November 16, 2004

WARNING ISSUED, IGNORED

Greens boss Bob Brown -- leader of the, ahem, "Feisty Four" -- warns of dark times ahead:

The Federal Government had some nasty surprises among its plans for its next term, Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said today.

Trees banned? Whaling permitted? Illegal immigrants forced to live in the enchanted Tolkien Forest? I can hardly wait.

"This is the most conservative government in living memory and it has some pretty nasty things in its saddle bag that it hasn't shown the people yet," Senator Brown said.

"We will see truncation of civil liberties in Australia, we're going to see privatisation of more than Telstra on the agenda."

Privatisation of Telstra (and the ABC) would represent an expansion of civil liberties. No longer will our wages fund that which they shouldn’t.

Senator Brown warned the Government against introducing legislation not linked to its election promises, despite the Coalition being able to control the Senate from July 1 next year.

Beware, government! You've been warned by Bob Brown!

"The Greens are going to be the feisty four in this Parliament and the Government's going to know we're there."

By scent, most likely. After July, when Brown's splinter gang is shoved to the margins, his Feisty Four may be known as the "Mute and Injured Turtles".

Posted by Tim Blair at November 16, 2004 01:21 AM
Comments

Shouldn't that be the festy four (as in fester). Accurate enough to be the common reference to the Greens Senate Caucus from July 1 next year.

Posted by: RO at November 16, 2004 at 01:37 AM

Yeeeeeees

Knowing that very soon the Greens wont be able to do bugger all just makes me feel so damn patriotic.

Posted by: Troy at November 16, 2004 at 01:42 AM

How 'bout cutting down old-growth trees on tribal land to club whales with?

Posted by: richard mcenroe at November 16, 2004 at 01:54 AM

"Mute and Injured Turtles".

Tim, anywhere but here, you would be severely punished for that line.

*goes off to giggle in private*

Posted by: Rebecca at November 16, 2004 at 01:57 AM

Bob Brown is warning the government. The sheer self-importance of this leftist buffoon amazes me.

He represents no more than the dumbest 7 percent of the population and yet the fucking media treat him as if he's the main opposition party, breathlessly reporting every stupid thing out of his mouth. Whatching this idiot marginalised will make me feel... you're right, Troy, 'patriotic' is the word.

Hooray for democracy!

Posted by: Amos at November 16, 2004 at 03:05 AM

This is the most conservative government in living memory

This, pretty much, is a lie.

How is the Howard government a more conservative one than Menzies?

Banning the Communist Party, anyone?

Posted by: Quentin George at November 16, 2004 at 05:41 AM

Does the lunatic Brown have the same speech writer as the lunatic Caldicott, mentioned above??!!

Posted by: Kate at November 16, 2004 at 06:18 AM

I heard this report and another about Natasha - on the ABC. My reaction was, the parties were big-time losers in the election - and the ABC is still boosting them for all they're worth. That was followed by a report on PM about the CSIRO warning us, yet again, that the sky is falling and that we're DOOMED. Folks, we have 50 years to live. Bob Carr loved it and gave it a tremendous boost.

Posted by: walterplinge at November 16, 2004 at 07:43 AM

The Liberals have to face the voters in 3 years time. I doubt they're going to start building gulags. Although putting the feral four in them might be electorally popular.

Posted by: Mike at November 16, 2004 at 08:23 AM

Why don't those Greens go back to Greenland where they belong?

Posted by: JDB at November 16, 2004 at 09:05 AM

I thought that Bob Brown would be calling for the cutting down of all old-growth trees, now that one was responsible for a death on the weekend and lots of damage in Queensland. After all, he always says that if it saves one life, it is worth it (when he is talking about guns, anyway).

Posted by: SezaGeoff at November 16, 2004 at 09:13 AM

Of course selling Telstra strikes a blow at our civil liberties. How can we be truly free until the government controls everything. Only then will we live in the democratic republic of Bob's dreams.

Posted by: Pedro at November 16, 2004 at 01:49 PM

Privatise the ABC and give every Australian adult an equal share. How could the lefties complain?

Posted by: drscroogemcduck at November 16, 2004 at 04:09 PM

Conservatives are always accused of bringing in the jackbooted thugs, and yet never seem to do it. Socialists actually welcome them.

Posted by: david at November 17, 2004 at 05:49 PM