Morris has total faith in his ministry… yeah, right. Let it be known that today was officially the day when I decided to throw my vote away at the state election in March.

Donkey vote or Greens, Flash?

HA!

“NOW THAT’S ANOTHER FINE MESS YOU’VE GOT US INTO”.

What I can’t understand is how Debnam and the Lieberals can’t manage to capitalise on the stuff that Labor fucks up. Debnam seems to go off on his own tangents, inventing foul shit about Premier Dilemma, when the truth is plenty damning.

Hey weez,

Presumably, the funny bloke that looks like the dead comedian is acutely conscious of the uses to which such stories concerning alleged criminal misconduct by his fellows may be put by the local media: in particular, commercial radio. (Cf. Cronulla police investigation and Alan Jones.) I’m also not sure that Iemma is as fully in control of his Party’s / Cabinet’s composition as being Premier might otherwise suggest. In other words, if it’s the case that there’s constant jockeying for positions within the Party and the Government, then the seemingly overly-harsh penalties imposed for alleged crimes may be more easily explained. Further, in reference to Orkopolous, next to rape or murder, being accused of child sex offences is probably the most damaging, both personally and politically, of accusations, and Iemma, in the absence of some other compelling reason (eg, maintaining O’s position is crucial to maintaining his own position within the Party), would simply make a cost-benefit analysis of the situation.

Same goes for Chaytor.

This is what some people call ‘politics’, but I think can be more simply called: ‘business’.

As for Debnam, dunno. It may be that he’s simply incompetent. Or that, in dismissing the two, and given that the two employ exactly the same kinds of law ‘n’ order rhetoric (‘zero tolerance’ for everyone except the rich, the powerful and the state and corporate sector) Iemma has effectively stolen his thunder.

Cheers,

@ndy.

@ndy, thanks for that.

Whether Premier Dilemma is conscious of the effect of misdeeds on the part of his party members or not, it’s inappropriate to act against a person who has been merely charged but not convicted of any offence. Labor backed off of booting out Chaytor, at least until his case is decided, but no such motion on the Orkopolous matter.

I realise that Iemma was trying to deflect criticisms of the Labor Party, but through his inappropriate punishments of potentially misbehaving members, has attracted a lot more. I certainly would have been much more accepting of a delay in acting against these MPs until there’s a proper legal decision rendered, rather than accepting Iemma’s knee-jerking around.

Debnam (who?) IS doubtlessly incompetent. However, Iemma is not exactly cultivating confidence in his ability to lead. Pitifully, either Labor or the Lieberals are going to win government in March. Unlikely that any 3rd or minor party will win gov’t.

As is often the case in the USA, we will have the choice of a total incompetent or a knee-jerking reactionary…