scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
AussieDJ said:
scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
A German noodle ?
AussieDJ said:
scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
As is well known, a scheudle is a combination of a scam, a hoax, and a political feud.
The Rev Dodgson said:
AussieDJ said:
scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
As is well known, a scheudle is a combination of a scam, a hoax, and a political feud.
Tamb said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
AussieDJ said:
scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
As is well known, a scheudle is a combination of a scam, a hoax, and a political feud.
If there is any political input it is “A work of fiction”
maybe we’re going to war
Tamb said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
AussieDJ said:
scheudle?
Hmmm. No entries for ‘scheudle’. Can we (the members of this forum) use it in a sentence and turn it into another word we can claim? Refer: “Selfie”.
As is well known, a scheudle is a combination of a scam, a hoax, and a political feud.
If there is any political input it is “A work of fiction”
As a German male porn star I was often asked about the size of my scheudle
I replied it was a big as the knackwurst containing the painting of the Madonna with the big boobies.
Couldn’t get unleaded 92. Only E10 which was the same price for the last few days of 249.9.
Diesel has crept up to 319.9. Price hasn’t dropped at all.
can’t wait to hear what this 1900 aedt announcement from dear leader is going to be, probably something like “iran are bad guys and they stopped the oil and we need oil so we’ve decided to join the oil liberation forces but other countries are bad guys because they’re big and we feel bullied so we aren’t going to buy more batteries and renewables and evs from them to actually solve the problem instead” let’s see
SCIENCE said:
can’t wait to hear what this 1900 aedt announcement from dear leader is going to be, probably something like “iran are bad guys and they stopped the oil and we need oil so we’ve decided to join the oil liberation forces but other countries are bad guys because they’re big and we feel bullied so we aren’t going to buy more batteries and renewables and evs from them to actually solve the problem instead” let’s see
If we allied ourselves with China I wonder how it would go down.
Its quite fascinating how trading with them is OK but can’t be friends
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:can’t wait to hear what this 1900 aedt announcement from dear leader is going to be, probably something like “iran are bad guys and they stopped the oil and we need oil so we’ve decided to join the oil liberation forces but other countries are bad guys because they’re big and we feel bullied so we aren’t going to buy more batteries and renewables and evs from them to actually solve the problem instead” let’s see
If we allied ourselves with China I wonder how it would go down.
Its quite fascinating how trading with them is OK but can’t be friends
Basically because if beggars were choosers, we would not try to make friends with them.
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:can’t wait to hear what this 1900 aedt announcement from dear leader is going to be, probably something like “iran are bad guys and they stopped the oil and we need oil so we’ve decided to join the oil liberation forces but other countries are bad guys because they’re big and we feel bullied so we aren’t going to buy more batteries and renewables and evs from them to actually solve the problem instead” let’s see
If we allied ourselves with China I wonder how it would go down.
Its quite fascinating how trading with them is OK but can’t be friends
Basically because if beggars were choosers, we would not try to make friends with them.
That is the problem isn’t it, Australia is a beggar
We always seems to be the underdog, forced to accept whatever deal we are offered.
When the government makes a stand, business, farmers, the banks, etc protest.
To be fair how can we compete with nations whose work force is far larger than our entire population
We might do well in the event of a nuclear war if the Western hemisphere is wrecked, so we do have that
SCIENCE said:
sorry we’re too stupid to understand this by ourselves so we’re going to have to put this to yous economics experts here
The fuel crisis is putting pressure on workers who rely on car travel and those who meet with vulnerable clients, with fresh calls for frontline support staff to be exempt from possible fuel rationing mandates. There are also renewed calls for more employees to work from home, although experts say the crisis has not yet reached “tipping point”. It comes after the federal government introduced a national fuel security plan on Monday and announced it would halve the fuel excise for three months, starting on Wednesday.
if there’s going to be rationing to limit the amount of stuff any individual purchaser can get then how does dropping the price to allow purchasers to get more of the stuff for their dollar help with that
fine fine we get it the experts don’t want to explain their secrets, the price is back to 2 threats ago and everything is good more
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-01/petrol-diesel-price-tracker/106513484
Cymek said:
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:
If we allied ourselves with China I wonder how it would go down.
Its quite fascinating how trading with them is OK but can’t be friends
Basically because if beggars were choosers, we would not try to make friends with them.
That is the problem isn’t it, Australia is a beggar
We always seems to be the underdog, forced to accept whatever deal we are offered.
When the government makes a stand, business, farmers, the banks, etc protest.
To be fair how can we compete with nations whose work force is far larger than our entire population
We might do well in the event of a nuclear war if the Western hemisphere is wrecked, so we do have that
pretty sure the better thing is to cooperate with people who actually operate under rules and agreements with accountability, ain’t nobody telling yous to ally yourselves with unaligned cooperatives
I would think that it would be best if any pricing help be aimed at trucking and farming. Hard to take 80 tonnes of ore on a tram.
I would thinking upping the work from home mandates would also help a bit…
dv said:
I would think that it would be best if any pricing help be aimed at trucking and farming. Hard to take 80 tonnes of ore on a tram.
I would thinking upping the work from home mandates would also help a bit…
yeah but will it get votes like directing fuel price subsidies to the SUV class and churn to the CBD landlords will
irresponsible governance and irresponsible journalism is fkn trash
The risk for the PM is that if he uses what is widely seen to be a break glass measure such as a live national broadcast to repeat his call for people to stay calm and not panic buy fuel, he risks being responsible for creating exactly that: panic. “It was an Instagram reel, not a national address. Albanese’s only message was not to panic, making it a content free address,” Barry said.
very few people panic in major disasters but you know what makes it worse
failure to provide information, and domination by misdisinformation
oh and loss of control when people know what the problem is but instead of cutting losses and building resilience
What was most stark in Albanese’s address was the failure to mention the man who is behind the latest shock, Donald Trump. He was the Voldemort of the address — never mentioned — and yet in the public’s mind he is the single biggest impediment to their economic security. Albanese may be doing his best to offer words of assurance to the country, but it is the actions of his US counterpart that will determine the outcome to this crisis.
the jokers in charge hitch their wagon even more tightly to the encephalopathic spongy bovine
encephalopathic spongy bovine
—
Pay that one.
oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
LOL
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-02/university-sector-foi-laws-transparency/106517446
that won’t happen until it’s already happened
SCIENCE said:
oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
She’s a clever lass.
roughbarked said:
SCIENCE said:oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
She’s a clever lass.
Thing is, which is why she’s attracting former Nationals, They don’t want skilled migrants. They only want slaves.
dv said:
I would think that it would be best if any pricing help be aimed at trucking and farming. Hard to take 80 tonnes of ore on a tram.I would thinking upping the work from home mandates would also help a bit…
IIRC, primary industries (farming, mining) already have an excise rebate. So the half-excise really doesn’t affect them in the long run. Other price settings are not under government control, as I understand it.
Yes to work form home as much as possible.
SCIENCE said:
oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
Ha!
Michael V said:
SCIENCE said:oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
Ha!
Is Pauline upset perhaps the migrants are buying up all the fish and chips shops and this is why she hates them.
Cymek said:
Michael V said:
SCIENCE said:oh c’m‘on Pauline has already solved this problem calm down already
Australia wasting talent of migrants on an ‘industrial scale’, former Treasury secretary says
everyone knows the answer, no migrants = no wasted migrant skills, sheesh
Ha!
Is Pauline upset perhaps the migrants are buying up all the fish and chips shops and this is why she hates them.
That’d be it… Victoria is a hell-hole of largely Chinese and Indian run F&C and pizza shops.
Witty Rejoinder said:
Cymek said:
Michael V said:Ha!
Is Pauline upset perhaps the migrants are buying up all the fish and chips shops and this is why she hates them.
That’d be it… Victoria is a hell-hole of largely Chinese and Indian run F&C and pizza shops.
That and service stations.
roughbarked said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Cymek said:Is Pauline upset perhaps the migrants are buying up all the fish and chips shops and this is why she hates them.
That’d be it… Victoria is a hell-hole of largely Chinese and Indian run F&C and pizza shops.
That and service stations.
The complaint around here is that;
‘blow the Jones’, there’s now more Singh’s than Sergi’s in the phone book’.
alleged
see if a wise older person did this it would be economic genius
In the tiny town of Pura Pura in Victoria, 28-year-old Tam Stevens has quit her job because the fuel to drive up to two hours to either Melbourne or Ballarat was costing her more than she was earning. In Sydney, 24-year-old disability support worker Izzy Van Der Vliet does not earn extra money when she drives long distances to see clients. She is considering not seeing that client because it is costing her too much in fuel, but it is a difficult decision.
but anyway it’s young fellas so we know they’re just being lazy
disclaimer we don’t mean the article says that
https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAussie/s/AVzkxxNTLb
https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-police-are-raiding-arresting-and-charging-the-herzog-protesters-they-assaulted/
The eight Operations Support Group officers dressed in riot gear and wearing helmets used force to apprehend the woman, who participated in the 9 February 2026 protest against the visit of Israeli president Issac Herzog, as she’d allegedly thrown a water bottle at police and threatened an officer with force if he touched her. And she is the 17th protester police have hunted down after the fact.
The Burwood woman was detained after two other women were raided the day prior. All three have been tracked down by Strike Force Laine, which is an investigation that has been established to apprehend 9 February Herzog demonstrators alleged to have partaken in wrongdoing. But the affront is that it was the NSW police that assaulted protesters, and there are reels of footage that show this.
dv said:
https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAussie/s/AVzkxxNTLbhttps://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-police-are-raiding-arresting-and-charging-the-herzog-protesters-they-assaulted/
The eight Operations Support Group officers dressed in riot gear and wearing helmets used force to apprehend the woman, who participated in the 9 February 2026 protest against the visit of Israeli president Issac Herzog, as she’d allegedly thrown a water bottle at police and threatened an officer with force if he touched her. And she is the 17th protester police have hunted down after the fact.
The Burwood woman was detained after two other women were raided the day prior. All three have been tracked down by Strike Force Laine, which is an investigation that has been established to apprehend 9 February Herzog demonstrators alleged to have partaken in wrongdoing. But the affront is that it was the NSW police that assaulted protesters, and there are reels of footage that show this.
Fucking hell!
Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested, reportedly
dv said:
Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested, reportedly
It would be about time would it not?
dv said:
Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested, reportedly
Good.
Bubblecar said:
dv said:
Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested, reportedly
Good.
Ben Roberts-Smith arrested after investigation into alleged war crimes
Australia’s most decorated former soldier has been arrested over investigations into alleged war crimes.
Former Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested following investigations into alleged war crimes.
The 47-year-old was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday.
The Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator is due to address the media on Tuesday afternoon.
The arrest comes after Mr Roberts-Smith unsuccessfully sued Nine Newspapers over a series of stories about war crime allegations relating to his deployment in Afghanistan.
Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko in 2023 found, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Roberts-Smith was involved in the murder of four unarmed men, ruling against him in his defamation suit against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Canberra Times.
The findings were made on the balance of probabilities, which is less than the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Roberts-Smith’s appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court was dismissed last year, and he was refused leave to appeal by the High Court
well international rules based law and order isn’t meant to apply to the good guys so forget about it
Bubblecar said:
dv said:
Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested, reportedly
Good.
He was given an award by the Queen wasn’t he or meet her.
SCIENCE said:
well international rules based law and order isn’t meant to apply to the good guys so forget about it
I do think war crimes are overlooked as they are part of the distasteful jobs in war that are “required”.
NewExaminer
ONE NATION TO SKIP TASMANIA – ‘YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR QUOTA OF BATSHIT-CRAZY POLITICIANS’
Buoyed by electoral success in South Australia where it won four seats, One Nation is now looking ahead to the next Federal election, but fears gaining ground in Tasmania could be a step too far.
The party has recently attracted support from disgruntled Liberal and Labor voters by campaigning on a platform of anti-immigration and cost of living pressures.
But Deputy Leader Barnaby Joyce admitted today Tasmania’s politicians were generally similar to One Nation’s typical candidates, which are drawn from a pool of retired plumber’s assistants, anti-vaccers and snake handlers.
“You already have your quote of batshit-crazy politicians” Joyce admitted over a few dozen schooners.
“So, unless some of the current Liberals defect to One Nation, we would struggle to win seats.”
Joyce said One Nation still hoped to recruit some sitting members of Tasmania’s State Government, saying Guy Barnett in particular had a lot in common with Cory Bernardi.
“And we’re keeping an eye on that young Felix Ellis,” he said.
“Another twenty years of heavy drinking, and he’ll look a lot like me.”
One Nation’s policies would also need to be modified for Tasmania, he said.
“We’ve always been strong on restricting immigration. But it’s hard to get voters passionate about kicking out the towel heads if there aren’t any in your local town.”
“Plus, it seems the State Liberals have already won the idiot rural vote by promising them free trips to the footy for life,” he said.
I’d like to thank the 4th Viscount Rothermere for his valuable input.
dv said:
I’d like to thank the 4th Viscount Rothermere for his valuable input.
According to the ABC (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-07/ben-roberts-smith-war-crimes-allegations-arrest/106537668 he’s been charged with four counts of war crimes (murder.)
btm said:
dv said:
I’d like to thank the 4th Viscount Rothermere for his valuable input.
According to the ABC (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-07/ben-roberts-smith-war-crimes-allegations-arrest/106537668 he’s been charged with four counts of war crimes (murder.)
5 counts now. Over 3 separate incidents, one in 2009 and two in 2012.
Couple of good polls for Labor at the Federal level.
Morgan has ALP ahead 56.5 – 43.5 .
Yougov has it at 55 – 45 .
dv said:
Couple of good polls for Labor at the Federal level.
Morgan has ALP ahead 56.5 – 43.5 .
Yougov has it at 55 – 45 .
Rally Round The Flag
ging International Rules Based Law And Order
Australia needs more than a reset, it needs an ‘economic revolution’: Canavan
Paul Sakkal
April 8, 2026 — 12:01am
Australia must reject unconditional free trade and reinvest in critical industries in response to the war in Iran, Nationals leader Matt Canavan has declared, putting him in alignment with the prime minister, who argued last week that Australia had been exposed by years of offshoring production.
Canavan will use a speech on Wednesday to call for an “economic revolution” and permanent tariffs to protect domestic manufacturers, dismissing the suggestion that his protectionist stance puts him at odds with the Liberal Party and economically orthodox leader Angus Taylor.
Building on his call in this masthead last month for tariffs on Chinese steel, the Queensland senator says a rethink on industry protection is needed due to the aggressive trade practices of US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Currently, Australia’s anti-dumping commission can place limits on certain imports, but Canavan said this ad hoc process was too slow to counter China’s enormous state subsidies and should be replaced by a “consistent and realistic approach to tariffs”.
“I’ve been isolated and frustrated these past few years watching Australia rack up debt, destroy our energy advantages and ruin the strong economy we inherited,” Canavan will tell the National Press Club, according to speech notes.
“I’m not here to describe what the Liberal Party wants, but I did not run to become Nationals leader to deliver an economic reset. Our country needs an economic revolution.”
In a nostalgia-heavy address light on policy details, Canavan will put forward his “patriot agenda for an Australian economic revival”, which comes a month out from the Farrer byelection in which the Coalition parties are expected to lose to either One Nation or a Climate 200-backed independent.
Albanese, in his own press club address last week, denounced the prevailing economic model, which held that “there would always be someone else … who would sell us what we needed cheaper than we could make it”.
The prime minister used new language in his address about Australia’s lack of oil refining capacity, declaring there was “no security in maintaining a status quo”.
Canavan echoed the sentiments, underlining a convergence between left and right-wingers who want to see even bigger fiscal outlays on industry subsidies, running counter to the preferences of most economists.
“No wonder we’re seeing a surge in support for minor parties and alternatives. The Australian people rightly want a shake-up in our politics. Business as usual is not working economically, and it will fail politically too,” Canavan will say.
Canavan and Albanese, whom Canavan will dub ‘captain status quo’, diverge on critical questions such as the role of green energy in rebuilding blue-collar industries, and the government’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
The major parties are increasingly using direct language to acknowledge the frustration of voters increasingly moving towards One Nation’s populist message.
Canavan’s remarks about the need to overhaul the economic system mirror those of Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie, reflecting a growing appetite for transformative change among conservatives and a challenge to Taylor’s more conventional approach.
He suggested the opposition’s long-awaited migration policy would put a spotlight on the prospect of Australia’s migrant population growing too quickly relative to the local-born population.
“Australia is a welcoming country and migrants have helped build it. But we have maintained our culture and heritage because there has always been a clear majority who grew up here as Australians,” he will say.
“If we don’t lift our birth rate, our Australian way of life is at risk.”
Canavan’s remarks may draw the ire of the Labor Party, which has used the Coalition’s rhetoric to campaign in migrant communities. The Nationals leader has been strident in calling out Pauline Hanson’s brand of race politics, but admits Australia’s successful multicultural project is straining.
Declaring the “Hawke-Howard era of economic reform” over, Canavan will use his speech to argue against the well-established economic principle of comparative advantage.
“The coddled, comfortable and second-rate political class talk as if the worst economic performance since the Great Depression can be fixed with one more economic summit, one more push for the ‘energy transition’, or one more go at ‘sensible tax reform’,” he will say.
“Our nation’s leaders remain trapped in the narrow thinking of the old economic rationalist superhighway. Most of our leaders grew up in the era of the Reagan-Thatcher revolution. Like ageing hippies, they desperately want to return to the elixir of their youth by performing one more economic Woodstock.
“A microwaved Milton Friedman is not going to solve our economic woes”.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australia-needs-more-than-a-reset-it-needs-an-economic-revolution-canavan-20260407-p5zlws.html
Max Chandler-Mather is back to lead a Greens think-tank. Can he fire up a left-wing movement?
Natassia Chrysanthos
April 8, 2026 — 12:01am
Greens firebrand Max Chandler-Mather is promising to recharge left-wing politics in Australia, taking the reins of the party’s think tank with the mission of building a populist movement that can replace Labor and rival a surging One Nation.
Chandler-Mather said the Australian Greens should learn from strategies that have swept left-wing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to power and propelled the UK Greens above the Labour government in opinion polls, so they can start capitalising on the major political parties’ decline in national polling.
“The Greens’ job is to build a big enough mass movement – similar to the UK Greens – that can present a genuine progressive break with the status quo, and offer a form of progressive economic populism that can describe, in clear terms, a positive transformation in people’s lives,” he said.
“It’s pretty clear that both major parties are hollowing out and decaying – it’s just that the Liberal Party is doing it faster. Both parties are clearly the standard-bearers of the political and economic status quo. The conclusion I’ve reached is that if we want substantial change, it needs a movement big enough to replace establishment politics.”
Chandler-Mather was a thorn in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s side as he built a strong social media presence and took Labor to task on housing reform in the last term of parliament.
But the Greens entered a period of soul-searching after last year’s election, when both Chandler-Mather and then-leader Adam Bandt were turfed from their seats. As both Labor and the Coalition have lost ground in opinion polls since then, the Greens have failed to make inroads while One Nation ascends.
Support for the Greens in this masthead’s Resolve Political Monitor has remained largely unchanged since the first post-election poll from last July, hovering at about 12 per cent.
Meanwhile, Labor’s support dropped from a high of 37 per cent to 29 per cent, the Coalition has dived from 27 per cent to 22 per cent, and One Nation has soared from 8 per cent to 24 per cent.
Chandler-Mather argued the populist right has emerged as major parties turned their focus from ordinary people to corporate interests. “The way to combat that is to reach out to people and offer a progressive populist alternative,” he said.
