The insidious theft of democracy.

[Fah Kiew Tu]

Did we ever get to the bottom of whose decision it was to let all the passengers off the Ruby Princess?

Pretty sure that was a joint effort by the Fed Govt and the NSW State Govt, maybe 50-50.

Anyway, one Govt booted out and the other one likely to go next election. I'm good with that. Some of the rats are already scurrying off for safer sinecures.

FKT

 

[ShortForBob]

Perhaps, like you did, we use Australia as an example becasue it's one we know.
Or perhaps, despite some reading, we can't find a jurisdiction where power was unilaterally claimed by one person or party for as long as it was here in Victoria. So perhaps that's why we talk about vic, because Dan Andrews was one of the worst cases globally of egregiously shutting down the democratic process?

I might not start many threads. But when I post I'd like to think that I post my own position and try and back it with logic and or evidence. Rather than just cut and pasting someone elses work.

I did invite you to take this to Ozpol but you seemingly declined

OK, seing as this has been hijacked to be all about Dan and me.

If you look way back on the Ozpol thread, I said quite explicitly that I have very little interest in Victorian politics.
I don't talk about it because I don't follow it.
At all.
I wouldn't be able to name a single member of either house, not the gov or the opposition. Um Is Athol Guy leader of the Libs again?

I admired the hard work Dan Andrews put in in the depths of the pandemic when no one was vaccinated. I admired the way he stood 7 days per week with the CHO in front of the press to keep us informed.
I did as I was told, by the experts. I couldn't give two beans for how he achieved our safety.
Having a Mother in Aged care and a sister with stage four cancer..I was quite content with our "Ring of Steel" our restrictions and lockdowns, our 5 k limits and curfews.
Now we've done as much as we can and everyone that can be is vaccinated, and those that aren't can take their chances, I'm quite content to go back to sleep AFA Victorian Politics goes.
And that's the last word I'll say on the subject.

 

[MikeHunt]

Yeah they did that, but they didn't *hide* that they were doing it, and it was just after taking Govt after decades in opposition.

The secrecy - that's what pisses me off - there's a decent argument for having backup Ministers during something like a pandemic, though 5 into 1 really doesn't compute.

There's NO decent argument for not making this widely known to the public, though. None at all.

And yeah, State Premiers giving a pass to the rich, vacuous and footballer bogans - dead silence from the ALP boosters on that one.

FKT

meanwhile, Labor is winding back measures introduced to make Super funds accountable to their members. Bit hypocritical, don't you think? The PM is first among equals in the party room. Yeah, I don't think he should have done it in secret... in fact the first part of it wasn't. I know some of the Ministers he did it to, but I have no intention of asking them about it. It is old news. Focus on the future. Introduce legislation if that's what you think is needed.

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

meanwhile, Labor is winding back measures introduced to make Super funds accountable to their members. Bit hypocritical, don't you think?

Oh absolutely.

I've said it before and I'm happy to keep saying it. Super funds spend money, it HAS to be to the benefit of the members.

I do NOT want my money, even a fraction of a cent, going to professional sports in any way, shape or form, nor to bullshit newspapers and the like. Union members getting money for being on the boards and kicking that back to the union, OK, maybe, if they're adding value and looking after members' interests. If they're colluding in using the funds as a piggy bank, hell no.

And the best way to keep this under control is to make them list EVERY expenditure in real time.

Too onerous is bullshit - it's straightforward accounting.

FKT

 

[Se7en]

I have very little interest in Victorian politics.
I don't talk about it because I don't follow it.
At all.
I wouldn't be able to name a single member of either house, not the gov or the opposition. Um Is Athol Guy leader of the Libs again?

In that case, please don't vote in State government elections.
I will even go as far as pledging to pay your fine to the VEC if you don't.

 

[ShortForBob]

In that case, please don't vote in State government elections.
I will even go as far as pledging to pay your fine to the VEC if you don't.

It's only about $25 and I'd miss the Democracy sausage
Actually, I dont even know who my MLA is.

 

[veni vidi vici]

The butthurt from the left appears to not be what he did or didn't do (it has now been established by our highest office holder at law that he did nothing illegal, but that he didn't tell everyone. Funny that meli and the other hand wringers see nothing wrong with Labor State premiers doing the same thing. Like our fat fuck Queensland premier allowing a plane load of footballers wives and girlfriends to enter the state while stoping cancer sufferers from northern NSW to enter the state for life saving treatment, or letting celebs like Nicole Kidman and her tattooed bogon husband to come and go as they pleased during the pandemic.

