Category: LNP

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Trolling: Defamation experts reject Morrison government’s ‘anti-troll’ proposal

Scott Morrison and Michaelia Cash announced the defamation proposal last year.

Couple that with Dutton’s want for defamation cases brought by Government MPs to be funded by us the taxpayers. You then have a very privileged group who with power and access to money can say whatever they want but can shut down any criticism.  The simple act of threatening a court case to shut citizens up becomes available to them. Don’t be fooled that this government is protecting anyone other than themselves while knocking freedom of speech on the head. The efforts are to ban any form of criticism and reduce debate.

 Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General Michaelia Cash announced in November that they would amend defamation laws, traditionally a state and territory responsibility, to provide an “easy and quick” way for people to complain to social media platforms and have allegedly defamatory material taken down.

Source: Trolling: Defamation experts reject Morrison government’s ‘anti-troll’ proposal

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Policy

Ripped off: NDIS users failed by clueless Coalition

This Government wants desperately to fund its history of financial mismanagement. So it turns to Welfare to pay. The negative consequences of LNP policies always seem to trickle up the positive down.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 was brought about to: ‘… support a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.’

It was not designed to pressure participants into fear-fuelled spending over claims that unspent funding results in irretrievable losses of funding that cannot be reallocated later according to changing needs.

It was not designed to inappropriately benefit the provider at the expense of the participant.

It was not designed for nefarious opportunists to help themselves at the expense of individuals already distrusting of the “kindness of strangers”.

These are but a handful of ways in which the NDIS continues to embed structural stigma into its delivery of services at large and in which the Coalition continues to ignore the humans floundering in the messes that ill-considered public policy maintains.

On this, I believe the Greens have it right — the Federal Government needs to #FixOurNDIS and fix it now.

Source: Ripped off: NDIS users failed by clueless Coalition

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government, LNP Policy

The atrocity of indefinite and arbitrary immigration detention must stop – support Andrew Wilkie’s Bill – » The Australian Independent Media Network

In February last year, Andrew Wilkie introduced a Private Members Bill, seconded by Zali Steggall, calling for an end to the immoral, illegal, and extremely expensive practice of indefinite and arbitrary immigration detention. In presenting the Bill, Wilkie drew attention to the staggering cost of this irrational cruelty. It costs approximately $346,000 to hold someone in immigration detention in Australia for one year but it costs only about $10,221 for a refugee or an asylum seeker to live in the community. In fact, the budget for our offshore detention is still running at about $1 billion per year. These figures are breathtaking and almost unbelievable.

Source: The atrocity of indefinite and arbitrary immigration detention must stop – support Andrew Wilkie’s Bill – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Government

Anyone See This Mad NSW Public Health RAT-Tsunami Coming! – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP Protectors or Bullies True colors revealed

Hello – Now the NSW government and Health resort to excessive measures and bullying, showing their true colours. Not grateful or supportive of nurses at all, but then we knew that already since they had to repeat it every day to the press in public briefings to convince themselves with their own lies, deceit and denials. NSW Health clearly is buckling and the government resorts to further excessive force on its own long–suffering workforce. So tell us where are those tens of thousands of nurses promised by Greg Hunt yesterday from the private sector? Where are they? Don’t these Liberal governments talk to each other at all? Would that not be supportive? Is that too hard for Mr Hazzard and Perrottet?

Source: Anyone See This Mad NSW Public Health RAT-Tsunami Coming! – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Government

Distraction: It’s Morrison’s only policy – » The Australian Independent Media Network

History has proven – going back decades – that the LNP are a pack of arrogant, self-appointed megalomaniacal narcissists who absolutely thrive on hate, division, conflict, fear and war! The LNP have dragged Australia back to the middle ages as a nation struggling under the jackboot of the absolute worst, most regressive, dangerously undemocratic and corrupt regime in our history! The Howard, Abbott and Morrison regimes have proven themselves to be nothing more than despicable, self-serving elitists who have not achieved a single thing that provides any benefit whatsoever to the lives of ordinary working- and middle-class Australians; a government whose only “talent” is their ability to lie, lie and attempt to deceive anyone and everyone – even lying about their lies – in order to maintain their grip on autocratic power.

Source: Distraction: It’s Morrison’s only policy – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Government

George Christensen sparks further outrage over anti-vaccine comments

George Christensen

Djokovic was silent but kicked out of the country. Christensen is vocal but untouched and allowed to play. That shows the quality of Morrison’s leadership

Rogue Coalition backbencher George Christensen has again intentionally undermined his government’s vaccination campaign, ignoring medical experts and stoking further outrage by saying parents should not get their children immunised against COVID. Health Minister Greg Hunt said anti-vaxxers had “lost the debate” in Australia, saying he disagreed with such sentiment even when it existed “in our own movement” in the Coalition. But Mr Christensen’s latest baseless claims may see him yet again escape any punishment from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. “Scott Morrison needs to put an end to this and take responsibility for the actions of his backbenchers,” tweeted Labor’s shadow health minister Mark Butler.

Source: George Christensen sparks further outrage over anti-vaccine comments

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

ANTHONY KLAN: Josh Frydenberg caught out in salary scandal

Our Harvard Scholar and Treasurer belly flopped again.

