Comments on: Second thoughts

By: Jason Briggs

Jason Briggs — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:29:23 +0000

Perhaps you lead a sheltered life, away from some of the real and unpleasant people actively involved in politics.

By: William Bowe

William Bowe — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 03:29:11 +0000

Yeah, right Jason – “slut”, “whore” and “hook-nosed Jew” are “legitimate comment and debate”. Read what Stephen L says. This is my site, which I pay for. I also expose myself to the possibility of legal action as a result of what is published here, and I have been taken to court before, which set me back $15,000 in legal costs even though I had done nothing wrong. I am NOT curtailing your freedom of speech – you are absolutely entitled to start up your own website and talk whatever crap you like, to an audience of zero. You do not have a God-given right to barge on to my turf to broadcast to my audience, which I would never have built up if I did not demand bare minimum standards of maturity and civility which you seem to be incapable of meeting. This is the first time in the history of this site that anybody needed to be told this.

By: Geoff R

Geoff R — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 03:02:45 +0000

If Tonkin was so bad how come Labor only got back about half of the 1979 swing in 1982? Tonkin’s 1979 campaign along with Bracks in 1999 and Borbridge in 1995 are good examples of how an opposition can win campaigns.
A thought on Murray-Darling, the fall in the ONP vote in 2003 means that Black’s performance was more impressive than it looks, as ONP was a big help to him in 1999. Will Iemma be attractive to the Italians in Griffith?

By: Peter Stephens

Peter Stephens — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 02:58:17 +0000

Stephen – Jason’s remarks also leave himself open to charges of defamation/slander among other things if i remember correctly. I would support a perma-ban.

By: Stephen L

Stephen L — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 02:40:07 +0000

Perhaps what Adam means is that oppositions *almost* as hopeless as Debnham’s have been elected, and Tonkin is one example – Tasmania might provide some others. However, I don’t think that post-war Australia has ever had an opposition party as pathetic as the current NSW Liberals, other than the conservative forces in QLD in the last 10 years.

By: Stephen L

Stephen L — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 02:37:56 +0000

Jason I don’t think you understand the difference between public and private space.

I will defend people’s right to say things I find offensive in public, or their own homes. However, I reserve the right to tell them to get out of my house if they make the same comments in my living room. This site is effectively William’s lounge room and we are here as his guests – he’s entitled to kick any of us out if he doesn’t like what we have to say. If Jason or anyone else doesn’t like it they can set up their own site and try to lure some commentators across.

By: Jason Briggs

Jason Briggs — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:18:06 +0000

Well William, when people try and suppress legitimate comment and debate, and whine about misogyny, you shouldn’t be suprised when the general public eventually reacts with more active expression than words.

By: oakeshott country

oakeshott country — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:39:55 +0000

Here is a nomination. Dr Tonkin’s Liberal opposition in SA in1979. One of the very few state govts. to last only one term

By: blackburnpseph

blackburnpseph — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:15:01 +0000

Adam

Can you please name the opposition as equally hopeless as the Debnam mob that have actually been elected??

By: William Bowe

William Bowe — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:06:13 +0000

I’m not far off agreeing with you, Charlie. I have now deleted one of his comments and edited two others.

Jason: this is your last warning. One more racial or misogynist insult and you will be banned – something I have never done before.