https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/grim-persistent-homelessness-figures-housing-crisis/104883838

The number of people experiencing long-term homelessness has surged by over 25 per cent, new data from the Productivity Commission shows.

Amid a housing shortage and cost-of-living crisis, the commission’s report on government services showed 37,779 people experienced persistent homelessness in 2023-24.

The figure is an increase of 26.3 per cent from 30,306 people who lacked homes long term in 2019-20.

dv said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/grim-persistent-homelessness-figures-housing-crisis/104883838

The number of people experiencing long-term homelessness has surged by over 25 per cent, new data from the Productivity Commission shows.

Amid a housing shortage and cost-of-living crisis, the commission’s report on government services showed 37,779 people experienced persistent homelessness in 2023-24.

The figure is an increase of 26.3 per cent from 30,306 people who lacked homes long term in 2019-20.

just read a friend’s facebook…

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/grim-persistent-homelessness-figures-housing-crisis/104883838

The number of people experiencing long-term homelessness has surged by over 25 per cent, new data from the Productivity Commission shows.

Amid a housing shortage and cost-of-living crisis, the commission’s report on government services showed 37,779 people experienced persistent homelessness in 2023-24.

The figure is an increase of 26.3 per cent from 30,306 people who lacked homes long term in 2019-20.

just read a friend’s facebook…

pwnd

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/grim-persistent-homelessness-figures-housing-crisis/104883838

The number of people experiencing long-term homelessness has surged by over 25 per cent, new data from the Productivity Commission shows.

Amid a housing shortage and cost-of-living crisis, the commission’s report on government services showed 37,779 people experienced persistent homelessness in 2023-24.

The figure is an increase of 26.3 per cent from 30,306 people who lacked homes long term in 2019-20.

just read a friend’s facebook…

pwnd

we feel like at least 80% of these are cheap bots or paid drones simply engagement farming to draw in “regular” users and engage them to waste time and prevent real action

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

just read a friend’s facebook…

pwnd

we feel like at least 80% of these are cheap bots or paid drones simply engagement farming to draw in “regular” users and engage them to waste time and prevent real action

Possibly. I have no way of testing that notion.

Michael V said:

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

pwnd

we feel like at least 80% of these are cheap bots or paid drones simply engagement farming to draw in “regular” users and engage them to waste time and prevent real action

Possibly. I have no way of testing that notion.

We remember the good old days when posting to whatever online used to come with a supposed reverse Turing test. Not sure how well all that is going these days.

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

SCIENCE said:

we feel like at least 80% of these are cheap bots or paid drones simply engagement farming to draw in “regular” users and engage them to waste time and prevent real action

Possibly. I have no way of testing that notion.

We remember the good old days when posting to whatever online used to come with a supposed reverse Turing test. Not sure how well all that is going these days.

and then this

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-01/facetime-prank-tiktok-trend-eric-yunkaporta/104880394

fucking hell Neil Postman smashed it

Michael V said:

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

pwnd

we feel like at least 80% of these are cheap bots or paid drones simply engagement farming to draw in “regular” users and engage them to waste time and prevent real action

Possibly. I have no way of testing that notion.

I reckon half of Quora is the FSB trying to die discord in the English speaking world.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/how-an-error-kicked-off-misinformation-on-asylum-seeker-visas/104883144

Misinformation or the inability to discern a footnote?

01 February 2025
TT-Line negotiating with ‘interested party’ regarding Spirit of Tasmania IV lease
Rob Inglis
Spirit of Tasmania IV docked in Leith, Scotland. Picture: Tyson Scott
The first of the two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries may not be leased out until the end of February as the ship continues to berth in Scotland at an average cost of more than $23,000 a week to taxpayers.
In a statement released by the Rockliff government on Friday, it was confirmed that TT-Line had “received offer from a party” and was “considering a number of other proposals from interested parties”.
“TT-Line have now entered live commercial negotiations and will move to finalise terms and conditions prior to a decision being made,” the statement said.
“TT-Line therefore require further time to complete these negotiations by the end of February.”
The replacement Spirits were originally supposed to be completed and brought to Tasmania by 2021 but this never occurred.
The cost of upgrading Berth 3 at Devonport to accommodate the new ships has ballooned by $285m and is not expected to be completed until February 2027.
Spirit of Tasmania IV, which was built in Finland, is currently berthed at Leith in Scotland at an average cost of $23,915 a week to Tasmanian taxpayers.
Labor has called on the government to bring the new ships back to Tasmania but the Liberals say crewing costs here would be “significantly higher” due to “differing domestic requirements, resulting in increased on-board crew numbers”.
Ancillary costs for the berthing of Spirit IV at Leith totalled $250,106 in the month of December, including one-off costs for initial entry into the berth.
“Estimated monthly spend for ancillary costs subsequent to this is approximately $30,000,” a government spokesperson said.
Labor Treasury spokesman Josh Willie said it was a “complete joke” for the government to “keep hiding Spirit IV in Scotland”.
“It’s time to bring the Spirits home to Tasmania where they belong, they’ll be safe, we can complete the local fit-out and get them ready for service,” he said.
robert.inglis@news.com.au

sarahs mum said:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-31/how-an-error-kicked-off-misinformation-on-asylum-seeker-visas/104883144

Misinformation or the inability to discern a footnote?

Inability to fact check can lead to misinformation.

And in this case, it did.

sarahs mum said:

01 February 2025
TT-Line negotiating with ‘interested party’ regarding Spirit of Tasmania IV lease
Rob Inglis
Spirit of Tasmania IV docked in Leith, Scotland. Picture: Tyson Scott
The first of the two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries may not be leased out until the end of February as the ship continues to berth in Scotland at an average cost of more than $23,000 a week to taxpayers.
In a statement released by the Rockliff government on Friday, it was confirmed that TT-Line had “received offer from a party” and was “considering a number of other proposals from interested parties”.
“TT-Line have now entered live commercial negotiations and will move to finalise terms and conditions prior to a decision being made,” the statement said.
“TT-Line therefore require further time to complete these negotiations by the end of February.”
The replacement Spirits were originally supposed to be completed and brought to Tasmania by 2021 but this never occurred.
The cost of upgrading Berth 3 at Devonport to accommodate the new ships has ballooned by $285m and is not expected to be completed until February 2027.
Spirit of Tasmania IV, which was built in Finland, is currently berthed at Leith in Scotland at an average cost of $23,915 a week to Tasmanian taxpayers.
Labor has called on the government to bring the new ships back to Tasmania but the Liberals say crewing costs here would be “significantly higher” due to “differing domestic requirements, resulting in increased on-board crew numbers”.
Ancillary costs for the berthing of Spirit IV at Leith totalled $250,106 in the month of December, including one-off costs for initial entry into the berth.
“Estimated monthly spend for ancillary costs subsequent to this is approximately $30,000,” a government spokesperson said.
Labor Treasury spokesman Josh Willie said it was a “complete joke” for the government to “keep hiding Spirit IV in Scotland”.
“It’s time to bring the Spirits home to Tasmania where they belong, they’ll be safe, we can complete the local fit-out and get them ready for service,” he said.
robert.inglis@news.com.au

Bunch of clowns.

sarahs mum said:

01 February 2025
TT-Line negotiating with ‘interested party’ regarding Spirit of Tasmania IV lease
Rob Inglis
Spirit of Tasmania IV docked in Leith, Scotland. Picture: Tyson Scott
The first of the two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries may not be leased out until the end of February as the ship continues to berth in Scotland at an average cost of more than $23,000 a week to taxpayers.
In a statement released by the Rockliff government on Friday, it was confirmed that TT-Line had “received offer from a party” and was “considering a number of other proposals from interested parties”.
“TT-Line have now entered live commercial negotiations and will move to finalise terms and conditions prior to a decision being made,” the statement said.
“TT-Line therefore require further time to complete these negotiations by the end of February.”
The replacement Spirits were originally supposed to be completed and brought to Tasmania by 2021 but this never occurred.
The cost of upgrading Berth 3 at Devonport to accommodate the new ships has ballooned by $285m and is not expected to be completed until February 2027.
Spirit of Tasmania IV, which was built in Finland, is currently berthed at Leith in Scotland at an average cost of $23,915 a week to Tasmanian taxpayers.
Labor has called on the government to bring the new ships back to Tasmania but the Liberals say crewing costs here would be “significantly higher” due to “differing domestic requirements, resulting in increased on-board crew numbers”.
Ancillary costs for the berthing of Spirit IV at Leith totalled $250,106 in the month of December, including one-off costs for initial entry into the berth.
“Estimated monthly spend for ancillary costs subsequent to this is approximately $30,000,” a government spokesperson said.
Labor Treasury spokesman Josh Willie said it was a “complete joke” for the government to “keep hiding Spirit IV in Scotland”.
“It’s time to bring the Spirits home to Tasmania where they belong, they’ll be safe, we can complete the local fit-out and get them ready for service,” he said.
robert.inglis@news.com.au

Is anybody to be held accountable for this enormous mess-up?

(IIRC, somebody resigned, but is that enough?)

Senator Jacqui Lambie
3h ·
I’m just going to leave this here.
Millions struggle to make ends meet, yet taxpayer money lines the pockets of the privileged, where’s the fairness in that?
TIME TO CAP THIER SALARIES!
—

Silly me- I thought the PM was on the money,

sarahs mum said:

Senator Jacqui Lambie
3h ·
I’m just going to leave this here.
Millions struggle to make ends meet, yet taxpayer money lines the pockets of the privileged, where’s the fairness in that?
TIME TO CAP THIER SALARIES!
—

Silly me- I thought the PM was on the money,

They have to be paid well enough not to consider taking bribes.

sarahs mum said:

Senator Jacqui Lambie
3h ·
I’m just going to leave this here.
Millions struggle to make ends meet, yet taxpayer money lines the pockets of the privileged, where’s the fairness in that?
TIME TO CAP THIER SALARIES!
—

Silly me- I thought the PM was on the money,

It does like like they all could afford to forego a pay rise for a year or two. Tighten the belt a notch, maybe stay at Claridge’s rather than the Savoy. For a little bit, at least.

party_pants said:

sarahs mum said:

Senator Jacqui Lambie
3h ·
I’m just going to leave this here.
Millions struggle to make ends meet, yet taxpayer money lines the pockets of the privileged, where’s the fairness in that?
TIME TO CAP THIER SALARIES!
—

Silly me- I thought the PM was on the money,

They have to be paid well enough not to consider taking bribes.

It would appear that that objective has been met.

Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list
Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia show a sustained strategy approved by environment minister Tanya Plibersek

The Australian government carried out an international lobbying campaign to keep the Great Barrier Reef off a list of world heritage sites in danger, including dispatching politicians and officials to Unesco’s Paris headquarters and asking diplomats to gather intelligence on countries that could influence the decision.

The campaign is revealed in documents released to the Greens after a parliamentary request and show how Australia sought to influence Unesco and members of the 21-country world heritage committee in the lead up to a crunch meeting in July last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/australia-tried-to-influence-other-countries-and-unesco-to-keep-great-barrier-reef-off-in-danger-list

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

sarahs mum said:

Senator Jacqui Lambie
3h ·
I’m just going to leave this here.
Millions struggle to make ends meet, yet taxpayer money lines the pockets of the privileged, where’s the fairness in that?
TIME TO CAP THIER SALARIES!
—

Silly me- I thought the PM was on the money,

They have to be paid well enough not to consider taking bribes.

It would appear that that objective has been met.

These people are “the privileged” in my view. They do actual (important) jobs that the average person probably couldn’t handle.

party_pants said:

captain_spalding said:

party_pants said:

They have to be paid well enough not to consider taking bribes.

It would appear that that objective has been met.

These people are NOT “the privileged” in my view. They do actual (important) jobs that the average person probably couldn’t handle.

NOT

dv said:

Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list
Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia show a sustained strategy approved by environment minister Tanya Plibersek

The Australian government carried out an international lobbying campaign to keep the Great Barrier Reef off a list of world heritage sites in danger, including dispatching politicians and officials to Unesco’s Paris headquarters and asking diplomats to gather intelligence on countries that could influence the decision.

The campaign is revealed in documents released to the Greens after a parliamentary request and show how Australia sought to influence Unesco and members of the 21-country world heritage committee in the lead up to a crunch meeting in July last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/australia-tried-to-influence-other-countries-and-unesco-to-keep-great-barrier-reef-off-in-danger-list

i thought we knew that.

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list
Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia show a sustained strategy approved by environment minister Tanya Plibersek

The Australian government carried out an international lobbying campaign to keep the Great Barrier Reef off a list of world heritage sites in danger, including dispatching politicians and officials to Unesco’s Paris headquarters and asking diplomats to gather intelligence on countries that could influence the decision.

The campaign is revealed in documents released to the Greens after a parliamentary request and show how Australia sought to influence Unesco and members of the 21-country world heritage committee in the lead up to a crunch meeting in July last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/australia-tried-to-influence-other-countries-and-unesco-to-keep-great-barrier-reef-off-in-danger-list

i thought we knew that.

Well I guess I’m slow

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list
Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia show a sustained strategy approved by environment minister Tanya Plibersek

The Australian government carried out an international lobbying campaign to keep the Great Barrier Reef off a list of world heritage sites in danger, including dispatching politicians and officials to Unesco’s Paris headquarters and asking diplomats to gather intelligence on countries that could influence the decision.

The campaign is revealed in documents released to the Greens after a parliamentary request and show how Australia sought to influence Unesco and members of the 21-country world heritage committee in the lead up to a crunch meeting in July last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/australia-tried-to-influence-other-countries-and-unesco-to-keep-great-barrier-reef-off-in-danger-list

i thought we knew that.

Well I guess I’m slow

Catching up on last week’s edition:

…

An angry culture war surrounds Australia Day
Conservatives claim that wokeness is destroying the national holiday

Jan 23rd 2025 | SYDNEY

BEERS, barbecues and beaches are hallmarks of Australia Day. So is the fight surrounding the national holiday. Every year Australians get tangled in an argument over the celebration, on January 26th, which marks the landing of the First Fleet of British convicts in Sydney Cove in 1788. To many Australians, the day is the foundation of their successful and genuinely multicultural nation. To many indigenous Australians, celebrating colonisation feels like a slight. Atrocities that came with European settlement seemed intended to drive their peoples to extinction.

For years, the question of whether to move Australia Day to a less contentious date has loomed over the festivities. Thousands of Australians now join annual protests against what they call “Invasion Day”. Companies increasingly allow staff to swap their holiday if they do not observe the date. In 2022 the centre-left Labor government revoked a conservative-era directive which forced councils to hold citizenship ceremonies, patriotically, on Australia Day. Dozens of local governments have since moved their events, citing solidarity with indigenous populations.

This infuriates conservatives, who complain that pious lefties are dismantling Australian traditions and shrouding the country in shame. They have inserted the debate into the campaign for the next federal election, due by May. “I don’t want to be told by woke CEOs…that I can’t celebrate Australia Day,” grumbled the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, this month. His Liberal (ie, conservative) Party would go back to insisting local governments hold ceremonies on Australia Day as “a sign of pride and nationalism in our country”.

Mr Dutton likes to rail against wokeness. As defence minister, he identified a “woke agenda” in the armed forces (he was exercised by tea parties held in support of gay rights). He now complains about banks that set environmental targets, objecting to one that denied, on environmental grounds, a loan to a forestry group. And he warns that children at school are being “preached to and indoctrinated on all sorts of agendas”. The Trumpian tone is clear.

As a strategy, stoking culture wars only gets Australian politicians so far, however. The country’s compulsory voting in elections means that they have to appeal to the kind of moderate voter who might not bother to turn out in other countries. This has helped protect the country against the worst populist convulsions that have racked America and Britain, for instance. Yet Mr Dutton is not the first Australian political leader to whip up anger against elites, Greg Barns, a former Liberal adviser, points out. John Howard, a successful conservative prime minister, built his base in the 1990s by pitting Aussie “battlers” (working-class folk) against affluent urbanites. Voters struggling to make ends meet may be drawn to anti-woke arguments. On the question of Australia Day, at least, polling suggests that a majority of Australians, and growing, want to keep the national holiday as it is.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/01/23/an-angry-culture-war-surrounds-australia-day?

Latest betting doesn’t look good for Labour

It looks like it will be a coalition of some sorts.

https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/politics/australian-federal-politics/type-of-government-formed-8878095

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

and yet people vote for it and have regret later laugh out loud

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

Yes.

Don’t expect consistency – they are different groups.

It’s Us (trust Us) and Them (you can’t trust Them).

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

Peter Dutton there, spruiking his version of “an undertaking of great advantage,but nobody to know what it is.”

Michael V said:

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

Yes.

Don’t expect consistency – they are different groups.

It’s Us (trust Us) and Them (you can’t trust Them).

Us and Them

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

Yes.

Don’t expect consistency – they are different groups.

It’s Us (trust Us) and Them (you can’t trust Them).

Us and Them

Go upmarket. We and They.

captain_spalding said:

buffy said:

The opposition leader said he would not detail exactly where the spending cuts would come from until after the federal election

Hang about…doesn’t he carry on about Labor has to put out its policies before an election so the people know what they are voting for?

Peter Dutton there, spruiking his version of “an undertaking of great advantage,but nobody to know what it is.”

It most likely doesn’t exist?

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Wait, was that 446 there and 446 back or was it 223 there and 223 back ?

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Fkn NSW Labor can’t help themselves

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Fkn NSW Labor can’t help themselves

Well the Minns government maybe labor by name but it is a good sensible right of centre government.

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

If they had a decent high speed rail system none of this would happened.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Wait, was that 446 there and 446 back or was it 223 there and 223 back ?

Doctors on locum contracts with Qld Health hospitals usually have a clause in their contract that says that Qld Health will provide them with a vehicle for their use, out of hours, subject to the Hospital’s operational needs. A freecar, after work, basically.

The contracts always state that the vehicles are for use in the local area only.

We had reliable reports of cars from Toowoomba Hospital being sighted as far away as Townsville, over a long weekend.

One day, i saw a doctor trying to bully the lass in the mail room into assigning him a ‘bigger’ car (it was no bigger than the one he’d been given, but the popular perception was to the contrary), as he wanted to cart his relatives back and forth from Brisbane over the weekend.

I informed him that the cars in that pool were my responsibility, and reminded him that he got cars ‘subject to the Hospital’s operational needs’, and that if he tried bullying the staff again, i could make good and goddamn sure that those operational needs were such that there was none available for him, period.

He apologised to the lass, and i found him the kind of vehicle he wanted.

Nasty little turd.

