Open Thread – Weekend 13 Aug 2022


Afternoon Sun, the Inner Harbor, Dieppe, Camille Pissarro, 1902

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Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
August 15, 2022 7:39 pm

Ali Rachid Ammoun: Accused Canberra Airport shooter was on parole for trying to murder ex-wife
Shannon Hampton and Kimberley CainesThe West Australian
Mon, 15 August 2022 3:48PM

A man accused of causing mayhem when he fired several shots at Canberra Airport was on parole at the time after walking free from a WA prison where he was serving a 16-year sentence for the horrific attempted murder of his ex-wife in Perth.

Ali Rachid Ammoun was jailed in WA’s Supreme Court in 2008 for stabbing his former wife at the time, Tayna Kepic, 27 times with a knife to the head and body and bashing her 61-year-old mother, Pamela Kepic, a year earlier.

Ammoun walked free from prison on parole in July last year after serving just over 14 years. He was given approval to have his parole order transferred to NSW a month earlier.

But just over a year later, he found himself back behind bars on Sunday after he was arrested in dramatic scenes at Canberra Airport after allegedly firing five bullets into the window panes.

The West Australian can reveal that in 2007, then aged in his late 40s, Ammoun broke into the Spearwood home of his ex mother-in-law Pamela Kepic, waiting for her to come home before attacking her. He tied up her arms and legs with ropes and put a hessian bag over her head.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
August 15, 2022 7:41 pm

As bad as the federal and state responses to covid were, I’d beware of positing that granting more power to the federal government, the executive council or the office of the PM is the answer. Subsidiarity is generally to be preferred to centralisation of authority and power, even – or especially – in a democracy as small as ours.

I take your point Roger, but there has to be some point in being a Federation where Federal control is part of the social contract. Defense is an emergency power, and so is defense against what used to be call ed for a certain horseman ‘pestilence’. Covid was not that sort of pestilence, but it might have been so in those early stages of management.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Beare
August 15, 2022 7:43 pm

Letting the States run riot in a National Cabinet was a terrible idea if control wasn’t exercised Federally over it.

Cassie of Sydney
August 15, 2022 7:47 pm

“Morrison was Turnbull’s whore — Trumble’s surrogate in the Lodge tasked with executing the World Economic Forum policy agenda of his predecessor.

Kevin Rudd was a just a rubbish prime minister, not a self-enriching crook like Trumble, who was and is Washington DC-level .corrupt.”

Yep.

Bruce in WA
August 15, 2022 7:55 pm

A view only a gynaecologist might appreciate.
Lacks something of the artistry required to be otherwise.

As my brother-in-law, a retired US anaesthetist (or anaesthesiologist as they put it) says:

“A breast is just a breast in the operating theatre —
But a titty’s still a titty in the moonlight”

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 7:58 pm

It was very much ‘jump, ‘how high’ with Trumble and Scummo. Along the exclusion of Abbott.

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 7:59 pm

Along with the exclusion of Abbott.

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 8:04 pm

One’s thing’s for sure, I won’t be rushing out to buy little Johnny hoWARd’s new book. A did buy his earlier one. Silly me. It took Trump and Trumble for him to show his true self. In the Fraser category now.

Top Ender
Top Ender
August 15, 2022 8:05 pm

A statue of a bone-hunting former Tasmanian premier will be torn down in an “historic precedent” for removal of colonial monuments nationally.

In an at times fiery debate, Hobart City councillors agreed – by seven votes to four – to remove the statue of William Crowther, who in 1869 was accused of removing and stealing the skull of Aboriginal man William Lanne.

A pre-prepared release by the council said it had set a nation-leading precedent by becoming the first to “formally vote in favour for the removal of a colonial monument”.

“This is one small part of a discussion that is happening about truth telling,” said Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds. “Around the country … the community does want to take steps to have a much more honest and brave conversation about our colonial history.

