Auspol January 2017: relentless incoherence and incompetence.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol January 2017: relentless incoherence and incompetence.

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Recoome: Nov 9, 2013; Matter of fact, I'm salty now.

DancingShade posted:

Awesome. So when your washing machine vibrates it's way through your glass shower wall during a spin cycle you can leap away from the breaking shards to break your knees on your sink then catch your face on the seat of your toilet during the fall.

Basically one of those impossible machine games only it's your bathroom. That is a smart design.

I wonder how the washing machine electrics will hold up to being exposed to shower steam daily.

also thats probably the best angle for that room, so like the photo is taken from the doorway.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 09:43

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 08:17

Starshark: Dec 22, 2005; Doctor Rope

quote:

The crossbench senator wants the payment to be viewed as welfare � not an entitlement for taxpayers once they reach a certain age.

"We really have to get over this idea that you don't have to save for your own retirement and your own old age," he said.

He continued his calls for the family home to form part of the assets test for pensions.

The Government has been defending its changes to the pension during the summer holidays, as Labor ramped up their calls to have it reversed.

Senator Leyonhjelm said Australians should "reinforce the notion" that "when you retire you will only receive the pension if you're poor and its nothing to be proud of".

Yeah, let's kick the pensioners. Kick the fuckers to the dirt.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 10:00

Night Shade: Jan 13, 2013; Old School

Starshark posted:

Yeah, let's kick the pensioners. Kick the fuckers to the dirt.

Somehow I doubt that notion extends to his parliamentary pension.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 10:22

ewe2: Jul 1, 2009

I have a feeling voters are going to be reminded of this winning attitude.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 10:31

gay picnic defence: Oct 5, 2009; I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS

Starshark posted:

Yeah, let's kick the pensioners. Kick the fuckers to the dirt.

I agree with him. gently caress old people

# ? Jan 2, 2017 10:40

Night Shade: Jan 13, 2013; Old School

gay picnic defence posted:

I agree with him. gently caress old people

I mean sure, if that's what you're into

# ? Jan 2, 2017 10:55

Doctor Spaceman: Jul 6, 2010; "Everyone's entitled to their point of view, but that's seriously a weird one."

Night Shade posted:

Somehow I doubt that notion extends to his parliamentary pension.

quote:

Finally, before anyone complains about hypocrisy from a politician, I should point out that the scheme giving retired federal politicians a generous life pension was closed in 2004. New politicians like me contribute to a superannuation fund, the same as everyone else who has a job. And, like everyone else, whether we will need welfare in the form of a pension depends on how much super we manage to save, not how much or how long we have paid tax.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 11:01

BBJoey: Oct 31, 2012

Starshark posted:

Yeah, let's kick the pensioners. Kick the fuckers to the dirt.

when otto von bismarck was more socially progressive than you that might be a sign to reconsider your positions

# ? Jan 2, 2017 11:09

ewe2: Jul 1, 2009

Doctor Spaceman posted:

Leyonhjelm is still a hypocrite.

A superannuation fund miraculously free from restrictions and paying a far higher rate than allocated to plebs, and also taxed less. What a brave brave little man.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 11:21

Night Shade: Jan 13, 2013; Old School

Fair enough, my 30 second google for parliamentary pension didn't tell me that, not that I looked very hard.

He's still getting 20 30 grand a year (the Commonwealth pays 15.4% instead of the mandatory 9.something) in super on top of his parliamentary salary of 200 grand.

efb

# ? Jan 2, 2017 11:23

Solemn Sloth: Jul 11, 2015; Baby you can shout at me,
But you can't need my eyes.

Pensioners are bad and so are their opinions and voting habits

# ? Jan 2, 2017 11:49

hooman: Oct 11, 2007; This guy seems legit.; Fun Shoe

From my reading if he stays 8 years he also gets an additional allowance.

