It seems there is little to offer this week in the way of federal polling, my suggestion in the previous post that we might see a Resolve Strategic poll and Newspoll’s quarterly breakdowns probably being a week premature. We did get quarterly breakdowns, courtesy of the Age/Herald on Sunday, but from Resolve Strategic rather than Newspoll – which don’t tell us much we did not already know, as breakdowns by gender and for the three biggest states are included with the monthly results. They do, however, include fresh state results for Western Australia and South Australia and age cohort breakdowns.
Labor has been polling exceptionally well in Resolve Strategic over the period in question, which is reflected in the WA and SA results. In the former case, the primary votes are Labor 46%, Coalition 29%, Greens 12% and One Nation 3%, compared with election results of Labor 36.8%, Coalition 34.8%, Greens 12.5% and One Nation 4.0%, which was sufficient to gain Labor four seats in the state. In the latter, the primary votes from the poll are Labor 46%, Coalition 22%, Greens 14% and One Nation 6%, compared with Labor 34.5%, Coalition 35.5%, Greens 12.8% and One Nation 4.8% at the election.
The age breakdowns suggest the Coalition’s deterioration since the election has been concentrated among the young and old, with the middle-age cohort remaining relatively steady. Among those aged 18 to 34, Labor is up from 31% in the pre-election poll to 44% and the Coalition are down from 27% to 19%, with the Greens up one to 23%. Among those 55 and over, Labor is up from 33% to 42%, the Coalition is down from 46% to 37%, and the Greens are down from 5% to 4%. In between, Labor is up from 34% to 39%, the Coalition is down from 32% to 29%, and the Greens are down from 12% to 11%. The polls were conducted April 12 to 16, May 10 to 14 and June 6 to 11, with a combined national sample of 4587.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rotten-robo-debt-ruse-bestows-damning-epitaph-for-morrison-government-20230706-p5dmcd.html
So there was a class action lawsuit which the government settled. That answers my question from last night.
C@t:
The govt was banking on the fact that financially disadvantaged and vulnerable people wouldn’t fight back.
SMH, per Confessions:
“And when the case ended with the government paying a settlement of $1.8 billion to the wronged recipients …”
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t that ‘settlement’ no more than repaying money illegally ripped off RoboDebt’s victims (plus nominal interest)?
This style of reporting creates the impression that RoboDebt’s victims scored a big payday to soothe their hurt — but they simply got their own money back.
Congratulations to the Albanese Government on the Robodebt RC. It follows the Child Sex Abuse RC as an exemplar of what truth RCs can usefully unearth.
Labor builds. The Coalition wrecks. The Greens block and stunt.
#weatheronPB
A surprising warmth,
rewards the early riser,
squinting at the sky.
OS
The settlement was closer to $100 million to which is added the forgiven non-debts which were subject to a claim that they should be declared as void.
”
Confessionssays:
Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 6:59 am
C@t:
The govt was banking on the fact that financially disadvantaged and vulnerable people wouldn’t fight back.
”
This is stuff in the realm of John Grisham legal thrillers. ( remember the movie The Rainmaker)
But only in this case the Minister ( Scott Minister) went on to become PM of this country instead of resigning when it was found it was illegal.
2017 | Simon Benson: ‘Centrelink debt scare backfires on Labor’
2023 | Partisan defence of Robodebt backfires on Benson
https://theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/centrelink-debt-scare-backfires-on-labor/news-story/9834217a0daa8a2f249ba65415ccb037
The Australian selectors did harm to the one day and T20 team by giving Aaron Finch a lengthy swan song.
Repeating this with Warner.
Thanks, Shellbell.
So, contrary to the perennially-reported figure of $1.8 billion, the Robodebt settlement was actually $0.1 billion?
C@
‘If the media can’t attend the closed sessions, can they stake out the NACC and report on who is seen going in?’
Well, they can try. They certainly tried in the Ben Roberts-Smith case, where a whole suite of measures were taken to protect the identity of the witnesses.*
Which is one of the things closed sessions do.
*Didn’t hear anyone complaining about that.
OS
Somewhere in between five or take a decimal point.
