The tribes of Israel

The latest Essential Research poll turns up a mixed bag of views on the Israel Folau controversy. Also featured: prospects for an indigenous recognition referendum and yet more Section 44 eruptions.

The latest of Essential Research’s fortnightly polls, which continue to limit themselves to issue questions in the wake of the great pollster failure, focuses mostly on the Israel Folau controversy. Respondents registered high levels of recognition of the matter, with 22% saying they had been following it closely, 46% that they had “read or seen some news”, and another 17% saying they were at least “aware”.

Probing further, the poll records very strong support for what seem at first blush to be some rather illiberal propositions, including 64% agreement with the notion that people “should not be allowed to argue religious freedom to abuse others”. However, question wording would seem to be very important here, as other questions find an even split on whether Folau “has the right to voice his religious views, regardless of the hurt it could cause others” (34% agree, 36% disagree), and whether there should be “stronger laws to protect people who express their religious views in public” (38% agree, 38% disagree). Furthermore, 58% agreed that “employers should not have the right to dictate what their employees say outside work”, which would seem to encompass the Folau situation.

Respondents were also asked who would benefit and suffer from the federal government’s policies over the next three years, which, typically for a Coalition government, found large companies and corporations expected to do best (54% good, 11% bad). Other results were fairly evenly balanced, the most negative findings relating to the environment (26% good, 33% bad) and, funnily enough, “older Australians” (26% good, 38% bad). The economy came in at 33% good and 29% bad, and “Australia in general” at 36% good and 27% bad. The poll was conducted last Tuesday to Saturday from a sample of 1099.

Also of note:

• A referendum on indigenous recognition may be held before the next election, after Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt’s announcement on Wednesday that he would pursue a consensus option for a proposal to go before voters “during the current parliamentary term”. It is clear the government would not be willing to countenance anything that went further than recognition, contrary to the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s call for a “First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution” – a notion derided as a “third chamber of parliament” by critics, including Scott Morrison.

• A paper in the University of Western Australia Law Review keeps the Section 44 pot astir by suggesting 26 current members of federal parliament may fall foul by maintaining a “right of abode” in the United Kingdom – a status allowing “practically the same rights” as citizenship even where citizenship has been formally renounced. The status has only been available to British citizens since 1983, but is maintained by citizens of Commonwealth countries who held it before that time, which they could do through marriage or descent. This could potentially be interpreted as among “the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power”, as per the disqualifying clause in Section 44. Anyone concerned by this has until the end of the month to challenge an election result within the 40 day period that began with the return of the writs on June 21. Action beyond that point would require referral by the House of Representatives or the Senate, as appropriate.

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.

1,966 comments on “The tribes of Israel”

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  1. Since when did we have freedom of speech in Australia?

    We have long had laws that place consequences on different types of speech.

    Even here, as benign a dictator as our Lord and Master is, posts are chopped, infrequently I must say, for breaching his commandments.

    Everyday we temper what we say and how we say things depending on variations in our environment.

    To suggest that we speak and are able to speak freely at all times is a nonsense.

  3. BB
    Folua can say what he likes, within whatever is legal. But the Rugby organisation can do what they like, within what is legal, about his employment contract.

    And we have the opportunity to tell Folau within the legality of speech in this country, that it would be best if his God struck him dumb so nobody has to put up with his shit.

    I actually feel a bit sorry for the man. He is obviously being emotionally manipulated by a significant other, according to reports. He turned down the way out of this mess, the olive branch offered to him by his employer, because his fears of everlasting suffering were reinforced by that significant other. His mental state is probably none to good, having ruined his career in a sport he loves because he does not want to undergo physical pain forever.

    Now he is an adult who should be able to work his way out of this, without giving up his faith, and he should have spiritual advisers who can help him do it. The bloke even reckons he is doing this out of love because he does not want others to go to the afterlife torture chamber his is facing. And he has heard this doctrine long before he became an adult. I would hope that someone can reach into this strange and cruel belief system and help this man can get his life back.

