27 August 2015

Has Joe Republic put a banana in Tony's tailpipe?

| Marcus Paul
Join the conversation
38

11896020_957235970984298_3165139863238061960_n

There is little doubt our Federal Government is lost somewhere in the wilderness, flitting from issue to issue with what appears to be no real purpose. Or is it?

Commentators were left aghast yesterday by what appears to be on the surface yet another own goal – this time by the treasurer.

At a time when the government is attempting to avoid distractions and get back on track, here is the treasurer derailing his own rebooted tax reform mission by reviving the republic debate.

What is it about Joe Hockey? Is he the treasurer of Australia with his hands firmly on the nation’s economic steering wheel, or is he a policy will-o’-the-wisp? They wrote.

This all comes after the advancement of a so-called parliamentary friendship group here in Canberra yesterday by the Australian republican movement and its mischievous new leader, Peter FitzSimons (personally I like the bandanna).

Some have called it a bold AND cheeky move – having the nation’s chief bean counter on the team, along with one of our newest senators, Katy Gallagher. Could it be Joe Hockey’s public support will allow further division inside an already vacillating cabinet?

Like it or not, the issue is now back on the front pages. Should Australia become a Republic? FitzSimons and his cohorts will as usual throw up the patriotic tune of “It’s about time Australia had it’s own head of state.”

What is missing, at first glance, is what exact system they wish to adopt – much like the issue which lead to failure back in 1999.

What also might be missing, and this is more important for the ‘current’ state of affairs, might be bi-partisan support within the government itself.

I think we all know where Tony Abbott stands on the issue, after all, he did knight the Queen’s husband. While thinking about this today, I’m reminded of a comment received following my last write up on The Riot ACT regarding the controversial Q and A tweet:

“I saw the tweet but missed the handle … but what we really need to know is whether it came from the cabinet or the backbench.”

Exactly. As if the PM already had enough to worry about.

Join the conversation

38
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

The reference to a “banana” in the title of this thread is apt because our economy is heading the same way as Brazil’s:
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/brazil-keep-key-interest-rate-105237103.html
We have been there before but this time we will stay there.

HiddenDragon said :

dungfungus said :

Not even in the headlines today is the reporting of Australia’s worst recorded monthly trade deficit of over $3 billion.
We really have our backs to the wall now and the fate of this country lies in the hand of the RBA who are not even the elected leaders of out country.
If Joe Hockey has failed at anything it is the inability to promulgate the dire financial position we are in.
Wait for the stagflation and monetary controls to kick in.
At least one South American country with the same problems we have is now paying its public servants 50/50 – that’s half cash and half food vouchers.
Imagine that happening in Canberra.

Some sobering coverage here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-01/account-deficit-collapses-as-net-debt-approaches-1-trillion/6740328

It’s bipartisan policy to ignore this inconvenient truth when in government and only notice it (if ever) when in opposition.

Yes, very sobering – especially the debt which can never be repaid (if anyone doesn’t agree with me I would like to hear their plan). When the interest rate on this debt reaches 5% that is $50 billion a year we will have to find just to service it. Even that may be impossible.
Hockey was correct in his early days as Treasurer in stating there was a budget emergency and he should have stuck to it. Instead he backed away from and now it has come back to bite him.
It is time for Hockey to go – Australia will need someone like Scott Morrison to see us through the incredibly tough times ahead.
With the markets about to crash below 5000 it is time to review superannuation and contemplate what living in a third-world economy is going to be like.
Meanwhile I am sure there are some new coffee and kebab outlets to review which of course is more important than the economy.

a Peter FitzSimons republic! No Thank you…

HiddenDragon6:30 pm 01 Sep 15

dungfungus said :

Not even in the headlines today is the reporting of Australia’s worst recorded monthly trade deficit of over $3 billion.
We really have our backs to the wall now and the fate of this country lies in the hand of the RBA who are not even the elected leaders of out country.
If Joe Hockey has failed at anything it is the inability to promulgate the dire financial position we are in.
Wait for the stagflation and monetary controls to kick in.
At least one South American country with the same problems we have is now paying its public servants 50/50 – that’s half cash and half food vouchers.
Imagine that happening in Canberra.

