The ScoMo Government

SirRumpole said:

Slomo....

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Slo'w-Mo'tion....
A turd that's taking to long to be rid of...

Spot on..

Dyson Launches New ‘Scott Morrison’ Range, “The World’s Most Impressive Leadership Vacuum”

There was some discussion on another thread comparing the current Liberal party, to the days of Menzies.

I tender this article from the Spectator as an interesting take (and pretty accurate in my opinion)


Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s roadmap to normality was criticised as vague but it did contain one piece of substance –- he made it harder for stranded Australians to return home. Our mindset at this point should be to tear down that Covid wall, Prime Minister, not heighten it.

The government’s re-election strategy appears to be built around flogging the Covid horse till polling day. The clean-up however is too urgent for political timetables. Australia has been one of the least Covid impacted nations but on a per capita basis has racked up one of the world’s biggest Covid debts — comparable to wartime. When those wastrels of the ALP lost office in 2013 they handed over $257 billion in federal government debt. Three Liberal Party PMs later and it’s on its way to $1.2 trillion.

Endless debt? Engineering the semi-Covid. state? All but promising ‘carbon-neutrality’ by 2050? Sorry, but three strikes and you are out. This is not just a deviation from the Liberal Party’s founding. It’s betrayal.

At his campaign launch for the 1946 election, opposition leader Robert Menzies thundered, ‘Or shall we build upon liberal democracy, which passionately believes that the war was fought to overthrow the authoritarian state; that there can be no national progress except through the efforts of the individual.’ Menzies was a classical liberal –- small state, big citizens -– hence his choice of party name.

A few years after his retirement, Menzies spent many hours being interviewed by the Australian correspondent for The Economist, Lady Frances McNicoll. Her audio recordings of many of the interviews are preserved. That goldmine was largely sealed until the Menzies Foundation gave Troy Bramston access while he was researching his 2019 definitive biography of Menzies. Menzies’ view of his successors reveals endless disappointment. In 1974, at a gala event for this eightieth birthday Menzies said, ‘When we commenced the Liberal Party we had principles. Principles are apparently nowadays things that are not to be insisted upon because to insist upon them is to demonstrate you are ‘reactionary’ or ‘conservative.’’ Bramston has ample evidence Menzies, at least once, voted for the right-wing Democratic Labor Party.

If the great man was distressed in the 1970s what would he think now? After the last 18 months, my hunch is he’d want to see a 1944-style fresh start.



The Liberal Party could have championed a Swedish style citizen-trusting, light-touch Covid response. Sweden took an early hit but today has one of Europe’s lowest Covid fatality rates and along the way didn’t set dangerous precedents. If outlier Sweden was a bridge too far, then for months we’ve had plenty of evidence from big and small American states that the impulse to wind back Covid restrictions early is sound.

Social media often compares this Covid episode with George Orwell’s 1984. It’s inaccurate. We don’t have monitoring cameras in our homes and while dissent is curbed it’s not a crime. On a scale of one to ten, however (with ten being 1984), pre-Covid we were a two and now we’re a four. The trend is not our friend but very correctable. Covid has however demonstrated that if the big state and big business seriously collude they have the means to engineer a twenty-first century high-tech version of Orwell’s dystopia (China’s halfway there).

Lockdowns, travel prohibitions, tracking, snitching on neighbours, school closures, masks, free money and debt to Jupiter have all been a happy joint venture of the state and federal ‘Lib-Lab Party.’ Keen observers are not surprised. In 2017 then Treasurer Scott Morrison had this to say about free speech, ‘I know this issue doesn’t create one job, doesn’t open one business, doesn’t give anyone one extra hour.” Scott Morrison has been a workaholic his entire working life and I suspect he’s been too busy to ever ponder his party’s classical liberal founding.

It wasn’t always this way. The New South Wales Division is to blame.

In its first half, the Liberal Party was dominated by the Victorian division. Every federal leader from 1945 to 1985 was a Victorian bar Billy McMahon. Other than the brief tenures of Andrew Peacock and Alexander Downer, every subsequent leader has come from NSW.

Besides a brief period from 2003 to 2009, the NSW Division has been controlled by the erroneously named ‘moderate’ faction. Yes, they’re moderate about policy (they don’t believe in much) but they’re immoderate about the pursuit, not so much of power, but of perks.

The moderates are a throwback to the Tammany Hall-style political machines which ran many American cities in the nineteenth century. Political machines are built on patronage and their end-product is sub-optimal politicians more loyal to the machine than the national interest. The ethos of the moderates is, ‘winning isn’t the most important thing, it’s the only thing’ and that now dominates the federal parliamentary party.

