Dan Andrews stares down the lynch mob

October 20, 2020
Written by: The AIM Network
47 Replies

By Ad astra

If you detest Dan Andrews and want him gone, stop reading now. What follows will not please you.

As a citizen of Victoria I am incensed by the continual attacks on our premier. It’s not surprising that the State Opposition leader, the hapless Michael O’Brien, attacks Andrews in his usual censorious manner. But why are so many others targeting Andrews, who tries so earnestly, day after day, to do his best for us, the people of Victoria? Notwithstanding the mistakes he concedes he has made, who could doubt his sincerity, his earnestness, his diligence and his devotion to his job?

His attackers resemble a lynch mob, determined to string him up. Who are they?

I’m referring to people who work in the media. Journalists, news editors of print and electronic outlets, proprietors, and the moguls who control the media; you know who they are.

To get the anti-Andrews drift, you have only to read the newspaper headlines, watch the top stories on TV, or listen to the comments of the political elite.

But for a daily dose of political aggression and arrogance, listen to Andrews’ daily briefings on COVID-19. Without fail, he turns up to update us and to answer questions. He stays at the lectern until those present have exhausted their questions. It is not the number of questions that are directed to him that best characterise lynch mob behaviour; it is the tone of them, the arrogance they portray.

Many of his interrogators seem angry with him, keen to trip him up, eager to embarrass him, hell bent on making him uncomfortable. His calm, measured responses annoy them, so they up the ante with more assertive questions that cast doubts about the veracity of his answers. Words such as ‘surely’, ‘wouldn’t you agree’, ‘you must admit’ embellish their questions. Those who lead the lynch mob ask the same questions over and again, Now they are asking: ”Will you now resign?” Every time he offers them the same answer.

Those of you who have chooks will be familiar with the ‘pecked chook’ syndrome, where one chook is set upon by the others, who will peck it to death unless it is separated from them. They attack the head of the hapless chook until it bleeds. The blood evokes more frenzied pecking, and so on it goes until the poor animal is dead. The lynch mob displays such behaviour.

The same mob is there day after day. Andrews knows them by name. Watch them. Listen to their words. Observe the tone of their questions. Note their persistence with the same line of questioning. You can’t miss the pleasure they display as they peck away, hoping they can upstage their colleagues by drawing the first blood.

One inquisitor appears every day to lead the mob. Her questions are always acerbic, aggressive and accusatory.

Andrews often points out that his inquisitors have asked the same question time and again, and that his answer is the same. Clearly, he becomes frustrated, tired of the repetitive questions. But he patiently stays at the lectern until they run dry. And returns the next day for another round. His patience seems to have no bounds.

Recently, he has wisely exposed some of his team to the questioning ordeal. It has taken some heat off him, but has not tempered the questions.

Never willing to miss an opportunity, Morrison government ministers wait in the wings ready to take peck at him. Greg Hunt and Josh Frydenberg, and now Alan Tudge, acting immigration minister, have relished being a proxy for PM Morrison, who has chosen to keep his nose clean by hiding in the background. In the past few days, they have chosen to provoke Andrews by enabling arrivals in Victoria without notice. These people have simply appeared without proper documentation and some have on-travelled elsewhere, leaving Andrews astonished and angry. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that they were trying deliberately to provoke him.

Perhaps though, what has annoyed the lynch mob most is that Andrews’ strategy for controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Victoria has worked. The number of cases has been falling steadily. This past weekend, record low figures were achieved. As a result, restrictions have been eased, as promised, with more to come next weekend.

Whatever he does though, it will never be right, never enough for his detractors.

The painful reality for the lynch mob though is that Andrews has stared them down, and they don’t like it.

This daily inquisition is demeaning, unnecessary, unbecoming, and a pox on our politics. It must now stop.

This article was originally published on The Political Sword

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AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 6:31 pm

Andrews deserves what he gets and more. He has obviously not made himself aware of the unsuitability and inaccuracy of the PCR testing that is being used to diagnose Covid-19, and has forgotten that the measurement of deaths is no longer important and he has moved on to counting “cases” which scholars are telling us (behind the scenes and highly censored) include only a relatively small proportion of people with actual symptoms and who are potentially able to spread the virus.
The Diamond Princess provided a perfect petri dish early on. Around 3,700 people, all likely to have been exposed, 712 infected (19%) and 13 deaths (0.35%), And as has been proven, the elderly with existing health conditions are the most vulnerable, and cruise ships are likely to have a higher proportion of elderly passengers. Current results are much the same.
Covid survival rates of infected patients from cdc.gov dated September 10 2020 – 0-19 years: 99.997%. 20-49 years: 99.98%. 50-69 years: 99.5%. 70+ years: 94.6%. And the latest stats indicate that around 80% of people are not vulnerable to Covid-19.
Explain to us Andrew what you mean by “cases” and just how accurate you believe the PCR test to be.
As it should have been from the beginning, protect the vulnerable and let life go on for the rest.

KenOctober 20, 2020 at 6:33 pm

You’ve nailed it Ad astra using the chook analogie. Dan Andrews is in a class above this lot who ask the same silly questions.

Jack CadeOctober 20, 2020 at 6:43 pm

He should just ask them why he should resign, seeing that he has not been shagging any colleagues, bent or otherwise, telling them ‘that’s not something we should be talking about’ while studying the ceiling.
And Victoria did not spew a shipload of Covid-19ers Into the nation’s airports.

TigerOctober 20, 2020 at 6:43 pm

Dan Andrews should challenge the Liberal crew by asking if he was to lift all the restrictions and the virus breaks out again will they take responsibility for the outbreak. My betting is the blame would e put back onto the Labor party with the help of the Murdoch empire.t

RosemaryJ36October 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm

Angry B: And the latest stats indicate that around 80% of people are not vulnerable to Covid-19.
And your reliable source is?

BenOctober 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm

Chickens peck, that is what chickens do. How long they peck seems to be inversely proportional to the size of their brain. Journalists are a bred unto themselves, projecting their weaknesses onto others they scratch around in a vain attempt to salvage the profession. Yawn. On a positive note, their dumb shouty questions allows the average person to feel like a genius.

One criticism of the COVID response – why isn’t the media with all their resources helping Victoria by investigating the 2 countries that seem to have beaten the virus? The 2 countries are China and Sweden. China seems to be back to normal in a big way and Sweden seems to have achieved herd immunity in a short period of time. While some people long for herd immunity and some longer for a vaccine solution, others long for a shorter working week and others long for a big holiday which look to be in short supply anytime soonly. Shortly we will know if the virus has been beaten, but in the interim let us all get thee behind the Dan.

Terence MillsOctober 20, 2020 at 7:01 pm

Andrews has done a thankless job and has kept Victoria safe and despite the rantings of Newscorp and in particular the loonies at Sky-after-Dark, together with the constant undermining from the Morrison government he has been prepared to front up day after day and answer questions, some of which are clearly aimed at tripping him up.

