By Laura Tingle

Let's start with the one thing Scott Morrison has definitely gotten right in the past couple of weeks, and then move on from there. 

Well, actually he didn't actually get his facts right. But accidentally, he rather nailed an issue, even if it was a nail hammered through his own boot.

It was his "mea culpa" press conference on March 23, following the revelation of a now notorious masturbatory offence against a piece of Parliament House furniture where, when challenged about his lack of control over government staff, he threatened a journalist from Sky News about people in glass houses not throwing stones.

Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, his claim that a person "in your own organisation" was under investigation "by your own HR department" about "harassment of a woman in a women's toilet" was wrong.

But every political journalist watching what Scott Morrison said that day believed it was utterly clear what he was trying to do, which was make a veiled threat against news.com.au journalist Samantha Maiden, who has led the reporting on the Brittany Higgins case.

In doing so, he conflated "harassment" — on a day of revolting stories about sexual behaviour — with bullying.

He was referring to one of the many stories that floats around politics that becomes more embellished and more colourful with every retelling, in this case a story involving a disagreement between Maiden and another female reporter.

But he got his facts wrong and issued a late night apology via Facebook. 

In issuing his threat, though, the Prime Minister did two things. The first was to seem to expose a proclivity for bullying on his part. The second was to be broadly correct about people in glass houses.

The issues of bullying and sexual harassment are often closely intertwined. And bullying is as much a feature of media newsrooms as it is in any other workplace.

There has been some commentary in the last couple of weeks about "unapologetic activism" from female journalists because they have been pursuing the now numerous shocking stories about misconduct in politics.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-10/governments-credentials-managing-covid-turning-to-dust-vaccine/100059282

Laming should be booted out, plus all the others....

assange

Queensland’s LNP opposition is taking embattled Liberal-National MP Andrew Laming at his word, despite reports he will again seek preselection for his federal seat.

State shadow minister for integrity Fiona Simpson said the preselection process for Dr Laming’s safe federal seat of Bowman was underway.

“Andrew Laming has told the Prime Minister, he’s told the party, that he wasn’t contesting and we will take his word in that regard,” she said on Monday.

The Australian reported on Monday that Dr Laming hadn’t withdrawn his nomination for preselection and would face the LNP’s candidate vetting committee that day.

Dr Laming is under investigation by the electoral commission over more than 30 Facebook pages operated without political authorisation disclosures.

He has also been accused of – and has admitted to – harassing two female constituents and is now on leave to undergo empathy training at the request of Scott Morrison.

Earlier in April, Queensland Police confirmed no action would be taken over another accusation after a woman complained he took an inappropriate photograph of her while she was bending over.

“Investigators, having considered the interviews and all other information considered as part of the investigation, have determined there is no evidence to indicate a criminal offence,” police found.

Dr Laming, 54, intends to rejoin the federal Coalition party room upon his return from leave and will remain in parliament until the next election, before leaving politics.

The Queensland LNP has been contacted for comment.

-AAP

Read more:

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/04/12/andrew-laming-queensland-lnp/

Read from top 

FRRRRRREEEEE JUUUUULIAAAAAANNNN NOWWWWW !!!!!!

The four women have told the ABC Dr Laming's contact with them, both in person and online was inappropriate.

Dr Laming's behaviour made headlines last month, after he allegedly bullied two female constituents online, including the wife of a local councillor.

The member for Bowman apologised for the hurt and distress his communication may have caused and, on the advice of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, took medical leave to seek "empathy training".

He then came under fire for photographing a young woman bending over at work. Dr Laming said the purpose of the photo was to "show a challenging work situation".

The ABC can now reveal new complaints about Dr Laming's alleged behaviour.

One academic says he made her feel uncomfortable on a domestic flight and another woman says Dr Laming persistently asked local female staff on an overseas delegation for their phone numbers.

Dr Laming is also accused of inappropriate contact with women on Facebook.

Yesterday, he announced that he has been diagnosed with ADHD, telling some media outlets that could account for his social media addiction.

"I never ever thought that I had the disease as a medically trained person," he said on ABC Radio.

"I didn't realise of course, my family was paying a pretty big toll for what was some gross levels of inattention and inability to sit still, concentrate, be present, together with obviously lots of energy, which I thought was a benefit at times — a superpower."

He also told the ABC his hyper-energetic approach can make others uncomfortable on rare occasions.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-29/women-say-andrew-lamings-behaviour-made-them-feel-uncomfortable/100086994

Read from top

Like Gus who has COMS (Cranky Old Man Syndrome — he loves it — and suspected ADHD) having some disease that make you do something stupid should bar you from entering parliament to do more stupid things. Dr Laming should be sacked from being a (gross levels of inattention and inability to sit still, concentrate, be present) "representative" with all the entitlement he is entitled to and he should be retrained as a dog-poo pavement cleaner (like Gus and his own superpower). This excellent activity is good for the soul if you have one (even if you don't). but with the heavenly Prime Minister's butt hanging in the balance should Dr Laming, who seems to make everyone uncomfortable on planes and in parliamentary condition, be leaving the dirty coop of the COALition, Scomo is going to hold on to him like a security blanket and suck on it...

Did I say dirty coop? Well I should have said strange weirdo godly bubble... While Scomo plays god's illuminati, some of his COALition staffers seems to be a bit lewd. So, the government of Scomo-god-the-all-forgiving, because only good masturbating (they're not all doing this I have to add) men join the COALition, is being cautious...:

Earlier this month he told the ABC: "Whilst I am not sure if all the people named in texts, pictures etc are aware that they were placed in compromising positions, that will be for the inquiry to determine."

The case has also triggered scrutiny of openly gay staff members in the Coalition government.

Some men have told the ABC they feel the unresolved allegations have put several people under an unfair cloud of suspicion.

In the hours and days after the desk masturbation video emerged, several ministers expressed their fury.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham warned anyone found to have committed lewd acts would be sacked.

"The actions of these individuals show a staggering disrespect for the people who work in Parliament and for the ideals the Parliament is supposed to represent," he said.

However, after some of the men alleged to have been involved in sexual acts denied the allegations, the government has appeared to be much more cautious in its public comments.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-29/police-report-made-over-desk-masturbation-scandal/100105650

Read from top.

Free Julian Assange Now.