“To make a decision to relocate this statue does not change history. We are making a new historic decision for our city … We’re saying we’re ready to have truth telling take prime position in our prime civic square.

“It’s a decision of leadership. It’s a decision of principle and it’s an important new chapter in our history.”

However, several historians had urged a delay on the vote, arguing further research was required before being able to conclude Crowther – who denied the claims against him – was guilty of the mutilation.

A motion to put the decision to an elector vote was defeated, while debate was inflamed by revelations a PR firm hired by the council prepared – and accidentally released – a press release announcing the decision before the meeting even began.

“Someone could see that and come to a conclusion that this was done deal,” Alderman Simon Behrakis told the meeting.

Mr Behrakis and other aldermen also expressed concern that the decision was being made at the last meeting before a council election.

He likened removal of the statue to “burning books”.

“We need to preserve our history warts and all,” he said. “Removing this statue does sanitise history,” he said.

Councillor Jax Fox said removal of the statue was “the right thing to do” and had strong community support.

Under the decision, $20,000 will be spent to remove the statue to the city’s valuables collection “until a permanent home is found”. A further $50,000 will be spent on “interpretative elements onsite”.

A policy will now be developed to guide the removal or addition of other monuments.

The move is strongly backed by several Aboriginal groups, members of which attending Monday’s meeting held up photographs of Lanne and a skull.

They argue there is little doubt Crowther was a “body-snatcher” and the statue is a symbol of racism and oppression.

However, one group, the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation, on Monday said some of the accusations against Crowther were “fanciful” and accused the council of failing to act on historic facts.

HCC chief executive Kelly Grigsby said no media statement had been authorised for release before the meeting started.

Oz

Roger
Roger
August 15, 2022 8:06 pm

I take your point Roger, but there has to be some point in being a Federation where Federal control is part of the social contract. Defense is an emergency power, and so is defense against what used to be call ed for a certain horseman ‘pestilence’.

But only in regard to control of federal borders.

Morrison otherwise only had powers of persuasion available to him – rhetorical and fiscal.

As it turned out, he was not up to using either.

Bar Beach Swimmer
August 15, 2022 8:09 pm

How profitable is NDIS?
The NDIS is a multi-billion dollar market that is tipped to expand significantly toward the $30B mark by 2025, making it one of the best business opportunities in Australia.

Apart from Thai massage parlours, NDIS outlets seem to be the only other growth industry showing up on every street corner.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
August 15, 2022 8:11 pm

ne’s thing’s for sure, I won’t be rushing out to buy little Johnny hoWARd’s new book. A did buy his earlier one. Silly me

Nor I – pity, I did used to rather enjoy reading the memoirs of the great and good.

Bar Beach Swimmer
August 15, 2022 8:12 pm

Morrison otherwise only had powers of persuasion available to him – rhetorical and fiscal.

He had the Biosecurity Act, which gave him – as the Health Minister – immense powers.

Cassie of Sydney
August 15, 2022 8:14 pm

Tin pot South Americans dictators collect medals and strut about looking ridiculous.

Tin pot Australian wannabe dictator El Morro collected portfolios and strutted about looking ridiculous. I now know why he was always smirking.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
August 15, 2022 8:14 pm

However, several historians had urged a delay on the vote, arguing further research was required before being able to conclude Crowther – who denied the claims against him – was guilty of the mutilation.

“Stories my Nanna told me..”

Barry
Barry
August 15, 2022 8:17 pm

The most worrying aspect of Morro’s userpation of Hunt’s Health Ministerium is that they recognised that the unfettered power granted to Hunt by s475 of the Biosecurity act makes Hunt a Dictator.

“A declaration under section 475 gave Hunt as health minister exclusive and extraordinary powers. He, and only he, could personally make directives that overrode any other law and were not disallowable by parliament. He had authority to direct any citizen in the country to do something, or not do something, to prevent spread of the disease.”

The justification for the plan, according to the prime minister, was that by asking the Governor-General to invoke section 475, he effectively would be handing Mr Hunt control of the country.

