Open Forum: February 2, 2013

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Sinclair Davidson

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1,161 Responses to Open Forum: February 2, 2013

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Harold

#719145, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:48 am

Risk Frontiers, Macquarie University

Senate Standing Committee on Environment & Communications

Inquiry into Recent Trends in and Preparedness for Extreme Weather Events

Conclusion:

Research into the economic impacts from natural disasters now spans many parts of the world. What is evident from studies to date is an increasing trend in the cost of natural disasters over time. The main drivers of the increasing trend are demonstrably socio-economic factors. No study has yet been able to detect an anthropogenic climate change influence. Anyone asserting the contrary now has a mountain of peer-reviewed literature to climb over.

This does not rule out a climate change influence; but it does suggest that its influence, if any, is currently minimal in the context of societal change and large year-to-year variation in impacts.

Research into future US tropical cyclone losses suggests that the socio-economic factors will continue to be the principal loss drivers and that while the long term effects of anthropogenic climate change are likely to exacerbate future impacts, it will be a long time before its impact on economic losses becomes detectable.

The collective research considered here suggests that there is much to be gained from reducing societal vulnerability to natural disasters. Without efforts to address this, the economic impacts from natural perils will continue to rise on the back of an ever increasing exposure.

Vulnerability reduction should be encouraged in an effort to minimise future losses and to improve the resilience of society from threats posed by both the current climate and future climate change.

While it is difficult to influence the likelihood of extreme weather events, i.e. the hazard, the exposure and vulnerability components of risk lie within our control. We can decide where and how we build.

It should also be borne in mind that given the relatively short history of climatological records we have probably not seen the worst that the current climate has to throw at us.
kelly liddle

#719147, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:57 am

I can understand how the friary was beneath a car park. I can now go to sleep.

Good night Gab.
C.L.

#719150, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:39 am

The friary was demolished in 1536 after Henry VIII ordered all monasteries to be destroyed. See Dissolution of the Monasteries.

I just knew that obnoxious douchebag would be responsible.

He was way worse than the Taliban.
perturbed

#719153, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:15 am

Fairfax is reporting that Gillard’s ouster is more or less imminent.

You’re probably reading too much into that IMO. In any case, if Rudd gets back in as PM it’s game over. Labor won’t be able to hide behind the “misogyny” shield any more, and Abbott will finish what he started back in 2010. And we would get to see Rudd’s brain detonate as he gives his long-delayed concession speech, especially if he decides to wait it out and go with the original date.

The only thing that could possibly save him would be to publicly disown Gillard’s call on the poll date and call a snap election. Even then, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Abbott’s probably ready to go into election mode at any time, given the knife-edge Parliament has been on and the chance that at least one and possibly two Labor-side MPs could suddenly drop out.

And it would look really, really bad. Everyone would know that it was being done purely to get a complete failure out of the job and substitute a not-quite-so-complete failure for the facing of the music. If ANY male leads the ALP to the next election, Abbott will slam his metaphorical head into the desk until his eyeballs explode and then tear his metaphorical throat out. There will be nothing to hold him back at that point. Nothing at all.
Tom

#719162, posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:41 am

Gillard won last year’s leadership spill 71-31. According to Fairfax, Rudd has made up most of the deficit he will need to overcome to knife her:

SUPPORT for Kevin Rudd among Labor MPs has grown, placing the former prime minister potentially within striking distance of Julia Gillard in the event of a challenge.

Estimates put his backing as high as 45 votes out of 102 caucus members, although Ms Gillard’s supporters say it is lower.

Meanwhile, at Downfall Central, it’s sounding increasingly like the last days:

JULIA Gillard has demanded unity from her MPs and an end to leaking and criticising the government, as two senior cabinet ministers urged a greater role for Kevin Rudd in the wake of another disastrous opinion poll.

As the Prime Minister moved to justify her decisions on the timing of the ministerial reshuffle and the early naming of the election date, Ms Gillard told the first caucus meeting of the year that journalists had told her they had a number of people “waiting to give negative assessments” of the government when they returned from leave.

The admonition and the call for unity were seen by some MPs as being aimed not only at supporters of former prime minister Mr Rudd but at non-aligned and traditional Gillard supporters as well.
Deadman

#719164, posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:46 am

NY POST, “The eyes of Texas are upon us”, a lesson from Rock Perry:

Texas wasn’t always booming. Just two years ago, Perry faced a $27 billion deficit — a figure larger than the total budgets of some 30 states. But thanks to spending cuts, he managed to make ends meet.
Today, Austin is back in the black and has a $12 billion rainy-day fund to boot. As Perry put it the other day, “Our bank balance is healthy, our economy is growing, our future is limitless.”
Deadman

#719167, posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:50 am

Gak. Rick Perry (though most people I know call him “Rock”, really).
Token

#719168, posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:56 am

Pity Rick Perry was suffering so badly from pain during his bid for the presidency. He really had the right stuff to push Obama, much harder than Romney.

US loss, Texas’s gain
Deadman

#719170, posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:16 am

A breathless Timmy rushes into the PM’s office, carrying the daily newspapers.

PM: Ah, at last, the papers. I have a cunning plan to stop the leaks from my cabinet. Last night I told Combet, Macklin, Shorten, Crean, Swan, Plibersek and Wong that I’d call a leadership spill next week, but I told each of them it would be held on a different day. What does The Age say?
Timmy: “Surprise Leadership Ballots. Next week, sources say, the PM will call for a vote on the leadership on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as Sunday!”
johanna

#719177, posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:52 am

The lack of adults in charge at the degraded pulp fiction called the SMH is demonstrated yet again by this incisive piece of analysis by Jacqueline Maley, who is bafflingly described as ‘Parliamentary sketch writer for the Sydney Morning Herald’. WTF does that mean? It certainly doesn’t mean literacy in this content-free piece, for which she was presumably paid:

“Chauffeur-driven commonwealth cars deposited fresh-minted ministers and parliamentary secretaries at the Governor-General’s door. They bounced up the steps.”

Since the ‘point’ of this puff-piece was that there was no booze at the swearing-in, is she suggesting that they all had a snifter beforehand and were chewing gum or sucking mints?

Note to self, Jackie. The phrase you were looking for is ‘freshly minted’ as in new coins.

Still, when the paywall goes up, no-one will be reading your howlers anyway.

It never ceases to amaze me that the vast majority of contributors and commenters on the Cat have much better literacy skills than those who are paid to write for the edification of the masses.
Fleeced

#719180, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:01 am

Sinc. Android is basically Google. Algore was on the board.

