one way Penny! Whilst many have a view only one person is constantly on the attack based on ideology and posts on little else. To be honest mate I’m gobsmacked by that post!
Still jumping at shadows razor. HAHAHAHAHA. you need a double view mirror to help you actually see what you say. HAHAHA. external locus of control razor even you can work that out then again someone must have done that to you. HAHAHA. weak effort. No surprises.
I post on a number of topics Penny, as you do. We all show our bias but are not constantly generalising and being aggressive. All but one of us use humour and show compassion to others who over the years have gone through a tough spot. You show your pink slip often and that’s great but attack for the sake of attack Is the domain of only one.
I note you have just read somewhere about the concept of ‘Locus of Control’. You used it once in context but blew it the second time, I assume trying to show everyone how smart you are, or aren’t.
I’m actually quite successful in life and I blame that on hard work and the great support of family and friends but you go with your own narrative. I’d suggest if a psychologist analysed your posts, the negativity and generalisations and then applied the theory they would probably opine it was in fact you who blames external factors to all types of failure. E.G. Con’s, Coalition, Worst Govt ever, Trump, twisted ideology……should I go on?
Agree. Flinging very personal insults comes from one direction on this blog- unless you are referring to the comments on the other side of the paywall.
Boa, the comments on the other side of the paywall never, ever change and become sadly tiresome. One directed at JTI particularly amused me yesterday when a reader accused him of knowing nothing about the racing industry. However I do stick to my belief that there are more conservatives on this blog than not. And yes other people do throw insults here, just not as strongly as the person you are referring to? Hey he even tosses in some pretty bad comments about my beloved football team. But we all have the right to an opinion.
I will look at the AP ad again, maybe I was too harsh, but the Westpac ad……nah
I think APost are trying to connect back to the basics with the community in their battles with emails and the subsequent virtual extinction of mailed letters, Penny. The personal touch and all that- and the services they offer that people may have lost touch with. The ad worked for me.
Sorry Razor, having just read another post of yours, I should also have warned Bill that he would also be called a “luvvie” as well, do let me know if I have missed another one…
Au contraire! I’m not a rusted on Labor guy, though they are the best of a sad lot they are a bit too right wing for my liking, but I’ll cop “rabid leftie” any day with pride, if that’s the best the little forelock tuggers can do.
And for this morning’s service, “I say unto thee Bill, whop it up ’em, make ’em take it!” Amen.
Let us now turn to todays hymn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVCT4iGzm8Q
JB when is non-conforming conforming? You see its all about the circles in which you mix and express your opinions. Think about it old bean.
Non conforming is non conforming, by definition. You’re overthinking it.
Rust is a form of decay.
And it falls off. I’ve always thought was a poor metaphor
One for you Henry Donald J Blofeld! I have no idea how they do this. I’m not sure I could understand it if it was explained to me. Whizzo! Any ideas?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBTZVY9ge9k
Amazing, Mr. Baptiste, well beyond my comprehension as well. Love those Flyovers they do in the USA at ballgames etc. Cheers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZDwNjksdwk
Ummmm, okay.
Hamster in a gyroscope JB.
I’ve seen some of that stuff live by an SU27. (Biggin Hill) Hard to fathom.
It’s called exhaust vectoring. It’s a bit like cocking a cheek and farting in someone’s general direction, rather than unleashing a non-directional fart, as one does in a lift. The exit of the jet exhaust can be angled to improve maneuverability, mainly for dog-fighting with guns. Doesn’t always work, and is best not attempted at low altitude. See 1st item – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8PWfIth-o0
I know what it’s called. What are the control inputs?
From the comments it appears that first one in your link is an F18 attempting to do a loop, quite a different thing from the Cobra. But yes, proximity to the deck has always been an aviation issue.
Feast your eyes on these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcLavSl58yQ
Wow those jets are just amazing JB, no guesses why it’s called the Cobra….😏
Pretty cool!