Some sobering coverage here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-01/account-deficit-collapses-as-net-debt-approaches-1-trillion/6740328

It’s bipartisan policy to ignore this inconvenient truth when in government and only notice it (if ever) when in opposition.

dungfungus said :

Not even in the headlines today is the reporting of Australia’s worst recorded monthly trade deficit of over $3 billion.
We really have our backs to the wall now and the fate of this country lies in the hand of the RBA who are not even the elected leaders of out country.
If Joe Hockey has failed at anything it is the inability to promulgate the dire financial position we are in.
Wait for the stagflation and monetary controls to kick in.
At least one South American country with the same problems we have is now paying its public servants 50/50 – that’s half cash and half food vouchers.
Imagine that happening in Canberra.

Most of that is due to the Liberals and Nationals signing us up for some totally crap “Free Trade” Agreements, which we have been paying for almost 1 and a half decades by basically hocking off our mineral resources and national equity.

But there is one simple quick fix.

We now import over 91% of our petroleum products. We are the second biggest petroleum importer in the Asia Pacific region, after Indonesia and will overtake them by 2020.

We don’t even refine, instead we buy refined products from Singapore and South Korea, both unsecure supply lines.

Australia is consistently the only one of the 28 member countries that fails to meet its International Energy Agency (IEA) 90-day net oil import stockholding level. By May 2013 we were down to 60 days supply. In February of that year we were actually down to 23 days supply.

Since then our supply has declined further and our demand risen. We will run out of petrol in 3 weeks if they are cut.

The NRMA has been desperately calling for action, especially in demand management.

We currently consume 22 gigalitres per year, over 20 gigalitres is imported.

Instead of taking measures to ease the problem we are making it worse by increasingly purchasing heavy large 4WDs to the point our average fuel economy on passenger vehicles flatlined to 8.5 l/100km.

The USA is getting 7.1 and the EU is getting 4.9.

We could have protected our car industry and fixed the import problem at a stroke by converting nationally to LPG. Which would have also halved our car pollution.

We could also not shoot ourselves in the foot by fighting every opportunity to build more efficient infrastructure using renewables.

But the real reason we are in the mess is sheer bloody ignorance. We might even front up to this massive ongoing problem if Australians actually paid enough attention to know that the party is over and we need to clean up our act.

dungfungus said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

Well, you see what you want to see.
What I see is well intentioned lower house government being sabotaged by the union controlled Labor party, the self-interest Greens and a rabble of independents who represent nobody all in the Senate.
Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

That is the problem, they are governing for the 30% or so of Liberal voters who would never change their vote (the exact number is no important, but its well under a half). They have lost a lot of the voters in the middle (not all but enough to lose an election). The people in the middle don’t like the extreme right wing policies and refusal to negotiate. Yes Labor have a part to blame. The fact they support double dipping on the maternity leave is ridiculous waste of money IMO. But, the government ultimately should be passing legislation for the benefit of the country. Instead they put up legislation and a lot of words around it and the policies have then been picked apart as right wing policies designed to help their mates and liberal party donors. I’m amazed that people like yourself point fingers at unions and labor yet fail to understand the same stuff happens with liberal and big business. Its as bad on both sides and anyone who cannot admit this is the case, really has an issue of seeing what they want to see.

For those of us who are reasonably unbiased and in the middle, we can see how bad the current government is, Abbott got lucky, with Labors infighting. In fact without the infighting he’d have resigned in 2010, after losing that election by a clear majority, Labor possibly would then have lost 2013 and we’d have probably a leader who could actually be a good PM. Instead both sides of politics have given us a PM who has no understanding of negotiation. Its his way or its labors/greens fault. You know what there isn’t just a single way of doing things. For the self proclaimed Infrastructure PM, I’m still waiting for some Infrastructure to be built. The education policy designed to restrict the number of people who could afford University for the sake of having global leading universities, yet we can’t have global leading communications infrastructure. Countries with high GDP’s tend to have good infrastructure and a highly educated society, two things lacking so far from this government.

I’m glad you see thing in the government is all rosy. I look forward to the excuses when they lose the next election, for failing to listen to the people and negotiating fair policies to benefit the whole country and not just their liberal party donors.

Not even in the headlines today is the reporting of Australia’s worst recorded monthly trade deficit of over $3 billion.
We really have our backs to the wall now and the fate of this country lies in the hand of the RBA who are not even the elected leaders of out country.
If Joe Hockey has failed at anything it is the inability to promulgate the dire financial position we are in.
Wait for the stagflation and monetary controls to kick in.
At least one South American country with the same problems we have is now paying its public servants 50/50 – that’s half cash and half food vouchers.
Imagine that happening in Canberra.

