Seemingly nothing doing on the polling front this week, though I would have thought we were due the monthly Resolve Strategic poll from the Age/Herald. That may yet come – perhaps even very shortly – given the publisher’s unpredictable past treatment of it. I need a new post sooner than that though, so here are some relevant recent developments:
• Anthony Albanese has reportedly told his party to be prepared for the possibility that Scott Morrison will call an election for December 11 after he returns from the Glasgow climate summit early next month. Andrew Clennell of Sky News describes this as a “ploy”, and says the genuine view within Labor is that the election will most likely be held in March. Kevin Bonham notes that the proximity of this date to Christmas and New Year would complicate the protracted process of Senate counting, and that it would not allow time for new laws requiring registered parties to have at least 1500 members to take effect.
• The Victorian Supreme Court has thrown out a legal challenge against the Labor national executive’s takeover of the Victorian branch’s federal preselection process. This had been pursued by the factional bloc of the Right associated with Bill Shorten, which The Age reports is considering an appeal. Assuming the ruling holds, it confirms the preselection of former state party secretary Sam Rae in the new seat of Hawke, and allows the party to proceed with other federal preselections that have so far been in limbo.
• The Sydney Morning Herald reports that candidates for Liberal preselection in Hughes are likely to include Jenny Ware, moderate-backed director of legal services at Georges River Council, and that there is also likely to be a factional conservative in the field. This complicates matters for Melanie Gibbons, who will quit her state seat of Holsworthy to run, and has the backing of Scott Morrison.
New South Wales by-election latest:
• There is now a fifth state by-election on the way in New South Wales, and the first in a Labor-held seat, after Jodi McKay announced her intention to resign five months after losing the leadership to Chris Minns. This will create a vacancy in her seat of Strathfield, which she held at the 2019 election by a 5.0% margin. Anton Rose of Inner West Courier reports potential preselection candidates include Sravya Abbineni, multiculturalism adviser at NSW Government Health and former staffer to McKay; John Faker, mayor of Burwood; and Jennifer Light, the party’s national assistant secretary.
• The Nationals have preselected Nichole Overall, a local historian, communications consultant and freelance writer, to succeed John Barilaro as the party’s candidate in Monaro.
• In addition to the previously noted Gail Giles-Gidney, the mayor of Willoughby, the Sydney Morning Herald reports candidates for the preselection to succeed Gladys Berejiklian in Willoughby will include Tim James, factional conservative and executive general manager of the Menzies Research Centre.
Best wishes to Melbourne and Victoria with their re-opening. It isn’t clear yet how Sydney is going to fare, and the case numbers here were much lower than what Victoria currently has. So hoping that re-opening prior to achieving elimination isn’t going to backfire big time.
And then there’s the UK…
Steve777,
Ofcourse…Liberal and then Palmer.
Thanks.
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2021/10/government-should-buy-old-berrima-jail-make-it-a-labor-party-museum.html
… I guess the plan is for the Libs/ Nats to occupy the Lodge/ Kirribilli House in perpetuity, well until a fICAC/ CIC?
Bring on more minor parties/ independents!
Alliances and coalitions.
