Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth

Forty-second parliament: open thread

Those wishing to discuss Australian politics are invited to do so here rather than here.

701 Comments

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  1. 651
    Frank Calabrese
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:24 pm | Permalink

    And speaking of Wilson Tuckey.

    http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=58499

  2. 652
    Ferny Grover
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:27 pm | Permalink

    Nelson is not very good at giving unqualified apologies is he.

    Brendan, here’s a script for you to follow. Repeat after me:

    “I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

    That’s it – no qualifications or “But they meant well” or “If it caused offence” .. when clearly it did. Nothing. Let’s do it again:

    “I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

    Good – now shut up.

  3. 653
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:35 pm | Permalink

    Yes I raped the girl but she wore a short dress

  4. 654
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:37 pm | Permalink

    Then it’s not rape Ron.

  5. 655
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:38 pm | Permalink

    And before I get attacked: Irony Alert

  6. 656
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:40 pm | Permalink

    even for “sweetheart” ??

  7. 657
    Jayne
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:43 pm | Permalink

    ViggoP @ 557. Thanks

  8. 658
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:45 pm | Permalink

    No 642

    The so-called “inflation genie” is exaggerated. For a government who campaigned about stopping the political-buckpassing, they seem to be doing quite a lot to syphon-off blame to the last government wherever possible.

  9. 659
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:45 pm | Permalink

    Yes Ron -
    even for him.

  10. 660
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:47 pm | Permalink

    No 648

    Yes, I did read that article. Kieth Windschuttle is still an appropriate historian.

  11. 661
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 5:53 pm | Permalink

    Try reading Prof. Peter Read’s 25year stolen generation research & investigation

    IF you wish to have your conscience at odds with your current misplaced views
    but that would take you away from our blog for 6 months

  12. 662
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:00 pm | Permalink

    No 659

    Andrew Bolt’s blog is particularly instructive on the issue with respect to Victoria.

    http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/victoria_suddenly_finds_stolen_children_wanting_cash/

    And people have the hide to chastise Sophie Mirabella….unbelievable.

  13. 663
    apres
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:03 pm | Permalink

    If Andrew Bolt’s blog is instructive then Sophie’s the virgin Mary.

  14. 664
    ShowsOn
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:06 pm | Permalink

    Well, well, well. Those snouts in the trough Liberals have opposed the freeze on a wage increase for federal politicians:
    http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23219574-1702,00.html

    Tony Abbot is complaining that he only gets paid $127,000 a year! Joe Hockey is complaining that he will have to rock up at work on Fridays, even though he earnt $205,000 a year for the last three years.

    No wonder that pack of morons lost the last election.

  15. 665
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:12 pm | Permalink

    Apres – that means she is carrying the Messiah.
    And I thought that was Obama.

  16. 666
    Thank Gough
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:13 pm | Permalink

    661

    shes not the virgin mary, shes nasty nasty half eaten pastie

  17. 667
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:13 pm | Permalink

    Well I can understand you preferring Andrew Bolt a newspaper gossip columnist
    vs. Australia’s foremost historian on the subject Pro. Peter Read & his 25yr research…..for your knowledge of the subject

    Lets not be challenged with hard evidence

  18. 668
    Andos the Great
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:14 pm | Permalink

    I wish I was struggling to make ends meet on $127k a year.

  19. 669
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:15 pm | Permalink

    No 662

    ShowsOn you’re tantrums about high wage earners exhibit nothing more than class bigotry.

    I cannot believe you are finding ways to justify an exercise in populism by Mr Rudd. Had Howard done this, you’d have screamed blue murder.

  20. 670
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:15 pm | Permalink

    EDIT: spelling. your not you’re.

  21. 671
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:17 pm | Permalink

    No 661

    Cast aside your prejudice toward Mr Bolt, and perhaps you’d sound more authoritative.

    The following piece from August last year about the Trevorrow case exemplifies a stark lack of a policy to “keep white Australia pure”.

    http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22206624-25717,00.html

  22. 672
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:17 pm | Permalink

    GP-
    you are fantastic.
    Class Bigotry??
    As in, the wealthy are discriminated against??
    Tell the truth: you’re a troll.

