Two brief news items to relate on Australian matters, as well as which we have the latest of Adrian Beaumont’s increasingly regular updates on the constitutional mess that is Brexit.
Sarah Henderson, who held the seat of Corangamite for the Liberals from 2013 until her defeat in May, will return to parliament today after winning preselection to fill Mitch Fifield’s Victorian Senate vacancy. This follows her 234-197 win in a party vote held on Saturday over Greg Mirabella, a Wangaratta farmer and the husband of former Indi MP Sophie Mirabella. After initial expectations that Henderson was all but assured of the spot, Mirabella’s campaign reportedly gathered steam in the lead-up to Saturday’s vote, resulting in a late flurry of public backing for Henderson from Scott Morrison, Josh Frydenberg, Jeff Kennett, Michael Kroger and Michael Sukkar.
Also, The Australian reports Queensland Liberal Senator James McGrath will push for the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, of which he is the chair, to consider abolishing proportional representation in the Senate and replacing it with a system in which each state is broken down into six provinces, each returning a single member at each half-Senate election – very much like the systems that prevailed in the state upper houses of Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia in the bad old days before the advent of proportional representation.
Ostensibly motivated by a desire to better represent the regions, such a system would result in a Senate dominated as much as the House of Representatives by the major parties, at a time of ongoing erosion in public support for them. The Australian’s report further quotes Nationals Senator Perin Davey advocating the equally appalling idea of rural vote weighting for the House. The kindest thing that can be said about both proposals is that they are not going to happen, although the latter would at least give the High Court an opportunity to take a stand for democracy by striking it down.
The Libs attempting to take a leaf out of the US Republican playbook by rigging elections in their favour. As if they don’t already have most of the media and corporate Australia behind them in the first place.
Sounds like James McGrath and Perin Davey are fans of Peanut Joe Bjelke Petersen, last of the great gerrymanderers.
So, let me get this right. You break up a vast open State like WA, or Queensland, into 6 ‘Regions’ and elect a Senator from each. And guess where the Nationals’ representation in the House comes from?
The proposal spoken about above by Mr Bowe is so transparently an attempt to gerry-rig the Senate in favour of the Nationals and the LNP that it is ridiculous and it should be consigned to the dustbin of history that contains gerrymandering, or ‘country weighting’, or whatever anti-democratic name they come up with to disguise its true intent.
Media followers might be interested in this story about the The Guardian.
For what its worth, i think somehow the Australian version isnt quite as bad as its parent, they have some good Journalists, but still, shit always flows downwards.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-09-11-how-the-uk-security-services-neutralised-the-countrys-leading-liberal-newspaper/
The grand ole tradition of squattocracy in the colonies, remove the last vestiges of fairness in political representation, and return the gerry to the mander.
The results of the last election duplicity, danger and and now demonst.
Feeding the chooks in a country where divorce from reality is normal.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers.
