Before proceeding with the latest preselection news, I have a still-active post with daily updates on the progress of Tasmanian state election count; a live results feature that I can’t promote often enough, since it remains by some distance the most detailed source of results data available; and a lengthy plea for cash from Friday from which I’m still vaguely hopeful of squeezing another donation or two.
On with the show:
• The long-awaited Liberal National Party Senate preselection has allocated top position on the Queensland ticket to James McGrath while relegating Amanda Stoker to third, maintaining an impressive bipartisan run of preselectors never getting anything right. Michael McKenna of The Australian relates that McGrath secured a sweeping 212-101 win from the “biggest ever turnout for a State Council Senate vote”. The second position is designated to the Nationals, and is duly a lock for Matt Canavan.
• Paul Starick of The Advertiser reports that Leah Blyth, who has the backing of the South Australian Liberal Party’s conservative faction to replace the retiring Nicolle Flint in the Adelaide seat of Boothby, may be poleaxed by the Section 44 of the Constitution. Blyth’s efforts to renounce a dual British citizenship even this far out from the election could fall foul of extended processing times arising from COVID-19, although others quoted in the report express doubt that it will really be a problem. Rival contenders include Rachel Swift, moderate-aligned proprietor of a health consultancy firm, and Shaun Osborn, a police officer who ran in the seat of Adelaide in 2019. However, Osborn is hampered by the optics of putting a man forward to replace Flint, whose experiences have been a key element in Liberal efforts to parry suggestions that disrespect for women is particularly a problem on their own side of politics.
• John Ferguson of The Australian reports dissension within Victorian Labor over the likelihood that former state secretary Sam Rae will secure preselection for the new seat of Hawke on Melbourne’s north-western fringe. The report says a draft preselection agreement reserves the seat for the Right faction Transport Workers Union, which remains associated with party powerbroker and former Senator Stephen Conroy. While Conroy evidently backs Rae, “other parts” of the Right are said to favour the position going to a woman, specifically Natalie Hutchins, the Andrews government Corrections Minister and member for the seat of Sydenham.
• Matthew Denholm of The Australian reported last week that “wholesale ALP federal intervention” loomed for the party’s Tasmanian branch, “barring a shock win for the party” at Saturday’s state election – which, for those of you who have just joined us, didn’t happen. The concern is that Left unions use their excessive weight within the branch’s affairs to do foolish things like deny preselection to Dean Winter, who was able to achieve his thumping win in Franklin on Saturday only because the national executive intervened to give him a place on the ticket. This would appear to be relevant to Labor’s preselections for the federal seat of Bass and Braddon, which it lost at the 2019 election, and also to the fate of twice-defeated state leader Rebecca White. The aforesaid Left unions are apparently keen on replacing her with David O’Byrne, who was outpolled in Franklin on Saturday by the aforesaid Dean Winter.
• The Liberal Party has done tellingly extensive research for its submission opposing the registration of a party under the name New Liberals, which included CT Group polling indicating that 69% of respondents believed a party thus named sounded like it had a connection with the other Liberal Party.
Russian’s U.K. suit on dossier dismissed
LONDON — Britain’s High Court on Friday dismissed a libel claim by a Russian businessman against the author of a report on President Donald Trump’s alleged links to Russia and Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2020/oct/31/russians-uk-suit-on-dossier-dismissed/
poroti says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 7:43 am
Me thinks Russia played USA on fake info.
“sprocket_says:
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 9:14 pm
Shenanigans in the NSW Upper House. GladysB put forward her double-bunger candidate McLaren-Jones, but a Liberal usurper double-bunger popped up has been voted in as President.
Following the Clerk’s call for nominations for the office of President and subsequent ballot in the House, votes have been cast as follows:
The Hon Natasha Maclaren-Jones (LIB): 18 votes
The Hon Matthew Mason-Cox (LIB): 23 votes
#NSWpol #NSWparliament #election #president”
Is it NSW Upper House vote across party lines or is it a Intra Liberal party vote because I heard Mason- Cox belongs to hard-right faction?
8 court cases against anti-Trump dossier yield only 1 victory
Targets of Christopher Steele‘s discredited 2016 anti-Trump dossier have battered him and his facilitators in eight lawsuits, but courtroom victories remain elusive. Of the eight, judges dismissed five, one was dropped and one is pending.