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) executive Chris Jose – a Morrison Government appointee – was was illegally paid for two public service jobs simultaneously, receiving $40,100 in overpayments. The details of the scandal are set out in a secret report detailing a year-long investigation conducted by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The scandal implicates the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C); the Department of Treasury; the Department of Finance; the National Competition Council (NCC); and staff at competition regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). For two years, until April 2020 – and at the same time he was being paid by ACMA in a full-time role – Jose was employed by the NCC in a part-time role, collecting a $20,000 annual salary.

Source: ANTHONY KLAN: Josh Frydenberg caught out in salary scandal

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Morrison Government records 50 worst economic outcomes

While Morrison and Frydenberg tell us how well we are doing and how globally admired we are economically the reality is hugely different. 8 years ago we were the world’s best and Abbott was Chicken Little screaming ” the sky was falling in”. 4 people died under the ALP’s Pink Bats scheme and we were spending far too much money to escape the GFC. History has shown that the Morrison/ Frydenberg LNP government has brought us to the worst position we have ever faced historically and had arrived there even before the pandemic. Their claims now are akin to those of Monty Python’s Black Knight telling us he was winning the battle. What’s worse Peter Costello’s Ch9 has printed a “poll” showing we still believe Morrison and Frydenberg are the “best managers”. Yes we do believe in fake news but then Gina made $9bn in two years didn’t she?

The Morrison Government’s tally of economic indicators which are the “all-time weakest” or “worst decline in the developed world” keeps climbing, reports Alan Austin. THE PROBLEMS THE Morrison Government has with mistreating women exist on many levels. Many economic outcomes which show impacts on men and women confirm female wellbeing has declined under this regime. 41. Lowest global ranking on gender gap since records began The world has advanced impressively in recent decades in closing the gap between men and women on education, job opportunities, wages and work conditions. Only one developed economy has gone backwards badly on this measure since 2014: Australia.

Source: Morrison Government records 50 worst economic outcomes

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Imagine if Australia applied its new no-dickhead policy on Novak Djokovic to government troublemakers | Sarah Martin | The Guardian

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic

Even when right the Morrison LNP Government is wrong. Kicking Djokovic out while dancing with Australian anti-vaxxers like Palmer, Kelly etal just makes Scott a Trump. Swapping Ministers midstream didn’t improve his image among women but showed he thought Karen wasn’t man enough. Basically Morrison hasn’t done anything progressive just again tried to  distracted us from the fact that his government has been a total series of failures when it comes to the day-to-day Welfare of Australians. The LNP have issued free RATs for Canberra yet commandeered those  he was “gunna” give to us “others”. Substituting reality with daily announcements they’re coming from the weasel retiree Greg Hunt MP, who if he smiled would crack his face. Our promised free allocations for the vulnerable and essential services have been on Morrison’s slow train “coming” for the past weeks. We are being “gaslighted Australia” just as we were way back when “this wasn’t a race for vaccines” and “it’s just another flue”

The Flue kills 200-250 Aussies a year this week we saw 45 deaths in a day and hospitalisations climb and they are actually still making announcements that Omicron is just another cold and having idiots run Covid parties believing they will become immune and not the walking dead by catching this unknown virus multiple times. Meanwhile they have kicked Djokovitch out for thinking privately what they’re actions have always amplified.

Has Alex Hawke chewed the fat with Alex Antic or George Christensen in the Coalition party room lately? They make Djokovic look like a veritable quiet Australian, what with their calls for civil unrest and suggestions state health departments are involved in grand cover-up conspiracies. Queensland LNP senator Gerard Rennick is publicly questioning the safety of booster shots and has suggested the health department of having a “callous attitude towards the safety of Australians”, while Nationals senator Matt Canavan has continually downplayed the threat of the virus compared to the threat to personal liberty. The poor old Therapeutic Goods Administration has been pulling its hair out in frustration over the well-funded Clive Palmer misinformation campaign, which gets met with an official shrugging of shoulders when asked if the government can do anything about it. If only Palmer and Craig Kelly were non-citizens!

Source: Imagine if Australia applied its new no-dickhead policy on Novak Djokovic to government troublemakers | Sarah Martin | The Guardian

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Policy, LNP Tactics

Charities are sick of fighting off attacks by the Morrison government | Andrew Leigh | The Guardian

'Traditionally, conservatives have respected the role of community groups, but that’s changed under the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments'

Since Abbott this government has made every effort to silence those who question what it is they are actually doing. The ABC, The UNHRC, and Independant Charities. But “don’t  look in the rear vision” is Morrison’s  catch cry because history reveals an ugly truth. You see just how downgraded Australia has become these past 8 years on every social metric and began with Abbott and has accelerated with Morrison. The only rapid advance we have made is down and when compared with other countries fast. We have done the LNP bungee jump and any seeming improvement has been from the bottom.

From the moment the Abbott government won office, the Coalition has waged war on charities. One of their first acts upon getting elected in 2013 was to try to demolish the charities commission, a one-stop shop for charities. Australia’s charities haven’t been silent in the face of the onslaught. They’ve written three open letters to successive Liberal prime ministers, complaining about the attempt to undermine the voluntary sector. They’ve held rallies and lobbied crossbenchers – most recently managing to see off a measure that would’ve allowed the commissioner to deregister charities if they held a protest that led to the blocking of a public footpath. Charities are sick to the gills of having to fight off the Morrison government. Through a recession and a pandemic, charities have supported vulnerable people, despite a precipitous decline in the rate of volunteering. When Australia was ranked last in the advanced world for action on climate change, environmental charities and business groups kept up pressure on the government for a meaningful response to the climate crisis.

