Something Wonky

This week on Something Wonky, we go to Brisbane for the G20, take off our scarves like Jacqui Lambie, cast an eye over Victoria’s election, pour some sugar on Scott Morrison and of course we look at the cuts to the ABC, with a side serve of LOLBolt. The Focus Group G20 Bad beforehand G20: Australians bury heads in sand to mock government climate stance Joe Hockey says climate change talk should not overshadow G20’s real work Tony Abbott Says ‘Nothing But Bush’ In Australia Before White Settlement A Worse Start G20: Prime Minister’s remarks at G20 leaders’ retreat about domestic issues ‘weird and graceless’ - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Continuing Embarrassment Red faces for Tony Abbott on Green Climate Fund G20: David Cameron urges Tony Abbott to do more on climate change Tony Abbott rules out more contributions from Australia to Green Climate Fund No Joy G20 summit: Tony Abbott denies access to Tanya Plibersek View from the Street: Abbott was told the G20 was about international matters, surely? Tony Abbott confuses China with Tasmania while toasting President Xi Jinping G20 Summit Was The Icing On Abbott’s Horror Year Comment: Australia suffers another cringe-worthy moment during G20 summit | SBS News We are governed by idiots Halal products may be funding Islamist extremism, claims Nationals MP Carmichael mine: environmental impact will be unknown for years Senate Inquiry Into Vocational Education Could Shake Up Coalition’s Deregulation Push Corporate fraud: rewards for whistleblowers make sense Why did Katy Perry give her $10,000 prize to a private Melbourne school? PUP PUP deal unravels as Lambie plans to vote down financial advice reforms Kamikaze government was never going to win on FoFA Victoria Victorian government gives $5.4 million to Scotch College for land previously valued at $1 million Why Labor has had its fill of Greens State Labor dumps Great Forests park plan ahead of Victorian election Victorian State Election: Greens would only support a Labor government Parties fail on donation reform Australia versus Humanity Video shows disabled Brisbane man being punched by Queensland police Removal Of Aboriginal Children At Crisis Point And Rising Fear and abuse: the Nauru letters | The Saturday Paper Refugees told by locals to leave Nauru or face ‘bad things happening’ again Refugee settlement in Cambodia ‘a dodgy deal’, says Sarah Hanson-Young Scott Morrison cuts off access to Australia for refugees in Indonesia Scott Morrison thumbs his nose at Indonesia, and sets back the only humane solution for refugees | Richard Ackland Scott Morrison: barring resettlement from Indonesia is ‘taking the sugar off the table’ Ian Macdonald: asylum-seeker law changes aimed at avoiding high court Asylum Seekers Not Provided With Full Details Of Data Breach The people versus the political class: The distance between us and our rulers is getting bigger | The Monthly Stop The Press ABC budget will be cut by 5%, says Malcolm Turnbull The ABC Cuts Are Not A Budget Tidy Up, They’re About Revenge ABC cuts: Christopher Pyne fights to keep production in South Australia Australians Are Counter-Trolling Christopher Pyne’s ABC Petition The Australian sticks up for the ABC The ABC doesn’t deserve Turnbull’s cuts. But don’t pretend its current model works | Jason Wilson Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp cops major investor revolt ‎Channel Ten furious at increased competition from SBS Only deterrent to politics is you, Mark Latham | dailytelegraph.com.au LOLBolt Not racist, but popular with racists - Greens outraged by Abbott’s truth | Herald Sun Andrew Bolt Blog Andrew Bolt can’t count - Are our journalists the world’s most warmist? | Herald Sun Andrew Bolt Blog

This week on Something Wonky the fallout from shirtfronting at APEC, China and the USA talk about carbon reduction, Australia is almost as horrible to women as it is to asylum seekers, and we look forward to the Lambie United Party. The Focus Group Shirtfront Tony Abbott confronts Vladimir Putin at APEC summit Russia rejects Tony Abbott’s call for apology and compensation for MH17 Russian warships bearing down on Australia - Yahoo!7 Climate Changing China-US Climate Deal Means The Jig Is Up For Abbott’s Deniers | newmatilda.com Paul Keating: US-China emissions deal exposes ‘nonsense’ of Abbott’s policies Renewable energy investment in Australia dropped 70% in past year Renewable energy target thrown into confusion as negotiations collapse | Australia news | The Guardian NSW MP speaks his mind on coal seam gas - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Feminism US ‘pick-up artist’ Julien Blanc forced to leave Australia after visa cancelled Domestic violence inquiry hears arguments over appropriate force Australian government tells UN violence against woman isn’t torture Tanya Plibersek: Why I’m a feminist Sold a PUP Jacqui Lambie flays cartoonist over doctored image posted on her Facebook page Jacqui Lambie issues warning to Clive Palmer, PUP senators Jacqui Lambie’s chief of staff Rob Messenger expelled by Palmer over ‘misleading statement’ VC winner Ben Roberts-Smith defends controversial ADF pay deal Defence being used for right-wing wages policy: Bill Shorten Australia vs Humanity Campaigns against halal are anti-Islamic bullying: race commissioner Asylum-seeker conditions inhuman and unlawful, UN committee tells Australia Asylum seekers’ healthcare ‘comparable to that in Australia’, government tells UN | Australia news Immigration Slammed For Privacy Breach Which Saw Asylum Seeker Records Released Asylum seekers could win millions in damages over data breach Serco shares crash after latest profits warning | Business | The Guardian Stop The Press The Oz lends a sympathetic ear to Ray Hadley Frances forgives apologetic hacker, Sharri doesn’t forgive Amanda Meade. ABC funding cuts target 11 foreign news bureaux, with 20 jobs facing axe

