This Christmas advert has been banned from TV in the UK for being too political

This Christmas advert has been banned from TV for being too political.

I think what's happening to our rain forests should be banned for being criminal to life on earth.

This needs to be the most viewed Christmas advert ever! Do your best Twitter! pic.twitter.com/c9YEbVyIuw

— Dan Lewis (CWU NW Chair) (@Think_Become) November 9, 2018

FauxMo is not cutting through so he's started the flag routine

The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 November 2018

Standing in front of two Australian flags, interim Prime Minister and Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison has "called out" violent, extremist Islam, saying it is the biggest religious threat to Australia. Scott Morrison says radical Islam threatens Australia's way of life.



Given Morrison history of politicizing his own extreme religious views pushback was inevitable.......

Dear #PMScum, over the last few years more people have died on #Manus & #Nauru at the hands of yourself and Dutton than have been killed by terrorists in Australia. Since you are both extremist faux-Christians, I'd argue that you are more dangerous than Islamic extremists #auspol

— John Wren, Fair Dinkum Scomophobe (@JohnWren1950) November 10, 2018

Australia's faux prime minister now has an Australian flag behind his desk as a photo opportunity prop and religious images showcased for effect. Dog whistles discreetly kept out of sight. Yep, a hard right PM at the helm following the US GOP campaign playbook pic.twitter.com/B8PapxjG4l

— no_filter_Yamba (@no_filter_Yamba) November 10, 2018

Australian Politics 2018: the emperor's new clothes

i360 sits on the bleeding edge of technology, delivering innovative products and services through the strategic use of data, software and analytics. Bringing together this unique set of data science, marketing and analytical capabilities, i360 drives innovation and results for our customers in both the political and commercial spaces…..Using predictive modeling and state-of-the-art grassroots tools, i360 helps candidates and issue advocacy organizations target the right individuals with a strategy guaranteed to make an impact whether at the local, state or national level. [https://www.i-360.com]

It’s no secret that the Liberal Party of Australia has contracted the services of data miner and political micro-targeting analyst i360, a conservative-aligned platform funded by hard right US billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.

i360’s services were used in this year’s South Australian state election and it is rumoured these services will be available to Liberal Party sitting MPs during the 2019 federal election campaign.

It’s no accident that interim Prime Minister and Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison (who had a Kiwi grandfather and a mother who was a New Zealand citizen by descent) has suddenly turned himself into a virulent ‘ocker’ - complete with an Aussie beer or meat pie in hand, thumbs forever standing to attention when cameras begin to click, spewing forth g’days and fair dinkums ad nauseum while sporting a cheap Australian flag lapel pin on his business suit jacket. Togged out in hi-vis vests whenever possible. Wearing a veritable parade of caps for less formal media moments as a "good bloke' and nicking the moniker “ScoMo” from other Facebook users for his own public relations purposes.

No recognition of his own multicultural background for Scott Morrison - it might offend the One Nation supporters he is so obviously wooing!

One has to suspect he is personally getting a calculated makeover by a professional image manager. If the image advice is coming from Finkelstein and Kunkel they are definitely not earning their salaries.

The problem for Morrison is that he has been a federal MP since 2007 and was a Cabinet Minister from September 2013 until he became prime minister in August this year, so his underlying character is widely known to the national electorate. 

A man without a genuine empathetic bone in his body; single-mindedly ambitious, self-righteous, arrogant, prevaricating, unwilling to accept responsibility for the consequences of his ministerial decisions, a shameless dog whistler and, a victim blamer from way back who believes that political or business success and/or personal wealth are visible manifestations of God's approval of the individual and consequently lacking success and wealth indicates moral failure.

His track record as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (18.9.13 to 23.12.14), Minister for Social Services (23.12.14 to 21.9.15) and Treasurer (21.9.15 to 26.08.2018) precludes him from ever being considered a good bloke.

So it was inevitable that the artifice of his new persona would be mocked……

The Guardian, 7 November 2018:

He didn’t want the job, it was handed to him – just ask him. But now that the mantle of greatness has been thrust upon him, Scott Morrison, ScoMo to you thanks, is going to take that mantle, put a surf cap from Mick Fanning’s mum on it and serve it meat and three veg. Fair dinkum. He’s the nation’s daggy dad and, just in case you weren’t aware of it, he’s going to stone the flamin’ crows and show you just how ridgy-didge he is. Below are some memorable quotes. But who said them? Our 30th prime minister, or an Australian icon?

Top of Form

 1. "That’s why you keep backing it in. If something is working well, you should back it in. And that’s what we are doing here."

