Matters related thereto
• Legislation to fix election dates for the second Saturday in every March has passed through the Legislative Council and currently awaits the rubber stamp of the lower house. The bill allows some flexibility: automatic postponement if clashing with a federal election or a week either side of Easter Saturday, or a later date under “exceptional circumstances” as agreed to by the Premier and Opposition Leader. Despite the federal election provision, the date could still cause problems for future federal governments wishing to avoid clashes federal and state campaigns, early March having been a traditionally popular time for elections (most recently in 1990, 1993 and 1996). The parliament may still be dissolved at any time up to four months prior to the scheduled election date, but any government that does so will be exposing itself to a separate Legislative Council election held on the usual day. Barring such exceptional circumstances, the next election will be held on Saturday, March 9. This will result in the current parliamentary term being the longest of any federal or state parliament in Australian history, a legacy of Labor Premier Alan Carpenter’s decision to disturb the normal electoral cycle by calling for September 6, 2008 an election that was not due until February or March of 2009.
• There have been widespread suggestions that former Channel Nine newsreader Dixie Marshall will run as the Liberal candidate for Churchlands at the next election. Marshall has recently taken up a position as the government’s chief media strategist, and her father Arthur Marshall was a Liberal member for the seats of Murray and Murray-Wellington from 1989 to 2005. Churchlands will be vacated by the retirement of independent Liz Constable, an ally of Premier Colin Barnett who has served as Education Minister in his government since its came to office. Ben Harvey of The West Australian (see below) says other names in the mix include “cricket legend Justin Langer, hospitality tsarina Kate Lamont, media personality Adrian Barich and Australian Hotels Association (WA) boss Bradley Woods”.
• Ben Harvey of The West Australian offers a further review of preselection rumours doing the rounds. This appeared in the paper’s gossip-style Inside Cover section, prompting Harvey to qualify: “If they turn out to be wrong, then please discount this column as light-hearted fluff. But if any of them are right, then remember what you are about to read is an example of world-class forensic journalism.” The most interesting suggestion contained is that Deirdre Willmott, former Chamber of Commerce and Industry director and current business manager for Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group who won preselection before the 2008 election to succeed Colin Barnett in Cottesloe but then had to hand it back to him when he secured the party leadership, might run in the naturally conservative seat of Alfred Cove against sitting independent Janet Woollard, whose nine electoral lives are probably due to run out. Another suggestion with quite a few ifs attached is that Labor state secretary Simon Mead might succeed Eric Ripper in Belmont should Ripper lose the leadership and decide to bow out of politics. Still more qualified is an assertion that Alannah MacTiernan might be parachuted back in to assume the party leadership and stave off electoral disaster, the plausibility of which is indicated by the fact that no seat is nominated as a vehicle for her return. Harvey’s suggestion that MacTiernan might succeed Lisa Scaffidi as lord mayor and Scaffidi take over the seat of Perth was subsequently given short shrift by Scaffidi herself, who has dealt similarly with other such suggestions in the past. The rumour on which I would put the least money is that Troy Buswell will face a preselection challenge in Vasse from his wife Margaret, the former having taken up residence with the Greens-turned-independent Fremantle MP Adele Carles.
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Categories: Federal Politics 2010-, Western Australian Politics
Smithe,
Hilarious!
by Space Kidette on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:17 pm
A deep fundamentalist belief in any religion says a lot about a person IMHO.
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Hmmm, dont that sound familiar. Do they have in Norway rampaging right wings shock jocks like we have here.
Methinks a time bomb is ticking here.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/a-nations-enemy-within-the-farright-loner-who-wiped-out-nearly-100-souls-2319549.html
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Oh right, now I get it. First you said he was a Dawkinsian atheist but now that you are wrong and he is a Christian Conservative after all, you meant to say his ideology doesn’t matter after all.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:19 pm
My Say
and you are only 29 and a bit!!
by blackburnpseph on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Kersebleptes
I’ll give that a Boom-Tish
. They were seriously hard arsked ruthless people whatever their names.
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:21 pm
poroti,
You don’t put the samples into squat little four-sided plastic bottles, do you? With a little cable-tie type thing to secure the lid?
