Humble servant of the Nation

In the Canberra space, no one can hear anybody scream

SHARE
, / 18783 465

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.

465 Comments

  • Dismayed says:

    Fortunately, costs for battery storage have plummeted in recent years so fast that in Colorado, building new renewable power plus battery storage is now cheaper than running old coal plants
    http://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-and-wind-power-alone-could-provide-four-fifths-of-us-power-75235/

    • Carl on the Coast says:

      A fairly nugatory comment if I may say so Dismayed. And the link is really nothing to write home about.

      How often have we read such pieces that open with – “a new study finds …. ” and close with the old escape clause “but more research is needed”? For nearly two decades I’d say. It was soon after Al Gore spat the dummy when Bush jnr. whupped him and Gore then made a box office hit about polar bears surfing on icebergs. The Hollywood set couldn’t get enough of it.

      But before I get too excited about this brave new world of batteries and bulldust, I share Wissendorf’s concerns (4.11pm, 4 Mar). For the sake of my kids, grandkids, their kids and grandkids, etc, I want to know what are they going to do with all the windmills, and where and how are we going to bury all those mega tonnes of photovoltaic solar panels after their UBD.

  • Henry Blofeld says:

    The wonderful Harry Enfield, Mr Insider, this time with some good advice for the ladies who have been in the news lately and he titles this little “quickie” timely “Women Keep Your Virtue”.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0jRuASVEQ

  • The Bow-Legged Swantoon says:

    Jack, I’ve imposed on your good nature many times and I ask once more for your indulgence.

    In the face of relentless global grimness, and in the hope that The Big Yin might bring a little of the joy to others that he has brought to me since I was too young to really understand it, here is Billy Connolly’s 75th birthday special. Apologies if it’s just a nostalgic faff:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCjh7rN_KCM

  • Milton says:

    Genius! A former Russian spy working for M16 goes out for some of the nouvelle British cuisine, come’s a cropper and the finger is pointed at the ‘evil’ Russians.

  • Razor says:

    I initially thought Warner had been grabbed by de Koch but it would appear otherwise.

    • Dismayed says:

      Australians have denied making remarks about the SA wicket keepers family. Tim Paine has categorically stated the Seth Efricaans have made false claims. Paine is a straight up guy. The Seth Efricaans have been proven otherwise. . Last time in naustralia the Seth Africaans continually claimed the media was picking on them. Their captain was charged with ball tampering. It is clear they are orchestrating a deliberate pay back. You only have to look at the commentating to see that. Their always hard done by siege mentality, whingeing at every turn is bad enough but to now try and make false statements to cover up is a disgrace. No surprises

      • Razor says:

        Dismal you have no sense of humour do you? You have just demonstrated your absolute lack of comprehension and an amazing ability to assume what somebody has said because it fits your preconceived impression of them. I couldn’t give a rats about Warner, who has little mans syndrome, de Koch or any of them. It was a pun you idiot! JB got it. You clearly didn’t.

        Read what I said again and repeat 1000 times; ‘I so lack any cognitive skills and am so personally unaware I just made a fool of myself’

    • Jean Baptiste says:

      It looked like it the way he was screaming that send off on the field.

    • Milton says:

      DING!! I just got that on the second read. Top shelf, Razor – and stolen!

    • Failed Comic says:

      I thought a candy cane was a lolly until I got a mouthful from de Koch

  • Dismayed says:

    Is there more political interference with the RBA? Accounting changes aside. WTF.
    https://tinyurl.com/y8t6lba2

  • Henry Blofeld says:

    “Hey big spender”, Mr Insider and I am stunned to see in these “delicate” dating times that SA’s Nick Xenophon took Tassies Jacqui Lambie out on a “date” but wait for it………. to KFC! Bloody hell. Ms Lambie even went as far as to say Mr Xenophon might have made it to first base if he’d taken her to a better a restaurant. Strewth
    https://tinyurl.com/yb864bkr

  • Dismayed says:

    “Sadly, there are now entire business lines, firms and sectors across Australia whose business models rely heavily on the systematic undermining of wages and, worse, running virtual slave labour.” these business models are supported by the coalition and their supporters. No surprises..
    https://tinyurl.com/ycgcpw4z

  • Dismayed says:

    The TPP will also commit Australia to allowing the employment of workers from six new countries – namely Mexico, Chile, Japan, Canada, Malaysia and Vietnam – without requiring them to first check if there is an Australian that could do the same job.
    The coalition and their supporters continue to fail Australia at every turn. No Surprises.
    https://tinyurl.com/y8g7ab8r

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.

PASSWORD RESET

LOG IN