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Djokovic And Our Strong Borders Or Nobody’s Going To Tampa With Morrison…

Now I know some of you will be familiar with the idea of confirmation bias where we notice the evidence that suits our world view while filtering out things that don’t fit. It means that most people can make a case for anything.

And it’s not a case of intelligence either. Intelligent people can often make far more convincing cases for their world view. “No recorded evidence to support what I’m saying just means that they’re obviously covering it up. Surely if it was incorrect, you’d find something that I could use to further my case!” 

So the recent case of Novak Djokovic has had people scrambling because there are so many contradictions that it’s hard for a person to work out how people will actually respond to the politics of it all.

Let me try and unwind the narrative while keeping my personal opinions to one side and to simply look at the politics of the situation. Here’s a brief rundown of events so far:

  • Novak (or No-vax, as some have taken to calling him) is a well-known anti-vaxxer.
  • Victorian Premier is on record as saying that non-vaccinated players would not  be allowed to compete at The Australian Open.
  • An independent medical body was set up to look at possible exemptions which would allow non-vaccinated players to play.
  • Apparently the medical body accepted Djokovic’s evidence and granted him a medical exemption
  • There is some cynicism about the “independence” of the body.
  • Scott Morrison tells us on Wednesday that it’s “a matter for the Victorian government. They have provided him with an exemption to come to Australia, and so we then act in accordance with that decision.”
  • Border Force detain Djokovic and then cancel his visa.
  • I tweet that Scotty is looking for his Tampa moment. (Ok, probably not that significant but I do like to point out when I get things right, like Turnbull becoming PM and Scotty doing a Bradbury skating past both Dutton and Bishop. Given how often Nick Coatsworth is invited to give his opinion on Covid, it’s entirely reasonable to never mention any predictions I got wrong!) 
  • Ten minutes later, Scott Morrison tells us that rules are rules and this is all about strong borders and just stops short of completely paraphrasing Howard and saying something like: We will decide who plays tennis and the circumstances under which they play. 
  • No, this is not just because Djokovic is a high profile player, we are told that everyone is treated the same.
  • There is the suggestion that there were other tennis players who had the same medical exemption as Djokovic.
  • Border Force show that they treat everyone the same by suddenly noticing and detaining a female player they let through before they realised that this wasn’t an acceptable reason.

This is about where we’re at.

Now let’s look at the politics of the situation. On Wednesday, Morrison seemed very sure that it was the Victorian government’s decision and there was no suggestion that there may be some problem. While it’s possible to argue that Morrison wasn’t aware of the individual circumstances and that this was an example of the separation of powers, it certainly sounded like he was trying to distance his government from any backlash regarding Djokovic’s appearance in Australia.

However, once the visa was cancelled, then it was all the government’s STRONG borders.

Of course, this may play out well with all those who thought that Novak shouldn’t be allowed in, but the interesting thing is that it’s almost a complete turnaround from Scotty’s attempt to dog-whistle to the anti-vaxxers and anti-lockdown protesters that he would be right behind them if only he wasn’t busy not holding a hose. Suddenly, it’s Scotty the Protector of the Empire, not Scotty Making HIs William Wallace speech for freedom. Hard to know whether he’ll lose more potential votes than he’ll win with this change.

Various letters are leaked to the press in an attempt to show that the federal government had been quite consistent in their position on unvaccinated players. Nobody asks who leaked the letters.

However, a week’s a long time in politics so it’s no wonder that our PM needs so many breaks. Before the day was out, it’s been suggested that Mr Djokovic wasn’t the only one with the same medical exemption. By Saturday morning the public were told that another player, Renata Voracova, had been detained…

Which begs the question, how did she slip through our strong borders? I mean, how did she get by our thorough Border Force officers who treat everyone the same and didn’t just single out Novak? This doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence that the rules are rules and applying to everyone equally…

As for keeping us safe, this woman has already competed in a practice tournament…

Now, both the freedom narrative and the keeping the borders strong narrative are both looking a little shaky…

Looks like they’ll have to find a way to blame Labor.

