It’s not extremists that are causing Scott Morrison to bounce around like a beach ball. He’s a thin-skinned bag of hot air, totally dependent on the crowd to determine his direction.
Category: Informed Comment
Australia is facing a brutal new wave of extinctions but there’s still time to limit how many native species are killed off by foreign invaders, the CSIRO has warned. The national science agency has released a report, Fighting plagues and predators – Australia’s path to a pest and weed-free future, detailing what the country has already lost – and stands to lose in the future – to an army of exotic enemies. The numbers are sobering, both in terms of ecological and financial losses. Invasive species have played a role in wiping out 79 native animals and plants since European settlement.
Source: CSIRO fears new wave of extinctions due to invasive species
In the 1990s, I had become so radicalised that I covered up from head to toe, burned my brother’s music cassettes, believed that non-Muslims were conspiring to pollute my ‘‘pure’’ beliefs, and attempted to spread these radical beliefs via the medium of cassettes and leaflets. Without the networking power of the internet, I could pass my message to strangers, but only insofar as I could meet them in person. When the internet arrived in Saudi Arabia in 1999, my world was changed forever. Though heavily censored, the World Wide Web was my first window to the outside world. I managed to hack my way to enlightenment and launched a career in cybersecurity. Ten years later, I joined the Arab Spring movement, using social media platforms to advocate for women’s rights in the world’s most patriarchal society. Again, I was lucky: I was able to use the Internet to escape indoctrination. Today, I no longer use any social media platforms and live in self-imposed exile in Australia. Unfortunately, the Saudi government and other global dictators have mastered the craft of behaviour manipulation using the same tools we once used to gain liberation. Even more worryingly, I am witnessing the trans
Source: When governments defy the people: the authoritarian blueprint for oppression – Michael West Media
Keating is streets ahead of Morrison. Keating correctly points out that Australia cannot go to war with China over Taiwan. It certainly cannot go into battle with the Chinese navy using American attack class nuclear submarines designed in Virginia in the 1990s. Keating should know: as PM, he had his own disaster with the Collins class submarines. The Collins submarines hardly ever left the docks and did not have sufficient trained personnel to put the entire fleet to sea at the same time.
Source: Paul Keating slams Morrison’s approach to Australia-China relations
THE INCARCERATION BUSINESS NEEDS YOU!
Multinational prison contractors reap billion-dollar government contracts with soaring profits throughout the pandemic while inmates and their loved ones languish through uncertainty, lockdowns and COVID-19 outbreaks. An investigation by Stephanie Tran into Australia’s privatised prisons.
Source: Profits of punishment: the big business of Australia’s private prisons – Michael West Media
We have Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull teaming up, John Hewson and Barry Jones, the Business Council and the National Farmers Federation and ACOSS, not to mention the state premiers and a growing group of pissed-off foreign leaders, all lining up together to tell Morrison’s government they are not doing their job adequately. Time to get rid of these dangerous, self-serving, talentless amateurs.
Source: Morrison’s priorities say it all – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The presence of neo-fascist thugs in the so-called “freedom protests” marks an escalation of their recruiting efforts and a threat to democratic norms, writes Dr Martin Hirst.
Source: The Far-Right in Melbourne presents a clear danger to democracy
One answer might be that expectations were so high that hopes were bound to be dashed
Source: Why are Americans so unhappy with Joe Biden? | Robert Reich | The Guardian
As we head into a federal election campaign next year, the focus on whether government – and which party – can be trusted to govern openly and honestly for the public good is looming larger than at any time in living memory. Plans to overhaul Commonwealth whistleblower protection laws were revealed last week by Assistant Attorney-General Amanda Stoker. The Coalition government’s legislation for a federal integrity commission (or ICAC) is also imminent, following feedback on the extensive problems with its draft bill last year. And a plethora of other accountability issues are awaiting action. Join 175,000 people who subscribe to free evidence-based news. All these provide a reminder, heading into the election, that trust in government hinges not only on “performance” in a direct, hip-pocket sense. It also depends on who can be trusted to protect public decision-making from becoming a self-serving gravy train for leaders and their friends.
