@Mildlyoppugnant |

30 Followers
79 Following
207 Posts
Hopefully contributions to debate but often just therapy TBH. Won't follow unless you have avatar & some personalisation, at least.
Sitewww.mildlyoppugnant.com
CatsAllergic
DogsYes

What's the line? Meet the old boss, same as the old boss?
I'd like to say I'm surprised. I'm not.
Farrell the ALP officer in charge of electoral reform.
Parties gotta party #auspol

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/don-farrell-defends-ex-colleague-s-appointment-to-plum-us-post-20231019-p5edha.html?btis

Don Farrell defends ex-colleague’s appointment to plum US post

The trade minister faced accusations of hypocrisy after appointing a former Labor senator and union ally to a trade job in San Francisco.

The Sydney Morning Herald

Dutton at Lib Vic conference this weekend:
“I believe Australians on the 14th of October are going to stand up for what they believe in.... They’re going to support the position of the Liberal Party because they know that we’ve thought about it.”
I'm ok with the former statement. I fear the result, but ok.
But the next statement? That jumps the shark. #auspol #liberals

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/anti-voice-crowds-dominated-by-conspiracy-theories-as-neo-nazis-gatecrash-rally-20230921-p5e6hw.html?btis

Hundreds of anti-Voice protesters rally in Sydney, Melbourne

Rallies in Sydney and Melbourne saw a turnout much smaller than Yes campaign marches last weekend.

The Sydney Morning Herald
News' board is Murdoch compliant, so Lachlan M will probably get his way. If the board actually functioned as a board instead of proxies for Murdoch family and Gulf royalty, it would ask itself what skills does this man - who was PM of Australia but has been unable to land a senior corporate responsible role since he was defenestrated - bring to this corporation? It's not clout and network - News hardly needs those. #auspol #MurdochRoyalCommission
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/tony-abbott-nominated-to-fox-corporation-board-of-directors-20230923-p5e6zy.html?btis
Tony Abbott nominated to Fox Corporation board of directors

Lachlan Murdoch welcomed the nomination, stating the former Australian prime minister had skills, experience and perspective that would contribute to the board and benefit the company.

The Sydney Morning Herald

“And you can call me a conspiracy theorist if you like, but I know the way that these people work and that’s what will end up happening.”
Ok. You're a conspiracy theorist.
The giveaway, I mean, apart from the company apparently kept:
"These people".
#auspol #VoicetoParliament #conspiracytheories

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/anti-voice-campaign-director-says-white-people-will-be-paying-to-live-here-if-referendum-succeeds-20230920-p5e68c.html?btis

Anti-Voice campaign director says white people will be ‘paying to live here’ if referendum succeeds

Kerry White, scheduled to speak against the Voice at Adelaide’s “world freedom rally”, also described the stolen generations as a mistruth.

The Sydney Morning Herald

At last. An opportunity to learn from an event, our handling of it, and to prepare for the inevitable next one.
Something a mature country might want to do.

The immediate reaction from McKenzie - demanding a RC, which I seriously doubt her former (ministers in charge of procurement and consultant appointment eg) and some current members (a certain multi-ministerial PM eg) would welcome - is odd. Did she consult or just push the tribalism button?

Let's look to the full TOR tomorrow before we go medieval on this. #auspol
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-announces-12-month-covid-inquiry-20230920-p5e6cd.html?btis

Albanese to announce 12-month COVID inquiry

The inquiry will not be a royal commission but is expected to have wide-ranging powers to call witnesses.

The Sydney Morning Herald
The former PM just can't help himself. Always more interested in - tho not especially good at - machine politics than governing. Some humility might have been learned, but, naaah, same ol' same ol'. #auspol https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-backing-voice-no-campaigner-mundine-for-liberal-senate-spot-sources-20230915-p5e50o.html?btis
Morrison backing Voice No campaigner Mundine for Liberal Senate spot: sources

Warren Mundine is expected to nominate for the position, though in public he has played a dead bat to questions about intentions without ruling out a run.

The Sydney Morning Herald
I have old friends, long standing residents (generations beyond Barners' tenancy), mystified by his appeal.
Coz they've met him.
From what I understand, it's been the combination of assumptions (a) you can never win against the NP and (b) the electorate is rusted on. Neither is true. Look to Bradfield, Cowper and Groom. Didn't win last fed election but scared the hell out of incumbents. Rightly.
Barners is reverting to type. Won't work. #auspol https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/16/new-england-barnaby-joyce-renewable-energy-zone?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Don’t listen to Barnaby Joyce – New England loves renewable energy

The loud bloke in a hat’s increasingly pro-nuclear, anything-but-renewables stance is out of touch with his NSW electorate

The Guardian

Great headline.
And apposite and pointed here with the referendum.

In USA: Republicans Don’t Mind the Constitution. It’s Democracy They Don’t Like.

In AUS: The Coalition doesn't mind the constitution. It's democracy they don't like.

Specifically, in both cases, it's the consequences of demographic change they don't like.

#auspol #VoicetoParliament
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/opinion/romney-republicans-constitution-democracy.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

Opinion | Mitt Romney Has It Half Right

Republicans are adept at twisting the Constitution.

The New York Times
With thanks to @DrLiz for recommending this, have recently read it. Broadly, it's a diagnosis I agree with. I quibble with some framing and emphases, but not importantly.
It ends on a depressing note, with which I sympathise.
The election of the ALP just swapped competent grifters for incompetent grifters. My conclusion, not Turner's.
An improvement of sorts, I guess. But not enough. Nowhere near enough.
I genuinely appreciate the likes of Turner, John Keane, @timdunlop, @DeniseShrivell but
my greatest concern is that we are in uncharted waters and few are coming forward with suggestions about how we remediate our dire political situation, let alone act.
That's likely because we have not been here before.
Commentary is good, and we certainly don't get it from legacy media, with honourable exceptions (like Ross Gittins eg)
But action is better.
#auspol
https://www.amazon.com.au/Shrinking-Nation-Graeme-Turner/dp/0702266
Server Busy

"Mr Dutton said it was the nature of "the adversarial climate" of parliament that there would be robust discussions, and added that the tone had improved in recent years."

And right there is the problem.
"Adversarial".

MPs are not elected to be adversarial.
They are elected to represent. To discuss and debate. To govern. All reps, not just the government or opposition or crossbench of the day. In theory.

It's party tribalism that makes them adversarial and most of them, like Dutton, think that's BAU and all is right with the world. Most journos too.

Only independents can point out that the emperor has no clothes.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-08/peter-dutton-no-concerns-about-kylea-tink-claim-feeling-unsafe/102830580

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has 'no concerns' about claims opposition MP intimidated independent Kylea Tink

North Sydney independent MP Kylea Tink says an opposition member yelled at her aggressively in parliament on Wednesday, but Mr Dutton says he has no concerns with the account he's been given.

ABC News