He will relaunch the Greens Institute as its new executive director on Wednesday – the policy think tank that is the minor party’s answer to the Labor Party’s Chifley Research Centre or the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre, which help inform party policy ideas.
It will have two priorities. The first is to “dismantle key pillars of neoliberalism”, which he describes as the privatisation of key services and industries that have turned aged care and childcare over to profit-driven providers.
The second is to lay out a “transformative vision of 21st century progressive economic populism” which is likely to focus on centralised public services, more public housing and a shorter working week.
Chandler-Mather is harnessing the same language around populism that has been embraced by UK Greens leader Zack Polanski. Elected last September, Polanski has cited Mamdani as an inspiration and unashamedly championed a left-wing “eco-populism” that puts billionaires and big businesses in its sights.
Under his leadership, the UK Greens have surged ahead of Labour in the latest YouGov opinion poll, equal with the Conservatives behind Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK. They dealt a blow to UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer in February, winning a north England seat from the government at a byelection – Labour’s first election loss in the area since 1931.
Chandler-Mather said both Mamdani and Polanski had campaigned on policies that resembled the Australian Greens’ platform: rent freezes, free public transport, free childcare, wiping student debt, taxing big corporations.
He said Mamdani was a “fantastic example” of breaking with mainstream Democrats while outlining a “clear, direct and materially focused economic platform that proved extremely popular”.
Meanwhile, the UK Greens were “unafraid to break with the way Greens can be traditionally seen, which is as an appendage of the Labour Party, and instead be clear that the goal is to replace Labour”.
But they both also leveraged sophisticated volunteer networks and deep community connections that became movements which could propel them to electoral success.
“The reason I took up the role is that change doesn’t start or end in parliament. What both Mamdani and Polanski benefited from was vast networks, built over decades, of the sort of infrastructure you need for a mass movement,” he said.
The Greens’ new leader, Larissa Waters, came into the role after Bandt’s shock defeat by promising a consultative and constructive approach. This has helped Labor pass key legislation such as its Environment Protection Authority and superannuation tax changes.
Chandler-Mather said the party was not going to achieve change by negotiating with Labor. “Change is only going to happen when we replace those establishment parties,” he said. “We need to be an alternative.”
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/max-chandler-mather-is-back-to-lead-a-greens-think-tank-can-he-fire-up-a-left-wing-movement-20260407-p5zlw8.html
kind of loving how if they were a coalition these two faced populists would offer something for everyone
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-08/albanese-denounces-trump-iran-rhetoric/106527034
if you love burning hydrocarbons on the cheap and maybe need to because you’ve not yet converted your farm to electric, national are your dudes
if you love violence and explosions but hate Arabs and Persians then liberal are your tribe
put them together and suddenly no coherent policy but true Australian values
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli is pushing for a return to domestic drilling, unveiling Australia’s first new oil field in half a century as part of a bid to strengthen long-term fuel security amid the conflict in the Middle East.
The site, located about five hours west of Brisbane in the Taroom Trough, is already producing small volumes, with the first barrels now entering Australia’s supply.
But Crisafulli is calling on the federal government to back the project and remove barriers to scale up production.
“It’s our golden opportunity to tap into liquid gold,” he said from the site.
He said the project had been in motion well before the latest global supply crisis, with tenders called in May last year.
“This is a once-in-a-half-a-century opportunity for us to control our own sovereign destiny again,” he said.
“I want to see a time in this nation when we return to drilling and refining and storing our own fuel.”
https://7news.com.au/sunrise/david-crisafulli-pushes-drilling-after-first-oil-field-in-50-years-unveiled-in-queensland-c-22108276
(The only other reference I could find were Facebook posts)
“Sovereign destiny” got me literally LOLing.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the 14-day ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran should also apply to Israel in its military operations in Lebanon.
With a ceasefire announced by both US President Donald Trump and Iran today, there were hopes for wider peace in the Middle East, but they were dashed when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that while he supported the ceasefire in Iran it would not include Lebanon.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-08/penny-wong-says-israel-should-stop-actions-in-lebanon/106543962
dv said:
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the 14-day ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran should also apply to Israel in its military operations in Lebanon.With a ceasefire announced by both US President Donald Trump and Iran today, there were hopes for wider peace in the Middle East, but they were dashed when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that while he supported the ceasefire in Iran it would not include Lebanon.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-08/penny-wong-says-israel-should-stop-actions-in-lebanon/106543962
Israel doesn’t give a shit, sorry about that Penny.
Hilton Gumbys is kind of a funny name
dv said:
Hilton Gumbys is kind of a funny name
Back in high school my friends and I would use “gumby” as a description of other people. We were 13ish.
dv said:
Hilton Gumbys is kind of a funny name
Like a plasticine person
Stopped clocks
kii said:
dv said:
Hilton Gumbys is kind of a funny name
Back in high school my friends and I would use “gumby” as a description of other people. We were 13ish.
To me, it represents two things.
This animated figure:
And these Monty Python characters:
So Hilton Gumbys sounds like people wearing sidcups staying at a fancy hotel.
Rather than a new Labor member of SA’s upper house. Nonetheless I wish him well in his future endeavours.
In the Federal election polling, ONP is well ahead of the Coalition in every mainland state.
dv said:
In the Federal election polling, ONP is well ahead of the Coalition in every mainland state.
that’s the beauty of team sports
dv said:
In the Federal election polling, ONP is well ahead of the Coalition in every mainland state.
Is Barnaby Joyce really the driving force behind this newfound popularity? MIL thinks so.
dv said:
In the Federal election polling, ONP is well ahead of the Coalition in every mainland state.
FMD.
Divine Angel said:
dv said:
In the Federal election polling, ONP is well ahead of the Coalition in every mainland state.
Is Barnaby Joyce really the driving force behind this newfound popularity? MIL thinks so.
I don’t think that’s the whole story. The Nationals and Liberals are somewhat in disarray. But certainly Joyce has his fans.
dv said:
kii said:
dv said:
Hilton Gumbys is kind of a funny name
Back in high school my friends and I would use “gumby” as a description of other people. We were 13ish.
To me, it represents two things.
This animated figure:
And these Monty Python characters:
So Hilton Gumbys sounds like people wearing sidcups staying at a fancy hotel.
Rather than a new Labor member of SA’s upper house. Nonetheless I wish him well in his future endeavours.
^
dv said:
Wait. What?
dv said:
Is Bruce Lehrmann hiding in the wings?
Ian said:
dv said:
Is Bruce Lehrmann hiding in the wings?
Reminds of some song…
Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Rape, murder!
That’s (apparently) the entire ON health policy.
What’s there is good, but there needs to be soooo much more added to it.
Spiny Norman said:
That’s (apparently) the entire ON health policy.
What’s there is good, but there needs to be soooo much more added to it.
it’s not a terrible idea, except that you probably also need some experienced health care professionals in regional areas. The areas that generally do not have the same facilities and equipment as city areas and require a different type of analytical expertise than machines that go ping.
Who attacked them? Martians?
Spiny Norman said:
That’s (apparently) the entire ON health policy.
What’s there is good, but there needs to be soooo much more added to it.
One Notion Party
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
well yes, the richest fascist wants to be known for his venture there, and there are fascists alongside him
Ian said:
Ian said:
dv said:
Is Bruce Lehrmann hiding in the wings?
Reminds of some song…
Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
Rape, murder!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-09/act-bruce-lehrmann-appeal-rejected-by-high-court/106546878
Queensland independent MP Jimmy Sullivan has been found dead in Brisbane.
Police said they were called to an address in Stafford last night where a man’s body was found.
They said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Mr Sullivan, 44, was elected as a Labor MP but was expelled from the party last year.
Ah yes this is
Kos Samaras, from the Redbridge Group, a political consultancy, says: “Nearly every democracy is in the grip of profound realignment, the pace and scale of change unlike anything seen in nearly a century. “The last time politics shifted this violently, the 1930s produced a fundamentally different kind of leader: harder-edged, ideologically unambiguous, willing to name enemies and offer a cause worth fighting for.
exactly what
“The long-settled period between 1945 and the pandemic produced a leadership culture optimised for management and consensus. That culture is now a liability. Voters aren’t looking for administrators. They’re looking for combatants.
we want, we want people who love a good fight, it’s good for saving the world international rules based law and order peace¡
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
That’s (apparently) the entire ON health policy.
What’s there is good, but there needs to be soooo much more added to it.
One Notion Party
I like it!
+1
That could make a great campaign slogan for the anti ONP!
ms spock said:
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Sucked in by Zionist propaganda.
Divine Angel said:
Queensland independent MP Jimmy Sullivan has been found dead in Brisbane.Police said they were called to an address in Stafford last night where a man’s body was found.
They said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Mr Sullivan, 44, was elected as a Labor MP but was expelled from the party last year.
Not clear to me why he was expelled
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-12/queensland-mp-jimmy-sullivan-to-be-booted-from-labor-caucus/105283402
roughbarked said:
ms spock said:
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Sucked in by Zionist propaganda.
Absolutely!
These folks are good. https://www.jewishcouncil.com.au/
There press releases against genocide and Islamophobia are a shining beacon in these troubled times.
ms spock said:
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Ref?
Former opposition leader Peter Dutton has been appointed to the board of the Queensland Investment Corporation by the state’s LNP government.
Mr Dutton’s appointment was announced on Friday alongside that of former Queensland Labor assistant minister Michael Choi.
The state government said the appointments were designed to “help drive investment in key growth opportunities for Queensland in defence industries and critical minerals”.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-10/peter-dutton-apointed-to-qld-investment-board/106551594
Divine Angel said:
Former opposition leader Peter Dutton has been appointed to the board of the Queensland Investment Corporation by the state’s LNP government.Mr Dutton’s appointment was announced on Friday alongside that of former Queensland Labor assistant minister Michael Choi.
The state government said the appointments were designed to “help drive investment in key growth opportunities for Queensland in defence industries and critical minerals”.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-10/peter-dutton-apointed-to-qld-investment-board/106551594
Nice. Jobs for the boys…
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
dv said:
Who attacked them? Martians?
Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Ref?
No MSM in Australia would cover the $22 billion dollars of Australian taxpayer’s money being funnelled to Israel. I text the person who was trying to get this into the Australian consciousness. She had to go to a Turkish media source to get it covered. Even Independent media in Australia, have published this under a generic news item rather than linking to their actual main media sources and articles.
But it has been covered generally throughout the genocide.
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
https://acij.org.au/despite-government-claims-australia-still-exporting-lethal-arms-to-israel/
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
Just to be clear, Bruce Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence. The problem for him is two Federal Court judgements have found he did, on the balance of probabilities, rape Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019, after a night out with other Liberal staffers. And now there’s no more avenue for appeal.
no more avenue but yousr ABC are still treading pretty carefully hey
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:Penny knows! Penny and Albo sent $22 billion dollars of our Australian taxpayer’s money to Israel via sanctioned weapon making companies. Australia is complicit in genocide.
Ref?
No MSM in Australia would cover the $22 billion dollars of Australian taxpayer’s money being funnelled to Israel. I text the person who was trying to get this into the Australian consciousness. She had to go to a Turkish media source to get it covered. Even Independent media in Australia, have published this under a generic news item rather than linking to their actual main media sources and articles.
But it has been covered generally throughout the genocide.
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
https://acij.org.au/despite-government-claims-australia-still-exporting-lethal-arms-to-israel/
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
Thanks.
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:Ref?
No MSM in Australia would cover the $22 billion dollars of Australian taxpayer’s money being funnelled to Israel. I text the person who was trying to get this into the Australian consciousness. She had to go to a Turkish media source to get it covered. Even Independent media in Australia, have published this under a generic news item rather than linking to their actual main media sources and articles.
But it has been covered generally throughout the genocide.
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
https://acij.org.au/despite-government-claims-australia-still-exporting-lethal-arms-to-israel/
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
Thanks.
Australian Defence buys a good deal of stuff from Israel, too.
captain_spalding said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:No MSM in Australia would cover the $22 billion dollars of Australian taxpayer’s money being funnelled to Israel. I text the person who was trying to get this into the Australian consciousness. She had to go to a Turkish media source to get it covered. Even Independent media in Australia, have published this under a generic news item rather than linking to their actual main media sources and articles.
But it has been covered generally throughout the genocide.
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
https://acij.org.au/despite-government-claims-australia-still-exporting-lethal-arms-to-israel/
Defence hides Australia’s weapon sales to Israel amid war crimes investigation into Palestine
Thanks.
Australian Defence buys a good deal of stuff from Israel, too.
I don’t know if permits to export a certain sum amount to actual exports but the lack of of transparency is annoying.
speaking of vehicles
The transport minister says now may not be the time for a road user charge, which would impose a new tax on electric vehicles. Catherine King says the government does not want to disincentivise EV uptake “at all”, despite the treasurer’s statement that it was “time” for a road user charge.
LOL
SCIENCE said:
speaking of vehicles
The transport minister says now may not be the time for a road user charge, which would impose a new tax on electric vehicles. Catherine King says the government does not want to disincentivise EV uptake “at all”, despite the treasurer’s statement that it was “time” for a road user charge.
LOL
Sigh.
Divine Angel said:
SCIENCE said:
speaking of vehicles
The transport minister says now may not be the time for a road user charge, which would impose a new tax on electric vehicles. Catherine King says the government does not want to disincentivise EV uptake “at all”, despite the treasurer’s statement that it was “time” for a road user charge.
LOL
Sigh.
what’s wrong, surely the best thing to do at this time is to reduce the tax on fuel oil and increase the tax on all vehicles across the board
sorry if repost can’t believe we missed this
LOL
SCIENCE said:
sorry if repost can’t believe we missed this
LOL
SCIENCE said:
sorry if repost can’t believe we missed this
LOL
Have to be joking. Fuck the Zionists.
This person is from Australia.
Queensland specifically.
dv said:
This person is from Australia.
Queensland specifically.
a million bucks doesn’t go far these days…
Bogsnorkler said:
dv said:
This person is from Australia.
Queensland specifically.
a million bucks doesn’t go far these days…
I like an alternative version, where I ask if I can borrow $10,000 off someone but they only have $5,000 to give me, so I tell them that since they owe me $5,000 and I owe them $5,000 we can call it even.
we mean if they just made sure everyone had stable housing then they wouldn’t need to drive around everywhere burning fuel oil looking for temporary accommodation
dv said:
This person is from Australia.
Queensland specifically.
Uh-oh.
Lookout…
Spiny Norman said:
Bogsnorkler said:
dv said:
This person is from Australia.
Queensland specifically.
a million bucks doesn’t go far these days…
I like an alternative version, where I ask if I can borrow $10,000 off someone but they only have $5,000 to give me, so I tell them that since they owe me $5,000 and I owe them $5,000 we can call it even.
Recent days here.
These people look qualified for the job.
Divine Angel said:
These people look qualified for the job.
If Australia ran along US lines, it’d be…
Chief of Defence Force – Andrew Bolt
Chief Of Army – Ruth Panahi
Chief of Navy – Caleb Bond.
Neophyte said:
Divine Angel said:
These people look qualified for the job.
If Australia ran along US lines, it’d be…
Chief of Defence Force – Andrew Bolt
Chief Of Army – Ruth Panahi
Chief of Navy – Caleb Bond.
Propaganda Minister – Pauline Hanson
Thank fuck he’s going!
LOL
There will be no drill baby drill here.
roughbarked said:
There will be no drill baby drill here.
There’s some in our antarctic waters …
But yes the take home message is the same. Increasing local production will just mean faster depletion so we haven’t solved any long term or even medium term problems. Better to focus on the transition from petrol and diesel.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/13/coalition-trumpian-plan-visitors-australia-vetting-social-media-ntwnfb
dv said:
roughbarked said:
There will be no drill baby drill here.
There’s some in our antarctic waters …
But yes the take home message is the same. Increasing local production will just mean faster depletion so we haven’t solved any long term or even medium term problems. Better to focus on the transition from petrol and diesel.
Wve more sunlight than oil.
dv said:
well look someone’s gotta stand up for liberties and freedom
SCIENCE said:
dv said:
well look someone’s gotta stand up for liberties and freedom
The liberty to make money despite the costs to the rest of the world and the freedom to keep slaves.
roughbarked said:
dv said:
roughbarked said:
SCIENCE said:
you fucking idiot, 2nd largest are you fucking kidding
try this
divide that by the massive population we have here and ain’t nobody coming close
There will be no drill baby drill here.
There’s some in our antarctic waters …
But yes the take home message is the same. Increasing local production will just mean faster depletion so we haven’t solved any long term or even medium term problems. Better to focus on the transition from petrol and diesel.
Wve more sunlight than oil.
yes but it’s hard for the fuckwits(F) to force people(P) to pay them(F) for access to that sunlight
New One Nation MP thought they could Zoom into meetings and still run their business.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAussie/comments/1sk5m0s/new_one_nation_mp_thought_they_could_zoom_into/
Spiny Norman said:
New One Nation MP thought they could Zoom into meetings and still run their business.https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAussie/comments/1sk5m0s/new_one_nation_mp_thought_they_could_zoom_into/
FMD
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has just held a press conference where she was asked about the federal Coalition’s new hardline immigration policy. She replied:
“Well, it’s clear that Angus Taylor and his Victorian Liberal leader colleague are too scared of One Nation and are too weak to stand up and fight for what matters. Unity and cohesion in this state and this country is what matters and is what important.”
She described the plan as an “extreme race-based migration policy that’s straight out of the Donald Trump playbook” that “just brings division”. Allan went on:
“This is the path of the federal and Victorian Liberal leadership and Liberal parties as they chase One Nation votes further and further to the extreme, because they are too weak to stand up and fight for what’s right and what’s important.
A migration policy that would exclude people and families from China, from Vietnam, from Muslim countries, from Lebanon – this is not what standing for Australia and standing for Victoria looks like. It’s being too weak to stand up to Pauline Hanson and One Nation.”
Garud
Ian said:
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has just held a press conference where she was asked about the federal Coalition’s new hardline immigration policy. She replied:
“Well, it’s clear that Angus Taylor and his Victorian Liberal leader colleague are too scared of One Nation and are too weak to stand up and fight for what matters. Unity and cohesion in this state and this country is what matters and is what important.”
She described the plan as an “extreme race-based migration policy that’s straight out of the Donald Trump playbook” that “just brings division”. Allan went on:
“This is the path of the federal and Victorian Liberal leadership and Liberal parties as they chase One Nation votes further and further to the extreme, because they are too weak to stand up and fight for what’s right and what’s important.
A migration policy that would exclude people and families from China, from Vietnam, from Muslim countries, from Lebanon – this is not what standing for Australia and standing for Victoria looks like. It’s being too weak to stand up to Pauline Hanson and One Nation.”
Garud
but what if it’s true and they are weak
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
New One Nation MP thought they could Zoom into meetings and still run their business.https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAussie/comments/1sk5m0s/new_one_nation_mp_thought_they_could_zoom_into/
FMD
how good is representative democracy
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.
Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Well, people willingly inject botulism into their face for aesthetic purposes.
(I only recently discovered it can be used to treat overactive bladders, reducing incontinence issues, so that’s interesting. I knew it was medically used to reduce spasms, migraines, TMJ issues etc, but hadn’t heard about bladder management.)
Divine Angel said:
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Well, people willingly inject botulism into their face for aesthetic purposes.
(I only recently discovered it can be used to treat overactive bladders, reducing incontinence issues, so that’s interesting. I knew it was medically used to reduce spasms, migraines, TMJ issues etc, but hadn’t heard about bladder management.)