Why on earth did Dan Andrews grant him a visa? Whoops, state governments don’t grant visas.

We granted him a visa based on Dan Andrews say so. The medical review was an independent process.

Oh look, a high profile resignation, let’s talk about that instead!!

 

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34 comments

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  1. Phil Pryor

    The lying brown dropping of a P M, Mr. S. Farr-Caduk is such a dodging liar that even he outstrips the requirement to lie consistently. All this visa shit is Federal responsibility, and natural negotiation between financial interest, hosting state government, the tennis manipulators, etc, is just that, talk and sparring, all because the said Serb is NOT vaccinated, despite science, law, decency, honesty. Let fools and egos live elsewhere with themselves, because he should NOT have turned up. And.., that bowel clearing photo of Jack the Jerk is working…

  2. Pamela

    Hopefully Monday’s Court case will clear the murk. How did Djokovic board the plane without a visa? Airline checks docs to ensure correct because an $80,000 fine is levied on airline if they carry a person without correct docs to Enter Australia.
    Maybe mistake there?
    Did Immigration/ Home Affairs/ BorderForce get it wrong?
    Vic govt issued exemption to play tennis at AO not to enter the country- no power to do this!
    So many places to bugger up a process! Not to mention the others who were detained after being in community! What a shemozzle!
    When will we have a Royal Commission into this portfolio?
    Djokovic is but a tiny snapshot into a monumental policy failure by a succession of ministers obsessed with looking like strongmen and harming human beings in the process!

  3. Kerri

    I have to challenge point 2 Rossleigh??? I googled “Dan Andrews unvaccinated players will be allowed” And got several pages of articles reporting that Dan Andrews would NOT allow unvaccinated players to attend the Australian Open??? Can some one please direct me to where Dan Andrews, or the Victorian government, not the independent medical assessment body, has agreed to allow the unvaccinated entry to the Australian Open? #Pamela Novak had a VISA but he had a medical exemption that was not valid and was not to be checked until he reached Australia. Pretty dumb system. ALSO back in October Morrison said unvaccinated players would be allowed in and required to quarantine for 14 days which resulted in a stoush because Dan Andrews doubled down and stated clearly that visa granting is federal and the Morrison government were welcome to allow players in but that unvaccinated persons, regardless of their sporting credentials, would not be allowed into Victoria.

  4. corvusboreus

    I’ll take a moment to don a tinfoil sailors cap and wonder whether or not it is possible that,

    somewhere amongst where policy issues like public health and visa approval become political tug-o-war chewtoys thrown in to help absorb the drool induced by dogwhistling, (aka politics in straya)

    and the possible contaminative effect when grubby fingers are allowed unimpeded access to the multistrate beureaucratic processes involved in teaming up feuding chefs of disparate schools to craft the perfect turducken (aka policy in straya).
    could the lobbying weight of corporate sports, with influence from the underwriting of gambling concerns, have perhaps decided that the field might suddenly seem a lot more open and interesting for punterz with the clear favourite scratched? (business in straya)

    I will now remove my carefully crafted tinfoil Nelsonian bicorne.

    I wouldn’t put any money down to back my crackpot brainfart, but then again, I don’t indulge in percentage gambling.

    Ps on a more serious note, some of the vax-scep sportstar’s current housemates have far greater need of sympathetic interest.
    Former manus detainees of legally indeterminate status who have languished under guard in temporary quarters for long enough to have genuine 4 star stircraze.

  5. Garth

    It seems obvious that the Australian Government, the bureaucracy and Medical Mafia, obeying orders from their over lords designed a political campaign against Djokovic.
    Djokovic who stood up for his personal rights against the draconian mandates being issued to the Australian people and being a very high profile sports person was not acceptable to their ongoing conspiracy of quad-jabbing every Australian with an experimental untested toxin.
    They do not want you influenced by those inconvenient things called Truth and critical thinking. Surely, we get enough of this with the MSM?