John Hewson gives Morrison some sage advice, telling him he has to fill in the policy vacuum. Hewson, as is most often the case, makes eminent sense.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/your-honeymoon-is-over-pm-it-s-time-to-fill-the-policy-vacuum-20190911-p52q7w.html
Rob Harris tells us about the panicky moves within the Liberal Party over Gladys Liu.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/gladys-liu-s-beijing-confession-deepens-dispute-over-loyalty-20190911-p52qec.html
David Crowe says that forensic questions are needed to avoid a Gladys Liu witch-hunt.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/forensic-questions-needed-to-avoid-a-gladys-liu-witch-hunt-20190911-p52qe7.html
Sam Maiden tells us who Gladys Liu is and why the story of our first Chinese-born female MP matters.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/09/11/gladys-liu-background/
Ethicist Clive Hamilton writes that it behoves the parliament now to grapple with Gladys Liu’s case.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/parliament-must-now-grapple-with-gladys-liu-s-case-20190911-p52q8c.html
Voters are increasingly worried about the extent of Chinese influence and activity in Australian politics. That provides plenty of gotcha moments as part of the political frenzy writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://outline.com/txSzYc
Lisa Visentin reports that the NSW Liberal Party says they will forfeit a banned donation from a Chinese property developer which was made at a 2015 fundraiser for Drummoyne MP John Sidoti.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-liberals-to-forfeit-property-developer-donation-20190911-p52qd4.html
“Josh Frydenberg announced a stimulus party when delivering his April budget – tax cuts, infrastructure spending, “strong economy”, good times. Five months later, the punch bowl hasn’t been touched, the Jatz have gone stale, the gladioli have wilted and nobody’s dancing – the band hasn’t turned up”, says Michael Pascoe.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2019/09/10/stimulus-no-effect-consumer-spending-business-conditions/
According to Judith Ireland the Morrison government says it will cancel welfare payments if people refuse to take part in its drug testing trial.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/newstart-recipients-to-have-payment-cancelled-if-they-refuse-drug-test-20190911-p52q9q.html
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has been accused of an “unhinged attack” after he shouted abuse at a Labor frontbencher during question time writes Sam Maiden. The article includes a video of the performance.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/09/11/deputy-pm-question-time/
Shane Wright outlines how the Asian Development Bank has signalled it will inject more cash into high-quality projects aimed at dealing with climate change and tourism and less on infrastructure “white elephants” as it battles pressure to counter the growing influence of China across the Pacific.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/development-bank-opts-for-climate-change-investment-over-white-elephants-20190911-p52qau.html
According to Katharine Murphy Scott Morrison will not attend the UN climate action summit despite him being in America to visit the Trump administration at the time – deploying the foreign minister, Marise Payne, and the Australian ambassador for the environment, Patrick Suckling, instead.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/12/scott-morrison-wont-attend-un-climate-summit-despite-being-in-the-us
And Paul Karp tells us how Angus Taylor has defended the government’s record on renewable energy as Labor and the Greens ambushed the minister over a sudden drop in investment in clean energy.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/12/angus-taylor-taken-to-task-over-sudden-drop-in-renewable-energy-investment
In her first Senate speech on Wednesday, the former Victorian secretary of hospitality union United Voice will call for a “secure jobs pledge” from state and federal governments to address a “crisis” of job insecurity, low wage growth and underemployment. Dana McCauley goes into detail.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/secure-jobs-needed-to-avoid-a-descent-into-trump-style-populism-new-labor-senator-says-20190910-p52ptp.html
When it comes to jobs, one is not enough for many Australians writes Greg Jericho. He says the labour account figures show there are now about as many people working multiple jobs as there are unemployed
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2019/sep/12/when-it-comes-to-jobs-one-is-not-enough-for-many-australians
Political party donations are bribes. They should be banned. Defining bribery is more important than a federal ICAC, writes Kim Wingerei.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/aldi-bag-flush-with-cash-or-party-fundraiser-same-outcome-ban-donations/
The treasurer claimed the gender pay gap has closed. Job done! Except for the facts explodes Emma Dawson.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/11/the-treasurer-claimed-the-gender-pay-gap-has-closed-job-done-except-for-the-facts
Jennifer Duke explains how a global Twitter executive has admitted the social media website will never be able to ensure videos of the Christchurch attacks are not still on the platform
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/i-would-never-say-there-s-not-a-single-copy-twitter-exec-admits-christchurch-video-could-still-be-on-site-20190911-p52q34.html
Nick Miller describes the stinging blow Boris Johnson has received from the Court of Session in Edinburgh which declared the prorogation unlawful.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/boris-johnson-broke-the-law-by-suspending-parliament-court-rules-20190911-p52qfh.html
Paul Karp reveals that, according to an ombudsman’s report, the home affairs department ordered companies to preserve metadata and used warrants to access it “without proper authority” and twice unlawfully accessed stored communications.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/11/home-affairs-unlawfully-accessed-stored-metadata-ombudsman-reveals
Business has warned that the proposed religious freedom law poses ‘significant’ commercial challenges and will give employees too much latitude to use social media to breach company policies.