There was meant to be a ‘small government dry’ faction somewhere in the party room but they’ve been awfully quiet during Covid. If they can’t speak up now, what use are they? Had Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser overseen a similar response to the swine flu scare of 1976, there would have been cabinet resignations, an irate backbench and a backdown.

What about the Nationals? Barnaby said some good things as a backbencher but the quieter he stays as deputy PM, the more it suggests his grumblings were comeback tactics. More significantly, a party panel recently rejected John Anderson’s much-anticipated comeback and party grandees didn’t seem to care.

Anyway, I’m off to the Liberal Democratic Party. Surely classical liberalism is a growth stock in 2021. Can the LDP become a party of government that restores economic rationalism? I’m told it’s a longshot but it’s a better bet than clinging to the false hope the Liberals rediscover their founding principles. If Menzies voted DLP in 1972, my hunch is he would vote LDP in 2022.

John Ruddick is the Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the seat of Warringah at the next federal election.

I am sure the Liberal Democrats would be very popular as long as they don't push unpopular agendas such as reduce gun restrictions, reduce coverage of Medicare, stop climate change action, convert public education to private, sell the post office etc

Knobby22 said:

I am sure the Liberal Democrats would be very popular as long as they don't push unpopular agendas such as reduce gun restrictions, reduce coverage of Medicare, stop climate change action, convert public education to private, sell the post office etc

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Yeah for most Australians, there is at least one deal-breaker in that list for sure.

Of course, those policies run a hell of a lot deeper than just the 3 word slogans. Unfortunately our edia does not operate past three word slogans, so the complete policy position is never presented.

But that's just the way it is and they would be wise to modify their policies accordingly.

wayneL said:

Sweden took an early hit but today has one of Europe’s lowest Covid fatality rates

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It might be good by European standards but it's approximately 40 times that of Australia's on a per capita basis. That's a pretty major failure given Australia's response hasn't exactly been as good as it could've been either.

We're going very wrong as a species if economics or politics becomes the deciding factor in this sort of issue. Both are, after all, largely based on fake concepts anyway.

Proper science is a far superior approach when it comes to fixing actual problems or even simply making money.

Smurf1976 said:

It might be good by European standards but it's approximately 40 times that of Australia's on a per capita basis. That's a pretty major failure given Australia's response hasn't exactly been as good as it could've been either.

We're going very wrong as a species if economics or politics becomes the deciding factor in this sort of issue. Both are, after all, largely based on fake concepts anyway.

Proper science is a far superior approach when it comes to fixing actual problems or even simply making money.

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Apples and oranges, bro.

wayneL said:

Apples and oranges, bro.

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That's the point is it not?

Australia's "apples" approach of lockdowns and so on has thus far resulted in approximately one 40th the death rate of Sweden's "oranges" approach of "let it rip".

That's a direct comparison of the two approaches - Sweden's has been vastly inferior thus far in terms of the death toll and there's zero chance of reversing that impact, you can't bring back the dead.

Smurf1976 said:

That's the point is it not?

Australia's "apples" approach of lockdowns and so on has thus far resulted in approximately one 40th the death rate of Sweden's "oranges" approach of "let it rip".

That's a direct comparison of the two approaches - Sweden's has been vastly inferior thus far in terms of the death toll and there's zero chance of reversing that impact, you can't bring back the dead.

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Well not really. We can set up fortress Australia by virtue of being an island, and by being both physically and culturally distant.

The Swedes don't have that luxury. They are essentially contiguous with the rest of Europe.

Additionally, one must look at the respective pictures in toto. Gotta go into the weeds for that comparison.

Personal opinion... At this point, I would *much rather live there than here.

Meanwhile on the radio the PM is talking about $hitting his pants

wayneL said:

Well not really. We can set up fortress Australia by virtue of being an island, and by being both physically and culturally distant.

The Swedes don't have that luxury. They are essentially contiguous with the rest of Europe.

Additionally, one must look at the respective pictures in toto. Gotta go into the weeds for that comparison.

Personal opinion... At this point, I would *much rather live there than here.

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Is there a crowdfund?

Speaker Tony Smith to retire from politics at the election...