Scott Morrison

Alf Stewart from Home and Away

2. "The right is constantly procreating while the left is grooming a dead dog."

Scott Morrison

Cleaver Greene from Rake

3. "No wonder the country’s in a mess."

Scott Morrison

Ted Bullpitt from Kingswood Country

4."We’ve got a future CEO of the farm down here, I reckon. He’s pretty keen on the ice cream."

Scott Morrison

Bill Heslop from Muriel's Wedding

5. "This is me doing what I do – I’m out, I’m listening, I’m hearing and I’m doing."

Scott Morrison

Kenny Smyth from Kenny

6. "It’s a simple rule: pants first, shoes second. That always usually works for me."

Scott Morrison

Alvin Purple from the movie of the same name

7. "Feels good to be on the road again. Feels like a drug. Not an illegal drug, a good drug."

Scott Morrison

Russell Coight from All Aussie Adventures

8. "Mate, I think I’ll take you down to Canberra and let you give the boys a bit of a rev-up."

Scott Morrison

Barry McKenzie from The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

9. "People don’t hassle me. It’s always very friendly anywhere in the world."

Scott Morrison

Paul Hogan

10. "Lily and I had a great time yesterday doing the hot lap with Mark Skaife and coming down it was a bit like doing the Wild Mouse."

Scott Morrison

Steve Irwin

11. "And yeah, fair dinkum, we should be supporting Australian businesses."

Scott Morrison

Darryl Kerrigan from The Castle

Image Credit:The Guardian

Tweet of the Week

#GhostBus is now on its way to Townsville with #TruthTruck in hot pursuit. #qldpol #auspol pic.twitter.com/XNbWfy9DLj

— David Marler (@Qldaah) November 7, 2018

The Coalition Box of Chocolates - Just In Time For Xmas

This tea-towel may contain traces of bigotry and zealotry. Wash in a gentle, upper-class cycle with whites only.

Tea towels available now at www.cathywilcox.com.au

A salutary lesson for business concerning the dangers of participating in an interim prime minister’s frenetic electioneering…….

Virgin Australia learning the hard way that drinking the Kool-Aid offered by Scott Morrison on the federal election campaign trail is not a wise decision,,,,,,,,,

Sunday Telegraph, 4 November 2018, p.4:

Australia’s heroes — Defence Force veterans who have selflessly served the nation — will board aircraft first and be formally acknowledged before take-off in a bid to further entrench national respect.

The Digger dedication plan will take place on all Virgin Australia flights and will be announced today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Taking Mr Morrison’s plan to provide veterans with a US-style military card that gives discounts on petrol, food and even weddings a step further, Virgin Australia will honour former servicemen and women with a priority boarding process, and alert passengers via a public announcement that heroes are on board.

Both announcements come as The Sunday Telegraph, News Corp Australia, Foxtel and HarperCollins launched a joint #thanksforserving campaign to encourage the community to honour those who served.

Mr Morrison said Virgin chief executive officer John Borghetti understood why Australians were so proud of ex-military personnel.

“We acknowledge the important contribution veterans have made to keeping our country safe and the role they play in our community,’’ Mr Borghetti said. “Once the veterans have their cards and lapel pins, they will simply need to present them during the boarding process.” It will be rolled out when the ­system of new cards — or digital ID — starts early next year.

Mr Morrison said the idea got a “thumbs up” from him.....

AAP Bulletin Wire, 5 November 2018:

The Australia Defence Association says veterans would prefer Virgin reinstate discount airfares for ex-service men and women to tokenistic public thanks.

A leading veterans' group says Virgin's plans to offer ex-service men and women priority boarding and in-flight thanks "smacks of tokenism".

The US-style idea has also been derided by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who described it as an "embarrassing" marketing ploy.

Neil James from the Australia Defence Association said practical action would be much more welcome than "tokenistic" public thanks.

"If you really wanted to thank veterans you'd reinstate the service discount abolished in the early 1980s," he told AAP.

"Some veterans would be embarrassed by this - in fact, many would be - and some of them with psychological conditions, you actually risk making their problem worse."

Mr James said the airline's idea was a symptom of a deeper problem.

"That is there are so few Australians now with any understanding of military service and war," he said.

Virgin Australia, Twitter, 5 November 2018:

We are very mindful of the response that our announcement about recognising people who have served in defence has had today. It was a gesture genuinely done to pay respects to those who have served our country. 1/3

Over the coming months, we will consult with community groups and our own team members who have served in defence to determine the best way forward. 2/3

If this process determines that public acknowledgement of their service through optional priority boarding or any announcement is not appropriate, then we will certainly be respectful of that. 3/3