17 September 2013

Cranky Liberal is cranky at Sheikh

| Barcham
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Crying

The Coalition Shadow Minister for Universities and Research, Senator Brett Mason has kicked up a bit of a stink over the fact that Greens Senate candidate Simon Sheikh brought some pamphlets with him during a guest lecture at the Australian National University.

Rioter c_c™ actually wrote up an article on this, so I’ve included it here:

Word of alleged electioneering by Greens candidate Simon Sheikh during a lecture at ANU emerged through social media early Thursday. Making matters worse, the lecture was for a course run by Sheikh’s partner Anna Rose.

Woroni has now confirmed Ms Rose faces a formal investigation for alleged breaches of the University’s rules. A quote (from a recording) attributed to Ms Rose posted on social media late last night by a student in the lecture, gives some insight into the issue:

“I think often with apathy, it’s not that people don’t care it’s that they’ve never been asked to get involved. I believe Simon has a sheet going around, or a laptop going around, if you want to get more involved for his campaign for Senate.”

Whether Mr Sheikh himself engaged in any electioneering isn’t clear yet, his office claims to have only distributed a sign up list to be used by all the guest speakers to send students further information relevant to the course.

Whether this is even much of an issue isn’t clear. Many people, not least of which a room full of politics students, should be clued into the fact that pollies attend events with an element of self interest, in search of promotion. Some of those who attended have said they’re not fussed. Some of those who are agitating over this, have political interests at the opposite end of the spectrum to Sheikh.

If this lecture though turned into a party sign-up event, perhaps with an academic member of staff inducing people to join, that’s where it probably crosses a line.

Cheers c_c™.

To sum my thought on the matter up I’ll throw out the following two words.

So what?

So what if he had a volunteer handing out pamphlets? Does Brett Mason really think that University level Political Science students are going to be heavily swayed by a pamphlet? Is he terrified that Sheikh has found this untapped vein of future voters who obviously have no idea what different political parties are all about and is monopolising their attention? Is he sad he didn’t get there first?

I can’t help but wonder about the motivations involved when politicians send out these ridiculous press releases where they “slam” this stance or “call for” this response…

“I commend the ANU for swiftly moving to investigate the circumstances that led to Mr
Sheikh soliciting votes from students,” Senator Mason said.

It really sometimes feels like I’m their Dad and they just keep trying to dob each other in to me.

I feel like reaching down, picking them up and placing them on my knee.

I’ll gather up my sleeve and wipe away their tears and some of the dirt off their nose.

“Now now kids, calm down.”

“BUT DAD HE…”

“Shhh! I know, he’s being a stupid-head. But what you need to understand son is that you’re also a stupid-head, and Dad is very disappointed with the lot of you.”

[Image by Pedro Klien (CC BY 2.0)]

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justin heywood5:43 pm 05 May 13

Tetranitrate said :

justin heywood said :

Preaching to the converted. Most of the politically-minded student body already vote Green. When I was there lecturers regularly posted reminders of upcoming Green events in lectures.

Uni undergrads are some of the Green’s most effective supporters. Idealistic, articulate, but still dumb enough to buy the bullshit.

And when were you there? 1995?
What utter garbage.
….

Hmm. perhaps I should have qualified my statement to say that WHERE I was at ANU the Greens were the party of choice for just about everyone I knew. I can’t speak for Arts, Law, Commerce etc. My bad. Those who know the ANU might guess where I was.

The rest of ANU may all have voted Liberal, although I doubt it. I also doubt that the political make-up of ANUSA reflects the politics of the student body generally.

Tetranitrate12:04 pm 05 May 13

justin heywood said :

Preaching to the converted. Most of the politically-minded student body already vote Green. When I was there lecturers regularly posted reminders of upcoming Green events in lectures.

Uni undergrads are some of the Green’s most effective supporters. Idealistic, articulate, but still dumb enough to buy the bullshit.

And when were you there? 1995?
What utter garbage.
ANU has a decent sized Liberal Students club, but more to the point students affiliated with the ALP utterly dominated the Union and Students Association when I was there (fairly recently), and presumably still do.
Most of the politically minded students at ANU tend have little time to waste on a go-nowhere minor party – there are a hell of a lot more staffer jobs and the like to be won from the majors. Hell, a former president of ANUSA actually did immediately go on to work in Kevin Rudd’s office a few years ago.
The greens themselves have sweet bugger all presence at ANU.

While Sheik probably will not get over the line he is clearly frightening the libs. I reckon Lundy should keep an eye out as well, considering the ALP’s parlous polling.

Frankly, Sheikh seems like someone who is willing to change his story and past to whatever suits him.

Make of that what you will…

Certainly seems like that, doesn’t it.