    But hey, martyrdom is always useful tool for religions, and demonising various groups in society is de rigueur. Bringing kids up to be so terrified of eternal damnation that they do anything a religious figure says is not classified as child abuse. Maybe one day?

    So BB, your treatise has very strong points. Maybe ridicule is better than anger. Normally I would agree.

    But as the actual argument is about what his employers can do when he spouts stuff that they do not want to have as part of their business, and his contract says he can’t do that, speech is not really a part of it.

  5. Anyone banging on about freedom of speech without calling for relaxing our defamation laws is not worth listening to.

  7. briefly says:
    Friday, July 12, 2019 at 11:57 pm

    I don’t partake of footy on feminist grounds. It’s also very boring.
    _________________
    Classic upper class snobbery on working people and their sporting organs.

  8. clem attlee says:
    Friday, July 12, 2019 at 10:11 pm

    Get this everybody…”None of you are going to heaven, yes you over there the gay and you the atheist, you too Mr Fornicator.” Well should I lose my job for saying that? What load of bourgeois crap!
    ———————————————–
    Nah its called employment law, when a person is employed, he or she entered into a contract with the employer with both parties required to do behave in a certain way. Folau acted in a way that the ARU didn’t like and asked him to take the offensive comment away and Folau refused and for that he was sacked. It happens somewhere everyday in one way or another. One has to wonder why the ARU didn’t simply drop Folau from the side and not select him for future matches.

  9. clem attlee @ #497 Friday, July 12th, 2019 – 10:50 pm

    Pufftmd, we are not talking about female cleaners here, or migrant textile piece workers. We are talking about multi millionaire athletes, who I might add are not worth ten percent of what they earn. Also,your reference to women being pivotal to the success of male football leagues tenuous at best. How so, apart from being punters in the stands?

    If you do not know the answer to the question already, you are too thick to understand it anyway. Go do some research of your own. You may find enlightenment. Just be advised: It does take some lateral thinking. Yours is very linear.

  10. Not so much a class thing, nath. Have you ever met the Eagles supporters? They are well-heeled. No steel-caps to be seen. No hi-vis.

    It’s just a tedium thing. Fuck, it is boring. I feel about footy the way most people feel about politics. Or golf, which is even worse. Why is golf?

  11. clem attlee says:
    Friday, July 12, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    Pufftmd, we are not talking about female cleaners here, or migrant textile piece workers. We are talking about multi millionaire athletes, who I might add are not worth ten percent of what they earn. Also,your reference to women being pivotal to the success of male football leagues tenuous at best. How so, apart from being punters in the stands?
    ———————————–
    Its not an issue of how much Folau has or his worth, the issue should be resolved on the question of treatment of contract. I think the ARU could be right in their decision but it depends on how the FWC wants to enact the law. This case has potential importance for employment law.

  12. In other news, my son bought me a (second hand)lathe for wood. Built by an engineer. Very sturdy. It came with lots of extras, including chisels.
    Now to work out how to use it. 🙂 (You-tube is very helpful)

  13. Nick Ross lost his job at the ABC because of a Tweet about the NBN. Think about THAT. He lost his job because he Tweeted something his employer didn’t like. So did Israel Folau. Whether it was to do with his religious beliefs is neither here nor there, except for the politicians that are trying to make something out of it legislatively. They’ve taken the ball and well and truly run with it.

  14. Alex Acosta has resigned as Trump’s Labor Secretary. Trump must be worried about the heat getting a bit too hot in the kitchen.

  15. C@tmomma @ #513 Friday, July 12th, 2019 – 11:46 pm

    Nick Ross lost his job at the ABC because of a Tweet about the NBN. Think about THAT. He lost his job because he Tweeted something his employer didn’t like. So did Israel Folau. Whether it was to do with his religious beliefs is neither here nor there, except for the politicians that are trying to make something out of it legislatively. They’ve taken the ball and well and truly run with it.

