Watching question time has become a total waste of time. The questions are so banal, the repetition mind-numbing, the rudeness unbecoming, the procedure unwieldy, and the partisanship of the Speaker a joke.
So I thought we should give the Opposition a few ideas of questions we would like asked. Here are a few that come to mind. Feel free to add to them.
Mr Abbott,
You say your Paid Parental Leave scheme is fully funded by a 1.5% levy on big business but as you are reducing company tax by 1.5% that, in effect, means that these businesses will not pay any more and all other businesses will pay less. How do you propose to come up with $5.5 billion a year from less revenue?
Mr Hunt,
Your party has a policy of not providing assistance to business for factory refurbishment. How then can you justify gifting the biggest polluting companies $3 billion to refurbish their factories so they can lower their power bills?
Mr Dutton,
You have warned us that Medicare is becoming unaffordable. Experts agree that preventative health is a crucial factor in lowering costs. Why then have you disbanded the Australian National Preventative Health Agency, established to lead the national fight against obesity, alcohol abuse and tobacco use? Why did you take down the healthy eating website? Why are you defunding Medicare Locals?
Mr Morrison,
Aside from the $9.5 billion you have allocated for offshore processing, could you tell us the full cost of Operation Sovereign Borders? How much comes out of our Defence budget and how much is spent on airfares, administration, and related costs? What is happening to the 12 $200,000 life rafts that are used once and then left abandoned on Indonesian islands?
Mr Macfarlane,
Your policy is to axe the carbon and mining taxes. Can you name one business that has cited these taxes as the reason for their closure? As the level of foreign investment has been increasing since these taxes were introduced (increased by $147.5 billion to reach $2,167.7 billion at 31 December 2012) how can you justify saying they are a disincentive to investment?
Mr Hockey,
You have stated that we have a budget emergency and must move towards surplus. Are you aware that the largest economy in the world, the US, has only run surpluses 12 times in the last 75 years and have a current budget deficit of 4.1% of GDP compared to our 3%? The UK has not had a surplus in over a decade and has a deficit of 6.1% of GDP. The second largest economy, China, has only had one modest surplus in the last 25 years and they are running on a deficit of 1.5%. Are you aware of the recently released paper from the IMF that says debt is not an impediment to growth?
Ms Bishop,
Has the UN contacted you regarding the atrocities on Manus Island in flagrant breach of International Law, and our disregard for the International Law Court ruling that settlements in the Occupied territories are illegal, and our aiding and abetting of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka? What are you offering Cambodia to take refugees?
Mr Robb,
In your TPP free trade agreement there are several proposals with the potential to impact significantly on Australia’s Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme including a requirement that patents be available for new uses of existing drugs, effectively allowing ”evergreening” of existing patents; compensation to companies for delays in the grant or extension of patents; and measures to ensure data exclusivity to allow companies to prevent competitors, specifically manufacturers of generic medicines, from using past clinical safety and efficacy data to support approval of new products. Do you agree with Intellectual property law expert Matthew Rimmer who said the draft was ”very prescriptive” and strongly reflected US trade objectives and multinational corporate interests ”with little focus on the rights and interests of consumers, let alone broader community interests”?
Mr Truss,
At a Senate Committee hearing in January, then head of Infrastructure Australia, Michael Deegan, expressed concern about proposed legislation that will give the Government control over what projects the body assesses and whether their assessments will be publicly released. He felt it may undermine their independence and transparency and he was also disturbed and disappointed that Infrastructure Australia were not consulted in the drafting of the legislation. Two weeks later, Mr Deegan stood down. Was he sacked for giving the government advice? Does this mean the end of public transport funding? Does the government feel it is better informed to decide on infrastructure priorities? Why won’t assessments be released to the public?
Mr Andrews,
The Productivity Commission estimates there around 160,000 Australians with significant gambling problems, another 350,000 who are vulnerable to problem gambling, and that 41 per cent of poker machine revenue in Australia is drawn from problem gamblers. Why have you moved to dismantle the poker machine reform legislation? Why have you disbanded the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission when 81% of respondents in the sector wanted the Commission kept? Why are you suggesting welfare spending must be reined in while announcing an amnesty for offshore tax evasion?
