It’s important for the big-government-dependent parties to deny the power of the Convoy.
Less than a week ago, there was a rally at Parliament House with around 3,000-5,000 people. And today there was another one, this one with around 600 vehicles according to Matt and Janet Thompson, and this one by people who have gone to extraordinary lengths, driving up to 5,000 kilometers from all corners of the country.
The convoy is a rolling protest that involved thousands of people across the nation. In Sydney, people switched their headlights on in sympathy, and Andrew Bolt records at least one witness suggesting half the cars on the road had their lights on.
Feelings and support for the convoy are widespread and running high. One of the convoy supporters from near Clermont reports: ‘In only 24 hours, we gathered 300 signatures for the petition, local beef producers had organised fuel donations of over $13,000 and the CWA had organised food and drinks for everyone on the convoy. This support from a town of only 2000 was amazing and a testament to a united effort.’
Dale Stiller’s comment is typical on Just Grounds: The convoy has experienced nothing but support. There have been flags, balloons & ribbons on gates, signs & fences all the way from Rockhampton to Goondiwindi. Other trucks as they pass on the highway are on the 2way, wishing the convoy well and of course often accompanied by a blast of the air horns.
The bottom line is that the nation supports the Convoy: There are over 100,000 votes on the NineMSN poll and 80% are with the trucks.
Photo: A convoy of trucks protesting against the Federal Government's proposed carbon tax make their way through the Canberra CBD (User submitted: Michael Sherwood)
So what do you do when hundreds of cars, trucks and vans descend on the Parliament in a historic move, from all over the country, demanding an election? If you are the ABC, you call it “200 trucks”, don’t mention the cars, feature those who have an interest in putting down the protest (Bob Brown), and make sure you mention how it was “smaller than expected” when actually, it started as one driver, and thousands of people joined in. The ABC coverage is so shamefully biased, a government PR agency could hardly have done a better job. They carefully avoided selecting any of the key messages in the speeches or petition (but they put in any odd unconnected grievance they could find); they didn’t interview the organizers, instead just showing a snippet of a song and a truckie tooting. They didn’t mention how far the trucks had come, how much expense they had gone too, or that the Convoy had gone to great lengths to make sure they didn’t inconvenience the people of Canberra.
That ABC report didn’t ask a single driver why they had felt it was necessary to take such extraordinary action.
ABC NEWS: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-22/convoy-converges-on-canberra/2849352
Unless I missed it, the 6pm ABC radio news in Perth found time to mention there was backburning around Broome (it is a big wildfire up there), but not enough time to mention that thousands of people are so angry with the government they drove all the way from Broome to protest.
The Convoy organizers staged their entry so carefully, coordinating it with the Federal Police. They meticulously planned everything so as not to put out the average Canberran, even starting at 5.30am so as to avoid the peak hour traffic. They were scrupulously considerate. (Perhaps too much so.)
In the end, the fact that they were so well organized and polite was used against them. The pro-government forces hyped up the anger against the out-of-towners with threats that “it would cause major traffic delays” and “bring Canberra to a standstill”. But when the protest didn’t cause any of the promised disruption, instead of admitting they were wrong, and apologizing, they pretended that the lack of traffic problems shows the Convoy was a fizzer. Spin spin spin. It’s too easy, isn’t it? If the Convoy had slowed up the traffic, it would be called a nuisance.
How do you portray the grassroots movement of cattlemen, miners, truck-drivers, business-people and farmers as being unrepresentative? Just call them all “truckies”. Oh, and ignore the devastating polls that show that this government is one of the most unpopular groups in all Australian history — that indeed 6 out of 10 Australians share similar opinions to the protestors that are being called “extremists”.
It’s time we protested about the ABC. What’s the point in protesting about the government, if it won’t be reported accurately by the main Australian taxpayer funded broadcaster? Solve the ABC problem first, then the other problem — inept, self serving governments — will tend to solve itself. It’s time to demand better reporting, or get our tax money back.
Some of the news round up:
Govt, Greens claim truck rally a ‘flop’
Canberra braces for truckie convoy protesting against Gillard Government
Police baffled by Alan Jones’ claim Convoy of No Confidence trucks stopped at ACT border
The Labor Party is mocking the people who would normally be its support base
Anthony Albanese, Labor MP, stood in the House of Reps and labelled the concerns of ordinary Australia, represented by the Convoy, as a “Convoy of No Consequence”. Then he and his colleagues laughed….
Rashida Khan replied: The government thinks the plight of the average Aussie of all walks of life who politely ask for better treatment and respect is a stupid joke.
Denise on Just Grounds: Paul, we’ll get the last laugh when they lose their seats at the next election. We will laugh loud an long.
The Just Grounds team are asking people to email the Government:
Please send out emails tonight and tomorrow morning to Labor and Greens MP’s – ask them whether they will meet with Convoy organisers and listen to the concerns of ordinary Australians.
You can either:
1. Click on this link http://www.convoyofnoconfidence.com/convoy.html and follow the instructions to send the pre-written letter to all politicians; or
2. Write your own letter and put this address in the “To” box of the email mailto:mps@convoyofnoconfidence.com; or
3. Write your own letter and manually put in email addresses. (Psst, says Jo, I have an email list here…for Australian Parliamentary Representatives)
UPDATE: Alan Jones was livid when an SMH journalist asked him if he was being paid to be there.
The SMH Journalist Jaqcueline Maley reports Alan Jones’s response:
”There are farmers there who say to their wives and family – I hope you’re listening and report this, Jacqueline Maley from The Sydney Morning Herald [SMH] – who say to their wives and family, ‘I’m just going [up] the back to fix up the fences, and they don’t come back,”’ he told the crowd, who duly jeered at me.
”I spend a lot of my time doing those sorts of things. I’ve just been asked by a journalist from The Sydney Morning Herald, am I getting a fee from being here today?”
But goes on to say how intimidated she felt by the vitriolic booing: “All because I asked a question.”
Ms Maley completely underestimated the depth of the anger that it takes to get productive people to drive across the continent to protest. These people are losing businesses, sometimes their life’s work, and are protesting at great personal expense. Alan Jones is referring to suicides among farmers. Our politicians are using bare-faced outrageous lies, and treating the people they are supposed to serve with contempt. No wonder people are mad.
Ms Maley was presumably paid to be there. They just don’t get it.
UPDATE: Those in the Convoy had a blast.
Matt and Janet were euphoric when I spoke to them yesterday. See Quadrant for the Thompsons reports and photos.
“Matt and I both cried. After 4½ days of driving across Australia, hearing from every-day hard-working Australians about how difficult it is to just get on with producing, we had one hell of a welcome to Canberra yesterday morning!”
Saturday, 20 August 2011:Would you want to eat at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant?Yes: 18643 (31%) No: 41150 (69%)
Friday, 19 August 2011:Are you confident Australia will avoid an economic downturn?Yes: 31190 (38%) No: 51480 (62%)
Wednesday, 17 August 2011:Do the proposed Qantas changes put you off flying with them?Yes: 34349 (54%) No: 29265 (46%)
Tuesday, 16 August 2011:Should city speed limits be reduced to 30km/h?Yes: 14390 (17%) No: 72081 (83%)
Monday, 15 August 2011:Should a national ‘Ministry of Food’ be established to fight obesity?Yes: 33947 (50%) No: 33703 (50%)
Saturday, 13 August 2011:Do you believe in extraterrestial life forms?Yes: 34354 (63%) No: 19883 (37%)
Thursday, 11 August 2011:Should the Sydney Roosters sack Todd Carney?Yes: 43057 (75%) No: 14204 (25%)
Wednesday, 10 August 2011:Should there be a remake of cult film Dirty Dancing?Yes: 17465 (24%) No: 55202 (76%)
Tuesday, 09 August 2011:Are you worried there will be another global financial crisis?Yes: 59882 (72%) No: 23835 (28%)
Monday, 08 August 2011:Are you worried refugees won’t be treated fairly in Malaysia?Yes: 22961 (27%) No: 63253 (73%)
Sunday, 07 August 2011:Do you believe violence in popular culture inspires real-life crime?Yes: 39118 (80%) No: 9764 (20%)
Thursday, 04 August 2011:Would you travel interstate by high-speed train?Yes: 58825 (83%) No: 12005 (17%)
Wednesday, 03 August 2011:Is it wrong for mothers’ groups to serve alcohol?Yes: 29991 (47%) No: 34260 (53%)
Monday, 01 August 2011:Should Bailey have been sacked over Melbourne’s 186-point loss?Yes: 19933 (33%) No: 41332 (67%)
Sunday, 31 July 2011:Do you agree with the British PM’s praise of Gillard’s carbon plan?Yes: 9907 (20%) No: 40151 (80%)
Friday, 29 July 2011:Should the Melbourne child beauty pageant go ahead?Yes: 23306 (20%) No: 94828 (80%)
Thursday, 28 July 2011:Should bats be culled to stop the Hendra virus?Yes: 98956 (81%) No: 23443 (19%)
Wednesday, 27 July 2011:Should a roo have been put down after attacking an elderly woman?Yes: 46051 (35%) No: 84913 (65%)
Sunday, 24 July 2011:Is Cadel Evans’ Tour win the greatest ever sporting success by an Aussie?Yes: 49666 (50%) No: 50455 (50%)
Sunday, 24 July 2011:Is Evans’ win Australia’s greatest individual sporting achievement?Yes: 64822 (53%) No: 57934 (47%)
Saturday, 23 July 2011:Should there be an ‘adult only’ classification on video games?Yes: 80273 (89%) No: 9466 (11%)
Friday, 22 July 2011:Do you trust Malaysia to treat refugees humanely?Yes: 35675 (32%) No: 74695 (68%)
Thursday, 21 July 2011:Should parents be able to access their kids’ Facebook page?Yes: 123302 (86%) No: 19311 (14%)
Wednesday, 20 July 2011:Should Rupert Murdoch take responsibility for the hacking scandal?Yes: 81189 (61%) No: 52490 (39%)
Tuesday, 19 July 2011:Do you think Julia Gillard should step aside?Yes: 137820 (77%) No: 42195 (23%)
Sunday, 17 July 2011:Would you let your child attend shooting classes?Yes: 44769 (40%) No: 67005 (60%)
Friday, 15 July 2011:Should restaurants be allowed to ban children?Yes: 77403 (55%) No: 63832 (45%)
Thursday, 14 July 2011:Should there be an inquiry into media ethics in Australia?Yes: 80575 (80%) No: 19766 (20%)
Wednesday, 13 July 2011:Should Spain’s Running of the Bulls festival be banned?Yes: 60197 (51%) No: 58436 (49%)
Tuesday, 12 July 2011:Should boys be allowed to play in junior netball tournaments?Yes: 87317 (71%) No: 36501 (29%)
Sunday, 10 July 2011:Are you worried the carbon tax will drive up living costs?Yes: 107241 (88%) No: 14741 (12%)
Saturday, 09 July 2011:Should governments oversee future space programs?Yes: 32026 (57%) No: 24148 (43%)
Friday, 08 July 2011:Should Australians boycott companies opposed to the carbon tax?Yes: 28370 (25%) No: 85788 (75%)
Thursday, 07 July 2011:Should the government have lifted the ban on live exports?Yes: 64296 (65%) No: 33940 (35%)
Wednesday, 06 July 2011:Will Darren Lockyer be sent out a winner in State of Origin?Yes: 42915 (59%) No: 29868 (41%)
Wednesday, 06 July 2011:Is the current Queensland Origin team the best ever?Yes: 23474 (64%) No: 13112 (36%)
Tuesday, 05 July 2011:Was NSW right to give police the power to remove burqas?Yes: 169486 (95%) No: 8138 (5%)
Monday, 04 July 2011:Has the Tiger debacle put you off flying budget airlines?Yes: 71169 (66%) No: 36923 (34%)
Friday, 01 July 2011:Would you feel confident flying Tiger Airways in future ?Yes: 13448 (15%) No: 74544 (85%)
Thursday, 30 June 2011:Should the AFL share more of its profits with players?Yes: 56162 (62%) No: 34106 (38%)
Monday, 27 June 2011:Should low-income households have to pay the carbon tax?Yes: 50713 (35%) No: 93950 (65%)
Monday, 27 June 2011:Do you think white settlers “invaded” Australia in 1788?Yes: 62510 (38%) No: 103103 (62%)
Monday, 27 June 2011:Should shoppers be banned from wearing hooded tops?Yes: 97225 (67%) No: 48019 (33%)
Saturday, 25 June 2011:Should Australia reduce its troop numbers in Afghanistan?Yes: 68114 (77%) No: 20216 (23%)
Thursday, 23 June 2011:Should Aussie troops ‘stay the course’ in Afghanistan?Yes: 42432 (34%) No: 81525 (66%)
Wednesday, 22 June 2011:Should schoolyard bullies face criminal charges?Yes: 136762 (90%) No: 15514 (10%)
Friday, 17 June 2011:Do you believe Gillard was right to oust Rudd? Yes: 20126 (18%) No: 93091 (82%)
Monday, 13 June 2011:Should the government return to the Nauru solution?Yes: 63679 (79%) No: 16988 (21%)
Sunday, 12 June 2011:Will emissions restrictions on new cars help cut smog levels?Yes: 30240 (41%) No: 43423 (59%)
Friday, 10 June 2011:Should Ricky Nixon get his player agent licence reinstated?Yes: 40157 (34%) No: 77034 (66%)
Wednesday, 08 June 2011:Do health concerns put you off eating fast food?Yes: 72570 (61%) No: 46681 (39%)
Wednesday, 08 June 2011:Should the live export ban be overturned for Aussie farmers?Yes: 57113 (51%) No: 55651 (49%)
Tuesday, 07 June 2011:Is it time for Australian troops to leave Afghanistan?Yes: 103737 (74%) No: 36935 (26%)
Monday, 06 June 2011:Should an election be called before a carbon tax is introduced?Yes: 117148 (81%) No: 27493 (19%)
Sunday, 05 June 2011:Do you think social networking sites create anxiety?Yes: 64766 (76%) No: 20569 (24%)
Friday, 03 June 2011:Should child refugees be part of the swap with Malaysia?Yes: 72667 (56%) No: 56478 (44%)
Thursday, 02 June 2011:Do you prefer to shop online?Yes: 47319 (40%) No: 72076 (60%)
Wednesday, 01 June 2011:Do the new cancer findings put you off using your mobile?Yes: 43477 (42%) No: 60920 (58%)
Tuesday, 31 May 2011:Should Australia ban live cattle exports to Indonesia?Yes: 34448 (79%) No: 9305 (21%)
Monday, 30 May 2011:Does the public have a right to know a child’s gender?Yes: 44200 (37%) No: 75046 (63%)
Sunday, 29 May 2011:Does celebrity endorsement sway your opinion on issues?Yes: 6649 (7%) No: 86482 (93%)
Saturday, 28 May 2011:Should betting ads be aired during sporting events?Yes: 16725 (21%) No: 63663 (79%)
Thursday, 26 May 2011:Will Queensland win this year’s State of Origin series?Yes: 19902 (76%) No: 6406 (24%)
Wednesday, 25 May 2011:Will NSW win tonight’s State of Origin clash?Yes: 31592 (33%) No: 63401 (67%)
Tuesday, 24 May 2011:Would you pay to get help checking in for a flight?Yes: 17192 (14%) No: 108022 (86%)
Monday, 23 May 2011:Have you changed your behaviour because of global warming?Yes: 45446 (36%) No: 81105 (64%)
Saturday, 21 May 2011:Do you think Rudd has a chance at ousting Gillard?Yes: 75631 (66%) No: 39508 (34%)
Saturday, 21 May 2011:Have rising fuel costs affected your quality of life?Yes: 80467 (82%) No: 17553 (18%)
Friday, 20 May 2011:Should employees be sacked for planking at work?Yes: 104791 (75%) No: 34840 (25%)
