Tweet of the Week

OMG now I’ve heard it all. I was just discussing the positives of solar energy with a Trump supporter at lunch.

He said it sounds good but what happens when we start to use up all the sun’s energy and it gets darker and colder on Earth. 🤯

— Little Jackie Paper #FBR (@s_schuckman) October 23, 2018

Political Cartoon of the Week

No apology for this.
My @smh @theage cartoon. pic.twitter.com/cjir5xVjlE

— The Cathy Wilcox (@cathywilcox1) October 23, 2018

We were robbed in Wentworth and it's all Malcolm's fault!

Now let me see….how did it all go down again?

There are eighty-five parliamentarians in the federal party room representing the parliamentary arm of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Leadership of the party has been a political football since December 2009 when Tony Abbott ousted Malcolm Turnbull. Winning this leadership spill by one vote to become Opposition Leader.

Almost six years later in September 2015 Turnbull returned the favour by replacing Abbott as leader, when Abbott became a terminally toxic prime minister less than three years into the job. Turnbull won that leadership spill by ten votes and became prime minister.

What followed was over two years of relentless vindictive payback directed at Turnbull by Abbott and his cronies.

Then Peter Dutton threw his hat in the ring on 21 August 2018. He lost this attempt to topple Turnbull and replace him as prime minister when Turnbull called a leadership spill and Dutton lost the spill by thirteen votes.

By this time the Liberal party room was swept by what can only be described as a form of hysteria.

Another motion to spill the leadership was passed by five votes on 24 August 2018.

This vote effectively sacked Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister and the leadership contest was then between Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison.

Morrison became the current (and very interim) prime minister on the back of just five votes that same day.

On 31 August 2018 Turnbull made good on his promise to resign from parliament and, a by-election was called for the seat of Wentworth which had been held by conservative politicians since its inception in 1901.

Scott Morrison campaigned in the Wentworth electorate on behalf of his party’s candidate, David Sharma.

On 20 October 2018 the Liberal Party lost the by-election to an Independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, with a swing against the party of over 19 per cent.

The Morrison Government is now a minority government, having lost its one seat margin in the House of Representatives.

So who is the Liberal Party blaming for their by-election defeat? Why it appears to be all Malcolm's fault.

The Daily Telegraph, 24 October 2018:

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is “done with” Malcolm Turnbull and will no longer ask the former leader to represent Australia at international conferences.

Senior Liberal sources told The Daily Telegraph that while the PM would not rescind the decision to send Mr Turnbull on official duties next week at a conference in Bali, it would be the last request. “Scott has said to a number of senior Liberals that he doesn’t want anything further to do with Malcolm,” the source said….

In September, Mr Morrison asked Mr Turnbull to ­represent the Australian Government at the ‘Our Ocean Legacy’ conference in Bali next week — a decision that has been met with a backlash from Liberal and National MPs after the former Prime Minister did not even send a tweet backing the Liberal Party in the by-election caused by his resignation…..

The pair had been communicating regularly over WhatsApp prior to Mr Turnbull’s decision to reject Mr Morrison’s request to help Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma campaign against ­independent Dr Kerryn Phelps in Wentworth.

Mr Turnbull, who told journalists yesterday he was “out of partisan politics”, was initially invited to attend the conference by the Indonesian Government in March when still prime minister.

After the August leadership spill, Mr Morrison said he was unable to attend the conference, so asked Mr Turnbull to still go. It was understood to be an “olive branch” extended to the former leader.

All of Mr Turnbull’s travel and accommodation costs will be covered by taxpayers during the trip.

“I did request the former prime minister to represent us at that conference, and he’ll be there representing the policies of our government,” Mr Morrison said yesterday.

His office later issued a statement denying that Mr Turnbull had been banned from representing Australia at such events, adding that Mr Morrison “will be seeking to maintain a positive relationship with the former PM as he would do with any other former PMs”.

“Mr Morrison rejects the suggestion made to the Telegraph,” the statement said. “The decision to invite Mr Turnbull to represent Australia was initiated eight weeks ago after direct discussion with President Widodo of Indonesia and was well received by the President.” However, Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said Mr Turnbull may be “sulking” after losing the leadership and should not represent Australia at the conference, especially given his refusal to campaign in Wentworth.

“It is a problem and there should have been a bit more thought put into this” Mr Joyce said. “I think he’s angry about losing his job — one can only presume some sulking. I suggest that probably gives us a very good reason not to send him to Bali.” 

The Wentworth by-election has still not been officially declared, with the Australian Electoral Commission still counting postal votes yesterday. Dr Phelps’ lead dropped by 74 votes to 1552 as Mr Sharma secured 55 per cent of the postal votes counted yesterday. He needed upward of 70 per cent to dent the margin.

Mr Morrison defended the pending result, saying that while the Liberal vote in the eastern suburbs seat dropped by about a third so did the Labor and Greens vote.