One of my patients many years ago had a problem with uncontrollable rapid blinking spasms. I’d heard of the botulinum toxin treatment, sought out who was doing it (I’m not sure now, it might still have been experimental), and referred. It was like magic. As far as I can remember, it was regular injections for some time and then they were able to extend the periods between.
SCIENCE said:
Ian said:
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has just held a press conference where she was asked about the federal Coalition’s new hardline immigration policy. She replied:
“Well, it’s clear that Angus Taylor and his Victorian Liberal leader colleague are too scared of One Nation and are too weak to stand up and fight for what matters. Unity and cohesion in this state and this country is what matters and is what important.”
She described the plan as an “extreme race-based migration policy that’s straight out of the Donald Trump playbook” that “just brings division”. Allan went on:
“This is the path of the federal and Victorian Liberal leadership and Liberal parties as they chase One Nation votes further and further to the extreme, because they are too weak to stand up and fight for what’s right and what’s important.
A migration policy that would exclude people and families from China, from Vietnam, from Muslim countries, from Lebanon – this is not what standing for Australia and standing for Victoria looks like. It’s being too weak to stand up to Pauline Hanson and One Nation.”
Garud
but what if it’s true and they are weak
Take the next step.. FOAD
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Social media…
Michael V said:
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Social media…
Gotta say tho, “framemogger” is one of the most hilarious words I’ve ever come across.
buffy said:
Divine Angel said:
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Well, people willingly inject botulism into their face for aesthetic purposes.
(I only recently discovered it can be used to treat overactive bladders, reducing incontinence issues, so that’s interesting. I knew it was medically used to reduce spasms, migraines, TMJ issues etc, but hadn’t heard about bladder management.)
One of my patients many years ago had a problem with uncontrollable rapid blinking spasms. I’d heard of the botulinum toxin treatment, sought out who was doing it (I’m not sure now, it might still have been experimental), and referred. It was like magic. As far as I can remember, it was regular injections for some time and then they were able to extend the periods between.
Nice one.
:)
Divine Angel said:
Michael V said:
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Social media…
Gotta say tho, “framemogger” is one of the most hilarious words I’ve ever come across.
Danny John-Jules comes to mind.
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:
Michael V said:Social media…
Gotta say tho, “framemogger” is one of the most hilarious words I’ve ever come across.
Danny John-Jules comes to mind.
NHOH
Bogsnorkler said:
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:Gotta say tho, “framemogger” is one of the most hilarious words I’ve ever come across.
Danny John-Jules comes to mind.
NHOH
Surprising.
Played the Cat in Red Dwarf.
Michael V said:
Bogsnorkler said:
Michael V said:Danny John-Jules comes to mind.
NHOH
Surprising.
Played the Cat in Red Dwarf.
And ageing well too, that body.
Michael V said:
dv said:
Clavicular storms out of 60 minutes interview.Clavicular is a looksmaxxer or framemogger who lightly hammers his skull to create microfractures so it will grow back with desirable lumps. Not even kidding. The world these days seems to be an engine for creating new kinds of stupid.
Social media…
I won’t be watching.
Bogsnorkler said:
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:Gotta say tho, “framemogger” is one of the most hilarious words I’ve ever come across.
Danny John-Jules comes to mind.
NHOH
You’ve never seen Blade II ???
Ian said:
SCIENCE said:
Ian said:
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has just held a press conference where she was asked about the federal Coalition’s new hardline immigration policy. She replied:
“Well, it’s clear that Angus Taylor and his Victorian Liberal leader colleague are too scared of One Nation and are too weak to stand up and fight for what matters. Unity and cohesion in this state and this country is what matters and is what important.”
She described the plan as an “extreme race-based migration policy that’s straight out of the Donald Trump playbook” that “just brings division”. Allan went on:
“This is the path of the federal and Victorian Liberal leadership and Liberal parties as they chase One Nation votes further and further to the extreme, because they are too weak to stand up and fight for what’s right and what’s important.
A migration policy that would exclude people and families from China, from Vietnam, from Muslim countries, from Lebanon – this is not what standing for Australia and standing for Victoria looks like. It’s being too weak to stand up to Pauline Hanson and One Nation.”
Garud
but what if it’s true and they are weak
Take the next step.. FOAD
well that’s no way to talk to our honourable politicians, you could be accused of terrorism for that
SCIENCE said:
Ian said:
SCIENCE said:
but what if it’s true and they are weak
Take the next step.. FOAD
well that’s no way to talk to our honourable politicians, you could be accused of terrorism for that
I’d expect pretty short odds on a bet that there is a minority govt in Victoria after this election.
CTTOI there are three by elections upcoming.
Farrer (Federal) May 9
Nepean (Vic) May 2
Stafford (Qld) probably June
Stafford is a safe Labor seat. The other two are Lib held but are big opportunities for ONP and Indies.
isn’t this the fella
everyone was gushing about for wanting to build more fossil plants like 10 years ago or something
or are our memories completely erroneous
damn Australia sure knows how to pick awesome investors
SCIENCE said:
isn’t this the fella
everyone was gushing about for wanting to build more fossil plants like 10 years ago or something
or are our memories completely erroneous
damn Australia sure knows how to pick awesome investors
We seem to be vulnerable to anyone waviing small change aboout.
One thing I still don’t quite comprehend is hoq Lang Hancock managed to tie up all the iron ore when it really belonged to us all.
A hundred years ago, a different Pope Leo outlined the burgeoning the “heresy of Americanism”
https://fatima.org/news-views/catholic-apologetics-30/
and just like that Australia got involved
A fire has broken out at one of Australia’s two remaining oil refineries, with emergency services responding to reports of “explosions and flames”. The blaze was yet to be brought under control, Fire Rescue Victoria said early today. Mr Kontelj said the refinery’s operators were unable to identify a cause of the fire at this point.
roughbarked said:
roughbarked said:
SCIENCE said:
LOL
wong fred sorry.
right
SCIENCE said:
roughbarked said:
roughbarked said:
wong fred sorry.
right
So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
The Rev Dodgson said:
SCIENCE said:roughbarked said:
wong fred sorry.
right
So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
based solely on how we’re reading their article, it’s a gimmick
The Rev Dodgson said:
SCIENCE said:roughbarked said:
wong fred sorry.
right
So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
roughbarked said:
The Rev Dodgson said:
SCIENCE said:right
So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
What exactly can government (regardless of which party) do to secure fuel supplies.
We can’t magic it and its the entire world that’s facing this crisis.
Reading an article on our own reserves most of its uneconomical to extract and its not a large amount anyway.
Oil has been a ransom type resource forever, can force prices up by withholding supply or disrupting production/distribution.
Cymek said:
roughbarked said:
The Rev Dodgson said:So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
What exactly can government (regardless of which party) do to secure fuel supplies.
We can’t magic it and its the entire world that’s facing this crisis.
Reading an article on our own reserves most of its uneconomical to extract and its not a large amount anyway.
Oil has been a ransom type resource forever, can force prices up by withholding supply or disrupting production/distribution.
they can support renewable electricity generation and electrification of end uses
Cymek said:
roughbarked said:
The Rev Dodgson said:So what is a “fuel security dashboard”?
What exactly can government (regardless of which party) do to secure fuel supplies.
We can’t magic it and its the entire world that’s facing this crisis.
Reading an article on our own reserves most of its uneconomical to extract and its not a large amount anyway.
Oil has been a ransom type resource forever, can force prices up by withholding supply or disrupting production/distribution.
True. Like any drug addict, we will have to undergo withdawal symptoms.
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
roughbarked said:
What exactly can government (regardless of which party) do to secure fuel supplies.
We can’t magic it and its the entire world that’s facing this crisis.
Reading an article on our own reserves most of its uneconomical to extract and its not a large amount anyway.
Oil has been a ransom type resource forever, can force prices up by withholding supply or disrupting production/distribution.
they can support renewable electricity generation and electrification of end uses
True, that is a long term plan though, rather than this crisis.
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
What exactly can government (regardless of which party) do to secure fuel supplies.
We can’t magic it and its the entire world that’s facing this crisis.
Reading an article on our own reserves most of its uneconomical to extract and its not a large amount anyway.
Oil has been a ransom type resource forever, can force prices up by withholding supply or disrupting production/distribution.
they can support renewable electricity generation and electrification of end uses
True, that is a long term plan though, rather than this crisis.
so what we’re saying is any intelligent governance would have started this process 23 years ago when they had the chance
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:
they can support renewable electricity generation and electrification of end uses
True, that is a long term plan though, rather than this crisis.
so what we’re saying is any intelligent governance would have started this process 23 years ago when they had the chance
That chance denied to them by circumstance of lobbyists for the industry.
roughbarked said:
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
True, that is a long term plan though, rather than this crisis.
so what we’re saying is any intelligent governance would have started this process 23 years ago when they had the chance
That chance denied to them by circumstance of lobbyists for the industry.
yeah but look at these pipe dreamers and cheese eaters
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:
they can support renewable electricity generation and electrification of end uses
True, that is a long term plan though, rather than this crisis.
so what we’re saying is any intelligent governance would have started this process 23 years ago when they had the chance
Sure. Or fifty years ago.
SCIENCE said:
roughbarked said:
SCIENCE said:
so what we’re saying is any intelligent governance would have started this process 23 years ago when they had the chance
That chance denied to them by circumstance of lobbyists for the industry.
yeah but look at these pipe dreamers and cheese eaters
👍
Federal politics live: Defence Minister Richard Marles says $53 billion defence plan strengthens ‘self-reliance’
yeah sure is the $368000000000 sinking fund a part of that self reliance
SCIENCE said:
Federal politics live: Defence Minister Richard Marles says $53 billion defence plan strengthens ‘self-reliance’
yeah sure is the $368000000000 sinking fund a part of that self reliance
Lets says a Chinese fleet was sailing towards Australia to invade.
Are we allowed to launch nuclear weapons as a first strike response.
We’d never be able to stop them with conventional weapons.
The yanks will be pulling their pud so won’t be helping
Would we just have to accept invasion as nukes are a no no.
Scope does seem to allow them as a defensive measure for the above scenario.
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:Federal politics live: Defence Minister Richard Marles says $53 billion defence plan strengthens ‘self-reliance’
yeah sure is the $368000000000 sinking fund a part of that self reliance
Lets says a Chinese fleet was sailing towards Australia to invade.
Are we allowed to launch nuclear weapons as a first strike response.
We’d never be able to stop them with conventional weapons.
The yanks will be pulling their pud so won’t be helping
Would we just have to accept invasion as nukes are a no no.
Scope does seem to allow them as a defensive measure for the above scenario.
where are you planning to drop it
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:Federal politics live: Defence Minister Richard Marles says $53 billion defence plan strengthens ‘self-reliance’
yeah sure is the $368000000000 sinking fund a part of that self reliance
Lets says a Chinese fleet was sailing towards Australia to invade.
Are we allowed to launch nuclear weapons as a first strike response.
We’d never be able to stop them with conventional weapons.
The yanks will be pulling their pud so won’t be helping
Would we just have to accept invasion as nukes are a no no.
Scope does seem to allow them as a defensive measure for the above scenario.
where are you planning to drop it
Air burst it over the fleet.
I’m just wondering if legal convention would allow such an attack if you are defending yourself.
SCIENCE said:
Bogsnorkler said:
ruby said:
Michael V said:
SCIENCE said:
privatise profits socialise losses
Yes. That does seem to be the current game.
I’m not quite sure what the answer is, but it must change.
OK Wookie.
😏
Deregulate The Markets ¡ Liberty And Freedom ¡
speaking of privatise profits socialise losses
Under the laws, which passed parliament last month, petrol companies still buy fuel but the government takes on the financial risk of shipments that might otherwise be too expensive.
Cymek said:
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
Lets says a Chinese fleet was sailing towards Australia to invade.
Are we allowed to launch nuclear weapons as a first strike response.
We’d never be able to stop them with conventional weapons.
The yanks will be pulling their pud so won’t be helping
Would we just have to accept invasion as nukes are a no no.
Scope does seem to allow them as a defensive measure for the above scenario.
where are you planning to drop it
Air burst it over the fleet.
I’m just wondering if legal convention would allow such an attack if you are defending yourself.
surely an invasion fleet isn’t carrying civilians or is that a new strategic style
Divine Angel said:
aren’t liberal these days just one nation without conviction
SCIENCE said:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-16/nsw-nurses-midwives-awarded-major-pay-rise/106570142
gotta do a dirty and try to pit those taxpayers against them nurses and midwives though
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said his government would accept the commission’s ruling, but taxpayers would bear the cost of the increase. At a press conference shortly after, he said the increased pay for nurses and midwives would cost billions over the forward estimates, but would still be “manageable”.
did he mention taxpayers or was it the reporter taking liberties
Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
ms spock said:
Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
Michael V said:
ms spock said:
Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
yes we would like to see a ¿ref at least
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
MSM is the main stream media.
I have a friend who has been trying to get coverage of the billions of dollars Australian taxpayers being sent to Israel via various channels for over two years. She could only get a Turkish online media site to cover it.
ms spock said:
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
MSM is the main stream media.
I have a friend who has been trying to get coverage of the billions of dollars Australian taxpayers being sent to Israel via various channels for over two years. She could only get a Turkish online media site to cover it.
MSM = Main Stream Media. Thanks.
ms spock said:
Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
Any other country that acted like Israel does would be a pariah state and be under crippling economic and military sanctions. There would be demands that they disarm and destroy their nuclear weapons and allow international inspections and all that.
Why does Israel always get a free pass on these things?
party_pants said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
Any other country that acted like Israel does would be a pariah state and be under crippling economic and military sanctions. There would be demands that they disarm and destroy their nuclear weapons and allow international inspections and all that.
Why does Israel always get a free pass on these things?
I really want to know.
ms spock said:
Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
That’s bullshit.
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
That’s the problem: she doesn’t. Loves a conspiracy theory our Spockie.
ms spock said:
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
MSM is the main stream media.
I have a friend who has been trying to get coverage of the billions of dollars Australian taxpayers being sent to Israel via various channels for over two years. She could only get a Turkish online media site to cover it.
Using MSM as a pejorative is just as nutty be you from the hard right or the hard left.
How come the Sultan of Brunei is sitting on piles of shit?
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
That’s bullshit.
Sadly, it is not.
It is covered by cabinets 50 years, so probably none of us will be around when it comes out.
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
That’s the problem: she doesn’t. Loves a conspiracy theory our Spockie.
No one with the information can get a journalist to cover it.
Respectfully won’t talk to you about it again.
If you see me as a conspiracy theorist, it will be easy to not click on my posts.
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
That’s the problem: she doesn’t. Loves a conspiracy theory our Spockie.
No one with the information can get a journalist to cover it.
Respectfully won’t talk to you about it again.
If you see me as a conspiracy theorist, it will be easy to not click on my posts.
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:That’s the problem: she doesn’t. Loves a conspiracy theory our Spockie.
No one with the information can get a journalist to cover it.
Respectfully won’t talk to you about it again.
If you see me as a conspiracy theorist, it will be easy to not click on my posts.
I’ll read but i won’t respond if you’re afraid of supplying evidence for your assertions.
Yeah, apart from anything else, Albanese never replaced Paul McCartney…
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Michael V said:What is an MSM?
And how do you know this stuff?
MSM is the main stream media.
I have a friend who has been trying to get coverage of the billions of dollars Australian taxpayers being sent to Israel via various channels for over two years. She could only get a Turkish online media site to cover it.
Using MSM as a pejorative is just as nutty be you from the hard right or the hard left.
The MSM failed to report the genocide in Palestine in an accurate manner.
Abstract
This paper examines the Western legacy media’s coverage of the war on Gaza, particularly news media organisations with business models that allow them to be independent and, therefore, not completely captured by politics or economics. The paper posits that an initial examination of their war coverage shows how these organisations contribute to the proliferation of a post-truth environment wherein essential journalistic values, such as accuracy, independence and balance, are sidelined. Through a qualitative case study approach, the paper aims to analyse the loss of basic media ethics among Western legacy news media and to identify a pattern of biased narratives, selective omission of facts and a predominance of the Israeli official government sources over fair, balanced and independent journalistic voices. The paper argues that this skewed portrayal decontextualises, dehistoricises and misrepresents the conflict’s complexity, as it also reinforces existing power dynamics and hegemonies. It calls for a re-evaluation of journalistic practices and media ethics in the context of international conflict reporting. It asserts that for democracy to thrive, a radical transformation of media practices is essential, prioritising the reinstatement of journalistic integrity and a commitment to truth-telling, even in the face of political pressures, power imbalances and propaganda.
…
Criticism of Western media news coverage of the genocide in Gaza was voiced in open letters by Australian, British, Canadian and American journalists. Australian journalists wrote an open letter calling on Australian newsrooms to undertake eight steps to improve coverage, including ‘adhering to truth over “both-sidesism”’ and ‘applying as much professional skepticism when prioritising or relying on uncorroborated Israeli government and military sources to shape coverage as is applied to Hamas’ (Muller Citationn.d.). Similarly, more than 750 American journalists signed a letter protesting US newsrooms’ coverage of the genocide in Gaza (Washington Post Citation2023). Scholarly and journalistic criticism of Western legacy media reporting of the genocide in Gaza has been documented by The Intercept, The Washington Post, The Conversation, The New Humanitarian, The Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera English, Mondoweiss, The Middle East Council on Global Affairs, DAWN MENA and others.”:Full article: Western media’s ethical collapse: silencing Gaza’s voice https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2025.2552361#abstract
“Full article: Western media’s ethical collapse: silencing Gaza’s voice https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2025.2552361#abstract
party_pants said:
ms spock said:Albo and Wings are liars.
$22 billion dollars of taxpayers money has been sent to Israel via sanctioned companies. And that is only one income stream that we know about. Billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel. This information will be released in 50 years. No Australian MSM will report about this..
Any other country that acted like Israel does would be a pariah state and be under crippling economic and military sanctions. There would be demands that they disarm and destroy their nuclear weapons and allow international inspections and all that.
Why does Israel always get a free pass on these things?
Powerful lobbies.
I wonder if people are loath to criticise Israel’s actions because of the past and how they are skating a fine line in becoming like the people who tried to wipe them out.
They have weird ideas about racial purity which aren’t excused by religion or culture. Racial purity is so dangerous a belief regardless of whom you are
They are allowed to defend themselves, but being human push it too far, dehumanise those the fight against and seemingly have no problem killing them in the hundred of thousands.
It also has moronic religious overtones which gives the believer an excuse to kill in gods name and as god doesn’t exist it isn’t going to tell them otherwise.
Same with the USA, the military has a connection with God and Jesus and being righteous so can do no wrong
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:That’s the problem: she doesn’t. Loves a conspiracy theory our Spockie.
No one with the information can get a journalist to cover it.
Respectfully won’t talk to you about it again.
If you see me as a conspiracy theorist, it will be easy to not click on my posts.
I’ll read but i won’t respond if you’re afraid of supplying evidence for your assertions.
It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:No one with the information can get a journalist to cover it.
Respectfully won’t talk to you about it again.
If you see me as a conspiracy theorist, it will be easy to not click on my posts.
I’ll read but i won’t respond if you’re afraid of supplying evidence for your assertions.It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:I’ll read but i won’t respond if you’re afraid of supplying evidence for your assertions.
It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
Political nature would also mean it would be leaked to the media to discredit whomever is complicit in its implementation.
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:I’ll read but i won’t respond if you’re afraid of supplying evidence for your assertions.
It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.
(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Cymek said:
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:
ruby said:The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
and to keep their angry incels from causing as much domestic trouble
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
A quick Google suggests that Australia’s total weapons exports in the broadest sense numbers around $2.5 billion AUD with the US representing at most 10% of that.