    And I bet there was not a clause in Ross’ contract to prevent him discussing the NBN and the failings of the project. I did not see much, make that any, rightwing outrage about Ross’ freedom of speech!

  17. Yep, it seems he quit.

    And then, late last week, we saw former ABC Technology editor Nick Ross quit the public broadcaster, whereafter he promptly went onto Twitter and Reddit to explain that he had been censored by ABC management to prevent him from fairly reporting on the NBN. That he had been gagged for years from explaining to the public the simple fact – well understood by anyone with a modem – that, as communications minister and then as prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull has destroyed the NBN with his retrograde, coppercentric (or should we say coprophile?) policies.

    https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/malcolm-turnbull-nick-ross-and-the-sad-story-of-a-broken-abc,8590

  19. Long-awaited Mueller testimony postponed

    The highly-anticipated and long-awaited testimony of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been postponed, for reasons unknown.

    Mueller was to testify next week before the House Judiciary Committee next week, on July 17. The new scheduled date in July 24, according to Politico.

    Attorney General Bill Barr has not been supportive of Mueller testifying, and President Donald Trump has been adamantly opposed.

    Developing…

    https://www.rawstory.com/2019/07/long-awaited-mueller-testimony-postponed/

    Mueller Testimony Delayed As Democrats Want More Time For Questions

    https://www.politicususa.com/2019/07/12/muller-testimony-delayed.html

  20. Attorney-General Christian Porter has backed away from earlier assurances that journalists aren’t being targeted by police, as one of the nation’s most powerful media companies attacks the Coalition for “damaging” Australia’s international reputation as an open democracy.

    Bad blood between media chiefs and the Morrison government deepened on Friday after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton rejected demands to drop police action against three high-profile journalists and implied the reporters committed a crime by receiving top-secret documents.
    …
    The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have been told Mr Porter is angry he has been dragged into the affair given the AFP reports to Mr Dutton’s powerful Home Affairs super department.

    https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/limited-information-available-to-me-attorney-general-walks-away-from-afp-claims-20190712-p526oa.html

  21. Note to self: cross-reference your memory. 😆

    How about Yasmin Abdel-Mageid was sacked by her employer, the ABC, for a facebook post? 🙂

  22. Wow! Is that hubris or what!?! The Morrison government thinks it can take on the media in a full-throated legal stoush! I guess they reckon they succeeded in bringing the ABC to heel so it should be no problem taking on the rest of them. Hmm.

  25. How the government is controlling the story.

    Why is the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security review of the media raids chaired by Andrew Hastie, who was commander in charge of those allegedly committing war crimes in Afghanistan and subject of the ABC report in question?

  26. Cat

    Hubris will be their undoing. More voters will get engaged this next three years.
    Yes even Adani Convoys are good in that role. 🙂

  27. And speaking of hubris, you have in the Conservatives’ corner, Peta Credlin and the SAD crew, who are looking to show Morrison who the real bosses are(from Dragonista’s weekly column):

    You’d be forgiven for thinking Prime Minister Scott Morrison should be feeling pretty secure as leader of the Liberal Party right now.

    He almost single-handedly won the unwinnable election and has already managed to get his controversial personal income tax cuts through the Parliament.

    “Fantastic. Great move. Well done Scott,” you can imagine the PM’s colleagues posting on their Facebook pages and in WhatsApp messages.

    But no, arch-conservative MPs and commentators are far from satisfied. In fact, their demands (and veiled threats) have only just begun, now that they realise they’re in an even better position to extort than before the election.

    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/07/12/paula-matthewson-morrison-conservatives/

  28. Humongous $5 billion penalty to be levied on Facebook for privacy and data protection lapses: report

    US regulators have approved a $5 billion penalty to be levied on Facebook to settle a probe into the social network’s privacy and data protection lapses, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

    The FTC announced last year it reopened its investigation into a 2011 privacy settlement with Facebook after revelations that personal data on tens of millions of users was hijacked by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, working on the Donald Trump campaign in 2016.

