Conservative politicians like Tony Abbott and Steven Fielding who widely promote the use of “temporary protection visas” and that boat people are “jumping the queue”, are in fact giving people smugglers a product to sell to desperate refugees. …We will put the temporary protection visas back in place. (Abbott, 18 March 2010) Temporary protection visas [...]
Archive | March, 2010
Lessons from the Modern Prince, Part 3: He was against it before he was for it (aka: the Barnaby principle)
This week has seen what appears to be the end of the honeymoon period for Tony Abbott, coinciding with his triathlon run, resignation of key powerbroker Nick Minchin, reshuffle and demotion of Barnaby Joyce, and his disastrous health care debate with Rudd. Abbott’s reversal of fortune is a case study of Machiavelli’s advice to “avoid [...]
Climatologists vs. meteorologists
I wrote a few months ago that in the United States, TV weathermen are increasingly skeptical about climate change, while at the same time being highly trusted on the issue by the public. This is despite many TV weathermen not having a degree relating to their on-screen activities (the days of meteorologists being hired by [...]
This triathlon is great news for Tony Abbott
With Tony Abbott on the bike part of the triathlon while I write, Insiders has pointed me to an article in The Age about the physical effects of extreme physical exertion. VIS sports scientist Danielle Stefano cites the risk of dehydration, heart strain, cognitive impairment or heat stroke in today’s forecast 28-degree heat in Port [...]
This was a great week for Tony Abbott
I heard on News Radio today that Tony Abbott will be running a triathlon (a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and a 42km marathon run). ”I haven’t done anything like the training that I should have for this event because it is impossible to get out for the two and three hours a day that [...]
The Robin Hood Tax
I’ve just been reading Bows against the Barons, by Geoffrey Trease, which has a pre-socialist Robin Hood leads the Merry Men and the townsfolk of Nottingham into a revolt against the lords of Britain. Now, I’ve finally gotten around to looking up this Robin Hood tax idea that is gaining traction in the UK. Basically, [...]
Engaging the progressive grass-roots in the UK
The UK Labour Party have been widely decried as being on their last legs, out of ideas, dead ducks, etc. However, behind the scenes, a growing movement of vibrant progressives is building and organising. Much of it is being supported and encouraged by the Labour Party. This rise of progressive online political action also coincides [...]
This year was great
The ITUC has launched a new online campaign highlighting the exploitation of workers and children in the third world. The campaign’s website – Change the World - is very professional, although it is unfortunately flash-based meaning that it takes a long time to load. The campaign’s posters are amazing – very confronting and stark in [...]
Are meeting toxic?
I’ve been reading Reworked – a new book by 37 Signals – which suggests that work meetings are “toxic”. (Download a short sample here.) The worst interruptions of all are meetings. Here’s why: They’re usually about words and abstract concepts, not real things. They usually convey an abysmally small amount of information per minute. They [...]
New Liberal website takes leaf from Tory tree
The Liberal Party in Australia has launched its new website, on the heels of Labor’s new “Labor Connect” site. I’ve written before about how previous Liberal leaders have mimicked a lot of the style of UK Tory leader David Cameron (Turnbull especially), but I haven’t commented on how much of the presentation of the Liberals [...]
Lessons from the (Modern) Prince, Part 2: Timing of reform
Following from my previous post on the lessons that Machiavelli’s The Prince can give us today, I thought I’d discuss the timing of policy reform. This is applicable, in my view, for most policy makers, especially political policy makers, and for large reforms. This series of posts is part of Project 52 – one post [...]
Some semi-live blogging of SA and Tas elections
Got some semi-live blogging of the South Australian and Tasmanian elections tonight. (Trying out the Google Wave integration with WordPress. Google Wave didn’t work. Old school now.) Make sure you refresh the page every now and then to get updates. There is discussion around the influence (or otherwise) of Nick Xenophon, who came out this [...]
Lessons from The (Modern) Prince, Part 1: The CPRS
As part of my Project 52 posts, I thought I’d spend a few weeks musing on the lessons of Niccolo Machiavelli not learned in our modern times. I’ve added a parenthetical “Modern” as a reference to my favourite theorist Antonio Gramsci‘s famous treatise The Modern Prince. In The Modern Prince, political parties are cast in [...]
Some comments lost
I’ve finalised the move from my old host (3iX) to my new host (Digital Pacific). Unfortunately the move means that some of the recent comments (in March) have been lost. This is a real shame, but unfortunately nothing can be done. I’m lucky I was able to save all of my old posts after the [...]
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Lessons from the (Modern) Prince, Part 4: Understanding the Greens in Tasmania
- No Clean Feed campaign needs to drop their "censorship" obsession
- Alan Kohler shows he doesn't know about politics
- The Robin Hood Tax
- Seven ways for unions to use Twitter
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