tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post2990774355731133681..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: Covering upAndrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-67877979977159789272014-10-11T07:54:35.960+11:002014-10-11T07:54:35.960+11:00I am not sure whether FGM and wearing the burqa or...I am not sure whether FGM and wearing the burqa or niqab necessarily correlate either. But in any event, while I don't like the concept of the burqa or veiling in general either, it is not my place to tell other women not to wear it or where they can wear it. Ruby Hamad has written a couple of good pieces on this topic and made the point that in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, the burqa in fact allowed women activists like Malalai Joya and police officer Malalai Kakar (the same woman who opposed the Taliban and whose misappropriated image was used to create the meme that burqa clad women are a security risk) to move freely when their lives were at risk because of their opposition to the regime.<br /><br />Buy the main issue for me is that I don't buy Sensitive Tony's sudden concern for poor oppressed Muslim women when he espouses attitudes and implements policies that deliberately make life more difficult (to put it mildly) for - among others - Australian and asylum seeking Muslim women, as well as those in the country we're going to war in. Again. It's as preposterous as Abbott's claim to be all about freedom. And yes, since the burqa is so rare here (I live in a suburb with a high Middle Eastern and African population and at most I've seen the chador) it's hard to escape the conclusion that this recent carry on from Bernardi, Credlin et al is a convenient smokescreen. Thanks Andrew for another thought provoking analysis.Rachelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-88310001721516671612014-10-09T18:43:13.023+11:002014-10-09T18:43:13.023+11:00This comment has been removed by the author.Mattoxichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14552242601998972584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-34300557565961401622014-10-09T16:13:53.216+11:002014-10-09T16:13:53.216+11:00George Monbiot has a thing or two to say about the...George Monbiot has a thing or two to say about the media in Britain. The same could be said of the media here.<br /><br />"But to those within the circle, politics still begins and ends in Westminster. The opinions of no one beyond the gilded thousand with whom they associate are worthy of notice. Throughout the years I’ve spent working with protest movements and trying to bring neglected issues to light, one consistent theme has emerged: with a few notable exceptions, journalists are always among the last to twig that things have changed. It’s no wonder that the Scottish opinion polls took them by surprise."Iannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-11181160286166122682014-10-09T01:25:13.167+11:002014-10-09T01:25:13.167+11:00Interesting to read Janet Albrechtsens analysis of...Interesting to read Janet Albrechtsens analysis of the burkha ban as well.<br /><br />She demonized Bishop in her column and thought it was silly.<br /><br />Even conservatives think it's gone too far now.<br /><br />Please watch Lateline with the radical Islamic leader.<br /><br />The worst interview on the a.b.c I have seen thus far!<br /><br />Emma should be disgusted with her status as a journalist.<br /><br />Our fourth estate has miserably failedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-36695127838442940632014-10-07T15:03:34.470+11:002014-10-07T15:03:34.470+11:00The problem with "banning the burkha" is...The problem with "banning the burkha" is that the only person you are really punishing is the person forced to wear it, who is now not allowed to leave the house at all. But it's so much easier to identify and pick on the women rather than address the patriarchal attitudes of the society that mandates and supports it. Western society has plenty of stupid ideas about what constitutes suitable female clothing too, but we are swimming in it and don't see it. If you don't believe me, try wearing a bra every day and see how much fun you have.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-32451329346204421232014-10-07T10:25:57.300+11:002014-10-07T10:25:57.300+11:00Well before a ruling regarding the security of the...Well before a ruling regarding the security of the Parliamentary precinct was decided upon the basis of unsubstantiated rumour flying around the Press Gallery (reminds me of the Coodabeens' Clem from Clematis), both Mr Abbott and his propaganda machine within the media were promoting Islamophobia. <br /><br />It has nothing to do with the oppression of women as the apologists for Abbott and the MSM claim. The whole issue was ostensibly about security, but when this could no longer be validated in the public domain, the apologists for the Government resorted to claiming that anyone who opposed Muslim women being singled out and segregated because of their dress was supporting oppression and was somehow advocating for all the teachings of the Islamic religion, when all the critics of the Government were saying was that it was an unjustified, unegalitarian, divisive decision to single out a particular mode of dress as an indication of terrorism. (Notice how the media propaganda machine put the word segregation in inverted commas, as though it was not really segregation.)