Preview Politics in Australia

[Robbo's my hero]

Too cynical to believe in change; too idealistic to abandon the concept as anything other than a conceit. Heady thoughts for a Friday night.

Don't trust segments of people; trust titanic groups implicitly, when provided all the information, to do the right thing. That's the kicker for me, though. Got to have all the information, and you've got to be able to find just enough of a link within it to make the subject personal. That was Howard's genius; he made politics sufficiently impersonal and boring that the electorate disengaged just enough to give him four terms. 'Don't worry about it', his government's mantra.

Now, politicians Australia wide are all 'Look at me, look at me!'. Aussies don't want that. They want politicians to do their jobs; if they're honest - when they're not advocating the further decimation of the public service - if you asked someone exactly what they wanted from government it would resemble the job criteria from an impartial civic servant rather than a party apparatchik.

Don't trust the media, whose corporate and stability bias override their mandate to inform or educate. Don't trust the unions to do what's best for their members outside of a few, and how can you trust the Labor party if that's the case? Definitely don't trust the Libs not to shamelessly place people in positions - see the ABC board for examples, and has anyone heard of Paladin - as repayment for campaign donations, and don't trust them not to exploit the system frightfully by gutting services to the most vulnerable. Don't think the Greens are a good idea, either; good on environmental issues, but they're like the Joker's quote about the dog with a bone; they wouldn't know what to do with an economy if they got a hold of it. And they're not a possible chance.

Don't like the Westminister system of government, wanted a republic for years.

I can't joke too much about this, I'm a pretty serious cookie most of the time.

As long as your not the Cookie Monster!

 

[Blue and Blue]

Too cynical to believe in change; too idealistic to abandon the concept as anything other than a conceit. Heady thoughts for a Friday night.

Don't trust segments of people; trust titanic groups implicitly, when provided all the information, to do the right thing. That's the kicker for me, though. Got to have all the information, and you've got to be able to find just enough of a link within it to make the subject personal. That was Howard's genius; he made politics sufficiently impersonal and boring that the electorate disengaged just enough to give him four terms. 'Don't worry about it', his government's mantra.

Now, politicians Australia wide are all 'Look at me, look at me!'. Aussies don't want that. They want politicians to do their jobs; if they're honest - when they're not advocating the further decimation of the public service - if you asked someone exactly what they wanted from government it would resemble the job criteria from an impartial civic servant rather than a party apparatchik.

Don't trust the media, whose corporate and stability bias override their mandate to inform or educate. Don't trust the unions to do what's best for their members outside of a few, and how can you trust the Labor party if that's the case? Definitely don't trust the Libs not to shamelessly place people in positions - see the ABC board for examples, and has anyone heard of Paladin - as repayment for campaign donations, and don't trust them not to exploit the system frightfully by gutting services to the most vulnerable. Don't think the Greens are a good idea, either; good on environmental issues, but they're like the Joker's quote about the dog with a bone; they wouldn't know what to do with an economy if they got a hold of it. And they're not a possible chance.

Don't like the Westminister system of government, wanted a republic for years.

I can't joke too much about this, I'm a pretty serious cookie most of the time.

Never be too serious and forget to laugh

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Cynicism is a constant theme in Australian politics however who is responsible for it?

The elected politicians or the electorate?

I think greed and self-centredness is at the core of our political system. I think that the politicians give the people what they want because it benefits both groups.

I don’t see altruism as a driving force in our political system.

Why would we treat the recipients of the Newstart Allowance so poorly? Why are we prepared to leave asylum seekers in unending detention? Why are we so blatantly bigoted towards migrants? I could go on.

So I think we have shit pollies but I also think we get what we deserve.

As for my personal views.

Yes I would like a republic but that doesn’t require us to ditch our political system.

I think the dismantling of Unions that we’ve witnessed since the days of the prices and incomes accord has been to the detriment of working people. We’ve ended up in an industrial environment not underpinned by fairness and equality. Conditions and wages have suffered as a result. What I find incredulous is that workers can’t put two and two together. As a result membership is at all time low when it should be going in the other direction.

Government provided services are crying out for improvements. We ‘waste’ money on building submarines. People who don’t pay tax get a tax refund. Younger people cannot buy houses because the investors have priced them out of the market. Why? Generous provisions regarding capital gains tax and negative gearing.

You see where I’m heading here. Politicians are bastards and I’m cynical about it all but don’t take my lifestyle away from me.

One no-brainer is a permanent federal anti-corruption Commission. Then we wouldn’t get the stock standard response of nothing to see here. It’s a smear campaign. Clearly we have some dodgy representatives and others on the fringe of politics.

Lastly, the challenge of climate change. Do we really have to scorch the earth which is what will happen if we continue on this path.

I think I’ve said enough for the moment.

 

[Blue and Blue]

Cynicism is a constant theme in Australian politics however who is responsible for it?

