Let me take you back. Way, way back to the evening of December 2, 2017. The Prime Minister and his deputy stood arm in arm at the West Tamworth Leagues Club. Joyce had just won the New England by-election by a thumping margin and Turnbull declared he was “putting the band back together.”
Ah, good times.
Alas, rock stars and politicians are, if nothing else, a difficult and unpredictable lot. Velvet Underground reformed and got halfway through a European tour in 1992 before the band’s two enormous egos, Lou Reed and John Cale, remembered why the band had split up in the first place. The two men hated the sight, let alone the creeping presence, of one another. The tour and the reunion ended abruptly, and Reed and Cale went their separate ways.
The Turnbull-Joyce combo did not come to grief because of crippling personality conflict. although it may do so at some time in the near future. But back then the band had only broken up when Joyce discovered his unfortunate New Zealand-news. We subsequently learned the High Court did not so hold and Joyce was off to a by-election that on the parliamentary numbers at least, threatened the Turnbull government’s majority.
Full column here.
For a while there, I thought the whole thing was mildly amusing, then came the allegations about the misuse of public funds and I didn’t think it was amusing anymore. It is terrible the way he has treated his wife and daughters and it is quite disgusting how his girlfriend/partner (not his partner/squeeze/mistress seemed to think it was Ok to break up a family. But for Malcolm Turnbull to think that making a rule that politicians are not to sleep with/root or whatever their staff is going to solve this mess really is laughable. Does he think it’s about the sexual escapades of Barnaby Beetroot that’s the issue here? Do people think that bringing up Tony Burke , Bill Shorten or dodgy claims about Julia Gillard makes it all OK? Did Malcolm Turnbull not think it a bit odd when Barnaby won the by-election that his family weren’t there to cheer him on and celebrate the victory? For anyone to now say the RGR years were worse really do have to dig deep to show me how.
The Coalition are stuffed and if they’re not they should be. This is a political crisis of their own making. I don’t think this is a victory for the Labor Party either, what all this has done is make an absolute mockery of parliamentary processes and just shows the contempt that politicians show the voting public. A pox on all of them
Barnaby is only thinking about Barnaby here Penny.
Graeme Richardson was quite scathing of him on SKY this afternoon saying he will not take responsibility for his actions, he’s only got himself to blame.
For mine I wish he would stop sticking apologies to his mistress in the same sentence as the apologies to his wife and daughters, she’s no innocent in this.
As for the RGR years maybe it should be the RGAT years, Gillard got legislation through a hung parliament in a civilised manner whether you agreed with it or not, that being said I really do not want to see Shorten as PM.
True Penny, I reckon my bulldozer option was a good one. Just doze anything remotely connected to politics, leave the war memorial etc, and the nice roundabouts.
Agree with you there Tracy, Shorten thrills me not one little bit.
MtK, my brother has a very nice cattle farm just out of Canberra, so we could leave that and let’s not forget that TV lives in Canberra….
I’ve fallen out of love with roundabouts, Mack. There are too many of them, a lot of people fail to grasp the etiquette required on them, they can take up a helluva lot of land and I believe they are a dangerous place to cultivate flora. Give me a swing any day!
I detest speed humps.They are everywhere and have not saved a single live….they are a great inconvenience.
Try driving a manual car in France Milt. The French love them. I think they test out their “going through the gears”, Stirling Moss talents on them. One every couple of kilometres.
We went around the arc de triomphe with this bloke and he accelerated before getting on to the roundabout and continued apace. Very exhilarating. Probably up there with shagging the help!
Not even close Milt……
They drive like maniacs
What abut the ones with waterholes in the middle? The one near Goondiwindi is great for crayfish.
Haven’t had a feed of freshwater crays for years Mack.
Did a few gigs at Goondy some years back. Had to play in a sort of cage. If the Abos didnt like U they threw full beer cans at you. One muso called Big Time (160kilo) was shot at and the bullet is still in the wall last time I was there! Gigs at the RSL were much safer! I think the pub was called The Vic (Victoria)
I think the Vic was still there last time I was there Bassy. Also one small favour; could you not use the word Abo’s It has negative connotations to w hole range of people both black and white. It’s up there with the N word.