https://outline.com/rBpCqu
The SMH editorial takes a position that Jacqui Lambie has no mandate for ransom.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/lambie-has-no-mandate-for-ransom-20190911-p52qd0.html
Although the Liberals were victorious in May, their political fortunes are not as strong as they may seem, writes Tarric Brooker.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-morrison-government-is-weaker-than-it-looks,13095
Tony Featherstone explores workplace boredom and what to do about it.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/workplace-boredom-there-s-a-solution-if-you-can-be-bothered-20190910-p52puo.html
The Great Barrier Reef is in trouble. There are a whopping 45 reasons why write two academics from James Cook University.
https://theconversation.com/the-great-barrier-reef-is-in-trouble-there-are-a-whopping-45-reasons-why-122930
Clancy Yeates tells us that the government’s financial dispute authority is pushing banks to go beyond merely complying with the law and consider “fairness” when dealing with customer disagreements after it was swamped by complaints in its first 10 months. AFCA is getting 40% more complaints than it bargained for.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/afca-hit-by-40-per-cent-more-finance-complaints-than-expected-20190911-p52q4q.html
The former head of the competition watchdog, Graeme Samuel, is quickly creating himself a job as Marvel-type superhero exposing the finance industry’s prudential shortcomings writes Elizabeth Knight.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/graeme-samuel-s-view-on-apra-s-management-ask-me-in-a-year-20190911-p52qck.html
Alexandra Smith reports that NSW Coalition MPs who support the abortion bill are prepared to consider “sensible amendments” to the draft laws to ensure terminations are removed from the criminal code. I wonder if there is a NSW equivalent of the Lyons Forum.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/cross-party-group-of-nsw-mps-join-to-amend-abortion-bill-20190911-p52q9n.html
From a Christian perspective, Scott Morrison has been displaying great hypocrisy towards the Biloela family, writes Richard Tuffin.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/the-blatant-hypocrisy-of-scott-morrisons-christian-faith,13089
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the reappointment of two department secretaries; Michael Pezzullo to Home Affairs, and Chris Moraitis to the Attorney-General’s Department, most likely for a five year period.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6380951/pezzullo-moraitis-reappointed-as-department-heads/?cs=14350
The Tax Office’s investigations into tax fraud are being hampered, and offenders may be getting away because the agency doesn’t have access to telecommunications data, unlike similar government agencies like the Australian Securities and Investment Commission reports Sally Whyte.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6379100/ato-wants-phone-data-to-catch-tax-frauds/?cs=14350
The big four consultants are harbouring a small number of arrogant partners who disrupt the tax system with overly risky advice, warns ATO second commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn.
https://outline.com/6EBVz9
Professor of Public Policy, Andrew Podger, writes that the Australian Public Service needs protecting and nurturing.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6375051/promiscuous-partisanship-things-are-getting-worse-in-the-aps-and-we-need-to-fix-it/?cs=14258
Climate change has changed our environment. Now it’s impacting the economy writes the chief economist at ANZ, Richard Yetsenga.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/climate-change-has-changed-our-environment-now-it-s-impacting-the-economy-20190911-p52q61.html
Nick Miler tells us how, for a number of reasons, the UK is more divided than ever.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/whispers-betrayal-and-rebellion-britain-more-divided-than-ever-20190911-p52q2x.html
George Monbiot describes the insidious ideology pushing the UK towards a Brexit cliff-edge.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/11/brexit-ultras-triumph-neoliberalism
And now three top John Bolton allies resign from Trump administration.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/three-top-john-bolton-allies-resign-from-trump-administration-20190912-p52qg8.html
“John Bolton is finally gone. But can his path of destruction be reversed?”, asks Ben Armbruster.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/11/john-bolton-path-destruction
And Stephen Hurst explains what John Bolton’s exit reveals about Trump’s foreign policy priorities.
https://theconversation.com/what-john-boltons-exit-reveals-about-donald-trumps-foreign-policy-priorities-123385
Cartoon Corner
David Rowe on Gladys Liu.
