Writing in the News Corp papers, Phillip Hudson of Bondi Partners summarises the election date situation so I don’t have to:
The first choice the PM needs to make is whether to allow parliament to go ahead as scheduled for the first two weeks of February or to visit Governor-General Sam Mostyn to call the election … Might Albanese break convention and surprise us all by ending the guessing game — and catching almost everybody off guard — by calling an unlikely poll in mid-January for February 22? … The attraction of a March election is made difficult by the Western Australian state election scheduled for March 8, which is also a long weekend in the southern half of the country, while March 15 clashes with the Formula 1 Grand Prix. March 29 and April 5 are a possibility, especially if there’s a February rate cut. April 12 is emerging as a red hot option as the WA election would be over on the weekend it needs to be called. That scenario would allow for parliament to be dissolved without having a budget … If he waits any longer he will have to deliver another budget as there’s no chance of an election on April 19 or 26 due to a later than usual Easter then Anzac Day commemorations. The final window is May 3, 10 or 17.
Also of note:
• This week’s Roy Morgan poll has the Coalition’s two-party lead at 51.5-48.5, in from a 53-47 blowout last week that was entirely due to an aberrant result on respondent-allocated preferences from Greens voters. Labor is in fact down a point on the primary vote to 30%, with the Coalition steady on 40.5%, the Greens up half a point to 12.5%, and One Nation up one to 4.5%. The two-party result based on 2022 election preference flows is 50.5-49.5 in favour of the Coalition, compared with 50-50 last time. The poll was conducted Monday to Sunday from a sample of 1721.
• A keenly fought Liberal preselection will be held on Saturday to choose a successor to Paul Fletcher in the northern Sydney seat of Bradfield, where the party is under pressure from teal independent Nicolette Boele. This is largely shaping up as a battle between moderates who favour Gisele Kapterian, international trade lawyer and former staffer to Julie Bishop, and conservative backing Warren Mundine, who among other things was one of two Indigenous spearheads in the campaign against the October 2023 Voice referendum, together with Senator Jacinta Price. Kapterian’s backers include Joe Hockey, Nick Greiner, Barry O’Farrell, Gladys Berejiklian and Sussan Ley. Mundine has been endorsed by Tony Abbott, John Anderson and Jacinta Price, but faces the difficulty of being 68. Also contesting the preselection are local councillor Barbara Ward and cardiologist Michael Feneley.
• The Nationals have announced that their candidate for Hunter is Sue Gilroy, registered nurse, founder of a business coaching company and past candidate for Shooters Fishers and Farmers. The seat is held for Labor by Dan Repacholi on a post-redistribution margin of 4.9%.
Hunter is shaping as a real “shoot out”. Hunter is one I think the Nationals will probably win.
Coalition primary getting up over 40%, another point or two and I’d feel confident they can form government. And I’d expect the polls are undepredicting their primary by a point or two.
Eine Katastrophe droht.
I increasingly think so. In fact, even if the ALP can snag minority government, it’s going to be a primary of only about 30%, which means they will completely lack any “political capital”. I think they would constitute one of the weakest governments the country has ever known. The crossbench are going to face a lot of pressure to support the Coalition with a primary ten points higher than the ALP.
The ALP still doesn’t seem to have any comprehension of how they’ve ended up here. I’m currently in Canada, and have been following Canadian politics for some time (I work with more Canadians than Australians). And obviously, I’m a pretty keen follower of American politics. It’s all the same thing. You can’t build a constituency limited to privileged inner city elites and expect to win elections. The politics of Alberta feels exactly the same as the politics of Queensland. The political conversations are exactly the same, and it’s amazing how many conversations are political. People are furious.
Part of the problem is that these inner city elites don’t even understand they are inner city elites. Albo doesn’t have a working class bone in his body. He grew up in the inner city. He went to school at a posh school on the Domain. Sydney University was a short work from home. He had the best hospital in the country practically next door. Yet he’s tried to build a political profile built on “disadvantage”. Albo wouldn’t know disadvantage if it jumped up and bit him on the bum.
At 9 years of age albo had his own chauffeur and was reading the financial times.
Finally!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/
The Wombat says:
Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 4:56 am
Hunter is shaping as a real “shoot out”. Hunter is one I think the Nationals will probably win.