Source: With a federal election looming, is there new hope for leadership on integrity and transparency?
Andrew Bolt slams ex PM’s for criticizing ScaMo but not Liberal MPs joining crowds yelling “Lynch Dan”. We’ve heard about that Silent Scream
Managing editor Michelle Pini takes a look at the latest Melbourne protests, where society’s scariest gather, now fuelled by complicit Liberal Party politicians.
My thought for the day Science has made in my lifetime, the most staggering achievements and they are embraced, recognised and enjoyed by all sections of society. The only areas that I can think of where science is questioned is in the religious fever of climate change doubters, conservative politics and unconventional religious belief.( John Lord )
Source: The consummate liar – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Morrison has been part of a didn’t -do government for 8 years . A government that simply rearranged the deckchairs on the SS LNP leadership over the past 8 years. During the LNP’s 8 year reign the only Australian lives to have improved are those with inherited wealth, corporations and a credit rating sufficient to take out investment loans. Money handed out by the LNP has been largely to lage businesses and corporations and has poured back into the shares and and inflated housing merry go round. Tax minimisation and liquidation are now reflected in the booming accounting industry. This nation was the 2nd best global economy during the GFC Australians had a soft landing when Abbott’s LNP was running around yelling the “sky was falling in”. They were elected out of fear and the nation sank from 2013 onwards. Health, Education Housing and Jobs casualised went down faster nuclear subs, and haven’t risen again. ScaMo is leader and Australia’s image globally has gone from envy to Morrison’s new cry of “where the fuck are you “. A repeat of the historical bingle that saw him sacked from tourism. We have from good neighbour to a colony again that’s redefined and modernised “blackbirding” again. To importing really unwanted Pacific labor because no white OECD, EU immigrants are queuing to come to the new AUKUS military base in the Pacific..
Scotty’s don’t-do government hasn’t given a Voice to Indigenous people. It hasn’t given us a federal corruption watchdog. It hasn’t addressed housing affordability or the increasing number of Australians living in poverty. In fact, they are campaigning on being a government who is not going to legislate anything and are going to leave everything up to the market and consumers to make the right choices (with the obvious fossil fuel support carve-out). No wonder they keep spending hundreds of billions on war toys. They haven’t got anything else to do.ScaMo
The Prime Minister’s short-lived incarnation as managing director of Tourism Australia has long been a matter of speculation. A Liberal sacked by a Liberal government! But for correspondent Jommy Tee, it’s a case of ACCESS DENIED.
Former prime minister Paul Keating submitted the following opinion piece to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in response to an article written by their international editor, Peter Hartcher.
Source: Paul Keating: The SMH misrepresented my views. This is my reply
Not just Culture but the systems and foundations that support it. They want to change The ABC Education, History, Voting, Democracy and who will rule Australia and it’s not the people.
Although once public figures were also pretty reluctant to use defamation proceedings on the grounds that they might amplify what would others only be heard by a handful of people. And politicians rarely did, partly because of the same reason, and partly because parliamentary privilege meant that it seemed unfair that they could defame people without legal consequence, so it might seem a bit unfair to the average voter. Now, we have the Minister for War (is that defamatory, whoops!) telling us that there should be a fund for politicians to use taxpayer money to sue people saying nasty things like they’re unfit for office. I presume this means that any successful prosecution would be paid back to the taxpayer, given that we stumped up the money in the first place. Although, when I think about it, that would mean that any. newspaper editor, businessperson or lawyer setting up a blind trust to pay for a politician’s legal costs would get the money if they’re defamation case was successful. Free speech should never be stifled, unless you have a really good lawyer.
Source: The Liberals Are Planning To Ban Cancel Culture! – » The Australian Independent Media Network
It existed in Our Prime Minister’s House and he makes no apology for it. This is an edited extract from QAnon and On: A Short and Shocking History of Internet Conspiracy Cults by Van Badham, published by Hardie Grant on Wednesday 17 November.