From here:
http://www.aph.gov.au/about_parliament/parliamentary_departments/parliamentary_library/pubs/bn/1011/superannuationbenefits

# ? Jan 2, 2017 12:21

You Am I: May 20, 2001; Me @ your poasting

Solemn Sloth posted:

Pensioners are bad and so are their opinions and voting habits

Agreed. Drop the voting age to 16, ban anyone over 55 from voting.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 12:54

Starshark: Dec 22, 2005; Doctor Rope

Solemn Sloth posted:

Pensioners are bad and so are their opinions and voting habits

Apparently it's nothing to do with their age and everything to do with that generation being fuckwits, so hopefully things will improve when they die off. I'd say 'it'd be nice to have a pension when I get to their age' but otoh lol I should live so long.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 14:17

Urcher: Jun 16, 2006

Word cloud for December:

Bonus word cloud for all of 2016:

2016: J F M A M JJ A S O N D

2015: J F M A M J J A S O N D

2014: J F M A M J J A S O N D

2013: A M J J A S O N D

Highlights from last month's thread:

Starshark posted:

I also seem to remember someone screeching 'budget emergency' in between mouthfuls of cigars and ben & jerrys and proposing austerity. Went down a treat with the voting public. Not sure why the Libs don't want to go with him to midnight mass to 'make fun of the Christians', but when we got there he took it super-seriously and knew all the words to hymns I'd never heard of... I think... I think of when I think of Tony Abbott is 'left appeaser'.

You Am I posted:

Of course Lie Lyle Shelton wont back down to his earlier comments that the Government has done this week is amazing. First with Frydenberg with emissions trading, then Kelly O'Dwyer being smacked down by Turnbull over the Banks Tribunal.

If it was Labor doing this the News Corpse and the Liberals to start his own Christian Hate Group Party" is doing his "angry old man" shtick. He still doesn't understand why some of the nation thinks differently to him, and it makes him very upset.

hooman posted:

"Controversial conservative politicians Cory Bernardi and George Christensen have agreed to help an anti-Islam organisation raise funds to defend a defamation case brought by a friend of mine from uni. I followed the link and thought wait a second I know that website.

# ? Jan 2, 2017 21:16

AgentF: May 11, 2009

Starshark posted:

Apparently it's nothing to do with their age and everything to do with that generation being fuckwits, so hopefully things will improve when they die off. I'd say 'it'd be nice to have a pension when I get to their age' but otoh lol I should live so long.

I don't understand it. Isn't it the same generation that were hippies and cared a lot about social change? How did they go from that to FYGM?

# ? Jan 3, 2017 00:39

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

They're no worse (or better) than any other generation. If the people who are young now were young then we'd be in exactly the same situation.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 00:45

Cartoon: Jun 20, 2008; poop

AgentF posted:

I don't understand it. Isn't it the same generation that were hippies and cared a lot about social change? How did they go from that to FYGM?

Not all of us did but the poo poo smears that didn't 'fight the man' really got fully entrenched in the capitalist dream and a decent proportion of the hippie movement were just following fashion anyway. Add a pack of free love brats and suddenly you are embedded in a suburban brick venereal and view the world as a zero sum game.

For content: New dog whistle out with changes to make immigration test tougher on terror. :toughguy:

# ? Jan 3, 2017 00:46

Kafka Syrup: Apr 29, 2009

Cartoon posted:

Not all of us did but the poo poo smears that didn't 'fight the man' really got fully entrenched in the capitalist dream and a decent proportion of the hippie movement were just following fashion anyway. Add a pack of free love brats and suddenly you are embedded in a suburban brick venereal and view the world as a zero sum game.

For content: New dog whistle out with changes to make immigration test tougher on terror.

On a bit of a positive, I just got back after ten sweltering days at Woodford Folk Festival and it was inspiring to see so many progressive and radical older folk. The hippy dream is obviously still alive out there, but it's drowned out by the sort that Cartoon is talking about.

Less good (something I noticed at a few of the talks there and Cr Jono Sri pointed out in his talk): there seems to be a concerning shift toward isolationism and anti-immigration among notionally Left people, couched in the language of sustainability and environmentalism.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 00:57

WhiskeyWhiskers: Oct 14, 2013

LOOKING, WAITING, COULDN'T: F35.

Catchy advertising.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 01:59

BBJoey: Oct 31, 2012

didn't see this posted last year, another asylum seeker died of prolonged illness on 24 december :waycool:

# ? Jan 3, 2017 02:02

You Am I: May 20, 2001; Me @ your poasting

BBJoey posted:

didn't see this posted last year, another asylum seeker died of prolonged illness on 24 december

It was

# ? Jan 3, 2017 02:12

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

quote:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...103-gtl6m5.html
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has expanded on his call for the citizenship test to be revamped with a boosted focus on social integration and Australian values rather than being a "trivia" quiz on history and government.

Mr Dutton said he wants a debate on the test to weed out "a minority who are on a pathway to citizenship that we need to have a closer look at", including people involved in gang activity, crime and terrorism.