Source: Charities are sick of fighting off attacks by the Morrison government | Andrew Leigh | The Guardian

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Omicron: reality bites as no planning cancels out government’s optimism

Preparedness would have been great Optimistic messaging emerged even before we knew much about Omicron. Australia’s chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly said in late November his “number one Christmas present” would have been for a less virulent variant of the virus. After two long years of restrictions, the Morrison government was quick to inject hope and optimism into its rhetoric. But what the government didn’t do was to plan for the worst. Anyone with two eyes could see opening borders and easing restrictions across Christmas when festivals and family get-togethers are on steroids would cause a huge surge in cases especially as a more transmissible variant emerged. Optimism as a tactic could have worked if it was supported by planning — bolstering the PCR testing workforce, getting RAT supplies, sorting out boosters in aged care homes, the list goes on — behind the scenes. As it is, we just got the optimism.

Source: Omicron: reality bites as no planning cancels out government’s optimism

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics, LNP Theft

Teachers can be sacked over sexuality under bill, A-G’s department confirms

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash’s department confirmed religious schools’ right to sack teachers for their views on sexuality under the government’s proposed religious discrimination bill.

This Bill is a denial by the AG  that the debate rages within the different religions themselves. This new law is constructed as if it doesn’t. It’s a return to the past. This Bill is merely reverses what the majority of Australians voted for during the Marriage Equality referendum. It’s constructed to placate some 4% of LNP ultra-religious right-wing supporters and runs counter to the wants of the Australian Majority. It returns the stick that was once taken from them.

The Attorney-General’s department has confirmed religious schools’ right to sack teachers for their views on sexuality under the federal government’s revised Religious Discrimination Bill and signalled protections for LGBTQI students will be delayed.

Source: Teachers can be sacked over sexuality under bill, A-G’s department confirms

LNP, LNP Government

Perrottet’s $1,000 RAT fine makes no sense – » The Australian Independent Media Network

In support of Morrison’s, “there will be no free RAT tests” The NSW Premier has issued a threat to encourage Novocastrians to buy and use unavailable RAT tests Morrison has pulled from the marketplace. A threat he can’t police under any circumstance. It;s a pure exercise in “posturing, seeming to do something when your actually doing nothing”. It’s common behavior in the LNP particularly among careerist MPs who accidentally tripped and found themselves leaders of a party that no real politician can be found to lead. In this case, Perrottet is actually waving and drowning while NSW everyone is watching dumbstruck.

Dominic Perrottet promising to fine anyone who fails to register their positive RAT is more than draconian; it’s delusional.

Source: Perrottet’s $1,000 RAT fine makes no sense – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

2022 has well and truly begun – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Morrisons “Freedom”, ” Let it RIP”  “Push Through” call it what you want they have truly fucked the Economy, our supply chains, reduced the frontline staff needed to prevent death and Abbott ex PM even promotes it these days. But to keep us safe he’s bought 120 obselete tanks for $3.5B no doubt to use against us if push comes to shove when and if  he cancels the election and calls a national emergency..

I believe the whole east coast should be going into lockdown right now because it’s evident that even triple vaccinated can catch Covid and then be required to isolate, so the rhetoric about getting out there and getting vaccinated is all good and well…yes it will help fight infection but it won’t stop one from catching it and having to isolate until better. It’s already disrupted the distribution centres for Woolworths and Coles, shelves are empty, delivery drivers are sick or having to isolate. The more they just let it go in the community the more the infection will spread. Even non-infected people going to work are at risk of catching Covid. Sooner or later no one will be able to go to their place of work. Scott Morrison and Dominic Perrottet have a lot to answer for as they have neglected to protect Australians. This is all their fault. They let it loose instead of stomping on it in the beginning and relying too much on everyone getting their vaccines and now thousands of people are infected.

Source: 2022 has well and truly begun – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

As COVID rips through Australia, is Scott Morrison’s media strategy starting to fail as well?

Why the ABC is so essential!!

Media ownership and diversity are obviously not front-of-mind issues for most of the electorate. But they are not negligible considerations either. Morrison relies heavily on the support of News Corp, which has become a de facto propaganda arm of the government. Anything that unsettles that cosy arrangement would compromise his media strategy and make an already difficult set of circumstances even more awkward.

Source: As COVID rips through Australia, is Scott Morrison’s media strategy starting to fail as well?

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government

Australian researchers condemn government’s ‘political and short-sighted’ funding

A group of 63 Australian Research Council laureates have written to acting Education Minister Stuart Robert with their fears research funding in Australia is becoming “political and short-sighted”

Stuart Robert once again played politics the way a cat burglar does a house or a pickpocket your wallet. He hopes it will go unnoticed. Whether it’s Rolex watches,his personal expenses or NDIS funding Roberts loves to make out he’s the invisible man and wasn’t there. He’s not a representative politician rather than the phantom who only represents himself and his party’s not his electorate or the common good..

The open letter signed by 63 present and former ARC laureate fellows, sent to Mr Robert and ARC chief executive Professor Sue Thomas on Tuesday, said the researchers were “very concerned in the way that applications for 2022 ARC Discovery Projects were managed”. They said the decision came a month late when university research offices were closed and staff would be unprepared to start work by January 1.

Source: Australian researchers condemn government’s ‘political and short-sighted’ funding

LNP, LNP Government

Novak Djokovic Australian Open 2022: Court showdown looms as Home Affairs defends interrogation

Novak Djokovic presents his travel papers after arriving at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday evening.

