There are posts above on state politics in New South Wales and below on the slow motion demise of Boris Johnson. This one covers local electoral news relevant to (mostly) the federal tier:
• In an article for The Monthly by George Megalogenis, Shaun Ratcliff of the University of Sydney relates research suggesting home owners were nearly twice as likely to vote Coalition than non-home owners after controlling for income. However, there was a marked exception for those under 35, who were twice as likely to vote Labor and Greens than the Coalition, which played a major role in the latter’s disastrous showing in the big cities. The Coalition had just 16% support among renters, compared with 38% for Labor and 35% for the Greens. Home owners were only half as likely to vote for the Greens as renters, while distinctions among Labor were more modest. This was based on the Australian Cooperative Election Survey, conducted during the campaign from a sample of around 5800 by YouGov and various universities, which we will be hearing a lot more from in future.
• The Guardian reports Senator Andrew Bragg is pushing for changes to the New South Wales Liberal Party’s rules at its annual general meeting later this month to allow preselections to proceed without the involvement of the leader’s representative in the nomination review process. This seemingly arcane point lay at the centre of the long-running logjam in its preselection process before the federal election, when Scott Morrison’s centre right faction ally Alex Hawke persistently failed to show at meetings to move the process forward. Factional rivals said this was a deliberate effort to force the national executive to intervene to protect centre right incumbents from preselection defeats. Bragg’s proposal has been criticised by Hollie Hughes, Liberal Senator and centre right member, who instead blames reforms championed by Tony Abbott that required the concurrence of 90% of state executive members to certify factional deals that would have broken the deadlock.
• Matthew Knott of the Sydney Morning Herald reports members of Labor’s Cabramatta branch have reacted to Kristina Keneally’s parachute malfunction in Fowler by calling for those who “white-anted” her to be disciplined. This included passage of a motion calling on the party administration to consider expelling Tu Le, whose own aspirations for the seat were thwarted by the Keneally manoeuvre. Local sources cited by Knott said members were “peeved by the presumption Le would have won a rank-and-file ballot given she had only moved to the electorate a year earlier herself and was not well-known in the area”.
• Poll Bludger regular Adrian Beaumont has a piece in The Conversation on the performance of the polls at the federal election, which I mean to get around covering myself in depth eventually.
• Matt Martino of the ABC drew upon my supposed expertise in a fact check on claims made by Barnaby Joyce about the federal election result. I rated him no pinocchios, but told him to watch it anyway.
• Late counting has shown the Liberals’ performance in Saturday’s Bragg state by-election in South Australia to have been a bit less bad than it appeared on the night. There has actually been a 2.8% swing in their favour on postals and pre-polls, compared with a 6.0% swing on the election day votes that were all we had to go on on Saturday. This leaves the Liberal margin at 5.5%, down from 8.2% at the March election (and 16.8% at the election before).
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-to-keep-bonk-ban-for-ministers-but-stop-them-using-blind-trusts-20220707-p5azxn.html
The clean up of the mess created by the coalition government continues.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/political-interference-needs-to-end-minister-to-review-university-research-grants-20220706-p5azei.html
Fess
The two issues highlighted in the articles above, the ministerial code of conduct and a review of the Australian Research Council funding system are small but important steps to re-establishing faith in federal governance, standards and fairness. They also dovetail nicely with the Bernard Collaery decision yesterday. Albo is doing well in establishing true-north for this term of government.
I wonder how Keneally is coping with what could have been. She must think of it every single day.
Cronus:
Yes, doing a great job so far of restoring faith in our public institutions.
Meanwhile…
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-08/scott-morrison-interest-in-joining-rugby-league-commission/101219152:
Shorter NRL: “F**k off, we’re full!”