Every now and again there’s breathless reporting here that Labor and the Liberals have banded together to vote down something in the Senate.
Of course, that can only happen when the Greens (or other members of the crossbench, although they rarely play that kind of game) put up a motion.
Usually, when one looks into it, the Greens have put up something along the lines of “Mothers are wonderful so let’s give every mother in Australia $2 billion.”
Unsurprisingly, Liberal, Labor and everyone else in the Senate who isn’t being silly votes it down.
The Greens then report is as “Labor sided with the Liberals to deny that mothers are wonderful.”
Every.single.time
I have used this anonymous blog, secretly, to bemoan the level of secrecy around court reporting
Good morning Dawn Patrollers. Not surprisingly, it’s a bit of a robodebt romp today.
In a deep dive into it, Catherine Holmes’ report, Laura Tingle says that the Robodebt Royal Commission exposed welfare bashing as a meanness at the heart of our politics. It is clear that Tingle is very impressed by the Commissioner.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-08/robodebt-royal-commission-political-populism-policy-culture/102575450
Peter Hartcher says the “rotten robo-debt ruse bestows a damning epitaph for the Morrison government. (Almost as strong a statement as that from the Greens!)
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rotten-robo-debt-ruse-bestows-damning-epitaph-for-morrison-government-20230706-p5dmcd.html
The SMH editorial says that it is time for the robo-debt ministers to be called to account for the debacle. It says the royal commission’s report into the scheme has comprehensively stripped away any veneer of credibility that those responsible for the scheme may have attempted to convey in defence of their actions.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/time-for-robo-debt-ministers-to-be-called-to-account-for-debacle-20230707-p5dmn6.html
Rick Morton, who tireless reported on the royal commission gives us his view on the findings and recommendations. He lists the names of those the commissioner found to have lied – Scott Morrison. Kathryn Campbell. Alan Tudge. Stuart Robert. Malisa Golightly. Annette Musolino. Serena Wilson. Jonathan Hutson. Mark Withnell. Paul McBride. Emma Kate McGuirk. Karen Harfield. Jason McNamara. Craig Storen.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/07/06/robo-debt-breaking-news
Given the opposition is clearly in a state of denial over the report of the robodebt royal commission, it has obviously learnt nothing from past mistakes and would, if re-elected, presumably not hesitate to repeat them, opines the editorial in The Canberra Times.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8262295/coalition-robodebt-hubris-defies-belief/?cs=27763
Ninefax describes how Scott Morrison has vehemently rejected adverse findings made against him by the robo-debt royal commission, which recommended unidentified individuals be referred for potential criminal or civil action over the illegal welfare crackdown. (The forever-tarnished slob needs to come home to face the music!)
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/robo-debt-report-recommends-criminal-and-civil-prosecutions-20230706-p5dm71.html
After the Robodebt royal commission report, Mark Kenny wonders if the Liberals will be brave enough to do something with Scott Morrison.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8262127/when-will-liberals-act-against-their-former-leader/?cs=14329
The ‘horror story’ of Robodebt ‘monster’ is a shameful saga of cascading failures, writes Michael Pascoe who begins his contribution with, “When Scott Morrison gets around to disputing the Robodebt Royal Commission’s findings about his crucial role in the scandal – the disaster, the obscenity, the potential crime – remember this: The commission’s findings fit Mr Morrison’s modus operandi.”
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/07/08/michael-pascoe-robodebt-morrison-horror-story/
The royal commission’s final report lays bare how ministers and officials frustrated honest questioning and used friendly media to spread misleading information, writes Lenore Taylor, a lone voice on this matter.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2023/jul/08/all-governments-try-to-manage-stories-but-with-robodebt-it-became-a-stubborn-refusal-to-admit-the-truth
The Conversation tells us how Twitter activists pushed a government scandal from hashtags to a royal commission.
https://theconversation.com/the-rise-of-robodebt-how-twitter-activists-pushed-a-government-scandal-from-hashtags-to-a-royal-commission-209131
The robodebt scheme was passed like a hot potato up the line of Coalition ministers – but who will be held responsible, wonders Paul Karp.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/08/the-robodebt-scheme-was-passed-like-a-hot-potato-up-the-line-of-coalition-ministers-but-who-will-be-held-responsible
Consulting firm PwC has decided to repay in full the nearly $1 million had received to evaluate the robo-debt scheme in a move welcomed by Government Services Minister Bill Shorten. (Surely the authorisation of this payment for incomplete work should pique the interest of the NACC.)
