Archive for May, 2006

It’s Deakin cup time - place your bet, folks!

Published
by
Kim
2 years, 3 months ago
in Culture and Miscellaneous
. 39 Comments

Australia’s most prolific op/ed writer, James McConvill, has entered himself in the competition for the Head of Deakin Law School, now that for undisclosed and no doubt tortuous reasons, Professor Mirko Bagaric is moving on. Not only has James posted his application on his blog, but he’s also taking bets on his chances. He’s offering odds of 20/1 on Acting Head and 5/1 on Professor and Head. James’ blog bookie shop is open for business here. He’s yet to tell us what his current employers at LaTrobe think. Oh, and in comments, James even promises to come into work if he gets the gig. The case against, which you may want to consider if you’re having a wager, is made by a commenter on his thread.

Update: In response to a question that may or may not be asked if James gets an interview, he clarifies what he has against cake.

Further update: James, after making an appearance in the Crikey email today, has deleted his job application and betting shop posts. However, his application is preserved in the LP archives here, though sadly the comments on the thread aren’t. It’s a pity that James has the habit of deleting his most controversial posts. With Crikey’s permission, I’ve reproduced their item about James’ quest and his controversial opinions here.

Goose:Gander

Published
by
tigtog
2 years, 3 months ago
in Media and Religion
. 91 Comments

In a timely fashion considering Kim’s response to Tim Blair’s baiting about whether progressives would condemn abstinence-only sex-education at a Muslim school in Australia in the same way as when it’s advocated by Christians (yes, of course we would), Zuzu at Feministe posted this:

“Where is the outrage? I can guarantee the tone of Newsweek’s piece would be far different if this were an Al Qaeda-funded videogame being distributed in the Arab world and advocating the murder of Christians as infidels. Just imagine the outrage at a game just like this one, but with a Muslim rather than Christian focus”

Zuzu’s talking about a new videogame based on Timothy LaHaye’s bestselling Left Behind novels, set in a post-Rapture USA:

Continue reading ‘Goose:Gander’

Setting up a stoush

Published
by
Robert
2 years, 3 months ago
in Politics
. 47 Comments

Thursday, 25 May

  • After Kelvin Thompson demands more information from John Anderson regarding his trading in AWB shares, Tony Abbott moves “That that snivelling grub over there be not longer heard.”

  • Abbott subsequently says, “If I have offended grubs, I withdraw unconditionally.”

  • Julia Gillard points out that it is not an unconditional withdrawal, but the Deputy Speaker accepts it anyway.

  • No further motion is put, and no amendment is made, but the House votes to support the motion — that is, “That that snivelling grub over there be not longer heard.”

  • Gillard asks the Speaker to review the incident and to indicate whether “snivelling grub” is language suitable for inclusion in a Parliamentary motion, “because, if it is, Mr Speaker, you can expect to see it used regularly.”

Monday, 29 May

  • Gillard reminds Abbott of his purported belief that MPs should “rededicate ourselves to being kinder and gentler to each other”, and asks how the “snivelling grub” comment upholds that ideal.

Tuesday, 30 May

  • The Speaker explains, “Given the withdrawals by the Leader of the House, the [25 May] motion was a valid motion.”

  • Gillard says she “take[s] it as implicit in your ruling that in future in this House a withdrawal in that form will be seen to be an effective withdrawal”, and that “it will be effective on all occasions when offered by other members of the House.”

Wednesday, 31 May

  • When Abbott is speaking, Gillard moves, “that that snivelling grub over there be not further heard.”

  • Asked to withdraw, she says, “If I have offended grubs I withdraw unconditionally.”

  • The Speaker demands that Gillard withdraw unconditionally, but she cites the earlier precedent.

  • Abbott moves that Gillard be ejected from the House, and the Government uses its numbers to expel her for 24 hours.