  23. 673
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:20 pm | Permalink

    No 670

    Yes, the wealthy are susceptible to discrimination. Indeed our entire taxation system discriminates against high wage earners. If that is not discrimination, clearly your definition is leaves much to be desired.

  24. 674
    apres
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:20 pm | Permalink

    GP, I’m not prejudiced, just very sure of my ground. The Herald Sun is an authoritative source of good history?

  25. 675
    ShowsOn
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:21 pm | Permalink

    Yes, the wealthy are susceptible to discrimination. Indeed our entire taxation system discriminates against high wage earners. If that is not discrimination, clearly your definition is leaves much to be desired.

    Why should we take your advice about what discrimination is or isn’t when you don’t believe in universal human rights?

  26. 676
    Andos
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:22 pm | Permalink

    OH MY GOD! Oh my god. OH MY GOD!

    That is absolutely beautiful, Generic Person. BEAUTIFUL!

    The tax system IS discriminatory. SHOCK! HORROR! How dare those poor people pay less tax than me, just because I earn 50 times as much as them? I AM OUTRAGED!!!

  27. 677
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:23 pm | Permalink

    Benn. Howard , a US screen producer wrote many articles in the 1980’s
    claiming man has never walked on the moon…that Armstrong’s landing was fake

    He had many disciples who believed his theory it was a NASA/CIA conspiracy

    He went further & produced a film set in the Arizona desert with light , sound & surroundings mirroring the moon to prove how the NASA/CIA faked it

    Apparently the disciple’s views were re-affirmed…man did not land on the moon
    Facts & logic would not persuade them

    Howard’s disciples do not believe it happened either

  28. 678
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    No 672

    Why is Bolt’s opinion less worthy than anyone elses? Or are you much too bigoted to consider other sources of commentary?

  29. 679
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:26 pm | Permalink

    Andrew Bolt iis a newspaper gossip columnist
    vs. Australia’s foremost historian on the subject Pro. Peter Read & his 25yr research

    I rest my case

  30. 680
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:26 pm | Permalink

    No 673

    Since you seem literally challenged, this is for your benefit:

    dis·crim·i·na·tion

    1. an act or instance of discriminating.
    2. treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.
    3. the power of making fine distinctions; discriminating judgment: She chose the colors with great discrimination.
    4. Archaic. something that serves to differentiate.

  31. 681
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:27 pm | Permalink

    Andos @674

    Perhaps they should get a national Apology for suchh appaling mistreatment, resulting in only 2 Beamers in the driveway.

  32. 682
    steve
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:27 pm | Permalink

    676 Why would Bolt’s opinion be worth as much as anyone else’s? Or are you too bigoted to consider other sources of commentary?

  33. 683
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:28 pm | Permalink

    No 674

    Oh please, enough with the infantile behaviour.

    I offered no opinion, positive or negative, on the virtues of a progressive tax system. I simply stated that high wage earners are discriminated against through taxation policy.

  34. 684
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:31 pm | Permalink

    No 677

    If you actually bothered to read the article you’d perhaps notice that he extensively quotes the judge who oversaw the proceedings in the Trevorrow case, the first which dealt with the stolen generations.

    Yes, it was settled that Marjory Angas unlawfully promulgated the withholding of a child from his parents, but there was no evidence that this was racially motivated in order to keep Australia white.

  35. 685
    Andos
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:31 pm | Permalink

    Well! You certainly put me in my place, Generic Person.

    It’s good to see that your dogmatic intractability remains undiminished.

    Touché!

  36. 686
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:32 pm | Permalink

    667 GP
    “ShowsOn you’re tantrums about high wage earners exhibit nothing more than class bigotry.”

    I think you might find GP that it6 was this comment that got the reaction, not a commentary on progressive taxation.
    Now, tell the truth – you are a troll,aren’t you?
    You cannot be serious.