———————-
2022 federal election the National party primary vote was 27.4%, can not see it being over 42% for this years federal election
Yep, I think it needs something like an 8% swing. And it’s been held by the ALP for more than a century. But I think it may go. This is my home ground. I was just involved in a campaign that turned in a 17% swing in Mackay and the politics is very, very similar. I’m not predicting a 17% swing, but 8% is entirely plausible.
How it started…
How it’s going…
Is it only the Cofa Cola Company that u look to on ethics fessy? What about McDonalds or Ford Motor Company do u look to them for advice on say relationships or environmental issues ?
Silvertail Albo? Yeah, nah…
The Wombat @ #1 Thursday, January 16th, 2025 – 4:56 am
An LNP drone from Queensland wishin’ and hopin’ and prayin’ 🙄
Lars Von Trier’s grammar and spelling is getting worse and worse every day! Or is he just trying to look down with the kids? 😆
Huge developments in Israel/Palestine. If this holds, it to some extent pulls the rug out from under this issue.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/15/world/israel-hamas-cease-fire-deal-gaza
And Mark Dreyfus has a front row seat…
dave @ #4 Thursday, January 16th, 2025 – 6:05 am
Are you in Asia yet, nath?
Might not have been limos at 8 but definitely comcars from about 21.
40 yrs of comcar use would be the current record?
Of course Trump will say that it was his intervention that made the deal happen. 🙄
Oh great, another day of juvenile put-downs of the Prime Minister from the usual suspects. 🙄
C@t
It depends which of the Lars team is posting at the time.
The youngster(s) with text shorthand style – u for you, r for are and so on are not the deep savants on Irish politics or Soviet history, who also adhere to the King’s English grammar.
sprocket_ @ #18 Thursday, January 16th, 2025 – 7:05 am
Oh sorry, I forgot it was Team L(i)ars. 😐
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/01/14/hegseth-hearing-gop-senators-shame/
How is this a person who has his life under control? You wouldn’t want Hegseth running a cafe let alone the largest department in the US. And did anyone ask him if he’s quit drinking yet?
I wouldn’t say that there’s Team nath though. Just a split personality. 🙂
I think the Liberal Party Brains Trust (sic) need to rethink the idea of painting Albo as some affluent wannabe. Does not pass the BS meter.
Yes agree sprocket, a campaign based on Albo’s lived experience of hardship 40 yrs ago and three eyed fish will be devastating and impossible for the Liberals to combat.
Still feeling political evidence so far, the federal lib/nats at the 2025 federal election are in for a surprise, but not the surprise they are looking for , it will be the opposite they will be losing ground
Trump.Hegseth.Dutton.
Join the dots.
Climate change is shifting populations already. It is only going to get worse.
People are either going to have to build houses to proper fire standards, build a smaller more insurable house, or shift out.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/16/life-in-the-ashes-lisa-lost-her-grampians-home-to-a-bushfire-ten-months-later-it-almost-burned-again
Now that the US is in the toilet all that’s required is for someone to flush…
Pam Bondi says she will not pursue prosecutions ‘just for political purposes’
So they will be prosecuted for political purposes & what ever else comes into to her blonde head.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to pause their fighting in the Gaza Strip, with Qatar confirming a ceasefire will begin on Sunday.
US President Joe Biden confirmed the “full and complete” ceasefire in the first part of their peace accord, and said he had acted as “one team” with incoming leader Donald Trump.
Speaking at the White House just days before he leaves office, a visibly relieved Mr Biden said the negotiations to halt the Gaza conflict had been some of the “toughest” of his career. “I’m deeply satisfied this day has come, finally come,” Mr Biden said in a televised statement.
A number of Americans would be among the hostages who would be released by Palestinian militants in Gaza, he added.
The first phase of the deal would last six weeks and include a “full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas,” Mr Biden said. The as yet unfinalised second phase would bring a “permanent end to the war,” he said, adding he was “confident” the deal would hold.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/israel-hamas-agree-to-a-ceasefire-deal-in-gaza/news-story/87562c348d07002285ebdfab636d768f?amp
‘William Bowe says:
Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 12:50 am
It’s awful how NATO has provoked Putin into starting five wars by causing Russia’s neighbours to all want to join a defensive alliance against it for some inexplicable reason.’
===================
Cracker!
I’m sure at least some of the 40-42% primary the Coalition boosters keep talking about is attributable to:
– The resignation of two popular premiers in WA and Vic (and the regression to the mean in the former state)
– Gains in existing rural Nats seats (given the fearmongering over renewables, live sheep exports and whatever culture war they feel like doing today).