    Facebook has also faced questions about whether it improperly shared user data with business partners in violation of the earlier settlement.

    https://www.rawstory.com/2019/07/humongous-5-billion-penalty-to-be-levied-on-facebook-for-privacy-and-data-protection-lapses-report/

  29. Acosta’s 72-hour failure to win back Trump

    The prosecution scandal hit a labor secretary who had a lukewarm relationship with the president and was already on thin ice with many members of the White House staff.

    Trump was initially satisfied by Acosta’s defense at the press conference, but over the last couple of days the president saw the negative press and didn’t like it — a torrent of damaging news coverage aimed not just at Acosta but at Trump himself, who had a decades-long relationship with Epstein before, in the president’s telling, they had a falling out.

    “POTUS is not a fan of bad press, especially when other people make him look bad,” one person said.

    https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/12/alexander-acosta-stepping-down-as-labor-secretary-1411998

  30. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. Here’s a big lot of Saturday reading for you!

    The SMH editorial says that Frydenberg is taking some extraordinary steps to try to convince Australians that everything is alright with the economy but it will take more than spin. It remarks that the Treasurer’s double act with the RBA was a bad look.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/frydenbergs-double-act-with-the-rba-was-a-bad-look-20190712-h1g6ug.html
    Paul Bongiorno’s review of the week is entitled,” Scott Morrison, prayers and Hillsong” and is a good read.
    https://outline.com/UT3J6Z
    Scott Morrison says there will be no cuts to health, education or services to pay for his tax package. The numbers tell a different story says Mike Seccombe. It all comes down to what is meant by the word “cut”. Seccombe opines that we are headed for a meaner and less equal society.
    https://outline.com/H79kmW
    Katharine Murphy writes that it’s not clear whether the prime minister will sink his personal capital into a positive outcome on indigenous recognition or run from the fight.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/13/on-indigenous-recognition-and-reconciliation-scott-morrison-faces-test-of-leadership
    Simon Benson reports that Trump will roll out the red carpet for Scott Morrison when he visits the US, insisting the Prime Minister be afforded the highest status offered to world leaders, ­including the first state dinner for an Australian leader since John Howard. Google.

    scott-morrison-to-go-to-washington-for-trump-state-dinner/news-story/be50d063b6812ebb034fad80b8c85680

