There’s a great tendency for Whataboutism in politics. You know the sort of thing, so and so does or says something inappropriate and, instead of starting from the very obvious point that we all agree that the action is wrong, a similar indiscretion from the other side of politics is brought into the conversation.
“Scott Morrison went on holiday while Australia was burning…”
“So what, Julia Gillard took time off to attend her father’s funeral!”
Ok, they’re not always that ridiculous but generally, it really doesn’t matter. The fact remains that we should be starting from a point of CERTAIN THINGS ARE NOT OK NO MATTER WHO DOES THEM!
So before I start talking about the stupidity of the whole idea of it’s okay that threw a brick through your window, because you threw a stone at me, I’d like to make a few points about the incident that was a bigger talking point than Richard Colbeck failing the pub test.. something which our Deputy PM never does:
- Grace Tame did not smile during her photo with the PM. That’s it. She shook his hand stood beside him and posed for the photo. If people are suggesting that it showed a disrespect then I seriously suggest that they have a screw loose. If it wasn’t for all the Peter Van Onselens and Janet Albrechtsen’s and Pru Goward’s carrying on then it wouldn’t have been as big a deal. For all we know, she may not have been smiling because her shoes were hurting her feet!
- It’s fine to have an opinion different from mine, but can we now move on because – in the scheme of all the insults and disrespectful behaviours that have occurred – one person not smiling is hardly the equivalent of Alan Jones’ suggestion that then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, be tossed into the sea. This is NOT a case of Whataboutism; this is a case of there’s no fucking comparison, so let’s actually get some perspective!
- And YES, I am aware of the hypocrisy of pointing out that someone criticising someone else’s bad manners is – in fact – bad manners… However, I’ve decided that I want to be pre-selected for a safe Coalition seat and there’s nothing like hypocrisy to ensure one has a career path in the current government.
So, let’s move on to a couple of the stories of the day… After considering writing about Scott Morrison’s daughter’s poem, I’ve decided against it. I’m not going to fall into the obvious trap. It’s like he’s Nero and sent his daughter into the Colosseum and then when the gladiators carve her into little pieces, express shock that they should do such a thing when she’s only a child after all and nobody should attack a child in the Colosseum because they don’t belong there. By the way, Nero didn’t actually fiddle while Rome burned… he played the lute. Morrison, on the other hand, keeps the lute to him and his friends…
Which brings me to the terrible waste of money on the Great Barrier Reef. We’ve just committed a billion dollars to… I’m not sure. Something to do with the Reef. Whatever, it’s over ten years, so most of the money committed is going to be spent by future governments. I can’t emphasise that enough. EVEN IF THIS GOVERNMENT IS RE-ELECTED, MOST OF THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT AFTER THEIR THREE YEAR TERM.
However, we also need to remember that Reef is not in danger. I know this because the current government told us all – very clearly – that there was no reason for the UN to put it on the endangered list… and we spent money to make sure that didn’t happen.
Sooo… if it’s not endangered, why are we spending all this money on protecting it? Why aren’t we spending money on endangered things like Josh Frydenberg’s political career? (Speaking of which, do you think that they should offer car parks with the slogan, “This Time We’ll Actually Build Them!” or does that remind people that they didn’t deliver?)
Yes, Whataboutism is a great thing. After a young Muslim girl, Haneen Zreika, said that she couldn’t play during pride round because of her religion, I noticed various tweets asking whether a Christian would be allowed to exclude themselves from a gay pride round and what about Israel Folau… Now, I think that it might be worth pointing out that there’s a difference. For the purpose of an actual decent comparison, let’s leave religion out of it for the basis of making me sound more reasonable than anyone actually is: Israel Folau sent a tweet that his employer objected to; Zreika said that she couldn’t play and her employer said ok. Folau said that he wouldn’t stop sending tweets. On any level, there’s a pretty big difference there.
Anyway, I noticed that the new slogan from the Liberals “We Don’t Use Slogans” Party is “SECURING OUR RECOVERY”.
I couldn’t help but wonder if they were referring to spending taxpayer money to secure their recovery in the polls. After all, insist the economy going beautifully.
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This article shows horribly that this lot don’t make sense in either words or actions. Never mind, I don’t hold a hose mate! How about propping up an ugly cement Ute on a giant stick in a town that doesn’t make cars. A grotesque icy pole. Honestly we are run by madmen (and a few madwomen). Maybe it was ever thus (cf Juvenal .) God has spoken to me too you know, as I saw an eagle once. Expect me to be pm next. Worse the megalo Putin wants to goad the western bear . Why can’t he just retreat to his huge , vulgar palace? Is anarchism the best answer? That is , local, impermanent councils decide everything. Dream on…meanwhile I will hide under the doona.
WAY TO GO, GRACE TAME – GOOD FOR YOU!
The overwhelming MAJORITY of intelligent Australians (with the emphasis on “intelligent”) fully support your justifiable condescending contempt for this incomparable political parasite, Sloth Morrison!
