Labor’s two-party lead from Essential Research is up slightly following last week’s dive, from 55-45 to 56-44. Also featured are questions on the financial state of the companies respondents work for, future spending plans, confidence in the economy, “concern over job situation”, government regulation of the financial sector and whether an election will be justified if the “opposition refuses to pass” emissions tradding scheme legislation. Interestingly, the response to the latter question is 33 per cent yes and 37 per cent no, compared with 41 per cent and 29 per cent in April.
• The talk of the town this week is Section 44 (iii) of the Constitution, which provides that any person who is an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives. Such designation could shortly apply to Bob Brown, who has been advised by Forestry Tasmania he faces bankruptcy proceedings if he does not come good on an order to pay $239,368 costs stemming from a failed bid to stop logging in Tasmania’s Wielangta forests. With offers of support flooding in from sources including Dick Smith, one suspects he’ll keep the wolf from the door. Ken Jeffreys of Forestry Tasmania describes Brown’s appeal as a “public holiday, slow-news-day media stunt”, while Bronwyn Bishop queries the Greens’ determination that the matter is Brown’s problem rather than theirs.
• Andrew Landeryou at VexNews reports that Craig Langdon, the state Labor member for Ivanhoe, faces a preselection challenge from by Labor Unity colleague Anthony Carbines, Banyule councillor, chief-of-staff to Education Minister Bronwyn Pike and son of upper house MP Elaine Carbines. A text message from Langdon to local party members accuses Carbines of disregarding his offer to vacate the seat for him at the election after next. Landeryou blames the episoode on moves the prohibit political staffers from serving as councillors in the wake of the Ombudsman’s report into Brimbank Council, foreseeing further such action from “a tribe of angry, politically very well connected and shafted staffer-councillors who have been told to choose between their day jobs and their passion of politics and community service”.
• The ABC reports Scott Bacon, 32-year-old son of the late former Premier Jim Bacon, is seeking preselection in Denison for next year’s state election. Bacon is an economist and adviser to Energy and Resources Minister David Llewellyn.
• Poll Bludger regular Oz has started a blog devoted to New South Wales state politics, which is the kind of thing we should have more of. Do visit.
1,752 Comments
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No 1549
Oh please Frank. Any such perception is very likely to be light-hearted and I rarely, if ever, have people likening me to the Mafia by virtue of my Italian heritage (at least not in a pejorative sense). People are not that stupid, by and large.
Perhaps 40 or 50 years ago when immigration policies were relaxed under “populate or perish” mantras, the situation may have been different because Australia had been quite shielded from non-British culture. But nowadays, it barely rates as an issue. I don’t even think twice if someone calls me a wog.
[Oh and Generic Heffalmp & Adam should have a read of this
http://www.omi.wa.gov.au/publications/Seminar/Ethnic_Minorities_and_Crime.pdf
Frank
You should know by now that herr doktor and generic pinocchio NEVER let the facts get in the way of their arguments
1368
I do not see how the High Court could in any way find the existence of territory senators unconstitutional when the constitution specifically says that there can be. It might be reasonable to declare a territory having more senators than a state but otherwise the constitution clearly allows the parliament free reign. The High Court even allowed them to be elected for a HoR term rather than a Senate term although this may have been the reason that calculating the HoR being twice the size of the Senate including the territory senators was ruled unconstitutional.
It’s when they call the “Black Maria” that I’d worry
fair enough
They could call you a liberal – far far worse
No 1552
The report acknowledges the “phenomenon” of ethnic gangs in Sydney, so there is nothing surprising in it, except the usual academic nonsense about sensational media exaggeration etc.
They could call you an Umpire.
No 1555
Dave, being called a Liberal is something I take pride in. I am proud of my heritage and my political philosophy.
1551:
If that indeed was the case, why was the former WA Labor Poliitician John D’Orazio was described by CCC Prosecutor Patti Chong as “THe Godfather” and reference was mentioned of him being am “Ethnic Branch Stacker” ?
http://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/pdfs/report_d-orazio-john.pdf
Frank
The Calabrian version of the mafia is the ‘Ndrangheta isn’t it. Wiki tells me they are in Australia and were involved in the world’s largest ecstasy bust here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27Ndrangheta
Finns,
Stay safe. There are apparently ethnic narwhals acting as hitfish in the ocean.
http://www.mcphee.com/items/11689.html
No 1559
Clearly Ms Chong’s choice of words was unfortunate in the context, but the report to which you linked says “Ms Chong readily acknowledges that her use of the term ‘godfather’ was a throwaway line.”