Personally I don’t understand this business about private hotel security guards versus army or police and why it is such an issue. Do the commonwealth government use army and police at their detention facilities e.g. who is guarding the poor sods still locked in the Mantra at Preston for eight months now…………can you imagine that ?

GraemeOctober 20, 2020 at 7:18 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2020/oct/15/simply-not-correct-daniel-andrews-and-peta-credlin-continue-press-conference-sparring-video

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and Sky News pundit Peta Credlin have continued to spar during his daily news conferences, with the Labor leader rebuking her questions.
Credlin, Tony Abbott’s chief of staff during his time as prime minister, probed Andrews on the use of private security at quarantine hotels and the use of ADF personnel, drawing denials from the premier about the accuracy of her statements.
“I’m not going to stand here and have things put to me in an attempt to perhaps have them put to me so often that they become the truth,” he said.

New England CockyOctober 20, 2020 at 7:31 pm

As a NSW person I am very impressed that Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has listened to the medical people and enacted the recommended changes to give Victorians and Australian voters the best possible chance of avoiding being infected by COVID-19.

There have been problems, thoughtless individuals wo believed they were immune to COVID-19, bullet-proof and immortal who have challenged the Health Directives, unfortunately without financial penalty. The quarantine hotels debacle caused by private contractors for whic the Labor government is being held responsible by foreign owned media. The recent sabotage of the Victorian measures by Hunt Friedeggburger & co with the NZ bubble debacle merely demonstrates that the world experience is beyond the comprehension of the COALition.

But nothing has been heard of the allegation that Scummo intervened at the Ruby Princess docking to get Hillsong persons home for lunch by disembarking BEFORE COVID-19 tests were returned to the ship and infected persons could be identified and quarantined.

@AngryB: Your post illustrates that you have little idea about COVID-19. It has a frequently asymptomatic incubation phase, is very infectious and easily transmissible between persons. The optimal preventative strategy is social distancing, facemasks and quarantine isolation for at least 14 days. Go read the huge infection rates for UK, USA (United States of Apartheid), Brasil, any European country and you will see that a daily new infection rate <5 cases is rare.

@Graeme: The Petulant Cretin has an ego much larger than her ability or knowledge about anything and broadcasts on SKY or Channel 10 which has about 3% of the television audience.

RomeoCharlie29October 20, 2020 at 7:36 pm

The latest Newspoll inexplicably( to me) still has Scummo with quite a lot of support. Clearly respondents can’t see the deliberate provocation, and denigration of Andrews and McGowan, implicit in his NZ bubble without controls. Ardern sees it, telling Kiwis to be aware of internal restrictions to their movements but clearly those going to Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane don’t care. Morrison and his grubby enablers from the Murdoch rags and Fox are due their comeuppance and I hope Australians deliver at the next election. Given the national and international effects of Covid19 I am not surprised Alboand Labor are languishing in the polls a bit, it hasn’t exactly been a fair fight. But when this thing is done and dusted, and the scales fall from people’s eyes, the Libs/Nats will be seen for what they are, liars, grifters, chancers, grubs and flimflam merchants. The inevitable fall of Berejiklian, precipitated by her misjudged appeal for sympathy via Murdoch rags and grubby shock jocks, will, or should, also rebound on her staunch defender Scummo, after all the Federal Libs are cut from the same cloth, to mangle a metaphor, as those in NSW.

AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 7:52 pm

Doubters, do some research on Kary Mullis’ PCR test that is used globally to determine “case” numbers. You will find that it is totally unsuitable for the purpose that it is being used for, and “cases” represent a mixture of false positives, false negatives and perhaps positive covid cases. I find it hard to believe how naive people are who blindly follow directives from Governments who will not allow any conversation on the topic or advice from the thousands of doctors, scientists etc that are calling out Covid as a scandemic. Check out WHO and CDC for official figures of survival rates and Covid resistant people. And check out this site as a small example of what you are NOT being told by the media. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/10/17/coronavirus-fraud-biggest-crime-against-humanity.aspx?

JudithWOctober 20, 2020 at 8:11 pm

Yes, “It is hard to avoid the conclusion that they were trying deliberately to provoke him,” Especially watching the smirk on Tudge’s face.
AngryB… Death isn’t the only outcome of COVID-19 – many are having long term effects and the real long term effects haven’t been identified yet.
TM – IMO, Anyone relying on an “announcement” by Scott Morrison would be on the back foot until the PM decided to follow through with his promises – refer to notional bush fire aid, assistance to regional Australians, NDIS, home Aged Care places, reno rorts … Decisions needed to be made and actions taken – given the PM’s record the ADF might have never arrived!

Gangey1959October 20, 2020 at 8:43 pm

Personally, I think Dictator Dan would make an excellent Prime Minister, but that would mean him leaving the helm of Victoria.
@AB. He and his team have done exactly that. What more do you want from him ? Cures and vaccines is not his job.

Michael TaylorOctober 20, 2020 at 8:45 pm

I’m a doubter, AngryB. I doubt what you say is true.

AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 8:55 pm

There is an easy way to find out Michael. Start doing some research away from the corrupt media so that you have two sides of the story. You might start by checking out the link that I provided which relates to The German Corona Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Covid. Be prepared to have your mind blown by the size of the Covid lie.

Jo.October 20, 2020 at 8:56 pm

AngryB at a superficial level, it’s usually good advice to urge others to read more widely but (and it’s big but) the credibility of source(s) then becomes crucial. A quick Google re Mercola (your link) points out:

Mercola’s medical claims have been criticized by the medical, scientific, regulatory, and business communities. A 2006 BusinessWeek editorial stated his marketing practices relied on “slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics.” In 2005, 2006, and 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Mercola and his company that they were making illegal claims for their products’ ability to detect, prevent, and treat disease

Mercola is an anti-vaxxer. That’s enough said!

AngryB you will have to do better. Indeed much better.

DrakeNOctober 20, 2020 at 9:01 pm

@ AngryB, I hope that you stand upright when you speak; if not your voice will be rather muffled.

I have been following this pandemic very closely since December when the news came out of Wuhan: I am in one of the highly vulnerable groups.
All I can say to you is that you are spouting absolute bollocks and repeating baseless claims.
For what ends, I have no idea.

The provoking of Premier Andrews is a fairly standard right-wing method aimed at discrediting truths which are inconvenient to their purposes. He is correct in accusing Credlin of doing a Goebels – repeating lies often enough for them to be percieved as true.
The efforts of the Victorian opposition have been risible in their attempts to undermine the effectiveness of their government’s efforts, the only traction which they have been able to gain has been from self serving business interests and dodgy political hacks.
Even my country of origin, Wales, is now going into full scale lockdown again, this time for a minimum of 17 days, in order to break the chain of infections.