Spotlight in IR spotlight

Published
by
Brian
2 years, 3 months ago
in Industrial Relations and Politics
. 130 Comments

It’s official. The Government’s purpose in introducing the WorkChoices IR legislation is to reduce workers’ wages for “the general health of the economy”. That was Howard’s answer again yesterday when asked what he would say to Annette Harris when, in renewing her contract with the retailer Spotlight’s Coff’s Harbour store, she was offered 2 cents per hour extra in return for losing penalty rates which would strip $91.35 out of her weekly pay.

Messrs Fraid and Fried the head honchos of Spotlight, (pdf file) Australia’s largest chain of fabric, craft and home interiors superstores, have decided to ‘empower’ their workers (a reference to their mission statement) by introducing an AWA that strips conditions to the bare minimum required in the Government’s WorkChoices legislation. The AWA removes penalty rates, overtime, paid rest breaks, breaks between shifts, maximum and minimum shift lengths, and a cap on the number of consecutive days worked for an increased hourly rate of just 2 cents. The net effect is a shift from wages to profits of up to $91 per week for each worker.

Continue reading ‘Spotlight in IR spotlight’

Remembering The Shoah through Antigone’s eyes

Published
by
Kim
2 years, 3 months ago
in Disasters and Religion
. 27 Comments

Pope Benedict XVI had this to say at Auschwitz:

How many questions arise in this place! Constantly the question comes up: Where was God in those days? Why was he silent? How could he permit this endless slaughter, this triumph of evil? The words of Psalm 44 come to mind, Israel’s lament for its woes: “You have broken us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with deep darkness because of you we are being killed all day long, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not cast us off forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For we sink down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up, come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!� (Ps 44:19, 22-26). This cry of anguish, which Israel raised to God in its suffering, at moments of deep distress, is also the cry for help raised by all those who in every age - yesterday, today and tomorrow – suffer for the love of God, for the love of truth and goodness. How many they are, even in our own day!

And:

The place where we are standing is a place of memory, it is the place of the Shoah. The past is never simply the past. It always has something to say to us; it tells us the paths to take and the paths not to take.

And:

Yes, behind these inscriptions is hidden the fate of countless human beings. They jar our memory, they touch our hearts. They have no desire to instil hatred in us: instead, they show us the terrifying effect of hatred. Their desire is to help our reason to see evil as evil and to reject it; their desire is to enkindle in us the courage to do good and to resist evil. They want to make us feel the sentiments expressed in the words that Sophocles placed on the lips of Antigone, as she contemplated the horror all around her: my nature is not to join in hate but to join in love.

How easy is it to forget, and how crucial to remember. And to remember to walk lightly on the earth, despite all, in a spirit of love.

Continue reading ‘Remembering The Shoah through Antigone’s eyes’

World Cup crystal balls

Published
by
Georgina
2 years, 3 months ago
in Sport
. 81 Comments

After the last two days I think it’s time for a little diversion on my part. So, as promised in my previous football post and at the suggestion of Haiku, here is the official Larvatus Prodeo World Cup Tipping Post (TM).

Haiku has supplied the rules:

Entries must be received before the first match kicks off, and in set format, eg:

Winner: Brazil
Other semi-finalists: Netherlands, Italy, Argentina
Golden boot: Ronaldinho
Number of goals: 163

Four points for each correct semi-finalist, four points for getting the winner right (in addition to points for being in the semis), a point for every goal scored by the nominated player. Closest to total number of goals used as a decider if anyone is tied on points. If still a tie then earliest entry wins.

So, you got all that? A tip: before submitting your predictions I would suggest looking at a draw. The nature of the tournament may mean it is impossible for some teams to make the semis at the same time.

And a prize? Well, it’s over to Haiku again:

I’ll supply the prize*

* Prize will probably be a cheesy FIFA DVD, just hypothetically.

I will lead off I guess:

Winner: Argentina
Other semi-finalists: Netherlands, France, Brazil
Golden Boot: Van Nistelrooy (going out on a limb here)
Number of goals: 157

Over to you.