This week on Something Wonky, we all get a bit terrified, let Malcolm Turnbull read our browser history, and destroy the environment along with the renewable energy sector. Australia versus Humanity continues waging war on the vulnerable and we have a yarntastic edition of Stop The Press. The Focus Group Red tape ruins Joe Hockey’s pizza Red tape pizzeria - why Joe Hockey is right Terror Laws Bill Shorten writes to Tony Abbott with concerns that terror laws could see journalists face jail George Brandis: attorney general must approve prosecution of journalists under security laws Foreign Fighters bill may be threat to free press Jailing Australians who travel to ‘no-go’ zones will ‘violate human rights’ Meanwhile, Tasmania to focus anti-protest laws on anti-forestry and mining activists Very Meta Data Malcolm Turnbull introduces legislation for metadata retention scheme Government will pay telcos and ISPs under metadata retention bill Coalition Talking Points leaked Higher Education Christopher Pyne denies retreat on higher education plan Palmer party to vote against all the Coalition’s higher education changes Goodbye Environment Government issues renewables death warrant | Business Spectator Abbott’s RET policies could be written by fossil fuel executives Wind turbine maker sacks 100 workers, blaming renewable policy uncertainty Direct Action: Coalition secures $2.5bn plan amid fears over emissions target Great Barrier Reef protection plan ‘ignores the threat of climate change’ | Environment | The Guardian Nationals MP George Christensen calls for weather bureau inquiry Australia versus Humanity Muslim woman suffers broken arm in racist attack Labor may adopt policy of turning back asylum seeker boats to Indonesia Scott Morrison ignored departmental advice on visas for boat arrivals Scott Morrison denies ministerial power grab Open letter: Living in the hell called Nauru Young people Australia sent to Nauru being assaulted We will f*g kill you: Beaten Nauru refugees fear for their lives Scott Morrison washes his hands of children attacked on Nauru Australia forcibly returns second Afghan Hazara, despite fears over safety Stop The Press Nova Peris: Child custody blackmail attempt behind email allegations in News Corp publications ABC ABC commissions second conservative talk show ABC plans to cut state editions of 7.30 in favour of 10-minute bulletin slot New Matilda Chris Graham - New Matilda Editor - People In Glass Houses Shouldn’t Work At News Corporation Barry Spurr drops legal action to force New Matilda to reveal source of emails Lawyers Agree Accessing Frances Abbott Records Was Low Level Offence The Australian Greg Sheridan sledges Gough Whitlam, and belittles Vietnam veterans in the process. Sharri Markson Why the ABC does not apologise for marketing its content Sharri Markson doesn’t like #theirABC or #theirGuardian Sharri Markson bullying on twitter ABC Response to media inquiries about ACT and Parliament House operations

This week on Something Wonky, Gough. And then all of the stuff that’s not as good as Gough, which is pretty much all of Australian politics. And one of our favourite segments returns as Erin Riley takes a turn at What’s Stuck in my Craw. Gough Gough Whitlam dead: Martyr for a moment, hero for a lifetime PM Tony Abbott leads Parliament’s tributes for Gough Whitlam It will always be time. ‘Damaging’, ‘costly’, ‘transformative’: how the right remembered Gough Whitlam Gough Whitlam’s fiscal legacy using facts The Focus Group Governed by Idiots ‘Burqa ban’ imposed after anonymous radio rumour reached parliament | Australia news | The Guardian Health spending crisis isn’t real Australia faces gas price shock Green Economy Index 2014: Australia ranked last for leadership Making Friends Overseas Bronwyn Bishop defeated in bid to head international parliamentary group Joko Widodo tells Tony Abbott he will not tolerate navy’s incursions Satire is Dead Mathias Cormann calls Bill Shorten an ‘economic girlie man’ Mathias Cormann denies his ‘economic girlie-man’ insult is sexist Australia versus Humanity Scott Morrison personally intervenes to block claims for permanent asylum Manus Island centre may breach PNG constitution, case set for Nov 3 More delays for Manus asylum seekers as resettlement program goes back to the drawing board. Stateless babies, and walking away from the Refugees Convention What’s Stuck in my Craw Erin Riley has opinions, and should be able to express them. Wendy Squires - Is this man the kind of feminist women need? Hits, Shits and Other Bits podcast Stop The Press Barry Spurr Barry Spurr takes online journal to court over racist, sexist emails THE TRANSCRIPTS: The Partial Works Of Professor Barry Spurr. Poet, Racist, Misogynist | newmatilda.com Private Mail, Public Burning — Quadrant Online That Was Then, This Is Now 2012 - Opposition releases Nauru detention costings - $95M. Nauru Costings From Catering Company 2014 - Offshore detention centres: annual costs hit $1 billion

