This is how it ends for Scott Morrison

Four words: Bill Shorten, unlosable election.

Don’t remind me tosy 😦

Mind you, this SHOULD be a nail in the coffin, but … this is #auspol. If another Labor MP dies, who knows what will get blamed on them?

but I find him totally unwatchable.

I hear ya. If he stopped with the snark and gutter jokes, he would be taken a lot more seriously.

But, it doesn’t mean that what he exposes isn’t there. The shit he exposed with dutton got lost in the medias frenzy over a dead MP, and this one will be ignored too

But he took down a premier and her bruz, so he has that 😉

Does it really matter who wins. There is not a lot of difference between Labor and the Coalition these days

Chris Bowen in 2019- “if you don’t like it, don’t vote for us”
The public – ” righto”
I can’t quite see the ALP repeating that arrogance again

It would be nice if the ALP actually told us what it would do in a bit more detail.

Isn’t it usual to release policies once the election is actually called. I mean, we could be stuck with the libs until September [groan]

Not sure morrison would last that long, which makes September even more unlikely lol

According to the Australian Constitution, the Federal Election can be held no later than 21 May this year.

Yes, but that is only for the Senate. IF he/they really were batshit crazy (and nothing they have done can prove they are not), the HoR doesn’t have to hold one until September

There has been much amusement on the Twits about this, the AEC ended up looking quite stupid about it in the end

Why does he deserve to win??

Good question. I don’t think it matters who wins the next election. Whatever problems we have will not be solved by either party.

But i am in awe of Howard/Costello. Took govt debt from 18% of GDP in 1996 to ZERO and unemployment from 8% in 1996 to 4% by 2007

Does this encourage anyone to vote for the ALP, Green or independent?
https://mobile.twitter.com/JoshFrydenberg/status/1510834518369787906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1510834518369787906%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-19958139044033105654.ampproject.net%2F2203172113000%2Fframe.html

Australia is the 12th happiest country in the world, (and has the highest minimum wage in the world too)
But I expect most will find some reason to have a big whinge
https://www.atlasandboots.com/travel-blog/happiest-countries-in-the-world-ranked/

But I expect most will find some reason to have a big whinge

We were 10th when it started, so there is that 😉

THIS, however, is glorious schadenfreude. Fucken Dinosaurs!

And another one’s gone, and another one’s gone, another bites the dust.

So what is new?? Another Liberal turns to the dark side. If Rudd/ALP was in power she would say in a difficult time Rudd/ALP are doing their best

But as usual i could be wrong.

TomR

Labor does not believe in borders. You locked up 50,000 boat people from 2008-2013.

How many boat people do you plan to lock up next time??

We were 10th when it started, so there is that
I don’t recall you using that rationale when Melbourne fell 9 places on the most livable city index

And remember how Tom R said- “look over here” during a discussion about the brutal invasion of Ukraine
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-05/bucha-mass-gravesite-what-we-know-evidence-war-crimes/100966110

Russia is also not a signatory. But this does not prevent charges of crimes against humanity, or genocide.
So presumably these charges could also be made against the USA if there is evidence of such systemic action.
But nonetheless, trying to provide context around the slaughter of 400+ as well as rape and torture is straight from the lastest Kremlin media release

Re:

Russia is also not a signatory.

So Russia is NOT a signatory? Are you sure?

My understanding is that Russia IS a signatory! (But hasn’t signed same.)

Nevertheless, these are but quibbles. Both individuals Russia and the US (and perhaps Australia too) seem to have committed war crimes.

Let’s not be ‘barrackers’ – (for a change).

Over the centuries, Empires have risen and declined. What’s different this time around is that while Russia is in ‘decline’, it’s not prepared to go quietly AND it has the (nuclear) capacity to wreck the place .

Be very afraid!

Russia withdrew its signature because it proceedings against it began in 2014 after the invasion of Crimea.
It occupies the same status as the USA.
It can still be prosecuted for genocide, and crimes against humanity.
So your suggestion about hypocrisy on the part of the US is incorrect.

It’s time for Australia to accept that-
* It has an economy that is the same size as Russia’s
* It is the (equal) largest economy in the southern hemisphere
* It is a significant regional power
* It is a stable and long term democracy
…and say it’s piece in opposing brutal expansionist fascists, without forelock tugging

I have just left the NBN. I signed up for TPGs Home Wireless Broadband. For the same price i get unlimited downloads although for an extra $10/month i could have got unlimited downloads with the NBN.

