Politics

[Scarfman]

Scotty - yes, it is interesting. The C-M and Aussie are both for the Federal Coalition, but lean towards State Labor. I dunno why.

I asked my father, who is a conservative-voting QLDer. Comprehensive reply follows:

Sorry to take so long to reply but I had to think.

In the early 1980's Murdoch sent Chris Mitchell here to run the C-M "to get rid of the Bjelke-Petersen government". In this he succeeded-with some help from the ABC. Earlier the government had been petulant in regard to criticism and had closed down govt spending (adverts etc) in the C-M. And Murdoch wanted to teach an arrogant government a lesson.

Although there is now a new generation of younger journos the culture has persisted with some help from the pinko culture in the UQ school of journalism-some analogies with the Labor lawyer movement and the culture of the UQ law school. B-P was replaced by the Nationals with some fine premiers-Mike Ahern and then Russell Cooper but the flow of the momentum of the anti-conservatve reporting aided by the endless references to the Fitzgerald inquiry did not allow the Nats despite their internal reforms to get a fair go so we ended up with a succession of terrible Labor governments whose skilled spinning and manipulation of the media continued- orchestrated by their Machievellian chief of the public service ( K Rudd) as he purged the public service of suspected conservative supporters. The only difference from Stalin was that they were not executed.

But the C-M continued alignment with this to this day although some corruption and mis-management has been too bad to ignore. The News transfer system has taken some of the people with the C-M approach to the Oz but we have to read the Oz to find out details of corruption-police misconduct-hospital mismanagement-political kickbacks etc in Qld which are lightly treated in the C-M. Not as bad as the ABC transfer system which gave the nation Quentin Dempster, Kerry O'Keefe, Maxine McKew and now Leigh Sales.

For example, Mat Franklin and Tony Koch are quite good and fair journos and report fairly on both Bligh and Rudd. They have left the C-M culture behind and I guess joined the Oz culture of better quality than the C-M low quality-not much better than the telegraph. So the C-M leans towards state Labor for historical/cultural reasons and these same journos tend to spread this approach into the federal area. There does not seem to be some overriding editorial policy.

It disgusts me for example that the Oz has been running with Noel Pearson's opposition to the Qld Wild Rivers Act but not a word in the C-M So one is forced to read the Oz to get a handle on the dreadful Bligh government . For reasons unknown just lately the C-M is getting tougher on the Rudd government - maybe Hartigan has pointed out their responsibility as the only local paper for 4 million population and a need to analyse and report the Rudd performance without the extended cultural thing that I suggest above.

Speaking of bias I have noted that readers of SMH seem to accept Labor sicophants like Hartcher as the norm and find the Oz too accepting of the coalition and too critical of labor and the contrast renders the Oz unacceptable to them regardless of the accuracy or fairness of the reporting.

Go the Reds

Well. Russell Cooper a fine premier, eh? Endless references to the Fitzgerald Inquiry? There's a few points in there I would take issue with, but the main thing was to get some background on the Courier-Mail's softer approach to Labor, so there you go.

 

[Scotty]

Very good reading, thanks to the Elder Scarf for that info.

This one stands out to me and is an issue I've had previously:

Not as bad as the ABC transfer system which gave the nation Quentin Dempster, Kerry O'Keefe, Maxine McKew and now Leigh Sales.

When these journos go into politics, you look back on their body of work and wonder if they were ever truly unbiased in what and how they presented their political stories.

Is he referring to Kerry O'Keefe the cricket commentator? Or was that a typo?

 

[Scarfman]

Senior moment.

I wrote back: "Awsome reply Dad, Fair and Balanced."

He thanked me for the compliment, so I haven't got the heart to tell him I was being ironic.

 

[Moses]

Your Dad is a Reds supporter? How awkward

 

[Scarfman]

Awkward for him.

 

[Scotty]

Surely you are the traitor?

 

[Scarfman]

Negativo.

Born Belfast, Northern Ireland. Migrated to Sydney Straya 1972.

 

[Pfitzy]

So in his first two years he spent 15% of his time overseas, by contrast Howard spent 9% of his time overseas. Ironic that it was something that Rudd critisised Howard about.

Not really. They're politicians. Which means they're back-stabbing, self-interested toadies who will gladly sell their own mothers for the chance to fuck with policy and make it their bitch, all the while spending oodles of my dollars fucking off overseas for no good reason except to hang out in strip clubs and make pointless statements to world powers who barely view us as a blip on the map and/or a holiday destination. Its always "we inherited a shit government from the Libs/Labour/Oompa-loompas who last held power" and "we can't invest in public infrastructure because we're only guaranteed power for 3-4 years and I've got to set my mates up in good jobs in that time".

Politicians these days are a pack of spineless twats who do nothing but toe the party line and pretend to have real jobs while they slobber on babies and bullshit lobby groups about what they're going to do if they get into the box seat. None of them are worth a pile of shit and I put them into the same bucket as lawyers, consultants, and SMH rugby journalists. They can all line up and take it in turns to get fucked in the arse by a polar bear, the useless fluffybunnys.

I've been drinking. If you're offended, piss off.

 

[Scotty]

Not offended at all Nick. You are pretty much spot on with your assessment.

