I do not recall having information from that Agency

Kevin Andrews simultaneously shows he is stupid and dobs in the AFP.

He claims that despite whole government briefings by ASIO he had no idea what the agency thought about Dr Haneef's nefariousness and that he relied on the AFP for information.

That translates to: I didn't really do my job and Mick, the ball's in your court!

What ASIO knew (and everyone else ignored)

Apparently, ASIO informed the Government and the Australian Federal Police (and by that I mean you Kevin Andrews and you Mick Keelty) that Dr Mohammed Hanneef was not a threat to security. That was three days after the bombing (and 5 days before Kevvy revoked Dr Haneef's visa). The AFP openly acknowledge that they know ASIOs position. Being cops and not spies of course they just knew better I guess....

Clearly what ASIO really meant was (reading between the lines of course): arrest the Muslim bastard, revoke his visa and get him the hell out of here!

So they did.

Of course with this kind of balanced media reporting how could Kev, Keelty, et al. not act to protect at least Australia's reputation.

And why pray tell are ASIO only telling us now? It is just so hard to get a good whistleblower these days. Perhaps it would have been a breach of national security to show just how racist and inept our immigration minster really was?

As if he couldn't do that on his own... anyone remember his statements about African immigrants? They just don't fit in right, god knows that black skin sticks out a mile, and then, then they go and get bashed to death, which is so un-Australian.

Kevvy was always looking out for us... in response to what he saw as biased, pro-Muslim local case officers he ordered DIAC (DIC??) to bring out more Christians. Of course that fact that his department had investigated these claims and found them to be bogus counted for as much as ASIO's advice. God knows we all know what civil servants are worth.

So Haneef was a bungle but then we also discover this week that 15 people have had their visas revoked improperly and have since been released from detention. And yes it is Kevvy again who personally revoked 8 of them.

Well played Mr Andrews... well played.

You almost make Amanda Vanstone (the not conservative conservative) look merciful and competent by comparison and that is a tough ask!

Finally Ruddock informs us that we have the Coalition to thanks for saving us form the hordes of illegals and that is why Labor is able to make changes to Australia's detention policy.

Don't you just love how that argument works with immigration but not with say the economy?

chequebooks down!

The law to protect those most marginalised and hyper sensitive of world citizens that is young, catholic pilgrims (invaders) has been struck down because "'it affects freedom of speech in a way that, in our opinion, is not supported by the statutory powers".

There was "no intelligible boundary" on what "causes annoyance"'.

Sweet...

Now that is what I call one for the good guys!

Catholic Cardinal says we are not having enough sex*

Sydney has the best Archbishop...

No really

Not only does he cover up sex abuse, think that faith can fix suicide (because dear readers the drugs don't work) now he's telling us that divorce and serial monogamy are bad for families....

Serial monogamy?

Yeah right... how does that work? I think the Bishop is saying don't stay with just one person, sleep around, we'll look the other way.

I feel like that's a wee bit contradictory.

But at the heart of Pell's enlightened, modern and deeply relevant message is this...

"There is a crisis in the Western world. No Western country is producing enough babies to keep the population stable, no Western country," he said.

Did you notice the three mentions of Western in 2 sentences... well that's subtle Pell, did you get your whole team to work on that?

What he's saying is this: we are aborting our culture. So lie back and think of white people, preferably white catholic people.

The only thing is that Pell and his mob are really not keeping up their end here are they? The whole celibate priest, nun, monk thing doesn't contribute now does it and I remain unconvinced that serial monogamy with God as your partner is the best way to deal with the decline and fall of the west.

Or that a man who has perhaps never had sex and will never had children is the best person to be lecturing us about it.


*okay so I exaggerated a little bit.

ST-RIKE!!

I love a little industrial terror in the morning.

So despite the NSW Government's best efforts at quelling any and all dissent in the face of the massive tax-payer funded Pope fest that is World Youth Day (and wouldn't we all be happy if it were in fact a day and not a week?) it seems the Rail Tram and Bus Union may be able to do what us mere mortals are unable to: bring Sydney to a grinding halt.

Sweet!

