December 11, 2004

NAME THE BRAVE RISK-TAKING COWARDS

Margo Kingston calls for nominations in the prestigiuo ... pretstigi ... important 2004 Webdiary Awards:

1. The most courageous Australian in 2004
2. The most cowardly Australian of 2004
3. The biggest Australian risk taker in 2004
4. The Australian who was most effective in promoting good governance in 2004

"Most cowardly Australian"? That's an uncharacteristic idea from Margo, who's previously complained that "we're all running about tearing other to bits. It's not healthy, it's not sensible, it's not sustainable, and it's not even terribly fair.” Perhaps shaming an Australian as our greatest coward is Margo's way of searching for some consensus.

Actually, make that two Australians. Under Webdiary rules you're requested to offer two nominations for each category, "one on the basis that only politicians are eligible, and the other on the basis that the field is open to all Australians." Let's see how nominations are progressing ...

Most courageous: Mike Scrafton, Bob Brown ("standing up to the awesome power of conservative evil"), Antony Loewenstein ("a lot of courage"), Terry Hicks ("for standing up for his son David"), Pauline Hanson ("for going on Dancing with the Stars"), and John Howard ("for doing what he thinks is right on the war on terror and refugees").

Most cowardly: John Howard ("for the continued incarceration of refugee children, his continued defence of the illegal invasion and massacres in Iraq and his gutless attacks on anyone who dares to dissent"), John Howard ("head of the most incidious government this country has had at any level in our history"), John Howard ("rattus howardii"), John Howard, John Howard, Peter Costello ("his strong convictions on social justice are no where evident in Government policies"), John Laws, David Marr ("because of two spineless omissions, both involving the Sydney Morning Herald: 1. When Margo claimed that the media were controlled by Zionists, he declined to mention it. 2. When the Herald ran that crazy story about Allawi shooting prisoners in a Baghdad jail, Marr turned the other blind eye"), Carmen Lawrence ("for always taking the easy way out"), and "all those males who have beaten or raped women in the past 12 months."

Biggest risk-taker: Mark Latham, Peter Garrett ("you could have been a leader of a powerful new political force of integrity and honour - the Greens"), Bob Brown, house-dads, South Australian Opera CEO Stephen Phillips ("for producing first Australian production of Wagner's Ring, in a country where the arts don't appear anywhere on the political radar"), and "those brave souls acting as human shields in defiance of the murderous governments of our country, Britain & the USA".

Most effective in promoting good governance: Bob Brown ("there has not been anyone else at all ... the greatest Australian political leader"), Kevin Rudd ("one day the pendulum will swing back to a time where courage, vision and wisdom is rewarded"), Tanya Pliberseck ("stood tall"), Kerry O'Brien ("for honesty and integrity"), Peter Costello ("for the cool manner in which he has managed the country's economic resources"), and Margo Kingston ("a GREAT voice in a sea of propaganda and mindless banality - thank U Margo, you've kept the dream alive for many of us").

UPDATE. Nominations keep rolling in:

Most courageous: Dr. Catherine Hamlin, Margo Kingston ("for continuing to host Webdiary after exposing the Zionist media control in Australia"), Alicia Sorohan ("grandmother who wrestled a croc to save her grandson's life"), Andrew Bolt ("a true iconoclast"), Keith Windschuttle ("standing up for truth"), Dr Mal Washer ("had the guts to stand up to Abbott"), Noel Pearson ("put pride and people before political baggage"), Brian Harradine, Clover Moore, Imre Salusinszky ("exposed the postings overboard affair in which Margo Kingston tried to secretly wipe her own anti-Semitic comments from the Webdiary archive"), and Paul McGeough ("the only reporter who was really reporting on the war, not just propagandising. Whatever happened to his stories about those horrendous new and unidentified weapons the USA used on busloads of civilians, and the one about Allawi shooting prisoners?").

Most cowardly: John Howard (five times), Rupert Murdoch, Max Moore-Wilton, Peter Garrett ("for conveniently deciding that US Forces in Australia are a wonderful thing"), Anthony Loewenstein, General Peter Cosgrove, the Canberra press gallery ("displayed exceptional group think"), Barry Cohen ("for waiting till the day after the elections before revealing the depths of anti-semitism and Judenhass within the ALP"), the anonymous individuals who recently painted "six million more please, plus fries" outside a synagogue, David Marr ("for taking pot shots at personal foes whilst hiding behind a structure that is fundamentally anti-democratic"), Margo Kingston, those who live in democratic, affluent and tolerant Australia and yet are apologists for terror or terrorists, those pro-illegals whiners who haven't the guts to nominate just how many illegals they would allow into the country before shutting the gate, and Phillip Ruddock ("for his attacks on little children").

Biggest risk taker: Dr Tim Flannery, John Howard ("for supporting George Bush in the attempt to bring democracy to the middle east"), Phillip Adams, Tony Abbott, Peter King, Chris Masters, and Stephen Kenny.

