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Fielding, spelt h.o.p.e.l.e.s.s.
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Steve Fielding has, he claims, a learning disability, one which apparently causes him to involuntarily mangle the English language. Fielding reacted angrily today after journalists circulated audio of him misspelling “fiscal” and discussing visa holders “volitating” their visas. He came up to the Press Gallery and castigated one journalist, claiming that he was being victimised for what he called “a learning disability”, saying journalists would not mock a wheelchair user in the same way. Last night, Fielding objected to a Government bill that would permit “visas” (presumably visa-holders) who “volitated” their visas to leave the country debt free. (Listen to the audio here). This morning, the Senator arrived at the Parliament House doors to discuss “physical and monetary policy”, then when questioned, corrected himself to say he meant “fiscal.” (Listen to the audio here). Last week, the Australian Bureau of Statistics produced data showing that almost half of all working Australians have less than the minimum literacy and numeracy levels required to meet the demands of everyday work. The OECD has estimated that a 1% increase in a population’s literacy skills will lead to a 2.5% increase in labour productivity and a 1.5% increase in per capita economic output. The removal of a swing vote senator who is hopelessly out of his depth might yield even more. |
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31 Comments
I would like to know when this guy is going to join the Liberal party of Australia. On almost all or any piece of Rudd Government Legislation he lines up with the liberal/coalition parties. I don’t really cares if he is a ‘closet liberal’ I just wish he was more honest with us all. Bring on a double dissolution election on so we can kick this imposter out of the parliament and put some “real” imposters in there!!! Oops thats a bit rude of me. But he is completely out of his depth in understanding just basic economics. Does he understand what the differences is between fiscal and monetary economic policy? He has struggled since he landed on the soft back benches of the senate and will continue to struggle until he is put out of his misery. Bring on the Double D!
Out of his depth on just about everything Euan. Unfortunately the ALP has itself to blame for foisting this nitwit on the Nation.
Bernard I hope the Press Gallery gave Fielding the ‘order of the boot’ and sent the pathetic creep on his ignorant way. His continued mangling of the language, his total lack of economical knowledge and now with his stupidity in total zero comprehension of the bill before the Senate re stopping the charges on detention inmates, confirms the man is not intelligent enough to grasp the simplest legislation. Most of the Coalition oppose the bill because they would have even more egg on their combined faces if they agreed, given their support of Howard’s bung em up and throw away the key mentality. Fielding cannot see, by deporting the ‘other’ overstayers ,eg those who overstay their visa or are detained for criminal reasons are deported and obviously do not pay but can never return to Australia until they do. Fairly straight forward, nope not for Fielding, its the principal he whined, this clown is so hypocritical about principals, its insane.
Senator Fielding has strong policies supporting families and a legitimate right to articulate views across the range of issues affecting this nation.
Fielding’s language skills are no better nor worse than some on the current Government front bench.
Maybe you don’t like his policies - well have the guts and intestinal fortitude to say so - not this craven nonsense you have gone on with today!
Martin- Hear Hear!
This is the kind of petty “I’m smart-your dumb” that have half of the US hating each other.
Luckily no other pollie ever makes a grammatical error.
There are all types of intelligence.
Fielding is simply a Liberal party stooge. He declared when campaigning that he would ask for Family impact statements on every bit of legislation that may affect families - but he has never done it once. Wonder what the poor refugee families who have to pay back the funding for detention feel about that. And wonder why Fielding hasnt considered this when siding with the Libs over that bit of legislation. He has simply always sided with the Libs. Then again Labor has no one to blame but itself for him being there.
Fielding was born in Melbourne, one of 15 children, and educated at RMIT University, where he graduated in engineering[1], and at Monash University, where he gained an MBA. He worked as an engineer and a senior superannuation executive before entering politics - Wikipedia entry.
The sooner Fielding leaves politics the better, it’s hard to see how any of his utterances relate to the putting Family First, unless maybe he is talking about his own family. Having said that he may stumble over his words, making himself something of a laughing stock, but given his quoted qualifications he can’t be the ninny portrayed in this piece.
That ‘once’ in the first sentence (of the e-mail version) isn’t helping your high ground much, Bernard.
He doesn’t have a learning disability so much as he has a knowing disability.
Fielding you are a total idiot. That’s got nothing to do with your fikskal police-es or whatever you bang on about. That’s got to do with your conservative views and your nanny state agenda.