"We need to see whether people are abiding by Australian laws, whether they are educating their children, if they are able-bodied and of working age, whether or not they are engaged in work or whether they have had a long period of time on welfare," he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

"At the moment, the test is dictated essentially by questions around Australian trivia, if you like," he said. "And my view is that we could look at a test that would more embrace Australian values."

In the wake of counter-terrorism operations that have seen some recently arrived Australians arrested, the Immigration Minister's suggested test would seek to gauge the success of an applicant's integration into Australian society by quizzing them on their employment, children's education, English attainment and criminal record.

The citizenship test currently asks 20 questions, drawn from a larger pool, covering matters of Australian history, system of government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The person must get 75 per cent correct.

Applicants are also subjected to a character test, which prevents them attaining citizenship if they have a criminal conviction against their name.

Carla Wilshire, chief executive of the Migration Council Australia, greeted Mr Dutton's comments with scepticism. She said there is a continual need for modernisation and improvement of the citizenship testing process but "we need to be careful not to demonise migrants".

"Citizenship and a strong emphasis on belonging has been at heart of Australia's brand of multiculturalism. In considering any changes we need to be careful that we do not lock migrants out of citizenship or create a guest worker society," she told Fairfax Media.

"The statistics show that migrants are less likely to access welfare payments and their children perform at above average academic levels."

Ms Wilshire said Australia did need improved "cultural orientation" for new migrants, with a focus on gender equality and access to justice.

It has been suggested that a new test would include questions like:

"Have you broken the law?"

"Are your kids enrolled in school?"

"Have you found employment?"

"Is your spouse enrolled in English-language lessons?"

A draft cabinet document obtained by Fairfax Media last year proposed changes to "create stronger controls over access to permanent residency and citizenship" and a renewed citizenship test (and pledge) to "strengthen accountability for commitments made at citizenship conferral".

In November, The Daily Telegraph reported the government was moving ahead with such a move.

I always wonder about the poor public servants tasked with finding the magic set of questions that will convince terrorists/dole bludgers to turn themselves in.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:36

Negative Entropy: Nov 30, 2009

open24hours posted:

"Applicants are also subjected to a character test, which prevents them attaining citizenship if they have a criminal conviction against their name. "

I can't think of anything more Unaustralian than this.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:44

Zenithe: Feb 25, 2013; _{Ask not to whom the Anidavatar belongs; it belongs to thee.}

quote:

Mr Dutton said he wants a debate on the test to weed out "a minority who are on a pathway to citizenship that we need to have a closer look at", including people involved in gang activity, crime and terrorism.

quote:

Applicants are also subjected to a character test, which prevents them attaining citizenship if they have a criminal conviction against their name.

uhhh...

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:46

Negative Entropy: Nov 30, 2009

of all the piss weak things that have been called Unaustralian, and my dislike if the word, if something were to be Unaustralian lack of criminality would be a defining feature.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:46

ewe2: Jul 1, 2009

They already check on people's criminal history, what Dutton wants is a test where applicants rule themselves out or can be caught in a lie to make rejecting them without review a simple rubber-stamp.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:49

Zenithe: Feb 25, 2013; _{Ask not to whom the Anidavatar belongs; it belongs to thee.}

ewe2 posted:

They already check on people's criminal history, what Dutton wants is a test where applicants rule themselves out or can be caught in a lie to make rejecting them without review a simple rubber-stamp.

Are you a terrorist?

No [ ]
Lol [ ]

# ? Jan 3, 2017 05:52

Starshark: Dec 22, 2005; Doctor Rope

open24hours posted:

They're no worse (or better) than any other generation. If the people who are young now were young then we'd be in exactly the same situation.

I've never seen you put up a source in your life and I'm not about to waste my time by asking now, so here's my source (there are others, it's just the first one I picked up).

http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-do-we-become-more-conservative-with-age-47910

# ? Jan 3, 2017 06:11

SMILLENNIALSMILLEN: Jun 26, 2009

ewe2 posted:

They already check on people's criminal history, what Dutton wants is a test where applicants rule themselves out or can be caught in a lie to make rejecting them without review a simple rubber-stamp.