This week on Something Wonky, The Focus Group says “Show me the money”, unless you live in poverty. Goes the biff with visiting dignitaries and ruins lots of things. Stop The Press goes undercover with Sharri Markson and finds leftists everywhere, while 2GB gets a popularity bounce with racists. The Focus Group First up, feedback from The Shire. Tony Diplomacy Tony Abbott vows to ‘shirtfront’ Vladimir Putin over MH17 tragedy Russian official mocks Tony Abbott after threat to ‘shirt-front’ Vladimir Putin and points out that no bi-lateral talks are planned. Then Tony backs down and pretends he never threatened Putin Australian senator Jacqui Lambie praises Putin’s efforts for ‘world peace’ - Dan Carlin’s Common Sense - Episode 270 - Poking the Bear Show Me the Money Defence service personnel overwhelmingly reject government pay offer - Full Submission Prime Minister and Cabinet pay talks off: It’s all too hard He who must not be named at the ATO… It’s Eric Abetz No Money for you One in seven Australians living in poverty, according to new report Analysis finds it is no accident that federal budget makes the poor pay the most Separating Church and State School chaplaincy program: govt stands firm on excluding welfare workers Liberal MP Bernie Finn tells Nine there will be discussions about rolling back abortion laws if #VicCoalition win #VicVotes. ‘No reason’ to make Hillsong abuse public, churches told This week in “What’s wrong with the government” George Brandis takes on journalist critics in defence of security laws Too little, too late - Anthony Albanese: Labor has gone too far in supporting national security laws John Hewson and Malcolm Fraser blast Liberals over ANU divestment backlash Shorten says new market mechanism for emissions needed - Immediately blasted with “Carbon Tax” scaremongering. Mark Butler MP - Joe Hockey Just Doesn’t Understand Facts Laurie Oakes - When Joe Hockey talks, Coalition colleagues wince Coalition spends $300k on marketing for counter-terrorism strategy Culture wars fizzle out in national curriculum review Australia versus Humanity Baby Ferouz, born to asylum seekers in Brisbane, denied protection visa | Australia news | The Guardian Abuse on Nauru, Scott Morrison’s wretched island Thanks Scott - Anti-whistleblowing law being used to pursue Save the Children staff used only twice in five years Australia presses for Human Rights Council seat despite UN criticism Stop The Press 2GB holds racist singlet giveaway Woolworths removes ‘racist’ singlet after complaints The Cheap Racist Singlet That Continues To Divide Australia Sharri Markson goes undercover for The Oz Sharri Markson On 2GB with Miranda Devine Miranda can’t remember all of her insults An unnamed Student whinges about Lefties - Built-in bias of uni courses isn’t good training for journalists | The Australian Looking For Some “Media Bias”? Here’s The Premier Of New South Wales Starring In An Ad For The Daily Telegraph Bit rich for The Oz to cry indoctrination – Honi Soit IMAGEN Labor promises specialist domestic violence courts if elected

This week on Something Wonky, Stop The Press looks at The Courier Mail’s salacious treatment of murder victim Mayang Prasetyo. Australia versus humanity is still terrible. The Focus Group asks, “Who are we keeping safe?”, finds our government is still incompetent, and does the war bit. Stop The Press The Courier Mail’s salacious treatment of murder victim Mayang Prasetyo. Words Can Be Deadly Mayang Prasetyo’s murder and the problem with domestic violence reporting Courier Mail claims headlines didn’t intend to diminish life of transgender murder victim Tony Abbott apologises to Alan Jones, who was previously found to have “incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims”, for not acting on ‘hate preachers’ 3AW freaks out over Queen wearing Muslim headscarf on defaced $5 note, and then gets involved in a local strata management dispute. Australia Versus Humanity Four-year budget of $20 million spent in one year to stop the boats Mandatory detention of children ‘abusive’, say Australian paediatricians Outgoing Christmas Island administrator Jon Stanhope - History will treat Australia ‘very poorly’ over its treatment of asylum seekers Scott Morrison announces investigation into Nauru sex abuse claims Save The Children Fires Back At Morrison’s ‘Self Harm Coaching’ Claims Scott Morrison referred to AFP over alleged Nauru detention centre leak by Senator Hanson-Young. LGBTI asylum seekers fear further persecution on Manus Island The Focus Group Keeping Who Safe? Sword removed in counter-terrorism raids a common plastic decoration, owner reveals Preventative detention orders ‘used as a tool to break terrorism suspects’ Anti-terrorism bill: police to get power to secretly search suspect’s house Our First Defence To ‘Threats To Our Freedom’: Dump Freedom Safeguards Where is the security agency tipping point? LNP Government, still not competent. Abetz Takes Pity On Businesses, Drops Punitive Measures Aimed At Jobless | newmatilda.com Who Needs Climate Change Experts When You’ve Got Greg Hunt And Wikipedia The Abbott government’s ‘freedom’ agenda is breathtakingly hypocritical - Ben Saul Australia’s unemployment rate set to be second worst in Asia-Pacific, says IMF Treasurer Joe Hockey pressures Labor to pass stalled budget measures to pay for Iraq war In New Matilda Ralph Cullen asks Prime Minister Tony Abbott: Scholar or Sciolist? The War Bit Mathias Cormann ‘not ruling out’ raising taxes to pay for Iraq mission Tony Abbott rules out tax increases to pay for Australia’s role in Iraq First Australian air strike in Iraq bombs Isis target, says ADF Abbott Was A Wrecker In Opposition; Who’s Surprised He’s A Wrecker In Office? Why would anyone believe we would stop at “humanitarian” military involvement point? Also the who changes their mind on Abbott bc of a war in Syria? A listener asks “What should Australia’s response be to Daesh”?

