Defence strategy and capability is insurance against potential actions of an uncertain enemy. The Australian psyche wallowed in a siege mentality; apparently many have lusted after us. Newspapers heralded “The Russians Are Coming”. They have been quite tardy. Brian Martin challenges us (‘Submarine Sideshow: Does Australia even need a military?’, Pearls & Irritations, November 21,Continue reading “No, we don’t need a military Brian”
Category Archives: Bites
Sow’s Ear Not Silk Purse Made From Scotty’s Pork
As Bernard Keane points out (Crikey, November, 2021 ‘Morrison’s high-tax, big spend, do lots (for mates) government’) the Morrison government is in fact doing lots, its crony capitalism spending and taxing at record rates. You just can’t help yourself ScoMo. Your shallow brain has come up with the slogan “Can Do Capitalism; not Don’t DoContinue reading “Sow’s Ear Not Silk Purse Made From Scotty’s Pork”
Not Us France: Open Letter from Australians to President Macron
We are not offended. We take no umbrage. We feel no outrage. We accept that your ‘liar’ accusation was directed at Morrison personally, for which he ought to accept personal responsibility. Sco-Mo has copious form for failing to tell the truth, to misrepresent, to twaddle, swerve and spin. He conceptualizes any and every issue asContinue reading “Not Us France: Open Letter from Australians to President Macron”
A Claytons Leader
Scott-the-Announcer has been called a liar by French President Emmanuel Macron. A master of dissembling, Scotty doesn’t understand non-lying. As Nancy Sinatra sang, “you bin lying when you should a bin truthin”. A leader without agenda, Sco-Mo promised little and delivered less. This is the age of rear-view mirror administration from a Claytons leader, aContinue reading “A Claytons Leader”
On Reading Pip Williams’ “The Dictionary of Lost Words” (Affirm Press, 2020)
My imagination holds a place for somewhere evocative of the Scriptorium. My Uncle Bob, an orchardist on the Hawkesbury River, maintained a garden shed full of books with a covering of fairy dust, or so it seemed in my boyhood. I approached it as a magic place. Pip Williams’ book evinced this same infusion: wordsContinue reading “On Reading Pip Williams’ “The Dictionary of Lost Words” (Affirm Press, 2020)”
Waiting for your reply Scott
It’s really quite simple Sco-Mo. Someone, in this case a key international organisation seeking to save the planet, invites you to a world conference. It is polite to respond with your RSVP, particularly when you are advised of the event with perhaps a year’s notice. You say thank you for inviting me, I would beContinue reading “Waiting for your reply Scott”
Job-keeper Accountability Fiasco
How long can the conservative myth of superior economic management be sustained? Having already overestimated the original disbursement of Job-keeper allocations by $60 billion (46% error), the federal government has gifted about $25 billion to unqualified enterprises. Intended to maintain a snug relationship with employees, Job-keeper largesse has been pocketed by companies who actually madeContinue reading “Job-keeper Accountability Fiasco”
Insidious Normative Corruption
Insidious Normative Corruption We walk past it mutely, signaling our tacit acquiescence. The perpetrators of corruption are not visibly embarrassed by detection. They are no longer given reflective pause by the memes of yesteryear, such as Jiminy Cricket exhorting us to “always let your conscience be your guide”. Government administration has become an ethics freeContinue reading “Insidious Normative Corruption”
Not Unprecedented
In the NSW State Archives summary of the “Spanish” Flu of 1919, the first government proclamation closed libraries, schools, churches, theatres, public halls and indoor places of entertainment. Two days later on 30 January, three proclamations were issued: Mandatory wearing of masks to cover nose and mouth. Public gatherings prohibited. No crossing the border fromContinue reading “Not Unprecedented”
A First for Australian Women
Centenary Unnoticed, Unremarked and Uncelebrated: A milestone in the history of the women’s movement Sunday, 12 July, 2020 is the anniversary the first representation of Australian women at the First Congress of the International Federation of University Women held in London, commencing 12 July 1920. Recorded in the source below, Mildred was my great auntContinue reading “A First for Australian Women”
Awesomely Astute 