The shrieking ideological zealot m.cash must resign. also trumball must call an election after it has been revealed he decided to give half a $billion to a foundation full of Resources people to supposedly gather more investment for the GBR. What else was he buying with the $half a $billion.Oh JS just so you can catch up. Most corrupt government in nations history.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/30/malcolm-turnbull-present-when-443-million-dollars-offered-to-small-group-without-tender-inquiry-hears
No no…we don’t want her to resign. Whilst she is there she is a festering boil on the arse of the Liberals.
They can target her every day until the general election-a daily pain in the arse for the Looters.
For the sake of ideological balance, how about letting us have an uncompromising, fanatical shriek about the taxpayer footing the bill for dish-washing and other domestic duties?
That would mean balance Carl…..the ideological shriek and generalisations based on nothing more than assumptions are his stock in trade.
Well spotted Razor.
“Ideological balance.” How the f*** does that work? Sounds a bit oxy to me.
oxymoron is a clever con.
Pay that one.
Oh you are part of the review into Ms Husar are you? you have all the facts? I think you will find she is suffering from a mental health issue. When a labor politician uses the ADF and creates agencies purely for political purposes I will offer a response to that. Just for once cotc try opening your eye to the fact your toxic party are the worst this nation has ever seen.
Who has the “mental health issue” ? Or was that just a throw away line you picked up in The Guardian? Or perhaps you’ve been pumping too much iron Dismayed. And no, we don’t want to know all about the condition of your abs, traps, biceps & triceps, etc. Been there, done that.
So how do you know what Ms Husar’s mental health issue are?
Speaking of our GBR I just heard that Canavan, our coal-obsessed federal Resources Minister has sent George Christensen to Japan to ask their government to build a new coal-fired power station here.
What a disgusting lack of common-sense & more evidence this awful government lives on another planet because it doesn’t give a shit about this one.
the 2 of them should resign immediately. also the NEG is a scam to lock higher power prices and support the fossil fuel cartels.
On reflection Jack, what the hell was Super Saturday all about? Consider the legal, political and electioneering costs for what was, despite the press fever, a predictable non event.
Since when was this series of point scoring going to present a scenario that hasnt happened in 98 years, that is a government winning a byelection? For students of history, that last event occurred in special cicumstances when the seat of Kalgoorlie covered about 80 per cent of the State of Western Australia. It aint going to happen again any time soon.
Shorten’s victory speach was drivel, and Turnbull’s defence of the belting in Longman not far behind. All Labor did was retain what they already had, BFD. If their admin was a bit sharper none of this would have been necessary in the first place. We are fast vbecoming a laughing stock for our political discourse and process in this country, and to think we used to mock the Italians! Fungulo bustarda to all of them.
Good one Lou, couldn’t argue with any of that.
DUTTS IS SAFE: Michael McKenna (Oz Qld Editor) says so!
2% margin only for Big Pete, BASSMAN doesn’t sound too safe for my liking. Cheers
True story. A few months back now I happened to pass the Dutton travelling circus caravan set up on the main roadside after work & to my surprise there he was (plus two minders) with an electorate sign saying Have a chat with your MP. Sadly or otherwise I wasn’t in the left lane cos my first reaction was to run him down but the loss of demerit points killed that idea 😎 then I looked for a chance to do a u-turn however by then I’d built up so much anger over his cold-hearted refugee policies that a confrontation with an ex-cop wouldn’t end well for me that day.
A missed opportunity for sure but I need my license. Horrible man.
Just doing the job the people of Australia asked the LNP to do Bella. Labor reckon it was actually their policy.
Whoever is responsible now mate & that would be stone-heart himself, I don’t know how he sleeps at night. We’ve lost our humanity.
We see potato head has over a dozen times used the courts to stop seriously ill children from being transported to Australia for treatment. I hope he is charged with manslaughter for the deaths that have occurred due to his interventions and for his wilful disregard for human life and deliberate demonization of people Legally seeking asylum. dutton and his supporters are an embarrassment and a disgrace to Australia.
I’ve seen the word “heinous” to describe Dutton’s actions in several overseas and local journals. Too kind, but there you have it.
