Open Thread – Tuesday 17 May 2022


The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism, Gustave Dore, 1865

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rosie
rosie
May 21, 2022 8:41 am

Soso wasn’t bad looking in his youth.
Are people claiming Elbow as he is now is a very handsome man and the collar turned up portfolio shots will get him over the line?

bons
bons
May 21, 2022 8:41 am

Welcome to the last day of Australia as an independant nation.

Crossie
Crossie
May 21, 2022 8:41 am

Soo many good cartoons this morning with the best ones from Moran and Garrison. Thank you, Tom.

johanna
johanna
May 21, 2022 8:42 am

There was a middle-aged chap asleep yesterday at about noon on one of the benches thoughtfully provided by Centrelink outside their office here. He had a supermarket trolley adjacent, full of stuff including a personal hygeine pack provided by the gummint or a charity. I could see a toothbrush and paste, shampoo and even a little pack of J&J baby powder.

The general consensus seems to have been to let him have a kip, as he was still there a couple of hours later. Nobody called the police, or if they did, no-one came.

If there were hundreds of people like him all over town, that would be a very different matter.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
May 21, 2022 8:42 am

Old Ozzie it was the only thing that the ghoul ever said that was accurate.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
May 21, 2022 8:43 am

Perhaps the introduction of a ladysporter’s grooming allowance would turn those frowns upside down.

MatrixTransform
May 21, 2022 8:45 am

If there were hundreds of people like him all over town, that would be a very different matter

how long since you visited Melb?

Cassie of Sydney
May 21, 2022 8:48 am

And so it begins….from The Daily Telegraph…

“Anthony Albanese said he won’t rule out negotiating with independents if the Labor Party forms a minority government after tonight’s election. Latest updates, where to vote”

Which is also code for “he won’t rule out negotiating with Greens”.

It’s gonna be a fun three years.

lotocoti
lotocoti
May 21, 2022 8:49 am

Even the $8000 sooks are getting $1600 a game.

That’s more than the win only match payments some blokes were on, back in the day.
Once, an intra team blue nearly kicked off at Leichardt when some of the win only blokes thought a couple of the Balmain stars were swinging the lead.

Zipster
Zipster
May 21, 2022 8:49 am

Sabrina Strings of the University of California explores “The racist roots of fatphobia.” And she has even managed to claim that this “phobia” goes back to — you’ll never guess — “slavery.”

all that fried chicken and grits…. wtf are grits anyway….

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
May 21, 2022 8:50 am

Soso wasn’t bad looking in his youth.
Are people claiming Elbow as he is now is a very handsome man and the collar turned up portfolio shots will get him over the line.

It’s the god bothering combination that’s probably the tipping point.
ScoMo tries but simply lacks the personable factor.
Josh has it and win or lose, he’ll end up leader.

Roger
Roger
May 21, 2022 8:51 am

wtf are grits anyway….

Porridge made from corn meal.

johanna
johanna
May 21, 2022 8:51 am

MatrixTransform says:
May 21, 2022 at 8:45 am

If there were hundreds of people like him all over town, that would be a very different matter

how long since you visited Melb?

I can’t speak for people in Melbourne. Here in Queanbeyan, there is not a lot of tolerance for grifters, but quite a bit for people down on their luck.

Roger
Roger
May 21, 2022 8:53 am

“Anthony Albanese said he won’t rule out negotiating with independents if the Labor Party forms a minority government after tonight’s election. Latest updates, where to vote”

Which is also code for “he won’t rule out negotiating with Greens”.

Surely not…he assured us yesterday he was a man of integrity.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
May 21, 2022 8:55 am

To outdoor pursuits!

Bluey
Bluey
May 21, 2022 8:57 am

Farmer Gezsays:
May 21, 2022 at 8:35 am
Mummyblogger

According to one reporter on the teev this morning, ScoMo will lose because women don’t like him.

A younger and more handsome LNP leader could have been a better bet. Josh with hair perhaps.

