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Cognitive dissonance, collective dishonesty, corrupt dealings or complete dumbness

I am firmly convinced that the entire Coalition suffers from cognitive dissonance.

Barnaby Joyce, in an opinion piece for a Tamworth newspaper bemoaning the “malicious fate” that has put his position in parliament in doubt due to his dual citizenship, wrote about the “crazy boarding school in Canberra” who “revel in the salacious at the expense of the people who we should be totally, and only, focused on.”

This from the man whose coalition partners spent 6 years in Opposition focusing on nothing other than the salacious – Peter Slipper, Craig Thomson, Julia Gillard’s relationship with Bruce Wilson, the deaths of four young men installing home insulation – anything but actually governing in the best interests of the country.

In Question Time yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull began with a condolence message on the passing of Dr Evelyn Scott, an Aboriginal woman who fought tirelessly against discrimination.

He quoted the philosophy her father taught her – ‘If you don’t think something is right, challenge it’ – before recounting the tale of a shop in Townsville who forbade Evelyn from trying on a wedding dress, possibly because she was marrying a white man.

Malcolm described that as “an attitude almost unimaginable today” yet he will, in the coming weeks, be drafting legislation to allow businesses in the wedding industry to refuse to serve same sex couples.

As companies report record profits, we are suffering the longest period of low wage growth on record according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics and unemployment benefits have not increased in real terms in over two decades.

As more evidence emerges of how companies avoid paying tax, the government pushes to slash taxes for big companies by 5% still pretending that, rather than this resulting in increased dividends for shareholders and massive bonuses for executives,  it will create more jobs just as these same businesses increasingly move towards automation.

As every Coalition MP jumps on the bandwagon of rising electricity costs – pensioners will freeze or boil – they move to cut the Energy Supplement to new recipients of social security payments.  They seem to forget that axing the carbon tax was supposed to make electricity cheaper and save jobs.

We are constantly told by Coalition MPs that they are the better economic managers seemingly based only on being in government during a mining boom and an asset fire sale in order for them to say look, no debt.

When the GFC hit, Kevin Rudd was advised to go fast and go big with stimulus to keep people employed and businesses open. It worked. It may not have been perfect but it did exactly what it was supposed to do and saved Australia from the ravages felt by the rest of the world.

This resulted in a net debt of $161,253 million as at 31 August 2013, a week before the election where Tony Abbott swept to power promising to save us from the debt and deficit disaster. Four years later, our net debt has more than doubled to be, as at 31 August 2017, $332,593 million.

One of their first moves was to ask for an increase in the debt ceiling to $500 billion but instead, with the assistance of the Greens that they would never deal with under any circumstances, abolished it altogether and just as well because, as of October 13, our gross debt was over $504 billion.

We are told that Labor are the party of higher taxes yet it was the Coalition who put a 10% tax on everything with the introduction of the GST and it was Labor who reduced taxes by increasing the tax free threshold from $6,000 to $18,200.

Scientists, economists, businesses, energy producers, investors, environmentalists and world leaders all agree that we need to move away from fossil fuel use. The only people championing increasing the use of coal are the lobbyists for coal miners and the politicians who are dumb enough to believe their spin or corrupt enough to benefit from their patronage.

We have just been elected to a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.  There were two spots for our area and two contenders so it is hardly a ringing endorsement. The Democratic Republic of Congo was also elected despite political repression, civilian attacks, and mass graves in their troubled country.

Julie Bishop frequently praised Australia for its success in building a multicultural society and valuing the diverse background of migrant settlers. Yet asylum seekers arriving by boat continue to be dehumanised. The UN has condemned Australia for its asylum-seeker policies and treatment of Indigenous peoples.

Tony Abbott’s comment addressing allegations of torture by Sri Lankan security forces, “We accept that sometimes, in difficult circumstances, difficult things happen,” was described by the Human Rights Watch in 2014 as “rationalization of torture.” They also condemned us for our record on disability and sexual orientation rights.

In the constant barrage of blame thrown at Labor, the Coalition seems in complete denial that, having been in government for over four years, they bear any responsibility for current circumstances.

 

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30 comments

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  1. guest

    There are numerous places where the Coalition has gone awry.

    First of all. their leader has flipped pretty well on anything he ever believed. If he had stuck to those things, people might have believed in him more. He has turned out to be a fizzer.