Witty Rejoinder said:
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
A quick Google suggests that Australia’s total weapons exports in the broadest sense numbers around $2.5 billion AUD with the US representing at most 10% of that.
Thanks Witty!
ruby said:
(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Yes, result!
We’re still stuck with the pathetic, lily-livered Minns though.
He’s doing my conservative intellectuals joke
dv said:
He’s doing my conservative intellectuals joke
LOL
dv said:
He’s doing my conservative intellectuals joke
Love that one of the likes is Sky News Australia.
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:
ruby said:The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
+1
Witty Rejoinder said:
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
A quick Google suggests that Australia’s total weapons exports in the broadest sense numbers around $2.5 billion AUD with the US representing at most 10% of that.
All that being said, government funds going to Israel would require mass malfeasance on the part of the federal bureaucracy let alone pollies but it would be quite simple for private individuals to do with the real only evidence being currency transactions in the national accounts which would appear quite anomalous especially if it was direct exchange of AUD for Israeli Shekels.
The Australian Jewish community is quite wealthy with the richest 10 Jewish Australian individuals/families combined pushing net wealth of $200+ billion AUD so $25b world be basically chump change. If it was net investment in Jewish companies, perhaps to support their religious brethren, or merely just to make a buck on the off chance that Netanyahu would turn belligerent given the fool in the White House with all the usage of armaments that this would entail it wouldn’t be an outrageous gamble for speculative investors to take.
Michael V said:
dv said:
He’s doing my conservative intellectuals joke
LOL
Tony Abbott continued on with Howard’s DV polices by cutting $300 from DV budget.
Rosie Batty urged him not to.
ruby said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:It’s not about being afraid. It’s about MSM refusing to cover the billions of Australian taxpayers dollars being sent to Israel. The fear of Zionist Supremacists is strong and overwhelming.
It’s just not credible. The amount you cite is five times Australia’s total foreign aid budget and is fifty times Australia’s exports to Israel. This got a mention in Michael West media so it’s received some coverage but a supposed cabinet leak has not approached larger media organisations with definite proof? And how many people would have to be complicit: the Greens hate Israel but they’ve not brought it up under parliamentary privilege?
The truth is bad enough without needing to make up lies about it.
The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Thank Ruby I don’t have this one.
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:
ruby said:The 22 billion from Spocky’s first post on this subject today looks to be what the US has put into Israel’s recent wars-
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/10/7/reports-israel-couldnt-wage-wars-on-gaza-lebanon-iran-without-us-support
The $725 million ‘offshore procurement’ and the 4.4 billion ‘replenishing arms delivered to Israel from US stocks’…(not sure if Australia produces missiles so I didn’t include the 5 billion from that column) ….I wonder what percentage of this be would sales from private Australian weapons companies which go to the US and then on to Israel. From my reading from the links from Spocky’s initial post about this a few days back, the Labor government wound back some of the supplies going to Israel via private companies, which were done under the Morrison government. I expect it might be difficult to wind back all of it without compensation? And perhaps these private companies supply our military as well and they get to test them (on so many civilians, that is the truly disgusting and horrifying aspect). I would guess Australia’s percentage of this 5.1ish billion would not be large. I shall have to reread the Michael West article.
I would like to know more about the ‘billions and billions of Australian taxpayers money has been sent to Israel’ though. Does some of the 8.12 billion from the ‘foreign military funding’ part of this graph involve the Australian military? Finding out just what this involves might be a security issue for Australia?
So many questions.
So many tangled webs.(As an aside, I’m super happy that the NSW government’s protest laws enacted after Bondi have been struck down….will be hopping on the train with friends to go to the next protest!)
Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
,+1
ms spock said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
ms spock said:MSM is the main stream media.
I have a friend who has been trying to get coverage of the billions of dollars Australian taxpayers being sent to Israel via various channels for over two years. She could only get a Turkish online media site to cover it.
Using MSM as a pejorative is just as nutty be you from the hard right or the hard left.
The MSM failed to report the genocide in Palestine in an accurate manner.
Abstract
This paper examines the Western legacy media’s coverage of the war on Gaza, particularly news media organisations with business models that allow them to be independent and, therefore, not completely captured by politics or economics. The paper posits that an initial examination of their war coverage shows how these organisations contribute to the proliferation of a post-truth environment wherein essential journalistic values, such as accuracy, independence and balance, are sidelined. Through a qualitative case study approach, the paper aims to analyse the loss of basic media ethics among Western legacy news media and to identify a pattern of biased narratives, selective omission of facts and a predominance of the Israeli official government sources over fair, balanced and independent journalistic voices. The paper argues that this skewed portrayal decontextualises, dehistoricises and misrepresents the conflict’s complexity, as it also reinforces existing power dynamics and hegemonies. It calls for a re-evaluation of journalistic practices and media ethics in the context of international conflict reporting. It asserts that for democracy to thrive, a radical transformation of media practices is essential, prioritising the reinstatement of journalistic integrity and a commitment to truth-telling, even in the face of political pressures, power imbalances and propaganda.…
Criticism of Western media news coverage of the genocide in Gaza was voiced in open letters by Australian, British, Canadian and American journalists. Australian journalists wrote an open letter calling on Australian newsrooms to undertake eight steps to improve coverage, including ‘adhering to truth over “both-sidesism”’ and ‘applying as much professional skepticism when prioritising or relying on uncorroborated Israeli government and military sources to shape coverage as is applied to Hamas’ (Muller Citationn.d.). Similarly, more than 750 American journalists signed a letter protesting US newsrooms’ coverage of the genocide in Gaza (Washington Post Citation2023). Scholarly and journalistic criticism of Western legacy media reporting of the genocide in Gaza has been documented by The Intercept, The Washington Post, The Conversation, The New Humanitarian, The Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera English, Mondoweiss, The Middle East Council on Global Affairs, DAWN MENA and others.”:Full article: Western media’s ethical collapse: silencing Gaza’s voice https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2025.2552361#abstract
“Full article: Western media’s ethical collapse: silencing Gaza’s voice https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2025.2552361#abstract
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2025.2552361#abstract
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:
Cymek said:Killing is our business and business is good
Military weapons sales is very morally ambiguous at the best of times
Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
,+1
-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
esselte said:
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
,+1
-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
esselte said:
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy. They have to have wars to be able to do business.
,+1
-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
The Barefoot Nurse
AUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
His “drill, drill, drill” rhetoric sounded punchy, but ignored the commercial reality of oil production, refining, and fuel pricing in Australia.
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
His attacks on the government’s fuel preparedness ignored the reality that the Commonwealth has been giving frequent updates and appears to have worked hard to secure supply.
On housing, environment, and war, the press conference felt more like performance than serious policy.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN A MAN SAY “AUSTRALIAN VALUES” BEFORE IT STOPS MEANING ANYTHING?
Just watched Angus Taylor’s press conference and, to paraphrase, it went something like this. Australian values. Australian values. Australian values. Albo does not have Australian values. Australian values. Drill, drill, drill.
Australian values. Oil. Housing. Australian values. Labor bad. Australian values. Maybe war. Australian values.
You get the idea.
Somewhere in there, he also reminded us he had apparently saved the fuel industry when he was energy minister, which is one of those political claims that always deserves a quiet pause and a raised eyebrow.
Setting that aside for a moment, what really stood out was how familiar the whole thing felt. Not familiar in the sense of solid leadership or a coherent national plan. Familiar in the sense that the Coalition, once again, appears to have looked at the wreckage caused by Trump-style culture war politics overseas and decided the lesson was not to avoid it, but to borrow from it more carefully. The language may be softer. The tailoring may be local. But the cut of the suit is the same.
The Liberal and National parties do this a lot. When the public rejects a message, they rarely stop and ask whether the message itself was the problem. They tend to arrive at a different conclusion. The problem, apparently, is that voters did not understand them properly. The people failed the message, not the other way around. So out comes the same product with slightly different packaging and the same underlying assumption that the electorate needs to do better.
That is what this felt like. Not a serious attempt to solve hard problems, but the early stages of another imported culture war campaign, right down to the obsessive use of two-word slogans.
“AUSTRALIAN VALUES” AS A POLITICAL FILLER
The laser-like focus on “Australian values” tells us a lot, and none of it is especially flattering.
When politicians keep repeating a phrase without ever clearly defining it, there is usually a reason. In this case, the phrase looked less like a statement of principle and more like a space filler. A substitute for detail. A rhetorical smoke machine pumped out to create the impression of substance where not much substance exists. It also serves another purpose. It gives them a handy little moral weapon to use against people they do not like. If you disagree, you are suddenly not aligned with “Australian values”. If you are on the wrong visa, speak with the wrong accent, protest in the wrong way, or care about the wrong issue, you can be quietly shoved into the category of people who supposedly do not belong.
That is not a national vision. That is political othering.
The irony here is that most of what Angus was talking about sounded less like values and more like legislation. Australia already has laws. People on visas already have to obey them. Citizens have to obey them too. That is generally how laws work. There is no secret carve-out where migration somehow exempts people from criminal law, civil law, or regulatory law. If anything, the only people Australians regularly suspect of operating under a softer legal framework are politicians themselves.
Likewise, the immigration vetting and screening systems he alluded to are already in place. They exist. The times those systems have been weakened or made more questionable usually line up with the same periods in which conservative governments decided the private sector could do public sector work more efficiently. We have seen that movie before. Services are outsourced. Oversight thins out. Standards slip. Accountability becomes muddy. Then when things go sideways, everyone suddenly becomes very polite and avoids words like corruption, even when the conduct in question looks deeply questionable and well short of the standard the public should expect.
Again, that pattern is familiar. Too familiar.
The problem with the “Australian values” line is not simply that it is vague. It is that the vagueness is the point. A term like that can be stretched to mean whatever the speaker needs it to mean on the day. It can signal toughness without offering policy. It can trigger emotion without requiring evidence. It can flatter the in-group and demonise the out-group in one neat little package. Straight out of the MAGA playbook.
DRILL, DRILL, DRILL SOUNDS GREAT UNTIL REALITY WALKS INTO THE ROOM
Then there was the drilling talk.
“Drill, drill, drill” is one of those slogans that sounds terrific if your entire political strategy is based on the idea that voters will not ask a second question. It has rhythm. It sounds decisive. It gives the impression that someone somewhere is about to put on a hard hat, roll up their sleeves, and save the nation with patriotic hydrocarbons.
The only problem is that it is not realistic.
Australia’s petroleum and mining industries are not run like wartime command economies. They are driven by commercial decisions. Companies invest where they think they will make money. They do not drill just because Angus Taylor has discovered a slogan with all the subtlety of a lifted ute sticker. If the commercial value is not there, the investment is not there either.
So unless Angus is planning to nationalise parts of the resource sector, which would be an absolutely wild pivot for the Coalition and a fascinating late-career flirtation with socialism, then his options are limited. Either he is proposing a slogan with no operational pathway behind it, or he is proposing that Australian taxpayers underwrite private oil and gas development so companies can make money while claiming it is all being done in the national interest.
That would mean Australians pay twice. Once through public subsidies, tax concessions, underwriting, or sweetheart arrangements. Then again at the bowser.
Because even if Australia did increase domestic oil production, that does not magically translate into cheap fuel for Australians. Not when the industry is privately owned. Not when oil is traded into a global market. Not when we have very limited domestic refining capacity. Not when profit, not patriotism, drives allocation.
We now sit in the absurd position where Australia can produce energy wealth and still leave Australians exposed to international price shocks. That is what happens when you strip back refining, let private markets drive every strategic decision, and then pretend sovereignty can be rebuilt with a slogan and a press conference.
Yes, Australia can drill more. Yes, Australia can refine more, eventually. But it would take time, money, infrastructure, policy consistency, and likely far more state involvement than the Coalition is usually comfortable admitting. Even then, it does not automatically bring prices down. The United States already has a massive oil industry and a huge refining base, and Americans still get smashed by price movements. Global oil markets do not care about campaign slogans.
And once companies have had a taste of higher margins, they do not generally surrender them out of civic duty.
FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSPARENCY, AND THEATRE DISGUISED AS ACCOUNTABILITY
Angus also tried to question how much fuel Australia had secured, floating the idea that the country effectively had only a day’s worth. That line might have landed better had the news cycle not immediately been filled with reports about farmers welcoming diesel supply arrangements and fertiliser-related outcomes from government efforts. Timing can be cruel like that.
Now, I have criticised the current government for not being better prepared for the wider consequences of war in Iran. I still think that criticism is fair. But credit where it is due, the Commonwealth does appear to have worked hard to secure supply and dampen the immediate shock. That is not the same as saying everything is perfect. It is saying adults should be capable of distinguishing between imperfect preparation and total inaction.
Taylor also banged on about transparency, which would be more convincing if the public had not been subjected to Chris Bowen’s near-daily briefings on fuel supply, delivered with all the charisma of a Year 10 civics textbook. Dull, yes. Unclear, no.
More importantly, the performance starts to wobble when you understand how politics often works behind the curtain. Briefings happen. Papers are sent. Questions are asked. Meetings occur between government offices and opposition offices far more regularly than the public is led to believe. That is not some sinister “uni-party” conspiracy. It is how parts of parliamentary democracy function. Governments brief oppositions. Minor parties often get briefed too. Not on everything, not every time, but far more often than the theatrics at the podium would suggest.
Which is why these press conferences can feel less like democratic accountability and more like overdramatic high school debating, except with worse hair and better tailoring.
When shadow ministers talk as though they have been locked in the dark and denied all information, there is a fair chance what we are seeing is not a genuine transparency crisis but political theatre. They are briefed. They know more than they say. The outrage is often for the cameras.
HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE USUAL BLAME-SHIFTING
Housing got a mention too, in the usual way conservative federal politicians like to mention housing. They talk about it as though it is a simple morality tale in which Canberra alone is responsible and state governments are just innocent bystanders watching the market burn.
Housing in Australia is a multi-level policy failure. Federal tax settings matter. State planning matters. Infrastructure matters. Population growth matters. Investor behaviour matters. Build costs matter. Labour shortages matter. To reduce it all to one bloke in Canberra is lazy, even by press conference standards.
There was also the familiar undertone on the environment. Not quite the full One Nation version of “stuff the environment and hand me the keys to the bulldozer”, but certainly a softer, more polished variation designed not to spook teal voters while still signalling to the base that environmental protections are obstacles to be cleared rather than assets to be preserved.
That is another lesson borrowed from overseas. You do not need to openly sneer at the environment anymore. You just frame environmental law as the enemy of ordinary people, imply that anyone who cares about ecosystems is standing between Australians and affordable living, and let the resentment do the rest.
ANGUS TAYLOR AND THE APPARENT URGE TO WANDER TOWARD WAR
Then came the war talk, which was easily the most disturbing part.
Taylor seemed very keen to imply some kind of failure around whether Australia had received a request from the United States for assistance. The Prime Minister had said Australia had received no new request, and that wording was instantly treated like it was the Zapruder film. But even the Trump administration had reportedly confirmed there had been no formal request. Sometimes a sentence means exactly what it says.
The desperation to turn that into a scandal felt telling. It suggested an opposition so hungry for attack lines it was willing to try building one out of grammar.
Worse still was the chest-beating over reopening the Strait, despite the obvious complication that shipping disruption does not happen in a vacuum and military escalation is not some neat little lever you pull to make petrol cheaper. At one point the logic appeared to be that if fuel prices are high, then Australia should be prepared to send the navy, because apparently complex regional warfare can now be solved with the strategic insight of a bloke yelling at Sky News in a pub.
There was something almost comical about the confidence. The Strait had already become contested because of a broader war dynamic involving major powers and allied intervention, yet the answer on offer seemed to be that Australia should swagger in and sort it out. Arm the torpedoes, full steam ahead, and presumably hope nobody notices the strategic contradictions.
One got the distinct impression that nobody in the room had paused to ask the obvious question. If United States naval activity is itself part of the reason shipping patterns have changed, exactly who does Angus think he is threatening or correcting here?
This is what happens when politics turns into performance. Complex military realities get flattened into masculine posturing. Strategic ambiguity gets replaced by cheap certainty. War becomes a backdrop for domestic point-scoring.
That is dangerous.
WHEN A PRESS CONFERENCE FEELS LIKE SABOTAGE
I do not know who is advising Angus Taylor, but I am not convinced they like him very much.
Watching that performance reminded me of a woman I worked with before nursing. She had to deliver a deeply boring lesson on what it takes to set up a field kitchen and feed a large group of people. Riveting stuff. Ratios of cooks to mouths. Staffing for cleaning up. The whole glorious machinery of bulk catering. She was known for death-by-PowerPoint presentations, the kind that make you reconsider your will to live by slide four. At one point she clicked to a slide explaining how many “dixie bashers” were needed to clean the equipment. Only someone had changed the slide. Instead of “dixie bashers”, it read “penis cleaners”.
The room lost it.
That came back to me while listening to Angus Taylor. Not because the topic was the same, obviously, but because the whole thing had the same energy as someone being set up to walk confidently into ridicule. A performance so awkward, so overcooked, so weirdly repetitive, that you start to wonder whether the sabotage is coming from inside the building.
Because that is what the press conference felt like. A man trying to sound strong by repeating buzzwords fed to him by people who may well be quietly paving the way for his replacement.
THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IT IS IMPORTED POLITICAL COSPLAY
The deeper problem here is not Angus Taylor himself. Politicians come and go. The problem is what this style of politics does to the country.
It reduces citizenship to slogans. It turns values into tribal badges. It confuses noise with policy and aggression with competence. It teaches the public to sneer before thinking. It rewards politicians for sounding certain about things they have not actually explained. It imports the dumbest habits of American politics and repackages them as local common sense.
Australians deserve better than a copy-and-paste culture war wrapped in the flag.
If someone wants to talk seriously about Australian values, good. Let us do that. Let us talk about fairness, decency, due process, mateship, compassion, equality before the law, and the idea that government should solve problems rather than manufacture enemies. Let us talk about whether those values are consistent with endless privatisation, with underprepared fuel security, with housing treated as a casino chip, with environmental vandalism, or with politicians who seem more animated by grievance than by governing.
That would be a worthwhile conversation.
But what we got from Angus Taylor was not that conversation. What we got was a political ventriloquist act, with Trump’s hand up the back of the suit and “Australian values” coming out every thirty seconds like a faulty lawn sprinkler.
Australians are being sold a culture war because parts of the opposition still do not seem to have a convincing answer to the actual problems facing the country. That should worry all of us.
Because when a political movement runs out of ideas, it usually starts reaching for identity, anger, and enemies.
And that road never ends well.
Bogsnorkler said:
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
what do yous mean “unless” government heavily subsidises private companies, where fossil fuels are concerned
The Barefoot Nurse
AUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
——-
Makes some good points but is very poorly written. I much prefer Keeting’s concise take-down of Beefy Taylor.
Ian said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
——-
Makes some good points but is very poorly written. I much prefer Keeting’s concise take-down of Beefy Taylor.
it was a bit wordy true
ms spock said:
esselte said:
ms spock said:,+1
-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
Hi ms spock,
The federal budget accounts for about one quarter of the overall US economy. 13% of that equates to 3 and a quarter percent. The Pentagon spends approximately one third of its budget on weapons research, development and production, which gets us down close to 1% of the over all economy. The production (buying) of weapons is only a part of this 1%, which is why I said between 0.5 and 1 %.. Military spending includes all the costs of running a military, not just buying weapons.
I agree it’s not insignificant, but it is also not a large component of the American economy.
esselte said:
ms spock said:
esselte said:-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
Hi ms spock,
The federal budget accounts for about one quarter of the overall US economy. 13% of that equates to 3 and a quarter percent. The Pentagon spends approximately one third of its budget on weapons research, development and production, which gets us down close to 1% of the over all economy. The production (buying) of weapons is only a part of this 1%, which is why I said between 0.5 and 1 %.. Military spending includes all the costs of running a military, not just buying weapons.