Women wouldn’t be that superficial, would they?

I direct you to Canada, where there were many votes given because “he’s got great hair!”

Eyrie
Eyrie
May 21, 2022 8:58 am

how long since you visited Melb?
I thought we paid high taxes and had a welfare system so we would not have beggars in the streets. Now here we are with high taxes and a welfare system and beggars in the streets. Heard a woman behind us the other day in a shopping center panhandling someone behind us.

Roger
Roger
May 21, 2022 8:59 am

A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.
The ABC news room has the story & is sitting on it until after the election.

The ABC fast descending to the level of Truth.

Laura Tingle will call them out any minute now…

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:01 am

Knuckle Draggersays:
May 21, 2022 at 8:55 am
To outdoor pursuits!

You running a hot dog stand out the front of the school you have to vote at today?

lotocoti
lotocoti
May 21, 2022 9:02 am

Surely not…he assured us yesterday he was a man of integrity.

Integrity might be one of Bernard Wooley’s irregular verbs.

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 21, 2022 9:04 am

A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.

Just do a Dick Pratt. Helps if you have a private jet and you haven’t lent it to Peanut Head.

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 21, 2022 9:09 am

You running a hot dog stand out the front of the school you have to vote at today?

A noble pursuit. And certainly the high point of the democratic process today which is the equivalent of walking barefoot through the dog off-lead exercise area at night.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
May 21, 2022 9:09 am

Newspoll has the Greens primary vote at 12%.
That’s 2% better than their last result with Di Natale as leader. Bandt hasn’t had the same profile and in fact has virtually disappeared from view with the Simon’s Wood Ducks capturing the Marxist mummy’s attention.

rugbyskier
rugbyskier
May 21, 2022 9:11 am

If ABC is hiding damaging information until after the election, I think we can guess that it’s a high profile businessman who has been dabbling in politics and has a group that is against the current government.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
May 21, 2022 9:11 am

Roger says:
May 21, 2022 at 8:59 am
A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.
The ABC news room has the story & is sitting on it until after the election.

Let it be Twiggy.

Fleeced
Fleeced
May 21, 2022 9:13 am

Women wouldn’t be that superficial, would they?

Apparently, Canada’s Trudeau gets elected because he makes women’s gyny’s tingle. Or so I’ve heard from some women.

Universal suffrage was a mistake.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
May 21, 2022 9:13 am

Johanna remember when Queanbeyan was called struggle town. When we came to Canberra over 20yrs ago you could buy places not far from you for $80k or less. There were 5 of them. I told my wife they were a good buy. She still regrets it. 2 of them were next to each other.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:13 am

Pressure is mounting on the NRL to drastically increase its investment in the women’s professional game with the average wage for an NRLW player just $10,000 compared to AFLW players who are earning on average, $47,407 under a new agreement announced this week.

Just remember:

Your pet labrador or shih tzu is a comparative juggernaut to compared to one of the denizens of Fraggle Rock.

Indolent
Indolent
May 21, 2022 9:14 am
OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 21, 2022 9:14 am

Beware the E-bike menace in NYC — they must be banned

Could be Manly Beach where kids run out from parked cars to cross Bicycle/Pedestrian pathway where e bikes exceed road speed limit of 30 Km/hr

Are you about to cross the street? Look both ways — and pray.

The e-bike swarm makes a stroll to the other side so risky, it’s a wonder that pedestrians aren’t required to sign a liability release before stepping off the curb.

The menace that sets New Yorkers scrambling for their lives at every corner calls for only one solution:

Ban e-bikes completely, no matter how much car-hating bike advocates scream and impatient New Yorkers gripe about their General Tso’s chicken taking a few minutes longer to arrive.

New Yorkers must watch out for muggers and crazies lurking under scaffolds and on subway platforms. Now, since the state legalized e-bikes in 2020, we put our lives on the line every time we step out of our homes in broad daylight. It will be even worse as spring turns to summer. Citi Bikes just began rolling out 1,500 more, fancier e-bikes to its 5,000-strong fleet.