    They are clearly not economic managers. In fact, they do not really want to do anything about economics – leave it to market forces – yet interfere in what the market is doing with energy in some kind of top-down control.

    The Coalition speaks of individual freedoms, yet really, when it is all boiled down, not very happy about allowing SSM -and still might deny it yet, if they think they can.

    Entrepreneurial people you would think they would welcome, but no, they lock them away. And then tell them they could stay in an unstable place like New Guinea, or go back to their own place from which they have fled, or be traded like cattle with the USA. Great human compassion!

    Kaye’s explanation for how Oz got onto the UN Human Rights Council is no endorsement of Oz immigration policy. They fell into the Council.

    Science appears to be a complete mystery to the Coalition, whether it is about Climate Change, the NBN, energy generation, environmental protection… The latest big toys for big boys is a space agency which, when we completely stuff up this planet, will allow us to fly away and wreck some other place. Fat chance.

    Defence spending is over the top, and while they say they need to support the drongo in the USA against the drongo in Korea, the real fear, apparently, is our trading partner China. Well done, diplomats. The money we will spend could at least have been spent in part on supporting the unemployed with a salary by buying off the shelf instead of over-spending by allowing foreign companies to build here in Oz. And they talk about debt and deficit!

    This present government is a waste of time and space.

  2. diannaart

    Excellent Work – straight forward, no hidden agenda, no ambiguities, no pretence, thank you, Kaye Lee.

    “Cognitive disease” appears to be reaching epidemic proportions, not only in politics but across society.

    “Victim disease” when abusers are brought to face facts about their behaviour – suddenly they are the ones being picked on, a few choice examples George Pell, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein (I can’t help it – I’m a sex addict, no, Weinstein is just another powered up bully), sports stars too numerous to mention…

    Why is it so?

    Because we mistake bullies for winners.

  3. totaram

    From Wikipedia:
    In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.

    If you really believe these people feel any stress because of the contradictory views spouted by them from time to time, you are hoping against hope. They are simply practiced liars, who will say whatever suits them at the moment. Since they don’t believe any of these things, the question of cognitive dissonance (psychological stress) does not arise. See how they go about their daily lives without much stress at all.
    An unemployed person or a homeless one would have far more stress, I’m sure.

    Please, let us label them for the liars and corrupt cheats that they are. No need to be nice about it. And the list of their lies that you have provided should tell us what they are upto. Thank you for that.

  4. Charles

    Great work again Kaye. There’s only one thing in the way of the general public understanding the real situation, MSM. Meanwhile our govt continues on its merry way towards a sovereign debt crisis. The trend’s clear: https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/government-debt-to-gdp

  5. jimhaz

    I do think the complexity and speed of the modern world particularly in relation to “an argument to suit everyone” internet, is leading to some sort of “cognitive dissonance” breakdown in people.

    With the already polarised such as with politicians, the religious, and some SJWs and do gooder groups they seek comfort from this dissonance by supporting their cohort group, the groups they are aligned with. Within these groups everyone has or ends up adopting the same views, so the level of ideological reinforcement is constantly strengthened. It is also strengthened each time one argues their case.

    Cons also see themselves as on a roll at present, that they have the upper hand. They are full of the expectation, bravado and arrogance that a winning team possesses. They are not worried about the problems other identity teams face – they are competing against them for the determination of the future and only care about winning, not what it right.

    Religion is essentially just a form of conservatism, so it is not surprising that they tend to go hand in hand in adding noise to the dissonance whenever they can. I noted earlier today that the IPA includes under the staff section a former priest

    http://ipa.org.au/author/fatherjamesgrant

  6. Kaye Lee

    totaram,

    My father would have said Complete Dickheads rather than cognitive dissonance and I agree with your point – expedient lies and total backflips seem to cause them no stress whatsoever.

  7. ozibody

    Perhaps Kaye Lee, were we to consider that the bulk of the ‘ subjects ‘ here have a more than reasonable degree of education, a fair minded person could reach the conclusion that they hold the Electorate in sheer and utter CONTEMPT ! Perhaps the time is now well overdue that they receive some of their own back !

    Thank you for your articles and comments which I always enjoy.

  8. pierre wilkinson

    Economic managers? Too funny really. We have record low wages, new cuts to penalty rates, pensions and unemployment payments far below the poverty line, tax cuts to big business and now those same businesses are wondering why the consumer public are no longer buying their products.
    Excellent work Kaye Lee, your succinct analysis always hits all the right spots.