The political carping and attempts at ‘gotcha’ moments for unscrupulous purposes has prevented more effective messaging to the general public at great community cost in both health and economic terms.

Jo.October 20, 2020 at 9:09 pm

Mercola (AngryB’s source) is a well-known quack. You can verify that claim here.

Dr. Joseph Mercola Ordered to Stop Illegal Claims

Where will it end? So much BS. So many gullible punters. So many who just want to believe. That’s how you get a Trump. (And a Mercola. And an AngryB.)

Phil PryorOctober 20, 2020 at 9:18 pm

Angry B, a dud cover for…who? , is setting out bursts of which the implications and hints are there to stir us. If you are of value, experience, and an honest and disturbed observer, write an article more clearly than this interesting smear or sensationalist outburst. I’ll follow all you say or hint at, and more, for every day for half a year it’s been an adjustment, reassessment, rejig. Hateful and ignorant conservative shitpainters like Credin the Cretin are of no use to awareness and satisfactory investigation. D Andrews has done more, better, longer, more carefully, than any other single person of executive level, which may say how bad the others are. Meanwhile, are deaths a fraud? Is Trump secretly a genius and a caring leader? Are millions of cases untrue? Is Fort Dettrick the real source? Hmmn?

IsabellaOctober 20, 2020 at 9:44 pm

Great article Ad Astra. Sums up the thoughts and feelings in this Melbourne household perfectly. I can’t tell you how annoyed we are about the daily efforts to belittle Dan Andrews. Resorting to political games in the middle of a life threatening pandemic. How dare they. Their lack of common decency under the circumstances astounds me.
I’m so glad we’ve got a Labor leader at the helm working for the common good, and not Kennett, Frydenberg, Hunt, Dutton, Morrison, or any other right wing nut job.
Norman Swan was brilliant this morning. Pointing out that Victoria now leads the world in suppressing the virus. We’re the Gold Standard! Thanks Norman Swan!

floggaOctober 20, 2020 at 9:56 pm

Angry B – you point us to a site that is run by “Joseph Michael Mercola, an American alternative medicine proponent, osteopathic physician, and Internet business person who markets dietary supplements and medical devices, some of which are controversial” (Wikipedia) and to an article that is about a German extra-parliamentary committee “founded by four trial attorneys to investigate and prosecute those responsible for implementing the economically devastating lockdowns around the world, as well as using fraudulent testing to engineer the appearance of a dangerous pandemic”(Mercola.com). Credulity is not a virtue.

Jon ChestersonOctober 20, 2020 at 11:59 pm

The press in these daily briefings are rude, belligerent and entitled. A number of them including one particular woman must be very thick and doesn’t listen to the response, as she repeatedly throws the same question out again and again, someone needs to discipline her wasting everyone’s time and teach her some manners and courtesies. It makes me hopping mad to have to listen over and over again to these idiots. I bet she is from one of the News Corp papers.

Dan on the other hand has the patience of Job. He does not dodge the questions like Morrison and Berejiklian, and so many others; if he can’t answer it or he has not been briefed, he says he will get back to them. It galls me to see the Liberal Federal Ministers and the press take advantage of his generosity and honesty. The hypocrisy and the shit just goes on and on from these fucking Liberals and the idiotic press.

Half our problem is, we seem to be obsessed with listening to politicians – We give them far too much attention and air, is it little wonder many of them think their god? But when we get a good one, they just get crucified, because the others are incapable of doing their job, and if they are not riddled with guilt, they bloody well ought to be.

ZathrasOctober 21, 2020 at 12:01 am

Although I’m in NSW it looks like the media have had it in for Andrews since he showed-up Morrison during the pre-COVID bushfires and have been waiting for thr first opportunity to strike.

He’s proven to be a far better leader and communicator than “Promo” or the rest of his hapless mob and looks like potential Prime Ministerial material.

The rabid pile-on is disgraceful and unwarranted, except perhaps as a distraction from the numerous Federal Government shortcomings,

In NSW we’ve got Gladys and despite the Ruby Princess debacle and even her current scandal she’s remained relatively untouched.

DesleaOctober 21, 2020 at 12:09 am

I find the continual Dan bashing appalling, I am sickened that we have such a group of ungrateful people around, Vic (mostly) have stuck by the rules and gone through such a lot of difficulties to get to this point, I has driven many to the wall. Look around people, other countries are dying by the hundreds, with the different waves over the year. The choice is basic. either you want a economy of sick people working and spreading g the virus Or. you want to live safely knowing that when we are so close another few weeks is nothing compared to what we have been through. it is a small group of selfish greedy people who want their way, and will forget all the Victorianswho have followed the rules to protect others. I am soProud of our Premier, I think we are so privledged to have had him lead us through. To the anti Dans…go overseas and live there, you’ll be up in arms to get back your rights, etcy you only

paul walterOctober 21, 2020 at 12:37 am

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coal-plant-grant-funded-before-key-report-finalised-or-published-20201020-p566z0.html

Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 6:51 am

With accurate posts, Jo and flogga has seen off the Angry B clown.
The Far Right anti-vaxxer science denying brigade who claim to know more than the rest of us appoint one of their small but vocal number to infiltrate every reliable blog and post their rubbish, with grandiose quasi scientific words and impressive sounding links.
Scratch the surface and you find the links are to non-specific experts and known anti-vaxxers.
They peddle the myth of the Covid-19 lie and don’t give a damn how many die.

EgalitarianOctober 21, 2020 at 7:16 am

Dan is just too intelligent for them. The Rights tactics these days is anti intellectualism or dumbing down the the debate. And Sky news is just a bad joke.

george theodoridisOctober 21, 2020 at 7:40 am

But it’s so easy to know why the cretins keep turning up to Dan’s conferences in packs and why they ask pathetic questions with belligerence beyond the geiger counter.

A) Because while they do that, there is no air time left to do what is really necessary and lethally urgent: Morrison and his retinue continue to dismantle unseen, unheeded and unfettered what civilisation is there left in this country.

That’s why they turn up nauseatingly at every conference; and

B) It’s a very common tactic by the LNP thugs. Keep the man occupied by your shitty questions so that no one else can ask him questions that will show his integrity or increase his popularity.

Oh and possibly
C). They are engaging in a very English sport. Fox hunting where dozens of “Lords” dress up, mount their thoroughbreds, gather their hunting dogs and their trumpet blowers and rush to the forest. Perhaps our “journos” miss those good old days.

But certainly, A and B.

Henry RodriguesOctober 21, 2020 at 9:08 am

Could AngryB and Peta cretin be in bed together watching cockroaches fornicating on the cealing and then get emboldened to attack the one politician in Australia who has earned more respect and honour than all the turds on the other side led by Scummo, and backed by the crinkled old bastard who owns 70% of the media ? So Galdys is beyond reproach and Dazza will escape with a slap on his wrists ?
AngryB/Peta cretin, go get fucked.