‘Holdenhillbilly says:
Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 7:46 am
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to pause their fighting in the Gaza Strip, with Qatar confirming a ceasefire will begin on Sunday.
….’
====================
The broad outlines of the deal as publicly known are substantially the same as one previously negotiated last year before being knocked at the eleventh hour by Netanyahu.
It leaves almost completely unresolved all but the most immediate outcome: a partial prisoner/hostage swap.
The fact that Hamas was able to maintain hostages until the end, to initiate local level gunfire, and to maintain positions in one of the main northern hospitals demonstrates that Netanyahu ultimately found it impossible to achieve his number one war aim: to destroy Hamas.
The ceasefire is not marked by a general ME settlement. It puts Israel in control of more territory on the Golan, in Gaza and in the West Bank thus ensuring that Israel’s contribution to the drivers for the Middle East Forever War will continue.
Neither Israel nor Iran Plus is required to forswear their genocidal visions.
From the River to the Sea will see a temporary session of most of the recent kinetic activity.
But kinetic activity will return as night follows day.
World News & Politics:
Zuckerberg urges Trump to stop the EU from fining US tech companies – Comparing the bloc’s antitrust penalties to tariffs, the Meta boss argued that Brussels is “screwing with” American industry: https://www.politico.eu/article/zuckerberg-urges-trump-to-stop-eu-from-screwing-with-fining-us-tech-companies/
Russia plotted terror attacks on airlines around the world, Poland’s Tusk says: https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-planned-terror-attacks-airlines-around-world-donald-tusk-says/
Qatar’s prime minister credits Biden and Trump for helping secure ceasefire. The ceasefire will free dozens of hostages and pause the conflict in Gaza after more than 15 months of devastating war. Negotiating teams and mediators have worked for months to hammer out a deal in Doha, where talks were deadlocked for most of last year: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/#link-Y7QVIGSTG5DEVJH4GHXGB5XFNM
Italy joins France in granting immunity to Netanyahu, rejecting ICC arrest warrants: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/artc-italy-joins-france-in-granting-immunity-to-netanyahu-rejecting-icc-arrest-warrants
Germany to shoot down drones near military sites: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3l2v01y4wo
AOC Blasts Democrat Defections on GOP Bill to Ban Trans Women and Girls from School Sports: https://www.thedailybeast.com/aoc-blasts-democrat-defections-on-gop-bill-to-ban-trans-women-and-girls-from-school-sports/
Donald Trump’s plans for the U.S. economy are raising red flags with economists, with Paul Krugman issuing a dire prediction for the president-elect’s supporters ahead of his inauguration. “A lot of people are going to get brutally scammed,” the economist told The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent podcast, by the president-elect’s “really radical” and “terrible” economic policy proposals.
According to the Krugman, working-class Americans, many of whom cast ballots for Trump, will suffer under his plan to raise tariffs and cut taxes for high earners, describing the president-elect’s policy as “contrary to their interests,” noting that tariffs would drive prices up: https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-economist-paul-krugman-many-trump-voters-will-be-brutally-scammed/
Bondi says she won’t play politics as attorney general but doesn’t rule out probes of Trump foes: https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-bondi-garland-01edf039f8102271943da4fb85d56fa7
Vivek Ramaswamy, an Ohio native, is interested in filling Vance’s old Senate seat, AP source says: https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-senate-mike-dewine-jd-vance-1dba90d1c7fc427ab7361397ea86a9bf
Harris mocked for ‘confusing word salad’ telling LA wildfire victims it’s ‘critically important’ to be patient: https://www.foxnews.com/media/harris-mocked-confusing-word-salad-telling-la-wildfire-victims-its-critically-important-patient
FDA bans Red No. 3, artificial coloring used in beverages, candy and other foods: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-bans-red-no-3-artificial-coloring-beverages-candy-rcna185479
TikTok prepares for US shutdown from Sunday, sources say: https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-preparing-us-shut-off-sunday-information-reports-2025-01-15/
Morning all. The Israel Hamas cease fire deal is great news. Although it only comes after 15 months of fighting with still no long term political settlement in sight.