The elected politicians or the electorate?

I think greed and self-centredness is at the core of our political system. I think that the politicians give the people what they want because it benefits both groups.

I don’t see altruism as a driving force in our political system.

Why would we treat the recipients of the Newstart Allowance so poorly? Why are we prepared to leave asylum seekers in unending detention? Why are we so blatantly bigoted towards migrants? I could go on.

So I think we have shit pollies but I also think we get what we deserve.

As for my personal views.

Yes I would like a republic but that doesn’t require us to ditch our political system.

I think the dismantling of Unions that we’ve witnessed since the days of the prices and incomes accord has been to the detriment of working people. We’ve ended up in an industrial environment not underpinned by fairness and equality. Conditions and wages have suffered as a result. What I find incredulous is that workers can’t put two and two together. As a result membership is at all time low when it should be going in the other direction.

Government provided services are crying out for improvements. We ‘waste’ money on building submarines. People who don’t pay tax get a tax refund. Younger people cannot buy houses because the investors have priced them out of the market. Why? Generous provisions regarding capital gains tax and negative gearing.

You see where I’m heading here. Politicians are bastards and I’m cynical about it all but don’t take my lifestyle away from me.

One no-brainer is a permanent federal anti-corruption Commission. Then we wouldn’t get the stock standard response of nothing to see here. It’s a smear campaign. Clearly we have some dodgy representatives and others on the fringe of politics.

Lastly, the challenge of climate change. Do we really have to scorch the earth which is what will happen if we continue on this path.

I think I’ve said enough for the moment.

Pretty bloody spot on there man

 

[Gethelred]

Cynicism is a constant theme in Australian politics however who is responsible for it?

The elected politicians or the electorate?

Or, rather, the systems that take idealistic young people and turns them into winners, or rather not-losers. It's the westminister system of government as much as anything else; that and power's corruptive force.

I think greed and self-centredness is at the core of our political system. I think that the politicians give the people what they want because it benefits both groups.

I don’t see altruism as a driving force in our political system.

Why would we treat the recipients of the Newstart Allowance so poorly? Why are we prepared to leave asylum seekers in unending detention? Why are we so blatantly bigoted towards migrants? I could go on.

So I think we have shit pollies but I also think we get what we deserve.

I think you're blaming the majority for how easy it is to hoodwink them.

The presses have been in right wing or at the very least corporatist hands since their beginning in this country, and therefore the majority believes what they're told; that the Liberal-National coalition is better at managing the economy (despite actual economists finding that, if anything, the Labor party is if not their equal then their superior), that the majority of people who enter this country and seek asylum are economic refugees rather than fleeing genuine persecution and/or they had the choice to remain in the 'line' and chose to 'jump' it; that unions are bad for you.

Like I said, Australians don't want to need to think about their government, they'd very much rather they got on with it and just did a good job quietly.

As for my personal views.

Yes I would like a republic but that doesn’t require us to ditch our political system.

I think the dismantling of Unions that we’ve witnessed since the days of the prices and incomes accord has been to the detriment of working people. We’ve ended up in an industrial environment not underpinned by fairness and equality. Conditions and wages have suffered as a result. What I find incredulous is that workers can’t put two and two together. As a result membership is at all time low when it should be going in the other direction.

Government provided services are crying out for improvements. We ‘waste’ money on building submarines. People who don’t pay tax get a tax refund. Younger people cannot buy houses because the investors have priced them out of the market. Why? Generous provisions regarding capital gains tax and negative gearing.

You see where I’m heading here. Politicians are bastards and I’m cynical about it all but don’t take my lifestyle away from me.

One no-brainer is a permanent federal anti-corruption Commission. Then we wouldn’t get the stock standard response of nothing to see here. It’s a smear campaign. Clearly we have some dodgy representatives and others on the fringe of politics.

Lastly, the challenge of climate change. Do we really have to scorch the earth which is what will happen if we continue on this path.

I think I’ve said enough for the moment.

Federal ICAC would be amazing, as would have been a banking RC that actually had a) the terms that could penalize the individuals and the collectives that truly, truly either skirted the edges of breaking the law without breaking it in such a way as to victimise hundreds of thousands of people, and b) actively didn't have the most conservative member of the high court in the last 50 years chairing the thing.

Beyond that, I nominally agree. But then, I'm a raging lefty, so take that with a pinch of salt, comrade.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Follow up on ABC site. The normal response. Nothing to see here. We need a federal ICAC. Senate enquiries are just window dressing.

‘The Federal Agriculture Department is standing by a controversial water buyback deal worth tens of millions of dollars, which Labor says is a "scandal" worthy of inquiry.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-20/agriculture-department-stands-by-water-buybacks/11033530

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Important to read. Have you received a postal vote in your letter box?