    Karen Middleton reveals that as attempts to restore water to the river basin fail to meet their targets, scientists warn irrigator subsidies may cost 10 times initial estimates. Wow!
    https://outline.com/rHxwnk
    Harry Triguboff’s Meriton wants immediate reforms to the construction industry in NSW to stop substandard buildings from going up, as a growing number of experts argue the government should issue low-interest loans to apartment owners battling defects.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/immediate-reforms-triguboff-s-meriton-wants-building-industry-change-20190712-p526re.html
    And The Saturday Paper explains how Sydney and Melbourne’s real estate boom, falling standards in oversight and a reticence to report flaws have combined to create a defects crisis in the cities’ residential apartments.
    https://outline.com/hbDPWg
    Bevan Shields reports that Christian Porter has been forced onto the back foot over his stance that journalists aren’t being targeted by police.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/limited-information-available-to-me-attorney-general-walks-away-from-afp-claims-20190712-p526oa.html
    This what caused it. Peter Dutton has rejected demands to drop police action against three high-profile journalists, declaring reporters are committing a crime by receiving top-secret documents.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nobody-is-above-the-law-journalists-committed-a-crime-says-peter-dutton-20190712-p526il.html
    Tanya Levin explains what Morrison’s faith means. I had difficulty coming to grips with this!
    https://outline.com/LMrm2p
    Politicians leak secrets when it’s useful to them. So what about their pursuit of journalists who do the same in the public’s name, asks Laura Tingle.
    https://outline.com/tKVUgX
    Doug Dingwall reports that the Tax Office has vowed tax refunds will still flow to people who lodged their returns before a prolonged outage hit websites for people dealing with Commonwealth agencies.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6270628/mygov-restored-but-ato-online-services-still-down-in-tax-time-stumble/?cs=14225
    Elizabeth Minter revels how debt collectors are going beyond ASIC’s guidelines.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/bombarded-by-calls-and-text-messages-debt-collectors-breaching-guidelines-20190711-p526bn.html
    Elizabeth Franklin says we should have laughed at Folau but now it’s turned into a big mess.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/bizarre-unconscionable-we-re-about-to-legitimise-folau-s-madness-20190711-p526cg.html
    According to Shane Wright and Eryk Bagshaw a property market-fuelled surge has left Australians with record debt and more people in mortgage stress than ever before, raising doubts about whether the Morrison government’s tax refunds will boost the economy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/doubts-over-refund-stimulus-as-debt-soars-on-back-of-property-splurge-20190712-p526mn.html
    Clancy Yeates explores why businesses are investing less in the economy.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/a-50b-lost-opportunity-why-businesses-are-investing-less-in-the-economy-20190711-p5269v.html
    Amanda Meade tells us how lobbyists confected a Four Corners backlash – weeks before the show went to air!
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/12/how-lobbyists-confected-a-four-corners-backlash-weeks-before-the-show-went-to-air
    Richard Ackland unleashes a barrage onto Angus Taylor here.
    https://outline.com/RPDKBb
    Paula Matthewson says that while Scott Morrison won the election the battle with his own party is only just starting.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/07/12/paula-matthewson-morrison-conservatives/
    In the wake of the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch former Australian ambassador tells us that say-nothing diplomats serve no one’s interests.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/say-nothing-diplomats-serve-no-one-s-interests-20190712-p526mm.html
    Peter Dutton says the Coalition’s policy is to achieve Indigenous recognition without enshrining a voice to parliament in the constitution, seemingly ruling out a key demand by the authors of the Uluru statement from the heart. Amy Remeikis reports.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/12/peter-dutton-rules-out-voice-to-parliament-labelling-it-a-third-chamber
    After the death of six workers in the past 12 months, Queensland’s mining industry is desperately searching for solutions to improve the safety of its worksites, writes Dennis Atkins. It seems there is quite a stoush brewing over the use of casual labour.
    https://outline.com/vKKVX8
    Retail Food Group’s doubling down on its decision to keep the market in the dark about a major refinancing initiative even as its share price spiked 70 per cent looks set to spark fresh interest from class action law firms, writes Adele Ferguson.
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/rfg-s-remarkable-actions-could-attract-more-class-actions-20190712-p526nx.html
    The proposed ban on some textured breast implants announced by the Australian pharmaceuticals and medical devices regulator earlier this week tells us something very disquieting about the effectiveness of consumer protection says The Conversation.
    https://theconversation.com/the-tgas-proposed-breast-implant-ban-exposes-a-litany-of-failures-and-fails-to-protect-women-120281
    Private schools are charging extraordinary amounts in school fees, for what is basically the same education as cheaper ones, writes Frank O’Shea.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/class-service-the-rich-schools-are-becoming-richer,12892
    The financial accounts of three large clubs in NSW suggest the practice of forking out free grog to gamblers may be more widespread than government has acknowledged. When regulators fail to do their job, disclosure is the answer. All clubs in NSW should be required to disclose their bar trading performance, revenue from beverages before and after the amount of free drinks served, and the dollar amount of loyalty points awarded for poker machine gambling. Michael West reports.
    https://www.michaelwest.com.au/licked-and-loaded-how-much-are-clubs-pushing-free-grog-on-pokies-players/
    In breaking news US Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta resigned on Friday amid intense scrutiny of his role as a US attorney a decade ago in a deal with Jeffrey Epstein that allowed the financier to plead guilty to lesser offences in a sex-crimes case.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/us-labor-secretary-resigns-amid-scrutiny-of-his-handling-of-epstein-case-20190713-p526u5.html
    The Washington Post looks at what Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes say about our era.
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/what-jeffrey-epsteins-crimes-say-about-our-era-20190712-p526nd.html
    And Richard Cooke writes that the latest arrest of Jeffrey Epstein on charges of sex trafficking minors has again focused world attention on the multimillionaire’s relationships with the rich and powerful.
    https://outline.com/7L9Ran
    Nick O’Malley writes that in the era of Trump, there is no penalty for public wrongdoing and he wonders how Australia is going in this respect.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/in-the-era-of-trump-there-is-no-penalty-for-public-wrongdoing-20190712-p526qn.html
    A recent tribunal has determined that the unconventional gas industry is violating human, social and economic rights, writes Shay Dougall.
    https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/unconventional-violations-of-human-rights-by-the-gas-industry,12890
    A judge who will soon sentence a repeat offender paedophile priest has condemned the Catholic Church for prioritising “the sinner” over his young victims.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/judge-questions-church-priorities-after-it-moved-guilty-priest-around-20190712-p526na.html
    Peter FitzSimons is fervently hoping the Kiwis knock off the Poms at the cricket World Cup final.
    https://www.smh.com.au/sport/good-lord-s-let-s-hope-our-kiwi-cousins-cream-the-old-enemy-20190712-p526r8.html
    The UK is stepping up its military presence in the Gulf by sending a second warship to the region to protect British commercial oil tankers, the Ministry of Defence has said. Where is this going to end up?
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/12/iran-warns-western-powers-to-leave-region-amid-gulf-crisis
    Britain needs a calm and assured prime minister. It needs Jeremy Hunt, writes Michael Ashcroft.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/12/britain-prime-minister-jeremy-hunt-boris-johnson-tory-members-brexit
    A nationwide wave of arrests of immigrants facing deportation will commence this weekend confirming that Trump’s plan, intended to discourage a surge of Central American migrants, was on track after a delay.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6271995/deportation-raids-on-weekend-says-trump/?cs=14232&utm_source=website&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=latestnews
    This mongrel earns his third nomination (as I recall) for “Arsehole of the Week.
    https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/thirteenth-toxic-chemical-dump-discovered-by-drone-20190712-p526s5.html

