There’s only one leader in the debate & it isn’t Turnbull.

30 May

Bad Leaders

 

If there is one piece of knowledge we’ve painfully acquired during the last few years in Australian politics, it’s that a leader of both major parties can be brought down by colleagues at any moment.

Voters may be witness to the stormy trajectory of a leader’s demise, as we were with Tony Abbott. Then again, it might come entirely out of nowhere as happened with Kevin Rudd, when we woke one sunny morning to find him slaughtered, and Julia Gillard dancing on his grave.

In a paradoxical correlation, the more insecure leadership in the ALP and LNP becomes, the more our elections assume a presidential quality in which public focus is steered towards leaders rather than policies. Logic would argue against this focus, given the proven temporary nature of leadership, together with the factions within both parties struggling for control. The leader and faction you voted for today may not be the leader and faction you end up with for three years, because unlike in a presidential system, the parties have been at liberty to oust a leader at any time.

Since the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd debacle, the ALP has put in place certain measures that make it more difficult for their leaders to be chucked out, and it’s astonishing to me that they aren’t making more of this thrust for stability in their election campaign. If you aren’t united how can you govern a nation, asked Mr Shorten before Abbott’s demise, a question all of us ought to ask before we vote.

If you vote ALP, you have the reassurance that their time and energy is less likely to be squandered on internal leadership battles. They are freed from those concerns to concentrate on actually governing, which is far more than can be said for the LNP.

As opposition leader Bill Shorten pointed out in the Leaders’ Debate last night, Turnbull is controlled by his party while Shorten is in control of his.  This may well be the best zinger we ever hear from Shorten, and it zings with truth.

You are a leader in nothing but name if your every move is orchestrated by those you ostensibly lead, and there is no doubt that Turnbull has compromised himself almost beyond recognition in order to soothe the slavering right-wing in his party and retain their support.

Turnbull demonstrates few, if any, political leadership qualities. He’s a man who wanted to be Prime Minister at any cost not because he wanted to steer a country wisely into its future, but because he wanted to be Prime Minister. In this, he is no different from the man he ousted.

Shorten is the leader of his party in every sense. He won’t be thrown out. He doesn’t have to submit to factional demands in order to maintain his leadership. He is at liberty to focus on good governance in ways that Turnbull is not.

If you’re voting for the man and not the policies, it makes no sense at all to vote for Turnbull. He could be gone, even if he wins, and your vote is down the dunny.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m over the leadership dramatics. We’ve been badly served by the major parties’ internal strife for long enough.

There is only one leader in the debate, and it isn’t Turnbull. There’s only one major party in the debate that comes anywhere near allowing real leadership, and it isn’t the LNP.

That being said, we should still weep for our lack of decent choice.

 

127 Responses to “There’s only one leader in the debate & it isn’t Turnbull.”

  1. Marilyn May 30, 2016 at 7:14 am #

    The sight of two rich white men continuing to demonise and abuse innocent refugees and trying to inflict the most pain they can,

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 7:34 am #

      That’s politics in a nutshell.

      Like

    • Arthur Baker May 30, 2016 at 8:32 am #

      Get ready for the scare campaign on “border security”, laced with humbug such as “saving lives at sea”, bollocks such as “tough on the evil trade of people smugglers”, and crap such as “arriving illegally by boat”. Turnbull knows, just as well as Abbott did, that the mere mention of this topic gives his lot an advantage. And he’ll milk it for all it’s worth. Where’s my remote?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Florence nee Fedup May 30, 2016 at 12:37 pm #

        I see the attack on Shorten is beginning, Seems they might begin with his union connections, All disproved RC and other places won’t stop them. Will be dirty.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 12:54 pm #

          It can only go dirty and it will. The confidence with which the LNP lie infuriates me. It’s as if they believe that if they say it, that makes it true.

          Liked by 2 people

          • Arthur Baker May 30, 2016 at 1:31 pm #

            That makes it sound like they know they’re telling lies. I think it’s worse than that. In many cases, I think they’re doing the BOOB (Believing One’s Own Bullshit).

            Liked by 2 people

            • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:42 pm #

              Well, I’ve heard it said the best liars believe their own lies….

              Like

              • Hypo May 31, 2016 at 10:34 am #

                You mean the big fat lie about stopping boats?
                Plenty have arrived.In fact recently one boat from China laden with hundreds of millions of meth rolled up in WA near Geraldton.The drugs were not on board so those drugs and who knows what, or who, else also made land.
                Nor do authorities really know the drugs they later found was the entire shipment.
                A refugee boat has also come ashore in the same town before.Christmas island has had a few, and there is nothing to say boats have not lobed here up and down the top end or its island network.
                The only thing they have stopped is information and the oxygen supply to our once precious value, ‘the fair go’.
                History knows the big parties both suffocated that.

                The other thing that has flown under the RADAR re govt,is the growing flaccid impact of the judiciary in this country as it gets more and more undermined.I even have less faith in Royal Commission now than I ever did.(Let alone “I don’t recall” love-ins.) Not just the reasons they are called for, but the actual appointments,directions and outcomes thereof.