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

Well, you see what you want to see.
What I see is well intentioned lower house government being sabotaged by the union controlled Labor party, the self-interest Greens and a rabble of independents who represent nobody all in the Senate.
Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

What I see is a group of Lifters lifting everything that isn’t nailed down and passing it out the window to their mates.

Yes, the Royal Commission on corruption in unions has been just like that.

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

…and now News Limited:

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/lonely-life-of-roberto-esquivel-cabrera-the-man-with-the-worlds-longest-penis/story-fneuzlbd-1227506743937?sv=8245049bc0225015582b1028ad2bc908

I am more interested in the debate about the state of government in Australia, not an example of your politics of personal envy.

dungfungus said :

Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

…and now News Limited:

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/lonely-life-of-roberto-esquivel-cabrera-the-man-with-the-worlds-longest-penis/story-fneuzlbd-1227506743937?sv=8245049bc0225015582b1028ad2bc908

dungfungus said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

Well, you see what you want to see.
What I see is well intentioned lower house government being sabotaged by the union controlled Labor party, the self-interest Greens and a rabble of independents who represent nobody all in the Senate.
Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

What I see is a group of Lifters lifting everything that isn’t nailed down and passing it out the window to their mates.

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

Well, you see what you want to see.
What I see is well intentioned lower house government being sabotaged by the union controlled Labor party, the self-interest Greens and a rabble of independents who represent nobody all in the Senate.
Re the media, they are reporting only the downside and they embellish it with opinion pieces from the left.

smilesr said :

“representing the whole of their constituency”

is an increasingly impossible task nowadays with the increasing polarity in our society. There doesn’t seem to be a centre anymore.

The trouble is that governments are elected to represent everybody, not just those that voted for them. It shouldn’t matter whether they are left or right wing, although the major parties are pretty much both right wing now.

Who does one vote for if they want a government that is economic conservative, environmentally responsible, socially moderate and morally accountable? I’m just not seeing it.

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

My ‘silence’ was actually because I was busy doing other things. But in any case, I feel no need to justify my opinions to someone who insults my intelligence by suggesting that I’m simply gullible.

I have formed my political opinions from having worked as a political and media adviser to state and federal politicians for a decade and a half. I agree with you that there are good people in the government. There are members of both the major parties I have enormous respect for, and some that I don’t.

I don’t think Tony Abbott is a bad politician (or person), I just don’t think he’s a very good leader. Nor do I think the current government is a good one. To be fair, the current leadership of the ALP doesn’t exactly inspire confidence either. But my opinions aside, and as I said before, history and an election will be the ultimate judge of this government’s performance.

“representing the whole of their constituency”

is an increasingly impossible task nowadays with the increasing polarity in our society. There doesn’t seem to be a centre anymore.

dungfungus said :

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

Dungers, to be fair, any silence is more likely due to being dumbfounded at your inability to see this mob of knuckleheads for what they are. You don’t have to be a leftie to see that they literally have no understanding or even an idea about representing the whole of their constituency. It is a fatal flaw that will ensure that they are yet another one term Liberal government.

And that is a shame because there are good people in the government and in opposition and they all need strong non-partisan leadership. What the current leadership of the Government have done to the conservative side of government is an absolute disgrace and the biggest shame is that they have been able to get away with it through the support of the media, not the reporting.

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

Oh Dungers, are you really that one-eyed? I keep thinking of those people who paint their faces at sporting matches. If I see a bloke with a sky-blue face during the next election we will know it’s you.

You use the analogy of a “colossal train wreck” in relating to Abbott’s alleged mistakes yet you cannot name even one mistake let alone one that has caused death and injury as train wrecks invariably do.
Your response (silence) is the same as I got from another question I asked on another thread as to why the person posting hated Abbott.
I think you have become mesmerised by the Fairfax Media Machine who attack Abbott relentlessly on issues of little relevance to the problems he is trying to solve for the good of Australia and that includes you.

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

Oh Dungers, are you really that one-eyed? I keep thinking of those people who paint their faces at sporting matches. If I see a bloke with a sky-blue face during the next election we will know it’s you.

