Jerry_Atrick

I agree... But as of yet, it has not kicked back enough... I only hope the CPS is taking its time to ensure their case is bullet-proof.

Or this could happen

I didn't know Brumby was gay 🙂

Inching ever so slightly forward. Thee was a hole in tewo of the facia panels where squirrels decided to make a home in the roof. They have now vacated and the holes patched; the builder lined the outer with lead to stop them gnawing at it again. The blocked drains seem to have centuries of soil down them, so another expensive bit of work digging up the ashphalt driveway as when they laid it they didn't think of leaving any covered holes to access the drains - smart thinking. Also, we now have a pert controller coming to dispense with a couple of wasps nests in the roof of the house (yes - two were found - very unusual! I am attacking the stidy this weekend - carpet and associated gumf coming up, sanding the floors and walls.. Hopefully even a first coat of lacquer - but that will be wishful thinking.

Is the UK becoming more like Australia.. On the way home on Wednesday evening, I stoped for a bite to eat, and as I parked, a tow truck and atop the tray was what used to be a normal sight - an Aussie VH Charger -= replendent in its original burnt orgasney colour with the black GT stripes. And this morning, wehen I went to get my Friday treat from the local servo, a bloke gets out of a tradies ute, sporting a blue tang top and shorts - which may well have been Yakka clothinng - and a well looked-after mullet- something I have not seen on these shores before (except Earls Court and Shephers Bush, when Aussies infested the place). And now we have a rather unpopular PM who is as obvious as SFM with being in the fossil fuel company's pockets.. and rolling back progress on renewables. I tell ya, the convicts are returning! 😉

Yes.. Einstiens theory of insanity - keep doing the same thing and expect different results. Sadly, pollies have to balance what works with retaining votes of a blood baying public.. If there was the will, we could fix many of these sorts of issues with early identification and positive, sympathetic interventions.. Sadly, society doesn't place much value on that and would prefer corporate welfare rather than people welfare.

It has differential braking.

Necrophilia sufferers may have a different opinion

Compared to Trump he is a genius

I think you will find most middle eastern countries welcome immigrants.. - of colour - virtual slaves - of whiteys - engineers, bankers, accountants, lawyers, and arms dealers. Until both have served their purpose.

And for that, I am sure there is nothing he wouldn't do... nothing at all...

They forgot to add "While those that make the real money don't pay taz - just their accountants".

Well, thankfully the builder managed to get most of the guttering done on the east flank wall.. Blimey, it pi55ed down today - lots of local road flooding (and I cannot believe how those, in a rural area with 4x4s couldn't negotiate what was not much bigger than an average puddle that I got my mini countryman (which is only part time 4x4 auto-sensing) through. My daughter was with me for these road excursions and she saw an impatient part of me when complete nongs had no idea what they were doing (and, to be honest, spoiling my fun). I kid you not, blokes in their big Hi-Luxes, Amaroks, and Rangers flatfly refused to pass.. I got out and asked one bloke if he wanted me to take it across what was no more than about 6 inches deep, still water. He politely declined, so I walked back to the mini and drove around him., and to prove a point, went through the deepest bit. Even my daughter was bemused at their lack of ability. (I didn't take the XC90, which is not a particularly capable 4x4, as there is eitehr a rear wheel bearing, or as I fear, a diff whine that has started). Anyway, I digress. The deluge today did test the new guttering and it held up well.. only to expose another problem - blocked drains. Well, largely blocked drains. With the trickles we have had lately, the drains haven't been tested much anyway, but previouslly, as the water never really flowed through the guttering to the downpipes in full, the drains hadn't really been tested. Well, today they did, and here's the results:

Of course, social media is full of BS, and I have no idea how authentic or accurate this video is, but it would not surprise me if there was a price on Putin's head by the Wagner group:

