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The government’s message to the people – shaddap you face

ProMo tells us, with an earnest look on his face as he flies around the country visiting Liberal Party donors, that he is “listening, hearing and doing”.

Great slogan.  Pity about the product.

Scott doesn’t want children speaking up about climate change.  They should be in school receiving direct instruction about how great Western civilisation is.  They shouldn’t be playing at being leaders when the adults have that job in hand, no double meaning intended.

Kids missing a day of school will send them to the dole queue says Matt Canavan, who, along with the PM, will attend parliament for 10 days in the next 8 months, presuming he doesn’t have a more pressing engagement like opening up a new Fox studio somewhere.

Scott would also prefer the women speaking up about bullying in the Liberal Party and parliament more broadly to shut up.  They have “processes” in place and it wasn’t them anyway – it was the administrative people.

And anyone who says that children on Nauru are being mistreated is a downright liar who is only saying it for political reasons or else they would be blaming Labor, not them.  Take that Gillian Triggs, Save Our Children, AMA, UN, Amnesty International, Refugee Council, ABC, Guardian, Father Rod, and all you other bleeding hearts!

For those of you who thought we would listen to the recommendations in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, come on – seriously now.  We have already got more than enough recommendations on how to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage to fill a library.  We sure don’t need a Voice to tell us how to govern you!

As for the job-destroying greenies illegally using lawfare to protect the environment through the courts, unless they live where the mine is going to be built, they can just mind their own business.  Any World Heritage official wanting to visit the Reef, please ring early so we can take you to a resort near a bit that is still alive provided you promise not to look elsewhere and say bad things about the dead bits.

What the Business Council of Australia don’t seem to understand is that the best form of welfare is a job, so when they say Newstart is too low to allow people to look for employment, they are forgetting we have created so many jobs, albeit 68,000 less than Labor did when they were in office.

Unions are full of criminals and thugs who shouldn’t be able to donate their directors’ fees for managing their members’ superannuation to campaigns to improve their members’ workplace conditions.  It’s unfair to the banks and to the Liberal Party.

When our intelligence agencies and police, and our Muslim and African leaders, say that marginalising youth and casting suspicion on whole communities is aiding radicalisation, they seem to forget that a few individuals have harmed people.  Christian white people never commit crimes.  Especially our brave men in uniform and don’t you say otherwise ABC!

To the minority of farmers who have drunk the climate change kool aid, we present a bevy of people with drought in their title to show we really are getting on with the job of visiting as many country pubs as the photographers can stand.

The Longman, Wentworth, Wagga, and Victorian elections weren’t in any way influenced by Federal issues and anyway, they aren’t representative of what the real people on 2GB think.

But rest assured everyone, we hear you and [look directly into camera lens and point] we are on your side.

41 comments

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  1. Josephus

    Kaye I have just read the vitriol expressed on line in response to the plea in the House by Senator Mereen Feruqhi ( sorry about spelling) to the proposed Bill to stop new immigrants getting Centrelink payments, carer allowance – medical treatment too? for several years. Supported by Labor she said. She spoke of her experience as a migrant decades ago, when in contrast there were allowances to help people gain jobs or train. She was insulted, told to go home etc.
    What hope giving the First People a voice when many voters are so vile. Where has decency gone? ‘a fair go’ my arse… pardon the vulgarity.

  2. Aortic

    Great stuff again Kaye. I see on line in some of the News Crap editions that Tony Abbott (remember Tones Envoy to our Indigenous Peoples) still harbours hope of becoming Opposition leader again and possibly P.M. once more. Is this moron aware of his mortality or does he intend to live for hundreds of years? This LNP shower will at the next election be thrown out for generations to come so unless Tones has special dispensation from the Pope he will be watching proceedings from wherever Catholics espouse as their latest eternal rest home.

  3. Baby Jewels

    Good one, Kaye. It’s getting so hard to swallow. Hope we can hang onto our sanity until May.

  4. Kronomex

    Let’s see –

    Listening to what the donors and corporations say.
    Hearing what the donor and corporations say.
    And doing pretty much what the donors and corporations want him to do.

    Everything else is an annoyance he can’t really avoid and has to be shown to be doing something about.

  5. Rossleigh

    The LNP seem to think that a patriot is someone who loves their country while hating most of the people in it.

    If the government was a dog, you’d take it to the vet…
    And by take it to the vet, I don’t mean for its annual check-up; it’d be a one-way trip.

    And that last comment is written more in compassion than anger!

  6. Shaun Newman

    We should be celebrating our First Australians and helping them to survive in this white man’s world. The longest surviving civilization on Earth belongs to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples and if we were not so arrogant we could learn a lot from them in regards to the land in this country.

    When I was a young man a common expression was “Charity begins at home” it seems to be lost now, however, we have well in excess of 3 million Australians living “below” the poverty line. If I ever have any spare money again, I will be supporting my own before any overseas.

