First up, please note two other important posts above and below this one: the former asking for money, the latter offering an opportunity for on-topic discussion about the Senate election to mark the happy occasion of the publication of my new Senate election guide, complementing the already published seat-by-seat guide to the House.
With that out of the way, three new items of federal election news to ring in the new year:
• State MP Andrew Constance is now effectively confirmed as the Liberal candidate for the key seat of Gilmore on the New South Wales South Coast, which forms a major part of the government’s re-election strategy given its hope that Constance can recover a seat that was lost in 2019. His main rival, Shoalhaven Heads lawyer Paul Ell, withdrew from the race last week, saying he had formed the view that Constance was best placed to win, a view that was backed by a Liberal source quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald based on party polling. Others to withdraw over the past fortnight were Jemma Tribe, a charity operator and former Shoalhaven councillor, and Stephen Hayes, a former RAAF officer and staffer to Christopher Pyne, who said he was concerned he would face Section 44 issues due to his business dealings with the government.
• The Liberal candidate to succeed Christian Porter in the northern Perth seat of Pearce is Linda Aitken, a nurse and Wanneroo councillor who has run unsuccessfully three times for the state seat of Butler. Peter Law of The West Australian reports Aitken won a ballot of local party members ahead of Miquela Riley, a former navy officer who ran unsuccessfully for the state seat of Fremantle in March, by 31 votes to 23. Aitken is a member of the Victory Life Church, founded by tennis champion and noted social conservative Margaret Court. Riley had conservative credentials of her own, with earlier reports suggesting she had support from The Clan, the factional group that achieved notoriety after an extensive WhatsApp discussion between its principals was leaked to the media.
• Elizabeth Henson of The Advertiser reports a uComms phone poll of 828 respondents for the Australia Institute suggested Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie to be headed for another comfortable win in her Adelaide Hills seat of Mayo, with a 58.5-41.5 lead over the Liberals on two-party preferred, compared with her 55.1-44.9 winning margin over Liberal candidate Georgina Downer in 2019. The primary vote figures quoted are 30.9% for Sharkie, 30.8% for the Liberals, 13.3% for Labor, 7.7% for the Greens, 6.5% for One Nation, 3.3% for the United Australia Party and 3.0% for independents, with the spare 4.5% presumably being undecided. As reported on the Australia Institute website, the poll also found overwhelming support for an integrity commission and truth in political advertising laws.
Lars Von Trier @ #2955 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:12 am
___________________
How abysmally stupid do you want to reveal yourself to be?
Report of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child:
The Vatican has insisted it cannot be held responsible for the actions of bishops and priests around the globe, saying it is the responsibility of local law enforcement to police such abuse. However, by insisting on using internal disciplinary measures to tackle the problem, the church (entire organisation) has “allowed the vast majority of abusers and almost all those who concealed child abuse to escape judicial proceedings”. The report adds: “Due to a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of ex-communication, cases of child abuse have hardly been reported to law enforcement agencies.”
That code is still in place, according to the authors of the report; the Holy See refused “to provide the committee with data on all cases of child abuse brought to its attention”.
shellbell @ #2998 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:30 am
I note that Simmons have been busy while refusing to play.
a r –
The wedding cake example I think needs further context.
If the gay couple are systematically refused their wedding cake then you have a “trampling of their civil liberties” situation, and in an ideal world the law and government should try to find ways to fix this.
However, if the gay couple can walk 10m down the road and find 3 other bakeries that are happy to take their business, then the civil liberties of the couple remain intact IMO.
Businesses can (and should be able to) refuse to do business under a variety of circumstances – eg they don’t have the resources/staff to do the job, there is a history of bad faith from particular customers, even objecting to particular messaging – if I were in such a business and someone walked in and said they wanted a massive anti-vax messaged cake I would tell them to fuck off, and I would hope that I would have the right to do so.
The gay couple who could go elsewhere without difficulty insisting that their cake must be made by these specific assholes is just creating a problem where one need not exist. I don’t see that as a “rights” issue – it’s a practical “don’t deliberately provoke people if you don’t have to” issue.
Not that it matters to my argument, but I’m gay myself, although I will admit to a deep dislike of the entire wedding industry which may colour my perspective on the sanctity of wedding cake manufacture.
lizzie @ #2994 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:57 am
The “flies” that provoke muscle twitches are tabanids (“March flies”) not “house flies” – they penetrate skin for a blood meal. The skin penetration localises the twitch.
lizzie @ #2610 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:17 am
Did he say how when there are very few available?
https://www.betootaadvocate.com/headlines/bloke-who-spends-money-like-an-apprentice-coal-miner-draws-the-line-at-free-rapid-tests-for-sick-people/
rhwombat
Thank you for taking the question seriously. No wonder I appreciate your presence!
35000 new positive tests reported in NSW today – and probably many many more unreported.
Remember a few weeks ago Dr Nick rubbished expert predictions of 25000 a day.
Why would any credible media organisation platform this bloke ?
