Australia - you're standing in it
Coach Scomo launches Girl Power AD [ NO means Milkshake? ]
What the Bloody Hell is Scomo playing at!
Voted most cringe worthy Own Goal of [Slumber Party
Yes! Of course Scomo just made things worse (Again)
Back we go to the 1950's Howard Era...chix are the problem! (Again)
https://womensagenda.com.au/uncategorised/the-federal-government-has-jus...
https://www.ladbible.com/news/latest-government-slammed-for-confusing-co...
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/government-s-consent-videos-featuring-tacos-...
OMG True blue...... That's as cringy as it gets. I wonder how much #scottyfrommarketing spent making that? Even if it never gets used, he had to pay the ad agency/actors etc. I wonder if it cost more than 4 cartier watches hahahahaha.
On another point. NSW..... Old NSW... Our dear eldest cousin.... We need an intervention. Get your shit together. Abbott.....Turnbull.... Scomo.... F*cking hell. And you are all in love with a koala killing water basin poisoning carpet bagger - Gladys.
How #GladysKillkoalagain has kept popular has got me beat. From murdering marsupials to strip searching little girls without parents present to Daryl Maguire. Has she put koolaid in the privately owned drinking water. WAKE UP NSW
Id swap NSW leadership for Vic in a heart beat, at least they can manage their hotel quarantine system and havent sold their state out to China's Belt & Road Initiative.
STFU and move then. Easy
To China?
"STFU and move then. Easy"
I could say the same to the Scomo haters, but i don't because it's a silly argument, we all just hope for future change.
Personally I'm just crossing my fingers that Dan has finally got the quarantine thing right, and crossing my fingers and that the belt & road deal doesn't happen. (something all of us no matter political leanings should be hoping for)
"I could say the same to the Scomo haters, but i don't because it's a silly argument, we all just hope for future change"
Ummm my "stfu and move then" was a sarcastic jibe at you and many that have backed the Aussie war cry "if you dont like our way of life, you can leave" rhetoric. My jibe was just on a micro, not macro level :) If you don't like what Victoria has become, LEAVE. That's what we did re the sunshine coast. Simple.
Indo, what in 'belt and road deal' is it exactly that you object to? Have you actually read the document that the Vic government signed?
@ Sheepdog
And thats what ive done in the past too, never for political reasons, but work, lifestyle, waves, warmth, cheaper housing, also lived in Tas, NSW, QLD (Goldie, Sunny, Fraser isle) and Indo
Anyway like i said would much much rather Gladys over Dan, but im not going to move because of a leader or party, id much rather just vote and hope.
@ JQ
A snippet from a recent article titled:" Victoria’s secret agreement with China faces federal government scrutiny"
"Victoria’s Belt and Road deal with China has raised concerns within national security agencies and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
This earlier agreement, signed in 2017 – 18 months before the BRI document – is expected to ring further alarm bells within the federal government, according to foreign policy experts."
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victoria-s-secret-agreement-...
I even chose a left leaning newspaper for you so you cant say murdoch this murdoch that.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-age-australia/
Anyway i think most Australian would agree with me it's just common sense that it's not a good idea to be doing these deals with China, especially in 2021, its the kind of thing we need to stop doing.
Here's a copy of the actual agreement, if you wish to be more informed Indo:
https://www.vic.gov.au/bri-framework
Sure, I don't think it's a great idea to be drawing in closer with China. How ever, the agreement that the Victorian government agreed to has been way over hyped, it's not the same as the nasty ones they have presented to other countries with less bargaining power. Note on page 8 'The agreement is not legally binding'. So really, the agreement doesn't force Australia or Victoria to do a single thing if they don't want to. The rest of it seems to me to be largely nice words around the concept of cooperation.
Thanks but I don't need to read it, when the government and national security agencies and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and foreign policy experts and others all have concerns, I'm going to trust their expertise.
'The rest of it seems to me to be largely nice words around the concept of cooperation.' Naivety on the grandest of scales. You really think the Chinese are after mutual benefit, JQ? How brain-washed can a (Labor) supporter be?
I'm a lefty and I'm very much against the agreement.
After the Great East Asia War of 2028 (aka WW3), the history books (well, guess it depends on who writes them) 50 years from now will look back and point to a handful of things China succeeded in doing with "the West's" help that if done differently would've avoided WW3 (or rather, pushed it out to another point in future). One of these is going to be the Obama Administration's massive, massive fuck up to not stop China from building military bases in the South China Sea. Another will be a bunch of investment deals that were allowed to go ahead (Port of Darwin, anyone?) that the Chinese will use in false flag actions for justification for escalating conflict. The third is going to be the monumental blind eye democratic governments and "Western" businesses have had with respect to IP theft and ICT systems infiltration (via local access regulations, manufacturing and cyber espionage).