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/pwc-repaying-almost-1-million-in-robo-debt-consulting-fees-20230707-p5dmkr.html
The robo-debt royal commission rejected the oral evidence of a PwC partner who testified he could not recall if the firm was preparing a report about the scheme for the Department of Human Services. Royal commissioner Catherine Holmes said she instead accepted the evidence of three other PwC personnel who all said they believed the firm was preparing a report for Human Services. She also accepted the revised evidence of the first partner who admitted it was “likely” Human Services knew a report was being prepared.
https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/robo-debt-royal-commission-rejects-oral-evidence-of-pwc-partner-20230707-p5dmir
Christopher Knaus opines that robodebt’s dark legacy will linger long after the royal commission report.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/08/it-was-so-shocking-why-robodebts-dark-legacy-will-linger-long-after-royal-commission-report
Karen Barlow tells us how Catherine Holmes did not hold back in her criticism of the ministers involved in Robodebt.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8261578/the-robodebt-royal-commissioner-spares-no-ego-it-is-not-deserved/?cs=14329
According to David Crowe, Robodebt was rotten from the start, and Morrison, Tudge and Porter are forever shamed by it.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/rotten-from-the-start-morrison-tudge-and-porter-are-forever-shamed-by-robo-debt-20230706-p5dm75.html
Simon Benson reckons that the Robodebt royal commission report into the scheme offers long-lasting pain for a Coalition with nothing to gain. He says that for Bill Shorten the report is a vindication of his pursuit, which the Coalition continued to dismiss as a political stunt.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/robodebt-royal-commission-scheme-offers-longlasting-pain-for-a-coalition-with-nothing-to-gain/news-story/ff1d65c26754a79c53f5ff76be9f6a5a?amp
Tony Wright opines that the Robo-debt commissioner searched for compassion but found nothing there. He says it seems Morrison has been now reduced to little more than a costly inconvenience.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/robo-debt-commissioner-searches-for-compassion-finds-nothing-there-20230706-p5dm76.html
Matthew Knott lays out the damning findings for the robo-debt public servant now in new $900k job, Namely Kathryn Harris.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/she-failed-to-act-damning-findings-for-robo-debt-public-servant-now-in-new-900k-job-20230707-p5dmhf.html
The ABC and the Liberal party face the same existential threat – they must reinvent themselves to survive, writes Trent Zimmermann.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/07/the-abc-and-the-liberal-party-face-the-same-existential-treat-they-must-reinvent-themselves-to-survive
John Hewson has a lot to say about the “rudderless Coalition”. He writes that the opposition leader’s negativity, blame game and general lack of policy substance has already taken a toll on his party, as evidenced by the recent Aston byelection.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2023/07/08/rudderless-coalition
Is it possible for the Coalition to lose 35 seats? Yes, it is, says John Lord.
