Category: Politics

Abbott’s Execution

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I have struggled coming to grips with Tony Abbott’s sacking.  An honourable man replaced by a “Flash Harry” of little substance.  From my reading of Turnbull and, for that matter, Shorten, their complete CV is centred on themselves and what they can do to enhance their pursuit of self aggrandization. The Libs have badly let the country down because the polls were bad.  Any government taking over from one as economically bad as the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd government was, has two years to try and fix the problem.  This should have been accepted as fact but the crazies in the Senate, coupled with Shorten who refused to take any blame for our parlous financial state, ignored the need and blocked every attempt to fix the problem. Bad news at the start of an election cycle is always bad for the polls but then in the third year, when things start to stabalize, the polls lift.  There is no way that an ALP government was on the cards with Shorten in command.  He has far too much ammo for the Libs to use in an election campaign for him to get through. I have quoted Bolt in full.  I seldom do quote him but his article explains my feelings on the matter better than I could ever have done.
  NOW Tony Abbott is gone I can finally tell the truth about him. Folks, you made a big mistake with this bloke. No, no. The mistake wasn’t that you voted for him. In fact, you got one of the finest human beings to be Prime Minister. In many ways he seemed too moral for the job, yet he achieved more in two years than the last two Labor prime ministers achieved in six. Compare. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard left us with record deficits after blowing billions on trash — on overpriced school halls, “free” insulation that killed people, green schemes that collapsed, “stimulus” checks to the dead. They meanwhile opened our borders to 50,000 illegal immigrants and drowned 1200. They hyped the global warming scare and forced us to pay a job-killing carbon tax just to pretend they were saving us. But Abbott? I won’t go through the whole list: how he stopped the boats, curbed spending, scrapped the useless carbon and mining taxes, led the world’s defiance of deadly Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and made us safer from terrorism. He even signed three free trade deals to secure jobs for our kids — including one with China that the last three governments couldn’t clinch. And he did all this in the face of astonishing heckling and even vilification from our media class, and despite often feral opposition in the Senate. But your mistake was not to care about all that. Deeds didn’t count with you. Image was all. And so you told the pollsters you didn’t like Abbott. You believed the vicious crap written about him, until his MPs finally panicked and dumped him. Your mistake was that you couldn’t look behind the flim flam — the way Abbott looked, the way he spoke, the way he walked, the way he ate an onion — to see what he’d actually done for you and for your country. You even laughed at some of his finest qualities and emblems of his public service. Journalists ridiculed his work as a lifesaver by mocking his costume and body hair. They dismissed his firefighting service as just a photo-op. Wrote off his patriotism as bigotry. When he defended women, he was called insincere. When he warned that our finances were in strife or that terrorism menaced us, they called him a scaremonger. And you believed them. You let people treat like absolute dirt a man who had a record of volunteerism no prime minister has equalled — working in Aboriginal communities, lifesaving, firefighting, helping people in natural disasters, and raising money for women’s shelters and a hospice for dying children. And none of it was done just to puff his CV for an election pamphlet. The only reason I know Abbott helped people secure their homes after one Sydney storm is that my wife’s uncle asked the head of the team getting the tree off his house if that really was Abbott over there, helping to cut it away. Shush, said the captain. He doesn’t like people knowing. Now, I must declare straight up — I call Tony Abbott a friend. So you’ll call me biased. You’ll laugh that I can write this massive praise of him when almost everyone else is horse-laughing. And you’ll say that’s why I see more qualities in Abbott than are actually there. But you’ll just be making another mistake. See, I don’t think Abbott is a great man because he’s my friend. He’s my friend because he’s a great man. Greater than the people who tore him down. He’s my friend especially because he’s not those things that so many journalists wrote — including some who must have known what they wrote were lies. Truth is that Abbott is not a thug, bully, racist, fool, liar, woman-hater, homophobe or bigot. He’s not cruel or lacking compassion. If he were any of those things he would not be my friend. Those are deal breakers for me. Those I love best are people of honour, warmth and kindness. Tony Abbott is one such man, and that he has been betrayed and deposed doesn’t just break my heart. It makes me fear for this country. I can only hope that Australians will one day wake up to what they’ve tossed away. Sorry to sound so melodramatic, but here are some glimpses of the man I know — ones that put the lie to the trash that even big-name correspondents peddled about him.
And from Steve Kate at Catalaxy Files The media and the left are among the people least capable of seeing goodness in others. And it’s not as if these qualities were invisible even to those of us who were not among his friends. If you are part of the anti-Abbott collective of this country, you are part of the problem and in no way part of the kind of humane solutions Tony Abbott tried to bring to political decision making in this country. We are all the worse for his departure. There are some who do not know this because they are so shrivelled inside that they incapable of knowing this. But there are some, thankfully, who understood what a great Prime Minister we had and know exactly what we have lost. And this from comments at the Cat.
When the second Bali bomb happened at Jimbaran beach, the people who died and the ones who are still struggling are friends of ours. Tony was on holiday with his wife and daughters. Ours son’s friend lost both of his parents that night, our sailing mate lost his sight and his wife lost one of her eyes. Our business lawyer is alive but has never recovered, and his wife struggles. Tony Abbott was Health Minister in the Howard government at the time. He teamed up with Newcastle GP, Adam Frost, who was also on holiday with our friends, and they did the most amazing triage and lifesaving operation. Seriously, people, you have no idea of the quality that is Tony Abbott, and what those lightweights have thrown away in favour of an empty suit.
Flash Harry in an empty suit – poor exchange indeed.  
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Politics