Looks like it.

quote:

A draft cabinet document obtained by Fairfax Media last year proposed changes to "create stronger controls over access to permanent residency and citizenship" and a renewed citizenship test (and pledge) to "strengthen accountability for commitments made at citizenship conferral

Sounds like making it easier to deny people later for not living up to "commitments made at citizenship conferral" which I assume means wearing a wire at a mosque

# ? Jan 3, 2017 06:36

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

Starshark posted:

I've never seen you put up a source in your life and I'm not about to waste my time by asking now, so here's my source (there are others, it's just the first one I picked up).

http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-do-we-become-more-conservative-with-age-47910

That seems to contradict the point you were trying to make?

quote:

This means that the Conservatives probably shouldn�t be too worried about their support base thinning out and being replaced by younger, less conservative generations. If history repeats itself, then as people get older they will turn to the Conservatives. Our evidence suggests that this is probably not due to �social ageing� (getting married, having children or an increasing income), but rather to the direct psychological processes of ageing that tend to make people more resistant to change. This, in turn, makes people gravitate towards parties that defend the status quo.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 06:49

I would blow Dane Cook: Dec 26, 2008

We will see a "Strip Dole Bludgers Citizenship" headline at some point this year in the Daily Telegraph.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 06:51

Pile Of Garbage: May 28, 2007

Zenithe posted:

Are you a terrorist?

No [ ]
Lol [ ]

# ? Jan 3, 2017 06:55

DancingShade: Jul 26, 2007; by Fluffdaddy

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

We will see a "Strip Dole Bludgers Citizenship" headline at some point this year in the Daily Telegraph.

I'm all for welfare bludging former parliamentarians to be stripped of benefits and citizenship.

Also "guest speaker", "undefined consultant" and "industry spokesperson" are no longer valid jobs in DancingShade's Utopian Australia and will count as "unemployed expel immediately".

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:07

Doctor Spaceman: Jul 6, 2010; "Everyone's entitled to their point of view, but that's seriously a weird one."

I would blow Dane Cook posted:

We will see a "Strip Dole Bludgers Citizenship" headline at some point this year in the Daily Telegraph.

They've already done articles about how many DSP recipients living overseas, so if I'd put money on that being targeted first.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:09

DancingShade: Jul 26, 2007; by Fluffdaddy

Doctor Spaceman posted:

They've already done articles about how many DSP recipients living overseas, so if I'd put money on that being targeted first.

On one hand we live in a global economy and people should move to wherever the jobs are.

On the other hand peasants should only move with express permission from their local landed Lordship and should otherwise stick to mucking out the pigs and fruit picking, grateful for any scraps thrown out from the Lord's table after he has eaten his fill and exercised his right of the first night with your bridge/groom.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:19

Tokamak: Dec 22, 2004

Doctor Spaceman posted:

They've already done articles about how many DSP recipients living overseas, so if I'd put money on that being targeted first.

You get kicked off DSP if you stay overseas longer than a couple of months. So technically you can't actually do that.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:22

DancingShade: Jul 26, 2007; by Fluffdaddy

Tokamak posted:

You get kicked off DSP if you stay overseas longer than a couple of months. So technically you can't actually do that.

Hey now let's not let facts get in the way of good rhetoric or claiming something already in place as a new "achievement".

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:23

Recoome: Nov 9, 2013; Matter of fact, I'm salty now.

open24hours posted:

That seems to contradict the point you were trying to make?

AgentF posted:

I don't understand it. Isn't it the same generation that were hippies and cared a lot about social change? How did they go from that to FYGM?

I think that there is some unique Western phenomena going on here, because I've read (somewhat a while ago, I can't quite find the soure right now) that younger people in the Russian Federation are growing up more conservative on several points (I remember something about sexuality, and maybe womens rights or something) then the older generation who grew up under the Soviet Union. This isn't excusing or condoning the USSR, but it is somewhat of a counterpoint to the observation that everyone becomes relatively more conservative as they age. It's probably all relative, and we can't do a whole "what if" because everything about our current worldview is shaped by what's already happened.

Also I mean there were hippies and poo poo but lol you should check out some of the older waves of feminism and how they viewed WoC, or the whole disunity within the original Lesbian/Gay rights thing and how they didn't want to be polluted by transgender people. These attitudes may or may not have changed in the intervening years.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:29

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# ? Apr 28, 2024 08:17

Recoome: Nov 9, 2013; Matter of fact, I'm salty now.

Also, in a feel good story, I've managed to convince my friend who normally votes ALP to preference the Greens first, as she thought she was throwing her vote away by voting for a minor party. I ended up explaining how the system worked (thanks to that amazing comic that exists on it), and she wishes the ALP would change it's focus and she agreed which much of the Greens policy so I'll take a win where I can.

Too be fair, most of it stemmed from not understanding how voting works in Australia, which seems to be reaaaaaaaally common.

# ? Jan 3, 2017 07:48

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol January 2017: relentless incoherence and incompetence.

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