                In short not only can govts say and do anything now, they get away with shit which used to be a long sentence.WA and QLD govts under Barnett and Newman come to mind.
                O’Farrell went for a bottle of wine FFS.Look at what WA and QLD have gotten away with.Unbelievable.

                Liked by 2 people

          • helvityni May 30, 2016 at 6:35 pm #

            “The confidence with which the LNP lie infuriates me.”

            Jennifer, I believe anyone aspiring to be a Liberal politician, has to do a lie test.
            The Lie Detector test has to prove that they CAN can lie convincingly and confidently in any situation.

            Liked by 3 people

            • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 8:28 pm #

              Helvi, that’s their secret weapon. I hadn’t thought of that.

              Like

            • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 6:44 pm #

              I had a think about that one. Since all politicians are likely, liars, the machine will bleep even when two of them say the opposite thing.

              Like

      • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 12:50 pm #

        There really is nothing new either major party will say from now on, IMO. It’s a question of attempting to weigh up the least harm.

        Like

        • Florence nee Fedup May 30, 2016 at 5:51 pm #

          Not too sure. Gut feeling tells me Shorten will close campaign with great bang. #auspol

          Liked by 1 person

          • Florence nee Fedup May 30, 2016 at 5:52 pm #

            Will happen when the dirt really begins nearer to election day. .

            Liked by 1 person

      • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 5:16 pm #

        Murdoch and his campaign will decimate shortarse and the faux ALP from dawn to dusk 20 days out from a Liberal landslide.And yet after the election the alp factions will still be combing the sheeples.
        Groundhog day.Shorten is being given as much rope as he wants.The cliff he is about to get chucked off is higher than the rope is long.
        Happy days, for Schadenfreudes and realists with low expectations.
        Sad days for planet erath.

        Liked by 2 people

        • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:53 pm #

          I fear you might be right Hypo.

          Like

          • doug quixote May 30, 2016 at 11:46 pm #

            Nope. Mostly wrong. Murdoch dislikes Turnbull; Labor will get what for News is almost a fair go. Murdoch likes to back the winner, and likes to change governments – to show he can.

            Schadenfreude is definitely the word of the year, again. 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

            • Jennifer Wilson May 31, 2016 at 6:34 am #

              That’s an optimistic view DQ. Now we must count on Murdoch’s hatred for Turnbull to enable our escape from this government. What a situation we are in.

              Like

            • Hypo May 31, 2016 at 9:40 am #

              Good Lord, DQ calls a win for Labor via a fair play from Murdoch.Have saved a screen shot.
              If it comes true I’ll get a customised stubby holder made.

              Liked by 1 person

        • Florence nee Fedup May 31, 2016 at 1:33 am #

          I suspect Shorten is well aware this will be the case. Don’t see him as one to hide his head in the sand. Would expect to have strategy ready to deal with such a outcome.

          Liked by 1 person

  2. doug quixote May 30, 2016 at 7:56 am #

    Is it possible to “like” a post twice?

    Well said, Jennifer.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. sam jandwich May 30, 2016 at 9:18 am #

    If the trend is to go Trump these days… time for a leadership challenge from Barnaby Joyce!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. davechaffeyhippie May 30, 2016 at 9:26 am #

    Great points as always. One Zinger from Sharten to get him on Mad as Hell was the one time he almost looked impressive even though he seemed to lose confidence at the end. Turnbull suggesting that the boats would be back under Labor was the low point for me but will be effective for a key LNP demographic. Both leaders lost in my opinion but most will still vote for the LLNP duopoly.

    Liked by 2 people

    • diannaart May 30, 2016 at 12:29 pm #

      Good synopsis of Turnbull/Shorten

      Particularly the fact that Shorten does have control of his party (well visibly) and Turnbull quite obviously is, by contrast, controlled by his – hence the conspicuous absence of Turnbull over the corporatisation of the CSIRO with particular emphasis on anything to do with climate change monitoring – the spurious claim being that climate change is proved so now we can move on to adapting to it – without data – either from now on or from the past?

      Climate change hasn’t stopped nor should collating data. Which is what the CSIRO was doing as the only scientific body in the southern hemisphere.

      Neither leader daring to face the biggest effin’ elephant humans have had to confront. Because the public can’t handle the truth? Or politicians are too scared, or both?

      Such silence, will do nothing to change the status quo – rusted-ons will continue to vote LNP or Labor. However, I am predicting an even larger vote for independents and smaller parties – people who care enough turn up to vote. Many remain fed-up – can’t say I blame them.

      Liked by 2 people

      • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 12:52 pm #

        Thanks, Dianne. I think you’re right about greater numbers for independents & smaller parties, and I also think that’s a good thing. It may well be our only way through this mess created by both majors.