Sorry to say but while Blinken and Biden have desperately strove for this deal for a year, it only happened when others intervened. The Turkish supported rebellion and ousting of Assad in Syria has changed the climate, not anything USA has done. Hamas has reportedly (by Al Jazheera) been offering similar terms for a year. Regardless of losses, Hamas remains in place.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/1/15/live-israel-launches-fierce-strikes-on-gaza-as-ceasefire-deal-moves-closer
Biden will identify this as part of his legacy. But Trump will say it only happened after people knew he was going to become POTUS.
To me this is a demonstration that USA has both much less power to influence the world, and less political willingness to do so. This deal was arranged in Doha, not Washington.
Thanks for the foreign roundup HH. I see Boerwar’s summary of the Gaza ceasefire is similar to my own.
I have to wonder if this decision had more to do with a Gaza ceasefire than anything USA did:
“ Italy joins France in granting immunity to Netanyahu, rejecting ICC arrest warrants:” https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/artc-italy-joins-france-in-granting-immunity-to-netanyahu-rejecting-icc-arrest-warrants
Good Morning Dawn Patrollers!
I start today with news from the Canberra Press Gallery. There’s trouble in The Grauniad paradise. Guardian Australia is in turmoil ahead of a crucial federal election after its two most senior political journalists hurled allegations of workplace misconduct at each other, amid a staff exodus.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/in-fighting-staff-exodus-and-complaints-rock-guardian-australia-20250115-p5l4h4.html
In other big news. Marco Rubio backs AUKUS.
The expected State Department nominee’s comments about the three-nation defense pact could soothe allies’ jitters.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/01/15/congress/rubio-backs-aukus-00198393
Washington: Australia should be the “beachhead” against Chinese aggression, and the AUKUS pact is keeping President Xi Jinping awake at night, a US briefing has been told, in comments that provide insight into how the incoming Trump administration may view the trilateral defence agreement.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/for-america-aukus-is-the-vehicle-to-fortify-australia-against-china-20250115-p5l4ec.html
The Albanese government is facing intensifying calls to expel Russia’s ambassador over the alleged killing of Australian soldier Oscar Jenkins, who was captured while fighting in defence of Ukraine.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/he-was-a-hero-oscar-jenkins-sergeant-mourns-comrade-20250115-p5l4fw.html
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pre-emptively warned the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, not to get involved in the upcoming federal election, noting that Australia has anti-foreign interference laws.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-warns-musk-stay-away-we-ve-got-foreign-interference-laws-20250114-p5l42a.html
Albanese says our laws would stop Elon Musk interfering in the Australian election. In truth, there’s little to stop him.
https://theconversation.com/albanese-says-our-laws-would-stop-elon-musk-interfering-in-the-australian-election-in-truth-theres-little-to-stop-him-247361
Noel Turnbull thinks Labor’s election campaign should be negative. That alternative focuses on the long-recognised success of creative negative campaigns. And doesn’t Dutton leave himself open to this? Indeed, Labor should run a relentlessly negative one targeting Dutton and largely forget about policies and promises.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2025/01/15/labor-dutton-campaign
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has thrown her weight behind tech executive Gisele Kapterian to beat anti-Voice campaigner Nyunggai Warren Mundine in the race to be the party’s candidate for a blue ribbon Sydney seat under threat from the teals.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/deputy-liberal-leader-backs-female-tech-exec-over-mundine-for-blue-ribbon-seat-20250115-p5l4fk.html
The people <3 Matt Kean: Kean’s bipartisan approach to climate change sets the standard:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/kean-s-bipartisan-approach-to-climate-change-sets-the-standard-20250115-p5l4gb.html
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler is sending health insurers’ plans to increase premiums for about 15 million Australians back to the drawing board, as the Albanese government fights industry requests for up to 6 per cent price rises ahead of a federal election.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/health-insurers-want-to-hike-prices-how-far-will-labor-let-them-go-20250115-p5l4k3.html
PM promises ‘strongest action possible’ against Russia if death of Australian Oscar Jenkins confirmed
Government still working to verify reports of Melbourne man’s death after being captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/15/penny-wong-foreign-policy-response-russian-ambassador-oscar-jenkins-ukraine