    Cartoon Corner

    David Rowe thinks Ken Wyatt’s got his work cut out.

    Alan Moir closes the gap.

    Another from Moir.

    Nice work from Andrew Dyson here.

    And from Glen Le Lievre.

    Also from Le Lievre.

    From Matt Golding.





    Zanetti’s back onto the Adani protests.

    Jon Kudelka on Morrison’s upcoming visit to the White House.
    https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/3d97e1ce254cca600e0ac2f12856ab75?width=1024

    From the US






  32. On that Dutton no one is above the law I hope Labor points to s44 referral being blocked.

    Labor has to be strong not cowed by this mob.

    Also it’s only an offence to him and his mates as the public has a right to know. Otherwise it’s not a democracy. We have seen many many times authoritarianism using security as reason to keep their sins hidden.

    To quote a Labor PM. “Let the Sunshine in”

  33. This is another area where the nation, and the Morrison government, could have been saved from itself if a Labor government had been elected on May 18. This is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode with greater ferocity than any ‘Pink Batts’ deaths:

    After the death of six workers in the past 12 months, Queensland’s mining industry is desperately searching for solutions to improve the safety of its worksites, writes Dennis Atkins. It seems there is quite a stoush brewing over the use of casual labour.

  35. Every. Single. Time. A Labour Hire firm is linked to an industrial death the Labor Party should highlight it at put it up in neon lights. The cowboys who run these companies need to learn that we are not back in the days of the Wild West.

  37. Hmmm…..Bridget McKenzie is looking for an electorate officer in Wodonga.

    I’m eminently qualified, surely the job wouldn’t be denied to me just because I’m a member of the ALP!

  38. Richard Ackland: ‘Fantastic Angus has been so busy with explanations about the poisoning of endangered grasslands on a family spread that he’s taken his eye off the ball. Both carbon emissions and power prices have gone in the opposite direction to that promised by Schmo Morrison’s junta. Emissions are up, up, up, and so too are power prices. Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Angus.’