Homosexuality bad, Sex Ed evil, etc

Published
by
Kim
2 years, 3 months ago
in Politics, Religion and Sociology
. 175 Comments

Tim Blair writes:

Whoa! Progressive types will be furious about this. Well, they would be, if Christianity was involved instead of Islam.

Tim is referring to this story:

ISLAMIC schools in Australia have adopted a sex education policy aimed at overturning the influence of Western sexual values on their students.

Under the policy, non-Muslim teachers would be banned from teaching sexual health classes. Students would be taught that pre-marital sex and homosexuality were anti-Islamic and therefore prohibited.

Otherwise, Muslim teenagers were in danger of forming their attitudes to sex from un-Islamic sources such as newspapers, magazines, television and the internet, the policy said.

“Thus Muslim youth may end up getting the wrong notion of sex, as for example, safe sex is OK,” the document, Sex Education Policy: an Islamic Perspective, says. “It is imperative that the Islamic attitude to sex should win the race over the Western attitude to sex in reaching the minds of Muslim youth.”

Sorry to burst your bubble, Tim, but I’m a progressive and I’m as mad as hell! I don’t care if it’s a Catholic or an Islamic school, responsible sex education should be mandatory for all government funded private schools, as a public health issue. Otherwise, they should forego public funding.

Update: More condemnation at progressive blog Week by Week.

A Warm(er) May in Brisbane

Published
by
Paul Norton
2 years, 3 months ago
in Climate change, Energy, Nuclear and Science
. 13 Comments

The maximum temperature today in Brisbane was 24 degrees C.

The historical average maximum temperature in May in Brisbane is 23.2 degrees C. This year, every day in May except one (Sunday 28 May) has had a maximum temperature above the May average. On Sunday the maximum was exactly equal to the average.

As of today the average maximum temperature for May this year is 25.1 degrees C. The forecast for tomorrow is for a maximum of 24 degrees C.

Last year the average maximum in May was 24.7 degrees C, and three days were below the historical average maximum.

All figures courtesy of the Bureau of Meterology.

My problem with the nuclear power debate

Published
by
Steve Edney
2 years, 3 months ago
in Climate change, Economics, Energy, Markets, Nuclear, Politics and Science
. 47 Comments

I have a problem with the nuclear power debate in Australia, and it isn’t a problem with nuclear power. I’m pretty much in agreement with Tim Flannery that the threats posed by global warming are so much greater than the risks involved with nuclear power and that the option of using it should be very much on the table.

Instead my problem with the debate is that it seems to be about whether we should use nuclear power, not whether we should consider nuclear power as an option. This is missing an important point. As even the uranium industry admit

Coal is, and will probably remain, economically attractive in countries such as China, the USA and Australia with abundant and accessible domestic coal resources as long as carbon emissions are cost-free.

As it stands nuclear power isn’t really an economic option in Australia. It’s just not a cost effective way of producing power compared with the other options.
Continue reading ‘My problem with the nuclear power debate’

Does Mikey have a future as a political strategist?

Published
by
Kim
2 years, 3 months ago
in Culture, Media and Politics
. 56 Comments

LP has not been among the fans of Michael on BB. Mikey, a Melbourne political science student, averred that his ambition was to be a “political strategist” and he had no opinion on which party he’d rather work for. Bizarrely, he continued his “Insider” behaviour, attempting to piss every other housemate off, long after the task itself had ended. Perhaps this was by way of professional development. But you do have to pay tribute to Mikey for the manner of his going. Mikey had some very bitchy truth-telling for his fellow housemates in his farewell message:

Krystal: “You are extremely ditzy but you know how to play people and I know what you are doing. You’re very sweet but you’re a threat. I give you a round of applause, you have manipulated the majority of the housemates. My credit and respect to you. I hope you realise that looks aren’t everything. I will feel for you when the inevitable consequences of time take place and you hit your thirties.”