Nick off Captain Catholic.
Martin and Heathdon on one level you have a point but when does Fielding’s routinely assinine performance call into question his capacity to do his job. Maybe he has a disability, maybe he doesn’t, maybe he was just tense cause Jesus wouldn’t pull him off this morning but Fielding has thrust himself into the centre of National affairs and with a tiny voter base thinks he has the right to dictate, interfere and frustrate a government elected by a solid majority of Australian voters.
Is it so much to expect that he displays some ability? He got himself through two degrees so why can’t he apply the same dedication to being a senator?
But Mr Shanahan, surely you kick with both feet when you say…”a legitimate right to articulate views across the range of issues affecting this nation.” Thats the point most are ‘articulating’, Fielding cannot articulate his point he is too bloody stupid. He hides behind the skirts of the Liberal Party, he is supposed to be a deeply religious God fearing man, yet proclaims to speak for a few thousand voters in a very moinor group, run by who? Certainly not he.
Get off cloud 9, you are starting to sound like your namesake on the Australian, hardly a reccommendation.
Fielding shouldn’t be in the Senate, its obvious he isn’t up to it. I have no interest in his absurd brand of politics or lack of sensible policies.
PS; My apologies for my poor articulation, I meant minority not moinor.
SBH
As a person who believes heartily in the separation of powers I cringe every time Mr Fielding is mentioned. Why ? I voted for Labour in the senate in that election and therefore for him. In future I will fill in all 50+ boxes above the line.
He was elected and therefore has a right to put his views forward. I dont like or agree with his policies and don’t care what language he uses to articulate them.
Has anybody not understood where he stands, regardless of the value of the stance?
I look forward to seeing the back of him when he is up for re-election.
It is some of the more educated Labour members who I wish could be kicked out for misrepresentatrion. At least he is exactly who he went to the polls as. A religious party rep who would be a Liberal party member if he had the right connections not a private school boy with the same dream.
But I guess I will need to wait until an election
At least he is exactly who he went to the polls as. A religious party rep who would be a Liberal party member if he had the right connections.
Hitler was a good speaker. Used perfect grammar I understand (with apologies to the Tao of Steve)
sorry about the doubling up I was editing
Martin Shanahan:
I have bagged Fielding’s policies at tedious length on numerous occasions you frackwit.
Heathdon, I agree with you to a point but he didn’t talk about global warming when he campainged and he’s taken an interest in so many other issues well outside his party’s platform just because he can. Hilter was indeed a cracking speaker.
Bernard How much longer?? Series four of battlestar must be due to start soon?
Fielding’s track record on what he votes for and what he does not vote for, leaves many of us wondering.
Today he did vote for the bill that would abolish charging refugees and asylum seekers for their time in detention centers. That was a good thing to vote for. But no one knew if he would till the vote was called for. Mixed signals were being sent: maybe he would, maybe he would not.
I think he voted for it because it was not going to make any difference. Once the Liberal senator crossed the floor, Labor had the numbers with the greens and the independent. So Feilding could look like a caring person and support the end to billing detainees.
If, however, his vote had been the deciding vote…. I wonder if he would have sided with the Liberals and voted against the bill? I hope he has more strength of character than that. But his track record is worrying. He has been instrumental - the swinging vote - about 4 or 5 times in the last 5 years. Each time, he went conservative when those opportunities arose.
1) he voted to abolish student unions;
2) he voted to allow media giants to have even more media;
3) he voted against the alco-pop tax when the Libs did too; and
4) he voted against the bill to make uni students put in so much a year for student facilities.
All Liberal party policies at the time of voting for them. (None of them to do with caring for families.)
But when his vote does not make a differnce, then he appears more caring: he voted againt the initial introduction of work choices (when it did not stop them from coming in) - but when asked if he would support their withdrawal (if Rudd ever gets around to it), he is ambiguous.
But today, when his vote did not make a difference, he did the compassionate thing for refugees. I hope it is because he is a compassionate man. Sadly it might just be because his vote did not count this time - so use it to look nice!
@SBH Where have you been my man, BSG is over and done with. Season 4 has been out for quite some time. Get to it!
I agree with you Bernard. If Fielding can’t grasp the language, and can’t grasp any simple policy or argument put to him, then he should get out and let someone who can articulate simple proceedings take his place. I hope the ALP and any other party has learnt their lesson over this. What vote did he receive? 2%?