It seems the Government is more intent on their domestic political image than finding a solution to Djokovic’s case. They did much the same when Kevin Andrews insisted Dr Haneef was a terrorist. Like Trump, they are now announcing their intention to hold Djokovic, no matter what the court’s decision is. “Illegals” ar simply who the LNP says they are Dutton and Morrison mande that clear. More to the point now they need to prevent him from playing in Victoria the Labor State who simply said he was eligible to play in their event.

Morrison has proved to be the most bumbling PM in history. He and Abbott will go down as a pigeon pair. Abbott was fired a number of times historically and Morrison was fired twice once by NZ and again by Australian Tourism and the minister at the time. Jobless he entered politics. He obviously has a history and those sackings were justified given the way he conducts himself hasn’t changed.

The submission also leaves the door open for the government to cancel Djokovic’s visa a second time, even if the court overturns the decision. “An order for immediate release does not prevent re-detention if there is power to detain,” the document read. Djokovic is in detention at the Park Hotel in Carlton after the federal government cancelled his visa to attend the Australian Open tournament. On Friday, he launched a court challenge to that decision and it will be heard on Monday.

Source: Novak Djokovic Australian Open 2022: Court showdown looms as Home Affairs defends interrogation

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Rapid antigen testing results blow out daily case numbers

A COVID-19 rapid antigen test.

Morrison saw RATs as a means to throw Covid cases into chaos and camouflaging his total mismanagement of Covid yet again. It’s the only reasonable explanation for why he’s been so insistent on making some tests free and others paid for by us. He had no qualms in saying overpayments of JobKeeper would not be required to be repaid by corporations, but RAT tests needed to be paid for and the prices set by the ‘free’ market. A bonus to the retailers like Chemist Warehouse Harvey Norman and Ebay scalpers of the tests. Many corporations of course, sponsor him and support his “let it rip” stance against lockdowns threatening their profits. Morrison is a great supporter of corporate Socialism in a Capitalist nation.

Victoria’s case numbers doubled to overtake New South Wales on Saturday as the state scrambles to improve the accuracy of rapid antigen testing (RAT) numbers incorporated in the data. States are working to include the RATs now being undertaken by people at home, with Victoria and Queensland launching self-reporting systems and NSW to follow. Victoria’s daily figures were more than double the previous day’s total, with 51,356 cases. But the numbers were inflated by a backlog of RAT cases which accounted for about half and included some infections that were up to six days old as well as double ups with PCR tests. Based on a closer look at the health department figures, there were likely closer to 30,851 new cases in the state on Saturday — still a record, and an increase of more than 40 per cent on the previous day. The Victorian health department is now rushing to improve the accuracy of the state’s COVID-19 figures.

Source: Rapid antigen testing results blow out daily case numbers

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government

Djokovic And Our Strong Borders Or Nobody’s Going To Tampa With Morrison… – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Why on earth did Dan Andrews grant him a visa? Whoops, state governments don’t grant visas. We granted him a visa based on Dan Andrews say so. The medical review was an independent process. Oh look, a high profile resignation, let’s talk about that instead!!

Source: Djokovic And Our Strong Borders Or Nobody’s Going To Tampa With Morrison… – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP

Telehealth changes ‘devastating’ for psychiatry patients in regional areas | Health | The Guardian

woman window

Australians in regional areas with severe mental health problems will go without help, after “devastating” changes to the telehealth system, psychiatrists warn. Recent federal government reforms removed a 50% loading for some rural psychiatric services, meaning some types of consultations providers will no longer be able to bulk-bill. They will have to absorb the costs or pass them on to patients.

Source: Telehealth changes ‘devastating’ for psychiatry patients in regional areas | Health | The Guardian

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government

Number 1 for 2021: The Morrison government is a sewer – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The countdown is over! Number 1 goes to Dr Jennifer Wilson for this article from February 2021 on what would be one of the biggest stories – and one of the biggest scandals – of the year. Congratulations, Jennifer. The Morrison government is a sewer.

Source: Number 1 for 2021: The Morrison government is a sewer – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government

Using prizes to deter asylum seekers sinks to next level “depravity”

An Australia-bound boat of Sri Lanka refugees waits for help after drifiting into Indonesian waters.

The Morrison Mad-Man’s Plan, Prizes for Detterance sinks Australia to lower depths of depravity. Rewards for “Keep Out” signage in Sri Lanka.

While Australia’s reluctance to meet its human rights obligations is not new, the “Zero Chance” short film competition for 2022 takes our reputation to a new and deeper level of moral depravity. It encourages Sri Lankan filmmakers to come up with videos that might deter their fellow citizens from seeking refuge in Australia via boat. Effectively, the competition proposes that every day Sri Lankans convince their neighbours to relinquish their human rights and win a digital SLR camera or a drone. The suggestion that those who have endured years of suffering may be deterred by a short film, is callous enough. The idea to recruit their fellow citizens to dissuade them from recognising their rights is morally repugnant.