I suspect his motivations are tied to his ambitions and a personal belief that Australians want a nasty bastard vis a vis refugees and the one with the best chance for PM will be the one seen to be the nastiest bastard.
Well my thoughts re Craig Garland proved to be correct.
I see he says he will stand at the next federal election.
I think he would be pretty good. He’s not a Jacqui Lambie. A good solid salt of the earth type……..but why on earth would he want to forsake the fabulous lifestyle that he has up in beautiful NW Tasmania and join that bunch of dills? He needs counselling.
Just went to see the Tim Winton movie, Breath. Fabulous.
Top performance by Craig, Boadicea on a shoestring budget too. I want to see Jacqui Lambie back next election shes good value imho. Cheers
I read Winton’s book a while ago & loved it. I rarely go to the cinema these days cos it’s deafening to me but I’ll make an exception. Ta. 😊
Gorgeous scenery, Bella – and such an honest real story of two country kids growing up. No frills – no kangaroos running around for the overseas market where I see it has been released. I shall buy the book.
Is that the movie where an underage male is seduced by an adult female? If so how would that play out in the media if the roles were reversed? Perhaps some of our arts intelligentsia, such as Winton and Baker, are beyond touching by the loveies. Make sure you don’t miss the bit where a underage boy is taught auto erotic asphyxiation by an adult as well Bella.
It’s real life, Razor. I didnt find it offensive in the context of the story. If anything, it gives a strong message. But I don’t want to spoil it for those who may go and see it.
Auto erotic asphyxiation should be taught in schools, Razor {probably is in Victoria} as a lot of people {mostly males!} accidently die whilst engaged in it. I’ve not tried but i’m not hung up over it.
They were going to introduce it in Victoria Milt but that wanker Andrews choked.
Don’t know Razor, haven’t seen it yet, but the film is not R-rated so I’ll just make up my own mind when I do.
You seem a little bit punchy since the elections mate, I hope you’re okay. Not being a smart-ass, I’m quite sincere. 🐬
I’m all good thanks Bella. Lots on at work and home. Disappointed in the result but always happy to discuss things amiably with those whom return the favour. People like you.
Cheers!
I’ll be interested in your opinion, Bella. I didn’t find it offensive. Fact is, this happens.
I love how when the occasional story like this surfaces , the boy is, in this sensitive new age, considered a ‘victim’. Victim! If he doesn’t get a broken hand from all the high-fiving his mates have given him, he’s on the way to legend status. I’d like to have been a victim, I’ll tell ya!
Some of these psychologist types can convince themselves of anything.
And don’t anyone quote a study at me. Go talk to a pack of 15-year-old boys instead.
Yup. The high five would be a pleasant change.
Jesus- a polar bear attacks a trespasser from a cruiseship on his territory , and gets shot dead.
Good work, you f#@$wits. An endangered animal. You shouldn’t be on his territory in the first place.
True story. A few months back now I happened to pass the Dutton travelling circus caravan set up on the main roadside after work & to my surprise there he was (plus two minders) with an electorate sign saying Have a chat with your MP. Sadly or otherwise I wasn’t in the left lane cos my first reaction was to run him down but the loss of demerit points killed that idea 😎 then I looked for a chance to do a u-turn however by then I’d built up so much anger over his cold-hearted refugee policies that a confrontation with an ex-cop wouldn’t end well for me that day.
A missed opportunity for sure but I need my license. Horrible man.
This world is beyond me. Eighteen more ships yet to arrive? .What?
What kind of self-fixated people think a selfie is more important than the life of a magnificent endangered animal?
Get the hell out of their space cruise ship morons.
Couldn’t agree more Bella. This is absolutely reprehensible.
I still like my solution a couple of blogs ago of zippy tying a whole rump to the back of the shooter. In this case we could let him go in the artic as opposed to the Serengeti.
Boa, I see this argument quite a bit, we are intruding on their space etc.
What do we do about my many friends who travel to Africa and go on safari, or as I put it, pester the wildlife with a camera?
and who gets to decide what is their space and ours?