Good morning Dawn Patrollers
Love him or loathe him, Boris Johnson was Britain’s most consequential PM since Thatcher, writes George Brandis.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/love-him-or-loathe-him-boris-johnson-was-britain-s-most-consequential-pm-since-thatcher-20220707-p5b00f.html
Gwynne Dyer writes about the downfall of Boris Johnson, incompetent liar.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/the-downfall-of-boris-johnson-incompetent-liar-20220707-p5azun.html
John Crace, at his very best, describes the downfall of “the Convict” Johnson. A classic article!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/07/the-convict-remains-true-to-himself-with-a-very-on-brand-resignation
Boris Johnson circus comes to a messy end … as it was destined to do, says Greg Sheridan.
https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/world/boris-johnson-circus-comes-to-a-messy-end-as-it-wasdestined-to-do/news-story/fc812639b1e9f789e3aaa787ee801b23
On the fall of Boris Johnson, Stephen Coleman writes that any democracy should look to his case and ask if it is enabling Machiavellian leaders.
https://theconversation.com/the-fall-of-boris-johnson-any-democracy-should-look-to-his-case-and-ask-if-it-is-enabling-machiavellian-leaders-186597
According to Shane Wright, Jim Chalmers’ first budget will contain an evaluation of the nation’s wellbeing, tracking Australians’ standard of living and quality of life alongside traditional measures of the economy.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/treasurer-to-measure-wellbeing-pay-off-from-economy-in-first-budget-20220707-p5azua.html
Diplomatic coups in Europe aside, the Albanese government will need to look east – and still to China – to secure Australian exports, says David Crowe.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-must-look-east-more-than-west-for-export-fortunes-20220707-p5azqg.html
Anthony Albanese declared it was “beyond contempt” that the opposition would compare his secret mission to Ukraine with Scott Morrison’s bushfire holiday to Hawaii this week. He makes a reasonable point, writes Sam Maiden who says the idea that Mr Morrison getting around in boardshorts and sipping tropical cocktails while half of Australia was on fire is somehow comparable with attending NATO and holding talks with the Ukrainian president truly beggars belief.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/samantha-maiden-those-who-paid-attention-will-recall-albanese-did-not-initially-criticise-morrisons-trip-at-all/news-story/40df25b88588b8958173d6b55e5075c6?amp
Anthony Albanese will continue Malcolm Turnbull’s “bonk ban” for his ministers and bar them from using blind trusts to avoid a repeat of the turmoil the Morrison government faced.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-to-keep-bonk-ban-for-ministers-but-stop-them-using-blind-trusts-20220707-p5azxn.html
Michelle Grattan says that Albanese is pursuing harmony, but consensus has its limits.
https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-albanese-is-pursuing-harmony-but-consensus-has-its-limits-186561
Civil war has erupted within the Canberra Liberals as disgruntled members attempt to clean out the division’s management committee in the wake of Zed Seselja’s election loss, writes Dan Jervis-Bardy. Declaring “enough is enough”, the Gary Humphries-led Menzies Group is pushing for the resignation of five members of the committee it says must be held accountable for the Liberals’ 2020 ACT election defeat and Mr Seselja’s historic Senate defeat earlier this year.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7811201/enough-is-enough-civil-war-erupts-in-canberra-liberals-after-seselja-loss/?cs=14329
Labor learns government is not so easy as it seemed in opposition says Phil Coorey. Who would have thought?
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-learns-government-is-not-so-easy-as-it-seemed-in-opposition-20220706-p5azkk
Eryk Bagshaw and Chris Barrett report that Penny Wong will sit down with China counterpart Wang Yi for the first time on Friday on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Bali at which Russia’s war in Ukraine is expected to dominate the agenda. It will be the first between foreign ministers from Canberra and Beijing since September 2019.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/wong-it-is-in-australia-s-interests-to-stabilise-relationship-with-china-20220707-p5azv8.html
Policy and administration of migrant farm workers will be one of the new Government’s biggest immigration challenges, explains Abul Rizvi.
https://johnmenadue.com/migrant-farm-worker-policy-where-to-now/
COVID-19 complacency has resulted in infections and deaths skyrocketing and Dr Kerryn Phelps reminds us that it’s far from over yet.