[NB: Perhaps because the website isn’t adults only, they’ve left off the peroration where Mikey warned Krystal that there would be another generation of 18 year olds with fake boobs coming along in her wake to upstage her…]

And, after Big Brother’s “lie detector test” implied that he was gay and had the hots for David, Mikey tried to retrieve his het cred by arguing that the scene where he appears to kiss David had been edited (shock horror, would they really do that on reality tv?)… Sending Gretel into barely concealed meltdown. Yes, folks, the bad Gretel was back, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. But it was great tv. In a sort of unintended, horrifying way. Not since Merlin’s eviction protest about refugees had Gretel lost control - of the narrative and of herself - so spectacularly. And it was a thing of wondrous horror to behold.

Elsewhere: Galaxy has more over at Sarsapirilla.

Nationals to commit suicide?

Published
by
Mark
2 years, 3 months ago
in Politics
. 61 Comments

As predicted yesterday, the Queensland Nats-Libs merger plan is not exactly proving a brilliant political move. Howard has come out strongly against it, no one apparently bothered to tell Mark Vaile it was happening, and rare agreement has been forged between Queensland Senators Joyce, Boswell and Brandis who all think it’s a disaster.

Howard’s bottom line is that the Queensland Nats should just join the Liberal Party. And that appears to be the way the Queensland Libs are now presenting the “merger”.

There are two ways this can go. Either the merger/takeover proceeds, as State leaders Lawrence Springborg and Bob Quinn have pledged…

If that happens, Howard can kiss Barnaby (and probably some other MPs) goodbye and welcome them to the crossbenches. There goes the Government’s Senate majority. Howard also looks incredibly weak, having failed to prevent something that he vowed would not occur. (This is on the assumption that the Nats wouldn’t wear a simple takeover. If they will, they’re mad.) And Family First, Bob Katter, and the independents in State Parliament get a huge boost, which will translate federally.

Or the merger/takeover falls in a heap. Which leaves Beattie triumphantly gazing at the spectre of a completely incompetent and broken State opposition which has blown all its credibility out of the water. And business cuts off funds to the State opposition, all at a time when Queensland Labor should be vulnerable. But Barnaby will still be pissed off, Coalition tensions will remain heated, and Family First, Bob Katter, and the independents in State Parliament will still get a huge boost, which will translate federally. Because the Nats will have shown their willingness to sell out their constituency, but been too incompetent to do so effectively.

Whichever way the cards fall, there’s no doubting this spells very bad news for Howard. Can The Man of Steel prevail? Or, at a time when his government is behind in the polls, will history repeat itself and his chances of electoral success will be cruelled by madmen in Queensland, as with Joh for PM in 87?

It’s gay school all over again

Published
by
Georgina
2 years, 3 months ago
in Culture, Media and Politics
. 219 Comments

Morris Iemma, you just don’t get it. So you don’t want two year olds drawn into a gender war? That’s fine, because the littlies at Tempe aren’t. As was pointed out in this article over at the SMH, if you had a think about where the centre was and who was using it you just might realise that there were kids there with two mums or two dads or one mum and two dads, or some other combination. And not all of these ’strange’ combinations would arise through same-sex couplings, they would eventuate from divorce, from remarriage, from death.

These kids are seeing themselves reflected in books and other kids are learning about their mates.

It’s got nothing to do with SEX. Get it? They’re not explaining the mechanics of it. No one believes that all stories about a mummy and a daddy imply they have sex so why would you believe that all books about gays or lesbians do the same? Because when YOU think of gays and lesbians you only see sex. You don’t see the whole person. You don’t see love. Just debased and depraved sex. Kids don’t understand or know about sex so why would they suddenly wake up to it when given a picture of a different type of family? Because an adult feels uncomfortable and makes the issue about sex.

My son’s childcare centre is also in the middle of Sydney. There are a number of children with two mums and/or two dads. The carers have discussed with me their desire to discuss this with the children. Can you honestly think of an easier way than through a non-threatening, simple kids story book? No, neither can I.

If Iemma is going to ask how high every time the Daily Telecrap says jump then a whole lot more Labor voters are going to be looking for alternatives further to the left.

Update: Zoe has more at Crazybrave and from Susoz.

Cross-posted at Stack.

The party is over?