  7. CoralieN

    Oh for that kind of commitment to the underprivileged, unemployed, un-white, unhealthy, poor & needy people in this vast land and surrounding island nations.
    We are known as Australasia or Western Pacific as an area. We are made up of many cultures & creeds. Why has it taken so long for all governments to accept that?
    Oh yes, we have a dark history, some think is a history of white people discovering lands that were uninhabited.

    Therein lies the problem.

    Freedom of speech, for some not all.
    Freedom of religion, for some not all.

    Public holidays are designed for white people, ethnic people have no choice to celebrate their public holidays.
    Religious holidays are only for people who are “christian” or pretend to be.
    Some holidays celebrate war, but only wars that they choose to call wars. Don’t concern themselves with wars against the very people they tried to wipe of the map ____ yes the first indigenous people of this area.

    Morrison has no idea about any other person who doesn’t fit into his little box. He, like most PMs before him, will continue to appeal to their donors and their narrow minded little world.

    People do have power, but try to take away any privilege that they already enjoy, you’ll see their power is pretty weak.

  8. Kaye Lee

    Freedom of speech, for some not all.
    Freedom of religion, for some not all.

    Opportunity for some, not all.
    Concessions for some, not all.
    Self-determination for some, not all.
    Dignity and choice for some, not all.

  9. CoralieN

    Yes Kaye Lee, everything is for some not all including the right to breath fresh clean air and drink clean, uncontaminated water.

    Governments past and present don’t care about those “little things”. This current government seems to be most blatantly obvious about it though.

  10. Kaye Lee

    They never look for the causes of things Coralie.

    Money invested in education, in prevention and early intervention, in support networks, in universal healthcare, in action on climate change, in providing affordable shelter, save/earn money in the future.

    But they see these things as costs rather than investments. They would rather react to symptoms than cure the disease.

  11. Diannaart

    Coralie

    ”This current government seems to be most blatantly obvious about it though.”

    This government’s blatant disregard is caught on the wave of dissociation towards civility, cooperation and compassion sweeping the world, from Trump, to Brexit, far right governments in South America and Europe, opportunist manipulations by Putin’s Russia.

    Our monkey-see monkey-do government’s belief that if others are behaving like toss-pots, why consider any evidence to the contrary.

    I guess sufficient numbers of the public saw enough actual state building in Victoria to halt this trend. A shame South Australia didn’t wait for the Labor government’s investment into to sustainable energy sources to bear fruit. Will the incumbent LNP take the credit when power bills do start to reduce? If the private operators are prepared to pass on the savings, that is.

    Maybe we’ll have a federal Labor government next year, will Bill turn back the tide of right wing selfishness?

  12. Kaye Lee

    I am nervous diannaart. They need to be squeaky clean too. But concessions to the Catholic schools, support for all things military or national security, no plan for the people stuck on Manus, factional manoeuvering and rewards etc, make me a little bit scared.

  13. Michael Taylor

    … will Bill turn back the tide of right wing selfishness?

    And right-wing media? Or maybe that bit’s up to us (“us” being the Left).

  14. CoralieN

    If Bill doesn’t start to have a more holistic approach to governing the whole, we are doomed. The Left have been fighting for human rights and equality, renewable energy, asylum seekers and humane treatment of all animals, including people for what feels like forever.

  15. Diannaart

    The right wing media … owes so much to Murdoch. I tend to believe if there was no Murdoch, there would’ve been someone similar, given how our present power structures favour the bully rather than the leader. The 5th estate has its work cut out.

    We of the left need to stop our own in-house battles of who is the most righteous.

    Let’s not flatter ourselves everyone in the left is generous and compassionate; there exist many who see an opportunity for power at the expense of others while wearing a mantle of “peace and love”, those who see this hierarchical battle as easier than trying to ascend on the right. Or those with a chip on their shoulder towards those who believe in education, the arts and science need a solid foundation with eyes wide open to the bounty of diversity. Humanities studies at secondary levels for all students, before moving onto a trade or university.

    That said, I really want Labor to win the federal election in a landslide – in the HoR. However, the senate needs must have diversity in order to keep the duopoly honest.

  16. Josephus

    Labor is trying to be all things to all, as tossed about on the (rising) seas of value formation as the other lot are. We can see that the real, savage floods and fires here and elsewhere are exacerbated by global warming, but lo, Labor approves large coal mines that suck up underground water and poison the air. Farmers, pastoralists, tourism operators, fishers, the young of all sizes and colours, rise up and say NO! Destroy the planet for few transient jobs that destroy other, non toxic jobs? NO.

  17. Sir Scotchmistery

    @Rossleigh re the one way trip to the vet, I’m assuming you are talking about putting him out of our misery.