This week on Something Wonky, a government full of race-baiters goes race baiting, freedom’s just another word for “George Brandis is reading your emails” and we take a look at Tony and Julie’s excellent UNadventure UN adventure. Plus, Australia versus Humanity, Stop The Press and Tony Abbott’s scorecard. The Focus Group Government full of race-baiters goes race baiting. Star Wars Cosplayers banned from Australian parliament’s public galleries Tony Abbott’s cave-in to divisive policy of backbenchers a failure of leadership Want an Insight Into Life Under the Muslim Veil? How About Asking? Terror scaremongering threatens our democracy Apology as ADF officer withdraws claim he was assaulted by two men of middle eastern appearance Anti-Islamic teens threaten to behead Gold Coast man they mistook for a Muslim Freedom’s just another word for “George Brandis is reading your emails” Expanded spying powers pass parliament as lone Labor MP voices concerns No one should be fooled into believing security is as simple as greater surveillance and deeper silence | Melissa Parke Security laws pass Senate amid fears over ‘draconian’ limits to press freedom Tony, Julie and Peta hit the UN. Tony Abbott invokes Labor’s beloved ‘light on the hill’ in speech to UN and talks up our willingness to help the world. But there are limits. Ebola outbreak: Australia will not send health workers to west Africa Australia’s climate stance savagely condemned at New York summit Just in case you thought this would all be over soon. Bill Shorten’s live Q&A was a showcase of Labor’s terrible me-tooism disease PM’s adviser wants weather bureau review Poor retail sales hit department stores Labor claims pensions victory as Coalition cherry picks welfare bills This Isn’t Working: Single Mothers and Welfare ATO needs to ‘man up’ on tax dodges Tony Abbott’s Scorecard Just what has our PM done that hasn’t made things worse for us? Australia versus Humanity Asylum seekers say they were raped and tortured after Australia sent them back to Sri Lanka When is an Australian not an Australian? Lawyers Say New Immigration Law Targets 10-month Old Oz-Born Asylum Seeker Baby Nauru asylum seekers sew lips shut in protest over Cambodia transfer Self-Harm, Protests Escalate On Nauru After Morrison Video Played To Asylum Seekers Stop The Press The acid test: Australian journalists must ask what agenda they serve ABC cuts: the yes case ABC stars unite to save Lateline from the axe LOLBolt - Left fan the flames of hate

This week on Something Wonky, the Focus Group travels to Arnham land for almost as long as Tony Abbott did and checks in on the Budget. Australia versus Humanity observes Cambodia from a distance. Stop The Press wonders what to watch when Lateline gets cancelled and we introduce our new segment Terror Australis. The Focus Group Abbott in Arnhem Land: a display of farce and cynicism Tony Abbott’s disappointing three day week in Arnhem Land Freya Newman Pleads Guilty Over Frances Abbott’s $60k Secret Scholarship Leak Retired major-general indicates differences with Defence Minister as reason for leaving job after three weeks Kevin Andrews denies lying about NZ dole waiting period to justify Government’s planned unemployment benefit changes The myth of ‘mum and dad’ property investors Australia Vs Humanity News Ltd declare ‘Victory’ on boat arrivals’ Scott Morrison says 12 asylum-seeker boats stopped under turnback policy Scott Morrison set to sign refugee resettlement deal with Cambodia on Friday Australia/Cambodia: Deal Puts Refugees at Risk - Human Rights Watch Gay asylum seekers on Manus Island write of fear of persecution in PNG PM - Complaint to OECD about G4S Manus Island management 23/09/2014 Morrison looks set to get temporary protection visas for asylum seekers Hamid Kehazaei’s Death Proves Impossibility Of Proper Care Offshore, Warns Doctor | newmatilda.com Stop The Press Knives out for ABC’s Lateline ABC’s Q&A could be used as Islamic State propaganda : Liberal MP Craig Kelly The King’s Tribune ceases publication Terror Australis Passenger ejected from flight over notebook doodles Australia’s biggest “Anti-terror” raid nets few arrests. Sydney dawn counter-terrorism raids: why now, and why so few answers? Terrorism raids: Isis ‘urging followers to behead Australians’, says PM We are the ones being terrorised, Muslims say Mechanic Ahmad Azaddin Rahmany arrested in terrorism raids free on good behaviour bond Counter-terrorism raids: five unanswered questions Our Elected Representatives don’t help the situation. ‘Stupid and ignorant’: Cory Bernardi’s comments linking terrorism raids with a push to ban burqa slammed Jacqui Lambie says criticism over burqa post is a ‘gross overreaction’ PM orders tighter security at Parliament House after interception of ‘chatter’ about potential threats MPs told to keep blinds closed at Parliament House office due to risk of sniper attack Queenslanders urged to comply with nervous police in wake of Endeavour Hills shooting Proposed Terror Laws about to hand enormous power to security agencies with little oversight. New laws could give ASIO a warrant for the entire internet, jail journalists and whistleblowers Abbott’s ‘Anti-Terror’ Laws Are The Real Danger To Australia Tony Abbott warns balance between security and freedom may shift Anti-terrorism laws: Attorney-General George Brandis ‘confident’ Labor will support law changes A young man is shot in suburban Melbourne after attacking Police officers, the nation loses its mind. Terror suspect’s friends shocked by death Fairfax apologises for using pic of wrong man for dead teen terror suspect on three front pages