Wednesday, 18 May 2011:Do privacy concerns stop you uploading photos on Facebook?Yes: 73114 (69%) No: 32465 (31%)
Monday, 16 May 2011:Should the Botoxed girl have been removed from her mum?Yes: 108909 (84%) No: 21203 (16%)
Sunday, 15 May 2011:Does Operation Unite do enough to combat booze fuelled crime?Yes: 11870 (19%) No: 50106 (81%)
Saturday, 14 May 2011:Were producers right to make Diana inquest film?Yes: 23632 (34%) No: 45037 (66%)
Friday, 13 May 2011:Was the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest justified?Yes: 59545 (58%) No: 43260 (42%)
Thursday, 12 May 2011:Does Gould’s return give NRL an edge over AFL in Sydney’s west?Yes: 21247 (35%) No: 39684 (65%)
Wednesday, 11 May 2011:Will you be better off under the new federal budget?Yes: 12728 (11%) No: 105642 (89%)
Tuesday, 10 May 2011:Should pensioners be given free set-top boxes in the budget?Yes: 76065 (50%) No: 76875 (50%)
Monday, 09 May 2011:Do you agree with the ‘Malaysia solution’ for asylum seekers?Yes: 37063 (31%) No: 82818 (69%)
Sunday, 08 May 2011:Are Australian workplaces flexible enough for parents?Yes: 39094 (44%) No: 50248 (56%)
Thursday, 05 May 2011:Should teen parents be forced to work or study for welfare?Yes: 120473 (86%) No: 19183 (14%)
Wednesday, 04 May 2011:Should the US release a photo of bin Laden’s body?Yes: 107345 (63%) No: 62418 (37%)
Tuesday, 03 May 2011:Do you fear revenge attacks in the wake of bin Laden’s death?Yes: 94985 (68%) No: 43962 (32%)
Monday, 02 May 2011:Was Jessica Marais the best dressed at the Logies?Yes: 22831 (35%) No: 41670 (65%)
Friday, 29 April 2011:Have Will and Kate changed your opinion of the royals?Yes: 63038 (36%) No: 109707 (64%)
Thursday, 28 April 2011:Should the Chaser’s royal wedding show have been axed?Yes: 78736 (56%) No: 62042 (44%)
Wednesday, 27 April 2011:Is Gai Waterhouse right to criticise the PM’s wardrobe?Yes: 73956 (53%) No: 66481 (47%)
Tuesday, 26 April 2011:Should law breaking asylum seekers face deportation?Yes: 150035 (96%) No: 6383 (4%)
Thursday, 21 April 2011:Should the Villawood rioters be deported?Yes: 123849 (95%) No: 7185 (5%)
Thursday, 21 April 2011:Is the refugee rights rally planned for Anzac Day inappropriate?Yes: 83903 (83%) No: 16823 (17%)
Wednesday, 20 April 2011:Would you pay more for chocolate to help stop child labour?Yes: 77063 (67%) No: 38755 (33%)
Wednesday, 20 April 2011:Should Megan Gale have confronted the women gossiping?Yes: 82332 (76%) No: 26184 (24%)
Monday, 18 April 2011:Should Kevin Rudd replace Julia Gillard as leader of the ALP?Yes: 114716 (66%) No: 58996 (34%)
Sunday, 17 April 2011:Should the government be liable for ADF sex assaults?Yes: 49376 (55%) No: 41180 (45%)
Saturday, 16 April 2011:Should NAB customers be compensated after computer glitch?Yes: 64079 (83%) No: 12878 (17%)
Thursday, 14 April 2011:Should Sheen be allowed back on Two and a Half Men?Yes: 81121 (54%) No: 69862 (46%)
Wednesday, 13 April 2011:Are you struggling to pay your electricity bills?Yes: 117859 (82%) No: 26275 (18%)
Sunday, 10 April 2011:Should poker machine bets be limited to $1-a-pull?Yes: 78583 (73%) No: 29489 (27%)
Thursday, 07 April 2011:Should red and yellow caps stay part of the lifesaver uniform?Yes: 122497 (93%) No: 8766 (7%)
Tuesday, 05 April 2011:Do the new workplace bullying laws go far enough?Yes: 28585 (34%) No: 56602 (66%)
Monday, 04 April 2011:Should daycare staff be fined if children are put into time-out?Yes: 14995 (10%) No: 135051 (90%)
Sunday, 03 April 2011:Should workers be drug tested at building sites?Yes: 88349 (85%) No: 15843 (15%)
Saturday, 02 April 2011:Should smoking be banned from residential blocks?Yes: 66250 (56%) No: 51320 (44%)
Thursday, 31 March 2011:Does Australia need to curb its population growth?Yes: 93482 (70%) No: 39429 (30%)
Wednesday, 30 March 2011:Should Michael Clarke replace Ricky Ponting as captain?Yes: 11713 (47%) No: 13337 (53%)
Wednesday, 30 March 2011:Is Michael Clarke the right choice for captain?Yes: 54355 (48%) No: 60074 (52%)
Tuesday, 29 March 2011:Will you boycott cut-price chicken to support farmers?Yes: 67598 (57%) No: 51052 (43%)
Monday, 28 March 2011:Will Queensland be the next state to fall to the coalition?Yes: 89918 (73%) No: 32822 (27%)
Sunday, 27 March 2011:Does Earth Hour help the environment?Yes: 46096 (37%) No: 78394 (63%)
Saturday, 26 March 2011:Did Labor deserve a drubbing in the NSW election?Yes: 73576 (77%) No: 21495 (23%)
Thursday, 24 March 2011:Should Abbott apologise over the ‘offensive’ carbon tax posters?Yes: 47706 (34%) No: 90717 (66%)
Tuesday, 22 March 2011:Did you sympathise with the schoolyard video bully?Yes: 55869 (38%) No: 89937 (62%)
Monday, 21 March 2011:Should the West have launched airstrikes against Libya?Yes: 93044 (70%) No: 40468 (30%)
Sunday, 20 March 2011:Should women reveal their baby plans in job interviews?Yes: 46934 (37%) No: 80110 (63%)
Friday, 18 March 2011:Should bullying victims be encouraged to fight back?Yes: 109524 (83%) No: 22273 (17%)
Wednesday, 16 March 2011:Are laws the way to tackle school yard bullies?Yes: 67400 (63%) No: 39472 (37%)
Tuesday, 15 March 2011:Do you worry about personal Facebook data being misused?Yes: 108824 (78%) No: 30200 (22%)
Sunday, 13 March 2011:Should Australia still consider using nuclear power?Yes: 79752 (44%) No: 101878 (56%)
Thursday, 10 March 2011:Should welfare payments to gamblers be managed?Yes: 123291 (89%) No: 14571 (11%)
Tuesday, 08 March 2011:Should there be a quota for women on company boards?Yes: 29515 (23%) No: 98331 (77%)
Monday, 07 March 2011:Should sports stars stay away from notorious night spots?Yes: 82643 (74%) No: 28978 (26%)
Sunday, 06 March 2011:Should the law change to allow same sex-marriages?Yes: 63344 (45%) No: 78458 (55%)
Saturday, 05 March 2011:Is high school violence becoming more of a concern?Yes: 77768 (92%) No: 6612 (8%)
Friday, 04 March 2011:Should extra beds go into immigration detention centres?Yes: 32376 (28%) No: 83716 (72%)
Thursday, 03 March 2011:Should the number of kids removed from at-risk homes be capped?Yes: 10830 (10%) No: 96816 (90%)
Wednesday, 02 March 2011:Would you have withdrawn ‘free money’ from the faulty ATMs?Yes: 56516 (38%) No: 93618 (62%)
Tuesday, 01 March 2011:Did you think this year’s Oscars were boring?Yes: 80309 (82%) No: 17502 (18%)
Monday, 28 February 2011:Should The King’s Speech win the best picture Oscar?Yes: 33902 (70%) No: 14334 (30%)
Monday, 28 February 2011:Should The King’s Speech have won the Best Picture Oscar?Yes: 39842 (72%) No: 15830 (28%)
Sunday, 27 February 2011:Do you think Greg Combet would make a good prime minister?Yes: 21854 (26%) No: 63510 (74%)
Saturday, 26 February 2011:Should Charlie Sheen be given another chance?Yes: 42497 (38%) No: 68629 (62%)
Friday, 25 February 2011:Do you think the carbon tax will create jobs?Yes: 15379 (12%) No: 109104 (88%)
Thursday, 24 February 2011:Do you have money left to give after all the natural disasters?Yes: 5238 (21%) No: 19813 (79%)
Thursday, 24 February 2011:Should Anna Bligh have posed for Women’s Weekly?Yes: 68946 (59%) No: 48695 (41%)
Wednesday, 23 February 2011:Do you think charges against Julian Assange are politically motivated?Yes: 87209 (83%) No: 17895 (17%)
Tuesday, 22 February 2011:Do ‘naughty’ Top Gear presenters need to tone it down?Yes: 32138 (34%) No: 61560 (66%)
Sunday, 20 February 2011:Do you support Australia’s military effort in Afghanistan?Yes: 45450 (47%) No: 51740 (53%)
Saturday, 19 February 2011:Do you think Sweden would give Julian Assange a fair hearing?Yes: 35447 (38%) No: 57595 (62%)
Friday, 18 February 2011:Are soccer fans the most violent spectators?Yes: 79169 (78%) No: 22638 (22%)
Thursday, 17 February 2011:Should banks charge non-customers ATM fees?Yes: 25922 (19%) No: 112216 (81%)
Wednesday, 16 February 2011:Should taxpayers cover the funeral costs of asylum seekers?Yes: 31127 (19%) No: 136957 (81%)
Tuesday, 15 February 2011:Is it wrong for celebrities to endorse junk food?Yes: 82096 (69%) No: 36135 (31%)
Monday, 14 February 2011:Should an ‘opt-out’ system for organ donation be introduced?Yes: 66425 (67%) No: 32245 (33%)
Sunday, 13 February 2011:Should the number of supervised hours be reduced for learner drivers?Yes: 34815 (30%) No: 80239 (70%)
Saturday, 12 February 2011:Should private schools be allowed to expel students for being gay?Yes: 28292 (20%) No: 110364 (80%)
Friday, 11 February 2011:Should supermarkets be allowed to sell super-cheap milk?Yes: 50292 (33%) No: 100703 (67%)
Wednesday, 09 February 2011:Has the media treated Tony Abbott fairly?Yes: 52754 (33%) No: 109334 (67%)
Sunday, 06 February 2011:Does Julian Assange deserve an apology from the PM?Yes: 44169 (50%) No: 43757 (50%)
Saturday, 05 February 2011:Do you think the situation in Egypt can be resolved peacefully?Yes: 29102 (32%) No: 63276 (68%)
Friday, 04 February 2011:Should poker machines be banned from pubs and clubs?Yes: 81035 (60%) No: 54003 (40%)
Wednesday, 02 February 2011:Will Thorpe’s comeback be good for men’s swimming?Yes: 73399 (67%) No: 35501 (33%)
Wednesday, 02 February 2011:Do pop culture artefacts belong in museums?Yes: 33399 (40%) No: 49694 (60%)
Tuesday, 01 February 2011:Should isolated Amazon tribes be left alone?Yes: 133129 (96%) No: 5029 (4%)
Monday, 31 January 2011:Did Michael Clarke deserve to be booed by the Gabba crowd?Yes: 41944 (29%) No: 101597 (71%)
Sunday, 30 January 2011:Should people from NSW be exempt from the flood levy?Yes: 41873 (26%) No: 117417 (74%)
Friday, 28 January 2011:Will the government flood levy stop you from donating?Yes: 124296 (77%) No: 36539 (23%)
Thursday, 27 January 2011:Should Australians be forced to pay a flood levy?Yes: 26695 (15%) No: 145741 (85%)
Wednesday, 26 January 2011:Is it time for the Australian flag to change?Yes: 29213 (22%) No: 103054 (78%)
Tuesday, 25 January 2011:Should you be allowed to film the birth of your baby in hospital?Yes: 107341 (78%) No: 30757 (22%)
Monday, 24 January 2011:Would you be happy to buy flood-damaged produce?Yes: 70036 (59%) No: 49586 (41%)
Sunday, 23 January 2011:Do you believe Australia makes migrants feel welcome?Yes: 58655 (60%) No: 39870 (40%)
Saturday, 22 January 2011:Does China’s growing military might worry you?Yes: 66911 (64%) No: 38375 (36%)
Friday, 21 January 2011:Would you be happy to pay a ‘flood tax’ to help Queensland?Yes: 38044 (25%) No: 111589 (75%)
Thursday, 20 January 2011:Should Germaine Greer be on an Aussie legend stamp?Yes: 16301 (14%) No: 99668 (86%)
Wednesday, 19 January 2011:Should junk food ads be banned from kids’ TV?Yes: 99135 (81%) No: 22958 (19%)
Tuesday, 18 January 2011:Should the government change flood insurance regulations?Yes: 117658 (92%) No: 10007 (8%)
Monday, 17 January 2011:Should levees be built along the Brisbane River?Yes: 79999 (70%) No: 33639 (30%)
Saturday, 15 January 2011:Have you donated any money to the flood relief fund?Yes: 56928 (42%) No: 77753 (58%)
Friday, 14 January 2011:Would Anna Bligh make a good prime minister?Yes: 76530 (54%) No: 63941 (46%)
Wednesday, 12 January 2011:Is the AFL nude photo girl being exploited by the media?Yes: 10684 (55%) No: 8818 (45%)
Wednesday, 12 January 2011:Are the Queensland floods Australia’s worst natural disaster?Yes: 87215 (64%) No: 49122 (36%)
Tuesday, 11 January 2011:Does the sound of a dentist’s drill terrify you?Yes: 51024 (55%) No: 41031 (45%)
Monday, 10 January 2011:Would fear prevent you from going to someone’s aid? Yes: 50764 (46%) No: 58767 (54%)
Sunday, 09 January 2011:Should Ian Thorpe compete in the London 2012 Olympics?Yes: 54935 (60%) No: 35953 (40%)
Saturday, 08 January 2011:Should couples be able to choose the sex of their child?Yes: 22505 (17%) No: 109700 (83%)
Friday, 07 January 2011:Is the current Aussie cricket team the worst ever?Yes: 81286 (72%) No: 31155 (28%)
Thursday, 06 January 2011:Do you think cricketer Phil Hughes cheated?Yes: 23242 (31%) No: 51909 (69%)
Wednesday, 05 January 2011:Should online shoppers pay GST on purchases under $1000?Yes: 23551 (18%) No: 106275 (82%)
Tuesday, 04 January 2011:Should Australia negotiate a lower whale hunt quota?Yes: 56559 (56%) No: 43653 (44%)
Monday, 03 January 2011:Should whaling in Australia’s Antarctic waters be banned?Yes: 93654 (95%) No: 4910 (5%)
Sunday, 02 January 2011:Are you willing to donate your organs after death?Yes: 74242 (76%) No: 23642 (24%)
Thursday, 30 December 2010:Is Michael Clarke the right man to captain Australia?Yes: 23522 (38%) No: 38578 (62%)
Wednesday, 29 December 2010:Should Ricky Ponting resign as Australian cricket captain?Yes: 91925 (57%) No: 68701 (43%)
Tuesday, 28 December 2010:Do you prefer an e-reader over printed books?Yes: 8509 (11%) No: 69064 (89%)
Monday, 27 December 2010:Should gay couples be banned from fostering children?Yes: 53533 (49%) No: 54688 (51%)
Sunday, 26 December 2010:Will you take advantage of Boxing Day sales?Yes: 19815 (20%) No: 81362 (80%)
Saturday, 25 December 2010:Did you get fewer Christmas presents this year?Yes: 42516 (63%) No: 25132 (37%)
Friday, 24 December 2010:Did you finish your Christmas shopping before today?Yes: 41270 (25%) No: 123645 (75%)
Wednesday, 22 December 2010:Should telcos charge police for data that help solve crimes?Yes: 22695 (23%) No: 77999 (77%)
Tuesday, 21 December 2010:Does more need to be done to protect the privacy of sports stars?Yes: 71191 (48%) No: 78330 (52%)
Tuesday, 21 December 2010:Should more be done to protect the privacy of sports stars?Yes: 49112 (41%) No: 69530 (59%)
Saturday, 18 December 2010:Have you regretted anything from your work Christmas party?Yes: 11217 (16%) No: 58292 (84%)
Friday, 17 December 2010:Should Ponting retire if Australia lose the Ashes?Yes: 64680 (59%) No: 45093 (41%)
Thursday, 16 December 2010:Does the government need to change its boat people policy?Yes: 96710 (76%) No: 31249 (24%)
Wednesday, 15 December 2010:Should the government do more to help Julian Assange?Yes: 61059 (54%) No: 52458 (46%)
Tuesday, 14 December 2010:Should our money have been used to bring Oprah to Australia?Yes: 59663 (36%) No: 107771 (64%)
Saturday, 11 December 2010:Should Disney cut ties with Miley Cyrus? Yes: 49973 (70%) No: 21189 (30%)
Friday, 10 December 2010:Are you struggling to pay your power bill ? Yes: 101739 (78%) No: 29196 (22%)
Thursday, 09 December 2010:Were Visa and Mastercard right to cut off WikiLeaks?Yes: 52117 (37%) No: 87440 (63%)
Wednesday, 08 December 2010:Are you excited that Oprah is in Australia?Yes: 34990 (19%) No: 146655 (81%)
Tuesday, 07 December 2010:Are you buying more Christmas presents online this year?Yes: 31947 (29%) No: 79572 (71%)
Monday, 06 December 2010:Should smoking be banned at outdoor public areas?Yes: 92038 (63%) No: 53083 (37%)
Sunday, 05 December 2010:Will an R18 rating for games help protect children?Yes: 33735 (36%) No: 59852 (64%)
Saturday, 04 December 2010:Should the drink-driving limit be lowered to 0.02?Yes: 46511 (44%) No: 59763 (56%)
Friday, 03 December 2010:Did Australia deserve to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup?Yes: 67337 (51%) No: 65373 (49%)
Thursday, 02 December 2010:Should an Oprah logo be allowed on the Harbour Bridge?Yes: 35481 (23%) No: 116060 (77%)
Wednesday, 01 December 2010:Should smoking in all public spaces be banned?Yes: 105940 (66%) No: 55779 (34%)
Sunday, 28 November 2010:Should underground mining be stopped in Australia?Yes: 31300 (31%) No: 68760 (69%)
Saturday, 27 November 2010:Would you feel safe flying a Qantas A380?Yes: 52870 (57%) No: 39101 (43%)
Thursday, 25 November 2010:Do you think universities should ban smoking on campus?Yes: 86175 (70%) No: 36870 (30%)