Most effective in promoting good governance: Julia Gillard, the editors of crikey.com.au, Tim Blair (!!), John Howard, the Australian public ("for re-electing Howard, and allowing him to misrepresent us to the world. We now look like a country of morons. Second only to the US"), Bob Carr ("such an apalling example of what Not To Do"), The Hon. Jerrold Cripps QC, the Australian voter ("for sending a foolish and irresponsible ALP into the wilderness"), the High Court, Simon Longstaff, and Michael Long.

Posted by Tim Blair at December 11, 2004 02:20 PM
Comments

You are a troublemaker Tim Blair.

Posted by: gubbaboy at December 11, 2004 at 02:38 PM

What a bummer, Tim. You didn't make Margo's nominations for "Most Cowardly". That would've been quite an honor. Too bad, dude!

Posted by: rinardman at December 11, 2004 at 02:53 PM

Most courageous: Anyone who trawled through Webdiary this year.

Most cowardly: Margo and her "Zionists who control media".

Biggest Risk Taker: The ALP, for gambling on Latham's leadership.

The Australian who was most effective in promoting good governance in 2004: The Australian voter, for delivering the Coalition the balance of power and turfing out the Democrats.

Posted by: Quentin George at December 11, 2004 at 03:15 PM

Most courageous: Margo for speaking up in defiance of the Howard junta's death squads, who's murderous guns have silenced so many dissenting voices these last dark years.

Most cowardly: Howard the coward for clubbing that refugee child to death with a five-iron instead of fighting him for a visa fair and square, in the manly tradition of Australian immigration fisticuffs.

Biggest Risk Taker: Oh! Oh Margo again! Oh, she's so brave!

The Australian who was most effective in promoting good governance in 2004: Latham for dragging his crappy party into the crapper thus allowing the Man of Steel a free hand to go about his mighty business.

Fat and stupid regardless of who wins: Adams.

Posted by: Amos at December 11, 2004 at 03:47 PM

Margo says -
"Nominate in the comments box and if there's a bit of interest we'll work out how to pick winners in a democratic manner."
Gee I didn't think there was a lot of debate about how to pick winners in a "democratic manner". Whoever gets the most votes wins.

Posted by: Simon at December 11, 2004 at 04:18 PM

I'm so glad Margo is back. The woman is a National treasure.

Posted by: graboy at December 11, 2004 at 04:33 PM

It's only democracy if the Left wins.

Posted by: Evil Pundit at December 11, 2004 at 04:35 PM

Most frequent deployers of emotional unsubstantiated hate based propaganda used as political argument: m kingston, p adams, Fairfax press, the ALP, ABC, ACTU, Caucus, Greens, Browns, Reds, leunig..................


Biggest political losers of all time as judged by the electorate all the above

Posted by: rog at December 11, 2004 at 04:46 PM

Hmmm,
surely 'Most cowardly" should go to Margo herself for taking a month off, the day after after Howard was re elected.

Posted by: nic at December 11, 2004 at 04:56 PM

Hey Tim,

It appears that you have been nominated:

"Re: The Webdiary awards for 2004: nominations open
1a - Mark Latham, for taking the ALP into the meat-grinder and providing so much entertainment;

4b - Tim Blair, for exposing so much politically-correct lunacy."

Posted by: nic at December 11, 2004 at 05:02 PM

A quote from Antony Loewenstein:

"FINALLY, only 1.5 years until the final season of Sopranos, one of the only programs brilliant enough to make one forget about politics and media fallibility!"

Personally most of us can forget about politics and media fallibility by turning on the tube and watching the test pattern.

It should be pointed out that Marr has criticised Margo this year, if not for the anti-zionist (sorry, couldn't spell semitic) thing. Think it was for her nutty predictions that democracy would come to a screeching halt if Howard got in again.

Posted by: Darlene Taylor at December 11, 2004 at 05:03 PM

Most politically incorrect: Margo and Phil for "nigger in the woodpile".

Has Phil had her back yet ...?

Posted by: Egg at December 11, 2004 at 06:06 PM

Obviously Deegan and Wilkie have fallen off the moonbat's radar.
It's early days yet, I suppose.

Who was that thug footballer who claimed he had ADHD as an excuse for bashing random people? Got to be worth an honourable mention in the "courageous" or "good governance" categories.

Posted by: Pedro the Ignorant at December 11, 2004 at 06:39 PM

Hey, I made it on to Tim Blair's blog.
Mine was the nomination of David Marr for his cowardice in not touching the Margot-and- Zionists and the Allawi-shoots-prisoners non-events on "Media Watch."
Still, you've got to hand it to the Margoyle. She has the balls to print contrary opinions. On some blogs, you'd be labelled a troll and threatened with banning, or be actually banned.

Posted by: david at December 11, 2004 at 06:59 PM

We just need the one award.
Noel Pearson, for services to humanity.

Posted by: geoff at December 11, 2004 at 08:59 PM

Still, you've got to hand it to the Margoyle. She has the balls to print contrary opinions. On some blogs, you'd be labelled a troll and threatened with banning, or be actually banned.

Umm, normally she does exactly that. AFAIK, comments at Webdiary are subject to moderation before they appear, so contrary opinions often don't even see the light of day.