He's baaaaack! Adam Bandt says Labor-Greens power share would bring ‘golden era’ and confirms goal is to stop Dutton.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/16/bandt-says-labor-greens-power-share-would-bring-golden-era-and-confirms-goal-is-to-stop-dutton
The ghost of Nick Xenophon has also returned as Hugh Riminton states:
Anthony Albanese couldn’t sell a schooner to a shearer. He needs to ask ‘what would Xenophon do?’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2025/jan/15/anthony-albanese-couldnt-sell-a-schooner-to-a-shearer-he-needs-to-ask-what-would-xenophon-do
Looks like we might have an 'Independent' Liberal challenging Adam Bandt. Failed lord mayoral candidate has campaigned before on platforms of forcing workers into the office and free coffees. The former AFL player and failed Melbourne lord mayoral candidate Anthony Koutoufides is considering a tilt at the Greens leader Adam Bandt’s seat at the upcoming federal election. The Age reported the “Team Kouta” ticket, which included former Liberal MP Gladys Liu, won just one seat on Melbourne city council despite spending $449,000, the bulk of which was contributed by Koutoufides’ running mate, the property developer Intaj Khan.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/16/anthony-koutoufides-afl-player-independent-government-run-adam-bandt-greens
Josh Burns says there are ‘clearly gaps in legal framework’ amid calls for antisemitism national cabinet. Labor MP says parties must not ‘squabble over discrimination’ as Jillian Segal urges prime minister to convene meeting.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/15/josh-burns-says-there-are-clearly-gaps-in-legal-framework-amid-calls-for-antisemitism-national-cabinet-ntwnfb
NSW’s mental health system is on its knees. Here is why psychiatrists like me have resigned by
Prachi Brahmbhatt
NSW has a critical and chronic shortage of mental health workers and the system can’t keep up with community needs.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2025/jan/15/nsw-mental-health-system-crisis-psychiatrists-quit-resign-comment
After 15 months of bitter conflict on the Gaza Strip, Israel and Hamas have reportedly reached a ceasefire deal. This promises an end to the fighting and would allow for the access of food and other desperately needed humanitarian aid to the civilian population.
https://theconversation.com/gaza-deal-what-it-means-for-peace-in-the-middle-east-expert-qanda-247414
It looks like RFK Jr. will simply be a figurehead without the power to implement his worst ideas. Trump transition puts up guardrails around RFK Jr. The transition team hired trusted conservatives to key HHS positions.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/15/rfk-loyalists-hhs-trump-004032
Ugh. Two months after taking himself out of the running for an Ohio Senate seat, Vivek Ramaswamy is under consideration for the post, according to two people familiar with the matter granted anonymity to discuss ongoing conversations.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/15/vivek-senate-dewine-004221
On the eve of the annual Triple J Hottest 100 we have a retrospective. 50 years of Triple J: challenging censorship, supporting Australian artists, and ‘no dope in the studio!’
https://theconversation.com/50-years-of-triple-j-challenging-censorship-supporting-australian-artists-and-no-dope-in-the-studio-246679
As a TikTok Ban Looms, Users Are Flocking to Another Chinese-Owned App. Troves of TikTok users are migrating to other short-form video apps like Red Note, Lemon8 and Clapper.
https://observer.com/2025/01/as-a-tiktok-ban-looms-users-are-flocking-to-another-chinese-owned-app/
Is Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Right About Quantum Computing?
Huang predicted it will be 15 to 30 years before the technology is commercially viable.
https://observer.com/2025/01/is-nvidias-jensen-huang-right-about-quantum-computing/
How about some cartoons!
Alan Moir

Ben Jennings

Cathy Wilcox

Joe Benke

Matt Golding

Matthew Absalom-Wong

From the Internet
Hmm.
Sprocket
“ I think the Liberal Party Brains Trust (sic) need to rethink the idea of painting Albo as some affluent wannabe. Does not pass the BS meter.”
To me the only motivation for that is to distract from similar, far more accurate criticism of Dutton’s own background. Dutton is the millionaire (in property terms) great grandson of a member of the original Qld National party squatocracy. He spent most of he first half of his life failing upwards.
Sockrates what’s wrong with success?
As our own Peter C has explained he was able to retire at age 47 through hard work and thrift and anybody should be able to do it by following similar strategies.
These success stories provide wonderful learning examples for the workshy here on PB.
Thanks for the second roundup Cat. As I have said befoe it is unlikely that either UK or USA would withdraw from AUKUS because the deal is so one sided in their favour. The real criticism is that there will be no subs for the RAN and it will draw Australia into a war with China. This quote seems to confirm the latter.
“ Washington: Australia should be the “beachhead” against Chinese aggression, and the AUKUS pact is keeping President Xi Jinping awake at night, a US briefing has been told, in comments that provide insight into how the incoming Trump administration may view the trilateral defence agreement.”
