August 27, 2003

WEEKLY COLUMN DOSAGE

This week’s Continuing Crisis column for The Bulletin mentions Jim "Shakin" Bacon, Richard Butler, Mary Kostakidis, Katherine Prouty, Pauline Hanson, Natasha Stott Despoja, Brett Sutton, Sergio Vieira de Mello, Jane Hutcheon, George W. Bush, Bob Brown, Jacques Chirac, and Ray Bradbury.

(On Butler, Andrew Bolt says the loudmouth should already be fired from his new job as Tasmania’s governor, and Janet Albrechtsen writes that his appointment continues the Deanification of Australia.)

Posted by Tim Blair at August 27, 2003 12:08 PM
Comments

How funny to see a right wing attack dog like Tim Blair quoting Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury.

No Timmy boy it's you who is the perfect example of the dim witted but jack-booted fireman who works night and day to ensure that only the politically right shall be accorded free speech across our fair land.

Make sure your brown shirt is starched and ironed as you settle in for another week of your hatelog.

Posted by: White Bread at August 27, 2003 at 01:57 PM

Janet is correct, the GG or Governor is an umpire of last resort and nothing else. Trying to make the office more "significant" the progressive types have demeaned it. But dignity is a concept that lefties just can't understand. It goes hand in hand with those other adult concept of formality and respect. Of course just about all lefties are really adolescents at heart and see themselves as rebels. So they have to undermione all authority other than their own political authority. Sad really. As to lefties all is politics, and all political careers (with the possible exception of Jo Ho's) end in failure, it would seem that most lefties' career will end in failure. In fact some would say that the careers of left wing politicians begin in failure: failure to understand reality.

Posted by: Toryhere at August 27, 2003 at 02:20 PM

It's about time the original job description for our governors was reinstated:
1 Sign the legislation;

2 Look at the troops;

3 Shut the fuck up!

Posted by: PJ at August 27, 2003 at 02:26 PM

Janet Albrechtsen disappoints in chiding Governor-General Jeffery for his comment that 'more religion was needed in schools'.

Religion is the Achilles heel of the Australian Right. The Right has allowed itself to be cowed by the Left's growing characterisation of anyone with any pretension to spiritual views as 'religious right' or 'extreme'. (Except when it comes to generously accommodating other religions which fall under various multiculturalism portfolios).

The Right needs to remind itself that the foundations of the West are built solidly on Judeo-Christian principles, have served us well, and are once again worth defending.

The Left's alternative vision offers no more than the shifting sands of politics together with opportunistic judicial activism as a new religion in disguise.

Jeffery's call was directed towards a realigning of the values that underpin our Judeo-Christian foundation. In schools, religious instruction has performed this function well over time.

Posted by: ilibcc at August 27, 2003 at 02:34 PM

"Janet is correct, the GG or Governor is an umpire of last resort and nothing else. Trying to make the office more "significant" the progressive types have demeaned it."

also, remember when "progressive types" wanted to rid us of the office of governor-general on account of it being an anachronistic waste of money? it wasn't that long ago.

Posted by: adam at August 27, 2003 at 04:55 PM

I want more religion in schools. Kids love fairy stories.

Posted by: Ferg at August 27, 2003 at 05:01 PM

There's a couple of items that PJ missed from the original vice-regal job description:

1. Open Scout Halls;

2. Hand out ribbons at rural shows;

3. Wear a fancy uniform with lots of medals;

and then STFU. The only acceptable topic for any speech is "Australia - Yay!".

Posted by: Viscount De L'Isle at August 27, 2003 at 06:52 PM

What's with the "I" at the end of the article?

Posted by: Gabor at August 27, 2003 at 10:03 PM

Shit, I've been out of the country for 10 days, and come back to find out Richard Butler is going to be Governor of Tasmania!

Obviously, Laurie Brereton won't be retiring at the next election . . . . Butler's been eyeing that seat for some time now.

Posted by: steve at August 29, 2003 at 12:38 AM