Spacey - are you saying Aboriginals are immigrants? Do other non-immigrants have to take the oath? Seriously, you are clutching at straws... I wasn't suggesting you, personally.. but the general population - it doesn't seem to be high on their agenda. And, yes, the people can debate it, or let themselves be heard. The previous government wer anti-EVs, anti-renewables, etc, while the fossil fuel giants were sponsoring them.. But, as they realised that were losing votes and were likely to lose big time, they tried to turn the ship around by announcing incentives to get renewables and otehr ecologically friendly things off the ground and they were going to get over 700K EVs on the road? If the population make it clear they are going to get booted out, it will change them no matter what. Problem for the Libs was they ran their and the NP's ship aground before they started trying to turn it around. And no, I agree, there is nothing at all to suggest that the voice will be as effective as the large corporate lobbying.. well.. unless the Voice start advertising big with Murdoch outlets and donating to Labor, Libs and/or Nats big time.. Then I bet, their message will be heard loud and clear.

Sadly, I don't have a picture of it, but yesterday, walking doen the high street of Taunton, our market town, I heard this annoying noise coming from a small bike that sounded like it's muffler had fallen off. I turned arounf, and there was a big (20+ stone) bloke in full outlaw bikie gear riding a rather small 150CC with his "L" plates. Big tough man on small bike. Looked like padding right up to play a game of cricket with a tennis ball. (L platers are restricted to 150CC bikes in the UK).

Agree.. wasn't trying to say it was on racial grounds - but not enough votes or money in it. But for some reason, a lot of the voters are worried about the perceived bias the Voice may create, when they don't seem to care of the real bias to corporate welfare which costs the voters so much more than any bias that a Voice may result in.

= girth

All but one of those are non-federal. Have no idea what sort of job they are doing or what their remit is.. The referendum is about making sure there is an ATSI representative body at federal level.. That is it... What about the public servants or other government funded agencies? A lot of stuff they do doesn't work... Why single out one section only?

Multiquote incoming 🙂 In my (not so) humble opinion, in answer to the first question, yes! Frankilin D Roosevelt quoted that "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way". Dutton himself has recently come out to say if he were elected then he would hold the same referendum, so that indicates he is weponising it against Labor rather than acting in good faith.. Regardles of Labor playing down the personal cost in the polls to Albanese, it has been portrayed as his baby as he was the champion of it politically in terms of the referendum. A No vote will be a big victory for the LNP in their fight back to government., BTW, I witnessed this with Brexit where it was a long time building and the David Cameron government appeared to be implementing policies designed to engender distrust and despisement (if that is a word) of the EU long before a referendum discussion even took place. By the time the referendum took place, there was a lmajority already calling for Brexcit to their own detriment. Cameron, as the head of the remain campaign seemed to do everything in his power to scuttlebut against it. And it got up. Ironically, he allowed teh referendum to save his premiership from the Brexiteers of the Conservatives, but he resigned the next day. I get the point about the potential for no great long term benefit arising from The Voice (as it is termed in the Uluru statement of the Heart). But I have said it before and said it again - there is no statement in the constitution that guarantees anything - or more accurately, there is no statement in the constitution that says the government has to meet a minimum standard in anything it implements. The normal process is the open and transparent law making (which is different the procedures the law allows to be held in secret - all law making is open and transparent - if you look hard enough). Democracy doesn't end at the ballot box, and if parliament or a deparment implement a law that is unsatisfactory, you can all pile in. OK, not everytthing, but certainly the vast majority. My view is that ATSI representation is enshrined in the constitution, then there is pressure to maintain an adequate if not effective level of representation, and also it does somewhat insulate against poltically watering it down. But, I am happy that is my view and others have a different one, which I fully respect. Re the NACC, it does have teeth, but by going for default hearings in secret, it waters down the accountability of when those teeth choose to chomp and when they don't. BTW, I absolutely oppose secret hearings being the default. In terms of the proposed legislation for thge Voice, it is probably not framed yet, but the principles give you a taste of how the Albanese government will implement it: https://voice.gov.au/about-voice/voice-principles With due respect Bruce, just because you haven't heard of it until recently, doesn't mean it didn't happen. I did Aussie history at HSC and the Aboriginal efforts and sacrifices in wars for Australia was taught, but somehow the stolen generation was left of the syllabus... I wonder why? BTW, in 2008, the Australian government issued a formal apology to the ATSIs, especially for the stolen generation - you know the apoloigy that Peter Dutton walked out on (and has only recently apologised for): https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/national-apology Indeed.. Another great opportunity for Albo to show leadership and adopt the bill (with any amendments he and his party thought required to ameliorate any unintended consequences), but, like his counterpart, sadly lacking in morals. Of course, he was probably thinking of the tirade the largely anti-Labor MSM would have launched that could actually be more damaging toi Australia than the white lies they all tell us at election time. And, who believes pollies, anyway (except when it fits their agenda)? I don't quite understand all of this post, but, ahen you say agencies, do you mean funded by the government, or do you mean independent organisations, which are also called lobby or pressure groups? And are you saying at the federal level or state included. I think you will find many more such "agencies" of other segments of society. But to your last point, can you pls explain how the voice "divides Native Australians from the rest of the population"? I agree with this post; democracy works be ensuring represntation of decision making. However, the Voice is about consultation and not decision making, and there has been an abject failure for whatever reasons of decision making around ATSI matters. And good decision making usually involves consultation of affected people the decisions are being made for. In addition, for some reason, ATSI affairs seems to be victim of political weaponisation, as we are seeing from the No case (if they were being honest with their arguments, fair enough, but they are being deceitfully disingenous). Again, for some reason, large domestic and foreign multi-nationals seem to have a very good ear of government (of both pursuasions) when decisions are to be made, that ultimately cost Australians billions. Yet, ATSI coinsultations are there, but don't always get the same credence accorded to them, The Voice is being weaponised as something that is going to destroy the fabric of Australia (well, if it destroyed the fabic of Australia that seems to accept corporate welfare, I would be all for it).