BarryThompson.October 21, 2020 at 9:12 am

We have children, grandchildren and other relatives and friends in Victoria, some who are long time LNP voters. They all think Andrews is doing a great job despite the restrictions it has placed on them.
It is galling to watch him being interrogated by a mob which includes some very second rate journalists who are not fit to shine his shoes. Credlin in particular is offensive in her pursuit of the gotcha moment. A Murdoch stooge, she is totally biased and as such has no credibility. Perhaps she should consider running for office herself. Her mate Abbott could give her some tips on how to make an even bigger fool of herself’, if he can spare the time from getting unjustified exemptions to swan around the old country and the Vatican in an attempt to become relevant again.
As for Friedenberg, Tudge, Hunt and the like, perhaps they could concentrate on not completely buggering up their day jobs for a change and allow a real leader to show them how an effective politician operates.

GusOctober 21, 2020 at 10:57 am

It seems Angry B might be correct, check out UK Column News.

Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 11:36 am

Gus, all you tin foil hat brigade need as proof is a website with HTTPS in front of it and which agrees with your lunatic beliefs and even better if you can add a YouTube post by some quack who puts some letters after his/her name.
Do you ever wonder if you are called the “fringe”because you are on the outer fringe of thinking society?

Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 11:41 am

Barry, I don’t know why the journalists put up with Cruella de Credlin even being at the Press Conference, let alone monopolising it.
She is not a qualified journalist.
The state of journalism in this country, and everywhere, I fear, is a disgrace, and they have no one else to blame but themselves,
Would Doctors stand for a dentist taking over a meeting they were holding, would carpenters allow a plumber to take over their job?

GusOctober 21, 2020 at 11:54 am

Sully, if only I limited my world to msm I could share your vision, but wouldn’t you know it, I strayed off piste into fields of science informed by real doctors, real specialists and real researchers. I offer support to Angry B who is getting abuse from all sides by those who do not even have the smarts to realize they are behaving like the controlled attack journalists they condemn. Anyway, have it your way, you win, you seem to know it all already, I nothing further to add.
This for Angry B, check this out on Bit Chute:
‘Better normal, not new normal’ – http://www.acu2020.org – world doctors alliance

AngryBOctober 21, 2020 at 12:01 pm

And I thought I was angry. A smidgen of truth sure brings out the attack dogs. Always attacking the source or the person rather than assessing the actual evidence with an open mind. Just like the attacks on Julian Assange, who is being made out to be the criminal when all he did was report criminal actions. The media is not what it used to be. Investigative journalism seems to be a thing of the past, with so few people controlling virtually all that we are told. Check the sources that you are using for your “truth”. They are clearly biased in favour of Government and Pharma influence. Roll up your sleeves (or bend over) and get ready for your Gates jab and the NWO.

Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 12:54 pm

The weirdos always claim that they have the real intelligence, the only people who can see through the mountains of evidence and the greatest secret ever kept, with thousands and thousands sworn to secrecy to con us sheeple.
They are always the chosen few.
You can never win with these spreaders of bullshit, and are better off leaving them to fester in their own FB groups.
Sadly they stray to sites like us, post complete nonsense and wonder why we laugh at them.
Anti vaxxers, drop-kicks and socially challenged types hoping for some sort of human reaction, even if it is ridicule and more than a few just plain old attention seekers.

guestOctober 21, 2020 at 1:01 pm

I love the way AngryB was shown the door. When you have the feeling there is something fishy being expressed, it usually is more than a hunch.

Peta Credlin gets a mention in some posts here. She is the one who admitted that Julia Gillard’s “carbon tax” was not a tax. When Bolt asked her back in January whether those fires were the result of climate change she simply said no.
Of course she sings from the same conservative hymnbook on climate change published by the IPA – full of contradictions, says its editor, but hoping to have these contradictions “reconciled” some time in the future.
Then she has been praised for asking about checking phone calls about private security. The Murdoch media knows about phone tapping.

Then we have the “Comrade Dan” pile-on. Take, for example, Greg Sheridan, Sept 10, 2020:
“The staggering consequences of the broad-ranging incompetence of the Daniel Andrews government in Victoria demonstrates the hollowness of progressive ideology as the guiding light of government and the false promise of sentimentalism and its fraudulent earnestness…
“Progressive politics demands from its leaders and citizens a continuous performance of doctrinally orthodox gestures, apologies and credal recitals…
“Progressive ideology is intrinsically secretive and intolerant…
“Andrews has replied to the crisis in part through his Fidel Castro-length daily press conference.”

Charming. No ideological bias there.

And more recently this month, Paul Kelly with a mountainous diatribe, begins with advice to Andrews that he instruct his head of the Premier’s department to deliver within five days a written report “with associated documents” revealing who ordered private security to be used.
“Failure to act in this way is the resort to coward’s castle methods. But Andrews wasn’t serious. He chose self-protection, deception and delay. He runs a highly centralised government and is a premier with an authoritarian streak…”

And Chris Mitchell, (13/9/2020), with “Left-wing journos need to get their hands off Twitter and engage with facts”, where he attacks left journalist for not asking the “tough questions”.

This, after Andrews answering questions for hours a day. Presumably he is praising the “real’ journos such as Credlin, asking the same questions over and over – and loudly.

What we see is the Murdoch media wanting to take control of everything but not really offering much real advice, all the while supporting conservative governments in the UK and USA where COVID-19 numbers are soaring.

As well, there is that problem of climate denial that leaves them in limbo, waiting for someone to solve the energy problem.

Somehow, they are far from re-assuring – ideologically trapped in neo-liberal claptrap.

Jo.October 21, 2020 at 2:20 pm

AngryB – you were doing okay in your latest post until the bit about the Gates jab. That was a big mistake! That revealed where you are coming from and it’s not a place with a good track record. You too (in all probability) are an anti-vaxxer

As for the ‘assessing the evidence with an open mind’. That sounds good but an ‘open mind’ is a guarantee of nought, mainly because an ‘open mind’ can also in fact be an ’empty mind’ – lacking in expertise to make valid judgements. (In that sense I can’t make valid medical judgements either because I simply haven’t the qualifications.)

This site is probably not for you or Gus for that matter.

WamOctober 21, 2020 at 2:21 pm

A doubter, Michael?? How could you not revere a man of substance and knowledge, with some 4400 articles on turmeric.
Mecola, much like TV pastors, has made millions from antivaxxers who are worried for all who are vaccinated, millions more out of simpletons who believe his ads and hang out on suggestions like don’t shower after sun baking on my tanning beds, cheap at half the price, in case you wash off the vitamin D, tooth gel for pets and grass fed beef are high on his product list and who could not admire fermented ginseng spray or organic tampons.
No angry B, I can understand your anger and his when in 2010 an Aussie art Rachie rolled him in the shorty awards and the frustration of you not being able to overcome scepticism over what is real and important to you. Please just think of his importance in things like cash from flower sniffing but not in the viral or vaccine context.

michael f slocumOctober 21, 2020 at 2:26 pm

Brilliantly written.

