A facebook page that might be worth keeping an eye on.

https://www.facebook.com/IndependentNewsAU

Orange is bush teal?

Orange is bush teal? — Banno

Read that, at first glance, as "Orange is bush tea?"... Thought: Rooibos???

Been hacked and F/book site/persona stolen, so a quick precises anytime you see something relevant would be appreciated. Or another addy for Independent News AU, free of course.
Did find a youtube called "Time to shine a light..." accredited to INAU...is that the one?

impoverished smile.

Another weekend gone and no election date announced. Albo's got nerves of steel (any pun implied is accidental, if that's not too much of an oxymoron) or wants the shortest run up possible. Meanwhile, Dutton and Albo are both magicians on either side of the stage pulling rabbits out of their Akubras/safety helmets. Can't hear much applause for either from the public audience.

Good time to be a journalist, no shortage of grist (or is it "grit") for the news mill. Shame they are being laid off as jobs are lost in the print news industry. Could have a seachange and run for election!

sympathetic smile

We could explore natural disasters, like the closing of King Island Dairy. — Banno

King Island Dairy to continue after Saputo finds new owner for assets

:clap:

Here, I suspect, is the defining characteristic of the upcoming election:

A survey about how we see the future should worry politicians

Life wasn't better fifty years ago - I know, I was there. That folk believe it was is more about where they think - or perhaps know - things are going. The question facing votes is if the move away from the main parties will be progressive or regressive.

One of the paradoxes of current culture, although far more obvious in the US, is that fact that on the one hand, we are so ready to expect government to address and solve problems for us, but then hating government for all the ways it fails to do so and wanting to punish them for it. Resulting in the continual swings against the incumbents (and in the American case, voting for a candidate whose entire platform is destroying government.) ‘There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief’.

Life wasn't better fifty years ago - I know, I was there — Banno

Mmmm, agree! And 50 yrs before that wasn't better either, according to elders of 50 yrs ago. And they ( the elders) also carped on about how they didn't know where the world was going to. And no difference in attitude since 1925 (selected as 100 yrs, not as a defining yr), just some good and bad times, some better and some worse.
Probably defined every election in the last 100yrs...fear of the future unknowns as seen through the "20/20 hindsight" of the recent past at each election time.
We keep doing this short vision voting repeatedly expecting a different result. Of what is that the definition?

sad smile

hand, we are so ready to expect government to address and solve problems for us, but then hating government for all the ways it fails to do so and wanting to punish them for it. — Wayfarer

More than a current cultural paradox. Been a way of redirecting self inadequacy and limitation since Mose's was a lad. Scapegoating.
We just hate being called out for our own small mindedness and selfish thoughts/deeds...maybe?

smile

Albanese says 'unjustified' US tariffs on Australia poor way to treat a friend

Well, mate, just wait until you ask them for a submarine...

While Rupert Murdoch struggles to give his fail-son the company that runs Australian politics, Kerry Stokes’ attempt to swoop in and take over WA has ended in a humiliating defeat with the Liberal Party losing in a landslide.
The Channel 7 boss tried a different tactic to Murdoch’s style of just backing whoever will win, by instead trying to back a dying political party and install former employee Basil Zempilas to a leadership position. A plan based on 7 media’s extensive experience in completely backing unlikeable men.
Barely incoming MP Zempilas, took a break from spending the entire election talking over his female party leader to centre himself and literally yelling over the top of a female panelist during 7’s election coverage after she suggested he had a problem with women, to claim that the reasons people dislike him were unfounded.
“Clearly the reason our party lost is because of the amount of recourses the other side had,” claimed Zempilas after years of free promotion from a media company with a stranglehold on the state.
“It was a conspiracy against me and my party by weaponising the things I have said and done in my time as Lord Mayor.”
Voters have now questioned why Seven Media chose to push such an unlikeable Sunrise host instead of the Cash Cow. — Channel 7 loses WA election

Why oh why does Clive Palmer keep appearing with his buckets of money and gormless advertising campaigns? The Australian Trumpets or whatever he's calling himself now is beyond ridiculous. A boil on the arse end of politics.

Trump-ets... as in diminutive trumps.

