Hilarious quote from the North Coast's very own right-wing 'political fibber extraordinaire'

“Bruce, there is one thing I am very particular about and that is making sure I get my facts right.” {Fred Perring in a Daily Examiner letter to the editor on 24^th June 2013}

The best of Tony Abbott

http://youtu.be/V-WqnTrG204

Quotes of the week

“On top of that, I’m entirely ready to take a shovel, dig up the press gallery and turn it into a garden for ornamental cacti. Their lack of self awareness is staggering. Who, on one hand, lectures politicians for focusing on leadership instability, while at the same time, reporting on nothing else?” {Corrine Grant over at The Hoopla on 25^th June 2013}

“Since when has disrespecting a parliament, rather than respecting a parliament, been an act of loyalty? Since when is disrespecting the office of prime minister, rather than respecting the office of prime minister, seen as an act of loyalty? Since when is verballing and patronising electors, that they somehow got it wrong in 2010 rather than respecting the result, seen as an act of loyalty?” he said.

“Of course, none of these are acts of loyalty at any level. They are the acts and views of radicals. And many, too many, have fallen into this lazy world of spit and venom at the expense of nation-building and investing respectfully in our institutions that are the foundation of our democracy.” {Rob Oakeshott in The Guardian UK on 25^th June 2013} 

“Who would want to be a woman in the sexist snake-pit that is Australian politics?” {Araminta Wordsworth in National Post on 28^th June 2013} 

"It's a very strong team ... but there is one person who I particularly want to mention. "We have a strong and credible broadband policy because the man who’s devised it, the man who will implement it virtually invented the internet in this country. Thank you so much, Malcolm Turnbull."

{Tony Abbott in http://youtu.be/oQbm6InGeUg 27th June 2013}

"Tony Abbott should avoid further embarrassment by not opening his mouth ever again on anything related to telecommunications. He’s had years to get it right, and he still has no clue."{Robert Merkel in LarvatusProdeo on 28 July 2013}

“Van Onselen was voicing the concerns of more than a few of Abbott’s colleagues, who fear being handed power with no mandate and no agenda.”

{Waleed Aly in The Monthly in July 2013}

Two women an ocean apart on a momentous Wednesday 26 June 2013

Crikey.com.au Editorial, 27 June 2013:

Yesterday, a lone woman stood up to her (overwhelmingly male) colleagues who were trying to take away her rights and silence her voice. She stood in the legislature and spoke for women everywhere, and when she could stand no more her colleagues and the people who elected her stood with her. And at least yesterday, she was triumphant.

She is Wendy Davis, a Texas state Senator, who filibustered a bill that would effectively outlaw abortion in Texas. When her 13-hour filibuster ended 11 minutes before the crucial midnight deadline, others took up the torch, shouting down a vote, and preserving women's right to choose -- until Texas Governor Rick Perry called for another special legislative session to pass the bill.

Yesterday, in Australia, our first female prime minister stood up to her male colleagues who were trying to silence her voice. She stood and called their bluff, and she said she was not going down without a fight. But then, when she could stand no more, her colleagues and her friends spoke for a man with a blue tie instead. And while a few remained loyal to her, it wasn't enough. In her final speech as prime minister, she took to the podium alone.

"What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that, and I am proud of that," she said. And no one stood with her at all.

* Photographs from Google Images

Portrait of a man you don't want your daughter, sister, aunt, mother to meet

Kickstarter’s full public apology and take down notice of 21 June 2013 here.

Excerpt:

Let us be 100% clear: Content promoting or glorifying violence against women or anyone else has always been prohibited from Kickstarter. If a project page contains hateful or abusive material we don’t approve it in the first place. If we had seen this material when the project was submitted to Kickstarter (we didn’t), it never would have been approved. Kickstarter is committed to a culture of respect.

Second, the project page has been removed from Kickstarter. The project has no place on our site. For transparency’s sake, a record of the page is cached here.

Third, we are prohibiting “seduction guides,” or anything similar, effective immediately. This material encourages misogynistic behavior and is inconsistent with our mission of funding creative works. These things do not belong on Kickstarter.

Fourth, today Kickstarter will donate $25,000 to an anti-sexual violence organization called RAINN. It’s an excellent organization that combats exactly the sort of problems our inaction may have encouraged.

A quick turn around Twitter after the Australian leadership spill

Nationals MP For Clarence Chris Gulaptis' weak-kneed response to the over 10,000 strong Northern Rivers 'No CSG' petition

The Northern Star 20 June 2013:

A PETITION of more than 10,000 signatures from Northern Rivers residents will be read to the NSW parliament today asking for the cancellation of all existing unconventional gas exploration licences in the region.

Greens MP Jamie Parker will read it.

"The people of this region will do what it takes to protect themselves from the gas invasion, but with this petition we are giving the government a chance to respect local democracy and do the right thing by the region," regional co-ordinator of Lock the Gate Northern Rivers, Ian Gaillard said.

Later that same day in the NSW Parliament, the Member for Clarence fails again to adequately represent his electorate in the short 21 minute period during which the O'Farrell Government played politics with the petition rather than discuss the issues:

Mr CHRISTOPHER GULAPTIS (Clarence) [4.40 p.m.]: Coal seam gas is a big issue in the Northern Rivers and in my electorate. I am neither for nor against coal seam gas. My position, and that of The Nationals, is that we have to regulate the industry to ensure that it does not impact on our land or water. In New South Wales, 1.1 million rely on gas as a source of energy. We have a responsibility to ensure that those people  can access gas at a fair price without compromising our environment. That is the approach the Government has taken. I am somewhat confused about the approach of The Greens and the former Labor Government on this matter. One minute they are for it and the next minute they are against it; one part of the party is for it and the other part of the party is against it. They have more positions on this issue than there are in the Kama Sutra....

A response from the community in The Daily Examiner 25 June 2013:

MPs in sorry state

A 10,000-signature petition from Northern Rivers residents opposed to coal seam gas was presented to the NSW Government last week.

In response to a referendum on CSG at the recent council elections, the Lismore electorate voted 87% against the industry, and it would be expected that similar percentages would have been recorded in neighbouring local government areas had the same question been posed there.

As well, the Lock the Gate survey of thousands of landholders across the region has routinely reported in excess of 90% voting to declare their roads gas field-free zones.

However, last week's petition was presented to Parliament by the Member for Balmain because our local State representatives, Chris Gulaptis and Thomas George, both refused to present it.

At the subsequent parliamentary debate on the petition, neither local member addressed the substance of the petition, instead trying to push the blame for what is occurring onto the previous Labor government.

And how dare Mr Gulaptis refer to an issue opposed by 87% of the community as the "anti-CSG bandwagon" and try to score cheap political points against other elected members.

In what can only be described as a totally irrelevant rant, he targeted our Federal member, Janelle Saffin, over the actions of NSW Labor's disgraced ex-ministers Obeid and MacDonald.

If nothing else, Janelle Saffin is once again going in to bat for her constituents, a responsibility our State representatives should remind themselves of, and hang their heads in shame for failing to do so.

John Edwards

South Grafton