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/kerryn-phelps-covid-is-not-over,16540
Alan Kohler examines the latest Covid wave where the variant is the most infection so far. He is concerned that, as a country, we have become blasé to it all.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2022/07/07/omicron-third-wave-alan-kohler/
New research has found that Australian governments spent more than $20.5 billion on first home buyer help in the past decade, which made housing affordability worse by driving up property prices and left existing homeowners richer.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/governments-spent-20-5b-on-first-home-buyer-help-that-pushes-up-prices-report-20220707-p5azx3.html
Pandemic measures including home delivery of medicines and subsidised Telehealth appointments should be reinstated to allow easier access to antivirals, doctors and pharmacists say, with an older cohort of people catching COVID-19 in the latest wave.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/doctors-pharmacists-call-for-better-support-to-prescribe-antivirals-20220707-p5azsj.html
Angus Thompson tells us that Richard Marles has not ruled out buying ready-made nuclear submarines to plug the gap in Australia’s defence capabilities, as he sought to reassure Australian-based industries that Australians would still have a role building the future fleet.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/marles-commits-to-local-jobs-won-t-rule-out-ready-made-submarine-stopgap-20220707-p5azya.html
Mark Dreyfus has said the decision to withdraw the charges against Bernard Collaery did not represent a move away from the practice of protecting government secrets, but the Coalition condemned the intervention as setting a dangerous precedent.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/bernard-collaery-s-leaking-charges-over-east-timor-operation-dropped-on-mark-dreyfus-orders-20220707-p5azuu.html
Justice finally arrives for Bernard Collaery but damage has already been done, says Christopher Knaus.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/07/justice-finally-arrives-for-bernard-collaery-but-damage-has-already-been-done
Colin Packham tells us that Australian regulators are investigating two energy retailers that urged their customers to find another supplier – blaming unprofitable market conditions – and then sold valuable hedging positions for up to $100 million.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/energy-retailers-investigated-for-100m-hedges-20220707-p5azvc
Anthony Klan reveals that Guide Dogs Victoria’s “capital fundraising” boss Paul Wheelton made over $87,000 in donations to the Liberal Party before the Federal Coalition gave millions of dollars of taxpayer funds to his charity.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/guide-dogs-scandal-deepens-with-donations-to-liberal-party-revealed,16536
The recent outcry from independents about the Albanese government’s decision not to give them each four extra staff at advisor level in addition to their four electorate staff tells us a lot. They chose to put a spotlight on their entitled self-indulgent attitude which was not particularly edifying, says Amanda Vanstone.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7809586/threats-and-tantrums-from-independents-over-staffing-shows-self-indulgent-attitudes/?cs=14258
Airport, customer and capacity chaos is besetting Qantas, with industrial action now in the wings, writes Michael Sainsbury who describes the time-worn Qantas tactic of distracting the mainstream and industry media from its problems with whiz-bang announcements and all-expenses paid trips for pet journalists to exotic destinations.
https://michaelwest.com.au/ciao-roma-but-its-soggy-pasta-for-the-limping-kangaroo/
People living in regional areas are at risk of becoming the “last people in the world” left driving petrol cars because incentives for electric vehicles have been targeted towards city drivers, writes Royce Kurmelovs.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/08/ev-incentives-focused-on-urban-centres-leave-rural-australians-stranded-with-fossil-fuels
A range of factors is behind the rise in electricity prices, but net zero isn’t one of them, argues Graham Readfearn.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/07/conservatives-blame-the-energy-crisis-on-net-zero-climate-goals-but-what-is-really-going-on
Now that the new Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland is considering a review of the whole broadcasting sector, the lid might be lifted on failures in the system for children. Among all the resets needed for the digital age, the ABC should be charged with the mission for children it should have been on for the last 50 years, posits Patricia Edgar.
https://johnmenadue.com/abc-childrens-programs-are-not-what-they-seem-or-what-they-could-be/
There are significant long-term consequences in the fiasco for the whole idea of synodality and co-responsibility in the Catholic Church in Australia, writes John Warhurst who says there was plenty of spin at the second Catholic Plenary Council where hearts were broken.
