Imperial Fruit: Bananas, Costs and Climate Change

The curved course of the ubiquitous banana has often been the peel…

The problems with a principled stand

In the past couple of weeks, the conservative parties have retained government…

Government approves Santos Barossa pipeline and sea dumping

The Australia Institute Media Release   Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s Department has approved a…

If The Jackboots Actually Fit …

By Jane Salmon   If The Jackboots Actually Fit … Why Does Labor Keep…

Distinctions Without Difference: The Security Council on Gaza…

The UN Security Council presents one of the great contradictions of power…

How the supermarkets lost their way in Oz

By Callen Sorensen Karklis   Many Australians are heard saying that they’re feeling the…

Purgatorial Torments: Assange and the UK High Court

What is it about British justice that has a certain rankness to…

Why A Punch In The Face May Be…

Now I'm not one who believes in violence as a solution to…

«
»
Facebook

The Important Thing Says Scotty Is That The Wheels on The Bus Go Round And Round…

I heard a bit from our Prime Minister’s press conference today and something echoed when he said; “Not everyone has to get on the bus for the bus to leave the station. But it is important the bus leaves the station, and we all agree on that.”

For a few moments, I thought of talk about throwing various ministers under the bus. And then I thought of Tony Abbott wanting the throw the elderly under the bus.  But I was sure there was something else and then I remember this from the last federal election:

PRIME MINISTER: Well the bus is going all the way up to Rockie and that’s where it was always planning to go. I mean, it’s a big state and I need to cover as much of it in four days as I can. So we were never planning to take the bus to Townsville, we’d always planned to take that last leg up to Townsville by plane because that was the most effective way to get there and to spend the most time there with people on the ground. I mean, these visits aren’t about sitting on a bus. They’re about actually engaging with small businesses and our supporters and the people of Queensland and listening to them.

JOURNALIST: Then why have the bus?

PRIME MINISTER: Because it gets me from A to B.

JOURNALIST: Will you be taking the bus to Rockhampton from here?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes. The bus will be going to Rockhampton from here. That’s right.

JOURNALIST: With you on it?

PRIME MINISTER: I’ve got to get there earlier than the bus tonight.

I suppose that I should add that this is an actual transcript from an actual interview at the time and no, it wasn’t written by me… Or John Clarke. It was our actual PM explaining – for the first time – that the important thing was that the bus left even if there weren’t people on it. Thank god he was never a public transport minister… Or even a bus driver.

The important thing is that the bus leaves the station so really the only person who matters is the driver and I’m sure that he sees himself as the driver of the National Cabinet so it really doesn’t matter who’s on board the only the thing that matters is that the bus is actually moving even if it’s not actually taking anybody anywhere…

Sort of like Alan Tudge’s announcement today that there’d be a task force looking at bringing business to Australia. From what he was saying they have a plan to put together a task force to develop a series of ideas that will help businesses come to Australia and we want to attract them because it’s only by attracting people from overseas that we can actually get the best and brightest…. Mm, and they call other people unAustralian! What are they being offered? Well, help with all the red tape! Will they be getting financial incentives? Case by case basis. Yes, if they’re related to a donor.

Anyway, it’s good to know that Scotty thinks that the important thing is not that we have consensus because that’s just impossible with these Premiers who won’t open their borders. The important thing is that the wheels on the bus going round and round. And, if the Premiers aren’t on the bus when I re-open Australia’s borders then we’ll just have to have everyone flying to Christmas Island so I can say that I did have borders re-opened by Christmas just like I promised.

Like what we do at The AIMN?

You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.

Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!

Donate Button

37 comments

Login here Register here
  1. Lawrence S. Roberts

    Has anyone noticed the similarity between Scotty the DIY bloke from The Block and Scotty the failing P.M?
    Have they ever been seen together in the same room? I think we should be informed.