Mr Joyce,
You vowed to wage a “mighty battle” in cabinet to convince your colleagues to sign off on a $7 billion bailout of “distressed” farm loans and avert a “complete and utter financial meltdown”. You have instead announced a Government funding package worth $320 million. As drought is predicted to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, what plans do you have for future relief?
Mr Turnbull,
In 2003, Tony Warren, Telstra’s group manager, regulatory strategy, told a Senate committee: “I think it is right to suggest that ADSL is an interim technology. It is probably the last sweating, if you like, of the old copper network assets. In copper years, if you like, we are at a sort of transition – we are at five minutes to midnight.” A few minutes later his boss, Bill Scales, said “It could be 10 or even 15 years, just to get some context into that.”
A strategic review found the rollout of the Coalition NBN plan would cost $12bn more to complete and take four years longer than promised by the Coalition before the election. Does this mean that we will reach midnight before the NBN is complete?
Mr Pyne,
It has taken the best part of six years to draw up most of the current national curriculum which has just been implemeted, a process that has included 26,000 submissions and state/territory involvement all the way. Will the two men you have appointed to rewrite the curriculum with a more knowledge-based, Judeo-Christian, conservative capitalist slant be reading these expert submissions or is this central control from Canberra?
Mr Johnston,
Who is your second in command? If a story on the ABC makes you too cross to function for two weeks then we better know who to contact in case of war.
Mr Brandis,
Can we expect more raids on lawyers and media outlets by the AFP using spurious warrants? Are the anti-association laws going to be extended? Does this fit in with the plan to use the military for civil matters like immigration control?
Mr Billson,
Will the small business owners who were unaware of your unadvertised change to the instant asset write-off still be able to claim for the capital expenditure they undertook assuming they would be able to claim on it?
Mr Cormann,
Can you explain why you want to close down the Clean Energy Finance Corporation who is making us a profit of about $200 million a year whilst co-investing with private enterprise in clean energy initiatives? Will the companies who moved towards clean energy practices receive compensation when you remove the carbon tax? How do you respond to the warning that companies like Qantas will face taxes overseas if we do not comply with energy reduction targets?
Mr Keenan,
What is the rationale behind cutting Indigenous legal aid and funding to many early intervention groups? Do you realise how much it costs to incarcerate a person? As these were funded by the proceeds of crime through the National Crime Prevention Agency, does this mean that you are now profiting from the proceeds of crime?
Mr Abetz,
Around Australia, our university engineering faculties and research centres are developing the key future-oriented technical skills that may provide the high-end manufacturing more suitable for this country, in areas like hydro, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind technologies.
In its 2013 World Energy Outlook, the IEA predicted that renewables were on track to become the second-largest source of electricity by 2015, and approach coal as the primary source by 2035, with continued growth of hydropower and bioenergy, plus rapid expansion of wind and solar PV.
Australia needs to build a more innovative industry and manufacturing base for the future, including creating more jobs in nanotechnology and biotechnology. It’s in Australia’s interests not to be left behind in the growth industries of the future – and those include renewable energy.
Why are you considering scrapping the renewable energy target which will deter investment in these industries of the future?
Madame Speaker,
Is calling you Madame Speaker considered sexist?
Great idea……..Have you sent this to Albanese ?They ( the Opposition ) desperately need to lift their game..are they listening to any of us ? They don¹t seem very bright in their question time tactics. …but then I guess most of the bright ones have gone!!!!!! Ciao Linda
On 26/2/14 5:50 PM, “The Australian Independent Media Network” wrote:
> Kaye Lee posted: ” Watching question time has become a total waste of time. > The questions are so banal, the repetition mind-numbing, the rudeness > unbecoming, the procedure unwieldy, and the partisanship of the Speaker a > joke. So I thought we should give the Oppositi” >
A class of clowns, liars and hypocrites. The picture tells it all.
Is calling Tony Abbott a Leader, A blatant Lie, Is calling Brandis an MP a lie ? Throw in the rest of the front bench and You would have to come up with “YES”. Death Stare Julie and Steam operated calculator manager Curly Joe, All flag “The Stupid status”. Madam Speaker is a Man in Sheep’s clothing, notice how she use’s the Mens when going to the Bathroom ?