Whether by design or accident, Albo has successfully “roped the dope”.
By not being explicit about making RATs free for all, he has led Morrison in to proposing a hopelessly complex and probably discriminatory “solution” to the RAT crisis .
This has attracted ire and ridicule of Morrison form both Morrisons opponents and supporters. And now Albo swoops in and says, “Oh bugger it, just make the bloody things free for all”.
Why would any credible media organisation platform this bloke ?
_____
Because he’s pretty.
At least HE thinks so.
Rex Douglas @ #2656 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:09 am
Because he’s telegenic and a Coalition pin up boy for the pandemic. Also, if he wasn’t platformed then the media organisation would feel the full wrath of the Menacing Wallpaper.
And there I was thinking lizzie was PBs Bene Gesserit.
Why are people blaming Dan for Djokovic’s exemption ?
lizzie @ #2986 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:44 am
Exactly. Here, to bore everyone witless, is our situation. It’s a bit of a shaggy dog story.
I had a contact scare on Christmas Eve which turned out to be false, we think. (Therein lies the shaggy dog). I bolted to the bush with the dogs, while OH scoured Chemists for RATS, with some success. We had, you could say, a stash. Selfish maybe; sensible yes.
I had a quiet pleasant Christmas in the wild. OH had a RAT on Christmas morning before seeing his 91 yr old mother. (test 1) OH arrives down on the evening after boxing day with maybe a bit of a cough, maybe some early asthma (past history). Next morning (Wednesday) the flu like symptoms are there, tired, lethargic, and a bit of a cough. No sore throat, but sounding a bit heady. RAT is positive (test 2). We’ve had a normal night at home ie up close and personal. I have a test (test 3) – negative. We can isolate, both, from the world, comfortably. Getting a PCR deemed an impossibly difficult task, and not worth it, considering the clinical history of exposure and exposures, and personal and public infection control behaviour, and delays in the system. All known contacts, minimal, notified. OH has had three health pings by now. Several days of feeling off, very tired, mild temp (38.4) with a few aches and pains. We repeat the tests (tests 4 and 5). OH still positive; me still negative. We are not separating at home. I’m keen to get it. We are both triple dosed. Several more days. OH now symptom free for three days. We repeat the tests. (tests 6 and 7). OH still positive; me still negative.
How far do you run with this? I hear the RAT can stay positive for up to 15 days after symptoms and infectivity fade. I think the latest I heard was the Govt (always contracting its advice imo driven by inadequate planning and supplies) was saying return to public was acceptable at day 7, with day 6 test no longer necessary.
Whatever. It’s complicated. And expensive. Which is my point. We are in a very fortunate situation, and give thanks. Others are not. The stress in the system, and in the public, in the home, in the family, the fear, the uncertainty, the sense of betrayal is palpable. Those who come here to poo-poo it confound me.
The wedding cake alternative vendors example is very misleading. As soon as it is lawful to discriminate against people based on lawful behaviour then all four / five / twenty bakeries can discriminate. Those that don’t can then charge a premium, etc etc.
The people who hate a group of people so much they don’t want to sell them goods, have a very easy alternative and that is don’t run a business that makes products available to the public. The idea that someone can open a business to the public and then refuse service is a terrible terrible idea.
lizzie @ #2655 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:06 am
I’m so glad rhwombat has stuck around after being abused for no good reason.
Your just baiting Yabba.
The point remains – good and bad in every organisation. There are religious people like Father Bob in Melbourne who have given their entire lives in service to the poor and downtrodden. You never acknowledge that because of your bigotry.
Rex Douglas @ #2661 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:13 am
Haters gonna hate.
lizzie @ #2994 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:57 am
The opera ain’t over till the fat lady … kills a mosquito.
https://youtu.be/OnHJFofzSV4
Simon Katich
Obviously I’m not all-knowing as I didn’t have a clue about Gesserit – not having watched Dune. 🙂
Hey on whatsapp group I have one person saying they flew into Melbourne yesterday and that masks are not compulsory, even in the airport, and another saying they live in Melbourne and that masks are mandatory indoor settings including airports and public transport.
What is the actual situation in Melb?
The molloch press reaching hard to spin up a storm over the tennis.
Everyone see’s through it.
I honestly think the poll will be 60:40 next newspoll. ~10 people died in NSW. That number is going to go up. This thing will peak in Feb and then we’ll all get to count the cost up to the election.
What an easily preventable disaster.
WWP –
If they all discriminate then you end up with the “systemic” case that I said would require legal intervention for.
“Charge a premium” – if it’s not systemic then there will be competition in the non-asshole bakery space and this shouldn’t be any significant issue.
lizzie @ #3020 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 10:48 am
Well, I wanted to give a non-serious reply to balance rhw’s.
I am able to twitch numerous individual muscles only it isnt voluntary and probably due to the stress of having a teenage daughter.
shellbell @ #2998 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:00 am
An aside: …. can’t say I really thought that much of ‘Dont’ Look Up’, despite Cate being brilliant, as usual. Loved the conceit, the execution less so. On the other hand, OH laughed himself stoopid. Loved it.