I do find that stuff annoying though.
Sure, it’s also bad when officials nick public funds for personal benefit but these cases where they blow the funds and don’t even get any benefit seem indicative of low key nihilism or sociopathy. Like Bron spending $1000 of govt money to get from her home to the opera and back. You got a free night at the opera! Why do you need to just set fire to public money rather than getting a cab or an uber? Or, like Malcolm, taking the train.

so turns out that the system is designed to favour sociopaths

party_pants said:

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

If they had a decent high speed rail system none of this would happened.

High speed rail in Aus is a waste – move one homeless person/renter to the next town they can’t afford to live in every quicker…

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

“NSW minister apologises after asking chauffeur to drive 446km for Australia Day weekend lunch”

As soon as they get the smell of the leather they become drunk with power.

Fkn NSW Labor can’t help themselves

Well the Minns government maybe labor by name but it is a good sensible right of centre government.

Unions are right-wing now?

Witty Rejoinder said:

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Fkn NSW Labor can’t help themselves

Well the Minns government maybe labor by name but it is a good sensible right of centre government.

Unions are right-wing now?

Some are, e.g. SDA

dv said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Well the Minns government maybe labor by name but it is a good sensible right of centre government.

Unions are right-wing now?

Some are, e.g. SDA

They’re socially conservative but still assuredly left of centre.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

Fkn NSW Labor can’t help themselves

Well the Minns government maybe labor by name but it is a good sensible right of centre government.

Unions are right-wing now?

Some certainly are.

good spelling

Pulse Tasmania
14h ·
Hundreds of people gathered at Carlton Beach in Tasmania’s south this weekend to protest the proposed expansion of commercial salmon farming in Storm Bay.
Organisers say more than 1,400 locals, almost all dressed in red, linked arms to form a human chain along much of the 2.7km stretch of beach on Saturday – also signing a petition to be delivered to Parliament calling for a halt to the expansion of salmon pens and the permanent withdrawal of all leases.
The industry has pushed back against the action, with Salmon Tasmania CEO Luke Martin telling Pulse there are no fish farms being proposed for Frederick Henry Bay “or within cooee of Dodges Ferry and the Southern Beaches’ communities”.
“Nor is there any evidence of any fish farming occurring within proximity of known habitats of the red hand fish,” he said.

sarahs mum said:

Well, she’s remarkably efficient at milking the cash cow.

And, JUST WTF is she spening $200,000 on every three months?

sarahs mum said:

Snort.

sarahs mum said:

And they reckon the shadows knows
Knows how to spend money

captain_spalding said:

And, JUST WTF is she spening $200,000 on every three months?

domestic airfares.

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

Snort.

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

Snort.

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

Too many zeroes there.

captain_spalding said:

And, JUST WTF is she spening $200,000 on every three months?

all kinds of stuff.. probably a large proportion is travel for her and her staff, then there are marketing materials, office expenses (like rent, wages, communications, utilities, etc..), then there are things like web development, management of social media, sponsorship of local/national events…

captain_spalding said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Snort.

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

Too many zeroes there.

Was wondering.

captain_spalding said:

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

Snort.

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

Too many zeroes there.

give it time.

Boris said:

captain_spalding said:

captain_spalding said:

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

Too many zeroes there.

give it time.

With more practice she’ll squeeze a few more in.

roughbarked said:

Boris said:

captain_spalding said:

Too many zeroes there.

give it time.

With more practice she’ll squeeze a few more in.

I don’t know if this is excessive relative to her position in the party or the parliament but it’s important to remember that members of parliament have a duty and responsibility to represent the members of their constituency. This will often involve travel, which in this particular case I image requires some pretty bespoke arrangements and charters. Then there are the costs associated with maintaining a presence so that people can come and speak to you or your representatives, and the costs associated with managing your on-line presence (for the same purpose).

diddly-squat said:

roughbarked said:

Boris said:

give it time.

With more practice she’ll squeeze a few more in.

I don’t know if this is excessive relative to her position in the party or the parliament but it’s important to remember that members of parliament have a duty and responsibility to represent the members of their constituency. This will often involve travel, which in this particular case I image requires some pretty bespoke arrangements and charters. Then there are the costs associated with maintaining a presence so that people can come and speak to you or your representatives, and the costs associated with managing your on-line presence (for the same purpose).

Yes, there was no context with the meme as to that.

roughbarked said:

diddly-squat said:

roughbarked said:

With more practice she’ll squeeze a few more in.

I don’t know if this is excessive relative to her position in the party or the parliament but it’s important to remember that members of parliament have a duty and responsibility to represent the members of their constituency. This will often involve travel, which in this particular case I image requires some pretty bespoke arrangements and charters. Then there are the costs associated with maintaining a presence so that people can come and speak to you or your representatives, and the costs associated with managing your on-line presence (for the same purpose).

Yes, there was no context with the meme as to that.

It all may very well be fair claims for fair expenses.

Or, it might be padded, a little. Or a lot.

Hopefully, there’s someone who can call ‘shenanigans’ for bogus claims.

But, i wouldn’t bank on it.

captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

diddly-squat said:

I don’t know if this is excessive relative to her position in the party or the parliament but it’s important to remember that members of parliament have a duty and responsibility to represent the members of their constituency. This will often involve travel, which in this particular case I image requires some pretty bespoke arrangements and charters. Then there are the costs associated with maintaining a presence so that people can come and speak to you or your representatives, and the costs associated with managing your on-line presence (for the same purpose).

Yes, there was no context with the meme as to that.

It all may very well be fair claims for fair expenses.

Or, it might be padded, a little. Or a lot.

Hopefully, there’s someone who can call ‘shenanigans’ for bogus claims.

But, i wouldn’t bank on it.

all ticket holders for the Outrage Bus please queue here, the bus will be along shortly.

sarahs mum said:

captain_spalding said:

And, JUST WTF is she spening $200,000 on every three months?

domestic airfares.

I read that as affairs

captain_spalding said:

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

Snort.

Her claims suddenly jump from the already-not-inconsiderable $1000,000 region to around $200,000, and more, and stay there.

Almost like she sat down with someone who’s an old hand at the game, got some coaching, and took some notes.

Quite likely.

diddly-squat said:

captain_spalding said:

roughbarked said:

Yes, there was no context with the meme as to that.

It all may very well be fair claims for fair expenses.

Or, it might be padded, a little. Or a lot.

Hopefully, there’s someone who can call ‘shenanigans’ for bogus claims.

But, i wouldn’t bank on it.

all ticket holders for the Outrage Bus please queue here, the bus will be along shortly.

Does the Outrage Bus still run to the Absolute Limit?

captain_spalding said:

diddly-squat said:

captain_spalding said:

It all may very well be fair claims for fair expenses.

Or, it might be padded, a little. Or a lot.

Hopefully, there’s someone who can call ‘shenanigans’ for bogus claims.

But, i wouldn’t bank on it.

all ticket holders for the Outrage Bus please queue here, the bus will be along shortly.

Does the Outrage Bus still run to the Absolute Limit?

Wouldn’t be proper if it didn’t?

wait

Mr Fagir said the ABC’s lawyers have indicated that they will argue she was not discriminated against on the basis of her race because the applicant had not proved that there was such a thing as “a Lebanese Arab or Middle Eastern race”.

please forgive our stupidity but what does the existence or non existence of Lebanese speed competitions have to do with whether or not someone was career-SWATted

SCIENCE said:

wait

Mr Fagir said the ABC’s lawyers have indicated that they will argue she was not discriminated against on the basis of her race because the applicant had not proved that there was such a thing as “a Lebanese Arab or Middle Eastern race”.

please forgive our stupidity but what does the existence or non existence of Lebanese speed competitions have to do with whether or not someone was career-SWATted

If speed was of the essence for the job and she was last in the race perhaps that is the reason.

Cymek said:

SCIENCE said:

wait

Mr Fagir said the ABC’s lawyers have indicated that they will argue she was not discriminated against on the basis of her race because the applicant had not proved that there was such a thing as “a Lebanese Arab or Middle Eastern race”.

please forgive our stupidity but what does the existence or non existence of Lebanese speed competitions have to do with whether or not someone was career-SWATted

If speed was of the essence for the job and she was last in the race perhaps that is the reason.

so as we thought they just didn’t want to be seen to lack support for genocide damn such surprise

OK different ABC News item now why don’t the politicians ever say “if you don’t know then instead of voting no just fucking learn something already“¿

SCIENCE said:

wait

Mr Fagir said the ABC’s lawyers have indicated that they will argue she was not discriminated against on the basis of her race because the applicant had not proved that there was such a thing as “a Lebanese Arab or Middle Eastern race”.

That’s a terrible argument and I hope it doesn’t go anywhere. Ethnic discrimination does not depend on the reality of race.

Stadiums: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

this is really good. Except for when they taser the guy for charity. WTF America.

Anthony Albanese takes a bit of a cheeky answer, saying he’ll explain it for the Shadow Treasurer. “See…when inflation’s going up but wages are going down, people are worse off,” he says slowly, with some hand gestures for the crowd. “Now, inflation’s going down and wages going up. That’s what lifts people up.”

great but you’ll still lose to crypto fascist foreign interference

sm is (not) going to love this:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/zip-line-plan-for-hobart-mt-wellington-kunanyi-detailed/104894976

Michael V said:

sm is (not) going to love this:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-04/zip-line-plan-for-hobart-mt-wellington-kunanyi-detailed/104894976

saw that go buy this morning. there was some outrage. i don’t like it. but it is more agreeable than the cablecar and whiskey bar.

In parliament today – fun and games

buffy said:

In parliament today – fun and games

and we pay them for that.

04 February 2025
Tasmanian man jailed for wood-hooking manslaughter of 7-year-old boy receives parole decision
Duncan Abey
A Tasmanian man jailed for causing the death of a seven-year-old boy during an ill-fated wood-hooking expedition in isolated bushland 2015 has been released from prison after successfully applying for parole.
Joshua George Hector Clark, 47, was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury of the manslaughter of Akira Carroll, and sentenced to four years and nine months’ imprisonment.
Ordering Clark to serve at least half that term before being eligible for parole, Justice Stephen Estcourt said the defendant had been accompanied by his partner and her three small children during a firewood-cutting trip to the Derwent Valley in August, 2015.
Damage caused by illegal firewood harvesting.
Justice Estcourt said Clark had negligently cut down a 32m tree located only 22m from his car, which fell onto the vehicle and struck his partner’s eldest child in the head.
The boy died in hospital the following day after sustaining a fatal injury to his brain stem.
“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant failed to follow his own safe practice of cutting a wedge out of the tree on the side of the tree that was facing the direction of the intended fall, before cutting a back cut on the other side of the tree,” Justice Estcourt said.
“Had he done this, I am satisfied that he would have had some chance of controlling the fall of the tree …”
His Honour said while he accepted Clark had not foreseen death as a likely consequence of his actions, he had to accept responsibility for the unintended loss of life.
A subsequent appeal by the defendant, in which he claimed his sentence was manifestly excessive, was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in March, 2023.
On 17 January, Clark appeared at a Parole Board of Tasmania hearing, where he was invited to provide information in support of his application, and to make himself available for questioning.
In its judgment, the parole board said Clark had been immediately remorseful after the tragic incident, and continued to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The applicant states he will always have to live with the fact that he has taken a son away from their family,” the board said.
“While it is always on his mind, he says he will try to do whatever he can to help other people as a way of making amends for his actions.”
The board said Clark had used his time in prison to undertake qualifications in the building and construction industries, and had recently completed a TAFE course in engineering and manufacturing.
The father of four had organised employment as a builder’s labourer on his release from prison, and was committed to rebuilding relationships with his children, and making a positive contribution to the community.
“The Board is convinced that the applicant can succeed at parole and work towards his desire to help others and be a valuable member of society,” the decision read.
The board granted Clark parole from 28 January.

-mercury.

Getting around the electoral laws

I sent a formal written complaint to the AEC about this flyer when we received it in the mail. The second flyer that we received from them was different, so I thought maybe something had been said to them. I wasn’t the only one who raised the issue.

buffy said:

Getting around the electoral laws

I sent a formal written complaint to the AEC about this flyer when we received it in the mail. The second flyer that we received from them was different, so I thought maybe something had been said to them. I wasn’t the only one who raised the issue.

The coalition is very worried about the Wannon electorate. When your long term bluebloods desert you (and that started back when Tony Abbott was Prime Minister) and get behind the independent…you probably have need to worry.

Nationals are the cleanest

dv said:

Nationals are the cleanest

I think you meant least useful to a lobby.

05 February 2025
Air conditioning units fail to ease LGH heat, government says ‘we will get more’
Simon Wood. Picture by Phillip Biggs.
Parliamentary Secretary for Health Simon Wood has acknowledged the recent supply of air conditioning units to the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) has not alleviated heat issues.
The Tasmanian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) classified high temperatures in LGH’s D-Block, most notably in Ward 6D, as “inhumane.”
Conditions worsened under the recent heatwave, prompting the ANMF to hold a mass member meeting to push for further government action.
In a statement Mr Wood praised healthcare workers for their resilience under trying conditions.
“We recognise the impact the heat is having on patients and staff at the LGH, and I thank our hardworking health workers for their efforts over the past week in trying conditions,” Mr Wood said.
Mr Wood said a recent investment in 10 new air conditioning chiller systems “obviously is not having the desired impact.”
The Bass MP said the government had installed additional portable air conditioning units, which have provided some relief.
“If we need more, we will get more,” Mr. Wood said.
“Tasmanians can be assured that what engineering experts recommend we will implement.”
ANMF Branch secretary Emily Shephard said the union has lobbied for years for an upgrade and secured a $4 million government allocation.
Ms Shepard said the state’s 2024-25 budget papers indicated that the funds had been exhausted and the matter had been resolved.
“The difference between using available funds to put in stop-gap measures and actually fixing the problem holistically, effectively, and sustainably is very, very different,” she said.
“The dignity and freedom of patients have been totally removed, particularly for those who may be bed-bound in a hot ward, unable to move, nor request a fan or to even have a window open while laying on a bed with a mattress covered in a vinyl wrap to protect it, in their dying hours, is inhumane at best and could be described as torturous.”
Full statement from Simon Wood, Member for Bass and Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing
We recognise the impact the heat is having on patients and staff at the LGH and I thank our hardworking health workers for their efforts over the past week in trying conditions.
The Government recently invested in 10 new air conditioning chiller systems but obviously they are not having the impact desired.
Earlier this week, we installed additional portable air con units and they have had a positive impact over the last couple of days.
If we need more, we will get more.
Engineering experts have been working in the hospital to identify longer-term solutions acknowledging the problems lay in older parts of the buildings where there are complex, structural challenges.
But Tasmanians can be assured that what they recommend we will implement.
We’ll continue to do all we can to ensure patients and staff are comfortable in warmer conditions at the LGH.
-examiner

Queensland university apologises for ‘hurt’ and ‘offence’ caused at anti-racism event
Parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses hears Carumba Institute’s national symposium attracted criticism over alleged ‘anti-Jewish’ speakers
The head of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has issued an “unreserved apology” for events at an anti-racism symposium last month that caused offence, adding the institute behind it would “not be holding events like this in the future”.

Appearing before a federal parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses on Wednesday, the vice-chancellor of QUT, Prof Margaret Sheil, was grilled over why the event went ahead despite concerns from community members about alleged “anti-Jewish” speakers.
The university’s Carumba Institute held the national symposium on unifying antiracist research at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 23 and 24 January.

Sheil said she “unreservedly” apologised for the “hurt and concern” the events caused to QUT staff, students and the community.
At a comedy event advertised as “the greatest race debate” and as the official “pre-event” to the symposium, a cartoon image of a character dubbed “Dutton’s Jew” was shown as part of one speaker’s presentation.
——————————————-

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/05/queensland-university-apologises-for-hurt-after-jewish-group-heads-slide-showed-stereotype-at-anti-racism-event-ntwnfb

Peak Warming Man said:

Queensland university apologises for ‘hurt’ and ‘offence’ caused at anti-racism event
Parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses hears Carumba Institute’s national symposium attracted criticism over alleged ‘anti-Jewish’ speakers
The head of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has issued an “unreserved apology” for events at an anti-racism symposium last month that caused offence, adding the institute behind it would “not be holding events like this in the future”.

Appearing before a federal parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses on Wednesday, the vice-chancellor of QUT, Prof Margaret Sheil, was grilled over why the event went ahead despite concerns from community members about alleged “anti-Jewish” speakers.
The university’s Carumba Institute held the national symposium on unifying antiracist research at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 23 and 24 January.

Sheil said she “unreservedly” apologised for the “hurt and concern” the events caused to QUT staff, students and the community.
At a comedy event advertised as “the greatest race debate” and as the official “pre-event” to the symposium, a cartoon image of a character dubbed “Dutton’s Jew” was shown as part of one speaker’s presentation.
——————————————-

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/05/queensland-university-apologises-for-hurt-after-jewish-group-heads-slide-showed-stereotype-at-anti-racism-event-ntwnfb

The offending slide was presented by Jewish Council of Australia executive director, Sarah Schwartz.

another poor misunderstood autistic genius

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/longreach-man-charged-racial-vilification-prohibited-symbol/104901108

SCIENCE said:

another poor misunderstood autistic genius

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/longreach-man-charged-racial-vilification-prohibited-symbol/104901108

Stop saying he’s autistic.
He’s just an idiot flag waver.

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

another poor misunderstood autistic genius

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/longreach-man-charged-racial-vilification-prohibited-symbol/104901108

Stop saying he’s autistic.
He’s just an idiot flag waver.

if they only knew how hard it was to get help with ndis for your teenage non verbal autistic son that likes to jump.

sarahs mum said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

another poor misunderstood autistic genius

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/longreach-man-charged-racial-vilification-prohibited-symbol/104901108

Stop saying he’s autistic.
He’s just an idiot flag waver.

if they only knew how hard it was to get help with ndis for your teenage non verbal autistic son that likes to jump.

we apologise for anyall offence to genuine autistic help needing people and continue to point out that bullfaschitsmartists excusing their bullshit and fascism with claims of one andor another neurodivergence or mental illness is in fact a form of treading on others (with neurodivergence andor mental illness) to push oneself up

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

Was is it about dropping him out of something very high and let gravity break his ass, hence the word gravit-ass

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

Sounds like he’s a fan.

The Rev Dodgson said:

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

Actually;

Dutton didn’t directly throw his weight behind the president’s plan but described Trump as a “big thinker”, a “deal maker” and “shrewd”.

roughbarked said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

Actually;

Dutton didn’t directly throw his weight behind the president’s plan but described Trump as a “big thinker”, a “deal maker” and “shrewd”.