The downside is i lose my landline. But i never use it anyway.

But if Home Wireless takes off it could make the NBN useless.

TB continues to experience a cultural cringe. Queensland has that effect on many people

Here’s an (ex) Australian Diplomat having his say re relationship with the US:

“Australia, … has been malleable, fawning, uncritical and easily led”

https://johnmenadue.com/hysteria-hyperbole-hubris-and-denial-are-driving-foreign-and-defence-policy/

He proceeds: “Noted was the ease with which the Morrison government jumped when asked, to criticise Xi Jinping with respect to Covid and the banning of Huawei. The US concluded that Morrison and his ministers were an easy mark.”

Yep – “an easy mark”.

And by the way-
1. Huawei was banned by the Turnbull government, and this followed the publication of Silent Invasion by (former Greens candidate and respected academic) Clive Hamilton. His compelling book shamed the political establishment into action on the insidious influence of the CCP in Australian institutions.
You should read it.
2. Morrison didn’t mention China in his calls for an inquiry into the origins of covid. That was the interpretation of the CCP.

1. Huawei was banned by the Turnbull government

Remember when they called Labor racist for not allowing Huawei to tender for the NBN? That was WAAY before hamilton wrote his tome. And it was because of valid concerns over the company. Yet then the libs did the same thing they personally had described as racist. What does that say to people?

2. Morrison didn’t mention China in his calls for an inquiry

Is that because payne had already made it clear WHO they were looking at?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-19/payne-calls-for-inquiry-china-handling-of-coronavirus-covid-19/12162968

Just had my first day using TPGs Home Wireless Broadband. Works OK. The modem just needs a power point unlike the NBN modem which needs a cable to connect to the NBN. So far no problems. I guess wireless speeds can only improve. This is a picture of the modem TPG sent me.

https://community.tpg.com.au/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/5164iF19253DDA41B6E7D/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999

Meanwhile, one media outlet is finally talking about the waft from parliament house

Eachway was too gutless to take the question.

So, he didn’t speak to him afterwards? After the churnalists had finished all of their questions? Really?

THIS is how you run 🙂

Russia suspended from United Nations human rights committee. Far more is required
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-08/united-nations-suspends-russia-from-human-rights-body/100975824

And probably for the same reasons.

You bore the fuck out of POTUS?

During government ownership, Qantas was full of political appointments, but Menadue as CEO was about the worst.
I only knew this by reputation and the moribund organisation it became as a result of his tenure. Even ALP types (and I used to be one of them) were embarassed by his efforts.
Nothing like Alan Joyce

A glance at the public record will show that Menadue was Private Secretary to Gough Whitlam, Leader of the Opposition, from 1960 to 1967. Then for a further seven years he was General Manager, News Limited, Sydney, publisher of ‘The Australian’. The good old days when The Australian was still a newspaper.

From 74 to 76, he was head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. He worked for Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser before he was appointed Australian Ambassador to Japan.

He returned to Australia in 1980 to take up the position of Head, Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs where he was active with Malcolm Fraser and Ian Macphee in the settlement of large numbers of Indo Chinese refugees in Australia. He was appointed Head of the Department of Trade in December 1983.

Could go on but wont. Tom your bias is clearly on display.

How embarrassing!

I know his bio. He also sought ALP preselection in 1967.
And certainly Menadue downplays his Qantas job, for good reason. He was exceedingly ordinary.

Re:

Menadue downplays his Qantas job, for good reason.

And you Tom downplay his reputation for ‘good reason’ or … ?

But at a deeper and more significant level one is intrigued re ‘class location’ with the statement and I used to be one of them. Very, very interesting.

Particularly when you speak of your ‘philosophy’?

Shakes head. Can’t understand how one can be so shallow. Perhaps, something akin to a religious conversion? A drug addiction? Money? Mental decline? etc.

Did you seek counselling?

1. Yes MN, I observed the ugly, self interested machinations of the ALP, and decided it wasn’t the type of organisation that self respecting people should support
2. Tom R, Menadue was an oddity at Qantas. It all just happened around him. You’ll note that he never details his accomplishments or legacy. After his appointment, there has been no non airline industry type appointed. He was more suited to the diplomatic cocktail circuit than to the hard work required to run an airline.
3. Hello HD!

