The situation in general

An open thread.

It’s past time for a new open thread, despite the want of new polling to hang one off. Do observe there are thread below for the New South Wales and Queensland state elections, for those of you who like that sort of thing.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,776 thoughts on “The situation in general”

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  1. I’d say there is time for sanity to prevail in the Libs and for them to actually do a budget in 2015 that will make it hard for the ALP to win in 2016. Will they do what they need to though? Anyone’s guess at this point.

    imacca

    I’d be interested to know what you think the Libs can do that would make it hard for Labor to win in 2016. Do tell.

  2. Kids who cannot be vaccinated should of course not be kept apart from other kids as the herd immunity is for them. Parents of kids who can be vaccinated who choose not too, deserve all the crap that falls on them.

  3. Parents who choose not to vaccinate their kids who can be vaccinated, deserve all the crap which falls on them.

  4. If the Libs want to make it hard for Labor to win in 2016, they should dump Abbott.
    And Hockey
    And Morrison
    And Turnbull
    And Brandis SC DH
    And Cormann
    And Pyne

  5. In my opinion anti-vaxers are every bit as bad as a parent who abuses their child physically.

    RiffRaff
    Or fills them at a very young age full of religious shit that will damage them for life.

  6. Yes they were vaccinated according to the medical advice of what would be safe. The point is that various child care staff and school staff share the information re non immunised kids to protect the other children. This is what informed my statement that some pro vaccination groups can be as difficult to deal with as the anti crowd.
    Because of my refusal to vaccinate I was designated an over anxious mum, this was tested by one of the more vocal and less educated carers who gave my son milk instead of soy, I will never forget her abject apology after the resultant medical crisis. The sad thing is that it had to get so bad before it got better.

  7. As for XXXX beer….

    I do remember once (a long time ago) enjoying Powers. But then the big brewers took it over and weakened it to a mildly disgusting swill. They did it to my all time favourite Resch’s too. The thing that really stinks is these big companies keep the recipe and label rights – meaning the original beer is never to return.

    So now I have to drink boutique beers. Oh the pain.

  8. Meanwhile in France.

    08:54
    Unconfirmed reports also suggest the situation may involve one or more hostages.

    Posted at 08:53
    Police sources say it is possible the suspects have entered a building on the outskirts of Dammartin-en-Goele.

    Posted at 08:53
    French newspaper Le Figaro reports that five police helicopters have been sent to the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, about 40km (25 miles) from what had been the search area.

    The entrance to the village has been blocked by security

    http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-30722098

    Reports of gunshots, car chase, hostage situation northeast of Paris

    http://rt.com/news/221083-france-charlie-shooting-manhunt/

  9. Meanwhile in France.

    08:54
    Unconfirmed reports also suggest the situation may involve one or more hostages.

    Posted at 08:53
    Police sources say it is possible the suspects have entered a building on the outskirts of Dammartin-en-Goele.

    Posted at 08:53
    French newspaper Le Figaro reports that five police helicopters have been sent to the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, about 40km (25 miles) from what had been the search area.

    The entrance to the village has been blocked by security

    http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-30722098

    Reports of gunshots, car chase, hostage situation northeast of Paris

    http://rt.com/news/221083-france-charlie-shooting-manhunt/

  10. Puff @1606,

    Can we squeeze in Bob Baldwin, seat warmer and generally useless person, currently Parliamentary Secretary against the Environment.

    (you can tell he’s my local member can’t ya)..

  11. If you accept no support from a society than you have the right to make your own choices and die as you please; if you accept support from a society, then the society has a right to expect you to make choices that reduce the cost of that support at the least. Not putting the society at risk would also seem to be a resonable price to pay.

    Non vacination of your children reduces the herd immunity and exposes others to an increased risk of the diseases; you have no right to expose society to those risks.

    Vacines have reduced Polio to something we read about in literature; a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to paralysis, breathing problems, and death.

    Diptheria; who has heard of diptheria? Up to 3 percent of people who get diphtheria die of it. The rate is higher for children under 15.

    Tetanus; most will have heard of that; us oldies get slack don’t have our boosters and catch it while gardening. Tetanus leads to muscle contractions, particularly of your jaw and neck muscles interferes with your ability to breathe and, ultimately, threaten your life, Tetanus; common name, “lockjaw”.