Wednesday, 24 November 2010:Have economic pressures made you put off having children?Yes: 52510 (51%) No: 50170 (49%)
Tuesday, 23 November 2010:Should there be minimum jail sentences for serious crimes?Yes: 103998 (81%) No: 24296 (19%)
Monday, 22 November 2010:Is alcohol abuse a bigger problem than illegal drug addiction?Yes: 112218 (73%) No: 41163 (27%)
Saturday, 20 November 2010:Would you be happy to see Camilla Parker Bowles as queen?Yes: 17601 (15%) No: 98208 (85%)
Thursday, 18 November 2010:Is too much fuss made about royal weddings?Yes: 108324 (71%) No: 43846 (29%)
Tuesday, 16 November 2010:Should parliament have a conscience vote on gay marriage?Yes: 68459 (55%) No: 55307 (45%)
Monday, 15 November 2010:Should foreigners be stopped from buying prime farmland?Yes: 148201 (90%) No: 16454 (10%)
Sunday, 14 November 2010:Do you want Pauline Hanson to return to politics?Yes: 50924 (45%) No: 62196 (55%)
Saturday, 13 November 2010:Do you trust the big four banks after their recent rate rises?Yes: 8118 (8%) No: 90472 (92%)
Friday, 12 November 2010:Does dropping exit fees make up for interest rate rises?Yes: 7503 (8%) No: 83321 (92%)
Thursday, 11 November 2010:Should the government limit the fat content of fast food?Yes: 38063 (72%) No: 14721 (28%)
Wednesday, 10 November 2010:Was the school right to ban the lesbian couple from the dance?Yes: 13579 (9%) No: 143628 (91%)
Sunday, 07 November 2010:Should fast food giants list kilojoule counts on menus?Yes: 73368 (84%) No: 14048 (16%)
Saturday, 06 November 2010:Would a greater US military presence in Asia make you feel safer?Yes: 30916 (35%) No: 57694 (65%)
Thursday, 04 November 2010:Would you change banks if exit fees were abolished?Yes: 98025 (81%) No: 23242 (19%)
Wednesday, 03 November 2010:Are you emotionally attached to any Australian TV characters?Yes: 22633 (18%) No: 102538 (82%)
Tuesday, 02 November 2010:Should Melbourne Cup day be a national holiday?Yes: 116276 (62%) No: 69839 (38%)
Monday, 01 November 2010:Should sharks that attack people be killed?Yes: 111257 (54%) No: 94828 (46%)
Sunday, 31 October 2010:Should hospitals sack nurses who flirt with patients?Yes: 24499 (22%) No: 86238 (78%)
Saturday, 30 October 2010:Are you going to bet on the Melbourne Cup?Yes: 33200 (35%) No: 61305 (65%)
Friday, 29 October 2010:Should the militia of an Afghan warlord be trained in Australia?Yes: 9553 (9%) No: 95926 (91%)
Thursday, 28 October 2010:Would you pay more to support Australian-made groceries?Yes: 83749 (63%) No: 49769 (37%)
Wednesday, 27 October 2010:Should families be limited to two children?Yes: 37216 (25%) No: 112184 (75%)
Monday, 25 October 2010:Should prisoners be allowed to buy houses while in jail?Yes: 17775 (12%) No: 127633 (88%)
Sunday, 24 October 2010:Should the Aussie athletes who tested positive be named?Yes: 87137 (87%) No: 13486 (13%)
Saturday, 23 October 2010:Do you think judges give lighter sentences to celebrities?Yes: 87939 (91%) No: 8228 (9%)
Friday, 22 October 2010:Should sexualised imagery be more tightly controlled?Yes: 67873 (71%) No: 27667 (29%)
Monday, 18 October 2010:Do you take harassment more seriously after the DJs case?Yes: 28447 (25%) No: 84954 (75%)
Sunday, 17 October 2010:Do you think Australia is over-committed in Afghanistan?Yes: 48838 (63%) No: 29036 (37%)
Saturday, 16 October 2010:Is it a good thing our dollar hit parity with the greenback?Yes: 61515 (67%) No: 30955 (33%)
Friday, 15 October 2010:Are the proposed Murray-Darling water cuts too severe? Yes: 59685 (69%) No: 26649 (31%)
Thursday, 14 October 2010:Was Shane Warne right to criticise Ricky Ponting?Yes: 43730 (44%) No: 56266 (56%)
Tuesday, 12 October 2010:Should abortion be decriminalised in Queensland?Yes: 92050 (73%) No: 34718 (27%)
Tuesday, 12 October 2010:Are Australian diggers in Afghanistan ‘dying in vain’?Yes: 81247 (67%) No: 40876 (33%)
Monday, 11 October 2010:Did the PM mislead the public about Tony Abbott’s troop visit?Yes: 100409 (70%) No: 42972 (30%)
Sunday, 10 October 2010:Are we being charged too much for electricity?Yes: 127002 (96%) No: 4779 (4%)
Thursday, 07 October 2010:Should the players quizzed over assault have been named?Yes: 57661 (46%) No: 67231 (54%)
Wednesday, 06 October 2010:Are Kerri-Anne’s views on women and footballers justified?Yes: 76734 (78%) No: 21968 (22%)
Tuesday, 05 October 2010:Should Tasers be banned in the police force?Yes: 37681 (27%) No: 101380 (73%)
Tuesday, 05 October 2010:Should Tony Abbott have stopped off in Afghanistan?Yes: 31337 (54%) No: 26412 (46%)
Monday, 04 October 2010:Do Australian troops in Afghanistan need more support?Yes: 92227 (85%) No: 15730 (15%)
Sunday, 03 October 2010:Would you feel safe going to the Delhi Games?Yes: 14713 (14%) No: 91844 (86%)
Friday, 01 October 2010:Should the ‘bikini race’ be allowed to go ahead?Yes: 94984 (68%) No: 43931 (32%)
Wednesday, 29 September 2010:Do you think the Top Model winner debacle was staged?Yes: 48349 (40%) No: 71563 (60%)
Tuesday, 28 September 2010:Will the minority government last the full three-year term?Yes: 27426 (19%) No: 116274 (81%)
Sunday, 26 September 2010:Is it a good idea to replay the AFL grand final?Yes: 34239 (29%) No: 84459 (71%)
Saturday, 25 September 2010:Do you think the Delhi Games will be a success?Yes: 16167 (16%) No: 82785 (84%)
Thursday, 23 September 2010:Should baby formula only be available on prescription?Yes: 20416 (15%) No: 117864 (85%)
Tuesday, 21 September 2010:Is Kevin Rudd behaving like a PM overseas?Yes: 82125 (70%) No: 35768 (30%)
Monday, 20 September 2010:Is it too dangerous for athletes to go to the Games?Yes: 103275 (77%) No: 31609 (23%)
Sunday, 19 September 2010:Should the Coalition be obliged to co-operate with Labor?Yes: 34113 (36%) No: 61484 (64%)
Saturday, 18 September 2010:Should police do more to protect foreign students?Yes: 26445 (36%) No: 46105 (64%)
Wednesday, 15 September 2010:Did France act fairly by banning the burqa-style Islamic veil?Yes: 137581 (85%) No: 24441 (15%)
Tuesday, 14 September 2010:Should smoking be banned at outdoor cafes?Yes: 115575 (67%) No: 57326 (33%)
Monday, 13 September 2010:Is burning religious texts an abuse of freedom of speech?Yes: 69275 (57%) No: 53319 (43%)
Sunday, 12 September 2010:Is Gillard’s new ministry a reward to Rudd plotters?Yes: 67236 (75%) No: 22550 (25%)
Saturday, 11 September 2010:Do you think Rudd will make a good foreign affairs minister?Yes: 65027 (59%) No: 44412 (41%)
Friday, 10 September 2010:Are popular songs appropriate at Catholic funerals?Yes: 84204 (83%) No: 17760 (17%)
Thursday, 09 September 2010:Should the Brisbane Lions sack Brendan Fevola?Yes: 99506 (71%) No: 40021 (29%)
Tuesday, 07 September 2010:Have the independent MPs taken too long to decide?Yes: 99558 (86%) No: 15868 (14%)
Sunday, 05 September 2010:Is it right for the independents to demand parliamentary reforms?Yes: 42033 (46%) No: 50249 (54%)
Saturday, 04 September 2010:Should the three independents back Labor?Yes: 119060 (61%) No: 76018 (39%)
Thursday, 02 September 2010:Should ‘gay’ be removed from the Kookaburra song?Yes: 11814 (7%) No: 152100 (93%)
Wednesday, 01 September 2010:Is Paul Hogan the victim of a witch-hunt?Yes: 82803 (64%) No: 46917 (36%)
Tuesday, 31 August 2010:Would a cap on poker machine bets curb problem gambling?Yes: 64969 (38%) No: 107755 (62%)
Monday, 30 August 2010:Should the independent MPs be forced to choose sides this week?Yes: 91626 (71%) No: 37644 (29%)
Saturday, 28 August 2010:Should Paul Hogan be forced to stay in Australia?Yes: 37093 (39%) No: 57542 (61%)
Friday, 27 August 2010:Could Greens and Liberals co-operate in government?Yes: 51640 (32%) No: 108150 (68%)
Thursday, 26 August 2010:Should Tony Abbott hand his costings to Treasury?Yes: 112815 (66%) No: 59047 (34%)
Wednesday, 25 August 2010:Is it time to debate our involvement in Afghanistan?Yes: 87280 (72%) No: 34600 (28%)
Monday, 23 August 2010:Does the Governor-General have a conflict of interest?Yes: 115523 (65%) No: 62303 (35%)
Saturday, 21 August 2010:Will the country’s government change today?Yes: 82610 (56%) No: 64298 (44%)
Saturday, 21 August 2010:Do you think Tony Abbott will be Australia’s next leader?Yes: 121055 (54%) No: 101263 (46%)
Friday, 20 August 2010:Does Tony Abbott’s marathon campaign session impress you?Yes: 55673 (41%) No: 81350 (59%)
Thursday, 19 August 2010:Have you decided how you will vote on Saturday?Yes: 134775 (79%) No: 36345 (21%)
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Historically political power is linked with ability to predict climate change.
1. Joseph was in prison with no political power when he correctly forecast seven years of plenty followed by seven years of drought and famine in Egypt [1]. He thus became politically powerful.
2. Al Gore was politically powerful when he forecast AGW. He lost by ignoring deceit in Climategate e-mails [2], thus revealing a) Validity of Eisenhower’s 1961 warning of the danger of a federal “scientific-technological elite” [3], and b) “Offstage” agreements to save us from nuclear annihilation [4] in 1971 when I was a PI in NASA’s Apollo program.
3. I inadvertently became an opponent of the deal and AGW dogma by reporting the origin, composition and unstable source of energy in the Earth-Sun system [5 and references there].
CONCLUSION: Government decisions based on ignorance caused today’s economic, social and political unrest [e.g., 6]. They have lost confidence of the people.
Oliver K. Manuel,
Former NASA Principal
Investigator for Apollo
References:
01. Genesis 41: verses 29-30.
02. “Revised Climategate Timeline”
http://joannenova.com.au/2010/01/finally-the-new-revised-and-edited-climategate-timeline/
03. “Eisenhower’s Farewell Warning” (17 Jan 1961)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOLld5PR4ts
04. “The Deep Roots of Climategate”
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10640850/20110722_Climategate_Roots.pdf
05. “Neutron Repulsion”, The APEIRON Journal, in press, 19 pages (2011): http://arxiv.org/pdf/1102.1499v1
06. “Gillard convoy of no confidence”, The International News Magazine (19 Aug 2011): http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2035:gillard-convoy-of-no-confidence-rally
10
The political elite are ducking the issue. I suggest the purpose is to elicit an angry violent response so they can restore peace and quiet by martial law.
They have already suspended any semblance of a responsible and legitimate representative government. Thus, it is quite a small step for them to suspend civil law. That way, they think, they will be able to delay the consequences of their misbegotten actions.
According to the political elite, you have no rights they need to respect. You are just to stand quietly, do as they say, pay without end, and be grateful they let you keep a crust of moldy bread and a pint of stagnate water to wash it down with. As a consequence, they they are setting up a very dangerous situation for themselves and everyone else.
When people have nothing to lose except fear of government, they lose their fear of government. They will then take action against that government. It will get very ugly very quickly.
10
People in Canada are doing their bit too…
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/08/20/rex-murphy-global-warming-runs-out-of-gas/
For that, Mr. Gore himself has a lot of blame to carry. His own “sputtering righteousness” and his adolescent barks of “bulls–t” to his critics may be a reverse of the Obama declaration. Gore’s meltdown might just be the moment when the people of the planet saw the carney show for what it was.
Happy reading.
10
Thank you, thank you, everyone, for helping to restore integrity to science and to government.
Future generations will be eternally grateful for your courage and leadership!
Thank God, Al Gore and associates are actually powerless.
Joseph provided more reliable climate predictions.
Oliver K. Manuel
10
Well done to all you Aussies in the convoy, the volunteer organizers and all the other people who supported it along the way. Absolutely brilliant.
As Jo’s piece points out so well, the ABC and the MSM are now trying to downplay and belittle your protest and they’re trying very hard too. Do you know why that is?
It’s because you’ve just scared the Bejazus out of them.
The ALP and the Greens expected the usual apathy and you guys and gals just didn’t behave as they expected. You got their attention and they’re really worried now. Roll on the next election …
Pointman
10
pointman #5
I agree totally.
And Joanne is right. The ABC puts up the defences around the politicians, and then sends out the skirmishers. Some return, some don’t, but either way the politicians remain safe. The ABC just has to go.
Oscar Wilde – “The Soul of Man”
Thomas Jefferson
10
One more thought –
This is moving towards an all-out war between MediaCentral – broadcast and print media, dominated and controlled by PR – and the independent Blogosphere.
That is what was demonstrated in Canberra this week.
On this occasion, it was the “rebels” who turned up with the serious hardware. Of course they are scared – the Greens couldn’t do as well, even at the height of their power.
10
Well done to all the Convoy organisers , participants and supporters. You obviously achieved alot and hopefully it is just a start not the end.
I’m reposting a comment I copied from from Andrew Bolt’s blog because I think it is very astute :
10
Guys,
I have tried hansard for the text of Albanese’s comments in parliament yesterday & the most recent from him is March 2011?
I think I heard him asserting that the opposition/sceptics/carbon tax protesters were working to move control to something like “global elite” or something to that effect.
WHAT HYPOCRACY!!
The Carbon Tax is slated to be a precursor to an ETS.
International/Global Carbon Credits can only be a defacto unit of global monetary ( & economic activity) exchange.
Even if the trading (& uber-profits ) become the preserve of the global investment houses & trading banks, all the political & legislative control (& brown paper bags) will be in the hands of un-elected, unanswerable & potentially corruptible bureaucrats in some bastard offspring of the UNIPCC.
No wonder our leading pollies are so keen to sing & dance for a gig on that stage.
The question remains:- If the government by gagging debate & flooding the media with propaganda manages to get this legislation through; will the following ETS be binding?
Are our existing commitments to UN treaties & agreements binding enough to make withdrawal by a subsequent administration impossible?
Could this mean that this current legislation when passed will ultimately enslave Australia as a client state & dominion( /colony?) of the UN to do what we are told if we want to eat?
A while back, a photo of the Fabian window at the London School of Economics was doing the rounds.
I strongly recommend a viewing for all (even for Mr B & JB)
10
“Anthony Albanese, Labor MP, stood in the House of Reps and labelled the concerns of ordinary Australia, represented by the Convoy, as a “Convoy of No Consequence”. Then he and his colleagues laughed….”.
I hope the working people who voted for that **** don’t forget what he said the next time they’re in a polling booth. It’s a piece of information about the **** that should be disseminated far and wide. Make an example of Mr. Albanese and let’s see who laughs last.
Teach them about long memories.
Pointman
10
Jo, I think this is redundant:
10
Well said Jo! They’re all heroes in my book!
10
A big thankou to all in the CONVOY who carried the banner for those that where unable to participate.