LOL… Hate to break it to you, JC – but I believe he’s also on Apple board. You could just install Windows on your Mac (either dual boot, or exclusively).
Cold-Hands

#719181, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:05 am

Mal Brough’s campaign office has opened just a few doors down from Peter Slipper’s Electoral office. Hope the staffers don’t come to blows…

h/t Bolt.
Fleeced

#719184, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:13 am

Hope the staffers don’t come to blows

Teehee… “blows”
Cold-Hands

#719185, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:16 am

Fleeced! Wash your mind out with soap!
johanna

#719189, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:22 am

The SMH is the gift that keeps on giving. The next thing I saw was Carbon Economy Editor Peter Hannam’s inadvertently funny promo for someone who has fled the economic disaster that is Spain for more friendly climes:

“Manuel Blanco, an international specialist in solar energy, started on Monday as director of the CSIRO-led Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI). The initiative has $87 million in funding over eight years to advance so-called concentrating solar power technologies, which typically tap solar energy using mirrors or lenses to drive steam turbines.

Dr Blanco said a “technological leap” would be needed to cut generation costs from 25¢ a kilowatt-hour to 12¢ by 2020, but collaborative efforts between Australian and overseas scientists could achieve the goal. Costs had fallen by about 25 per cent over the past five years, he said.

Dr Blanco, whose previous posts include directing the solar thermal energy department of Spain’s National Renewable Energy Centre, said Australia was an obvious place to focus research.”

$87 million. Our taxes at work.
.

#719190, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:22 am

Get a windows phone and surface.

Good shit. Mate says “you always felt like Android was second rte” after he got his nokia windows 8 phone

You can build a linux or PC custom built with water cooling for trading etc in your office JC.

http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-AU/surface-with-windows-rt/specifications

“Microtheft”

Stop winging, commie.
Cold-Hands

#719191, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:23 am

Hedley Thomas has run into a brick wall at the PM’s office:

JULIA Gillard’s office is blocking the release under Freedom of Information laws of a raft of documents generated by key staff and other taxpayer-funded officials last year in relation to the Australian Workers Union fraud scandal.

The documents include internal briefing papers, media-management strategies and correspondence with media executives and journalists. All of the material sought is directly related to the Prime Minister’s handling of the controversy that dogged her in the second half of last year.

…The Australian two months ago made an FOI request for “all documents relating to media management, policy and and general advice over matters concerning the Prime Minister and the Australian Workers Union/law firm Slater & Gordon” from June 1, 2012.

The request sought only material generated recently at public expense by staff in Ms Gillard’s office. It asked for drafts of letters and email messages sent and received by the Prime Minister and her staff and external advisers to media outlets and executives, as well as talking points, drafts of speeches and internal question-and-answer notes.

The request has been turned down because “”the documents, if they exist, would be personal documents in that they would directly relate to alleged events that predated the Prime Minister’s election”. Personal documents as defined in the act refer to such things as bank statements, not documents generated at public expense. As Michael Smith concludes: “There is only one way Ms Gillard could legitimately make the Victoria Police investigation into her conduct a purely private matter – resign.”

h/t Michael Smith.
Rabz

#719193, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:25 am

what amazes me is why would one demolish a perfectly good car park to dig about for old dead bones

Too right, Mick.

Bloody vandals.
Rabz

#719197, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:29 am

Dr Blanco, whose previous posts include directing the solar thermal energy department of Spain’s National Renewable Energy Centre, said Australia was an obvious place to ~~focus research~~ bankrupt.”

Fixed.
.

#719201, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:30 am

“There is only one way Ms Gillard could legitimately make the Victoria Police investigation into her conduct a purely private matter – resign.”

So she’ll get charged after the election.
WhaleHunt Fun

#719204, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:32 am

Every Kentucky’s has a car park so why not pommy Fryeries?
Presumably he was buried inder a disabled parking spot?
Token

#719208, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:42 am

what amazes me – okay apart from them finding old bones etc – is how does a friary get to be buried under a car park?

Blame the Reformation.
Mike of Marion

#719210, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:43 am

.

5 Feb 13 at 8:30 am

If a criminal offence occurs, I’d suggest no one is immune from arrest – even if in high office eg PM.

Mind you the arresting copper would be stationed at Giles WA for the next 10 years.
Token

#719211, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:47 am

Fairfax is reporting that Gillard’s ouster is more or less imminent.

I hope not. Gillard is doing a wonderful job leading Labor, I hope she leads the party through to the Sep 15 election.

Newspoll: Abbott and Coalition take lead on every single electoral issue.
Cold-Hands

#719213, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:54 am

If a criminal offence occurs, I’d suggest no one is immune from arrest – even if in high office eg PM.
Given the timorousness of the Baillieu government, the Police case would have to be absolutely watertight with every tee crossed and i dotted before the DPP would authorise an arrest. So realistically, we’ve always been looking at after this election. Look how long its taken to get Thomson before a magistrate.
Token

#719215, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:55 am

Er, wrong.

The friary was demolished in 1536 after Henry VIII ordered all monasteries to be destroyed. See Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Look at it like when the US said Osama bin Laden was buried at sea. Henry VII was an usurper, and he, Henry VIII & Elizabeth lived with the concern that if they became unpopular a Yorkist or similar could do the same to them. Thus the bard was one of a number of writers who turned the ruthless Richard III into a deformed villian.

Of course for Henry VIII, that was UNCLE Richard.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.

#719216, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:56 am

‘Parliamentary sketch writer

We should rotate that job around all the talent on the Cat.

With personal identity by-lines, natch.
Fleeced

#719217, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:58 am

Get a windows phone and surface

Now you’re just trying to wind him up…
johanna

#719219, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:58 am

On a lighter note, a very smart parrot has stolen $1100 from a Scottish tourist in NZ.

“Hoping to recover his money through travel insurance, Mr Leach sheepishly reported the incident to Timaru police.

“The man I dealt with was very serious for the first few questions,” Mr Leach said.

“Then he said, ‘Do you mind if I just stop to laugh?’ ”

Mr Leach said he had never heard of the mischievous kea before his visit.

Lesson learned.

“The birds are now lining their nests with £50 notes.”

I have heard about these parrots before, along the lines that they are very smart and quick to learn.

If they could type, I bet they would be on the Cat.
Token

#719220, posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:59 am

Nice to see that Judith was able to get another column out of another discussion thread at the Cat. Of courese she has expanded on the material discussed:

Not-for-profit organisations make a meal out of FBT exemptions
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.