After the US, Britain and Canada, Australia was the fourth largest producer of QAnon content worldwide
It seems to me that in our haste to blame Trump and the culture that produced him for why the rate of vaccinations in America trails every other wealthy country, we’re missing a character trait that may offer a fuller explanation. This trait is found among Democrats and Independents in blue America as well as Republicans in Trumpland. In fact, I think it’s been near the core of the American personality since before the founding of the nation — a stubborn, selfish individualism. What do you think?
Source: Why America Trails Every Other Wealthy Nation in Vaccinations | The Smirking Chimp
My thought for the day Leaders who cannot comprehend the importance of truth as being fundamental to the democratic process make the most contribution to its demise. (John Lord )
Source: How can we trust a liar? – » The Australian Independent Media Network
If he runs for re-election in 2024, it will be to rescue and redeem his nation — and once again make himself the center of America’s angry divisiveness. His megalomaniacal ego wants the nation to come apart over him. That millions of dollars are still being spent invoking him in political campaigns – both in support and against candidates – must delight him no end. But unless he is prevented from running again, America may still come apart over him.
Source: Why American Politics Remains Haunted by the Former Guy | The Smirking Chimp
While there is no voter fraud in Australia it seems Morrison and the LNP are for Voter Suppression and hope that non-compulsory voting can be introduced to change our Democratic system sufficiently, and alter the playing field in their favor. They have been working on ridding Australia of the ABC and all the fail-safe mechanisms that we are most admired for among the world’s Democracies when it comes to voting.. The LNP is a coalition of minority parties Nationals and Liberals with Labor actually getting the majority votes. If the Liberals could suppress votes and rid the country of the publicly owned broadcaster they believe they could improve their voting status and gain seats in their own right. The Republicans in the US are doing it and so our unimaginative Liberals have fallen into line not just diminishing but ridding us of our Democractic systems,why? Because with the backing of money, media, and voter suppression they believe they’d never lose and could form an Autocracy. Democracy only exists if parties accept their loss and governments act for those all citizens even those that voted against them.
Scott Morrison’s plan to introduce US-style “voter ID” laws for Australian elections represents a stealth assault on compulsory voting that will radicalize our politics and stop ordinary working families from exercising their sacred right to vote.
Source: Kevin Rudd: Voter-ID laws are an assault on our democracy
The COP26 audit busted Morrison and Taylor for understating the degree of land clearance done in their declaration of the Nations emissions. We really do need an Independent Statutory Federal ICAC and one that’s not a set up by Morrison or Taylor.
Is green hydrogen yet another spin with catastrophic consequences for the environment? Sue Arnold looks behind the greenwash to find wide-scale plans for logging for wood-chips.
Was Biden listening to Keating it seems the UK, US and China are in step with their backs to Australia when it comes to Climate. So where will that put AUKUS when trade strategies take into account Fossil Fuels and what looks like CHUKUS puts tariffs on our position?
There have been some defenders of the former prime minister, insisting that he has something sensible to say. ABC host and commentator Stan Grant tells his audience that Keating “is not an apologist for Chinese authoritarianism but a cold-eyed realist about Chinese power and how it can be incorporated into a global political order.” But realism, for the moment at least, has been anathemised. The Anglophone alliance that is AUKUS is testament to that fact. Blood-thirsty nostalgia, and the fools, are intent on running the show.
Source: Diplomacy, China and Paul Keating – » The Australian Independent Media Network
In a string of defamation lawsuits, Coalition MPs Barilaro, Dutton, Porter, Laming and others have let loose on citizens to suppress loose tongues, writes managing editor Michelle Pini.
Source: Kings of defamation: Porter, Laming, Barilaro, Dutton et al
Last weekend, Elon Musk used a twitter poll to make a political point, and it exploded in his and other Tesla investors’ faces.
Source: Elon Musk’s Extraordinary Twitter Poll | The Smirking Chimp
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has built a reputation for being a liar and a hypocrite, with his lies now causing tensions between foreign partners. Back in 2019, managing editor Michelle Pini pointed out ten reasons why Scott Morrison is unfit to lead and needs to be voted out as soon as possible.