Yes Neil “Gerry Hand was the immigration minister who, in 1992, introduced the controversial policy of mandatory detention for illegal arrivals and asylum seekers.”

And this “mandatory detention ” policy has been adopted by both sides of the political aisle but do YOU think it’s a good policy/principle and why?

Joyce makes such good appointments.

“happening to all of us”. “I left my passport in my hotel safe. One of my colleagues left her passport on a BA flight,” he said.

“Another colleague last week thought that the gate number was her seat number and got them confused.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/aussies-object-to-claims-they-are-rusty-travellers-pointing-to-qantas-sackings/news-story/33199bbf257e93eac5ca64721aa0a237

But wait. There’s a few other ‘facts’ which he didn’t cite.

some Aussies were not buying the explanation, pointing out that Qantas sacked many employees in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, despite being the biggest beneficiary of the Federal Government’s JobKeeper program, securing around $1.6 billion in support.

… “Qantas and Sydney Airports were incessant during the pandemic with demands that travel restrictions be lifted,” Crikey politics editor Bernard Keane tweeted.

“When they finally were, both had decided they‘d rather enjoy extra profits by not employing the extra staff needed. Our time queuing is extra money for them.”

Didn’t happen when Menadue was in charge.

So Tudge’s violent attacks on his then lover (the Lady in Red) have been settled for something north of half-a-million dollars and yet it is unknown whether he (The Fudge) is still a Minister or not.

Might be another gotcha question for Albo?

So Albo didn’t know the unemployment rate!

Which one. The one the libs changed after the pandemic hit, or the one that remained the same?

And Menadue thought Qantas was the public service.
“Good airline, bad business” was how he ran things. At least now we have someone who knows the importance of profitability

Just on the “unemployment rate” and the subsequent ‘noise’.

Some ‘measures’ (like the unemployment rate and the way it’s calculated) are less than ‘useful’, if not downright misleading.

Yes it’s the same methodology used internationally but by itself it’s worse than useless. That one hour per week translates to being “employed” is a joke. Gives government a bad name.

While I think ‘gotcha’ question are a nonsense, one has to be concerned that ALBO was trapped so easily and so early. Surely, his advisers could see that coming. If not, then get a new team.

In media terms (pathetic as they maybe) Albo lost the day.

Aw god, get used to it reb…

Used to what?

The only thing we can know for sure. The next 6 weeks is going to be putrid.

The front pages for tomorrow are just writing themselves [sarc]

imo, he didn’t improve on the one he did cover, but it is a nice version of it 😉

I miss the glossy old web pages 😦

Inclusion can only go so far. There will be a time when transgender women hold a range of world titles and records.
People will ask how it got to this. Through puberty males gain size and strength, the fact is they are generally stronger and faster then women following puberty.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-11/scott-morrison-liberal-candidate-transgender-women-sports/100982148

Apparently the libs are going to create over a million jobs

They just didn’t specify which country they would be creating them in 😉

I have just spent my first week on TPGs Home Wireless broadband. It works OK so now i have left the NBN. I am getting 22Mbps download and 3Mbps upload.

The advantage is i get unlimited downloads for the same price. The downside is i have lost my landline.

It works on the 4G thingy. When 5G comes in i may get better speeds.

But i was only getting 11Mbps anyway on TPGs NBN12 plan with the NBN

“”” Words fail me …. “”

Please explain?

Please explain?

I’d like to, truly, but it would involve the use of some basic words, which is where I feel we would end up back where we began.

“I’ve run out of time and crayons” sans © 😉

“I was worried about losing my landline not because i use it but every now and then i misplace my mobile phone…”

Oh for fuck sake just buy yourself a fruit bowl

But i think Home Wireless is a danger to the NBN

There is no way the word ‘think’ should be included in that sentence!

Could Monty Python write this today ?

Judith : [on Stan’s desire to be a mother] Here! I’ve got an idea: Suppose you agree that he can’t actually have babies, not having a womb – which is nobody’s fault, not even the Romans’ – but that he can have the *right* to have babies.

Francis : Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to have babies, brother… sister, sorry.

Reg : What’s the *point*?

Francis : What?

Reg : What’s the point of fighting for his right to have babies, when he can’t have babies?