This week on Something Wonky, we don our Auscam trousers, dust off our fridge magnets and see if we can declare sexism dead yet (Spoiler: No). Plus, coal, climate and cannabis. THE FOCUS GROUP Please mention the war Voters approve Tony Abbott’s ‘relations with other countries’, says poll Off to war - but as the Greens ask, what’s the plan? What are the victory conditions? What are the limits? Who the hell knows Leigh Sales interviews Defence Minister David Johnston about Iraq Tony Abbott: Military action against Isis will cost half a billion dollars a year Terror is the new black Brandis tells Insiders ASIO’s powers had to be expanded because it was “constrained”. Can’t have any limits on ASIO! Small government requires powerful agencies with fewer limits than the governments they were originally intended to serve. Libs raise “terror” level on basis of “no specific intelligence” and then tell us to go about our lives normally Bins banned as nation on high alert Why we don’t need feminism any more Dave underestimates Tony: Tony’s creepy sexism at work, months ago; Dave did not believe he could have done it again. He did. (51m) Labor MP tells men who criticise campaign to prevent violence against women to ‘Grow up!’ Survey finds one in five believe women partly responsible for rape if drunk Deranged religious nutters in Victoria blame society’s ills on “The absence of the father in many Aussie homes” and ” the removing of discipline in homes and schools by the politically correct brigades”; launch policy to combat this called, and I kid you not, “LUV YA”. Spelt that way. By the way You know that creepy TPP deal, where we’re going to help improve the deficit by giving overseas corporations extra power to sue for millions of taxpayer dollars if they don’t like what the government does? Yeah, still secret, the ISDS clauses still present - and Federal Trade Minister Andrew Robb refused Background Briefing’s request for an interview Australian export risk on China dirty coal ban NASA Ranks This August as Warmest on Record Is Australia’s housing market overpriced? Bank of International Settlements says yes Joe Hockey dismisses Australian property bubble claims as ‘lazy analysis’ Cannabis use by terminally ill may be legalised in NSW as Labor backs bill AUSTRALIA VS HUMANITY Hardly any coverage of that critical High Court verdict. Weirdly, now that the conservatives’ brutalise refugees strategy is falling apart, it’s not newsy any more? Asylum seekers: PNG minister seeks to hasten resettlement from Manus Island Police in riot gear removing Aboriginal children at ‘gunpoint’ Case of Indigenous man’s indefinite jailing without trial sparks reform push Ten weeks dry: water is still a privilege, not a right, in Indigenous Australia STOP THE PRESS The ABC is vital to Australian democracy

This week on Something Wonky, goodbye mandatory detention, Dave tries to analyse our PM, good news from around the country, bad news for the Coalition, and Kevin Andrews plans for your sex life. AUSTRALIA VS HUMANITY High Court ruling could end indefinite detention for asylum seekers We thought they’d “stopped the boats”, so why has the Coalition entered a newly altered contract for significant expansions and upgrades at the Manus Island detention centre Bowen Fronts Final Stage of Inquiry Into Children In Detention - Chris Bowen defends detaining children at Manus Island centre - following Children In Detention Inquiry Turns On Labor; Bowen Called To Appear The Life Support System For Hamid Kehazaei Was Switched Off This Evening - What Killed Hamid Kehazaei The Queensland Coroner has decided that the death of Hamid Kehazaei, while detained at the behest of Mr Morrison, was no less than a death in custody ‘Woeful’ Conditions On Manus Will Likely See Death Toll Rise, Warns Doctor Manus Island whistleblower describes ‘filthy’ conditions inside detention centre Scott Morrison signals U-turn on offshore transfer for asylum seekers Vietnamese asylum seekers say dozens hurt in targeted attack at Christmas Island centre, Scott Morrison says claims ‘grossly inaccurate’ Villawood asylum seekers in solitary for more than 24 hours at a time Refugees aren’t the only group being damaged by Australia’s ‘war on asylum’. Our community is being degraded as well THE FOCUS GROUP Can Tony Abbott tell the difference between a good idea and a bad one? A New Hope Vic Labor has power to stop East West Link, and it’s going to - nice change from their refusal to do it earlier, before the inner city started leaning towards the Greens Government increasingly divided over plan to scrap renewable energy target Review panel likely to call for clamps on donations in Victorian council elections Pressure builds for federal ICAC CSIRO dares govt to slash its funding further, by installing solar panel printer Actually, it was better than you said it would be NBN fibre rollout was going to be cheaper, sooner, pilot results show Julia Gillard gives evidence at trade union commission - Getting Gillard: The Royal Commission We Never Had To Have IAN MACFARLANE CORNER Science lobby are ‘precious petals’ for whingeing, says Ian Macfarlane Not Creepy At All The Napthine Government has tabled amendments to gaming laws which would guarantee Crown millions of dollars compensation if state legislation were to dent its profits at any time in the next three decades. New Sky channel set to replace ABCís Australia Network ICAC emails shed light on escalating political funding arms race Terrorism threat means bigger police presence, warns George Brandis - even though in reality Terrorism alert rankings serve no purpose beyond encouraging a burst of panic Morrison ‘not surprised’ that Asio is considering raising terrorism alert level // * World’s biggest military contractor, Lockheed Martin, moves into Civic in jobs boon for Canberra // * Julie Bishop knocks Malcolm Turnbull off popularity high in cabinet rankings // * Helen Dale is the new adviser to crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm Great Policy Corner Senator Fiona Nash visits the South West Aboriginal Medical Service to explain why making poor indigenous people with poor health pay the $7 Medicare copayment will ultimately save Medicare Community TV: Malcolm Turnbull confirms licensing for stations will end in 2015 First-home buyers get lowest loan share yet // * Melbourne F1 Grand Prix cost Victorian taxpayers almost $60 million Govt recognises that everyone except the filthy “welfare lobby” understands how important it is to starve people on welfare. ACOSS tries to stand up for them Australiaís whistlebower protections lag in private sector, national security Kevin Andrews wants you to have better