Ad AstraOctober 21, 2020 at 7:58 pm

Folks
Once again, I thank you for your thoughtful comments.

Given Angry B’s reference sources, it would be wise to give his/her contribution the attention it deserves. None.

RoswellOctober 21, 2020 at 8:24 pm

None given, Ad Astra.

Carol TaylorOctober 21, 2020 at 8:42 pm

AngryB, you have mentioned survival rates for COVID-19 but have failed to mention consequences which include long term impairment even in the youngest of age groups, heart, lungs, brain and nervous system, mental health and musculoskeletal (Ref: WHO).

Disclaimer, our youngest daughter is a doctor at a large public hospital (not in Melbourne), forgive me if I believe her above any story meant to undermine a Labor government. Health first, play politics when this virus is defeated.

CazOctober 21, 2020 at 9:58 pm

Dan, can you include the journalist’s name in your reply so we know who these cretins are. It’s a pity that journalists do not have to announce themes as they do at the National Press Club. We need to be able to check who they are, where they work and be able to lambaste theminTwitter. It is what they deserve.

WatchdogOctober 22, 2020 at 10:04 am

Caz,
An interesting read, especially regarding the breeding ground for “nut jobs”. They turn out in force at the Agricultural shows drumming up business from the inwardly stale audiences.
https://citizensparty.org.au/

Ad astraOctober 22, 2020 at 3:27 pm

Caz

I agree. Let’s have the names of the inquisitors. Exposed, they would likely vanish.

A CommentatorOctober 23, 2020 at 10:52 pm

I think it is an unsatisfactory understatement to characterise the actions of the Andrews Government as “mistakes”
Negligent is closer.
And before anyone asks, the (in)action of the federal government in aged care is also negligent.

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AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 6:31 pm

Andrews deserves what he gets and more. He has obviously not made himself aware of the unsuitability and inaccuracy of the PCR testing that is being used to diagnose Covid-19, and has forgotten that the measurement of deaths is no longer important and he has moved on to counting “cases” which scholars are telling us (behind the scenes and highly censored) include only a relatively small proportion of people with actual symptoms and who are potentially able to spread the virus.
The Diamond Princess provided a perfect petri dish early on. Around 3,700 people, all likely to have been exposed, 712 infected (19%) and 13 deaths (0.35%), And as has been proven, the elderly with existing health conditions are the most vulnerable, and cruise ships are likely to have a higher proportion of elderly passengers. Current results are much the same.
Covid survival rates of infected patients from cdc.gov dated September 10 2020 – 0-19 years: 99.997%. 20-49 years: 99.98%. 50-69 years: 99.5%. 70+ years: 94.6%. And the latest stats indicate that around 80% of people are not vulnerable to Covid-19.
Explain to us Andrew what you mean by “cases” and just how accurate you believe the PCR test to be.
As it should have been from the beginning, protect the vulnerable and let life go on for the rest.
KenOctober 20, 2020 at 6:33 pm

You’ve nailed it Ad astra using the chook analogie. Dan Andrews is in a class above this lot who ask the same silly questions.
Jack CadeOctober 20, 2020 at 6:43 pm

He should just ask them why he should resign, seeing that he has not been shagging any colleagues, bent or otherwise, telling them ‘that’s not something we should be talking about’ while studying the ceiling.
And Victoria did not spew a shipload of Covid-19ers Into the nation’s airports.
TigerOctober 20, 2020 at 6:43 pm

Dan Andrews should challenge the Liberal crew by asking if he was to lift all the restrictions and the virus breaks out again will they take responsibility for the outbreak. My betting is the blame would e put back onto the Labor party with the help of the Murdoch empire.t
RosemaryJ36October 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm

Angry B: And the latest stats indicate that around 80% of people are not vulnerable to Covid-19.
And your reliable source is?
BenOctober 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm

Chickens peck, that is what chickens do. How long they peck seems to be inversely proportional to the size of their brain. Journalists are a bred unto themselves, projecting their weaknesses onto others they scratch around in a vain attempt to salvage the profession. Yawn. On a positive note, their dumb shouty questions allows the average person to feel like a genius.

One criticism of the COVID response – why isn’t the media with all their resources helping Victoria by investigating the 2 countries that seem to have beaten the virus? The 2 countries are China and Sweden. China seems to be back to normal in a big way and Sweden seems to have achieved herd immunity in a short period of time. While some people long for herd immunity and some longer for a vaccine solution, others long for a shorter working week and others long for a big holiday which look to be in short supply anytime soonly. Shortly we will know if the virus has been beaten, but in the interim let us all get thee behind the Dan.
Terence MillsOctober 20, 2020 at 7:01 pm

Andrews has done a thankless job and has kept Victoria safe and despite the rantings of Newscorp and in particular the loonies at Sky-after-Dark, together with the constant undermining from the Morrison government he has been prepared to front up day after day and answer questions, some of which are clearly aimed at tripping him up.

Personally I don’t understand this business about private hotel security guards versus army or police and why it is such an issue. Do the commonwealth government use army and police at their detention facilities e.g. who is guarding the poor sods still locked in the Mantra at Preston for eight months now…………can you imagine that ?
GraemeOctober 20, 2020 at 7:18 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2020/oct/15/simply-not-correct-daniel-andrews-and-peta-credlin-continue-press-conference-sparring-video

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and Sky News pundit Peta Credlin have continued to spar during his daily news conferences, with the Labor leader rebuking her questions.
Credlin, Tony Abbott’s chief of staff during his time as prime minister, probed Andrews on the use of private security at quarantine hotels and the use of ADF personnel, drawing denials from the premier about the accuracy of her statements.
“I’m not going to stand here and have things put to me in an attempt to perhaps have them put to me so often that they become the truth,” he said.
New England CockyOctober 20, 2020 at 7:31 pm

As a NSW person I am very impressed that Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has listened to the medical people and enacted the recommended changes to give Victorians and Australian voters the best possible chance of avoiding being infected by COVID-19.

There have been problems, thoughtless individuals wo believed they were immune to COVID-19, bullet-proof and immortal who have challenged the Health Directives, unfortunately without financial penalty. The quarantine hotels debacle caused by private contractors for whic the Labor government is being held responsible by foreign owned media. The recent sabotage of the Victorian measures by Hunt Friedeggburger & co with the NZ bubble debacle merely demonstrates that the world experience is beyond the comprehension of the COALition.

But nothing has been heard of the allegation that Scummo intervened at the Ruby Princess docking to get Hillsong persons home for lunch by disembarking BEFORE COVID-19 tests were returned to the ship and infected persons could be identified and quarantined.