  2. Rossleigh

    A few days ago, I had my mask on and my glasses off and a girl serving me recognised me as a teacher from her school from over ten years ago even though I didn’t actually teach her. I mention this because it made me wonder how on earth nobody noticed the similarity between Clark Kent and Superman, even though he really just removed his glasses. Clearly Scotty and the guy from The Block are one and the same and everyone knows it but nobody’s game to say because the first person to do so will be taken away. Bye, Lawrence. Please try and send a coded message from which place you’re being held…

  3. New England Cocky

    The great bus debate demonstrates the depth of Scummo’s thinking. Notice that he never refers to himself as the driver because that would imply being responsible for the direction the bus is taking, and Scummo has no idea (about very much) or where the bus is going because he is being kept in the dark by his foreign corporate masters while he practises being a toadstool for posterity.

    As for the Tudge trivial pursuit of foreign expertise, perhaps our local inventors and researchers could provide the necessary impetus given adequate R&D funding, say, returning the $1 BILLION ripped out of university funding by Howard in about 1996. However, that would require acknowledging that Australian researchers are world class and every card carrying Liarbral Nazional$ member knows that encouraging Australian researchers will threaten the flat Earth geocentric universe dogma, for which there is no physical evidence only trust in the church that protects paedophiles and promotes boxers to receive Rhodes Scholarships.

    Oops!! I am rambling …..

  4. Max Gross

    Sideshow Scott the flim flam Pentecostal PM makes Boofhead Tony and Fizza Malcolm seem like geniuses. Hell, Scummo makes McMahon (Look him up, kiddies) look great!

  5. ajogrady

    The pentacostalot Pinocchio, the man with the plan that is not a plan will cause Australia to endure a painful recession for far longer then necessary. In particular Scott Morrison and his conga line of shysters and con artists masquerading as a government believe that success is the ability to go from one total failure to another total failure with no loss of enthusiasm or any sign of a conscience or any shame. His failures will be Australias failures.

  6. Kerri

    Morrison reminds me of my days as a drama teacher!
    Performances require sets.
    Sets consist of a timber frame covered in a heavy canvas-like fabric that is painted to give the impression of something substantial like a building or structure.
    Morrison is like the canvas!
    Thick, dense, painted with falsities and pretending to be something he is not!

  7. DrakeN

    For me, Kerri, he is reminiscent of the drops of diesel fuel spilt on the the puddle in the forecourt of the servo.
    Whichever way you look at it, the shifting rainbow colours can never disguise the shallowness of the film.

  8. Phil Pryor

    This government of conservative political perverts wants more “skilled ” overseas sourced workers, and, looking at government ranks with lying leached lazy lugubrious liberals and clapped out clunker country party party peanutbrained pathetics, one can see the result of scheming shortcomings and underfunding of education over time, so that Australians are not good enough, at least for some Australians, the conservative parasites who want a free ride on someone else, anyone from here or there. Treacherous turds…

  9. Rossleigh

    Ah Kerri, he reminds me more of the person who promises to paint the set but tells you that he can’t reveal,it until opening night, only to tell you it wasn’t his job when it’s not there.

  10. corvusboreus

    To me, scomo in government is a lot like a donkey in a choir.
    His most valuable contributions have been his periods of silence, but t’would be even better if he absented himself entirely.

  11. Brozza

    I never get to hear anymore what that wanker has to say.
    I can press mute quicker than that dick can barf excrement.

  12. paul walter

    Watched a clip of him turning his back on the Opposition after gagging the enviro debate and gasped at the arrogance.

  13. Johnyperth

    The way Morison talks he’s treating Australian’s like young kids.
    I see this is very insulting!!
    Doesn’t think before he makes his media speeches??
    Doe’s Morison think Australian’s are either uneducated or semi educated??
    Or do’s Morison thinks that the conservatives that there are “supreme”
    In other words do’s Morison thinks that the conservatives are more intelligent than Australian’s!!??
    If so then this is nothing but an INSULT TO AUSTRALIAN”S coming from a failed salesperson!!
    Can’t wait till the next federal election!!