https://theaimn.com/is-it-possible-for-the-coalition-to-lose-35-seats-yes-it-is/
Karen Middleton writes that Barnaby Joyce is unfazed by polling showing he’s a serious liability in key Liberal electorates, as more reports surface of an internal revolt against Littleproud.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/07/08/barnaby-joyce-after-the-leadership-again
Karen Middleton writes that a re-examination of a joint parliamentary committee meeting six years ago, in which Stuart Robert was acting chair, has led to further queries around the then minister’s engagement with Synergy 360 and its associates. Bases on this, robodebt could be the least of Brother Stewie’s problems.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/07/07/new-details-stuart-robert-and-synergy-360
Helen Haines has a bit of a (justified) gloat at the eventual operation of a decent NACC.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/07/07/national-anti-corruption-commission-about-vigilance
In a very worthwhile contribution, Paul Bongiorno looks at how the NACC has kicked off. The body’s commissioner has received much praise so far.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2023/07/07/whos-the-naccery
Paul Kelly says that Labor is entering the danger zone as business groups voice concerns over contradictory economic positions.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/labor-enters-the-danger-zone-as-business-groups-voice-concerns-over-contradictory-economic-positions/news-story/7c392c153a3e648f7d5c89d8887673f1?amp
This week’s spinoff of PwC’s government services to private equity buyers leaves doubts about the effectiveness of the consultancy’s purge, and how the industry might be reshaped, writes Mike Seccombe.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2023/07/08/pwcs-phoenix-operation-draws-criticism
With an economy on its knees, Karen Maley explains why more rate pain is on the way.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/not-an-economy-on-its-knees-brace-for-more-rate-pain-20230706-p5dm47
Soaring agent fees and stamp duties are preventing an increasing number of homeowners from moving, according to new research from investment bank Jarden, and this reduction of stock is fuelling more rises in house prices, writes Michaal Read.
https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/house-prices-to-rise-as-stamp-duty-forces-owners-to-stay-put-jarden-20230707-p5dmhh
Michaela Whitbourn tells us about the five key reasons why Berejiklian thought the ICAC should back off.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/five-key-reasons-why-berejiklian-thought-the-icac-should-back-off-20230704-p5dllr.html
After almost 50 years of remarkable underachievement, the SA state Liberals are at risk of plunging to even lower depths. Paul Starick explains why, calling the a bunch of long-term losers in the process.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/nick-mcbrides-defection-leaves-sa-liberals-with-nearhistoric-low-numbers-in-parliament/news-story/13c794a617f94f6eeaddc66f5f1abc9b
FWIW here is dear old Gerard’s weekly whine at the ABC.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/commissars-cant-arrest-abcs-cultural-decline/news-story/121df58321acdce896278b39be1f67d1?amp
Mathew Knott takes us inside the ‘nightmare’ cybersecurity scenario being war gamed by the government. It simulates Australia’s busiest airport being brought to a standstill by a crippling cyberattack and how would business, regulators and law enforcement would respond.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-nightmare-cybersecurity-scenario-being-war-gamed-by-government-20230703-p5dlbk.html
A plan to build wind farms off the coast of Newcastle aims to provide jobs for displaced workers in the coal town – but first it must overcome resistance from the Department of Defence, writes Tom Morton.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environment/2023/07/07/defence-fights-plan-offshore-wind-farms
The government’s reforms to raise dispensing limits on prescription drugs are aimed at making them more accessible and affordable – changes the Pharmacy Guild strongly opposes as a threat to their revenues explains Bianca Nogrady.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/health/2023/07/08/pharmacy-guilds-bid-block-prescriptions-reform
Already popular overseas, the build-to-rent concept is taking hold in Australia, with a flood of projects in development and under construction. Major projects are under way in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/why-build-to-rent-could-be-the-best-fix-to-the-housing-crisis-20230707-p5dmj4.html
Here’s Amanda Meade’s weekly media round-up.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jul/07/crikey-silence-guy-rundle-book-red-white-blown
Less than 48 hours into the new financial year, two of Australia’s biggest listed food companies had either been sold to a foreign company or indicated it was headed that way, writes Jessica Lun who tells us how Australia’s biggest food producers keep getting gobbled up.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/bargain-hunt-will-australia-s-biggest-food-producers-keep-getting-gobbled-up-20230706-p5dmb9.html
America doesn’t want Biden or Trump, but one of them will win in 2024, writes Bruce Wolpe.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/america-doesn-t-want-biden-or-trump-but-one-of-them-will-win-in-2024-20230706-p5dmcb.html
Cartoon Corner
David Pope
Andrew Dyson
Jon Kudelka
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/cartoon/public/Cartoons/kudelka08jul.jpeg
Glen Le Lievre
Mark Knight
John Shakespeare
Alan Moir
Joe Benke
Simon Letch
Leak
From the US
– Insiders – July 9
David Speers is joined by Laura Tingle, Phil Coorey and John Paul Janke to discuss the Voice debate and referendum campaign, the release of the final Robodebt Royal Commission report, the state of the economy and the RBA.