Sorry mate-correct as usual
All good Bassy and I love your posts on the blog just a bit funny about some stuff. I’d love to shout you a beer sometime.
Leave us alone Mack. Barny is from Tamworth. Or Gwabegar. Or St George. Or somewhere else. Turnbull is from the Eastern Suburbs of Synney. They’re just vistiors here. Go bulldoze Point Piper.
I only want to bulldoze Parliament House and any other political meeting places Tri, the rest of Canberra is safe.
You should be blaming the voters of New England, not Canberra.
Agree with your post 100% Penny, only remains for someone to put out the lights on what must be one of the silliest and most useless PMships we have seen in modern times. I attach an early copy of Malcolm’s Memoirs where he details his “achievements’, enjoy. Cheers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeRQDyqsvEU
Very good Henry, keep up the good work…
Good book HB, certainly more interesting than Ulysses which has to be the worst I’ve ever had the misfortune to have to read.
Malcolm Fraser had a book like that “The Wit of Malcolm Fraser”. Would love to know the TRUE story of him losing his pants all those years ago. Surely someone must know it. Also what did George Young die of so young and so bloody quickly?
Agree with some of that Penny except the live cattle export ban. People died because of a knee jerk reaction to a 4 corners story. People or cattle? Ludwig’s a pretentious grub and Gillard ran with it.
This country is splitting on cities vs country. Real country not Phillip Adams’ farm. Country will lose but then we will have to deal with the fallout from that.
City vs Country. Well, that’s not just a can of worms there Razor, it’s an oil-storage tank full of worms. There’s a gulf in understanding there wider than the Pacific and getting wider every day as the cities fill up with more and people who have no connection to it , the way most of us used to. Don’t start me.
More hysterical and blatantly false rubbish. razor.No surprises. Has anyone from anywhere on the land ever been responsible for any of their own circumstances? No I thought not. Why take responsibility when you can just blame it on your city cousins and put you had out for more subsidies at taxpayer expense. While never touching your special bank accounts. People died because they chose to take their own lives. Seriously get some help. I can understand the realisation that the lies you have been fed since birth are now been proven and how upsetting this could be for some. But man your stuff is just blatant rubbish.
Dismayed: “People died because they chose to take their own lives”.
Beyond the pale.
Appalling
He’s a grub TV pure and simple. He has no understanding of life outside his cloistered world. No empathy, compassion or emotional Intelligence. I gave up on him long ago. Imagine living or working with it?
I had a similar reaction TV. I’ts par for the course with that bloke. Offensive in the extreme.
So how would you describe suicide? Are you like razor claiming somehow people are forced to choose that option? Get real.
Poor policy forces people into a situation where they feel they have no choice and in some cases they feel their families would be better off, including financially. There are many many reasons for depression generally relating to a chemical imbalance in the brain. For instance 5 minutes with you, depressed or otherwise, would have most people seriously considering the option.
As I said more hysterical and blatantly false rubbish. razor. you will conflate any topic to suit your own ridiculous lies. The cattle trade had been declining for over 9 months before the halting of live trade. Just a note you do NOT get your insurance paid if you commit suicide. So you actually leave others worse off not to mention the unanswered questions and imposed guilt they are left to deal with.
Don’t try and weasel your way out of your 1.58pm comment. I have seen more suicide and the damage it causes than most people would do in 50 lifetimes. Your comment was that of a grub trying to score a point on a subject where point scoring is intolerable. Did the fact occur to you if the trade had been declining for 9mths what a total overnight ban would do?
I stand by my comments. Government actions did not “force” anyone to commit suicide. I don’t need to score points. You made the initial hysterical and dishonest comment trying to make a political point. I refuted it with facts.
Murder probably, but not suicide, Razor
Technically correct. Ethically bereft.
How would I describe suicide? I would describe as an incredibly sad action taken by someone who feels there is nothing left for them in this world – because no one would willingly choose hurt those who are left behind to deal with it. And yes, they may well feel forced to choose that action in some instances. Alternatively they may have PTSD – as do many ex-servicemen, or suffering from depression – a terrible illness.
Your narcissistic lack of empathy or heart is unbelievable at times.
whether they are insured or not would not come into consideration when in that frame of mind .
