This week’s two-point move in Newspoll excited a certain amount of talk about a Coalition recovery, but it hasn’t impressed the BludgerTrack poll aggregate – the result landed pretty much bang on where it was already, being well in line with the only othe result published so far this year, namely the Essential Research poll of a fortnight ago. As such, the aggregate records a 0.2% shift in the Coalition’s favour on two-party preferred, no movements on the primary vote greater than 0.4%, and a one seat gain for the Coalition on the seat projection in Queensland. The leadership trends have Bill Shorten up a bit on net approval, but little change for Scott Morrison either on either his net approval or preferred prime minister lead. Full results through the link below:
I can also provide further detail on the uComms/ReachTEL poll from the seat of Flinders that was conducted last week for the CFMMEU and reported over the weekend. Labor’s two-party lead of 51-49 compares with Hunt’s redistribution-adjusted winning margin of 57.1-42.9 from 2016, and derives from a respondent-allocated preference split that gives Labor 62.7% of minor party and independent preferences. Labor’s share of the preferences in 2016 was 71.1%, which if applied to the primary vote numbers from this poll boosts Labor’s lead to 53-47. Compared with my own post-redistribution estimates from 2016, the primary votes from the poll have Greg Hunt down from 50.7% to 39.4%, Labor up from 27.4% to 35.2%, the Greens down from 11.2% to 9.1%, and One Nation debuting on 5.7%. All of which has been superseded to some extent by this week’s announcement that Julia Banks, the Liberal-turned-independent member for Chisholm, will be running in the seat.
Link for above
https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/townsville-on-edge-as-dam-gates-open-20190203-p50vfp.html
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
Jacob Saulwick reports that NSW taxpayers face significant future liabilities from the Opal Tower debacle due to a state government agency retaining ownership of more than 40 units inside the Sydney Olympic Park development, and potentially retaining liability for the costs of rectifying the development.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/taxpayer-risks-mount-for-opal-tower-fallout-20190202-p50vbd.html
Simon Benson reposts that Morrison has bowed to demands for an independent medical review panel to vet asylum-seeker transfers from regional processing centres to Australian health facilities as the government faces the risk of a historic defeat on the floor of parliament next week over Kerryn Phelps’s medivac bill. Isn’t his “opening the door”?
https://www.outline.com/uFSCW9
Shane wright says that the finance sector is set for a huge shake-up as the government responds to the Hayne report.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/finance-sector-set-for-a-huge-shake-up-as-government-responds-to-hayne-report-20190203-p50ve7.html
Sean Kelly looks at the massive banking commission gamble that Morrison is likely to make.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/scott-morrison-s-massive-banking-commission-gamble-20181109-p50f21.html
Sarah Danckert says that business leaders have warned it would be impossible to removal all risk from the banking sector and trying to do so would hurt the economy, as the Federal Government is set to release the findings and its response to the final report of the Hayne banking royal commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/business-heavy-hitters-warn-against-panic-over-hayne-20190203-p50vea.html
The AFR says that Bankers, regulators and politicians are like rather unfit sprinters poised awkwardly in their blocks, waiting for the Hayne starting gun to go off.
https://www.outline.com/qEpULn
Australia’s big banks have launched a public mea culpa ahead of the release of the long-anticipated, likely scarifying, findings of the banking royal commission, acknowledging they have failed their customers, and arguing the Hayne report is a chance to reset the sector.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/04/australias-banks-offer-mea-culpa-ahead-of-royal-commission-report
Paula Matthewson explains why the government should accept all the recommendations of the royal commission, come what may.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/02/03/banking-royal-commission-morrison/
According to the New Daily this is what to look out for in the Hayne banking royal commission report.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2019/02/03/banking-royal-commission-report/
Suncorp is still at it!
