May 19, 2004
COLUMN WEDS DANISH PRINCE
Mentioned in this week’s Continuing Crisis column for The Bulletin are Mark Latham, Professor John Spencer, Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard, Steve Bracks, John Howard, Mike Seccombe, Alan Ramsey, Christopher Pyne, Sherrie Gossett, Laura Tingle, Nicholas Berg, Michael Berg, Alexander Downer, Paul Wolfowitz, Ian Moore, and Ruslana.
Also in this week’s Bulletin: Collingwood’s doomed year (including comment from Ann Potter) and a fine piece by Paul Toohey on Jim Krakouer.
UPDATE. Further to the dental issues mentioned in this week’s column, Julia Gillard advisor Jamie Snashall writes:
Posted by Tim Blair at May 19, 2004 01:15 PMWhen the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee inquiry into Public Dental Services published its report in May 1998, they found that when the Commonwealth Dental Health Program was abolished (abolition in the 1996 Budget, but funding would have run until the end of the 96-97 financial year)there were approximately 380,000 Australians waiting an average of 6 months for public dental care.
The Australian Health Policy Institute then commissioned a paper in 2001 from Prof AJ Spencer of Sydney University. He found that by May 2000, that figure had blown out to half a million people waiting for between 8 months and 5 years for public dental care. The collection of national figures has since stopped.
The waiting list figures I have (a compilation of State figures) - which are mid 2002 - are incomplete, but show approx 450,000 people waiting and that is excluding New South Wales figures.
It's a shame there isn't some equivalent contest to Eurovision Australia can compete in.
Posted by: Andjam at May 19, 2004 at 03:11 PMahhhhhh....
"we are the navy blues, we are the old, dark navy blues...."
Posted by: nic at May 19, 2004 at 03:52 PMWho is Ann Potter and why do comments she made about the Magpies back in February qualify her as an informed opinion on the breaking point of Collingwood fans?
Posted by: LD at May 19, 2004 at 09:03 PMHe he he. The 'tooth fairy.' You card.
Yep, that'll be Latham's Australia: Kyoto, republic, new flag, US out, but we'll all have choppers like Tom Cruise.
Posted by: Byron_the_Aussie at May 19, 2004 at 09:26 PMLD,
Ann Potter is a committee member at the Sunbury Lions junior football club and, being originally from NSW, has a broad view of AFL issues that makes her an appropriate voice on this subject for a national magazine.
Posted by: tim at May 20, 2004 at 01:46 AMNow I have to work out how Mr Ramsey thinks one can "turn an unwavering stare".
I used to watch the Krakouers play every week when they were with Claremont. They were magic. I wish Jimmy all the best.
Posted by: James Hamilton at May 20, 2004 at 11:57 AMI read the story by Toohey and it brought back a memory of Jim Krakouer. I played for Denmark thirds in 1968 (CHF - not a good gig) and I remember playing Mt Barker at Sounness Park when this tiny little bloke came on in the last quarter as 19th or 20th man and kicked a great goal. Magic stuff. And along the Mt Barker half back line, the boys looked at each other and said something to the effect "the little black bastard, he's good isn't he?" and it struck me then that this tiny little guy had just done something fantastic for his team and they still didn't really like him. A heavy load to carry from that young age. Who among us all has the strength to shoulder that?
Posted by: os at May 20, 2004 at 01:54 PMLatham, cattle dog with bulging eyeballs ...woof woof snuff snuff. It requires no more expansion,it's hilarious enough,not with Ramsey's keen nose for scenting doggies on heat.
I say, I'll have a drink now, just seems the right thing to do.
Posted by: d at May 20, 2004 at 02:27 PMRichard Butler!!!
Wouldn't you love to kick the fucker right up the arse!
Tim, let's hope Eddie thought your story on Collingwood was OK, since the Bulletin is owned by Nine. Otherwise you'll have to write a piece like Jim Main's coumn in Inside Football (also owned by Nine) this week.
Posted by: john at May 22, 2004 at 10:19 AMI just want to know whether there will be a public debate and town hall meetings about which books can go on the list for purposes of selecting the three books all new parents are going to get. Or are we going to have a voucher and choice? That'll be interesting.
Posted by: ERIC at May 22, 2004 at 08:51 PMVery amused to notice in that treacherous rag The Age, an article headlined Dangers of Fundamental Religion increasing, or some such.
Read on, and it's all about the dangers of Christianity!
Nick Berg, where are you when we need you.