‘Supernova’ however, broke me up.
WeWantPaul @ #3025 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:18 am
Have to mask up indoors.
If the Boris Tories can make RATs free, it shouldn’t be judged a left/right competition in Australia, but this is how politicised we are now.
”
Rex Douglassays:
Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 11:13 am
Why are people blaming Dan for Djokovic’s exemption ?
”
Because he said No vaccination No play.
I wonder if Morrison is thinking he should have just gone on holiday in Hawaii.
He’d have been better of politically and the government would have functioned less incompetently if he had.
Simon Katich
We need KayJay on days like this. 🙂
ItzaDream
Certainly seem to be strong opinions on both sides.
I had never heard of the actor who played the malignant entrepreneur.
I’m predicting only the Greens will adversely comment on Djokovic coming to the AO.
Thanks Rex
If PCR tests are covered by Medicare… and the Governments have decided to refocus and make RATs a CRITICAL element of the TTIQ regime, there is absolutely no justification why these should not also be covered by Medicare – it really is that simple.
SfM’s plan does not even make economic sense – provide funding to people to pay for tests, currently scarce, with only an ACCC shaming as a penalty for gouging? What’s the end result? $25, $30, $45 for a single test becoming the new baseline.
Ven @ #3033 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:23 am
He didn’t give the exemption.
The Independent panel and the Fed customs gave the exemption to enter Aus and play the AO, not the Vic Govt.
Except Rex there was a vic govt health panel involved in the process of granting the exemption.
“I’m predicting only the Greens will adversely comment on Djokovic coming to the AO.”
I’m not a green, and I think it is incredibly weak and pathetic leadership to allow Djokovic to come.
And we are back to rights, and I’m all for the right to refuse to get vaccinated and I’m all for the community’s right to exclude those who don’t from all potentially dangerous activity.
The right to spread a disease is not a right I’m a fan off, but I’ve opposed all the ‘money is more important that life, let her rip’ takes on the pandemic, and this is no different it is just power and money making exceptions for the powerful and / or rich. It is a terrible terrible decision that should be universally condemned.
Reckon Albo has spoken to all the ALP Premiers and they will present a united front at National Cabinet that all RATs are to be provided free of charge.
Morrison will have no option than to back down.
shellbell @ #3032 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:26 am
For good reason?
Lars Von Trier @ #3041 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:31 am
Independent from Govt. That’s why is was established, to be independent.
Lars Von Trier @ #3017 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:17 am
Do you mean you’re? You’re just obfuscating and trying to cover your abysmal ignorance, and inability to understand plain English.
Report of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child:
The Vatican has insisted it cannot be held responsible for the actions of bishops and priests around the globe, saying it is the responsibility of local law enforcement to police such abuse. However, by insisting on using internal disciplinary measures to tackle the problem, the church has “allowed the vast majority of abusers and almost all those who concealed child abuse to escape judicial proceedings”. The report adds: “Due to a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of ex-communication, cases of child abuse have hardly been reported to law enforcement agencies.”
That code is still in place, according to the authors of the report; the Holy See refused “to provide the committee with data on all cases of child abuse brought to its attention”.
___________________
Today’s court report:
The survivor said the church’s approach to the case had caused him significant distress. “They wanted to drag me through it, and they dragged me through it.”
He had been cross-examined for three days and forced to relive painful memories.
The church argued Coffey’s home visits were “social outings” not connected to his work for the church.
The judge in the case, Justice Jack Forrest, described the suggestion as “sheer nonsense”.
_______________
Bigots of the world, unite!
L’arse, you have ZERO credibility. You are a barefaced apologist for pure, unadulterated bastardry.
Of course Rex an independent process to which no political leader was involved for plausible deniability.
Bit like politicians pay rises – we didn’t vote for it the independent tribunal granted it to us
Missed, but not forgotten lizzie.
I recently lost an old school chum. We kept close through the years. Voids are heavy.
Oh, look over there! A sick djoke!
Lars Von Trier @ #3047 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:35 am
You’re entitled to you feelpinions.
But facts are facts. The exemptions came from the Independent panel and Fed Customs.
Just had a dentist’s appointment cancelled. Broken tooth. Close contact and casual contact on the staff.
EVERY.SINGLE.THING.THEY.TOUCH.
The very idea of ‘independent’ is as quaint and as unrealistic as the idea of an independent public service, I think when Turnbull others just called anything independent, independent reports from mates and independent reports from people in the PMO, etc etc the cat was fully belled.
At no point in the pandemic have I accepted any of the CMO’s are actually independent any more than I’ve accepted the politicians relied entirely on their advice.
All fig leaves made of cling wrap.
Boerwar @ #3045 Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 – 11:08 am
A novax Djoke.
The way covid case numbers are going perhaps ‘The Joker’ should be the one stressing about catching Covid-19.