  9. Divergent Aussie

    They should change their name from LNP to BAS, the bait and switch party. NBN fttp, no, fibre to the hub, more expensive, inferior product but keeps mates (Telstra) happy. Emissions trading aka carbon tax, no, direct action or no action at all, just confirmed today by scrapping the CET after all Tones (Abbott) said climate change was crap, oh and give away one billion in subsidies for a rail line to a coal mine. Control our borders, no, dump on refos but bring in 1.3 million migrants, lots on 457 visas, because our companies are too lazy to train anyone and the TAFE has been trashed. Classic bait and switch political party.

  10. Divergent Aussie

    “focusing on nothing other than the salacious”, you forget that the LNP is the entitled party. No other party deserves to rule therefore it is OK to be salacious in opposition but once in power they are above reproach because they are always right. The LNP has really become a party of demagogues.

  11. Divergent Aussie

    Did anyone see the drum this evening? Terry Barnes, from cormorant policy advice, claimed sexual discrimination could happen both ways if a woman was in a position of authority. Unfortunately not Terry. Harassment of a man by a woman is more likely just to be plain bullying. Just like men bullying men (and woman). But sexual harassment is just that. Terry was an adviser to Tony Abbott for four years.

  12. Kyran

    Just on that company tax thingy, Mr Verrender has been at it again.
    “The problem is that comparing top line corporate tax rates is an exercise not so much in simplicity, but duplicity.
    There are so many variations unique to each jurisdiction that comparing the statutory rate alone is all but meaningless.”
    “Here is the real story. Our statutory rate may be 30 per cent, but even on that measure, we rank in the middle of the field.
    Our average corporate tax rate, however, is just 17 per cent, and when it comes to effective corporate taxes, companies in Australia pay just 10.4 per cent.”
    And as to the great myth that reducing the statutory tax rate will boost the economy, he appears, at best, dubious. He even cites eleventy’s fury at “The great multinational tax rort” noting “It’s an odd strategy. Charge less so you don’t lose as much through deceit.”
    “As we’ve seen time and again, big corporations with the aid of the Big Four accounting firms, look for the lowest rate of tax globally, domicile themselves there, and shuffle their profits through those countries.”

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-16/verrender-corporate-tax-cuts-who-wins/9052600

    Whilst there is always good comment in regard to the national finances and the inherent security in a sovereign currency, the part that is truly terrifying at the moment is private or personal debt in Australia.
    For context, Costello warned of a financial tsunami coming as he departed the Treasury. It was an odd observation, given he had completely ignored the very prospect of the GFC in the previous years. Now, nigh on ten years later, we have all of the ingredients for a repeat performance, with the same incompetents in charge. The IMF are warning of a problem;
    “An IMF study into highly leveraged households and financial stability singles out Australia, where household debt has risen to 100 per cent of GDP, well ahead of other advanced economies where the ratio is much lower at 63 per cent.
    “Higher growth in household debt is associated with a greater probability of banking crises,” according to the IMF’s latest Global Financial Stability Report.
    “New empirical studies — as well as recent experience from the global financial crisis — have shown that increases in private sector credit, including household debt, may raise the likelihood of a financial crisis and could lead to lower growth.””
    “However, the IMF suggested that fallout from high household indebtedness could be softened if countries improve their financial regulation, reduced dependence on external financing, adopted flexible exchange rates and lowered income inequality.”

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-04/imf-warns-australia-on-household-debt/9013634

    That last paragraph is important. Whilst APRA have been changing liquidity rules for banks, there has been no urgency on the part of the government to improve financial regulation. Other than the occasional ‘tea and bikky’ session with the bankers, one of which was last week.
    “Let’s start with Westpac chief executive officer Brian Hartzer.
    First, he confirmed the little-known but startling fact that half of his $400 billion home loan book consists of interest-only mortgages.
    Yep, half. Of $400 billion. At one bank. Oh, and ANZ, CBA and NAB are all nearly at 40 per cent interest-only.
    Mr Hartzer went on to make the banal statement: “We don’t lend to people who can’t pay it back. It doesn’t make sense for us to do so.””
    The rest of the article is somewhat troubling, to say the least.
    “They have made a huge amount of interest-only loans, at historically low interest rates, to buyers in a frothy housing market, who spend a large chunk of their income on interest payments. This certainly looks troubling. It may not be US sub-prime, but it could be ugly. Very ugly.
    To put it in context, there appears to be in the neighbourhood of $1 trillion of interest-only loans on the books of Australian banks.
    I say “appears to be”, because reporting requirements are so lax it’s hard to know for sure, except when CEOs cough up the ball, like this week.”
    “And APRA’s “crackdown” and the Reserve Bank’s warning may be far too little, way too late.
    We might stumble through this. I hope we do. But if so, it will be because of dumb luck, not good institutional and regulatory design. And definitely not because of good corporate governance.”