Source: Using prizes to deter asylum seekers sinks to next level “depravity”

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government, LNP Tactics, LNP Theft

Under cover of Christmas, Education Minister Stuart Robert overruled the experts

Stuart Robert took out the trash on Christmas Eve.May be an image of text that says 'Having researchers second guess whether their work will be rejected by the Minister of the day after passing a rigorous assessment process of their peers, is no way to support a research system in a liberal democracy. Christina Parolin Executive Director, Australian Academy of Humanities "'The Beagle Boys by Carl Barks | Beagle, Boys, Uncle scrooge

Like a Beagle Boy serial offender Stuart Robert strikes again

Once again, universities have suffered at the hands of political interference, this time from the acting Minister for Education Stuart Robert who decided to reject six approved research projects. The rejected grants, he said, “do not demonstrate value for taxpayers’ money nor contribute to the national interest”. All were in the humanities: two on climate, two on China, two more on literature. This is not the first time the minister has tried to take out the trash. Who could forget the time Robert was forced to refund $721 million to victims of Robodebt? That too was dropped late on a Friday. Here’s what happened this time.

Source: Under cover of Christmas, Education Minister Stuart Robert overruled the experts

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Policy

Traffic laws abolished in NSW as residents are encouraged to show personal responsibility instead | The Chaser

Morrison and Perrottet guide to the road ahead.

Drivers across New South Wales will enjoy a raft of new freedoms from next week, with the abolishment of all of the states’ traffic laws.

Source: Traffic laws abolished in NSW as residents are encouraged to show personal responsibility instead | The Chaser

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

‘We’ve had enough with trolling’: AG Cash pressures Labor on social media crackdown

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash is leading the government’s latest foray to rein in social media giants.

After Peter Dutton’s somewhat meager success in the courts, the rush is on to ID and shut down anyone that AG Cash or other Government Parliamentarians may or may not be offended by. Couple that with the call Dutton made for Government MP’s to be allowed to sue or when sued to be covered at our, the tax payer’s, expense they’re demanding to be untouchable. Dutton probably foresaw that he was going to have to shell out his own costs but didn’t, it seems, predict, he’d have to pay some of the costs of the person he was suing.

The Government gets bad PR on Social Media which it doesn’t get from the privatized “cash for comment” MSM. It can’t close the ABC down and doesn’t like it. The biggest trolling on Social  Media is anti- Government and the algorithms amplify that anti-government sentiment. While they have  Parliamentary Privilege we have Social Media and our privilege needs to be regulated as we roar and they merely squeak on Social Media..

“This is a very simple bill that says we’ve had enough with online trolling,” Senator Cash said. “If Anthony Albanese and Labor cannot support that then quite frankly, they are failing Australians.”

Source: ‘We’ve had enough with trolling’: AG Cash pressures Labor on social media crackdown

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

To End Hyperexploitation, Seasonal Workers Need Union Solidarity

In October, Australia introduced a new visa for seasonal agricultural workers that is supposed to create pathways to permanent residency. But history shows that seasonal workers can only guarantee their rights if they’re organized into fighting unions.

Source: To End Hyperexploitation, Seasonal Workers Need Union Solidarity

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Prime minister’s department ‘can’t find’ sports rorts document requested by Rex Patrick under FOI | Freedom of information | The Guardian

Rex Patrick

Independent senator Rex Patrick has condemned the prime minister’s department for claiming it cannot find a key letter from Christian Porter to Scott Morrison about the sports rorts affair, a position seemingly at odds with the attorney general’s office, which has fought to keep the document secret. Patrick has been fighting an almost two-year freedom of information battle with the attorney general’s office, seeking access to a letter from the then attorney general to the prime minister about the administration of the community sport infrastructure program. The attorney general’s letter is thought to provide legal advice to the prime minister on a particular aspect of the damning auditor general’s report that found the government handed out $100m in sport grants in order to favour “targeted” Coalition seats at the May 2019 election. Parliament House, Canberra Information watchdog demands change after two government departments break FoI laws within a month Read more The request was rejected on cabinet confidentiality and legal privilege grounds, something Patrick disputed and took to the watchdog, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. While he was waiting for a

Source: Prime minister’s department ‘can’t find’ sports rorts document requested by Rex Patrick under FOI | Freedom of information | The Guardian

LNP, LNP Government

Josh Frydenberg’s pick for ACCC chief represented bank in one of regulator’s biggest criminal cases | Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) | The Guardian

Josh Frydenberg and Gina Cass-Gottlieb sit next to each other at a wooden table in an office

CULTURE CAPTURE

Josh Frydenberg’s nomination for chair of the competition watchdog may have to recuse herself from any decisions relating to one of the regulator’s biggest cases if she is approved for the job.

Source: Josh Frydenberg’s pick for ACCC chief represented bank in one of regulator’s biggest criminal cases | Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) | The Guardian

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Government defends pork barrel allegations

coalition pork barrel

Morrison admits he doesn’t “govern” for all Australians when he says the LNP are” better represented” when applying for grants. After all, 50% of Australia didn’t vote for him their “needs ” obviously have little or nothing to do with the grants given out. He agrees only politics does. So,his pork-barrelling is quite ok and he’s the better politician because of it. How much a Dervish can he get?

Birmingham claims the LNP supports disability but  only regional areas areas is would seem. He says that despite the fact we know that the current LNP program is to cut the NDIS. Data is data and neither Morrison or Birmingham put up a convincing argument that bribing electorates enhances Democracy , or that they are working for all Australians. When will these pricks stop normalising gaslighting? The biggest distribution of welfare has been Corporate, it’s been direct, and shit, given the increased income and wealth gaps these past 8 years we know how well that’s worked. As a consequence the money comes flowing back by way of donations x5 times that of the opposition and that’s just what is visible. Is it any wonder Andrew Robb quit politics for a $1M pay packet or the many others that are now well paid lobbyists for major industries? Or that Barnaby gets a massive personal cheque from Gina or Abbott’s daughter a scholarship?

