Refugee who escaped the Taliban and self-immolated on Nauru speaks from Melbourne's Park Hotel

He is being held in the Park Hotel in Melbourne's inner north, where tennis star Novak Djokovic was recently kept in immigration detention before a judge quashed the cancellation of his visa.

Keep in mind:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that Djokovic was subjected to treatment that was "the same as everyone else".

Sue him! — baker

Djokovic? You mistake me for someone who might care.

And just to repeat:
...on the basis of unwarranted self-adulation...
— Banno

...on the mistaken assumption that they are above the law...
— Banno — Banno

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that Djokovic was subjected to treatment that was "the same as everyone else".

It wasn't. It was instead about privilege. Djokovic case exposes unfair treatment of refugees in Australia — Banno

But why blame Djokovic for this?

Why blame Djokovic for the privileged treatment he received?

You have again mistaken me for one who cares.

Poor leadership has meant that covid is now not only out of control, but unmeasurable. Here's why we have no clear idea of what is happening.

https://theconversation.com/when-will-this-covid-wave-be-over-4-numbers-to-keep-an-eye-on-and-why-174533

A government of incompetent fuckwits.

Hope...?

Coalition slumps in first poll of 2022 as voters lose confidence in Morrison’s handling of pandemic

I'll have to believe it when I see it. I don't trust Australian voters atm.

https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/01/18/morrison-legacy-unable-govern/

Also this one's a good one from Crikey - and something I think that's much overlooked in the focus on Morrison as a personality. Like, it strikes me that the government doesn't function as a government because it's only actual function is to help its friends (and stay in power so it can continue doing that) - that's it. It doesn't have actual procedures of information sharing and any apparatus' of decision making; or if it does, they have been left to degrade so calls are made on an ad hoc basis:

The capacity of government has diminished. Federal MPs are now drawn from a less diverse range of backgrounds than 30 years ago. Between 40% and 50% of MPs in the current federal Parliament, depending on the party, are former political staffers; the remainder consist largely of lawyers and bankers. The dominance of former staffers affects both the life and professional experience of MPs (and the ministers drawn from their ranks), and the role of political staff. The job is no longer about providing high quality political advice to ministers — it’s simply a stepping stone into Parliament for junior party workers.

The capacity of the public service (APS) has been, by common agreement, significantly diminished. Many of its function have been handed to political donors, either via outsourcing to large consulting firms, or through corporate executives directly writing government policy. And decision-making has been shifted increasingly to ministers’ offices and their staff, who operate with virtually no public accountability and thus have less incentive to ensure good process and sound reasoning. As a consequence, high-quality public servants have decamped or been sacked for being too independent. The current generation of public service executives is the weakest in living memory, with few strong performers. And the most experienced secretary — Home Affairs’ Mike Pezzullo — presides over the most disastrously incompetent department of all.

Like, the machinery itself has rotted. It's terrible.

You have again mistaken me for one who cares. — Banno

You you you you you, you, and your you language.

Like, the machinery itself has rotted. It's terrible. — StreetlightX

When Donnie resumes power, we will have a new triumvirat: Donnie, Borrie, and Scotty. Firmly holding the entire planet in their grasp. Horrible things are in the making, while people politely watch from the sidelines.

Headline on the ABC: "planning underway to deal with teacher shortages"

It's next week.

We've known this was coming for years.

That's what I call planning.

There's a motto on the rural fire brigade station right outside by back gate in respect of fire readiness: 'Planning to make a Plan is not a Plan'. :fire:

Grace Tame addresses tense meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison at The Lodge

What to make of being called a hypocrite by Barnaby Joyce...

He is an expert on the topic, after all.

The liar part is common knowledge, and so nothing new.

The Press Club will be interesting on Wednesday.

And they call Australia a Democracy? Do any Australians actually know how a real Democracy would actually work? No.

Again, the Liberal Party is an uneasy alliance between liberals and right-wing nuts. That alliance broke last night. Let's hope it becomes a chasm.

Government shelves religious freedom bill indefinitely, leaving election promise hanging in uncertainty

Failure to keep the troops in line to pass the religious discrimination bill. Pilloried by Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins. Insubordinate text messages. A leak from his own cabinet.

Is there going to be a spill in the Liberal leadership?

I'll give you 2 to 1 on.

But will he have the numbers?

I've never quite been so terrified of a silhouette before.

No one took up the bet, but it seems Scotty has avoided a spill. For now.

He's used a tried and true Liberal strategy: national security.

He first tried the old "Labour can't manage the economy" ruse, but that didn't gain much traction. So he upped the anti, relying on the communists under the bed, feeding atti-chinees sentiment.

This while hundreds of old folk are dying alone in their rooms. "Don't look at that, look over there!"

Ah yes the Irish Bible.

One wonders if Scotty's religious pretensions are just that... pretences intended to gain support both from Christins and his fellow party members, who are disproportionately Pentecostal.

Here's a commentary from a more thoughtful Christian perspective: Morrison’s Christian empathy needs to be about more than just prayer – it requires action, too. The pattern of weak leadership continues.

On the topic of corruption...

Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells labels Scott Morrison 'a bully with no moral compass'

"He is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking the moral compass and having no conscience," she said.

"His actions conflict with his portrayal as a man of faith.

Nothing new here for us, just further evidence that the right are deserting Scotty.

How well do Bushmasters go in six foot deep mud?

What do you reckon? Yay or nay to sending them over?

Well, he asked for them, apparently by name, so happy to oblige - gratis. But I've some concerns about transitioning a vehicle made for Australian bush to Ukrainian swamp.

SO the boy from marketing has worked through all the potential issues, settled his court cases in NSW and finally screwed himself up enough to call the date - the one we always knew it would be.

From ABC, average poll results.

I'm still too burned I won't believe he will lose until I see it.