https://johnmenadue.com/plenty-of-spin-at-the-second-plenary-council-hearts-were-broken/
Police have arrested three alleged members of an illegal firearms syndicate identified during investigations into a shooting in western Sydney connected with the city’s gang war.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/alleged-firearms-syndicate-uncovered-after-creche-gym-shooting-20220707-p5aztv.html
A Sydney financial “licensee for hire” business is being pursued by the corporate regulator for allegedly having no compliance staff and inadequate risk management processes, despite firms responsible for over $1 billion in funds operating under its umbrella. This has quite a stench about it. Tom Waterhouse is involved.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/wholly-deficient-business-asic-mounts-legal-proceedings-against-licensee-for-hire-firm-20220707-p5azwc.html
The SMH editorial heaps praise on those involved in the recue of the ship stranded off Sydney’s coast. It goes on to say, “courage of another sort is required to undertake the many stressful tasks needed to keep our society running, from social workers to ambulance drivers to classroom teachers. Their sacrifice lasts a lifetime rather than a few frantic hours.”
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/our-everyday-heroes-deserve-more-recognition-20220707-p5azyt.html
Four years ago Donald Trump fired the first salvo in his self-harming trade war with China. Joe Biden now faces some tricky decisions as the US looks to contain Beijing’s economic and military ambitions, explains Stephen Bartholomeusz.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/trump-s-trade-war-on-china-failed-biden-has-the-precarious-job-of-reshaping-it-20220707-p5azq4.html
The US supreme court poses a real threat to Americans’ democracy, writes Richard Wolffe who says. “It did not start with Donald Trump. And it will not end with his shuffling off stage, in handcuffs or disgrace”.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/07/the-us-supreme-court-poses-a-real-threat-to-americans-democracy
The father of the Highland Park gunman will be criminally investigated in connection with the Independence Day attack for signing an affidavit supporting his son’s application for a gun license, police said. Robert Crimo Jr, the father of Robert Crimo III – who is suspected of killing seven people at a Fourth of July parade in a suburb of Chicago – sponsored his son’s firearm owner application in 2019.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/07/highland-park-suspect-father-investigation-gun-application
Cartoon Corner
Alan Moir
David Pope
Andrew Dyson
Cathy Wilcox
John Shakespeare
Jim Pavlidis
Mark David
Simon Letch
Glen Le Lievre
Leak
From the US
Thanks BK
As for Brandis, I think he has mistaken destructive for consequential in referring to Boris Johnson.
William
‘there was a marked exception for those among 35’
Typo alert
Taylormade
Speaking from experience, every single unsuccessful candidate for the election will be thinking about what might have been every single day (for probably at least the next couple of months).
Whatever Keneally’s feeling, Morrison, Frydenberg, Sharma, Constance et al – and indeed, the successful Liberal candidates as well, because Opposition isn’t where they wanted to be – will be feeling much the same.
”
The recent outcry from independents about the Albanese government’s decision not to give them each four extra staff at advisor level in addition to their four electorate staff tells us a lot. They chose to put a spotlight on their entitled self-indulgent attitude which was not particularly edifying, says Amanda Vanstone.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7809586/threats-and-tantrums-from-independents-over-staffing-shows-self-indulgent-attitudes/?cs=14258
”
The curious and at the same time funny thing about this Albanese decision is that support for this decision is coming Liberal party people like Credlin Sheridan and Vanstone and opposition is coming from people of so called supporters of Albanese like Rex, Nath, P1, and other people who say I always voted ALP but I don’t support this decision.
”
Cronussays:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:45 am
Thanks BK
As for Brandis, I think he has mistaken destructive for consequential in referring to Boris Johnson.
”
Cronus
Maybe what Brandis means is that BOJO is consequential in the destruction of Britain. 🙂
”
WB: Matthew Knott of the Sydney Morning Herald reports members of Labor’s Cabramatta branch have reacted to Kristina Keneally’s parachute malfunction in Fowler by calling for those who “white-anted” her to be disciplined. This included passage of a motion calling on the party administration to consider expelling Tu Le, whose own aspirations for the seat were thwarted by the Keneally manoeuvre. Local sources cited by Knott said members were “peeved by the presumption Le would have won a rank-and-file ballot given she had only moved to the electorate a year earlier herself and was not well-known in the area”.