The goon show inside parliament is an absolute disgrace, more inteligence and decoram could be found in childrens school yards.
Hansard is a prime example of how little most politicians regard the people they serve and the nation and its wealth and constitution.
Those politicians who sore fit to insult the efforts and sacrafises the Convoy families made ,and to state on radio 6PR that the convoy protest was on par with recent British riots, Mr Ludlum has a very distorted view along with many others.
If they are brave enough , and have nothing to fear CALL A NEW ELECTION.
10
Before they leave today they should roll through Canberra CBD and round parliament a few times and sound their horns and snarl traffic. Get noticed, inconvenience us, get in the news. I would love to tell my boss I am late because of the convoy.
10
Let’s face it Nova, the Convoy of No Cognition was an unmitigated fizzer. I’ve seen more people turn up to a village fete. The problem you have is when you scratch the surface of this flea bitten collection of right wing nut bags – aint a lot there is there??
10
The reaction in Parliament to Albanese’s comment just shows how far gone the labor party is. There is no hope for them at this stage. They are unforgivable.
10
Its great hearing from some of the Convoy Leaders just now what really happened, on 2GB 873AM.
10
Is there any video of that parliamentary statement ?
That needs to go in the Video library , along with, ‘There will be no Carbon Tax…’. &. ‘Why did you lie Julia’, to remind everyone come the election, what they’re dealing with.
10
I am glad you didn’t see the ABC blog by Comrade Glasov I linked yesterday … you might have been mad 🙂
The MSM has a lot to answer for, and especially the ABC. The latter are lapdogs/stooges/PR (pick one or several) for the current dysfunctional Government.
Sadly I think the convoy will be ignored, but perhaps Labor will unwind through immorality what the convoy sought to dislodge through peaceful protest … yes, I am looking at you Craig Thompson.
10
I anticipated this. It is why I wrote in the previous thread @60:
http://joannenova.com.au/2011/08/gillard-has-a-problem-convoy-on-the-way-powers-through-north-queensland/
People joining the convoy for part of the journey demonstrated support only to the supporters. What was needed was numbers in Canberra. It would have been I heard one convoy leader saying they were limiting the number of trucks because it wasn’t all about trucks. I was stunned. I also read how the convoys were going out their way to not cause any traffic problems. Wow! Canberra with business as usual was exactly what the government was praying for. They, along with the media, were certain to twist nice gestures into weakness and downplay the event.
Again I suggest, next time hold the protests outside the TV stations.
10
Their mistake I think! Such people eventually fall into the trap of writing off their opposition until it’s too late. Witness Kaddafi. They will fall if you persevere!
10
Bulldust, would you have them quit? That’s the only way they can be ignored. If it takes marching in the streets, if it takes a constant presence in every city in Australia…what is the goal worth?
How badly do you want your country back? You suffer now and I read no end of it here. Don’t talk of being ignored, counsel boldness and perseverance. Or is hardship only for complaining about but not for going through to get something?
10
Joanne suggests we write to Labor and Green politicians to complain about their disgusting response to the people’s Convoy. I suggest we don’t.
Apart from the fact that it will achieve absolutely no response from these people, why inform them any further? Why not just lie “doggo”? The day will come, oh yes, the day will come. (With the greatest respect for you, Joanne. God will bless you).
10
I sent the emial from the web site noted above and got a lot of automated replies and “Out of office” messages which is what you would expect from such a mail out. However I did get this reply which I thought I would share with you all …
Thank you for your email; I completely understand your outrage at the dismissive nature of this out of touch, arrogant Gillard government that has treated you and the supporters of the “Convoy of No Confidence” with absolute disdain.
I know first hand the support the convoy received as it moved along the Highways, as my Mobile Office Van was a part of the convoy from Raymond Terrace to Canberra on Sunday. The thousands of people gathered on the roadsides supporting the convoy as it travelled was not insignificant.
This government should understand that not everyone can afford to give up a days work, but they all gave their full support.
From the outset let me say the response in Question Time from Minister Albanese yesterday was absolutely disgraceful and unbecoming of a Minister of the Crown. So there can be no misinterpretation in what he said I have included the extract of yesterdays Hansard:
The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume his seat until the House comes to order. A question has been asked. The minister has the call to respond to the question.
Mr ALBANESE: ………These are the real issues that this government is dealing with, which is why the Australian trucking industry, the Livestock Transporters Association and the Australian Logistics Council have all been working with this government to achieve this real change.
Meanwhile, those opposite have been working with a different organisation, of Mick Pattel, who organised, of course, the convoy of no consequence outside—
The SPEAKER: Order! The galleries will come to order!
Mr ALBANESE: where a couple of hundred people gathered, with no support from the mainstream organisations—
The SPEAKER: The galleries will come to order!
Mr ALBANESE: the people who believe in one world government, the people who believe in a conspiracy,, along with the Leader of the Opposition.
Honourable members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his place. Order! The House will come to order! I hope that members in the chamber and those in the galleries have got it out of their system. They will now all sit here quietly. The minister has 28 seconds.
Mr ALBANESE: The Trots have bigger demos outside my electorate office once a week. The fact of the matter is this: we are getting on with working with the mainstream organisations, including the Australian Trucking Association, for real reform, real change, making a real difference to people’s lives and making a real difference to the economy.
This government has refused to meet with representatives of the convoy, yet it has wide open doors and can’t be accommodating enough for Bob Brown and his Greens, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor.
I will keep holding the Government to account for its lies and mismanagement, only a new election will return moral integrity to this nation.
Again, thank you for taking the time to write of your concerns
Regards
Bob Baldwin
The Hon. Bob Baldwin MP
Office of the Hon Bob Baldwin MP
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Shadow Minister for Regional Development
Federal Member for Paterson
Suite R1.105 | Parliament House | Canberra ACT 2600
02 6277 4200 | 02 6277 8447 | bob.baldwin.mp@aph.gov.au
0419 694 620
The Liberals: Backing small business | Growing jobs | Reducing debt
http://www.bobbaldwin.com.au http://www.liberal.org.au
10
Stand by for an invasion of the hitherto unknown but paid mitigation trolls, in the aftermath of the event. Embarressing as it is, the ordinary people of Oz just turned up to protest and spin it any way you like, they’re telling you to get stuffed or in other words, spin on the finger they’ve just waved at you.
Pointman
10
How Albanese scorned at those law-abiding, democratic voters with his mockery in parliament was absolutely inexcusable. His behaviour encapsulates why Labor has lost so much grassroot support. No wonder the ALP vote is down around 27% in this morning’s newspoll. It should come as no surprise to Albanese.
10
I get it, the ABC and Labor are sneering at me too, and I didn’t go to Canberra. I did drive 33 km out of Broome to meet Peter Whytcrosse, the leader of the Port Hedland convoy. If I could afford to, I would have joined the convoy. This sneering attitude only gets my back up even more, so that I will work harder to see the end of this illegitimate government. Oh, and the demise or privatization of the ABC.
10
I saw Mr Albanese’s comments on “6:30 with Negus” and subsequent coverage (albeit brief) on “7pm Project”. Both were dismissive and condescending, somehow making a collective decision that a civil protest by honest working Australians was of less importance than the typical lefttard rabble protesteing against, say, live animal export. You are as bad as the ABC, channel 10.
And Penelope @15 perpetuates this approach. Well, if supporters of the Convoy are “right wing nut bags”, I guess I’ll go get that tattooed under “Denier” on my arse.
10
When faced with life’s little challenges some whinge and whine and do nothing while others respond with actions such as driving thousands of kilometers to voice their concerns together. In Canberra I met many ordinary hard working country people who had come enormous distances at great cost and who represented a significant section of their community. I cornered a few of Penelope’s “right wing nut bags” who were there to take advantage of the opportunity but they were a minority. There were a few traditional Labour voters there who had the clarity of thinking to see that the carbon dioxide tax and climate are two entirely separate unrelated topics.
Almost every single person from my family, friends, peers and work contacts are against the carbon dioxide tax but they were either tied up with work or not the types who would attend a public rally.
‘Our’ ABC in particular is making a mistake by misrepresenting the people. There will come a time when to admit you were an ABC journalist will be a slur upon you CV.
10
I took this vid well after the counts of protestors were hailed as being low. At first the numbers at the 2nd big “no carbon” “tax election now” protest in under a week seemed small but this was in part because the convoys were still driving. Later as the lost travellers began to swell the crowd, the two news satellite trucks packed up and left.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHTG5-Z5cYI
10
Why? Are the public servant denizens of Canberra giving consideration to the ‘productive’ class?
Even a dozen trucks would have done a good job of blockading the RBA building.
10
What do you do?
When we are living the Orwellian nighmare with cheating lying dishonest parasites in government. Supported by ABC who turned thier back on democracy and together with the green climate maffia is doing anything they can to exploit and supress the people. The truckers is worth any support they can get, and bring as many tomatoes you can carry tomorrow and every day until a new election to throw at the government officials and especially at the headquarters of the ABC ccp. Enough is enough!
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I personally think that the convoy was a success – think of how much fuel and tim eit took to drive to canberra. Some people ( my wife includeedd 0 said it was a fizzer. I reminded her of the anger that prompted the whole thing. She repsonded with “well the guy organising its an independent MP”. The general point was it was a ppoliticals tunt, which I thought was unfair.
Is the organisserna MP? I am not sure what the story is about that, can someone enlighten me?
Either way – people did SOMETHING to tell the govt they werent happy. Many people will just carp away on the sideliness without committment. Most Canberrans are left wing voters anyway, who would follow a labor govt off a cliff blindly – its scary but its true. Some dont, but its not many. So ignore what you read from lefties – they have a vested interst in pushing the communist agenda in canberra. Unless Tony Abbott repeals the tax, it will suck the blood out of the middle classes and create institutionalised socialism and all the repugnant flotsam and jetsam from the moral vacuum and agressive humanism and anti-christinaity vibe that surrounds it, and it will takes years to remove.
We got the govt we deserve – perhaps this little foray into political apathy will bite enough people on the backside so that they wake up and the usless leftie bums hitting the pavement in 2 years time will be the most welcome sound, followed by the dull thud as their carbon tax legislation is tossed out with them and hits them on the back of the heads….
Roll on election day – its going to be a welcome time….
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Sean @ 20
Agree. But why wait? The Convoy obviously touched nerves all over. It was a huge commitment by all those that did it. A lot of folks probably would have done more and probably WILL do more. How about a Convoy at every media event? All the people that were involved and all the people that couldn’t afford the long road could still converge on their local media offices. This would cement the point and the media could not ignore. Pick a day soon and get people to show!
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so far as this Govt is concerned if you don’t agree with their policies then you’re ‘extremist’ or other derogatory epithet
my favourite article on this curious behaviour on behalf of our elected reps and some of the media is this one:
read more here http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45518.html
another bit:
final paras:
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want your blood to boil? read faine’s utterly patronising interview with Noel Porter:
23 Aug: Australian: Somebody needs to take a look at Newspoll and it’s not the truckie from Colac
Jon Faine on 774 ABC Melbourne takes a call from truckie Noel Porter yesterday:…
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday:
MR Speaker, the Convoy of No Consequence where a couple of hundred people gathered with no support from the mainstream organisations: the people who believe in one world government, the people who believe in a conspiracy along with the Leader of the Opposition…
Michelle Grattan in The Age, June 30:
GREENS leader Bob Brown, whose party assumes sole balance of power in the Senate tomorrow, wants Australia to join an international push for a global parliament…
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/somebody-needs-to-take-a-look-at-newspoll-and-its-not-the-truckie-from-colac/story-fn72xczz-1226119963880
go to this sky news video link, click “National” and find the following headline. nowhere in this report is TAI mentioned; instead, it is about the Convoy and the high cost of the carbon (dioxide) tax to West Australians. btw this report was done Sunday, tho it is dated 22 Aug:
Axeing carbon tax would delay CO2 action
The Aust Institute (TAI) says the opposition’s pledge to scrap the carbon tax could cost business billions.
00:01:47 | Mon, 22 Aug
http://www.skynews.com.au/video/?cId=Top%20Stories
the only other Sky video on the Convoy (also under “National”) is a Convoy debunking piece:
Convoy not denied entry to ACT- police
Federal police have denied claims by Alan Jones that the convoy of trucks has been denied entry to the ACT.
00:02:27 | Mon, 22 Aug
sky is a commercial enterprise, so they will pay the price if viewers decide they are broadcasting propaganda and switch off.
ABC is handsomely funded by public taxes.
ABC must be held accountable for their almost juvenile advocacy of all things CAGW (carbon dioxide tax/ETS).
Siliggy –
i noticed how sky’s david lipson was standing next to the protesters early on when sky panned to him to debunk something said from the podium but, when the protesters’ numbers swelled, he stood at a considerable distance and was virtually whispering, as if the protesters were some aliens from another planet. funny how sky had a camera and sound for lipson, but couldn’t manage to show the protesters or let viewers hear them or the sounds of the horns, which we are told were so loud they almost drowned out the speakers.
the coverage of the Convoy was the most blatant propaganda effort by australian media in my lifetime, and an insult to all those who participated in the Convoy, but it will backfire.
congrats to all who participated in the Convoy. as the polls keep telling us, and i believe their numbers are on the conservative side, a large majority of Australians supported them.
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Siliggy@30
Thanks for the video.
The most beautiful sound I ever heard.
Had the volume up full – scared the living daylights out of my cat, and me!
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And the Fed Government has dead cat bounced in the Newspoll:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/julia-gillard-back-to-rock-bottom-newspoll/story-fn59niix-1226120062361
At this point one speculates whether they can get less popular in the polls… if anyone can do it Joooolya can!
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I wonder was Jaqcueline Maley of the SMH receiving payment for interviewing Alan Jones?
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I for one have had a complete and utter gutsfull of the ignorant, predictable, repetitive and blatantly biased smears on anyone from the working class of australia from the rent seeking, parasitic, ideologically blind manipulating bludgers.
2000 working class people protesting is worth 500,000 getup union stooges, students bludgers and nutters.
Maybe the convoy should become a regular thing. After all, it only got some attention from the lamestream after the fact. Keep the message simple and clear.
I’ll bet that there are a lot of people now who are awestruck that maybe, just maybe the working class of australia have found a voice.
A voice – you know – like what the unions were before they became an appendix to a bunch of elitist politicians whose only interest seems to be covering up the practice of using other peoples money for their whores.
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Penelope @ 15:
The left don’t argue so much as spit. Penelope, you will be spitting even more bile after the next election and we will be looking forward to every cheap drop of it. In the meantime, enjoy.
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When you get smartarses like Albanese “holding court” like Oscar Wilde in Parliament it is not hard to imagine the frustration & angst which drove Commodore Bainimarama.
I wonder if he would be brave enough to front the Blue Scope employees or the smelter workers in Mount Isa & spruik the Carbon Tax with that level of condescension.
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Labor and this cobbled together Government just keep digging that hole deeper for themselves with their arrogance and childishness.
The Convoy was cheered the length of its journey. If the Government had any sense it would have gone out received the petition, listened to the concerns and left it at that…
Instead they attack and belittle the concerns of a representative group of Australian citizens who took the time and expense to travel to Canberra, so as to present those concerns….. After all, the House of Representatives is only 150 seats. If you average the seats in the convoy at 3 per vehicle times six hundred vehicles. Well there’s 1800 seats right there. 😉
This Government shouldn’t go getting into a pissing contest over seats and representation….. It’s numbers in the Polls are abysmal.
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It’s a rare day that I go on the ABC Drum, but today is such a day… couldn’t resist to an aptly-named “Ingenuous” at the following blog:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-23/crabb-carbon-tax-blame-game/2851078
I didn’t put in my usual *copied eslewhere to protect from ABC moderation* tag, so lets see how it goes.
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Another response from the convoy support email …
Hello,
I want to let you know I supported the Convoy.
I thought Anthony Albanese’s comments in Parliament were a disgrace as was the fact trucks were not allowed in the Parliamentary circuit.
These are signs of a government out of touch.
I join with you in working for an ELECTION NOW!
Keep up the fighting spirit,
George Christensen MP
Federal Member for Dawson
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The conflation of issues/confusion and befuddled thinking here on the Nova Tea [snip] site make me shake my head in disbelief. Like Ed Asner in that video it can be summed up: “blah, blah, blah, the world hates me, everything is so terrible, please make it stop, blah, blah, woe is me, blah, blah, sob”!! Mindless doesn’t begin to explain it. I wonder what people in Kenyan refugee camps might make of it? Get a grip.
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I agree with Jo and I also believe that the sooner the ABC loses government funding, the better.
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paul syvret, who used to be with SMH and the Bulletin, and who worked for former Labor Treasurer David Hamill at one point, has a filthy piece in brisbane’s Courier Mail today, which no doubt he thinks is amusing:
23 Aug: Courier Mail: Paul Syvret: Motley caravan of crackpots
CONVOY of No Confidence, or a cavalcade of carping self-interest?