Source: Flashback 2019: 10 reasons why Scott Morrison is actually a hypocrite
My thought for the day Have we reached the point in politics where TRUTH is something that politicians have persuaded us to believe, “Like alternative facts” rather than TRUTH based on factual evidence, arguments and assertions. ( John Lord )
Morrison’s we do nothing Mantra sure fits the addictive failure of the LNP to achieve the best economic and cleanest energy outcome possible..
The takeover bid for Sydney Airport all but done, a takeover frenzy grips the sharemarket. Investors, foreign and local, know Australian governments are an easy touch, that they allow their citizens to be pillaged, that some of them actually believe the bankers’ myth that privatisation means efficiency. Michael West reports.
Source: Addicted to privatisation, addicted to failure – Michael West Media
For all the benefits wrought by the information revolution, social media has become a tool of dictators. Its profit-driven, surveillance-based business model favours those with deep pockets and deadly motives. In the first of two articles, cybersecurity expert and human rights activist Manal al-Sharif suggests way to invent the digital world for the better.
Source: Social media: time to turn around the weapons – Michael West Media
The real lesson from Tuesday’s election results is that Democrats must earn back the trust of working Americans. And the best way of doing so is to make clear whose side they’re on. The wealthy and privileged have socked away a record amount of the nation’s wealth. They must now pay their fair share to fix the rest of the nation.
My thought for the day One of the oddities of political polling is trying to understand how 48% to 50% of the voting public would willingly return a party that has governed so abysmally. ( John Lord )
Prime Minister Scott Morrison must resign. The fact he won’t and will not be forced to do so illustrates, more than ever, the desultory state of Australian democracy and its ostensible guardians — the Fourth Estate. Why should he resign? Is it because of the laughable “plan” he took to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, which involved nothing more than a press conference repeating the word “plan” 71 times (maybe more) in 25 minutes, while brandishing a small blue pamphlet in his hammy fist?
My thought for the day Life is about perception. Not what it is but what we perceive it to be. ( John Lord )
The injustice brought against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange is an affront to not only truth in journalism but human rights for all, writes John Pilger.
In March 2020, as the pandemic began to grip, American investment firm Madison Dearborn acquired a controlling 55% stake in APM; the price it paid reflected a $1.5 billion valuation This takeover made American controlled firms the two largest profiteers from government contracts in the jobactive program. APM’s biggest rival, Max Solutions, is also US-controlled. Together, these two American controlled companies, along with another smaller provider, Atwork Australia, have pulled in $2 billion in government JobActive contracts. This equates to 60% of all taxpayer money spent on the scheme. Other notable APM shareholders are
Megan Wynne herself, who still retains a $254 million, 27.2% stake,
and her husband Bruce Bellinge who owns a $132 million, 14.1% stake through his company Bellinge Holdings.
The next and only other large shareholders are Michael and Sandy Anghie. Michael Anghie owns an $8.47 million stake directly while
Sandy Anghie (the Deputy Lord Mayor of Perth) owns another $6.15 million stake as joint shareholders of Wattle (WA) Pty Ltd.
Entity Value of shares Percentage Madison Dearborn Capital Partners $512 million 54.7% Megan Wynne $254 million 27.2% Bellinge Holding
Why the blazes was Telstra slotted $1.6bn by Scott Morrison’s government to buy Digicel, and how is it Telstra shares slumped by one-third during the bull market when they are raking in billions in NBN money? Kim Wingerei checks on the charmed existence of chief executive Andy Penn.
Substitute “faith” or “god” for wherever, and the number of times Morrison says “Plan”, and you find yourself listening to a religious zealot and not a Prime Minister. There is no substance only a promise of a Morrison Miracle coming. You only need be a true believer. He’s more a Trump with MAGA becoming “The Australian Way” and at worst a QAnon totally backed Murdoch prepared liar’s PR package prepared months beforehand saying we were never Climate Change deniers.