#719221, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:06 am

I am off to dance my little socks off. Back later maybe. What an interesting and fun thread on Richard 111 last nite. Last of the Plantagenets. I fell in love with John of Gaunt years ago after reading Anya Seton’s novel ‘Katherine’.

Da Hairy Ape ran away with me, swept me onto his white turbo-charger, to the Pyrenees just to replicate that most thrilling piece of romantic imagination in Seton’s well-researched book, where the man of Gaunt and Katherine spent their most idyllic night of love in a castle boudoir there. No evidence mighty John ever did such a thing, of course.

Da Ape does have his very good moments of sweep Lizzie off her feet sometimes.
Token

#719222, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:11 am

I have a feeling the election may not occur in Sep:

ONE in seven Australians with private health insurance faces a premium increase of up to 27.5 per cent in July under planned changes to the government rebate, according to the industry lobby group.

In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the commonwealth’s plan to narrow the scope of the rebate, Private Healthcare Australia has warned that almost 1.1 million members will be adversely affected by changes to Lifetime Health Cover — some of them by up to $500 a year.
Aliice

#719223, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:14 am

Whats wrong with Obeids eye? Its crooked?

Says in court “dere is nuthing wrong with building up da families wealth like.”
What a sideshow of goons.
Token

#719224, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:16 am

While you were distracted by the theatre of mysoginy, this is one of the pieces of legislation that Labor was trying to sneak through:

LABOR’S proposed changes to native title laws have come under an 11th-hour assault from miners, farmers and the resources states, amid concerns they will lead to more legal challenges, higher costs, greater inefficiency and more agricultural land being subject to the laws.

Another lawyers picnic to feed the union/ALP linked ambulance chasing firms?

The powerful Minerals Council of Australia has warned the Gillard government that the proposed laws will create a system with “increased contestability”, higher costs, longer timeframes for decisions and “uncertainty for stakeholders”.

The council called for a last-minute rethink of the sweeping changes.

The campaign for the government to make further changes to the laws now places pressure on new Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to reconsider its push.

…The NFF raised these concerns about the exposure draft, but the bill tabled in parliament has not been amended.

“Discussions have been held with the (Attorney-General’s Department) about the potential to inadvertently include agricultural land (including freehold and leasehold land and leased park land) within the definition of ‘park’,” the farmers’ submission says.

“The department advised that the definition has been purposefully designed to be ‘broad’. In addition, the department had not fully investigated whether this may affect, for example, conservation covenants on private land. For the latter, the department has simply assumed that the freehold test would mean that freehold land was unaffected.”
Token

#719226, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:24 am

Compare and contrast, for political reasons money flows to a problem that most likely does not exist..

THE Coalition has launched its first test of Julia Gillard’s decision to name a September 14 federal election by seeking to block any investment from Labor’s $10 billion climate change fund until the national poll has been decided.

The move comes as the Coalition claims the government is in an “effective caretaker period” that justifies suspending contentious spending programs that would be scrapped if Tony Abbott secured power in seven months.

…yet it is being withheld for political reasons for people who actually need government’s help in a crisis…

QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman has accused the federal government of failing to meet its disaster funding obligations, amid growing concern in local communities they will be hit with bills they cannot pay.

…Mr Newman demanded the state be repaid $725 million in natural disaster recovery payments from two years ago that were being held up by audit concerns but he said he was confident the federal government would “get on board”.

“These commitments were made in 2010-11 to put the state back together,” Mr Newman said.

“The work was done. It needs to be paid.”

…and then there is this…

In another stoush over federal funding, councils are worried social infrastructure would be excluded from disaster payments.

Local mayor and Queensland Local Government Association chief executive Greg Hallam said changes to the definition had excluded “soft infrastructure” such as bikeways and parks.

Oh, its ok, Joe Ludwig is on the job…
boy on a bike

#719227, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:27 am

Leicester didn’t get pasted by the Luftwaffe like other cities, but it still got a reasonable number of bombs – see a bomb map here.

If the above ground buildings were flattened or badly damaged by bombing, that would explain why they turned it into a car park post war.
Gab

#719233, posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:45 am

The first train line in Sydney to be paid for and built under the Rudd and Gillard governments opened on Monday, $700 million over budget and three years after it was promised to be finished…

The final cost was about $1 billion. When Mr Albanese announced the start of construction in February 2009, he put a figure of $309 million on the project and a completion date of early 2010.

Labor: on-time and within budget. ha ha.
C.L.

#719240, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:04 am

I think the last English king to die in battle – and die with incredible bravery this disabled young man did – deserves a proper resting place. It’s to be hoped that his historical resurrection also undermines the Tudors’ McTernan, William Shakespeare.
C.L.

#719242, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:07 am

First Crean, then Albanese and others…

Now Greg Combet says:

‘You know, Kevin Rudd is totally entitled to have a big media profile.’
Gab

#719243, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:08 am

It was interesting to see (in the videos I linked above) just how deformed was Richard’s spine. I’m unaware why Shakespeare despised Richard so, perhaps Richard’s physical deformity had something to do with it.
C.L.

#719244, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:09 am

New leak: Labor MPs describe Gillard’s behaviour as “bizarre.”
Gab

#719245, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:11 am

Labor MPs describe Gillard’s behaviour as “bizarre.”

At last, the Real Julia surfaces.
Gab

#719247, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:12 am

Latest Sportsbet prices: Coalition $1.17, Labor $4.75.

Yesterday Labor’s price hit a new high of $7.00 before settling back down to $4.75.
C.L.

#719248, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:14 am

What the hell goes on with that power of attorney thing – supposedly being investigated? Either she was there or she wasn’t.
Token

#719249, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:17 am

I’m unaware why Shakespeare despised Richard so, perhaps Richard’s physical deformity had something to do with it.

Lionising the ancestor of queen with a shatter hold on the throne and demonising the catholic ruler her grandfather usurped the throne from seems like smart politics for a man who wanted patronage and to deflect the attentions on the Tudor’s secret police.
Andreas

#719250, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:19 am

On the subject of unfortunate royals and their recently identified remains, this interesting story from a month back, the head of Henry IV identifies the blood of Louis XVI.
brc

#719251, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:20 am

Mal Brough’s campaign office has opened just a few doors down from Peter Slipper’s Electoral office. Hope the staffers don’t come to blows…

h/t Bolt.

A certain cat commenters first published bolt tip.
.

