A week ago today, I attended the memorial for Bill Leak at the Sydney Town Hall.
As I scanned the crowd, an eclectic group of people who had known Bill one way or another, I had to ask where were the Labor people? Where was Shorten, Plibersek or Dreyfus?
In the wake of the 2004 election, with the Howard government enjoying a majority in both houses, there was no opposition in the parliament. For at least two years, the worst part of Coalition MPs’ days was opening up The Australian and flipping to Bill Leak’s cartoon, to see another hilarious lampooning of their leader.
I would have thought some of the Labor people might have made an appearance simply out of gratitude for those dark days. It bothers me they stayed away and it speaks of a faddish clannishness the old Labor people would regard with contempt.
Bill Leak embraced everyone he met. Ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, it didn’t matter. He genuinely enjoyed the company of people but it was more than that. If he spied someone feeling awkward or a bit uncomfortable, Bill would bound up and make a fuss of them. He not only had the ability to make people feel special but he brought a sense of fairness and equity to any table.
It is a politician’s gift but Bill was not on the ballot. He wasn’t trying to sell anything. He simply loved people.
Full column here.
I see Labor attempted to serve up a cocktail to the government during QT today.
But as usual it ended up a tacky slurpee.
Question time is a waste of time. the usual charade of yelling, stunts and Dorothy dixers. Why bother. Until the rules are changed and the ratbags are forced to answer questions. be respectful and behave as adults it will remain what it is now, a pointless farce.
Agree UQ – it’s pathetic
More coalition lies highlighted. this coalition government is an absolute disgrace. the coalition supporters should hang their heads in shame.
https://theconversation.com/the-cashless-debit-card-causes-social-and-economic-harm-so-why-trial-it-again-74985
Well Dismayed they can say what they want, selectively pick the stats they want and allow as many people to ‘self report’ their drug, alcohol and gambling habits as they want but please let me give it to you from someone who visits and stays at Aboriginal communities in the NT, Cape York and the Gulf of Carpenteria regularly. Approx 30 times in the 2016 year. I have seen first hand the benefits of income management. But just don’t take it from me as a visitor, the local women in particular love it as do the teachers, nurses and other people trying to extricate these people from absolute 3rd world poverty. I get angry when I see arm chair experts in the media commenting on stuff like this when they simply no NOTHING and are just trying to prove a political point. A point I may add made on the graves of aboriginal children. It looks like ‘the card’ is coming to the Gulf and the Cape and that is terrifying drug dealers and unscrupulous alcohol purveyors alike. The card will make the already existing system of income management easier. It will allow young children whose brains are just developing, some unfortunately already impaired by foetal alcohol syndrome, to get the food needed to nourish and allow them to grow.
I implore you please don’t try and make cheap political points on this subject it is far too important. It isn’t perfect but no process is.
Agreed TG. I have seen first hand the alcohol smugglers in action in Burketown, the profits of a 200litre drum of “monkey blood” sold to mission people used to be 600% or more per 2 litre bottle. Very lucrative business. When I asked the proprietor of one such business why he was ripping off his own people in such a fashion he replied he had to buy a new Landcruiser. Debit cards sounds like a breach of human rights, but so is inflicting suffering on people that find it hard to make positive decisions.
Why in the Penalty pay discussion has nobody noted that the coalition have made numerous appointments all from Business associations the Farmer Federation, Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Metals etc etc. the Fairwork commission is now clearly stacked in favour business.
i had a look at the make up of the panel who decided the penalty rates decision, my recollection may be faulty these days but i think they were all appointed by Labor governments, a couple when Bill Shorten was the Minister.
Well, I’m home in my big, comfortable leather chair. Now the real recovery begins.
Cheers, friends!
Tremendous work, Dwight.
Nothing like a good old comfy leather chair…go well
My kindest regards for a good recovery Dwight.
Not to be too indelicate here, but I’m guessing your home ‘wastewater’, would be loaded-up on Endone & the like right now! Hehe
Go easy, Bella
Yes indeed, Bella. I’m comfortable in a narcotic soup. I take a veritable plethora of pills daily.
Great stuff Dwight. A little red surely wouldn’t hurt……..
Wake up man! Get off your arse. Stand on your hands and go jogging. Do some pull-ups. The chair is a cunning socialist plot!
http://www.menshealth.co.uk/healthy/addictions/sitting-down-will-kill-you
good news Dwight
Good news Dwight!