  6. Kaye Lee

    Garth, as my dear old mother would have said, you wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit you on the arse. People like you make me REALLY angry. Stop spreading crap.

  7. New England Cocky

    @Garth: Djokovic is a champion tennis player and a spoilt brat. What consideration are the Mainstream Mediocrity giving to the legal refugees who have been jailed for as much as eight (8) years without committing any offence?

    A political sceptic could reasonably claim that Djokovic & his pretentious family are displeased because Novaxx had a good chance of winning another multimillion dollar purse from the Australian Open.

    And my good mate Blind Freddie says that he can see that you are at best an anti-vaxx person prepared to infect the general public in the pursuit of dictatorial chaos.

  8. Rossleigh

    Quite right, Kerri. That was a slip and I meant to actually make that point. I somehow missed writing “not”
    Fixed now.

  9. HENRY RODRIGUES

    Scummo is desperately searching for his Tampa moment, it worked for the rodent didn’t it ? As ever and true to their disgusting ethics, throw anyone under a bus or into the drink or better still, a quarantine hotel, and make like they’re protecting Australia.

    The fact is that only the federal immigration grants visas, the states can either invite or refuse to allow a sports person into their state, since health governance in a state responsibility. And yet the slimy media are bending over backwards to give Scummo all the space he needs to weave his web of lies and obfuscation.

    As for Karen Andrews, best she should get her argument straight before appearing on TV and confirming she’s really not suitable for the job.
    She reminds me of a mediocre public servant acting above her pay grade. She’s just not as accomplished a liar as Scummo.

  10. corvusboreus

    Garth,
    I would give greater credence to your Truth if it contained more capital letters and exclamatory punctuation.

    Herding sheeple, truth has nothing,
    Truth causes only weakest to sway,
    TrUTh may tip the already unsteady
    and TRUTH often wins the day.
    But the S&W to trump 4 aces
    is sticking to the TRUTH! (!!!)

  11. Michael Taylor

    Garth, any more of that conspiracy rubbish and your comment will be removed.

  12. Michael Taylor

    While we’re at it, can we kick this player out of the country as well?

    Please.

    Pretty please.

  13. HENRY RODRIGUES

    Michael, day by day, it proves the point, just what a fuckwit he really is.

  14. Phil Pryor

    Garth, you are an apparent shit painter of no known morals, ethics, decency, social awareness. Only science and truth will assist us with this virus, by using a vaccine.., no shitty lies about toxins or personal freedoms are needed. Idiot selfites kill people. You silly, selfish, little-minded, under-educated S S trainee L-Plate learner, of nothing so far…

  15. corvusboreus

    Scomo’s hollow raquet.

    Morrison would belligerently argue every single lost point,
    and disagree with the numbers on the scoreboard,
    he’d refuse to accept the premise of any opponent’s serve,
    and claim that every backhand return he copped was a slur against the people of ostraya.
    He would whinge that umpireship meant kangaroo court,
    and, after carelessly barging the ballkids to the ground,
    he would force them into handhakes whilst they cried.

  16. Max Gross

    Novak? Another perfect opportunity for Sideshow Scott to stroll out and shout: “Look! Squirrel!” Meanwhile, writing for ABC News online, Laura Tingle paints the stark reality: “Overwhelmed hospital systems, a primary health care system unable to cope, the return of many restrictions, people staying at home and not spending money out in the economy, millions of people getting sick and/or being frustrated by access to vaccines for themselves or their kids.” But Morrison and Perrottet continue to yammer and spout the same old bullshit. https://pazzoredento.wordpress.com/2022/01/08/a-flying-fck-at-a-rolling-donut/

  17. Kerri

    Malcolm Farr also wrote an excellent piece for The Guardian, as did Tory Shepherd.
    What appalls and saddens me is the daily stream of anonymous articles from nurses, doctors and other frontline workers about how desperately overworked, under staffed, under paid and under appreciated are the many folk being forced into a job they did not train or enrol for.
    Perrotet and Morrison will destroy our health system as distraught workers quit for their own sanity and yet the BS continues.
    BTW #Rossleigh all good. I had just noticed MSM pushing that line as are Feds.