”
“Local sources cited by Knott said members were “peeved by the presumption Le would have won a rank-and-file ballot given she had only moved to the electorate a year earlier herself and was not well-known in the area”.
”
Tell that to Taylormaid, Lars, nath and P1. 🙂
@William Bowe: “However, there was a marked exception for those among 35, who were twice as likely to vote Labor and Greens than the Coalition …”
I think there’s a bit of missing info here, William.
”
Airport, customer and capacity chaos is besetting Qantas, with industrial action now in the wings, writes Michael Sainsbury who describes the time-worn Qantas tactic of distracting the mainstream and industry media from its problems with whiz-bang announcements and all-expenses paid trips for pet journalists to exotic destinations.
https://michaelwest.com.au/ciao-roma-but-its-soggy-pasta-for-the-limping-kangaroo/
”
What whiz-bang announcements will be made by Qantas and which lucky pet journalists will be the beneficiary of its all-expenses paid trips to exotic destinations.
Poroti
Do you know which journalists write nice articles about our ‘flying Kangaroo ‘?
#weatheronPB
wind quietly stirs the trees
endless blue sheet holds the cool sun
a bird, not much else
https://www.pollbludger.net/2022/07/08/home-alone-open-thread/#comment-3949986
I guess the next first amongst ultra-conservatives equals can put a tugboat on the quaint island off the coast of EUrope and drag it closer to either America, Russia … perhaps the tow will break and it’ll sink west of the Pillars of Hercules
The Labor Party and their members are people, too, you know. So in the new spirit of Human Rights and Respect I’d appreciate not being referred to as a ‘Labor stooge’ when it suits some to do so but for no good reason other than to inflame tempers and insult.
Morning all. Thanks BK. Boris Johnson played the clown his whole political career. It seems apt in pointing it out on his departure. Like Tony Abbott, his only achievements in office were destroying other peoples’ achievements.
Marles is handling the messaging on SSNs quite well. A local build is essential, but buying a couple of foreign built subs to start with might be quite sensible.
In the mean time we should build more air warfare destroyers for local shipbuilding work. The Hunter frigates are (again) running too late.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/marles-commits-to-local-jobs-won-t-rule-out-ready-made-submarine-stopgap-20220707-p5azya.html
I’d like to thank, kezza2, for putting up the James O’Brien LBC video last night. Quality stuff from someone who set the controls for the heart of the sun and Boris Johnson’s tenure in public life.
Good morning, all.
Thank you, BK.
Goodbye Boris and don’t trip on the bottles as you leave No 10.
You could not even hold your liquor as well as Churchill did.
sunny
3
still
Soc,
What is the cause of the Hunter Frigates being behind schedule? Do the ship builders submit a schedule they know is unachievable, in order to facilitate a talking point for the government and a rosy outlook? Or is there something unexpected and real that you can point to?
“As we’ve seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves … in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader,” Johnson said.
From Schwarz Media’s ‘Post’
Johnson blames bovine creatures for not thinking but behaving instinctively.
Love him or loathe him, Boris Johnson was Britain’s most consequential PM since Thatcher, writes George Brandis.
———————-
Love him or loathe him Nero was Rome’s most consequential emperor since Caligula
Rex Douglas says:
The racist ‘African gangs’ rubbish he and Turnbull peddled was worse.
Was Guy central to that, or did he just tag along?
It was a co-ordinated attack led by Guy, Turnbull and the Lib media in the lead-up to crucial by-elections and the Vic election.
The Victorian Liberal opposition has defended distributing election leaflets that warn of “gangs hunting in packs” in Melbourne, which Labor has denounced as “nasty and bigoted”.
The leaflet, which features the opposition leader, Matthew Guy, and the Liberal candidate for Keysborough, Darrel Taylor, was handed out in Keysborough on Thursday morning. It comes amid a growing backlash to a recent Channel Seven story suggesting the city was gripped by an “African gangs” crisis.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/13/victorian-liberals-defend-election-leaflets-warning-of-gangs-hunting-in-packs
….