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/for-america-aukus-is-the-vehicle-to-fortify-australia-against-china-20250115-p5l4ec.html
The ceasefire deal in Israel only happened because Trump is going to be reinaugurated. Had the Democrats won the presidential election (albeit there was never a possibility that would happen), it would have not occurred.
Effectively this only prolongs the stalemate. The only way the region can have lasting stability and peace is for Hamas to be permanently and totally annihilated, the West Bank to be unilaterally and formally annexed and there is a one-state, permanent solution of Israel, run by and for the Jewish people, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. And yet our Labor government cannot commit to the only ethical choice of unwavering and unconditional support for Israel.
Luckily there is probably less than three months left in the life of this joke lineup.
The Wombat @ #1 Thursday, January 16th, 2025 – 4:56 am
I think Hunter is more nuanced.
It has lost Muswellbrook and picked up Kurri Kurri in the redistribution making it slightly safer for Labor with a margin of 4.8.
When Joel got into trouble in 2019, it was not from a Nationals challenge. One Nation put up a larger than life character who was able to mount a campaign. The Nationals were not in the hunt for the seat but if they had come in third, the ON guy would have probably won on their preferences. In the end the Nats outpolled ON by about 2000 and the ON preferences got Joel over the line. I think this is the only sort of scenario in which Hunter comes into play.
“Albo was raised next door to Australia’s greatest hospital”. I love a man with a sense of humour (although it is the sort of thing that people who work there say frequently as a form of reassurance)
Lars
If you make millions in share deals (ABC Learning) while being in Cabinet Dutton’s success is the kind only those guilty of insider trading can emulate. It is proof of privilege for the political class, not hard work.
ScromoII @ 8.37am:
“The only way the region can have lasting stability and peace is for Hamas to be permanently and totally annihilated.”
As we all know, completely eliminating a powerful political entity has never led to any bad consequences. Hang on, I’m getting word about something called a “power vacuum”…
Is this going to be the title of a new book?
‘On the Beachhead’
🙂
Who is to judge or determine deserving financial success ?
Should a barrister get 20k per day for a brief or a heart surgeon similar ? What about a share market trader? Wrongly or rightly we allow people to charge or make what they can get away with.
Both 2 party duopoly leaders are multi millionaires.
Sokrates maybe Peter C is right ? Hard work and wise investments leads to financial success!
“As we all know, completely eliminating a powerful political entity has never led to any bad consequences. Hang on, I’m getting word about something called a “power vacuum”…
What power vacuum?
Gaza should be annexed just like the West Bank. It will be administered by the Netanyahu Government or its successors. Residents who aren’t happy with that will be given ample opportunity to leave for Jordan or another country more in alignment with their values.
And, by your analogy, should ISIS be allowed to stay in existence so that a “power vacuum” doesn’t occur? Is the world better with ISIS around? The sheer hypocrisy of the Left is a sight to behold.
Oh, I’ll give you people one thing though. You are not arguing against my statement that there is less than three months left in the Albanese Government’s lifetime. For once you accept and agree with me. Maturation. Progress. Good.
C@tmomma @ #35 Thursday, January 16th, 2025 – 8:23 am
Goodness. Are Australian’s really so stupid that they don’t understand what this actually means?
Apparently we are 🙁
From the SMH Letters page today:
Apparently, the forthcoming election will come down to three-word slogans, so here’s my suggestion: “Dutton got nuttin’.”
Shaun Davies, St Peters
🙂
#weatheronPB
Gentlest of breezes,
brushes past my warm body,
under a pale sky.
Lars, wealth these days isn’t primarily determined by what you earn. The primary determinant of wealth in modern Australia is property. And this is the fundamental that’s flipping politics throughout the anglophone west.
Amanda Rishworth will become the new NDIS minister, Katy Gallagher will pick up another portfolio and Anne Aly will assist the new NDIS minister in a cabinet reshuffle following Bill Shorten’s retirement.
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten will leave parliament on Monday, just before the federal election, vacating the National Disability Insurance Scheme portfolio and providing an opportunity for the prime minister to refresh his cabinet before voters head to the polls.
Sport and Aged Care Minister Anika Wells has also been promoted to cabinet.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-16/rishworth-ndis-minister-wells-cabinet-reshuffle/104823664