Francis : It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.

Reg : It’s symbolic of his struggle against reality.

Francis : Why are you always on about women, Stan?

Stan : I want to be one.

Reg : What?

Stan : I want to be a woman. From now on, I want you all to call me ‘Loretta’.

Reg : What?

Stan : It’s my right as a man.

Judith : Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?

Stan : I want to have babies.

Reg : You want to have babies?

Stan : It’s every man’s right to have babies if he wants them.

Reg : But… you can’t have babies!

Stan : Don’t you oppress me!

Reg : I’m not oppressing you, Stan! You haven’t got a womb! Where’s the foetus going to gestate? You going to keep it in a box?

Stan : [starts to cry]

Reg : Listen, the only people we hate more than the Romans are the fucking Judean People’s Front.

Judith , Stan , Francis : [Murmurs of agreement and “splitters”]

Francis : And the Judean Popular People’s Front.

Reg , Judith , Stan : [More enthusiastic agreements]

Stan : And the People’s Front of Judea!

Reg : [Agreements stop suddenly] What?

Stan : The People’s Front of Judea, splitters!

Reg : We’re the People’s Front of Judea!

Stan : Oh! I thought we were the Popular Front.

Reg : People’s Front!

Francis : Whatever happened to the Popular Front, eh?

Reg : [Indicating a man sitting by himself] He’s over there.

Putin has vowed that Russia won’t bend to the sanctions , and has the support of the Belarussian president!
What a powerful trading partnership!
Russia with a GDP the size of Australia’s and Belarus with one about a quarter the size of New Zealand’s!
That should teach the west a lesson!

People

Once again i do not get it. After not posting here for a week or so i made an announcement that i have left the NBN and joined TPGs Home Wireless broadband.

I then got nothing but verbal abuse.

I do not get it?

I mentioned i lost my landline and then Walrus said this

“” Oh for fuck sake just buy yourself a fruit bowl “”

I live on planet earth.

What planet do you people live on?

Monty Python would get the JK Rowling treatment for that type of humour

I should have known yomm would be in the ;thick’ of it with nil.

I’ll try and be concise nil. Read this slowly

The National Broadband Network provides the “Network” to supply “Broadband” to the “Nation”, using a variety of technologies, that were all listed in my link, and include wired, wireless and Satellite.

Does this clear anything up at all?

OK i made my post at 12.15PM about my first week on TPGs Home Wireless

Wow then look at the abuse i got.

Splatterbum said this

“” Because you so richly deserve it, you stupid autistic cunt! “”

Because i left the NBN and joined TPGs Home Wireless

Are you people real??

Tom, you have a history of employing the ‘false equivalence’ concept, and when it comes to comparing Russia and Australia you (for some strange reason) make reference to GDP.

Perhaps, there are other more ‘useful’ concepts you might consider. Here’s a relevant selection.

Russia possesses approximately 6,000 nuclear warheads as of 2022—the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world. Nearly half of the world’s 12,700 nuclear weapons are owned by Russia; by comparison, the United States has about 4000 weapons.

Australia has zero. Not a one! And size of GDP seems irrelevant if things go really bad. Further, re nuclear submarines:

The Russian Navy operates 10 nuclear-powered nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) of two classes: five Delta IV (Project 667BRDM) and five Borei (Project 955), two of which are improved Borei-A (Project 955A) submarines.23 Feb 2022

Australia has zero. And that’s likely to be the case for the foreseeable future.

Can you see what concept might be be more relevant at the moment, particularly if things get really desperate? The concept of MAD is in play. And maybe Putin is really nuts.

Perhaps Australia (The loyal Deputy Sheriff) might be used as an example re what can happen if people get ahead of themselves and the voting citizens of the USA need a reminder.

What say you?

Yes MN, apparently you’re the type that thinkd nuclear weapons are required to get attention.
That’s great. Let’s get some and take our place at the table of countries that the world listens to.

And how about we double our defence spending, so that other countries will pay attention!

1. Given that the ALP have jobs as (just about) their top priority, Albo was politically negligent in not knowing the unemployment rate.
2. Should we use Russia’s standard of diplomacy and bomb the Solomon Islands?

Albo’s ‘events’

Pretty sure it’s singular, ie, ‘event’ 😉

Capiche

Yes, you are a rancid fuckwit, stay FUCKED OFF. There is nothing ‘neutral’ in what you said, and you know it.