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/how-stupid-can-you-be-bank-sends-letter-to-dead-father-of-royal-commission-witness-20190131-p50uxn.html
Ross Gittins tells our politicians that weak wage growth won’t fix itself.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/hey-pollies-weak-wage-growth-won-t-fix-itself-20190203-p50vcx.html
Sally McManus tells us how Australia strayed from a fair go to record inequality.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/how-australia-strayed-from-a-fair-go-to-record-inequality-20190131-p50upu.html
Australians feel “chained to a treadmill of low wage jobs”, says Chris Bowen as he argues the economy is soft under the Morrison government. Shane Wright reports.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/every-drop-of-sweat-labor-says-morrison-is-hurting-ordinary-workers-20190203-p50vdo.html
Dana McCauly reports that one of the nation’s largest employer groups has demanded a crackdown on businesses that rip off workers. In its pre-budget submission, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the federal government to beef up the Fair Work Ombudsman to pursue employers who underpay staff, saying the problem remains “widespread”.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/employers-demand-crackdown-on-worker-underpayments-20190201-p50v14.html
Labor will launch its economic assault on the government today by urging voters not to be fooled by headline claims about a strengthening economy.
https://www.outline.com/fsXERs
Federal Labor has signalled it could support a NBN Co “trigger” to slash the value of the national broadband network.
https://www.outline.com/N789rn
Matthew Knott writes that Bill Shorten’s decision to rebuff Rupert Murdoch’s request for a meeting in New York has been applauded by former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who said it was a wise move not to attempt to court favour with the media mogul.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/kevin-rudd-hails-bill-shorten-s-wise-decision-to-rebuff-rupert-murdoch-20190202-p50v8a.html
Labor members of parliament’s standing committee on economics are considering lodging a complaint with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or attempting a referral to the privileges committee, declaring recent behaviour by the Liberal chairman “an outrageous abuse” of longstanding conventions.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/03/labor-mps-considering-complaint-against-liberals-tim-wilson
The dominant energy retailers AGL Energy, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, while broadly supporting the concept of demand response, all oppose the rule change, as do their smaller rivals. They argue that either there is no need for the rule, that it would drive up costs or that they themselves are best placed to carry out those functions with their customers.
https://www.outline.com/fz3eFy
Greg Jericho writes that the Coalition is scaremongering about Labor and higher taxes – but it’s not government’s job to help the rich get richer.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/feb/03/wealthfare-makes-even-less-sense-than-middle-class-welfare
Katharine Murphy says that the Coalition has no choice but to try and fix the self-created disaster that is its climate policy.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/02/climate-change-a-burning-issue-again-in-voters-minds
The National Irrigators’ Council’s Steve Whan writes that no one likes the Murray-Darling plan – and that’s a good thing.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/no-one-likes-the-murray-darling-plan-and-that-s-a-good-thing-20190203-p50vcb.html
A former director at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Maryanne Slattery, writes that we could have led the world and saved a river system, but for politics. She says the basin plan is in jeopardy not because of its critics, but because they are being silenced.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/we-could-have-led-the-world-and-saved-a-river-system-but-for-politics-20190131-p50us2.html
Australia sweltered through the hottest month in its history in January, spurring mass deaths of fish, fire warnings and concerns among climate scientists that extreme heat is hitting faster and harder than anticipated.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/01/australia-extreme-heat-sign-of-things-to-come-scientists-warn-climate
The grassroots revolt against Liberals who deny the existence of climate change appears to be spreading to southern Sydney with a new group set up to take on the outspoken federal MP for Hughes, Craig Kelly. Will we see the end of this clown?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/03/craig-kelly-faces-grassroots-campaign-to-oust-him-from-seat-of-hughes
Jennifer Duke reports that Morrison’s plan to put commercial Australian television shows on TV screens in the Pacific Islands has been criticised by free-to-air industry sources as a “multi-million dollar thought bubble” that duplicates services already provided by the public broadcaster.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/multi-million-dollar-thought-bubble-tv-industry-criticises-pm-s-pacific-islands-plan-20190203-p50vd4.html
Bloody hell! British officials have revived cold war emergency plans to relocate the royal family should there be riots in London if Britain suffers a disruptive departure from the European Union, two Sunday newspapers have reported.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/03/queen-to-be-evacuated-if-brexit-turns-ugly-reports
Michael Koziol tells us that Warren Mundine has pledged to divest all his business interests before the election – including a company that last year received a $5 million government grant – to ensure he does not fall foul of the Constitution’s notorious section 44.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/warren-mundine-to-divest-shares-in-company-that-received-5-million-government-grant-20190202-p50v9a.html
This Guardian contributor says, “Bullshit, not lies, is the corrosive influence blighting our public life”.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/02/bullshit-not-lies-is-the-real-corrosive-influence-blighting-our-public-life
Lisa Visentin writes that after 14 years on the political sidelines, one-time federal Labor leader Mark Latham’s return to politics could see him emerge as a kingmaker in the NSW parliament within weeks. OMG!