  18. Kaye Lee

    Kerri,

    The articles from many healthcare workers have to be anonymous because, as public servants, they are not allowed to voice their criticism.

  19. GL

    Michael,

    I have a theory (gets ready to run when someone works out what I’m paraphrasing) about conspiracies. This my theory that I thought of. My theory is, and I thought of this theory myself, about conspiracies. Here is the theory that I thought of, my theory is (makes sure that running shoes are well tied and stands near open front door) that conspiracies are theories that people who believe in conspiracies (takes in as much oxygen without passing out) and…(runs like buggery for the hills)…

  20. Michael Taylor

    GL, you could be onto something there. It would be interesting to find a case study.

  21. Kaye Lee

    This is getting ridiculous.

    In a submission filed late today, Novak’s lawyers claimed that he was granted a visa to enter Australia on November 18, and on December 30, Tennis Australia granted him a “medical exemption from COVID vaccination” on the grounds that he had recently recovered from COVID-19.

    The “exemption certificate” said the date of Djokovic’s first positive COVID-19 PCR test was December 16, 2021, but that he had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms in the past 72 hours.

    It also recorded that the conditions of the exemption were “consistent with the recommendations of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI)”.

    Then, on January 1, Djokovic received a document from the Department of Home Affairs, saying “[his] Australia Travel Declaration [had] been assessed”, and that “[his] responses indicate[d] that [he met] the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia where permitted by the jurisdiction of your arrival”.

    Why was an unvaccinated person granted a visa on November 18? This is a Home Affairs stuff up from go to woe.

  22. corvusboreus

    GL,
    Runs like buggery?
    I recommend quickly researching the (like) actual literal definition of ‘buggery’, then contemplating the different difficulties in conflating such with sprinting.

  23. Michael Taylor

    Kaye, a questionnaire on a Murdoch site asked whose fault this was. One of the options was “Daniel Andrews”. I can’t believe this crap.

  24. GL

    Slang term – run like buggery: run like a bat out of hell/like hell.

    I do know the less savoury meanings for buggery thank you very much.

  25. Andrew J. Smith

    Our border obsessions, but sadly such agitprop including temporary NOM net overseas migration churn over is enough for too many voters, to stick with the LNP govt. (although a useful barometer, the right leaning libertarian MacroBusiness views Morrison as toast, after years of ‘both sides are as bad as the other’, so vote LNP….).

    On conspiracy theories, those who promote them appear to suffer from Dunning Kruger* effect, predicated on strong narcissistic personality disorder, and can be used by authority to deflect e.g. Covid science denial and delay is a cut down version of the Kochian climate science denial (and directly related by DeSmog UK), to avoid constraints on fossil fuels and big business.

    ‘a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general’

    In the Balkans, especially including Serbia, there are several factors, (the credulity of) deep Orthodox religious belief, mistrust of authority, sub-optimal basic education, and ageing populations with hollowed out media joined at the hip with government and authority.

    The other dynamic of conspiracy theories is for e.g. (even) educated middle class, to avoid openly discussing and challenging government authority, which can then lead to being targeted, plus kicking down and intimidating youth, NGOs, educated, academics, freedom of assembly/speech etc.; anything that challenges small or large authoritarian regimes of the right.

  26. corvusboreus

    GL,
    Good that you know the ‘less savoury meanings’ (aka ‘definitions’), it helps avoid linguistic infelicities.