    Whooping cough; something we are seeing again because of these people. Before a vaccine was available, whooping cough killed more than 5,000 people a year in the United States, the vaccine reduced the annual death rate to less than 30.

    This is not about free speech this is about life and death. Should the public officers of the anti vaccine network be put up for murder is the debate we should be having; not if they orour national broadcater has the right to articulate this death cult.

  12. Reports now coming in of shooting near Charles de Gaulle airport and planes being diverted. Is this the start of some kind of revolution? What is going on?

  13. Steve777

    It is LNP SOP . Howard was a master of giving jobs to people who were haters of what their portfolio was meant to do. Exhibit A being Wilson “Iron Bar” “Cutting Down forests is Good For Them” Tuckey being appointed Minister for Forestry and Conservation. Exhibit B appointing Richard Alston , awarded by UK’s The Register the title of “World’s Biggest Luddite” in 2003 , Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

  14. Mohamed Yehia @yeh1a · 15m 15 minutes ago
    Paris attack suspect met late Al Qaeda preacher Anwar Al Awlaqi during his stay in Yemen – senior intel source tells Reuters

  15. Latika Bourke @latikambourke · 32m 32 minutes ago
    Sporting tradition. Massive boos for the PM at the #AUSvKUW game.

    Yep people are sick of him.

  16. Interesting 4 days at the SCG, with for another up tomorrow. 5th days have been few and far between in recent years. Been attracted to the top deck of the new members stand, which is great to watch the field placings and shots – almost like sitting in SpiderCam 😉

    Am surprised that no one has mentioned Abbott’s first (and probably only) foray into FNQ tomorrow. He will be attending the very sad funeral for 8 children allegedly killed by their mother. The Torres Strait islander community first did not want him there, as it would attract media whilst they were grieving, but strangely, now they have relented at the Lying Friar, Bill Shorten and Newman will be there. The family have asked for a private audience with Abbott.

    This is high wire stuff for Abbott, who is desperately, almost frenetically trying to turn around his plunging polls. Can he get through this without a gaffe? So many things can go wrong.

    The best thing he could do would be announce he is reversing the near $1b cuts to Indigenous programs – which may not be the most efficient,but they do provide periodic employment for countless aborigines and TS islanders.

  17. It is LNP SOP . Howard was a master of giving jobs to people who were haters of what their portfolio was meant to do. Exhibit A being Wilson “Iron Bar” “Cutting Down forests is Good For Them” Tuckey being appointed Minister for Forestry and Conservation.

    And of course there’s Malcom Turnbull, Minister for lack of Communication, spending tens of billions on something that’s already obsolete, not avoiding the cost of fibre, but simply adding to it.

  18. [(1) Should we be jailing Holocaust deniers?
    No
    (1a) Should we allow Holocaust deniers entry to Australia
    Yes.

    (2) Should we be restricting access to Australia of a range of extremists including Moncton, Wilders, that anti-vaxxer… etc, etc, etc
    No

    (3) Should we simply delete 18C altogether?
    No
    (3a) Do you believe 18C of the racial discrimination act has anything to do with religion?
    No

    (4) Should we repeal the multitude of regulations and laws restricting the free flow of information, views and knowledge which have been enacted by this Parliament?
    Yes

    It’s a terribly cute argument to claim a want for ‘no publicity’ for something one personally doesn’t believe, when what’s being asked is a ‘complete muzzle on dissent.’ That’s fascism.

  19. kezza2,

    Whilst I basically agree with you, the problem remains that we do censor children. We don’t allow them to see what adults see and for good reasons. But we do allow adults certain freedoms (like being able to watch an anti-vaxxer at work) and form strong, even dangerous opinions. Why?

    My point here is that whilst in principle its a good thing to allow free flow of information everywhere and to deal with dangerous idiots with logical argument and ridicule, the reality remains that not all adults fit into this model. Some should be, at times, treated as children.

    Yes, that’s a dangerous idea too. But would you allow children free access to all information in order to maintain purity of principle?

  20. We now have Abbott Everywhere

    @harrypusspuss: OMG did anyone see Abbott with his creepy lip licking botoxed head getting booed at the Football tonight LMAO!

  21. I think the state deciding that it can treat sections of it’s sovereign citizens like children is a very, very dangerous path to begin to tread down.

  22. Thanks sprocket.

    At least 3,000 mourners are expected at the service, including the Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, and the Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.

    Mr Abbott will meet the children’s families in private before the service.