  37. 687
    ShowsOn
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:33 pm | Permalink

    Yes, it was settled that Marjory Angas unlawfully promulgated the withholding of a child from his parents, but there was no evidence that this was racially motivated in order to keep Australia white.

    READ ABOUT “HUMAN RIGHTS”.

    If you are representative of the standard of lawyers this country is producing then we are all screwed.

  38. 688
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:34 pm | Permalink

    Had you read the report which clearly you did not , you would know Bolte made selective quotes & out of context

  39. 689
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm | Permalink

    No 685

    ShowsOn, thankyou for entirely missing the point. Pathetic personal attacks don’t enhance the value of your otherwise frail arguments.

  40. 690
    steve
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:37 pm | Permalink

    GP don’t be lazy. Instead of allowing Bolt to twist the case for you read it yourself. You certainly can’t come up with a stupider reaction to it than Bolt did, Can you?

    http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/sa/SASC/2007/285.html

  41. 691
    ShowsOn
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:39 pm | Permalink

    ShowsOn you’re tantrums about high wage earners exhibit nothing more than class bigotry.

    Don’t be a moron. The Liberals are complaining that they AREN’T high income earners! They want MORE MONEY not LESS. Can’t you even TRY to produce a semi-coherent argument?

    I cannot believe you are finding ways to justify an exercise in populism by Mr Rudd. Had Howard done this, you’d have screamed blue murder.

    Stop being a moron. Abbott and Costello both opposed Latham’s changes to politician superannuation, it is absolutely nothing new for Liberals to complain when someone moves their heads away from the tax payer trough.

    The Coalition Senators set up another THREE Senate standing committees this week just so they can share chairmanships before the new senate takes over. That is all they are interested in, an extra $20,000 – $30,000 of tax payers money each for the Liberal chairs of those comittees before the new senate takes over. They couldn’t care less about making a lean and efficient government. All they are is talk and no action.

    Show some principle, if you believe in smaller government then condemn actions by Liberal hacks that WASTE OUR MONEY.

  42. 692
    ShowsOn
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:39 pm | Permalink

    ShowsOn, thankyou for entirely missing the point. Pathetic personal attacks don’t enhance the value of your otherwise frail arguments.

    So why did you just attack me personally?

    Typical Liberal hack who can’t practice what they preach.

  43. 693
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:40 pm | Permalink

    No 684

    Jen, ShowsOn’s comments demonstrate cynical dislike for high wage earners based on nothing but pure class bigotry and jealousy.

    It appears a class in English will be necessary for many Poll Bludger readers. Oh, I forgot, that don’t teach English anymore. They teach students about redressing “social injustice”, whatever the hell that has to do with English, your guess is as good as mine. ;-)

  44. 694
    Generic Person
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:41 pm | Permalink

    No 690

    ShowsOn, the first sentence in my statement addressed your argument, not your person.

  45. 695
    gusface
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:41 pm | Permalink

    GP
    imagine that the concept of terra nullus,official gvt policy and various social/historical sources are wrong

    Do the children stolen from their parents deserve an apology on purely humanistic grounds

    what is your opininin of the ‘barnardo boys”

  46. 696
    Ron
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:41 pm | Permalink

    For the benefit of blogers

    Pro. Gerard Henderson is the ‘right’ most famous Historian (not Bolt a gossip man
    Yet even Henderson does not challenge the basic research on Pro Peter Read

    Its a little pointless debating with someone who does NOT accept the opinion
    of the best expert on their OWN side of politics

    Fellow spirits , I’m going out ….all the best

  47. 697
    jen
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:42 pm | Permalink

    definitely a troll. probably William .

  48. 698
    apres
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:43 pm | Permalink

    If you really are studying to be a lawyer, GP, you should make sure you know the meaning of ‘literally’ (678). At a guess, I’d say you’re literally challenged.

  49. 699
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:43 pm | Permalink

    GP = AB. Now there’s a thought.

  50. 700
    Posted Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6:46 pm | Permalink

    ShowsOn: are you a staffer or former staffer for an Australian Labor Party parliamentarian (past or present)?

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