MARTIN SHANAHAN - Fielding can express his point of view certainly, but he shouldn’t get in the road on policies the Rudd govt took to the electorate, and were given a mandate on. Fielding can express, but I object to his petulant and immature rants. Of course he omits to point out, that the overwhelming number of ‘unlawfuls’ are those, perhaps up to 60,000 at one time who’ve overstayed their visas, and are usually allowed to stay in the community until their appeals/requests for asylum are heard. Only when they are refused are they detained(unlike the poor little bastards fleeing terror in leaky boats) and then aren’t presented with a bill. Almost all those from Iraq, Iraq & Afghanistan are recognised as needing sanctuary; they then have a horrific debt before they’ve even got a job or somewhere permanent to live. This is cruel and inhumane, and plain unjust.
Criminals don’t have to repay the state who imprisoned them after they’re released. Asylum seekers aren’t criminals, and yet some under Howard spent the same number of years locked up as a bank robber or kidnapper, even some who’ve killed people. What part of injustice doesn’t Fielding understand. Tell him to have the guts to join the conservatives. I don’t expect someone like him to stand in the way of legislation I ‘authorised’ when I voted in 2007! He makes a big thing out of being sympathetic to families and family values? Obviously, only Australian born white families - his particular brand of ‘christianity’ doesn’t extend to those with brown or black skin who speak a foreign language?
If Fielding insists on coming out with unjust, unkind and frequently illinformed nonsense, then he can expect criticism - if he doesn’t like it he has two choices; he either shuts up or gets out! Simple! I’d prefer that he got out!
On the other hand, Judith Treoth, a liberal senator, who’s taken a courageous stand on humanity and justice issues re asylum seekers in the past, crossed the floor today, and voted with the govt. Good for her, well done!The other bastards, who insist on still lusting after Howard’d draconian policies on this and other areas, like rights at work still haven’t got it - we don’t like them; we’re ashamed of them and we aren’t going to stand for them again! What part of ‘NO’ don’t they understand? If they keep this up they’ll be in Opposition for a long time! Bring on a DD! Can’t wait!
Incidently, Fielding voted with the govt too, even though he said he wasn’t going to, so what’s going on there? Was he just having a ‘dummy spit’ or did he really believe what he was trying to say? In that case, why did he vote with the govt? Doesn’t sound like a rational reasonable response to me? Strange at best!
Jim sadly I do not think Fielding voted for the bill because he is a caring person but as you correctly summised, because it was a lost cause for him because a handful of Libs crossed the floor. Earlier in the Committee stages he tried to introduce an ammendment to toss out the section that included non asylum seekers. Those who had overstayed their visa or were in detention awaiting deportation on criminal charges. He insisted then if he didnt win that vote he would not support the bill in its entirety. Made that very clear, however it was obvious the bill would pass anyway so the God fearing, pious, Christian, representing all that is good and decent, suddenly changed his mind and voted for the bill.
Sounds a bit shonky to me, but perhaps he did a St Paul and copped a lightening bolt, he may have missed his calling and should have been a man of the cloth, nah if the Mad Monk couldn’t hack it, what chance Fielding?
@Adam B, What the frack, Have I missed it all, rats, I should read less books
learning difficulty my foot. anyone who’s listened to him blathering on in the chamber will know that he’s a thick as two bricks. he’s completely out of his depth, even as a John Howard stooge.
I think it’s OK to pull people up on their reading, writing and speaking skills, particularly someone within a job where accurate communication is so important. Some of us have to work harder to get it right (e.g. those with dyslexia). We can be understanding and allow for some slip-ups, but reminding them of the standard that is expected is valid. Of course, it never hurts to keep yourself nice when doing the reminding.
Now Sky News have rushed to the defence of the speaking skills of dear Senator.
The doyen of all that is correct David Speirs, Political commentator of no fixed ability, decreed that after Fielding appeared on Sky News to sadly proclaim his reading and speaking disability from his school days, but not too serious obviously to get an emgineering degree, Speirs proclaimed many jurnos in the Gallery had to “pull their heads in” after seeing the clip. Now that wouldn’t be using Fielding to get a jump ahead of the pack would it?
Of course not, its just kindly Sky News looking after the interests of the dear Senator. Of course, silly me.
