Comments on: Peris a short-term fix while long-term problems remain

By: Bailey's Mother

Bailey's Mother — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:48:04 +0000

Given commentary from the Northern Territory that Nova Peris has lived in Canberra for the past 10 - 15 years (depending on the commentator), I would have thought it more credible that she run for the ACT Senate seat. But that would mean Kate Lundy having to sacrifice herself to “right the historic wrong”, wouldn’t it?

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:23:47 +0000

Face the facts. Julia Gillard can do no right by almost everyone. I’d rather her brand of politics-devious they might be-than all the moralistic bull¨shit and cant shoved out by Tony Abbott and his coterie of Catholic cronies.

By: klewso

klewso — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:36:02 +0000

Meanwhile the majority of our dominant “viewsmedia” seems more infatuated and captivated by “entertainment” (to “sell copy”, to get a jump on their media opposition/competition), and injecting their own persona into that relationship (to make a name for themselves on it) than devoting their time to professional journalism and impartial analysis of news and politics, to pass on.
Tainting “their news” with their prejudices. We are left, all too often, with their shallow views to suck on.

It’s the commodifying commercialisation of news - controlled by those best placed to exploit it - to spin it however they wish, to suit their desired outcome of perception. An abuse of power in a market place controlled through dominance as that is.

But more are waking up to that too.

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:11:32 +0000

While I agree wholehearted with your last observation Klewso and the excellent work of the SMH in their coverage of the Obied saga is an fine example of some of the things that must be attended to, the promotion of the empty headed alternative on offer is a sad reflection of the MSM judgment.
Labor has to, not only change the Sussex St address, but root out this corrupt and self serving elements in their ranks.

By: klewso

klewso — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:29:45 +0000

We have been led into and are caught in a morass of skittish, compromising (when they know what has to to be done for better outcomes, but “selling-short” out) and compromised government, of individuals seemingly more interested in how they are going to be remembered by popular history - as recorded by the popular media.
The media (i.e. the partisan media with it’s domination) is left to determine too much policy - in the way it sells it on to the public - as it edits it.
But as bad as Gillard (and most of the rest of the prospective leaders the party hierarchy has put on that front seat for representation) is, Abbott is worse when it comes to scruples, mixed with a perception of his own ego-driven infallibility and a lack of compromise.
Why should we have to settle for second best - “Labor” can do better.

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:14:16 +0000

The ‘Cafe Whisper’ has an honest and entertaining perspective on many of the issues that our MSM scribblers are always determined to attempt to drive advertising by their constant search for a controversy under every political announcement and rock.

By: GF50

GF50 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:54:39 +0000

+++ tfw and M F said it all for me.

By: klewso

klewso — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:51:40 +0000

And that would be “Peris-chute” wouldn’t it?

By: justsaying

justsaying — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:22:31 +0000

Ahhhh, everyone loves a good token.

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:20:22 +0000

About winning it surely is Tony FM, and some very good goals she has been kicking.
The COL figures confirm yet again her’s and many of her team’s, goal kicking skills.
There are four quarters and time to be completed before we have a winner.

By: tonyfunnywalker

tonyfunnywalker — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:05:50 +0000

Come on you lot, This is no different to Newman in Queensland and Downer is SA.

If Gillard looses she will be blamed irrespective of what she does to put the party in at least a winnable position.
So like a good captain she is looking at the team sheet and what she needs to win.

Gillard is the captain /coach of the Labor team.

She is thinking like Sir Alex Ferguson in the Christmas transfer window of what positions she needs to shore up to ensure that she wins the Grand Final.

She has got rid of the “taggers” is kicking majors from everywhere but a high profile candidate, or two is worth their value in gold and what a better candidate in a dual gold medallist who knows how to win.

This is not about retribution its about winning.

By: John Bennetts

John Bennetts — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:09:45 +0000

I’m p_ssed off.

This whole episode will produce nothing of lasting value. Why does the ALP so predictably shoot itself in the foot in public? Why would an apparently sensible ex-hockey player do this to herself?