Great post Boa.
If one chooses suicide and leaves people behind with the imposed guilt of not knowing what they could have done, you choose to hurt them. As usual you and razor are trying to conflate issues because you know your first efforts were completely dishonest and hysterical. How is someone “forced” to choose such an action as suicide? Ridiculous comment. No Surprises.
Poor public policy forces people into terrible situations. People in terrible situations, sometimes, take drastic measures. Does it need more explaining to you? You obviously have very limited life experience, no empathy and real understanding of anything beyond your highly regimented world. That basically means you are a zealot. Zealots are not very nice people and cause all sorts of grief for people.
More hysterical rubbish. You were wrong. Admit for once you lie to make a point most times. No surprises.
Have you ever eaten beef?
Where was I wrong?
Penny, I usually agree with you, but I can’t say I found it even mildly amusing. I am reminded of the great Lincoln quote, ‘If slavery is not wrong, then nothing is wrong’. Well, if betraying the person in the world who most deserves your support, who has changed how many nappies, who has looked after sick children, gone to how many school functions and sacrificed her own career, if that is not immoral, then nothing is immoral. A point is reached where a refusal to make a moral judgement itself becomes a moral failure. No, it’s not just about the expenses, it is about the moral failure.
Penny, firstly thank you for your kind words in relation to one of my posts in the previous article.
Regarding your current comment on Barnaby Joyce’s family situation, and specifically to your disgust with Ms Campion’s role in the affair. I was wondering if and unless you have a strong disapproval bordering on repugnance philosophy to marriage break-ups, was there a specific element in the Joyce family break-up concerning Ms Campion’s involvement that caused your apparent revulsion and which appears to have hitherto not been exposed in the myriad of press releases?
I don’t want you to think I’m being flippant or that I’m totally ambivalent to the impact on families that marriage failures obviously have. However, given that nearly 50,000 divorces are registered with the ABS each year, not to mention the even greater number of long term de facto relationship break-ups, there’s obviously something significantly corroding what was once considered to be an institution of great worth.
Perhaps we should be considering whether and why an important element our social cohesion seems to be under threat, rather than simple throwaway descriptors such as “disgusting”.
I like your work too.
CotC…good point and I have to say I’m not really sure why Ms.Campion in particular has concerned me. We do know that there are women who are impressed with power and I have seen it happen a lot in my observations on various human behaviours. I also know that there are some men who experience mid-life crisis and maybe that was what happened to Barnaby.
But I think what really got to me was that Ms. Campion was welcomed into the Joyce’s family home by Natalie Joyce when they were all working for Barnaby’s continued success in the National Party. Ms Campion was well aware that he was married and had four daughters and she was also planning to marry another guy. I know mariages fail, but this woman seemed intent on snaring Barnaby for herself…..I just wonder how she will cope with Barnaby Joyce, failed politician, failed family man, failed Catholic etc.
Maybe the word disgusting is too harsh though 🙂
Fair comment Penny, cheers.
The only thing missing from the Tale of Barnaby is a cigar.
Tail..
That’s the thing you tuck your cigar under smoke. Must hurt. Then again maybe not.
Wicked! But I’ll have nightmares. Best not think about it.
That’s funny, smoke!
Dare I (ok I do) mention semen soiled clothing. But evidence can come in different forms.
Jean Baptiste says: February 16, 2018 at 6:35 am in response to my 5.42 pm comment on Feb 15:
“Now you’re confused? You’ve always been confused. You’re either a frustrated ornithologist or Daffy Duck.”
You may be aware JB that the tongue is a fleshy muscular organ inside the mouth. When it is not used for tasting, licking, swallowing or articulating speech, it is generally found in a horizontal position on the floor of the mouth neatly tucked in between the bottom teeth. Occasionally it may find its way into either side of the vestibule pouch inside the mouth. This is especially so when one is conveying a message, either by speech or in writing that is intended to be flavoured with irony. There are some folk who have difficulty twigging when the expression of one’s message uses such language signifying cynicism, wry comment or emphatic effect.
You seem to be one of those folk JB, but don’t worry yourself about it me old mate, I fully understand.