Geez that is setting the bar low for everyone else.

The Rev Dodgson said:

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

I thought the israelis were already removing the Palestinians in Gaza.

Boris said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

buffy said:

dutton uses the word gravitas to describe Trump

I’m pretty close to speechless.

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

I thought the israelis were already removing the Palestinians in Gaza.

True enough.

roughbarked said:

Boris said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

I thought the israelis were already removing the Palestinians in Gaza.

True enough.

fuck all those our souls

Cymek said:

roughbarked said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

From link:

“Peter Dutton has responded to Donald Trump’s declared intent to move Palestinians out of Gaza and “own” the territory by calling him a “big thinker and a deal maker”.”

Well he stitches up and fleeces, so I suppose that makes him a deal maker of sorts.

Actually;

Dutton didn’t directly throw his weight behind the president’s plan but described Trump as a “big thinker”, a “deal maker” and “shrewd”.

Geez that is setting the bar low for everyone else.

Ha!

Including himself (Dutton)…

Michael V said:

Cymek said:

roughbarked said:

Actually;

Dutton didn’t directly throw his weight behind the president’s plan but described Trump as a “big thinker”, a “deal maker” and “shrewd”.

Geez that is setting the bar low for everyone else.

Ha!

Including himself (Dutton)…

Well espied, MV.

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Cymek said:

Geez that is setting the bar low for everyone else.

Ha!

Including himself (Dutton)…

Well espied, MV.

but isn’t he correct, if you murder everyone present, then it will be peaceful and stable after that, a critical but stable condition that cures all ills

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Ha!

Including himself (Dutton)…

Well espied, MV.

but isn’t he correct, if you murder everyone present, then it will be peaceful and stable after that, a critical but stable condition that cures all ills

Didn’t go so well for Macbeth…

furious said:

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

Well espied, MV.

but isn’t he correct, if you murder everyone present, then it will be peaceful and stable after that, a critical but stable condition that cures all ills

Didn’t go so well for Macbeth…

well spotted

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Ha!

Including himself (Dutton)…

Well espied, MV.

but isn’t he correct, if you murder everyone present, then it will be peaceful and stable after that, a critical but stable condition that cures all ills

Have you watched the zionists and the hebrews hard at it arguing about their differeces of religious opinion?

Queensland government commits $200,000 to rename satellite hospitals to health centres

Peter Dutton’s mandatory hate speech laws pass the lower house.

Honest Government Ad | Nuclear

Peak Warming Man said:

Peter Dutton’s mandatory hate speech laws pass the lower house.

Good

Boris said:

The way the world is heading who cares anymore about semantics.

All these fucks with their watered down laws have the means to cope with consequences better than most
I have no problem with The Greens, most of what they ask for is human decency, proper equality based on a helping hand to achieve it.
White men have had their day and made a mess, let someone else have a go

Boris said:

Fk Dutton.

He’s using Trump’s playbook.

Michael V said:

Boris said:

Fk Dutton.

He’s using Trump’s playbook.

With the incompetence of the incumbents, he can be as moronic as he likes.

“If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament and ‘too close to call’ with the ALP on 50% (up 2.0%) and Coalition on 50% (down 2.0%) on a two-party preferred basis.”

Australian politician changes his name to ‘Austin Trump’ in bizarre protest against ‘authoritarian’ Labor government

West Australian independent MP has changed his name to ‘Aussie Trump’ in an extraordinary piece of pre-election marketing.

The Upper House MP formerly known as Ben Dawkins legally changed his name to Austin Letts Trump – though he prefers ‘Aussie’ – ahead of the March 8 state election.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14365629/Australian-politician-changes-Austin-Trump.html

dv said:

Australian politician changes his name to ‘Austin Trump’ in bizarre protest against ‘authoritarian’ Labor government

West Australian independent MP has changed his name to ‘Aussie Trump’ in an extraordinary piece of pre-election marketing.

The Upper House MP formerly known as Ben Dawkins legally changed his name to Austin Letts Trump – though he prefers ‘Aussie’ – ahead of the March 8 state election.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14365629/Australian-politician-changes-Austin-Trump.html

it’s not april fools day yet.

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Australian politician changes his name to ‘Austin Trump’ in bizarre protest against ‘authoritarian’ Labor government

West Australian independent MP has changed his name to ‘Aussie Trump’ in an extraordinary piece of pre-election marketing.

The Upper House MP formerly known as Ben Dawkins legally changed his name to Austin Letts Trump – though he prefers ‘Aussie’ – ahead of the March 8 state election.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14365629/Australian-politician-changes-Austin-Trump.html

it’s not april fools day yet.

Not satire

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Australian politician changes his name to ‘Austin Trump’ in bizarre protest against ‘authoritarian’ Labor government

West Australian independent MP has changed his name to ‘Aussie Trump’ in an extraordinary piece of pre-election marketing.

The Upper House MP formerly known as Ben Dawkins legally changed his name to Austin Letts Trump – though he prefers ‘Aussie’ – ahead of the March 8 state election.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14365629/Australian-politician-changes-Austin-Trump.html

it’s not april fools day yet.

Seems to be real, but can I trust Go-ogle any more?

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

Australian politician changes his name to ‘Austin Trump’ in bizarre protest against ‘authoritarian’ Labor government

West Australian independent MP has changed his name to ‘Aussie Trump’ in an extraordinary piece of pre-election marketing.

The Upper House MP formerly known as Ben Dawkins legally changed his name to Austin Letts Trump – though he prefers ‘Aussie’ – ahead of the March 8 state election.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14365629/Australian-politician-changes-Austin-Trump.html

it’s not april fools day yet.

Seems to be real, but can I trust Go-ogle any more?

i’m just querying my reality.

sarahs mum said:

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

it’s not april fools day yet.

Seems to be real, but can I trust Go-ogle any more?

i’m just querying my reality.

no worries we can wait for the Hitlers and the Adolfs soon

poikilotherm said:

Michael V said:

Boris said:

Fk Dutton.

He’s using Trump’s playbook.

With the incompetence of the incumbents, he can be as moronic as he likes.

“If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament and ‘too close to call’ with the ALP on 50% (up 2.0%) and Coalition on 50% (down 2.0%) on a two-party preferred basis.”

What are your main criticisms of Labor?

Witty Rejoinder said:

poikilotherm said:

Michael V said:

Fk Dutton.

He’s using Trump’s playbook.

With the incompetence of the incumbents, he can be as moronic as he likes.

“If a Federal Election were held now the result would be a hung parliament and ‘too close to call’ with the ALP on 50% (up 2.0%) and Coalition on 50% (down 2.0%) on a two-party preferred basis.”

What are your main criticisms of Labor?

apparently albanese is boring and he doesn’t deserve a four mill house on central coast.

WA politician changes name to ‘Aussie Trump’

A West Australian MP dumped by Labor and One Nation is now known as “Aussie Trump” on the state’s parliament website after legally changing his name to Austin Trump.

The Upper House MP, formerly known as Ben Dawkins, legally changed his name on January 29 to Austin Trump in what he said was a protest of the WA Labor government.

Far canal.
Words fail me.

so pronouns aren’t acceptable but fascist politicians transitioning their names might be

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

—-

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

dv said:

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

—-

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

The main point of interest will be if the Libs win back a few of their traditional seats, or if they will go to Independents. The WA Libs leader is not even officially the LOTO, and is under threat for the leadership by Snozil Zemplis if he manages to grab a seat. He’s not a wildly popular figure, might turn some voters off the party and on to the Teals just to avoid him.

dv said:

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

—-

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

so he should have called it early oh well too late as always

SCIENCE said:

dv said:

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

—-

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

so he should have called it early oh well too late as always

Nah. By April or May the situation will be completely different once Trump’s lunacy starts to take full effect. We may well end up where trump and anything even remotely connected with him is electoral poison in Australia. he could be a millstone around the necks of the conservatives.

party_pants said:

SCIENCE said:

dv said:

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

——

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

so he should have called it early oh well too late as always

Nah. By April or May the situation will be completely different once Trump’s lunacy starts to take full effect. We may well end up where trump and anything even remotely connected with him is electoral poison in Australia. he could be a millstone around the necks of the conservatives.

hell let’s hope so

SCIENCE said:

party_pants said:

SCIENCE said:

so he should have called it early oh well too late as always

Nah. By April or May the situation will be completely different once Trump’s lunacy starts to take full effect. We may well end up where trump and anything even remotely connected with him is electoral poison in Australia. he could be a millstone around the necks of the conservatives.

hell let’s hope so

That’s why Labs and Libs are treading carefully.

Peak Warming Man said:

SCIENCE said:

party_pants said:

Nah. By April or May the situation will be completely different once Trump’s lunacy starts to take full effect. We may well end up where trump and anything even remotely connected with him is electoral poison in Australia. he could be a millstone around the necks of the conservatives.

hell let’s hope so

That’s why Labs and Libs are treading carefully.

exactly right we’ll be voting STEMunism every time

party_pants said:

SCIENCE said:

dv said:

First positive poll for Labor (Federal) for a while. Morgan Poll has ALP ahead 50.5 – 49.5.

DemosAU has it at 50-50.

—-

Meanwhile the WA election campaign is officially on. It’s been about 4 months since I saw any polling. It is widely expected that a) Labor will win comfortably but b) they will not be near the heights of the 2021 jobby where they won 53 of 59 seats.

so he should have called it early oh well too late as always

Nah. By April or May the situation will be completely different once Trump’s lunacy starts to take full effect. We may well end up where trump and anything even remotely connected with him is electoral poison in Australia. he could be a millstone around the necks of the conservatives.

Hope so.

Dutton’s lifting stuff from Trump’s playbook now, but will, chameleon-like, change everything if necessary.

Barry Jones
The case for bravery and frankness in politics
“Your affections are a sick man’s appetite … a strange to break the heart of generosity.”

– Coriolanus, Act I, by William Shakespeare

Australia is one of a handful of nations where the concept and practice of liberal democracy can survive, but only if citizens are prepared to fight for it. In the United States it may be too late.

In November 1992, in my John Curtin Memorial Lecture in Fremantle, I raised the subject of binary issues and spectrum issues.

I argued the causes that involve people in politics, deeply and passionately, for life, are generally binary issues that produce an unambiguous “Yes” or “No” answer.

Spectrum issues are contextual, where parties and governments differ about how far to move along a continuum. Nobody is going to argue a case for worse schools or worse healthcare. Therefore, these are spectrum issues, in which the argument is simply about how much money is to be allocated and if it is to be centrally administered or dispersed.

In the past few decades, where there has been bipartisan support for free-market economics and a managerial approach to running governments, parties have become risk-averse and serious policy debates are avoided. In addition, political parties are increasingly stacked with apparatchiks and careerists.

Now there is a thorough rejection of evidence. Testable propositions are often displaced by tribalism, harvesting fear and rage and the domination of opinion.

Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024 was essentially based on performance, performance, performance. His dominance at public rallies electrified his supporters and maddened his opponents. He never answered questions directly or explained what his assertions were based on, or how they would work.

Trump’s agenda, constantly repeated for a decade, and again put into action since his second inauguration, is entirely binary: Get out of the Paris Agreement on climate change; drill, baby, drill; leave the World Health Organization; make Greenland and Panama part of the US; proclaim the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America; determine there are only two genders, male and female; restore male hegemony; impose high tariffs as a trade weapon; pardon all those convicted after the Capitol Hill insurgency in January 2021; promise never to have mandatory vaccinations.

At Trump’s second inauguration, other than former presidents, pride of place was given to a gaggle of tech billionaires, including X owner Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew, Google’s Sundar Pichai, former Alphabet president Sergey Brin, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook of Apple. All applauded Trump’s rejection of “fact-checking” on social media.

Australian billionaires Gina Rinehart and Anthony Pratt were excluded when the sun failed to shine and the event was transferred to the Capitol Rotunda. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, former British prime minister Boris Johnson and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage were there, but French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz were not invited. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was a surprising absentee.

“Technofeudalism” is a useful coinage by the Greek economist and politician Yanis Varoufakis in his book Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. He points to the global influence of TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform that has 1.95 billion regular users worldwide and 170 million in the US, more than the combined vote for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

In Australia, TikTok claimed 9.7 million regular users last year. Facebook had 16.6 million and image-sharing platform Instagram had 13.9 million. Millions of Australians are entirely dependent on social media for self-identification, reinforcement and confidence.

Past experience shows that voters respect, but don’t necessarily like, leaders who tell them what they don’t want to hear – and then explain why. This was true of Hawke and Keating on tariffs, Keating on Indigenous land rights, and John Howard on guns and the GST.
Figures for active members of Australia’s major political parties are elusive, but 30,000 would be a fair estimate.

The abolition of capital punishment is a paradigm example of a binary issue, a major factor in recruiting members as diverse as Peter Walsh, Steve Bracks, Jim Bacon and Tony Burke to the Labor Party in the 1970s. Some commentators would regard capital punishment as a peripheral issue, others as a core belief.

As I told the Labor National Conference in January 2004: “I am relieved that the abolition of the death penalty has been a settled ALP policy for a century, one of its core beliefs, because there might be some difficulty in getting a principled policy up now if the opinion polls did not support it.”

Getting out of Vietnam and recognising the People’s Republic of China, both binary issues, recruited many young people to the ALP. In the 1966 election, Labor lost a string of seats by taking an unpopular line on the Vietnam War. This, however, gave it a moral base that made the party competitive in the 1969 election and helped Gough Whitlam win in 1972. Should Labor have avoided the moral issue and played safe in 1966? To have done so would have jeopardised its long-term recovery.

In 1979, my electorate of Lalor was the most Catholic in Australia. Now, after several redistributions, it is the most Hindu. I exercised one of my very rare free votes in March 1979 to vote against a motion to end entitlement for medical benefits for elective abortions. I was not exactly an enthusiast for abortion but, as I said then, it seemed “absurd that the only all-male lower house in any national parliament in the world should be pontificating about what rights the other sex should have over their reproductive capacity…”

Despite my position, which was at odds with Catholic doctrine, in the October 1980 election there was a swing to me of 16.8 per cent, the highest recorded in any Australian electorate. The conclusion I drew from that was that being frank with electors and convincing them of your integrity was more important than doing what they wanted.

A major binary issue in the March 1983 election was a commitment to use Commonwealth powers to prevent flooding of the Tasmanian wilderness area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where the Liberal state government proposed damming the Franklin–Lower Gordon wild rivers. Labor’s stance was unpopular in Tasmania and the party held none of the state’s five seats in the House of Representatives until 1987. However, the Tasmanian dams issue won seats on the mainland and Doug Anthony, deputy prime minister under Malcolm Fraser, thought it was decisive in Bob Hawke’s victory.

In 1983 Bob Hawke’s electorate of Wills had the highest proportion of clothing and textile workers anywhere in the nation and the overwhelmingly female Clothing and Allied Trades Union was influential. Nevertheless, Hawke supported tariff reductions that threatened employment. He used his exceptional gift as a persuader to say to workers in sweatshops: “You’ll probably lose your job, but we’ll look after you, providing all the support you need, the economy will grow and your children and grandchildren will be more secure than you ever were.”

Polling indicates there is strong voter support for even tougher – read crueller – policies on asylum seekers unless the contrary is powerfully argued. Voters will recognise and reward courage, but they despise evasion.

Peter Andren, an independent who took a courageous line on refugees, won 75 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in Calare in 2001, a mixed rural and urban electorate west of Sydney. Many voters set a high premium on politicians showing authenticity, without necessarily endorsing their policies.

Past experience shows that voters respect, but don’t necessarily like, leaders who tell them what they don’t want to hear – and then explain why. This was true of Hawke and Paul Keating on tariffs, Keating on Indigenous land rights, and John Howard on guns and the GST.

Among Whitlam, Fraser, Keating, Don Dunstan, Bob Carr, Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull there were passions for Graeco–Roman ruins, Mahler’s symphonies, Marcus Aurelius, chamber music, theology and collecting paintings. These are not majority interests but were accepted as being “authentic”. They did not attempt to ingratiate themselves as just being part of the mob. They were not.

As premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews imposed six “hard lockdowns” in Melbourne between March 2020 and October 2021. In all, the city was under strict restrictions for 262 days, the longest of any major city in the world. Andrews faced unprecedented attack, month after month, on talkback radio and in the Murdoch papers, where he was branded “Dictator Dan”. He imposed compulsory vaccinations, the wearing of face masks and remote learning for schools.

Nevertheless, in the November 2022 election, despite a small drop in Labor’s primary vote, the Andrews government was elected for a third term, winning an extra seat.

Andrews retired in September 2023 and his successor, Jacinta Allan, seemed warmer, more approachable, less authoritarian. The approval rating of the government collapsed, falling to 22 per cent this year, despite the toxic civil war inside the state Liberals.

Being likeable and approachable is not necessarily a vote winner. Decisive, assertive leadership is.

In the run-up to the federal election, Albanese is trying hard to be likeable and not offend anyone, especially Rupert Murdoch, the gambling industry, miners and industrial salmon farming. He offers a stereotypical spectrum agenda, essentially “Small Target, Mark II”. He is not a powerful advocate. If he was prepared to say “Yes” to saving the planet, taking stronger stands against fossil fuels, and persuading voters that external factors and disastrous taxation policies have made housing costs among the world’s highest, he would re-energise the progressive base and sound like a leader. And he must say “No” to lying about race.

Peter Dutton only pretends to be likeable, but he concentrates on binary issues: nuclear power, rejecting Indigenous demands for a Treaty and truth-telling. To do so, he relies on assertion and misinformation. He presents issues as a choice between X and Y and insists he is the only politician brave enough to take this decision.

If the election is called early, Dutton is likely to win, given that Albanese has refused to take a stand on just about every issue so far. If the prime minister can channel the courage and fight of Whitlam, Hawke or Keating, however, he can turn public opinion around in time for a later poll and produce a different outcome.

This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on February 1, 2025 as “The case for bravery”.

sarahs mum said:

Barry Jones
The case for bravery and frankness in politics

92 and still sharp

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

Barry Jones
The case for bravery and frankness in politics

92 and still sharp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=freFgugE9Qk

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

sarahs mum said:

Barry Jones
The case for bravery and frankness in politics

92 and still sharp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=freFgugE9Qk

I wonder what Australia would be like if Barry had had a shot at being PM?

sarahs mum said:

Barry Jones
The case for bravery and frankness in politics
“Your affections are a sick man’s appetite … a strange to break the heart of generosity.”