    🙂

  40. I know – I’ll tell her that I’ll only act as a member of the ALP in my own time, when I will be free to use twitter and facebook to criticise the National Party. She won’t have any problem with that, she’s into freedom of speech.

  41. #ETTD

    Kate BennettVerified account@KateBennett_DC
    7h7 hours ago
    Acosta becomes the 13th Cabinet member to depart the Trump administration. By this time in the Obama admin, none had left. In the George W. Bush admin at this point, one had departed.

    :large

  43. Morrison, all togged up in pretend military gear.

    “Australia and the United States see the world through the same eyes”

  44. @Ben Shapiro tweets

    “Right side of history” may be the most morally idiotic phrase of modern times. History is not God and has no morality.

    My new book “The Right Side of History,” is out today! I am biased, but I really think it’s important. I truly put my heart into it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Order it from any of the booksellers at this link rightsideofhistory.com

  45. Morning, lizzie.

    My life is being blighted by a persistent and depressing cold and the slow decline of our 9 year old German Shepherd, who has become permanently lame in one front foot. The inevitable is approaching…

    A few silly people on this blog – who look even sillier to me when it’s early morning and my head is clear – isn’t enough to upset me!

  46. PvO points out the hypocrisy of powerful, loud and omnipresent whining about being victims. He fingers Folau and the churches and also pins AGW denialists.

    It’s a fascinating switch to see unfolding before our eyes. It is as rapid as it is significant. I wonder whether those who liked to attack anyone playing the victim in decades gone by now reflect on their own more recent fears that they and their fellow travellers are being victimised?

    Proud opponents of climate change action lament that they are called climate change “deniers”. Their victimhood extends to paralleling: being labelled a denier with the rhetorical use of the word in the Holocaust discussion. Talk about a long bow.

    Some even argue that their free speech is being curtailed because they don’t get equal airtime in debates on the subject. Never mind that 99 per cent of climate scientists say it’s a genuine phenomenon. Opponents certainly get more than 1 per cent of the airtime to argue their case in response.

    And Poorline.

    Few play the victim as effectively as Pauline Hanson, even though victimising the marginalised has been the stock in trade of many of her supporters. Maiden speeches referring to this country being swamped by Asians and Muslims (pick your decade for the minority) help stir up such vile supporters. Yet they are the ones claiming to be the victims of a politically correct smear.

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/this-spectacle-of-blubbering-goliaths-should-fool-no-one/news-story/78644c166ffb8f23f100d40551ac55e3

  47. Speaking of electorate offices in Victoria. Here’s the Bonge on Rorter-In-Chief in the Morrison government:

    As the member for a Gold Coast electorate, Robert has raised eyebrows in the Liberal Party by establishing his ministerial office in Melbourne – the only minister to go out of their home state in this way. According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, Robert’s NDIS adviser Garry Simpson works out of Adelaide and “is telling people wanting to meet with him to discuss the multibillion-dollar insurance scheme that he is available only in the City of Churches”. Robert’s senior press secretary lives and works out of Brisbane.

    Whatever else, Robert will be relying very heavily on the internet to carry out his duties. Last year, he had to repay almost $38,000 after charging taxpayers for his home web use.

  49. ‘“Right side of history” may be the most morally idiotic phrase of modern times. History is not God and has no morality.’

    I’m surprised you posted this, guytaur.

    “Right side of history” doesn’t mean what that twitter says it does. It means that, in the end, certain positions which were contested at the time eventually become settled in a manner no one disputes. Therefore one side of the contest is proven by the tide of history to have been ‘right’.

    No one in modern times would assert that slavery is ‘right’, yet at one stage it was accepted practice. Those who opposed it have been shown, by the course of events to have been ‘right’.

  50. Morning gripe: when did the word “reticent” (meaning keeping silent) replace the word “reluctant” (meaning hesitation or unwillingness). Once I have seen it three times in publications, I know it must be cemented in.

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