Cheers Kaye,another fantastic piece of work Lady,thanks very much.You sure do make life easier for dummies like myself.I sure do wish these articles/posts would find their way into the MSM.This would be a far better place to live in.
Even if you did get the opportunity to ask these, they would not be answered.
These question just make me depressed at how stupid the voting public are for voting for this mob!
Excellent Write Kay Lee.
I hope they have a look at these items and do something about them.
Well the majority of thinking Australians voted Labor it is the way votes are broken up is the problem.
Dear Ms Lee,
Thank you for bringing these matters to my attention. In future could you please direct your future correspondence to me as it all end up on my desk anyway.
As the age of entitlement is over if you require a reply please forward a bank cheque to cover the reading fee of $10.00 a letter or $100.00 a word, whichever is the more expensive and provide a postage paid self addressed envelope. While this fee may seem slightly excessive that is not all that you will get. You will also receive a boxed set of 5 CD’s featuring the best of Dame Margret’s Falkland Island Speeches as selected by renowned expert Tony Abbott.
As this is a recent innovation I will respond this once for free.
Unfortunately these are all operational matters, fail the public interest test and quite frankly we find sentences that consist of more than three word slogans completely inexplicable.
Kind Regards,
Peta
PS I just though I would mention we know who you are and we know where you live.
To Rabid, What was the nature of official business at Port MacQuarie on 5-6November11. Who organised this official business, who attended it. Where in Pt MacQ was official business conducted on 5-6 nov 11. ( then substitute any number of locations). The local granch officers of Pt MacQ Lib party know nothing.
Not just a waste of time, it’s a waste of money, our money.
Parliament should be more like any other committee, running with proper rules.
I’m appalled.
Bloody hell – do we HAVE to do Bill’s job for him???
First of all, kudos Kaye.
I’ve just got a few quick ones.
Mr Abbott, does it hurt when you smile?
Mr Pyne, do you have the slightest inkling as to how irritating you truly are?
As for the rest of you, will you have any regrets whatsoever upon reaping the whirlwind?
Just call Bronny “Speakerthing!” There are precedents 😉
Again I have to quote Lurch from the Adams family. Err. ERR . err . ERR . err
I’ve listened to Question Time on two occasions this week and I have been intrigued, but not totally surprised, that Tony Abbott not only fails to answer the questions addressed to him but he is going on with this Chauncey Gardiner vagueness:
” when one door closes another opens ………. when the winter is replaced by the spring we shall see new growth and all will be well in the garden”
Kaye, you won’t get any straight answers even if you were to ask the front bench ‘is it raining outside ?’
Watching today’s question time again. The speaker IS truly shocking. She ignores behaviour by the govt that is absolutely ruled out of order in the opposition. She refuses to allow relevant documents holding the govt to account to be tabled. The government gets away with name calling, and denigration that is not tolerated in any other representatives. Consequently it is THE GOVERNMENT HOLDING THE OPPOSITION TO ACCOUNT The speaker is operating as a form of ‘policing’ any questions holding the Govt to account This is TRULY dreadful
Are there any ministers in the LNP with an I.Q. above 5 ???????
Bloody brilliant. My commiserations to all good Aussies who didn’t vote for this pack of conniving bastards.
Hooray…we have a Labor MP with the guts to listen to the people, break ranks, and speak out. Good on you Anna Burke. (PS I wish you were still the Speaker)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/26/why-im-calling-for-an-end-to-offshore-processing?CMP=soc_567
<
Any idea who is going to train Abbott's "Green Army" ?
Somehow I don't think it is going to be the ADF or any 3 star general.
So do I,very much so.
Reblogged this on That Blog Down Under and commented:
I agree with this article
To the leader of the House: How are you able to grant leave to a propaganda document irrelevant to proceedings to be tabled but refuse leave when relevant documents are requested to be tabled?
the biggest joke is madam speaker addressing the lib front bench as the honourable member, there is no honour in any of them, and she’s a bloody joke,
Excellent article!