I found two bottles like that washed up on a beach on an island just north of Port Stephens last year. They had fragmentary labels on them saying that they were from a ship out of Cork in Ireland, and that they were bunker oil samples.
by Kersebleptes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:21 pm
After much thought, I’ve finally given myself a $750 a year tax cut – and beaten Julia’s CT. I’ve stopped buying copies of the Herald Sun each day as well as the Weekend Australian. It’s a permanent tax cut, and my life is better for it.
by al palster on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:22 pm
I dont know whether there is a link or not there but isnt it interesting when it comes to the Islamic Terrorists, it is automatically assumed that there is.
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:22 pm
It’s even stupider than that.
Does it make sense to say that religious beliefs had NOTHING to do with the S11 attacks?
If so, why should we ignore this person’s religious beliefs when evaluating the reasons why he killed almost 100 people?
It seems there is one standard we apply to people who consider themselves Muslims, and another standard if a person considers themselves to be Christian.
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:26 pm
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:28 pm
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:29 pm
smithe
Probably were accountants. The only Norwegian I knew told me that unlike the Hollywood vikings their typical physical features included reddish hair , wide flat noses and more than a few built like bricks. Which makes sense with the climate no doubt giving a more compact shape an advantage and the nose shape would help in warming air breathed in whilst the red hair is related to the low sunlight adaptations re vitamin D.
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:29 pm
by victoria on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Just read the Shanahan article on Murdoch the media that someone above said wasn’t too bad.
Next time, whoever it was, put your reading glasses on.
It’s on of the most self-serving, illogical, downright obfuscating pieces of propaganda I’ve seen in a long time.
Won’t both going through it point by disingenuous point, but click here if you must: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/truth-the-casualty-in-media-wars/story-fn59niix-1226100068362
Almost as bad as Stutchbury saying this morning that Murdoch’s 70% ownership wasn’t too excessive a number when it came to media dominance. And anyway, Sydney and Melbourne had two papers each. So where’s the dominance?
by Bushfire Bill on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Showy, unlike Diog, you are NOT wRONg. Especially if they are white, blond, blue eyes and Freemason.
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:30 pm
by Space Kidette on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Google it; I’m not here to do your homework.
by charlton on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Shows on
Diogenes
I said my speculation that he was a Atheist was just a valid as the new items speculation he was a ‘Consevative Cristian’. I had not seen the facebook page and the News item did not mention or quote anything relating to any evidence he was. And I thought you had a faculty for deductive reasoning.
I am saying that his ‘Consevative Christianity’ had nothing do with his ideology. His ideology is rabid Islamophobia, Zionist anti-muslim politics combined with anti-Racism, anti-Homophobia and neo-con leftism. Some people here will take a pot-shot at anything with a religious flavour – regardless.
Show on, drawing a correlation between 911 and Islam is neo-connism. 911 had nothing to do with Islam.
Bolt et al have the same ideological mixture of Islamophoboa, anti-homophobia, Zionism and an antipathy towards any form social justice.
It was only a matter of time before this righteous indignation against “dhimmitude”, “Marxist Socialism’, “leftist apologia’ and social Justice programs would manifest in terrorist violence.
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Whenever I was entering negotiations and was introduced to a player who offered the secret handshake I immediately consigned him (couldn’t be a her) into the untrustworthy category.
Why else would he have offered the handshake other than to seek favour?
by BK on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Finns
Bolt shot his mouth off early and said it was a Muslim attack and that Norway would have to review its immigration policy.
I assume he is now demanding all 6 foot, blond-haired and blue-eyed men are exiled from Norway.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Thefinnigans The Finnigans
So The Fibs want to put Gillard in a bag and toss into the sea and a Fibs leaning tree surgeon to chop up Rudd, why not a coup then #auspol
14 seconds ago
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Kersebleptes
.
The type of container and that cable tie thingo you describe is the sort of sample container that would be used when an oil needs to get a certificate of analysis. Either for the customer or buyer of the oil.
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Diog, i have already asked where and when Europe is going to deport their Christians.
by The Finnigans on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:37 pm
No, you said your guess was that he was an atheist; you did not state anything about that guess being just as valid as the article’s guess.