I reckon he should kick everyone out on the last day under 94a

The Minister for Rorts rise again.
But of course corruption in this government has now been redefined as "Business as usual"

Angus Taylor and Josh Frydenberg’s offices chose sites for commuter car parks​

MPs nominated projects for the $660m fund in what was ‘an exercise in politics’, Labor says



Angus Taylor’s office nominated commuter car parks for stations in neighbouring electorates, ‘on the way to Sydney’, Senate estimates has been told. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Paul Karp

@Paul_Karp
Wed 21 Jul 2021 03.30 AEST
Last modified on Wed 21 Jul 2021 10.24 AEST



Two commuter car parks in the Labor seat of Macarthur in New South Wales received federal funding because they were selected by the office of neighbouring Liberal MP and minister Angus Taylor, the audit office has revealed.

Evidence to Senate estimates confirmed the offices of Taylor and the federal treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, nominated projects in their own or neighbouring electorates, which Labor MP Mike Freelander says shows the program was “an exercise in politics”.

The Australian National Audit Office found in June that the 47 projects sites in the $660m commuter car park fund were handpicked by the government on the advice of its MPs and candidates – with none selected by the infrastructure department.

As usual The Shovel has the last (and best) say.


The Nation

Government Promises Funding For New Carpark In Fairfield To Ease COVID-Test Congestion





Those queuing for a COVID test in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield can expect some relief when a new government funded carpark is built there in 2028.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the funding yesterday, saying he is always willing to help with Australia’s COVID response, especially if it involves building imaginary infrastructure.

“A lot of people would look at this situation and say that what Fairfield needs right now is additional testing facilities or vaccination centres. But they’re forgetting that when you’re facing a pretty terrifying health crisis, what you actually need is a place to park your car in seven years’ time.

The car park proposal was quietly pulled when a staffer pointed out that Fairfield was situated in a safe Labor seat.

basilio said:

The Minister for Rorts rise again.
But of course corruption in this government has now been redefined as "Business as usual"

Angus Taylor and Josh Frydenberg’s offices chose sites for commuter car parks​

MPs nominated projects for the $660m fund in what was ‘an exercise in politics’, Labor says


View attachment 127640
Angus Taylor’s office nominated commuter car parks for stations in neighbouring electorates, ‘on the way to Sydney’, Senate estimates has been told. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Paul Karp

@Paul_Karp
Wed 21 Jul 2021 03.30 AEST
Last modified on Wed 21 Jul 2021 10.24 AEST



Two commuter car parks in the Labor seat of Macarthur in New South Wales received federal funding because they were selected by the office of neighbouring Liberal MP and minister Angus Taylor, the audit office has revealed.

Evidence to Senate estimates confirmed the offices of Taylor and the federal treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, nominated projects in their own or neighbouring electorates, which Labor MP Mike Freelander says shows the program was “an exercise in politics”.

The Australian National Audit Office found in June that the 47 projects sites in the $660m commuter car park fund were handpicked by the government on the advice of its MPs and candidates – with none selected by the infrastructure department.

Angus Taylor and Josh Frydenberg’s offices chose sites for commuter car parks

MPs nominated projects for the $660m fund in what was ‘an exercise in politics’, Labor says

www.theguardian.com

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There was a time in the Australian Westminster System of governance where they would be gone, now its just smile and wave blaming media, Labor etc.

IFocus said:

There was a time in the Australian Westminster System of governance where they would be gone, now its just smile and wave blaming media, Labor etc.

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Yes, I see your mate Craig is back in the news, you know back when politicians were honest.
Funny the media don't mention which party, just former MP, just a small oversight by the media, let the plebs fill in the blanks with whichever party they dislike. ?

When the hell were politicians honest?
Rorts were worse before the digital age.

not sure this is the right thread for this question
does anyone here have a pugnacious press conference this week?
please dont feel needled by the question, you dont have to answer too quickly, no rush, it's not a race

asking for a friend

Joules MM1 said:

not sure this is the right thread for this question
does anyone here have a pugnacious press conference this week?
please dont feel needled by the question, you dont have to answer too quickly, no rush, it's not a race

asking for a friend

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Haha that's not bad JM

sptrawler said:

Yes, I see your mate Craig is back in the news, you know back when politicians were honest.
Funny the media don't mention which party, just former MP, just a small oversight by the media, let the plebs fill in the blanks with whichever party they dislike. ?

Former federal MP Craig Thomson embroiled in new fraud investigation

The Central Coast home of the former MP was searched by police as part of an investigation into alleged fraud against the federal government.

www.theage.com.au

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He was charged and found guilty unlike the current crop of self-serving criminals sitting in government.


BTW how is that Federal ICAT going?