Australia General Discussion 4.0: It ain’t easy under Albanese

[Meclazine for Israel]

The biggest child disappearance case in Australia since Azaria Chamberlain:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/cleo-smith-reward-offered-for-missing-girl-carnarvon-info/100556756

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/cleo-smith-disappearance-what-we-know/100556400

Simply devastating for the parents after the Police have come out suggesting it looks like a remote area abduction.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Coming up to 7 days since Cleo Smith went missing.

https://youtu.be/Ci1N6xcPXA8

A $1 Million reward now on offer to discover her whereabouts.

This is heart breaking for every West Australian. People are very upset about this outcome

[GoTfan]

And with that, it becomes clear that Morrison is running a protection racket for Christian Porter.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

In other news, Michael Gunner is now one of my favourite people in Australia.
[snip]

Someone give this man a medal for a class act performance.

[GoTfan]

Oh, and now Candace Owens wants to invade us for being oppressed lol

Just got back from umpiring an under-14s game of cricket. one or two really good players who i can see going places.

[CumbrianLefty]

Oh, and now Candace Owens wants to invade us for being oppressed lol

Hilarious in itself, but still more from a massive Trump stan.

[Pericles]

Is this it, and net zero is settled?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/nationals-agree-to-net-zero-target-by-2050-despite-barnaby-joyces-opposition

[TheTide]

Is this it, and net zero is settled?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/nationals-agree-to-net-zero-target-by-2050-despite-barnaby-joyces-opposition

Joyce has for a while struck me as the type who might lead a semi-successful minor party that has his own name in its name. Which is not without precedent in Australia. Maybe this will be the trigger for it.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Is this it, and net zero is settled?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/nationals-agree-to-net-zero-target-by-2050-despite-barnaby-joyces-opposition

Joyce has for a while struck me as the type who might lead a semi-successful minor party that has his own name in its name. Which is not without precedent in Australia. Maybe this will be the trigger for it.

These "name" branded parties like Pauline Hanson and Clive Palmer are really hit and miss.

Mostly miss.

[GoTfan]

Is this it, and net zero is settled?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/nationals-agree-to-net-zero-target-by-2050-despite-barnaby-joyces-opposition

Honestly, no.

This nebulous 'deal' that was reached is being kept very far from the public eye. The only visible part has been the return of Keith Pitt as Resources Minister; he's one of the "SOLAR PANELS DON'T WORK AT NIGHT!!!" crowd, so that should tell you all you need to know.

[GoTfan]

Voter ID goes up in parliament today, despite the AEC finding less than 20 fraudulent votes out of 15 million cast in the 2019 federal election. Textbook voter suppression.

[Pericles]

Is this it, and net zero is settled?
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/nationals-agree-to-net-zero-target-by-2050-despite-barnaby-joyces-opposition

Honestly, no.

This nebulous 'deal' that was reached is being kept very far from the public eye. The only visible part has been the return of Keith Pitt as Resources Minister; he's one of the "SOLAR PANELS DON'T WORK AT NIGHT!!!" crowd, so that should tell you all you need to know.

Unfortunately, having seen the 'plan' that's not a plan, you're right. This was a waste of time, and maybe Australia will do ok on reducing emissions, but Scott Morrison is still not going to do anything to help. Hopefully he is gone in just a few months, but I don't feel that optimistic about it.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Gladys could be in trouble here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-29/nsw-gladys-berejiklian-gives-evidence-at-icac/100579164

We might be seeing the end of a stellar political career. Yesterday, she said she was going to "throw a lot of money" at her secret boyfriends electrorate.

Hard to imagine her coming out of this without issues. This Daryl Maguire is a piece of work. So unfortunate that he used the relationship to his political benefit.

[(no subject)]

I see that Cleo Smith has given the grubs in the media a new excuse to wheel out photos of Jane, Arnna, and Grant….

[Meclazine for Israel]

Incredibly sad story with a huge manhunt underway looking for a car on the West Coast Hwy at 3am in the morning near Carnarvon.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-30/police-focus-on-locations-central-to-cleo-smith-disappearance/100573046

Unless they have CCTV from trucks and satellite video of the area, this case is going to be hard to solve.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Most incredible news.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-03/cleo-smith-found-alive-by-wa-police/100589612

Cleo Smith has been found alive in a locked house in the closest town, Carnarvon, 75 km to the south of the blowholes.

When I first heard she disappeared, I thought she got up early and fell off the cliffs. But when the sleeping bag was missing, it became apparent someone had taken her.

This event has been incredibly stressful for West Australians, a media circus, and there will be a giant sense of relief and a few tears across the state today. I have a sense of elation for the parents who must have experienced pure hell for the last 18 days including being accused of her disappearance on Social Media.

"One of the officers picked her up and asked her, 'What's your name?"

She replied: "My name is Cleo."



Video of the rescued girl: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-03/police-release-video-of-the-moment-cleo-smith-was-found/100590674

Hollywood will make a film about this. It is the most amazing story and outcome.

[Meclazine for Israel]

A great day in Australia's history.

[CumbrianLefty]

So we are likely talking about an abduction?

[Meclazine for Israel]

So we are likely talking about an abduction?

Good question. Very timely.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-04/cleo-smith-charges-laid-against-carnarvon-man/100592332

Charges of Child Abduction have been laid against Terence Kelly, 36 years of age pictured here on Social Media with some Bratz dolls in his house:



And this is his doll room:



According to CNN who wrote about the 1am rescue:

"Police said Cleo was found in a room in the house with the lights on, awake and playing with toys; they are yet to interview the girl, but specialists have arrived in Carnarvon from Perth to do so."