Matt Davidson with what everyone except the government can see.
Cathy Wilcox continues her good form.
A legitimate question from John Shakespeare.
And Glen Lievre with something similar.
And he has Morrison looking at The Bolt Report.
From Matt Golding
From Sean Leahy
Jon Kudelka on Gladys Liu’s problems.
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/056ceeca0296dbbb33c7065fd5996962?width=1024
From the US
The people of South Australia should rise up against Western Australia.
They should start off by closing the border.
It’s nice to see a whole lot of Coalition birds coming home to rest when it comes to the Gladys Liu affair.
1. The ‘voter anxiety about Chinese influence’ referred to above was – at the very least aided and abetted by, at the worst created by – the Coalition.
2. The standard – that it’s not enough to retire to the backbench, as had been the protocol, but a disgraced MP needs to leave Parliament all together – was created by the Coalition.
Throw in the refusal of the Coalition to deal with their ‘woman problem’, which means the (cough) perception that they’re anti women has not been mitigated, which means that any attempt to ‘deal with’ Liu can be painted as a further example (fairly or not) of the Coalition being anti woman.
Certainly, the Chinese won’t view the forced resignation of one of their own in a benevolent light (see 1).
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-49661855
Scottish Judge rules unlawful.
@shellbell
Victoria as the border?
When it comes to allegations of Chinese Communist Party interference in Australian politics. People such as Clive Hamilton and Cassy O’Connor are voicing in my opinion, very legitimate concerns and not trying convinced people there is somewhat a secret Chinese invasion of Australia.
However some in the Coalition, along with parties such as One Nation and Clive Palmer, in my opinion definitely are doing that.
As no-one has yet said it: Was she wearing a Raspberry Beret?
BoJo thinking again about the 21 expulsions…
“Boris Johnson tonight offered Tory rebels a way back into the party amid a growing split among Conservatives over his decision to kick them out.
The Prime Minister instructed the Chief Whip to write to all MPs setting out the appeals process to restore the whip, which was described as a “ray of light” for the rebels by a senior party source.”
Morrison is happy to be feted by Trump as a miracle worker, but won’t show up to a climate summit where his weakness might be exposed. He’s a coward.
lizzie @ #13 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 7:29 am
Why show up if he thinks God’ll fix it!?! 🙄
Morning all, thanks BK.
That’s the most lively I’ve ever seen the man!
C@t
Perhaps he’s relying on his god to fix the economy too.
lizzie @ #14 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 7:34 am
Apparently, according to Scott Morrison’s new standards, the foreign influence is only a problem if you have accepted $$ from the foreign country. So, Sam Dastyari=bad; Gladys Liu=good. 😐
Very Bloody conveniently.
All I can say is that the ABC, or whoever, better not discover an Honorarium or Expenses payment to Ms Liu. Because then she’d have to go.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/retiring-top-spy-calls-for-public-servant-training-to-avoid-politicisation-20190911-p52q7r.html
lizzie @ #17 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 7:38 am
Probably. Though he hasn’t done a great job of fixing the drought. We can’t make the loaves from our own wheat any more as Australia has had to import wheat for the first time in a very long time, and the fishes are being transhipped somewhere where there is still a drop of water in the Murray-Darling in order to avoid a massive fish kill again this summer. 😐
Michael Pezzullo has been reappointed as the secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.
David Crowe as normal calling Glady a witch hunt
Malcolm Turnbull is calling for Peter Dutton to explain himself, following reports that a Chinese billionaire, who was seeking a passport, paid a Liberal lobbyist tens of thousands of dollars to secure a private meeting with the then Immigration Minister.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/turnbull-demands-dutton-explain-dealings-with-chinese-billionaire?cid=news:socialshare:twitter
Good to see that the Brits can deal effectively with other important issues the same way as they deal with Brexit!
