Mastodawn

i got 1'20" into https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/politics-now/albanese-stares-down-tax-push-back/106723456 then closed the tab. PK persists in wrongly portraying #auspol & parly as a two horse race, as if the liebs+nuts have any political sway at all. everyone who still flogs this obsolete paradigm can just get into the bin, coz i shan't be indulging you.

Albanese stares down tax push back - ABC listen

Household energy bills are set to drop by up to 10 per cent, with the Albanese government crediting renewables and batteries for the decrease. It's a good news story for Labor, as the fight over capital gains tax changes continues to dominate parliament — and the Prime Minister doubles down. But the Government isn't the only one feeling the heat, with outgoing National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton fronting up for a grilling in Senate estimates. Patricia Karvelas and Tom Crowley break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at [email protected]

ABC listen

John Smith 5d ago

@MsDropbear42 Tim Dunlop's discussion about the problem of parties is interesting. https://michaelwest.com.au/teals-parties-the-problem-not-the-solution/

Backward step. "Parties the problem, not the solution" - Michael West

Current talk of independent MPs forming a new party is fraught and potentially a huge backwards step for a functioning democracy,

Michael West

@smitjo ta. yep i agree with him, have long felt our rigid party paradigm a major liability to democracy. in the specific current case though of possible new teals party, i oppose it as missing the point. the actual problem, for which this is their proposed solution, is twofold, & both explicitly the fault of this labs govt

- the outrageous political chicanery of elbow in denying Indies adequate office & staff resourcing
- the despicable corruption of their recent laws on donations, overtly bent to perpetuate 2PP & annihilate Indies & small parties

imo both areas should be moved to the auspices of AEC, entirely out of venal party politics

#auspol #whythefuckislabor #ProgIndies

John Smith 5d ago

@MsDropbear42 💯 The Farrell funding fiddle is corruption writ large. It was a relief to see that similar arrangements in Victoria were ruled unconstitutional by the courts and I hope the SA and Federal laws go the same way.
One of the reasons I gave up on Labor was the disconnect between members goals and the parliamentary team's actions. I think the Greens are much better in that regard.

Looking for explanations…5d ago

@smitjo @MsDropbear42

I don’t mind the idea of “parties”, because for some politicians, having that support is the only way that those with real talent can find their way into cabinet. But I think all MPs should always be free to exercise a conscience vote and the membership should be more of a loose coalition. Too much power lies with the leadership. I’m pretty sure that many Labor MPs have had to bite their tongue in matters concerning climate, submarines & Gaza.

Jude🇵🇸5d ago

@Susan60 @smitjo @MsDropbear42 As Pocock said the other day, 'crossing the floor' is called 'voting' in most other counties, ie we are unusual in that our party rules require all to vote in unison, with disobedience often resulting in being chucked outta the party. Hopeless.

Looking for explanations…5d ago

@sister_ratched @smitjo @MsDropbear42

I don’t think the Libs formally require it, although the chances of getting away with not doing it would be slim these days. And Labor has always been monolithic. Makes a mockery of their voting in Parliament.

Jude🇵🇸5d ago

@Susan60 @smitjo @MsDropbear42 💯

John Smith 5d ago

@Susan60 @MsDropbear42 yep, too often the elected parliamentarians seem to be speaking for their party ahead of their electorate. 'Conscience' voting would be better if it allows an electorate's representative to represent their electorate.

I don’t mind the idea of “parties”oh i dunno 'bout that; i was always in the kitchen, looking for a rhythm stick

@smitjo

John Smith 5d ago

@MsDropbear42 @Susan60 you and the block heads? 😜
https://youtu.be/0WGVgfjnLqc

Ian Dury and The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (Official 4K Music Video)

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

YouTube

@smitjo @Susan60 well, i mean, yes duh! 😜

omz John you sent me down a wabbit hole! i watched that, ofc, which lead to a few others of theirs, then multiple Blondies, Visage's Fade To Grey, & now this utter masterpiece... i'm just about swooning with late 70s early 80s musical reminiscing overload -- such an exciting decade for me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9EbR0ckb40&list=RDO_WLw_0DFQQ&index=5

Bryan Ferry - Let's Stick Together

YouTube

John Smith 5d ago

@MsDropbear42 @Susan60 Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. Great stuff. There really were some good tunes back in the day 😄

Looking for explanations…5d ago

@MsDropbear42 @smitjo
I’d forgotten about that awful moustache. Very cool otherwise.