Senator Birmingham also pointed to other grant programs that provided strong support to Labor electorates, such as disability support.Prime Minister Scott Morrison put the discrepancies between Labor and Liberal electorates – including Defence Minister Peter Dutton’s inner Brisbane seat receiving almost 50 times more than its Labor-held neighbour – to Coalition seats having good local members.

Source: Government defends pork barrel allegations

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government, LNP Policy

No, There Is No Such Thing as the Undeserving Poor

Former Liberal Party minister Pru Goward recently published an opinion piece outlining her views on the “underclass.” Her analysis exemplifies the ignorance, mediocrity, and condescension of Australia’s elite.

Source: No, There Is No Such Thing as the Undeserving Poor

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

How $2.8 billion of your money is spent — it grossly favours Coalition seats

LNP CORRUPTION IN PLAIN SIGHT

Liberal electorates received three times more taxpayer money than Labor-held seats, as a detailed analysis of more than 19,000 grants reveals a highly politicised system rife with uneven spending. See the funding your electorate received.

Source: How $2.8 billion of your money is spent — it grossly favours Coalition seats

LNP

The Coalition Vs Public Opinion – » The Australian Independent Media Network

 

Fortunately for the rest of us, some are actively making meaningful change to mitigate the imminent (based on the research of scientists) climate catastrophe. A regional bus company in Queensland is moving it’s 120 vehicle diesel bus fleet which, the owners claim [annually] consumed more than a million litres of fuel and produced 3,100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. to a fleet powered by green hydrogen which they will produce themselves using solar power and rainwater. The real irony of this is the bus fleet is located in Emerald – one of the the principal service communities for the ‘Coalfields’ in Central Queensland. The same ‘Coalfields’ that Senator Canavan claims to represent. Somebody’s making it up – and it’s unlikely to be the people investing capital to reduce emissions in their own business. When was the last time a Coalition government actually acted to validate the country’s public opinion rather than those of vested interests?

Source: The Coalition Vs Public Opinion – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Paul Bongiorno: PM’s only hope is budget numbers saving him

budget

The Scam and fix is in. The budget tanked like a bungee during the pandemic now it’s about to rebound as rapidly as one, but just like a bungee that recovery won’t be the same as it was pre-pandemic, and it wasn’t crash hot back then either as they’d destroyed our relationship with China and the EU.

Nevertheless, you won’t hear that from Morrison or Frydenberg who will tell you our recovery will have been the best in all possible worlds. As a consequence, we will be able to afford the best of all possible bribes, tax cuts. Never mind that the top 10% of the nation has already received their bonus expanding the wealth gap like never before seen (over 25%). Never mind, that in the past 30 years the LNP has been the highest taxing of all governments. Never mind, that the LNP has been the harshest on Social Welfare, Universal Health, Education, wage growth, and the casualization of the workforce. During their tenure have Dropped us down the ladder from best to worst in the OECD and increased the level of corruption. Never mind this government has been the most secretive and least supportive of communications making us 60th globally in broadband speed and the accelerated destruction of the ABC and restriction of Independent Media. Never mind that we have fallen on every comparable social metric and our global reputation has been shredded under this the worst PM and government this country has ever seen. We are nevertheless about to be given tax cuts of 1-2 %. WTF!!

The word out of the federal government is a desperate Scott Morrison will use improved numbers in the budget to attempt a huge tax cut to buy his way back into government.

Source: Paul Bongiorno: PM’s only hope is budget numbers saving him

LNP, LNP Government

Jim Chalmers says the two highest-taxing governments of the past 30 years have been Coalition governments. Is that correct? – ABC News

Jim Chalmers speaking at a press conference at Parliament House. Verdict is "fair call" with a green tick

The verdict Dr Chalmers’s claim is a fair call. Although there have been just two periods each of Labor and Coalition governments in the last 30 years, the Commonwealth tax take was on average higher under the Coalition during that time. Tax revenue as a share of the economy was highest under prime minister John Howard. Next was the current Coalition government, elected in 2013, followed by the Labor government of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, then that of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. However, direct comparisons are complicated by, among other things, the introduction of the federal goods and services tax (GST) in July 2000, which one expert explained would have pushed up federal taxes as a share of the economy. Importantly, experts told Fact Check that these tax figures were also subject to factors beyond the control of governments — including resources prices, for example — and were not necessarily a sign of good or bad economic management.

Source: Jim Chalmers says the two highest-taxing governments of the past 30 years have been Coalition governments. Is that correct? – ABC News

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Morrison woos Gladys to attack ICAC – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Above all, Morrison’s backing of Gladys helps normalise corruption as a way of government and the price of doing business. Whilst it’s a dog-whistle to the “freedoms” mob demonstrating against being vaccinated and imported lies and conspiracies about a deep state, it is also an act of desperation born out a Machiavellian realpolitik that tells him his government needs to win at least one other seat in NSW. “Politics is governed by the iron laws of arithmetic” his mentor Howard drily opined in an absurd reduction that helps our democracy drown in cynicism and distrust. In reality as Tony Fitzgerald argues, we need every politician to acknowledge that “membership of a political party doesn’t excuse them from their personal obligations to act honourably, and political parties to understand that voters will only vote for politicians who make and keep promises to act ethically.”