This week on Something Wonky, The Review Review makes a stunning return to the Focus Group and brings along another new segment “Bad Policy Corner”. Australia versus Humanity is short, but deadly. LOLBolt makes a comeback, while Sharri Markson vies for his title of most predictable stenographer in Australia. THE FOCUS GROUP Good and Bad Marches March in August The march to war in Iraq - Herald Sun terrified of hypothetical muslim terrorists in Melbourne. “We Are Practically At War” Greens Warn as Major Parties Shut Down Iraq Debate - Joe won’t be intimidated by beheadings - far from, he’ll use them to justify war - Kellie Merritt, Australia’s first Iraq widow, is an anti-war campaigner - Tony Abbott Godwins ISIS and declares them worse than the Nazis The Review Review as Abbott govt’s asinine public “inquiries” and “reviews” into their predecessors continue Govt’s “independent review” into RET in - concludes it must be dropped in favour of govt’s bullshit hypothetical “emissions reduction fund” by ignoring the evidence - because working too well. Completely ignores the biggest questions around the scheme. Meanwhile SURGE IN SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLES FLIES IN FACE OF COALITION’S PLANS Govt’s “inquiry” into home insulation in - blames ALP! Ignores fact that insulation death rate actually fell. No recommendation for tougher workplace safety laws to save lives in future. Contrast: actual review to try to find out what happened as Morwell mine fire inquiry points finger at operator GDF Suez Cliev gets two reviews of his own Bad Policy Corner Mining tax repeal: Joe Hockey says $6.5 billion hit to budget bottom line is ‘damn good deal’ for Australians. Meanwhile Small businesses stung through mining tax repeal compromises. Ben Eltham points out The Mining Tax Abolition Is A Great Victory For Foreign Wealth Over Common Cents TONY ABBOTT’S SUPER ATTACKS EXPLAINED Govt negotiating with crossbench to drop its 6 months without income to 1 month, which is still unacceptable, as ACOSS points out - No income means no income, whether it’s 26 weeks or four weeks. Meanwhile govt loses vote to cut people off for 8 weeks as punishment Why the ATO is losing the battle against the ‘transnationals’ - they’re hiring the people the govt is sacking to help them run rings around those left behind. Govt insisting on its idiotic ineffective anti-piracy scheme - mocked by Choice, but finally shows that you can have a lose-lose policy, like the LNP used to say the mining tax was. Tony Abbott to keep secular workers out of school chaplaincy program - 620 SCHOOL WELFARE OFFICERS TO BE SACKED FOR LACKING RELIGIOUS CONNECTION Metadata retention? AFP mistakenly publish metadata from criminal investigations Wondering why nothing meaningful will be done to improve housing affordability? Check out the property portfolios of our MPs Medibank boss wanted its members to get priority treatment in emergency departments Eric Abetz launches attack against public service union, the CPSU Koukoulas shows how the Coalition has both kicked the poor AND doubled the deficit New Matilda argues that The dash to corporatise Australian universities is, at its core, an act of violence against those who can least afford it. Political Correctness Gone Mad Labor senator criticised after branding terrorism focus a budget diversion ploy Someone is Lying About Kevin Andrews - re him pulling out of WCF. Meanwhile if you went to the WCF you got an adorable murdered foetus stress toy Tony Abbott slaps down Joe Hockey after stoush over WA GST anger Tony Abbott names white settlement as Australia’s ‘defining moment’, remark draws Indigenous ire Silence the Whistleblowers Government wants East Timor spy charged Lucky escapes No thanks to govt, Consortium scraps plans to dump waste in Great Barrier Reef and here DLP senator Joh

This week on Something Wonky, Travelling Tony’s life is a treat, finally we have a Cost Benefit Analysis for the not an NBN and Chris Pyne is still trying to ruin Higher Education. Australia continues its fight against humanity, News Limited dominates Stop The Press and we have a surprising announcement for Man of the Year THE FOCUS GROUP Travelling Tony’s visit to Peter Mac helps him pay for a “private function” Tony Abbott equal’s Kevin Rudd’s time overseas as first year PM Well what’s your plan to pay for Tony and Joe’s tax cuts for rich people? Finance minister Cormann finally notices that taxes are an alternative to spending cuts - but only as a threat. And only against ordinary Australians - he’s not proposing to undo the LNP’s tax cuts for the rich. Patients to pay up to $300 more for prescription medication under Abbott govt changes Tony still running the porkie that the “schoolkids bonus” was linked by Labor to the mining tax Crikey’s Letter to Joe Hockey They’re not “gaffes” - they’re unintended revelations of the government MPs’ personal privilege and lack of understanding of the rest of us The government has released a “Cost Benefit Analysis” of their NBN plans, done by a hand picked panel, and amazingly it supports them. NBN Cost Benefit Analysis @joshgnosis explains it all to ABC Breakfast Speaking of people who can’t internet, George Brandis’s secret data retention discussion paper has been leaked Christopher Pyne is facing resistance to his plans to ruin the Tertiary Education sector U Syd town hall meeting condemns fee deregulation proposals, despite the VC’s support. New Matilda’s take on the town hall meeting Pyne threatens research funding if he doesn’t get his way Coalition playing chicken with uni funding Freedumb NSW police succeed in banning protest on grounds that it would bugger up Sydney traffic: then they bugger up Sydney traffic themselves making sure protesters don’t get near the place. Mockery for Jacqui Lambie and her strategist who declares that “any defence expert will tell you that… the Western world’s defence strategy is predicated on the fact that there’s a general level of threat from China”. Victorian election Things are looking rough for Dennis Napthine and the Liberal Party Napthine facing electoral wipeout Youth unemployment hosts 15 year high Who will the Liberals preselect for Baillieu’s old seat now he’s retiring? Old tory dinosaur John Elliott or the IPA’s John Roskam? Labor offering to start process to legalise medical marijuana if it wins in November Last drinks. Anti-piracy investigator calls for dedicated Australian court to prosecute web pirates Border youth mental health forum saved, for this year AUSTRALIA VS HUMANITY Morrison asked at inquiry why the time we’re holding asylum seekers in detention has increased threefold “Why do you believe that stopping the boats and stopping the drownings can be achieved by detaining children in these ways,” Triggs asked. “Frankly Madam President, the results speak for themselves,” Morrison replied. Triggs appeared unsatisfied with the response. “How can you justify the indefinite detention of children in these conditions for more than a year when there is not evidence this is the policy that is stopping the boats?” she asked… Then Morrison said he could not move them onshore as doing so would be fulfilling the promises made by people smugglers. “I understand they would like to come to the mainland and not be part of the offshore processing policy,” he said, but noted that “they paid people smugglers to get to Australia” Scott Morrison’s treatment of Gillian Triggs is endemic of the government’s wider problem with women Asylum seekers suing Scott Morrison