The new e-bikes have handlebar LED screens to show speed and directions. Imagine, riders who rarely bother to look left or right can now focus all their attention on a tiny, handlebars-mounted screen with sound!

Incredibly, e-bike riders don’t need licenses. But the two-wheel terrors are a license to kill and maim.

The city that closes restaurants over a dead fly winks at the electric-powered “pedal-boosting” bikes that bear down on hapless pedestrians at 25 mph — silently, often from the wrong direction, and frequently on sidewalks (where not even regular bikes are allowed).

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:17 am

Goose Morristeen: “We haven’t mandated vaccines, except when we have”.

Keep that li’l nugget in mind when you visit a polling place today, Cats.

#putthegliberalslast

Top Ender
Top Ender
May 21, 2022 9:18 am

Greyranga, don’t understand what you want….

Chris Put me down for 3?????

Cat Call for Election 22…

Predicted result out of 151 seats up for grabs. (76 to win)

Coalition to win:

Winston Smith 84
Knuckle Dragger 80
Tom 80 LNP, 70 the rest (Liars-Filth). Simon’s leg-openers: ZERO.
Top Ender 79 (ineligible for prize)
Lizzie 78
Eyrie 78
Calli 77
Rosie LNP by one; nothing for teals, 1 green 2 independents.
Roger LNP to win 73 seats (ALP 72) & form government with support of independents
Fair Shake Scomo as a minority government…after two weeks of recounts. He takes it by 2

Delta A Hung parliament – 74 seats each – with Greens and One nation voting each way. Rebekha Sharkie (Centre Alliance) going with LNP.

2dogs Hung parliament with about 65 each for the majors
Armadillo hung Parliament with one teal holding the balance of power

Labor to win:

Cassie of Sydney two or three seats
Leon L ALP + Greens + TEALS 90; LNP et al 61
Sancho Labor – 76; LNP – 73; Greens – 1; Teal – 1; UAP – 0
MatrixTransform Liars 67; Crossbench 13; LNP 71

P
P
May 21, 2022 9:19 am

Australian journalist Caroline Jones died on Friday aged 84.

With a career spanning more than 40 years, Jones joined the ABC in 1963 and went on to host investigative journalism program Four Corners.

At age 31 she was the first woman reporter on This Day Tonight and the first woman to anchor Four Corners from 1972 to 1981.

also the first presenter for the ABC’s profile series Australian Story where she worked on the program from the show’s beginning in 1996 to her retirement in 2016.

ABC

Indolent
Indolent
May 21, 2022 9:19 am
Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:20 am

A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.
The ABC news room has the story & is sitting on it until after the election.

I have a feeling they have a name which is French sounding but as authentic as a $30 note.

Indolent
Indolent
May 21, 2022 9:20 am
OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 21, 2022 9:20 am

At Least 8 Shot, 2 Fatally, Outside a McDonald’s in Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago

but Mayor Lori Lightfoot later backed up her superintendent, saying she agreed that young people have been “fussing and fighting since the beginning of time,” and the only difference now is that too many of them are settling their differences with a gun.

“There are many young people that I’ve sat with who tell me that they feel like they need a gun to feel safe,” she said at an afternoon news conference with Brown at her side. “Frankly, that’s a horrible indictment on our failings as adults.”

As she did earlier in the week after the Millennium Park shooting, the mayor demanded that parents and guardians be “held accountable” for young people who are “clearly lost.”

“Parents, you’ve got to know where your kids are,” she said. “This is your responsibility first and foremost. We’re going to do our part. But parents, guardians and caring adults in these children’s lives — they must absolutely step up. We will never solve this problem without that first line of defense. We won’t.”