My favourite observation being:
“Mr Johnston,
Who is your second in command? If a story on the ABC makes you too cross to function for two weeks then we better know who to contact in case of war.”
I didn’t know who the Defence Minister was until his until his “man-in-need-of-anger-management-counselling” press conference. It turns out the navy comes under the portfolio of Johnston and not Morrison. Who’d have thought?
Given that the lines have blurred so dreadfully between what should be civilian and what should be military, I suspect there’ll be more displays of rage from Johnno before the year is out. Not only will Morrison’s incompetence ruin his own career – for what it is – but he’ll take Johnston with him. Neither will be such a loss but the tragic they’re responsible for will stain Australia.
Our deMOCKracy in action…
Regardless of their appalling performance, this overpaid circus of clowns are not worried in the least. When they are booted out of office they will still be ripping off the taxpayer with all their ‘entitlements’ super-superannuation scheme. They do not have to meet a performance criteria as do the average worker. This is a very sad time for Australia and for those of us who did not vote this shambles in to power.
<
Perhaps its time to turn attention to 457 visa workers.
Start agitating to stop them ?
That's likely to upset Acting Prime Minister Peta Credlin as well as Gina Rinehart.
Each time I see Abbott I curse
And start in to writing crude verse
For can’t help being rude
About that rotten dude
And his zoo who daily get worse.
If body language is studied by you
Lying Abbott’s face gives you the clue
Convulsed mouth makes me wince
As he tries to convince
The public, what he’s saying is true.
As PM like a star Abbotts’ treated
And by some like a God he is greeted
But as we’ve now all found out
From the lies he does spout
At Rhodes Scolarship he obviously cheated.
Why is it some people can’t see
PM’s lying about SPC
So please open your eyes
Surely it’s no surprise
That in lying he has a degree.
As PM Tony Abbott’s a dud
Never stops spewing mouthfuls of crud
It’s so hard to believe
Why his fans don’t perceive
He lies like a pig in the mud.
Ahhh the lure of the limerick 😉
To answer your question, I believe that madam would be more appropriate in the circumstances.
Out of order the for irrelevancy member For Governance, Fairness and Decency – Lee.
Only questions relevant to irrelevancy will be considered due to House rule Bishop 1354978345689548323C.
You have the floor Prime Sinister.
Because of the restricted way question time is run it is dull and boring and because of the one question format the opposition cannot get up the momentum to make a real concerted attack on the government. If their is some way to get around this format of question time it will remain dull and boring. So get your heads together, and think of something. Maybe we should attempt to change the speaker.
To Morrison: When a recent boat of asylum seekers was towed back to Indonesia 3 people died- What were their names?
Seems that the opposition have been effectively gagged. Any question that casts the government in a bad light and they demand the minister resign (“Conroy should resign” says PM, over his comments to Campbell – ABC News). Yet time and time again the ministers of the Abbot government are caught out lying to the Australian Public. They should all be sacked for incompetency yet not one has been called to answer for their ineptitude and duplicitous actions against Australia and its people.
This is an evil government.
No matter what ever happens,what they do or even if they f’k up,no Labor senator must ever apologize when asked let alone demanded by the libturds,EVER.
Bloody good stuff….
Bronwen did say..”Call me Madam”…. but then proceeded to act like a tart!
The feeling I’m getting though, is that this rabble is about to implode… they can’t handle any change that happens outside their destructive policy control.. they can’t respond creatively to the changes… they are being seen more and more as incompetent, venal and vicious. I rather think people are beginning to wake to them and think, Am I next?
Such questions are being ruled out of order by this speaker, as being argumentive or offering debate.
It is not by wanting of trying on the part of the Opposition.
If the question does get through, it is never answered. Only replies are attacks on the previous government.
To make matters worse, there has been very little legislation during this sitting. None for the last two days.
Kaye Lee, You really write some Great stuff. What will Abbott do with Qantas ? No money to car producers, and no money for SPC Admona. What will this lunatic do with our National Airline ? I can see PNG surpassing us as the clever Country, in about 5 Months. All Dumb ed down Aussies should wake up and say Duh ! We have been taken for a ride. I am proud to say, I never voted for this Askhole, but want too get rid of this rabble as soon as possible.