The lone court win was a small fine delivered to three billionaire Russian bankers for an isolated dossier claim that went back years, pertained to Russian President Vladimir Putin and had no link to Mr. Steele‘s main quarry, former President Donald Trump and his allies.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/21/8-court-cases-against-anti-trump-dossier-yield-onl/
“Zerlosays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:33 am
poroti says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 7:43 am
Me thinks Russia played USA on fake info.”
So, What is new?
Ven says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:35 am
Nothing is new – USA suck at cyber warfare/information gathering.
Russia is their biggest enemy – Not China.
DisplayName says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:02 amThere have been a number of comparisons between state border closures and India.
As far as I’m aware, residents of a state returning to their state were exempted.”
Not WA – people have been jailed for breaching the WA Border and there have been lots of fines and potential jailing even for intra-State areas.
My 84 year old Mum and both the in-laws have all had their first jabs – no problems with bookings or availability.
Bucephalus says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:43 am
People are stupid so they always violate the rules because it’s impeachment on their “freedom”.
Buce
Yesterday my daughter’s father-in-law had his AZ and this morning he is quite crook with a fever.
“Bucephalussays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:48 am
My 84 year old Mum and both the in-laws have all had their first jabs – no problems with bookings or availability.”
Good they are vaccinated. But did you think there could be problem with bookings and/ or availability of vaccination for people over the age of 80s. Shouldn’t they be vaccinated atleast weeks if not months ago?
“Zerlosays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:50 am
Bucephalus says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:43 am
People are stupid so they always violate the rules because it’s impeachment on their “freedom”.”
So you support criminalisation of incoming travellers to Australia?
“Bucephalussays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:48 am
My 84 year old Mum and both the in-laws have all had their first jabs – no problems with bookings or availability.”
Thank you, Mark McGowan and Roger Cook. 🙂
“BKsays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:54 am
Buce
Yesterday my daughter’s father-in-law had his AZ and this morning he is quite crook with a fever.”
Some people get fever. Lets hope it is not more serious than that
Ven @ #728 Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 – 8:35 am
Exactly. That was the reason for pointing it out. Of course, Russia had willing American accomplices.
I had my first AZ jab a few weeks ago. Sore shoulder and lethargy the next day were the only effects I felt
Busting the myth about drinking 8 pints of water a day.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/you-probably-don-t-need-to-worry-about-drinking-more-water-20210504-p57oo5.html
Neal Katyal@neal_katyal – Supreme Court lawyer;law professor;extremist centrist. Former US Acting Solicitor General
This decision seems very, very significant. Judge Jackson is an incredibly careful jurist. This is a big deal.
Judge orders release of DOJ memo justifying not prosecuting Trump
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson blasts former Attorney General William Barr’s spin on the Mueller report as “disingenuous.”
A federal judge has ordered the release of a key Justice Department memo supporting former Attorney William Barr’s conclusion that former President Donald Trump should not be prosecuted for obstruction of justice over episodes investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued that ruling in a withering opinion that accused Barr of being “disingenuous” when describing Mueller’s findings and found that the Justice Department was not candid with the court about the purpose and role of the 2019 memo prepared by Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/04/trump-obstruction-justice-doj-485360
Ven @ #726 Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 – 8:34 am
It was a cross party vote for MM-C but I think he only gets a vote to break a tie. That’s where his Hard Right leanings may be decisive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_New_South_Wales_Legislative_Council
U.S. Proposes G-7 Coordination to Counter China’s Might
The Group of Seven nations is considering a U.S. proposal to counter what the White House sees as China’s economic coercion.
A paper was circulated before a two-day meeting of G-7 foreign ministers in London, according to officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss private talks. Officials meeting on Wednesday spent some 90 minutes discussing ways in which China tries to get nations and individuals to do what it wants via the Belt and Road initiative or by leveling economic threats, according to a senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The U.S. wants a consultation mechanism that would involve the G-7 — as well as other stakeholders — to ensure a coordinated response to China’s moves and with the aim of bolstering the resilience of G-7 nations, according to another diplomat.
The initiative coincides with a hardening of Germany, Italy, and France — the three European Union countries that participate in the G-7– as they begin to align with the Biden administration in its standoff with China. The U.S. is still a fair bit more hawkish than the EU when it comes to Beijing.