        Like

        • diannaart May 30, 2016 at 2:25 pm #

          Most OECD countries, with the notable exceptions of the Nordic nations, are suffering from political irrelevancy – hoping we here in Aus don’t have to have a *Trump*, may we skip ahead to government by diversity.

          What I don’t get, and will cheerfully admit to the ignorance I have been lambasted with 😉 is the solution is obvious – listen to the people; we want education, secure jobs, good health system, appropriate needs based infrastructure, reinvigorated manufacturing sector (using our own products from both recycle and judicious use of minerals), tax according to means (and mean it), an end to so-called self-regulation which has proven, like so many of us predicted, to place Dracula in control of the Blood Bank.

          We’re humans, we tend to be greedy – what is the point of governments if not to provide a balance between private and public? (and ensure we don’t screw up the environment any further). Governments are not businesses nor are they a big household – they are the system by which we don’t return to feudalism.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:47 pm #

            Yes, agree on your definition go governance, Dianne, but the problem is, it seems to me, that politicians have completely lost all contact with their purpose and instead see politics as an opportunity for self aggrandisement in all its forms and the punters can go to hell.
            Is that too cynical?

            Liked by 1 person

            • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 7:38 pm #

              The way I see it is that we lazy humans wait till we get a chance to tick a few boxes every 4 yrs or thereabouts and do nothing in between those occasions to steer the policy.
              So no wonder we return to this discussion while the globe implodes.

              We should be providing the menu.That is our role,making the politicians follow OUR lead.We ‘apathise’ at our own risk.

              Liked by 2 people

        • davechaffeyhippie May 30, 2016 at 2:46 pm #

          Is there any recent polling to suggest that the other parties and independents are gaining? Newspoll from start of May was about 20% for those outside the duopoly which isn’t going to threaten the status quo. The Xenophon United Party is polling pretty well in SA, and might win 1 lower house seat.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:50 pm #

            My hopes are pinned on these candidates, but it’s always tricky, they might turn out feral just like the rest of them.

            Liked by 1 person

      • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 5:22 pm #

        “Neither leader daring to face the biggest effin’ elephant humans have had to confront”
        With all due respect the one and only lethal element(elephant) in the room is us.
        The number of us.Now and every second of the day we are more .
        We have long passed the sustainable levels of population.The trough aint long enough/deep enough, any more.
        People are in denial.To discuss population is to be anointed as a Pariah.
        Growth is King.

        Liked by 2 people

        • diannaart May 30, 2016 at 5:53 pm #

          With all due respect, Hypo – you call it the way you see it and I will mine.

          Education and equality for women in third world countries (well, globally) is about the only answer to overpopulation – unless you think forced sterilisation is acceptable.

          Growth needs redefinition; I see growth as progressive in that we live with our planet’s resources not off it.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:55 pm #

            Good comeback

            Like

          • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 7:51 pm #

            “Education and equality for women in third world countries (well, globally) is about the only answer to overpopulation – unless you think forced sterilization is acceptable.”
            Yeah,nah.I won’t / don’t fall into the ‘advocate active removal of life tactic’.
            If anything rich countries have forced breeding.’Growth proponents’ like to play that card.’I said no such thing.Endorse no such concept.(I do support voluntary euthanasia though) First world countries can ‘also’ choose to have no or less kids or kids for the right reasons.We are rewarded for breeding beyond our means.Any solid ethical look at the state of ecological resources (and health /integrity) would inform an intelligent human how imperiled we are.3rd world women cop this crap all the time.How about ‘we’ set an example?

            (enter the furphy Australia needs to hurry up and breed or we’ll run out of humans)

            “Growth needs redefinition; I see growth as progressive in that we live with our planet’s resources not off it”.

            Agree.Sort of.Live WITHIN the planets resources,yes.But growth to LNP and ALP = more humans .Period.
            On water alone the planet has used the next centuries worth of potable water.We pillaged the forests long ago.
            What we are tasting as a species is the tangy low calorie entree of ‘tipping point.’
            And there’ll be lots of other side dishes joining us.

            The ALP dropped the ministry they had set up for sustainable population because they were told to.Growth is King.

            Liked by 1 person

        • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:54 pm #

          Well, here’s another aspect that isn’t much discussed. Us as the elephants.

          Liked by 1 person

    • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 12:51 pm #

      Thanks Dave. My interest in and enthusiasm for this election has reached a new low. I thought the *debate* was an insult to intelligence.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Marilyn May 30, 2016 at 4:49 pm #

      But what the fuck is this obsession with ”boats’ when over 1 million people come here on boats and ships every year and we beg for more. They are such gutless clowns our media when they refuse to state ‘
      it’s legal to come by sea so just shut up and suck it up”.

      And the cowards never say why we need protection from theses boats but PNG and Nauru don’t.

      None of our racist media ever ask the right questions, they just whinge BOATS, BOATS, BOATS as if refugees invented boats to fuck off our politicians.

      Liked by 2 people

      • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:52 pm #

        They must have a scapegoat, Marilyn. It’s boats.