Comedians have delivered far harsher, and more apt,”throwaway” ethnic jokes than the one you mentioned. I fail to understand why you knickers are so tightly entangled.
so you are “proud” of the libs distributing racist pamphlets in lindsay on the eve of the 2007 election and od trying to steal the future of out children with work choices ?
Yes, but what I am trying to explain to Generic Heffalump is the fact that the populist media when reporting such matters they do not make the distinctions that a minority of the Calabrian Community is actully involved.
No 1560
Dio, have a read of this article which Frank provided earlier:
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/the-calabrian-connection-20080808-3seg.html?page=-1
1467
NSW have OPV because of the traditional ALP hate of the preferences because of the traditional alliance between the Country/National party and the other conservative party. The DLP did not help the ALP to like preferences. When Lang scrapped PR (bad anti-democratic move) he tried to get FPTP but the Legislative Council blocked him and made him settle for compulsory preferences and in the 70`s or 80`s Labor got OPV to undermine the Coalition. QLD also had a history of Labor fiddling around with preferential options with compulsory preferences being restored/introduced in 1962 and the Goss government making them optional. SA nad WA have never had a Labor upper house majority and change did not get through the Victorian Parliament in 1985 and when they got a majority for the second time the Greens had come along and Tasmania is Tasmania (best lower house electoral system in the world until the cut the numbers from 7 a seat to 5 a seat).
SNIP: Abusive comment deleted – The Management.
No 1563
1. A Liberal actually leaked the story – so clearly we have standards and none of us actually think the scandal was in anyway right or helpful for our campaign in Lindsay. In fact, I campaigned in Lindsay on election day, so I fully know the circumstances of that bout of idiocy by Greg Chijoff.
2. Workchoices stole no-one’s future.
No 2567
Gus, please explain that useless comment.
SNIP: Abusive comment deleted – The Management.
No 1564
Frank, they cannot be more emphatic when they say the majority of Italo-Australians are law-abiding, decent citizens. If you choose to read more into it than is necessary, that is your prerogative, but you are imputing false premises.
No 1570
You must be wearing one of Finns’ notoriously snug Huggies nappies.
GP
with respect, I think you should be more aware of what frank and others are trying to convey to you.
Racism left unattacked starts with one “group’ and works its way thru the system
In the bad old days, terms such as ‘wog’ were used to reinforce a stereotype, far removed from fact, but still used to supprees and belittle a “group’
If, as you and Pshephos contend,there is a lebo crime gang that is proportionately out of control to its numbers in society,then we have a problem.
BUT the figures do not show it, and much like that proto liberal Pauline H., racial villification is being used to demean a “group”
Its wrong.stop it.
But MOST people don’t read an article betyond the first Paragraph. And TV Reports into the isssue NEVER mention that bit either.
It is the IMPRESSION we are talking about – if you ars so ignorant of that simple concempt, then no wonder the Libs are out of power.
A remarkable grasp of the obvious. Voters also comprehend.
mmmmm. Thats something to think about. You fully knew about THIS ??
Well the election made sure of that. But if the election had gone the other way, our kids (and others) might well have be slaves. Doubt me – just ask an average voter.
So work choices no problem ?? – the libs will bring it back ? Is the pope catholic ?
No 1573
Gusface, the problem with that soapbox performance is that it is far-removed from the reality. The articles quoted by Frank neither vilify Italians or infer that they, particularly Calabrians, are all criminals.
More personal attacks…
Try telling that to the people who take what’s reported on Today Tonight and the Hearld-Sun and listen to Alan Jones as Gospel.
No 1574
Frank, you obviously have a lowly opinion of the intelligence of the average person. The title “Calabrian connection” is obviously derived from the film title “The French Connection”, which appropriately enough, features cops trying to intercept drug trafficking from France. Puns are common in Newspaper headlines. Get with the program.
