Speech Permitted

THE ABC has now published some comments on Big Ideas' webpage. Many are critical. How long will the thread last? Sportingbet should open a book.

ADVISORY: A beautiful day in Melbourne and the first tee beckons. Back tonight.

Faine-ing Intelligence

BUNYIPS are famous for general vigour and longevity, but not all physical attributes evidence the same durability. Take the spine, for example, which has long been a bit of a weak link, certainly as far as the Professor is concerned. The cold and damp can play havoc with discs and whatnot, so much so that a nice, firm bed, even without the diversion of a comely fellow occupant, can seem very close to the heavenly ideal. Fortunately, after an uncomfortable week atop a camp mattress, a bush refuge was at hand, courtesy of an old friend whose country property offers a guest house and, best of all, quite good connectivity, which was the irresistible temptation. Pain you can tolerate , but news that someone else is even more uncomfortable simply has to be pursued, especially when the writhing is being done by our lying Prime Minister and all her shifty pals. So late last night, the beneficiary of The Cocky’s charity and having heard only snippets of the grand news from Queensland, the full extent of the northern triumph poured through the ether. Such tidings! The back felt better within minutes and morale rocketed – an improvement that has continued as the delicious, tongue-tied anguish of this government’s supporters sloshes and surges about the fourth estate.

No doubt Insiders, which the Professor missed, provided a splendid example of that rage and frustration. At an educated guess, the show would have been chocka with observations about Tony Abbott’s deficiencies as a leader and the reasons why the Queensland crushing makes his appeal to the electorate more dubious than ever. That is just a guess, but as Laura Tingle was on the panel, a sure one. That’s the thing about the independent thinkers in our national media. They will cling to last week’s talking points until sent new ones, which their numbed informants would have been too shaken to issue as the Saturday night landslide swept all hope away.

And this morning? Well Jon Faine on 774 was just precious. Perhaps believing that Barnaby Joyce would make a good whipping boy, Faine invited the Queensland senator to discuss the election and Australia’s finances. Well, even by ABC standards, Faine was beside himself. If an audio link becomes available, it will be posted, but if Faine has any self-respect he will burn the tape.

When Joyce spoke of Australia’s mounting debts, Faine would permit not a word of response. He was off and running … Clive Palmer gave $4 million to the LNP, therefore his taxes should hiked … if the debt limit is reached, there will always be someone else to tax …  if spending exceeds income, big deal, all money is notional … warnings that LNP crooks in white shoes would soon be pillaging Queensland's coffers. Later in the show, still lacking the day’s talking points, he floundered through a passing attempt to link Queensland voters’ disenchantment to their affection for Kevin Rudd. The frothing went on for uninterrupted minutes, every second a tonic.

Please, for the poor man’s peace of mind, will someone in the PM’s office please shoot Faine an approved list of explanations for the Queensland wipeout?  Until that happens, he will not have a clue.

Yawn Of The Dead

IN TERMS of politics, this baby of a year promises to provide the best entertainment since 1975, when readers of a certain age will recall another genius prime minister’s terminal stagger through his government’s litany of shame and scandal. Craig Thomson’s brothel-creeping, Peter Slipper’s nocturnal missions, the curious lassitude of Fair Work Australia’s investigators and, not to be overlooked, prime ministerial staffers prompting race riots – 2012 has got the lot, even before the carbon tax comes into effect and unemployment vaults, as it surely will.

One might imagine that such a chocolate box of delights would have professional journalists salivating at the thought of all the scoops and front-page sensations out there to be had. Straining at the leash, they must be, howling to get on the trail of corruption in high places and defend the public’s right to know. That’s what journalists do, right?

Some journalists perhaps, but apparently not climate change worrywort and Phage environment editor Adam Morton, who has shared with the world via Twitter just how he views the political landscape, and that is with a big, disiniterested yawn:

@adamlmortonAdam Morton

It's not even Feb and Aus politics has jumped a full shiver of sharks.

For those not down with the youth, jumping the shark means something just isn’t worth watching and following anymore, like the final episodes of Happy Days.If Gina Rinehart comes to exert an influence on Fairfax she might wish to make note of Morton’s galloping boredom and do something about it. Cleaning out his desk might keep his mind occupied for a few minutes.