Guest – Linda Burney – Minister For Indigenous Australians
My son received a letter from the Debt Collectors about his so-called ‘Debt’ to Centrelink/the government. Those people frighten me. So we just paid up. And cut back on food for the week. Luckily it wasn’t for as much as some had to pay.
We knew it couldn’t be right because we were scrupulous about reporting his income, when he was working, which wasn’t all the time at that time due to a tight labour market and his poor health. However, we thought that it must be right because how could the government, in the form of Centrelink whose job it is to administer welfare payments, be wrong in their calculation?
Also, we thought it the price we had to pay to keep the debt collectors from our door. We’d been unfortunate enough in the past to have dealings with them and they are not the most understanding or considerate people to deal with. Besides, when they phoned up to harass us for the money, even though we said we would pay it, they said they’d keep on our case until they had official confirmation that the debt had been repaid in full.
Not to mention that the Coalition government put their letter to you claiming the debt online, but the debt collectors sent you a paper letter. So to open that thing just made the blood drain out of you when you read it and your innate fear of these people return.
Could I help having a disabled child who found it hard to get a steady job? No. But I was consistently, through the Work for the Dole scheme and via personal contact with staff at the job agency and Centrelink, to feel like I, as his Carer, and my son, were just the lowest of the low in Australian society and unworthy of receiving ‘free’ taxpayers’ money that other people ‘worked hard for’.
There were a lot of facets to the Coalition’s ‘policy’ to harden the position people took to those on Social Security. But surely Robodebt was the worst.
Re Warner….. yeah. It hurts. I mean, the prevailing story seems to be Australia on top; I must be missing something. At 4 down v a struggling attack and a pitch settling it is a seriously missed opportunity. With Carey and tail shaky against pace, that means relying on Marsh (and Head) twice in a match – risky stuff. Needed more from the top order and definitely needed more from Warner. I’d say Aussies evens or even slightly behind at this stage (assuming rain doesn’t take a huge role) especially considering woakes and wood add so much to the England tail.
Warners technique is catching up with him as his reaction time slows and his eyes age. He keeps making the same errors. He isn’t helped by having two lefty openers. Broad just zones in.
Will the replacement fare better tho? They may have wood and tongue next game. It will be frying pans and fire.
Thanks BK.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/she-failed-to-act-damning-findings-for-robo-debt-public-servant-now-in-new-900k-job-20230707-p5dmhf.html
And this is the consequence of the Howard government’s politicisation of the public service where loyalty and subservience are rewarded so senior public servants lose the responsibility to provide frank and fearless advice.
Campbell’s tenure at AUKUS must surely be in doubt now. Such conduct should never be rewarded.
This article looks under the hood of Threads, the new competitor to Twitter.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/5-things-to-know-about-metas-threads-app-before-you-entangle-your-instagram-account/
In summary, Threads is a centralized micro-blogging addition to Instagram. For instance, if you misbehave in Threads so your Threads account is blocked, then you’ve lost Instagram too. And Meta seems to have decided against Threads becoming an open federated system. (Probably for profit reasons removing any incentive to overcome that Instagram wasn’t designed to allow that.)
That’s no good, Late Riser. Sounds like I’ve got to continue waiting for Tribel to be the Twitter killer.
TikTok is the app to beat, not Twitter. This article is also a damning summary of how Musk has ruined Twitter.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/07/twitter-dead-musk-tiktok-public-square/
“Simon Benson reckons … for Bill Shorten the report is a vindication of his pursuit, which the Coalition continued to dismiss as a political stunt.”
This one didn’t age well, Simon:
“Labor’s attempts to mount a repeat of its discredited Mediscare campaign against Centrelink’s automated debt recovery system have been exposed …”
https://theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/centrelink-debt-scare-backfires-on-labor/news-story/9834217a0daa8a2f249ba65415ccb037
I’m also watching Tribel. But I’m getting good value out of Mastodon. People I follow(ed) on Twitter now post on Mastodon, and following hashtags (#auspol, #uspol, #ukraine, etc.) seems to take care of the rest because Mastodon is federated.