– Coriolanus, Act I, by William Shakespeare

Australia is one of a handful of nations where the concept and practice of liberal democracy can survive, but only if citizens are prepared to fight for it. In the United States it may be too late.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>CUT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

:)

Ta.

captain_spalding said:

sarahs mum said:

dv said:

92 and still sharp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=freFgugE9Qk

I wonder what Australia would be like if Barry had had a shot at being PM?

me too.

Proper NBN 15 years ago would

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-07/government-not-concerned-elon-musk-starlink-australians/104905102

have prevented this¡

happy silver presenile gentlemen running the world

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-08/donald-trump-supportive-of-aukus-pete-hegseth-says/104913062

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-08/pam-the-bird-police-court-melbourne/104909284

can’t they just unfurl a banner or use chalk or something that’s environmentally and economically responsible

LOL

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-08/one-third-nsw-psychiatrists-rehired-visiting-medical-officers/104911082

Laura Tingle on Peter Dutton

buffy said:

Laura Tingle on Peter Dutton

From that:
But that doesn’t mean politicians actually answer questions. The concept of fronting up and answering questions seems to be lost on some of our leaders, despite the increased opportunities.

Albanese makes down payment of 700 million to Trump for AUKUS.
Only a few years now before we have our brand new second hand atomic subs.
rubs hands

Peak Warming Man said:

Albanese makes down payment of 700 million to Trump for AUKUS.
Only a few years now before we have our brand new second hand atomic subs.
rubs hands

Trump will have spent the money on something else by then.

Peak Warming Man said:

Albanese makes down payment of 700 million to Trump for AUKUS.
Only a few years now before we have our brand new second hand atomic subs.
rubs hands

think of all the Chinese destroyers we could sink with one of those, probably faster then they can build new ones

party_pants said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Albanese makes down payment of 700 million to Trump for AUKUS.
Only a few years now before we have our brand new second hand atomic subs.
rubs hands

think of all the Chinese destroyers we could sink with one of those, probably faster then they can build new ones

LOL

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

Laura Tingle on Peter Dutton

From that:
But that doesn’t mean politicians actually answer questions. The concept of fronting up and answering questions seems to be lost on some of our leaders, despite the increased opportunities.

they should have just had a law to begin with, can’t serve if won’t answer questions truthfully

SCIENCE said:

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

Laura Tingle on Peter Dutton

From that:
But that doesn’t mean politicians actually answer questions. The concept of fronting up and answering questions seems to be lost on some of our leaders, despite the increased opportunities.

they should have just had a law to begin with, can’t serve if won’t answer questions truthfully

We’d probably never get any stand for election if we started trying to keep the bastards honest.

Wollongong bus driver Sebastiano Tarantello, 55, has been arrested and charged with 12 offences relating to the possession of prohibited weapons. Three registered firearms, one unregistered firearm, four detonators and a gel blaster were among the items allegedly seized by police from his Figtree property.

SCIENCE said:

Wollongong bus driver Sebastiano Tarantello, 55, has been arrested and charged with 12 offences relating to the possession of prohibited weapons. Three registered firearms, one unregistered firearm, four detonators and a gel blaster were among the items allegedly seized by police from his Figtree property.

I wnder if he’s related to THE caravan?

The good guys have taken a seat off the Greens, now for some of the wastrel Teal seats.

Peak Warming Man said:

The good guys have taken a seat off the Greens, now for some of the wastrel Teal seats.

Don’t the Liberals admit themselves that they’re a bunch of cunts?

Witty Rejoinder said:

Peak Warming Man said:

The good guys have taken a seat off the Greens, now for some of the wastrel Teal seats.

Don’t the Liberals admit themselves that they’re a bunch of cunts?

You hear them chanting, “Greed is good, hate is best! Vote for the nasties, fuck the rest!”

Yep, the state election campaign is on well and truly. Taking over the ad breaks in the cricket.

In short:
The Tasmanian government has proposed limiting third-party planning appeals, so only parties directly affected by a planning decision could appeal against it. The move could prevent external groups, such as NGOs and activist organisations from appealing against planning decisions made on public land.

The proposed change has been criticised as unnecessary and “undemocratic” by critics including environmental groups, the Greens and Labor.

What’s next?
The government says it’s still consulting on the change, and it was too early to say whether third-party appeals against proposals on public land would still be allowed.

Link copied

Share article
The Tasmanian government has announced plans to limit who can lodge an appeal to the state’s appeals tribunal, so only parties deemed as “aggrieved by a planning decision” can do so.

But critics have said the proposal to prevent third parties from lodging planning appeals is an “anti-democratic” move.

Planning Minister Felix Ellis said cracking down on third-party appeals to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal would “prevent baseless objections that tie projects up in delays and red tape”.

“This legislation will mean that appeals can only be lodged by someone who is directly and adversely impacted by the planning decision, not well-funded activist groups and anti-everything organisations set up to oppose Tasmania moving forward,” he said.

Street signage for TASCAT, for Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
A government briefing note from 2018-19 stated only about 10 appeals were not resolved following mediation. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)

The change has been roundly criticised by environmental groups, including the Bob Brown Foundation, which lodged a third-party appeal against the Robbins Island wind farm.

Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Scott Jordan said the move was another step in “a long line of anti-democratic measures by this government”.

“Removing third-party appeal rights from our planning processes removes the capacity for decisions that have been made on substandard information to be properly analysed by an appeals body,” he said.

“It’s particularly egregious where we’re talking about areas of public land.

more…

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-07/proposed-tasmanian-planning-laws-limit-third-party-appeals/104909372

——————————

How corrupt is Tasmania?

In short, no-one knows. Corruption is usually concealed, and valid metrics for Tasmania are scarce. Analysts might consult Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which ranked Australia 14th of 180 countries in corruption control in 2023, scoring 75 points of 100 (TI, 2024). However, the CPI gives a single score for a country and does not disaggregate at regional or state level, which may mask or fail to capture what is going on in some areas.

Being a large, historically-diverse Federation whose states vary economically and socially, corruption in business-oriented New South Wales may vary from mining-dominated Western Australia or South Australia’s manufacturing and agriculture. Increasingly, corruption is therefore being analysed on a regional basis (Heywood, 2017; JANAR, 2024). Within Australia, local influences, geography and historical factors are important (Perry, 2001; Graycar, 2015), particularly for understanding Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state.

Johnston’s typology identifies four mutually-exclusive syndromes: ‘Official Moguls’, ‘Oligarchs and Clans’, ‘Influence Markets’ and ‘Elite Cartels’ (Johnston, 2005; 2014).

The dominant syndrome in Australia’s largest states, as in most market democracies, is ‘Influence Markets’, where official powers, political influence and personal networks are traded or ‘rented’ to private interests contending over specific stakes such as contracts and favourable policy changes, and are power and wealth-oriented. This – and associated bribery – resembles what many Australians are likely to think of as corruption.

However, applying Johnston’s (2014) corruption typologies assessment suggests that Tasmania differs. Its syndrome of corruption, known as ‘Elite Cartels’ (hereafter ECs), is characterised by networks of elites (Osifo, 2018), as observed in Italy and Hungary (Paar-Jakli and Molina, 2023). These are often ‘old boys’ – in business, clubs, sports and professional associations, media, non-profit organisations, unions, academe etc – dominating decision making, frequently in both the public and private spheres. Such networks typically by-pass, rig or distort formal or official channels such as public procurement and public appointments. One example of many in Tasmania – described by Barnsley as “crony capitalism” – involved the notorious Gunns Pulpmill Project. This project should have received extensive public scrutiny on economic and environmental grounds but progressed for several years – thanks to its backers’ political connections – without public consultation or social licence, only being halted by financial difficulties, not by considerations of public good.

more…https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-the-study-of-corruption/2025/01/21/__trashed/

sarahs mum said:

In short:
The Tasmanian government has proposed limiting third-party planning appeals, so only parties directly affected by a planning decision could appeal against it. The move could prevent external groups, such as NGOs and activist organisations from appealing against planning decisions made on public land.

The proposed change has been criticised as unnecessary and “undemocratic” by critics including environmental groups, the Greens and Labor.

What’s next?
The government says it’s still consulting on the change, and it was too early to say whether third-party appeals against proposals on public land would still be allowed.

Link copied

Share article
The Tasmanian government has announced plans to limit who can lodge an appeal to the state’s appeals tribunal, so only parties deemed as “aggrieved by a planning decision” can do so.

But critics have said the proposal to prevent third parties from lodging planning appeals is an “anti-democratic” move.

Planning Minister Felix Ellis said cracking down on third-party appeals to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal would “prevent baseless objections that tie projects up in delays and red tape”.

“This legislation will mean that appeals can only be lodged by someone who is directly and adversely impacted by the planning decision, not well-funded activist groups and anti-everything organisations set up to oppose Tasmania moving forward,” he said.

Street signage for TASCAT, for Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
A government briefing note from 2018-19 stated only about 10 appeals were not resolved following mediation. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)

The change has been roundly criticised by environmental groups, including the Bob Brown Foundation, which lodged a third-party appeal against the Robbins Island wind farm.

Bob Brown Foundation campaigner Scott Jordan said the move was another step in “a long line of anti-democratic measures by this government”.

“Removing third-party appeal rights from our planning processes removes the capacity for decisions that have been made on substandard information to be properly analysed by an appeals body,” he said.

“It’s particularly egregious where we’re talking about areas of public land.

more…

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-07/proposed-tasmanian-planning-laws-limit-third-party-appeals/104909372

——————————

How corrupt is Tasmania?

In short, no-one knows. Corruption is usually concealed, and valid metrics for Tasmania are scarce. Analysts might consult Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which ranked Australia 14th of 180 countries in corruption control in 2023, scoring 75 points of 100 (TI, 2024). However, the CPI gives a single score for a country and does not disaggregate at regional or state level, which may mask or fail to capture what is going on in some areas.

Being a large, historically-diverse Federation whose states vary economically and socially, corruption in business-oriented New South Wales may vary from mining-dominated Western Australia or South Australia’s manufacturing and agriculture. Increasingly, corruption is therefore being analysed on a regional basis (Heywood, 2017; JANAR, 2024). Within Australia, local influences, geography and historical factors are important (Perry, 2001; Graycar, 2015), particularly for understanding Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state.

Johnston’s typology identifies four mutually-exclusive syndromes: ‘Official Moguls’, ‘Oligarchs and Clans’, ‘Influence Markets’ and ‘Elite Cartels’ (Johnston, 2005; 2014).

The dominant syndrome in Australia’s largest states, as in most market democracies, is ‘Influence Markets’, where official powers, political influence and personal networks are traded or ‘rented’ to private interests contending over specific stakes such as contracts and favourable policy changes, and are power and wealth-oriented. This – and associated bribery – resembles what many Australians are likely to think of as corruption.

However, applying Johnston’s (2014) corruption typologies assessment suggests that Tasmania differs. Its syndrome of corruption, known as ‘Elite Cartels’ (hereafter ECs), is characterised by networks of elites (Osifo, 2018), as observed in Italy and Hungary (Paar-Jakli and Molina, 2023). These are often ‘old boys’ – in business, clubs, sports and professional associations, media, non-profit organisations, unions, academe etc – dominating decision making, frequently in both the public and private spheres. Such networks typically by-pass, rig or distort formal or official channels such as public procurement and public appointments. One example of many in Tasmania – described by Barnsley as “crony capitalism” – involved the notorious Gunns Pulpmill Project. This project should have received extensive public scrutiny on economic and environmental grounds but progressed for several years – thanks to its backers’ political connections – without public consultation or social licence, only being halted by financial difficulties, not by considerations of public good.

more…https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-the-study-of-corruption/2025/01/21/__trashed/

Not yet as corrupt as they plan to be, it seems.

seriously calm the

He slammed the report as “the worst thing that the Commonwealth has ever delivered here”. “It is pretty much a blueprint for the Commonwealth to get rid of the Home Islanders from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands,” Mr Mills said. “We’ll be contesting the contents of it as much as we possibly can.”

farm, it’s fine, eco terrorism never hurt anyone, how could it be ethnic cleansing if there’s no such thing as a homeislandese race

Honestly, I hope the PM doesn’t give up anything significant to avoid these tariffs.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-10/australia-steel-tariff-trump-carve-out/104918434

I think the US’s tariffs on China are likely to affect Australia more than these.

interesting, we’re unfamiliar with these brands of spray paint that have this appearance

Police seized spray cans of paint outside Meg O’Neill’s City beach home. (Four Corners)

oh right maybe the alt text will hold some clues

A bag and two buckets, one containing yellow paint.

uh wtf

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-10/climate-activists-fined-for-targetting-woodside-boss-meg-oneill/104918790

Very good results for the Liberals in two Victorian by-elections.

Liberals have gained Prahran from the Greens.

There’s also been a roughly 10% swing to the Libs in Werribee, but it looks like ALP will narrowly retain.

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

LOL stirrer

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-10/malcolm-turnbull-donald-trump-tariffs-albanese/104919800

nothing like an election to close the pork

Choice late last year went shopping in four stores across the remote Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as in capital cities. They found a basket of essential groceries cost an average of $44.70 in the cities, but the same basket cost an average $99.38 in the bush. That could change with the prime minister’s announcement on Monday that the cost of 30 essential items in select remote stores will be locked to city prices. Through a $50 million funding boost over four years, set to start in July, remote stores will be provided low-cost access to the items. The scheme will benefit 76 remote stores, which the federal government says will be chosen based on which areas have the greatest need.

barreling gap oh nice

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Take a step to the right.

SCIENCE said:

nothing like an election to close the pork

Choice late last year went shopping in four stores across the remote Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as in capital cities. They found a basket of essential groceries cost an average of $44.70 in the cities, but the same basket cost an average $99.38 in the bush. That could change with the prime minister’s announcement on Monday that the cost of 30 essential items in select remote stores will be locked to city prices. Through a $50 million funding boost over four years, set to start in July, remote stores will be provided low-cost access to the items. The scheme will benefit 76 remote stores, which the federal government says will be chosen based on which areas have the greatest need.

barreling gap oh nice

It isn’t going to help the shelf life of the food. The transport miles haven’t shortened.

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

nothing like an election to close the pork

Choice late last year went shopping in four stores across the remote Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as in capital cities. They found a basket of essential groceries cost an average of $44.70 in the cities, but the same basket cost an average $99.38 in the bush. That could change with the prime minister’s announcement on Monday that the cost of 30 essential items in select remote stores will be locked to city prices. Through a $50 million funding boost over four years, set to start in July, remote stores will be provided low-cost access to the items. The scheme will benefit 76 remote stores, which the federal government says will be chosen based on which areas have the greatest need.

barreling gap oh nice

It isn’t going to help the shelf life of the food. The transport miles haven’t shortened.

i’ll vote for sending them cheaper food instead off reintroducing the indue card.

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Why?

Michael V said:

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Why?

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

sarahs mum said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

nothing like an election to close the pork

Choice late last year went shopping in four stores across the remote Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as in capital cities. They found a basket of essential groceries cost an average of $44.70 in the cities, but the same basket cost an average $99.38 in the bush. That could change with the prime minister’s announcement on Monday that the cost of 30 essential items in select remote stores will be locked to city prices. Through a $50 million funding boost over four years, set to start in July, remote stores will be provided low-cost access to the items. The scheme will benefit 76 remote stores, which the federal government says will be chosen based on which areas have the greatest need.

barreling gap oh nice

It isn’t going to help the shelf life of the food. The transport miles haven’t shortened.

i’ll vote for sending them cheaper food instead off reintroducing the indue card.

Nods.

party_pants said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Why?

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

I don’t understand how. I thought Dutton wanted antisemitism thoroughly on the agenda. He’s been bashing the Jewish-Israel gong a fair bit lately. The opportunity has been handed to him by the Middle-East war.

Michael V said:

party_pants said:

Michael V said:

Why?

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

I don’t understand how. I thought Dutton wanted antisemitism thoroughly on the agenda. He’s been bashing the Jewish-Israel gong a fair bit lately. The opportunity has been handed to him by the Middle-East war.

A good point, and well made.

You got me stumped. Maybe internal polling is showing a split in the coalition voter base between the pro-Israeli and the rabid racists. Too much support for one antagonises the other??

Apart from that I got nothing. Will have to think it through.

Michael V said:

party_pants said:

Michael V said:

Why?

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

I don’t understand how. I thought Dutton wanted antisemitism thoroughly on the agenda. He’s been bashing the Jewish-Israel gong a fair bit lately. The opportunity has been handed to him by the Middle-East war.

There’s quite a current against Jewish people saying things on the topic of anti-semitism that doesn’t fit a conservative viewpoint. Young PWM brought to our attention a recent case where the Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia caught considerable approbrium on that basis.

dv said:

Michael V said:

party_pants said:

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

I don’t understand how. I thought Dutton wanted antisemitism thoroughly on the agenda. He’s been bashing the Jewish-Israel gong a fair bit lately. The opportunity has been handed to him by the Middle-East war.

There’s quite a current against Jewish people saying things on the topic of anti-semitism that doesn’t fit a conservative viewpoint. Young PWM brought to our attention a recent case where the Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia caught considerable approbrium on that basis.

I don’t understand, but I’ll have a think about it overnight.

Michael V said:

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Why?

I was watching Question Time when this happened. IIRC Dreyfus implied that Michael Sukkar called him ‘disgusting’ which the Opposition contended was anti-parliamentary language.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Michael V said:

dv said:

The Coalition has taken the unusual step of moving that Attorney General Michael Dreyfus “no longer be heard” as he answered a question on antisemitism. Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician.
The gag motion was defeated 91-52, with all crossbenchers opposing.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-question-time-tactic-that-left-labor-mps-visibly-shocked-20250210-p5lb00

Why?

I was watching Question Time when this happened. IIRC Dreyfus implied that Michael Sukkar called him ‘disgusting’ which the Opposition contended was anti-parliamentary language.

That’s upside down and back to front. Dreyfus called Sukkar disgusting after, and because of, the gag motion.

dv said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

Michael V said:

Why?

I was watching Question Time when this happened. IIRC Dreyfus implied that Michael Sukkar called him ‘disgusting’ which the Opposition contended was anti-parliamentary language.

That’s upside down and back to front. Dreyfus called Sukkar disgusting after, and because of, the gag motion.

Righto.

sarahs mum said:

roughbarked said:

SCIENCE said:

nothing like an election to close the pork

Choice late last year went shopping in four stores across the remote Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as in capital cities. They found a basket of essential groceries cost an average of $44.70 in the cities, but the same basket cost an average $99.38 in the bush. That could change with the prime minister’s announcement on Monday that the cost of 30 essential items in select remote stores will be locked to city prices. Through a $50 million funding boost over four years, set to start in July, remote stores will be provided low-cost access to the items. The scheme will benefit 76 remote stores, which the federal government says will be chosen based on which areas have the greatest need.

barreling gap oh nice

It isn’t going to help the shelf life of the food. The transport miles haven’t shortened.

i’ll vote for sending them cheaper food instead off reintroducing the indue card.