It seems to me that the saltwater crocs are heading further south into territories they didn’t inhabit before, Katherine Gorge for one.
Finally, should they have shot the cruise passenger so that at least he died quickly and less painfully than being mauled to death by a polar bear, or would that have been depriving the bear of the thrill and challenge of the hunt?
Yes jack. Although generally in Africa, where I spent a large part of my life and did go to game parks , visitors are restricted to their cars. Getting out is forbidden – and dangerous, as that idiot approaching the polar bear found out . The poor beast was entitled to protect his territory. It’s even more distressing to hear that the fool wasn’t even injured by the bear. Just killed because he looked big and menacing.
Cruise ships are a menace. Here in Hobart we used to have about 20 coming in. This year we had 60+, and next season its over 70 of them, who will disgorge their passengers upon us. Then they go and ruin Port Arthur by anchoring off and transferring the thousands by dinghy to the site – ruining the experience and the photographs for those who drive there. Who wants a photo of an ugly cruise ship as background for an historic site?
And that’s before we start on the environmental pollution. Bah humbug!!
Jack, they’re travelling further south in Queensland too…..one was seen at Yeppoon last year. They were in Katherine Gorge when we first went there in 1990,but what is concerning is that they are being found in places like Edith Falls which is a very popular swimming spot for Katherine locals. Don’t know what the answer is, but when the start swimming in the man made canals in the housing estates is Darwin then we have a problem…
Penny, only visited Katherine Gorge the once, must have been mid to late 80s as was with the first wife, absolutely beautiful and we were encouraged to have a paddle and did.
Plenty of freshwater crocs but no sign or signs warning of salties.
No expert me, but it seems that in banning hunting of crocs and fishing great whites we have let the numbers grow too much and encouraged the expansion of territory.
I must be a bit of speciesist as I think I would shoot the croc/bear/shark to save the miserable human, even if I knew they would spend all their time cutting and pasting party political opinions on blogs.
A bit of crocodile trivia for you Penny. The biggest taken in Qld was Normanton in the Gulf of Carpenteria with the second biggest being in the early 1900’s in the Logan river just south of Brisbane! The culling soon sorted their range out though. They’re movement south is just taking back what was theirs to start with. There are centuries old aboriginal paintings near the Brisbane River at Mt Crosby which clearly show Barramundi! It would be interesting to know, prior to the wholesale slaughter of the 19th and early 20th century, if they were also in Edith Falls. My bet would be they were.
I spent a few weeks in Normanton on a job back in the 80’s. They’d had a flood a couple of years previously and had a croc or two inspecting the main drag. There was a monster living only a couple of kays down the river and two of us went out in a tinnie with (no names, he still lives there) to take him out. I was an observer only. He was lurking that day and we didn’t see him. We did see his footmarks though, the size of a goddam Texan entree. Not sure if it was a good thing or not that we didn’t witness his illegal dispatch to croc heaven.
As for Mt Crosby, well, that’s not far from Goodna. Didn’t the butcher there see a shark swim up the street during the 2010 (11?) flood? And isn’t there supposedly a dam on the golf course near there with sharks trapped in it? The world’s either an urban legend or a dangerous place!
Bears have inhabited that “space” for a very long time, just as the grizzlies do in the wilds of Canada.
If human beings must encroach on their habitats then they know the risk. Just like swimming in the ocean mate. Sharks are never running up the beach to kill someone.
Why can’t we co-exist by using a thing called common-sense and take our photographs from a safe distance?
That cruise ships actually allow their passengers to disembark in that place is irresponsible in the extreme so the ultimate blame is on them.
Despite the outcry over the swallowing of Fairfax by 9, of recent years the SMH and The Age haven’t been worthy to wrap your fish and chips in. What few decent journo’s they once had have long left the scene.
Quality writers are hard to find. The Australian is still somewhat lacking since the death of Christopher Pearson.
Absolute crap.
Rubbish Bassy absolute truth.
That sizzling display of rhetoric has forced me to reconsider my opinion, Bassman. No wonder they made you Principal!
Crap.
Oh dear, another crape diem type.