I rather like that despite the vast sums he is expending he gets next to no votes. A demonstration of Australian Realism...

Murdoch spends his money far more effectively.

Murdoch is said to have lost his bid to alter his will in favour of Lachlan. It will be interesting to see what happens after his demise.

I find it so heartening, how Australian billionaire families are so convivial.

Supermarkets respond to steel tariffs by increasing grocery prices by 50%

Yeah we definitely need a trade and goods commissar to predict demand and determine production and pricing for the working folk.

Then, like a swollen river that has broken bank and wall,
The human flood came pouring with the red flags over all,
And kindled eyes all blazing bright with revolution's heat,
And flashing swords reflecting rigid faces in the street.
Pouring on, pouring on,
To a drum's loud threatening beat,
And the war-hymns and the cheering of the people in the street. — Faces in the street

Apparently the freeze on military support to Ukraine by the Traitor-in-chief has prevented or at least delayed the delivery of superseded M1A1 vehicles from Australia through Poland.

Uncertainty over Australian Abrams tanks donated to Ukraine

More evidence of the unreliability of our erstwhile ally.

Recent years have seen Australia become far too reliant on one supplier for military hardware, a poor strategy.

As trust in the US collapses, leaders in Australia and around the world are frantically recalibrating

The stupidity of AUKUS and the failure of successive governments to grow a strategic reserve will not serve us well. The Liberal party is bereft of any capacity to develop intelligent policy*. The ALP is too scared to do what needs doing. It'll have to be the cross benches.


* Note their failure to notice that Australia does not have much water.

Why oh why does Clive Palmer keep appearing with his buckets of money and gormless advertising campaigns? The Australian Trumpets or whatever he's calling himself now is beyond ridiculous. A boil on the arse end of politics. — Wayfarer

At least it keeps some fresh blood running into the big media's collapsing advertising veins. A fact not mentioned by big media as it bewails its losses of ad dollars to those dreadful social media mob.
Shame there aren't more Clives running political campaigns with the same finesse.
Can't think of anything better to say about Clive.
quizzical smile

@Banno,

"The Chaser", definitely required reading in schools, particularly in the creative arts and English classes.

Big smile

Shame there aren't more Clives running political campaigns with the same finesse. — kazan

This thread is doing OK, but we all seem to basically agree... it really needs some conflict.

Wonder if we can get Clive on the forums?

Wonder if we can get Clive on the forums? — Banno

Too many of his accolates already here. You know how modest Clive is in giving his underlings credit for for coming up with his great ideas. Which raises the question,"Who modelled himself on whom, Donald or Clive?" And relative age may not hold the answer, as presumably, both can read and listen, although that could be contested.

chuckly smile

This thread is doing OK, but we all seem to basically agree... it really needs some conflict. — Banno

Let's do it ourselves.

Peter Dutton should be the next PM (if he wins his seat), because.... spellcheck is American and doesn't recognize "Dutton" as a word/entity. Therefore, because Trump is imposing tariffs on us, we need a strong leader who is an unknown quantity to the advisors encouraging Trump's economic and foreign policies/adventures and who can keep them in fear/the dark of his (Dutton's) capabilities to damage the Trump administration's appeal to all good American patriots.
All agreed?

A balloon smile

...who can keep them in fear/the dark of his (Dutton's) capabilities... — kazan

He has capabilities??

He has capabilities?? — Banno

Of course. He can dodge and weave and backtrack better than D Trump, so he is a worthy adversary. A bigger bully ( look how coherent the Libs have been ,up until recently, over the last 2 1/2 years) is what this country needs to deal with foreign bullies, not a mumbler like Albo (if he wins his seat, just added this to show no bias).

off to a good start smile

Australia does not have much water. — Banno

This was removed "pending review". Even the Guardian reads your posts. Are your a Murdock lost/forgotten child. Who runs the Guardian, anyway?

Time for tea, that is cook and prepare!

sly smile

:lol:

it was an environmental group claiming that a reactor would need a thousands times the available water it there was danger of a melt down, complete with Liberal excuses.

Might look for another version...

Nuclear an expensive threat to Queensland's drinking water and communities

Nuclear Power – Research Summary: Department of the Premier and Cabinet