        Like

        • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 8:00 pm #

          Lets not kid ourselves.’stop the boats’ is pure raw faecal matter code for ‘different ethnicity’.If Anglo Saxons were on those boats we’d kiss their asses and bathe them in warm unicorn milk.(look how we favour our paler backpackers over local workers FFS)
          Stop the (insert race/religion/minority of choice).
          Tribalism is an inexhaustible and free commodity.

          Liked by 2 people

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 8:31 pm #

            The only levelling factor is money. Non anglos with money are ok.

            Like

            • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 8:56 pm #

              I’d stretch view out that a tad , Jennifer and say Adam Goodes has money,but….

              Point being ,the other favourite ‘political football’ -when the ‘boats’ are stopped- is close at hand.
              Broadly of course,come to Australia by plane with a bag of cash,(preferably paler skin) and a leaning towards [or can fake a tolerance to] christian hypocrisy and and you tick all the major boxes.

              Social media has chopped down quite a few high profile indigenous folk of late.
              Some things never change.

              Liked by 1 person

              • Jennifer Wilson May 31, 2016 at 6:31 am #

                Some whites are feeling under threat. Easy to blame the Other for that.
                The planet appears to be filling up with angry, ignorant and uneducable people. I’m inclined to let them have it, and take refuge in obscurity for the rest of my days.

                Like

                • helvityni May 31, 2016 at 8:28 am #

                  ” Boats carrying brown people are very bad.
                  Submarines with only white men on them is good.”

                  Liked by 1 person

                • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 6:57 am #

                  You could try it. My experience is that they always track you down.

                  Liked by 1 person

  5. paul walter May 30, 2016 at 2:04 pm #

    I’m reading Marilyn’s terse comment first up, against the more forgivng ones following:

    I don’t think Shorten is much more in control than Turnbull, the factions and lobby forces exert the final influence on how far any politician can go in making changes when the interests of behind the scenes formations like the financial sector and powerful friends offshore have their prerogatives challenged.

    But there is wriggle room. Whilst they fail on civil liberties/refugees/censorship and war on terriers, of which Depp appears to be the latest casualty, I still think they are on the whole likely to do better than the rapacious IPA/ Goldman Sachs Coalition.

    How far they would get as a government, I don’t know. I suspect they’d be plodders and there is no doubt Labor and many of its hierarchy have flaws that match the Tories..eg someone like Feeney. But I think they shy away from valorisation of theft, even if they do like privately to see donors and sponsors offering money for electioneering and “expenses” and that is still the admittedly fractile differential.They need to be put in to block Turnbull, even if only for one term, to give the People a chance to think about what is going on.It happened with rudd and Gillard, why should Abbott’s avenging sword of (self?) righteousness not be turned back on the malicious incompetents who comprise this present government.

    The Greens are where my heart is, but like the socialist left, they are forced to explain complex ideas for change based on different rationales to the ones currently accepted, that favour big business.They have been too far ahead of the public in their thinking..10% of the vote seems to be where they stuck, as the sheep avoid or flee from, uncomprehending,the message, in their stumbling, stampedy and heedless way.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 5:28 pm #

      The greens need to be renamed the pinks.Outside of the GBR they would not know an environment, if it fell on their head.
      They have moved the same distance (exponentially) to the right as everyone else.
      Yes, we are stuck with voting for the least harm, because as a community we are Olympic champions in apathy and self interest.

      Facebook and petitions will save us.Yay!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:55 pm #

        Again, you are most dismally accurate

        Like

        • Marilyn May 30, 2016 at 7:17 pm #

          The Greens have not moved to the right, what bullshit people talk.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 8:16 pm #

            Marilyn the greens a pale shadow of compromised individuals struggling to find an issue beyond marriage equality and refugees.When you figure out that they have a policy which ‘really’ goes to sustainable population let me know.They are victims of the commodification of every atom in the human target zone just like all the rest.Their champion leader even thinks GM is cool.
            They hang precariously off the right buttock of factional ALP, like a timid little sucker fish.

            Like

            • Marilyn May 31, 2016 at 5:06 am #

              What a load of complete and utter bullshit,

              Like

              • Hypo May 31, 2016 at 8:51 am #

                Then do not watch Q&A Marilyn.
                I have not EVER heard anyone Green, beyond Brown utter the word population.Since his departure the topic of forests has been buried alive.
                They only tackle high profile socially mainstream issues and trendy university topics.They unfortunately have become a ‘feel good vote option’ , and have settled into that role.
                Sadly Di Natale is not a conservationists sphincter..Much of the greens currently popularity is from the ‘anyone but them’ dregs of peoples voting patterns.Greens have decided to attack tactically and strategically and hope to work out or return a policy set after they gain more power.How’s that going for Australia?

                Like

                • Marilyn June 1, 2016 at 6:42 pm #

                  So what is this population crap, the global growth in humans is happening and we can’t shut it all out to keep this continent for the people here now. Honestly, the population will be what it is.