More amusing and light relief is that Australia’s Trump even has his own Rudy Giuliani backing him. It’s Deputy Barnaby Joyce whose running around by trying to get in on the act and bring the French President Emmanual Macron down saying. ” Mate its only a contract get over it. It’s just a commercial contract for christ sake”. We all supposed to know they have no real or moral standing in Australia. So mate sue us!! After all he signed an $80mill one with Angus’s mates and got nothing for it.
As Prime Minister Scott Morrison met world leaders in Rome on Saturday, he represented a country a shadow of its former self. Alan Austin reports. THE CONTRAST could hardly be more glaring. A decade ago, Australia was the greatest country on the planet. Today, Australia is the stand-out loser — on climate policy, on economic outcomes, on corruption, on military procurement, on infrastructure, on democracy and on good global citizenship. Collapse in economic performance
“Money makes the world go around?” As Gladys Berejiklian fronts the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, ICAC – only to be told to stop her pre-rehearsed pleas of innocence and virtue and just answer the question, taped phone calls reveal former love- buddy, Daryl Maguire, had a virtual key to the public treasure chest, along with a key to her home as part of her swinging “Love-circle” – as she fondly dubs her retinue of friends with benefits. It’s going very badly for gold standard Gladys and mentor Scott Morrison. Especially Morrison, who’s betrayed by protégé Mathias Cormann whom the PM worked maniacally to make his OECD mole. Then the world mocks his absurd energy “Plan”. Morrison also loses his pin-up girl to what sounds unmistakably like corruption on taped calls, allegedly between the ex-premier and her former paramour. Worse, it’s an ill-timed reminder of the government’s promise of a federal ICAC, impotent, unworkable and now three years’ old. The PM doesn’t want any type of ICAC at all, least of all one with teeth, Rachel Withers notes because most of his government’s ministers would be hauled in to answer to it. Like a squid squirting ink,the Coalition quickly exudes a noxious miasma of lies to discredit the state integrity body and to cloud our view of its own transgressions.
Source: Berejiklian, Morrison and Joyce mugged by reality. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Today’s Republican politicians are misusing government to advance a narrow and restrictive set of values — intruding on the most intimate acts, exploiting fear and hate for political gain, and banning what’s necessary for people to exercise their most basic freedoms. This is not mere hypocrisy. The Republican Party now poses a clear and present threat even to the values it once espoused. That’s my view. What do you think?
Source: Whatever Happened to the Party of Limited Government? | The Smirking Chimp
An ex- Australian University Professor Responds to Facebook
“You, and your minions, wouldn’t recognize civilization even if it hit you with a bargepole,” said the former Greek finance minister, slamming Facebook’s CEO for the social media giant’s new name.
My thought for the day When he arrives in Scotland, the prime minister won’t be greeted with handshakes of possibility but a kick up the arse for pursuing nothing. (John Lord)
Source: And this is the bloke we’re sending to Glasgow! – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The Business of Being a Catholic in NSW
Documents obtained by Michael West Media reveal NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and deputy Paul Toole actively supported the handover hundreds of millions of dollars in Sydney’s cemetery assets to a company controlled by the Catholic Church between 2017 and 2020.
The CMCT is a government trust which oversees and collects payments managing government assets. This means that Peter O’Mara as CEO of the CMCT spent over a million dollars public money to develop an arrangement to transfer hundreds of millions in public assets directly to the Church. Minister Pavey is expected to seek a referral to the NSW Auditor-General to have the CMCT account investigated.
Science has been cutback, 40,000 academics have lost their jobs. Yet, a free $40bn was handed to business via JobKeeper to save jobs. We have opened up and business is begging for workers workers Morrison claims to have saved. He simply gave money to businesses who simply”thought they might need it” and not directly to workers. Remember JobMaker that was a great Morrison Plan the plan to create 200,000 jobs. Millions were handed out to create 5,000. Now that was a Plan.