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-13/property-market-spooky-signs-of-risk-banks-are-ignoring/9046362

    Got that? $1trill in interest only loans whilst interest rates are at an historic low and household incomes have been stagnant for years.
    “We are constantly told by Coalition MPs that they are the better economic managers seemingly based only on being in government during a mining boom and an asset fire sale in order for them to say look, no debt.”
    They took no preemptive action prior to the GFC, choosing to deny the possibility, let alone consider the likelihood. Post GFC, they supported Labor using the security of the sovereign currency to guarantee the money in the banks, but have thwarted any attempt for the banks to pay any premium for such insurance. They have steadfastly refused to introduce any semblance of good corporate governance, let alone any significant government regulation or accountability.
    Ah well, at least we got a new ASIC boss to look at governance. He wasn’t Malcolm’s first choice. He comes from the same bank though. Goldman Sachs. They were the ones who got a $10bill bailout by the American government post GFC, notwithstanding their contribution to its cause.
    “Cognitive dissonance, collective dishonesty, corrupt dealings or complete dumbness.”
    What could be worse? All of the above.
    Thank you Ms Lee and commenters. Take care

  13. Kaye Lee

    They all mix in such an incestuous circle that they suffer badly from confirmation and affirmation bias. Take Kate Carnell. She has been gifted an inordinate number of positions for a very ordinary mouthpiece. Tony Abbott has been very ordinary at everything he has ever done yet he was our PM. And Peter Dutton is apparently grooming himself for future leadership. Words fail me.

    Not one scintilla of curiosity among them. No willingness to listen and learn. No empathy. No ideas. No ability to see extended consequences and long term benefits.

    Perhaps there are principled people in Labor and the Greens but, sadly, they are constantly reacting to what idiots say and dealing with a public who listen to silly people like Ray Hadley, Miranda Devine, Alan Jones and Andrew Bolt.

    Oh and Pauline Hanson who said yesterday “I’m very sceptical of this [climate change] because the science isn’t there, and that’s been proven. Climate is changing, but it’s not from humans – get this through your head.”

    Pauline, can I ask for your proof of “the science” not being there to help get it through my head?

    Or better still, can we stop electing really dumb people?

  14. Glenn Barry

    Collective dishonesty encapsulates the phenomenon well for me, however I must add that the dishonesty is taken far past what most would consider normal levels, well into dangerously severe collective delusion.

    This results in a total lack of self-awareness.

    Foretell if you can imagine the possibility, what would the general public’s perception of the current government be if the MSM weren’t so biased and complicit with the right wing agenda?

    Even with the Murdoch media support they’re getting smashed in the polls, even with the orchestrated smear campaign against Shorten he’s catching Turnbull.

    Most telling, a friends Mother, who is a staunch Liberal voter, was yelling at the drivel and lies coming out of Turnbull’s mouth at a press conference late last week.
    I dare not ask her preference as an alternative leader, because I will not survive the landing from he 5th floor balcony if she says Abbott and I need to escape

  15. diannaart

    @ Glenn

    I dare not ask her preference as an alternative leader, because I will not survive the landing from he 5th floor balcony if she says Abbott and I need to escape

    A question with the most deadly consequences… one is faced with another question… “If, you figured Turnbull is a liar, why can’t you figure out Abbott?”

    Confirmation bias… human beings feel more comfortable among similar – it’s a tribal thing. I have had email arguments with the likes of Janet Albrechtsen and Miranda Devine (many years ago now)- there is no reasoning with these blighted women and have argued with too many men, of mostly the right, to bother mentioning. As a result I stay clear of the obvious RWNJ sites, simply for my health.

    I now get my news from left wing sources and those sources which try to be neutral but considered “left” by the alt-right and I wonder how much of my own bias I am confirming. Is it a form of bias to want to understand, to enquire, to prefer news based on facts and scientific rigour?