If this forum still exists, come back in a decade and you'll see I'm right. I know people in DFAT and I can tell you on this topic (as well as climate change) they are significantly concerned. It's our politicians that are trying to look the other way.
With all due respect D-Rex (which TBH in my opinion, ain't much) I'm not talking about the whole initiative on China's behalf, which I do think is pretty sinister and exploitative of smaller nations. I'm talking about the agreement which the Victorian government signed up to. I provided a link to it above, tell me what you think I've misinterpreted as the language is pretty damn loose and fluffy. And again, the whole thing isn't legally binding anyway...
Bit rich for you to call anyone brainwashed as well cobba.
indo-dreaming wrote:Thanks but I don't need to read it, when the government and national security agencies and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and foreign policy experts and others all have concerns, I'm going to trust their expertise.
That's a very partisan (liberal?) approach Indo. Step outside the echo chamber and you may find things aren't all they seem.
Not specifically speaking about this case as I'm not across it or that interested. More in general as I see you like to keep a finger on the pulse.
I reckon half the issue with the divisiveness of politics/social life these days is the overall unwillingness of people to broaden their perspectives and have their beliefs challenged with new information from outlets that don't regularly confirm the ones they already have i.e. The Australian>The Guardian. The nuance of society goes far beyond what the liberal/Nat vs Labor vs Green nuffies could ever provide for us. A little bit from each for me.
indo-dreaming wrote:@ JQ
A snippet from a recent article titled:" Victoria’s secret agreement with China faces federal government scrutiny"
"Victoria’s Belt and Road deal with China has raised concerns within national security agencies and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
This earlier agreement, signed in 2017 – 18 months before the BRI document – is expected to ring further alarm bells within the federal government, according to foreign policy experts."
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victoria-s-secret-agreement-...
I even chose a left leaning newspaper for you so you cant say murdoch this murdoch that.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-age-australia/Anyway i think most Australian would agree with me it's just common sense that it's not a good idea to be doing these deals with China, especially in 2021, its the kind of thing we need to stop doing.
Couldn't help myself had a read. The most telling quote for me;
"Prime Minister Scott Morrison and senior ministers such as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton have been critical of Victoria’s dealings with China on the Belt and Road, claiming it undercuts the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade."
I believe the crux of the issue. If there were national interest or security concerns, the Belt and Road agreement would be dead and buried. The optics surrounding a Labor government successfully dealing with the Chinese while the Feds have overseen the trade relationship sour to unprecedented levels is clearly not good for them. This has been in their purview for how long now?
Nothing stood out as particularly damning or evidence based in that article and nothing unexpected. We aren't getting on with China, but we can't get around the fact that:
“There’s no getting around it – whether you like it or not, this is our biggest customer.”
With approx 40% of exports heading there p.a. it's hard to argue. I think "most Australians" would be fairly impacted if we adopted an anti-chinese economic approach. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.
"I think "most Australians" would be fairly impacted if we adopted an anti-chinese economic approach"
Is the Australian Gov or opposition suggesting an 'anti-chinese' economic approach? if anything both australian parties have been dragged kicking and screaming from a CCP love in to finally accept and in part acknowledge the CCP deceitful methods within our society and democratic institutions and are now scrambling to adopt alternatives to reduce our risk and reliance to china
Seems pretty obvious to me why that is a good idea.
bonza wrote:"I think "most Australians" would be fairly impacted if we adopted an anti-chinese economic approach"
Is the Australian Gov or opposition suggesting an 'anti-chinese' economic approach? if anything both australian parties have been dragged kicking and screaming from a CCP love in to finally accept and in part acknowledge the CCP deceitful methods within our society and democratic institutions and are now scrambling to adopt alternatives to reduce our risk and reliance to china
Seems pretty obvious to me why that is a good idea.
Hhmm, tad hyperbolic but I see and understand your point.
"Is the Australian Gov or opposition suggesting an 'anti-chinese' economic approach?"
No, and I didn't say they were. Indo-dreaming did or at least implied so my response was directed to him.
Until those trade alternatives and new export destinations materialise, nearly 10% of our GDP originates from our exports to China. A helluva lot of Australian families wrapped up in these figures.