    It funny in that many people will clutch their pearls at the mention of ‘fucking’, but take a more lassez-faire attitude to ‘buggery’ (think toyota ads).

    Are anal sex and bestiality really more mainstream appropriate than straight out copulation?

  27. corvusboreus

    What is the difference between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Cocksurity?

    One is a clinical diagnosis of a mental health condition made by an appropriately qualified professional,
    the other is personal opinion based on casual observation.

  28. Terence Mills

    In the court on Monday it will come down to a subtle legal deconstruction of our immigration laws :

    Is Novac Djokovic a tennis player or could he more accurately be described as an au pair who likes to play tennis in his spare time ? The distinction is important, call Spudley Dutton to give evidence.

    Did Djokovic throw his rackets overboard in an attempt to gain public sympathy ?

    Can Novac send out for gluten-free pizzas at the Park Hotel, Carlton : if so should this concession be granted to the other forty-six inmates who have been there for more than two years ?

    Is it the Constitution or the election or is it the vibe ?

    and why is Scott Morrison carrying around a dead fish : does it symbolise that the fish rots from the head or does it mean that Novac sleeps with the fishes ?

    These are all weighty and important legal concepts that will be explored in court on Monday !

  29. corvusboreus

    Terence,

    Scomo’s fish on a dish is actually a sacrifical offering for altar.

    It was ritually lain beneath an enshrined print, the copy of a photograph of an eagle.

    Apparently it all helps to attract power & wealth whilst repelling karma & consequence.

    Phuqqen idolatrous paganism!

  30. Terence Mills

    Karen Andrews Home Affairs’ minister is on the back-foot. Lawyers for ABF applied to the Federal Circuit Court to move the case from tomorrow (Monday) to Wednesday but Judge Anthony Kelly dismissed the application.

    The government seem to be playing a dangerous game here : reminiscent of Johnny Howard and his strong man quote we will decide who comes here and the circumstances under which they come.

    Trying to play the strong man with refugees is one thing but trying to drag out Djokovic’s court case – which should be a straight forward issue – is looking dodgy.

  31. Terence Mills

    Peter Dutton seems to have been sent out to muddy the waters on the Djokovic issue by calling on Australians to focus their attention on another tennis player : Spud wants us to look to China and the issues involving Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai .

    This is typical Dutton diversionary tactics, look over there they’re worse than us.

    The real importance of the Djokovic issue and his visa cancellation is the inability of our federal government to address or acknowledge the fundamental flaws in the visa immigration system and the Morrison government’s attempts to constantly shift blame : even this morning leaks from the Morrison government to Newscorp (in particular) are deflecting blame on to Tennis Australia, the Victoria state government and Djokovic himself.

    What is really of great national concern is that this government has been able to indefinitely [repeat indefinitely ) detain people who arrived in this country without appropriate visas. In the Park Hotel in Carlton alone there are some forty six (some say forty three) asylum seekers who have been detained at this location for three years (plus five to eight years in offshore detention).

    If nothing else comes out of this we should hope that our government’s practice of detaining people indefinitely is exposed to international scrutiny and human rights activism : it is absolutely hypocritical that people like Dutton should point to human rights issues in China when he was a co-designer of an inhumane system of detaining people in this country.

    I have made this point before, so bear with me as it warrants repeating : our democracy, our freedoms and our system of justice has as its foundation a requirement that nobody, man woman or child, be deprived of their liberty and be detained by the state or any other body unless they have been found guilty of a recognised crime and sentenced to a term of imprisonment by a properly constituted court of law. This government have corrupted that fundamental democratic principle.

    That’s all, I have to walk the dog, there’s a cyclone building up in the local area – hooroo !

  32. GL

    Rats to RAT’s!

    75 M1A2 main battle tanks plus other vehicles at a cost that’s certain to blow out (no pun intended) of $3.5 billion is far more important than Covid. The knuckle dragging caveman and Dorian Gray’s painting made flesh must have his toys.

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