I hope Grace Tame counted her fingers after she shook hands with this disreputable, repulsive, smirking, pathological LIAR and totally corrupt political psychopath! Morrison is the worst, most shameful, internationally condemned and arrogant, non-achieving political parasite since the last ones the LNP vomited up: Tony Abbott and John Howard. The ONLY reliable thing about the unconscionably corrupt sociopaths in the LNP is that they will continue to lie, lie and lie and continue to THRIVE on division, conflict, racism, misogyny, homophobia, hate, fear and WAR!
Morrison’s delusion and megalomania knows no bounds. When Grace Tame – who became Australia of the Year in 2021 for her work to alleviate the suffering of victims of sexual assault – clearly displayed her justifiable contempt for this misogynistic grub who did NOTHING to curtail the skirt-lifting misogyny by the hard-lined predators in his party, naturally Tame is going to treat the revolting Morrison with the contempt he richly deserves!
When Grace Tame gave him the cold shoulder, Morrison had the stratospheric HUBRIS and arrogance to put it down to the ridiculous assumption that she was dazzled and intimidated at meeting him by saying: “It’s not every day one gets to meet the PM of Australia, eh?” – what staggering arrogance by an insignificant, non-achieving, blood-sucking political parasite who was totally ignored, avoided and justifiably ostracised at the G20 Summit in Rome recently! Everything Morrison and his government touches turns to sh*t in rapid time; he and his depraved regime have achieved absolutely NOTHING to benefit the lives of ordinary Australians and they have PROVEN that they will only pander to the greed of the Top 1%. The LNP have achieved NOTHING but destruction, environmental vandalism, the continual defundment of EVERYTHING Australians value, bible-thumping hypocrisy and cringe-worthy embarrassment on the world stage! It has become clearly evident that only the most stupid, Murdoch-manipulated, self-serving, racist and/or callously inhumane people in the country cheer on and support the diabolical Morrison regime right now!
Wake up Australia! The ONLY way to STOP THE ROT with the Morrison regime – the worst, most corrupt and inept in our history – is to VOTE IT OUT at the next federal election!
Oh dear Rossleigh, you have done it again!! When will you ever learn that Scummo is a protected species thanks to foreign media owners and all Liarbral Nazional$ scribblers are doing their very best to insure that Australian voters see the steam rising off the pile of fresh bull manure rather than the pie of manure masquerading as Prim Monster itself.
WE have to ask the very important question; “Does Scummo’s privileged place in the Hell$inger$ Choru$ purchased by an about $40 MILLION ”donation” of public funds constitute reason, or even allegiance to a power other than the Australian people?
Is this the same treachery being played out in NSW where the Vatican’s Man in the Macquarie Street Parliament is plotting to gift about 45 BILLION of prime public cemetery real estate to Frankie & the Red Gowns in Rome?
Grace Tame has more integrity, honesty, elegance, endurance than Scummo and the whole pack of arseholes he calls his government team. Not one of them earns any respect, including the females, who are just as reprehensible as the knobs who lead them with puffed up hairy chests. They all subscribe to the coalition code of conduct, which is to lie, cheat, deny, with the active backing and support of the corrupt media, led by a crinkled old naturalised American scroat.
Game, set, match to Grace.
What a great & TRUE article, Rossleigh! And all of the above comments, too, are so close to the bone, well done all! The final comment in Kathrine’s entry says it all, we MUST NOT elect this lying effing rabble again!
Point of order:
The lute did not exist in Nero’s time. He most probably played a lyre. So appropriate.
leefe, double point of order; the hIstory of the lute appears to predate Nero – he lived around the time of 37 CE – 68 CE – but the lute may have been around as early as ~ 3000 BC, almost certainly as early as 2000 BC. He may well have played a lyre, or maybe a lute, but certainly not a fiddle, which class of instruments didn’t appear until the 1500s, despite the common saying.
Shakespeare refers to Nero’s playing a lute in Henry IV;
“Plantagenet, I will; and like thee, Nero,
Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn.”
These issues of accuracy are a bit of a minefield; history being a somewhat contentious field of scholarship.
Given his inaccuracy on historical points, citing Shakespeare is hardly evidence.
NOT THE NEWS
The government has announced that, in its quest to bring unemployment down below four percent , to put a three in front the criteria to establish if a person is unemployed is to change.
At the present time, if you work for one hour per week or more, you are not unemployed : with immediate effect that will change to fifteen minutes. Work will be redefined and will include any activity that involves any muscular exertion (e.g. getting out of bed) or mental stimulation (e.g. I think therefor I am).
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says that this strategy once again demonstrates the many deceptive initiatives developed by the Morrison government to give the impression of national well being.
In the meantime, Mr Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister has advised that he will not be appearing on the ABC program Insiders as scheduled because the ABC were well known for asking difficult and probing questions and as we were getting close to an election he didn’t want to stuff up (again). When asked by the media, when he ceased thinking that Mr Morrison was a liar and a hypocrite. He checked his diary and says it was about the time he was reappointed Deputy Prime Minister. He is not ruling out divine intervention (and the salary increase that goes along with the job, Vikki reminded him).
Post Script
Mr Joyce went from a Back Bencher’s salary of $211,000 to Deputy Prime Minister at $433,000. That’s an increase of around $220,000 a year or around $4,200 a week.
Many a lesser man would sell his soul for that sort of moolah !