I agree it’s not insignificant, but it is also not a large component of the American economy.
The “it” in this case being Roughbarked’s assertion that “Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy.”
SCIENCE said:
Ian said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
——-
Makes some good points but is very poorly written. I much prefer Keeting’s concise take-down of Beefy Taylor.
it was a bit wordy true
Talking of taking down Beefy Taylor, this one from the SMH raised a smile:
The Rev Dodgson said:
SCIENCE said:
Ian said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
——-
Makes some good points but is very poorly written. I much prefer Keeting’s concise take-down of Beefy Taylor.
it was a bit wordy true
Talking of taking down Beefy Taylor, this one from the SMH raised a smile:
Tearing Down With Dynamic Lifter
Ian said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
——-
Makes some good points but is very poorly written. I much prefer Keeting’s concise take-down of Beefy Taylor.
Seems these Auustralian values are mixed up with Trumpism.
esselte said:
esselte said:
ms spock said:Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
Hi ms spock,
The federal budget accounts for about one quarter of the overall US economy. 13% of that equates to 3 and a quarter percent. The Pentagon spends approximately one third of its budget on weapons research, development and production, which gets us down close to 1% of the over all economy. The production (buying) of weapons is only a part of this 1%, which is why I said between 0.5 and 1 %.. Military spending includes all the costs of running a military, not just buying weapons.
I agree it’s not insignificant, but it is also not a large component of the American economy.
The “it” in this case being Roughbarked’s assertion that “Guns and rockets and all things to kill people are big part of the US economy.”
They seem to be spread all over the world so I suppose if it is 1% then that seems big because we are such a small percentage of America’s population.
esselte said:
ms spock said:
esselte said:-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
Hi ms spock,
The federal budget accounts for about one quarter of the overall US economy. 13% of that equates to 3 and a quarter percent. The Pentagon spends approximately one third of its budget on weapons research, development and production, which gets us down close to 1% of the over all economy. The production (buying) of weapons is only a part of this 1%, which is why I said between 0.5 and 1 %.. Military spending includes all the costs of running a military, not just buying weapons.
I agree it’s not insignificant, but it is also not a large component of the American economy.
Esselte, you may be right that the direct drain on the budget is only that but there are other factors to consider.
The Iran war is not being paid for out of current accounts. It all goes on the credit card and adds to US deficit.
And this from 2020..
“Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) claimed at the presidential debate last week that the wars in the Middle East “have cost us trillions of dollars.” That’s true: the U.S. has spent $2 trillion since 2001 directly designated as war spending. The number rises to $5 trillion or $6 trillion depending what exactly is counted, such as increases in the non-war defense budget, homeland security spending, or the future costs of veterans benefits.”
..that’s marked down. Trump had been quoting $7 trillion.
Middle East conflict creates volatile airfare market as prices fluctuate
By national tourism reporter Kristy Sexton-McGrath
Tara Ivanisevic has to fly regularly to see family interstate. (Supplied)
well that’s nice, pretty sure last time we saw family interstate we just used video conferencing
but burning the planet is a small price to pay for musts and needs we suppose
Bogsnorkler said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
His “drill, drill, drill” rhetoric sounded punchy, but ignored the commercial reality of oil production, refining, and fuel pricing in Australia.
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
His attacks on the government’s fuel preparedness ignored the reality that the Commonwealth has been giving frequent updates and appears to have worked hard to secure supply.
On housing, environment, and war, the press conference felt more like performance than serious policy.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN A MAN SAY “AUSTRALIAN VALUES” BEFORE IT STOPS MEANING ANYTHING?
Just watched Angus Taylor’s press conference and, to paraphrase, it went something like this. Australian values. Australian values. Australian values. Albo does not have Australian values. Australian values. Drill, drill, drill.
Australian values. Oil. Housing. Australian values. Labor bad. Australian values. Maybe war. Australian values.You get the idea.
Somewhere in there, he also reminded us he had apparently saved the fuel industry when he was energy minister, which is one of those political claims that always deserves a quiet pause and a raised eyebrow.
Setting that aside for a moment, what really stood out was how familiar the whole thing felt. Not familiar in the sense of solid leadership or a coherent national plan. Familiar in the sense that the Coalition, once again, appears to have looked at the wreckage caused by Trump-style culture war politics overseas and decided the lesson was not to avoid it, but to borrow from it more carefully. The language may be softer. The tailoring may be local. But the cut of the suit is the same.
The Liberal and National parties do this a lot. When the public rejects a message, they rarely stop and ask whether the message itself was the problem. They tend to arrive at a different conclusion. The problem, apparently, is that voters did not understand them properly. The people failed the message, not the other way around. So out comes the same product with slightly different packaging and the same underlying assumption that the electorate needs to do better.
That is what this felt like. Not a serious attempt to solve hard problems, but the early stages of another imported culture war campaign, right down to the obsessive use of two-word slogans.
“AUSTRALIAN VALUES” AS A POLITICAL FILLER
The laser-like focus on “Australian values” tells us a lot, and none of it is especially flattering.
When politicians keep repeating a phrase without ever clearly defining it, there is usually a reason. In this case, the phrase looked less like a statement of principle and more like a space filler. A substitute for detail. A rhetorical smoke machine pumped out to create the impression of substance where not much substance exists. It also serves another purpose. It gives them a handy little moral weapon to use against people they do not like. If you disagree, you are suddenly not aligned with “Australian values”. If you are on the wrong visa, speak with the wrong accent, protest in the wrong way, or care about the wrong issue, you can be quietly shoved into the category of people who supposedly do not belong.
That is not a national vision. That is political othering.
The irony here is that most of what Angus was talking about sounded less like values and more like legislation. Australia already has laws. People on visas already have to obey them. Citizens have to obey them too. That is generally how laws work. There is no secret carve-out where migration somehow exempts people from criminal law, civil law, or regulatory law. If anything, the only people Australians regularly suspect of operating under a softer legal framework are politicians themselves.
Likewise, the immigration vetting and screening systems he alluded to are already in place. They exist. The times those systems have been weakened or made more questionable usually line up with the same periods in which conservative governments decided the private sector could do public sector work more efficiently. We have seen that movie before. Services are outsourced. Oversight thins out. Standards slip. Accountability becomes muddy. Then when things go sideways, everyone suddenly becomes very polite and avoids words like corruption, even when the conduct in question looks deeply questionable and well short of the standard the public should expect.
Again, that pattern is familiar. Too familiar.The problem with the “Australian values” line is not simply that it is vague. It is that the vagueness is the point. A term like that can be stretched to mean whatever the speaker needs it to mean on the day. It can signal toughness without offering policy. It can trigger emotion without requiring evidence. It can flatter the in-group and demonise the out-group in one neat little package. Straight out of the MAGA playbook.
DRILL, DRILL, DRILL SOUNDS GREAT UNTIL REALITY WALKS INTO THE ROOM
Then there was the drilling talk.
“Drill, drill, drill” is one of those slogans that sounds terrific if your entire political strategy is based on the idea that voters will not ask a second question. It has rhythm. It sounds decisive. It gives the impression that someone somewhere is about to put on a hard hat, roll up their sleeves, and save the nation with patriotic hydrocarbons.
The only problem is that it is not realistic.Australia’s petroleum and mining industries are not run like wartime command economies. They are driven by commercial decisions. Companies invest where they think they will make money. They do not drill just because Angus Taylor has discovered a slogan with all the subtlety of a lifted ute sticker. If the commercial value is not there, the investment is not there either.
So unless Angus is planning to nationalise parts of the resource sector, which would be an absolutely wild pivot for the Coalition and a fascinating late-career flirtation with socialism, then his options are limited. Either he is proposing a slogan with no operational pathway behind it, or he is proposing that Australian taxpayers underwrite private oil and gas development so companies can make money while claiming it is all being done in the national interest.
That would mean Australians pay twice. Once through public subsidies, tax concessions, underwriting, or sweetheart arrangements. Then again at the bowser.
Because even if Australia did increase domestic oil production, that does not magically translate into cheap fuel for Australians. Not when the industry is privately owned. Not when oil is traded into a global market. Not when we have very limited domestic refining capacity. Not when profit, not patriotism, drives allocation.
We now sit in the absurd position where Australia can produce energy wealth and still leave Australians exposed to international price shocks. That is what happens when you strip back refining, let private markets drive every strategic decision, and then pretend sovereignty can be rebuilt with a slogan and a press conference.
Yes, Australia can drill more. Yes, Australia can refine more, eventually. But it would take time, money, infrastructure, policy consistency, and likely far more state involvement than the Coalition is usually comfortable admitting. Even then, it does not automatically bring prices down. The United States already has a massive oil industry and a huge refining base, and Americans still get smashed by price movements. Global oil markets do not care about campaign slogans.
And once companies have had a taste of higher margins, they do not generally surrender them out of civic duty.
FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSPARENCY, AND THEATRE DISGUISED AS ACCOUNTABILITY
Angus also tried to question how much fuel Australia had secured, floating the idea that the country effectively had only a day’s worth. That line might have landed better had the news cycle not immediately been filled with reports about farmers welcoming diesel supply arrangements and fertiliser-related outcomes from government efforts. Timing can be cruel like that.
Now, I have criticised the current government for not being better prepared for the wider consequences of war in Iran. I still think that criticism is fair. But credit where it is due, the Commonwealth does appear to have worked hard to secure supply and dampen the immediate shock. That is not the same as saying everything is perfect. It is saying adults should be capable of distinguishing between imperfect preparation and total inaction.
Taylor also banged on about transparency, which would be more convincing if the public had not been subjected to Chris Bowen’s near-daily briefings on fuel supply, delivered with all the charisma of a Year 10 civics textbook. Dull, yes. Unclear, no.
More importantly, the performance starts to wobble when you understand how politics often works behind the curtain. Briefings happen. Papers are sent. Questions are asked. Meetings occur between government offices and opposition offices far more regularly than the public is led to believe. That is not some sinister “uni-party” conspiracy. It is how parts of parliamentary democracy function. Governments brief oppositions. Minor parties often get briefed too. Not on everything, not every time, but far more often than the theatrics at the podium would suggest.
Which is why these press conferences can feel less like democratic accountability and more like overdramatic high school debating, except with worse hair and better tailoring.
When shadow ministers talk as though they have been locked in the dark and denied all information, there is a fair chance what we are seeing is not a genuine transparency crisis but political theatre. They are briefed. They know more than they say. The outrage is often for the cameras.
HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE USUAL BLAME-SHIFTING
Housing got a mention too, in the usual way conservative federal politicians like to mention housing. They talk about it as though it is a simple morality tale in which Canberra alone is responsible and state governments are just innocent bystanders watching the market burn.
Housing in Australia is a multi-level policy failure. Federal tax settings matter. State planning matters. Infrastructure matters. Population growth matters. Investor behaviour matters. Build costs matter. Labour shortages matter. To reduce it all to one bloke in Canberra is lazy, even by press conference standards.
There was also the familiar undertone on the environment. Not quite the full One Nation version of “stuff the environment and hand me the keys to the bulldozer”, but certainly a softer, more polished variation designed not to spook teal voters while still signalling to the base that environmental protections are obstacles to be cleared rather than assets to be preserved.
That is another lesson borrowed from overseas. You do not need to openly sneer at the environment anymore. You just frame environmental law as the enemy of ordinary people, imply that anyone who cares about ecosystems is standing between Australians and affordable living, and let the resentment do the rest.
ANGUS TAYLOR AND THE APPARENT URGE TO WANDER TOWARD WAR
Then came the war talk, which was easily the most disturbing part.
Taylor seemed very keen to imply some kind of failure around whether Australia had received a request from the United States for assistance. The Prime Minister had said Australia had received no new request, and that wording was instantly treated like it was the Zapruder film. But even the Trump administration had reportedly confirmed there had been no formal request. Sometimes a sentence means exactly what it says.
The desperation to turn that into a scandal felt telling. It suggested an opposition so hungry for attack lines it was willing to try building one out of grammar.
Worse still was the chest-beating over reopening the Strait, despite the obvious complication that shipping disruption does not happen in a vacuum and military escalation is not some neat little lever you pull to make petrol cheaper. At one point the logic appeared to be that if fuel prices are high, then Australia should be prepared to send the navy, because apparently complex regional warfare can now be solved with the strategic insight of a bloke yelling at Sky News in a pub.
There was something almost comical about the confidence. The Strait had already become contested because of a broader war dynamic involving major powers and allied intervention, yet the answer on offer seemed to be that Australia should swagger in and sort it out. Arm the torpedoes, full steam ahead, and presumably hope nobody notices the strategic contradictions.
One got the distinct impression that nobody in the room had paused to ask the obvious question. If United States naval activity is itself part of the reason shipping patterns have changed, exactly who does Angus think he is threatening or correcting here?
This is what happens when politics turns into performance. Complex military realities get flattened into masculine posturing. Strategic ambiguity gets replaced by cheap certainty. War becomes a backdrop for domestic point-scoring.
That is dangerous.WHEN A PRESS CONFERENCE FEELS LIKE SABOTAGE
I do not know who is advising Angus Taylor, but I am not convinced they like him very much.
Watching that performance reminded me of a woman I worked with before nursing. She had to deliver a deeply boring lesson on what it takes to set up a field kitchen and feed a large group of people. Riveting stuff. Ratios of cooks to mouths. Staffing for cleaning up. The whole glorious machinery of bulk catering. She was known for death-by-PowerPoint presentations, the kind that make you reconsider your will to live by slide four. At one point she clicked to a slide explaining how many “dixie bashers” were needed to clean the equipment. Only someone had changed the slide. Instead of “dixie bashers”, it read “penis cleaners”.
The room lost it.
That came back to me while listening to Angus Taylor. Not because the topic was the same, obviously, but because the whole thing had the same energy as someone being set up to walk confidently into ridicule. A performance so awkward, so overcooked, so weirdly repetitive, that you start to wonder whether the sabotage is coming from inside the building.
Because that is what the press conference felt like. A man trying to sound strong by repeating buzzwords fed to him by people who may well be quietly paving the way for his replacement.
THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IT IS IMPORTED POLITICAL COSPLAY
The deeper problem here is not Angus Taylor himself. Politicians come and go. The problem is what this style of politics does to the country.
It reduces citizenship to slogans. It turns values into tribal badges. It confuses noise with policy and aggression with competence. It teaches the public to sneer before thinking. It rewards politicians for sounding certain about things they have not actually explained. It imports the dumbest habits of American politics and repackages them as local common sense.
Australians deserve better than a copy-and-paste culture war wrapped in the flag.
If someone wants to talk seriously about Australian values, good. Let us do that. Let us talk about fairness, decency, due process, mateship, compassion, equality before the law, and the idea that government should solve problems rather than manufacture enemies. Let us talk about whether those values are consistent with endless privatisation, with underprepared fuel security, with housing treated as a casino chip, with environmental vandalism, or with politicians who seem more animated by grievance than by governing.
That would be a worthwhile conversation.
But what we got from Angus Taylor was not that conversation. What we got was a political ventriloquist act, with Trump’s hand up the back of the suit and “Australian values” coming out every thirty seconds like a faulty lawn sprinkler.
Australians are being sold a culture war because parts of the opposition still do not seem to have a convincing answer to the actual problems facing the country. That should worry all of us.
Because when a political movement runs out of ideas, it usually starts reaching for identity, anger, and enemies.
And that road never ends well.
Brilliantly written!
I now know Angus Taylor has no Australian values!
SCIENCE said:
Bogsnorkler said:
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
what do yous mean “unless” government heavily subsidises private companies, where fossil fuels are concerned
Aren’t fossil fuels receiving corporate welfare of $29 billion dollars of Australian taxpayers money per year?
esselte said:
ms spock said:
esselte said:-1 from me.
US arms manufacture is a small part of the US economy. It sits mid-tier, well behind the truly giant sectors like health care, real estate, finance, retail, wholesale, construction, transport, education, utilities, agriculture, hospitality etc.
Weapons related manufacturing accounts for somewhere between 0.5% – 1% of US economic output.
Strategic importance of the sector is high, but economic importance is low.
Heya esselte
It is true, healthcare and Social Security take up significant amounts.
From what I have read military spending takes up 13.3% of the federal budget. So it is not insignificant spending.
Hi ms spock,
The federal budget accounts for about one quarter of the overall US economy. 13% of that equates to 3 and a quarter percent. The Pentagon spends approximately one third of its budget on weapons research, development and production, which gets us down close to 1% of the over all economy. The production (buying) of weapons is only a part of this 1%, which is why I said between 0.5 and 1 %.. Military spending includes all the costs of running a military, not just buying weapons.
I agree it’s not insignificant, but it is also not a large component of the American economy.
Interesting esselte. Ty
ms spock said:
Bogsnorkler said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
His “drill, drill, drill” rhetoric sounded punchy, but ignored the commercial reality of oil production, refining, and fuel pricing in Australia.
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
His attacks on the government’s fuel preparedness ignored the reality that the Commonwealth has been giving frequent updates and appears to have worked hard to secure supply.
On housing, environment, and war, the press conference felt more like performance than serious policy.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN A MAN SAY “AUSTRALIAN VALUES” BEFORE IT STOPS MEANING ANYTHING?
Just watched Angus Taylor’s press conference and, to paraphrase, it went something like this. Australian values. Australian values. Australian values. Albo does not have Australian values. Australian values. Drill, drill, drill.
Australian values. Oil. Housing. Australian values. Labor bad. Australian values. Maybe war. Australian values.You get the idea.
Somewhere in there, he also reminded us he had apparently saved the fuel industry when he was energy minister, which is one of those political claims that always deserves a quiet pause and a raised eyebrow.
Setting that aside for a moment, what really stood out was how familiar the whole thing felt. Not familiar in the sense of solid leadership or a coherent national plan. Familiar in the sense that the Coalition, once again, appears to have looked at the wreckage caused by Trump-style culture war politics overseas and decided the lesson was not to avoid it, but to borrow from it more carefully. The language may be softer. The tailoring may be local. But the cut of the suit is the same.
The Liberal and National parties do this a lot. When the public rejects a message, they rarely stop and ask whether the message itself was the problem. They tend to arrive at a different conclusion. The problem, apparently, is that voters did not understand them properly. The people failed the message, not the other way around. So out comes the same product with slightly different packaging and the same underlying assumption that the electorate needs to do better.
That is what this felt like. Not a serious attempt to solve hard problems, but the early stages of another imported culture war campaign, right down to the obsessive use of two-word slogans.
“AUSTRALIAN VALUES” AS A POLITICAL FILLER
The laser-like focus on “Australian values” tells us a lot, and none of it is especially flattering.
When politicians keep repeating a phrase without ever clearly defining it, there is usually a reason. In this case, the phrase looked less like a statement of principle and more like a space filler. A substitute for detail. A rhetorical smoke machine pumped out to create the impression of substance where not much substance exists. It also serves another purpose. It gives them a handy little moral weapon to use against people they do not like. If you disagree, you are suddenly not aligned with “Australian values”. If you are on the wrong visa, speak with the wrong accent, protest in the wrong way, or care about the wrong issue, you can be quietly shoved into the category of people who supposedly do not belong.
That is not a national vision. That is political othering.
The irony here is that most of what Angus was talking about sounded less like values and more like legislation. Australia already has laws. People on visas already have to obey them. Citizens have to obey them too. That is generally how laws work. There is no secret carve-out where migration somehow exempts people from criminal law, civil law, or regulatory law. If anything, the only people Australians regularly suspect of operating under a softer legal framework are politicians themselves.
