Australia General Discussion

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-19/cairns-stabbing-eight-children-dead-after-manoora-stabbing/5979452

Horrible

Stomach-churning in fact.

[Knives]

2014 is a sh**t year for Australia, between tragic events and incompetent leadership - has anything good happened in Australia this year?

[Platypus]

We got to perform at Eurovision?

[checkers]

So it looks like the cabinet reshuffle is happening. ABC thinks that Sinodinos will be replaced by Josh Frydenberg, current Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Sussan Ley will be promoted into cabinet.

I'm leaning towards thinking that there might be a further reshuffle.

[BaconBacon96]

So it looks like the cabinet reshuffle is happening.

The reports are that David Johnston will be dumped from the Defence position, to be replaced by Scott Morrison. Who will replace Scott Morrison is not clear.

Also, as Arthur Sinodinos permanently steps down from the Assistant Treasurer position, Josh Frydenberg is expected to take on that role.

The key factor in this reshuffle will reportedly be the elevation of more women to senior positions. Sussan Ley, current Childcare Minister, is expected to be elevated to a full Cabinet position although which one I am not sure. Among the women being promoted is backbencher Kelly O'Dwyer, who is believed to be taking on a junior ministry or a parliamentary secretary position.

This is all unconfirmed but it sounds quite plausible.

[Knives]

I've met Frydenberg and can confirm he is a massive douche. He was also creepily in love with Abbott and believes him to be the next Menzies.

[checkers]

So it looks like the cabinet reshuffle is happening.

The reports are that David Johnston will be dumped from the Defence position, to be replaced by Scott Morrison. Who will replace Scott Morrison is not clear.

I hadn't heard about Morrison being moved into defence, but given the rumours about him being given a better position, it seems very likely. I'm very interested to see who will replace him in Immigration.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

We got to perform at Eurovision?

...

You missed Mauboy performing a song that was too deep for her... but yes.

[checkers]

Didn't she perform without competing? I think we should be able to compete, personally. Still, it's a start.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Didn't she perform without competing? I think we should be able to compete, personally. Still, it's a start.

Yes, she was a half-time thing.

I do think we should compete... as a reward for a our decades of support.

[checkers]

I do think we should compete... as a reward for a our decades of support.

Exactly. I feel like we're more loyal to it than some of the countries that actually compete. And we have a European head of state so it's sort of ... plausible.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Reshuffle!

* Blessed victim of ICAC and "star recruit" Arthur Sinodinos OUT (rather than occupying a weird position in purgatory like he has for a while). Replaced by Frydenberg.

* Scott Morrison "promoted" to Social Services. So he can focus all his wrath (formerly focused on asylum seekers) on pensioners etc. That should maintain his popularity! Dutton takes over Immigration.

* Sussan Ley in charge of Health and Sports.

* David "barnacle" Johnston fired

* McFarlane takes on a "Science" brief, to counteract a common criticism when the ministries were formed.


That's the major ones. All in all, largely (gasp) sensible moves from the Abbott government. Perhaps some other moves could have been considered - moving Pyne for one, as well as appointing an actual, err, woman as "Minister for Women". I didn't really think Hockey was in much danger of being fired - for one thing, who would want it? (Perhaps if Abbott was Machiavellian enough, he would put Bishop in the job and make his only feasible rival unpopular)

[Platypus]

We got to perform at Eurovision?

...

You missed Mauboy performing a song that was too deep for her... but yes.

Oh no, I very much saw it, I was just offering it as the only positive thing to happen to Australia in 2014.

[Ebowed]

* Scott Morrison "promoted" to Social Services. So he can focus all his wrath (formerly focused on asylum seekers) on pensioners etc. That should maintain his popularity!

How much damage could he do over there?  We learned from his stint at immigration that he lacks empathy, so which screwball thought this was a good idea?

[BaconBacon96]

* Scott Morrison "promoted" to Social Services. So he can focus all his wrath (formerly focused on asylum seekers) on pensioners etc. That should maintain his popularity! Dutton takes over Immigration.

To put it simply that's the stuff of nightmares. I'm surprised though, since national security seemed to be an interest of his.

Does anyone who's replacing Johnston in Defence?

EDIT: It's Kevin Andrews, the old Social Services Minister.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The reshuffle is a sign the Government recognises that there's a problem, but at the same time responding to the wrong problem.

Moving Andrews into Defence... that's a pretty typical spot for a likely-to-be-retiring person with party clout. Dutton into Immigration? That was the curve-ball for me. But strategically it makes sense. Immigration is something that (rightly or wrongly) the Government is perceived to have managed well with the electorate at large - it gave Morrison a massive boost within the party and more importantly, the party room. But Social Services is a political elephant graveyard, it's a political dead-end. It also makes sure that when the Government starts to argue for deeper cuts to the welfare Budget, Morrison will be the poster boy and it will hurt his brand. Dutton is a non-entity and largely considered to be an Abbott loyalist, so not expected to rock boats (so to speak).

The Government doesn't get it, the sales job isn't the problem. The problem is the policies.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The other issue that by booting Johnson completely and changing the Parly Sec to the Foreign Minister, Bishop has been given a bit of slap by the reshuffle too.

[Platypus]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/22/top-achievement-minister-women-was-carbon-tax-repeal-pm-says

...

[BaconBacon96]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/22/top-achievement-minister-women-was-carbon-tax-repeal-pm-says

...

...I don't even.

[politicus]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/22/top-achievement-minister-women-was-carbon-tax-repeal-pm-says

...

...I don't even.

Defender of the Aussie housewives.

[morgieb]

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/john-robertsons-leadership-of-nsw-opposition-shaky-mps-20141222-12ccv7.html

Wait, John Robertson exists?

[Knives]

http://www.theshovel.com.au/2014/12/22/how-the-abolition-of-the-carbon-tax-changed-my-life-australian-women/

“The guys at work take me seriously now. They look me in the eye when they talk to me, not at my carbon tax”.

Wendy Whitehead, Melbourne

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/22/top-achievement-minister-women-was-carbon-tax-repeal-pm-says

...

F***wit... nothing else suffices

[Ebowed]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/22/top-achievement-minister-women-was-carbon-tax-repeal-pm-says

...

You can't make this stuff up.  Amazing.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Abbott seems to be like a Puritan Berlosconi.