I’ve said it many times before. Australia is the best damned country in the world with the exception of some island nations in the Caribbean with some very liberal banking laws.
For all that Australia can be a confusing place, especially for Australians. There are three tiers of government, all pretty much worthless and in various stages of decrepitude shuffling between inertia, chaos all the way along to abject failure. We have a corporate world blagging its way around a laughably cobbled together regulatory system while trying not to snigger too much. There’s a mutant media that routinely crucifies people, more often that not for no apparent good reason and a taxation system that, frankly, I gave up on a long time ago.
Last week the Turnbull government announced a range of changes to the 457 visa scheme and rounded it off with tightening requirements for citizenship. At a presser and then again in an interview with Leigh Sales on the ABC, our Prime Minister, resplendent in an electric blue suit, equivocated in response to what were some fairly mild inquiries on his thoughts on Australian-ness and what he considered might be Australian values.
Full column here.
Trivalve (04 May 1.13pm) – “Is it the news services who are crass or do they know what we want?” Bit from column A, bit from column B.
I’ve never been embarrassed of my country, but I was a bit embarrassed FOR Australia during Cirque de Schapelle Corby. The place really lost its mind. It was like watching one of those bad drunks who gets full of something they really shouldn’t and then spends the night alternating wildly between stumbling about looking for a fight and collapsed in the corner, sobbing in self-pity. The politicians publicly weighing in were bad enough and they should have known better but most of the media were an absolute effing disgrace. What they thought they were achieving by whipping idiots into a frenzy (beyond bumping their own ratings) I don’t know. They certainly weren’t improving Corby’s legal situation.
Interestingly, the only commentator of note (of whom I’m aware) who regularly and consistently railed against the brainlessness and bigotry was Andrew Bolt. I know it’s not fashionable to say things like that in certain company but he was spot on. I saw a report yesterday on this latest case suggesting the family has gone quiet on the advice of their Australian lawyer and, if that’s true then thank goodness someone is thinking things through.
I’ve heard Bolt make sense before. Needed a stiff drink afterwards, but there you go.
Jean Baptiste
I say JB, I noticed that in relation to HK Jack’s excellent well-reasoned post at 3.52pm on 4 May you simply commented: “You takin’ the piss bloke?”
It seems you’ve got a chronic propensity to attack the messenger without addressing the content of what is offered.
Have you ever given your MO due consideration or do you simply regurgitate your gainsay habitually me old mate?
Stupid comment Carl. I was not attacking the poster I was merely enquiring if he was tongue in cheek. I still don’t know.
You’re doing nothing but regurgitating my perfectly valid criticism of your own constant harping. Try and think of something original.
Tried hard but sorry, couldn’t better your regurgitation me old mate.
Since I wrote the original it would seem you are living in a state of bewilderment.
JB
The rich only leave a country when the tax becomes excessive or their assets are in danger.
In danger of being required to pay a reasonable amount of tax?
You’ve listened to the Stone’s Exiles on Main St.?
“The Stones!” Jesus Christ! Talk about scraping the barrel.
Bassman,
Read an article about the NBN.
The ACCC has not yet taken any action against the ISP’s for the way they are advertising – “up to 25 etc”.
They are trying to get them to change their ways but are running out of patience.
The article went on to say that the ISP’s are not buying enough bandwidth to cater for the aggregate demand.
The ISP’s, in my view, are very close to making fraudulent offers.
PM Turnbull on his way back to Australia as we speak, Mr Insider, after his “‘love fest” with POTUS Trump. Note the body language in the attached article where Turnbull reaches right across to shake Trumps hand and Trump just extends his a wee bit. Trying too hard to please Malcolm and it shows buddy. Meanwhile Acting PM Barnaby Joyce, resplendent in wide brimmed Aussie Hat, has done a fabulous job filling in for Turnbull.
http://tinyurl.com/mabp5sq
I may have mentioned this before but IMO Trump’s handshakes border on physical assault; worse than Abbott and almost as bad as Latham.
TBLS – can you please, in clear words, explain today’s CFA decision?
Cheers,
Trabvitch
I’m not sure. I haven’t seen anything new. Are you talking about the reports that CFA is to be split into separate volunteer and professional branches?
Almost beyond belief that Turnbull effusively praised the Congress vote to take away health care from some of the poorest in USA…FM DED!! That is what the Looters want here…no universal health care…front with your credit card or you are ‘ked! Never forget what the Looters have said….Sneddon said in 1974…. “It doesn’t care how long it takes, we will destroy Medicare over time”. In 1984 Howard said he would “Stab Medicare in the stomach”. He also said he wanted to “Take a scalpel to Medicare”. The Liberals have always had form on this. It is in their DNA. You see the Liberals don’t like public “anything”. Public schools, public transport, the public broadcaster, public healthcare-in short they just don’t like the public!
Like I said last week Bassy, the political wing of the health funds.
you are so right
Look at it another way Bassy – their mates can make a killing by taking over previous state owned stuff.
Something has to be done about the ballooning cost of health though.
Bassy says: “in short they just don’t like the public!”
You’re like the piranha having a bag of crisps Bassy – you’re having a laugh, surely.
Stay away from that baby food and try to get out more often mate.
Oh…found him Wally!
Welshman, stranger, Scottish hero …?
Equally unbelievably, while accepting Turnbull’s praise for gutting the US health system, Trump nonetheless opined that the Australian health system is better than the US’s. He’s right, of course; on every conceivable measure, it _is_ better, but he’s not supposed to say that because it’s politically incorrect. Naturally the now well-established Department of Reinterpretation of Bizarre Things the President Says immediately swung into action to assure us that what he plainly said is not what he meant at all.
This is the new normal.
do you mean the health system is better, or the health insurance system is better?
Donald Trump sings with gusto, Mr Insider, the unofficial Baseball anthem called “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”. Does Donald do anything at all by half measure, methinks not! Melania looking on proudly and singing along too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlbUwLx785k
Well that f*******d that song for about 60 million people. I’ll never be able to listen to it again.
Where’s Wally?
AFL football tips for the weekend one and all. Experts tipping a round of upsets but the only thing upset will be my stomach after back to back to back local meals in Binh Duong (just near Down Pat).
Damn. I missed out on tonight’s tip. For what it’s worth, the Saints by 20 in the first of a number of big upsets over the weekend. TV has alluded to another and if it happens I won’t be upset in the slightest although Eddie McGuire may need the defibralator.
Jack – you rightly got the Saints!
The Saints are in good nick. Midfield firing. Good down back and plenty of weapons up forward. I’ve got them in my final eight.
They even beat Collingwood
Fancy that.
Even Essendon beat Collingwood TV
Good tip Jack. Moments left and Saints have kicked the last seven goals and run off with the game. I’m on the Blues again this week too. Suns, Leos and Demons are also likely upsets. Dogs an outside chance as well. An exciting weekend of footy.