From the Comments

I’m guessing the 13% misbehaving again.

rugbyskier
rugbyskier
May 21, 2022 9:21 am

Grey Ranga, the down-the-nose attitude of Canberrans towards Queanbeyan is very enlightening. What they fail to realise is that Queanbeyan is more representative of the rest of the country than them. Queanbeyan has its wealthy areas, its poor areas and areas in between and they all live side by side. I worked in the local department store on Saturday mornings when I was in Year 11 and 12 and you’d see everyone from well dressed matrons to the German derro who lived in a humpy by the river and smelled of campfire smoke and BO.

Indolent
Indolent
May 21, 2022 9:21 am
Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
May 21, 2022 9:23 am

Morning all. Busy atm but whisper from another blog from party internal polling confirms some suspicions of mine. Entsch is gone in Leichardt but Thompson will hold Herbert. Dutton apparently line ball.

I still think it will be line ball on the winner now. If hung parliament with independents will be a minority ALP Gov, however without Katter like last time.

After a wet couple of days first signs of winter, cool southerlies this morning. Enjoy all.

Megan
Megan
May 21, 2022 9:25 am

Soo many good cartoons this morning with the best ones from Moran and Garrison. Thank you, Tom.

Agreed. Moran is fast becoming my favourite cartoonist after Leak Jr.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:25 am

I haven’t talked to a mate now in the APS after a catch up where he called people “lowies” and didn’t see anything wrong with seeing the underclass as an enemy. Low SES shouldn’t be made into slang.

I see them as constrained mostly by circumstance (of the making of policy or misfortune) that leads to poor choices or sets of choices.

He might have forgotten too how poor my mother’s family were. The common clay of the west…

I didn’t take offence but I was shocked by it, no doubt I was naive.

OldOzzie
OldOzzie
May 21, 2022 9:25 am

Dow Jones Industrial Average On Longest Losing Streak Since 1932

After a promising start to morning trading, the major stock indexes turned sharply negative Friday with the S&P 500 tumbling into bear market territory and the Dow Jones Industrial Average setting up for the longest streak of weekly losses since the Great Depression.

And then stocks turned around again, to end the day mostly flat.

The Dow ended the day nearly flat, which brings its weekly decline to 2.77 percent. This was eighth consecutive weekly loss for the index. That is the longest losing streak since 1932.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:27 am

Enough of the fear porn, my dudes.

The left are cranking it out like a castaway blessed by a Sports Illustrated photo shoot.

Makka
Makka
May 21, 2022 9:27 am

I think we are fkd. The best result I can see for the LNP is a tied race with Labor governing with Green consent of some kind. There is no way Albo and his pillaging marxist parasites will walk away from the PMship if he gets that close. I hope I’m wrong.

These incompetent braindead thieves could take over the levers and the (empty) kitty with all the wrong things happening; China seriously struggling but expanding their military presence, a socialist Administration doing their best to ruin the nation, IR’s about to sky rocket, COL choking households, markets looking bearish, our debt ridiculously out of control, the states mostly marxist governments gaining federal alliance ….. etc. They’ll come to power and being totally inept , they will still enforce on us all their marxist socialist agenda and an economic shitstorm with frothy mouthed fervour. Making our lives much much worse. For much longer …. possibly permanently.

Tom
Tom
May 21, 2022 9:28 am

When I visited Chile as a reporter in 1990 during the general election banned after Augusto PInochet’s 1973 coup d’etat, democracy was a festival celebrated enthusiastically by the masses. Not even being doused in tear gas by the carabineros of the outgoing regime (as I and thousands of others were) could cool the celebrations.

I’ve never forgotten that since as Australians we take democracy for granted. So this morning I exercised the only power I have in our Kung Flu-battered democracy.

OK, voting is compulsory here, but the queue at 8am outside the main polling station in our large country town was yuuuge. Turnout in Australia is usually in the low 90s (%), but this time I reckon it will be nudging 100% because of the inescapable ramifications for ordinary people.

I hope all Cats have or plan to indulge in the privilege of voting. I’m also thinking of the millions of Americans disenfrachised by election cheats.

Cassie of Sydney
May 21, 2022 9:30 am

“I still think it will be line ball on the winner now. If hung parliament with independents will be a minority ALP Gov, however without Katter like last time.”