Yesterday saw a motley caravan of trucks wend its way into Canberra, although all did not go according to plan at first, with AAP reporting the start was delayed “because of insufficient numbers”…
Mind you, there is something of a logical anomaly in a bunch of truckies allegedly concerned about the high cost of diesel driving a few thousand kilometres to Canberra and back in a prime mover – just to have a whinge…
What you’ve got is not so much a Convoy of No Confidence but a caravan of crackpots – sort of an Australian version of the US’s “Tea Party” movement but on wheels.
Not surprisingly Tony Abbott (alongside the likes of professional carper Alan Jones) was due to address the planned rally yesterday – a protest that organiser Mick Pattel of the National Road Freighters Association has claimed is not a partisan political event.
This is the Mick Pattel who, until this month, was the endorsed Liberal National Party candidate for the state seat of Mount Isa.
For the record, Pattel also holds some particularly interesting views on global moves to combat climate change, describing the push as a guise for the introduction of a new world order…
Remember here that on climate change Abbott – who has more positions on the issue (ranging from “crap” to advocating a carbon tax) than Liz Taylor had husbands – currently supports the science of climate change and has committed the Coalition to a 5 per cent reduction target by 2020.
One of the convoy protesters, Janet Thompson of Perth, was quoted in The Canberra Times over the weekend as saying: “I suppose, personally, we’re very opposed to the carbon tax. We think it fundamentally changes the way Australia works and takes it from a market-based economy to a centrally planned economy.”
Presumably then, Janet, you will not be voting for Abbott, given that the Coalition’s rather vague “direct action” plan, which involves Canberra using taxpayer money to subsidise emission reductions, is straight from the central casting office of said central planning, while the Government’s tax – converting to a trading scheme – is the very market-based mechanism the Howard government (and Abbott) used to advocate…
Memo to moaners: In its 12 months in office the Gillard Government has successfully passed 175 pieces of legislation, with not one Bill being rejected or amended beyond recognition. In short, there is no constitutional trigger whatsoever for a double dissolution.
We have – like numerous other countries, such as Britain and New Zealand – a minority government forced to form a coalition to retain power. So what? That was the result that was delivered by the millions of Australians who cast their ballots last year.
What part of democracy exactly are you objecting to? Or is it just because you didn’t get the result you wanted?…
http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/motley-caravan-of-crackpots/story-fn6ck620-1226119927812
for decades Murdoch claimed his media gave the public what they wanted. so please explain how people like Syvret are paid for this kind of drivel, when the Courier-Mail’s readers have made their opposition to the carbon (doxide) tax clear from the day it was first announced?
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Considering the Greens are supposed to support the underclasses of the world can you see any sympathetic recognition of the convoy? Not one bit.
They are more interesting in advancing the legal term ‘Intersex’ to apply to same sex preferences and marriage between homosexuals. Personally I don’t care about this, but they are spending government funds to support people who still have rights. If they want to get married then let them but personally all that will do is give lawyers more money when they decide to divorce.
Extremists – who said that of Bob Brown?
Now Al Gore is getting lampooned in America can you see it following on over here against AGW alarmists?
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pat @ 46. Those type of articles will make people side with the convoy. I think this convoy will make its mark on history and God
Bless them. So if you don’t think this government is any good, and you actively demonstrate against them, we are extremists?
What a laugh! If it weren’t that serious.
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Aussies, you CANNOT wait until the next election. You must overthrow this dishonest and imperious government NOW, before they lock in the CO2 tax.
IT ONLY TAKES ONE MP!
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so this is what the govt was up to while the Convoy was in Canberra!
22 Aug: Reuters: Australia passes CO2 offset laws, carbon pricing next
Reporting by James Grubel; Additional reporting by Stian Reklev of Point Carbon News; Editing by David Fogarty
The step came as hundreds of truckers circled Australia’s parliament on Monday in a campaign aimed at forcing the government to withdraw the proposed carbon tax law, and call new elections.
Projects backed by the CFI include tree plantations that soak up carbon dioxide as they grow, cutting methane emissions from burping camels and livestock, reducing fertilizer use and better fire management of northern grasslands…
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
The government said the offsets can be traded domestically and overseas…
Under the carbon price plan, Australian industries which buy carbon offsets will need to ensure at least 50 percent of the offsets are domestic credits.
“This is fantastic. It gives us the ability to export (credits), it gives a boost to the voluntary market and it gives confidence that we can get an administrative structure that we desperately need,” said Andrew Grant, CEO of CO2 Group,, the country’s main developer of tree plantations for carbon offsets…
“There is increased interest in the CFI from across market and the first wave of investment activity will start to unfold now the Act has been passed,” said Martijn Wilder, global team leader for environmental markets at law firm Baker & McKenzie in Sydney…
But a report by the left-leaning Australia Institute on Monday said the opposition plan would create a prolonged period of uncertainty, even if the conservatives win the next election, as the polls suggest.
It said the conservative Liberal and National Parties would have to wait until mid-2016 before they could win enough seats in the Senate to repeal the carbon-trade laws, and its direct action plan for tackling emissions could be delayed until 2018.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/22/us-australia-carbon-idUSTRE77L1AF20110822
funny, i thought international trade in offsets wasn’t to be allowed initially!
the piece suggests this legislation is great for farmers, yet only CARBON VULTURES get to comment!
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Thanks for the entertainment.
The Ozzi Tea Party have failed to get a crowd together.
Greenpeace got more on bikes with an overnight ring around.
Watching the wingnuts turn on their best friend “Murdoch” is hillarious.
http://vodpod.com/watch/14045708-gop-special-victims-unit-
There is not enough popcorn to go around
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Emails sent…… Actually I’m quite enjoying this dopey Government’s discomfiture….
As Abbott said of them…. “They have the Midas Touch, in reverse.” Yes indeed, everything this Government touches does turn to excrement in their fumbling fingers.
Many of the people in that Convoy of No Confidence, use to vote Labor. There were many disenfranchised Labor voters of a past era begging for Labor to understand their concerns…. Instead they were jeered at and belittled as extremists.
…. It’ll be a long time in the political wilderness before a Labor Party is ever voted into power again. You can’t treat the concerns of your voter base as nothing and the people who bring those concerns to you as “extremists of no consequence”….. Those words are going to be ashes in Labor’s dumb mouth come the election.
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Sean McHugh @ 40:
The right are in the same trap. You think Tony Abbot and his mob are against the ‘Carbon Tax’? Think again. Abbot knows “it’s crap” but it’s too good a pilfering opportunity to pass up. Alot of folks on the right are in for a rude shock after the next election.
The Handbook of Human Ownership – A Manual for New Tax Farmers
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CO2 Group Australia
Mr Andrew Grant, Chief Executive Officer
Prior to that he was the National Head of Ernst and Young’s environmental advisory division also fulfilling this same role at Arthur Anderson in previous years. Earlier, Andrew held the position as Executive Manager in Sustainable Packaging at Visy Industrial Packaging….
Dr Chris Mitchell, Executive Director Corporate Development
Chris has a PhD in biology from the University of Melbourne, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a 20 year involvement in Australian and international climate change research. Prior to joining CO2 Group full-time Chris was Foundation Director of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research – a partnership between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology and was CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. He is a member of the Victorian Climate Change Minister’s Reference Council on Climate Change Adaptation and was recently appointed to CSIRO’s Environment and Natural Resources Sector Advisory Committee.
http://www.co2australia.com.au/index.php?sectionID=6695&pageID=6697
Ian Trahar
Chairman, CO2 Group
Ian Trahar has diverse experience in the oil and gas, mining, investment banking and medical industries.
He is currently Executive Chairman of CO2 Group and Chairman of Arlec Group of Companies, Avatar Industries, Revesco Aviation, and Gabor Holdings Group of Companies. He is also a Director of Kresta Holdings.
Ian’s previous roles have included joint CEO of Avatar Industries, chairman of Ranger Minerals, Forest Equities Group and Medical Care Services, director of Gribbles Pathology and Mincoa NL and executive roles with Shell Australia and Citibank NA.
http://eoy.ey.com.au/ian-trahar/w1/i1148488/
1 Aug: Baker and McKenzie named Official Law Firm and Carbon Offset Partner for 20th World Petroleum Congress
Baker & McKenzie’s Global Oil and Gas Practice represents many of the world’s leading exploration and production companies, including the super-majors and national oil companies.
http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5326516/baker-and-mckenzie-named-official-law-firm-and-carbon-offset-partner-for-20th-world-petroleum-congress
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who is in bed with big oil?
2 Aug: MSN India: Carbon credits acquired to offset World Petroleum Congress
International law firm Baker & McKenzie has acquired sufficient carbon credits to offset all the anticipated scope 1 and 2 emissions associated with the 20th World Petroleum Congress, according to a joint statement by the company and the Organising Committee of the event.
The 20th WPC Organising Committee has insisted upon strict criteria for any offsetting projects.
Working with specialist carbon consultancy Perenia, Baker & McKenzie identified a suitable carbon offset project involving a switch from naphtha to cleaner natural gas at an Indian power plant.
This has reduced emissions and generated internationally verified, monitored and registered credits, while keeping with the strict requirements set by the Organising Committee.
The project is registered with and certified under the Voluntary Carbon Standard, is externally audited as compliant with the above standards and demonstrates a contribution to human development through the donations made by the project to the Lanco Institute of General Humanitarian Trust.
The statement also said that the project is taking place in a member country (India) of the World Petroleum Council and is not where permanence of emission reductions are at risk.
The credits will be progressively retired by Baker & McKenzie to cover all the verified emissions from the 20th WPC shortly after it concludes…
http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5336905
tanya says taxpayers will fund two thirds, then tells us it’s a big gamble for a private company!
27 July: ABC: Eleanor Hall: Central Australia to host world’s largest carbon farm
The Federal Government has announced it will fund two thirds of the purchase price of Henbury Station to help transform it into the world’s largest carbon farm.
The agricultural company, RM Williams, will contribute the remainder of the $13 million purchase price…
TANYA NOLAN: The ambition of the Henbury Station project can’t be understated. It’s the first time a private company has gambled so much on the experimental science of climate change mitigation…
And long-time carbon trader Martjin Wilder who’s chairman of the steering committee overseeing the Henbury project says its full potential is not yet known.
MARTJIN WILDER: It’s really the first of its kind and a lot of research will be done along the way to work out, what the carbon stocks are, how much carbon is there, what the best way to maximise the carbon value and the biodiversity value is at the same time without compromising either…
NOLAN: …The aim is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and methane emitted by former pastoral practices such as cattle grazing and instead store carbon in the soil and native plants.
But exactly how it will work and how effective it will be are yet to be tested.
Ashley Sparrow, site leader for the CSIRO in Alice Springs and member of the cooperative research centre for remote economic participation says scientists and land holders will be watching with great interest.
ASHLEY SPARROW: This is very much an experimental case study, it’s not completely understood how this will operate. They understand in principle that there’s opportunities for both biodiversity gains and some carbon credit income but exactly how to achieve those is, I think, going to be a challenge and an experiment for them and a very interesting one…
Chairman of the Henbury steering committee, Martjin Wilder, who’s also a partner with law firm Baker & McKenzie, says the project’s value is not being measured in economic terms only.
MARTJIN WILDER: The early estimates which the Federal Government has said is that there could be up to a million tonnes of carbon or more on the property. I meant that’s still a figure that, you know, that will be determined over you know adequate research and depending on how the project develops.
But obviously that would give, you know, a substantial amount of money to help fund the project and also help fund Indigenous communities…
TANYA NOLAN: Not all interested parties are satisfied though. At least one traditional owner heckled the Environment Minister Tony Bourke as he unveiled the project on the banks of the Finke River yesterday.
And his gripe was echoed by a former director of the Central Land Council, Bruce Breaden who questioned why Aboriginal owners couldn’t be more directly involved in the purchase of the land.
But the Government is hoping the model can be used more widely by traditional owners and other landholders, under its Carbon Farming Initiative legislation which is expected to pass the Senate later this year.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2011/s3278818.htm
what a scam.
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Hey Nova
Any chance that the pub owners of the country can forward you the bill for the Convoy’s exaggeration of the numbers participating. You guys have left quite a number of people out of picket. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/convoy-no-show-hurts-stocked-up-pubs/2267087.aspx
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The copy’n’paste of “Ancient Mariner”‘s comment strikes a chord, though for me it doesn’t play the same note the milieu seem to be hearing.
Let’s not forget that “everyday Australians” believed the man-made global warming scare and thought that fighting climate change was a good idea. (Hey I used to be one of them too before I woke up.) This was a prolonged period of Australian credulity in AGW, not some short-lived single-poll fling with doomsday. The average Joe Public *was* stupid enough to believe in CAGW, the government listened to them, that’s part of why we’re in the situation we are in with the carbon tax proposal.
Let’s also not forget the politicians, notably Krudd, Wongbot, Commiebet, Prime Minister Brown, and the PM’s press secretary Dullard. Even Howard tritely talked up an ETS. These politicians were too stupid or too cynical to recognise corruption, scientific fraud, and boondoggling when they saw it. Too ignorant (or too malicious) to lift a finger to the 900+ peer-reviewed papers that support the null hypothesis of climate change. Too spineless and power crazed at the post electoral bargaining table to say NO to Brown in particular, whom we now recognise as the heftiest watermelon of all. But if it weren’t for the gullible public none of these politicians would have a fulcrum to set their lever against. And it was all over a matter of fact, not a matter of opinion or values.
Who is the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him? In politicians versus the public, who is following who? Answer: both. It’s all been one giant circlejerk of stupidity and the media was the Navman of all fools.
It’s not enough to kick out the parliament, though that must still be done while the anger is high and the purpose pure. Once this set of buffoons are out we have to keep the nonsense out of parliament. To paraphrase King, an edifice that produces silly buggers requires restructuring. And that bloody Navman needs a map upgrade too.
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I hear that Alan usually reserves around 25 minutes each day during which he is not livid, outraged, angry or scornful. It is true that most of those 25 minutes are spent in “smug mode”, but hey, no ones perfect.
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Hey, the censors slipped up! The ABC accidentally permitted my comment through their moderation queue….
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-23/crabb-carbon-tax-blame-game/2851078#m644382
Stickin’ it to da Crabb, yo.
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Not so, Dale. According to one of the key speakers from the Top End, supporters lined the roads in their droves throughout the trip. He encountered four (4) dissenters.
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This is only the beginning, the Rolling Convoy starts now. I interviewed Convoy Cate over the phone at the end of the rally. The petition wasn’t presented, it was held back so allow all that haven’t yet signed to do so. Petition is attached at the base of this comment in this link.
http://justgroundsonline.com/forum/topics/the-rally-convoy-of-no-confidence?commentId=3535428%3AComment%3A273631
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a tad off topic but here in Canada we have this REX .
“Rex Murphy Aug 20, 2011 – 11:00 AM ET | Last Updated: Aug 19, 2011 5:55 PM ET
For those who have a wish to hear the grating sound of a man distempered and frustrated that the cause for which he has given at least a decade of his time, the “greatest moral challenge of our time,” is lost, I recommend listening to Al Gore as he was captured during an address at an Aspen global warming conference two weeks ago. It is a revelation.
Mr. Gore is not a happy Jeremiah. You hear him on the tape near rage, repeatedly shouting “bulls–t” over the arguments of his critics. He raves about conspiracy — a rebirth of the tactics of the dreaded tobacco industry of a few decades back. He blames “media manipulation” for the refusal of people to take up his gloomy summons. He hisses at “volcanoes and sunspots” as having much or anything to do with climate. “Bulls–!” he cries over and over — perhaps it’s the methane content that has him mesmerized with the word. Listen to this aria: “They pay pseudo-scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: ‘This climate thing, it’s nonsense. Man-made CO2 doesn’t trap heat. It may be volcanoes.’ Bulls–t! ‘It may be sun spots.’ Bulls–t! ‘It’s not getting warmer.’ Bulls–t!”
Can a person win the Nobel Peace prize twice? I surely hope so, for this is the E=mc² moment of our green time.
It is not a pretty display. The question the sorry little rant calls up is whether, in its way, this temper fit was a signal that the great global warming crusade, that has had such a sweet run for the last decade or more, is finally over. Has it run, so to speak, out of gas?
The signs are everywhere that it has. Here in Canada, for example, how far are we from those days when Stéphane Dion was the freshly-minted leader of the Liberal party, having ascended to that dubious altitude largely on the pledge that he was going to build a “green” Canada. It was telling that within the Liberal party at that time featly to a drastic and nebulous green agenda was enough to grab the leadership prize away from the perceived stronger candidates, Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff. As so often happens, however, much as they are embraced by celebrities and touted by inside “experts,” when so-called green politics are placed before the people those politics and the people who espouse them are forcefully rejected.