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Kate McClymont tells us that the Obeid family will keep $30 million in proceeds of crime despite Eddie Obeid and his son Moses being sentenced to jail terms for their role in a crooked coal deal. Eddie Obeid was sensationally released on bail within minutes of being jailed for a minimum of three years and ten months on Thursday after his lawyers flagged concerns about the risk of him contracting COVID and dying should he be held overnight at the Surry Hills police station.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/obeid-family-keeps-tainted-millions-despite-eddie-and-moses-jail-terms-20211021-p59240.html
The SMH editorial says the Obeid trial shows the need for vigilance against corruption. It posits that while NSW can count on the ICAC to keep politicians honest, the weakness of the procedures for investigating corruption at the federal level is, by contrast, an open invitation to abuse.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/obeid-trial-shows-the-need-for-vigilance-against-corruption-20211021-p5923u.html
Blind trusts should promote integrity, not put it at risk, argues Jenna Price who says if Tony Smith does not resign in the next couple of days, she will be shocked.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7479088/blind-trusts-should-promote-integrity-not-put-it-at-risk/?cs=14258
The Canberra Times editorial trumpets that the Coalition’s protection of Porter defies logic and belief.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7479372/govts-protection-of-porter-defies-belief/?cs=14258
Madonna King says that public faith in our political system is at an all-time low, and it’s no surprise.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2021/10/22/madonna-king-public-faith/
The government’s move to block investigation of Porter donations is a nail in the coffin of integrity in politics, writes Transparency International’s Serena Lillywhite.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/21/the-governments-move-to-block-investigation-of-porter-donations-is-a-nail-in-the-coffin-of-integrity-in-politics
Lucy Cormack reports that a NSW bureaucrat has told the ICAC inquiry that then-premier Gladys Berejiklian appeared to have a personal interest in securing a controversial grant for a gun club in Wagga Wagga in early 2017.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/5-5-million-grant-was-a-priority-project-for-berejiklian-icac-told-20211021-p5921p.html
According to David Crowe, Scott Morrison will be asked to commit more funds to regional Australia in a new list of demands from Nationals MPs that could secure a deal by Sunday on climate change policy, clearing the way for a government pledge to cut carbon emissions to net zero levels by 2050.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-list-their-demands-on-morrison-to-clear-way-for-net-zero-20211021-p5923r.html
Crowe writes that, knowing that he must take net zero by 2050 to Glasgow, all Morrison offers is daily dithering. Liberals are resigned to the government looking like a circus while Morrison, federal cabinet, the Liberal party room and half the Nationals wait for a small bloc of holdouts to accept the majority outcome.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coalition-puts-net-zero-division-up-in-lights-20211021-p59215.html
Barnaby Joyce’s push for a $3bn extension of the inland rail project to Gladstone would unlock a “carbon bomb” of nine new coalmines and an estimated 150m tonnes of carbon emissions a year, environmental groups claim.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/22/barnaby-joyces-push-for-rail-extension-to-gladstone-would-set-off-carbon-bomb-activists-claim
Michelle Grattan wonders if Barnaby Joyce can sell his supporters the net zero he’s previously trashed.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-can-barnaby-joyce-sell-his-supporters-the-net-zero-hes-previously-trashed-170388
Josh Butler writes that Government refusing to release its net-zero modelling represents a new low for accountability.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/10/21/refusal-net-zero-modelling-accountability/
Waleed Aly writes about the Nats’ torturous journey to an emissions reduction position.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/on-net-zero-the-nats-can-t-go-quietly-20211021-p591su.html
Greg Sheridan pours scorn on COP26.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/blatherskites-and-blarney-signifying-very-little/news-story/14a7ee6dc4c9248544c80b424453a447
As does Henry Ergas.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/cop26-more-myth-than-enlightenment/news-story/a77fa041a612abd6396312c6998e3608
The International Energy Agency shows how the decarbonisation dash will speed up economic growth and leave many of us richer, explains Ambrose Evans-Pritchard.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/resistance-is-futile-as-path-is-lit-for-a-net-zero-world-20211019-p5913o.html
Labor is on track to easily win the West Australian seat of Swan at the next election on a primary vote of more than 40 per cent, with voters backing Anthony Albanese to manage the Covid recovery better than Scott Morrison. The Australian points to a poll of more than 800 people conducted this month by research firm Redbridge showing Labor winning the marginal seat by 57-43 on a two-party-preferred basis, representing a swing of 9.7 per cent from the 2019 election.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/liberal-hopes-go-west-in-swan-as-voters-desert-scott-morrison/news-story/5e8a389d715b68a3468ee3068f51565d
Demographer Liz Allen fears the damage done during COVID through the lack of goodwill shown to temporary migrants, a critical source of skills in the Australian workforce, will undermine any renewed efforts to welcome much-needed people from overseas.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/so-australia-wants-to-welcome-migrants-again-good-luck-with-that-20211021-p591te.html
Companies will compete fiercely to fill up to 500,000 jobs in coming months as Australia’s two largest cities roar back to life after COVID-19 lockdowns but remain largely out of reach to foreign workers, writes the AFR’s Ronald Mizen.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/companies-brace-for-fierce-battle-to-attract-workers-20211020-p591i4
Any return to the office is still likely to allow more people to work from home at least a few days a week as part of the new fashion for hybrid working, writes Jennifer Hewett.
