hooman posted:

Queensland is literally the Capital Wasteland.

ScreamingLlama posted:

Well, at least you're not calling the Australian Democrats right-wing anymore. IT WAS ALL MEG LEES' FAULT I KEEP TELLING YOU

Here's a update on the Dems' deregistration issue, straight from national president Darren Churchill:


The problem was further compounded by the faction issue: the members of the breakaway faction apparently let their membership in the party proper lapse.

You Am I posted:

So latest polls show that both Abbott and Shorten are disliked equally by the public.

Time to start the leadership rumour mill for both parties

freebooter posted:

I might be a bit late for HECS chat, but - is it really that outrageous a notion that we make people pay back their student loans? I know Tone's generation got free education, but the only thing that really bothers me about that is that they've not only pulled up the rope but have then attacked my generation for being "entitled."

I'm not much of an economist, and I consider myself a lefty, but on a fundamental level I don't have an issue with the state providing kids with an interest-free loan which they only have to pay back once they start earning a certain amount. My own experience with HECS kicked in for the first time in the financial year before last, when I earned 55 grand before tax and the result of that was that I didn't get any tax back, and owed the ATO $200, because of my HECS debt. I grumbled about it, but was well aware that it was more than fair. $200 over the course of a year is gently caress all, and I was living a pretty good life. If I wasn't earning that much, I wouldn't be paying the HECS.

The state (the people) provided me with an education, and if said education manages to net me an entry-level job where I earn 55 grand a year, I think it's eminently fair and reasonable for me to pay the state (the people) back. Isn't it?

QUACKTASTIC posted:

"I am a sailor who has spent 20 years on boats. If I find a boat adrift, I'm sorry, but I don't turn away.

"I intervene to help people at sea. I don't know if this reflects my Italian culture but I do know it is international law.

"A vessel in difficulty, whether it is a boat full of migrants or a merchant ship, has to be assisted."

QUACKTASTIC posted:

Fact check: Did abolishing negative gearing push up rents?

hooman posted:

Please put this in all future OPs. Thanks.

open24hours posted:

Do they even need a leader?

You Am I posted:

Interesting, especially since they have a member in the Victorian Upper House

Jumpingmanjim posted:

fiery_valkyrie posted:

Scott Morrison digs in the knife

Stoca Zola posted:

At some point in the late 80s maybe year 5 or 6 for me, we did some typing lessons and played Grannies Garden on whatever computers we had at my primary school. I didn't see a computer as a student again until 1995 when I started uni; my first programming class we learned C but we did so from watching someone explain things using an overhead projector with transparencies, I think we only got to the computer pool once or twice for that subject. I'm glad they're at least trying to formalise what the expectations are on what kids should be learning and when they should know it by, because it's been left very loose before now and to me seemed to largely rely on what staff were available. No IT competent staff = no IT classes.

markgreyam posted:

As someone who resides/bides time waiting for a chance to escape from/suffers in Adelaide, I'm jealous that I can't even enter into "Whose city is better" arguments. Even I wouldn't believe me.

On the plus side I have this page to myself to list all the good things about Adelaide.