Some five or so years later, not a little of Stephen Harper’s success in gaining a majority government came from refusing to engage, in any serious and convincing manner, with the politics of the planet-savers. Political correctness dictates some tepid genuflection towards the obsession with a warming planet, but Harper — and people know this — can be counted on not to jump on the carbon-counting express. He can be counted on to not bend in the face of the manufactured fury presented by professional activists and environmentalists, either to slow or stop the oil sands or introduce some ludicrous and wasteful “tax” on carbon dioxide. And while it may be a footnote to the national trend, Rob Ford’s election as mayor of Toronto can also be read, in part, as a rebuke to the previous mayor’s incessant tinkering with “environmental” measures — from plastic bag surcharges to bike lanes — at the expense of more basic municipal functions.
These are merely the local Canadian signals. But one can skip the globe and find almost everywhere that governments, staring at the reality of recession and financial anxiety, have given up on their vague projections of green economics. Where is President Obama, who promised that on his accession “the rise of the oceans will start to slow and the planet begin to heal?” — surely the most fatuous declaration in the history of politics. Well, he appears to be giving speeches every second day, but none of them feature the retreating oceans or our healed planet.
In fact he’s been tooling around in a $2-million bus oblivious of the carbon costs, and there simply hasn’t been any signal that his White House is giving the great Gore crusade anything but the barest of rhetorical support. If there were any political value to ardent greensmanship, surely a President who is floundering on the economy and sinking in the polls would have grabbed that raft with a passion.
But there isn’t anymore. Perhaps the recession has tamed the imaginations of most people and their governments. In tight economic times people are naturally unwilling to engage in the comic-book fantasies of the wilder environmentalists. Perhaps Climategate gave a too-souring glimpse into the mixture of science and advocacy that has, to some extent, corrupted both. Perhaps, finally, the unctuousness, sanctimony and sputtering righteousness of the high-profile environmentalists signal to most observers that they aren’t really as certain of all this “science” as they pretend to be. Either way this long green game has lost its fundamental energies. The celebrities will find another wristband; the politicians will find a new vague distraction.
For that, Mr. Gore himself has a lot of blame to carry. His own “sputtering righteousness” and his adolescent barks of “bulls–t” to his critics may be a reverse of the Obama declaration. Gore’s meltdown might just be the moment when the people of the planet saw the carney show for what it was.
National Post
Rex Murphy offers commentary weekly on CBC TV’s The National, and is host of CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup.”
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We were told “the government had lost its way” the actions of K Rudd were pointed to as evidence of this, the impression given was that K Rudd was the instigator of this loss of direction and so he must go, after all when a fish rots it rots from the head first go and go he did.
However it now appears the reason why K Rudd behaved the way he did was not because of his vice like egotistical grip on power but merely because such actions were endemic amongst the labor elites……looks like the government has lost its way again which is why there is renewed claims they are looking for a new leader. Many names have been mentioned but i feel as though there can only be one name worthy of the lofty heights of the prime ministership and that name is Craig Thompson.
Now some of you may laugh at my suggestion but i have proof that he is the only viable labor option here and that is because he would have to be the only labor MP that has shown to in fact be able to successfully “get a root in a brothel with a fist full of fifties” (well in this case a credit card but why argue over semantics), so Craig Thompson it is.
10
Crakar24 @ 65
2GB just reported that a labour politician publicly besmirched the Convoy as the “Convoy of Incontinence.” They are shooting themselves in the foot.
10
Joanne – this stirs the emotions. I needed to go get a dry hanky when I was looking at the photos on Quadrant. Fair dinkum Aussies – not afraid to tell the ivory tower ponces (e.g. Anthony Albanese) where to stick their Carbon Tax, engaging in their community across the nation, showing strength in numbers and depth of understanding about why the politics of the country, and indeed the world, are so out of kilter with grass roots producers and tax-payers.
I suspect this is the beginning of something great for Australia, certainly not the end of something of no consequence. The last laugh will be the longest, and will be the Convoy’s.
With regards,
A kiwi carbon-tax victim.
10
Kevin 66,
Are these the acts of a government in its deathroes or are they just so giddy with power that they think they can belittle the australian public and get away with it?
I played no part in the convoy due to work commitments but they had my full support so any abuse directed at them is also directed at me, how many more people feel the same way?
How many people at first thought this was a silly idea and a waste of time and felt neutral towards the convoy now see the ridicule spewed forth by the labor elite? How are they feeling right now with the knowledge that the australian people can and are being treated with disdain by their parliamentary representatives?
Once again labor have cocked it up, newspoll today had labor still languishing at around 27% primary vote i suggest it will be lower next time round.
10
This interview:
http://www.2gb.com/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=9833
suggests that a lot of people were blocked from entering the protest area. Any more information on this??
10
Crakar24
Our politicians are in contempt of those who voted them into their representative positions as trusted servants to beneficially administer the Commonwealth.
As trustees, they are in breach of trust.
They treat the spirit of the Constitution with contempt. Let’s not be too worried about its stipulations then and demand a new election; but only have those of our own choosing as candidates.
10
Well, I had a great time on the Convoy. I will leaving all my decorations on my truck until I get back to Brisbane. My vehicle is the one with the face.
Hey cousin, see you on Friday afternoon.
10
Re post 68,
Now dont get me wrong i dont mind getting thumbs down but on this occasion i would like to know why?
10
As if the labelling of the Convoy by albanese was bad enough, labor mp kelvin thomson has said today. “I looked out the window and all I could see was a couple of winnebagos and a couple of caravans. More like a Convoy of incontinence”. A disgusting man in an equally disgraceful party lead by a debased pm. Never, ever ever forget Australia what this green labor has done to the this wonderful country!
10
Wallendbeen Hotel owner Kerry Murphy rostered on four extra staff members, hired beer glasses, bought extra kegs and purchased supplies for 300 bacon and egg rolls.
”We only sold 10 bacon and egg rolls,” she said. ”We don’t know what to do, we are a bit depressed. It was a big flop, we busted our nuts for nothing and prepared for days but only 10 trucks arrived.”
The publican said she received a call from the rally organisers almost two weeks ago asking if she could cater for an influx of visitors.
Yeh Nova, you cretin, I’m with Harry Krisna. Told you it was a fizzer. Just sayin’.
10
Crakar24
If you’re referring to me, I thought I was backing up your words. Perhaps I read them too quickly.
10
Thank you so much for your views expressed here. I am livid at the blatant level of contempt that the Politicians and Media men and women alike have for the hard working, life blood Aussies who took it upon themselves to drive from all ends and from all places to be there Yesterday and have a say.
I was humbled by the ppl and their stories, I left more knowledgable and sensitive to the topics they spoke of: Of the Poor Prices Farmers receive for their Produce from big retail outlets here in Australia (if they even bother to buy Aussie made at ALL!)
Of the poor ppl dependant on the Live Animal Export trade who are suffering immensely, whose cattle are wasting away and dying, being shot dead because they have no food resources, they have no income since this Juliar/Bob Brown Socialist Extremist Left wing PIG shut them down OVER NIGHT with NO WARNING! All because of one bad egg? The trucky responsible for giving Alan Jones his snippet of information on being stopped at the ACT border, asked “Does that mean, if I had one dodgy Cop stop me, that ALL of the Police force are now going to be out of a Job” (Because thats what they did when they shut down the Live Animal Export Trade to Indonesia…
I am more knowledgable now, about the up hill battle Democracy in our Country faces, with the heavy weight of Media Bias against them, which has such an impact on whether their fellow Aussies hear their plights or not: its just disgraceful, it is sickening and I am now one of the many ppl who leaves that protest with more ardent than ever feelings about fighting this Govt regime and returning our great land to THE REST OF US, THE PEOPLE!!!
Thank you again for your journalistic prowess here, its a shame that we have no avenue to get our message across, but its good to know the stories will not go untold, ppl will hear – just not in the ways THEY SHOULD have that information facilitated them, (ie the media they think are there to help give them the message, failing so miserably every day in this nation.)
And to add, I CANT BELIEVE, that my utube video was the ONLY ONE of the CONVOY in Canberra which showed the true perspective from down on the ground level. I shot my footage at 11am, while Tony Abbott was making his address to the ppl congregated on the lawns of the Parliament, but it shows CLEARLY, the number of ppl waving banners and cheering the Convoy on, and those still driving around (unable to find appropriate areas to park and gain access to the original convoy). It took my husband, two babies and I about an hour to work out how the ring roads around canberra and freeways worked, and we did two long laps of the freeways away from Parliament before finding parking under a freeway bridge, and trudging our way along the freeway with our babies in their pram and our Protest Banner in our hands… the numbers reflected by the biassed reports are not truly representing the reality of the day… and Im just glad I picked up my camera phone: Because theres no such thing as true reporting from the Agencies SKY NEWS, ABC and SMH
10
You know the most delightful thing?
The spin doctors (who put the words into the mouths of the politicians) have totally overreacted to this, and have got their talking heads actually making things worse – such fun!
If you go back through this thread, there is example after example where politicians and others have opened their mouths and put both feet in. We will look back and see that this was as deadly as the 10:10 fiasco.
And we shouldn’t underestimate the fact that this is Canberra we are talking about. A city that has but one purpose – politics. The whole place is one enormous bubble, where the ooze feeds off itself, with the result being that its denizens are totally out of touch with the rest of the population who just happen to live outside its borders. So The Ooze won’t see why, but it just isn’t working for them, so they will keep doing it harder.
Note: The Ooze is the nom de jour for the press office.
10
I tried warning the convoy bunnies not to trust the federal police – who are unquestionably the most corrupt and biddable police force in the country – and also not to be too civil. It was supposed to be a protest, which is by its nature uncivil.
Putting out the fat slugs of the central bureaucracy should have been objective number one.
10
I like Alan Jones taking on the female SMH journalist who was so shocked he brought it up at the rally she had dared to asked him if he had got a fee for appearing. She had absconded by then. Well wot you sow you reap dear.
Anthony Green has an interesting blog today. If Thomson were to resign (a big dose of salts might be needed right now) Kevin Rudd not there because of his recent heart problem. And if the speaker Harry Jenkins stood down, then the coalition might put in a speaker as without a speaker the government can’t operate.
One suggestion is Bob Katter might take it on. Can you imagine this?
Parliament would become more riotous than it already is. Jenkins shows extreme patience with the government during Question time, I bet Bob would start shunting them out for not answering questions
correctly. LOL. Call an election now. Because there is a hostile senate still.
10
Ahhh.. One Nation rides again ! Come on my good people, reflect, and go home and thank your god that we still have a democracy and not anarchy and rule by the mob. Truly brainless demo!!
10
O/T Michael Mann has been exonerated in the US of A. Anyone know the details, although Gore is taking a pounding in the US media.
10
Carbon Worker @ 75
Thumbs up CW for saying what had to be said.
The organisers were, as you say, warned about trusting the AFP, then fell over themselves to “do the right thing”.
They were warned about the MSM then went out of their way to be interviewed so that the results could be cut and pasted to present whatever the MSM wanted to present.
Most important of all, they were warned against the folly of proceeding with an unworkable petition with no legal or constitutional basis, but they did anyway, giving organisations like the NFF and the ATA the perfect opportunity to withhold support.
What should have been the most powerful statement by Australians since the Vietnam war was reduced to a fiasco – and the “enemy” really didn’t have to fire a shot.
The organisers did it all for them.
10
“Penelope”,
You are indeed an ARROGANT LITTLE TWERP AREN’T YOU !
PS Go and ask mummy the meaning of “twerp” !!
10
“David” (53),
You are an IGNORAMUS !
10
The ABC in Oz seems to be as bad as the unspeakable BBC in the UK.
I don’t know if the ABC is just an arm of government (whatever colour) or left biased like the BBC.
Actually, it’s hard to tell the difference between Tories and Labour in the UK on policies relating to AGW. Vested interests and unlimited tax-wielding powers means that they’re not going to change unless they’re kicked out of power.
Ed Miliband’s 2008 ‘Climate Change Act’ will destroy the UK’s productive economy unless we get it repealed.
Good luck with the convoy, you’ve got a steep hill to climb against the biased MSM.
10
“Harry Krisna”,
Yet another “drive by” mTROLL with nothing useful or intelligent to contribute !
10
“Harry Krisna”,
Yet another “drive by” TROLL with nothing useful or intelligent to contribute !
10
“Glen Michell” == CRETIN!
10
pat #48,
I too was sickened and perplexed by the condescending tone of a couple of Courier Mail opinion pieces today. I could never subscribe to such bias, though I do occasionally buy a copy. Who on earth supports these biased media? The shunning of journalistic integrity and contempt for the readers explains well why mainstream media stocks continue to plummet on a daily basis. They really must think people are stupid.
One piece dismissed the convoy as a ragtag bunch of grumpy old farts. Whereas, I see the convoy as historic and heroic. The mainstream media may as well start saying the black is white.
10
Guys
As someone who felt guilty about not joining the convoy I am insulted & outraged by the government & the media be-littling the showing.
It occurred to me the best way to show popular support for the “No Confidence” campaign would be reasonably large freely available vehicle stickers.
Perhaps even some sort of icon for emails (& a constructed text symbol for tagging texts as well)
I live in a small country town (~ 4500 people) & for a few years now have been making a bore of myself complaining about the fraud which is AGW. However in all that time I have only encountered about 1/2 dozen true believers. The great majority who bothered to engage were cynics & sceptics.
A nation wide badge/sticker campaign may be a bit more than a joke for Mr Albanese & Co., particularly if the broad spectrum of dissent reaches a level where it obviously beyond the containment of GetUp & the Greens. They might mock it as “herd mentality” but getting trampled might change their opinions.
10
The latest:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/greens-want-alan-jones-to-say-sorry/story-e6frf7jx-1226120608228
“IF Australian Greens leader Bob Brown gets his way, radio broadcaster Alan Jones will have to apologise for comments made at an anti-Gillard government protest.
Senator Brown intends to move a motion in the Senate asking Jones to apologise for saying police had stopped a 2km-long convey of vehicles carring protesters from entering the ACT.
He will also ask the Senate president to find out whether the broadcaster’s claim that protesters attending yesterday’s rally were prevented from entering the parliament precinct was true and if this was different from the treatment of other protesters.
Jones, a top rating Macquarie Radio Network breakfast program host, addressed the rally outside Parliament House on Monday.
“…two kilometres of trucks have been stopped at the ACT border,” he said.”
10
Yes pattoh a bmper sticker saying ‘I support the Convoy of no Confidence’.
I do admire all those who could make it, alas my lot was supplying some amber refreshments at Katherine and some fuel money. But Bob Brown doesnt count my support as support, because he cannot ‘see’ it on the lawns of Parliament House. Well then, let him ‘see’ it on my bumper.
10
Seems to me that some people have never heard or forgotten
“Beware the anger of patient men and women”
10
Damian Allen: anger management issues. This is amatter of degrees Damian and if you or others think you can usurp parliamentary democracy on an un-educated whim you are wrong. How many go
vernments are terminated one year into taking office by a bunch of misguided renegades.Really!
10
This vid was after the horns had died down a bit. The trucks were going around down in a cutting near the protest but away enough to hear the speakers. From the UHF CB in my pocket on Ch20 came “Park on the median strip” and “Over here in the scrubby bit”. Still the sound of horns took a while to die down. You can hear some in the back ground on this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_HcHz2g_wo
And you can get a better idea of the terrain from this one: It is poor and un edited because it seems to have been sent via an analogue link down to some place then back up to the satellite. It sort of fell off the satellite onto my equipment, then went through a few format conversions to get to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuCgQcXDrfQ
10
Is that Kelvin Thomson of “incontinence” fame any relation to Craig?
10
O/T Craig Thomson. Maybe I am naive but how much did he spend on prostitutes? What type were they – yeah – I know what a prostitute
does but the thousands, how many and how much? Maybe he was running the escort agency?
Anyway he’s resigned from the economic committee but more revelations
that union is broke and the auditors won’t clear their books.
Expensive habits eh. And Arbid is in the firing line now. Authorizing the pay out to Thomson.
I can’t see the Labor party wriggle out of this one if auditors and the cops are involved. And if the Independents still support them
that will be a mistake. I can see another election coming sooner than we thought. Roll on that Convoy.
Penelope go back to Graham’s blog please. You are a bit outclassed here. Someone didn’t buy the sausage sambos. Give me strength, they were having a BBQ I believe. Probably beef steaks from the cattle not sent to Indonesia.
10
Kelvin. Seems the Craig ‘Escort’ Thomson spat the dummy recently when the chairwomen at a club (a Salvo) allowed a question in he didn’t like. Seems the club was full of anti Wilkie’s solve problem gambling bill.
Well one thing about Thomson he’s not a good politician, anyone who is trying to support Wilkies diatribe and goes to a club to discuss it
is bleedin’ naive. And deserves everything he gets.
Resign you loser now, before the cops arrive.