I’m pretty sure Katter didn’t support Gillard from 2010 to 2013.

Big_Nambas
Big_Nambas
May 21, 2022 9:30 am

You will never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the average Australian voter.

Tell me my grandfather was wrong, after thee counting is over!

Big_Nambas
Big_Nambas
May 21, 2022 9:31 am

The, the the.

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:31 am

Dutton apparently line ball.

LOL. He was apparently “line ball” in 2019.

On a related note, voters of Fowler, it’s up to you to try and put a smile on the majority of the electorate’s dials.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:34 am

They’ll come to power and being totally inept , they will still enforce on us all their marxist socialist agenda and an economic shitstorm with frothy mouthed fervour. Making our lives much much worse. For much longer …. possibly permanently.

Yes. No one seems to be worried about the level of public debt anymore.

shatterzzz
May 21, 2022 9:38 am

Scored a 1st this morning .. drawing my OAP out at the ATM (yep, i get paid on a Saturday) and it came in $100 bills .. never had $100s before, ever! .. usually $50s and a coupla times full on $20 hiccups but never $100 notes .. mix of old & new … noice!
Also voted .. quite pleasant .. weather (wet) here in Fairfield has kept the pamphleteers away plus no queue just in, vote Cloive & Pauline folk tops and out again …..

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:38 am

Katter didn’t support Gillard from 2010 to 2013

Apparently, Cassie – although if you checked his voting record, he may well have on certain occasions.

We were gifted with two and half years of that idiotic droning dragon courtesy of those two “conservative rural independents”, Oakeshitte and Windbag, neither of whom had the guts to face their electorates following that act of treacherous bastardry.

BTW, Oakeshitte supplements his income from his Jim’s Mowing franchise by running for election every three years. Nice (non) work if you can get it.

Roger
Roger
May 21, 2022 9:38 am

They’ll come to power and being totally inept , they will still enforce on us all their marxist socialist agenda and an economic shitstorm with frothy mouthed fervour. Making our lives much much worse. For much longer …. possibly permanently.

Just like the last three years, only with more attitude.

Oh come on
Oh come on
May 21, 2022 9:40 am

Some quality analysis from our national broadcaster:

Party sources have told the ABC that polling suggests women are backing Labor at a greater proportion than men, with the opposite for the Coalition.

Mr Albanese seized on that and recruited former prime minister Julia Gillard to make a rare political appearance on the campaign trail.

Huh? So what’s the play here? Use Gillard to make more women vote Labor? I don’t see how the appearance of Gillard would bring more female votes into the ALP column. Gillard has her female fan base, of course, but those people are already firmly in the Labor camp. I reckon you could count on one hand the number of women who have decided to pull the lever for Labor on the basis that Gillard made an appearance.

Or is the ABC suggesting that Gillard will make more men switch their vote to Labor? Ummm yeah I don’t see how that works. In fact, I reckon her appearance would be counter-productive if courting the undecided male vote. Outside of the party faithful, who looks back on the good old days of the Gillard government? Exactly.

No, this is just another dumb assumption from some leftist ABC hack. If you wheel out the female ex-PM, this will mean more female votes. Idiocy.

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:40 am

came in $100 bills .. never had $100s before, ever!

Shatterzzz, you’re not a proper Ozzie pensioner if your mattress isn’t stuffed full of $100 bills*. Lift your game, man.

*Incredibly, this was cited as a reason by our beloved pollies for banning cash. I shit you not.

pete m
pete m
May 21, 2022 9:41 am

TE – my guess – Labor to win by 10 seats.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:41 am

We were gifted with two and half years of that idiotic droning dragon courtesy of those two “conservative rural independents”, Oakeshitte and Windbag, neither of whom had the guts to face their electorates following that act of treacherous bastardry.

BTW, Oakeshitte supplements his income from his Jim’s Mowing franchise by running for election every three years. Nice (non) work if you can get it.

Is he still pursuing his dream of being a Transformer?