    The local Federal Liberal MP, Warren Entsch, told Alexandra Kirk the political leaders’ presence will show the family the entire nation has been touched by the tragedy.

    Sorry Warren, but I don’t think those political leaders’ presence at the funeral tells the nation anything other than there’s now an election campaign in Qld.

    If Abbott wants to communicate a message that their deaths have touched the nation he should pick up the phone to whomever and get those human services funding cuts reversed.

  23. cud chewer

    And of course there’s Malcom Turnbull, Minister for lack of Communication

    That is in a different class all together. Giving Turnbull the task of selling what Truffles knows full well is utter bullshit is Abbott showing his inner nasty . Having lost the leadership Talcum had to pretend he enjoyed eating such a shit sandwich to show he was still part of the team. Once Truffles decided he would go along with being tasked with “destroying the NBN” he also destroyed his long term chances and credibility. Abbott ticked off another “destroy potential rival ” box.

  24. Abbott at the soccer:

    news.com.au ‏@newscomauHQ 1h1 hour ago
    Tony Abbott doing his best Bob Hawke impersonation http://bit.ly/1Ds2oVE #AUSvKUW pic.twitter.com/8xjv5EYpmQ

    Nope, not even close. Hawkey at least was cheered by the crowd. Abbott got booed.

  25. It’s a terribly cute argument to claim a want for ‘no publicity’ for something one personally doesn’t believe..

    And no one is arguing that.

  26. cud chewer

    So, you are calling adults who don’t agree with you “children”, and then pontificating that children should not be allowed ‘free access to all information’ lest they . . . what? Use it.

    There’s something wrong with your argument. And you’re right, it’s a dangerous idea.

  27. Confessions @ 1629

    That is good news for the SNP.

    “Scottish” Labour still does not seem to understand that the more Blairite it becomes the fewer seats they will win. Murphy is an ultra right Blairite, supported Iraq Invasion, opposed any inquiry into Iraq invasion, supports billions on new nuclear submarines, supports austerity (except for bankers).

    Usual labour right wing wanker, the only value he has is his career.

  28. No, kezza, I’m not, and never had.

    Either you totally misunderstood the thrust of my argument or you are deliberately reframing what I said.

    If you can’t work out why I’m saying I didn’t argue what you said I did, I suggest it’s the former.

  29. Greensborough Growler@1547

    Bemused,

    I know it’s a bit subtle for you to understand. But, much of the discussion today has been the anti-antivaxxers promulgating an argument that the alternative argument should not be heard or presented because it is wrong/dangerous/nutter inspired.

    You promoting an argument that the anti-Vaxxers should prosecute their arguments and then allow people to form an informed opinion is precisiely what the alternative argument has been.

    It’s good that you have arrived late in the day But, to save embarrsing yourself, do try and keep up.

    Not arguments, based on mere ill-informed opinion, but scientific evidence. There is a difference you know.

  30. swamprat

    With luck predictions that Labour MPs north of the border becoming almost as rare as Tory MPs come true. Teach the buggers to enthusiastically get into bed with the Tory Party as they did over the referendum.

  31. zoomster

    You didn’t think anti-vaxxer ideas should have been reported at all, as you said, earlier today, wtte there’d be nothing to refute if it wasn’t put out there in the first place.

    What else is that supposed to mean, other than muzzle the dissenters – in this case, the anti-vaxxers.

    I don’t agree with them, in fact I disagree vehemently, but I’m not about to shut them up.

    And certainly not because of “think of the children” shite.

    Or the herd. Or whatever else is the slogan of the day.

  32. Its hard to know how much Turnbull is a victim and how much he is truly up himself and really seriously believes that “only a few people will ever need fibre”.

    You know when I saw how the Liberals were lying in a systematic, professionally coordinated way, before the election, I came to believe that fraudband was just another elaborate prop. That it wasn’t in the Liberal DNA to run a multi billion GBE and they would simply divest/fire sale it instead. Well, I was quite surprised when Turnbull went ahead with it. Good. He will own it.

    But how much of this is cunning on Abbott’s part and how much of it is Turnbull’s ego reaching Shakespearean proportions?

  33. From the Guardian:

    Flightradar24 says that all runways at CDG are open but northern runways are being used for take-off only.

    Dammartin-en-Goele is roughly 8 miles from the airport. Landing planes would be closer.

    What kind of range would a typical rocket launcher have? (Or is this a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question?)

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