The screaming and yelling from the gumnuts in question time is a childish and unnecessary way for “adults” to behave. Imagine what they’d be like if they had lost the election.
They need their bottoms smacked, and this may well happen sooner than they think.
And the questions you suggest need to be asked ad nauseam until truthful answers are forthcoming. This will get Bronny Bitchup even more excited and with a bit of luck she’ll blow a foofoo valve.
Oh Dear Bronnie, How could I forget the darling of the Nazi Party. The woman that could shoot thousands without firing a single shot. She does not need Julie (Death Stare ) Bishops gaze, she just needs to talk to them and they will fall over into their trenches.
I pray you are correct in your assessment,,how I hope you are right.
Mr Pyne
You say that more money for schools makes no difference to student outcomes. Why then do you keep giving more taxpayers’ money to private schools which are not the government’s responsibility. After all, the age of entitlement has ended I believe.
Again, while I have little or no disagreement with the sentiments expressed, I think that there is a fundamental failure to appreciate/understand that there’s been a paradigmatic shift in the way politics in Australia and elsewhere is now being conducted.
Without getting too ‘epistemological’, people need to understand that it’s now total warfare, and has been for some time.
Shorten et al are playing by the ‘old rules’ and failing to understand that they (the old rules) are now simply part of history.
Politics, as now played, is a new ‘reality’. Now, politics is a new ‘construct’. (The perception of ‘reality’ is always a construct and Abbot understands that only too well.)
Abbott in Opposition demonstrated that getting ‘down and dirty’ was rewarding. He is doing exactly the same in government.
Thank you for a great article.
Our recently elected Coalition government has been drunk on power since Sept 7 2013,
This is a group of elected individuals lurching from crisis to crisis with total disregard to their actions, behaviours and arrogant excuses just like out of control drunks, it is ugly, it is mean and spiteful.
Like all drunks, the party comes to end. I’m waiting for the hangover to set in and what a hangover it will be. This is going to be a spectacular implosion one way or another and it will be ugly, full of recriminations and remorse yada yada yada….
There was no plan during the election other than being elected and there is no plan for the country’s future. Mr Abbott once boasted its is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission and that sums up the style of government.
Seven out of thirty six months have been squandered on pettiness, vindictiveness, revenge and a good deal of anger, this is not sustainable.
For my two cents, the Opposition really doesn’t have to do much as the Coalition will be their own worst enemy. I can see the blame game now.
For Mr Shorten may I suggest a two word slogan to his counterpart ‘Un Australian’.
I don’t think that ANY member of the LNP has actually SAT DOWN and thought for 10 seconds about what the SUM of all their ACTIONS is.
I think that like General Campbell they WOULD be insulted if we TOLD THEM THAT THEY HAVE PERPETRATED A FASCIST /authoritarian government.
BUT they have, It is ONE THING TO OPPOSE when you are in OPPOSITION.
It is another THING TO BLOCK all questions, debate and the normal process of parliament WHEN you are in government.
THAT IS THE SUM of what they are DOING. THE SPEAKER is nothing but a GUARD DOG savaging at the opposition at every opportunity. SHE IS SERIALLY HUMILIATING PARLIAMENTARIANS for speaking AS IS THEIR RIGHT.
SHE is actively preventing them from speaking complete sentences.
EVERYWHERE ELSE there is AN ATTEMPT to BLOCK the parliamentarians right to SPEAK and debate.
SENATE QUESTIONS cause deep INSULT. SENATE hearings are supposed to be places where issues are clarified and WHERE OFFENCE CANNOT BE TAKEN. THIS IS FOR THE RUNNING OF AUSTRALIAN government and if questions relate to that management THEN NO OFFENCE CAN BE TAKEN.This is all a FURFY to prevent detail from being aired.
THE OPPOSITION HAVE BEEN AND ARE CONTINUING TO BE PREVENTED AND BLOCKED from speaking in parliament.
