Monday November 30

1 The answer to Alan Austin’s quiz was . . . One. Of the last 17 state or federal MPs sin-binned, 15 are Liberal Party members, one is a National and one is Labor.

Read more here.

2 Why did we need a Wind Farm Commissioner? The answer is because Senate cross bench senators Jacqui Lambie, Bob Day, David Leyonhjelm and John Madigan don’t like them. And of course that old wind bag himself, Alan Jones isn’t too fond of them either. So it’s about appeasement. Nothing to do with science and the numerous reports over the years that can’t identify any problems.

The Wind Farm Commissioner Andrew Dyer whose job, according to Mr Hunt’s letter, will be to receive complaints and pass them along to the relevant state authorities? Not a bad part-time job at $200,000 PA.

For Greg Hunt though, I suppose it is an inexpensive measure which creates the impression that he has made a concession, while simultaneously relieving him of the personal hardship of listening to any more whining from cross bench senators and Alan about wind farms.

When will the bullshit ever end? Still I suppose he will have fun reading all the conspiracy theories at our expense.

3 President Obama has yet again said, ‘enough is enough’ after another gun shooting in Colorado killed three people. The problem is that the American people simply cannot comprehend life without guns, in the way we cannot comprehend life with them.

4 So the Government is saying that it will achieve its emission target at very little cost but that the opposition’s policy will send the country broke.

At the risk of repeating myself ‘’We pay a high price for the upkeep of our personal health but at the same time think the cost of the upkeep of the planet should be next to nothing’’

Turnbull may be a very popular Prime Minister but at the same time he must also be the most hypocritical. He simply doesn’t have the guts of his own conviction.

5 Talking about hypocrisy. It’s only a few short weeks ago that any change to the immoral superannuation tax concessions to the rich and privileged was being described as trouser snatching. Meaning the opposition was wanting to steal your wallet from your back pocket. Now current indications seem to signify that the privileged will lose at least part of the concession.

6 Josh Frydenberg has broken ranks with his leader and accused Muslim Dr Ibrahim of trying to “cover up” his first statement after the Paris attacks and not doing enough to counter extremist Islam. Whether he has a case or not he is just another lose cannon Turnbull has to keep under control.

7 The BludgerTrack poll aggregate this week records a correction after what was probably an Ipsos-driven overshoot last week, with a milder result from Newspoll drawing the Coalition two-party lead back 0.7%, and moving the seat projection two points in favor of Labor, with gains in New South Wales and Victoria. However, Newspoll’s leadership ratings have added further distance between Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten on both net approval and preferred prime minister, although Shorten’s own net approval rating comes in slightly higher than last week’s.

53.7-46.3 to the Coalition

8 The Standing Orders for Question Time normally prevent the Opposition from asking questions about actions MPs took prior to becoming a Minister..

Malcolm Turnbull gave Mal Brough the precise portfolio of Special Minister of State, which puts him in charge of the policy area that forms the basis of the allegations made against him. This puts Minister Brough in a special position of accountability.

He is the Minister in charge of parliamentary standards and integrity. A search warrant and an investigation by the AFP and a clear confession on 60 minutes suggest his guilt. However neither he nor Malcolm Turnbull can see why anyone would think there’s a problem. Christopher Pyne even shut down his own speech rather than offer a defence. Enough said.

MY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

‘There is nothing like the certainty of a closed mind’.