"Before charging the suspect, police said they believed he acted alone and "spontaneously." The man was arrested on Wednesday and had been taken to hospital after self-harming while in police custody, Western Australia Police said."

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/04/world/cleo-smith-man-charged-intl-hnk/index.html

[NewYorkExpress]

Protestors in Melbourne are comparing the government of Victoria to the Nazis in the latest dispute over vaccine mandates.

Several thousand people rallied in Melbourne against new vaccination mandates on Saturday, with a few comparing the state government to Nazis and calling for violence against politicians, local media said.

In Australia, where 83% of people aged 16 and above have been fully inoculated against the coronavirus, nationwide vaccinations are voluntary. But states and territories have mandated vaccinations for many occupations and barred the unvaccinated from activities such as dining out and concerts.


The Melbourne demonstration against the vaccination mandate that came into effect on Saturday - requiring construction workers in Victoria state to be fully inoculated - was peaceful, with no immediate reports of unruly behaviour or arrests.

But a reporter at The Age posted video on Twitter of a protester carrying a mock gallows with three nooses hanging from it, and the newspaper showed a protester carrying a poster depicting Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews with a Hitler moustache and the hashtag #DictatorDan.


"We're being governed by insane medical bureaucrats," Craig Kelly, former Liberal Party member of parliament and now the leader of United Australia Party, told the rally, media reported.

The Age said some protesters called for violence against politicians but did not offer specifics.

[GoTfan]

Protestors in Melbourne are comparing the government of Victoria to the Nazis in the latest dispute over vaccine mandates.

Several thousand people rallied in Melbourne against new vaccination mandates on Saturday, with a few comparing the state government to Nazis and calling for violence against politicians, local media said.

In Australia, where 83% of people aged 16 and above have been fully inoculated against the coronavirus, nationwide vaccinations are voluntary. But states and territories have mandated vaccinations for many occupations and barred the unvaccinated from activities such as dining out and concerts.


The Melbourne demonstration against the vaccination mandate that came into effect on Saturday - requiring construction workers in Victoria state to be fully inoculated - was peaceful, with no immediate reports of unruly behaviour or arrests.

But a reporter at The Age posted video on Twitter of a protester carrying a mock gallows with three nooses hanging from it, and the newspaper showed a protester carrying a poster depicting Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews with a Hitler moustache and the hashtag #DictatorDan.


"We're being governed by insane medical bureaucrats," Craig Kelly, former Liberal Party member of parliament and now the leader of United Australia Party, told the rally, media reported.

The Age said some protesters called for violence against politicians but did not offer specifics.

It's worse now.

People are sending death and rape threats to politicians, implicitly encouraged by Morrison and the Liberal Party. They erected a gallows yesterday.

[GoTfan]

So, Rex Patrick's bill for a national integrity commission was voted down. Patrick was joined by Labor, Greens and Lambie among others. The government and surprise, surprise, One Nation voted against it.

Gee, Pauline held out long didn't she? "No I'll never support the government until they back me on vaccine mandates . . . until a bill to create a commision to investigate corruption comes to the floor a day later, then I'll support them."

[GoTfan]

This isn't funny anymore.

Victrian Health Minister Martin Foley had t call in the bomb squad after a suspcious package was found. WA Premier Mark McGowan's electorate office had to be shut down because of threats made agast his staff. Protestors marched with gallows in Victoria and threatened to lynch Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.

[Meclazine for Israel]

This isn't funny anymore.

Victrian Health Minister Martin Foley had t call in the bomb squad after a suspcious package was found. WA Premier Mark McGowan's electorate office had to be shut down because of threats made agast his staff. Protestors marched with gallows in Victoria and threatened to lynch Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.

I think Mark McGowan is moving his family out of their home following two young men threatening to behead them.

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-premier-s-security-beefed-up-amid-growing-threats-from-anti-mandate-protesters-20211124-p59bp7.html

The internet has created these angry young political activists who band together on internet forums developing anxiety about each other's political beliefs and the manner in which they express them....oh wait.

[NewYorkExpress]

A report released eariler today details rampant sexual harassement in Australia's Parliament.

Men strutting down corridors looking women up and down. Women carrying fake binders to block unwanted advances. Forcible touches, kisses, comments about appearance. Fears of speaking out.

A sweeping review of the workplace culture in Australia’s Parliament paints a damning picture of widespread sexual harassment, with employees sharing harrowing stories of an alcohol-soaked atmosphere where powerful men blurred lines and crossed boundaries with impunity.

The report, released on Tuesday, was commissioned by the Australian government in March, shortly after a former employee’s account of being raped in Parliament House sent shock waves through Australia’s halls of power. It found that one-third of parliamentary employees — 40 percent of women — had experienced sexual harassment. About 1 percent of the more than 1,700 people who participated in the review said they had been the victim of attempted or actual sexual assault.

In response, Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins, who conducted the study, proposed a series of measures to address the power imbalances, gender inequality and lack of accountability that she said had made Parliament a hostile workplace for many employees, especially young female staff members.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the findings of rampant sexual harassment “appalling” and added, “I wish I found them more surprising.” He said the government would review the report’s recommendations — including the creation of an independent central complaints body, a code of conduct and alcohol policies — but did not commit to accepting them.

The Australian Parliament has long had a reputation as a testosterone-fueled bunker, a place that lagged behind the rest of society as the country’s corporations and other institutions made gradual moves toward gender equality. In the past 20 years, Australia has fallen from 15th to 50th in the world for parliamentary gender diversity.