As host of the G-7, the U.K. seeks to strike a balance on China, calling out its alleged human rights abuses while keeping the door open to areas of cooperation, such as on climate change. The challenge for Boris Johnson’s government is to avoid framing the G-7 as anti-China under his presidency.
The U.K. has left the EU and wants to strike trade deals of its own around the world, including with the U.S. and India. European nations are also seeking to walk a fine like between holding China to account on its human-rights record while not alienating a key economic partner.
Also discussed was a proposal to set up a group called “Friends of Hong Kong” to share information and concerns about the former British colony, according to a diplomat familiar with the matter. China last year imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong last year in the wake of anti-government protests in 2019.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-04/u-s-proposes-g-7-coordination-to-counter-china-s-economic-might?srnd=premium-asia
The thing is, Morrison and a large part of his cabinet are expecting the end days and any shooting war won’t impact them because they’ll be called up to Heaven in the Rapture.
C@tmommasays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9:14 am
It was a cross party vote for MM-C ”
How come Mason-Cox get more votes than the woman ‘moderate’ candidate ? Did Labor and Greens vote for Maclaren-Jones? If so, did NSW LNP defied their own premiere? If not why did some Labor MPs voted for a far right candidate?
Is a breakdown of votes possible? What is with Hyphenated names of both candidates?
U.S. COVID update:
– New cases: 42,992 ……………………. – New deaths: 881
–
– In hospital: 37,640 (+131)
– In ICU: 9,745 (+1)
592,306 total deaths now
( India reports 3,783 new coronavirus deaths and 382,602 new cases )
C@tmomma says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9:07 am
Any failure is the LNP’s and any success is the ALP?
I don’t think the State Government is involved with the GP program.
Ven says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9:04 am
Major countries should have proper facilities from the get go before it got to this point and ramp up PPE and vaccine productions prior to this year.
Quarantine facilities, major Quarantine vaccination centers at Airports, public transport, mandatory QR sign in everywhere as well as keeping social distancing+mask requirements.
Instead major countries were blaming China and wanted the world to know where it came from instead of major prevention procedures.
Nobody loose in the community is that stupid. What is more likely is that our world class morons are playing to even moroner effwits in the community with their baiting “run over them with out landrovers” bullshit.
In the meanwhile the old man with the lantern continues his search ..
“Ven says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9:04 am
“Zerlosays:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:50 am
Bucephalus says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 8:43 am
People are stupid so they always violate the rules because it’s impeachment on their “freedom”.”
So you support criminalisation of incoming travellers to Australia?”
That’s exactly what has happened in WA and people have actually been both fined and jailed and it hasn’t hurt McGowan one iota.
sprocket_ @ #708 Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 – 7:17 am
Will Scott Morrison let Dave Warner back in the country? A current Test team member is a whole different ball game.
Plus I imagine David Hussey will be medically evacuated.
Cartoons of the world:
From the UK:
Canada:
Ireland:
India:
South Africa:
New Zealand:
Netherlands:
Germany:
A few press-freedom day toons from around the globe – found these via @EandPCartoons
Turkey:
Argentina:
Iran:
Nicaragua:
Ven @ #745 Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 – 9:27 am
That’s the secondary point. Natasha M-J was seen as simply a puppet of Gladys Berejiklian who would do what she was told and not be the independent-minded person that the job demands. Despite her gender and despite her so-called Moderate faction membership.
Hyphenated names are prevalent in society for 2 reasons. Firstly, a lot of women want to retain their birth surname when they get married and so their children end up with the hyphenated surname. Secondly, it can signify that you come from a particular family.
Bucephalus says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9:34 am
People are violating rules at state level.
No masks, no vaccination, no quarantine, no registering.
There is also no leadership at federal level.
Small mercies-
The Guardian is reporting new home affairs minister Karen Andrews will likely be announcing that the Bioela family, after more than a thousand days imprisonment, will be released into community detention, but still on Christmas Island.
And while we’re on still, Dutton’s special place in hell awaits him, still.