Now that caravan of Morrison wisdom, is heading to Glasgow and being called the “bumbling morons” by the likes of the NYT and the global media. With leaflet in hand these punk comics are off to present another Morrison Plan stolen from Frank Trump Sinatra. Morrison singing “We are going to do it the Australian Way” He has a Plan that’s not really a Plan but only a shitload of hope and that his bucket of hope isn’t recognized for what it really is. Yes, hope that someone else on the planet will provide the technology, the alchemy, that will solve the world’s problem. Not now, or tomorrow, but sometime down that 3 decade track and it’s hopefully too late for Morrison’s “Do-Nothing Miracle” to be remembered. The man with a Plan hasn’t even provided a first step to action that Plan. How often have we seen him bang the drum of nothing before? Morrison creates more wind than a nation of cow farts, more noise than Clive Palmer and offers nothing in the way of Australian cooperation with the rest of the world. Morrison has stolen MAGA from Trump and substituted Australia. Meanwhile even America has joined the rest of the world leaving us the stand alone lagard nation.
The Morrison Government is fobbing us off with a tissue of lies, a wink, a nudge and a glossy pamphlet, writes managing editor Michelle Pini.
Source: The Plan — Winking, blinding and eye-watering Morrison Government negligence
America’s real moral crisis has nothing to do with people deciding to end their pregnancies, or consenting adults choosing to use contraceptives, or trans young people choosing one bathroom or sports team over another. It has to do with the actions of people in boardrooms and legislative cloakrooms, and the failures of so many who occupy positions of power and public trust to honor the public good. What do you think?
My thought day In terms of the environment I wonder what price the people of tomorrow will pay for the stupidity of today.
Source: Fools rush in where wise men never go – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Yet senate Republicans, along with Sinema and West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, say we can’t afford to spend what’s needed for childcare, education, or paid leave, and we can’t afford to reduce climate change? My friends, this is truly nuts.
Halyna Hutchins’s death during the filming of Rust is a tragic consequence of studios prioritizing profit and speed over crew members’ lives. Alec Baldwin’s culpability isn’t about him pulling the trigger on a prop gun — it’s about his and his fellow producers’ cost-cutting decisions.
Source: Halyna Hutchins’s Death on the Set of Rust Was “Not a Freak Accident”
Accountants are there to ensure compliance or is that to avoid compliance to rules so complex compliance is nigh on impossible ? Their clients happily spend money to avoid spending money on rules constructed by accountants and are willing to spend whatever it takes to increase their bottom line. JobKeeper was a perfect storm where in Australia the government and the accounting industry aligned in the a process of corporate welfare sold as an essential for the Nation.
So much so disguised foxes are employed to watch the foxes in the henhouse. Why does ATO bother to train investigators, who when let go by the ATO like thousands were when Tony Abbott was PM so easily find jobs in the tax minimization industry?
Last month a regulatory body from the US censured and fined KPMG Australia over professional standards. The findings raise a pressing question: how widespread is this poor culture within the accounting industry? On September 13, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) of the US made an order that (1) censures KPMG Australia; (2) fines KPMG Australia $450,000; and (3) requires KPMG Australia to undertake remedial actions. The board’s website explains that its mission is to oversee audits of public companies in order to protect investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. This body investigates and, if necessary, disciplines registered public accounting firms and their associated persons for violations of specified laws, rules, or professional standards. So why do investors in public companies need protection from KPMG Australia? What ghastly behaviour has attracted the ire of the Americans?
Source: Bad apples or bad orchard? KPMG Australia fails ethics test – Michael West Media
My warning to the oligarchy: There’s more anti-establishment anger in America today than at any time in the last century. Some of that anger fueled Donald Trump’s vicious racist nationalism, and continues to do so. Some of it fueled Bernie Sanders’s reform candidacy, and progressives remain the the most energized part of the Democratic Party. Four weeks paid leave is better than no paid leave, and $1.75 trillion for social infrastructure is better than nothing. The question is whether it’s enough. Americans want better pay and more economic security. The oligarchy wants them to be insecure, which will only stoke more anger. If that anger finds its ways into constructive reforms, we’ll all be the better for it. But if those reforms are stymied, that anger could threaten everything in coming years: our economy, our democracy, our future.
Source: The Incredible Shrinking Biden Plan | The Smirking Chimp
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