‘Over the next few weeks, you might spot a letter marked "IMPORTANT voting information" for the 2019 Federal Election that looks official, and contains a postal vote application form asking for personal details. But they're not from the AEC.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...idates-are-sending-postal-vote-forms/11028154

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Laura Tingle’s take on the first week. You should have a look. It has a Spinal Tap vid.

‘The first week of federal election campaigns bears an uncanny resemblance to a scene in Rob Reiner's cult film This is Spinal Tap where the (not very bright) members of the fictitious grungy rock band are filmed heading through the back corridors of a stadium in Cleveland to the stage where their rowdy fans await them.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-20/election-2019-shorten-morrison-go-spinal-tap/11032414

 

[Robbo's my hero]

A beginner’s guide to words and phrases you hear concerning politics and the political process but may not understand.

‘Think you know your Nats from your Dorothy Dixers? How to spend your sitting days on a backbench? And when you look at Sky after dark, do you see any stars?’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-20/wonks-dictionary-a-guide-to-politics-and-elections/10958106

 

[Gethelred]

Follow up on ABC site. The normal response. Nothing to see here. We need a federal ICAC. Senate enquiries are just window dressing.

‘The Federal Agriculture Department is standing by a controversial water buyback deal worth tens of millions of dollars, which Labor says is a "scandal" worthy of inquiry.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-20/agriculture-department-stands-by-water-buybacks/11033530

It's worth educating yourself on this one. Cotton farmers rorting the law coupled with a compliant NSW government decreasing the funding for the watchdog, allowing them to take ridiculous amounts of water from the system then sell it back to the government at rates they choose.

You don't hear it in the media, because they're pro-corporate; they support business's right to do whatever it takes to make a profit, and support pro government measures to decrease whatever inhibitions are present. Never mind the environmental concerns, or the fact that what they take out endangers farming further down the Murray-Darling...

 

[Robbo's my hero]

This shows how of out of touch pollies are with the populace.

‘Almost three quarters of Australians believe the dole should be increased to cover basic living costs, according to a new poll.’

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6082034/most-back-newstart-rise-over-tax-cut-poll/?cs=14231

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Malcolm’s tweeting from his luxury apartment in NYC.

‘The weekend standout, however, was the intervention of Malcolm Turnbull, who launched a series of pointed tweets about the National Energy Guarantee (NEG).’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...ter-tweets-helped-the-labor-campaign/11034950

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Some polling on negative gearing and tax cuts for the wealthy.

‘Negative gearing has been one of the most hotly contested policy areas of the election campaign — and Vote Compass data suggests it's also dividing Australian voters.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-22/vote-compass-election-negative-gearing-tax/11025628

 

[Robbo's my hero]

The leaders of the two major parties agreed to a couple of rest days over Easter. I’m pretty certain I heard the electorate singing this song.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Good morning Robbo,

The election campaign today yawns, stretches, shakes off the layer of discarded chocolate-egg foil under which it’s been napping on the couch for several days now, and moseys onward in the noble Australian tradition of trying to look busy between Easter and Anzac Day.

Though in truth, the mutual commitment from Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten to suspend campaign activities over Easter has proved as treacherous and unreliable as the "let’s not buy each other Christmas presents this year" pact within a married couple. Tremendous in theory, but you don’t want to be the party who didn’t just happen – notwithstanding the agreement – to come up with a tiny something. And sure enough… Friday dawned on Scott Morrison just happening to go to the Maronite Good Friday service in Punchbowl with a phalanx of cameras and – less predictably – Tony Abbott.

Fortunately, Bill Shorten was saved the pre-dawn trip to the servo that sells flowers as he, too had predesigned a tasteful little item of campaign bijouterie and was filmed handing out food to the homeless for the Salvation Army in Melbourne. Read Michelle Grattan's blow-by-blow of the weekend – including Malcolm Turnbull's helpful observations that electricity would get more expensive under the Coalition’s present energy policy.

But without a doubt the most incendiary threat to Easter peace was made last night at 6.05pm, when former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce decided to phone in to Patricia Karvelas’ RN Drive show and sort out the controversy that is currently trading on social media as #watergate. It’s an involved story, but the guts of it is that in 2017, Mr Joyce – as minister responsible for water – signed off on an $80 million water rights buyback from a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands, whose one-time company director was Angus Taylor, now serving as energy minister.

Mr Joyce was already in an elevated mood when the interview began. What followed was 30 minutes of immortal radio during which the former Nationals leader hinted that he wasn’t a fan of the sale anyway, said the identity of those who profited was “irrelevant” and declared that he wouldn’t have known who Mr Taylor was at the time “if he’d stood up in my cornflakes.”
This is one of those interviews that it’s best just to hear.