So instead of repealing s475 of the act and replacing it with something less dictatorial, Morro appointed himself joint Emperor alongside Hunt.

The Biosecurity Act s475 stands unchanged today, and only the GG stands between us and Mark Butler wielding absolute power in this country.

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
August 15, 2022 8:28 pm

whom many a man would like to get to know better

A trans man, perhaps.

Consider my efforts a palate cleanser for your good self then KD.

She’s a keeper, mole. As in ‘keeper the hell away from me.’

Barry
Barry
August 15, 2022 8:32 pm

The VicLibs are committing Seppuku!!!!

New VicLoserLibs ad. Lame, pathetic, poor… adjectives fail me.

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
August 15, 2022 8:33 pm

A policy will now be developed to guide the removal or addition of other monuments.

This is absolutely the right direction to move next, but it doesn’t go far enough. In recognition of the case that motivated this new policy, I strongly suggest this new policy be named The William Crowther Memorial Policy Against Memorialising Colonialists Like William Crowther.

Mother Lode
Mother Lode
August 15, 2022 8:46 pm

I would like to say something in defence of Morro.

But alas, I am stumped.

m0nty
m0nty
August 15, 2022 8:49 pm

How does importing 200,000 workers assist the working class increase their bargaining power?

The working class is getting decent wage increases. Lowering supply chain pressure through immigration will help workers by dampening inflation so that their wages go further.

This is not a zero sum game. Real wage increases and immigration can happen at the same time. It has happened before and it will happen again.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
August 15, 2022 8:53 pm

My 2c wotth on Victoria. Place abounds with Stockholm syndrome. Dan is going to romp it home in Nov.

Some opulence on display in Bendigo & shonky contracts too. A copper clad government building that would cost an absolute fortune. Another building nearby that has a government rent contract for it life, not just 20 years type life but the life of the building. They aren’t even masking corrupt dealings anymore.

Ah I’d also forgotten how cold this joint was. Deep cold that penetrates to the bones. Spring can’t come soon enough.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
August 15, 2022 8:58 pm

Barrysays:
August 15, 2022 at 8:32 pm
The VicLibs are committing Seppuku!!!!

New VicLoserLibs ad. Lame, pathetic, poor… adjectives fail me.

To be fair, what else are the PR firm involved supposed to do?
There’s 0.0000 [recurring to infinity] positive to say about the Victorian Libs, and their policy platform is 100% “we accept Labor/Greens’ arguments in full but we’ll be an insipid version of them”.
Something vacuous like that ad is a waste of money, but actually trying to say something specific about the goat rodeo would inevitably be a disaster.

cohenite
August 15, 2022 8:59 pm

That fucking idiot littleproud rabbiting on about carbon/CO2 capture. Clean coal or CO2 capture is a failed idea. metallurgist John Harborne described why in a 2009 article at Online Opinion.

Basically the energy required to extract the CO2 from the coal is about the same as produced by the burning of the coal and the waste takes much more room to bury than was created by the coal which was mined.

Numerous clean coal projects have failed.

Dot
Dot
August 15, 2022 9:02 pm

The working class is getting decent wage increases.

Outside of government and mining, where!?

Lowering supply chain pressure through immigration will help workers by dampening inflation so that their wages go further.

Labour supply isn’t causing inflation. Unless by the working class you mean skilled labour, which the government are gobbling up and have done so since 2018.

Dot
Dot
August 15, 2022 9:08 pm

Let’s acknowledge that having a ticket to clear a drain or wipe down graffiti is pure credentialism and a ticket clipping racket.

A lot of “skilled labour” is bit of a joke.

Boambee John
Boambee John
August 15, 2022 9:10 pm

m0nty-fa

“Lowering supply chain pressure through immigration will help workers by dampening inflation so that their wages go further.”

Getting immigrants to wipe the arses of the elderly will lower supply chain pressure. Who would have guessed?