  18. Keith

    The “strike” by students has been a great success, it should make LNP politicians very worried.
    Scomo reckoned that students should be in class, yet, the “strike” has been such a fabulous learning experience for students.
    They have been able to use their creativity, speak in front of large crowds, extend organisational skills, and take responsibility for the future. Meanwhile the LNP has been limp in comparison, the children have acted in adult ways, while the LNP has been child like.
    Scomo stated leave action on climate change to others; except as everybody knows the LNP do bugger all.

    Morrison and Canavan ought to have taken their minds out of neutral and come up with better responses to the students. No doubt many teachers will be proud of what their students have accomplished.

    It should not be too much of a surprise that Julia Banks moved to the cross bench; once again there has been no action in relation to bullying in Liberal Party ranks and Parliament generally. Open bullying in the Senate has just been highlighted.

  19. Matters Not

    Perhaps legal is possible:

    A network of young people in Quebec have applied to sue the Canadian government for failing to get tough on the carbon pollution that is heating the planet and putting their futures in jeopardy.

    Environnement Jeunesse applied Monday to bring a class action lawsuit against the Government of Canada, on behalf of all Quebecers aged 35 and under. The group is being represented pro bono by Montreal-based law firm Trudel Johnston & Lespérance.

    Even in Canada, Kids Are Suing the Government Over Climate Change

    Must be legal firms in Australia wanting to make a name for themselves.

    Similar legal actions are ongoing in the United States, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Colombia and the United Kingdom,” the law firm notes on its web page detailing the class action.

    The firm has pointed to several examples of how weak climate targets infringe on rights in Canada. The right to life, integrity and security of the person, for example, is protected by section 7 of the federal charter and section 1 of the Quebec charter.

  20. Michael Taylor

    Ah, Scotchie, hows ya doin?

  21. Miriam English

    It amazes me that the LNP collectively think the only thing they’ve been doing wrong is that they haven’t been hard-line right-wing enough. They’ve gone completely deaf to the population around them and listen only to themselves and their corporate sponsors.

    Astonishing.

    Hopefully Labor are listening to the people, though their recent vote to let religious institutions fire gay people would indicate they may have gone deaf too.

  22. Michael Taylor

    Hilarious isn’t it, Miriam? Not right-wing enough! That’s delusion on a grand scale.

  23. Diannaart

    It’s a worry, Miriam, Michael, that for a radical shift in Victoria all it took the LNP to do was little more than shift further to the right for the voting public to say enough already.

    One of the aspects which does not receive much attention has been the seeding of of the LNP with strategic placement of Mormans, (not the nice ones from the musical).

    From earlier this year, https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-religious-minority-seizing-power-in-the-liberal-party-20180601-p4ziyq.html

    These people make Matthew “lobster” Guy look reasonable.

  24. Kaye Lee

    Ah yes. moralising from James McGrath….

    In 2010, Brian Loughnane suggested McGrath for the job of running the LNP’s federal campaign in Queensland.

    In 2011 the then 38 year old campaign director was revealed as the architect behind a scheme to pay disgruntled former Labor staffer and candidate Robert Hough for dirt on government MPs.

    The LNP dirt file detailed a minister’s epilepsy and childhood adoption, claims about some politicians’ sexuality, sex lives, drinking habits and health matters, and included details of the schools of the children of government MPs.

    Senior LNP figures including president Bruce McIver and aspiring premier Campbell Newman denied knowing about the dirt files until The Courier-Mail raised the matter.

    They said LNP campaign director James McGrath and state director Michael O’Dwyer had been “strongly reprimanded” for commissioning the $3075 research but would not be sacked. Far from it…they made him a Senator.

    James McGrath said in first speech….

    “My life has not been about the pursuit or gain of power but to confiscate power back from government to free people.

    From the dockyards of Kronstat to the editorial desk of The Age, the Left always want to control and brutalise. By restricting freedom of speech, they are building Australian gulags for words and thoughts.”

    Ooh Ah James McGrath

    Agree with me or shut up?

  25. Michael Taylor

    I can’t believe all this madness. ☹️

  26. Kronomex

    ““My life has not been about the pursuit or gain of power but to confiscate power back from government to free people.””

    Snort! It now reads –

    ““My life is now about the pursuit of and taking of power from the people and handing it all to the LNP. WE KNOW WHAT AUSTRALIANS WANT!””

    and

    “From the ivory towers of the corporations to the editorial desks of The Rupert Rags, the LNP Right always want to control and brutalise. By restricting freedom of speech, they are building Australian gulags for words and thoughts.”

  27. Kaye Lee

    People don’t pay enough attention to the individuals they elect to the Senate. McGrath is particularly weird. This is another excerpt from his first speech…

    “The ‘Hundred Years War against Tyranny’ continues today on three fronts: first of all Islamist fundamentalism intent on caliphates destroying Western civilisation, especially religious freedom; secondly, democratic governments restricting freedom of speech and association, betraying hundreds of years of liberty; and, finally, leftists delegitimising all views other than their own, especially in media and education.”