Ugh! 😯
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/opinion/covid-19-lung-transplants.html
Cartoon from Alpha Zero and it’s meaning/reference/
Origin of the slogan ‘Khela hobe’ and how it became war cry in West Bengal Assembly election 2021
……….. In this political battle, it is not just war of words but catchy jingles and slogans that are making headlines and doing the rounds on social media.
One slogan that has particularly taken everybody by storm and has captured the imagination across the political spectrum is the Trinamool Congress slogan ‘Khela hobe’ (Game on).
https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-dna-explainer-origin-of-the-slogan-khela-hobe-and-how-it-became-war-cry-in-2021-west-bengal-assembly-election-2882669
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210503-greece-reopens-restaurant-cafe-terraces-after-six-months-of-covid-19-lockdown
Greek restaurants and cafes reopened their terraces on Monday after six months of pandemic shutdown, with customers flocking to soak up the sunshine and a return to “normal life”.
_________________________________________________
Something about Melbourne having to go through the longest toughest lockdown anywhere in the world…
Greece is still sitting on 2,000 new cases a day.
The Melbourne lockdown worked because we “eliminated” the virus, Greece is about to rinse and repeat the exercise once more…
How is vaccination going in Greece?
Interesting that restaurant cafe workers get tested weekly.
Westpac has been accused by the corporate watchdog of insider trading and unconscionable conduct during AustralianSuper and IFM’s purchase of NSW energy company Ausgrid five years ago.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission alleges that Westpac breached its financial services licence when it was arranging a financial instrument used in large transactions to manage interest rate fluctuations, known as an interest rate swap. ASIC’s allegations relate to Westpac’s role in executing a $12 billion interest rate swap transaction with a consortium of AustralianSuper and a group of IFM entities (Consortium). ASIC said in a statement that Westpac knew or believed it would be selected by the Consortium to execute the interest rate swap transaction on that morning. ASIC alleges this was inside information.
Greece
Doses given 3.14M
Fully vaccinated 945K
% of population fully vaccinated 8.8%
Greece population 10.72Million
Australia
Doses given
2.26M
Population 25.3 Million.
So they are vaccinating faster than we are. They have just started vaccinating all over 50’s.
Anyway, in no time at all, we could knock up a few 3D printed isolation centres (if we were a clever country.)
https://youtu.be/gxbyWly_pls
That guy’s pretty interesting. Here’s his look at battery operated trucks.
And especially interesting too today to see Constance calling for NSW to embrace EVs (not repeat Vics mistake of threatening to tax too early) with a 50% target by 2030, which seems optimistic, but a worthy goal.
Oh yes, trucks:
https://youtu.be/1_vIQ4FqmGI
Alpha Zero says:
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 10:48 am
Greece have 10,000 deaths and about 2,000 new cases a day and about 70 deaths per day – so, strangely, they should be vaccinating faster than Australia.
How are we comparing to NZ?
Pfizer moving to get injecting young people in the US. Also some moves on pregnant women. (Oh noes ! Does that make me transphobic ? 😆 ) By the time it goes through the US regulatory hoops we should,according to Wee Ghunt, be getting Pfizer in bigly quantities.
.
.
Pfizer expects to apply to the Food and Drug Administration in September for emergency authorization to administer its coronavirus vaccine to children between the ages of 2 and 11, the company told Wall Street analysts and reporters on Tuesday during its quarterly earnings call.
The company said it also plans to apply this month for full approval of the vaccine for use in people from ages 16 to 85.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/05/04/world/covid-vaccine-coronavirus-cases
So, via the backdoor of drug companies saying they will be vaccinating children 2-11, the world is finally admitting that children can either contract COVID-19 or transmit it to others whilst not coming down with symptoms themselves.
Remember when Coalition warriors in Australia, and other Conservatives around the world were so gung ho to let kids stay at school? Hmm.
Bucephalus
Don’t you listen to your Team Blue leaders ? It is not a race 😆 As for how NZ is going, they have been tracking just above their planned roll out. So on that score waaaay ahead of Australia.
Alpha Zero @ #890 Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 – 10:48 am
Thank you. 🙂
NZ – 6.2% of population
Australia – 9% of population
C@t
For some reason it is a bit harder to run that line in the US now 😉
.
Children Now Account For 22% Of New U.S. COVID Cases.
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/05/03/993141036/children-now-account-for-22-of-new-u-s-covid-cases-why-is-that