Source: Morrison woos Gladys to attack ICAC – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government, LNP Theft, Social Welfare under LNP

Robo-revenue raising too tempting for greedy governments

Illustration: Simon Letch

But, as with so many things, new technology can be used for good or ill. The most egregious case of government misuse of technology was surely Centrelink’s “automated income compliance program” aka robo-debt. Here, a dodgy algorithm was used to accuse people on benefits of understating their income over many years and to demand repayment. Despite assurances by the two ministers responsible – Christian Porter and Alan Tudge – that all was fair and above board, huge anxiety was caused to many unjustly accused poor people. The Coalition government obfuscated for years before a court finally ruled the program unlawful and the government agreed to return $1.8 billion. For a scheme intended to cut costs, it was an immoral own goal.

Source: Robo-revenue raising too tempting for greedy governments

LNP, LNP Government

Change to secret evidence refused in Bernard Collaery case

Michaela Cash as AG is proving to be as astute as Christian Porter was. With and IQ of a bucket of bricks but persistence of a bear trap she’s determined not to let Porter’s case against ex ACT’s AG Bernard Collaery go. Heaven forbid we might discover the LNP government’s criminal conspiracy in its dealings with Timore Leste and oil companies.

The ruling is a small win for Collaery, but the attorney-general can still choose to make a fresh application for more restrictive orders on the basis of changes to the current circumstances.

The case has already been appealed to the High Court as the Commonwealth seeks to have part of the Court of Appeal judgment – which found secret trials diminished public trust in the justice system – redacted from the public.

Source: Change to secret evidence refused in Bernard Collaery case

LNP, LNP Corruption, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Liberals want Berejiklian to run for Warringah, despite ICAC investigation

Federal ICAC

How dare LNP Politicians be questioned for “integrity” by any body other than the LNP itself. Royal Commissions are there to investigate the ALP and their Left-Wing comrades because unlike Morrison, Frydenberg, Dutton, Tudge, or Berejiklian Liberals “never” lie. They have attested to that publicly.

Scott Morrison’s attacks on NSW’s ICAC and endorsement of embattled former premier Gladys Berejiklian to join federal politics have intensified, with the Prime Minister saying she would be a “great” candidate, despite an ongoing corruption investigation.Senior Liberals are escalating their public calls for Ms Berejiklian to switch from NSW politics to Canberra – despite a cloud hanging over her knowledge of corruption by ex-boyfriend Daryl Maguire – in the face of a huge community campaign from Warringah incumbent Zali Steggall.And even as the federal government stalls its plans for a Commonwealth integrity body, Mr Morrison has again attacked the NSW anti-corruption watchdog, hinting that an adverse finding against Ms Berejiklian wouldn’t scupper any bid for high office.“I think she would be great. The way that Gladys Berejiklian has been treated has been shameful,” PM Morrison said on Monday.gladys berejiklian icacMs Berejiklian gives evidence to ICAC in October.“I don’t call that justice.”

Source: Liberals want Berejiklian to run for Warringah, despite ICAC investigation

LNP, LNP Government

80 years on, the attack on Pearl Harbour offers lessons for today

Pearl harbour was a target and the naval base destroyed 25% of the pop of Hawaii were American Japanese and they were interned. Why is Morrison and Dutton intent on making Australia the foremost target in the region?

Then, on November 29 2021, the US Defence Department announced in its global posture review that it will concentrate military activities and infrastructure in Australia and select Pacific Islands. There’s no question the US and the UK are returning to the Pacific at levels not seen since the second world war. The AUKUS agreement, initiated by the Morrison government, encapsulates the escalating tensions due to China’s troubling acts. These include its rhetorical and trade war with Australia, aggressions towards Taiwan, military expansion in the South China Sea and its deepening influence in the Pacific islands as a suspected veiled means to project its military power. Australia’s prime minister and, most recently, defence minister have conjured up the Pacific War, saying “we live in the echoes of the 1930s”, citing “mistakes” that led to the war. China has lashed back, criticising the Australian government for super-charging fears that history is repeating at a terrifying scale and pace.

Source: 80 years on, the attack on Pearl Harbour offers lessons for today

LNP

Political Fragmentation: The Challenges Posed by a Possible Lifeline for the Re-Election of the Federal LNP – » The Australian Independent Media Network

In the wake of the surprise Coalition victory at the May election, Palmer said he had “decided to polarise the electorate” with an anti-Labor advertising blitz in the final weeks of the campaign, rather than attempting to win seats for the United Australia party. In the final week alone, Palmer spent $8m in electoral advertisements. The submission noted the party was reported to have spent $60m on a “contentious” campaign that failed to win a single seat but Palmer “claims to have secured the Coalition government’s win with his preferences”.

Source: Political Fragmentation: The Challenges Posed by a Possible Lifeline for the Re-Election of the Federal LNP – » The Australian Independent Media Network

LNP

Matthew Guy wants to make Victorian a manufacturing great again

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.

Little Matthew Guy has a Liberal vision of turning Victoria into an Australian China, Vietnam or Cambodia just as Morrison is. Filling our region with an imported and casualized workforce in “factories”. Meanwhile, 2021 owners of such organizations are dreaming of becoming automated in order to shrink human labor costs. It seems Little Matthew Guy still has a 20th-century vision returning to factories like those that used to make shoes and clothes for our military but with imported labor which fits with Morrison’s scheme of an easily manipulated, exploited casualized and an imported workforce. A workforce to keep the cost of labor down to less than automated. Currently the LNP are doing just that with a Pacific nations workforce.