It is a shame when one of them does stand up for their beliefs they are normally not political minded enough to be successful.

 

[Pfitzy]

Ideals and morals are few and far between when power gets in the way. I think we should organise our political system like this:

- Dissolve the state governments. They're the most useless oxygen thieves of the lot.

- People take an aptitude test at high school and various eggheads figure out a way of identifying suitable people. It isn't restricted to overachievers but rather everyman types with decent commonsense.

- These people go into a leadership pool and once every 2 years, someone gets drafted in as the local member for government. They can only be drafted once in their life.

- Their assets are frozen and they and their families are put up in quality government housing for their term in office, complete with unlimited fibre internet account. They continue to get paid their income and have their jobs assured when they get back.

- They're required to meet with their local electorate 9-5 mon-fri and take concerns to parliament.

- All parliament meetings will be held by teleconference, thus removing the need for flights, accommodation, allowances, and large, stupid buildings costing billions of dollars.

- At the end of their 2-year term, their performance is assessed and their assets returned to them, with a bonus if their electorate has performed well under their guidance and a penalty if they've done poorly (eggheads will figure out performance appraisals).

- They get on with their lives.

True accountability and makes sure no-one wants to be a career politician.

 

[Scotty]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/time-to-draw-a-big-line-under-big-canberra/story-e6frg71x-1225832347280

Editorial piece in today's australian regarding policy and policy implementation. Probably a little biased against Rudd, but most of what is written couldn't be argued.

The large number of promises is not Mr Rudd's only problem. He appears intent on inserting government at the centre of the Australian economy -- an approach that would represent a reversal of three decades of reform, and one that is patently failing to deliver. Not that we should be surprised that Mr Rudd sees government as the solution. His background as a bureaucrat in the foreign service and in the Queensland cabinet office leaves him predisposed to micro-management. But Canberra is not Brisbane and the Prime Minister should stop operating like a state premier. He should realise his commonwealth public servants are best utilised in policy formulation rather than in checking the qualifications of electricians

 

[Scotty]

So the government sort advice in April last year regarding the rolling out of the insulation scheme. The advice warned of all the risks that have now occurred. This advice said the program was being rolled out too quickly and couldn't be control.

This advice was completely ignored.

If I had to guess what happened, I reckon that Garrett went to Rudd with the advice and said we should do something about it. Rudd has said to ignore it and get the thing moving as fast as possible - she'll be right mate.

It would explain why Rudd is standing behind Garrett and refusing to sack him (apart from the egg that would be in his face). Otherwise Pete could turn around and let everyone know what really happened and the blame would shift to the priminister, which may well lead to a defeat at the next poll.

 

[Scotty]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/law-firm-warned-garrett-about-dangers-of-insulation-program/story-e6frgczf-1225832377128

Article regarding the legal advice.

 

[Scotty]

Honestly, Scarfie, you want me to read the smh for a balance opinion, but this latest revelation, probably one of the biggest political stories in the last 12-24 months hasn't even got a mention on website homepage today?

I find it very difficult to believe that they consider it doesn't even rate a mention.

 

[cyclopath]

So in his first two years he spent 15% of his time overseas, by contrast Howard spent 9% of his time overseas. Ironic that it was something that Rudd critisised Howard about.

Not really. They're politicians. Which means they're back-stabbing, self-interested toadies who will gladly sell their own mothers for the chance to fuck with policy and make it their bitch, all the while spending oodles of my dollars fucking off overseas for no good reason except to hang out in strip clubs and make pointless statements to world powers who barely view us as a blip on the map and/or a holiday destination. Its always "we inherited a shit government from the Libs/Labour/Oompa-loompas who last held power" and "we can't invest in public infrastructure because we're only guaranteed power for 3-4 years and I've got to set my mates up in good jobs in that time".

Politicians these days are a pack of spineless twats who do nothing but toe the party line and pretend to have real jobs while they slobber on babies and bullshit lobby groups about what they're going to do if they get into the box seat. None of them are worth a pile of shit and I put them into the same bucket as lawyers, consultants, and SMH rugby journalists. They can all line up and take it in turns to get fucked in the arse by a polar bear, the useless fluffybunnys.

I've been drinking. If you're offended, piss off.

Aaaah, I do miss alcohol!!
Quality rant, Nick.

 

[Aussie D]

Interesting goings-on in my neck of the woods with both local members facing a fight by local rank and file members to contest their seat at the next election. Belinda Neal being a high profile one I'm sure you have all heard of but if labour thinks changing the person running will give themselves a chance of winning they are kidding themselves. The other one is Craig Thomson the former union bully-boy who has had a fall-out with his union mates who are looking to get him out. Interesting times ahead.....

 

[Pfitzy]

Unions are shit.

 

[Scotty]

Paul Sheehan neatly sums up the achievements of Rudd today:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/how-rudd-the-dud-dropped-australia-in-the-alphabet-soup-20100221-ontz.html

 

[Pfitzy]

A bit gimmicky, but then Sheehan can be like that. Jeez he makes some good points in amongst it though.

 

[Scotty]

It is of course quite biased, but there is also a lot fact in there which is the scary bit.