@AngryB: Your post illustrates that you have little idea about COVID-19. It has a frequently asymptomatic incubation phase, is very infectious and easily transmissible between persons. The optimal preventative strategy is social distancing, facemasks and quarantine isolation for at least 14 days. Go read the huge infection rates for UK, USA (United States of Apartheid), Brasil, any European country and you will see that a daily new infection rate <5 cases is rare.

@Graeme: The Petulant Cretin has an ego much larger than her ability or knowledge about anything and broadcasts on SKY or Channel 10 which has about 3% of the television audience.
RomeoCharlie29October 20, 2020 at 7:36 pm

The latest Newspoll inexplicably( to me) still has Scummo with quite a lot of support. Clearly respondents can’t see the deliberate provocation, and denigration of Andrews and McGowan, implicit in his NZ bubble without controls. Ardern sees it, telling Kiwis to be aware of internal restrictions to their movements but clearly those going to Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane don’t care. Morrison and his grubby enablers from the Murdoch rags and Fox are due their comeuppance and I hope Australians deliver at the next election. Given the national and international effects of Covid19 I am not surprised Alboand Labor are languishing in the polls a bit, it hasn’t exactly been a fair fight. But when this thing is done and dusted, and the scales fall from people’s eyes, the Libs/Nats will be seen for what they are, liars, grifters, chancers, grubs and flimflam merchants. The inevitable fall of Berejiklian, precipitated by her misjudged appeal for sympathy via Murdoch rags and grubby shock jocks, will, or should, also rebound on her staunch defender Scummo, after all the Federal Libs are cut from the same cloth, to mangle a metaphor, as those in NSW.
AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 7:52 pm

Doubters, do some research on Kary Mullis’ PCR test that is used globally to determine “case” numbers. You will find that it is totally unsuitable for the purpose that it is being used for, and “cases” represent a mixture of false positives, false negatives and perhaps positive covid cases. I find it hard to believe how naive people are who blindly follow directives from Governments who will not allow any conversation on the topic or advice from the thousands of doctors, scientists etc that are calling out Covid as a scandemic. Check out WHO and CDC for official figures of survival rates and Covid resistant people. And check out this site as a small example of what you are NOT being told by the media. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/10/17/coronavirus-fraud-biggest-crime-against-humanity.aspx?
JudithWOctober 20, 2020 at 8:11 pm

Yes, “It is hard to avoid the conclusion that they were trying deliberately to provoke him,” Especially watching the smirk on Tudge’s face.
AngryB… Death isn’t the only outcome of COVID-19 – many are having long term effects and the real long term effects haven’t been identified yet.
TM – IMO, Anyone relying on an “announcement” by Scott Morrison would be on the back foot until the PM decided to follow through with his promises – refer to notional bush fire aid, assistance to regional Australians, NDIS, home Aged Care places, reno rorts … Decisions needed to be made and actions taken – given the PM’s record the ADF might have never arrived!
Gangey1959October 20, 2020 at 8:43 pm

Personally, I think Dictator Dan would make an excellent Prime Minister, but that would mean him leaving the helm of Victoria.
@AB. He and his team have done exactly that. What more do you want from him ? Cures and vaccines is not his job.
Michael TaylorOctober 20, 2020 at 8:45 pm

I’m a doubter, AngryB. I doubt what you say is true.
AngryBOctober 20, 2020 at 8:55 pm

There is an easy way to find out Michael. Start doing some research away from the corrupt media so that you have two sides of the story. You might start by checking out the link that I provided which relates to The German Corona Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Covid. Be prepared to have your mind blown by the size of the Covid lie.
Jo.October 20, 2020 at 8:56 pm

AngryB at a superficial level, it’s usually good advice to urge others to read more widely but (and it’s big but) the credibility of source(s) then becomes crucial. A quick Google re Mercola (your link) points out:

Mercola’s medical claims have been criticized by the medical, scientific, regulatory, and business communities. A 2006 BusinessWeek editorial stated his marketing practices relied on “slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics.” In 2005, 2006, and 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Mercola and his company that they were making illegal claims for their products’ ability to detect, prevent, and treat disease

Mercola is an anti-vaxxer. That’s enough said!

AngryB you will have to do better. Indeed much better.
DrakeNOctober 20, 2020 at 9:01 pm

@ AngryB, I hope that you stand upright when you speak; if not your voice will be rather muffled.

I have been following this pandemic very closely since December when the news came out of Wuhan: I am in one of the highly vulnerable groups.
All I can say to you is that you are spouting absolute bollocks and repeating baseless claims.
For what ends, I have no idea.

The provoking of Premier Andrews is a fairly standard right-wing method aimed at discrediting truths which are inconvenient to their purposes. He is correct in accusing Credlin of doing a Goebels – repeating lies often enough for them to be percieved as true.
The efforts of the Victorian opposition have been risible in their attempts to undermine the effectiveness of their government’s efforts, the only traction which they have been able to gain has been from self serving business interests and dodgy political hacks.
Even my country of origin, Wales, is now going into full scale lockdown again, this time for a minimum of 17 days, in order to break the chain of infections.

The political carping and attempts at ‘gotcha’ moments for unscrupulous purposes has prevented more effective messaging to the general public at great community cost in both health and economic terms.
Jo.October 20, 2020 at 9:09 pm

Mercola (AngryB’s source) is a well-known quack. You can verify that claim here.

Dr. Joseph Mercola Ordered to Stop Illegal Claims

Where will it end? So much BS. So many gullible punters. So many who just want to believe. That’s how you get a Trump. (And a Mercola. And an AngryB.)
Phil PryorOctober 20, 2020 at 9:18 pm

Angry B, a dud cover for…who? , is setting out bursts of which the implications and hints are there to stir us. If you are of value, experience, and an honest and disturbed observer, write an article more clearly than this interesting smear or sensationalist outburst. I’ll follow all you say or hint at, and more, for every day for half a year it’s been an adjustment, reassessment, rejig. Hateful and ignorant conservative shitpainters like Credin the Cretin are of no use to awareness and satisfactory investigation. D Andrews has done more, better, longer, more carefully, than any other single person of executive level, which may say how bad the others are. Meanwhile, are deaths a fraud? Is Trump secretly a genius and a caring leader? Are millions of cases untrue? Is Fort Dettrick the real source? Hmmn?
IsabellaOctober 20, 2020 at 9:44 pm

Great article Ad Astra. Sums up the thoughts and feelings in this Melbourne household perfectly. I can’t tell you how annoyed we are about the daily efforts to belittle Dan Andrews. Resorting to political games in the middle of a life threatening pandemic. How dare they. Their lack of common decency under the circumstances astounds me.
I’m so glad we’ve got a Labor leader at the helm working for the common good, and not Kennett, Frydenberg, Hunt, Dutton, Morrison, or any other right wing nut job.
Norman Swan was brilliant this morning. Pointing out that Victoria now leads the world in suppressing the virus. We’re the Gold Standard! Thanks Norman Swan!
floggaOctober 20, 2020 at 9:56 pm

Angry B – you point us to a site that is run by “Joseph Michael Mercola, an American alternative medicine proponent, osteopathic physician, and Internet business person who markets dietary supplements and medical devices, some of which are controversial” (Wikipedia) and to an article that is about a German extra-parliamentary committee “founded by four trial attorneys to investigate and prosecute those responsible for implementing the economically devastating lockdowns around the world, as well as using fraudulent testing to engineer the appearance of a dangerous pandemic”(Mercola.com). Credulity is not a virtue.
Jon ChestersonOctober 20, 2020 at 11:59 pm

The press in these daily briefings are rude, belligerent and entitled. A number of them including one particular woman must be very thick and doesn’t listen to the response, as she repeatedly throws the same question out again and again, someone needs to discipline her wasting everyone’s time and teach her some manners and courtesies. It makes me hopping mad to have to listen over and over again to these idiots. I bet she is from one of the News Corp papers.