https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/hybrid-work-is-the-way-of-the-future-20211021-p5922x
The tough talk from the supermarkets on vaccine is an important tipping point in the mandatory vaccination issue – certainly among large employers, writes Elizabeth Knight. She says it is crunch time for business. They need to decide whether the risks of a potential legal backlash around mandating vaccinations outweigh the risk of their staff being endangered by exposure to the virus.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-domino-effect-woolworths-mandates-vaccinations-and-rivals-follow-20211021-p5921c.html
Victoria will scrap quarantine requirements for double-vaccinated travellers arriving from overseas as early as next month, bringing the country’s two largest states in line. Two state government sources confirmed the The Age that Victoria will follow the lead of NSW and no longer expect travellers to isolate either at home or in hotels if they are fully vaccinated and test negative to COVID-19 on arrival.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victoria-scraps-quarantine-for-fully-vaccinated-overseas-travellers-20211021-p5924z.html
Lockdown fatigue has enabled voters to accept a dramatic political change of course, but concern remains about the pressure on the health system, writes Annika Smethurst.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/covid-backflip-won-t-hurt-andrews-but-hospital-woes-open-new-wound-20211021-p5921b.html
Victoria’s AMA says Covid-deniers and anti-vaxxers should opt out of public health system and ‘let nature run its course’. A tempting argument.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/21/victoria-ama-says-covid-deniers-and-anti-vaxxers-should-opt-out-of-public-health-system-and-let-nature-take-its-course
Allied health workers across nine major Adelaide hospitals, including the Royal Adelaide Hospital, will strike today, demanding better conditions and pay increases. The Health Services Union of South Australia penned a letter to the state government’s industrial relations and policy branch notifying them of the stop work action.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/hospital-workers-across-adelaide-to-strike-on-friday/news-story/0050f8b2f7788879311950a2e8317757
Meanwhile, the head of Victoria’s triple-zero call service has resigned after months of concerns that too many people are facing life-threatening delays when they call during an emergency.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/under-pressure-emergency-services-boss-quits-amid-ambulance-crisis-20211021-p5922l.html
The ATO estimates nearly $34 billion worth of tax was not paid in the year before the pandemic hit, with small businesses responsible for the majority.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/missing-millions-tax-gap-jumped-to-33-5-billion-ahead-of-pandemic-20211021-p591z6.html
Dominic Perrottet’s controversial hedge fund is lending to Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and Cayman Islands. What is the NSW Premier doing funding dictators with NSW taxpayers’ money? Michael West reports on the New Generations Fund.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/perrottet-invests-in-putin-not-parramatta/
Georgina Mitchell reports that the Federal Court in Sydney has refused to stop an episode of the ABC current affairs program Four Corners from going to air, after a cosmetic surgeon brought urgent action in an attempt to halt it.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/court-refuses-to-grant-injunction-to-stop-four-corners-episode-from-going-to-air-20211021-p5923h.html
Bill Shorten has blasted a Greens call to halve Australia’s defence spending and scrap the nation’s nuclear submarine deal should the party form a power-sharing government after the next federal election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shorten-blasts-greens-call-for-national-security-cuts-rules-out-power-sharing-deal-20211021-p591yf.html
The trade war between China and Australia has taken a dramatic turn, with Canberra using a routine World Trade Organisation review to slam the world’s most populous nation for “undermining” global trade rules with “arbitrary” sanctions. In a scathing letter published on Wednesday night (AEDT), Australia said China’s crushing trade restrictions were inconsistent with its pledge to open up to unrestricted global trade over the past two decades, writes Matthew Elmas.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2021/10/21/china-australia-trade-october/
The Victorian Coalition party schism has widened after Guy reneged on gay conversion law amendment.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/coalition-schism-widens-after-guy-reneged-on-gay-conversion-law-amendment-20211021-p59245.html
The national broadcaster requires structural and funding reform — but these changes must follow informed discussion and cannot be decided on a tribal battleground, argues Andrew Bell.