                  Like

                  • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 9:14 pm #

                    ” Honestly, the population will be what it is.”
                    You give a shit about refugees and not what drives it?
                    In that case I’ll spend my oxygen elsewhere.

                    Like

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 8:29 pm #

            I think they have.

            Like

            • diannaart May 31, 2016 at 8:06 am #

              I’m waiting & seeing…. my mental health needs every hint of optimism it can get… although thinking about Di Natale’s turtle neck photo…. uuuuurrrrggghhhhh!

              Liked by 1 person

              • Jennifer Wilson May 31, 2016 at 8:21 pm #

                Nasty, I agree

                Like

                • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 7:20 am #

                  This discussion between Marilyn and Hypo is actually significant and goes to the heart of what has been THE underlying issue as to Australia for a generation, involving our material base and how it is employed, for what purposes etc and what it implies for Australians and other people outside the country.

                  The current election demonstrates that the thing is now in the open and that it involves class warfare.

                  The people movement issue emerges as overpowering because human suffering can’t be ignored, yet, because people movements are used by the oligarchy to break down civil society resistance, they’ve become a sort of 1984 media feature with boats sinking in the Mediterranean while boorish drunks cheer on.

                  The hope of a rational civilisation based on actually complementary ecological and economic thought became trashed as people were diverted to work out what to do with people movement issues. It could have happened but for corporate greed and generalised ignorance, the same as multiculturalism could have succeeded, except that vested interests sabotaged a rational move forward for civilisation with populist racism.

                  Liked by 2 people

                  • Jennifer Wilson June 1, 2016 at 7:25 am #

                    But what can be done, PW?

                    Like

                    • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 11:27 am #

                      I don’t know. I think too many people have, or fool themselves into beleiving they have, some stake or vested interest in the status quo. Even those of us who detest much of what goes on will defend the convenient status quo for want of an alternative platform for change.

                      Marx predicted the masses would get so fed up that they would rise up, but as Lenin realised, capitalism found its way out of that impasse through technology, hence newer forms of colonialism and imperialism. Our own democracy was underwritten by trade union power, but the bosses offshored labour to banana republics run by kelptocrats willing to apply harsh measures in response to any attempt to organise (I must sound like old Napoleon, the old boar who is Orwell’s animal leader in Animal Farm).

                      And capitalism is finding new worlds to conquer and colonise and these are the places of the mind, heart and soul, via the new techniques of neuropsychology, spin and advertising, to maintain commodification, eliminate dissent and consolidate the Panopticon…very Kakaesque, our world, as the asylum seekers at Nauru and Manus have found during their own “trials”.

                      Yet, every generation seems to produce a resistance of sorts, from Socrates and Christ to the independent minds of today (Jennifer Wilson?), people who refuse to admit they see nothing when they see something and whose oversight is necessary to avoid the pitfalls of group think and denialism..when people like Lord Monckton and Rupert Murdoch bullshit about environmentalism and its discoveries re climate change and ecology in general as negatives, it bells the cat for the rest of us and our bullshit detectors tell us not to trust such folk, so a new line of resistance is formed. because

                      Like

                  • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 8:53 am #

                    Here’s me thinking a bunch of greedy,racist pricks bullied their way into positions of power, and us plebs let them elevate because working beside or with them made us physically sick.Anything to get rid of them.

                    : )

                    Like

              • Marilyn June 1, 2016 at 6:43 pm #

                What a pathetically shallow comment, is that seriously all you have to whinge about?

                Like

                • diannaart June 1, 2016 at 6:56 pm #

                  Yes, Marilyn, that is all I’ve got to whinge about and I can laugh at the same time

                  😀

                  Like

                  • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 9:15 pm #

                    He is a raging hypocrite in it for the glory and money.Deep enough?

                    Like

                    • diannaart June 2, 2016 at 12:20 pm #

                      Hypo

                      I hope you are wrong – however that photo shoot… pictures tell a story…

                      …just paddling… maybe I am not ready for the deep end…

                      😉

                      Like

    • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:45 pm #

      Depp stands accused of belting his wife Amber, I read today.
      My heart is with a bunch of strong independents who may not even yet exist.

      Liked by 1 person

      • diannaart May 30, 2016 at 5:49 pm #

        Yeah I heard about Depp. Sad – not me, him.

        …and ditto on the strong independents.

        Liked by 1 person

        • paul walter May 30, 2016 at 7:47 pm #

          Depp is now a strange contrast to the dashing figure from “Pirates of the Carribean”.

          Too much too soon and he has slipped to the inevitable, which is apparently staggering round his mansion with a bottle of grog in his hand, like Barrymore or Burton.

          Someone else discovering that what he needed wasn’t necessarily what he wanted.

          We will amend our earlier contention that he is a victim of the war on terrrierism and just say he is collateral damage. Even Joyce wouldn’t gloat…not much, anyway, not so you’d notice..