10
Bulldust @ 38
This is the comment I wrote in reply. It didn’t get up, but many more like it did.
Dennis, hundreds of people used their own time and resources to travel across the country to protest in Canberra. I’ve seen footage of festooned towns that came out to support as the convoy went past and escorts of mustering choppers that numbered 10 or more at a time. The convoy was made up of ordinary working people, not given to protesting at the drop of a hat like the GetUp gang. They are concerned about the way this Govt is operating – their flexibility with the truth and disregard for democratic principles and demonstrated incompetence that leaves us feeling this country is not in a safe pair of hands. It shows an astounding level of arrogance for the Labor Party to call this protest, of no consequence. There is no other way to describe this but as derisive and it reveals a contemptuous attitude towards the Australian people. Well clearly the voters have realised that something is rotten in the core of Labor and that they are considered of no consequence to this Govt. It is showing in the polls! We will bide our time until we have the chance to make Labor of no consequence, for at least a decade or more!
10
check out Quadrant online
Those damn people
by Christopher Carr
August 23, 2011
The pesky masses have done it again.
From the point of view of the media and intellectual elite, the convoy to Canberra is the last straw. Julia Gillard and her ministerial colleagues looked out at the trucks surrounding Parliament House and concluded that the people are beyond redemption.
Don’t be fooled by the dismissive comments of the likes of Craig Emerson and Anthony Albanese, who described the protest as, ‘a convoy of no consequence’. They know that the electorate has turned against them.
A mandate for the carbon dioxide tax? Don’t be silly. The masses don’t know what is good for them. The level of carbon indulgences is best decided through the messianic insights of the inner city elite.
As Lenin would have asked, what is to be done? Gillard, the Greens and the witless Oakeshott and Windsor have decided. They will impose the carbon dioxide tax on the people. Overwhelming opposition will simply be proof that the people have failed the Government and failed Australia.
This brings to mind that famous poem by Bertolt Brecht, which may be described as a totalitarian lament. After the uprising in East Germany against Communist rule in June 1953, he wrote as follows:
The Solution
After the uprising of the 17th June
The Secretary of the Writer’s Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had forfeited the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?
http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2011/08/those-damn-people
10
Personally I am disgusted to be told that I am of no consequence to this government by Mr Albanese and the comment by Kelvin Thomson that it was a convoy of incontinents is even worse. I can see that this government doesn’t care about it’s voters,they seem to be of the thinking that insulting them and belitting them will somehow get them votes when an election comes. They have already destroyed our cattle industry with the ill-fated live-cattle ban,but that isn’t enough,they now want to destroy our ability to make a living as well..
10
Combet smears: it’s racist to oppose his carbon dioxide tax
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/combet_smears_its_racist_to_oppose_his_carbon_dioxide_tax/
10
Notice the many new posters who suddenly appear out of nowhere to criticise the “extremists”. They appear to be well organised!
10
Mark D @34
http://www.liveguide.com.au/Venues/8649/ABC_Studio
This would be good places to start. I’m not sure of the right time. Perhaps the studio could be contacted and asked for suggestions. 🙂
10
A wise person on this site once advised against feeding drive-by trolls who make irrelevant comments dripping with contempt. The fact this site is attracting so many dogmatists all of a sudden would suggest they are rattled, feeling threatened in their self-righteous little world – the polls are going down and so is belief in dangerous AGW. Just give them a thumbs down and ignore. With no response they tend to go away = basic behavioural psychology and it works on the even the stupidest of creatures.
10
bob brown demanding an apology from alan jones for getting one tiny piece of information wrong, but bob and his denatured greens, and the other pollies and the MSM, don’t have to apologise for the many lies told about the Convoy of no Confidence! who the hell does Brown think he is?
a sane member of the Convoy explains the likely reason for Jones’ mistake in this Sky video, unless it’s been edited out since i watched it earlier!
Convoy not denied entry to ACT- police
Federal police have denied claims by Alan Jones that the convoy of trucks has been denied entry to the ACT.
00:02:27 | Mon, 22 Aug
http://www.skynews.com.au/video/?cId=Top%20Stories
10
Hi,
I was at the rally. I spotted Malcolm Farr, who I approached and asked him if he wanted to meet any of the speakers and/or organisers. He said “No”. He was not interested at all in the purpose of the rally. He was interested in whether the reports of the police not letting convoy trucks and participants into the rally were true.
I don’t consider that Malcolm Farr took the approach of a dedicated journalist. Wouldn’t you think a journalist covering the rally would at least take up the offer of interviewing the speakers or organisers? Fair dinkum.
10
Penelope @ 74
Well there do seem to be two sides to this story….
…and…
Two logical conclusions we can draw from Penelope’s comment:
1) Peter Whytcross, or Kerry Murphy, or both, are either lying or mistaken, since the expected turnout cannot be both 20 and 1000 simultaneously and Kerry cannot have been told to prepare for both the minimum (Whytcross version) and the maximum (Murphy version). Penelope cannot have any idea which (if any) of these two versions is true, but that doesn’t stop her from taking sides and reporting only one version.
2) The entire purpose of the convoy is to eat bacon and eggs, so it’s clearly a fizzer.
This is quite appropriate, as people like Penelope will eat our freedom for breakfast and then complain the State’s boot heel is giving them a toothache.
10
pat at 106. I think they were stopped but allowed to go through, not
perhaps prohibited from entering. I wouldn’t apologise to those biggots.
Try and say what they want but pick on someone who is against their idiot
ideas. White carbon policy they are really picking the bottom of the barrel. This will make the truckies and those in the convoy really mad
and I think they have done a great job that has caught the country and also overseas attention.
10
O/T Penelope does go on wild tangents on other blogs. One particular one
was about Diana’s death, she still thought that awful film at Cannes
funded by Mohammed El Fayid was true. She obviously hadn’t read the raving documented at the Inquiry by El Fayed. He was calling the royal family Nazis for gawd’s sake because they have a part German heritage
way back.
Why don’t we write to the Greens and protest about them saying nasty things about Australian citizens. Well I will never vote for them, as I don’t like most of their issues.
10
The truth of the matter is that people are trying the say the Convoy came to nothing. This is clearly a case of ‘doth protest too much’.
It was on every single news report for a couple of days.
It got front page coverage on most major newspapers.
There has been a huge spike in trolls on this blog since it was announced.
Sure the numbers were lower than expected, and it didn’t topple the government.
Protests are there to get voices heard, nobody seriously thinks they are going to change anything.
The voices were heard – it was mentioned in parliament. I would say that is a good result.
If any of the ‘you’re all extremist tea parter right wing idiots’ crowd seriously think all of these protests have had no effect, tell me when was the last time you heard the PM say this:
“Australians want to take action on climate change and price carbon”.
That’s right, she never says things like that anymore. It has been whittled down to ‘it’s the right thing to do’. That’s the result of the protests – they can’t pretend they have popular support anymore. They do work, but the politicians never admit to it. That goes for John Howard and Julia Gillard.
10
don’t you love being the world’s first?
22 Aug: Reuters Africa: Q+A-Australia’s planned market for CO2 offsets from farms
Reporting by David Fogarty, Editing by Jonathan Thatcher
Australia’s Senate on Monday passed the **world’s first** nationally regulated scheme governing the creation and trade in greenhouse gas offsets from agriculture and forestry projects that cut emissions or lock away carbon…
HOW WILL IT WORK?
A government panel vets and approves the rules for each project activity and an agency administers the scheme’s offset registry. A number of project types have already been approved: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/cfi
Successful projects will earn Australian carbon credit units, or ACCUs, that can either be traded domestically or overseas.
To underpin investor certainty, the initial crediting period for native forest protection is 20 years, 15 years for reforestation projects and 7 years for all other eligible offset projects.
WHO WILL BUY THE CREDITS?
Carbon credits generated under this scheme can be sold to companies or individuals and into a variety of markets.
ACCUs can be compliant under the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol, depending on the project type. Or projects can sell non-Kyoto Australian units that can be used in the domestic voluntary carbon market to help firms meet carbon neutral goals.
Kyoto-compliant units can be converted into a credit that can be traded internationally and sold to companies or governments in some rich nations with Kyoto emissions targets.
WHAT WILL THEY COST?
That’s still unclear. It will depend on the demand for offsets from certain types of projects and particularly on the price for carbon in Australia…
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3E7JG1IQ20110822
just make sure your super doesn’t get hijacked.
10
Did you note ‘curb methane emissions from cattle or ruminants’ How do they suggest they do this?
Well they have got that in the back door, without Tony Windsor’s help.
10
Jo,
It is going to be interesting to see what high ranking position Gillard will get when she is booted from office AFTER she locks in the Carbon Tax.
Obviously, she is not looking at her political career!
10
It means if you don’t have any livestock on your farm, and plant trees
then it means you are trapping carbon. But remember at first the Greens
want to tax cattle $11 a head a year and sheep $7 per year. And Ross Ganaut stated farmers would make as much money from carbon trading as they do with wool production and should change to farming kangaroos instead. These people are really crazy.
10
This cartoon in the Australian sums things up nicely as the wheels fall off the Gillard convoy of over confidence.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/gallery-e6frg6zx-1111120349509?page=1
10
Sorry Jo Nova, I enjoyed your site for a time for its genuine attempts to dissect the issue of climate science fraud, but it has alienated your more moderate (and more considerate) followers. Same thing at WUWT. There is a realm of science in the millieu that needs to be considered and to be accounted for, not exremist paranoid crap that advocates the ovethrow of elected governments, no matter how unpopular or misguided the goverment may be . This thread has been hi-jacked by individuals who are self-interested and have no thought of the national good and my question is to them is : what is the change you seek ? afairer country, or a country based on the same old fears.
10
The answer to #117 is that we seek a situation where there is no profit in deception.
Science (and the enlightment) are based on the search for truth.
10
Sad to say, but that is the plight of any real grass roots movement. Media loves the left, and will do anything to promote their agenda. But Australia did not become a nation by being full of pansy wastes. Your goal is true, and so is your dedication. just understand that they cannot debate the message, so they are attacking the messenger. They will find some bogey man and claim that person was behind it all in some massive conspiracy. And that is the nicest thing they will say.
You have started to take back your country, but it will not be quick, or short. Best of luck in your quest!
10
Insulting the host is bad form in any country, regardless of political affiliation. It also destroys whatever point you had to make and shows you to be shallow and bereft of intelligent ideas that you cannot debate the issues, and instead must resort to the tired old “attack the messenger”. You fail.
10
Greg Combet’s latest quote about “climate racism” and a “white carbon policy” represents the latest low water mark in the geopolitical climate debate. Not only are the long suffering productive farming and primary industry workers from rural Australia so beneath contempt that they are mocked openly by politicians (who have never done an honest days work in their lives and who are members of the “unproductive class”), but now anyone living in Australia, regardless of their race or political persuasion, is guilty of crimes against humanity on the basis of our excessive CO2 production. This in spite of the fact that we are not the highest per capita producer of CO2 (Qatar is) and this statistical anomaly is only a marker of the fact that we are advanced technologically, we have vast distances to cover with infrastructure and transport, and we don’t overpopulate by breeding like rabbits.
How long before the UN are applying sanctions on this basis, perhaps NATO may start bombing infrastructure to enforce our “obligations”? Fanciful- perhaps, but you’ll notice I’m not laughing. We should never allow these people to deride the good name of our country, which happens to be one of the most racially tolerant on the planet IMHO, by conflating AGW with racial hate crimes. Astonishing! And these people think that they represent rational and “forward thinking” progressives.
10
We’ve picked up some trolls and a few people are getting drawn into name calling. It’s a waste of time and space. I say “don’t vote, it only encourages them” but if they have a reasonable point to make give them a fair go.
10
Rashida Khan commanded my immediate respect at the rally. She communicated numerous points without hype or defamation. The PM could learn a great deal from watching this young lady on the Youtube video over at the Just Grounds Community site.
10
Glenn @ 117
I’d settle for a free-er country.
One in which unwanted and scientifically unwarranted regulations whose stated purpose is to force a change in my behavior, and to decrease our standard of living are not forcibly imposed.
One in which two minority groups haven’t banded together to enforce their pet policies on the entire electorate.
Preferably one that doesn’t see my accumulated wealth as an unused resource just waiting to be seized.
That’s what I seek, how about you?
10
Gillard’s LIEbor is the government of no competence.
10
Kevin in 75,
Yes we are on the same page
Cheers
Crakar24
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I thought the Convoy of No Confidence was very effective…
It got nationwide coverage…. and it was mentioned in Question time, Indeed it was passionately spoken about in Parliament Question time. It got the biggest responses and the most airtime…….
As protests go. The Convoy of No Confidence was a bloody excellent success.
Remember the old adage….. “any publicity, is good publicity”. When you are raising issues it is the whole point and the only point…..and the Convoy dun good in that respect. Oh it dun soooo Good!
The Convoy of No Confidence, defeats Government of No Consequence…… That’s how it’ll be remembered. 🙂
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Another reply from a parliamentarian that seems to be listening …
Thank you for taking the time to contact me in relation to the ‘Convoy of No Confidence’ and your concerns about the direction taken by the Gillard Labor Government.
As a representative from a regional area, I am very familiar with many of the concerns raised by participants in the protest rally and I have been pursuing those issues with my colleagues in The Nationals and Liberal Party.
I must say that I was appalled with the arrogance and contempt shown by the Leader of Government Business Anthony Albanese who described the event as ‘a convoy of no consequence’.
Leader of the Greens Bob Brown went further, depicting the protestors as ‘moaners’ and ‘a general smorgasbord of whingers’.
It seems that whenever voters disagree with Labor or the Greens, they get ridiculed. It’s a bit rich for a professional protestor like Bob Brown to criticise Australians who travelled long distances, at considerable personal expense, to raise legitimate concerns about the carbon tax and other issues.
Prime Minister Gillard should discipline Mr Albanese for suggesting that legitimate concerns raised by Australian voters in a peaceful protest rally were of ‘no consequence’
Rather than insult everyday Australians, this government should demonstrate more respect and listen to their views on these important regional issues. Who knows, they might finally learn something!
Again, thank you for contacting me and rest assured, I will do everything in my power to give Australians the type of government this great country deserves.
Kind regards
DARREN CHESTER
Member for Gippsland
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport
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O/T in a way. The convoy came at the right time, with this Craig Thomson affair on the boil. It seems the Union is reporting possible
abuse of funds to the police. There is a report on Andrew Bolts blog.
The NSW Government will certainly push the police being now Liberal.
Andrew Wilkie has demanded an explanation. And the ALP Robertson has announced that he had no knowledge of NSW ALP paying for Thomson’s legal fees (against a defamation case against the SMH that he dropped). To prevent him becoming bankrupt so he could stand for the 2010 election. Seems his own electorate are now turning against him.
Should be an interesting few weeks eh. I know that a person is presumed innocent before being tried. But the evidence so far is strongly suggesting that he will be found wanting. Especially as the signature on the credit card looks the same as his, and he said that he knew about it but another man (or men) used it?
Oh and the ATO (Australian Taxation Office) are investigating his finances too. That’s a bad omen eh for the government. More is being unlocked as we speak and the media will have a hay day won’t they.
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When the leader of the National Party spoke about the Convoy of No Confidence today in Parliament, the labor ministers and PM had walked out. I mean to say, then Minister for regional affairs, flaired up
and told parliament (those who had bothered to stay) the Nationals ignored regional Australia. Didn’t address that the fact was the comments about Convoy of no consequence or Convoy of incontinence was a slight on the ordinary Australian voter who was sick and tired of this government.
But the real reason I feel is question time was halted for the PM to answer about the Craig Thomson affair. The division was lost by 71 – 73 and then they walked out.
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I had to take a detour to Cootamundra, so missed the Wallenbeen arrival but caught up with the rest of the SA convoy later at Harden. They said that they had every intention of having the meal at Wallenbeen but there were already so many trucks there that the police told them to go on to Harden straight away. When I saw the Wallenbeen setup there wasn’t a lot of room. Therefore the logistics of the situation says there’s no way that all those meals would have been sold even if there were enough hungry buyers.
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I went with convoy #8 in my car and as a observer noticed a few things. I believe that the Federal police were told to hold us up at the border. I was third in the convoy behind the leading truck and the lead truck was waved to stop. The entire convoy pulled in behind him, I was not privy to the conversation that ensued but after about 3 or 4 minutes a truck not belonging to the convoy came along they pulled him over.
They then waved the entire convoy through, they followed instructions kinda sorta I think but were on our side. That evening after the rally at our overnight site we had a police presence, I walked over at around six and said are you here for the riot our would you like to come over and join us as we have two big BBQ plates and lots of food.
They came over and took over the cooking and cooked food for about three hours for the convoy, nasty police not, they were our side.
I have not long got home and sorted out some business and am about to cook some food.
Make of this what you will, but our route took us past the ABC building with their logo and sign.