https://johnmenadue.com/the-debate-about-our-abc-needs-grown-ups-in-the-room/
George Christensen claims a letter from the federal police to Minister Peter Dutton about a probe into the MP’s frequent travel to the Philippines contains information that “falsely accuse me of a serious crime”. He is trying to stop the release of the letters under FoI.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/george-christensen-says-afp-letter-falsely-accuses-him-of-serious-crime-20211021-p591x0.html
Alan Joyce says Qantas will return to pre-COVID levels of domestic flying by January, with the reopening of state borders expected to spark a rapid recovery in travel.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/open-up-to-get-our-economy-going-qantas-targets-pre-covid-domestic-flying-by-january-20211021-p5921l.html
A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech restored efficacy to 95.6 per cent against the virus, including the Delta variant, data released by the companies from a large study shows.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/pfizer-says-covid-19-booster-shot-showed-high-efficacy-in-large-study-20211022-p5926c.html
Americans no longer have faith in the US supreme court, and that has justices worried, writes Russ Feingold.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/21/americans-no-longer-have-faith-in-the-us-supreme-court-that-has-justices-worried
In Texas, the ‘Critical Race Theory Bill’ will edit important stories from American history and produce schools that dare not take a position on the Holocaust, writes an incredulous Heather ox Richardson.
https://johnmenadue.com/teaching-both-sides-of-the-holocaust-in-texas-schools/
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
David Rowe
Matt Golding
Mark David
Cathy Wilcox
Alan Moir
Warren Brown
Andrew Dyson
Mark Knight
Simon Letch
Jim Pavlidis
A gif from Glen Le Lievre
https://twitter.com/i/status/1451056727269339144
Effing Leak!
From the US
*facepalm*
Not sure how much compliance there is in NSW, but HI met up with friends at a local pub here in Sydney and there was no one checking Vax status at the door. We are now seeking out the places that do check…not many so far.
And ABC rightly cuts away from that little chancer Alan Joyce’s publicity stunt, with special guests Slomo and Perrotet.
Quasar @ #1156 Friday, October 22nd, 2021 – 8:10 am
Not long after re-opening I watched a couple of cafes and a pub with compliance checks. Only the pub was doing it. My guess is that this will wane over the next month until 1 Dec.
Thanks, Fess.
The case numbers and deaths across European Nations, as winter approaches is disturbing
Simply, we continue to live in a World of a Pandemic
The criticism in the UK, with over 50,000 daily cases for the first time since July, appears to be over there being no Plan B
The only plan is do what you want, where you want and how you want
And vaccination
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, we have an immature and politically motivated media carrying on as they are about “Freedom Day”
Childish
On home learning yesterday, the teacher asked the preps what was the best thing about going back to school
The first answer was “watching Bluey”
Followed by every other answer the same
The exasperated teacher changed the question to what did you learn at school yesterday!
Henry @ #1157 Friday, October 22nd, 2021 – 8:11 am
Scotty lubing-up the Scottmachine for a full on assault on the average stupid voter.
Albo doesn’t have a hope.
ABC Breakfast has gone full fucken stupid this morning.
It’s unwatchable.
Unvaccinated, anti-vaxxer, travelled to Sydney and Melbourne during their COVID-19 outbreaks, apparently breached QLD border restrictions. How’s that working out for ya?
Police probing interstate trail of COVID-positive Gold Coast ride-share driver
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/police-probing-interstate-trail-of-covid-positive-gold-coast-ride-share-driver-20211021-p5923z.html
Morning all. Thanks for the rundown BK. Simon Holmes a Court certainly had Tim Wilson’s number on QandA last night. If he is representative of the independents planning to contest safe Liberal seats at the next election I’d be happy with that. As a minimum it will force the Liberals to expend resources protecting their safe seats as well as marginals.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-22/simon-holmes-a-court-tim-wilson-climate-qa-cop26/100558742
Of course Simon HaC was correct – Wilson was lying about climate change.
From what I’ve seen, Covid compliance seems to be fairly high on Sydney’s North Shore.
A fortnight or so after Binchicken resigns and the Chief Justice of NSW decides to retire. Coincidence?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-s-top-judge-to-step-down-after-more-than-a-decade-in-job-20211021-p5924r.html
The former premier does not have a law degree so I doubt she will be appointed Chief Justice of NSW.
“ The former premier does not have a law degree so I doubt she will be appointed Chief Justice of NSW.”
She might not. But you know that’s not the story 😉
Bill Shorten has blasted a Greens call to halve Australia’s defence spending and scrap the nation’s nuclear submarine deal should the party form a power-sharing government after the next federal election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shorten-blasts-greens-call-for-national-security-cuts-rules-out-power-sharing-deal-20211021-p591yf.html
———————————————
In the past thirty years the Greens have opposed every single item of defence acquisition.
‘Halving’ the defence spend has zero rationality about it. It is standard Greens electoral stunting.