Radical gay campaign continues

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Malcolm Turnbull has publicly come out against the position of Tony Abbott and the Coalition party room on the question of a national same-sex marriage plebiscite.
The Communications Minister, a prominent advocate of same-sex marriage, warned the Prime Minister’s strong disposition for a public vote would become an incessant distraction for the Coalition in the lead-up to the next election and into the next term of parliament.
“One of the attractions of a free vote is it would have meant the matter would be resolved in this parliament, one way or another, in a couple of weeks,”
The main attraction of a free vote is it could possibly pass.
“The reason I have not advocated a plebiscite after the next election is that it would mean that this issue is a live issue all the way up to the next election and indeed at the next election, and if we are returned to office, it will be a very live issue in the lead-up to the plebiscite itself.
The reason that he doesn’t like the idea of a plebiscite is that if the people get a vote, it will not pass and he knows it. Seriously Malcolm, just resign and go back to Labor.
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Politics

Bishop gone

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I think I’ll give the ABC a miss today as the talking heads sit there in their orgasmic pleasure at having played their part in the demise of another hated Coalition MP.  Citing tweets lambasting Bishop as proof positive she erred, backed up by the media as they sifted through the rubbish bins of society looking for more examples of Bronwyn’s excesses. And they found some and they were duly cycled through the media on successive days as part of a program to destabalize the government. The fact that it all come to light the week after the Trade Union Royal Commission raised serious questions about Shorten’s misuse of member’s money while he was in the AWU is not accidental. What annoys me is when going through said bins, the media tossed aside reams of references to the ALP doing the same in spades.  This doesn’t excuse Bishop and in the wash-up she certainly had reached her use-by-date, however the hypocricy is breathtaking. With the government looking feeble and slow to react I have to ask; what the hell were they thinking.  Why weren’t they attacking? Every time Shorten said Bishop must go why didn’t Abbott say “Sure Bill, we are looking at it. Now, in the meantime would you like to explain your extortion of $40,000 from Unibilt that was a “donation” to the AWU but that you actually used for your initial political campaign to enter parliament?” For that matter why hasn’t this fact been recycled through ABC 24 in their daily offer of unbiased news? Another ALP member,  Senator Helen Polley, who was not not a minister, had no portfolio responsibilities at the time, but managed to clock up $20,000+ in 8 charter flights between Hobart and Launceston at $3,000+ per trip (160 Km between cities) doesn’t rate a mention in the media, let alone in Twitter. The fact that the ALP are just as guilty doesn’t ameliorate Bishop’s indiscretions but it does raise the issue of hypocracy. The Libs have plenty of reasons to attack Labor on their record but at no stage did I hear or read of such any attack.  They seem to go to ground whenever a media and/or Twitterstorm occurs and cop the bullets. Man up you bastards and let slip loose the dogs of war. Then, when the tables are turned and the ALP are busy dodging bullets, revise the MPs entitlements and bring them into line with the public’s expectations and continually front Shorten to get him to back them or not. Get him to put his money where his sanctimonious, hypocritical heart is.
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Politics