THE SPEAKER MUST BE REPLACED. Until that happens there can be NO DEMOCRACY.
olddavey:
Have you seen the ads for Australian TV shows lately? Vulgarity and ignorance is very much in fashion!!
kaye wonderful article AGAIN….I find the most disgusting of all Bronwyn bishop…in all my years I have never seen such a spiteful shrew and to have her as THE SPEAKER is beyond belief……..I looked in the dictionary under wicked witch and it said see Bronwyn Bishop…how can the labor government sit and take her insults without doing more about having her removed…..bipartisan is that not the rule of a speaker ? and as far as the rest of the liberals WELL I cannot bring myself to describe them animals is too good a word for them
These are clear, intelligent and well researched questions, Kaye.They deserve well considered and honest answers. Most of us (out here) could not be so patient and calm in framing questions to each Minister.
I am extremely concerned by we who are on Centrelink payments. It seems that the Conservatives ( I refuse to call them ‘Liberals’…they are NOT), are always hell bent on vilifying and cutting the support and muddy the regulations regarding those in most need to punish them for their situation.
I am concerned with sole parents and how they are coping ( many are not) and the hoops they have to jump through to get their pittance, whilst dealing with child/ren and their day to day needs. As one parent asked; Does this government want us to stay with abusive and violent partners?
I am concerned with those on disability support as the amount received is basic to requirements. The cost to attend specialist medico’s becomes unsustainable if transferred to Newstart payments. So does this government want the chronically ill to choose between paying for doctors, paying for meds, paying for food, paying for housing?
I am concerned for those on Newstart. The way the Jobs Network et al work is that they muddy the waters to get their ‘ounce of flesh’ from the Government coffers to (so called ) helping the unemployed. So many are saying they get their own jobs but are threatened by service providers to sign the papers to indicate it was the provider who got them their jobs to recoup the money. It is so corrupt especially when it comes to sole parents trying to continue their further studies and are messed about between Job Service providers, Centrelink and their responsibility in the home.
I don’t know how to form those questions so that they may have factual clarity but they concern me.
I could never be calm when it came to asking about asylum seekers. It is all too too horrible.
dissenter…….thank you for your reply….I think it is time for bill shorten to man up and do something about her she thinks she is untouchable…but she is nothing but a vain witch…who had been overlooked for years in the liberal ranks…but she speaks mainly for little tony who has no balls.
abbie,
This may help you to understand what Tony thinks
‘Bad bosses, like bad fathers and husbands, should be tolerated because they do more good than harm’
http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s596135.htm
Reblogged this on The Kettle Press and commented:
They won’t answer any question in Question Time, instead blaming Labor for whatever they, themselves, should now be doing as government. They insult, ridicule, obfuscate and outright lie. Their arrogance is only made worse by the Speaker running interference, denying questions altogether because she personally objects to some part of it, or rephrasing it to what she prefers it to be. The farce that is now Parliamentary Question Time is beyond disgraceful, and it is aided and abetted by a failing mainstream media who still interrogate Labor, who are in opposition, are lamely question without persistence the Liberal National Coalition which is government. It is up to Labor to move to different ground altogether and to take Australia’s heart with it, because currently we are losing more and more of what was once a large and vibrant sense of self. Pedagogy is diminishing us into fearful, angry, extremely intolerant reactionaries. It’s time, Australia. Stand tall, take back what has been, and is being stolen by self-serving, vote chasing politicians beholden to corporations over the people they are supposed to represent and plan, long term, to work to ever raise up. Australia, it’s time.
To Bitchy Bishop they should have said pass
To appoint her as Speaker was a farce
But it just goes to show
How far Liberals will go
Being all of the sneaky type class
Parliament today is much bleaker
Now that Bronwyn Bitch is Madam Speaker
Always aiding the ploys
Of the Libs nasty boys
In their bid to make Labour weaker.
Stellar work Kaye Lee.
Questions that need to be asked at the ironically named “Question Time”
..but won’t be – the Abbott team too busy doing their impression of a gang of hyenas.
Also regarding Abbott and his “bad father” rubbish.
My father was an alcoholic, chronic gambler, verbally abused my mother and complained about having to come home to a household of ‘women’ – never mind that my sister and I were just little girls who did not get to choose to be female, was so rarely sober that I could count the number of times on my fingers, died at age 52 of brain haemorrhage – after which things actually got better for my sister, my mum and I – go figure.