666 ABC Canberra Good grief.
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Good day all,
Jud and I are just back from the rally although we did swing through Oberon and the central west for a look at some beautiful country. Our trip was only 600k one way but we appreciate the effort made by the likes of Rashida Khan and partner Len. Coming from 120 km south od Darwin they travelled 4000k to be there. Along the way they were given fuel by those who could not themselves make the trip. Neighbours three hours down the road kept a eye on some of Rashida’s mares which were foaling. The convoy travelling through Charters towers were escorted by hundreds of vekhicles and ten helicopters. From the MIA came a man with 6 tonne of oranges (beautiful) for which he was being paid 11-15 cents per kg and for which Woolies and Coles were charging $2.98/kg. There were cattlemen who cried as they explained how the ban on live exports now has them seriously overstocked and considering shooting the cattle that were to be their years income. So how does Albanese and Ludwick respond to these tales of woe? By laughter. Were these stories in the headlines? Of course not.
What this government and the MSM fails to recognise is that the real wealth of Australia is generated in places like the Pilbara, the Hunter Valley, the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs and the irrigfation areas of the Riverland. Jobs are created by the thousands of businesses, big and small throughout the land who found representation at the rally. Albanese, his union mates, the bureaucrats, the environmentalists and the politicians have never created one job nor created a dollar of wealth. That has been done by those they seek to denigrate and tax. Albanese’s people are the speed bumps and potholes on the road to prosperity. What they have achieved is to cement the total distain for this government by the thousands who rode to Canberra in spirit if not in person.
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A Change From Referring to “The MSM” to “The Presstitutes?
Have a read of http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/17138#comments
“Obama’s Support Collapses With Voters
Published by AJStrata at 12:49 pm under 2012 Elections
As I said many times, credibility is a fragile and fleeting resource in politics. Once you lose it, it tends to collapse rapidly, with only a few groupies hanging on as the rest of the voters move on. Obama is now in that kind of complete collapse, which is not surprising after his tone deaf behavior before, during and after the debt ceiling debate. As the left screams at those middle Americans who have decided government is too big, too incompetent and too reckless with our money (a.k.a. the Tea Party movement that still exists, even without the smeared moniker) they have imploded and lost all their political capitol and what sliver of support they may have had after the 2010 elections.
Now Obama is trolling new depths in the Rasmussen poll (which has the President -26% with a strong positive of 19% and a strong negative of 45%) and is also way underwater with the Gallup poll (approve 38% and disapprove 54% for a minus 16%). The difference in the polls is Rasmussen is polling likely voters and Gallup the more benign ‘adult’ population. So both are actually consistent, and this consistency indicates Obama is now – barring something major – on track to lose big in 2012.”
Don’t this sound like Julia?
And from comments
“WWS says:
August 23, 2011 at 2:33 pm
credibility is about as easy to regain as virginity.
dhunter says:
August 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm
I hope you are all right.
I just wonder when, if ever, the presstitutes are going to realize the magnitude of their malfeasance and treat this abject failure as a human tragedy and not a kING, and when if ever they will give solid American citizens like Sarah Palin, Rick Perry and the Tea Party a small margin of the respect and credit they deserve for stopping the insanity of uncontrolled government redistribution.
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If a federal Labor MP could have stood incognito amongst the crowd of over 2,000 on Monday and quietly listened to the various speeches and watched as a dear lady went up to the stage to give a donation to one of the worst affected farmers he or she would have come away a changed person – I’m sure of it.
I read Bob Brown’s comment that the rally was a “general smorgasbord of whingers”. Mr Brown, if you label the very people your party’s extreme policies have already destroyed as whingers, you sir are an absolute disgrace to your country.
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Another Ian @134,
It’s worth noting that popular or not, Obama and his cronies control a very large chunk of the Unites States. In addition they have rather huge financial resources in the form of union support. The media (I like presstitutes — good name) will not quickly abandon him because they think him more or less invincible, popular or not. There are a few beginning to question him but it won’t end with their dropping support for him.
And they may be right. Offer people goodies and they say, “Bring on the goodies!” Then the ballgame is over.
As I see it only one candidate can challenge him effectively and that’s Texas Governor Rick Perry. And he may be very hard to elect. It’s all the worse because it’s obvious that Republicans are fighting among themselves. So Perry may be a tough job to even get nominated.
I’m finding this quote very disturbing these days.
Bold is mine for emphasis.
Call me cynical if you must. But I think an honest call is better than sweeping trouble under the rug and saying it’s all OK.
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Roy@136:
More than that, they are cheering and lying for him. It is not a question of abandoning him. It is they have shot their load in support of him. Each year, they lose more and more credibility. When they start calling black conservatives “traitors to their race”, the new Jim Crow is here, it is just called by a different name – liberal media.
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Looks like the ABC Drum is up to its old tricks, trying to discredit the Convoy of No Confidence….again.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2850098.html
Even the infamous Jo Nova gets a mention 🙂
What was that Bernard Shaw quote again about not being talked about?
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Wayne, s.Job. @ #132:
Have you seen this ?
Brown calls Alan Jones Liar,about Convoy Holdup at the border, allegedly.
So you may like to give evidence, but perhaps not before Brown has made a right t(w)it if himself.
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The convoy I was in, close to 100 vehicles by then, was held up at the border for about 10 minutes while police checked the trucks.
Jones was just repeating what a couple of the Convoy leaders had told him. He said he would have to check it with his Federal Police contact. He was definitely seeking confirmation. Soon after he said that the police had done a great job. Bob Brown is making a mountain out of nothing.
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The leader of the convoy says they were stopped for about 3 minutes.
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This is a fantastic argument for why Australia should be a Republic.
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I side with the Convoy though I know it represents some views I could never share. Nothing will ever be worse than government by intellectuals, dogmatists and theorists. Anyone who thinks it is possible to “model” an economy or a climate is far more dangerous than the libertarians, protectionists and anti-immigrationists with whom I will always disagree.
GetUp! and the Greens don’t see themselves as equivalent to the illiberal ecclesiastical authority that hobbled Spain at at the peak of its wealth by shrinking or repressing the middle classes and getting a on lock on permissible thought. These illiberal but educated forces will always be present, will always feel under-appreciated by the materialistic masses, will always claim sanctity, will treat natural forces as mechanisms predictable or even controllable by elites (themselves), use the scientific babble of the day to preach divine wrath…and will always bring the worst “governance”.
The Convoy is the enemy of my enemy.
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If you people are serious about change you have to understand whats going on, Those people who organized the convoy, are unreal you were heard Loud and clear! WELL DONE.Time for you all to turn off your televisions. Don,t buy propaganda news papers these people are desperate now. Wake up to the scource of this desease. Call this number and you will see what we can do-We have to go back to the past to know our Future!-We all are waiting we have the numbers you all know that! Now Its time to direct them for the common good of Humanity. 0393540166
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Adam Smith, good so you see the value of a constitutional republic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
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I’m just amazed at how any thinking person who’s come to realise about the Carbon Tax Scam, found out about UN AGENDA 21 (Gee, thanks Mr Howard) & worked out who’s behind it all and what they stand to gain…They are now referred to as TERRORISTS, where as the traitors who run the country are beyond reproach?!
I’m also amazed at how you average football kicking, hard working “Daryl” (who has no interest in politics) but knows this is going to damage his future and that of his children is now referred to as a “Crazy Right Winger”. For Cliff’s sake, “Daryl” has probably voted ALP his whole life AND NOW THEY MOCK HIM!!!!.
The sooner people work out we have leaders who appear to solely work at implementing the UN’s global plans, the sooner people will wake up.
Take a SERIOUS look at where America is heading & you’ll see the future for Australia.
Look at how Ju-Liar has become a Dictator and it’s at the exact same time as when Obama has become a Dictator.
[snip]
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Yes I agree that Australia should be a republic, with sovereignty invested in the populace, rather than in an undemocratic head of state who is ultimately accountable to no one.
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[I side with the Convoy though I know it represents some views I could never share. Nothing will ever be worse than government by intellectuals, dogmatists and theorists. Anyone who thinks it is possible to “model” an economy or a climate is far more dangerous than the libertarians, protectionists and anti-immigrationists with whom I will always disagree. ]
So your theory is that you can’t model things.
That makes you a theorist, yet you reject theorists being involved in government.
So you’ve just rejected your own argument.
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On the contrary, one can model all kinds of things.
No, that makes you a sophist.
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According to this comment and I quote “I honestly believe all climate change skeptics should be gassed” from the site http://www.climatechangedispatch.com/home/9299-daniel-sends-it-back.
Honestly this guy must be six different kinds of wacko to honestly believe such grabage.
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Adam @ 148
Statistician George Box (I believe) was quoted saying “All models are wrong, some are merely useful”.
so economic models and climate models should be treated with the same grains of salt.
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This makes no sense. If they are “useful” why would you treat them with a grain of salt?
You sound awfully like a post-modernist. You are basically asserting that since we can’t be 100% certain about something, then we can’t be certain at all.
That’s just plain stupid.
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Adam Smith @152. “Useful” could include propaganda right? Does propaganda serve a scientific purpose?
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Models, can be useful for testing one’s understanding, retrospectively.
They cann’t really prove much though, but can sometimes show if youve got it wrong.
Imbuing them with predictive qualities though. That requires a leap of faith that only those with little understanding and/or more ‘education’ than they can safely handle are comfortable with.
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“Post modernist”? Jeez, I’ll have to google that one.
No, I’ve just got a couple of engineering degrees (since you decided to call my opinion stupid), and I would never put the safety of the community at risk of my designs or actions by relying on a “model”‘ or even a full blown second order quantitative risk analysis (why don’t YOU google that one before throwing stones).
Just because you put your household budget into Excel doesn’t mean you know anything about modeling.
Have a nice day.
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Another reply to the email sent to all parliamentarians …
Dear John,
Thank you for your email regarding your feelings about the current Government and the “Convoy of No Confidence”. I agree with you that the treatment of this protest by the Government was disgraceful.
I also agree with the convoy’s message of the need for an early election and will continue to work towards bringing this government to account.
Yours sincerely
Senator Stephen Parry
Deputy President of the Senate
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Well maybe the trolls on this site should review the recently released
CERN report regarding the effect of solar activity and cosmic rays on cloud formation. This is not a new concept at all, it featured on The Great Warming Swindle years ago on one of the special features section.
Basically although watered down by CERN Cloud formation effects climate. We all knew that but –
WHoA! tHEY have suddenly realised this. It doesn’t compare with AGW or realistic effect? Sure it does. Clouds keep the climate or weather warm and cold depending on the season. GHG 95% water vapor, 4 % carbon dioxide and 1% trace gases.
And we can’t control the sun’s activity or cosmic rays bombardment that meld with water molecules and help create clouds? Oh what a tangled web we weave when trying to deceive. Sorry got that wrong but you know?
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MattM:
“Adam Smith” is a true believer. He really can’t imagine subjecting his beliefs to reasonable analysis — he must believe in them completely. That is the only way you can make sense of his statement:
BTY: A post-modernist is one who believes that all descriptions of reality are just “narratives” and are equally valid — the complete opposite of an engineer — a massive distinction that, interestingly, Adam can’t perceive.
Lenin had another term for people like Adam: “Useful Idiots”
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Bushbunny #157:
It’s easy to discern the science which presents the greatest threat to the “faith”.
The apopleptic and snarky reactions to the CERN paper at WUWT are perfect examples of the zealot’s blindness to anything at variance to their belief.
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CERN is a respected organisation though. But what I was meaning is that this has been known for years. They weren’t the first to bring it light.
On The Great Global Warming Swindle, a report was done in 2003 I think, by a University explaining why anchovy/sardines shoals fluctuated. It was because of the heavier rain fall in some years. They explained about cosmic subatomic particles melding with water vapour molecules to form clouds. Now some zealots are trying to disprove or say it doesn’t alter the fact that CO2 from human activities causes climate change. Obviously biased or try to wrangle out of the fact their hypothesis is absolutely untrue and ignorant.
My if Prof Manuel might like to make a comment.
Unfortunately that report is only on the DVD in a special features section. Although you can now download the DVD for free from the Internet. I can’t find it anywhere else and forgotten which University conducted the study. Maybe someone else might find it on the Internet somewhere.
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Mark at 159. Yes I know, I’m on that blog too. I can’t keep up with all the comments! 212 unanswered email so far I have to check out.
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Joanne-
I was there and you have done a very accurate report of procedings. I think that it was probably the most uplifting thing that I have been involved in so far. 81% support in any endeavour would be envied by anyone.
The most surreal thing for me was to view the senate (didn’t have tickets to the reps circus) at question time
It is disgraceful – no wonder we are in the state we are in is all that I can say. Here is a post I put on the old topic that supports Jo’s commentary-
Maxine,
It is personal when you say that something that I have been a part of for the last week -”was a flop” .
How hard is it sit on your arse being a get up troll – blog warrior??
I’d back 10000 of your ilk against one of the really capable sensible people that I had the pleasure of meeting in the last week. You quote the ABC- those basket weavers can’t even count correctly to the nearest factor of ten??!!
Have a look on the ninemsm poll that showed 81% support for our actions 120000 odd votes too -not just the ABC canteen poll. Your mates in Govt are history in the making.
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Another reply to the email that I sent using the link at the top of the post;
Thank you for your email in relation to the recent “Convoy of No Confidence” and your lack of confidence in the Federal Labor Government.
As you are aware, last month hundreds of people travelled in convoys from across our continent to Canberra to have their voices heard, at considerable personal expense and inconvenience. Many more lined the roadsides to offer their support as the convoy passed, and thousands more followed the progress of the convoy through the media.
However, when the convoy finally arrived in Canberra, they were treated with the upmost contempt by the Labor Government. No Government member was prepared to attend the rally or to listen to what they had to say. Adding insult to injury, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese MP, dubbed them ‘the convoy of no consequence’. The Member for Wills, Kelvin Thomson MP, shamefully went further, deriding the older people in the protest as the ‘convoy of incontinence’.
The disrespect shown by the Labor Government to those who had travelled so far to have their rightful say was disgraceful. I spoke in Federal Parliament after the rally and the Government action to close down Question Time after only one question. I enclose a copy of my speech for your information.
I share your concern about the path the Labor Government is taking Australia down. This is a bad government with bad policy delivering bad outcomes. Its broken promise on the carbon tax, its disgraceful record of waste and mismanagement, its gross mishandling of the live export industry and its complete failure on border protection are all demonstrations of this Government’s incompetence.
The Rudd/Gillard Government has left a trail of wasteful spending. Hundreds of reviews and inquiries which lead to no action, dozens of failed programs like the pink batts insulation fiasco and Building the Education Revolution programme have wasted billions of dollars.
Taxpayers now have to bear the burden of fixing up Labor disasters. It took the last Labor Government twelve years to rack up a $96 billion dollar debt and the subsequent Coalition Government ten years to pay it off. The current Labor Government have managed to achieve a larger debt level in less than half that time.
Australians are already struggling with the ever-increasing costs of living. Since December 2007, across Australia electricity prices have increased by an average of 50%; gas prices have increased by an average of 30%; water and sewerage rates have increased by an average of 46%; health costs (hospital, dental, pharmaceuticals) have increased by an average of 20%; education costs (schools fees etc) have increased by an average of 24%; and rent by 21%.
Labor’s planned carbon and mining taxes will only make things tougher.
The carbon price will start at $23 a tonne and increase each year by 2.5 percent plus CPI until after three years the price will fluctuate according to market value. The Government’s own modelling forecasts that the price will increase to $29 per tonne in 2016, $37 per tonne in 2020, and over $130 per tonne in 2050 (that is $350 in 2050 prices).
The Liberal and National parties do not support these imposts as they will place the burden of higher costs particularly on families, self funded retirees, pensioners and small business. Higher electricity and transport prices will cost Australian jobs and make our exports less competitive, but do nothing to improve the global environment.
The Coalition is committed to our target of cutting emissions by five per cent by 2020. However, Australia does not need to introduce a great big new tax that increases the cost of living while wiping out jobs and industry in Australia in order to meet our five percent target.
Australia is a relatively small emitter of CO² contributing only 1.4% of global emissions and this share is declining. Our efforts to address climate change will be futile unless major emitters like China, United States, India, Russia, etc take comparable action to reduce their emissions. There is no environmental value in Australia implementing harsh climate change initiatives that simply export Australian jobs to other parts of the world which do not impose restrictions on their industries.
The Coalition will continue to oppose this big new tax, taking every opportunity to highlight the impact it will have on daily life while also pushing for the Government to go back to the polling booths, this time with its carbon tax as policy, to seek the mandate that it mistakenly thinks it has on this new tax.
Thank you for taking the time to write.
Yours sincerely
WARREN TRUSS
Leader of The Nationals
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I bet Jones will be really really mad now.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/alan-jones-ordered-to-undergo-factual-accuracy-training-20121018-27srs.html
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