It is also disgraceful negligence.
AE
Charity bet?
‘Shellbell says:
Friday, October 22, 2021 at 8:43 am
The former premier does not have a law degree…’
——————————–
She didn’t need one of those to work out how to behave properly.
@Boerwar:
“ Bill Shorten has blasted a Greens call to halve Australia’s defence spending and scrap the nation’s nuclear submarine deal should the party form a power-sharing government after the next federal election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shorten-blasts-greens-call-for-national-security-cuts-rules-out-power-sharing-deal-20211021-p591yf.html
———————————————
In the past thirty years the Greens have opposed every single item of defence acquisition.
‘Halving’ the defence spend has zero rationality about it. It is standard Greens electoral stunting.
It is also disgraceful negligence.”
________________________
My response in the SMH comments section:
“ At the moment we are getting the worst arguments from our political class. If we want to preserve our ability to say ‘no’ to the periodic and often ill thought out American military adventures (from Vietnam through to Iraq) yet still be able to defend Australia’s strategic interests we would need MORE defence spending – probably in excess of 3% of GNP to give us the heft required. Australia is fundamentally different to NZ. We have a continent of our own, the largest EEZ in the world and our strategic interests extend into the oceans and seas that surround us. Right now the LNP want us to nestle into the sweaty arm pit of America, at a time when many defence analysts think that America is not a reliable partner for the fight they seem to want to have with China. The Greens want to strip us bare of anything that might make China, or any other emerging great power like India or even Indonesia think twice about taking matters to another level. Labor is looking not to be wedged between these two extremes, but if it wins, then after the election it faces some serious fence mending with our strategic partners other than the US. Inevitably the sensible folk are going to have to commit to a large national security budget: there are far too many moving parts in our region by players who have heft to ignore that outcome.”
To be fair to the Greens, in my view NZ’s defence posture makes perfect sense … for NZ. I don’t see them as free loaders, just the largest of a group of small islands that dot the South Pacific. The heft they deploy in defence spending is commensurate to the heft they have in geopolitics, and in line with its strategic interests and concerns.
mundo1 at 8:21 am
What tripe are they serving people for breakfast ?
NSW Health
@NSWHealth
·
2m
– 0 new overseas acquired cases
– 345 total new cases
– 482 people in hospital
– 125 people in ICU
– 5 deaths
poroti @ #1173 Friday, October 22nd, 2021 – 8:58 am
Radio News 24 when I normally listen was all Allan Joyce and Morrison.
Gave up when they did NOT go to a news.
This:
The national plan was all about opening up Australia safely so we can remain safely open
and this:
Morrison says “Australia is ready for take-off”.
Sticking with the metaphor, he says the “ground crew” are the Australian people for going out to get vaccinated.
Suggest to me a new word to describe Scott Morrison:
Cheesy.
And it’s all about advertising and marketing to him, that’s the only lens he sees politics through. Though by doing that, as an article I read yesterday about the public’s aversion to ads pointed out, that product placement is taking their place increasingly, so it just points to the fact that people are sensitive to things which are overhyped and they like making them go away, if at all possible. As they can do with TV technology. Or the mute button.
For this reason, Scott Morrison has to be vewy, vewy careful that he doesn’t jump the shark and all his stunts don’t backfire on him and blow up in his face.
🙂
NSW ICU (+1), Hospital (-43)
I don’t think there has been an internal appointment as NSW Chief Justice since 1974.
No super duper external appointments come to mind – Justin Gleeson SC – politics don’t align although the AG has been even handed with his appointments.
Imagine being stared down by both Gleesons while making a shit submission.
Alan Joyce is the master of PR stunts on behalf of Qantas. Joyce and Morrison make a formidable PR team. Actual delivery is completely another matter.
Victoria records 2,189 new cases and 16 deaths.
The Victorian Premier has always supported the National Plan, of which he on behalf of Victorians, is a co author
So where does Smuthurst get her headline “backflip” from?
The only thing which has changed is that NSW, courtesy of vaccination preference from the Federal Government, has not adhered to what Morrison explained was the National Plan
Because of its gifted vaccination status, NSW has acted unilaterally
And now Victoria is following, having achieved 70% double vaccinated whilst other States and Territories have not achieved the first National Plan benchmark for “reopening” of 70% double vaccinated
So borders remain closed, correctly
Eh? The ACT is at 83.1% double vaccinated (12+).
