Thursday 28th of March 2024

whose medicine?...

 

medicine man

The Federal Government must "take its medicine" and learn from the West Australian Liberal Party's landslide defeat at the polls on the weekend, Treasurer Scott Morrison says.

Key points:
  • "We lost because we've been in there for some time," Scott Morrison says
  • Preference deal is criticised by some WA Liberals
  • Pauline Hanson says she is "absolutely thrilled" about the result

Labor swept into office to end eight and a half years in opposition, leaving the Liberals now trying to determine where it all went wrong.

Mr Morrison said the result was disappointing but could not be blamed on the WA Liberal Party's decision to preference One Nation over traditional allies the Nationals in some regional Upper House seats.

"Honestly, if people think that is the reason the WA State Government lost the election on the weekend, I think they are kidding themselves," he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

"We lost it because we have been in there for some time and there are other issues locally that took their toll, and you've just got to take your medicine and move forward."

read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-13/morrison-says-one-nation-not-to-bl...

 

... and sing she cannot...

Pauline Hanson's hypocrisy as populist outsider doing a preference deal with the establishment Liberals in WA shows that allegations of hypocrisy mean little, if anything, in politics.

There is little, if anything, appealing about Hanson the politician and her odious One Nation party. She revels in ignorance. She stokes prejudice. I once heard her sing a duet of I Am Australian in a Tamworth pub, and sing she cannot.

read more:

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/pauline-hanson-is-a-hypocrite-but-shes-not...

18C still is...

A late-night debate in the Senate on proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act has been described as "filibustering" by the Opposition.

The Government had extended the Senate's sitting hours so it could deal with two key pieces of legislation: changes to the act and the Government's cuts to company tax rates.

The Government had wanted to replace the words "insult," "offend" and "humiliate" in section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act with the term "harass".

On Thursday evening it became apparent the Government did not have the numbers to pass the changes, but the debate continued.

After seven straight hours of discussion, Labor, the Greens and some of the crossbench killed off the amendments.

It means the wording of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act will not change.

The Senate then continued debating process changes to the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill, the majority of which were uncontentious.

After another hour of discussion, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari accused the Government of trying to kill time.

"Let's just be clear what's going on here," he told the Senate.

"The Government is filibustering on its own bill about watering down race hate laws so that it can cut a deal on giving big business tax cuts."

"It's 11.30pm — you still don't have a deal."

The intention was for the Senate to sit until both issues had been dealt with, but just after midnight the Government suspended the sitting without a mention of the second item on its agenda.

Company tax cut negotiations continue

The suspension means the Government is yet to strike a deal on its company tax cut legislation with the Senate crossbench.

Thursday was supposed to be the final sitting day before the Government hands down its budget in May.

But with a key part of the budget still in limbo, the Government has extended the sitting hours of both houses into Friday to try to pass the legislation.

The Government's 10-year Enterprise Tax Plan would see the company tax rates cut to 25 per cent for all businesses.

It would cost $48 billion, but the Government argues it would keep Australia internationally competitive and attract more foreign investment.

Labor and the majority of the Senate crossbench do not support the legislation in its current form.

The negotiations are about the size of the businesses that should receive a tax cut.

Read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-30/18c-racial-discrimination-act-chan...

 

Please senators, make NO DEAL with the bunch of rat bags, the Turnbull government is. That said government is the extension of the Abbott disastrous ideals. don't pass anything... Thank you.