Gp
If you get the chance, talk to your elders about Oz in the 1950-70’s and what they experienced
Then come back and I will gladly engage you in a debate about rascism etc.
Until then my friend you are, as Dylan sang (I think)
“pissing in the wind”
I have a fair understanding of how the media works – but the Kath & Kims take newspaper headlines as Gospel – and you know it.
No 1580
Gus, I have talked to my elders about the racism they experienced 30, 40 and 50 years ago. But we are not in the 1950s anymore. People are much more attuned and tolerant of different cultures. The problem with you is that you think any reference to race or ethnicity is a dog-whistle to the baser elements of society, which is a contemptible stance.
Sorry Gus, I disagree with you here.
My understanding is that there is a refusal by don wederburns mob to produce or maintain such statistics. The thing that just cannot be denied is the over representation of Lebanese (and some other) groups in the prison population.
This is just not vilification. It is fact. For many people living in sydney, lebanese crime is a very real issue. Seriously, a very serious issue – to the detriment of the lebanese who are model citizens and others in the wider community.
As demonstrated here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IF92uEctBc
No 1581
Frank, if there are a few Kath and Kim types around, so what? Are you honestly going to sit here and tell me you actually care what they think? If they are likely to read a Newspaper in the way that you describe and ascribe to false notions of Calabrian criminality, they are pretty unlikely to have a sophisticated perception of Italians, or others, anyway. So, again, why do you care?
No 1585
ascribe = subscribe
No 1584
Frank, LOL.
If you want their political support, damned right I do – how do you think Howard Pandered to them ?
Dave
I rely on the BCS (feds) and the Qrtly NSW pol stats.
My eldest went to a young leaders thingy late last year in sydney.
They were addressed by Scipione about specific issues pertaining to young people.whilst acknowledging “gangs” he went out of his way to say that not one single minority dominated crime.
That said, when I lived in sydney way back , Asian gang were taking over george street then it was the islanders
or even worser back a bit further it was the italian/greek/yugo
and of course back a bit further it was the irish
and the oriiginal criminal (and still in some minds) the indigene
ALL had proportionately large representation in our jails
It just who becomes the ‘dog to kick’
No 1588
Frank, the Kath and Kim types seem not to care too much about the Italian backgrounds of NSW politicians. Witness the Iemma and Tripodi brigade.
And nor was that ever asserted. But it does not mean ethnic crime is not a problem. There are also issues with Sudanese gangs in parts of Sydney as well.
Exactly, and next you’ll have the Somalis, which Andrews tried to pin in Victoria.
And Iemma and Tripodi are Calabrese too, as I recall.
Gp already has Frank
The best thing that happened to the Italians in this country was the arrival of the Vietnamese. The best thing that happened to the Vietnemese was the arrival of the Lebanese. THE best thing that happened to the Lebanese was the arrival of the Somalis , etc, etc.
The newest, poorest, weakest, most vulnerable members of any society are always the victims of the insecurities of the majority, and the malevolence and cruelty of the fanatics and bigots.
It’s also an irony that the most strident antipathy to the newcomers comes usually fromthe beneficiaries of the previous ethnic intakes, a proposition which GP appears determined to establish conclusively by each of his utterances on this blog.
While Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is from the North.
and it is no co-incidence that Pauline Hanson’s Political Advisor was none other than John Pasquarelli, and that a lot of First Generatyion Italo-Australians were also attracted to One Nation.
No 1595
Fulvio, the point is that I don’t deny that Italians (and Greeks) were vilified in the past. And to some extent, it still occurs. Some Italians also run crime syndicates.
Highlighting the fact that there are problems with ethnic gangs does not mean that I think all Lebanese/Sudanese/Asians are violent criminals which are non-deserving of a life in Australia. Most run businesses, earn honest livings, abide by the law and get on with life. But that doesn’t change the stark reality of ethnic gangs. Pointing out that reality does not make me a purveyor or supporter of racial vilification.
No 1596
So clearly there isn’t a rampant problem of the “kath and kims” of Australia equating all Italians with criminal activity, as you attempted to assert earlier.
SNIP: Pointless non-comment deleted – The Management.
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