And the journalist had clearly read about the case and knew he was a Christian Conservative.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:37 pm
I wonder what you are talking about here, confessions. There are not many big businesses in Australia – 4 banks, 2 insurance companies, 3 mining companies, 1-and-a-bit media companies, 2 infrastructure funds, 1 brewer (not so big at all these days), 1 or 2 engineering companies, 1 ok retail property fund, 1 agricultural company, 2 retailers, 2 transport/logistics companies, 1 (fairly modest) airline, 1 telephone company, 1 medical products business, 1 health services business, 1 building products maker, 1 pallet hire company, 1 packaging maker, 1 tobacco and beverage producer, a gaming company and a network of superannuation agents.
I have not noticed too many of these businesses asking help, though some small industries have been protesting about the high currency and the slow economy in parts of Eastern Australia.
Business in Australia is overwhelmingly small. While small enterprises are disproportionately large employers, most have fewer than 10 employees. Many are sole traders or contractors employing just 2 or 3 people. Most small enterprises are engaged in the services economy. They typically do not manufacture. They are destined to remain small by virtue of geography, limited access to capital, the intensity of competition, high risks, limited markets and ownership structure. Small businesses have high formation rates, but also have high closure rates, are vulnerable to shocks and have low life expectancy.
There are just a few big companies. One company alone – BHP – represents 7% of the entire value of companies listed on the ASX. Even so, BHP is not especially large by world standards. The top 20 must represent well over 80% of the market (though I haven’t checked lately). There are are some privately-held businesses that have reasonable scale, but these are few and far between. There is some foreign-ownership of Australia business with roughly the same kind of value as Australian’s ownership of business in other countries. (By far the largest foreign investment in Australia comes as borrowing by Australian firms, mostly because debt is cheaper than equity).
You talk about innovation. The fact is businesses have to innovate all the time or they will cease to exist. Business is about observing what is going on internally and in the environment and responding to the constantly-changing mix of circumstances. To say that business does not innovate is just fatuous.
by briefly on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:38 pm
poroti,
Aha- sealing the bottle lids makes sense, then.
Now that I think about it, the bottle lids did have “Lloyd’s” embossed on them…
by Kersebleptes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Well no, because there was a lot of information including from his Facebook page that said he was a Christian Conservative.
So you are just creating a false equivalence. You are saying there wasn’t evidence for one claim, when there was but you didn’t look for it, so you should be able to make the opposite claim even though there is no evidence for it.
What a load of nonsense! That’s like saying that the form of Islam preached by Al Qaeda has nothing to do with why they killed 3000 innocent people on September, 11, 2001!
What is or isn’t correct Islamic doctrine is IRRELEVANT to the fact that the S1 hijackers at least THOUGHT they were carrying out an act that was justified by their religiously inspired ideology!
And this terrorist attack has been carried out by a Christian conservative concerned about the influence of Islam on his country.
And yet you say that religion has nothing to do with it! What a sick joke.
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Yes and my guess was wrong. I did say I had no evidence. It appears to be speculation on your part that the Journalist had ‘clearly read about the case and knew he was a Christian.’
he makes no mention in his report about it at all, nor does he mention any evidence at all, – except the headline. I had no idea about at the time about the facebook page. So stop with the ridiculous ‘gotcha’ posts.
Boy you are a pedantic arskehole with absolutely nothing of substance to contribute. Hardly worth bothering with at all.
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:44 pm
The whole point is there was no need to guess when there was HIS OWN WORDS describing his beliefs!
That’s why your post just sounded evasive.
by ShowsOn on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Al Palster,
Congratulations on your tax-cut, by not subscribing to the Murdoch rags. Is it really $700 pa for that stuff? I just got a renewal notice for the Age 7 day delivery for $200 pa, which is cheap. Shall write to them with a request – get rid of Grattan, et al, but keep Leunig, Tandberg, Martin Flannagan and the letters page. Somehow I don’t think they will comply, so won’t renew that mob either.
by sohar on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:48 pm
I should add that this case is most unusual.