    Will someone hand that man a mirror

  28. Matters Not

    Re:

    listening to the people … vote to let religious institutions fire gay people … indicate they may have gone deaf

    Not at all. They are listening to the people whose vote they want to win and retain. In this case, the religious community (particularly the significant Catholic demographic) who pay lip service to gay rights provided it doesn’t impact on themselves AND particularly their offspring. It’s a vote changer – and not many issues are.

    So just to be on the safe side.

  29. Kaye Lee

    I am not sure they actually voted to allow religious institutions to fire gay people. They already had that right. What they rushed through was a protection for kids – and whilst that is important in principle, no institution has ever expelled a kid for being gay so that could cynically be called a populist vote winner too.

    I am pretty certain that protection for teachers will follow though it may be after the election. It’s all too silly. Should I be worried that heterosexual teachers are grooming my child for sex or influencing them to copy their personal lifestyle whatever that may be?

  30. Matters Not

    Like motherhood and apple pie, virtually everyone is in favour of education. Hence it’s good for brand building but it’s not necessarily a vote changer like a potential mine closure or worse still latte-sipping leftist intervening to prevent new mining. Now those instances are vote changing, particularly if the politicians in question jump the wrong way.

    KL at what point does a non-vote become a yes vote by default? KL you aren’t usually in the business of making excuses for moral failure.

  31. Kaye Lee

    MN,

    You have to have enough people in a single electorate who think the same to get elected. That is the Greens problem but it may be Adani’s too. I am wondering how many electorates have a majority who want Adani to go ahead compared to how many electorates have a majority who don’t.

    I ujnderstand your point about the yes vote thing but I heard Penny Wong’s explanation. Get something done and then work on the rest.

  32. Matters Not

    KL personally I don’t care whether The Greens win seats or not. They are bit players – but significant bit players nevertheless because they influence Labor policy development and implementation – often out of fear. Thus they are strategically important re any progressive agenda. Look at the history to see their influence, albeit and see their mistakes as well.

    As for:

    Get something done and then work on the rest.

    Wishing and hoping, I suspect. When in Government, the imperatives are not to upset any apple-carts.

    Thus Never let a chance go by. Labor did. And for very good political reasons – but not for moral ones.

    Then again – they are politicians and politics is their raison d’être. Can’t have everything I suppose.

  33. Kaye Lee

    The community will take the responsibility from their hands. It is a ludicrous proposition that someone be sacked for doing something that is entirely legal – something that quite a number of our politicians also do – love someone that happens to be of the same sex. And watch the religious schools come on board if a few parents threaten to not pay fees to bigots. The views of the traditionalists are not the views of the broader community. We may need the kids to speak up again.

  34. Michael Taylor

    The kids will speak up loud and clear one day, Kaye. When they become of age to vote.

    Why the Libs are doing their best to disenfranchise them is ludicrous at best. The LNP will be in the dustbin for decades, but for that they will only have themselves to blame.

  35. New England Cocky

    Well done Kaye Lee!! It’s time.

  36. Adrianne Haddow

    And from the backbench of the LNP trough, Bananboy bleats that Turnbull has destroyed the party by throwing him under a bus over his lust affair, and not campaigning for Wentworth, and for not joining him and the other toxics on the backbench to maintain the limping LNP majority.

    Every electoral loss is now the fault of Turnbull. Not the bad press or integrity deficit that Banababoy, Dutton, Chopper Bronnie, the Lobster with a mobster Guy, and various others of the blue tie persuasion have created.

    Well at least, they’ve stopped blaming Labor.

  37. Kaye Lee

    It’s astonishing Adrianne how they cannot accept responsibility for anything. Everything is someone else’s fault. That sort of attitude infuriates me. I always said to my students and to my kids, I am talking to you about what YOU did, not what the other person did. Barnaby playing the victim is just beyond the pale.

  38. Michael Taylor

    Yeh, well, it’s Labors fault all the same.

  39. Adrianne Haddow

    Yes Michael. I suppose it is Labor’s fault for having actual policies that address the needs of the Australian people in their focus, rather than rhetoric that attempts to cover up the hand over of our National wealth and human rights to a diverse bunch of lobbyists and corporate donors.

  40. David Ayliffe

    Great article Kaye and just long enough! I fear we are all suffering, our BS meters overstressed and the Piss Off valve like a pressure cook ready to burst. You have said a number of things that I was planning to write. Thanks….by the way would love to talk to you privately about another matter which you may be able to help me with relating to the next election. Would be grateful if you could message me on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DavidAyliffeCelebrant or email david@celebrantdavid.com ….

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