Dan on the other hand has the patience of Job. He does not dodge the questions like Morrison and Berejiklian, and so many others; if he can’t answer it or he has not been briefed, he says he will get back to them. It galls me to see the Liberal Federal Ministers and the press take advantage of his generosity and honesty. The hypocrisy and the shit just goes on and on from these fucking Liberals and the idiotic press.

Half our problem is, we seem to be obsessed with listening to politicians – We give them far too much attention and air, is it little wonder many of them think their god? But when we get a good one, they just get crucified, because the others are incapable of doing their job, and if they are not riddled with guilt, they bloody well ought to be.
ZathrasOctober 21, 2020 at 12:01 am

Although I’m in NSW it looks like the media have had it in for Andrews since he showed-up Morrison during the pre-COVID bushfires and have been waiting for thr first opportunity to strike.

He’s proven to be a far better leader and communicator than “Promo” or the rest of his hapless mob and looks like potential Prime Ministerial material.

The rabid pile-on is disgraceful and unwarranted, except perhaps as a distraction from the numerous Federal Government shortcomings,

In NSW we’ve got Gladys and despite the Ruby Princess debacle and even her current scandal she’s remained relatively untouched.
DesleaOctober 21, 2020 at 12:09 am

I find the continual Dan bashing appalling, I am sickened that we have such a group of ungrateful people around, Vic (mostly) have stuck by the rules and gone through such a lot of difficulties to get to this point, I has driven many to the wall. Look around people, other countries are dying by the hundreds, with the different waves over the year. The choice is basic. either you want a economy of sick people working and spreading g the virus Or. you want to live safely knowing that when we are so close another few weeks is nothing compared to what we have been through. it is a small group of selfish greedy people who want their way, and will forget all the Victorianswho have followed the rules to protect others. I am soProud of our Premier, I think we are so privledged to have had him lead us through. To the anti Dans…go overseas and live there, you’ll be up in arms to get back your rights, etcy you only
paul walterOctober 21, 2020 at 12:37 am

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/coal-plant-grant-funded-before-key-report-finalised-or-published-20201020-p566z0.html
Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 6:51 am

With accurate posts, Jo and flogga has seen off the Angry B clown.
The Far Right anti-vaxxer science denying brigade who claim to know more than the rest of us appoint one of their small but vocal number to infiltrate every reliable blog and post their rubbish, with grandiose quasi scientific words and impressive sounding links.
Scratch the surface and you find the links are to non-specific experts and known anti-vaxxers.
They peddle the myth of the Covid-19 lie and don’t give a damn how many die.
EgalitarianOctober 21, 2020 at 7:16 am

Dan is just too intelligent for them. The Rights tactics these days is anti intellectualism or dumbing down the the debate. And Sky news is just a bad joke.
george theodoridisOctober 21, 2020 at 7:40 am

But it’s so easy to know why the cretins keep turning up to Dan’s conferences in packs and why they ask pathetic questions with belligerence beyond the geiger counter.

A) Because while they do that, there is no air time left to do what is really necessary and lethally urgent: Morrison and his retinue continue to dismantle unseen, unheeded and unfettered what civilisation is there left in this country.

That’s why they turn up nauseatingly at every conference; and

B) It’s a very common tactic by the LNP thugs. Keep the man occupied by your shitty questions so that no one else can ask him questions that will show his integrity or increase his popularity.

Oh and possibly
C). They are engaging in a very English sport. Fox hunting where dozens of “Lords” dress up, mount their thoroughbreds, gather their hunting dogs and their trumpet blowers and rush to the forest. Perhaps our “journos” miss those good old days.

But certainly, A and B.
Henry RodriguesOctober 21, 2020 at 9:08 am

Could AngryB and Peta cretin be in bed together watching cockroaches fornicating on the cealing and then get emboldened to attack the one politician in Australia who has earned more respect and honour than all the turds on the other side led by Scummo, and backed by the crinkled old bastard who owns 70% of the media ? So Galdys is beyond reproach and Dazza will escape with a slap on his wrists ?
AngryB/Peta cretin, go get fucked.
BarryThompson.October 21, 2020 at 9:12 am

We have children, grandchildren and other relatives and friends in Victoria, some who are long time LNP voters. They all think Andrews is doing a great job despite the restrictions it has placed on them.
It is galling to watch him being interrogated by a mob which includes some very second rate journalists who are not fit to shine his shoes. Credlin in particular is offensive in her pursuit of the gotcha moment. A Murdoch stooge, she is totally biased and as such has no credibility. Perhaps she should consider running for office herself. Her mate Abbott could give her some tips on how to make an even bigger fool of herself’, if he can spare the time from getting unjustified exemptions to swan around the old country and the Vatican in an attempt to become relevant again.
As for Friedenberg, Tudge, Hunt and the like, perhaps they could concentrate on not completely buggering up their day jobs for a change and allow a real leader to show them how an effective politician operates.
GusOctober 21, 2020 at 10:57 am

It seems Angry B might be correct, check out UK Column News.
Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 11:36 am

Gus, all you tin foil hat brigade need as proof is a website with HTTPS in front of it and which agrees with your lunatic beliefs and even better if you can add a YouTube post by some quack who puts some letters after his/her name.
Do you ever wonder if you are called the “fringe”because you are on the outer fringe of thinking society?
Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 11:41 am

Barry, I don’t know why the journalists put up with Cruella de Credlin even being at the Press Conference, let alone monopolising it.
She is not a qualified journalist.
The state of journalism in this country, and everywhere, I fear, is a disgrace, and they have no one else to blame but themselves,
Would Doctors stand for a dentist taking over a meeting they were holding, would carpenters allow a plumber to take over their job?
GusOctober 21, 2020 at 11:54 am