Jude🇵🇸4d ago

@Susan60 @MsDropbear42 @smitjo Another one of those THIN moes.... red flag!! 😱

John Smith 4d ago

@sister_ratched @Susan60 @MsDropbear42 It was the mid 70s though. You could get away with a fair bit of questionable fashion in those days. 😄

Looking for explanations…4d ago

@smitjo @sister_ratched @MsDropbear42

Quite a few young men are doing the same nowadays, especially footy players of various codes. I remember my son doing the same. It’s a flag for, “ I’m not yet able to grow a decent moustache, let alone a beard, but I’m having a go anyway!”.

John Smith 4d ago

@Susan60 @sister_ratched @MsDropbear42 Ha! Yes. My eldest grandson has a 'beard' that a cat could remove with a single lick. 😂🤣

Jude🇵🇸4d ago

@smitjo @Susan60 @MsDropbear42 lol 🤣

Looking for explanations…4d ago

@smitjo @sister_ratched @MsDropbear42
Oh the poor lad… 😂

Jude🇵🇸4d ago

@Susan60 @smitjo @MsDropbear42 🤣

Looking for explanations…4d ago

@sister_ratched @MsDropbear42 @smitjo

I suspect Ferry’s was a very temporary thing, grown specially for the video. 😁 My mother, then mid- forties, thought he was very cool.

RaymondPierreL3 4d ago

@MsDropbear42 @Susan60 @smitjo
My fave from Ferry was ‘Avalon’ Still have the vinyl here somewhere…

@RaymondPierreL3 still on one of my hundreds of C90 cassettes @Susan60 @smitjo

RaymondPierreL3 4d ago

@MsDropbear42
I have to confess I got rid of all my (pirated) Cassettes over the years and went with CDs… Cassette players would be hard to find nowadays, and what about repairs? Dog that takes me back. I remember when the cassette wars were on, 8-track monsters fitted under the dash, C90 believers. I was sitting back with bakelilte 33rpm, vinyl 45s and 33s waiting for the war to end before asking Mum to buy me a cassette player. LOL.
@Susan60 @smitjo

@RaymondPierreL3 generally my C90 UX was good, it was the C120 disasters one soon learned to avoid like the plague, ha. i still have my late-70s Marantz & [90s] Pioneer cassette decks here, with my late-70s Marantz TunerAmp & Turntable, my 00's tower speakers & 00's subby. all now almost entirely abandoned, & on the rare occasions each several years that i bother, inevitably disappointing with all the severe degradation time's wrought @Susan60 @smitjo

John Smith 4d ago

@MsDropbear42 @Susan60 @RaymondPierreL3 I've got a few cassette tapes and even fewer vinyl. Much of my youth was spent in the UK and very little of my music collection came with me to Aus. I gave my old record player to my eldest grandson along with Motorhead and ACDC LPs. He didn't want Neil Young or Al Green 😄

Looking for explanations…4d ago

@smitjo @MsDropbear42 @RaymondPierreL3

My ex & I had a good collection of vinyl, an “eclectic mix”, including Roxy Music. He left it with me when we split up. Years later when was moving house, I left the vinyl for my son to pack & move. His dad was with him… & I ended up with my teenage purchases of Sherbet, Leo Sayer, David Essex & John Farnham. (Pre Whispering Jack.) Not one Bowie, ELP, Moody Blues, Supertramp, Roxy Music, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Phil Collins…

John Smith 4d ago

@Susan60 @MsDropbear42 @RaymondPierreL3 ha ha! I think I've had to replace my Canberra Gardener book about 3 times after my ex visits and says 'ooh, there's my Canberra Gardener book' and takes it away with her. 😄

RaymondPierreL3 4d ago

@Susan60
Oh Susan… what a sad story. such good music too…

Trish Roberts 4d ago

@MsDropbear42 @Susan60 @smitjo ❤️

Looking for explanations…5d ago

@smitjo @MsDropbear42

Partner saw him live once, drinking from a whisky bottle. Was ok up until the “hit me!” bit.

Jude🇵🇸5d ago

@MsDropbear42 @smitjo 💯