Nods.

dv said:

Michael V said:

party_pants said:

A cynical attempt to revive culture wars as the defining issue of politics

I don’t understand how. I thought Dutton wanted antisemitism thoroughly on the agenda. He’s been bashing the Jewish-Israel gong a fair bit lately. The opportunity has been handed to him by the Middle-East war.

There’s quite a current against Jewish people saying things on the topic of anti-semitism that doesn’t fit a conservative viewpoint. Young PWM brought to our attention a recent case where the Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia caught considerable approbrium on that basis.

Yes. The Australian Jews actually are stronger on the two state decision and therefore are at odds with the Netenyahu camp.

Michael V said:

sarahs mum said:

roughbarked said:

It isn’t going to help the shelf life of the food. The transport miles haven’t shortened.

i’ll vote for sending them cheaper food instead off reintroducing the indue card.

Nods.

maybe they can make the food cheaper for those who have the fondue card

our souls

During question time yesterday, the opposition attempted to gag Australia’s most senior Jewish politician, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, as he was outlining Labor’s response to antisemitism. Peter Dutton is asked if his chief tactician in the chamber, Manager of Opposition Business Michael Sukkar, went too far. The opposition says “absolutely not” and insists the claim the Coalition is politicising antisemitism was a “disgraceful slur”. “It is completely without foundation. I think that is important point and as a result of that it would require a response that was entirely appropriate and proportionate,” he says.

the lot of them

SCIENCE said:

our souls the lot of them

yeah

The opposition leader reiterated the opposition to the tariffs was bipartisan but he declines to give the PM any credit. Instead, he pivots to hit out at previous remarks Albanese, US ambassador Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong have made about Trump in the past. “I think the statement of fact the prime minister has made relationship more difficult through his previous comments,” he says.

because rolling over and taking pennies from the abuser is totally going to make them less abusive

In short:

The federal government says it is prepared to acquire Regional Express if a suitable buyer for the collapsed airline is unable to be found.

The airline entered voluntary administration last year after it failed to expand into capital city services.
What’s next?

Administrators have until the end of June to find a buyer, while the government has provided funding to ensure its regional flights remain operational.

> This is interesting. We have yet to see what Dutton will make of it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-11/government-to-acquire-regional-express-airline-if-no-buyer/104924230

roughbarked said:

In short:

The federal government says it is prepared to acquire Regional Express if a suitable buyer for the collapsed airline is unable to be found.

The airline entered voluntary administration last year after it failed to expand into capital city services.
What’s next?

Administrators have until the end of June to find a buyer, while the government has provided funding to ensure its regional flights remain operational.

> This is interesting. We have yet to see what Dutton will make of it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-11/government-to-acquire-regional-express-airline-if-no-buyer/104924230

Dutton will have to keep it going in some form, if only to keep the Nats on side.

AussieDJ said:

roughbarked said:

In short:

The federal government says it is prepared to acquire Regional Express if a suitable buyer for the collapsed airline is unable to be found.

The airline entered voluntary administration last year after it failed to expand into capital city services.
What’s next?

Administrators have until the end of June to find a buyer, while the government has provided funding to ensure its regional flights remain operational.

> This is interesting. We have yet to see what Dutton will make of it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-11/government-to-acquire-regional-express-airline-if-no-buyer/104924230

Dutton will have to keep it going in some form, if only to keep the Nats on side.

True.

dv said:

So delusional.

A London jury has found Sam Kerr not guilty of racially harassing a police officer. Ms Kerr admitted calling Constable Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” in January, 2023, but denied intending to harass him. A 12-person jury took about four hours to deliberate before acquitting the Australian soccer star.

probably because white isn’t a race

SCIENCE said:

A London jury has found Sam Kerr not guilty of racially harassing a police officer. Ms Kerr admitted calling Constable Stephen Lovell “stupid and white” in January, 2023, but denied intending to harass him. A 12-person jury took about four hours to deliberate before acquitting the Australian soccer star.

probably because white isn’t a race

The court artist wasn’t having a very accurate day. This is supposed to be Sam Kerr.

Van Badham

The facts are on record, and they are not good. Stick with me…

The present leader of the Liberal/National coalition parties, Peter Dutton, spent 9 years as a senior cabinet minister in the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison governments.
You may remember many scandals from his time as Minister for Home Affairs (2017-2021):

- the “au pair” affair
- the human rights abuses on Manus Island and Nauru
- his proposal to fast track refugee visas for WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS
- claiming “African gangs” made people in Melbourne “scared to go to restaurants”
- his deportations of New Zealanders
- his “mad fucken witch” comments
- his joke about Pacific Islanders being subsumed by rising sea levels
- his attacks on the Lebanese community

What you WON’T remember from that time is Dutton ever making an explicit public statement condemning anti-semitism when Nazis were literally *infiltrating the Liberal/National Parties”.

I guess when you think Allegra Spender is a communist (Dutton really did say the teals were communists the other day) your location of the political centre is COMPLETELY out of whack.

In fact, Dutton’s tenure in cabinet is notorious for the Liberal/National Party’s “conservative goal” at the time to REMOVE “18c” – the provision of Australia’s Racial Discriminstion Act that makes racial hate speech and vilification unlawful.

Apparently, according to Dutton, Australians didn’t want a “language code” jammed down “people’s throats”.
This is a man who NOW wants to paint himself as some kind of ally to Jewish Australians – who, by the way, were a community that specifically needed the protections of 18c, which was why it was introduced in the first place.
I mean, that’s why people like me (obviously, communists) FOUGHT LIKE HELL to keep 18c – at the time, and always. (We won; then-PM Turnbull abandoned the idea).

Super interesting.

Also, I can’t find any public statement made by Dutton when 30 individuals with “Nazi affiliations” infiltrated his NSW comrades of the National Party in 2018.

I can’t find any public statement from Dutton taking a stand against his Queensland LNP confrere, George Christensen, when the then MP for Mackay was doing podcasts with outfits who had Neo-Nazi links in 2017.
And at any point, Dutton could apologise on behalf of the Liberal Party he leads for the historical fact that there was a party powerbroker in NSW for decades who was not just a bit anti-semitic but actually from the WW2, Nazi-collaborating Slovene Home Guard. His name was Lyenko Urbanchich, the faction he built was called “the Uglies” FOR A REASON, and you can have a Google of some of Urbanchich’s statements, oh my god.

(Mind you – Dutton was the only
Liberal/National frontbencher who walked out on the Apology to the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in 2008. I guess gestures of solidarity, basic empathy, and historical accountability aren’t really his vibe).

And let me remind you of when Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming appeared at a transphobic demonstration in Melbourne that was also attended by actual Nazis, as recently as March 2023.
I cannot find a statement from Mr Dutton condemning the ACTUAL FREAKIN’ NAZIS who were there.
I CAN find records of a WhatsApp message Dutton sent to the Victorian Liberal leader in the wake of Deeming’s extraordinary proximity to sieg-heiling scumbags.

“John for the sake of Aston could we pls put this issue to bed today. No more media pls.”
Well, that’s the priority, Peter, pffft, what’s a few more ACTUAL NAZIS.

(As a point of contrast, the Victorian Labor government took decisive action in the wake of that rally: • The Labor government announced plans to ban the Nazi salute, aiming to prevent such displays in the future.  • Labor officials, including Premier Daniel Andrews, condemned the actions of the neo-Nazis and expressed solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community)

I mention all of this because it puts into context this horrific moment in the Australian parliament today.
Mark Dreyfus was speaking about the action the his government is taking against anti-semitism. He knows a bit about it. Firstly, because he’s the Attorney-General.

Secondly, because Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician. What now remains of his family fled Nazi Germany; three of his great-grandparents perished in the Holocaust, may their memory be a blessing.
The Liberals/Nationals moved a GAG MOTION while Dreyfus was speaking.

Literally, human scone and Liberal MP for Why Do You Keep Electing This Freakin’ Guy?, Michael Sukkar, moved “that the speaker no longer be heard”.

Just check out the looks on Richard Marles’ and Tony Burke’s faces – flanking Dreyfus – as it happened.

Bogsnorkler said:

Van Badham

The facts are on record, and they are not good. Stick with me…

The present leader of the Liberal/National coalition parties, Peter Dutton, spent 9 years as a senior cabinet minister in the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison governments.
You may remember many scandals from his time as Minister for Home Affairs (2017-2021):

>>>>>>>>>>CUT>>>>>>>>>>

Dutton is an no-empathy arse.

Michael V said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Van Badham

The facts are on record, and they are not good. Stick with me…

The present leader of the Liberal/National coalition parties, Peter Dutton, spent 9 years as a senior cabinet minister in the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison governments.
You may remember many scandals from his time as Minister for Home Affairs (2017-2021):

>>>>>>>>>>CUT>>>>>>>>>>

Dutton is an no-empathy arse.

Who cares, how dare the communist bastards use techniques that corruption use happily ¡

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/labor-accused-of-reviving-mediscare-with-misleading-dutton-video/104922938

Bogsnorkler said:

Van Badham

The facts are on record, and they are not good. Stick with me…

The present leader of the Liberal/National coalition parties, Peter Dutton, spent 9 years as a senior cabinet minister in the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison governments.
You may remember many scandals from his time as Minister for Home Affairs (2017-2021):

- the “au pair” affair
- the human rights abuses on Manus Island and Nauru
- his proposal to fast track refugee visas for WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS
- claiming “African gangs” made people in Melbourne “scared to go to restaurants”
- his deportations of New Zealanders
- his “mad fucken witch” comments
- his joke about Pacific Islanders being subsumed by rising sea levels
- his attacks on the Lebanese community

What you WON’T remember from that time is Dutton ever making an explicit public statement condemning anti-semitism when Nazis were literally *infiltrating the Liberal/National Parties”.

I guess when you think Allegra Spender is a communist (Dutton really did say the teals were communists the other day) your location of the political centre is COMPLETELY out of whack.

In fact, Dutton’s tenure in cabinet is notorious for the Liberal/National Party’s “conservative goal” at the time to REMOVE “18c” – the provision of Australia’s Racial Discriminstion Act that makes racial hate speech and vilification unlawful.

Apparently, according to Dutton, Australians didn’t want a “language code” jammed down “people’s throats”.
This is a man who NOW wants to paint himself as some kind of ally to Jewish Australians – who, by the way, were a community that specifically needed the protections of 18c, which was why it was introduced in the first place.
I mean, that’s why people like me (obviously, communists) FOUGHT LIKE HELL to keep 18c – at the time, and always. (We won; then-PM Turnbull abandoned the idea).

Super interesting.

Also, I can’t find any public statement made by Dutton when 30 individuals with “Nazi affiliations” infiltrated his NSW comrades of the National Party in 2018.

I can’t find any public statement from Dutton taking a stand against his Queensland LNP confrere, George Christensen, when the then MP for Mackay was doing podcasts with outfits who had Neo-Nazi links in 2017.
And at any point, Dutton could apologise on behalf of the Liberal Party he leads for the historical fact that there was a party powerbroker in NSW for decades who was not just a bit anti-semitic but actually from the WW2, Nazi-collaborating Slovene Home Guard. His name was Lyenko Urbanchich, the faction he built was called “the Uglies” FOR A REASON, and you can have a Google of some of Urbanchich’s statements, oh my god.

(Mind you – Dutton was the only
Liberal/National frontbencher who walked out on the Apology to the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in 2008. I guess gestures of solidarity, basic empathy, and historical accountability aren’t really his vibe).

And let me remind you of when Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming appeared at a transphobic demonstration in Melbourne that was also attended by actual Nazis, as recently as March 2023.
I cannot find a statement from Mr Dutton condemning the ACTUAL FREAKIN’ NAZIS who were there.
I CAN find records of a WhatsApp message Dutton sent to the Victorian Liberal leader in the wake of Deeming’s extraordinary proximity to sieg-heiling scumbags.

“John for the sake of Aston could we pls put this issue to bed today. No more media pls.”
Well, that’s the priority, Peter, pffft, what’s a few more ACTUAL NAZIS.

(As a point of contrast, the Victorian Labor government took decisive action in the wake of that rally: • The Labor government announced plans to ban the Nazi salute, aiming to prevent such displays in the future.  • Labor officials, including Premier Daniel Andrews, condemned the actions of the neo-Nazis and expressed solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community)

I mention all of this because it puts into context this horrific moment in the Australian parliament today.
Mark Dreyfus was speaking about the action the his government is taking against anti-semitism. He knows a bit about it. Firstly, because he’s the Attorney-General.

Secondly, because Dreyfus is Australia’s most senior Jewish politician. What now remains of his family fled Nazi Germany; three of his great-grandparents perished in the Holocaust, may their memory be a blessing.
The Liberals/Nationals moved a GAG MOTION while Dreyfus was speaking.

Literally, human scone and Liberal MP for Why Do You Keep Electing This Freakin’ Guy?, Michael Sukkar, moved “that the speaker no longer be heard”.

Just check out the looks on Richard Marles’ and Tony Burke’s faces – flanking Dreyfus – as it happened.

so Communist LABOR infringed those national socialists’ freedom of speech

(Mind you – Dutton was the only
Liberal/National frontbencher who walked out on the Apology to the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in 2008. I guess gestures of solidarity, basic empathy, and historical accountability aren’t really his vibe).

—-

Which now he says he is sorry about and regrets.

But he continues to treat aborigines with disdain.

So there is that.

sarahs mum said:

(Mind you – Dutton was the only
Liberal/National frontbencher who walked out on the Apology to the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in 2008. I guess gestures of solidarity, basic empathy, and historical accountability aren’t really his vibe).

—-

Which now he says he is sorry about and regrets.

But he continues to treat aborigines with disdain.

So there is that.

Leopards and spots come to mind.

WA has its election campaigns going

Its funny The Liberals are spouting this we care about people over economics and business.
Its a lie obviously but a very Labour way of thinking.
They must be desperate

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on Egom Kisch.

—-

Egon Erwin Kisch (29 April 1885 – 31 March 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak writer and journalist, who wrote in German.
—-
On 28 February 1933, the day after the Reichstag fire, Kisch was one of many prominent opponents of Nazism to be arrested. He was briefly imprisoned in Spandau Prison, but as a Czechoslovak citizen, was expelled from Germany. His works were banned and burnt in Germany, but he continued to write for the Czech and émigré German press, bearing witness to the horrors of the Nazi takeover.

In the years between the Machtergreifung and the outbreak of World War II, Kisch continued to travel widely to report and to speak publicly in the anti-fascist cause. in 1934 was later chronicled in his book Landung in Australien (Australian Landfall) (1937).

The right-wing Australian government refused Kisch entry from the ship Strathaird at Fremantle and Melbourne because of his previous exclusion from the UK. Kisch then took matters into his own hands. He jumped five metres from the deck of his ship onto the quayside at Melbourne, breaking his leg in the process. He was bundled back on board but this dramatic action mobilised the Australian left in support of Kisch. When the Strathaird docked in Sydney, proceedings were taken against the Captain on the grounds that he was illegally detaining Kisch. Justice H. V. Evatt ordered that Kisch be released. Under the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, visitors could be refused entry if they failed a dictation test in any European language. As soon as Kisch was released, he was re-arrested and was one of the very few Europeans to be given the test; he was tested in Scottish Gaelic because it was thought he might pass if tested in other European languages. The officer who tested him had grown up in northern Scotland but did not have a particularly good grasp of Scottish Gaelic himself. In the High Court case of R v Wilson; ex parte Kisch, the court found that Scottish Gaelic was not within the fair meaning of the Act, and overturned Kisch’s convictions for being an illegal immigrant.

On 17 February 1935, Kisch addressed a crowd of 18,000 in the Sydney Domain warning of the dangers of Hitler’s Nazi regime, of another war and of concentration camps.

—-

What drew my attention was the text I’ve bolded. This seems like a comically blunt immigration control tool. Almost anyone could be excluded by that measure, except for a few rare polyglots who theoretically could come from anywhere.

dv said:

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on Egom Kisch.

—-

Egon Erwin Kisch (29 April 1885 – 31 March 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak writer and journalist, who wrote in German.
—-
On 28 February 1933, the day after the Reichstag fire, Kisch was one of many prominent opponents of Nazism to be arrested. He was briefly imprisoned in Spandau Prison, but as a Czechoslovak citizen, was expelled from Germany. His works were banned and burnt in Germany, but he continued to write for the Czech and émigré German press, bearing witness to the horrors of the Nazi takeover.

In the years between the Machtergreifung and the outbreak of World War II, Kisch continued to travel widely to report and to speak publicly in the anti-fascist cause. in 1934 was later chronicled in his book Landung in Australien (Australian Landfall) (1937).

The right-wing Australian government refused Kisch entry from the ship Strathaird at Fremantle and Melbourne because of his previous exclusion from the UK. Kisch then took matters into his own hands. He jumped five metres from the deck of his ship onto the quayside at Melbourne, breaking his leg in the process. He was bundled back on board but this dramatic action mobilised the Australian left in support of Kisch. When the Strathaird docked in Sydney, proceedings were taken against the Captain on the grounds that he was illegally detaining Kisch. Justice H. V. Evatt ordered that Kisch be released. Under the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, visitors could be refused entry if they failed a dictation test in any European language. As soon as Kisch was released, he was re-arrested and was one of the very few Europeans to be given the test; he was tested in Scottish Gaelic because it was thought he might pass if tested in other European languages. The officer who tested him had grown up in northern Scotland but did not have a particularly good grasp of Scottish Gaelic himself. In the High Court case of R v Wilson; ex parte Kisch, the court found that Scottish Gaelic was not within the fair meaning of the Act, and overturned Kisch’s convictions for being an illegal immigrant.

On 17 February 1935, Kisch addressed a crowd of 18,000 in the Sydney Domain warning of the dangers of Hitler’s Nazi regime, of another war and of concentration camps.

—-

What drew my attention was the text I’ve bolded. This seems like a comically blunt immigration control tool. Almost anyone could be excluded by that measure, except for a few rare polyglots who theoretically could come from anywhere.