Thank you splatter. Perhaps not right, I should not have been quite so reactive.

You may note, I’m a little triggered, but I have only recently been made aware myself of the depth and spread of autism, and how it manifests in so many ways, many of them quite beautiful and wonderful of itself. And also how difficult it is to for someone to exist in our society who possesses a form of autism.

I do appreciate your acknowledgment, and apologise for being … a little reactive.

What else has he said that is so stupid? (Yes, the unemployment one was)

They are still talking about it though, some saying it will cost him the election (lol) So, what else could have triggered it?

Seriously heading Greens this time round …

You can imagine Albos smart ass reply in the likes of Bandts. He probably would have said “Bing it!”

It’s funny!
When I’ve said to TB or Tom R or reb, they should Google it, that’s unacceptable to them

Albo sat back, kept a low profile and let Morrison destroy himself (almost) but it’s now a whole new ball game and if Albo doesn’t start kicking a few goals we will witness another miracle.

Yes it’s early days but …

Yes TB, and Tom’s opened a “prayer room” as well. And we know what they are used for.

TB

What is your point? Why do you lefties feel the need to speak in riddles??

My NBN box which i used connect my landline and TPG modem is now longer used. It is a dinosaur.

In its place i have a cute Cube 3 modem.

It’s you sad misunderstanding of how the internet works … after many explanations here … by a number of people …

TB

Rather than give me a link why don’t you spend some time and then make the point you are trying to make? You should be able to do it in one or two sentences.

So far with TPGs Home Wireless i am getting better speeds and unlimited downloads compared to the 100GB i got with TPGs NBN12 plan.

When 5G comes in that may be the end of the NBN

TB

You failed again. I raised some points and you did not address them. I guess because you cannot.

TomR says the 4g mobile network which my Home Wireless broadband connection works on needs the NBN. Is this true?

OK i admit i do not know. Does my Home Wireless broadband connection need the NBN?

At his Press Conference today, Morrison defended ‘sports-rorts’ etc by claiming that it was the (proper) role of (elected) Ministers to make decisions re ‘spending’ and not (unelected) bureaucrats

If that is what he said i agree with that. WE do not want Public Servants running the country.

If Ministers make the wrong decision the blood is on their hands.

Brendon Nelson as Defence Minister ordered the Super Hornets against PS advice. You should have seen the abuse he got on Tim Dunlops blog back in 2007 because Nelson ordered the Hornets

After winning govt Labor said what a great idea it was but never apologised for the abuse they gave Brendon Nelson

“”And what is the penalty for having this “blood on their hands”?””

I guess it may be reported by the media. But if they have a conscience which i doubt they may suffer from that.

But with all its problems it is better to have elected Ministers making decisions rather than unelected bureaucrats.

As for the subs there was no rorting. The Coalition made the wrong choice. I suspect because of Turnbull. If Abbott was PM i think we would have gone with the Japanese diesel subs.

Turnbull was a disaster for the Coalition and Australia.

MN

So you think the unelected bureaucrats should be running the country? So let us get rid of Ministers and let the PS run the country.

Not sure what Judges, Doctors, Engineers has anything to do with that.

When it comes to administering the law, again Ministers are not experts. They rely on public servants to do the actual administration. (To recruit, to develop procedures,
to pay, to regulate, to recruit, …

OK you have just told me Ministers should just do what they are told. Right?

NO! NEVER! When it’s all said and done, Ministers are ‘accountable’. They, and they alone, must be accountable. Therefore, THEY (alone) must choose. That’s the system of government we have.

I agree.

When Morrison first called his Public Service CEOs together, he told them their primary role was to implement government policy (and not to provide advice ). Needless to say, there was many a raised eyebrow.

Didn’t take too long before his inexperience came to the fore when faced with economic hurdles brought on by COVID 19. Almost immediately he (wisely or desperately?) turned to Steven Kennedy who heads the Department of the Treasury and was appointed by Morrison. Kennedy by the way had worked for Rudd in an advisory capacity.

As Head of Treasury, Kennedy’s departmental responsibility includes economic policy, fiscal policy, market regulation, and the Australian federal budget. His Minister (Josh Frydenberg) was a better than average tennis player so I’m told but the notion that he knew what levers to pull or push to keep the economy afloat in desperate times is somewhat fanciful.

