Filed under politix …

Nov 24 2007
extemporanea, politix

Nearly there

Less than half an hour until the polls close in the Eastern states, so we’ll know soon enough whether the Australian people have voted to remove the old bastard or lost their nerve at the last minute. Everyone I speak to is nervous — the opinion polls have narrowed a bit in the last few days (although why, no-one seems to know: the conservatives have had a horror week) and it looks like it could be close after all.

I’m staying true to my beliefs and predicting a strong Labor victory, with a national swing of about 7.2 percent. Whether this is inspired, optimistic, wishful thinking or just sheer bloody-mindedness we’ll know soon enough.

Pour me a stiff drink, warm the set and bring forth the oracle that is Antony Green. I am ready for anything*.

* (Except a coalition victory, of course).

Nov 23 2007
consumption, media, politix

‘The T-shirt we had to have’

This is a few weeks old now (it was published in The Age on 23 October) but worth sharing:

Theage 2007-10-23

The T-shirts (still available, sorry if you wanted one before the election) are here.

Nov 19 2007
green, politix

Daisy

Nov 19 2007
politix, queer

Rudd on Rove

Along with 1.83 million others, I tuned into Rove last night to see the PM-in-waiting tell the world who he’d turn gay for.

Those of you reading from outside Australia, and Aussies who lead their lives blissfully free of the intrusion of television, will appreciate a bit of background. Rove is a TV show, hosted by a short, nicely turned-out young man called Rove McManus, who a former Labor leader managed to confuse with Karl Rove, with suitable hilarious results. One of the regular features of the program is that the host always finishes his interviews with the same question: who would you turn gay for?

Clearly, this is a question the Australian public wants Rudd to answer – either that or the 1.83 million were tuned in to see radio funnyman Hamish Blake not being funny while running a marathon.

Rudd was clearly shitting himself. He smiled and waved but you could see the fear in his eyes as the interview moved towards its inevitable conclusion. When the moment came, the leader prevaricated, filibustered, and eventually reached into his coat pocket for a prepared set of options allegedly emailed in by Labor supporters. Dame Edna was a possibility, as was Kel Knight apparently. In the end Rudd said his wife, Therese Rein, was the only one for him. The audience “awww”ed and the host asked if that meant the opposition leader’s wife was really a man.

It was all a bit pathetic, really, until Rove announced that they were required to give a right of reply to the other side. No, John Howard wasn’t game enough to appear, so Greens leader Bob Brown was marched on. What a contrast – Brown was relaxed, genuinely smiling and appeared to be having the time of his life.

Brown is openly gay, so his interview ended with the question “who would you turn straight for?” – Brown briefly displayed his shrubhugger cred by nominating “Mother Nature” but as “she loves me just the way I am,” he admitted to a liking for Missy Higgins.

Now how hard was that, Kevin?

Oct 14 2007
politix

A message for Kevin

It’s been done before, but I’ve been thinking this all day:

Kevin Dfiu

A more reasoned response to the calling — at last — of the federal election in a day or so. Probably.

Original photo here.

Oct 02 2007
politix

Peter Costello sneaks into Kevin Rudd publicity shot!!!11!1!!

Costello Bert-1

Peter Costello (front, in green and red striped jumper) crashes a recent hospital visit by Kevin “07″ Rudd.

(Also visible in this photograph is federal health minister Tony Abbott, in the next crib, ordering the occupant to “grow up, move on, and get out of that taxpayer-funded crib!”).

Screengrab from ABC News.

Aug 20 2007
politix

The dirt campaign begins

Yesterday’s “revelation” that Kevin Rudd once got drunk and went into a strip club have an unmistakable odour about them. Of course we expected this, presumably he expected it too: the worse the polls look for the government, the more desperate they will become and it won’t be long before the dirt file gets opened.

Remains to be seen what effect, if any, this has on public opinion, but I liked Bob Brown’s comments this morning:

“Four years ago Kevin Rudd got drunk and took himself into a strip club,” Senator Brown said.

“Four years ago John Howard, sober, took Australia into the Iraq war.

“I think the electorate can judge which one did the more harm,” Senator Brown told reporters in Melbourne.

Indeed.

Aug 08 2007
2 Comments
consumption, politix

T-Shirt of the week

Keating07Tshirt-1

You know you want one. Click here to order.

Jul 12 2007
2 Comments
green, politix, science

The Swindle

I just witnessed the low-point of 75 years of ABC broadcastling. The Great Global Warming Swindle is, quite simply, the greatest load of unsupported, meretricious, and unsupportable garbage that has ever been aired by our national broadcaster in its 75 years on air.

I’ve spent a bit of time tonight on the phone with the ABC, initially to complain about their decision to broadcast this trash, and subsequently to complain about the ABC’s complaint-handling procedure (call the ABC tonight and mention the word “climate” or “global warming” and you’ll understand what I mean — ask to speak to the head of ‘factual” broadcasting if you want more than a black hole).

I really feel like this broadcast is a milestone (or millstone) for the ABC. It seems the ABC was forced into broadcasting this film. No doubt the ABC Board (Widshuttle, Albrechtsen, and the rest of the Liberal stooges) had their influence. But I’m saddened that, in the face of such blatant political interference, the mandarins at the ABC didn’t have greater resistance. It’s yet another sign of the descent of this country into hell.

Two questions that need to be answered:

  1. Whose decision was it to broadcast this program?
  2. What was the fee paid by the ABC for the rights to broadcast this program?

While we’re at it, we might as well ask:

  1. What processes were employed by the ABC to decide to expend those dollars on this program? Given the controversial nature of the subject matter, how was the ABC’s charter of independence applied?
Jul 05 2007
green, politix

Speedo Man

I’m using the fact that this occurred in my old home town as justification for posting this picture:

Josh Brown crashes the PM's RSL visit. Josh Brown crashes the PM's RSL visit. Photo: Glen Mccurtayne

According to the SMH:

After a quick announcement and a stroll across the dam wall, Mr Howard was at the Bega RSL for a community morning tea, mingling on the floor. That was when Josh Brown, 23, struck. He emerged from the gents wearing Speedos and a ski mask, with “climate change” written on his torso and “ski team” on his back, yelling: “What are you going to do about global warming, there’s no snow, there’s no snow”. Security quickly hustled him away. Brown, from Tathra, was later charged with assault and bailed to appear in Bega Local Court on July 24. Police alleged he had pushed a plain-clothes officer in the chest.

The Bega RSL was the first place I ever went up to the bar and asked for a beer (underage and unschooled in such matters, I asked for a “schooner of KB” — the barman explained that KB only came in cans, and poured me a New). It’s also the home of the “Ted Kidd Memorial Indoor Sports Championship Board” — the only memento of my father’s life apart from his tombstone, a large slab of polished timber which records the winner of the club championships for indoor bowls, snooker and darts, most of which, I am proud to say, were my father).

But I digress — back to the hunk in the speedos…

According to Ms Fits:

Sweet baby Jesus. When did having a political conscience suddenly get so hot?

Couldn’t agree more. Josh, if you need help with your legal expenses, get in touch.

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