#719253, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:22 am

I hope some smart kid refuses to do Shakespeare at school on the basis that it is hate speech.

The left wing teachers unions will see their BS agenda used against them.

I should have come up with that scam.
Keith

#719255, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:26 am

Roxon, Feb 12 :
If Kevin succeeds [in replacing Gillard] I won’t want to serve in his ministry.

Roxon’s decision to leave is confirmation that the decision has been made to replace Gillard with Rudd. If she’d hung around, she would have been forced to either eat humble pie, or resign as AG and go to the backbench. That definitely wouldn’t suit her at all, and she would look quite churlish to boot.

The crooners like Crean et al are just the opening overtures of the highly choreographed moves to come. All window-dressing (dare I say kabuki theatre?), and it has to look like the party has made the decision and no one else. The only fly in the ointment is Swan. Will he too sing for his supper?
Gab

#719256, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:26 am

Hazaar! BRC.
Huckleberry Chunkwot

#719257, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:27 am

CL, i just followed your link to Blair’s and the thing that struck me most about his post was the photo of The Lying Slapper.
If you look closely at her cheekbone through the lens of the glasses, there is simply no magnification or distortion.
The specs are nothing more than a prop or costume. Seriously, what is the thinking? Are they meant to provide her with an air of seriousness or gravitas?
What a pathetic excuse for a leader, absolutely no substance. Everything about her and her administration is pure spin, even her appearance.
C.L.

#719258, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:28 am

Kevin Rudd – devout Christian:

Speaking to reporters outside a church service this morning to mark the start of the parliamentary year, Mr Rudd said Labor’s “core challenge” was to do everything possible to make sure Opposition Leader Tony Abbott does not win the election.

“That’s my mission in life and that’s what I’ll be doing this year,” he said.
brc

#719259, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:30 am

We should all pretend to get behind swan and start sending messages of voter support. If enough people mobilized, he’d probably be vain enough to think he had real support and go for it.

I’m torn between who I want to make the concession speech, rudd, Gillard or swan. On balance I want to see Gillard do it, she’s been there the whole time and is an archietect of the entire sorry mess. And we don’t need a mythical meme to arise that she could have won if it were not for the misogyny within the labor party. She needs to be rejected, wholly and completely by the voters. Rudd may stick around to pick up the opposition leader role, but I think he will suck at it now that his cover is blown.
Skuter

#719260, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:31 am

New leak: Labor MPs describe Gillard’s behaviour as “bizarre.”

It seems Abbott’s portrayal of the slapper as a sleepwalking lady MacBeth was spot on. Out out damned spot. Kevin Rudd’s ghost haunts her and is sending her mad. She’s flinching at shadows…I’d say she is hastening her own demise. Wasn’t it Rudd’s disloyalty to her (by sending Alistair Jordan around to question MPs) that spurred her into action? It is highly ironic that everything she accused Rudd of, she is now living out.
Karma’s a bitch eh Jules???
Deadman

#719261, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:33 am

Slightly expanded transcript from above: “Cabinet Leaks—a Cunning Plan”
MDMConnell

#719262, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:34 am

Stephen Conroy on 3AW this morning…..denialism at its finest.

* Kevin Rudd is 100% a team player
* AbbottAbbottAbbott
* The polls are all lies.
* People are coming back to Julia and opposing AbbottAbbottAbbott
* The Canberra press gallery is biased AGAINST Labor.
* AbbottAbbottAbbott
* Everything I said about Rudd 12 months ago was wrong, he’s a great bloke and supports Julia.
* Labor are going great guns
* AbbottAbbottAbbott
* NewmanNewmanNewman
* Everything the fault of Liberal state governments
* BaillieuBaillieuBaillieu
* Libs talking down economy bad, me talking down economy by bashing state governments good.
* Andrew Bolt, Ray Hadley, News ltd…..
* AbbottAbbottAbbott

FMD.
C.L.

#719265, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:35 am

She does, famously, wear contacts, Huck – so I don’t think we can assume the glasses are entirely for show – though I have no doubt she’s imitating the sexed-up middle-aged dowdiness that won plaudits for Hillard Clinton.
Gab

#719267, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:37 am

The Canberra press gallery is biased AGAINST Labor.

hahahahahahahahaha and also, cut the whining, Labor.
brc

#719268, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:42 am

The Canberra press gallery is biased AGAINST Labor.

Betrayal hurts the most when it comes from those closest to you.

The one thing that media type love more than displaying their bias is latching onto a narrative. The narrative is now that labor is in its twitching death throes. The reason journos like to write narrative stories is because they can be lazier.

As soon as they have to come up with their own story ideas again, it will be abbotabbotabbot
C.L.

#719269, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:44 am

Crean’s intervention was very important, IMO.

He is saying that it’s time for a challenge – early in the year, now.

I also think he wants to be deputy leader and Treasurer.

Because Swan, of course, will have to quit Parliament when Rudd returns.
H B Bear

#719270, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:45 am

Conroy is not a well man since the Tories poisoned his milk.

Like Gillard, a 2nd generation Pommy socialist fighting the lost battles of 1950s and 60s Britain by proxy in Australia.
Huckleberry Chunkwot

#719271, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:46 am

CL, I am aware of the contacts and the leg-over man and his issues with them. I was just taken by the fact that there was zero distortion through the glasses and how nothing that she does has not been pre-spun by McTurdman.
Keith

#719272, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:47 am

If you look closely at her cheekbone through the lens of the glasses, there is simply no magnification or distortion.

Huck, don’t make too much of that. I have been told by experts that not even experts can tell between a low strength lens and none at all.
Other angles suggest some distortion (and puffy eyes on a day when she wanted to look brisk and fresh).
She is well beyond presbyopia age, and would require some assistance for reading. Also, hard to tell whether she is using the usual contact lenses in that photo.
In any case, I really dislike a frosted-ground edge inserted into a solid colour frame like that. Really makes the whole think look cheap. I would have sent it back and said clear-ground edges please.
Keith

#719273, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:48 am

that not even experts can tell between a low strength lens and none at all. (just by looking, that is)
Tiny Dancer

#719274, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:48 am

A Gore backing Julia. Hypocrites all.
Skuter

#719275, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:50 am

Nothing would encapsulate the disaster of this government better than Wayne Swan becoming PM just before the Australian people shut the book on this clusterfuck…
.