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/they-re-my-policies-mark-latham-s-return-from-political-wilderness-20190201-p50v72.html
Northeast Queensland is really copping it with this unprecedented rain event that is nowhere near finished.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/townsville-on-edge-as-dam-gates-open-20190203-p50vfp.html
Teacher Bronwen Aunty laments that recently the generation who has been the leaders in education are closing the books on their careers in droves.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/a-generation-of-teaching-experience-is-disappearing-into-the-sunset-20190131-p50uss.html
Here we go! Liberal MP Ian Goodenough escorted a delegation of 250 Asian businesspeople to two lobster businesses that pay a commission to the backbencher’s company for securing export deals.
https://www.outline.com/G36TRK
Nissan has scrapped plans to build its new X-Trail SUV in Britain, warning that uncertainty over Brexit was making it harder to plan for the future.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/nissan-blames-brexit-as-it-cancels-plan-to-build-x-trail-suv-in-the-uk-20190204-p50vg7.html
Historical myths die hard. And historical myths have plagued our understanding of the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor Government by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, on 11 November 1975.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/what-the-queen-really-knew-about-the-whitlam-government-dismissal,12339
The everyday items we all throw in the bin – with dire consequences.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2019/02/03/can-i-put-this-in-the-bin/
The practice of gay conversion therapy will be banned in Victoria, after the Health Complaints Commissioner found “overwhelming evidence” it does serious and long-term harm to those who receive it.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victoria-to-ban-gay-conversion-therapy-20190203-p50vdn.html
Cartoon Corner
I wonder which newspaper Mark David is taking aim at here.
Sean Leahy on the day of the banking royal commission report release.
And he goes to a school drop off zone near you.
David Rowe goes to the Insiders studio.
A good little video from Glen Le Lievre.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1091828442478170112
John Shakespeare’s caricatures all have a certain sameness.
From Matt Golding.
Jim Pavlidis with Morrison’s royal commission woes.
Pat Campbell cleans up the Liberal party.
From the US.
Trump weighs US military intervention in Venezuela: Sending troops is ‘an option’
US. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he would consider sending troops to Venezuela to support self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaidó.
In an interview with CBS news that is set to air on Sunday, Trump said that deploying U.S. troops is “an option.”
The U.S. president also said that he had turned down a meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/trump-weighs-us-military-intervention-venezuela-sending-troops-option/
The Greens seem to missing a huge opportunity to use their environmental credentials to run hard in seats where there are many thousands of disillusioned Liberal voters looking for real action on Climate Change and related environmental issues..
It is obvious this election will be fought on what was (once) their strongest policy front, yet I’ve heard SFA from their leadership team. SHY has made some comments on the tragic fish kills, but I’ve heard nothing from DiNatale, and there is little evidence they are preparing to run campaigns with strong candidates in vulnerable Liberal seats..
I believe the conditions for a change of leadership are already there, and I feel confident in saying that Bob Brown is actively working behind the scenes to get the Greens back on track as a party focused on the environment..
The Greens, in their current form, cannot survive. This is obvious to anyone interested in Aus politics. I’m sure it’s obvious to the Greens as well..
“Labor’s so-called ‘retiree tax’ policy explained:
1. Retirees will STILL get franking credits from investments to reduce income tax payable. There is no double taxation.
2. But it can only reduce taxable income to ZERO, not some ridiculous fake “negative” which results in someone who paid $0 tax getting a “tax refund”.