Fronting the Coalition party room for the first time since Saturday’s by-election, Mr Morrison hit back at calls from moderates in the party for action on climate change and the urgent removal of refugees from Nauru.

“We’re not shifting to the left or the right — it’s not hokey pokey politics,” he told the closed door meeting.

“We will continue to be a strong centre-right government with strong centre-right parties focusing on the things that matter.” Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, whose leadership has been under pressure from renegade ­Nationals, urged MPs not to be “spooked” by the result in the once-safe Liberal seat.“What they think in ­Double Bay is not what they think in Dubbo,” Mr McCormack said.

One political thumbnail draws attention to what Morrison & Co were loathe to mention during their public blame gaming.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 October 2018:

By the way, Malcolm was in a no-win position – if he had campaigned he would have been accused of being disruptive and a distraction - of crowding out Sharma. 

Morrison wanted his letter of support but wouldn’t allow Turnbull to mention the circumstances of his demise, so, no go.

Next, move on to Morrison’s horror personal contributions to the campaign – the lingering image of him hugging a lump of coal; his defence of advertising on the sails of the Opera House, wanting to see not just horse racing but also car racing; his mishandling of the issues of funding and independence of the ABC generated by the dismissal of chief executive Michelle Guthrie; his multiple positions on the treatment of gay students and teachers; the white supremacist/neo-Nazi parliamentary vote; announcing the possible shift of our embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (even after most devout Jews in the electorate would have already pre-voted, to avoid having to do so on the Sabbath); the possible rejuvenation of a New Zealand deal on refugee resettlement; and then, finally, the assertion that a Kerryn Phelps win meant “instability”, conveniently ignoring the instability in his own party that had resulted in the byelection in the first place.

All this shooting from the hip, attempting to spin the issue, assuming some resonance with some identified constituency, only compounds the electoral cynicism and mistrust. So much for the new, marketing/PR-type jockey - so much for Morrison's skills as a retail politician. Clever sound bites and stunts have a limited life. Voters want authenticity, substance and outcomes. This was a clear message from Wentworth.

Morrison’s calamitous performance wasn’t helped by Barnaby Joyce’s grubby attempt to rekindle his leadership ambitions, nor by Environment Minister Melissa Price insulting former Kiribati President Anote Tong.

Apart from denying any responsibility for all this mess, the most disturbing aspect of the government’s response to the Wentworth result has been its failure to recognise the significance of issues that dominated the campaign, such as climate change....

Robbed of a seat? No, the Liberal Party gave that seat away and the people to whom it should assign the most blame are Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison - along with every senator and MP who fell in line behind these 'gentlemen'.

OUR ABC: the fate of public broadcasting is in your hands at the 2019 federal election

Use your vote wisely.......

abc.net.au, 23 October 2018:

Statement by David Anderson, Acting Managing Director of the ABC, to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee 

Thank you Senators. 

I am appearing today as Acting Managing Director of the ABC. It is a privilege to be in this role, overseeing one of Australia’s most loved and respected cultural institutions. 

There is no doubt Senators will have many questions about recent events and strategies. I will do my best to answer them in my acting capacity and from my management position. Accountability is part and parcel of being a national broadcaster. 

So too is independence. I have already stressed in my early conversations with employees that the great faith and trust the community invests in the ABC is built on the foundation of independence. 

The ABC is funded by government and it is ultimately answerable to the people of Australia. They are the ones who expect us to report without fear or favour, to live up to standards of quality and excellence, to shun commercial and other agendas, to hold the national conversations and to reflect the nation back to itself. 

The other absolute I have, as a long-term content manager within the Corporation, is the primacy of content. Across the ABC’s history we have been adept at using technology to improve the ways we bring our programs and services to our audiences. 

Even in my time at the national broadcaster, the distribution platforms and channels we use have changed dramatically. They will need to change even more over the next decade as we seek relevance and reach in a challenging digital media landscape. 

But it is the content that we carry on those platforms that ultimately matters. 

 Vibrant new kids’ programs that delight and educate our children; 

 Agenda-setting journalism that shines a light into dark corners and holds regulators and lawmakers to account; 

 The rich, direct and often lifesaving conversations we have with our regional and rural audiences; 

 The insightful work of Radio National; 

 Our commitment to the promotion and support of cultural endeavours, particularly music, the arts and creative communities; 

 Colourful dramas like Mystery Road that use local actors, local crews, local locations and local stories to entertain us; 

 And our ability to unite the nation, whether it be on Australia Day, the approaching Remembrance Day/Armistice celebrations or through our in-depth coverage of the drought; 

 And this week, of course, the Invictus Games. 

It is the distinctive content that makes the ABC unique and a priceless national asset. 

While the recent weeks have been testing, I am very proud of the passion and energy shown by our 4000 employees. They have not been distracted. They remain committed to serving Australians. 

As the Acting Managing Director, my early objective has been to work with the Board, bring stability to the organisation, demonstrate leadership and to press for the resourcing we need to deliver the Charter remit and the services the community expects. 