I will never forgive either for the cheap, racist attack on the Melbourne Sudanese community.
Fair enough, I change my answer from “I don’t know” to “useless”.
In my view politically useless also, in my view the attack on the Sudanese community that resulted in a solid swing against the liberals.
No wonder Albanese had frank discussion with BOJO while on trip to Japan. It appears he had an inkling how things are going to play out in the coming months. 🙂
It appears FTA with Britain put on ice for the time being.
Did British trade envoy Sir Ian Botham have any success with his visit to Australia last week other than a few interviews on TV channels?
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-trade-envoy-lord-ian-botham-lands-in-australia
Ven says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:03 am
”
Cronussays:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:45 am
Thanks BK
As for Brandis, I think he has mistaken destructive for consequential in referring to Boris Johnson.
”
“Cronus
Maybe what Brandis means is that BOJO is consequential in the destruction of Britain. ”
(Chuckles) and with that I’d most certainly agree.
Same old same old?
Collaery decision
Blind trusts banned decision
Bonk ban decision
Well BEXIT got done, and now the question is what for Britain. Boris didn’t have the answer that is for sure. And Labour doesn’t either.
I would rate David Cameron as more consequential.
Nadal withdraws.
Kyrgios into Wimbledon final.
Yin to Barty’s yang?
Boerwar says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:45 am
I would rate David Cameron as more consequential.
Yes he ran the referendum that created the mess that Boris treated as his playground.
The weird thing about it, Boris lost because some unknown guy touched another guys bum while drunk.
About bloody time
‘…
“Given the significant role they play in the Australian political system, the review considers it appropriate that the roles and responsibilities of ministerial advisers be formally recognised in a legislated code of conduct, with effective mechanisms for accountability and compliance with the code,” the Thodey review laid out.
…’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/07/labors-new-ministerial-code-of-conduct-bans-blind-trusts-like-christian-porter-used
Pretty good overview of present day Britain:
‘What is Britain, without the EU? It’s a small island. A medium sized economy. Which doesn’t make much, doesn’t do much, and doesn’t offer the world much. ‘
https://eand.co/how-britain-destroyed-its-future-a59f3f5cc6aa
Cat
We don’t know why the Hunter frigates are late from the inadequate reporting of projects by Defence. Marles should insist on more info in reporting all defence projects cost and progress.
I suspect it is multiple causes. The contractor (BAE) has run late with the same design for both the British and Canadian navies too. In addition defence has added local requirements that have greatly complicated the design phase in their eternal quest to design the perfect waarship, despite having no design skills of their own. So fault on both sides. Defence has to be cleaned out of project managers with no technical training. They are disasters.
In the short term we should take up the Navantia offer to build three more air warfare destroyers straight away. That will maintain employment and give the navy useful ships.
If UK gets the sub deal that is worth much more than the frigates, so it would not hurt BAE to cancel the latter contract. Then build another six AWDs to replace the frigate deal entirely. This would also save at least ten billion $, which would be useful.
To me its a no brainer to dump the frigates, build more AWDs instead, and build the UK subs. Both decisions will save in excess of ten billion. We have to stop defence picking the world’s best and most expensive designs and then building tiny quantities of them. This defends no-one. We need to pick a couple of standard designs “off the shelf” and build lots of them. More work, more defence capability and less $.
The Nationals coal luvvies have had a bit to do with this, IMO:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/08/ev-incentives-focused-on-urban-centres-leave-rural-australians-stranded-with-fossil-fuels
C@tmomma says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:28 am
So in the new spirit of Human Rights and Respect I’d appreciate not being referred to as a ‘Labor stooge’ when it suits some to do so but for no good reason other than to inflame tempers and insult.
_________________
Hmm, but it is factual and verifiable.
Re Late Riser @8:24. For once your weather’s like ours.
And speaking of narcissistic leaders who think it’s all about them being hairy-chested:
Putin warns Russia is just getting started in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has said “everyone should know that” Russia was just getting started in Ukraine and has not “started anything yet in earnest”.