If Fielding won’t show any compassion, acceptance, understanding and just plain empathy for some people whose suffering has been something that hopefully, we can only imagine during a nightmare, he doesn’t deserve any from me! I have a kind and compassionate heart, and these practices demeaned us all. The young man, originally from Iran, who spoke tonight on PM, I communicated with by letter when he and his brother were in Baxter - lovely young men with a horrific past, not of their making, now given permanent status - he got a bill of over $200,000 for 4 years of hell under Howard’s jail system! Good riddance to this practice!
I won’t ever forget that Turnbull’s crowd voted against removing this blot from our statute! They disgust me!
Bernard Keane writes:
“Steve Fielding has, he claims, a learning disability, ONCE (my emphasis) which apparently causes him to involuntarily mangle the English language.”
I guess Bernard did this deliberately - he couldn’t possibly make such an elementary mistake?
LIZ45 - your assertion about Rudd having a mandate lacks foundation. A party with a majority in the House of Representatives is the Government. That party is not required to have a majority in the Senate. If it doesn’t then it can be said that the so-called mandate is very much circumscribed - perhaps the voters did not think he could be trusted with a majority in both Houses??
Australia’s treatment of refugees has been - under this Government and the last - unseemly. This nation though has been warmly welcoming of many, many refugees from Africa and the Middle East.
I live in a suburb, Eastwood, which has had its character radically changed over the last ten - fifteen years by a huge influx of Chinese, Koreans, Thais. Many shops in the suburb carry only Asian signage - I have no idea what they sell unless I go inside an look.
For more than twenty years, my wife has taught English as a Second Language at Bankstown TAFE - within six to twelve months of trouble erupting around the world she sees in her classroom the flow of refugees escaping these internecine conflicts: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey (Kurdistan), Rwanda being just some of the countries affected.
There are real dangers in constructing policies that encourage so-called boat people to head for Australia - we simply must find ways to accelerate the intake programs at source and interdict those heading for our shores so safer, cleaner ways can be used to curtail risk. And our actions must ensure that refugees coming overland and by boat do not, by virtue only of their initiative or access to resources and funds, place restrictions on those or have waited in refugee camps to be assessed for refugee status and prepared for flights to Australia.
So Mr Shanahan your rather hazy comments imply, after the fog has lifted, you employ gobbildy gook..what the hell does this mean…”There are real dangers in constructing policies that encourage so-called boat people to head for Australia - we simply must find ways to accelerate the intake programs at source and interdict those heading for our shores so safer, cleaner ways can be used to curtail risk”….what are you drinking? must be a bloody good drop. You imply the Govts policy is encouraging “so called boat people”? Listen mate they are asylum seekers, not fishermen, not tourists on a boat excursion, not paddling a canoe..they are trying to escape persecution…you really are a follower of the Rodent Howards doctrine…well take a look, this Govt is changing all that crap…incidently have a chat to your wife it appears she has more up top than you will ever have, not related to Fielding are you? hell you are a superficial wank.
MARTIN - Re the Senate? The fact is, that only half the Senators had to stand for election in ‘07, and that’s the main reason Rudd doesn’t have a majority in the Senate. Hopefully, that will change at the next election. I don’t agree with the Rudd govt on many things, but this type of legislation has been discussed etc in the community for some time now, and after the 4 Libs took that courageous stand during the final days of Howard, it’s pretty safe to assume, that people don’t agree with the punitive policies he and his band of thugs made into law, otherwise it would’ve showed up in the polls, but it didn’t. The Libs didn’t take their oppressive views re this topic to the last election. Sharman Stone was the Opposition person on the committee thatcompiled the changes to the Immigration Act dealt with today - she didn’t complain about today’s action then. Further, the reasons put forward by Fielding and the Libs were false - Judith Treoth said so too! They’ve been lying their bloody heads off over just about everything - for the sake of it!
Senators are elected by the people to represent the people - that’s why they’re there! It takes a bull headed Senator with only a miniscule number of voters supporting him, to thwart every piece of legislation the elected govt places before him.
Fielding claims he only got 29% in English in Year 12. How on earth did he get a degree in engineering, and an MBA? Don’t these require expertise in English? How did that happen? It doesn’t take much difficulty in showing some decency and justice. There are many people with worse challenges than his, and they don’t behave like bastards without a conscience, let alone a heart! I think he’s just a ‘media tart’? Likes centre stage - performs to the cameras while in the Senate?
