The SA Politics Thread

[cruel_world00]

As I walked through the University Campus this morning I saw temporary fencing with black mesh has been put up all around the new Union Hall building (I dont know what it's called), is there some building work about to be done?

Ahahah. No. That's what occurs when a super unpopular Prime Minister is visiting. He's a man of the people you see.

https://twitter.com/Mikey_Nicholson/sta ... 0589744128

[monotonehell]

The "Abbott Proof Fence" ?

[metro]

As I walked through the University Campus this morning I saw temporary fencing with black mesh has been put up all around the new Union Hall building (I dont know what it's called), is there some building work about to be done?

Ahahah. No. That's what occurs when a super unpopular Prime Minister is visiting. He's a man of the people you see.

https://twitter.com/Mikey_Nicholson/sta ... 0589744128

WHAT?!

He afraid an egg will be thrown at him? I hope students protest in force and kick the fence down. Who does he think he is? he's not the US president FFS!

Did Gillard, Rudd, Howard, Keating, Hawke, Fraser, and Whitlam hide behind fences? Just shows Abbott is a lying little soft cock.

[Wayno]

The "Abbott Proof Fence" ?

Shhh be vewy qwiet, I'm hunting Abbotts!

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[metro]

had a look at some of the tweets and facebook coverage, apparently about 1,000 students and hundreds of SAPOL + mounted police. When I walked through around 5:15pm I saw quite a strong police presence, as well as police helicopters circling above and I think I saw some rooftop snipers, certainly lots of SAPOL cars, trucks and vans parked on Victoria Dr and Memorial Dr, and groups of riot police stationed by the river being briefed on the "situation". I saw some of the protesters, mostly nerdy students, I think they got a bit too carried away with the security arrangements.

[Maximus]

I hope students protest in force and kick the fence down.

Why? What does that achieve? It does nothing to advance their cause.

I suspect they would likely have more success in a representative of the students requesting a meeting with Tony Abbott, or one of his representatives, to discuss the issues in a polite and civil manner. Sadly, civility seems to be something of which some student protesters are incapable. Hence the security arrangements.

As an aside, I'm no huge Tony Abbott sympathiser, but I've no doubt if you called another forum member a "lying little soft cock", you'd be temporarily banned by the mods or at least given a warning. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion, but perhaps we could keep the language a little more, shall we say, urbane...?

[Mants]

I think they could have gotten a lot more people involved and sent a stronger message if they stayed focused on the main issue which was meant to be about cuts to higher education. Instead, it just came across as a protest against Tony Abbott, which let's be honest, nobody in power is actually going to take any notice of.

[monotonehell]

I suspect they would likely have more success in a representative of the students requesting a meeting with Tony Abbott, or one of his representatives, to discuss the issues in a polite and civil manner

Abbott has already demonstrated that he will receive no delegations, nor take any advice which is contrary to his ideologies. In recent days we have had statements from professional bodies (like the AMA) stating that they offered evidence that his policies will not work, and even offering alternatives. These have been roundly dismissed.

Demonstrations barely have seen light in the media. Civil unrest on the other hand gets into the media. Sadly.

But yes, let's not use ad hominem attacks.

[metro]

discuss the issues in a polite and civil manner. Sadly, civility seems to be something of which some student protesters are incapable.

were you asleep for the last four years? Abbott, the federal Liberal party, the young Liberals and their extreme right wing supporters and shock jocks were in no way polite or civil at all during the previous government. I saw protests during the Rudd/Gillard years, and a few in the Howard years, they were kept fairly civil, police asking them to move back and they did, I dont remember fences being erected and the cavalry weren't brought in to charge the protesters just wanting to be be heard. Putting up a big black fence like that and the security arrangements were just over the top, if people are treated like the enemy then they will become the enemy.

As an aside, I'm no huge Tony Abbott sympathiser, but I've no doubt if you called another forum member a "lying little soft cock", you'd be temporarily banned by the mods or at least given a warning. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion, but perhaps we could keep the language a little more, shall we say, urbane...?

Fortunately the PM is not an active forum member. The language I used was not that bad: lying - true, little - true, soft cock - like a male chicken (a weak coward), all accurately describes the current PM. It's not as bad as a certain Liberal frontbencher in parliament who used a certain C-word that rhymes with 'Bunt' to describe the opposition leader.

[rhino]

and I think I saw some rooftop snipers

Hmmm .... how effective!

[Maximus]

Abbott has already demonstrated that he will receive no delegations, nor take any advice which is contrary to his ideologies. In recent days we have had statements from professional bodies (like the AMA) stating that they offered evidence that his policies will not work, and even offering alternatives. These have been roundly dismissed.

Demonstrations barely have seen light in the media. Civil unrest on the other hand gets into the media. Sadly.

Thanks for moving this to The Pub, Mono. I suppose I use the word "success" in a relative sense -- i.e. you can guarantee that noisy and/or violent protesting is going to have zero success (unless your definition of success is simply media attention), whereas civil, informed debate might have some measure of success in changing minds. Yes, I acknowledge there hasn't been much, if any, evidence of that in this term of government so far. On the other hand, playing devil's advocate, one could argue that part of the essence of 'good governance/government' is that you push ahead with what you believe is right, irrespective of opinions to the contrary. So long as your reasoning is sound, I see no problem with this approach per se. Of course, 'sound reasoning' is often a matter of opinion...

were you asleep for the last four years? Abbott, the federal Liberal party, the young Liberals and their extreme right wing supporters and shock jocks were in no way polite or civil at all during the previous government.

Indeed. I agree, and I take a dim view of all of it. I have argued this a number of times on this forum -- I'm not debating the political points, I'm debating the way in which they're expressed. I've criticised other forum members (including David Plumridge) in the past for the way in which they express themselves. By all means, have your opinion and believe in it. But don't be aggressive, violent, disrespectful or just plain uncivil in how you express yourself. That does nothing for any of us.

[metro]

Does anyone like Steven Marshall? Another bad poll for Mr Vote Labor:

https://twitter.com/GhostWhoVotes/statu ... 3435904000

I suspect knives are already being sharpened, and the SA Liberal party death squads will be ready to, 'politically speaking', cut his throat and stab him in the back.

[Waewick]

Does anyone like Steven Marshall? Another bad poll for Mr Vote Labor:

https://twitter.com/GhostWhoVotes/statu ... 3435904000

I suspect knives are already being sharpened, and the SA Liberal party death squads will be ready to, 'politically speaking', cut his throat and stab him in the back.

I doubt it, aith Evans gone as well as Hamilton smith most of the silliness appears to have gone with it.

Still can't get preselections right.

[stumpjumper]

Ah the poor old Libs. They spend way too much time plotting, strategising and appeasing their major supoporters, and not enough time giving people what they want - straightforward, good, honest government. There's no magic to electoral success in SA.

The most recent names I've heard for the Liberal leadership merry-go-round are Corey Wingard and Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

[rev]

lollibs.png (672.06 KiB) Viewed 4686 times

This ones for you Stumpy.