What “federated” means took me a while to appreciate. But imagine being unable to email someone who had a gmail address because you had a yahoo address. That’s how email would work if it wasn’t federated. But that’s how Twitter and Threads work for microblogging.
The problem I have with TikTok is that it is visual. And I don’t do visual.
“Paul Kelly says that Labor is entering the danger zone as business groups voice concerns over contradictory economic positions.”
Does anyone still pay attention to Pontificating Paul?
Nice pickup, Oliver!
UK voting intention via @Omnisis , 06 – 07 Jul:
LAB: 51% (+3) CON: 25% (-1) LDEM: 8% (-) REF: 5% (-2) GRN: 5% (-)
Don’t start me on TikTok. Eldest wanted the app, was active with it for 6mths then became a TikTok zombie. It is painful weaning her off it.
C@t:
I love TikTok because it is visual. You can pack a lot of information into a single video, and I’ve noticed over the past few months that a lot of news outlets are using the platform to communicate stories on a deeper level.
Another day, another record broken … and more to come …
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-08/climate-records-shattered-in-2023-ice-deficit-grows/102577168
Thank goodness that here in Australia we still have coal available to power our air conditioners. The rest of the planet may get a little toasty – but that’s their problem, right?
Twitter is in a death spiral, which for those with a passing interest in the rise and fall of technology innovations, won’t find unusual. Elon Musk clearly is the trigger, but the barriers to entry are not insurmountable for those with smart brains and long pockets.
This just now from the head of Instagram/Threads summing up where they are:
We couldn’t be happier with all the excitement about this app, so thank you thank you, but this is a race to the starting line if there ever was one.
The real test is not if we can build up a lot of hype, but if you all find enough value in the app to keep using it over time. And there are tons of basics that are missing: search, hashtags, a following feed, graph syncing, fedeverse support, messaging maybe…
We’re on it. The (amazing) team is cranking away. But full disclosure, it’ll take time.
My own two bob’s worth is that Threads has got the Big Mo – and will swamp the wannabes. Even Patricia Karvelas has announced she has left Twitter and joined Threads.
On Threads, by following the posters you like – and blocking the ones you don’t – your personal stream becomes a useful addition. And for now, there isn’t the advertising ‘promoted’ every 3rd or 4th post you get on Twitter.
So what is missing right now is the ‘breaking news’ from the MSM and alternate media and opinionista we have enjoyed on Twitter, ask me next week whether this has improved.
Finally, for real deep content on events like the Ukraine invasion, nothing beats Telegram.
Morning all. Thanks for the roundup BK, a lot to get through. I was almost going to say even Newscorpse can’t ignore the Robodebt RC now but sure enough Leak’s cartoon avoids the elephant in the Liberal party room.
Coincidentally earlier this week some friends here attended a 30 year anniversary “wake” for the closure of the CES office they used to work in, in Adelaide. It was a good office to work in with many committed staff who formed lasting friendships. The staff organised the wake.
Many had feared privatised agencies would not provide the same service to clients as the CES did, especially for long term unemployed. History proved them right.
Taxpayers haven’t saved a cent abolishing the CES, and clients have suffered a lot.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/metas-friendly-threads-collides-with-unfriendly-internet-2023-07-07/
70 million users in the first 2 days. This article (from my Threads feed) drills down into what and why.
sprocket_ @ #1182 Saturday, July 8th, 2023 – 9:11 am
Fortunately, we have PB and a host of outstanding contributors such as BK.
I honestly can’t understand why anyone would want their news feed ‘curated’ by greedy self-promoters like Musk or Zuckerberg.
Late Riser may wish to read up on the ‘Fediverse’, and what Threads is approaching it…
https://www.reuters.com/technology/metas-friendly-threads-collides-with-unfriendly-internet-2023-07-07/
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday secured Turkey’s crucial backing for Ukraine’s NATO aspirations after winning a US pledge for cluster munitions that could inflict massive damage on Russian forces on the battlefield.