This week on Something Wonky, there’s no business like Joe Business, Tony can’t stop talking about unity, we still don’t have a budget, but we do have a list of stupid things that our federal government has been doing in the mean time. Is there a changing wind in Australia versus Humanity, or just a new stench blowing in from a different angle? And in Stop The Press we have a newspaper suing a competitor because they reported news. There’s no business like Joe Business Nobody will stand up for Joe. Abbott distances himself - “well, plainly, I wouldn’t say that”. Pyne refuses six times to support his colleague. Instead, they try some idiotic lies. Abbott tries the line “whatever people may think about the way Joe expressed himself in a particular radio interview, he has a plan to ensure that all Australians are better off in the long-term. It’s the only plan that is currently before the Australian people.” And Pyne comes out with “The simple fact is that this is the guy who has driven the abolition of the carbon tax, the cost of which fell heaviest on low-income households”, winning a special award for the least accurate use of the phrase “the simple fact is” in recent Australian political history. Transcript: Joe Hockey’s apology over fuel levy gaffe Joe Hockey may be sorry, but that doesn’t mean he gets it Sloppy Joe Backs Away from Apology Joe Hockey makes things worse, say political advisers Smokin’ Joe Hockey the Treasurer is a lead Zeppelin THE FOCUS GROUP Tony Abbott can’t stop talking about unity Team Australia Tony is the captain Abbott worries that beheadings could happen here Team Great Britain Team Ukraine We still don’t have a budget Crisis, what crisis, asks Coalition, spinning as the budget wheels come off Ebola virus: Researchers hunting deadly virus cure scrapped under federal budget cuts This week in stupidity. Outraged By Coffee Shop Owner’s Racism, Aussies Respond With, Well, Racism Privatise to reduce power of unions Tony Abbott adviser warns of threat of ‘global cooling’ Weaker RET would transfer $10b to big power firms, study finds Rob Oakeshott: How big business hijacked parliament Icac: Tony Abbott says ‘problem’ was Labor banning developer donations Liberal Party won’t recontest Hunter seats in ‘act of atonement’ for ICAC scandal Misery in Australia Rises to Highest Level Since 2008 in Challenge to RBA Partisan staff undermine government institutional memory New sexting laws to exempt young people from child pornography charges Coward punch thugs face 10 years’ jail AUSTRALIA VS HUMANITY 182 Days After Reza Barati Was Murdered, Arrests Finally Made Hand of hope for Labor’s child detainees: Asylum boats stopped but children to go free What’s really happening to kids in detention? Immigration Detention Guard Sacked After Inquiries About Anti-Muslim Facebook Photo Australia going to ‘unthinkable’ lengths to return Syria detainees Wagga baby killer freed from jail STOP THE PRESS News Corp’s Clive Palmer obsession News Corp chief defends cash-strapped Australian, saying it is much loved News Corp sends in the lawyers as its CEO tells his staff there’s nothing to see here Crikey owner Private Media and News Corp reach legal agreement The Bolt report isn’t getting any saner Andrew worries that the Libs are running to the left Craig Emmerson calls Andrew Bolt a racist, on his own show Meanwhile on NITV, Andrew is shown a limit to his logic