Introducing Janitorion, the Ride on McCulloch lawnmower who transforms into a low IQ politician…

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:43 am

The same women who vote for Gillard because pussy gladly call themselves mad witches but would take over a parish council if they could have gay weddings for pugs, turn off the heaters and rewrite scripture to make Auntie Jane Kerosene put down her permanently raised eyebrow.

Makka
Makka
May 21, 2022 9:44 am

Just like the last three years, only with more attitude.

Barbarians at the gates.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:44 am

Senator Jane Caro.

I truly love this nation.

shatterzzz
May 21, 2022 9:45 am

Yes. No one seems to be worried about the level of public debt anymore.

Keeping within budgets and debt is soooooooo 2019-ish .. BAT FLU + era B & D are the same as pre- election promises .. pie-in-the-sky fodder to feed the vote-herd …

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:45 am

TE – neither party will reach 76, labore will form a “coalition” of sorts courtesy of various Mos Eisley cantina denizens.

Yeah, OK, back to reality. Labore at least 78 seats.

H B Bear
H B Bear
May 21, 2022 9:46 am

Just like the last three years, only with more attitude

Only question will be how long it takes to descend into Gillardesque chaos. Lots of familiar faces. Jim Chalmers looks like a rank amateur but has tiny shoes to fill. RBA will be playing catch up for years. It will be ugly.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:47 am

Credit where it is due.

These are the worst political TV ads ever this cycle.

Bourne1879
Bourne1879
May 21, 2022 9:48 am

Megyn Kelly latest podcast has a very good interview with Dinesh Souza talking about 2000 Mules. Includes clips from the movie. Interesting bit about mules around country wearing gloves only after there had been a case where mules were identified by fingerprints. Unfortunately movie makers were legally advised not to include names of organisations where the mules were picking up the ballots from. Also shows mule taking photo of them putting ballots in the box as this was how they confirmed done it and get paid.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
May 21, 2022 9:50 am

Sorry poor wording. Know Katter didn’t support Gillard, voters of Kennedy would lynch him if he did. Like last time was meant in the context of him not supporting Gillard. However Rabz makes a good point, he did have a record of mostly supporting RGR on the floor.

Either way that slimeball Entsch is looking like he is on the way out. Good riddence.

Rabz
May 21, 2022 9:51 am

These are the worst political TV ads ever this cycle

Indeed. St Ruth deserves to be hung drawn and quartered for composing and droning that excruciating Fat Cloive party ditty.

Roger
Roger
May 21, 2022 9:51 am

Senator Jane Caro.

I truly love this nation.

Maybe they could buddy her up with Pauline to show her the ropes.

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 9:51 am

Also shows mule taking photo of them putting ballots in the box as this was how they confirmed done it and get paid.

There is an evidence trail. I hope they don’t give up and this is prosecuted to the end, seeking maximum sentences.

GreyRanga
GreyRanga
May 21, 2022 9:54 am

I didn’t take offence but I was shocked by it, no doubt I was naive.

But no longer young.

shatterzzz
May 21, 2022 9:54 am

Shatterzzz, you’re not a proper Ozzie pensioner if your mattress isn’t stuffed full of $100 bills*. Lift your game, man.

Which is why I never leave it in the bank .. tho I prefer the safe space under one of my back garden beds to the mattress .. told the kids they’ll need to start gardening once I’ve gone .. LOL!

min
min
May 21, 2022 9:58 am

Grand daughter doctor , working in large public hospital in Vic came down with Covid a week ago . Seems to have a bad dose but said she had been on a teaching zoom whilst sick and many others also reporting with a bad case of Covid. . A new strain? Friends in ny age group who have caught it recently only had mild symptoms even with comorbidities . .
Another friend has a 7 yr old great grandson who has just got jt for second time.

Boambee John
Boambee John
May 21, 2022 10:00 am

johanna

Low SES shouldn’t be made into slang.

When you wrote “low SES”, I thought your mate must be an Assistant Secretary, then the other acronym twigged with me.