So, yes, couldn't agree more, we definitely need to diversify and find new markets so that we can sustain our quality of life. And not become so reliant on a nation that's increasingly becoming more volatile with its rhetoric towards us.
tad hyperbolic?
if anything i was restrained. the corruption and sinister motives that infiltrated our democratic institutions and influencing our politicians is a disgrace and well documented. It's a disgrace its taken this long for our our cowering political leaders to acknowledge this - thanks only in part to quality investigative journalism. As a nation we should be outraged. Its incompetent and naive on behalf of both business and government that have supported trade in such a one direction. market diversification is not a difficult concept as are the consequences when the risk is realised.
bonza wrote:tad hyperbolic?
if anything i was restrained. the corruption and sinister motives that infiltrated our democratic institutions and influencing our politicians is a disgrace and well documented. It's a disgrace its taken this long for our our cowering political leaders to acknowledge this - thanks only in part to quality investigative journalism. As a nation we should be outraged. Its incompetent and naive on behalf of both business and government that have supported trade in such a one direction. market diversification is not a difficult concept as are the consequences when the risk is realised.
A start Bonza (also, I stand corrected, the belt and road iniative is now dead and buried):
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/debt-trap-bipartisan-support-for...
Quote that stood out for me and confirmed the optics being a significant issue for the government:
“Let’s be clear what has been ‘cancelled’: a non-legally binding agreement that didn’t commit the Victorian government to doing anything, let alone the national government,” Professor Laurenceson said.
“Canberra’s annoyance with Beijing for striking this deal with a state government is understandable. If the shoe was on the other foot Beijing wouldn’t cop it. But acting as Beijing would act isn’t a model Australian foreign policy should be aspiring to.”
was reading that nearly all industries other than wine have found other markets so the impact has been minimal (disappointingly for china). not feeling too sorry for some of the wine industry, even second tier barossa wineries have been selling literally$1000 bottles (special labels/bottles etc ) to china for a while, nice while it lasted but dont cry for them now. there will be plenty of bargains coming up
Expect people have seen today that the government has ensured the Belt & Road deal doesn't go ahead.
"Debt trap’: Bipartisan support for tearing up Victoria’s Belt and Road agreement
National security experts and federal Labor have welcomed the Morrison government’s decision to tear up Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’s Belt and Road agreement with the Chinese government, but some have warned it now needs to manage the fallout including economic retaliation from Beijing.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced on Wednesday night the Belt and Road Initiative deal – which tied the state to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature initiative to bankroll infrastructure projects around the world – has been cancelled under the Commonwealth’s new foreign veto laws."
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/debt-trap-bipartisan-support-for...
I think most people will agree its a good outcome.
Really, it's a largely ineffectual outcome - as Ben pointed out above:
“Let’s be clear what has been ‘cancelled’: a non-legally binding agreement that didn’t commit the Victorian government to doing anything, let alone the national government,”
Does make for some good posturing though doesn't it.
For all the LNP’s inherent contradictions on the CCP front, it’s a strong message that Australia refuses to be baited by the Chinese totalitarian dictatorship goons when it comes to their signature strategy for undermining national sovereignty.
Pretend it’s meaningless all you like, pretending can be fun. In the meantime the rest of the world understands the gravity of the situation. Those who respect the new Australian steps towards rejecting the influence of Beijing rejoice.
Soooo, time to rip up the Port of Darwin lease? The Free Trade Agreement?
No.
Time for that was years ago. Time to burn them live on TV.
Even if you want to ignore concerns of experts, personally i think the symbolism is also really important, not only the message we send to the Australian public but also China and the rest of the world.
Especially seeing the whole scheme is basically China putting out a web across the world to increase it's influence in trade and geopolitics, and quite obviously China's ultimate aim is to become the world super power.
We and many countries around the world have made many mistakes in regard to China, some crazy like the Darwin port deal unfortunately we can't change some things that are done, but we can draw a line in the sand and hopefully not make more mistakes and ideally after this we let things cool off and hopefully slowly become less reliant on China, diversifying our trade with other countries in the region moving forward..
Personally i think since last year in regard to China we have dealt with things perfectly, last year when we pissed them off a little on the Covid thing, i really think that was a positive in that it would have made companies more wary of doing business with China which hopefully saw many companies looking for other markets or importing products from different countries.
why can't australia void the port of darwin lease (ownership) deal if it came to that?
china happily contravenes current WTO and FT agreements with us on several commodities - i haven't seen any global penalties from their actions? what's the diff? please international law experts out there.