But that’s not how it’s portrayed. Same with Costello and Swan and indeed all Treasurers. They are the political heads. Those that appear on TV but don’t do the day-to-day work. Broad policy at most. But they do make the political decisions such as to when Jobkeeper should end, for example, and whether or not to claim back rorted monies.

Experience suggests that Ministers are like babes in the woods and, to their credit, most know it. Ministers are therefore best understood as talking heads , which is a full-time job in itself. Lol.

They are the power without the expertise. Ought to be good listeners.

So Costello didn’t proceed because they had no experience … ?

Perhaps that explains why Morrison (re Covid-19) didn’t order sufficient (almost everything) because they didn’t have experience in the purchase of same?

So why did they order submarines (when they had no experience

And tanks? etc, etc.

Curious logic is it not?

BTW, what you regard as a “success” (Budget surpluses) I tend to see as “failures” (to invest).

BTW, what you regard as a “success” (Budget surpluses) I tend to see as “failures” (to invest).

WE have been deficit spending since 2007. I doubt we are a better country for it. One day this ever growing mountain of govt debt will cause problems

Since 1901, Australia has had many, many more (financial) ‘deficits’ than surpluses. Fact!

Might be time for the “Sleepers to awake” and smell the roses. Better still, see ‘returns’ that go beyond the immediate.

So many missed opportunities. So many failures of imagination.

Keep hearing that the LNP has an economic Plan. Would anyone have a LINK? C’mon ‘barrackers’.

Or is the Plan NOT to have a Plan? To leave the economy to the ‘market’?

NoS, in an ever expanding economy, ‘deficits’ are not a problem. Even for those who think ‘deficits’ must be bad news. Menzies figured that out.

No one would regard a deficit as an investment unless they could specifically define the anticipated return, in a manner that justified the expenditure.

The comment you agreed with was that deficits are an investment.
That’s just nonsense

Often deficits result from good investments …

Even the libs know this, as can be seen by their Keynesian response to the lockdowns. Investment in debt now to get the country through is returned by a healthier economy later.

Of course, pissing billions into the maws of profitable companies isn’t so much as an investment, as simply a transference of wealth, but we all know the libs can’t do anything without fucking it up.

I also see that cheering is booing now, this is going to be an entertaining few weeks, to say the least

Re:

Representative government means that elected representatives determine policy. The role of the public servants is to serve the public by implementing policy not determining it.

Sounds good. But down to a few practicalities.

Is the policy to be ‘implemented’ that of the recently appointed Minister? The policy as stated by the Leader (Premier/Prime Minister)? Or perhaps the policy as written down in the Party platform? Which ‘understandings’ are to reign supreme?

Usually the first ‘understanding’ to be jettisoned is the Party Policy (as written). Public servants are often told that while the official Labor/Liberal Policy, for example, might state XXX, this is the Morrison/Shorten etc government and the priorities ARE LM and Q. Which might be in contradiction to … other parts of the policy platform or even the LAW

Fact is, the official policy might come from compromises reached on a Conference floor and might have been bitterly opposed by the person who is now either the Leader or the Minister. So which ‘policy’ should be pursued? There’s any number of ‘interpretations’ on offer.

Next (and this a real doozy):

role of the public servants is to serve the public

Used to be the case that ‘public servants’ were there to ‘serve the public’ but now their role (and their job description) has changed (in certain jurisdictions at least). Who the ‘boss’ is becomes somewhat unclear, because it’s evolving.

Who appoints the departmental head – the CEO? The Minister or the Prime Minister? To whom is the CEO accountable? The Minister or the PM? What if there’s conflicting expectations? Whose ‘orders’ should be obeyed? What if the Minister is dismissed? Or even the PM dismissed? How does the accountability ‘command’ change?

What if a block of land, for example, is valued by the Department at $3 million and both the Minister and the PM says pay $30 million. What should the CEO do? Refuse? (and be sacked). Report it to a (non-existent) Integrity Commission? What?

(And that’s barely scratching the ethical surface.)

