Saturday 20th of April 2024
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losing the audience...

 

losing the audience...

The lack of care taken by a number of politicians about something as basic as their eligibility to sit in the parliament speaks volumes about the lackadaisical attitude of Australia’s political class to the rules of their road, which reflects our entirely deficient mechanisms for accountability and enforcement in politics.

When there are rules that are never properly enforced, you get precisely the kind of problem that is unfolding now.

So it’s unfair to lay the current problems squarely at Turnbull’s feet.

The distinct lack of interest in having a serious accountability regime is a collective and pervasive affliction in Australian politics, not a specific failing of one political leader.

But how you respond in moments of crisis, matters.

Whether you can project a sense of calm and confidence, matters.

Whether you are still in an active contest with your political opponent, matters.

While the prime minister can credibly say a lack of attention to detail by the National party is not his fault, nor the fault of the Liberal party, Turnbull is not in a position of being able to distance himself from the growing perception that his government has no ballast to help it weather storms, no clear sense of purpose or intention, and little collective resilience or clear thinking under pressure.

When the question demanded by the events of the week is as existential as is your government legitimate – your answer cannot be intemperance, inconsistency, florid overstatement and mass panic.

read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/18/turnbull-shrivels...

 

losing your pants, slowly...

 

Each month now Employment Minister Michaelia Cash issues a statement on Australia’s dismal jobs situation in which she seeks to convince the gullible that

"... all our policies are designed to strengthen our economy and create more jobs."

The opposite, of course, is happening, as revealed by the data on deficits, public debt, jobs, underemployment, wages, household income, living costs, household debt, and income inequality.

She tries several sneaky tricks, as revealed when she spruiked yesterday’s job numbers from the Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Increases in line with population

When any population expands month by month – due to childbirth or migration or other causes – then several economic indicators should also rise steadily each month. These include men with jobs, women with jobs, young people with jobs and total hours worked by the population. Hence, in any well-oiled economy, every month should show a new record high in these numbers.

So when Michaelia Cash says “Labour force figures released today by the ABS show employment has increased for the tenth consecutive month, demonstrating a strengthening labour market and highlighting the Government’s strong economic plan”, that is not true.

The Minister wants us to say, “Wow! Ten months. Amazing! Thank you.” Instead, we should reply, “Why did employment actually decline severely for the two months before that? And why have there been ten monthly declines since you were elected?”

Today's jobs figures show economic momentum. The Turnbull Gov policies are designed to strengthen our economy and create more jobs.#auspol pic.twitter.com/UjvJyrK7mv

— Michaelia Cash (@SenatorCash) August 17, 2017

 

Every month should show a new record level of employment, even if the economy is just marking time.

What really demonstrates a sound economic plan is when:

  • the number of jobs are increasing relative to the population; and
  • the number of jobless people are decreasing relative to the population; and
  • full-time jobs are growing faster than part-time or casual work; and
  • total hours worked per person are rising.

In Australia, these have all fallen since the Coalition came to office, which confirms that the opposite of the Minister’s hubristic statement is true.

read more:

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/turnbull-gove...

 

And unlike the bank boss responsible for the bank fiasco, you won't get your "bonus" nor your "weekend pay" loading... while you are casually employed on the margins...

 

empty theatres of politics...

 

Labor is leading the Coalition 54% to 46% in two-party terms, a new poll has revealed after the marriage equality postal survey was announced and ministers became embroiled in questions about their citizenship.

The Coalition’s core support has fallen to 35% while Labor’s has risen to 38%, according to the latest Newspoll. Malcolm Turnbull’s personal support continues to outstrip Bill Shorten’s, with 43% preferring him as prime minister compared with 33% for Shorten.

read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/21/newspoll-has-labo...

 

sloppy turds alla malcolm...

 

Just last week, Tony outdid even himself, by admitting that he had failed to turn up for a series of key parliamentary votes as he had been so drunk that he passed out. Oh, what a lark!

But in the last few weeks, we have seen numerous equally impressive, if not superior, antics from other performers.

Tony's stand-in, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, led the enthralling capers with a fiery attack on the Greens for their "incredible" dual citizenship “sloppiness”. The very next day, Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce informed the nation he might, in fact, be a Kiwi but would not be standing down, since he was not like the Greens and therefore no one could accuse him of standards, let alone sloppy ones.

This valiance elevated the Deputy PM's popularity such that he is now a serious contender for New Zealander of the Year.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce, has received 2nd-most nominations for 2018 New Zealander of the Yr.

read more:

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/coalition-and-co-comedy-capers,10650

 

so sloppily undemocratic malcolm...

 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has argued the decision to scrap next week's sitting of the House of Representatives should not be a surprise for the Labor Party, because he raised the idea with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten weeks ago.

Key points:
  • Government insists Senate needs extra week to debate same-sex marriage bill before passing it to House of Representatives
  • Malcolm Turnbull says it is a delay, not a cancellation, and that he spoke to Bill Shorten about it "some time ago"
  • Shorten says there is plenty of other business the Lower House could get to while waiting for same-sex marriage bill

 

The accusation has not hampered the attacks against the Prime Minister, with Mr Shorten describing the decision as "outrageous" and "weak".

Both Houses were due to begin their final sitting fortnight next Monday, but the Coalition has announced it will cancel next week's sitting of the Lower House.

The argument was that the Senate needs to be allowed to finish debate the bill to legalise same-sex marriage before the matter is handed over to the House of Representatives.

Mr Turnbull has attempted to frame the decision as merely delaying the sitting fortnight, claiming it is "common sense".

He has added that rather than cancelling a week, members could be kept in Canberra until same-sex marriage and the ongoing citizenship saga are resolved.

"I raised a number of practical measures to deal with the last few weeks of sitting with Bill Shorten some time ago," Mr Turnbull said in Sydney.

read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-21/turnbull-insists-parliament-delaye...

 

This clearly shows that Trumble was unprepared and had not done his homework. He is running scared...

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