Goodes’ campaign continues

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Adam Goodes’ campaign for pre-selection continues as Chip Le Grand, his current campaign manager, gets another above-the fold front page article in today’s Australian. The article draws hundreds of comments, a lot of which point out that the spectators are booing Goodes because he once publicly abused and humiliated a teenage girl. Most Australians don’t like large, adult males abusing teenage girls. Chip ignores this opinion because it doesn’t suit his agenda but the spectators don’t and won’t in the future. If it is racist then one needs to ask the questions – why aren’t all the other indigenous players boo’d. What is it that sets Goodes apart?  I would have to say it is his activist profile.  All the other guys are in football to play while Goodes is, at this stage of his career,  in football for political activist reasons and the crowd don’t like it.  They go to the game to be entertained with football skills, not to be harangued and called racists as part of one man’s campaign for pre-selection or Reconciliation. Subsequent to the abuse incident he was appointed Australian of the Year and since then, this current campaign aside, has been noted for his absence in the media on subjects other than football, with one extreme example.  In early March he announced that he now finds it hard to say I am proud to be Australian after seeing Pilger’s ‘Utopia’  Not proud to be an Australian…John Pilger…Utopia…FFS who is advising this man? John Pilger is an expat Australian who, simply put, hates us.  He has made a career out of this hatred and for years has penned propaganda that always reflects poorly on Australia and whatever he says has little impact outside of the Green-Left of the political divide.  That is, about 10 % of the community give Pilger any credit whatsoever.  This 10%, of course, encompasses the ABC and SBS where he is often seen talking about his hatred of Australia – but we expect that. Back to today’s article.
Michael O’Loughlin was watching Sydney play West Coast when his seven-year-old son James turned to him with a question he could not easily answer: “Dad, why are they booing uncle?’’
It is the question all of football — and much of the nation — is now grappling with, as the AFL, Sydney and opposition clubs look for a way to stop crowd abuse of Adam Goodes.
Good ploy – play the cute little nephew. Pure Facebook campaigning. ..as the AFL, Sydney and opposition clubs look for a way to stop crowd abuse of Adam Goodes.  With all the recent press on the mater, with more people remembering his abuse of the teenager, I don’t think the crowd are going to forgive him anytime soon. He says he is campaigning for Reconciliation but I see little conciliation in starting the debate by saying it is hard for him to be proud to be Australian because, according to left wing Pilger, we are all racists. I predict his post-football career will be in politics where his character will be well and truly tested when the crowd becomes all of Australia, not just a few thousand at a footy match. Will he be able to cut it? That remains to be seen.
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Indigenous Affairs, Politics

Tit for Tat

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Speaker Bishop under pressure to resign for inappropriate expenditure.  I’d expect her to resign a little after Bill Shorten resigns for stealing $40,000 and using it for his own electoral campaign.
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Politics