Published
by
Mark
2 years, 3 months ago
in Politics
. 31 Comments

Bizarre and unexpected news this morning that the Queensland Libs and Nats have agreed in principle to merge to form “The New Liberals”. This, of course, fulfils one of State Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg’s dreams, a “single conservative force” in Queensland state politics. It’s about the only way they can go because the Labor party’s success in trading on conservative disunity with “Just Vote One” campaigns morphed the last couple of state elections from optional preferential to what was effectively first past the post in many seats (including many regional seats held by Labor). It would also seem that business paymasters were prepared to cut off the flow of funds to the warring conservative parties. But given the ancient and continuing animosities between the two parties in Queensland, it’s likely to be a very unstable union, and will give disaffected Nats (think Bob Katter) and the still burning embers of One Nation endless material to play with in the bush. The fear among sections of the Nationals has always been that if this move was taken, a new Country Party would arise to fill their role in the bush. There are also the policy differences, with the Queensland Nats being more or less unreconstructed agrarian socialists. And at a federal level, it could be the dumbest move ever. Our friend Barnaby has announced that he was elected as a Nat, intends to stay a Nat, and intends to run for re-election as a Nat. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he effectively becomes a cross bencher. Disunity may be death in politics, but unity may be too.

Update: Howard isn’t happy.

More: It may not come off anyway, and if it doesn’t, then as George Brandis rightly observes, the rather troubled Beattie government has just been given a great issue. Beattie must be thinking seriously about an early election to capitalise. And all sorts of problems arise for the federal coalition.

Tony Koch:

But the real test is to now see if the current power-brokers in the Liberal and National parties have the ability of Sparkes to steer through such momentous change.

If they don’t, the damage done will be enormous.

Elsewhere: At Ambit Gambit, Graham Young thinks the merger is probably already demerging. That would be an electoral disaster for the state conservatives. Over at stoush.net, Dibo leans towards the assessment that it’s a dumb idea.

Crack open the bubbly!

Published
by
Mark
2 years, 3 months ago
in Culture and Notices
. 5 Comments

It’s very exciting to announce to LP’s readers that a new Australian literary/book blog has opened for business. LP’s own Laura and Georg are among the contributors, and many of the others are LP’s friends. I’m sure Sarsaparilla will fulfil its remit, and I’m sure it will become a compulsory stop on many people’s blog rounds!

Media Watch

Published
by
Mark
2 years, 3 months ago
in Culture, Media and Politics
. 20 Comments

Commentary about the appointment of Mark Scott to replace Russell Balding as Managing Director of the ABC has been rather muted, for an appointment so important. It’s been a fair while in the offing (one story of the Howard years that’s rarely told is the difficulty Ministers have in negotiating appointments through the factions in Cabinet), and Scott was not mentioned in dispatches when the position fell vacant. Most comment has assumed that Scott, a sort of hereditary management consultant, is a bland bureaucratic type in the mold of Balding and favoured by Donald McDonald. However, that’s to ignore the fact that the appointment is made by the entire board (and Janet Albrechtsen and Ron Brunton were installed there, probably by the Costello/Kroger forces, precisely to address culture war issues). It’s also to ignore the fact that he was soon leapfrogged out of journalistic ranks at Fairfax by Fred Hilmer precisely to trim costs and people. Perhaps the endless culture war is best served by a presentable downsizer rather than the blunder and bombast of Jonathan Shier?

The blogosphere’s premier writer from the film and tv community, David Tiley, has a brilliant and comprehensive post on the implications of Scott’s appointment over at Barista:

The ABC Board is no bastion of sanity. Deprived of anyone who knows anything about broadcasting, infested by ideological lunatics tempted to cut and hack, with a retiring chair, it is more likely to relish industrial confrontations.

And, possibly, it may actually enjoy the spectacle of an organisation responding to crisis by chewing its own stomach out.

Don’t forget - the Fairfax Unionists once called Mark Scott “Picket Schmicket�. It is a cheap crack, but we may all pay a high price.