What 90% don't have a voice? Our political system is based 100% on European/British culture and representation of those except who lived here for over 60 millenia and didn't even recognise them as peopel fo Australia until the 60s.. and everythign that has been done for them has been done through the lenses of European culture, which has miserably failed.. yet, those of European culture and who have arrived since from other cultures that you would expect to adopt the ways of their new country have innate representation via our current constitutional system. All the Vouce does is enusre 100% of the country has representation. See above. And we don't cost the government anything? Your new hip was not cheap, I bet. BTW, you should read this: https://www.finance.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/Consolidated-Financial-Statements-202122.pdf At a glance - the table at the bottom of page 1 - The government spent on expenses $643.7bn in 2022 (2023 figures aren't out yet)... And you're worried about how much? Dive into those expenses to see the waste.. oh and not to mention the 28.9bn deficit that could easily be plugged without zero taxing multi-nationals.. Are you OK that billios of dollars of what should be paid in tazes by foreign corporations is effectively gifted to them; that $2.6bn is gifted to QANTAS and they are nice and profitable; Are you happy with corporate welfare running at an all time high? And you think maintaining a Voice is expensive?

I agree with this in principle, but sadly, I don't thing the practice = principle as many people seem to be voting according to what they hear and see on media (social and mainstream); and to say that either of these channels has been dominated by misinformation would be an understatement. So, to me, it is the deficincies in which we administer democracy in action. Agree 100% and would add understand the facts and not the hyperbole; and use your values applied to the facts. BT I was airignally very scepticcal of the Voice being enshrined in the constitution. As I learned about it and discusse it on this forum, I changed my mind. I know the real drawbacks of it (well, all that I could work out, because the No campaign aren't stating any real ones), and applying my values led me to change my mind. It doesn't mean that someone who sees the real drawbacks as justiifcation to vote No is wrong any more than it means I am right for supporting it. And I have to admit, the real drawbacks do make me understand and respect why, for example, Lydiia Thorpe is against it - but her views are very different to Jacinta Price's and Warren Mundine's reasons. Julian Hill is a pollie I respect, although I don't agree with everythign he says. He puts it well here (and yes, it is a speech for Yes, but the first part of his speech is what I am referring to):

Well, it had to come, and I know a lot on here probably won't be a fan, but that venerable Aussie Rules personality, Ron Barassis has sadly passed away at 87 years of age. Although a tough man, and possibly enforcer status of the game, he was quite a personality on and off the field.

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/jewish-calendar.html#:~:text=In civil contexts%2C a new,year begins on Nisan 1.