  16. Glenn Barry

    @diannaart – I question my confirmation bias frequently and I must say I do not see the left/right dichotomy as a linear scale, more so a circular continuum with both ends which meet at the nadir mutually toxic.

    I have empathy with your battles with the RWNJ, my father moved to QLD, which I thought was a good thing as he was out of the broadcast area of Alan Jones, I was horrified to find he now watches him on cable along with Andrew Bolt 🙁

    The RWNJ use a tactic of being so extreme as to be nonsensical, therefore any argument from a reasonable position is incapable of shifting their assertions sufficiently into reasonable territory.

    In a similar vein , Dr Karl (the absolute Legend) was contemplating/planning to publicly debate Senator Malcolm Roberts over climate change – after some exchanges Dr Karl then withdrew his participation. Malcolm Roberts is an extreme example and to my mind a case study in the Dunning-Kruger effect. The limited encounters I have had with Miranda Devine’s works leaves me with the same impression.

    Another reason I haven’t enquired about the preferred leader is that they were avowed fans of Joe Hockey prior to his departure, so there are questions which I simply do not need answered.

    On the arbitrary classification of any news being characterised as having left wing bias, it’s simple enough to use the flight navigation of the poles prior to GPS satellites. Once over the North pole every direction of the compass is South.

    So if you shift far enough right every reasonable person is going to be on the left, and we still endure accusations of left wing bias in the ABC from some members of the public. AMAZING

  17. diannaart

    Glenn

    I agree left and right dichotomy no longer serves as an simple equation… and if this resulted in a more questioning, discerning political grouping, I would see that as a form of progressive evolution (BTW I do not equate “progressive” with “left” as the left has its dinosaurs, particularly with regard to equal rights for women and non-whites).

    Instead this populist idea that requests for reason is an evil lefty plot. A populism which recycles itself, gaining more traction as it sweeps up more nonsense.

    That people such as Malcolm Roberts, Hanson are given air time at all is astounding. Sure we need balance but that does not mean we have to tip over the edge.

    As for the Bolts, Jones’, Albrechtsens – these are not unintelligent people. I don’t really have a problem with conservatism per se, but not a blind conservatism that will not apologise, admit defeat, left alone work at some well needed self-reflection.

    Access to information has not resulted in an edification of people; fake news, thanks to moguls like Murdoch and their parasitical wannabe’s has ensured that a little knowledge is very dangerous indeed.

  18. Kaye Lee

    There are people who fiercely protect their possessions, their paycheck, their position, their patrons and their privilege.

    Then there are people who recognise the benefits of helping those who are disadvantaged in some way to have the support to achieve their potential. There are those who recognise the importance of biodiversity and habitat management. There are those who understand that value cannot always be measured in dollars.

    There are also the barking mad who couldn’t get a job in anything BUT politics or the Murdoch media.

  19. Glenn Barry

    @diannaart – fully agree progressive is both a more representative term which encapsulates a larger scope of opinions.

    Even the progressive vs conservative debate will undoubtedly become as polarised over time if the influence of Murdoch & acolytes continues unabated.

    The adversarial approach in politics has failed us completely, because it essentially embodies and propagates negativity – it’s an easy tactic to master, however it results in no positive contribution whatsoever.
    Abbott is our most recent prime example.

    If you’ve ever had the misfortune to associate with, or witness dysfunctional groups of males, of any age group – the adversarial tactic is incredibly destructive, and very pervasive unfortunately.

    @Kaye Lee – I used to photograph for Greenpeace many years ago, what I can see occurring is an increasing environmental consciousness in our country – my perceptual bias may be misleading me, hopefully not.

    What I do see diminishing is the prevalence of the people who know the price of everything, but the value of nothing – to co-opt Oscar Wilde

  20. diannaart

    @ Glenn & Kaye Lee

    Is it too simplistic (and I believe ‘life, the universe and everything’ encapsulates far more than left or right), is it too simplistic to believe that there are more people than those who only see dollar signs, who do see value in the inexplicable as well as the evident?

  21. Glenn Barry

    @ diannaart – I think you’re onto the fundamental error in modern human perception, which I will primarily contribute to the technologically developed cultures. Technological superiority primarily manifests in military superiority – therefore dominance.
    Perceptually juvenile and immature – technologically advanced cultures consider themselves (ours included) apart from (superior to) nature.
    Whereas Native cultures, wiser, more mature, considered themselves a part of nature.
    Value systems fundamentally differ on the importance of nature and environment.