#719276, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:50 am

Shorten PM and Crean as Treasurer and Deputy PM?
MDMConnell

#719277, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:51 am

There was also a funny exchange where Conroy whined about Labor views not being given a hearing on “right-wing talkback radio”.

Mitchell: Well the prime minister refuses to come on my show any more since I made mincemeat of her. How can you complain about bias when you refuse to come on our shows?

Conroy: yeah but no but yeah but no but….

Mitchell: You can’t have it both ways.

Conroy: yeah but no but yeah but….

Mitchell: Well if you want the Labor viewpoint put across, you see her and tell her to come on my show, okay?

Conroy: Uh……
.

#719278, posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:55 am

I think most of the ALP frontbench (Swan, Rudd, Gillard, Dreyfuss, Bowen), but also the ALP Princelings (Shorten, Crean) must lose their seats, otherwise they’ll have a mental condition “we wuz robbed” “da Murdoch” and even “da CIA” got rid of the wonderful, competent and popular Government of the grand coalition of the ALP, Greens and “Independents”.

It will be the strongest repudiation of their vile, incompetent and ruinous agenda.

It wouldn’t also matter who is holding the poisoned chalice in the end.
.

#719279, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:02 am

With a 56:44 2PP poll, Swan loses Lilley.

With such a poll however, with preferences, anything but the safest 15 ALP seats might be given a serious and close challenge.
Token

#719280, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:02 am

CL, I am aware of the contacts and the leg-over man and his issues with them.

More than likely she has her contacts on all day, and she put on the glasses for theatre during the press conference (i.e. no prescription required)
Cold-Hands

#719281, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:03 am

A certain cat commenters first published bolt tip.
While I find that you are reading what I post gratifying, your comment is somewhat mystifying. I’ve linked to Bolta before.
Keith

#719282, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:04 am

What happens when a ratings agency threatens to downgrade US debt?
Why the DOJ happens, that’s what.
Payback, much?
Gab

#719284, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:05 am

The new AG on ABC now running a relentlessly negative campaign against AbbottAbbottAbbot, well and truly laying the boot into the Libs.
Token

#719285, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:06 am

With a 56:44 2PP poll, Swan loses Lilley.

With such a poll however, with preferences, anything but the safest 15 ALP seats might be given a serious and close challenge.

I noted Newman & team are working to squewer Swan over the games Labor is playing over disaster funding.

AJ noted this morning that when Blight was in charge of Qld, the ALP gave $4B outside of the standard disaster funding framework.

This year with the projections indicating there will a defecit Swan is playing games with funds.
.

#719287, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:08 am

Fuck ‘em.

Downgrade the debt to the billy-o and use it as proof that you want to give the market accurate information.
Token

#719288, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:09 am

What happens when a ratings agency threatens to downgrade US debt?
Why the DOJ happens, that’s what.
Payback, much?

Lefty 101, when you’ve destroyed the finances use the levers of bloated big government to attack the watchdogs.

So similar to the attack on Newscorp by Senator Red Underpants and co.
Cold-Hands

#719290, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:11 am

I think most of the ALP frontbench (Swan, Rudd, Gillard, Dreyfuss, Bowen), but also the ALP Princelings (Shorten, Crean) must lose their seats,

If there is a uniform swing great enough for Shorten to lose his seat (he holds Maribyrnong with a margin of 16.86% ), then Labor would hold roughly 8 seats post election. It would be great but I can’t see the swing being that huge in Victoria.
C.L.

#719291, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:12 am

Opposition arguing government is now legally in caretaker mode.

Libs demand say in decision making.

THE Opposition today is demanding approval of any new Government programs because the election campaign is underway and Prime Minister Julia Gillard is now merely a caretaker.

Ms Gillard last week revealed the election would be held on September 14 with the formal campaign, the shut-down of Parliament, coming five weeks earlier.

But the Opposition today is arguing the election campaign has started and that under caretaker provisions the Government cannot begin new programs without its agreement…

“Things like equal access for political parties under the broadcasting Act, that is now applicable as I understand it. I’m yet to be told it’s not,” Ms Bishop told ABC radio.

“As so I think this is an own goal for the Government.”

Could this issue end up in the High Court?
Carpe Jugulum

#719294, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:12 am

It never takes very long; Richard III quotes;

A hearse, a hearse, my kingdom for a hearse.

Now is the winter of our discovery in cement.
Token

#719297, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:17 am

A real finance lesson for kids:

Finance Editor of Money Magazine Effie Zahos gives Ben Fordham some advice on pocket money and what we should be paying our children.

She has a contract with her daughter which makes saving and paying all expenses compulsory and incentive payments…
johanna

#719298, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:17 am

Rabz, thanks for clearing that up. For those who have just joined the program, the CSIRO has hired the former head of the Spanish solar energy program, with $87m of our money to spend.

Spain went all-out for solar subsidies, and is now broke. One of the architects of that colossal failure/rort/theft has now been given millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, and hiring this rat leaving a sinking ship has been described as a coup for Australia.

If coalition politicians have any guts, they should be asking searching questions in Senate Estimates. And, of course, an Abbott government should can the whole thing as a savings measure.
Huckleberry Chunkwot

#719300, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:18 am

So, if the slapper won’t appear on Mitchell or Bolt etc, am I correct in thinking that the only place that she will appear in Melbourne is on the ALPBC, a compliant Bongiorno on MTP or with the mental midgets on The Project?
I just don’t understand how the leader of the country can boycott sections of the media without there being a massive stink made.
Imagine if AbbottAbbottAbbott boycotted the ABC? That, however is beside the point.
The point is that the PM has decided that unless you choose to get your news from her preferred outlets, you will never get to hear our leader asked questions, much less be held to account for any of her actions.
I guess the positive is that it clearly shows why the ALP are rooted at the next election. Most people DON’T listen to/watch the ABC, watch MTP or The Project. If the silly cow is going to insulate herself from making appearances on the highest rating news and current affairs shows, she is also insulating herself from the vast majority of middle Australia. And it is middle Australia where the next election will be won and lost.
Token

#719304, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:23 am

Imagine if AbbottAbbottAbbott boycotted the ABC?

I do often. Starve the beast to remove its ability to claim legitimacy.

Unfortunately we need a leader with ticker to actually do that.
C.L.

#719305, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:27 am

Well well well.

There is now another reason to investigate Gillard’s office:

Suspicions raised after election betting plunge.

There are suspicions someone with insider information of the federal election date may have tried to profit by placing bets on the date before it was announced.

Sportsbet says it shut down the market for the federal election date when it received a suspiciously high number of bets for a September poll on the morning Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced it.