I note there has been a lot of talk recently about ABC budgets and future demands. I would like to bring these facts to the table: 

 20 per cent of the ABC Budget is actually fixed costs for transmission – the infrastructure that delivers our programs to audiences across the nation. 

 The $84 million efficiency cut over three years comes on top of the 2014 decision to cut the ABC budget by $250 million over five years. The cumulative impact of these measures is a significant reduction in our operating budget at a time when we are facing rising costs of production and the need to increase our investment in digital products. 

 We have been given no certainty about the future of funding for a program that directly employs 81 journalists, including specialist reporters and outer suburban bureaus such as Geelong, Parramatta and Ipswich. 

As a long-serving content manager and leader, I can personally attest to the financial pressures affecting the Corporation. I can vouch for the efforts of management to maximise every dollar spent on audiences and to plough efficiency savings into content. 

I am making it clear to stakeholders that the next triennial funding round, scheduled for resolution in next year’s Budget, should be used as an opportunity to reposition the ABC for the future. 

If the ABC is important now in bringing diversity to the media landscape, then it will be even more essential over coming years in providing quality, independent, local content to Australians. The ABC will be the innovator. We will provide the creative jobs that are necessary for this new era. We will continue to provide the highest quality independent journalism. 

Thank you. I am happy to take questions.

Twitter, 24 October 2018:

Australia 2018: It's not looking good for the Morrison Government

News.com.au, 23 October 2018:

IT’S not looking good for the Coalition.

New polling analysis has revealed the Morrison Government is facing an election wipe-out, with a drop in support across every mainland state and every voter demographic since Scott Morrison replaced Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister in August.

Analysis of four Newspolls since the August 24 leadership coup, published by The Australian this morning, reveals a potential loss of up to 25 seats across Australia based on two-party preferred swings since the 2016 election, with eight held by current frontbenchers.

It comes after a shocking 19 per cent swing against the Liberal Party at the Wentworth by-election on Saturday.

Swings against the Morrison Government of up to 5% in Queensland and 7% in South Australia are tipped.

While on the NSW North Coast pundits are suggesting that Nationals MP Kevin Hogan will have to fight hard to keep the Page federal electorate and that Nationals-held Cowper is also up for grabs.

Kevin Hogan is still mired in that ridiculous charade where he declared himself as an independent MP sitting on the cross bench in August 2018.

Despite the fact that:

a) he is still a member of the National Party of Australia;

b) remains the Deputy National Party Whip in the House of Representatives;

c) remains Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives;

d) was preselected by the National Party as its candidate in Page for the forthcoming federal election; and

e) has always voted at the direction of the National Party both before and after his spurious move to the cross bench.

According to Hogan himself; “I’m still a Nats MP – I still advocate and lobby for our community through the normal channels”.

Australia is now in the 39th week of 2018....

....and 56 women have died violent deaths to date this year in Australia.

At this rate a total of 69 women will be dead by New Year's Eve 2018.

This is far too many. Far, far too many.

Remember these women when you go to vote in state or federal elections in 2019.

Image from Destroy the Joint

Morrison Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government begins to position itself for forthcoming federal election

No, the Morrison Coalition Government has not suddenly developed empathy for others, a genuine understanding of its obligations under international law or a measure of respect for Australian courts.

Sensing the growing threat to its chance of holding onto government Messrs. Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton are finally allowing very ill children detained in offshore detention on Nauru to enter Australia for medical treatment.

The first child to arrive appears to have reached Australia two days ago and was reportedly immediately intubated and placed on life support on landing in Australia.

ABC News, 22 October 2018:

Australian Border Force officials have revealed 11 children were transferred off Nauru today for medical attention, with another 52 minors remaining on the Pacific island.

Officials have amended the figure to 11 after initially saying it was 16.

The update comes as the federal Greens float a compromise agreement that could allow families to resettle in New Zealand with their families.

The Federal Government has indicated it may accept New Zealand's offer to take up to 150 refugees, but only if legislation passes Parliament ensuring people sent to offshore detention can never travel to Australia.

Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo said that legislation, which has been sitting in Federal Parliament since 2016, would close a "back door" to dissuade further boat arrivals.

According to the latest figures, there are 652 people on Nauru, with 541 classed as refugees and 23 as failed asylum seekers. The status of another 88 is yet to be determined.

The United States has accepted 276 people as part of a resettlement deal and rejected an additional 148.

There is growing pressure from crossbench MPs for the Government to accept New Zealand's offer, with incoming independent Kerryn Phelps describing the issue as a first priority.

The Greens are now open to considering a travel ban for the group, but only if all children are first brought to Australia for medical treatment, and restrictions only applied to the cohort sent to New Zealand.

"We need to put the politics aside and look after these children, who are being traumatised and brutalised right now," leader Richard Di Natale told the ABC.

"If resettlement after that means resettlement in New Zealand with limited restrictions, just on that group, that's something we will consider.

"What we won't consider is putting bans or restrictions [on] those people who have been left behind.".....