Actually the first two explanation points are:
1. The policy is only relevant to retirees who are not on a full or part pension;
2. The policy is only relevant to other retirees who own shares;
Trump aides gearing up for ‘subpoena blizzard’ coming from Democratic-held House committees: report
Following Donald Trump’s Tuesday night State of the Union address, aides to the president expect to be inundated with a flood of subpoenas from House committees now led by Democrats after the 2018 midterm election.
According to a report in the Washington Post, a Trump ally said the White House is bracing for “a subpoena blizzard.”
The report states that House Democrats are set to “launch their promised oversight investigations, which are expected to probe the president’s conduct and personal finances as well as alleged corruption in the administration.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/trump-aides-gearing-subpoena-blizzard-coming-democratic-held-house-committees-report/
Trump Says ISIS Can Have Syria Because The US Has Fast Planes
Trump claimed that it didn’t matter if ISIS reclaimed lost territory in Iraq and Syria because the US has fast planes and can fly troops back in.
If the US pulls out of Syria and Iraq intelligence officials, say that ISIS will regain the territory that it lost in 6-12 months. To liberate that territory again, Trump will have to send more troops and shed more blood than would be necessary if he would leave current US forces in place.
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/02/03/trump-says-isis-can-have-iraq-and-syria-because-the-us-has-fast-planes.html
Pegasus @ #1890 Sunday, February 3rd, 2019 – 11:26 pm
Alas, poor Alex, Peg knew her well!
How sensible.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/auto/2019/02/03/mazda3-fourth-generation/
Simon Benson reposts that Morrison has bowed to demands for an independent medical review panel to vet asylum-seeker transfers from regional processing centres to Australian health facilities as the government faces the risk of a historic defeat on the floor of parliament next week over Kerryn Phelps’s medivac bill. Isn’t this “opening the door”?
And posing a threat to Border Security? And everything else Labor can pull out of the Morrison archives to throw back in his smug face. 🙂
The Trump daily diaries for the last 3 months have been leaked….
A White House source has leaked nearly every day of President Trump’s private schedule for the past three months.
Why it matters: This unusually voluminous leak gives us unprecedented visibility into how this president spends his days. The schedules, which cover nearly every working day since the midterms, show that Trump has spent around 60% of his scheduled time over the past 3 months in unstructured “Executive Time.”
We’ve published every page of the leaked schedules in a piece that accompanies this item. To protect our source, we retyped the schedules in the same format that West Wing staff receives them.
https://www.axios.com/donald-trump-private-schedules-leak-executive-time-34e67fbb-3af6-48df-aefb-52e02c334255.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic
sprocket,
I bet Jonathan Swan, now that he is at Axios, charms the pants off the ladies in the West Wing. He has been getting scoop after scoop since he went over there.
…
Although, from a serious perspective, I wouldn’t totally dismiss Trump’s ‘Executive Time’ as just him being lazy and asleep in the wheelhouse.
He seems to use that time to strategise his moves and develop the tactical underpinnings of his Presidency, day by day. All the Tweets that are the core of his control of his base and the situation around him come out of that time, and generally they have been successful in keeping his Ship of State afloat, while to our eyes everything is going to hell in a handbasket all around him.
I’m pretty sure if Trump actually spent as much time doing the normal job of President as people expect, he would be in a worse situation even than he is now.
1. The policy is only relevant to retirees who are not on a full or part pension;
Actually, there is a distinction as to when you became a pensioner. The cutoff date is the 28th of March 2018. If you were a pensioner before that date and recieved cash refunds for franking credits, you will continue to do so under the new ALP policy.
I was driving behind a guy using his mobile (texting I think) while riding a bike!!!!!!
Rebekha Sharkie is a very clear-eyed, strategic thinker:
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/02/03/no-confidence/
Chuckle.
***
@EddyJokovich
8h8 hours ago
Replying to @SkyNewsAust
The complete chaos and dysfunction has been completely created by the Liberal Party. Georgina seems to think independents are in place because of the media. The good news is that she’s not going to win Mayo. Ever.
DaretoTread @ #1967 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:44 am
One of my boys had a serious accident doing that. He wasn’t wearing a helmet either while texting me. He got concussion and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance. 🙁
He wears a helmet now and doesn’t text and ride his bike at the same time.