Hear! Hear! Dissenter…
Our voices – the voices of about half the population of Australia – are being silenced by a biased speaker.
Our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES are being prevented from representing us in…. The House of Representatives!
The Democratic process is being undermined by the speaker and her assault on Democracy should be an issue during the MARCH IN MARCH gatherings….
“Restore Dignity to Parliament”; “Preserve Democracy”; “Our Voices Stifled by Speaker”….
The Opposition should boycott Question Time and instead ask their questions on the steps outside where they would at least not get interrupted and a few news groups may report them. They ought to say they won’t return till The Bishop is defrocked. Imagine the scene inside with no opposition to yell down, laugh maniacally at or blame for their own actions. Would they just sit there and dribble?
Agree,it is worth a try.
This is great Australia has a delusional government .
All liberals.
Not one sane person on the front bench .
A leader , called the Mad Abbott.
The Abbotts advisor is a Cretin .
Credlin No one voted for her ,rules the nest.
Madam Bishop appears to be running a brothel instead of parliament and should retire gracefully before the mental health team take notice.
This whole Liberal government should be sent to Manus island .To discus being civil with the locals and employers of the islands detention centre .
George Pell one of Abbots best back patters Went to Rome.
The two of them involved in the Cover up of ministerial
( Roman catholic church paedophiles)
The Bandit Brandus . Gave a glowing reference for a Drunken driver.
What would she/he done if the driver killed some School Children in an Pedestrian crossing , While Drunk. Has she learnt from it .No she was let of on a glowing reference.
The Abbott Has blood on his hands.
Uses allowances for things he is not entitled to but is let off that is very wrong
Today the Governor general should declare this government null and void.
Finally The Mad Abbotts best friend Rupee baby
who helped to get his side in through misinformation has had a win fall in a massive tax rebate no one cared to talk about. This money could have kept incapacitated people in needed medical help.
Haha yes the opposition should go on strike until there is a ‘kinder and gentler parliament’
This is a fantastic set of questions. Its because of the non-questions we are frequently fed that I and others set up the Real Questions website (https://realquestions.net.au), to see the questions people really want answered. If enough people support the question, it gets emailed through to the politician. I would love to see people add more questions like the one in this article. Looking forward to more like this!
great article again.
so what would happen if the opposition boycotted parliament sittings?
the best plan of attack would be to stand their ground against the speakers ruling and get thrown out for questioning the speakers bias.
It would set up a fascinating contest that may gell in the electorates grey matter.
if the opposition worked it carefully so as not to avoid being absent when significant legislation is before the house then they could be on the winner.
Considering that there is presently not much legislation being before the house then let it rain ” the member should excuse himself/herself from the house for (a) 1hour (b) 24hours.
It would surely make watching question time entertaining and someone may be able to break whining pleb Pynes record from the past few parliaments but maybe thats a record that should be kept intact.
Wadda ya reckon LABOR show a little gumption and challenge the obvious bias
Ya sure can’t be on a bigger looser than you are already
Show some balls ya mugs.
Trevor
I think that Labor should walk out en mass from Question Time and make a very public protest against the Speaker from the steps of parliament having briefed the media in advance.
It’s a risky strategy but with the present bias and inexperience of this appalling Speaker there seems little alternative.
What ever they do,they must do something.It was bad enough watching total disrespect of Julia Gillard,but the way question time is run now is obscene and impossible for me to tolerate.Watch 15min.of it the other day and had to turn it of.This is not the real Australia.
I wonder what they find to talk about on right wing blogs. Very little about this government, I suspect.
Maybe they are like the right wing visitors to these sites. Left with nothing to talk about, but rewriting the previous two Labor governments.
I am sure, even they would find it hard to find positives to write about Abbott. It is even hard to talk about fewer boats coming, when they cost is so high.
Cost in money, lives and the nation’s reputation.
Many just find the means repugnant.