Evilomlap said :

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

I don’t need to. But thinking about it, why dwell in the past anyway? Just open the paper tomorrow.

Do you always believe what you read in the papers?

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

I don’t need to. But thinking about it, why dwell in the past anyway? Just open the paper tomorrow.

dungfungus said :

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

Ah a classic dungfungus move.

After you.

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Perhaps you can put forward some examples of these unprecedented mistakes?

Evilomlap said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Actually it DOES seem that Rupert Says is yanking Abbott’s chain.

Abbott must have been showing signs of independent thought, or simply unthinkingly humped Rupert’s leg beyond the requisite sign of deference.

Or Rupert is simply being grumpy again and Abbott unfortunately caught his eye.

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

The notion that the PM is some poor bloke being put-upon by an evil media determined to destroy him is very odd to me. Why do the media fixate on his mistakes? Because he keeps making such spectacular ones. Colossal train wrecks are always going to make the evening news.

Evilomlap said :

rubaiyat said :

Evilomlap said :

rubaiyat said :

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

Not that I’m defending him (I think his track record in the Treasury portfolio screams ‘out of his depth’) but in answer to your question (and only because I like you), he practiced as a finance and banking lawyer before entering politics, he was also senior advisor to NSW treasurer back in the day, when he first entered Federal politics in the mid to late nineties or thereabouts he was Minister for Financial Services.

Then in 2001 he became Minister for Small Business (I think, I’d have to double check). He was manager of opposition business (when the Libs were in opposition obviously), so that gave him a fairly broad understanding of all portfolios (as a necessity of holding that position). So…in a nutshell that’s part of the reason he landed the Treasury gig. What he’s done with it…history, and an election, will decide, I guess.

What’s disturbing is how much info I was able to pull on this guy from the top of my head…I think I need a drink.

So he has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law? And 5-6 years of being a lawyer and a political advisor before entering Parliament?

I still so no sign of any financial training or knowledge. None.

In fact most of his statements and apparent conclusions are embarrassing.

How many options has he taken to “Dial the wife” on important matters:

“Quick dear, they’re coming into the room… what’s fiscal drag?”

I was explaining why he got the Treasury gig, not suggesting he is a financial genius.

If MPs got gigs based on merit we’d probably have a vastly superior government than we currently do.

I was not suggesting otherwise, just being rhetorical.

A good Treasurer is probably one anyway who can listen to and understand the usually sound advice of his /her department and not force mad ideological theories on them. We have had examples of that from both sides of politics, unfortunately we have one right now.

dungfungus said :

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

With respect, the story was entirely of Abbotts making.

astrojax said :

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Yeah, let’s not facts get in the way of a good story (for the left).

rubaiyat said :

Evilomlap said :

rubaiyat said :

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

Not that I’m defending him (I think his track record in the Treasury portfolio screams ‘out of his depth’) but in answer to your question (and only because I like you), he practiced as a finance and banking lawyer before entering politics, he was also senior advisor to NSW treasurer back in the day, when he first entered Federal politics in the mid to late nineties or thereabouts he was Minister for Financial Services.

Then in 2001 he became Minister for Small Business (I think, I’d have to double check). He was manager of opposition business (when the Libs were in opposition obviously), so that gave him a fairly broad understanding of all portfolios (as a necessity of holding that position). So…in a nutshell that’s part of the reason he landed the Treasury gig. What he’s done with it…history, and an election, will decide, I guess.

What’s disturbing is how much info I was able to pull on this guy from the top of my head…I think I need a drink.

So he has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law? And 5-6 years of being a lawyer and a political advisor before entering Parliament?

I still so no sign of any financial training or knowledge. None.

In fact most of his statements and apparent conclusions are embarrassing.

How many options has he taken to “Dial the wife” on important matters:

“Quick dear, they’re coming into the room… what’s fiscal drag?”

I was explaining why he got the Treasury gig, not suggesting he is a financial genius.

If MPs got gigs based on merit we’d probably have a vastly superior government than we currently do.

dungfungus said :

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

oh dear. straw. clutching. much.

in common parlance, abbott knighted phil the greek – he may not have wielded the sword, but ask the man in the street if they understand the op’s description, pedant. and what does being the gg’s daughter have to do with republican views. your beloved pm’s sister is gay and wants to marry.

do try to keep up, uh?