And just in case you are peeking Meli - go fuck yourself.

MAGA

 

[Grog]

OP is indeed interesting as it discribes (potential) abuse of power that could be witnessed in just about every nation on the planet, including each and every free, western, open democracy, including my country.

I have followed the actions of my federal and state governments closely, and while most of it - given the largely unknown direness of the evolving situation in early 2020 - seemed somewhat reasonable it also struck me as heavy handed. And from that one pressing question arose: How and when will those in power ease that unheard of grip on our society?

As it turned out, all the measures or empowerments had a limited lifespan designed into them. Very few got extended but again with a limited lifespan after which government/lawmakers had to review the cause and had to dismiss the extra powers when they were no longer justifiable by the developing situation. And they did.

It started in 2021 and as of this year, Berlin has revoked each of the measures that were put in place two and a half years ago. Berlin has also stepped further back and has given the once federal privilege to handle outbursts to the states which in turn appointed counties or cities to respond to whatever this year's fall and winter may bring.

So, in contrast to a number of other countries our government didn't vastly overreach and then they have surrendered that enormous extra power again. I think they did better than just OK and have earned the trust of our people. Hungary, Brazil or China, as expected, not so much.

The overreach in Australia comes as an unpleasant surprise, I have to admit. That said, I worry about a number of you Oz guys taking the hammer to the messenger instead of the message. Some of you seem to be obsessed with nuking Meli for whatever reason or no reason at all.

Some of you are wildly overbombing, which of course can be expected because you are cunts (not the nice kind). But a few of you should and could really ease the primitive reflex assaults as they are really not justified on the scale you make them happen. You know who you are.

Peace, out.

 

[LB 15]

Peace, out.

Or peace off.

 

[LB 15]

Some of you seem to be obsessed with nuking Meli for whatever reason or no reason at all.

How about her galloping hypocrisy and stupidity as a reason? She starts a hand wringing thread about the demise of Democracy and then two posts later proudly brags about her son being a communist. Maybe she could acctully read some of the books in that library and understand the words she uses. Or better still simply fuck off somewhere else.

 

[Cal20sailor]

How about her galloping hypocrisy and stupidity as a reason? She starts a hand wringing thread about the demise of Democracy and then two posts later proudly brags about her son being a communist. Maybe she could acctully read some of the books in that library and understand the words she uses. Or better still simply fuck off somewhere else.

Typical Australian?

 

[LB 15]

Typical Australian?

And these nice chaps are....?

 

[Cal20sailor]

And these nice chaps are....?

View attachment 536531

Hateful Australians?

 

[LB 15]

Hateful Australians?

You are not very good at this, are you?

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

You are not very good at this, are you?

Well what can you expect when you consider the source?

The Clive Palmer Fuckwit Party got ~4.7% of the vote in the last election. The analog in the USA got 46% of the vote in theirs.

Ergo, the USA had 10X as many RWNJ's as Australia has.

FKT

 

[The Dark Knight]

Typical Australian?

Meli's behaviour in political discussions with her inability to engage in two way banter when it does not suit her "side" of politics does not pass the pub test.

So no, Meli is not a typical Australian.

As she is an an immigrant to Australia, this is not a total surprise as adapting can take time.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Well what can you expect when you consider the source?

The Clive Palmer Fuckwit Party got ~4.7% of the vote in the last election. The analog in the USA got 46% of the vote in theirs.

Ergo, the USA had 10X as many RWNJ's as Australia has.

FKT

per capita... The USA clearly has way more RWNJ's than Australia has people, or even people plus Kangaroos.

 

[Cal20sailor]

You are not very good at this, are you?

Why would I want to be good? No, I suck at being hateful or spiteful and wrapping it with witty banter. I'm sure you claim a complete life, I think you are very hollow.

 

[LB 15]

Drama queen alarmists like Meli love to wail about these unprecedented political times we live in.
Bwahahahahahahahaha. Fucking Morons.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Drama queen alarmists like Meli love to wail about these unprecedented political times we live in.
Bwahahahahahahahaha. Fucking Morons.

It reminds me of a certain current dictator premier who is full of denial.