Masquara said :

Simon Sheikh and his wife are assiduously feathering their nests – I think it’s a legitimate question: what has Anna Rose actually achieved? I think she is more redolent of the “Occupy” movement than anything else. The ANU should be careful about investing in an online activist as a serious academic – I’d say this decision could be a risk to the ANU’s reputation. And massive email list from Getup is too nebulous to cite as a life achievement from Sheikh warranting a Senate seat. I mean, I’m on the Getup email list and I disagree with most of what they have to say! I signed up out of curiosity after they spammed me. How many other “supporters” are in that category? I need to see MUCH more on the record about Sheikh’s actual useful activities please!

I don’t like the guy at all, but he has achieved a couple of impressive things in terms of professional accolades. I doubt any of that enhances his ability to be a senator. Frankly, I think he would do a lousy job of representing the interests of the ACT. I think he’s more in tune to a very small sub-section of Canberrans.

bigred said :

So the libs are upset that an opposition is running a political campaign and using any advantage that comes his way.

Apparently Anna Rose has been “counselled” by the ANU – so clearly they identified a problem.

Masquara said :

Simon Sheikh and his wife are assiduously feathering their nests – I think it’s a legitimate question: what has Anna Rose actually achieved? I think she is more redolent of the “Occupy” movement than anything else. The ANU should be careful about investing in an online activist as a serious academic – I’d say this decision could be a risk to the ANU’s reputation. And massive email list from Getup is too nebulous to cite as a life achievement from Sheikh warranting a Senate seat. I mean, I’m on the Getup email list and I disagree with most of what they have to say! I signed up out of curiosity after they spammed me. How many other “supporters” are in that category? I need to see MUCH more on the record about Sheikh’s actual useful activities please!

He drives a Prius. That must be worth some points.

Simon Sheikh and his wife are assiduously feathering their nests – I think it’s a legitimate question: what has Anna Rose actually achieved? I think she is more redolent of the “Occupy” movement than anything else. The ANU should be careful about investing in an online activist as a serious academic – I’d say this decision could be a risk to the ANU’s reputation. And massive email list from Getup is too nebulous to cite as a life achievement from Sheikh warranting a Senate seat. I mean, I’m on the Getup email list and I disagree with most of what they have to say! I signed up out of curiosity after they spammed me. How many other “supporters” are in that category? I need to see MUCH more on the record about Sheikh’s actual useful activities please!

HiddenDragon11:43 am 04 May 13

pepmeup said :

I still wonder why the libs bother worrying about Simon and the senate. They will win one seat in the senate, they will never win more or less than one senate seat in the ACT. Why don’t they work a little harder on the federal seat of Canberra, they could take that from Gai and the ALP

+1 – the speed cushion outrage – http://the-riotact.com/the-not-so-great-tuggeranong-40-zone/102785 – is just another example of why the rugged individualists of Canberra’s south and deep south (not to mention the seriously peed-off single parents) might be ready to give the Labor/Green brand a kick up the backside.

I still wonder why the libs bother worrying about Simon and the senate. They will win one seat in the senate, they will never win more or less than one senate seat in the ACT. Why don’t they work a little harder on the federal seat of Canberra, they could take that from Gai and the ALP

So the libs are upset that an opposition is running a political campaign and using any advantage that comes his way.

IrishPete said :

I’m more interested in how his partner got a job at a prestigious university without having a PhD.

If you ever see a lecturer position advertised for any university, it will say a PhD is essential.

IP

Not necessarily – it really depends on the subject area. Some place a greater emphasis on industry experience than others. For example, in the Law dept there are a number of lecturers without PhDs. And if you are running courses aimed at training people to be influential leaders with the capacity to change the world they live in, then it makes sense to recruit people who have been out there in the community doing just that…. so a PhD is not so essential in this case.

justin heywood said :

Preaching to the converted. Most of the politically-minded student body already vote Green. When I was there lecturers regularly posted reminders of upcoming Green events in lectures.

None of this is true.

justin heywood11:53 pm 03 May 13

Preaching to the converted. Most of the politically-minded student body already vote Green. When I was there lecturers regularly posted reminders of upcoming Green events in lectures.

Uni undergrads are some of the Green’s most effective supporters. Idealistic, articulate, but still dumb enough to buy the bullshit.

Barcham, you’re a treasure. I only wish that you were The Official Dad of every federal parliamentarian. I’m sure if that were the case we would all be a lot better off politically.

As to this specific thing? If I were to give a shit, it would be a very, very small shit. Microscopic, in fact. Realistically, it would be a barely measurable speck of faeces.

Who cares, indeed.

I’m more interested in how his partner got a job at a prestigious university without having a PhD.

If you ever see a lecturer position advertised for any university, it will say a PhD is essential.

IP

Isn’t Sheikh preaching to the converted at the University of East Bumcrack? Let’s see him show his face south of Mt Taylor.

Storm – Tea cup

HiddenDragon11:04 am 03 May 13

I wonder if these twits will ever stop giving oxygen to Sheikh, and doing his product differentiation work far better than he could ever do it for himself – there’s only four and a bit months to go, so I suppose not.

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