Salvatore, Understaffed & Overworked Martyr to Govt Covid Stupidity

Labour supply isn’t causing inflation.

Dot, you believe an acute shortage of labour pushing up the price of labour would is not contributing to inflation?

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 9:19 pm

My 2c wotth on Victoria. Place abounds with Stockholm syndrome. Dan is going to romp it home in Nov.

Well unlike WA the Senate was 50-50 in May.

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 9:23 pm

There is no official opposition in either federal or state spheres- it’s uniparty aka the political -media class. Enemies of the people.

Dot
Dot
August 15, 2022 9:30 pm

It is industry specific Salvo which is why I pause in calling it inflationary. Shipping container scarcity matters more on a societal level than a specific labour intensive commodity like berries (they really have been struggling to get wukkas). If it applies to all pickers, then maybe so. I also refrain from declaring inflation when it can be a case of economic loss/low/negative growth. There’s more to a lost harvest than a very high price for retail customers.

Look. There is a “jobs boom”. It’s the government on borrowed money into low productivity jobs that pay better than a lot of private sector jobs with equivalent credentials and experience.

There’s your problem, for the most part.

We have a lot of debt and we have chosen inflation as a one way to pay for it. A lot of government debt has been paid off by pushing people up tax brackets over time (“fiscal drag”). Then there is plain old crowding out of the price of loanable funds and cash.

Robert Rubin was a actually a very good macroeconomist despite being Clinton aligned. He believed the price level was correlated to the level of government spending. I think he was right, look at Australian housing since Whitlam.

miltonf
miltonf
August 15, 2022 9:30 pm

The Steyn article someone linked to hit the nail on the head.

Bar Beach Swimmer
August 15, 2022 9:32 pm

I’m really liking ADH TV. With Alan Jones four nights a week and now followed by Fred Pawle and Nick Cater on every Friday night, it’s giving Sky a run for its money.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
August 15, 2022 9:32 pm

Lowering supply chain pressure through immigration will help workers by dampening inflation so that their wages go further.

How does putting more demand in the economy through immigration resolve a supply problem brought about by a shortage of materials that are primarily imported?

Bruce of Newcastle
Bruce of Newcastle
August 15, 2022 9:41 pm

Labour supply isn’t causing inflation.

Dunno about that but I was at Coles this morning and both they and the Subway sandwich shop had A4s posted on the door saying ‘now hiring’. Those were the ones I noticed, I suspect there were others on the bakery etc.

I was bemused that they can’t seem to get basic staff at all. Why? Is it because masking, or vaccinations, or just an economy-wide plague of we can’t be bothered. I don’t know. But there are walk-in jobs aplenty from the look of it.

I was wondering if it was due to a subsection of the population too scared to emerge into public. That would reduce the supply of labour and increase the need for it: all those trolley kids in the supermarkets these days filling on line shopping orders. Is it because of terror?

It’s obviously not immigration related since you never see immigrants working as checkout chicks. At least not here in Ncl.

I have no idea what’s behind this weird phenomenon, I’m just reporting what I’m seeing.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
August 15, 2022 9:42 pm

Look. There is a “jobs boom”. It’s the government on borrowed money into low productivity jobs that pay better than a lot of private sector jobs with equivalent credentials and experience.

The government is out competing and crowding out the private sector in the jobs market.
TaliDan has a 36 billion recurrent wages bill for his constituency scheme. They are actually employing people first and engineering the job second.

Cassie of Sydney
August 15, 2022 9:44 pm

“Bar Beach Swimmersays:
August 15, 2022 at 9:32 pm
I’m really liking ADH TV. With Alan Jones four nights a week and now followed by Fred Pawle and Nick Cater on every Friday night, it’s giving Sky a run for its money.”

Me too BBS.