“ABC Breakfast has gone full fucken stupid this morning.
It’s unwatchable.”
The unreadable watching the unwatchable. Noice.
The media enthusiastically embracing Freedumb and showing pics of mask-less revellers makes me nervous. There is an air of throwing away all restrictions, which is not the real situation.
Did anyone else notice that the colour of the blind trust money in the David Pope cartoon is Palmer yellow?
UK Cartoons – there’s a lot on Plan B (Booster Shots):
Chuckle.
Imagine it NSW had tried to open up with 2,189 new cases and 16 deaths many on here would have become apoplectic, but Dan can do now wrong.
Jeepers. He cant walk this back. The pressure is right on the two recalcitrant senators now as the Republicans will not play. Time is nearly out.
CNN
For me, some of the barriers to voting are less important than gerrymandering and the independence of vote counting and confirmation. Postal and early voting is less important than ease of voting on election day (short lines, no intimidation etc).
And the new laws are not just in Red states. They are in Arizona, Nevada, NH and Ga. As well as the purple(ish) state of Florida.
I rarely read and never post here now but noted that someone asked after my health last night.
I am very well, thank you, and have been busy with my small contribution to the Covid response.
I have decided to no longer contribute because, for a long time, I have gained no enjoyment in the constant niggles between some of the highly partisan bloggers. Digging the opals of rational political discussion out of this shit is just too hard.
The precipitant moment came on the Saturday night that Kay Jay died and C@t posted an incoherent post, which I interpreted as wishing my death. William asked for an apology but this was answered by the usual “more sinned against than sinned” schtick. The lack of insight borders on the delusional.
I have read this blog since the 2004 election and I think Sceptic is the only person (maintaining the same name) who has posted for longer than me and then only by a few days. But it is now time to say good-bye and good luck
If any of the older posters wishes to say “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” – we have all heard it before.
Steelydansays:
Friday, October 22, 2021 at 9:37 am
Imagine it NSW had tried to open up with 2,189 new cases and 16 deaths many on here would have become apoplectic, but Dan can do now wrong.
________________
Just imagine Twitter. Vic would have been reposting tweets to PB like there was no tomorrow.
Boerwar @ #1169 Friday, October 22nd, 2021 – 5:50 am
This reeks of pluck a number out your arse.
What analysis of our capabilities is it based on?
OC:
Good to hear you’ve been well, albeit busy with the Covid response.
Oakeshott Country at 9:44 am
Look after yourself and I hope all goes well with whatever part you are playing in the struggle against covid-19. Thanks.
Been a pleasure reading your posts OC. Hope you return one day.
Steelydan @ #1188 Friday, October 22nd, 2021 – 9:07 am
Point taken. It does seem on the face of it to be reckless. I would suggest tho that Andrews is out of options. Lockdown is no longer a card he can play. Hopefully the other cards work.
It is a very important issue for SA. We all here hope Vic (and NSW) get and keep cases down so seeding is manageable. I have been arguing with some peeps in politics that SA should consider waiting for 90% or perhaps keep Vics out a little longer. Or have some pretty strong measures for those coming in (testing, bigger fines for not using QR codes, masks etc).
All the best OC. Take care out there.
Stay safe OC.
Just imagine if Morrison and his cronies were not incompetent , and stuck to the original plan
Upto 90% Australians being fully vaccinated this month
And a competent NSW State government
This would not have occurred
Sydney would not have been the city in the longest lockdown during the Delta out break – The Golden State of NSW lib/nats state government 7day lock down, to be over 100 days the longest of any city in Australia and over 450 deaths
Andrew_Earlwood says:
Friday, October 22, 2021 at 8:56 am
To be fair to the Greens, in my view NZ’s defence posture makes perfect sense … for NZ. I don’t see them as free loaders, just the largest of a group of small islands that dot the South Pacific.
________________
An argument could be made that Australia is ‘just the largest of a group of islands that dot the South Pacific’ or something very close to that.
I believe The Greens proposal to halve defence spending is very rational. If we want to improve the quality of life for our citizens this is an obvious move.
Despite generations of Invasion alarmists, no one can demonstrate who or how Australia is in any way threatened by it. All of our military history is involved in foreign engagements and adventurism. Mainly to satisfy the Imperialist/Nationalist military fetishists.