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Showing posts from September, 2017

Reports that Alan Jones to sing "Love Changes Everything" at NRL grand final

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The National Rugby League has apparently been so delighted with the response to its decision to have Mickelmore sing Same Love before Sunday's grand final that radio shock jock Alan Jones might be approached to fill the half time entertainment spot with this rendition of Love Changes Everything: NRL officials believe that Jones would bring political balance to the proceedings and blunt the criticism being levelled by Tony Abbott and others that rugby league has taken sides on the marriage equality question.

Tony Abbott's on the warpath - Send in the army is his cry as we singalong

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Tony Abbott's on the war path. Send in the army is his cry according to this report on the news.com.au website TONY Abbott has been ordered by senior colleagues to cool it after he seemed to suggest the Army could invade the states which don’t expand natural gas production. The former Prime Minister has said his successor Malcolm Turnbull could invoke “defence powers”, telling Fairfax Media the Commonwealth could then take management of resources from states. His drastic response to warnings of a possible gas shortage next year was an implied criticism of Mr Turnbull’s deal with three major gas suppliers yesterday to ensure potential exports would be used to protect the domestic market from gas scarcities. And it was immediately laughed off by senior colleagues of Mr Abbott. “No we’re not interested in a khaki solution,” Treasurer Scott Morrison said curtly today. And a senior Government source said the move would be illegal. “The Defence Powers are a wartime provision. Ther

Is Tony Abbott the Joker of Australian politics?

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Tony Abbott and trust

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Abbott's disruption is raising the question: where will it end? Tony Abbott has reportedly threatened to cross the floor if there is any attempt to legislate a clean energy target. Mick Tsikas/AAP Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra Even in today’s often bizarre political environment, Tuesday night’s encounter between Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin and Alan Jones on Sky News was surreal. Credlin, Abbott’s former chief-of-staff, now works for Sky, where she more often than not is a sharp critic of the Turnbull government. Jones, a highly opinionated voice on 2GB who has a weekly Sky program, spruiks for the former prime minister’s return to the leadership. Abbott is running a jihad against renewables, increasing the pressure on Malcolm Turnbull as the government struggles to bring together an energy policy. It was a cosy threesome, and the off-air chit-chat would have been gold. Among the on-air gems was Credlin asking Abbott whethe

A few words from Barrie Cassidy on the wisdom of attacking AGL

The government goes after #AGL over the energy crisis & it has been extraordinary says @barriecassidy on #InsidersExtra . #Insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/l1dWsqsfZo — Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) September 15, 2017

The old boy is back and he's cross - a little song as Howard slams Turnbull

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The politically correct with no sense of humour and some political news and views

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State Labor MP Justin Hanson’s wife takes his paid position on board of $6.5bn Statewide Super after his election  - THE wife of state Labor MP Justin Hanson took over her husband’s paid position on the board of a $6.5 billion superannuation fund after he was elected to Parliament this year. Questions have been raised about the board appointments process at Statewide Super, after it was revealed that the Australian Workers’ Union SA branch position on the board has been successively held by three members of the Hanson family. The post has been held by former AWU SA branch secretary Wayne Hanson, his son Justin Hanson and now Justin’s wife Alexandra Overley. The Murdochs deserve a fairer hearing on Sky ownership - The UK government has moved the goalposts on a controversial bid for the pay TV group. Trump administration orders purge of Kaspersky products from U.S. government  - concerned the Moscow-based cyber security firm was vulnerable to Kremlin influence and that using its an

Are Sir Lynton Crosby and Mark Textor to blame? And some other suggested political reads for the day

In London's Financial Times  Senior Tories play blame game over general election disaster  has the Australian duo of Sir Lynton Crosby and Mark Textor on centre stage.   As there are increasing calls for Australia to take in Rohingya refugees there s a cautionary snippet, again in the FT , saying that the Indian government believes Rohingya Muslims are "a potential security threat" after the emergence last year of a trained and well funded group of Rohingya militants led by Saudi-based émigrés. And an election update from Russia provided by Reuters, At a Russian polling station, phantom voters cast ballots for the 'Tsar' . "At polling station no. 333 in the Russian city of Vladikavkaz, Reuters reporters only counted 256 voters casting their ballots in a regional election on Sunday. People were voting across Russia in what is seen as a dress rehearsal for next year’s presidential vote. Kremlin candidates for regional parliaments and governorships performed

Michelle Grattan on the Government and AGL

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Treating AGL with public contempt seems hardly the way to get the best outcome Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg accused AGL of wanting to have its cake and eat it too. Mick Tsikas/AAP Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra If anyone thinks the government isn’t behaving in a extraordinary manner in its onslaught against AGL over the future of the Liddell power station, just consider what the Coalition would say if a Labor government acted like this. It would go beserk. After hauling in AGL chief executive Andy Vesey on Monday, the government took its roughing up of the company to new levels on Tuesday. Malcolm Turnbull accused AGL of not knowing what alternative it has to closing Liddell, despite the company previously flagging a plan. Barnaby Joyce suggested its reluctance to sell Liddell was a case of “shorting the market”. Following the report from the Australian Energy Market Operator of an expected electricity shortfall ov

Only one minor election example but a pox on all your parties

Just over the border from Canberra they went to the polls on Saturday to elect the Queanbeyan Palerang council. I don't want to make too much of the result but there is one little warning to the three major parties. Labor, Liberal and Green parties managed just under 30% of the vote between them. Party % share Labor 13.55 Liberal 9.13 Green 6.45 Other 70.87 Comparison with earlier council polls in this section of NSW (that's part of the federal electorate of Eden Monaro) are made difficult by a recent amalgamation of the Queanbeyan and Palerang Councils. Back in 2012 the Labor vote in Queanbeyan was 18.3% and 15.7% in Palerang. The Liberals did not have a ticket in either election back then but the Green voter in Queanbeyan was 5.4%

Memories of a bygone era when at question time members asked questions and ministers tried to answer them

As I muddle along looking back at my 50 or so years in Canberra I had occasion today to look at an old House of Representatives Hansard. What a contrast it provided to the circus I watch these days where no one asks for or gets information. You will see what I mean in the proceedings of 1 September 1966. The Acting Prime Minister, John McEwen, got more questions than other ministers but he by no means dominated proceedings and government members were not confined to asking Dorothy Dixers. Nor did Opposition Leader Arthur Calwell and his deputy Gough Whitlam prevent their colleagues from having a say. QUESTION FISHING Mr WEBB: STIRLING, WESTERN AUSTRALIA – I preface a question to the Minister for Primary Industry by drawing attention to a reply given recently by the Minister in which he said that he was anxious to conserve fishing resources in waters adjacent to Australia. When is action likely to be taken to extend Australia’s fishing zone from three miles to twelve miles7 When