What a farce. Quite surprising that it remained in place for half a century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Restriction_Act_1901

Because of opposition from the British government, more explicit racial policies were avoided in the legislation, with the control mechanism for people deemed undesirable being a dictation test, which required a person seeking entry to Australia to write out a passage of fifty words dictated to them in any European language, not necessarily English, at the discretion of an immigration officer. The test was a pretend or fake one as it not designed to allow immigration officers to evaluate applicants on the basis of language skills, rather the decision that a person was a “prohibited immigrant” was already taken when the “test” was to be administered and the language chosen was always one known beforehand that the person would fail. This pretend was well recognised at the time as Senator Harney of Western Australia expressed it:

“The Government had placed itself on the horns of a dilemma, as, if the Bill were honestly administered, it would be inept, and, if not honestly administered, it would involve Parliament and its officers in a piece of gross chicanery.” The West Australian, 14 November 1901, p.3.

1

dv said:

dv said:

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on Egom Kisch.

—-

Egon Erwin Kisch (29 April 1885 – 31 March 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak writer and journalist, who wrote in German.
—-
On 28 February 1933, the day after the Reichstag fire, Kisch was one of many prominent opponents of Nazism to be arrested. He was briefly imprisoned in Spandau Prison, but as a Czechoslovak citizen, was expelled from Germany. His works were banned and burnt in Germany, but he continued to write for the Czech and émigré German press, bearing witness to the horrors of the Nazi takeover.

In the years between the Machtergreifung and the outbreak of World War II, Kisch continued to travel widely to report and to speak publicly in the anti-fascist cause. in 1934 was later chronicled in his book Landung in Australien (Australian Landfall) (1937).

The right-wing Australian government refused Kisch entry from the ship Strathaird at Fremantle and Melbourne because of his previous exclusion from the UK. Kisch then took matters into his own hands. He jumped five metres from the deck of his ship onto the quayside at Melbourne, breaking his leg in the process. He was bundled back on board but this dramatic action mobilised the Australian left in support of Kisch. When the Strathaird docked in Sydney, proceedings were taken against the Captain on the grounds that he was illegally detaining Kisch. Justice H. V. Evatt ordered that Kisch be released. Under the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, visitors could be refused entry if they failed a dictation test in any European language. As soon as Kisch was released, he was re-arrested and was one of the very few Europeans to be given the test; he was tested in Scottish Gaelic because it was thought he might pass if tested in other European languages. The officer who tested him had grown up in northern Scotland but did not have a particularly good grasp of Scottish Gaelic himself. In the High Court case of R v Wilson; ex parte Kisch, the court found that Scottish Gaelic was not within the fair meaning of the Act, and overturned Kisch’s convictions for being an illegal immigrant.

On 17 February 1935, Kisch addressed a crowd of 18,000 in the Sydney Domain warning of the dangers of Hitler’s Nazi regime, of another war and of concentration camps.

—-

What drew my attention was the text I’ve bolded. This seems like a comically blunt immigration control tool. Almost anyone could be excluded by that measure, except for a few rare polyglots who theoretically could come from anywhere.

What a farce. Quite surprising that it remained in place for half a century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Restriction_Act_1901

Because of opposition from the British government, more explicit racial policies were avoided in the legislation, with the control mechanism for people deemed undesirable being a dictation test, which required a person seeking entry to Australia to write out a passage of fifty words dictated to them in any European language, not necessarily English, at the discretion of an immigration officer. The test was a pretend or fake one as it not designed to allow immigration officers to evaluate applicants on the basis of language skills, rather the decision that a person was a “prohibited immigrant” was already taken when the “test” was to be administered and the language chosen was always one known beforehand that the person would fail. This pretend was well recognised at the time as Senator Harney of Western Australia expressed it:

“The Government had placed itself on the horns of a dilemma, as, if the Bill were honestly administered, it would be inept, and, if not honestly administered, it would involve Parliament and its officers in a piece of gross chicanery.” The West Australian, 14 November 1901, p.3.

1

There’s a simple English word for that: corruption.

Electoral reform?

Not for the better, anyway.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/labor-coalition-strike-electoral-reform-deal/104928032

Michael V said:

Electoral reform?

Not for the better, anyway.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/labor-coalition-strike-electoral-reform-deal/104928032

It seems a modest improvement on the status quo

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

“… will be appearing on stage, including The Australian newspaper’s foreign editor, Greg Sheridan, Sky News Australia presenters Peta Credlin and Chris Uhlmann, former prime minister Tony Abbott and the former treasurer Peter Costello. “

Sounds just like the good old days.

Bubblecar said:

dv said:

dv said:

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on Egom Kisch.

—-

Egon Erwin Kisch (29 April 1885 – 31 March 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak writer and journalist, who wrote in German.
—-
On 28 February 1933, the day after the Reichstag fire, Kisch was one of many prominent opponents of Nazism to be arrested. He was briefly imprisoned in Spandau Prison, but as a Czechoslovak citizen, was expelled from Germany. His works were banned and burnt in Germany, but he continued to write for the Czech and émigré German press, bearing witness to the horrors of the Nazi takeover.

In the years between the Machtergreifung and the outbreak of World War II, Kisch continued to travel widely to report and to speak publicly in the anti-fascist cause. in 1934 was later chronicled in his book Landung in Australien (Australian Landfall) (1937).

The right-wing Australian government refused Kisch entry from the ship Strathaird at Fremantle and Melbourne because of his previous exclusion from the UK. Kisch then took matters into his own hands. He jumped five metres from the deck of his ship onto the quayside at Melbourne, breaking his leg in the process. He was bundled back on board but this dramatic action mobilised the Australian left in support of Kisch. When the Strathaird docked in Sydney, proceedings were taken against the Captain on the grounds that he was illegally detaining Kisch. Justice H. V. Evatt ordered that Kisch be released. Under the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, visitors could be refused entry if they failed a dictation test in any European language. As soon as Kisch was released, he was re-arrested and was one of the very few Europeans to be given the test; he was tested in Scottish Gaelic because it was thought he might pass if tested in other European languages. The officer who tested him had grown up in northern Scotland but did not have a particularly good grasp of Scottish Gaelic himself. In the High Court case of R v Wilson; ex parte Kisch, the court found that Scottish Gaelic was not within the fair meaning of the Act, and overturned Kisch’s convictions for being an illegal immigrant.

On 17 February 1935, Kisch addressed a crowd of 18,000 in the Sydney Domain warning of the dangers of Hitler’s Nazi regime, of another war and of concentration camps.

—-

What drew my attention was the text I’ve bolded. This seems like a comically blunt immigration control tool. Almost anyone could be excluded by that measure, except for a few rare polyglots who theoretically could come from anywhere.

What a farce. Quite surprising that it remained in place for half a century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Restriction_Act_1901

Because of opposition from the British government, more explicit racial policies were avoided in the legislation, with the control mechanism for people deemed undesirable being a dictation test, which required a person seeking entry to Australia to write out a passage of fifty words dictated to them in any European language, not necessarily English, at the discretion of an immigration officer. The test was a pretend or fake one as it not designed to allow immigration officers to evaluate applicants on the basis of language skills, rather the decision that a person was a “prohibited immigrant” was already taken when the “test” was to be administered and the language chosen was always one known beforehand that the person would fail. This pretend was well recognised at the time as Senator Harney of Western Australia expressed it:

“The Government had placed itself on the horns of a dilemma, as, if the Bill were honestly administered, it would be inept, and, if not honestly administered, it would involve Parliament and its officers in a piece of gross chicanery.” The West Australian, 14 November 1901, p.3.

1

There’s a simple English word for that: corruption.

also, wise people here tell us to trust the law and the legal system even in the face of overt fascism so shrug

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/12/dutton-has-backed-more-funding-to-womens-health-but-the-political-record-is-worth-revisiting

What Colour Are Snowflakes

When Lovell eventually took to the stand in court, he was asked how the insult of “stupid and white” made him feel, he offered a short explanation: “Upset.”

The Rev Dodgson said:

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

“… will be appearing on stage, including The Australian newspaper’s foreign editor, Greg Sheridan, Sky News Australia presenters Peta Credlin and Chris Uhlmann, former prime minister Tony Abbott and the former treasurer Peter Costello. “

Sounds just like the good old days.

libbit disappointed that Peter would get mixed up with those goombas

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

party_pants said:

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

doesn’t matter it’s only foreign interference if dirty ASIANS do it

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

OK, that’s alright then. While they’re away we can cancel the passports of any Aussies attending and refuse them re-entry.

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

OK, that’s alright then. While they’re away we can cancel the passports of any Aussies attending and refuse them re-entry.

I just hope they forget they’re in public and reveal the full unpleasantness of their views, which will then be widely reported.

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

Bubblecar said:

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

OK, that’s alright then. While they’re away we can cancel the passports of any Aussies attending and refuse them re-entry.

I just hope they forget they’re in public and reveal the full unpleasantness of their views, which will then be widely reported.

agree, it’ll be quite exciting to see their approval ratings leap high into positive territory as a consequence

Dear oh dear.

Bubblecar said:

party_pants said:

dv said:

Bridget McKenzie, Moira Deeming and key News Corp figures to attend Jordan Peterson’s ‘civilisation’ conference

—-

In the interest of fairness they should also listen to the For case

Why is a foreigner holding a conference in Australia about a civilisation we are not a part of?

I’m not interested in this Judeo-Gnostic pseudo religion twaddle. Why can’t he just fuck off and leave us alone.

It’s in the UK, not Oz.

waste of avgas.

Peak Warming Man said:

Dear oh dear.

Is she wearing a head scarf, I think she is.

Peak Warming Man said:

Dear oh dear.

The first reporting on the matter was a bit confusing as to how these nurses came to be conversing with someone where 1. they felt comfortable being so anti-Israeli, and 2. they were caught in the act. Turns out they were playing ChatRoulette at work and just happened to get someone from Israel.

Witty Rejoinder said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Dear oh dear.

The first reporting on the matter was a bit confusing as to how these nurses came to be conversing with someone where 1. they felt comfortable being so anti-Israeli, and 2. they were caught in the act. Turns out they were playing ChatRoulette at work and just happened to get someone from Israel.

Hmmmmm.

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

but there were never any racist overtones associated with it.

not sure why stirring happens over this it’sn’t like the actual images weren’t released already

was it

SCIENCE said:

not sure why stirring happens over this it’sn’t like the actual images weren’t released already

was it

Chris Minns is on to them, he’ll sort them out.
We don’t want their type working in NSW health.

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

I wore a head scarf in the 60s. It was very common. I wore headscarves in the 70s…and through the 80s and 90s wore them around the farm. Sometimes under my motorcycle helmet. In the naughties I wore them at art school. specially in printmaking…coz I really can’t handle my hair in my face when I am arting. There came a time though when I kept being asked if I was in a cult.

Bogsnorkler said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

but there were never any racist overtones associated with it.

So did Heprey Audburn.

sarahs mum said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

I wore a head scarf in the 60s. It was very common. I wore headscarves in the 70s…and through the 80s and 90s wore them around the farm. Sometimes under my motorcycle helmet. In the naughties I wore them at art school. specially in printmaking…coz I really can’t handle my hair in my face when I am arting. There came a time though when I kept being asked if I was in a cult.

It was a must have in the wardrobe department on Coronation Street and Eastenders.

captain_spalding said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

but there were never any racist overtones associated with it.

So did Heprey Audburn.

eyebrows like cricket bats.

Peak Warming Man said:

SCIENCE said:

not sure why stirring happens over this it’sn’t like the actual images weren’t released already

was it

Chris Minns is on to them, he’ll sort them out.
We don’t want their type working in NSW health.

are you implying that public healthcare services should embrace workers happily telling the world that they would refuse to care for others based on race religion politic wokeness bling whatever

SCIENCE said:

Peak Warming Man said:

SCIENCE said:

not sure why stirring happens over this it’sn’t like the actual images weren’t released already

was it

Chris Minns is on to them, he’ll sort them out.
We don’t want their type working in NSW health.

are you implying that public healthcare services should embrace workers happily telling the world that they would refuse to care for others based on race religion politic wokeness bling whatever

Exactly the opposite.

SCIENCE said:

Peak Warming Man said:

SCIENCE said:

not sure why stirring happens over this it’sn’t like the actual images weren’t released already

was it

Chris Minns is on to them, he’ll sort them out.
We don’t want their type working in NSW health.

are you implying that public healthcare services should embrace workers happily telling the world that they would refuse to care for others based on race religion politic wokeness bling whatever

git rid of the religion based hospitals. you either do full health care or bugger off.

dv said:

She helped free the world from the scourge of communism and then went gaga and died.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

She helped free the world from the scourge of communism and then went gaga and died.

Luckily for the free world she did those things in that order, without any overlap of the first two mentioned.

sarahs mum said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

I wore a head scarf in the 60s. It was very common. I wore headscarves in the 70s…and through the 80s and 90s wore them around the farm. Sometimes under my motorcycle helmet. In the naughties I wore them at art school. specially in printmaking…coz I really can’t handle my hair in my face when I am arting. There came a time though when I kept being asked if I was in a cult.

It is a long time since I was in a Catholic church but a lot of women wore headscarfs in church when I was young.
It was confusing to me that men had to take their hats off and women had to cover their hads.

roughbarked said:

sarahs mum said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

I wore a head scarf in the 60s. It was very common. I wore headscarves in the 70s…and through the 80s and 90s wore them around the farm. Sometimes under my motorcycle helmet. In the naughties I wore them at art school. specially in printmaking…coz I really can’t handle my hair in my face when I am arting. There came a time though when I kept being asked if I was in a cult.

It is a long time since I was in a Catholic church but a lot of women wore headscarfs in church when I was young.
It was confusing to me that men had to take their hats off and women had to cover their hads.

Never a big deal in our proddy congregation. But at one stage my sister read the passage about women covering their heads, and couldn’t get a straight answer on why we didn’t do this too. So she started to wear a beret in church. After a while she dropped the idea.

sarahs mum said:

Bogsnorkler said:

My Mum used to wear a head scarf.

I wore a head scarf in the 60s. It was very common. I wore headscarves in the 70s…and through the 80s and 90s wore them around the farm. Sometimes under my motorcycle helmet. In the naughties I wore them at art school. specially in printmaking…coz I really can’t handle my hair in my face when I am arting. There came a time though when I kept being asked if I was in a cult.

15 or 20 years ago Kii went bandana shopping for me.

woke as fuck

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said nurses were bound by professional conduct and ethics which required them to take care for everyone. “Nurses treat people on a needs’ basis, not on race, religion, gender or sexual preference,” the union said. “There is no place for this type of behaviour in the professions of nursing and midwifery, in the Australian health system or in our country.”

fire all these communists masquerading as nurses

Hard to imagine what they thought the consequences of this would be. They’ve ended their careers.

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

Spiny Norman said:

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

They’ve learnt from Trump.

Michael V said:

Spiny Norman said:

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

They’ve learnt from Trump.

so they should enjoy the highest approval ratings seen in the last 100 years shortly

Michael V said:

Spiny Norman said:

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

They’ve learnt from Trump.

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

Bogsnorkler said:

Michael V said:

Spiny Norman said:

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

They’ve learnt from Trump.

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

so they taught Trump aha

Bogsnorkler said:

Michael V said:

Spiny Norman said:

The LNP is lying, imagine that.

Coalition wrong on number of new public servants in Canberra

Labor has not added 36,000 Canberra-based bureaucrats since coming to power, despite claims from the coalition frontbench.

The latest official figures show a net increase of 26,153 Australian Public Service employees from June 2022 (one month after Labor came to power) to June 2024, of which only about 7500 are based in Canberra.

The claim is being pushed by the coalition, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledging to cut “wasteful spending”.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor made the claim in a press conference on January 29, 2025.

“We know they’re spending a lot more money, and the result of that is we’ve got the biggest government we’ve ever seen in our history,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’ve seen Labor adding 36,000 new Canberra based bureaucrats.”

https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/coalition-wrong-on-number-of-new-public-servants-in-canberra/

They’ve learnt from Trump.

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

But it used to subtle. Brazen is the new learning.

Michael V said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Michael V said:

They’ve learnt from Trump.

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

But it used to subtle. Brazen is the new learning.

The checks and balances like the law and the public service will fix it up¡

Michael V said:

Bogsnorkler said:

Michael V said:

They’ve learnt from Trump.

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

But it used to subtle. Brazen is the new learning.

children overboard…

SCIENCE said:

Michael V said:

Bogsnorkler said:

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

But it used to subtle. Brazen is the new learning.

The checks and balances like the law and the public service will fix it up¡

not if they sack all the public servants.

Bogsnorkler said:

Michael V said:

Bogsnorkler said:

I think this has been happening long before trump came about.

But it used to subtle. Brazen is the new learning.

children overboard…

I’ll give you that one.

Fair call.

:)

nice one, good to see the responsible friendly cuntries and governments ensuring the geopolitical situation is conducive to a safer world

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/queensland-mp-allowance-home-security-disturbing-threats/104937630

I can’t think of any Australian politician past or present who lies like Trump. Constantly, absurdly, without even a veneer of defensibility, lying about lying.

dv said:

I can’t think of any Australian politician past or present who lies like Trump. Constantly, absurdly, without even a veneer of defensibility, lying about lying.

One of these days Trump will say:

“Everything I say is a lie”

What are you going to do then?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

sarahs mum said:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/daily-telegraph-tries-and-fails-to-stage-antisemitic-incident,19440

Link

sarahs mum said:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

It’s the oldest adage in journalism: don’t become the story.

Yet a Daily Telegraph news crew found themselves firmly on the wrong side of the camera this week, with the police called in following a stunt gone wrong involving a man wearing a Star of David cap at a popular inner-city eatery.

Extraordinary vision has emerged of the newshounds being berated as they are pursued down a Sydney eat street “with their tails between their legs” by a hospitality worker who admonishes them for their “divisive journalism”.

The commotion erupted at midday on Tuesday at Cairo Takeaway, an Egyptian restaurant with a cult following on Enmore Road in Newtown.

The restaurant has been a vocal supporter of Palestine on its social media pages.

According to the restaurant’s version of events, a Jewish man wearing a Star of David cap entered the premises and ordered a tea before making a series of provocative comments to staff, in an apparent attempt to goad them into a heated argument.

“Our staff members were subjected to a deliberate, orchestrated incident … at our establishment,” the restaurant’s owner, Hesham El Masry, claimed to the Herald.

El Masry alleged the agitator in question appeared to be working in concert with a Telegraph news crew.

Reporter Danielle Gusmaroli was waiting on the street near the restaurant with a photographer and videographer in tow, El Masry claimed.

He added that the news crew appeared poised to film an “orchestrated confrontation”.

“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be a premeditated attempt to provoke our employees while being filmed without their consent,” El Masry said.

El Masry said his staff were shaken by the incident but showed “remarkable professionalism”.

“Local community members who witnessed the incident were visibly disturbed by the calculated nature of these actions, and many stepped forward highlighting the vulgarity of the actions they had witnessed,” he said.