It was a national security risk then and its now even more blindingly apparent. send it back gift wrapped with love from Robb. sleaze bag.
Port of Darwin lease, as ratified by the LNP federal govt.
FTA with China also ratified by LNP federal govt.
Andrew Robb, former LNP federal minister who ratified the FTA with China left parliament to immediately take up a $400,000 pa job with. Chinese firm with a role Robb struggled to explain / define.
I agree the B and R agreement should have been ripped up, I’m just pointing out the double standard here, the LNP are up to their necks in the swill bucket.
Australia’s richest man has implored politicians to reject Trumpian populism and rebuild the west’s fractured relationship with China to avoid damaging the global economy and environment.
Andrew Forrest, founder of Fortescue, the world’s fourth biggest iron ore miner, accused populist politicians of dividing people, ripping nations apart and destroying humanity’s ability to leave the world in a better place than they found it.
If asked by the Australian government, he would play a role in helping to heal the worst breakdown in diplomatic relations between Beijing and Canberra in generations, he told the Financial Times in an interview.
Scott Morrison may call in help from billionaire mining magnate Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest in trying to smooth over tensions with China.
The prime minister made the admission while visiting Mr Forrest's Christmas Creek iron ore mine in the Pilbara region, Western Australia, on Thursday.
I reckon that the intrinsically corrupt pollies who inhabit the halls of Parliament House have been told in no uncertain terms by their US overlords and also our own intelligence bureaus that shit with China is getting real and it’s getting real fast. I’m sure our Honourable Members are reaping as much crooked opportunities as they can before that door is shut. Irrespective of their grasping behaviour, the tide has turned against the CCP’s unfettered incursions against Australia’s sovereignty. Unfortunately it’s only a step or two in the right direction after years of sprinting away from the light.
I'm wondering what "Trumpian populism" has got to do with dealing with China's clear intentions.
I guess Twiggy will say anything when there's another billion to be made.
“Trumpian populism” is a dog whistle.
A poorly aged dog whistle at that.
This is especially for you info .....
Ha ha 3 day lockdown, god that's nothing, Dan would send the whole state into a stage 4 lockdown for weeks if someone in the city tested positive.
A big slash outside off stump, missed by a good foot and safely in the keeper’s gloves with info wondering what just happened
Swellnet rail riderz are well onto Inland Rail politics...
https://www.inlandrail.gov.au/understanding-inland-rail/routes-and-hubs
https://www.inlandrail.gov.au/for-business/understanding-the-freight-sup...
Qldurrz & the Nats don't understand the Port of Bne rebuff nor Qld Premier's silence on the matter.
Instead the Mbne to Bne Hub stops Short of the Port but Hubs Acacia Ridge Qube (Blue Scope-Steel)
Corrigan's Inland Rail (Steel / Produce) bypasses Union Ports to hook Arab Mutant Slave Labour Ports
Qld Premier coincidentally smooches up to Feds for "Inland Rail international Hot Spot Air Ports".
Qld's International Quarantine bids are Slave Labour Camps for Corrigan's Inland Mutant Rail Hubs.
Now! It is possible that Anna is baiting the PM for access to these Working Quarantine Slave Camps
You see, there is no EIS for project only Community Consult .100% rubber stamped by Fed's override.
It's all a bluff! Anna is banking that the Feds are drooling over these International Cheap labour Hubs.
Project Stalls & Focus shifts from Port of Bne (Unions) to these private International Slave portholes.
It seems that Anna wants in on the deal as it bypasses her bully Left faction Port trade stranglehold.
Gladstone Inter-Port Global (Premier Hub for East Oz Rail)
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/freight/freight-supply-chain...
Basically Anna is just fast tracking (Airing) options for Qld's end of Joyce's Inland Mutant Rail.
When Arabs sign, the PM ticks Premier's Air Hubs & backdoors slaves thru Repat Quarantine Camps.
Oz Rail doubles as Covid Quarantined Slave Conveyor belt for fresh Backpacker flesh.(Massive drool.)
No more paying for Hot Hotels & Union Port Labour > more unboxing! **daggydadzpollskyrocket* *
tbb will dig the key a little deeper into the ditch to wind up Blowin's underarm hat trick.
2020- Ex NZ PM Whos Who is too close to China.
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/shame-on-helen-clark-un-watchdog...