OK, that settles it. Daffy Duck.
Gulp. Wasn’t sure here that was going for a while Carl! Bloody hell, Malcolm has got us all thinking about sex!!
Only those that have trouble getting any.
Well those that get their’s from time to time I suppose dismayed. What would worry me is what happens between times. 90% at home play up they reckon. Weird stat but who knows?
Who reckons? Where did you dig up that rubbish up. I have seen just as many people who never leave town split up as I have people I have worked away with. If you are worried when you leave home you have already made the wrong choice. Another piss weak effort razor, weak and cowardly as usual from you. Seriously you reckon you talk to people about emotional intelligence. You are a fraud you have none to begin with.
Just rattling the cage Dismal and it appears to have worked.
Takes the bait every time, Razor.
And then you lot whinge about it.
Yes, you are away from home a lot, you claim. Never mind.
Yvonne, as far as hypocrites go you are world class. But that is where the term class and you part ways. As I have said to the weak and cowardly razor if one worries about things you have both suggested then you have made the wrong decisions long ago. Again you prove just how shallow you are. No surprises.
If I was worried about your opinion of ”class” I would be worried about myself.
“Takes the bait every time,” You have no class to begin with that is the point. The fact you support razor in his attempts to claim my wife is unfaithful says all that need saying about you. You supported his comments about my mother and her mother being loose and you continue to prove you are gutter trash. I don’t forget unlike you because it is convenient.
A sex ban! Whoooohooooo! Forbidden fruit. They’ll be at it like rabbits, banging like dunny doors in a cyclone.
Their disgusting little minds will be preoccupied with devising plans for exciting assignations in any nook or cranny imaginable.
A parliamentary privileged (free root) knocking shop adjacent to the car park would be the logical solution Malcolm.
Goodness me Mr Baptiste, your humble correspondent blushed when he read your post. Cheers
Aha! You probably had the same thought I couldn’t avoid at the mention of a free knocking shop Henry.
“Could I pass myself off as a politician?”
No mate you display evidence of owning a heart.
Yeah agree, JB. The bar has been raised. The more forbidden is the fruit. the more exciting will be the illicit sex.
Yep 😉
Human nature. The most thrilling sport of all time is fence jumping.
And Catholic schoolgirls, lets not even go there.
I say JB, I was recently reading an article about this bloke by the name of Dennis Lincoln who works in a Reproductive Unit at Edinburgh University in Scotland. He reckons humans are the most sexually active mammals on earth and he calculated there are 1 billion acts of sexual intercourse per year in Britain alone. He was also of the view that humans are 10,000 times more sexually active than rabbits. When pressed, he was reticent to divulge specific details of his calcs for fear of Britain’s finance boffins applying an intimacy tax.
If the article is true, it’s up your nose with a rubber hose for poor old Bugs Bunny and his ilk, eh.
It must be true ‘cause the bloke was a professor.
Well, it is said humans are polymorphous pansexual (anything anywhere anytime) and I must say from own experience there must be a lot of Britons who are very lazy indeed. As for the intimacy tax, that would be just too much, the effort these days is already taxing enough.
Has he taken the Bonobo into consideration in his calculations? I had decided to reincarnate as a Bonobo but if what the fellow is saying is true I will have to reconsider.
Give ’em heaps.
Are you referring to Bonobo Joyce?
I’ll pay that. You might have started something there.
But I hope you’re not inferring that Bonobos are ugly?
But do Bonobos eat beetroot?
That’s not the only thing they do with beetroot.
Worst burglars ever: https://youtu.be/SQ-CNI-h4c8
I say Mr Insider, speaking of Barnaby Joyce, and who isn’t, PM Turnbull in a moment of exasperation has brought in his “No MPs Bonking Staffers” law to be “rigidly” enforced. Now will this see the recruitment of a new “Bonking Police” (BP”s) and if so how will they go about their duties detecting bonking? Seriously could this be the silliest thing Turnbull has ever done in a long list of silly things?
If there is anything sillier that Turnbull has done than his “no sex with staff” ban I’ve can’t think of it. Giving the Queen’s old man another gong seems perfectly reasonable!
I can almost visualise Christopher Pyne shimmying up some house pipe to get a pic on his phone of some sexual miscreants and then running back to tell Malcolm.