And besides, don't give her too much credit yet for not doing the same with the awards nominations. As somebody pointed out above:

"Nominate in the comments box and if there's a bit of interest we'll work out how to pick winners in a democratic manner."

Translation: "I will cull the nominations list of any 'undesirables' and then you, dear readers, may vote on my pre-approved list. Strictly democratic!"

Posted by: PW at December 11, 2004 at 10:01 PM

Sheesh! I went over to read margos web diary...what a bunch of sad pathetic wankers..(except of course for the few ringers that found it thru this site) Can you imagine being trapped in an elevator with that crowd?

Posted by: debbie at December 11, 2004 at 10:09 PM

That's "insidious" Marg by the way. Keeping the dream alive............whose dream--Roy and H.G.'s?

Posted by: vrash at December 12, 2004 at 12:00 AM

This could be a useful list for der Tag... see who Margo and her cronies approve of, and that's where we send the vans, yah?

Posted by: richard mcenroe at December 12, 2004 at 02:05 AM

Ja--Bring on the Margometer...

Posted by: crash at December 12, 2004 at 02:20 AM

I am absolutely outraged and disgusted by Margo Kingston’s attack on Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, by nominating him the Most Cowardly Australian of 2004 (look at bottom of page for her post).

By naysaying this combat veteran of 36 years, having fought in Vietnam and led the highly successful liberation of East Timor, Margo herself would appear to me to be the only person capable of receiving this award.

The whole point of the Mick Keelty affair is that General Cosgrove was not being political – he was being a trained soldier. Soldiers are duty-bound to follow the instructions of the elected government to the letter. Cosgrove clearly understands his duty to his country: he may have personally agreed with Commissioner Keelty, but he will not speak out against the government in any insubordinate or subversive way. General Cosgrove should be commended, rather than ridiculed for this.

Kingston is obviously naïve to the sense of duty that is instilled in people by serving their country. I’m not a member of the armed forces, and as such I will always respect the service they have given to me. I will always remember those who have paid the ultimate prive defending this ‘lucky country’, and I will always stand up to those who seek to destroy the reputation of our brave men and women, including the noble man who currently leads them, from vindictive leftist attack.

I encourage all normal, thinking Australians to do the same.

Posted by: Jonathan at December 12, 2004 at 02:37 AM

Just in case you can't find Margo's post that I referred to above, I've copied and pasted it here:

Re: The Webdiary awards for 2004: nominations open

G'day. My nominations in the political category are:

Most courageous: Dr Mal Washer, a WA liberal MP in the seat of Moore who had the guts to stand up to Abbott in an election year and force the overturning of a Cabinet decision to allow parents access to the medical records of their children aged 15 or above. See here.

Most cowardly: General Peter Cosgrove, over the Mick Keelty affair. (Once I would never have thought of seeing a defence chief as a politician. How times change.)

Biggest risk taker: Mark Latham

Most effective proponent of good governance: Mike Scrafton, for his brutal honesty, about himself and the state of the public service, after blowing the whistle in the full knowledge that the government would seek to destroy him. He was inspired by the group of 43's call for a return to truth in government and the government's dismissal of their credentials followed by smears on their age and what they drank in the way of alcohol. Scrafton's evidence at the Senate Inquiry is a must read on how public servants, too, are becoming politicians for reasons of self preservation, and how the pressure is applied to tow the Government's political line, even if it is a lie. See also Brandis self-destructs to save Howard and the Senate Committee's Scrafton Report.
Posted by: Margo Kingston at December 12, 2004 12:59 AM

Posted by: Jonathan at December 12, 2004 at 02:48 AM

This comment at the Webdiary made my eyes pop:

1. Bob Brown, for representing the views of the significant numbers who voted for The Greens, in spite of the bizarre view of some people that democracy is about one version of "right" that gets the most votes and everyone else can just suck it.

Posted by: nic at December 12, 2004 at 12:40 PM

Margo Kingston is probably the angriest person I know. She's angry about everything. Every "social injustice" attracts her wrath. She's a tsumani of grumpiness, the queen of upset. But has she ever actually helped anyone? Just askin' is all.

Posted by: Bobby Brown at December 12, 2004 at 03:20 PM

I nominate George Bush for all of them. Except the good ones.

Posted by: Troy at December 12, 2004 at 05:18 PM

The most cowardly Australian of 2004 to Anthony Mundiene for not taking Danny Green's $500,000 offer to fight (boxing) him before Green had won a world title. Now Mundiene will have to pay Green 1 million buckls for the honour of stepping into the ring with a real title holder.

Posted by: Troy at December 12, 2004 at 05:33 PM

Most courageous: All Australians who have served, or are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most cowardly: the 'australians' who would rather see Saddam in power, than 23 million free Iraqis.

Biggest risk taker: John Howard, entering into an unpopular, and righteous war

Most effective proponent of good governance in Australia: Anyone in Federal Labor, for running a shamefully ineffective campaign resulting in an increased Coalition majority.

Posted by: Sheriff at December 12, 2004 at 07:16 PM

I suggested an additional category - The Most Idiotic of 2004.

Posted by: Louis Hissink at December 12, 2004 at 07:45 PM