To be truthful, “sorry” is a word so hard to say

When you think there isn’t much to write about in politics, the system spews out an avalanche of year-ending scandals, policy decisions, election results and reports.

The year is approaching its final sunset before a new year reinvigorates us with good intentions. Some will reach fruition, and others will perish on the vine. “Sorry” will remain a challenging word.

1 For those who have followed the political career of former Prime Mister Scott Morrison, the knowledge that he was a first-class pathological liar, bible-thumping hypocrite, a devious long-winded speaker who gave the impression he knew everything about anything, and it would be clear to you. If it wasn’t, he would be happy to tell you.

He failed to achieve anything during his combative, disreputable, pathetic tenure as the worst, most destructive, totally corrupt and callously inhumane PM in living memory. People debate the purpose of his tenure, but we can be assured there wasn’t one.

Importantly, in addition to those characterisations, you would be aware of his incapacity to apologise for any error he made, regardless of its significance.

Such was the case when former high court justice Virginia Bell, whose detailed report was released last Friday said:

“We now have three new adjectives for the saga of Scott Morrison’s secret, multiple ministries: ‘unnecessary’, ‘exorbitant’, and ‘bizarre,’ she said in describing his break-glass-in-case-of-emergency powers.”

You can read Scott Morrison’s complete response to Bell’s report here but let me tell you that the word “sorry” doesn’t appear anywhere. Why? Because having the ability to admit that you are wrong is an absolute prerequisite to having the respect of your colleagues, and it’s a little late now. He would therefore be well advised to leave the parliament ASAP.

2 In Victoria, Labor had a 6 per cent swing against it with a surge in support for the Greens and independents for a comfortable parliamentary majority. And on my reckoning, they will need to win 22 seats to gain government in four years’ time.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has announced he will resign as leader of the Victorian Liberals after successive massive defeats.

Daniel Andrews is the most dominant political figure of his time. Does anyone think I’m wrong?

 

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Congratulations @DanielAndrewsMP on another historic win. Victorians have just stared-down the Murdoch monopoly after years of sustained disinformation. They have chosen first class infrastructure, schools and hospitals under a re-elected @VictorianLabor government. pic.twitter.com/ha0ZSzrUWf

— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd) November 26, 2022

 

3 On Facebook, Michael Brooke commented on my post for The AIMN; A view of Trump from Down Under:

“It’s never the man. It’s always who and what the man represents. Trump is an ulcer on the USA’s backside. John Lord, he’s absolutely as awful as you describe him, a festering sore, a pustule that is uniquely American – he is a symptom of a nation in decline, a failing empire, a once-democracy that has become a mere money-market. Demonising Trump is too easy: picking at America’s democratic scab is more to the point; one discovers, horrified, that the nation is a plutocracy; a nation ruled exclusively by the wealthy, either directly or indirectly, by subterfuge, only the wealthy rule.”

It’s hard to argue with that.

4 Stuart Robert’s in trouble, yet again. This time the:

“Nine newspapers have published leaked emails that suggest Mr Robert, a Queensland Liberal MP, secretly advised Synergy 360 in 2017 and 2018 and helped the company meet senior political figures.

Cabinet Minister Bill Shorten has ordered an urgent investigation into government contracts secured by a lobbying firm that allegedly has close links to former Coalition minister Stuart Robert, while using parliamentary privilege to warn against corruption.”

5 Ricky Pann posted on Facebook:

“Every time I hear delusional Greens say ‘Labor adopted our policies’ it reminds me of what a disappointing unrepresentative, arrogant rabble they are. The greens are a product of middle-class privilege & hollow rhetorical nonsense. It is why they will always stay on the fringe of governance as, like the Nationals, they are a brand that misrepresents their proper position.”

6 And I should keep Andrew Bolt on my list.

“I’ve never in history seen a Facebook post with purely laughs. No likes, no loves, just 500 laughs. Someone notify Andrew Bolt.” (David Fowles, Facebook).

 

 

My only thought on this nonsense is that Murdoch’s mainstream media will only ever print or say whatever is in its best interests. Then it might say something interesting and truthful.

7 It’s been going on for four years, so you must admire Guardian Australia; they don’t give up easily. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water had taken legal action to block it from accessing documents about an investigation into illegal land-clearing by Jam Land Pty Ltd. The shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, and his brother Richard have an interest in the company.

Last month the Australian information commissioner ordered the release of 11 documents. Then a week ago:

“… the department took the unusual step of appealing against the commissioner’s lengthy ruling in the administrative appeals tribunal. The case is likely to be heard next year.”

It concerns:

“… the department’s site visits to the Monaro plains in late 2016 and early 2017 to inspect the damage to endangered native grasslands, which were sprayed with herbicide in late 2016.

The case has been controversial because Taylor sought meetings in 2017 with senior environment officials and the office of the then environment minister Josh Frydenberg about the laws that protected the grasslands while the investigation was under way.”

8 The 27th United Nations climate conference, COP27 drew to a close with fears it would end in total disaster:

“There appeared to be no momentum towards consensus.

Some countries were pushing to drop the ambition to keep global warming below 1.5 Celsius. Others said they would rather reach no agreement than accept such an outcome.

Before the meeting began, commentators had noted that because of the various crises distracting nations – wars, natural disasters, energy shortages – a “win” for COP27 might’ve been as simple as not backsliding from the ambitions set previously.”

On the subject of climate change. Think about this: If we fail to act and disaster results, then massive suffering will have been aggravated by stupidity.

9 A transference of votes started in the May 2022 federal election, and will continue. Anyone who follows political polling would know that the constituency of the conservative parties has always been older people. Every poll I have ever looked at proves it. It was always apparent to me that, at some time, these folks would pass on. At the same time, the left’s constituency has always been the 18-year-olds upwards. I’m surprised the LNP doesn’t realise that.

We must have the courage to ask our young that they should go beyond desire and aspiration and accomplish not the trivial but greatness. They should not allow the morality they inherited from good folk to be corrupted by the immorality and lies of evil minds.