Don’t you find it strange, that the majority of the countries you mentioned had ‘interference’ or have been invaded by the US? The US has interfered with or invaded over 40 countries since the end of WW2 - some of them twice! Others they either sold weapons to or the CIA interfered with, and put in a dictator; or the US turned a blind eye to tyranny if it was worth their while - lots of resources for corporate greedy americans.
If we want to stop traumatised people from taking risks in leaky boats and then arriving on our ‘doorstep’ perhaps we should stop taking part in murdering their family members friends and compatriots, via illegal and cowardly wars. The number of these people seeking protection is much higher in the rest of the world. The numbers of Afghanis appearing in Europe etc has increased markedly - why? we’re part of those who are occupying their country and killing them in large numbers each week! We create the problem, and then demonise and traumatise those who have no choice but try and flee!
The people who arrive here are not taking the place of those in the so-called queue, because they have no chance of ever getting in a bloody queue in the first place. If you did some decent research you’d know this is fact, but instead you repeat the hateful mantra of Howard, Ruddock(wearing his Amnesty International badge? what a hypocritical bastard he is) Sharmon Stone etc, which are hateful bloody lies. I just wish the media would challenge their bigoted and racist actions.
What on earth is your problem with living in Eastwood? People there don’t speak English. Perhaps you’ll understand how aboriginal people felt when white settlers came, with their strange language and cruel ways. Learn to speak chinese if it’s a problem. There were 23 nationalities in the first fleet mate, Asians among them. Afghanis were here years ago. Over 25% of people in this country were born overseas - I think it’s 40% in NSW. Unless you’re aboriginal, we’re all descentants of ‘boat people’ of some kind?
It’s ironic that only a couple of days ago, a man who’s about a 100? met a train load of the ‘children’ he rescued from Hitler prior to the invasion of Poland? He was treated as a hero and rightly so, but then he rescued the ‘good guys’ on the right side. Unlike Howard, who locked kids up until they were driven medically mad. The Resistance did similar work, were lauded as the heroes they were, and saved the lives of many Jews, but of course that’s different because they weren’t ‘the enemy’? But we treat those who organise the boats as criminals? Not many white people from Britain or Europe ended up in Baxter for overstaying their visa?
Incidently, those from the Middle Eastern countries aren’t rich. Family members often pool their money, the bit they have, in order to save a young person’s life, by taking the risk with “people smugglers”. Sometimes they sell their farms, and end up homeless themselves - there’s 4 million homeless in Iraq- 2 million within the country, and 2 million in neighbouring countries. The strain on these countries is immense. We helped cause that situation, as we’ve helped cause the poverty, malnutrition and cholera outbreaks; and the kids are traumatised and need psychological care. We caused that! Unemployment is off the scale; boys and men are in jail, usually just for being against the occupation, and the women, mad with grief and fatigue, are trying to carry on - we helped cause all of that!
Fielding is a weak, pathetic little man, who likes centre stage. Why did he change his vote? To stay in the spotlight? He’d be a bigger story on prime time news?
Stay on message Martin. This is about Fielding’s capacity as a senator not the other stuff.
It was the strategy to anihilate the Australian Democrats that enabled Labor and Liberal party in Victoria to preference swap with anyone anything. This resulted in Fielding being elected as one of 6 Victorian senators. They only have themselves to blame and the Schaudenfraude (sic?) would be enjoyable if it wasn’t seriously undermining the federal governemnt’s ability to govern.
Fielding’s policy lunacy aside (as it’s not relevant here) it is his performance as an elected representative that should result in tar and feathering. His total misunderstanding of the rules and regulations of the way the senate behaves is what appalls me. If he really did want to be an elected representative he should learn how the political chamber in which he sits operates. Time and time again he exasperates his fellow senators at his total lack of comprehension at the way the chamber works. Anyone else this incompetent in a job wouldn’t keep it.
If he does have ‘learning disabilities’ what does this say about both his engineering degree and his MBA? Surely the MBA course covered fiscal strategy, and has been noted here previously, Fielding did almost immediately correct himself at the doorstop. If Fielding would spend a little bit more time about learning about his day job and less time listening and quoting verbatim to climate change sceptics he would be capable of representing Victorians. Something he has failed to do in his time in the senate.
Xenophon to his credit understand the chamber and the accepted practices, Fielding embarrasses himself and then behaves like a recalcitrant 7 year old blaming everything except himself . Those watching on cringe with embarrassment.