To the likes of Georgina Downer, the chaos and dysfunction of parliament would be solved by having Coalition governments ruling forever. 😐
DaretoTread @ #1966 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:44 am
Ha de ha ha ⁉
I can’t stop laughing.
Sorry about your boy C@tmomma .
There is a lot of anger over so many things the Coalition have done. The NBN is only one.
From yesterday
lizzie
Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:47 am
Comment #1968
The inference must be that Ms. Georgina Downer is either partially or absolutely deaf as she appears to not hear what she is saying. 🙉
Fwy do the Liberals love stuffing the environment?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/programs/nsw-country-hour/2019-02-02/brumby-culling-found-to-be-crucial-in-ensuring-native-survival/10771160
Looking at you NSW government.
While I’m at it, why don’t the so called Greens on this blog criticise the Liberals about their destruction of the environment.
Never see them doing it. Ever.
Putin orders Russia to develop new missiles after leaving treaty, will deploy only if US does
Russia doesn’t have the coin or the know how. Bluff and bluster only believed by those that want a boogey man.
KayJay @ #1972 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:53 am
Don’t feel too sorry for him, Kay Jay, he learned his lesson the hard way and no permanent harm done. 🙂
We have friends and distant relatives in Sunderland, an area which ironically voted heavily in favour of Brexit.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/03/sunderland-locals-worry-as-nissan-scraps-plans-to-build-new-x-trail
Pee Bee,
The Greens on this blog, from beneath their carapace of sanctimony, proclaim that there is no point criticising the Coalition because the Coalition will never do the right thing. Then they use that pathetic excuse to train all their guns at Labor.
Thank goodness the Independent Liberal Women standing in the federal election don’t believe that self-serving load of malarkey, and like the article in today’s Dawn Patrol states, they are standing up for the Environment while The Greens are silent.
C@t just making stuff up to stay relevant to whatever’s going on.
Nothing lasts forever, not even heavily taxpayer subsidised nuclear power plants in the U.K.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/03/fate-of-uks-nuclear-power-stations-in-doubt-over-ageing-infrastructure
Morning all
A beautiful morning. Only 19 degrees
Compared to 34 degrees at same time yesterday!
Sheesh…..
C#t:
The Greens on this blog, from beneath their carapace of sanctimony, proclaim that there is no point criticising the Coalition because the Coalition will never do the right thing. Then they use that pathetic excuse to train all their guns at Labor.
Pathetic excuse is right.
As someone said earlier, there are only two political parties in Australia, Labor and anti-Labor.
Superbowl in a few hours. I don’t follow it but the New England Patriots are looking the good. Whose owner is chummy with Trump. Hence why I would like them to lose! Lol…..
Rocket Rocket, just read anything about the cost of decommissioning Sellafield or Dounray reactors would convince anyone that nuclear energy is not a viable energy source.
Victoria says: Monday, February 4, 2019 at 8:13 am
Superbowl in a few hours. I don’t follow it but the New England Patriots are looking the good. Whose owner is chummy with Trump. Hence why I would like them to lose! Lol…..
***********************************************************************
Owner Of New England Patriots Just Turned A Majority Of Americans Into Rams Fans
Today is Superbowl Sunday and that can mean only one thing: Millions of Americans will gather in front of the TV to watch commercials. Oh, and football will be going on. Once again, the much-reviled New England Patriots are appearing in the big game and their team owner, Robert Kraft, appears to be making even nonfootball people LA Rams fans.
Kraft, notorious for his close relationship with President Trump over the years, praised President Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News’ morning show “Fox & Friends” on Friday. Kraft audaciously said that President Trump was “working very hard to serve the best interests of the country.”
Kraft, being a billionaire tycoon, must mean that the President is working very hard to serve the best interests of billionaires like himself. After all, Trump’s tax cuts benefit rich Americans like Kraft and not the middle-class Americans that make him richer by attending Patriots football games.
https://hillreporter.com/owner-of-new-england-patriots-just-turned-a-majority-of-americans-into-rams-fans-video-23245
Riding a bike and being on the mobile phone. I think they teach how to do in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. By the way there is nothing worse for cycling than Australia’s mandatory helmet laws.
lizzie @ #1980 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:14 am
McGowan will roll over and give the LNP what they want, so it wont matter what Phelps wants.