Q and A still in justification mode

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The Q and A justification continues Australian journalist Michael Ware, who has spent much of his career reporting on the Iraq war from Baghdad, said that Mallah’s appearance on the program was useful in exposing a wider audience to the views of people who were or had been susceptible to extremism.
“If we don’t have people like Zaky Mallah on a show like this, that’s quite responsibly run and is quite a sophisticated forum, then when are we going to hear their voices?” he said, to murmurs of agreement from the audience.
And exactly why do we need to “hear his voice?” We’ve already heard his “voice” when Mallah tweeted: “Australia has two decent whores, @RitaPanahi and Miranda Dev­ine. Both need to be gang banged on the Sunrise desk. #freedomofspeech love it!” Yep absolutely love it! He was also charged with terrorist acts but got off on a technicality.  However, he was convicted of threatening ASIO agents and with possession of an illegal firearm. We don’t need to hear his voice at all.  He needs to be starved of oxygen until he chokes on his insanity. I’d also like to take Ware’s to task on his description of Q and A  as responsibly run and …sophisticated forum.  It is a forum that regularly lines up a mob of left wing “experts” against a conservative politician with the aim of embarrassing them,  hopefully in a “gotcha” moment. The “experts” they choose are always arguing for same sex marriage, global warming,  boat people being given instant citizenship, how the evil live cattle trade is, how terrible Abbott is, how terrible the Coalition are and how reasonable and compassionate the ALP are. It is sophisticated in a lefty kind of way but I wouldn’t call it responsible.
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Politics

Chief Justice hounded from position

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QUEENSLAND’S attorney-general has thanked embattled chief justice Tim Carmody for standing down.
YVETTE D’Ath said it was a “significant gesture” that was in the best interests of the court.  Actually, it was in the best interests of the left-wing judicial cartel that were furious that Newman had the temerity to appoint Carmody in the first place when he clearly wasn’t one of them. It definitely had nothing to do with public interest. Although Justice Carmody has resigned from his post, he will retain his office and standing as a Supreme Court judge, and will serve as a supplementary judicial member of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Part of the joint statement by Chief Justice Carmody and Ms D’Arth reads:
“The Chief Justice’s sacrifice of the significant rights, remuneration and privileges of the Office of Chief Justice is recognised as an honourable act. Consistent with the principle of the separation of judicial power, this decision was one for His Honour alone and he has shown strength of character in making his decision to do so.
Consistent with the principle of the separation of judicial power my arse.  He was hounded from the position by the other judges with the support of the new ALP government. Hand in glove…no separation there.
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Qld Politics

Anglican Primate’s Easter message

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Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Philip Freier calls for a conversation led by the people in his Easter message.  Most of his message is reasonable but then he raises his colours up the flagstaff.
He lists as examples of political failure to generate broad engagement the cases of Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs’s report on children in ­detention — “labelled partisan and biased” because it was uncongenial to the government.
I thought it was labelled “partisan and biased” because it was.  She certainly didn’t raise the issue when the previous ALP government had thousands of kids in detention – it was only when the current government had reduced this to hundreds  that she felt motivated to act. I would have thought “uncongenial to the nation’s understanding of what is fair and reasonable” is a better fit.
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Politics

The mark of a man

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Qld Speaker Peter Wellington takes a novel approach to a confession by ALP MP Billy Gordon that he had a criminal record, was tardy in paying maintenance to his ex wife and, on occasions, he had abused her. It has also become apparent that the ALP knew this some time back yet still run him as a candidate. Peter Wellington blames the victim and anyone else involved in bringing the matter to the attention of the public. There’s the mark of the man right there.  No balance, no ethics. Meanwhile, another Qld ALP MP is under the spotlight for threatening language and refusal to pay a real estate commission.  Rick Williams mentioned his brother at the meeting who was a NSW hit man with some interpreting the statement as a threat, as you would. There you have it, The Palaszczuk government’s first week in power.  
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Qld Politics

Triggs out of this world

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Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs has been slammed as “completely out of touch’’ after suggesting most “fair-minded’’ Australians would believe it was reasonable to give $350,000 compensation to a ­detained wife-killer. Really? Just exactly who does she talk to..the local Greens commune? She  has form;
The Abbott government has rejected a string of controversial arbitrary detention findings by Dr Triggs in recent months. The Australian last week reported Dr Triggs had recommended a $300,000 payout for a US-born convicted fraudster whom the government deported after he swindled $644,000 from taxpayers and banks. The man was held in ­detention while delaying deportation with legal arguments ­described by the Federal Court as “frivolous, vexatious, embarrassing and (lacking) any support”.
She is a Rudd/Gillard/Rudd debacle appointee and apparently can’t be sacked.  It will be along time before Australia is free of the damage done by the ALP.      
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Politics
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