Sportsbet’s Haydn Lane says the bets were not huge, but there were enough of them to raise suspicions…

“But the reason we suspended betting, it was more to get an understanding of what’s happening, if there was any news or if there was potentially a leak, because with that particular market, there hadn’t been really much activity at all over the previous couple of weeks and then we start taking bet after bet.”

Mr Lane says there were only 10 bets placed but they raised suspicion because they were placed in such short succession.

“We obviously weren’t aware of any inside information, but the fact that we took bet after bet and again, there weren’t tens or hundreds of these bets, but they were in a succession,” he said.
H B Bear

#719308, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:31 am

Suspicions raised after election betting plunge

Presumably none of them were placed by the Pie Man.
Keith

#719309, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:31 am

Sales to Roxon last night : Just – given that just a little over five years ago you swept to power, unseating one of the most popular and longest-serving prime ministers in Australian history, how has Labor so comprehensively botched things?

Well among other things Leigh, over the last decade the ALP hasn’t been held up to any reasonable examination, or held to account, by a supine, lickspittle press.
Huckleberry Chunkwot

#719313, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:36 am

Token, unfortunately he is in a position where logic says that he needs to be selling himself to as many people as possible, therefore he needs to put himself out there and try and win over his harshest critics.
My counter to that is that I don’t believe that he will pick up a single vote for the coalition by subjecting himself to the enmity of the ABC. As I stated upthread, the election will be won in middle Australia, so ignore the ABC and Fairfax and sell yourself to the masses through the popular media.
As well as selling to your target market, this would also have the effect that you espoused ie removing their claim to legitimacy as well as pissing them off no end. Win/Win I reckon.
Gab

#719314, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:36 am

One is a nobody until one has twitter-trolls.
stackja

#719315, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:37 am

Julia Caesar quoted as saying (“Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!”)
Huckleberry Chunkwot

#719317, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:39 am

One is a nobody until one has twitter-trolls.

Gab, ploise exploin?
Cold-Hands

#719319, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:41 am

“Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!”
I linked the clip over at Tim Blairs.
mct

#719320, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:42 am

If the silly cow is going to insulate herself from making appearances on the highest rating news and current affairs shows, she is also insulating herself from the vast majority of middle Australia. And it is middle Australia where the next election will be won and lost.

Maybe so, but there is the uncomfortable fact that the ALP numbers go up when she is out of the country or on holidays.
C.L.

#719321, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:43 am

Julia Gillard interviewed earlier today:

“Ah, but the strawberries!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUp3vhMSfZE
Gab

#719325, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:46 am

Hunk, wrong thread. Was in relation to Sinclair’s Caretaker Mode post.
C.L.

#719328, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:53 am

What happened to the Caretaker Mode post?
.

#719333, posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:59 am

It comes and goes, C.L.
Cold-Hands

#719340, posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:11 pm

It comes and goes, C.L.
Clear your cache.
Gab

#719343, posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:15 pm

Rudd scoffs at leadership rumours

Just once I’d like the mendacious little imp to tell reporters

“There’s more chance of me becoming the full-forward for the Lions than there is of any change in the Labor Party”
.

#719349, posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:23 pm

Ant Green has an updated election pendulum.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2013/01/2013-federal-election-pendulum.html

Swan would still lose his seat. You ripper.
Token

#719354, posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:30 pm

Just once I’d like the mendacious little imp to tell reporters

“There’s more chance of me becoming the full-forward for the Lions than there is of any change in the Labor Party”

Sounds like this season that Tim the double parking digit man will have to go to the footy without Leather Face and park in the mud with the plebs.
twostix

#719358, posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:41 pm

over the last decade the ALP hasn’t been held up to any reasonable examination, or held to account, by a supine, lickspittle press.

Sssssh.

Despite our whinging and gnashing it is exactly that which is a large part of reason that the ALP could not even win two terms in government in its own right and now is about to be annihilated.

How do you know if you’re doing the wrong thing when your supposed “watchdogs” are telling you how brilliant, perfect, wonderful, “moderate” and loved you and your hated by the broader community ideas are.

The sycophantic press themselves sow the seed of the ALP’s destruction which is just delicious.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.

#719365, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:03 pm

How do you know if you’re doing the wrong thing .. ?

The only way this lot know is by discovering they’ve lost their paddle up a certain creek and finally becoming aware that they are all about to fall into it.
Cold-Hands

#719366, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:05 pm

What happened to Chris McArdle’s threat to sue Barry O’Farrell for defamation? I didn’t see any retraction or apology by O’Farrell. I take it that McArdle squibbed.
Septimus

#719368, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:09 pm

The specs are nothing more than a prop or costume

Just so, Huckleberry. Hiding the bags under the eyes … trying to make her look different to the harridan that she really is. But, in the words of Leonard Cohen … Everybody knows! It’s still the incompetent, scheming liar behind the disguise. People may not yet be rallying against her on the streets,but the jeering and derision is loud and getting louder on the internet sites and in e-mail traffic. Even the MSM seems to be finally acknowledging it. We, the people, cannot wait to see her and her stinking, disgusting * government despatched to the wilderness.

* Hansard – various Question Times
brc

#719378, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:19 pm

If Eden-Monaro is the bellweather seat, then there are 15 seats more marginal for the ALP, including Lilley.

They really are done. Even a 5% swing would be merciless in turfing out members.

I suppose we have to remember that 2010 was close and already locked in a decent swing away from the ALP, so maybe it will only be a further 2 or 3%.
H B Bear

#719380, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:23 pm

Mr Anne Summers over on The Dumb indicates the ALPBC does not regard the next 7 months as part of the campaign,

*Editor’s Note: While the ABC maintains due impartiality and balance in its coverage of politics throughout the year, the formal campaign begins in August when the writs are issued. That is when we will begin monitoring and recording “share of voice” and determining free time for the relevant parties.
twostix

#719381, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:23 pm

The only way this lot know is by discovering they’ve lost their paddle up a certain creek and finally becoming aware that they are all about to fall into it.

And still they’re being told by certain people standing on the banks of the creek: “You’re doing a great job, keep paddling, use your hands to paddle! It’s not your fault – it’s the creek that’s wrong!”.
Rabz

#719384, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:26 pm

While the ABC maintains due impartiality and balance in its coverage of politics throughout the year
Token

#719386, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:38 pm

How do you know if you’re doing the wrong thing when your supposed “watchdogs” are telling you how brilliant, perfect, wonderful, “moderate” and loved you…

These are the people that believe every kid must get a participation trophy so their fragile egos dont get challenged, and that women can do anything (after the rules are skewed in their favour).