Sully, if only I limited my world to msm I could share your vision, but wouldn’t you know it, I strayed off piste into fields of science informed by real doctors, real specialists and real researchers. I offer support to Angry B who is getting abuse from all sides by those who do not even have the smarts to realize they are behaving like the controlled attack journalists they condemn. Anyway, have it your way, you win, you seem to know it all already, I nothing further to add.
This for Angry B, check this out on Bit Chute:
‘Better normal, not new normal’ – http://www.acu2020.org – world doctors alliance
AngryBOctober 21, 2020 at 12:01 pm

And I thought I was angry. A smidgen of truth sure brings out the attack dogs. Always attacking the source or the person rather than assessing the actual evidence with an open mind. Just like the attacks on Julian Assange, who is being made out to be the criminal when all he did was report criminal actions. The media is not what it used to be. Investigative journalism seems to be a thing of the past, with so few people controlling virtually all that we are told. Check the sources that you are using for your “truth”. They are clearly biased in favour of Government and Pharma influence. Roll up your sleeves (or bend over) and get ready for your Gates jab and the NWO.
Sully of Tuross HeadOctober 21, 2020 at 12:54 pm

The weirdos always claim that they have the real intelligence, the only people who can see through the mountains of evidence and the greatest secret ever kept, with thousands and thousands sworn to secrecy to con us sheeple.
They are always the chosen few.
You can never win with these spreaders of bullshit, and are better off leaving them to fester in their own FB groups.
Sadly they stray to sites like us, post complete nonsense and wonder why we laugh at them.
Anti vaxxers, drop-kicks and socially challenged types hoping for some sort of human reaction, even if it is ridicule and more than a few just plain old attention seekers.
guestOctober 21, 2020 at 1:01 pm

I love the way AngryB was shown the door. When you have the feeling there is something fishy being expressed, it usually is more than a hunch.

Peta Credlin gets a mention in some posts here. She is the one who admitted that Julia Gillard’s “carbon tax” was not a tax. When Bolt asked her back in January whether those fires were the result of climate change she simply said no.
Of course she sings from the same conservative hymnbook on climate change published by the IPA – full of contradictions, says its editor, but hoping to have these contradictions “reconciled” some time in the future.
Then she has been praised for asking about checking phone calls about private security. The Murdoch media knows about phone tapping.

Then we have the “Comrade Dan” pile-on. Take, for example, Greg Sheridan, Sept 10, 2020:
“The staggering consequences of the broad-ranging incompetence of the Daniel Andrews government in Victoria demonstrates the hollowness of progressive ideology as the guiding light of government and the false promise of sentimentalism and its fraudulent earnestness…
“Progressive politics demands from its leaders and citizens a continuous performance of doctrinally orthodox gestures, apologies and credal recitals…
“Progressive ideology is intrinsically secretive and intolerant…
“Andrews has replied to the crisis in part through his Fidel Castro-length daily press conference.”

Charming. No ideological bias there.

And more recently this month, Paul Kelly with a mountainous diatribe, begins with advice to Andrews that he instruct his head of the Premier’s department to deliver within five days a written report “with associated documents” revealing who ordered private security to be used.
“Failure to act in this way is the resort to coward’s castle methods. But Andrews wasn’t serious. He chose self-protection, deception and delay. He runs a highly centralised government and is a premier with an authoritarian streak…”

And Chris Mitchell, (13/9/2020), with “Left-wing journos need to get their hands off Twitter and engage with facts”, where he attacks left journalist for not asking the “tough questions”.

This, after Andrews answering questions for hours a day. Presumably he is praising the “real’ journos such as Credlin, asking the same questions over and over – and loudly.

What we see is the Murdoch media wanting to take control of everything but not really offering much real advice, all the while supporting conservative governments in the UK and USA where COVID-19 numbers are soaring.

As well, there is that problem of climate denial that leaves them in limbo, waiting for someone to solve the energy problem.

Somehow, they are far from re-assuring – ideologically trapped in neo-liberal claptrap.
Jo.October 21, 2020 at 2:20 pm

AngryB – you were doing okay in your latest post until the bit about the Gates jab. That was a big mistake! That revealed where you are coming from and it’s not a place with a good track record. You too (in all probability) are an anti-vaxxer

As for the ‘assessing the evidence with an open mind’. That sounds good but an ‘open mind’ is a guarantee of nought, mainly because an ‘open mind’ can also in fact be an ’empty mind’ – lacking in expertise to make valid judgements. (In that sense I can’t make valid medical judgements either because I simply haven’t the qualifications.)

This site is probably not for you or Gus for that matter.
WamOctober 21, 2020 at 2:21 pm

A doubter, Michael?? How could you not revere a man of substance and knowledge, with some 4400 articles on turmeric.
Mecola, much like TV pastors, has made millions from antivaxxers who are worried for all who are vaccinated, millions more out of simpletons who believe his ads and hang out on suggestions like don’t shower after sun baking on my tanning beds, cheap at half the price, in case you wash off the vitamin D, tooth gel for pets and grass fed beef are high on his product list and who could not admire fermented ginseng spray or organic tampons.
No angry B, I can understand your anger and his when in 2010 an Aussie art Rachie rolled him in the shorty awards and the frustration of you not being able to overcome scepticism over what is real and important to you. Please just think of his importance in things like cash from flower sniffing but not in the viral or vaccine context.
michael f slocumOctober 21, 2020 at 2:26 pm

Brilliantly written.
Ad AstraOctober 21, 2020 at 7:58 pm

Folks
Once again, I thank you for your thoughtful comments.

Given Angry B’s reference sources, it would be wise to give his/her contribution the attention it deserves. None.
RoswellOctober 21, 2020 at 8:24 pm

None given, Ad Astra.
Carol TaylorOctober 21, 2020 at 8:42 pm

AngryB, you have mentioned survival rates for COVID-19 but have failed to mention consequences which include long term impairment even in the youngest of age groups, heart, lungs, brain and nervous system, mental health and musculoskeletal (Ref: WHO).

Disclaimer, our youngest daughter is a doctor at a large public hospital (not in Melbourne), forgive me if I believe her above any story meant to undermine a Labor government. Health first, play politics when this virus is defeated.
CazOctober 21, 2020 at 9:58 pm

Dan, can you include the journalist’s name in your reply so we know who these cretins are. It’s a pity that journalists do not have to announce themes as they do at the National Press Club. We need to be able to check who they are, where they work and be able to lambaste theminTwitter. It is what they deserve.
WatchdogOctober 22, 2020 at 10:04 am

Caz,
An interesting read, especially regarding the breeding ground for “nut jobs”. They turn out in force at the Agricultural shows drumming up business from the inwardly stale audiences.
https://citizensparty.org.au/
Ad astraOctober 22, 2020 at 3:27 pm

Caz

I agree. Let’s have the names of the inquisitors. Exposed, they would likely vanish.
A CommentatorOctober 23, 2020 at 10:52 pm

I think it is an unsatisfactory understatement to characterise the actions of the Andrews Government as “mistakes”
Negligent is closer.
And before anyone asks, the (in)action of the federal government in aged care is also negligent.

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