Don't get me wrong I know a lot of people are going to be really inconvenienced by this and it is easy for me to gloat given my predilection and ability for using my own two feet to get around. But it should also be noted that if it weren't for all of the upheaval of WYD, the street closures, the extra traffic and people the extra pressure on public transport including the chartering of just about every available bus, we just wouldn't be in this predicament.

But you know given the whole climate change situation, given that the NSW Government has known about WYD for a while and given that this industrial dispute has been going on for 11 months or so you think they might have sorted it out just a little earlier.

Certainly I would prefer that the money I invest in this state were spent on essential infrastructure which includes a fair enterprise agreement for train drivers.

Apparently some moves have been made including taking job losses off the table in order to progress enterprise bargaining.

Yes kids you read that right. In a city where we don't have enough public transport to adequately provide for the people who live here the State Transit Authority was threatening to cut jobs...

Gotta love long term vision, it's what makes NSW great.

In solidarity I say stop the trains and make the pilgrims walk like their ancestors had to.

And never let it be said that collective action doesn't get you anywhere. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it union-busters!

Sayonara Sandy!

your favourite former foreign minister and mine has finally quit the job he was so hopeless at (that is being a politician) and is going into business (with Natasha Stott Despoja's hubby no less) and taking up a UN role in the high powered world of Cypriot diplomacy.

Praise Jesus!

As Ben Pobjie points out in New Matilda this week, we have Sandy to thanks for JW Howard since his absolute incompetence (who can forget the 'things that batter') made even little Johnny look good (I know I know that was as weird to write as it is to read). Not even his mother thinks he did a good job of leading the liberal party (for all of eight months!), but like true aristocracy she is grinning and bearing it... just.

Sandy himself has a somewhat different take on his achievements or lack thereof "But, overall, so what? The net result has been that I have been able to see the sorts of major things I believe in happen."

That's right, let's recount jsut some of those: the Pacific solution, the War in Iraq, JW Howard, intervention in East Timor, JW Howard, AWB Scandal and most likely K-Rudd as, according to Peter Hartcher at least, Sandy's incompetence yet again provided a perfect foil for that Tintinesque Queenslander to win the hearts and minds of Australian voters.

But those of you who are lovers of Moulin Rouge have something to be grateful for. While being interviewed about the role of the Duke Richard Roxburgh revealed that he found the inspiration for the petulant, mummy's boy with an extraordinary sense of entitlement in our longest serving foreign minister.

Don't believe me? Listen to his voice, all high pitched lisp.

But ultimately kids, Sandy really, really sucked.

As Ben says of Downer's new private enterprise:

"The company Downer will be joining is called "Bespoke Approach", a name that evokes the man himself by being at once pretentious, uninformative and ill-chosen."

And that about says it all.

Sayonara Sandy... can't say I'm gonna miss ya!

Annoyed?

I woke up this morning to find out that people can be arrested and fined $5500 for annoying other people.

Bugger.

Actually I should be clear... you can't be arrested for annoying any old people, it is specifically to protect catholic people. Which is to say I can't have slow walking people or pro-lifers or people who pass legislation saying we can't annoy catholic pilgrims arrrested for bugging the crap out of me.

Oh the humanity.

Seeing as I make it my life's work to annoy people in general and Catholics in particular I am, all of a sudden, deeply concerned about my liquidity.

These new police powers are greater than the cops had for the APEC brouhaha (which suprises me, I would have thought they would have wanted any chance to use that brand spanking new water cannon!). And this is a clear indication that Catholic pilgrims are totally less hard core than fascist world leaders.

So not only has mega bucks of our tax-payer cash gone on this enterprise (and who needs hospitals, roads or functioning public transport I ask when we can have the Pope for a week), not only have school children been used as slave labour to pack tuna and vegemite into pilgrim packs for papal loving freeloaders, but now we can end up in jail for being openly annoyed about it!

This is blatant anti-misapnthropist legislation!

While I understand that discussing the virtues of the rhythm method and the best ways to ensure women have no rights over their own bodies, how best to practise homophobia, prevent important medical research and generally drag us all back the dark ages while assiduously ignoring sexual abuse scandals is an imporant thing for any religious group to do, I remain unsure as to why I need to foot the bill. I also remain unconvinced that having my right to freedom of expression removed is either necessary or desirable... for anyone... catholics included.

Let's just say I am getting my chequebook out.

I suggest you all do the same.