Why, indeed, did the current government continue the Intervention in NT, when there was a perfectly good set of ideas as to how to improve relations with the indigenous portion of NT, in the form of the 111 or so recommendations set out in the Little People are Sacred Royal Commission Report? Why, primarily, are Canberran politicians determined to be disrespectful to country and remote Australians, especially those from NT? Have the two Australian Territories declared war against each other?

I am not now and never have been a member of the ALP. Among other reasons, there’s simply no point in membership. Millions agree with me - look at the numbers.

Yep, I’m p_ssed off by this free kick to the Abbott side. Effin’ incredible!

By: Bob the builder

Bob the builder — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:29:14 +0000

I don’t totally agree with Wamut (@2.09pm) that Labor wasn’t dumped in the bush - the overall trend was against Labor, but the results are far more nuanced than the meedja has been willing (or capable?) of discussing.
Bob Gosford has written extensively on a whispering campaign against the Labor Aboriginal sitting members in remote seats - I’m not sure how effective or widespread it was from personal experience, but I do think it’s very significant that of the remote seats with a strong Aboriginal majority (the ‘remote’ seats) the only one that wasn’t lost was held by a non-Aboriginal member (McCarthy in Barkly), who wouldn’t obviously be prey to accusations what he wasn’t a ‘proper’ blackfella. One other non-urban seat was lost (the less remote and less Aboriginal-majority Daly) by a non-Aboriginal member - Rob Knight, who lost it to another non-Aboriginal candidate.
So, the idea the merely having an Aboriginal candidate will do anything for Labor just doesn’t stack up.

And, if they want to attract Aboriginal members and candidates, the best thing they could do would be stop screwing over Aboriginal people. All the branding and other bullsh*t won’t help a jot.

By: Fully (sic)

Fully (sic) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:09:48 +0000

At a national level it maybe be open for debate about whether this decision will benefit the Labor party. At the NT level, the early signs are plainly clear that it is doing a significant level of damage to Labor. If you look at the media and social media coming from the NT it does not look like Labor will be better off at all. Territorians despise being overridden by Canberra and on top of that Crossin and Scrymgour are both rather popular. Sure, not all or even most Territorians like both of them, but pretty much everyone thinks at least one of the two is a good politician. To see both get shafted is not making Territorians happy.

I also disagree with your claim that Labor was dumped in remote communities. What actually happened was that each community made up their own mind and voted for who they liked the best. Labor, CLP, Greens and First Nations party all won booths in the bush. Remote voters chose the candidate they liked, moreso than the party they wanted. As Marion intimated on ABC Darwin this morning, it is patronising to assume that bush voters can’t think for themselves and will just vote for a black face with ALP next to their name. They are smarter than that and will elect people they know and trust. To assume that remote voters will be happy to vote for Nova is naive.

Wamut. (not necessarily Fully (sic)’s view)

By: klewso

klewso — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:03:52 +0000

“Go Cows!”?
It was a funny looking “conference”.
There was “Shelly Marsh” with “Token Black”, trying to impress a gaggle of “South Park journos”. They’ve already got “Butters” Rudd (if voiced by Cartman), and the rest of the cast, hanging around there “somewhere”.

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:02:33 +0000

One has to wonder whether you wrote the above with Michelle Grattan’s approval, the lugubrious and repetitive scion of the Faifax broadsheets whose mantra for the last thirty odd years has been ‘anthying but Labour”.
Michael Gordon’s article was far better nuanced and gave credit where it was due.
After listening to Peris’s speech in its entirety, rather thn the selective and edited piece put to air, one can only come to the conclusion that she is a candidate with considerable merit and Ms Gillards choice is one for the nation rather than the party hacks and press scribblers.
That is until the whiteman ‘journalists’ of the MSM set about tearing her to pieces to satisfy their blood lust.

By: klewso

klewso — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:58:05 +0000

Some clever journo on TV last night referred back to some “Indian(?)” asking Gillard what (after Hawke’s and Whitlam’s, I think it was) her “legacy” was, to which she couldn’t reply? As if this was her “eventual reply”?
The fact that this was still early in the job, and that any legacy (that would probably take some time to manifest itself) could still be in the pipeline didn’t seem “relevant”?

By: SBH

SBH — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:31:02 +0000

‘Shameful’. That’s the word

I wonder why Dean Rioli didn’t get the call though?