SomethingWonky explores a tough week for the government, as their friends turn on them THE FOCUS GROUP Liberals Are Doing It To Themselves Coalition cheerleaders turn on the government - the IPA publishes ads in the Australian attacking the government, Bolt tells his viewer to support the libertarian senator and the fringe religious nutcase from FundiesFirst, and even David Flint’s “Conservative Action Network” manages to attack the government four times in its weekly email rant. Abbott’s own party registers website calling him a liar, with abbottlies.com.au registered by the Liberals immediately before launching their Budget, and breaking satire forever. URL links to liberal.org.au, thereby providing the most accurate route into that site ever. the IPA’s Chris Berg calls for a “reboot”, a mini-budget Right-wing figures from the business community call for a new election to get Hockey’s terrible budget through The AFR points out that since Hockey’s budget attacks rural Australia, the Nats’ heartland, the Libs might be about to get some pushback from the Nats - if not the MPs, the party itself Young Liberals expose their colleagues being feral on Facebook with some spectacularly misogynist rants against prominent women. Meanwhile Honi Soit explores the world of non-faction factions and nepotism that makes up the Young Liberal movement Conservative DLP senator from Victoria John Madigan says Joe Hockey’s budget will increase crime: “If we attack those people with the least, I believe we’re going to have more domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, vandalism, mental health problems - and what’s the cost going to be to mop that up?” Senator Madigan said. “It’s bad enough now - it’s out of control a lot of these problems. I’m not suggesting that we can eliminate these things, but I can tell you what, this budget, I believe, will exacerbate all of these problems, and more.” Coalition MPs like Alex Hawke and Craig Kelly tell Fairfax they have serious concerns over the Coalition’s data retention policy Cory Bernardi tells his email readers that he supports crossbencher Bob Day over his own party. Yet Tony still has friends. PUP senator Jacquie Lambie tells the media she feels sorry for Joe Hockey and blasts his colleagues for abandoning him And the Oz is out there to portray Abbott as a superhero - I kid you not, they illustrated him as Spiderman having apprehended Putin - and dubbed him “Leader for a dangerous world”. Backdowns Christopher Pyne says that he’ll be prepared to back down on the adding interest to uni debts scheme, although only if the Senate rejects it. However, in the meantime, Pyne is insisting on lowering the repayment threshold still further, hitting poorer students hard. After an embarrassing interview on The Project, Eric Abetz withdraws his “abortion causes breast cancer” line from last week, but not his support for the conference at which it will be spread. Tony says he feels “sheepish”. New Matilda points out that it’s bullshit for the government to suggest that it only backed off on its idiotic 18C changes because of the muslims. Meanwhile Christopher Pyne wants praise - “a tick for listening” - for the backdown on 18C. Things you’d think should be backdowns, but aren’t yet Joe Hockey suggests a fuel tax hits the rich harder than the poor because “the poorest people either don’t have cars or actually don’t drive very far in many cases” Government has begun the process of breaking up and selling off the Department of Human Services Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs asks businesses to help him fight to remove penalty rates Workers’ wages going backwards, as inflation outpaces wage growth Clive’s sending mixed messages on Medicare copayment, reminding us not to rely on him for anything. PUP’s new leade

This week on SomethingWonky, we track where you’ve been on the internet, demand you explain where you’ve been overseas, and disappoint Andrew Bolt. But we phone him first because we wouldn’t want him to think we’re not mates. THE FOCUS GROUP Govt cancelling a stupid vandal decision Tony backs off on his idiotic changes to 18C of the RDA. Bolt and IPA very unhappy - how will Tony win them around again? He at least calls Andrew Bolt before announcing it, because sometimes PMs have to call people who’ve broken the law to let them know they’re not going to change it. Meanwhile other Liberals (and the Oz) blame Brandis’ asinine “bigots” comment for the debacle Stupid Vandal Decisions Treasury making nearly all its staff reapply for their own jobs Brandis’ “data retention” proposal released to mates at Daily Telegraph before telling cabinet colleagenemies. He’ll be making companies keep your metadata, including a list of websites you’ve visited for two years. Eventually he admitted that, anyway - after an embarrassing melt-down with David Speers. Brandis points out in 2012 that the Australian public does not support their browsing history being retained Tony launches new “anti-terror” laws on vague advice of agencies getting the extra power and money that there’s some kind of increased risk. Calls it Team Australia, complete with logo and new website. Ben Eltham argues they’re “an all-out assault on our freedoms”. Dave remembers Dan Carlin’s recent commentary on the runaway security state because Jeremy just put it in the running sheet. Australians overseas Abbott proposes reversing the onus of proof on people returning from Iraq or Syria to prove they’re NOT terrorists. But will the same standard be applied to those fighting for, say, Israel in Gaza? Short answer: no. Long answer: also no. Baby Gammy’s parents found, father then accused of historical sex crime against child in 1996, so the surrogate mother says she wants the child back, and Child Services intervene. Meanwhile other couples going through process to be victims of a crackdown. Let the sanctimonious insanity continue. Let them eat Brioche Treasury did prepare the Treasurer an analysis before the budget of what his plan would do, which showed that low-income groups would be hit the hardest. Fairfax’s FOI request that obtained those documents reveals the Government is still holding out on two bigger documents Treasury prepared revealing how hard the LNP plan would hit the poor - Joe says they were prepared for Cabinet and are immune from FOI requests. The Oz calls on Hockey and Abbott to stop fighting about “fairness”, because they can’t win, but don’t worry, they’ll fight for “unfairness” as much as you like. The Libs happy to tax sex workers - but Kevin Andrews won’t count their work as real work if they suddenly become unemployed and need to access welfare Because nudity. BREAKING late in the day Andrews backs down. Work-for-the-dole to help businesses exploit unemployed with unpaid work experience (ie taxpayers paying for the profits of big companies) Department of Employment official, Job Services Australia general manager, admits to Senate Estimates that the department hasn’t done basic modelling on the result of WftD Income management bizarrely championed by “classical liberals” like Twiggy Forrest, Tony Abbott (who said Forrest’s proposal was “bold, ambitious and brave”) and the Oz, even though it’s about the nanniest of nanny state proposals. Why? Because it’s okay to nanny people you think of as children. And because it’s about giving the poor some “stick”, and they’re always in favour of that. Jeremy has a rant about our dismantling of a system that, after generations and most countries thinking solv