Category Archive For "Politics"
On the Vilification of Prime Minister Scott Morrison
There has always been an unpleasant edge to public discussion of politics. It is much easier to vilify people who see things differently from you, than to engage with them and to see this engagement as an opportunity to learn. The rise of Facebook and Twitter have exacerbated this tendency to personal insult and hasty …
Cardinal Pell. The Appeal.
I have so far refrained from any comment on the outcome of Cardinal Pell’s appeal. To say I was disappointed with the outcome would be an understatement. I have written extensively about this case here: and here: The prosecution case was based entirely on the evidence of a single person, some twenty years after the …
Cardinal Pell – The Media and Judiciary’s Disgrace
I have been frustrated by news stories today suggesting that “disgraced” Cardinal George Pell has broken the law by posting material to social media. Firstly, Cardinal Pell is not “disgraced.” It is the media and the Australian judicial system which are disgraced by the verdict against him, which was based on the evidence of a …
Fear, Faith and Folau
Freedom of speech is an essential characteristic of any successful society. If people are not free to say what they believe, there can be no testing of ideas against each other and against reality. Without that, there can be no progress in science, in art, in literature, in education, in society and policy. But the …
Christchurch Terror
It is important to try to understand the mass murder in Christchurch, but it is just too early to make any sound or meaningful assessment. Despite the manifesto, we do not know enough about Tarrant’s background and thoughts, and we know nothing about any of the others who may have been involved. That hasn’t stopped …
Cardinal Pell Sentenced
On March 13th, Cardinal George Pell was sentenced to six years jail on charges of child sexual abuse. He will be eligible for parole in three years and eight months. Some people have pounced on comments at sentencing made by Pell’s defence team, suggesting that these were admission of guilt. This is not the case. …
Last Word on the Mayo By-election
If you are voting in the by-elections tomorrow, who should you vote for? The key question is: “What do you want Australia to be?” When you have a clear image in your mind of what you hope our future will be, you need to compare the candidates and ask which of them has the education, …
Mayo by-election …
I note with concern the report in today’s Islander in which candidates in the current Mayo by-election are asked “What will you do for us..?” as if this should be the key factor in deciding who to vote for. I cannot fathom why anyone with any understanding of our Federal parliamentary system would think this …
Georgina Downer and the Mayo By-Election
The current by-election in Mayo has been made necesary because Rebekha Sharkie was not entitled to stand or be elected because she was a citizen of another country at the time of her election. That is not just my opinion! That is what the Court found, and that is why another expensive election is necessary. …
Palestinian “Refugees” and the Right of Return
How does anyone have a “right of return” to a place they have never lived, and which their great-grandparents left in order to help destroy?
Non-whiny Students Leave the Plantation
Some Hispanic students express the view that their failings are their own fault, and that the way forward is to accept responsibility and work harder. Naturally, academia is appalled. Can’t you see there’s no point in trying? You’re oppressed! It’s all whitey’s fault! Thankfully more and more young people are rejecting the elite/liberal/luvvie/progressive philosophy that …
Who Are the Fascists?
Wikipedia is not always the most reliable of sources, but its definition of fascism is a reasonable starting point for discussion. A fascist is a follower of a political philosophy characterized by authoritarian views, desire for a strong central government, and no tolerance for opposing opinions. All forms of socialism, including Germany’s national socialism, are …
Gays, Bakers and Sarah Huckabee Sanders
I am astonished by claims of moral equivalence between a baker declining to make a cake with images and text contrary to his beliefs, and the refusal of service to White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on the basis of who she works for. The bakers did not refuse service because the customers were gay …
More Anti-Energy Silliness
There is no reasons why activists should not be allowed to have their say, as long as policy is based on facts rather than ideology. A saw a video recently purporting to be of a Norwegian fisherman lamenting the negative impact of the oil industry, and particularly of acoustic imaging, on Norwegian fisheries. OK. Except …
Barnaby Joyce and the Media
Barnaby Joyce doesn’t talk to the media. The media: Why won’t Barnaby Joyce talk to us? What is he scared of? What is he hiding? Barnaby Joyce talks to the media. The media: No one cares what Barnaby Joyce thinks. Barnaby Joyce is a publicity-hungry media whore. Barnaby Joyce should shut up.
Qohel Blog Author Peter Wales