Of course the government she led implemented such a tax

lol splats, even the architect admits there was NEVER a Carbon Tax. Move onto the latest lie, you know, like a poll written by a liberal party toady means anything (yea, lisa wasn’t crying, she was rejoicing, but then, reality smacked her in the face, as MN pointed out)

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/carbon-tax-just-brutal-politics-credlin/3dsmh3o6a

There will be a lot of lies this election, and they will all come from from the pmo, and be widely distributed by the media in his pocket (or is he in the medias pocket?)

15 June 2021 — The Tamil asylum seeker family from Biloela that has been on Christmas Island for two years has now reunited in Perth

TB

Actually i may not have been wrong when i said there were no kids in detention. Firstly it is only 2 kids you mentioned but i guess they are not behind razor wire. They would be in community detention free to roam the island and go shopping.

Plus my earlier link showed there were no kids on Nauru. Plus i think the refugees on Nauru are not behind razor wire. They are in community detention free to roam the island

So no kids in detention

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has admitted she promised there would be no carbon tax during the election and said circumstances had changed….What my vision was was to be
elected as prime minister and to introduce an emissions trading scheme, which is not a carbon tax….Last week, Ms Gillard announced a carbon tax would begin in July 2012.

“A carbon tax is where you fix price,” Ms Gillard said.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/yes-i-vowed-no-carbon-tax-gillard-20110227-1b9lw.html

Splatterbottom @ 2022 8:27 am re

The chain of command is from minister to departmental secretary.

Really? Or is that how it used to be? If you been following that iss evolving ? Back as far as the Goss years the contracts of the CEOs, Secretaries, Directors-General or whatever title you want were with the Premier. He was their Boss and he constantly reminded them. Just as he appointed Ministers he also appointed CEOs. How do you think Craig Emmerson became boss the the Queensland Environment Department?

Moving to the Federal sphere. Let’s start with Martin Parkinson who was Head of Treasury under Joe Hockey. Abbott didn’t like him because of his attitude to managing the inaugural

Department of Climate Change

so he told Hockey that Parkinson had to go. After a period of transition, Parkinson jumped before he was pushed ONLY to be resurrected by Turnbull when Abbott moved on Lol.

Nowadays, CEOs of Departments know full well were the power resides. To suggest that they only have to consider their Minister is naivety at its most stark.

What WAS in days past or might still be found in text-books bears little resemblance to what IS re the present arrangements. Just ask Dutton who badly wants his current Secretary to be replaced by Michael Pezzullo (and Pezzullo would give his right arm to be there now.)

As stated above – government administrative common sense continues to evolve.

in an ever expanding economy, ‘deficits’ are not a problem.
Even for those who think ‘deficits’ must be bad news. Menzies figured that out.

MN

I would like to know how Menzies/Coalition took govt debt from 90% of GDP to zero by 1972 while running deficit budgets.

I have seen the graph showing that but nobody has said how Menzies/Coalition did it. People who believe in deficit spending use that graph to justify deficit spending.

refusing to use logical arguments

So, acknowledging that the person who started everyone calling it a tax, comes out and says it isn’t a tax, that it was ‘just’ ‘brutal retail politics’, is .. illogical

Sounds legit lol

you nor Tom R have hammered Eachway for his failings

You don’t need us to repeat what the media repeat ad nauseam. I ask simple questions like, why does our media instead hide all of morrisons gaffes, instead of treating them in the same over-hyped fashion?

Using Russia’s criteria we’re now entitled to invade Solomon Islands, following some bombing

Re the Solomon Islands.

This morning on Radio National much was made by Minister Payne re the Pacific Family. Lots of waffle also by Labor.

But nowhere was mention made that Australia is on the outer in this so called Pacific Family because of its failure to take climate change seriously. This Pacific Family faces an existential crisis. Some Islands are literally going under . And yet we have a senior Minister making jokes (caught on a hot mic). That Dutton is in charge of anything says much.

Then Australia sends a junior woodchuck (Wong’s terminology) in a vain attempt to rescue what is regarded as a dire situation. Insult upon insult.

Perhaps Payne was too busy attempting to shield Morrison from further transphobic gaffes instead of doing her day job.

(Also, it doesn’t matter much what you call it, it will still be a tax if it is, in substance, an exaction by government for public purposes.

If.)

“2. Morrison didn’t mention China in his calls for an inquiry into the origins of covid. That was the interpretation of the CCP. ”

Psst kooyong, theRonald was bellowing thePandaVirus long before the current crop of arse licking deputy sheriffs took over from weakTalkbull.`