  14. wam

    The ABC exemplifies scummo’s rule one there is no room on the bus for anyone who disagrees with me.. When media watch goes rupert might as well have it?
    I can see the boys in the back of the government bus inebriated and trying to piss in the bottle without leaving room for the air to come out and wondering where the urine spray is coming from. As expected the driver notices nothing and just keeps announcing that there is a plan just around the corner and over this hill.we will find consensus.
    We still haven’t see a plan and consensus has become too hard. Has anyone got a wide neck bottle???
    ps
    Kerri, most of maths science teachers were arrogantly disdainful in our thoughts of drama teachers and their students until I got a relief of a week(on top of my classes) of grade 11 drama I have never felt so buggered and so inept when compared to the skill and enthusiasm of the students at the end of 5 lessons and gleefully handed the class back with a new respect for teachers of subjects other than literature, maths and science.

  15. Alc

    If he had Tony Abbott driving the bus, the indigenous peoples would have to sit at the back I suppose, while he would educate them on why the taxpayer cannot afford to keep them in remote areas, and the benefits of a Prime Ministerial Hawaiian holiday during a bushfire crisis. Watch out for the cliff guys, it’s getting closer and closer.

  16. JudithW

    I have been researching the qualities of great leaders the past week – integrity, respect, humility, flexibility, empathy and an ability to learn. I didn’t see any of this in the PM’s performance this week – just arrogance and contempt.

  17. Jack Cade

    JudithW

    We are not unique in having a ‘leader’ who fails to meet even one of the criteria you list. Very few world leaders are admirable at all; maybe Merkel and Arden are the exceptions.
    Those that we focus on – Trump, Johnson etc. don’t even cut the mustard as human beings, let alone being worth following.

  18. Matters Not

    JudithW the qualities you list are undoubtedly those found in introductory management textbooks and their equivalents. Invariably, they come from surveys, questionnaires, interviews etc and represent a type of ideal world as constructed by consultants who hope to have their efforts included in courses like Management 101.

    The day-to-day political world is brutally different. Particularly when hidden from public view Kevin Rudd’s behavior in his famous unauthorized footage and Malcolm Tucker’s antics in the BBC program The Thick of It are much more realistic. Here’s a representative sample.

  19. Matters Not

    Alc re:

    indigenous peoples would have to sit at the back

    Sitting at the metaphorical back of the bus doesn’t need the presence of a Tony Abbott. No! Indeed, a quick of lap of Australia will provide numerous examples, in various settings, where overt and covert discrimination on the basis of race is alive and well.

    There’s still any number of liquor establishments across the nation where publicans store the debit cards (and pin numbers) for Aboriginal imbibers (so that they don’t get lost) and then deduct arbitrary amounts on a regular basis for alcohol plus transport to and from far flung settlements. It’s a good non-taxable earner.

    As for:

    why the taxpayer cannot …

    Dear oh dear! The delusional belief that being a taxpayer (as such) is somehow related to being a voting citizen. Just for the record – taxpaying (as practised by children buying ice-blocks, as well as large corporations like banks, BHP etc) has noting to do with the election of democratic governments. But that’s an urban myth that won’t be displaced

  20. Michael Taylor

    One of my fellow students, an Aboriginal fellow (Tom) who was about 6’4” with a long black beard and of solid build, often dressed with a denim jacket adorned with protest badges, during a lecture on racism pointed out that he is the victim of racism on a daily basis. “When I’m on the bus coming here to the university nobody sits next to me because I’m an Aborigine.”

    “Tom,” said Keith, the lecturer, “nobody wants to sit next to you because you look like a bikie.”

    I kept in touch with Tom for many years, and we always shared a laugh over this.

  21. wam

    Beaut words, jack,
    After a pleasant win and a good reread of rossleigh and the comments.
    The marvellous connection between your comment and judith’s qualities are summed by your examples.
    For gender, you could add hewson to one side and balance with the lemon???
    Hahaha michael great story,
    In our town the Aborigines sat in the front the back was for whites and was under a roof.

  22. Jack Cade

    Wam

    I’d vote for Hewson if he stood. Never thought I’d ever say that. But in the days when Keating took the piss out of him, he had the good grace to laugh along with everyone else.
    That highlights a feature of the current crop of ‘leaders of the western world’ and Morrison. Totally devoid of humour, or even a sense of it. People laugh at them because they are laughable, not because they are witty. Far from it – Trump is actually witless…
    Good win last night – we have uncovered the most unlikely ‘hard man’ in Zac Butters. Absolutely fearless, and smiles when he gets hit himself!
    Happy times are here again!