It’s too sad. What happens to those found guilty, public exposure and then selling their story to the highest bidder?
And whilst many would say the Barnaby saga is not about the sex the genius, Turnbull’s actions suggest that it is.
From the last blog….So sweet of you to stoop to personal name-calling in your response to me Milton. Not cool.
Even if you’ve had a dozen, as I suspect, by 1.40am & please don’t verbal me on any topic, particularly in relation to conservation or our ongoing inhumane treatment of refugees. It’s not that hard to be kind.
Bella – I don’t think my comment(s) to you included name calling, nor can I see how I verballed you. Sorry if you read it as such..
Your unswerving dedication to your cause is admirable, Bella.
Wonderful exhibition on down at the Long Gallery at the moment from the Tarkine in Motion artists. I feel the need to jump in the car for a day or two over at Corinna -the real world.
Elementary my dear Blofeld. We at “Baptistes Sexbusters Inc” are already in negotiations with the appropriate department. Our proposal is to fit all Libnat MP’s and staff with GPS tracking bracelets incorporating vibration sensors. We will also be providing chaperones, who may not be entirely reliable in the case of a satisfactory inducement. That’s between you me and the gatepost.
Tracking bracelets with vibrating sensors? Can one multitask them, Mr Baptiste?
Good news for you Boadicea. From Bouncing Betty in the despatch department an emphatic sigh and “oh yes.”
Great – do I get a discount for a bulk order? Do they come with a year’s supply of batteries?
Reminds me of a day at the office once (before PC was rampant) – one of the guys as showing some colleagues a vibrator he had bought. One of the young female staff was approaching, so they were hastily trying to hide the goods. She strolled by, saying casually “You’ll need a battery for that, guys”
As a reseller or for personal use? I have a bad feeling about the postage cost for a years supply of batteries Boady.
Mr Insider you wouldn’t normally back Bill Shorten to win a Gulargambone Maiden Handicap but right now thanks to Joyce and Turnbull he looks like he could romp home in the Melbourne Cup by 6 lengths! What a shambolic mess is the Turnbull government and as you say Joyce now off for a week on “gardening leave” and may I point out that will cost the hard working Aussie Taxpayer $8000 for the week in Joyce’s wages! Turnbull is now approaching his 27th Negative Consecutive Newspoll and with the “Champeen” ex ousted PM Tony Abbott on 30, this record looks a certainly to be beaten. I put it to you Mr Insider and Bloggers we are seeing the “death throes” of the shabby Turnbull Lib/Nat Government and the end can’t come soon enough imho.
Why on Earth would the public want to replace this exciting government? The entertainment value is at least as good as most reality television.
I’m beginning to think this is all a cunning plan.
Worst government since RGR! Spot on old bean.
Well you better get your arse up to Gulargambone quick smart HB and forget your sniggering obsession about bonking and start barracking. But don’t exert yourself ’cause it’s going to be a one-horse race where the odds will shorten to zero.
PM Turmoil being clever again
Mal, the corruption queries aren’t going away
So who gets to be Scary Spice?
Gawd that soccer players wife is ugly. I think she was a spice girl. Worst boob job I have ever seen attached to a match stick bod.
Its always the groupies that end up killing the band…
Yoko?
Met a lovely Japanese lady the other night Dwight….her name was Yoko. Didn’t trip up on her name once…..🙂
One of my best mates here has a Japanese wife who’s name is Yuka.
Last year we met a Japanese couple and her name was Yuzuki…..had a bit of a problem with that as I had Suzuki firmly in my brain. I haven’t met many Japanese people over the years (even in my tourism industry years, strangly) but I have really enjoyed the interactions with the ones I have met. Japan is one place that I would love to visit, I have to say….must do it sometime soon.
Mrs Razor and myself are going there for two weeks in May Penny. I’ll check out some good bars for you!
oh no!!
Well played.
Have fun Razor (and Mrs Razor of course) I’m not that fond of sake (saki ?)….but Japanese beer is nice
Mind you I’m sure we will cross swords before you go my dear Razor 🙂
Love Japanese beer myself Penny!
Great comment, Wraith!