Evilomlap said :

rubaiyat said :

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

Not that I’m defending him (I think his track record in the Treasury portfolio screams ‘out of his depth’) but in answer to your question (and only because I like you), he practiced as a finance and banking lawyer before entering politics, he was also senior advisor to NSW treasurer back in the day, when he first entered Federal politics in the mid to late nineties or thereabouts he was Minister for Financial Services.

Then in 2001 he became Minister for Small Business (I think, I’d have to double check). He was manager of opposition business (when the Libs were in opposition obviously), so that gave him a fairly broad understanding of all portfolios (as a necessity of holding that position). So…in a nutshell that’s part of the reason he landed the Treasury gig. What he’s done with it…history, and an election, will decide, I guess.

What’s disturbing is how much info I was able to pull on this guy from the top of my head…I think I need a drink.

So he has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law? And 5-6 years of being a lawyer and a political advisor before entering Parliament?

I still so no sign of any financial training or knowledge. None.

In fact most of his statements and apparent conclusions are embarrassing.

How many options has he taken to “Dial the wife” on important matters:

“Quick dear, they’re coming into the room… what’s fiscal drag?”

rubaiyat said :

Disregarding the sideshows.

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

HE doesn’t even look like he believes what he says.

And I don’t blame him.

rubaiyat said :

Disregarding the sideshows.

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

HE doesn’t even look like he believes what he says.

And I don’t blame him.

rubaiyat said :

Disregarding the sideshows.

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

HE doesn’t even look like he believes what he says.

And I don’t blame him.

It doesn’t matter what his qualifications are if his government can’t get their legislation through both houses.
You should instead be asking what Bill Shorten’s qualifications are to be opposition leader because if he doesn’t get real about where Australia is and where it is going we will never masters of our own destiny any more.
It’s probably too late already.

HiddenDragon5:29 pm 28 Aug 15

Joe might be thinking of his legacy, or perhaps he has taken Jack Waterford’s recent column to heart.

Whatever the case, after today’s Welcome to Slaka effort from Border Force, he’ll have to resort to streaking if he wants to regain the spotlight.

rubaiyat said :

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

Not that I’m defending him (I think his track record in the Treasury portfolio screams ‘out of his depth’) but in answer to your question (and only because I like you), he practiced as a finance and banking lawyer before entering politics, he was also senior advisor to NSW treasurer back in the day, when he first entered Federal politics in the mid to late nineties or thereabouts he was Minister for Financial Services.

Then in 2001 he became Minister for Small Business (I think, I’d have to double check). He was manager of opposition business (when the Libs were in opposition obviously), so that gave him a fairly broad understanding of all portfolios (as a necessity of holding that position). So…in a nutshell that’s part of the reason he landed the Treasury gig. What he’s done with it…history, and an election, will decide, I guess.

What’s disturbing is how much info I was able to pull on this guy from the top of my head…I think I need a drink.

John Moulis said :

Strange how two weeks ago Abbott and Hockey poured scorn on gay marriage calling it a distraction and that they would be focussing on the main game – jobs, the economy and national security. A few days later Abbott goes MIA in the Torres Strait putting flowers on Eddie Mabo’s grave and Hockey starts championing a republic. What was that about irrelevant side issues pulling focus away from the main game?

Yeah that scene of Abbott putting flowers on Eddie Mabo’s grave was soooooo creepy!

Strange how two weeks ago Abbott and Hockey poured scorn on gay marriage calling it a distraction and that they would be focussing on the main game – jobs, the economy and national security. A few days later Abbott goes MIA in the Torres Strait putting flowers on Eddie Mabo’s grave and Hockey starts championing a republic. What was that about irrelevant side issues pulling focus away from the main game?

Disregarding the sideshows.

What is Joe Hockey’s qualifications to be Treasurer?

HE doesn’t even look like he believes what he says.

And I don’t blame him.

This government manufactures distractions at every opportunity. They need the distractions to prevent as many people as possible from actually thinking about how totally directionless they are. Joe has already had the Republic and tax cuts this week.

Look over there!!!!

Tony Abbott did not knight the Duke of Edinburgh; The Queen is the only person who formally knights someone. Abbott awarded knighthood to The Duke.
And, so what?
Bill Shorten married the daughter of the Queen’s representative in Australia didn’t he?
Who really cares about whether we have a republic anyhow? I doubt if there will be a civil war over it.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.