Calling an AS a “lowie” might be fun!

Dot
Dot
May 21, 2022 10:03 am

Is it fun to be fat? That´s what Cosmopolitan magazine claimed in February 2021. That month’s cover was of a morbidly obese woman looking cheerful while attempting some acrobatics. The headline: “This is healthy! 11 women on why wellness doesn’t have to be one size fits all.”

You’re not attractive, YOU’RE DYING!

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
May 21, 2022 10:05 am

From “The Age.”

Arrogance and entitlement finally caught up with McLachlan
Kate McClymont
Kate McClymont
Senior Reporter
May 21, 2022 — 5.00am

As far as capitulations go, they don’t come much bigger than actor Craig McLachlan abandoning his high-profile defamation case and agreeing to pay the $2 million-plus costs of The Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC.

After 10 days of presenting his case, McLachlan pulled the pin on the very day 11 women were due to start giving evidence about the actor, including incidents of sexual harassment, indecent exposure, indecent assault and bullying.

In the end, it was perhaps McLachlan’s ongoing sense of entitlement that brought him undone. On Thursday, after his side finished giving their evidence, it was revealed that McLachlan had failed to hand over 4000 emails, texts and photos which had been extracted from his iPhone 3 by a forensic firm in November 2018. This was after he said he lost one phone and destroyed another.

The court only learnt of this potentially vital haul of material after he was heard boasting about it in raw footage recorded during his tell-all interview with Channel 7’s Spotlight program.

On the eve of that program, which aired in May 2021, McLachlan was busy exchanging text messages with fellow actor John Jarratt. The jury did not get to hear these exchanges, including this one from Jarratt to McLachlan.

“You’re going to defam the C—s so they’re going to chuck everything at you. I read the shit, it’s pathetic. Tonight’s whinging bitch will be quickly forgotten once your powerful doco hits. The whole world is sick of this pathetic bullshit. What’s the actress’s name, I’ll get onto it ASAP. F— em. Your mate always, JJ.”

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
May 21, 2022 10:05 am

Half senate elections make the pundits think it’s a no show for interest.
I’ve got a feeling that the senate is where people will vent over the pandemic lunacy and major party sameness.

Oh come on
Oh come on
May 21, 2022 10:06 am

To be fair, the idiocy is not confined to the ABC. There have been some really stupid assumptions made by the major party campaign strategists that illustrate how out-of-touch these people are. Here are a few I can think of:

– that Julia Gillard can move the needle for Labor. They think she has juice. She doesn’t

– that John Howard can move the needle away from the teals and back to the Libs in their blue ribbon seats. They think he has juice within these electorates. He doesn’t.

-a special sandgroper edition: that welding yourself to Mark McGowan is going to win you votes because he’s so beloved by Western Australians. He isn’t. His temporary Covid-era sheen has well and truly worn off and he’s just another politician now – this has been the case for at least 6 months and probably longer. Yet Morro went out of his way to kiss McFuckface’s arse as frequently as possible while campaigning here, and Albo was seldom seen without McGowan by his side

Is it any wonder that there is such widespread disaffection with the major parties? They are tired, stupid and unimaginative. They have nothing compelling to offer. They think lazy assumptions and looking to the past cuts through with voters. They are wrong. Ultimately, they don’t understand the electorate.

Frank
Frank
May 21, 2022 10:06 am

A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.

Alternatively: someone other than a very high profile Australian businessman’s wife has just won the lottery.

Oh come on
Oh come on
May 21, 2022 10:13 am

Craig McLachlan is a goose. And, by the sounds of it, a bankrupt goose. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Don’t start defamation proceedings unless you’re sure your hands are clean (or clean enough).

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
May 21, 2022 10:20 am

A very high profile Australian businessman has gotten someone (other than his wife) pregnant.
The ABC news room has the story & is sitting on it until after the election.

We can only conclude it is a virtue signaler of the green-left.
I wonder if we might have a wife-flounce and a distressed sale of overvalued assets to pay her out?