Dot
Dot
August 15, 2022 9:45 pm

Before COVID we had population growth of 1.3% (2020) and public sector employment growth annualised from 2018 to 2021 was 1.7%.

local oaf
August 15, 2022 9:54 pm

Dunno about that but I was at Coles this morning

all those trolley kids in the supermarkets these days filling on line shopping order

Depending on the amount of notice you give them and the delivery window you choose, you can get your shopping delivered by Coles for as little as $2.

Hardly worth starting the car to go and do your own shopping.

Timothy Neilson
Timothy Neilson
August 15, 2022 10:06 pm

Hardly worth starting the car to go and do your own shopping.

Up to a point, Lord Copper.
It’s worth going to the store if you prefer to look at the perishables before buying them.
If you don’t, you might get the last turkey in the shop, figuratively and maybe literally.

jupes
jupes
August 15, 2022 10:11 pm

Basically the energy required to extract the CO2 from the coal is about the same as produced by the burning of the coal and the waste takes much more room to bury than was created by the coal which was mined.

Just perfect then, for the climate scam.

Farmer Gez
Farmer Gez
August 15, 2022 10:23 pm

The Vic news is full of the excitement of a RNA research facility to be set up at Monash Uni.
The ghouls gathered at the prospect of a home grown vaccine industry.
Victoria is naturally the pick of sites as investors can be assured that the population won’t be given a choice as to whether they use the vaccines or not.
The Premier psychopath was all ears, mask and shit eating grin at the big announcement.

thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
August 15, 2022 10:28 pm

The working class is getting decent wage increases. Lowering supply chain pressure through immigration will help workers by dampening inflation so that their wages go further.

So what happened to the reign of terror the libs were inflicting on the wukkas you whacker?

Are you saying there is no link to supply of labour and wage pressures?
If 50 fantasy football visa holders come in and compete offering a similar product to you of similar quality will it affect the price you can demand?

Its all to prime the population ponzi, screw anyone already in the country

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
August 15, 2022 10:47 pm

A statue of a bone-hunting former Tasmanian premier will be torn down in an “historic precedent” for removal of colonial monuments nationally.

One of the Councillors trotting out all the rubbish about “Sovereignty was never ceded”, “Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land..”

How can a wandering tribe of Stone Age hunter gatherers, with out even a written language have “sovereignty?”

H B Bear
H B Bear
August 15, 2022 10:57 pm

Those Colesworths drones filling multiple online shopping orders really clog the aisles if you shop old skool.

H B Bear
H B Bear
August 15, 2022 10:59 pm

No wonder we need to import Indians if those are the jobs being created.

rickw
rickw
August 15, 2022 11:07 pm

How does putting more demand in the economy through immigration resolve a supply problem brought about by a shortage of materials that are primarily imported?

Exactly.

rickw
rickw
August 15, 2022 11:09 pm

How can a wandering tribe of Stone Age hunter gatherers, with out even a written language have “sovereignty?”

Absolutely no concept. Most people in PNG had bugger all clue about what independence meant when it happened.

Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
August 16, 2022 12:08 am

it seems to me not unrealistic for him to consider assignment of major authority to himself rather than ‘experts’ or Ministers lower down the food chain should the situation become drastic.

The problems are larger than assign authority to himself.
With two Ministers, who has the final authority and responsibility? That was never explored, explained, nor brought to the attention of Parliament let alone the Australian public who were affected by these machinations.
The biggest issue was that ScoMo did all this in secret. Keeping the populace in the dark, keeping most of cabinet in ignorance, forcing the GG to keep his lips sealed, and making vital decisions about infrastructure development unfettered by the spotlight of media scruitiny and legitimate questions from the voting public.

Now he refuses to talk about it. Scumbag.

Winston Smith
August 16, 2022 2:58 am
Winston Smith
August 16, 2022 3:02 am

rickw:

How does putting more demand in the economy through immigration resolve a supply problem brought about by a shortage of materials that are primarily imported?

Every Sri Lankan refugee will bring in a suitcase full of 2 x 4 planks.

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