          Liked by 2 people

          • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 8:30 pm #

            Now I’ve got the Stones in my ear. 🎵 You can’t always get what you want 🎵

            Liked by 1 person

            • Hypo May 30, 2016 at 8:41 pm #

              It’s ironic really.
              What Depp probably wants more than anything is what he perceives to be a normal life.Or at least a head above the water.Like all pedestal dwellers(not his choice) there must be a constant struggle to stay grounded.
              It is no surprise when such talented flawed geniuses seek very real comfort, or emotional shelter, they stumble and fall.Sometimes heavily, and sometimes more.The film critiques have joined the other circling jackals now, as they pan his latest film.

              “It’s a shit bizzniss,this.”(lead singer,Blancmange,League of Gentlemen))

              ( BTW There’s 2 more Stones songs in there Jennifer-at least).

              I hope Mr Depp finds himself and has a happy life.With or without HWood.

              Liked by 1 person

              • Jennifer Wilson May 31, 2016 at 6:26 am #

                IMO, Hypo, Depp is a talented actor who hardly ever finds a role that tests his capabilities. Which statement can likely be made about many in Hollywood. I think he might have done better on the stage, but that’s not nearly as glamorous and financially rewarding.
                I don’t know the truth of his domestic circumstances. I’m angered by media who immediately assume his ex partner is lying.

                Liked by 1 person

  6. paul walter May 30, 2016 at 2:32 pm #

    Ultimately, that the system is beggared is given a circumstantial boost from the following:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/05/28/liberal-candidate-gives-most-cringeworthy-moment-of-election-so/

    Preselection process are now controlled by factions and what is required are yes-people. Parliament seems increasingly filled with individuals like the one featured in the clip, lest independent thinkers develop policies that are useful for our civilisation rather than those trying to feed off it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jennifer Wilson May 30, 2016 at 5:50 pm #

      Well, that was weird, but even more weird is the WA lib candidate who told an indigenous woman speaking about the stolen generation that she should go find some dick and stick it everywhere including in her mouth.
      Liberal candidates of calibre!!

      Like

  7. doug quixote May 30, 2016 at 2:58 pm #

    The future looks uncomfortable for Turnbull. If he loses, Abbott will replace him straight away. If he wins narrowly, Abbott will mount his challenge within six months or so as the polls and the economy sink further.

    We may recall that the entire Australian auto industry will close down over 2016/17, thanks to the then-high dollar, with some help from Hockey (remember him?).

    Jobson Grothe will have a hard time of it no matter who is in government. And so it goes.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. sam jandwich May 30, 2016 at 3:15 pm #

    You guys might enjoy this fun little quiz that the ABC put together: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-30/election-2016-leaders-debate-quiz/7445418

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Hypo May 31, 2016 at 2:48 pm #

    Turnbull just ditched tens of thousands of QLD votes>

    “PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull criticised Pauline Hanson today, saying she is not welcome in Australian politics. ”

    http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/election-2016-rolling-updates-from-campaign-trail/news-story/228390b85df28e37de0d5be844f008cb

    Newsflash Mal.Nor is Rupert welcome,or the narrow ‘shrunken testicle’ anxieties of bully-boy, *patriarchal right wing religions and their racist/bigoted nutjob reps.

    *Someone on twitter needs to hashtag (Previous applicants need not apply) to keep Abbot on notice.

    Like

    • Florence nee Fedup May 31, 2016 at 6:22 pm #

      I take it, PM will clean out his govt of many more that have said much worse than Pauline or that creep they threw out yesterday.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Jennifer Wilson May 31, 2016 at 8:25 pm #

        This is true Florence.

        Like

      • paul walter June 2, 2016 at 12:39 am #

        They’ll clear him out before he clears them out. Think on.

        Like

  10. Hypo May 31, 2016 at 5:02 pm #

    Looks like politics 101 has been shredded again.

    Looks like the ALP/LNP dysfunctional virus is highly contagious,

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-31/greens-resign-over-executive-sacking/7463134

    Reeeeeeeeeeeerowrrrrrrrr.. pfffffffffsht pfffffffffsht !

    I guess they’re only human.

    Whereas, Labor>

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-31/malarndirri-mccarthy-not-enroled-to-vote-in-nt/7462936
    LNP>
    And Julie Bishop can’t recall the Libnat Super policy.

    Like

  11. Hypo May 31, 2016 at 6:45 pm #

    How many millions has this bunch of fat arsed leeches, sucked from the mouths of babes,the old,poor and sick?

    http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/politicians-not-only-get-paid-to-come-to-work-they-get-paid-to-live-somewhere-and-to-have-dinner/news-story/27e1f78d5b1164fd31e32ba3a3991566

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Forrest Gumpp (@ForrestGumpp) May 31, 2016 at 8:28 pm #

    Riffing on the title. “Ein Reich, ein Volk, ein … ” Just for fun, and some colour:

    Liked by 3 people

  13. Hypo May 31, 2016 at 9:16 pm #

    The gene pool is very shallow,what do they expect?
    “IT’S official: Queensland produces the worst politicians of any Australian state.”

    http://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/news-corp-readers-reveal-which-australian-state-produces-the-worst-politicians/news-story/935adae038d853f40b4fcfaf951399e7

    Smells like Rupert is ramping up.