The tables were turned on the reporters as they took off from the scene accompanied by the man in the cap.

An unidentified woman turned the camera on them and began scolding them for their behaviour as the group made their way up Enmore Road.

“I’ll do exactly what you did to me, filming,” the woman says to them in the footage, posted to social media platform X.

She accused the reporting team of “divisive journalism”.

“Look at you in shame, look at your tails between your legs,” she said.

“You picked the wrong restaurant … to f—-ing try this shit in.”

The footage ends in a scuffle as Gusmaroli is heard to say: “I’m not touching your phone so you don’t touch mine”.

A Cairo Takeaway employee reported the matter to local police.

“Officers attached to Inner West Police Area Command have conducted an investigation after a staff member at a cafe on Enmore Road, Newtown, reported she was allegedly intimidated by a customer,” a police spokesperson said.

“Following inquiries, no criminal offence has been identified.”

The man in the cap was identified by the restaurant in a social media post. His lawyers issued a response marked “Not For Publication” when this masthead contacted him with questions about the incident on Wednesday, and he otherwise failed to respond.

The Herald also contacted the Telegraph, including asking editor Ben English whether the restaurant’s version of events was accurate and who the story was commissioned by.

English and Gusmaroli both failed to respond.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik labelled the reports “deeply disturbing”.

“Such behaviour is reckless and irresponsible and I will be following up to ensure these complaints are being taken seriously,” he said.

“I call on anybody undertaking such reckless behaviour to stop and think about their actions.”

El Masry said his staff had been profoundly moved by the support they had received from customers and the broader community in the wake of the incident.

“Our small business, Cairo Takeaway, has proudly served the Sydney community for eight years, welcoming customers from all backgrounds and walks of life,” he said.

“We are immensely grateful for the thousands of messages of love, wellbeing and compassion.”

The restaurant has used its social media presence to advocate for Palestinians and had a mural painted on its wall by a local graffiti artist to show solidarity with people in Gaza.

“Our mission extends beyond hospitality and commerce – as global citizens we believe that our support and advocacy for the oppressed must never result in the suppression of others,” El Masry said.

“Our values are rooted in creating a safe, respectful environment where every one of our staff, community members and customers alike are treated with respect and dignity.”

Bogsnorkler said:

sarahs mum said:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/daily-telegraph-tries-and-fails-to-stage-antisemitic-incident,19440

Link

ta. :)

also fk Murdoch.

The Rev Dodgson said:

sarahs mum said:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

It’s the oldest adage in journalism: don’t become the story.

Yet a Daily Telegraph news crew found themselves firmly on the wrong side of the camera this week, with the police called in following a stunt gone wrong involving a man wearing a Star of David cap at a popular inner-city eatery.

Extraordinary vision has emerged of the newshounds being berated as they are pursued down a Sydney eat street “with their tails between their legs” by a hospitality worker who admonishes them for their “divisive journalism”.

The commotion erupted at midday on Tuesday at Cairo Takeaway, an Egyptian restaurant with a cult following on Enmore Road in Newtown.

The restaurant has been a vocal supporter of Palestine on its social media pages.

According to the restaurant’s version of events, a Jewish man wearing a Star of David cap entered the premises and ordered a tea before making a series of provocative comments to staff, in an apparent attempt to goad them into a heated argument.

“Our staff members were subjected to a deliberate, orchestrated incident … at our establishment,” the restaurant’s owner, Hesham El Masry, claimed to the Herald.

El Masry alleged the agitator in question appeared to be working in concert with a Telegraph news crew.

Reporter Danielle Gusmaroli was waiting on the street near the restaurant with a photographer and videographer in tow, El Masry claimed.

He added that the news crew appeared poised to film an “orchestrated confrontation”.

“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be a premeditated attempt to provoke our employees while being filmed without their consent,” El Masry said.

El Masry said his staff were shaken by the incident but showed “remarkable professionalism”.

“Local community members who witnessed the incident were visibly disturbed by the calculated nature of these actions, and many stepped forward highlighting the vulgarity of the actions they had witnessed,” he said.

The tables were turned on the reporters as they took off from the scene accompanied by the man in the cap.

An unidentified woman turned the camera on them and began scolding them for their behaviour as the group made their way up Enmore Road.

“I’ll do exactly what you did to me, filming,” the woman says to them in the footage, posted to social media platform X.

She accused the reporting team of “divisive journalism”.

“Look at you in shame, look at your tails between your legs,” she said.

“You picked the wrong restaurant … to f—-ing try this shit in.”

The footage ends in a scuffle as Gusmaroli is heard to say: “I’m not touching your phone so you don’t touch mine”.

A Cairo Takeaway employee reported the matter to local police.

“Officers attached to Inner West Police Area Command have conducted an investigation after a staff member at a cafe on Enmore Road, Newtown, reported she was allegedly intimidated by a customer,” a police spokesperson said.

“Following inquiries, no criminal offence has been identified.”

The man in the cap was identified by the restaurant in a social media post. His lawyers issued a response marked “Not For Publication” when this masthead contacted him with questions about the incident on Wednesday, and he otherwise failed to respond.

The Herald also contacted the Telegraph, including asking editor Ben English whether the restaurant’s version of events was accurate and who the story was commissioned by.

English and Gusmaroli both failed to respond.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik labelled the reports “deeply disturbing”.

“Such behaviour is reckless and irresponsible and I will be following up to ensure these complaints are being taken seriously,” he said.

“I call on anybody undertaking such reckless behaviour to stop and think about their actions.”

El Masry said his staff had been profoundly moved by the support they had received from customers and the broader community in the wake of the incident.

“Our small business, Cairo Takeaway, has proudly served the Sydney community for eight years, welcoming customers from all backgrounds and walks of life,” he said.

“We are immensely grateful for the thousands of messages of love, wellbeing and compassion.”

The restaurant has used its social media presence to advocate for Palestinians and had a mural painted on its wall by a local graffiti artist to show solidarity with people in Gaza.

“Our mission extends beyond hospitality and commerce – as global citizens we believe that our support and advocacy for the oppressed must never result in the suppression of others,” El Masry said.

“Our values are rooted in creating a safe, respectful environment where every one of our staff, community members and customers alike are treated with respect and dignity.”

Also ta. :)

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

Danielle Gusmaroli

She got a hammering on twitter.

Bogsnorkler said:

Danielle Gusmaroli

She got a hammering on twitter.

Sounds foreign.

Peak Warming Man said:

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

buffy said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

And ones about hate talk.

buffy said:

buffy said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

And ones about hate talk.

So we don’t need to single out a specific group.

buffy said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

I assume y’all are referring to new NSW legislation?

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

buffy said:

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

And ones about hate talk.

So we don’t need to single out a specific group.

Are these the laws that are about the restrictions on ownership and trading of nazi paraphernalia and memorabilia?

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

buffy said:

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

And ones about hate talk.

So we don’t need to single out a specific group.

It’s the NSW government and presumably in response to the recent rise in such attacks in NSW.

Peak Warming Man said:

Why is the government introducing antisemitic laws, surely they can introduce a generic law that covers Christians, Sikhs, Wokes, Jews, Muslims etc
Over.

They need to be seen to be doing something.

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

buffy said:

We’ve actually got anti-discrimination laws already.

And ones about hate talk.

So we don’t need to single out a specific group.

Australia’s persecution of Nazi’s and neo-Nazi’s continues unabated. They are truly the most oppressed people. Can’t even send their hearts out to the world in this country without getting in trouble.

esselte said:

Peak Warming Man said:

buffy said:

And ones about hate talk.

So we don’t need to single out a specific group.

Australia’s persecution of Nazi’s and neo-Nazi’s continues unabated. They are truly the most oppressed people. Can’t even send their hearts out to the world in this country without getting in trouble.

These poor folk need a re-branding.

sarahs mum said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

sarahs mum said:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/deliberate-orchestrated-incident-daily-telegraph-caught-up-in-stunt-gone-wrong-20250212-p5lbli.html
—

can someone unlock that please?

It’s the oldest adage in journalism: don’t become the story.

Yet a Daily Telegraph news crew found themselves firmly on the wrong side of the camera this week, with the police called in following a stunt gone wrong involving a man wearing a Star of David cap at a popular inner-city eatery.

Extraordinary vision has emerged of the newshounds being berated as they are pursued down a Sydney eat street “with their tails between their legs” by a hospitality worker who admonishes them for their “divisive journalism”.

The commotion erupted at midday on Tuesday at Cairo Takeaway, an Egyptian restaurant with a cult following on Enmore Road in Newtown.

The restaurant has been a vocal supporter of Palestine on its social media pages.

According to the restaurant’s version of events, a Jewish man wearing a Star of David cap entered the premises and ordered a tea before making a series of provocative comments to staff, in an apparent attempt to goad them into a heated argument.

“Our staff members were subjected to a deliberate, orchestrated incident … at our establishment,” the restaurant’s owner, Hesham El Masry, claimed to the Herald.

El Masry alleged the agitator in question appeared to be working in concert with a Telegraph news crew.

Reporter Danielle Gusmaroli was waiting on the street near the restaurant with a photographer and videographer in tow, El Masry claimed.

He added that the news crew appeared poised to film an “orchestrated confrontation”.

“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be a premeditated attempt to provoke our employees while being filmed without their consent,” El Masry said.

El Masry said his staff were shaken by the incident but showed “remarkable professionalism”.

“Local community members who witnessed the incident were visibly disturbed by the calculated nature of these actions, and many stepped forward highlighting the vulgarity of the actions they had witnessed,” he said.

The tables were turned on the reporters as they took off from the scene accompanied by the man in the cap.

An unidentified woman turned the camera on them and began scolding them for their behaviour as the group made their way up Enmore Road.

“I’ll do exactly what you did to me, filming,” the woman says to them in the footage, posted to social media platform X.

She accused the reporting team of “divisive journalism”.

“Look at you in shame, look at your tails between your legs,” she said.

“You picked the wrong restaurant … to f—-ing try this shit in.”

The footage ends in a scuffle as Gusmaroli is heard to say: “I’m not touching your phone so you don’t touch mine”.

A Cairo Takeaway employee reported the matter to local police.

“Officers attached to Inner West Police Area Command have conducted an investigation after a staff member at a cafe on Enmore Road, Newtown, reported she was allegedly intimidated by a customer,” a police spokesperson said.

“Following inquiries, no criminal offence has been identified.”

The man in the cap was identified by the restaurant in a social media post. His lawyers issued a response marked “Not For Publication” when this masthead contacted him with questions about the incident on Wednesday, and he otherwise failed to respond.

The Herald also contacted the Telegraph, including asking editor Ben English whether the restaurant’s version of events was accurate and who the story was commissioned by.

English and Gusmaroli both failed to respond.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik labelled the reports “deeply disturbing”.

“Such behaviour is reckless and irresponsible and I will be following up to ensure these complaints are being taken seriously,” he said.

“I call on anybody undertaking such reckless behaviour to stop and think about their actions.”

El Masry said his staff had been profoundly moved by the support they had received from customers and the broader community in the wake of the incident.

“Our small business, Cairo Takeaway, has proudly served the Sydney community for eight years, welcoming customers from all backgrounds and walks of life,” he said.

“We are immensely grateful for the thousands of messages of love, wellbeing and compassion.”

The restaurant has used its social media presence to advocate for Palestinians and had a mural painted on its wall by a local graffiti artist to show solidarity with people in Gaza.

“Our mission extends beyond hospitality and commerce – as global citizens we believe that our support and advocacy for the oppressed must never result in the suppression of others,” El Masry said.

“Our values are rooted in creating a safe, respectful environment where every one of our staff, community members and customers alike are treated with respect and dignity.”

Also ta. :)

Next you’re going to be hearing about how the IDF agent on the “random” matched chat with NSW health nurses goaded them into saying a few things that when spliced together in an edited context-broken sequence gets them deregistered¡

The Rev Dodgson said:

dv said:

I can’t think of any Australian politician past or present who lies like Trump. Constantly, absurdly, without even a veneer of defensibility, lying about lying.

One of these days Trump will say:

“Everything I say is a lie”

What are you going to do then?

we’re going to know he’s lying

In short:
Australians have donated thousands of dollars to independents after the government rushed political spending caps through parliament.

The crossbench accused the major parties of a “stitch up” to stifle competition, but the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/independents-donation-spike-electoral-reform/104937430

sarahs mum said:

In short:
Australians have donated thousands of dollars to independents after the government rushed political spending caps through parliament.

The crossbench accused the major parties of a “stitch up” to stifle competition, but the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/independents-donation-spike-electoral-reform/104937430

At the moment I don’t see how restricting donations harms the chances of independents more than the big parties.

The Rev Dodgson said:

sarahs mum said:

In short:
Australians have donated thousands of dollars to independents after the government rushed political spending caps through parliament.

The crossbench accused the major parties of a “stitch up” to stifle competition, but the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/independents-donation-spike-electoral-reform/104937430

At the moment I don’t see how restricting donations harms the chances of independents more than the big parties.

An indie can only spend $800k, whereas a party can spend 90 million.

Seems like a great incentive for Independents to form parties.

“… the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.”

There’s only two possible explanations for a government, be it L/NP or Labor, to make such a declaration:

1. They have had some sort of collective epiphany, some sort of road-to-Damascus conversion, leading them to eschew donations with lots of commas and zeroes.

or

2. they’re talking bullshit.

I leave it to people with more political awareness than have i to explain which is more likely, and why.

captain_spalding said:

“… the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.”

There’s only two possible explanations for a government, be it L/NP or Labor, to make such a declaration:

1. They have had some sort of collective epiphany, some sort of road-to-Damascus conversion, leading them to eschew donations with lots of commas and zeroes.

or

2. they’re talking bullshit.

I leave it to people with more political awareness than have i to explain which is more likely, and why.

The Greens are in on this caper too.

These people, not so bright…

Don’t object to them protesting, but protesting out the front of the wrong company…

furious said:

These people, not so bright…

Don’t object to them protesting, but protesting out the front of the wrong company…

South 32 and Alcoa are worldwide parteners

tauto said:

furious said:

These people, not so bright…

Don’t object to them protesting, but protesting out the front of the wrong company…

South 32 and Alcoa are worldwide parteners

South 32 mine gets approved, protest South 32, or the government. That’s too hard, lets just protest this similar mob over here, they’re closer…

dv said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

sarahs mum said:

In short:
Australians have donated thousands of dollars to independents after the government rushed political spending caps through parliament.

The crossbench accused the major parties of a “stitch up” to stifle competition, but the government maintains the changes will keep big money out of politics.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/independents-donation-spike-electoral-reform/104937430

At the moment I don’t see how restricting donations harms the chances of independents more than the big parties.

An indie can only spend $800k, whereas a party can spend 90 million.

Seems like a great incentive for Independents to form parties.

so just like sole traders are geniuses, independents ah ahahahahaha

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1145741410417765

Link

Cash’s actual quote is “they’ll get the same attitude under a Peter Dutton government” following her praising Trump’s “action/s” after being elected

Bogsnorkler said:

That’s bullshit. The Nationals know just where he is. And they’ll continue to know that, unless Barnaby somehow getsthe ropes untied, and finds a way out of that basement.

Bogsnorkler said:

Has he got a big red head?

Computer programming errors that caused welfare recipients to be wrongly cut off from income support were first discovered years before departmental officials acted to fix them – but the system was not paused for fear it could hurt the profits of privatised employment service providers.

Documents released under freedom of information reveal the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) first picked up on the glitch in April 2020 but did nothing about it for more than three years.

Since then, the issue has cost more than $5 million in departmental resources and compensation. Ten welfare recipients died after having their income support payments wrongly cut off. Services Australia either cannot or will not say whether these deaths were the result of suicide or the destitution brought about by the incorrect cancellation of welfare. After each cancellation, there is a mandatory wait of four weeks before people are able to reapply for support.

An attempt to fix what is now being called the “initial bug” discovered in 2020 was finally made in October 2023 – long after it had sent some 1300 people further into poverty with more than 3400 incorrectly applied financial penalties – but that patch job directly led to a new error that did the same thing to a new set of recipients.

From April 2022, while the IT system that gives effect to the Coalition-era Targeted Compliance Framework (TCF) was malfunctioning, yet another major problem arose, this time through the failure of human management.

As previously revealed by The Saturday Paper, amendments to the Social Security (Administration) Act passed that month were supposed to give the secretary of DEWR the power to continue welfare payments if it appeared cancelling them would lead to undue financial hardship. Before then, the secretary had no discretion in the determination.

Despite this amendment, and an explanatory memorandum detailing the change, the new powers were never communicated to the delegates who were actually making the decisions. There was no consideration of the hardship circumstances of an additional 1000 welfare recipients because of this change.

The department warned former employment minister Tony Burke of this new legislative issue in July last year, then entered a series of discussions with his successor, Senator Murray Watt. During this time, it still had not admitted the error in public.

Both department and minister were wary of what would transpire if they did.

A brief sent to Minister Watt with “mitigation options” outlined the concerns.

“IT changes would likely require significant government investment,” it said.

“Pausing mutual obligations for an extended period and/or public statements creating potential exposure to legal class actions all carry significant financial implications. These options would need to be properly costed with relevant departments if they were to be pursued.”

That note was sent on November 5, but Minister Watt did not agree to a decision until November 18 – after Senate estimates and after the release of Workforce Australia data. It was this newspaper that told the public.

Watt even had a media release drafted in his name but it was never sent.

One of the key contacts on that ministerial brief is DEWR chief counsel Tim Ffrench, who was acting chief counsel at the then Department of Human Services in 2019 under secretary Renée Leon while two robodebt cases wound their way through the Federal Court of Australia and the organisation took almost half a year to secure the solicitor-general’s opinion on the legality of the scheme.

“They’re carrying out a project that is fundamentally designed to privately punish unemployed people … It’s a familiar story where political malice crashes into technological incompetence, to the point where the incompetence becomes indistinguishable from the malice.”
Fixing the Workforce Australia system would also cost a lot of money, the brief notes.

“Large and complex social services systems that rely on IT systems to operationalise their administration will always have these types of issues arise,” it says.

“The TCF is very complex, integrated with other social services systems and major reform would require significant IT resources and legislative change.

“However, given this is the third major IT bug identified in the operationalisation of the TCF over the past 24 months, the Secretary has asked the department to commission an external assurance process to test that the system is operating as intended and in line with the legislation.

“This will map and verify the operation of the current TCF system to provide a greater level of assurance to the Secretary and to government.”

At no point has the government been willing to suspend the whole system, even as the cascading series of errors pointed to genuine uncertainty about whether the law or the IT system was doing what it was supposed to do.