Likewise, the immigration vetting and screening systems he alluded to are already in place. They exist. The times those systems have been weakened or made more questionable usually line up with the same periods in which conservative governments decided the private sector could do public sector work more efficiently. We have seen that movie before. Services are outsourced. Oversight thins out. Standards slip. Accountability becomes muddy. Then when things go sideways, everyone suddenly becomes very polite and avoids words like corruption, even when the conduct in question looks deeply questionable and well short of the standard the public should expect.
Again, that pattern is familiar. Too familiar.The problem with the “Australian values” line is not simply that it is vague. It is that the vagueness is the point. A term like that can be stretched to mean whatever the speaker needs it to mean on the day. It can signal toughness without offering policy. It can trigger emotion without requiring evidence. It can flatter the in-group and demonise the out-group in one neat little package. Straight out of the MAGA playbook.
DRILL, DRILL, DRILL SOUNDS GREAT UNTIL REALITY WALKS INTO THE ROOM
Then there was the drilling talk.
“Drill, drill, drill” is one of those slogans that sounds terrific if your entire political strategy is based on the idea that voters will not ask a second question. It has rhythm. It sounds decisive. It gives the impression that someone somewhere is about to put on a hard hat, roll up their sleeves, and save the nation with patriotic hydrocarbons.
The only problem is that it is not realistic.Australia’s petroleum and mining industries are not run like wartime command economies. They are driven by commercial decisions. Companies invest where they think they will make money. They do not drill just because Angus Taylor has discovered a slogan with all the subtlety of a lifted ute sticker. If the commercial value is not there, the investment is not there either.
So unless Angus is planning to nationalise parts of the resource sector, which would be an absolutely wild pivot for the Coalition and a fascinating late-career flirtation with socialism, then his options are limited. Either he is proposing a slogan with no operational pathway behind it, or he is proposing that Australian taxpayers underwrite private oil and gas development so companies can make money while claiming it is all being done in the national interest.
That would mean Australians pay twice. Once through public subsidies, tax concessions, underwriting, or sweetheart arrangements. Then again at the bowser.
Because even if Australia did increase domestic oil production, that does not magically translate into cheap fuel for Australians. Not when the industry is privately owned. Not when oil is traded into a global market. Not when we have very limited domestic refining capacity. Not when profit, not patriotism, drives allocation.
We now sit in the absurd position where Australia can produce energy wealth and still leave Australians exposed to international price shocks. That is what happens when you strip back refining, let private markets drive every strategic decision, and then pretend sovereignty can be rebuilt with a slogan and a press conference.
Yes, Australia can drill more. Yes, Australia can refine more, eventually. But it would take time, money, infrastructure, policy consistency, and likely far more state involvement than the Coalition is usually comfortable admitting. Even then, it does not automatically bring prices down. The United States already has a massive oil industry and a huge refining base, and Americans still get smashed by price movements. Global oil markets do not care about campaign slogans.
And once companies have had a taste of higher margins, they do not generally surrender them out of civic duty.
FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSPARENCY, AND THEATRE DISGUISED AS ACCOUNTABILITY
Angus also tried to question how much fuel Australia had secured, floating the idea that the country effectively had only a day’s worth. That line might have landed better had the news cycle not immediately been filled with reports about farmers welcoming diesel supply arrangements and fertiliser-related outcomes from government efforts. Timing can be cruel like that.
Now, I have criticised the current government for not being better prepared for the wider consequences of war in Iran. I still think that criticism is fair. But credit where it is due, the Commonwealth does appear to have worked hard to secure supply and dampen the immediate shock. That is not the same as saying everything is perfect. It is saying adults should be capable of distinguishing between imperfect preparation and total inaction.
Taylor also banged on about transparency, which would be more convincing if the public had not been subjected to Chris Bowen’s near-daily briefings on fuel supply, delivered with all the charisma of a Year 10 civics textbook. Dull, yes. Unclear, no.
More importantly, the performance starts to wobble when you understand how politics often works behind the curtain. Briefings happen. Papers are sent. Questions are asked. Meetings occur between government offices and opposition offices far more regularly than the public is led to believe. That is not some sinister “uni-party” conspiracy. It is how parts of parliamentary democracy function. Governments brief oppositions. Minor parties often get briefed too. Not on everything, not every time, but far more often than the theatrics at the podium would suggest.
Which is why these press conferences can feel less like democratic accountability and more like overdramatic high school debating, except with worse hair and better tailoring.
When shadow ministers talk as though they have been locked in the dark and denied all information, there is a fair chance what we are seeing is not a genuine transparency crisis but political theatre. They are briefed. They know more than they say. The outrage is often for the cameras.
HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE USUAL BLAME-SHIFTING
Housing got a mention too, in the usual way conservative federal politicians like to mention housing. They talk about it as though it is a simple morality tale in which Canberra alone is responsible and state governments are just innocent bystanders watching the market burn.
Housing in Australia is a multi-level policy failure. Federal tax settings matter. State planning matters. Infrastructure matters. Population growth matters. Investor behaviour matters. Build costs matter. Labour shortages matter. To reduce it all to one bloke in Canberra is lazy, even by press conference standards.
There was also the familiar undertone on the environment. Not quite the full One Nation version of “stuff the environment and hand me the keys to the bulldozer”, but certainly a softer, more polished variation designed not to spook teal voters while still signalling to the base that environmental protections are obstacles to be cleared rather than assets to be preserved.
That is another lesson borrowed from overseas. You do not need to openly sneer at the environment anymore. You just frame environmental law as the enemy of ordinary people, imply that anyone who cares about ecosystems is standing between Australians and affordable living, and let the resentment do the rest.
ANGUS TAYLOR AND THE APPARENT URGE TO WANDER TOWARD WAR
Then came the war talk, which was easily the most disturbing part.
Taylor seemed very keen to imply some kind of failure around whether Australia had received a request from the United States for assistance. The Prime Minister had said Australia had received no new request, and that wording was instantly treated like it was the Zapruder film. But even the Trump administration had reportedly confirmed there had been no formal request. Sometimes a sentence means exactly what it says.
The desperation to turn that into a scandal felt telling. It suggested an opposition so hungry for attack lines it was willing to try building one out of grammar.
Worse still was the chest-beating over reopening the Strait, despite the obvious complication that shipping disruption does not happen in a vacuum and military escalation is not some neat little lever you pull to make petrol cheaper. At one point the logic appeared to be that if fuel prices are high, then Australia should be prepared to send the navy, because apparently complex regional warfare can now be solved with the strategic insight of a bloke yelling at Sky News in a pub.
There was something almost comical about the confidence. The Strait had already become contested because of a broader war dynamic involving major powers and allied intervention, yet the answer on offer seemed to be that Australia should swagger in and sort it out. Arm the torpedoes, full steam ahead, and presumably hope nobody notices the strategic contradictions.
One got the distinct impression that nobody in the room had paused to ask the obvious question. If United States naval activity is itself part of the reason shipping patterns have changed, exactly who does Angus think he is threatening or correcting here?
This is what happens when politics turns into performance. Complex military realities get flattened into masculine posturing. Strategic ambiguity gets replaced by cheap certainty. War becomes a backdrop for domestic point-scoring.
That is dangerous.WHEN A PRESS CONFERENCE FEELS LIKE SABOTAGE
I do not know who is advising Angus Taylor, but I am not convinced they like him very much.
Watching that performance reminded me of a woman I worked with before nursing. She had to deliver a deeply boring lesson on what it takes to set up a field kitchen and feed a large group of people. Riveting stuff. Ratios of cooks to mouths. Staffing for cleaning up. The whole glorious machinery of bulk catering. She was known for death-by-PowerPoint presentations, the kind that make you reconsider your will to live by slide four. At one point she clicked to a slide explaining how many “dixie bashers” were needed to clean the equipment. Only someone had changed the slide. Instead of “dixie bashers”, it read “penis cleaners”.
The room lost it.
That came back to me while listening to Angus Taylor. Not because the topic was the same, obviously, but because the whole thing had the same energy as someone being set up to walk confidently into ridicule. A performance so awkward, so overcooked, so weirdly repetitive, that you start to wonder whether the sabotage is coming from inside the building.
Because that is what the press conference felt like. A man trying to sound strong by repeating buzzwords fed to him by people who may well be quietly paving the way for his replacement.
THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IT IS IMPORTED POLITICAL COSPLAY
The deeper problem here is not Angus Taylor himself. Politicians come and go. The problem is what this style of politics does to the country.
It reduces citizenship to slogans. It turns values into tribal badges. It confuses noise with policy and aggression with competence. It teaches the public to sneer before thinking. It rewards politicians for sounding certain about things they have not actually explained. It imports the dumbest habits of American politics and repackages them as local common sense.
Australians deserve better than a copy-and-paste culture war wrapped in the flag.
If someone wants to talk seriously about Australian values, good. Let us do that. Let us talk about fairness, decency, due process, mateship, compassion, equality before the law, and the idea that government should solve problems rather than manufacture enemies. Let us talk about whether those values are consistent with endless privatisation, with underprepared fuel security, with housing treated as a casino chip, with environmental vandalism, or with politicians who seem more animated by grievance than by governing.
That would be a worthwhile conversation.
But what we got from Angus Taylor was not that conversation. What we got was a political ventriloquist act, with Trump’s hand up the back of the suit and “Australian values” coming out every thirty seconds like a faulty lawn sprinkler.
Australians are being sold a culture war because parts of the opposition still do not seem to have a convincing answer to the actual problems facing the country. That should worry all of us.
Because when a political movement runs out of ideas, it usually starts reaching for identity, anger, and enemies.
And that road never ends well.
Brilliantly written!
No
Well, I’m an Australian, and I have values. Therefore my values are Australian values.
Happy to sit down with Angus Taylor any time and lecture him on these values.
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.
Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
I have decided that that plan might have merit.
Peak Warming Man said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
I have decided that that plan might have merit.
Just don’t appoint Alexander Downer to the Board – he has a terrible memory.
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
FDI?
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
FDI?
foreign direct investment.
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
FDI?
Foreign Direct Investment.
(big corporations and multinationals spending money to develop projects in other countries)
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
Matt Bevan’s latest If You’re Listening does a very good job of explaining the history of our pathetic take of profits from the sale of our gas going back to being burned by Japan over wool sales.
party_pants said:
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
FDI?
Foreign Direct Investment.
(big corporations and multinationals spending money to develop projects in other countries)
Cheers, thanks.
Bogsnorkler said:
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
FDI?
foreign direct investment.
Cheers, thanks.
Ian said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
Matt Bevan’s latest If You’re Listening does a very good job of explaining the history of our pathetic take of profits from the sale of our gas going back to being burned by Japan over wool sales.
Yes. I watched it late last night/earlier this morning. Been thinking about it for a few hours and this idea popped into my head,
We probably do need to look at the Norwegian (and several other countries, too) model of how to develop and sell the once-only, public-owned in-ground resources. If companies don’t want to give us reasonable value (eg 70%) for our un-developed resources, they should stay in the ground.
Ian said:
party_pants said:
On other topics, I have decided we need a single desk arrangement for Australian natural gas. A bit like the old Wheat or Wool boards. Australian gas producers will only sell gas to the “Australian Natural Gas Board” (or similar approved), and the Board will handle any export sales, and what proportion will be reserved for domestic use and at what wholesale price.Obviously existing contracts will have to be honoured first. but eventually any contract renewals or any new projects will end up going through this new arrangement.
If this scares away FDI into new gas projects, the government can fund them itself.
Matt Bevan’s latest If You’re Listening does a very good job of explaining the history of our pathetic take of profits from the sale of our gas going back to being burned by Japan over wool sales.
Yes. I like If you are listening. Matt puts together a concise explanation quite well.
Ian said:
ms spock said:
Bogsnorkler said:
The Barefoot NurseAUSTRALIAN VALUES, DRILL BABY DRILL, AND OTHER THINGS ANGUS TAYLOR LEARNED FROM THE TRUMP PLAYBOOK
IN BRIEF
Angus Taylor’s press conference leaned heavily on vague talk about “Australian values” without offering much detail about how any of his proposals would actually work.
The repeated use of “Australian values” looked less like policy and more like culture war shorthand designed to divide Australians into “us” and “them”.
His “drill, drill, drill” rhetoric sounded punchy, but ignored the commercial reality of oil production, refining, and fuel pricing in Australia.
Unless the government nationalises industry or heavily subsidises private companies, more drilling does not automatically mean cheaper fuel for Australians.
His attacks on the government’s fuel preparedness ignored the reality that the Commonwealth has been giving frequent updates and appears to have worked hard to secure supply.
On housing, environment, and war, the press conference felt more like performance than serious policy.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN A MAN SAY “AUSTRALIAN VALUES” BEFORE IT STOPS MEANING ANYTHING?
Just watched Angus Taylor’s press conference and, to paraphrase, it went something like this. Australian values. Australian values. Australian values. Albo does not have Australian values. Australian values. Drill, drill, drill.
Australian values. Oil. Housing. Australian values. Labor bad. Australian values. Maybe war. Australian values.You get the idea.
Somewhere in there, he also reminded us he had apparently saved the fuel industry when he was energy minister, which is one of those political claims that always deserves a quiet pause and a raised eyebrow.
Setting that aside for a moment, what really stood out was how familiar the whole thing felt. Not familiar in the sense of solid leadership or a coherent national plan. Familiar in the sense that the Coalition, once again, appears to have looked at the wreckage caused by Trump-style culture war politics overseas and decided the lesson was not to avoid it, but to borrow from it more carefully. The language may be softer. The tailoring may be local. But the cut of the suit is the same.
The Liberal and National parties do this a lot. When the public rejects a message, they rarely stop and ask whether the message itself was the problem. They tend to arrive at a different conclusion. The problem, apparently, is that voters did not understand them properly. The people failed the message, not the other way around. So out comes the same product with slightly different packaging and the same underlying assumption that the electorate needs to do better.
That is what this felt like. Not a serious attempt to solve hard problems, but the early stages of another imported culture war campaign, right down to the obsessive use of two-word slogans.
“AUSTRALIAN VALUES” AS A POLITICAL FILLER
The laser-like focus on “Australian values” tells us a lot, and none of it is especially flattering.
When politicians keep repeating a phrase without ever clearly defining it, there is usually a reason. In this case, the phrase looked less like a statement of principle and more like a space filler. A substitute for detail. A rhetorical smoke machine pumped out to create the impression of substance where not much substance exists. It also serves another purpose. It gives them a handy little moral weapon to use against people they do not like. If you disagree, you are suddenly not aligned with “Australian values”. If you are on the wrong visa, speak with the wrong accent, protest in the wrong way, or care about the wrong issue, you can be quietly shoved into the category of people who supposedly do not belong.
That is not a national vision. That is political othering.
The irony here is that most of what Angus was talking about sounded less like values and more like legislation. Australia already has laws. People on visas already have to obey them. Citizens have to obey them too. That is generally how laws work. There is no secret carve-out where migration somehow exempts people from criminal law, civil law, or regulatory law. If anything, the only people Australians regularly suspect of operating under a softer legal framework are politicians themselves.
Likewise, the immigration vetting and screening systems he alluded to are already in place. They exist. The times those systems have been weakened or made more questionable usually line up with the same periods in which conservative governments decided the private sector could do public sector work more efficiently. We have seen that movie before. Services are outsourced. Oversight thins out. Standards slip. Accountability becomes muddy. Then when things go sideways, everyone suddenly becomes very polite and avoids words like corruption, even when the conduct in question looks deeply questionable and well short of the standard the public should expect.
Again, that pattern is familiar. Too familiar.The problem with the “Australian values” line is not simply that it is vague. It is that the vagueness is the point. A term like that can be stretched to mean whatever the speaker needs it to mean on the day. It can signal toughness without offering policy. It can trigger emotion without requiring evidence. It can flatter the in-group and demonise the out-group in one neat little package. Straight out of the MAGA playbook.
DRILL, DRILL, DRILL SOUNDS GREAT UNTIL REALITY WALKS INTO THE ROOM
Then there was the drilling talk.
“Drill, drill, drill” is one of those slogans that sounds terrific if your entire political strategy is based on the idea that voters will not ask a second question. It has rhythm. It sounds decisive. It gives the impression that someone somewhere is about to put on a hard hat, roll up their sleeves, and save the nation with patriotic hydrocarbons.
The only problem is that it is not realistic.Australia’s petroleum and mining industries are not run like wartime command economies. They are driven by commercial decisions. Companies invest where they think they will make money. They do not drill just because Angus Taylor has discovered a slogan with all the subtlety of a lifted ute sticker. If the commercial value is not there, the investment is not there either.
So unless Angus is planning to nationalise parts of the resource sector, which would be an absolutely wild pivot for the Coalition and a fascinating late-career flirtation with socialism, then his options are limited. Either he is proposing a slogan with no operational pathway behind it, or he is proposing that Australian taxpayers underwrite private oil and gas development so companies can make money while claiming it is all being done in the national interest.
That would mean Australians pay twice. Once through public subsidies, tax concessions, underwriting, or sweetheart arrangements. Then again at the bowser.
Because even if Australia did increase domestic oil production, that does not magically translate into cheap fuel for Australians. Not when the industry is privately owned. Not when oil is traded into a global market. Not when we have very limited domestic refining capacity. Not when profit, not patriotism, drives allocation.
We now sit in the absurd position where Australia can produce energy wealth and still leave Australians exposed to international price shocks. That is what happens when you strip back refining, let private markets drive every strategic decision, and then pretend sovereignty can be rebuilt with a slogan and a press conference.
Yes, Australia can drill more. Yes, Australia can refine more, eventually. But it would take time, money, infrastructure, policy consistency, and likely far more state involvement than the Coalition is usually comfortable admitting. Even then, it does not automatically bring prices down. The United States already has a massive oil industry and a huge refining base, and Americans still get smashed by price movements. Global oil markets do not care about campaign slogans.
And once companies have had a taste of higher margins, they do not generally surrender them out of civic duty.
FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSPARENCY, AND THEATRE DISGUISED AS ACCOUNTABILITY
Angus also tried to question how much fuel Australia had secured, floating the idea that the country effectively had only a day’s worth. That line might have landed better had the news cycle not immediately been filled with reports about farmers welcoming diesel supply arrangements and fertiliser-related outcomes from government efforts. Timing can be cruel like that.
Now, I have criticised the current government for not being better prepared for the wider consequences of war in Iran. I still think that criticism is fair. But credit where it is due, the Commonwealth does appear to have worked hard to secure supply and dampen the immediate shock. That is not the same as saying everything is perfect. It is saying adults should be capable of distinguishing between imperfect preparation and total inaction.
Taylor also banged on about transparency, which would be more convincing if the public had not been subjected to Chris Bowen’s near-daily briefings on fuel supply, delivered with all the charisma of a Year 10 civics textbook. Dull, yes. Unclear, no.
More importantly, the performance starts to wobble when you understand how politics often works behind the curtain. Briefings happen. Papers are sent. Questions are asked. Meetings occur between government offices and opposition offices far more regularly than the public is led to believe. That is not some sinister “uni-party” conspiracy. It is how parts of parliamentary democracy function. Governments brief oppositions. Minor parties often get briefed too. Not on everything, not every time, but far more often than the theatrics at the podium would suggest.
Which is why these press conferences can feel less like democratic accountability and more like overdramatic high school debating, except with worse hair and better tailoring.
When shadow ministers talk as though they have been locked in the dark and denied all information, there is a fair chance what we are seeing is not a genuine transparency crisis but political theatre. They are briefed. They know more than they say. The outrage is often for the cameras.
HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE USUAL BLAME-SHIFTING
Housing got a mention too, in the usual way conservative federal politicians like to mention housing. They talk about it as though it is a simple morality tale in which Canberra alone is responsible and state governments are just innocent bystanders watching the market burn.
Housing in Australia is a multi-level policy failure. Federal tax settings matter. State planning matters. Infrastructure matters. Population growth matters. Investor behaviour matters. Build costs matter. Labour shortages matter. To reduce it all to one bloke in Canberra is lazy, even by press conference standards.
There was also the familiar undertone on the environment. Not quite the full One Nation version of “stuff the environment and hand me the keys to the bulldozer”, but certainly a softer, more polished variation designed not to spook teal voters while still signalling to the base that environmental protections are obstacles to be cleared rather than assets to be preserved.
That is another lesson borrowed from overseas. You do not need to openly sneer at the environment anymore. You just frame environmental law as the enemy of ordinary people, imply that anyone who cares about ecosystems is standing between Australians and affordable living, and let the resentment do the rest.
ANGUS TAYLOR AND THE APPARENT URGE TO WANDER TOWARD WAR
Then came the war talk, which was easily the most disturbing part.
Taylor seemed very keen to imply some kind of failure around whether Australia had received a request from the United States for assistance. The Prime Minister had said Australia had received no new request, and that wording was instantly treated like it was the Zapruder film. But even the Trump administration had reportedly confirmed there had been no formal request. Sometimes a sentence means exactly what it says.
The desperation to turn that into a scandal felt telling. It suggested an opposition so hungry for attack lines it was willing to try building one out of grammar.
Worse still was the chest-beating over reopening the Strait, despite the obvious complication that shipping disruption does not happen in a vacuum and military escalation is not some neat little lever you pull to make petrol cheaper. At one point the logic appeared to be that if fuel prices are high, then Australia should be prepared to send the navy, because apparently complex regional warfare can now be solved with the strategic insight of a bloke yelling at Sky News in a pub.
There was something almost comical about the confidence. The Strait had already become contested because of a broader war dynamic involving major powers and allied intervention, yet the answer on offer seemed to be that Australia should swagger in and sort it out. Arm the torpedoes, full steam ahead, and presumably hope nobody notices the strategic contradictions.
One got the distinct impression that nobody in the room had paused to ask the obvious question. If United States naval activity is itself part of the reason shipping patterns have changed, exactly who does Angus think he is threatening or correcting here?
This is what happens when politics turns into performance. Complex military realities get flattened into masculine posturing. Strategic ambiguity gets replaced by cheap certainty. War becomes a backdrop for domestic point-scoring.
That is dangerous.WHEN A PRESS CONFERENCE FEELS LIKE SABOTAGE
I do not know who is advising Angus Taylor, but I am not convinced they like him very much.
Watching that performance reminded me of a woman I worked with before nursing. She had to deliver a deeply boring lesson on what it takes to set up a field kitchen and feed a large group of people. Riveting stuff. Ratios of cooks to mouths. Staffing for cleaning up. The whole glorious machinery of bulk catering. She was known for death-by-PowerPoint presentations, the kind that make you reconsider your will to live by slide four. At one point she clicked to a slide explaining how many “dixie bashers” were needed to clean the equipment. Only someone had changed the slide. Instead of “dixie bashers”, it read “penis cleaners”.
The room lost it.
That came back to me while listening to Angus Taylor. Not because the topic was the same, obviously, but because the whole thing had the same energy as someone being set up to walk confidently into ridicule. A performance so awkward, so overcooked, so weirdly repetitive, that you start to wonder whether the sabotage is coming from inside the building.
Because that is what the press conference felt like. A man trying to sound strong by repeating buzzwords fed to him by people who may well be quietly paving the way for his replacement.
THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IT IS IMPORTED POLITICAL COSPLAY
The deeper problem here is not Angus Taylor himself. Politicians come and go. The problem is what this style of politics does to the country.
It reduces citizenship to slogans. It turns values into tribal badges. It confuses noise with policy and aggression with competence. It teaches the public to sneer before thinking. It rewards politicians for sounding certain about things they have not actually explained. It imports the dumbest habits of American politics and repackages them as local common sense.
Australians deserve better than a copy-and-paste culture war wrapped in the flag.
If someone wants to talk seriously about Australian values, good. Let us do that. Let us talk about fairness, decency, due process, mateship, compassion, equality before the law, and the idea that government should solve problems rather than manufacture enemies. Let us talk about whether those values are consistent with endless privatisation, with underprepared fuel security, with housing treated as a casino chip, with environmental vandalism, or with politicians who seem more animated by grievance than by governing.
That would be a worthwhile conversation.
But what we got from Angus Taylor was not that conversation. What we got was a political ventriloquist act, with Trump’s hand up the back of the suit and “Australian values” coming out every thirty seconds like a faulty lawn sprinkler.
Australians are being sold a culture war because parts of the opposition still do not seem to have a convincing answer to the actual problems facing the country. That should worry all of us.
Because when a political movement runs out of ideas, it usually starts reaching for identity, anger, and enemies.
And that road never ends well.
Brilliantly written!
No
I see that I am alone in my assessment.
party_pants said:
Well, I’m an Australian, and I have values. Therefore my values are Australian values.Happy to sit down with Angus Taylor any time and lecture him on these values.
I have a long list of politicians who you need to straighten up.
Time for some music here perhaps.
Though yes, I do understand that there is certainly context that makes it a threatening phrase.
Spiny Norman said:
Time for some music here perhaps.
Though yes, I do understand that there is certainly context that makes it a threatening phrase.
The AI has likely already dobbed you in to the cops. Be prepared for a heavy knock on the door…
Apologies if it’s a repost.
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
Time for some music here perhaps.
Though yes, I do understand that there is certainly context that makes it a threatening phrase.
The AI has likely already dobbed you in to the cops. Be prepared for a heavy knock on the door…
Heh, go ahead! The house is empty.
(Shhh …. we’re in the caravan)
Spiny Norman said:
Apologies if it’s a repost.
F’k Trump.
Spiny Norman said:
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
Time for some music here perhaps.
Though yes, I do understand that there is certainly context that makes it a threatening phrase.
The AI has likely already dobbed you in to the cops. Be prepared for a heavy knock on the door…
Heh, go ahead! The house is empty.
(Shhh …. we’re in the caravan)
Excellent!
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
Apologies if it’s a repost.
F’k Trump.
With respect, Spiny, things are bad enough without intelligent people like you contributing to this kind of shit.
Fact Check: FAKE Trump Truth Social Post Calls Australian PM Anthony Albanese ‘Airbus’ — Fabricated Image
Does a social media post by President Donald Trump call Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “Airbus”? No, that’s not true: The supposed post does not appear on the president’s official Truth Social account, and there are no reliable reports that it ever did. The image of the fake post also uses a different font than that used on Truth Social.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-fake-trump-truth-020225868.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKJAaj_Yc1Oa5NwGHpaGiUP3HWkqWWIy9swVeK4mphtFAhYTLr9JQI1svzJ0z9X_ckXPoNtZpyrKpbUHlFXbXa2mXti3rQeqorkCNHOeyqOVgUPKW6qgmVoavmuaUyKpctPbtrAGsMzAXJzzOVxy3NzjCPDvLSWaB0DqYw_dtGjC
esselte said:
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
Apologies if it’s a repost.
F’k Trump.
With respect, Spiny, things are bad enough without intelligent people like you contributing to this kind of shit.
Fact Check: FAKE Trump Truth Social Post Calls Australian PM Anthony Albanese ‘Airbus’ — Fabricated Image
Does a social media post by President Donald Trump call Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “Airbus”? No, that’s not true: The supposed post does not appear on the president’s official Truth Social account, and there are no reliable reports that it ever did. The image of the fake post also uses a different font than that used on Truth Social.https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-fake-trump-truth-020225868.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKJAaj_Yc1Oa5NwGHpaGiUP3HWkqWWIy9swVeK4mphtFAhYTLr9JQI1svzJ0z9X_ckXPoNtZpyrKpbUHlFXbXa2mXti3rQeqorkCNHOeyqOVgUPKW6qgmVoavmuaUyKpctPbtrAGsMzAXJzzOVxy3NzjCPDvLSWaB0DqYw_dtGjC
Like, it literally took me three seconds to find this. Three seconds of research….
esselte said:
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
Apologies if it’s a repost.
F’k Trump.
With respect, Spiny, things are bad enough without intelligent people like you contributing to this kind of shit.
Fact Check: FAKE Trump Truth Social Post Calls Australian PM Anthony Albanese ‘Airbus’ — Fabricated Image
Does a social media post by President Donald Trump call Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “Airbus”? No, that’s not true: The supposed post does not appear on the president’s official Truth Social account, and there are no reliable reports that it ever did. The image of the fake post also uses a different font than that used on Truth Social.https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-fake-trump-truth-020225868.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKJAaj_Yc1Oa5NwGHpaGiUP3HWkqWWIy9swVeK4mphtFAhYTLr9JQI1svzJ0z9X_ckXPoNtZpyrKpbUHlFXbXa2mXti3rQeqorkCNHOeyqOVgUPKW6qgmVoavmuaUyKpctPbtrAGsMzAXJzzOVxy3NzjCPDvLSWaB0DqYw_dtGjC
Apologies then. I retract my post.
https://www.threads.com/@macbenzo123/post/DXRbxxMjolN?xmt=AQF0vEyKV4OX0CClRYMTtV6nbn7pN47-JQ7hNIEpC_xDTTJoC1LmeFm6Nwm4Jl6MACu66W4&slof=1
Who the Dems should have run
dv said:
https://www.threads.com/@macbenzo123/post/DXRbxxMjolN?xmt=AQF0vEyKV4OX0CClRYMTtV6nbn7pN47-JQ7hNIEpC_xDTTJoC1LmeFm6Nwm4Jl6MACu66W4&slof=1Who the Dems should have run
Instead of Don Chipp?
I couldn’t decide to put this in the memes thread or this one. Finally thought this one was the correct one.
And so …. Oh dear …
Spiny Norman said:
I couldn’t decide to put this in the memes thread or this one. Finally thought this one was the correct one.
And so …. Oh dear …
Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
I couldn’t decide to put this in the memes thread or this one. Finally thought this one was the correct one.
And so …. Oh dear …
Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
roughbarked said:
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
I couldn’t decide to put this in the memes thread or this one. Finally thought this one was the correct one.
And so …. Oh dear …
Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
I suppose some crocs might get there eventually as temperatures rise. I suppose future-proofing from Climate Change is likely one of their policies. (Not…)
Michael V said:
roughbarked said:
Michael V said:Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
I suppose some crocs might get there eventually as temperatures rise. I suppose future-proofing from Climate Change is likely one of their policies. (Not…)
I’d say definitely not.
Michael V said:
roughbarked said:
Michael V said:Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
I suppose some crocs might get there eventually as temperatures rise. I suppose future-proofing from Climate Change is likely one of their policies. (Not…)
do other parties including those who actually run the country have idiotic policies
roughbarked said:
Michael V said:
Spiny Norman said:
I couldn’t decide to put this in the memes thread or this one. Finally thought this one was the correct one.
And so …. Oh dear …
Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
But they don’t need to, I did it last weekend.
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:
Michael V said:Oh dear indeed. And they think they might be able run the country?
Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
But they don’t need to, I did it last weekend.
I keep trying to part the Pacific Ocean with my staff, but I’ve had no luck so far.
Michael V said:
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
But they don’t need to, I did it last weekend.
I keep trying to part the Pacific Ocean with my staff, but I’ve had no luck so far.
Keep practising!
You will get it!
Michael V said:
ms spock said:
roughbarked said:Well they are going to remove all the crocodiles in Victoria aren’t they? ;)
But they don’t need to, I did it last weekend.
I keep trying to part the Pacific Ocean with my staff, but I’ve had no luck so far.
Keep practising!
You will get it!
ms spock said:
Michael V said:
ms spock said:But they don’t need to, I did it last weekend.
I keep trying to part the Pacific Ocean with my staff, but I’ve had no luck so far.
Keep practising!
You will get it!
Should I try on smaller bodies of water first? I’m thinking the kitchen sink or maybe a breakfast bowl.
Michael V said:
ms spock said:
Michael V said:I keep trying to part the Pacific Ocean with my staff, but I’ve had no luck so far.
Keep practising!
You will get it!
Should I try on smaller bodies of water first? I’m thinking the kitchen sink or maybe a breakfast bowl.
I would suggest starting with a breakfast bowl first.
ms spock said:
Michael V said:
ms spock said:Keep practising!
You will get it!
Should I try on smaller bodies of water first? I’m thinking the kitchen sink or maybe a breakfast bowl.
I would suggest starting with a breakfast bowl first.
Cool.
:)
Michael V said:
ms spock said:
Michael V said:Should I try on smaller bodies of water first? I’m thinking the kitchen sink or maybe a breakfast bowl.
I would suggest starting with a breakfast bowl first.
Cool.
:)
:)
Somethin’ weird about this picture
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
Breathe easy – with that lot in control, Cheer and Cheekies will soon be Coon and Chicos again.
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
No Asians? Check. No Muslims? Check. No Indians? Definitely check!
Witty Rejoinder said:
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
No Asians? Check. No Muslims? Check. No Indians? Definitely check!
no broken toothed fat bogans.
Bogsnorkler said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
No Asians? Check. No Muslims? Check. No Indians? Definitely check!
no broken toothed fat bogans.
They do look a little inbred though.
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
S Club 7 aren’t even Australian, so can’t vote anyway…
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
Lighting looks off, maybe someone can do an analysis of the light.
Tools in the sand, you don’t throw tools in the sand.
Tau.Neutrino said:
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
Lighting looks off, maybe someone can do an analysis of the light.
Tools in the sand, you don’t throw tools in the sand.
That dude on the right has a massive noggin compared to the others
Tau.Neutrino said:
dv said:
Somethin’ weird about this picture
Lighting looks off, maybe someone can do an analysis of the light.
Tools in the sand, you don’t throw tools in the sand.
You’ve never worked with drilling rigs and their crews, have you.
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-22/dozens-of-uncounted-votes-from-sa-election-government-says/106591228
Witty Rejoinder said:
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-22/dozens-of-uncounted-votes-from-sa-election-government-says/106591228
They messed up.
Witty Rejoinder said:
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?
Or indeed SEATO?
Michael V said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-22/dozens-of-uncounted-votes-from-sa-election-government-says/106591228
They messed up.
The processes involved are pretty foolproof. If on election night during counting it is noticed that one ballot paper is missing AEC staff will search the bins. Every cock and balls must be accounted for.
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-22/dozens-of-uncounted-votes-from-sa-election-government-says/106591228
They messed up.
The processes involved are pretty foolproof. If on election night during counting it is noticed that one ballot paper is missing AEC staff will search the bins. Every cock and balls must be accounted for.
Yes so did someone get lazy and not bother to follow procedure
Cymek said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:They messed up.
The processes involved are pretty foolproof. If on election night during counting it is noticed that one ballot paper is missing AEC staff will search the bins. Every cock and balls must be accounted for.
Yes so did someone get lazy and not bother to follow procedure
From reading that news item, it looks like people did the training but didn’t turn up on election day to work and they were scrambling for staff. Possibly some people got roped in who weren’t properly versed in the procedures.
Cymek said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:They messed up.
The processes involved are pretty foolproof. If on election night during counting it is noticed that one ballot paper is missing AEC staff will search the bins. Every cock and balls must be accounted for.
Yes so did someone get lazy and not bother to follow procedure
Someone must have misplaced, willingly or accidentally, votes that were initially counted but then went missing in recounts afaict. With 500+ votes per polling booth the totals would not be questioned or recounted until the official count done centrally or an official recount. Someone is responsible at all times and at no point will anyone other than AEC staff (usually employees, not those employed just for the night) have access to the ballots.
Witty Rejoinder said:
Michael V said:
Witty Rejoinder said:
Meanwhile WTF is going on with the SAEC?https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-22/dozens-of-uncounted-votes-from-sa-election-government-says/106591228
They messed up.
The processes involved are pretty foolproof. If on election night during counting it is noticed that one ballot paper is missing AEC staff will search the bins. Every cock and balls must be accounted for.
/TIC
Divine Angel said:
WTAF?
Divine Angel said:
How much do they spend and pay in tax
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:
WTAF?
How much is her private jet costing?
Cymek said:
Divine Angel said:
How much do they spend and pay in tax
we have a better solution they should all just stop working for a week and if the rest of the country thinks they were useless after all then don’t give them any remuneration and if the rest of the country thought what they were doing was useful after all then pay them for the strike and fascists can stfu
ok we admit this just sounds like trash to
us but at least if this is the news it’s not a bigger news day
SCIENCE said:
Cymek said:
Divine Angel said:
How much do they spend and pay in tax
we have a better solution they should all just stop working for a week and if the rest of the country thinks they were useless after all then don’t give them any remuneration and if the rest of the country thought what they were doing was useful after all then pay them for the strike and fascists can stfu
Many of them are living here as permanent residents while awaiting their time before they can apply for citizenship. There’s a process they need to go through.
Divine Angel said:
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:
WTAF?
How much is her private jet costing?
Her question is just plain nonsensical.
A… Can’t (simply) be measured.
B… Why should it be measured?
C… Having an answer is going to help us understand what exactly?
party_pants said:
SCIENCE said:Cymek said:
How much do they spend and pay in tax
we have a better solution they should all just stop working for a week and if the rest of the country thinks they were useless after all then don’t give them any remuneration and if the rest of the country thought what they were doing was useful after all then pay them for the strike and fascists can stfu
Many of them are living here as permanent residents while awaiting their time before they can apply for citizenship. There’s a process they need to go through.
Hanson’s system it to wedge, wedge, wedge. Sew doubt. Add a hint of racism. Throw a match. Watch stuff explode.
Unfortunately, she has now seen Trump work this method to the top, and she thinks her whiny voice can do so too.
Michael V said:
Divine Angel said:
Michael V said:WTAF?
How much is her private jet costing?
Her question is just plain nonsensical.
A… Can’t (simply) be measured.
B… Why should it be measured?
C… Having an answer is going to help us understand what exactly?
Do we really have 4.8 non citizens in Australia? Surely this is farcical.
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
SCIENCE said:we have a better solution they should all just stop working for a week and if the rest of the country thinks they were useless after all then don’t give them any remuneration and if the rest of the country thought what they were doing was useful after all then pay them for the strike and fascists can stfu
Many of them are living here as permanent residents while awaiting their time before they can apply for citizenship. There’s a process they need to go through.
Hanson’s system it to wedge, wedge, wedge. Sew doubt. Add a hint of racism. Throw a match. Watch stuff explode.
Unfortunately, she has now seen Trump work this method to the top, and she thinks her whiny voice can do so too.
Pauline Hanson is most concerning. She has the lynching type mentality, which I fear.
SCIENCE said:
ok we admit this just sounds like trash to
us but at least if this is the news it’s not a bigger news day
That is true. It is such a low news day if this is the topice.
Every bit of resistance needs to be cherished.
Every moment of joy needs to be relished right now.
Divine Angel said:
Friendly Jordies fact checked.
https://www.reddit.com/r/friendlyjordies/s/iUPjCRJC4E
Divine Angel said:
She doesn’t have Australian values.
Michael V said:
party_pants said:
SCIENCE said:we have a better solution they should all just stop working for a week and if the rest of the country thinks they were useless after all then don’t give them any remuneration and if the rest of the country thought what they were doing was useful after all then pay them for the strike and fascists can stfu
Many of them are living here as permanent residents while awaiting their time before they can apply for citizenship. There’s a process they need to go through.