2021- NZ sign World's largest 98% Free Trade Agreement with China (vs) NZ-OZ = 80% Free Trade.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/nz-upgrades-free-trade-deal-with-ch...
19th April NZ PM : "We place non security National interests above that of committed 5 Eyes alliance!"
Thought when Oz started dating the Quads & then the one way prisoner swap ended our date!
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/19/new-zealand-says-it-will-set-ch...
21st April - UK response
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nz-china-relations-jacinda-ardern-faces-bi...
21st April - China's response
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/china-heaps-praise-on-na...
22nd April -Oz Love Letter was always gonna be fashionably late but Classy in a slightly clammy way.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-was-blindsided-when-fi...
Yeah, as others have pointed out, the China BRI deal with Victoria was no deal at all, really just a statement of niceness between buddies, committing to nothing.
Free Trade Agreements and leasing out the port of Darwin, they are real. Every free trade deal was basically a sell out of national sovereignty. Some may remember Australia having to go to a stacked tribunal to avoid paying damages to tobacco companies when we went to plain packaging. They nearly got us on that one, took years and many dollars to tell them to eff off.
Leasing out the port of Darwin to a chinese company, and didn't clear it with the US beforehand, that was epic dumb.
Selling of our largest agricultural holdings to foreign companies also doesn't sit well with me. That too will come back and bite us in the arse, I would imagine.
Blowin, understand your sentiments, but NZ is a pimple compared to the amount we sell to China. Hardly fair to play that card without looking at ouselves.
Ripping up the China BRI with Victoria was classic Morrison, big announcements and theatrics for what was basically nothing of substance. Just theatre. But it did get Indo up and applauding.
Easily pleased, or perhaps hoodwinked.
"Ripping up the China BRI with Victoria was classic Morrison, big announcements and theatrics for what was basically nothing of substance. Just theatre." on the money Batfink.
This lecture is pretty interesting. 8 years old but just as relevant:
Interesting that Morrison's address to the Christians on the GC has been revealed in the media when the PMO has been trying to keep it under wraps for over a week, (no transcript released when they usually do). Josh meets Costello on the weekend and bang, it hits the front page of the Age, very damaging to Morrison, talking about laying hands on people and other nonsense. Murdoch press picked it up after Nine, they had to once it was out. Could it be that a trap is being set for the Shire Messiah? Murdochs reportedly not too pleased with the PM's happy clapping, and despite the rigged polling, it is being rumored that the internal polling is not so rosy (according to twitter whatever that's worth). Morrison is not and was not the billionaires preference for PM. No one counting numbers apparently but something is going on that this transcript and video has hit the mainstream.
If the cunt ever tried laying his hands on me I'd drop him on his arse.
A listen to the PM’s Astrazenica press conference the other week was a classic case of theatrics. Quite a few times he made a point of saying how open and honest his government is with the public. “everything we know we let the public know” “every time we have new information we pass that info on”
Repeat the mantra. We are honest, we are good
And the believers said “see, he is honest, he is good”.
Meanwhile when it comes to the things that are corrupt or illegal his cabal delays and obstructs to the highest degree
But the believers believe. He wears a baseball cap, he is just like us. We are honest, we are good
Cancelling the BRI means nothing.....WTF?
The agreement was the international diplomatic equivalent of a marriage proposal being accepted, then one of the fiancé’s publicly reneging on the wedding because they can’t trust the other person. If you think this means nothing in global diplomatic relations then I suggest you are missing the big picture.
@Batfink
If you dont think it's important or of any substance then it shouldn't matter to you thats it's been prevented from going ahead.
But to millions of Australians including myself it is important, we wanted to know where Australia stood on this issue, and it's safe to say most Australias no matter political leanings support the decision as does Labor.
Even if you want to ignore the advice of experts on the importance, just from a symbolic point of view it's very important especially considering what the belt & road initiative is trying to achieve and the symbolism of it all.
Sure it doesn't make up for really bad decisions in the past like the leasing of the port of Darwin, but along with Australia calling for an in investigation into the origin of Covid it seems to mark a fork in the road moment which is important.
If you dont get it and cant put your politic bias aside on this one, well thats your issue, but i think you are in a minority.
Blowin wrote:Cancelling the BRI means nothing.....WTF?
The agreement was the international diplomatic equivalent of a marriage proposal being accepted, then one of the fiancé’s publicly reneging on the wedding because they can’t trust the other person. If you think this means nothing in global diplomatic relations then I suggest you are missing the big picture.
100%
The "I can't believe it's not politics" thread.