We used to call it “blackbirding” cheapening labor costs. Doesn’t Guy realize China has an extremely highly-skilled workforce building the most advanced equipment the world has ever seen? Is he actually suggesting his incentives be directed to the renewable energy sector? The sector Morrison has put the brakes on. If he is he sounds very Dan Andrews to me. Albo is incentivising retraining by making TAFEs free. Neither are dreaming of factories filled with the sweat of human labor.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy wants to reclaim Victoria’s historic position as the manufacturing engine room of Australia with a $2.5 billion fund he says will create thousands of jobs.

Source: atthew Guy wants to make Victorian a manufacturing great again

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Australia exports to China: new figures show Canberra caught in election trap as Washington and Beijing do business

A large screen in Beijing shows talks between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in November.

Singapore: Australian cattle farmers and abattoirs lost half a billion in exports to China in the last two years, cotton producers were down $870 million, copper exporters $1.5 billion.But the Chinese importers did not miss those products. Australia’s great Indo-Pacific ally, the United States, was happy to make up for the shortfall.The same happened with timber and coal. As Australia’s coal exports fell by $11 billion, the US added $1.8 billion to its usual load over the same period. Russia, Canada and Indonesia also sent more.Markets are unsentimental; when there is a gap they fill them. The US and Australia have made much of their united front on China’s economic coercion, but the truth is American exporters have been eating Australia’s lunch.

Source: Australia exports to China: new figures show Canberra caught in election trap as Washington and Beijing do business

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

‘Revolving door’ between public service and consultancies

Senior Victorian public servant Adam Fennessy.

Now no longer Independent of Government they are totally reliant on them for their contracts and have become the Organ Grinders Monkeys

Some of the most senior figures to have left the Victorian public service in recent years for jobs in the consultancy sector are back in charge of government agencies or departments.

Source: ‘Revolving door’ between public service and consultancies

LNP

Morrison’s winning ways once more on show

Josh Frydenberg speaks to Bridget Archer after she crossed the floor on Thursday.

The Nest of Vipers

The Prime Minister pretended to be as relaxed about Archer’s actions this time as he was last time, saying what close friends and colleagues they were and what a grand old party he led which allowed members to express themselves freely. He does that often. Boasts about being good friends with people when really it’s just heavy duty Spakfilla patter, sealing up the cracks or covering his own poor behaviour. He has done it with Berejiklian too, even though she confided several times to friends he tried to bully her, and while Premier she got her office to tell Morrison’s office to stop undermining and backgrounding against her. His defence of her last week, describing the NSW ICAC as a kangaroo court, was a calculated exercise. He used it to excuse his failure to introduce a credible anti-corruption commission; he is desperate to get Berejiklian to run against independent Zali Steggall in Warringah, and it would serve to undermine in advance any adverse finding.

Source: Morrison’s winning ways once more on show

LNP, LNP Government

Alan Tudge disappoints with new education strategy

 

Tudge’s strategy is just another example of the Morrison Government tendency to issue so-called plans and strategies that are not worth the paper they are written on.

Source: Alan Tudge disappoints with new education strategy

LNP, LNP Government

Australia’s Religious Discrimination Bill Is About Attacking Workers’ Rights

It’s all photoshoots and posturing. That’s the Morrison Way. It’s as if he was like playing Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. “Where ready for your next scene Mr Morrison”

In the lead up to Morrison introducing the Religious Discrimination Bill there was much speculation that the entire debacle was meaningless posturing. Some argued it was set up to fail, having been introduced too late in the parliamentary term. Peta Credlin guessed that “this whole debate will turn out be more about striking an election pose than making a difference before polling day.” With the bill set to go before a Senate inquiry over summer, it is unclear whether it will pass before the next federal election — which could be as early as February 2022. And so once again millions of workers now wait patiently to see how their careers and livelihoods will be affected by the greed and game-playing of a handful of religious bosses, factional bigwigs, and parliamentary buffoons. They do bear a striking resemblance to Alice, buffeted by others’ madness and only able to declare, “How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual…”

Source: Australia’s Religious Discrimination Bill Is About Attacking Workers’ Rights

LNP, LNP Government

‘Stunned’: Government reveals no plans for federal ICAC but blames Labor

federal icac

Morrison’s usual escape hatch is to blame someone else. He admits he doesn’t run the country and that the first rule of the Morrison government is ” I dont hold any hose” the ALP does. So why not just call an election and retire hurt?  The tradesman in the hi-viz vest and hard hat who keeps blaming his  tools applied for the wrong job in which there’s an opposition. “ScaMo it’s called a Democracy and you do more than have your picture taken”.

The Coalition government has no plans to introduce a long-promised federal integrity commission and has blamed the delay on a lack of support from the Opposition – despite making no changes to a proposed model blasted by experts as the weakest in the country.

Source: ‘Stunned’: Government reveals no plans for federal ICAC but blames Labor

LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

Coalition-held seats awarded billions in federal government grant money, analysis finds | Australia news | The Guardian

document with approved stamp on computer keyboard

 

Scott Morrison enters the final parliamentary sitting week of the year facing fresh questions about the Coalition’s record of administering grants to government electorates. New analysis has found, since 2013, the bulk of government grant money has gone to government-held seats. The analysis says $3.9bn has been allocated under seven federal programs since the Coalition came to power, and $2.8bn, or 71% of the total taxpayer-funded pool, has gone to projects in government electorates.

Source: Coalition-held seats awarded billions in federal government grant money, analysis finds | Australia news | The Guardian