Any prospects for peace negotiations will grow dimmer the longer the conflict dragged on, the Russian leader said in a hawkish speech to parliamentary leaders.
He said if the west wanted to defeat Russia on the battlefield, it was welcome to try.
Putin said:
Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. What can you say, let them try. We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian.
This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it seems that everything is heading towards this.
He added:
Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest. At the same time, we don’t reject peace talks. But those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us.
(Per The Guardian)
I understand the Duma passed a Bill yesterday to force manufacturers in Russia to turn their businesses towards making munitions and military vehicles for the war.
Sohar says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:49 am
Pretty good overview of present day Britain:
‘What is Britain, without the EU? It’s a small island. A medium sized economy. Which doesn’t make much, doesn’t do much, and doesn’t offer the world much. ‘
https://eand.co/how-britain-destroyed-its-future-a59f3f5cc6aa
And I think the best they can hope for now is to integration into Europe (Free travel, acceptance of European standards) without representation. It will take time and a lot of bullshit before they get their.
Steve777 @ #37 Friday, July 8th, 2022 – 8:51 am
It promises to be glorious today.
nath @ #36 Friday, July 8th, 2022 – 8:50 am
No. It’s simply your opinion. You have to learn the difference between it being an insincerely-held opinion of yours and the truth.
Bojo displayed a penchant for always blaming others, never taking responsibility, dividing his nation, disdain for justice, a belief in being ‘chosen’, portraying life through the prism of announcements and self promotion videos, antagonising allies and dismissing the concerns of the poor.
Remind us of anybody? The similarities are striking and they’re even on the same side of politics.
Ven @ #12 Friday, July 8th, 2022 – 8:06 am
Shock! Labor party discovers their golden goddess’s parachute malfunction was not the fault of those who prepared the parachute – someone moved the electorate out from underneath her!
sohar
An very interesting article based on a very interesting proposition. The sequitur: ‘Is Starmer lying about Brexit?’
Jack the Insider @JacktheInsider
35s
Vale James Caan whose stunning portrayal of Sonny Corleone led to some odd off screen characterisations. “I won ‘Italian of the Year’ twice in New York, and I’m not Italian.”
Frednk says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:48 am
Boerwar says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:45 am
I would rate David Cameron as more consequential.
“Yes he ran the referendum that created the mess that Boris treated as his playground.
The weird thing about it, Boris lost because some unknown guy touched another guys bum while drunk.”
As they say, it’s not always about the crime but rather the coverup and it seems some bums are harder to coverup than others.
”
Frednksays:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:48 am
Boerwar says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:45 am
I would rate David Cameron as more consequential.
Yes he ran the referendum that created the mess that Boris treated as his playground.
The weird thing about it, Boris lost because some unknown guy touched another guys bum while drunk.
”
Weird indeed! Why are British Journos and Pollies are interested in bums, crotches and other private human parts
Gallagher is one of Canberra’s better gifts to the nation.
As promised specifically during the campaign, Labor will implement the recommendations of the Jenkins Review.
No need for Teals. Labor will do the job.
Same old same old?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/08/reboot-of-jenkins-review-into-toxic-parliamentary-culture-already-begun-katy-gallagher-says
A new version of omicron is dominant in the U.S.
The coronavirus subvariant known as BA.5 accounted for nearly 54% of the country’s Covid cases as of Saturday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A similar subvariant, BA.4, makes up 17% more.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/omicron-ba5-ba4-covid-symptoms-vaccines-rcna36894
Cat
“ Vladimir Putin has said “everyone should know that” Russia was just getting started in Ukraine and has not “started anything yet in earnest”.
Any prospects for peace negotiations will grow dimmer the longer the conflict dragged on, the Russian leader said in a hawkish speech to parliamentary leaders.”
Almost everything Putin has said about Ukraine has turned out to be a lie. Why believe him now? They are still concealing how many Russian soldiers have been killed from their news broadcasts.
If Putin thought he would win for sure in the end why offer peace now? Because Putin knows the tide will start turning once western supplied heavy weapons go into action.
A lot of Russian propaganda lately has been aimed at western countries to pressure Ukraine into accepting peace.