Nibbles! posted:

Isn't it the case that you can't OD on MDMA anyway? It's heat or dehydration that gets you? Do they still stop you taking your own water into festivals?

Ler posted:

Graic Gabtar posted:

What's the rationale behind this? I'd scoop out my own eyes before I watched an episode of ACA.

Gary 'Have you tried "kill all the poors"' Johns posted:

This is not an affront to single mothers or absent fathers, or struggling parents. Such a measure will undoubtedly affect strugglers, it undoubtedly will affect Aboriginal and Islander people in great proportions, but the idea that someone can have the taxpayer, as of right, fund the choice to have a child is repugnant.

Large families of earlier generations were the result of the combination of absent contraception and the need to have many children, in order that some survive to care for parents in old age. These conditions do not now apply. Infant mortality is minuscule in all sectors of society, and the taxpayer picks up the tab for aged care.

Therefore, there should be no taxpayer inducement to have children. Potential parents of poor means, poor skills or bad character will choose to have children. So be it. But no one should enter parenthood while on a benefit. It is better to avoid having children until such time as parents can afford them. No amount of ‘‘intervention’’ after the fact can make up for the strife that many parents bring down on their ­children.

Trapezium Dave posted:

And of course the Australian responds today with a front-page story, a commentary piece and an editorial saying the real issue is the PMs inappropriate process for investigating ministerial conduct.

Dude McAwesome posted:

rich white kids have it the hardest out of everyone

hooman posted:

For someone who thinks the government shouldn't interfere with our glorious right to do whatever, how exactly does he propose we in Australia fix FGM?

Zenithe posted:

This is the Onion right? Please?

Anidav posted:

David Bowie didn't die. He went undercover as Bill Shorten.

Jumpingmanjim posted:

PaletteSwappedNinja posted:

Guy's talking here, I'll wait for someone to summarise because reddit is unreadable:

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/410n4q/i_am_outgoing_abc_technology_editor_nick_ross_ama/

quote:

In early March 2013 I was told by a senior ABC manager that ABC Management was expecting the Liberals to win the next election and that Malcolm Turnbull would be in charge of the ABC and that they didn't want to upset him. From this point on I documented everything.

After that I had articles held back (one wasn't published at all) and heavily pressured not to write anything on the matter.

On one occasion, four months before the election, with regards to this article which raised huge questions about the viability of the copper network I was told that "there was nothing wrong with the article per se" but that 'The NBN was dead and so there's no point in causing a fuss.'

I published it when I saw Emma Alberici had published hers right after the election. But it got buried and I only got social media traffic.

quote:

It's not like I was given a form that said "Gag order" on it. I was told not to upset pollies. I had articles held back. I was told instead to write an article about "why the NBN had failed"... 4 months before the election.

I said I would but didn't. When the media says things like that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Part of the reason I'm doing this is because we've another election coming up this year and, as a member of the public and tax payer, I don't want my ABC manipulating news according to a political party.

quote:

As I've now said elsewhere, after the initial meeting I decided to record subsequent meetings to protect myself. Lucky I did:-

I've literally got them on tape saying "the NBN is dead and so there's no point in making a fuss" four months before the election and using that as an excuse not to publish the copper article.

quote:

Feb 2013: Published The vast differences between the NBN and the Coalition's alternative

Feb/March 2013: Article starts going epic viral. Two weeks later The Project uses it to grill Turnbull on air. For once he seems very uncomfortable in a media interview about the NBN.

A few days later: The Australian suddenly publishes two articles about me. One erroneously saying I'd been disciplined by the ABC. Another from an "expert" saying why my article was wrong (laughably bullshit).

Next day: Stephen Conroy slamming Mark Scott for "gagging me" on Jon Faine radio show

Later that day: I meet with senior ABC manager who tells me to keep quiet, go home, and that ABC is preparing for Liberal government etc. Also some questions from Media Watch about content of site.

Following Monday: Media Watch beat-up appears. It's all about me. I'd been told it was about NBN coverage in the media in general.

April: Write article on how Liberal/Turnbull claims about how price of internet under Libs will be cheaper is factually incorrect. Told not to publish it because of the political environment. Article is never published.

May: Complete my Copper Network article (it was actually done in an earlier version in March). Told there's "nothing wrong with it per se" but that "the NBN is dead and there's no point in causing a fuss"

July 2013: Diagnosed with stress and getting ill from it.

Election: Emma Alberici finally publishes her NBN article. I publish mine on Copper and Telehealth

Following months: Almost all requests for other media (TV radio) have vanished. Daily news conference calls involve me telling News team about NBN stuff but that I can't cover it and perhaps someone else might like to. Only Science Editor and Environment Editor ask why.

2014: Vertigan and Ergas "reviews" appear. Can't cover them.

2015: Waiting to be absorbed into main News Online team.

Around July: Told ABC Tech site is closing and I'd need to build a tech audience with the Business Section to keep working.

I contact unions, legal people and Comcare. I also blow the whistle on what happened to me. Internal investigation occurs. Eventually says nothing wrong.

Christmas 2015: My time to build an audience with is over. I've been let down by Whistle Blowing people, my councillor, boss, Heda of HR and job is basically untenable. Get offered almost a year's salary to leave (I thought they had no money for a tech editor). Tried not to snap their arm off.

That's Extremely basic. It also should probably have Senate Estimates in there but ultimately while I was talked about I had no input.

SadisTech posted:

Counting down until Renai LeMay justifies his premium content article about how Nick Ross was not gagged whatsoever and is just seeking attention as being the legitimate truth in some tortured fashion

Bifauxnen posted:

For the record I think you're on the good side of this one, but Jesus Christ can you guys just stop drawing out each individual slight into 3 loving pages

hooman posted:

I am glad Howard won in 2004.

The former Infrastructure PM posted:

After leaving the prime ministership, I said that I would spend some time talking to family, trusted colleagues and local Liberals about my future. I have been heartened by the support and encouragement I’ve received to continue to serve the country as a member of parliament.

Therefore, I am renominating to represent the people of Warringah for another term as their Liberal MP.

I am proud of my work to establish the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust that has done so much to improve the amenity of former military land on North Head, Middle Head and Georges Heights. Should I be renominated and elected, I am looking forward to working with Premier Mike Baird to ensure that the Warringah Peninsula gets better transport links to the rest of Sydney.

It has been a great honour to serve the people of Warringah for 22 years and I hope to retain their trust and confidence.

V for Vegas posted:

hahaha, which he had no qualms about throwing under a bus as soon as Alan Jones didn't like what it was doing.

asio posted:

Noted Players in Australian Culture, the Society of Jesus?

Bifauxnen posted:

Re: flagchat, I actually like the golden wattle design:

ScreamingLlama posted:

That's assuming we actually DO become a republic. Our first referendum failed for a reason, and that reason was the blatant attempt at putting power solely into the hands of politicians by making THEM the electors of the President and not the voting public. To quote a political cartoon from that year: "You can choose a Queen you didn't choose... or a President you didn't choose!"

quote:

If you want to live in the Democratic People's Republic of Australia, it'd better have direct democracy built in. Ballot initiatives, such as those seen in California, are a good way to get people involved and feeling like they can make a difference - because they actually CAN make a difference (despite the truly awful initiatives coming from Christian extremists).

BlitzkriegOfColour posted:

knows only a little about politics science

open24hours posted:

I think something like this better represents what we stand for as a nation. Easy for kids to draw too.