  23. wam

    Thankfully you and michael are the only other port blokes that know that this little anti-clp loud-mouth trollduck would also have thought hewson could have set Australia on such a good course on the back richest tax reap in history what lousy luck they choose the lying rodent even over fishnet????
    ps
    don’t worry the vics will suspend him he’s not a crow

  24. Jack Cade

    Wam

    I think you are right about Zac.

    But is not Roswell ‘one of us’, to steal one of the Thatcher witches favourite lines? I am sure he is one the ‘Alberton crowd, Port Adelaide proud’ mob.

  25. Roswell

    I’m in the team, Jack/wam. I’m fairly sure that Carol Taylor is also “one of us.”

    Zac will be out for a couple, in my view. He will be missed as we’ve got two important games coming up.

  26. Jack Cade

    Roswell

    Yes. We’ve been short of ‘grunt’ since Michael Wilson retired.
    The AFL wastes no time in penalising Port players. Last week’s charging of Powell-Pepper was absolutely disgusting. And only one team has ever been penalised for:
    – stepping over the line when kicking in
    – going over time when taking a kick

    Also, a few years ago in a game in Tassie we conceded about 35 frees and received about 10.
    Not that I’m paranoid…
    Mind you, there seems to be a fifth column in the club. Otherwise we wouldn’t sign every Motlop that plays footy…

  27. Roswell

    Jack, throw in Josh Carr as well. He never played in a losing Showdown. The guy was a miniature Charlie Dixon.

  28. Roswell

    Jack, breaking news. Zac cops two. 😡

  29. Michael Taylor

    I can confirm that Carol is one of us.

  30. Jack Cade

    Roswell

    Disappointing, but not unexpected.
    As I suggested, they didn’t waste any time…

  31. Michael Taylor

    They sure do treat us like crap. Would be different if we were a Vic team (or the Adelaide Fruit Tingles).

    BTW, I might get one of the admin to put up a footy post we can chat in.

  32. corvusboreus

    Re a specific thread for ‘footy fans’, to be honest, this one would appreciate it if you could.

    To those unmoved by the tribal allegiances and hostilities engendered by watching competing colour-coded mobs chasing an inflated bladder around mowed paddocks, it’s a less than trivial subject.
    To those who understand how easily the artificial flags and banners defining a ‘we’ can be used to mobilise hostility against the ‘they’, and a historical grounding in how simply a base of impassioned fans (short for ‘fanatics’) can be converted into thuggish footsoldiers, such can have deeper implications.

    ‘I never booed Adam Goodes because he was dark of skin, I simply joined in because he was a Swan’.

    Ps, Did you know that, in NSW & QLD, there is a significant statistical increase in levels of public violence correspondent with every NRL state of origin game? (+35.5% domestic assaults, +53.8% non-domestic assaults, +44.8% general assaults)
    [*Statistics cited according to a 2018 study conducted by the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research based on figures provided by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research]

    “It’s OK, I never booed Adam Goodes because he was dark-skinned, I simply joined in because he was a Swan”.

  33. Kronomex

    The wheels on Saint Scotty of the Marketings bus are more like the wheels on Hengist Pod’s bicycle, about 1.48 minutes into the clip.

  34. corvusboreus

    Thought I was making a valid point (re the violent flipside to the tribalistic ‘passion’ surrounding team sports) using credible sources (which show a clear correlation between overhyped contests and spikes in violence) but it seems to have been a real conversation stopper.
    I guess it’ s like pointing out the repercussions of fossil fuel emissions whilst on a Sunday drive.
    Best not to think about these things, let alone mention them.

  35. Watchdog

    Corvusboreus.
    Interestingly, the footy theme was used to secure a collaborative group of L.G representatives at the last election, and what a mob of delinquent, underperforming tail waggers we now have in power ( and the bus is getting bigger). Me thinks, you have enlightened many, not stopped a conversation.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 2 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, text, archive, code, other. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here

Return to home page