In September 2023, a month after the first bug was identified, the employment minister was told in a brief that: “An additional 55 bugs are also being investigated to determine if they have implications for the TCF, which may affect payments.”

“The initial analysis suggests the majority of these bugs will not have significant impact on penalties,” the brief says. “The number of participants impacted by all bugs is still under Investigation.”

The simplest way to ensure vulnerable clients were not affected was to turn off mutual obligations, temporarily or permanently.

The department did not recommend this.
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Nor did it recommend removing the “penalty zone” in the labyrinthine Targeted Compliance Framework, despite raising it as a fallback option.

Doing so would turn off the supply of jobseekers churned through the private network of job service providers for fees and bonuses.

These providers, halfway through government contracts worth $7 billion, make money by securing full or partial “outcome payments” for people placed into work at four, 12 and 26 weeks.

They also generate income from the case load of unemployed people who can’t find work and are instead referred for mandatory activities such as Work for the Dole, employment skills training and career transition assistance.

In many cases, the providers paid to refer clients to these activities also own the training companies to which they have been referred under separate contracts.

It was this consideration that weighed heavily on the minds of bureaucrats when they advised Tony Burke in September 2023 not to halt the system or remove the penalty zone. “Implementing Option B is not recommended at this time as it is likely disproportionate to the current known issues,” the brief says.

“It would remove a key element of the TCF, which is necessary to encourage engagement with employment services.

“Experience with ParentsNext (as well as existing evidence) shows removal of compliance consequences dramatically reduces engagement with requirements.

“Such a reduction in engagement is highly likely to reduce employment outcomes for individuals and have significant implications on providers (both in terms of payments – viability – and interactions with the performance framework).”

Jay Coonan, a co-coordinator at the Antipoverty Centre, tells The Saturday Paper that his organisation was briefed alongside the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)and Economic Justice Australia, but key details about the scale of the problem were withheld from them. “What we found out, inadvertently through this FOI, is that it is so much worse than we were led to believe,” he says.

“The is willing to have bugs in the targeted compliance framework and to have the system operate for long periods of time, and they’re willing to give the minister advice that he could shut the system down, but it’s not their recommended advice because of provider viability.

“They’re more concerned about the money going to providers than they are about people who are living in poverty. It’s gross that we have … a welfare system that is designed to be beneficial for people who own companies and not for people who need the support.”

Of the wrongful payment cancellations discovered and still being investigated by DEWR, officials told advocacy groups that almost half were for Indigenous men.

Commonwealth Ombudsman Iain Anderson announced this month that he was acting on a referral from ACOSS, following reporting in The Saturday Paper, to investigate the TCF legislation and the IT system that gives effect to it.

“Noting these matters and the potential impact of the TFC on highly vulnerable people, my office will be examining the TCF to consider if cancellation decisions are being made and implemented in a manner that is lawful, fair and reasonable,” he said.

Asked if the ombudsman would refer any matters to state coroners or other authorities for investigation, given 10 unemployed people died and a further 41 cannot be contacted for compensation, a spokesperson told The Saturday Paper it may do so.

“The investigation is focused on examining these systemic issues about the operation of the TCF, particularly because of the potential impact on highly vulnerable persons, and the impact will be considered in the investigation,” the spokesperson said.

“If during the investigation, the office becomes aware of matters that are more appropriately investigated under another law or authority, the ombudsman may consider referring these matters accordingly.”

Jeremy Poxon, a campaigner for the rights of welfare recipients, lodged the FOI request for these briefing documents after parts of the story were made public.

He says the details show the government knowingly put people in harm’s way because it refused to “turn off the punishment tap”.

“They’re carrying out a project that is fundamentally designed to privately punish unemployed people, and then make a political spectacle of their punishment,” Poxon says.

“And at the same time officials want to use these technological tools cheaply, bluntly and with as little human oversight as possible.

“It’s a familiar story where political malice crashes into technological incompetence, to the point where the incompetence becomes indistinguishable from the malice.”

DEWR conceded in internal briefing notes that the first IT bug was discovered in April 2020 and a second one that impacts payments “arose following policy changes made in December 2020 and was identified in June 2021”.

“Due to COVID contingency arrangements the impact of the issues were incorrectly assessed at that time as not severe and not impacting people – and not progressed for fixing or revisited,” the documents state.

“The department believes this affected participants dating back to the start of the TCF which begun in 2018.

“It was not picked up at the time, and with pauses of mutual obligation requirements due to bushfires, COVID and floods and the transition to Workforce Australia, an uninterrupted period was needed for the defect to become evident in departmental data.”

On the matter of the failure to use “discretion” for financial hardship, the department is refusing to pay compensation unless the person can prove they would have been unreasonably affected by having their payment cut up to two years ago.

Kate Allingham, the chief executive of Economic Justice Australia, said while the department was attempting to be more forthcoming with advocacy groups, it had still withheld key details from them.

“The government has set aside $5 million for the remediation process, but since it’s not yet clear how this will be allocated, we’ll be following along closely and hoping DEWR acts in good faith,” she said.

“Of course, it is possible for the government to avoid an administrative nightmare – a nightmare that has the potential to exacerbate the harm already inflicted – by paying back those affected without a review.

“Fifty per cent of the people affected by these financial penalties are known to be young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. The withholding of vital income support payments is never acceptable, but the current reality is that it is disproportionately affecting groups that have long been subjected to excessively controlling and punitive measures under the guise of social security.”

DEWR said it has made more than $1.2 million in back payments and compensation payments to people affected by the IT bugs and that its highest priority is “helping participants engage and meet their obligations, gain employment and training, and ensuring their payments are not impacted by issues beyond their control”.

The spokesperson said the department had not modelled “the impact of removing the Penalty Zone on payments to providers”.

This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on February 15, 2025 as “Exclusive: Ten dead after welfare glitch ignored by government”.

Divine Angel said:

:)

Michael V said:

Divine Angel said:

:)

Wait so if PNG or Timor-Leste or Indonesia put Dutton in charge they would be all good¿

Or if he took control of the oceans…

Maria Kunda
1h ·
I’ve made a slide, just like in the old days when I used to teach art and design theory and history. It’s a a good old fashioned object based 500 word writing exercise, a “compare and contrast” exercise, to provoke a discussion of similarities and differences in the form, content and context of two works of art: one a very large canvas by Andy Warhol, and one a multi-channel video installation by Khaled Sabsabi. In discussing the contextual aspects of the works I would invite you to consider the artistic intent and audience reception of each. This elementary exercise might be particularly useful for the teachers of high school students and first year undergraduates – creative art students in art schools in the week ahead. Advisers to ministers Claire Chandler and Tony Burke might find it useful. Also board members of creative arts organisations and arts executives around the country. Come on, ffs, let’s do better

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/khaled-sasabi-pulled-from-venice-biennale-creative-australia/104935876

https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/arts-minister-shocked-at-biennale-artist-who-depicted-terrorist-20250213-p5lc0p

—-
Cook Government to enter negotiations to secure control of the freight rail network

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

*The State Government will commence negotiations to bring the freight rail network back into Government hands

*Freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000 *Demands on the freight rail network have grown substantially in recent years *Public control would help unlock greater economic activity, and support industry, farmers and regional communities

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

The freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000, but with key Western Australian industries growing significantly in recent years, particularly record grain harvests, the demands on the network are at record highs.

Under the existing lease agreement, which has another 24 years to run, the Western Australian Government has little capacity to directly support key industries that make use of the State’s freight rail network, or deliver important policy objectives.

Greater public control would allow for greater and more targeted Government investment, and increase usage of the freight rail network, delivering significant benefits including:

*increasing the use of the rail network to meet the demand being driven by new resource projects and growth in output from the agriculture sector, supporting future WA jobs; *improved safety on roads, by reducing the amount of trucks; *cost savings for industry through the more efficient movement of grain and commodities to and from the State’s ports, to ensure WA remains globally competitive; *ability to improve the frequency and journey times for regional rail services, like the Australind, with the Government being able to upgrade tracks, and build passing loops; *greater flexibility for regional communities, who have been prohibited and limited in relation to what activities they can undertake in close proximity to rail corridors; *greater involvement and potential partnerships with local WA businesses; and *more opportunities for tourism investment, particularly tracks that are underutilised or under care and maintenance.

The State Government has written to the current rail operator Arc Infrastructure to advise of the intention to enter negotiations to return the freight rail network back to public hands.

Government will progress negotiations with Arc Infrastructure and will make a final decision if it is economically and financially responsible to do so.

The Director General of Transport will establish a team to commence negotiations, with the State Government open to all options, including a staged return to public ownership.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“This is all about supporting our plans to diversify our economy, unlock future local jobs and retain WA’s economy as the strongest for future generations.

“Supporting the growth of our critical industries is a key priority for our Government and bringing freight rail back into public hands is a key way we can do that.

“The demands on the State’s freight rail network have grown significantly and we want to make sure we’re moving as much by rail to and from our ports as possible.

“Rail is the most efficient way of moving our goods to and from the ports, and with greater control, we can ensure Government investment promotes better use of the network.”

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

“It was a reckless decision by the Liberal Government to privatise the freight rail in 2000, and the reality is the deal has not stood the test of time.

“Some of the State’s biggest industries are seeking to increase their usage of freight rail to move goods, and the State Government want to support that.

“Rail is critical to a more efficient freight network, and it also means less trucks on roads, which is something local communities are always calling for.

“This is not an easy process, but necessary to support future job creation and the ongoing prosperity of our State.”

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https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Cook-Government-to-enter-negotiations-to-secure-control-of-the-freight-rail-network-20250123

dv said:

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Cook Government to enter negotiations to secure control of the freight rail network

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

*The State Government will commence negotiations to bring the freight rail network back into Government hands

*Freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000 *Demands on the freight rail network have grown substantially in recent years *Public control would help unlock greater economic activity, and support industry, farmers and regional communities

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

The freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000, but with key Western Australian industries growing significantly in recent years, particularly record grain harvests, the demands on the network are at record highs.

Under the existing lease agreement, which has another 24 years to run, the Western Australian Government has little capacity to directly support key industries that make use of the State’s freight rail network, or deliver important policy objectives.

Greater public control would allow for greater and more targeted Government investment, and increase usage of the freight rail network, delivering significant benefits including:

*increasing the use of the rail network to meet the demand being driven by new resource projects and growth in output from the agriculture sector, supporting future WA jobs; *improved safety on roads, by reducing the amount of trucks; *cost savings for industry through the more efficient movement of grain and commodities to and from the State’s ports, to ensure WA remains globally competitive; *ability to improve the frequency and journey times for regional rail services, like the Australind, with the Government being able to upgrade tracks, and build passing loops; *greater flexibility for regional communities, who have been prohibited and limited in relation to what activities they can undertake in close proximity to rail corridors; *greater involvement and potential partnerships with local WA businesses; and *more opportunities for tourism investment, particularly tracks that are underutilised or under care and maintenance.

The State Government has written to the current rail operator Arc Infrastructure to advise of the intention to enter negotiations to return the freight rail network back to public hands.

Government will progress negotiations with Arc Infrastructure and will make a final decision if it is economically and financially responsible to do so.

The Director General of Transport will establish a team to commence negotiations, with the State Government open to all options, including a staged return to public ownership.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“This is all about supporting our plans to diversify our economy, unlock future local jobs and retain WA’s economy as the strongest for future generations.

“Supporting the growth of our critical industries is a key priority for our Government and bringing freight rail back into public hands is a key way we can do that.

“The demands on the State’s freight rail network have grown significantly and we want to make sure we’re moving as much by rail to and from our ports as possible.

“Rail is the most efficient way of moving our goods to and from the ports, and with greater control, we can ensure Government investment promotes better use of the network.”

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

“It was a reckless decision by the Liberal Government to privatise the freight rail in 2000, and the reality is the deal has not stood the test of time.

“Some of the State’s biggest industries are seeking to increase their usage of freight rail to move goods, and the State Government want to support that.

“Rail is critical to a more efficient freight network, and it also means less trucks on roads, which is something local communities are always calling for.

“This is not an easy process, but necessary to support future job creation and the ongoing prosperity of our State.”

—-
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Cook-Government-to-enter-negotiations-to-secure-control-of-the-freight-rail-network-20250123

I think this is a great idea. I commented on this last week or the week before. Some things are just better off as a state run entity.

party_pants said:

dv said:

—-
Cook Government to enter negotiations to secure control of the freight rail network

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

*The State Government will commence negotiations to bring the freight rail network back into Government hands

*Freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000 *Demands on the freight rail network have grown substantially in recent years *Public control would help unlock greater economic activity, and support industry, farmers and regional communities

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

The freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000, but with key Western Australian industries growing significantly in recent years, particularly record grain harvests, the demands on the network are at record highs.

Under the existing lease agreement, which has another 24 years to run, the Western Australian Government has little capacity to directly support key industries that make use of the State’s freight rail network, or deliver important policy objectives.

Greater public control would allow for greater and more targeted Government investment, and increase usage of the freight rail network, delivering significant benefits including:

*increasing the use of the rail network to meet the demand being driven by new resource projects and growth in output from the agriculture sector, supporting future WA jobs; *improved safety on roads, by reducing the amount of trucks; *cost savings for industry through the more efficient movement of grain and commodities to and from the State’s ports, to ensure WA remains globally competitive; *ability to improve the frequency and journey times for regional rail services, like the Australind, with the Government being able to upgrade tracks, and build passing loops; *greater flexibility for regional communities, who have been prohibited and limited in relation to what activities they can undertake in close proximity to rail corridors; *greater involvement and potential partnerships with local WA businesses; and *more opportunities for tourism investment, particularly tracks that are underutilised or under care and maintenance.

The State Government has written to the current rail operator Arc Infrastructure to advise of the intention to enter negotiations to return the freight rail network back to public hands.

Government will progress negotiations with Arc Infrastructure and will make a final decision if it is economically and financially responsible to do so.

The Director General of Transport will establish a team to commence negotiations, with the State Government open to all options, including a staged return to public ownership.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“This is all about supporting our plans to diversify our economy, unlock future local jobs and retain WA’s economy as the strongest for future generations.

“Supporting the growth of our critical industries is a key priority for our Government and bringing freight rail back into public hands is a key way we can do that.

“The demands on the State’s freight rail network have grown significantly and we want to make sure we’re moving as much by rail to and from our ports as possible.

“Rail is the most efficient way of moving our goods to and from the ports, and with greater control, we can ensure Government investment promotes better use of the network.”

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

“It was a reckless decision by the Liberal Government to privatise the freight rail in 2000, and the reality is the deal has not stood the test of time.

“Some of the State’s biggest industries are seeking to increase their usage of freight rail to move goods, and the State Government want to support that.

“Rail is critical to a more efficient freight network, and it also means less trucks on roads, which is something local communities are always calling for.

“This is not an easy process, but necessary to support future job creation and the ongoing prosperity of our State.”

—-
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Cook-Government-to-enter-negotiations-to-secure-control-of-the-freight-rail-network-20250123

I think this is a great idea. I commented on this last week or the week before. Some things are just better off as a state run entity.

What’s not a good idea is 49 year infrastructure leases to private companies. That’s a ridiculously long time, the entire economy changes unrecognisably in that interval. I hope Richard Court bought something nice with the kickback.

dv said:

party_pants said:

dv said:

—-
Cook Government to enter negotiations to secure control of the freight rail network

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

*The State Government will commence negotiations to bring the freight rail network back into Government hands

*Freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000 *Demands on the freight rail network have grown substantially in recent years *Public control would help unlock greater economic activity, and support industry, farmers and regional communities

After 25 years under private control, the Cook Government will commence negotiations to bring the State’s freight rail network back into Government hands.

The freight rail network was privatised by the Liberal National Government in 2000, but with key Western Australian industries growing significantly in recent years, particularly record grain harvests, the demands on the network are at record highs.

Under the existing lease agreement, which has another 24 years to run, the Western Australian Government has little capacity to directly support key industries that make use of the State’s freight rail network, or deliver important policy objectives.

Greater public control would allow for greater and more targeted Government investment, and increase usage of the freight rail network, delivering significant benefits including:

*increasing the use of the rail network to meet the demand being driven by new resource projects and growth in output from the agriculture sector, supporting future WA jobs; *improved safety on roads, by reducing the amount of trucks; *cost savings for industry through the more efficient movement of grain and commodities to and from the State’s ports, to ensure WA remains globally competitive; *ability to improve the frequency and journey times for regional rail services, like the Australind, with the Government being able to upgrade tracks, and build passing loops; *greater flexibility for regional communities, who have been prohibited and limited in relation to what activities they can undertake in close proximity to rail corridors; *greater involvement and potential partnerships with local WA businesses; and *more opportunities for tourism investment, particularly tracks that are underutilised or under care and maintenance.

The State Government has written to the current rail operator Arc Infrastructure to advise of the intention to enter negotiations to return the freight rail network back to public hands.

Government will progress negotiations with Arc Infrastructure and will make a final decision if it is economically and financially responsible to do so.

The Director General of Transport will establish a team to commence negotiations, with the State Government open to all options, including a staged return to public ownership.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“This is all about supporting our plans to diversify our economy, unlock future local jobs and retain WA’s economy as the strongest for future generations.

“Supporting the growth of our critical industries is a key priority for our Government and bringing freight rail back into public hands is a key way we can do that.

“The demands on the State’s freight rail network have grown significantly and we want to make sure we’re moving as much by rail to and from our ports as possible.

“Rail is the most efficient way of moving our goods to and from the ports, and with greater control, we can ensure Government investment promotes better use of the network.”

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

“It was a reckless decision by the Liberal Government to privatise the freight rail in 2000, and the reality is the deal has not stood the test of time.

“Some of the State’s biggest industries are seeking to increase their usage of freight rail to move goods, and the State Government want to support that.

“Rail is critical to a more efficient freight network, and it also means less trucks on roads, which is something local communities are always calling for.

“This is not an easy process, but necessary to support future job creation and the ongoing prosperity of our State.”

—-
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Cook-Government-to-enter-negotiations-to-secure-control-of-the-freight-rail-network-20250123

I think this is a great idea. I commented on this last week or the week before. Some things are just better off as a state run entity.

What’s not a good idea is 49 year infrastructure leases to private companies. That’s a ridiculously long time, the entire economy changes unrecognisably in that interval. I hope Richard Court bought something nice with the kickback.

It is not just him. Australia has been terribly short-sighted in the privatisation of public assets in the period from the late 1980s through to now. I hope this is part of a longer claw-back. The Darwin port is another example, that one had a 99 year lease.