Hanson’s system it to wedge, wedge, wedge. Sew doubt. Add a hint of racism. Throw a match. Watch stuff explode.
Unfortunately, she has now seen Trump work this method to the top, and she thinks her whiny voice can do so too.
Her heart and soul have been removed.
ms spock said:
Michael V said:
party_pants said:Many of them are living here as permanent residents while awaiting their time before they can apply for citizenship. There’s a process they need to go through.
Hanson’s system it to wedge, wedge, wedge. Sew doubt. Add a hint of racism. Throw a match. Watch stuff explode.
Unfortunately, she has now seen Trump work this method to the top, and she thinks her whiny voice can do so too.
Her heart and soul have been removed.
and battered and deep fried.
Divine Angel said:
Divine Angel said:
Friendly Jordies fact checked.
https://www.reddit.com/r/friendlyjordies/s/iUPjCRJC4E
Good stuff!
Point out the hypocrisy. Succintly.
roughbarked said:
ms spock said:
Michael V said:Hanson’s system it to wedge, wedge, wedge. Sew doubt. Add a hint of racism. Throw a match. Watch stuff explode.
Unfortunately, she has now seen Trump work this method to the top, and she thinks her whiny voice can do so too.
Her heart and soul have been removed.
and battered and deep fried.
She really reveals a deep wound within the Australian psyche. Such a terrible waste and shame. Folks lives are being wasted it.
You can’t lose if you don’t run… (the by election is necessary as the sitting member died from suicide recently)
“ One Nation will not run a candidate in the snap byelection called for the Brisbane state seat of Stafford.
The poll in the city’s inner north, to be held on May 16, was expected to be a test of the rising support for Pauline Hanson’s party in urban areas.
Pauline Hanson and her party have been surging in popularity.
One Nation had earlier indicated it would run a candidate in the byelection, with the party’s preferences likely to flow to the LNP.
The party secured just 3 per cent of the vote in 2024, but pollster Kos Samaras for RedBridge Group said its national surge in popularity would probably be reflected in the vote.”
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.
The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Am I understanding this correctly? “We are not contesting this seat because it has always been filled with a right wing party and we’re hoping they don’t go extremist right wing”?
Divine Angel said:
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Am I understanding this correctly? “We are not contesting this seat because it has always been filled with a right wing party and we’re hoping they don’t go extremist right wing”?
Yeah. It is silly because the electorate of Farrer has been redrawn over the years to swallow the electorates around it when they weren’t wholly traditionally conservative. They have basically thrown caution to the winds by expecting their traditional voters to vote against one notion.
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Goddamned idiots!
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Oh dear, roughie, do you not like Michelle Milthorpe? Plenty of others seem to think she is a worthy candidate.
https://michellemilthorpe.com.au/
There’s also the Sustainable Australia Party who have good policies (shame voters don’t read up on party and individual’s policies before voting)
ruby said:
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Oh dear, roughie, do you not like Michelle Milthorpe? Plenty of others seem to think she is a worthy candidate.
https://michellemilthorpe.com.au/
There’s also the Sustainable Australia Party who have good policies (shame voters don’t read up on party and individual’s policies before voting)
I’ll have to read up on those two but Michelle isn’t far distant from the conservatives.
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
Spiny Norman said:
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
Probably a good idea to continue what you are doing that hasn’t already attracted their attention and they’ll likely never use it against you.
Spiny Norman said:
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
Yes, faaaark!
I’d love to be sitting in my parents’ kitchen as the family debated this over a few glasses of whisky and some beers. Mother would be in fine form.
Spiny Norman said:
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
AI summary
so it’s pretty ¿ much the same
ChrispenEvan said:
Spiny Norman said:
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
AI summary
Communal violence, so they mean riots?
fair call, part of supporting a person is supporting the process they need to undergo for them to have justice
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-25/queensland-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-event/106603940
Divine Angel said:
SCIENCE said:
fair call, part of supporting a person is supporting the process they need to undergo for them to have justice
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-25/queensland-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-event/106603940
Maybe it’s just me but I’m not sure BRS is the best spokesperson for Anzac Day.
well you know like how parents should support their children to go through the corrections system if the just thing to do is for the child of the parent to go through corrections, as mentioned, we as Australians should indeed support war criminals getting their deserts justly served
SCIENCE said:
…getting their deserts justly served
with custard?
Divine Angel said:
roughbarked said:
Labor has resolved to stay out of the Farrer byelection in the hope its supporters will vote strategically to help stop One Nation winning the seat.The decision not to contest was also based on the assumption Labor had no chance of winning the seat, which has been held by either the Nationals or the Liberals since its foundation in 1949.
>Well They are probably making their biggest mistake. Their voters have nowhere to go.
Am I understanding this correctly? “We are not contesting this seat because it has always been filled with a right wing party and we’re hoping they don’t go extremist right wing”?
There is a quality independent candidate who those left of centre can vote for
Spiny Norman said:
ASIO Can Now Legally Abduct You (And You Can’t Tell Anyone).
The Australian government has granted ASIO sweeping new permanent powers to secretly detain anyone — no warrant required, no right to silence, and it’s a criminal offence to tell anyone you’ve been grabbed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aST8A4nO1UI
Faaaaark. :(
That started in 2006.
Jan Fran and Antoinette unpack claims Iran is winning the propaganda war – th’anks to AI Lego, diss tracks going viral.
Jan goes to war with the phrase “breaks silence” (Ben Roberts-Smith edition) and the clickbait line that refuses to die.
Plus, a takedown of Seven News’ renewable energy “exposé” – and the fossil fuel interests it skips over.
Also, a shout out to some pitch-perfect satire of government statements that say everything and nothing, and a former BBC journo spelling out why normal journalism falls apart when covering Trump.
Women Who Win: Antoinette’s new book and tour in Canberra, Perth, Margaret River, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. https://www.penguin.co…
00 Intro
1:15 Antoinette Lattouf book launch April 28
3:40 What’s on the show?
6:01 Comedians Guide on How Governments Say Nothing About Violence
10:20 Western governments use these same platitudes
11:55 Media “both sides” problem and fake neutrality explained
13:38 Nick Bryant on Trump: why media normalises the abnormal
15:34 BBC false equivalence in journalism: inside the bias debate
17:50 How to push back against faux balance in journalism
19:33 Ben Roberts-Smith coverage and the “Breaks Silence” myth
22:17 Clickbait headlines exposed
24:53 Why Jan wishes Antoinette would be silent
26:40 Channel 7 Spotlight renewable energy smear explained
28:01 Liam Bartlett trying to get a gotcha moment with Chris Bowen
34:04 EVs, cobalt and misinformation
34:50 Seven’s links to fossil fuel industry
39:05 Spotlight’s 2025 hitjob on nickel mining and EVs
41:34 Iran’s AI Lego propaganda war and viral disinformation explained
47:30 Who is behind Iran’s viral AI Lego videos?
53:13 How Iran’s AI propaganda is shaping global opinion
58 minutes long
A patient is in custody at an eastern Sydney hospital after allegedly assaulting several people, including three nurses. Police said the 51-year-old man seriously injured a nurse’s leg at Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick about 8:30pm on Saturday night, before assaulting two other nurses and a security guard. It is alleged he then attacked a 26-year-old woman with a garbage bin as she was trying to protect a nearby patient. Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command had already been at the hospital for an unrelated matter when they were alerted to the incident. Police said the incident had occurred in the emergency department and was mental health related.
well that’s all right then
One Nation byelection candidate’s former Labor links revealed
Rob Harris
April 27, 2026 — 5:00am
Pauline Hanson’s candidate for next month’s Farrer byelection sought to run for Labor under Anthony Albanese’s leadership and personally donated to the party’s election fund, in a blow for a One Nation campaign built on attacking the major parties.
David Farley, the Narrandera-based irrigator selected by One Nation for the May 9 contest triggered by the resignation of deposed Liberal leader Sussan Ley, is a frontrunner for the seat in both published opinion polls and corporate betting markets.
But this masthead has confirmed the 69-year-old – also a one-time NSW Nationals member – approached state Labor figures in 2021 seeking to help depose the Coalition government at the 2022 federal election, having applied to join to become a branch member a year earlier.
Labor sources, not authorised to speak on behalf of the party, said the former chief executive of the country’s largest cattle business, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), met local branch members and even completed a candidate’s expression of interest, which was lodged to the NSW party’s Sussex Street headquarters in Sydney.
The ALP’s 2022 platform included support for net-zero emissions by 2050, an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and doubling the nation’s refugee intake – all policies vehemently opposed by Hanson.
Farley’s potential candidacy was not considered viable by party officials after low-level vetting, sources said.
Their concerns were tied to elements of his personal history and background, including his 2012 remarks about former prime minister Julia Gillard being a “non-productive old cow” and campaigning to fill hundreds of jobs at a Northern Territory abattoir with workers hired from India on 457 visas. His membership application was also rejected.
Despite failing to gain Labor’s endorsement, sources said someone with Farley’s same details had also donated to Labor as recently as March 2023, making a small personal contribution to the party’s Aston byelection campaign, where the Albanese government boosted its majority with a shock win. One source said Farley had donated about $100 in response to a call-out for donations from Labor HQ amid claims they were being outspent by the Liberals.
Farley did not return calls or messages on Sunday, apart from texting: “at church. Talk latter” .
ALP national secretary Paul Erickson declined to comment when asked about Farley’s applications and donor history.
The revelation cuts against One Nation’s outsider message in a byelection being closely watched as a test of the party’s rising support nationally, and of Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as the Liberals fight to hold the sprawling rural southern NSW seat.
Farley’s main challenger for the seat is Climate 200-backed community independent Michelle Milthorpe, who whittled Ley’s lead down to just 6.2 per cent at last May’s federal election. She has fought hard against claims that she’s beholden to Climate 200, arguing that only 2 per cent of donations made to her campaign came from the funding vehicle.
Support for Liberal candidate Raissa Butkowski, according to several published polls, has fallen to 16.1 per cent, well behind One Nation (30.9 per cent) and Milthorpe (30 per cent), according to a uComms poll published last week in The Conversation. Both Coalition parties have directed preferences to Farley ahead of Milthorpe.
Farley has been campaigning as a regional conservative focused on irrigation, energy and cost-of-living pressures, as One Nation seeks to convert its polling momentum into a breakthrough result in Farrer.
The Labor links are not his only connection to a major party, and he was reportedly floated in 2013 as a potential replacement for Barnaby Joyce in the Senate.
After departing AACo suddenly in 2013, he later became a financial member of the NSW Nationals Party from November 2015 to November 2020, when he allowed his membership to lapse.
A senior Nationals figure said relations within the party were not always cordial. In May 2018, he wrote an email to party officials asking for a commission in return for the amount of new members he had signed in the region. In August 2019, he unsuccessfully sought to be nominated for an NSW upper house casual vacancy after by the retirement of Niall Blair, a cabinet minister in both the Berejiklian and Baird governments.
Pre-polling in Farrer opens on Tuesday.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-byelection-candidate-s-former-labor-links-revealed-20260424-p5zqxc.html
Witty Rejoinder said:
One Nation byelection candidate’s former Labor links revealedRob Harris
April 27, 2026 — 5:00amPauline Hanson’s candidate for next month’s Farrer byelection sought to run for Labor under Anthony Albanese’s leadership and personally donated to the party’s election fund, in a blow for a One Nation campaign built on attacking the major parties.
David Farley, the Narrandera-based irrigator selected by One Nation for the May 9 contest triggered by the resignation of deposed Liberal leader Sussan Ley, is a frontrunner for the seat in both published opinion polls and corporate betting markets.
But this masthead has confirmed the 69-year-old – also a one-time NSW Nationals member – approached state Labor figures in 2021 seeking to help depose the Coalition government at the 2022 federal election, having applied to join to become a branch member a year earlier.
Labor sources, not authorised to speak on behalf of the party, said the former chief executive of the country’s largest cattle business, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), met local branch members and even completed a candidate’s expression of interest, which was lodged to the NSW party’s Sussex Street headquarters in Sydney.
The ALP’s 2022 platform included support for net-zero emissions by 2050, an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and doubling the nation’s refugee intake – all policies vehemently opposed by Hanson.
Farley’s potential candidacy was not considered viable by party officials after low-level vetting, sources said.
Their concerns were tied to elements of his personal history and background, including his 2012 remarks about former prime minister Julia Gillard being a “non-productive old cow” and campaigning to fill hundreds of jobs at a Northern Territory abattoir with workers hired from India on 457 visas. His membership application was also rejected.
Despite failing to gain Labor’s endorsement, sources said someone with Farley’s same details had also donated to Labor as recently as March 2023, making a small personal contribution to the party’s Aston byelection campaign, where the Albanese government boosted its majority with a shock win. One source said Farley had donated about $100 in response to a call-out for donations from Labor HQ amid claims they were being outspent by the Liberals.
Farley did not return calls or messages on Sunday, apart from texting: “at church. Talk latter” .
ALP national secretary Paul Erickson declined to comment when asked about Farley’s applications and donor history.
The revelation cuts against One Nation’s outsider message in a byelection being closely watched as a test of the party’s rising support nationally, and of Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as the Liberals fight to hold the sprawling rural southern NSW seat.
Farley’s main challenger for the seat is Climate 200-backed community independent Michelle Milthorpe, who whittled Ley’s lead down to just 6.2 per cent at last May’s federal election. She has fought hard against claims that she’s beholden to Climate 200, arguing that only 2 per cent of donations made to her campaign came from the funding vehicle.
Support for Liberal candidate Raissa Butkowski, according to several published polls, has fallen to 16.1 per cent, well behind One Nation (30.9 per cent) and Milthorpe (30 per cent), according to a uComms poll published last week in The Conversation. Both Coalition parties have directed preferences to Farley ahead of Milthorpe.
Farley has been campaigning as a regional conservative focused on irrigation, energy and cost-of-living pressures, as One Nation seeks to convert its polling momentum into a breakthrough result in Farrer.
The Labor links are not his only connection to a major party, and he was reportedly floated in 2013 as a potential replacement for Barnaby Joyce in the Senate.
After departing AACo suddenly in 2013, he later became a financial member of the NSW Nationals Party from November 2015 to November 2020, when he allowed his membership to lapse.
A senior Nationals figure said relations within the party were not always cordial. In May 2018, he wrote an email to party officials asking for a commission in return for the amount of new members he had signed in the region. In August 2019, he unsuccessfully sought to be nominated for an NSW upper house casual vacancy after by the retirement of Niall Blair, a cabinet minister in both the Berejiklian and Baird governments.
Pre-polling in Farrer opens on Tuesday.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-byelection-candidate-s-former-labor-links-revealed-20260424-p5zqxc.html
I hope that all gets through to the potential One Nation voters.
Witty Rejoinder said:
One Nation byelection candidate’s former Labor links revealedRob Harris
April 27, 2026 — 5:00amPauline Hanson’s candidate for next month’s Farrer byelection sought to run for Labor under Anthony Albanese’s leadership and personally donated to the party’s election fund, in a blow for a One Nation campaign built on attacking the major parties.
David Farley, the Narrandera-based irrigator selected by One Nation for the May 9 contest triggered by the resignation of deposed Liberal leader Sussan Ley, is a frontrunner for the seat in both published opinion polls and corporate betting markets.
But this masthead has confirmed the 69-year-old – also a one-time NSW Nationals member – approached state Labor figures in 2021 seeking to help depose the Coalition government at the 2022 federal election, having applied to join to become a branch member a year earlier.
Labor sources, not authorised to speak on behalf of the party, said the former chief executive of the country’s largest cattle business, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), met local branch members and even completed a candidate’s expression of interest, which was lodged to the NSW party’s Sussex Street headquarters in Sydney.
The ALP’s 2022 platform included support for net-zero emissions by 2050, an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and doubling the nation’s refugee intake – all policies vehemently opposed by Hanson.
Farley’s potential candidacy was not considered viable by party officials after low-level vetting, sources said.
Their concerns were tied to elements of his personal history and background, including his 2012 remarks about former prime minister Julia Gillard being a “non-productive old cow” and campaigning to fill hundreds of jobs at a Northern Territory abattoir with workers hired from India on 457 visas. His membership application was also rejected.
Despite failing to gain Labor’s endorsement, sources said someone with Farley’s same details had also donated to Labor as recently as March 2023, making a small personal contribution to the party’s Aston byelection campaign, where the Albanese government boosted its majority with a shock win. One source said Farley had donated about $100 in response to a call-out for donations from Labor HQ amid claims they were being outspent by the Liberals.
Farley did not return calls or messages on Sunday, apart from texting: “at church. Talk latter” .
ALP national secretary Paul Erickson declined to comment when asked about Farley’s applications and donor history.
The revelation cuts against One Nation’s outsider message in a byelection being closely watched as a test of the party’s rising support nationally, and of Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as the Liberals fight to hold the sprawling rural southern NSW seat.
Farley’s main challenger for the seat is Climate 200-backed community independent Michelle Milthorpe, who whittled Ley’s lead down to just 6.2 per cent at last May’s federal election. She has fought hard against claims that she’s beholden to Climate 200, arguing that only 2 per cent of donations made to her campaign came from the funding vehicle.
Support for Liberal candidate Raissa Butkowski, according to several published polls, has fallen to 16.1 per cent, well behind One Nation (30.9 per cent) and Milthorpe (30 per cent), according to a uComms poll published last week in The Conversation. Both Coalition parties have directed preferences to Farley ahead of Milthorpe.
Farley has been campaigning as a regional conservative focused on irrigation, energy and cost-of-living pressures, as One Nation seeks to convert its polling momentum into a breakthrough result in Farrer.
The Labor links are not his only connection to a major party, and he was reportedly floated in 2013 as a potential replacement for Barnaby Joyce in the Senate.
After departing AACo suddenly in 2013, he later became a financial member of the NSW Nationals Party from November 2015 to November 2020, when he allowed his membership to lapse.
A senior Nationals figure said relations within the party were not always cordial. In May 2018, he wrote an email to party officials asking for a commission in return for the amount of new members he had signed in the region. In August 2019, he unsuccessfully sought to be nominated for an NSW upper house casual vacancy after by the retirement of Niall Blair, a cabinet minister in both the Berejiklian and Baird governments.
Pre-polling in Farrer opens on Tuesday.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-byelection-candidate-s-former-labor-links-revealed-20260424-p5zqxc.html
Hmmmmm.
By hook or by crook.
Spiny Norman said:
Just shush, Hanson.https://x.com/lesstenny/status/2048345296934211742
Idiot.
Gosh!
Similarly, just shush, Gina
Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, called for immigrants’ social media to be screened and said children are being taught to be ashamed of the Australian flag in untelevised remarks before an Anzac memorial service on the steps of Sydney Opera House on Friday.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/27/gina-rinehart-immigrant-social-media-screening-anzac-day-sydney-opera-house-ntwnfb
Divine Angel said:
Similarly, just shush, Gina
Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, called for immigrants’ social media to be screened and said children are being taught to be ashamed of the Australian flag in untelevised remarks before an Anzac memorial service on the steps of Sydney Opera House on Friday.
we agree that symbolism of later day immigrants should be removed from the Australian flag
An election every weekend like it should be.
Nepean by-election (2 May): haven’t seen any polling. ALP is not running a candidate so this may end as another three-cornered pitney between ONP, Libs and an independent.
Farrer by-election (9 May): One Nation candidate has his nose in front of independent Michelle Milthorpe in the latest poll. It’s pretty close.Stafford by-election (16 May): ONP won’t run a candidate. This is probably safe for Labor anyway.
LOL