    [The stubby holder is light years away.]
    And I gotta say.I had never noticed how ‘hair centric’ our pollies features were until I saw all these platters of images.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jennifer Wilson June 1, 2016 at 7:25 am #

      Oh dear. They’ll secede if this goes on.

      Liked by 1 person

      • diannaart June 1, 2016 at 7:51 am #

        …and exterminate, I mean, eliminate (that doesn’t sound too good either), the Feds?

        Like

        • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 8:54 am #

          Intellectually QLD left the building long ago.

          Like

        • Forrest Gumpp (@ForrestGumpp) June 1, 2016 at 8:54 am #

          Depends, according as you are a dalektical materialist, or not.

          Like

          • diannaart June 1, 2016 at 12:58 pm #

            Naaah, I was more thinking ‘daleks’ not so much with the Dialectical Materialism which I had to go and look up. Maybe I was channelling Marx & Engels, but not likely, this was early in the AM, I hadn’t even fortified myself with caffeine.

            I can’t even begin to contemplate Stalin till late afternoon.

            🙂

            Like

            • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 6:55 pm #

              It is obvious that Christopher Pyne is a Dalektical materialist, by speech pattern alone.

              Liked by 1 person

              • paul walter June 2, 2016 at 12:53 am #

                Wondrous, the dialectic. It suggests itself in the perceiving of (apparent reality of) change, in a conscious mind for wee folk, so is a key for the understanding, perhaps. With politics, it is a heuristic device and a key component to most pol economic thinking.

                Even if it is secretly loathed by neo cons, as are large chunks of the gospels by right wing Bible belt X tians, it is still part of the Canon, the Great Reference chart, as well as a descendent of ancient greek philosphy in the archeological sense.

                Liked by 1 person

      • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 9:07 am #

        Lyle Shelton.QLD Genius.LNP PM material.Indigenous champion, has spoken.
        He is everything Barnaby Joyce aspires to.

        I rest my case.Cut QLD free.Now.

        Like

    • franklongshank April 9, 2017 at 9:58 pm #

      I live in Queensland. Look at me. All intelligence and sophistication. I take exception that some people would think there is something wrong with me. When I look in the mirror there is very little I see that I dislike. A little paunchy around the gut area but nevertheless a fine figure of a man. In fact, when I sniff my armpit, I smell a heady mix of sweat and a beautiful sexy man like aroma that drives women crazy and demented. Mostly demented. Earthy Chocolate and sensual gorgeousness. Man-like in its Trump-like bluster. I rest my case.

      Like

  14. Hypo June 1, 2016 at 11:53 am #

    Who to trust?
    Lord Monckton or Sir David Attenborough.

    Hmmmmmmmm?

    Such a hard choice.

    “Pass me the share portfolio, Jeeves, there’s a good chap.”

    ____________________________________________

    Meanwhile in Scamberra, wait till the Hockey cabcharge bills get aired.Abbotts scumsuckers spent over $7000 on piss in 2 months.

    Let’s see a ‘leader’ tackle the overt theft of Australia’s budget piggy bank for personal pleasure and lifestyle activity.Let’s see mandatory drug and alcohol testing around the clock in the grounds of our parliament for all staff and members..Decisions made under the influence of drugs/alcohol are unconstitutional,or should be under workplace law.Abolish the tribunal which enables this theft immediately.Make politician salaries fall under the watch of Fair Work, and base salaries on performance.

    2 ‘Party’ preferred indeed.

    Like

    • paul walter June 1, 2016 at 12:10 pm #

      Attenborough?

      Here is an excuse for a man, who fled an honest challenge from an alpha bull elephant seal- bull to bull- for control of an entire herd of elephant seal cows..such a prize, yet he fled.

      ………………………………………………………

      I weep for Sir David, one of the very few actually deserving of a knight hood; a man who has spent nearly seventy years explaining nature and ecology.revealing its beauty on different levels, only to be held out be people like Monckton and Murdoch. What a pity we can’t gather the genetic material of people like Attenborough and Jane Goodall for the manufacture of genuine Guardians who could advance civilisation and hence quality of life for so many humans, rich and poor and other sentient creatures too.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 12:13 pm #

        Amen

        Like

    • franklongshank April 9, 2017 at 10:00 pm #

      Lord Monckton every time. The other guy is an imposter who molests monkeys.