Washington’s decision to deliver the controversial weapons — banned across a large part of the world but not in Russia or Ukraine — dramatically ups the stakes in the war, which entered its 500th day Saturday.
Zelensky has been travelling across Europe trying to secure bigger and better weapons for his outmatched army, which has launched a long-awaited counteroffensive that is progressing less swiftly than Ukraine’s allies had hoped. He called the latest US arms package “timely, broad and much-needed”, tweeting that it “will provide new tools for the de-occupation of our land”.
Confessions @ #1012 Saturday, July 8th, 2023 – 9:08 am
Don’t get me wrong. It’s great for those who can adapt to that method of communication. My son constantly shows me tips and tricks for this and that that he has picked up there. But I’m essentially a shy person so it’s not my preferred method of communication. I’ll stick to words and look for the next word-based app. That isn’t Twitter! 🙂
Karen Middleton’s article in The Saturday Paper about Barnaby Joyce’s, none too subtle, attempt to gain back the leadership of The Nationals from David Littleproud, is very interesting. But the killer line comes from Simon Holmes A’Court:
Holmes à Court says. “I hope he comes back. Just imagine if the Coalition leadership team at the next election is Dutton and Joyce.”
😀
“I would hate to think that the current government would get a gold star for doing almost nothing,” he said. “You see Albanese and Shorten talk about how this is one of the worst things that’s ever happened in this country and how terrible it is. They knew that in 2017 … they should have swung their dicks around, and they refused to.”
Robodebt victim Michael Griffin
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/08/it-was-so-shocking-why-robodebts-dark-legacy-will-linger-long-after-royal-commission-report
Much thanks BK for todays coverage.
Cat
I take it you don’t see a Dutton – Joyce leadership team winning back the “chicks vote” as Barnaby probably calls it? I’m not a woman so I will bow to your expertise 🙂
‘Wacko prosecutor!’ Trump throws tantrum over how much Jack Smith has spent to indict him
“Deranged Jack Smith, the wacko prosecutor that Corrupt Joe Biden and his Thugs stuck on me during the political campaign in which Biden is losing ‘BIG’ (an absolute No, No!), just announced that he has spent over 9 million dollars, already, on this continuing Witch Hunt,” Trump wrote.
This comes after Trump attacked Smith, who brought an indictment against Trump under the Espionage Act for his Mar-a-Lago classified document stash and is investigating his role in the January 6 attack, multiple times on Thursday.
That morning, Trump seized on the story of cocaine found at the White House to accuse Smith of being a “crackhead” !.
Threads will improve its platform, and twitter will flame out.
I am not enamoured with any of the billionaire class, but Elon has well and truly chosen to go down the fascism path.
PhoenixRed
I’ve been expecting that Jack Smith has followed the money trail. Trump is but a mere part of the plot. I am confident that there is a foreign element to it all.
I’ve also been thinking that one big reason Trump took boxes and boxes of classified documents with him, and refused to return them. Is probably due to some documents that he was looking for that are pertinent to Jan 6 etc.
While you weren’t looking:
“AMSTERDAM, July 7 (Reuters) – The Dutch government collapsed on Friday after failing to reach a deal on restricting immigration, which will trigger new elections in the fall.
The crisis was triggered by a push by Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party to limit the flow of asylum seekers to the Netherlands, which two of his four-party government coalition refused to support.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-government-resign-over-asylum-policy-anp-2023-07-07/
This election could see the right-wing populist Farmer–Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, BBB) go from winning 1 seat in the 150-seat parliament in 2021, up to 29 according to present polls. The governing VVD-D66-CDA-CU coalition would, on this polling, go from the 78 it won in 2021 to 45 now (76 needed for a governing majority).
Link to Wikipedia page on polling for the next Dutch general election: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Dutch_general_election
Perhaps Musk will chuck in a free Tesla for people who remain loyal to Twitter?
Does Jack Smith even go to the White House to work? I don’t think so. He would work out of the Justice Dept building, I would have thought.
citizen @ #1029 Saturday, July 8th, 2023 – 9:54 am
Nope. Still won’t get me. 😀