People like the vast majority commenting here (including the author) make me sick! If you really have something to say or think you can do a better job, then get off your fat arses and go do something about it. How many of you armchair experts have actually stood up and said “no, I don’t believe that is right” and lobbied parliament, set up (or signed for that matter) a partition or even spoken to your local member? Huh??? None, I am willing to bet. How many have tried to become a local councillor, let alone state or federal MP, or even been to a meeting?? Again – None!
Don’t kid yourselves, the most almost anyone here does is votes every 4 years. Time to get off your high horses!
It is typical Labor mentality to spit the dummy when something doesn’t go their way – stage a mass walkout??? Really??? Golden boy, Kevin Rudd was a prime example of this. It was well publicised that if something didn’t go his was, he would swear, yell and sulk – spoilt brat! When the golden boy started losing ground, the unions knifed him and stuck in Gillard. What did he do? Sulked, whinged and used underhanded tactics to wiggle his way back in. Unions (basically the Labor party’s boss), if something doesn’t go the way you want, strike!
I am not saying that the Coalition is the best government by any means, however in my own opinion they are by far the better ones to lead our country at this time.
The first year at least of any new government, whichever is in power, is tarnished by the outgoing government. I agree that there is too much rubbish and push and shove, but unless people are willing to stand up and have a go, it will never change.
I very rarely get involved in forums such as this as they are just full of hot air and BS. It just frustrated the crap out of me to see all of you with so many ideas (good & bad) just sitting on your computers giving commentary that within seconds is gone and means nothing. I would much rather be doing something proactive in my own community to try and make it a better place for me, my family and other community members. Why don’t you all put your money where your mouth is and go out and make a stand for what you believe in? You never know where it could lead.
Take care all. Here’s to a better Australia for us all.
MichaelB and,
How do you know that we don’t? Do you know our backgrounds, our academic qualifications, the churches/charities/the volunteer work which we do?
Sadly you are falling into the trap of making assumptions about people who you have not met and who you do not know.
“How many of you armchair experts have actually stood up and said “no, I don’t believe that is right” and lobbied parliament, set up (or signed for that matter) a partition or even spoken to your local member?”
I am saying “no, I don’t believe this is right” in every way I can Michael. I write articles, I sign petitions, I attend rallies/marches/vigils. I write to politicians, but you are correct in saying I have never tried to become one. I have done a lot of volunteer work and I have tried, through my paid employment, to help people.
“It just frustrated the crap out of me to see all of you with so many ideas (good & bad) just sitting on your computers giving commentary that within seconds is gone and means nothing. I would much rather be doing something proactive in my own community to try and make it a better place for me, my family and other community members. Why don’t you all put your money where your mouth is and go out and make a stand for what you believe in? You never know where it could lead.”
I agree that community involvement is a good start. And I can assure you that I have made it a priority in my life. You presume far too much Michael and I find your ill-informed negativity unhelpful. Raising awareness and informing people has a place regardless of what you may believe.
MichaelB, I am curious to know how you know what all here do.
Then facts are not needed by many, when they make comment.
QandA. Brandis wiped out with the first two questions.
Not doing any better since.
Free speech versus racist vilification?
Michael, I invite you to take part in March in March, at a location near you! Look it up online 😉
There is a section of society that has been good humoured for the most part, tolerant, indulgent even. But that time is gone. Petitions (partitions) are fine… but politicians only take notice of those that favour them.
The world as we know it is changing, climate change is real… wait till you have to buy (ffs) from Nestle, the water you need to survive, because Fracking has ruined the aquifers. wait till the natural environment is so degraded that the planet is in decline. Yes, the planet will survive, life will go on… but it will be without us… the human race! Abbott talks about direct action… I have a feeling that the people of Australia are ready for direct action of their own… and he will not like it 😉
Who do you think you are you self-righteous wanker,you know nothing about anyone of us.So Libs.better option you think,cutting penalty rates from lowest payed workers,usually casual,sacking climate commission,destroying Barrier Reef,turning their back on education,and the list goes on.Look mate,they travel the world and brag about what a stable,strong,robust economy we have,then come home and ppl like you believe them when they shout we are in a fiscal disaster zone.Wake up.
For the record,am a member of local progress assoc.,will be marching on 15th March and sign many petitions.Vandals sign partitions.