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9903284/fire-chiefs-ban-fireman-sam-diversity/
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/special-treatment-plans-revealed-for-further-easing-of-land-clearing-rules-20190910-p52py8.html
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/littleproud-fiddles-while-australia-burns,13099
Good to see Mitch marsh has force his way back in to the Australian Cricket team at the expense of Travis Head. All those wickets, runs and hardwork are rightly being rewarded.
The fracturing of Republican supporter bases in Texas, coupled with sitting Republicans in the state retiring in droves (what some have called ‘Texodus’), and Trump being on the nose in the state gives Democrats a huge opportunity to win Texas next year.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2019/09/11/why-republicans-are-right-to-be-worried-about-texas/
AFP drops case against Tab:
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/afp-drops-bribery-probe-into-tabcorp-s-cambodian-payment-20190911-p52q5d.html
Useless idiots
Shellbell “The people of South Australia should rise up against Western Australia.”
???
I am going to assume you cooked that cake and added a thick layer of cynicism icing. Pipe that stuff it into the cake while you are at it. Serve it on a tray of cronyism accusations and dust it with a shake of the head.
Victoria stole that border.
Simon Katich @ #32 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 8:14 am
I report. You decide!
Steve777 @ #31 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 8:12 am
Travis Head is from SA and Mitch Marsh from WA. Shellbell takes these interstate rivalries very seriously.
Suggestions that there are parts of the US that are already in recession.
…
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-09-09/a-manufacturing-recession-could-cost-trump-a-second-term
Oh come on US pollsters. Buttigieg is going backward and Yang a niche candidate yet they include them as options v Trump and always exclude Klobuchar. Just give us one or two Trump v Klobuchar polls.
Here’s a nice little mash up of John Bercow.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1111579324505829377
My thoughts exactly but I wasn’t expecting the one-eyed (and that eye blind) East Coast PB club to be so understanding. If he’d been given the same kind of chances that useless clown Warner is getting he may have been Australia’s second batsman after Smith in this series, and one without the big fail of the sandpaper cheating on his record. Great call when he was named VC, typical poor treatment for WA players when he was dumped for the no performing clowns from the east.
… has all the objectivity of a drunk collingwood fan at the g when they have had a couple of tough calls go against them.
WeWantPaul @ #41 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 8:35 am
The feral is strong with this one!
Yeah but I own it, most sport is pretty rough and played by people with less skill and strength than than last pick for the corps de ballet when your first 5 picks are out with injury. It is just theatre where you pick the goods guys and the bad guys, sometimes it is a tragedy, sometimes a Hollywood ending, but it is just a game.
WeWantPaul @ #44 Thursday, September 12th, 2019 – 8:44 am
Sure, it’s not about life or death. Sport’s far more important than that!
Right Oh. Well, Marsh did get numerous chances (and possibly another one). Despite being the worst ever Australian test player to have played more than 30 tests. By a long way. His batting record suggests he is a specialist bowler, and his bowling record suggests he is a specialist batsman.
Warner has 21 centuries, 6500 test runs and an average that is close to double Marsh’s.
Yes, Warner should have been dropped this series. But the top order options in the squad are hardly inspiring (I would have kept Khawaja and dropped Warner last game).
Selecting Marsh only makes sense to a West Australian…. or if there is serious concern one of the real bowlers will not make it through the test (but with the rotations…. can that be right?).
Here is an example of where the headline conceals the reasoning behind Labor’s stance on press freedom.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labor-rejects-journalist-exemption-from-national-security-laws-20190911-p52qbg.html
Geez, Toolman is right, federal politics is boring…even on PB they only talk about cricket and the US now….ergo Scrotty Howard wins…..settle in for a loooong decade or two…..
Because we arent broken records on here, Scrotty wins?
Which fairy land does your logic come from?
Good Morning
BK I feel sorry for you. Saying Hewson has sensible views will put you into the Green category because he was there with Adam Bandt on the “stunt” motion to declare a climate emergency.
Edit: This of course shows how out of whack politics has got when Labor people have to praise the author of Fightback