      Like

  15. Hypo June 1, 2016 at 1:10 pm #

    http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/rendezview/paying-an-au-pair-minimum-wage-is-exploitation-the-end/news-story/959a843a4ddc1445b4477b40500eb49b

    Christian? Anxiety Industry Advocate goes all ‘carey’ and ‘non-political’ and ‘feather dusters’ Green leader under the guise of cruel and deliberate slavery??
    *(Getting in early Laura?)
    Australia eagerly awaits Laura’s comprehensive microscopic analysis (with conviction) of her blue ribbon LNP Brethren.
    After all, it’s the LNP who want to turn ‘au pair slavery’ into another tax payer funded Scamberran perk.
    Meanwhile over at Christians Australia website, hate abounds for all things ALP and Greens.
    https://www.facebook.com/AustralianChristians/

    * Will Laura back up her outrage and ‘deep’ concern and drop a few blue ribbon names,with struggling exploited au pairs?

    I predict an imminent ‘egg face’ outbreak.

    Like

    • diannaart June 1, 2016 at 1:46 pm #

      Hypo

      Just another of those unwritten laws of … something.

      If a Green does a thing it is ‘bad’; if a RWFJ does a thing, it is, at worst, naughty or actually for the good of all because … trickles or something

      Same if a female does actually become a PM (yes, I know, stretching the envelope)… life, the universe and everything will grind to a halt.

      If a male is PM – business as usual, unless, in the unlikely event he is for life, the universe and everything, as opposed to seeing everything as resource, then he is hounded, railroaded, blocked, stymied, denigrated, ridiculed… will later be known as the Obama factor.

      Cheers

      Like

      • Hypo June 1, 2016 at 2:12 pm #

        unwritten laws of>Christian hypocrisy.
        Quick to condemn a tolerance agenda,mute on the churches paedophile industry.Quick to demand Christian influence of ALL lives,all policies.
        Quick to condemn any other religion or group wanting relevance,let alone influence.
        The whining author has done how many articles about exploitation of au pairs before her cheap shot?
        (I’m not defending the greens leader at all
        But I find the whole au pair thing typical of the moral low ground the ‘fraught industry’ occupies.Hockeys cigar bill would feed multiple families, and he screams of wasting taxes.McNally would either defend,deny or ignore it,while screaming about what people do in their own bedrooms as consenting adults. I doubt (like most vocal so called christians) she actually walks the talk gleefully poked down the necks of others).

        Like

        • diannaart June 1, 2016 at 3:44 pm #

          Yep, you’ve got it covered.

          I wonder if in other countries, whatever religious majority commands good ship High Horse or or Do As I Say Not Wot As I Do, are as vexatiously hypocritical as Christians?

          They really get into authoritarianism, don’t they? …and are the first to complain of ‘nanny-state’ if the left dare wish for regulation of the powers that wanna be.

          Like

  16. Forrest Gumpp (@ForrestGumpp) June 2, 2016 at 10:03 am #

    FDR, an embedding:

    Possible technical background to the problem.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hypo June 2, 2016 at 10:22 am #

      Interesting stuff.The age of apathy is over,apparently?
      “Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers said the electoral roll has increased by over 963 000 since the last federal election.”
      “Importantly, the number of people estimated to be missing from the electoral roll has dropped from around 1.21 million at the 2013 federal election to just over 816 000,”
      Has the familiar look of the good ol’ days.
      A last minute rush to get [tombstones,people living overseas and non existent] people to vote.We all know which side of politics ALWAYS benefits from such ‘timely’ boosting of enrolments.
      A mystery surge in voter excitement? Real engagement?

      I guess we’ll see.If this late surge simply turns directly into LNP votes and not a change of govt,can I call rotting fish?

      Pray we never get electronic voting.An impossible system to scrutinise.

      Like

      • doug quixote June 2, 2016 at 11:04 am #

        Let us hope so, Hypo.

        I’d like to see a huge reduction in Informal votes as well. In my seat Labor lost for the first time since 1983 as 12% – yes 12% – “voted” Informal. I would guess mostly Labor voters disenchanted with the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd malaise.

        If you are required to vote, you should at least choose the lesser of two evils, even if only by your second preference.

        Like

        • Hypo June 2, 2016 at 11:20 am #

          “Not voting” , informal voting -when eligible -is opting out of any right to participate in any discussion involving our society.
          The lowest from of hypocrite debates politics from the position of non/informal voter.[The Drum is full of such dross.]
          Such people should be deported in exchange for refugees willing to participate in our democracy, broken as it is.

          Liked by 2 people

  17. Hypo June 2, 2016 at 12:34 pm #

    Look who has hired Credlin for PR strategy>

    “Treasurer Scott Morrison holds a media conference littered with military analogies, warning Labor has declared “war on growth”.

    Yep this is very Credlinesque.Scomo will be standing in front of nine Aussie flags soon.Is this the imminent positioning of a compromise leadership outcome?

    Only a matter of time before he calls them terrorists,links them to ISIL,and uses the term behead or decapitate.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-02/election-live-june-2/7468492

    A war on growth,
    Finally, some humanity and intellect from our political parties.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Jennifer Wilson June 2, 2016 at 8:59 pm #

      I thought Sky News had Credlin. Is she moonlighting?

      Like

      • Hypo June 3, 2016 at 8:21 am #

        Wait till Tone finds out .
        : )

        Like

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