    These are gross generalisations, however the gist is fundamentally correct. I believe the difference is one of self awareness.

    Life, taken to fundamental primordial function is solely for continuation of the genetic line and survival of the species.

    Considering the above – the attitude of human superiority is all based upon criteria which benefit humans assessment of humans to the detriment of all else.

    I would love to know the origins of this one thought, human superiority. I believe it pre-dates the Abrahamic religions, which are in themselves derivative.

    This error in perception has manifested itself in various ways throughout history, most recently the cold war & the nuclear arms race, now followed by climate change.

    No other species exhibits this tendency and capacity for dominance and destruction.

    I am not anti-technology or development, however, I do often question the truly horrific thoughts which steer it in certain directions

  22. Florence nee Fedup

    Why do people believe that Turnbull ever believed in anything.

  23. Kaye Lee

    One of the most interesting debates I took part in as a young person was about which is more important, the potato or the rose?

    I was very interested to hear Julian Burnside say, in his One plus One interview, that art is why we exist and to learn the extent of his patronage of and love for music and art. We are all different. For me, I love interacting with and trying to help people. Others work tirelessly to protect our environment. There has to be some joy, some point to existence beyond wealth accumulation.

    The bean counters should not be dictating what we should do – their input should be confined to how we do it best after the experts have told them what we must do. The government should set the rules and business then works within them, not this carte blanche rush to deregulate and privatise everything.

    Handing over decision making and control to big business is just madness. They long ago forewent any claim to integrity. Look at today’s news about Rio Tinto and Crown Casino yet our politicians drag these businessmen around the world with them introducing them to world leaders and global investors/markets with some sort of official government imprimatur.

  24. diannaart

    @ Glenn

    I am reminded of an (almost) heated discussion I had with a house mate back in my uni days (he was a commerce student, I was studying Landscape Architecture).

    His claim was humans make more advances through war – military build-up and resultant technology than in times of peace.

    My countering argument was that technical development would occur more slowly during peace, but that advancements would be made more carefully and, therefore, thoroughly without the usual stuff-ups.

    I would like to detail the argument more, but am low on energy.

    Suffice to say the war machine dove-tails perfectly with capitalism; wars create more supply and demand than peace. And wars & capitalism suit the power hungry. Creating a social structure which supports this premise, a social structure which has become, through the lowest comment denominator,an echo chamber of dissonance.

    Apologies, not feeling all that well hope this made some sense.

    @ Kaye Lee

    Art is good and I think I understand but, me, I’m for love – most sentient creatures can love – but then, I am one of those humans who trust animals more than other people..

    @ Florence nee Fedup

    People want to believe that Turnbull believes in something…

  25. Alan

    @Glenn, try Zen teacher Alan Watts, eg Nature of Consciousness. Superiority? Basically, a few centuries ago scientists studied, then claimed ownership of the laws of nature, dismissing the universal intelligence that created the laws in the first place. For that atheist interpretation of life, man became a godless machine superior to nature and therefore its master. Is self-awareness the remedy for quarter-baked theories of life offered up by priests and scientists?

  26. corvusboreus

    Kaye Lee,
    Can you please stop calling Pauline Hanson ‘dumb’?
    Dumb means ‘permanently or temporarily unable or unwilling to speak’ (a term which has nought to do with intelligence).
    Pauline is certainly ignorant and probably rather stupid, but she is definitely not silent about it

  27. helvityni

    Kaye Lee, I watched the Burnside interview, I got the feeling that Art/ music helps him to cope, and in my opinion he is already helping and interacting with other people. Jane Hutcheon’s excellent interviewing skills gave me a fuller picture of Julian, a man I now like and respect even more…

  28. GraemeF

    Stand by for the mother of all smear campaigns directed at any Labor state that does not immediately capitulate to the regressive energy plan.

  29. Alphonse

    Only one quibble, Kaye. You are agreeing with the Libs (and, sadly, Greens and Labor as well) that public debt and deficit is a disaster. Not for the issuer of a floating fiat currency it isn’t. The disaster is the private debt generated by the Howard-Costello surpluses. Sure the Libs are rank hypocrites about debt and deficit, but if they’d kept their promise to “return to surplus” or even to effect any measure of “budget repair” the nation would have been the worse for it. When you criticise the Libs for failing to be the macroconomic idiots the boasted of being, you perpetuate their idiocy.

  30. John Lord

    Succinct as always Kaye. They are a rotten lot.

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