Is it any surprise the Love Media can’t understand they have crippled these politicians with gaping inadequacies by fawning over them in opposition & government?
C.L.

#719391, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Sinclair – can we put this O.F. to rest?
Cold-Hands

#719392, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:51 pm

Mr Anne Summers over on The Dumb indicates the ALPBC does not regard the next 7 months as part of the campaign,

Michael Smith has the Chapter and verse that proves Chip is wrong.
.

#719393, posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:53 pm

brc

I think the swings are much more difficult to work out.

There might be less margin in less safe seats than we think, they are less safe to being with for a reason.

I think the polling done after the budget will be the polling data to rely on for forecasts.

I’m tipping 58:42 2PP.

That would see 101 coalition seats and Rudd just scraping in with no additional information.

The pendulum would say 99 but the margin and Lyne and New England are not 12.7% and 21.5% against the Nationals. They are more likely +20% in the Nats favour.
.

#719396, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:02 pm

Mark 50

Should Australia buy either Astute or Virginia class subs?
C.L.

#719400, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:16 pm

Gillard looks nice today.

She’s getting some tips, I think.
Gab

#719404, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:25 pm

You sound like steve from brisbane, CL. Stop it.
Gab

#719413, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:39 pm

Good question from Abbott if gillard can rule out adverse tampering with superannuation.

gillard doesn’t answer the question, naturally, preferring to attack Abbott inside with lies.
Gab

#719414, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:40 pm

attack Abbott instead
Andrew

#719415, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:42 pm

Gillard using the gender card with the superannuation debate. McTernan a was again behind that.
Dan

#719418, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:54 pm

The more important question is; who do you think will lead the ALP in opposition after the election?
C.L.

#719420, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:56 pm

Bob Katter kissing Gillard’s arse -claiming she built 73 telecommunications last year towers or something. Crazy as a wheel.
Fleeced

#719421, posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:57 pm

It never takes very long; Richard III quotes;

Doing the rounds on Facebook

“Really Baldrick? Under a car park? That was your cunning plan?”
Gab

#719423, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:00 pm

Why are the Libs belaboring the failed surplus point?
Andrew

#719424, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:06 pm

Dreyfus, what the fuck is wrong with him?
Gab

#719425, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:06 pm

What was that stream of consciousness from the AG?
C.L.

#719426, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Anna Burke strikes me as slightly around the bend.

But of course she only got the job because of her genitals.
Gab

#719427, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:08 pm

Anna Burke seems to treat the role of Speaker as a joke. It’s like she doesn’t want to do the job as it exasperates her so.
C.L.

#719429, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Mark Dreyfus protected by Albanese – too stupid to answer law question.
.

#719430, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:13 pm

Katter can kiss my arse.

In 2.5 years, the NBN has passed 0.00385% of properties it was planned to pass by in ten years – and that is if you conflate COMMENCEMENTS with COMPLETIONS.

Also, the 100 MB plan has a 40% take up rate.

It has cost billions, created a new future monopolist and The CEO and board have declared much longer time frames and a lack of a need to deliver a ROI.

Mike Quigley was on 2 mln AUD last year and was paid a 300k bonus.

But…but…but…

73 telecommunications towers!

Katter is out of his fucking brain pan.
.

#719431, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:14 pm

Mark Dreyfus protected by Albanese – too stupid to answer law question.

They make Mc Clelland look like a statesman.
twostix

#719432, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:14 pm

Anna Burke seems to treat the role of Speaker as a joke. It’s like she doesn’t want to do the job as it exasperates her so.

She perpeutally looks like she’s a frumpy teenage girl who had to go to work with her dad for a day during the holidays. He’s stepped out for a moment and she’s sitting in his big office chair listening to the office chatter, rolling her eyes a lot and smirking at her own cleverness in case somebody cool is looking.

They don’t really like you Burke and you’ll never be cool.
Gab

#719433, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:16 pm

Burke’s hair is dreadful with those horrid red and platinum streaks. Hope Timothy is not responsible.
Gab

#719435, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Wonder where the costings are for the NDIS and the NBN?
C.L.

#719436, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Burke has obviously been told not to enforce the standing orders this year.

She just wilfully allowed the (increasingly skinny) cross-dressing woman – Greg Combet – to defy any requirement to answer the question.
.

#719437, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Wonder where the costings are for the NDIS and the NBN?

It’s about 18200 expected disability cases a year and each NEW civil servant will have a caseload of 2-3 clients a year.

It is really that fucking bad.

“Costings”. Fucking hilarious.

This Gab chick can be seen down at the Improv on Thursdays after 9.30 and has a spot on Nova on Firday Morning.

What a talent with her deadpan, Elliot Goblet style routine.
Gab

#719438, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:26 pm

Michelle Grattan rings the PM at 10.30 at night to check copy? How cosy. No wonder Grattan is so non-partisan. /sarc
Infidel Tiger

#719439, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:26 pm

I preferred Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEcsgbwBFRs
Gab

#719441, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:27 pm

Dot, I can’t make out if you are sassing me or applauding me.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.

#719442, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:27 pm

Burkas for Babies

Ababic website reports and condemns this as an offense against children – but it is apparently frequent enough on baby girls to cause comment, and I’ve seen and know of little girls of six or seven all togged up in drapes like little walking ghosts in Islam’s thrall.

Got onto this site via a Blair post. Commenter there rightly asks why is it always in the Islamic world the fault of women that men can’t control themselves, even around female children. What a horrid culture it is too that sees burkas as part of a solution rather than a big part of the problem.

There is no male respect for women when they are owned as chattels with their covering screaming out that they are dangerous beings. The implicit invitation to men can be construed: – think your exciting thoughts now about what is underneath and take it violently and secretly wherever you can because everyone will be too ashamed to tell and all females are the same under the burka. Nothing individual about them at all, they are pure sex and nothing more. Age, personality, interests, wishes, even looks, are all irrelevant. They are prey.
twostix

#719443, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:29 pm

Holders Justice Department – the same department that shipped thousands of real, actual “assault rifles” to Mexican criminals resulting in hundreds of deaths now tells Potentate Obama that he may kill American Citizens at will:

EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans

A confidential Justice Department memo concludes that the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force” — even if there is no intelligence indicating they are engaged in an active plot to attack the U.S.

al-qaida? No, that’s not the definition, this is the definition:

it says, an “informed, high-level” official of the U.S. government may determine that the targeted American has been “recently” involved in “activities” posing a threat of a violent attack and “there is no evidence suggesting that he has renounced or abandoned such activities.” The memo does not define “recently” or “activities.