Most spree killers are disgruntled losers with no attachment to any religious or atheist ideology. I can’t remember one hate-spree killing in the Western World.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Kersebleptes
BINGO !! They do indeed have a Bunker and Fuel Oil analysis service. Considering their interest in ships running tickety boo I suppose that is a natural fit for them. Someone would have got a bit of slap for the missing samples. With them being sealed like that the sample has been taken and would be stored in a secure place.
by poroti on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:48 pm
I’d quit while I was way behind if I were you. Pointing out your errors of fact and logic are a substantial contribution.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:50 pm
If Stutchbury thinks that Murdoch (or anyone else for that matter) owning 70% of media is not too excessive, he should pull his head out of his arse and spend a couple of years in quarantine away from the safety of others.
1. Media ownership laws MUST be changed for the good of our democracy and a greater representation of the people.
2. An independent commission should be established to monitor and ensure fair, balanced and unbiased political reporting in the country.
The phone hacking scandal in the UK has provided a golden opportunity to act.
It’s Time!
by Centre on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Diog at 2094;
Heard of Timothy McVeigh the Oklahoma City bomber?
by grantplant on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:55 pm
grantplant
Unabomber
by smithe on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Centre @ 2097
Yes and Stutchbury would be one of the very first to leap up and down about the need for competition on other sectors and industries. Hypocrisy thy name is Stutchbury.
by grantplant on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Not to my knowledge. AFAIK frothing nascent fascist talk radio is a curse that afflicts only Australia and the United States.
by Cuppa on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:58 pm
grantplant
That wasn’t a spree killing. That was a mass killing. And it wasn’t a hate-killing.
JohD
Umm, no. The journalist in your article actually quotes the Facebook page.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Not a lot of love in this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing
by Boerwar on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Smithe,
Yes, although he wasn’t so much a left or right religious fanatic if I remember rightly. He was totally a luddite really wasn’t he?
by grantplant on Jul 24, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Bushfire
I didn’t say the piece by Shanahan “wasn’t too bad”. I said it was revealing about the attitudes within News. That doesn’t signify approval. I said
Your comment about “self-serving, obfuscating” is fine with me.
by lizzie on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Gee Diog,
Mass or spree? Bit of a hair splitting exercise isn’t it?
by grantplant on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:00 pm
To quote the good lady; “stop writing crap; it can’t be that hard.”
This is neo-connish garbage; Islam had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. Ask any Muslim. Those Al-Queda guys are politically aggrieved radicals who happen to be Muslims.
They thought their cause was righteous. You don’t need a religion to hate imperialist aggression and theft; and to believe your cause is righteous. How you then justify your actions becomes just that; justifications. You can use anything to justify anything else. It does not have to be religious, nor is it a reflection on the religion you use to justify your acts. Just because NATO is bombing Muslims in the name of Democracy does not make it a democratic act.
Plenty of Atheist hate religion. There is a cottage industry of prominent Atheist preaching hatred for Islam and Muslims. Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchen, De Sousa. They all also hate Christians, but reserve their primary vitriol for Muslims and Islam. Can we also then say that has something to with religion?
Is it OK to blame the victims of Islamophobia on Muslims, or anti-Semitic hatred on Jews? So if a Christian Democrat like Kevin Rudd criticizes Islam, can we now say that has to do with his Christianity? Please, inform us.
by JohD on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:01 pm
poroti,
Thanks for that- it was something the family had speculated about.
At the time we did wonder whether it had been “unofficially decided” that it was better the samples not be analysed/kept, and just be
thrown overboardfound unaccountably missing instead!by Kersebleptes on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Charles Whitman (the University of txas Clock Tower shooter of 1966). A real ‘hero’, he bagged 16 killed and 31 wounded completely innocent people before the coppers shot him.
Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 and wounded 25 in a rampage at Virginia Tech on 16.04.07.
The list goes on and on.
by smithe on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:02 pm
grantplant @2100
I don’t read Stutchbury, I have only ever seen him on TV appearances, and in my honest opinion, the producers of those programs are seriously scraping at the bottom of the barrel by putting a bloke like him on.
by Centre on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:06 pm
The News Paper is becoming a dinosaur, that is why murdoch hates the NBN, it will also save trees in the long run and drastically reduce the wood chipping industry.
We need the ABC to be put back to it’s charter. Pronto!.
by 1934pc on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:08 pm
grantplant
McVeigh wasn’t a spree killer because there wasn’t a spree. It was just one act.
by Diogenes on Jul 24, 2011 at 3:10 pm