tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post1161026699252841708..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Threads - Khashoggi murder, Wentworth by-electionJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-3663691413535445922018-11-21T07:53:51.822+11:002018-11-21T07:53:51.822+11:00Abul Rizvi is quoted in today's papers detaili...Abul Rizvi is quoted in today's papers detailing the Morrison decisions which led to today's distribution of migrants (i.e. heavily in the capital cities). I first met Abul in the mid-80's and to say I'm startled that he even opened his mouth is the year's understatement. He must have advised the Government repeatedly and correctly on the likely consequences, and advice ignored, watched it come to pass. Now the Government is trying bandaid solutions - hmm, 4,000 unemployed Slovenians? Send 'em to Armidale, they need the people. Or Sydney doesn't, anyway.<br /><br />Morrison is 'listening', but still not to the advisers who might have the occasional fact or solution. Meanwhile, New England and other regions can prepare for ghettos that most of Australia thinks is a bad idea.<br /><br />As you say Jim, a shambles.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-1002086613520402982018-11-20T20:19:32.007+11:002018-11-20T20:19:32.007+11:00Difficult to know, 2t! It is a shamblesDifficult to know, 2t! It is a shamblesJim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-84741252609321893722018-11-20T08:34:55.349+11:002018-11-20T08:34:55.349+11:00To my mind, unnecessarily triggering a bye-electio...To my mind, unnecessarily triggering a bye-election, then screwing it up when they could have at least won it even by the skin of their teeth are the hallmarks of a losing strategy from a bunch of losers. I don't listen to Mr Turnbull on this, he has too many personal axes to grind, but he gave them the nuclear option before they knifed him and as Blind Freddy could have predicted, it blew up in their faces. <br /><br />I don't see much difference in the LNP approaches to national policy - sweat the small stuff, try to suppress (not address) bad news, make unnecessary concessions to the right (who I am now convinced would rather lose office than take a backwards step in the culture wars) and more. If Shorten wasn't so unpopular, I'd predict the same crushing defeat nationally. Instead, I'm seeing a bare majority Labor Government with a working agreement with maybe Phelps and the Greens, faced by a noisy rabble on the other side. A good operator will be twisting the knife in their internal divisions for some time. Don't know if Labor under Shorten are up to the task, though.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-77731297360356689152018-11-17T22:42:30.090+11:002018-11-17T22:42:30.090+11:00Oh it's a big victory, 2t. I agree. I guess my...Oh it's a big victory, 2t. I agree. I guess my point was, and it's one I see Mr Turnbull agrees with, that on the final numbers the Libs could have won were it not for such a bad campaign in areas that they could control. That turned a heavy swing into defeat to my mind. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-67256821265186041652018-11-15T16:38:43.457+11:002018-11-15T16:38:43.457+11:00Phelp's seat is safer than, say, Dutton's....Phelp's seat is safer than, say, Dutton's. Given that, and the massive swing, I'd describe it as a crushing victory, not a narrow one.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-37851811115671387312018-11-14T17:10:53.434+11:002018-11-14T17:10:53.434+11:00We are in agreement. It's difficult to do. I h...We are in agreement. It's difficult to do. I had a look at SWIFT and a defacto division is emerging, but the US's economic power is still such as to make life difficult. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-72699902339407586402018-11-11T19:06:13.452+11:002018-11-11T19:06:13.452+11:00I agree that the world needs to think of a new glo...I agree that the world needs to think of a new global payment system, outside US Dollar. This is important to prevent a country from arbitrarily suppressing other countries economically. This is a common interest.Tiknohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05733973438543735098noreply@blogger.com