The Joyce of marginal seat campaigning…
I’m not sure what Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack’s views are on reincarnation, but there must surely be some days on which he hopes to come back as something a bit easier than National Party leader. An Angolan land-mine sweeper, for instance. Aside from managing the sulphurous tensions within the junior Coalition partner, Mr McCormack is also trying to retain 16 marginal seats; to understand the scale of this task, check out Lucy Barbour’s excellent article on the challenges ahead for the wombat trail.

In the recent NSW election, the Nats suffered badly at the hand of the Shooters. But as Sarah Gerathy explains, the penurious state of that particular minor party means they may not be such a threat federally.

Today marks the close of nominations. If you’re considering a late run for the Senate, then you’d better brush your teeth and get your skates on, because you’ve only got until noon to get your forms in. And check your passport; both major parties have now lost candidates to section 44 of the constitution, which is – senior sources last night confirmed – perfectly fine and in no way a sign that THESE PEOPLE NEVER LEARN.

The electoral rolls closed on Thursday and – as Jackson Gothe-Snape reports – nearly 17 million Australians are now enrolled to vote; a million more than voted in the 2016 election.

The money or the letterbox
The ABC’s You Ask, We Answer team continues to embolden participants in the confession of things they don’t get about this election. Including, most recently: "How come this official-looking voting information letter I got turns out to have a political party’s mailing address on it?" Reporters Alle McMahon, Rebecca Trigger and Jack Berkefeld fan out and find answers to this and related questions.

And while we’re on the topic of campaign bump, it turns out that there are indeed people in this world who like and want it. They work at the National Gallery.

Catch you on Friday!

​

 

[Robbo's my hero]

I’ve been very busy reading about the election in the last 24 hours and I’ve got to say some of it is riveting stuff. Have I piqued your interest ESKIE ?

Some cracks are opening up for the Government. Sco-Mo is playing with a straight bat. I’m sure he’d prefer to be going the tonk (if you know what I mean).

There’s a pesky senate candidate for Queensland making a bit of noise. Just what we need. He’s third on the ticket and a good chance of being elected. And? He’s a dickhead.

‘The weather bureau has been tampering with temperature data in order to "perpetuate global warming hysteria", according to an under-fire Coalition candidate.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...erard-rennick-bom-climate-conspiracy/11036404

And just when Scott thought it was safe to go back into the water, Canberra pants man Barnaby Joyce decides to ring the ABC and discuss water and who’s to blame. Was Barnaby over hydrated?

‘Prime Minister Scott Morrison has maintained Barnaby Joyce did not breach any rules when he approved a controversial water buyback deal in 2017.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...-nothing-wrong-in-water-buyback-deal/11037414

 

[Robbo's my hero]

As a true man of the people I’ve tried to add as many articles explaining the mechanics of the election process. I want you all to be as educated and informed as possible when you lodge your vote.

I found this article concerning senate voting a tad alarming. Make sure you understand the process and you will get maximum bang for your vote.

‘Almost 50 per cent of voters are confused about how the new Senate voting system works and may be unwittingly giving some of their preferences to parties they believe they had put last, a new poll suggests.’

https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...vote-for-the-senate-poll-20190419-p51flf.html

 

[Robbo's my hero]

There’s no doubt that the Nats are feeling the heat as a result of the scandals that have dogged them during this Parliament. Here’s a run down of their electoral chances.

‘The bright lights of this election campaign are firmly focused on Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten, but there's another trail underway, and it's embarked upon with a wooden wombat in tow.’

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...ee-cornered-contest/10992612?section=politics

 

[Robbo's my hero]

And Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Now she’s an expert on the extinction of dinosaurs!

‘Pauline Hanson has denied man-made climate change is happening, arguing "fear mongering" is behind global concerns about the environment.’

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6084670/hanson-denies-humans-behind-climate-change/?cs=14231

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Phew! I’m not sure I have time for a song.

 

[ESKIE]

The interview with Pat Karvelas on RN and Joyce is something else

 

[Robbo's my hero]

The interview with Pat Karvelas on RN and Joyce is something else

Barnaby had had a good day on the turps. I hope he wasn’t driving.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

This is just kicking the can down the street. Nothing can be determined before the election. I’m not sure how a Government in caretaker mode can ask for this? I love politics.

‘The Auditor-General will examine a decade's worth of water buybacks amid sustained pressure on the Morrison government over a $79 million deal with a Cayman Islands-linked company.’

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/st...ybacks-in-wake-of-joyce-controversy/?cs=14231

 

[Robbo's my hero]

If you intend running for Parliament be careful about your posting standards. It can come back and bite you on the back side.

‘A Liberal candidate has appeared to refer to Chloe Shorten, the wife of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, as a pig on social media.’

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/st...referring-to-chloe-shorten-as-a-pig/?cs=14350

 

[Robbo's my hero]

And Jackie Lambie. Can she do a Lazarus?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...-can-jacqui-lambie-make-it-to-senate/11029754