Summary: 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