Thanks BK for the Dawn Patrol.
The BS O’Meter will have to be cleaned and flushed many times today as the Hayne report surfaces.
I would like the following to take a public bow and possibly reveal their own (up till now) private nominations for Arsehole of the Century. *
Counsel Assisting
Ms Rowena Orr QC
Mr Michael Hodge QC
Mr Albert Dinelli
Ms Eloise Dias
Mr Mark Costello
*Soon to be seen on Network EFFEWE as a 97 part reality/true crime show.😵
frednk @ #1968 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 6:59 am
Fred
Honestly mate, I do not want to boost the idea of the Russian military being super strong, but really that is breathtaking hubris that is dangerous.
Now as to missiles that is just thick headed. Russia has always been a world leader in rocketry of all kinds – satellites, space travel etc and missiles are just the same. So you can rightfully comment on many things Russian including military equipment as being sub standard but probably NOT missiles and rockets. Exporting rocket engines is one of their main exports in addition to oil/gas and I guess you do know that the ONLY rockets capable of delivering US personnel to space stations are Russian and that the US buys them to launch its own satellites.That is also why countries are buying their S400s, presumably because they work. So yes Russia certainly does have the know how to build sophisticated missiles.
Now money is more relevant but again you seem to be falling for the usual very outdated clap trap. The Russian economy was a basket case in 2000, but thrived for the next 13 years and much money was available for the military and for debt repayment. The economy took a big hit in 2013 as a result of the drop in oil prices and the sanctions. The oil prices have risen again as you should know. As for the sanctions they seem not to have been particularly successful. Indeed I am still reeling from this, but Russia exports more wheat that Australia. The sanctions apparently forced russia to grow its own food and invest in more manufacturing..
The economy is fragile definitely, but you would be naive to assume that it is so sick it cannot find money for missiles. Indeed i am no expert on this stuff but I think missiles (as opposed to planes and boats) would be pretty cheap to build. It is also quite possible that they never destroyed the ones they had back when the treaty was signed. There is a lot of ice in Russia and I think missiles would be fairly easy to hide.
So Fred you comment was ignorant and dangerous. Such hubris is what leads to wars when over confident idiots think they can easily overrun another country.
Tim Wilson uses Parliamentary Committee as a front to lobby for Coalition members.
Scott Morrison adjusts history for his own benefit.
The theme here? Pentecostals.
The theme here? Pentecostals.
Their justification when pinged? ‘Their’ God says it’s okay. 😐
C@tmomma @ #1961 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 6:48 am
I have a very good friend who along with her daughter just will not agree that texting while driving is stupid and dangerous. In all other respects sensible and responsible but not on this one.
Alpha Zero,
Riding a bike in Holland is NOT the same as riding a bike on Australia’s roads.
I’m wonderring if yesterday was the day the music died for Mavis.
My other son, who owns a car, has figured out how to put his phone to rest on to the area between his lap and the bottom of the steering wheel. That way he can’t be seen using it unless a police car pulls up beside him and looks down. 😐
C@tmomma @ #1987 Monday, February 4th, 2019 – 7:27 am
Agree Cat
Holland is flat and many people ride. That means there are not speeding cars etc.
I would be happy to declare SOME zones helmet free provided there is no interaction with vehicles and the land is flat. Inner city and CBDs probably would mostly be suitable, and i think CBDs which only have trams, bikes and scooters (and disabled taxis/vehicles) would be a good idea. Specific times eg 5-7am and 7-10Pm could be allocated for heavy vehicles and deliveries.
But for the rest of suburban Australia – helmets are essential.
PhoenixRed
It would be great if the Rams win! So far I’m just not feeling it. I hope to be wrong!
C@t
Last week, friend of mine received huge fine for doing exactly what your son does. Here in Vic, you cant have the phone anywhere on your person whilst driving.