No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition…
Tea on the last day of the Shield final and SA need 406 to win in 31 overs.
Very gettable. A bit over 13 an over. Hopefully they don’t call it off.
23 an over required with 15 overs left. Still doable.
28 an over with 12 to go. Sense of urgency required now. Bloody Vics might just hang on.
The coalition are Desperate at times hysterical they have proven to be even more dysfunctional and have blown out debt and the deficit and have flat lined the economy with their neo-liberal treacle down freidman voodoo economics, their cons supporters are desperate and we will see a heightened attack in all media and in parliament on the usual. Refugees, Unions, the least well off those needing health care, renewable energy, climate change any non Christian heterosexual groups basically anyone who dare question the cons. and try to hold them accountable. The next couple of years will again leave the Nation further divided and stagnating. Labor may win government and will again have to stimulate the Nations economy due to 8 years of nothing being done by the coalition except for its divisive ideological agenda.
Boadicea says: March 27, 2017 at 1:38 pm You are flat out WRONG Yvonne, as usual you highlight your own ridiculousness by “Generalising” and trying to use that “Generalising” as your defence for ignorance and outright falsehoods. For every 1000 15 to 19 year olds in Australia there are 16 births. 70% of them occur in Major cites. The rate has fallen from 55 births per 1000 15 -19 yr olds since 1971. So your continued attacks on young people highlight that you are Wrong and have some sort of need to attack them to further your false assumptions and bigotry.
Strange that you always use the word ”attack” when someone voices their opinion – it’s either an ” attack” against you or the world in general.
Tasmanians are ‘real’ people, Dismayed. Genuine. They appreciate the world they live in. When they say ”how are you” – they genuinely mean ”how are you” – not just a turn of phrase.
Bronwyn would not feel comfortable here – nor would you
Cheers
No they don’t. They are just bloody inveigling .
That’s a lot of Solar Panels
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-29/australia-on-cusp-of-large-scale-solar-boom-experts-say/8377226
More exciting news from the fertile mind of Elon Musk, Mr Insider. We read his new car the Tesla 3 will feature a single centre display for all its data—no heads-up display, no standard instrument placement. Shades of the 1950’s Morris Mini Minor that had just one single instrument, the Speedo. I for one am bamboozled at the amazing array of electronic “gadgets” the modern car has and am all for simplifying Instrumentation to allow drivers to focus on the Road. A friend of mine tells me the latest BMW will have an automatic lane changing device FGS! Back to Elon and we can be assured while ever he draws breath there will be plenty of exciting things to look forward too. I have submitted my name for his Moon Landing next year but alas have not have had confirmation of my seat on his Moon Rocket, “Thruster 2” as yet!
http://tinyurl.com/ld66o63
played with a Merc on a 4 lane road.
I noticed as I started to overtake a red light came on the drivers side window.
I dropped back. Light went off. Advanced a bit and it was back on.
It was his blind spot indicator.
Must drive him crazy.
Indeed jackSprat some cars makers are offering the driver way too much info imho. Goodness I have driven in Sydney traffic for nearly 50 years with no problems.
Indeed JS. I was driving with someone in their latest top model Subaru the other day. Thing kept on beeping. When I asked why, I was told that if you go too close to the white line on the side or the middle of the road – it beeps!
And he could ”talk” to his console and switch music, messages and all sorts of things on .
I had a nice time, talking to his car!!
Would drive me nuts – but I am told you can switch these things off.
Footy tips everyone, Round 2 kicks off this evening
Indeed, Collingwood take on the Tigers and Dusty Martin is bound to be a handful again. I just took a look at the tipster’s ladder and by gee, aren’t I going well.
I thought you were just giving everyone else a bit of a head start Jack.
Already in. Jack, please don’t improve. At least I’m ahead of someone. Some wild results in last week’s games. Two big surprises were the Blues and GC. I was certain both had the goods. Blues tackling let them down and GC were dead unlucky I think. Who could see the Leo’s coming out and banging on 40 odd unanswered in the 1st 1/4?
I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself, Jack I think you are providing an invaluable community service. Don’t go changing.
with your footy tipping and my cricket punditry there can no doubt , none at all, as to the reason why this wonderful nation has not experienced a recession for 20 yrs….
I’m there with you. Jack! 🙁
Yes , at least I’ve not hit rock bottom.
Contrarian tipping?