In one passage in Holder’s speech at Northwestern in March, he alluded – without spelling out—that there might be circumstances where the president might order attacks against American citizens without specific knowledge of when or where an attack against the U.S. might take place.

http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/04/16843014-exclusive-justice-department-memo-reveals-legal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite

BusHITLER left silent.
.

#719444, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:31 pm

Don’t worry Gab

It’s not your fault the ALP are brain dead imbeciles. “Costings” made me laugh.

Like how Abbot attacks the “integrity” of Slipper, Slapper and the old lezzo.
Rabz

#719446, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:35 pm

As with Insiders and Q&ALPBC, how (or why) the f*ck do you people willingly subject yourselves to question time?
Dan

#719447, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

You can tell the competency of a person by the way they use their hands when talking. Gillard fails
Rabz

#719449, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:38 pm

Don’t worry Gab

It’s not your fault the ALP are brain dead imbeciles.

Hang on just a minute – I thought it was Gab’s fault!

You’ll end up blaming their staggering stupidity on AbbottAbbottAbbott at this rate…
Dan

#719450, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:38 pm

The speaker comes up with something different; a member interjecting denies another member the call.
Myrrdin Seren

#719452, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:41 pm

an “informed, high-level” official of the U.S. government may determine that the targeted American has been “recently” involved in “activities” posing a threat of a violent attack and “there is no evidence suggesting that he has renounced or abandoned such activities.”

Hoo wee

Better get some definition on what they mean by “associated” and “violent attack” ?

Because to the Think Progress/Daily Kos types – the above definition probably fits the Tea Party and the NRA !

Sarah Palin better get ready to go Sarah Connor and head for the hills as the drones rain down death from above !
.

#719454, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:44 pm

You’ll end up blaming their staggering stupidity on AbbottAbbottAbbott at this rate…

I blame the MAD MONK Mr Tonee Ryabbit and his relentless, wrecking negativity…
Gab

#719457, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:52 pm

I confess I haven’t watched QT in the past, Rabz so I’m on a learning curve.

Fer’instance, I didn’t realise the purpose of QT was to allow the government to be challenged with dorothy dixers; nor did I know QT is a platform for the government to attack the Opposition, instead of answering questions supplied by the Opposition, when the Opposition has no right of reply.
Rabz

#719460, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:58 pm

I confess I haven’t watched QT in the past, so I’m on a learning curve.

Gab, in this instance I’m happy to remain in blissful ignorance…
Token

#719461, posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:59 pm

I remember when the Stenographers tried to tell us Gillard’s shrill non answers were as witty as Costello at his finest.
brc

#719462, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:00 pm

Does anyone else feel like that, with a phantom election campaign on, parliament is a farce?

I know it’s been high farce for a bit over 2 years now, but even more especially muchly so.

If they really think they can draw out the ‘opposition have no costings’ for 7 months I can give them the tip : that particular line has few fans and cuts no political grass, except among true believers.
Biota

#719463, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:01 pm

Greenies are the new grim reaper, they kill what they touch.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8807761/wind-farms-vs-wildlife/

H/T Tim Blair
mct

#719464, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:01 pm

As with Insiders and Q&ALPBC, how (or why) the f*ck do you people willingly subject yourselves to question time?

Again, I thought to start 2013 off with a reinvigorated approach.

Lasted right up until TLS failed to answer question one, and that bizarre thing we have as “Speaker” did nothing. Then turned on Senate QT on the wireless to hear that nice Mr Wong also not answer the question, and be let get away with it.

Then turned off.
Gab

#719465, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:04 pm

And Slaps managed to get the misogyny angle in too, mct.
Andrew

#719466, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:04 pm

how (or why) the f*ck do you people willingly subject yourselves to question time?

Good use of the mute button is key. But I do enjoy watching the Government scramble and lie.
Dan

#719467, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:06 pm

Caretaker mode whatever, this government has just disengaged the majority of voters until the date.
mct

#719468, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:08 pm

as witty as Costello at his finest.

Ahh, viewing that clip… what a happier time. Even Albo was reasonable, there was an element of politeness and fun in the chamber.

What a complete shambles this duplicitous lot have made of political discourse in Australia.
mct

#719469, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:08 pm

She may well have Gab, but I was long gone.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.

#719471, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:18 pm

They don’t really like you Burke and you’ll never be cool.

Now you’ve gone and done it. You’ve upset the poor little dear, twostix, and her Facebook page will be all aglow with the sympathies of the friendies about da bullying. Until yesterday she could have sicced Nanny Roxon onto you.

Actually, rolling the eyes isn’t restricted to the adolescent girls. It can be quite useful for wives and mothers later on when only the non-verbals will work. Eyes heavenwards, I call it. Dear God in Heaven, look what I have to put up with, etc.

It is in my armoury, along with, progressively, the Sniff of Disapproval, the Look of Death and the Extended Five Minute Sulk of Offense (the latter reserved for a long and known litany of misdemeanours of a certain Hairy Irishman with tendencies to evolutionary devolvement).
C.L.

#719472, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:19 pm

Burke’s corruption of standing orders occurs through her deliberate unwillingness to apply the relevance criterion to answers. Formerly, the Opposition could rise on a relevance point of order as often as was necessary. Now, thanks to re-written rules, the Opposition may only make that protest once – which is plainly ridiculous when the government minister (or Gillard) persists with a non-answer or an AbbottAbbottAbbott. Burke now stares down the relevancy point of order and then smugly sits back knowing the Opposition can make no further insistence on the question being answered. (Although Bronwyn Bishop raises other, more creative points of order anyway). Today’s lunatic sprays by Greg Combet and Anthony Albanese – two men sick in the head with fear of Tony Abbott – were completely out of order but Burke smirked and giggled all the way. She is a disgrace.

It’s actually high time that Pyrne or Abbott stood and asked her if she has any intention of applying the standing orders. It’s a good idea to fuck with the confidence of a lousy speaker. Make her bias the story and they might get some improvements.

The other irritating thing about Burke is her patronising, ill-disguised fury at Opposition niggles and one-liners – which she always takes the time to chat back about.
Sinclair Davidson

#719478, posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:39 pm

I’ve opened up a new Open Forum.