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
May 21, 2022 10:46 am

“While many believe that fatphobia is a relatively recent invention” says Strings, “I will underscore the centrality of slavery and race science in its perpetuation throughout the western world.”

Have you seen the size of those plantation owners??

Too many mint juleps and not enough brown sugar…

Sancho Panzer
Sancho Panzer
May 21, 2022 10:56 am

Boambee Johnsays:

May 21, 2022 at 10:00 am

johanna

Low SES shouldn’t be made into slang.

Bwah ha ha ha ha.
Walking around Canbra after the protest in February we were joking about that.
“I reckon this is an SES level 1 street”
“Eewww. This suburb is soooo APS 4.”

Winston Smith
May 21, 2022 1:36 pm

Cassie:
“Anthony Albanese said he won’t rule out negotiating with independents if the Labor Party forms a minority government after tonight’s election. Latest updates, where to vote”

Which is also code for “he won’t rule out negotiating with Greens”.

It’s gonna be a fun three years.

Australia over the next three years is not going to be a boring place.
Unpleasant as Hell, yes.
But not boring.

Crossie
Crossie
May 21, 2022 1:37 pm

At my local polling booth I was offered HTV leaflets by Labor, UAP, Liberal Democrats and Greens. Nobody there from the Coalition even though they had a candidate. Granted this is Chris Bowen’s electorate they should have made the effort if only for the sake of their senate vote.

Last time things were this bad for Liberals was in 2016 when nobody would volunteer for Turnbull. From this alone I would extrapolate that Labor will squeak in.

bons
bons
May 21, 2022 2:08 pm

Among the many annoyances created by the ABC, their belief that the death of one of their hacks merits national news coverage is up there with the worst.

Winston Smith
May 21, 2022 2:08 pm

Old Ozzie:

I’m guessing the 13% misbehaving again.

Using the Pravda/Trud News Interpretation Mod 2022.3, It would have been part of an ongoing Martian vs Venusian Triad squabble over Oxygen levels in their rented properties, OR another mob of Blacks/Hispanics fighting over a misspelled gang tag.
Either is possible in Lightfoot City.

Winston Smith
May 21, 2022 3:03 pm

Indolent:

Even Democrats Are Getting Sick of Presidentish Joe Biden

The fact the O’Biden/Harris Administration isn’t being impeached in toto is an indication of how corrupt the US system is.

will
will
May 21, 2022 3:34 pm

Shatterzzz, you’re not a proper Ozzie pensioner if your mattress isn’t stuffed full of $100 bills*

The only time I have been burgled the prep (based on its disheveled nature) looked under the mattress. I assume he had some successful hits looking there.

BTW he was caught due to an observant neighbour and prosecuted as a first time offender, but I doubt it was his first.

Winston Smith
May 21, 2022 3:40 pm

Dot:

Yes. No one seems to be worried about the level of public debt anymore.

I keep mentioning the Australian Federal and State government debt levels of $Trillion 1.5 and it just sinks like a stone – even here.

Total Government Debt is the gross sum of liabilities across federal, state and local Government in Australia.
Total Australian Government Debt increased by a mere 13.5% from December 1989 to December 2007, from AU$81.2 billion to AU$92.1 billion.
However, from December 2008 to December 2017 Total Australian Government debt increased by over 520% from AU$115.4 billion to AU$716.3 billion.
The primary reason behind this increase has been to provide depth in the market for government bonds so that the Reserve Bank of Australia can easily increase liquidity through open market operations by printing more Australian Dollars and buying the government bonds back.

will
will
May 21, 2022 5:21 pm

Winston Smithsays:
May 21, 2022 at 3:40 pm
I keep mentioning the Australian Federal and State government debt levels of $Trillion 1.5 and it just sinks like a stone – even here.

Not at all. many eyes take this in and will remember.

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  1. When all the CA votes are counted, the total vote count will be roughly similar to 2020.Kamal-toe sits on about…

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