<br /><br />Mr Abbott attempted to justify Bernardi's proposal by deflecting from the original claimed purpose of the ban - security - by calling the dress confronting. Abbott was not defending women nor was this a blunder, but a deliberate deflection to move the media discussion to a general divisive discussion of Islamic practises and teachings. So much for a leader capable of promoting national unity - Mr Abbott chooses the opposite when it suits his political purpose. <br /><br />The apologists' defence of Mr Abbott's claim, that the dress of women of the Islamic faith is confronting, is contemptible and silly. Coming from a man who wears a blue tie obsessively, as a sign of defiance against a group of women who ridiculed his dress, it is bordering on, no, is, irrational for Mr Abbott and his apologists to be upset that he should be taken to task for telling a group of inoffensive women what they should wear.<br /><br />This Government's disorganised, tattle-based decisions and policies are cheap, deceitful and shoddy. Mr Abbott does not appear to spend most of his time on policy but upon tactics and disinformation. Payback by Bronywn pales into insignificance compared with the payback of Mr Abbott against opponents and critics (especially those who have won): The Great Barrier Marine Park Authority, the ABC, etc. Even the general public are being threatened with payback for criticising the budget. David Marr was wrong; Mr Abbott is purely a political brute. Talking values means nothing - even the worst leaders in history did that. Even where he appears to uphold a value, there are indications that Mr Abbott is motivated purely by self-interest. VoterBentleighnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-81626828513339259432014-10-07T03:06:58.152+11:002014-10-07T03:06:58.152+11:00Can't believe you work with Muslims Joe. That...Can't believe you work with Muslims Joe. That description doesn't fit any Muslim woman of my or my wife's aquaintance.<br /><br />Rais, PerthAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-16237286972914590732014-10-07T03:03:47.050+11:002014-10-07T03:03:47.050+11:00"Tony Abbott did significant damage to his po..."Tony Abbott did significant damage to his political base by going back on a promise to alter section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. He did this because he needed the co-operation of the Muslim community..." It doesn't make sense to me Andrew because 18C doesn't protect Muslims. It's about racism and Islam isn't a race. When you add to that his continuing baiting of Muslims, for example about the niqab, it's hard to believe the reference to Muslims in the 18C backdown was anything but more dog whistling. Every ethnic group was against the repeal of 18c so why refer just to the Muslims, the one group not protected against discrimination?<br /><br />Rais, PerthAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-55925111997282738402014-10-06T08:25:49.030+11:002014-10-06T08:25:49.030+11:00Thanks again Andrew. Finding something sensible a...Thanks again Andrew. Finding something sensible and stimulating to read online on the third day of a long weekend is not easy. <br /><br />Re "to be a leader: to set the parameters, and have your followers fill in the details", are you saying Bishop didn't fill in the details competently? Surely her being 'dropped in it' was not part of the plan?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-38022833783227204032014-10-05T16:32:13.284+11:002014-10-05T16:32:13.284+11:00Andrew I agree that journalists should turn out th...Andrew I agree that journalists should turn out their pockets from time to time and see what is missing.<br /><br />I listened with astonishment to Barrie Cassidy's interview with the Defence Minister David Johnson who initially declared that he was optimistic ISIS could be dealt with in a few months which crept up to a few months and more and then to something much longer.<br /><br />At no stage did Cassidy ask him about reports from inside Baghdad that ISIS was a mile from the capital and that the bombing raids had not halted the advance.<br /><br />One of those reports was made in recent days by the English minister of St George's Anglican Church in Baghdad.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-35312561158022919442014-10-05T12:20:29.648+11:002014-10-05T12:20:29.648+11:00Thank you Mike and DLoB.Thank you Mike and DLoB.Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-15340111616819546192014-10-05T12:16:37.399+11:002014-10-05T12:16:37.399+11:00Thanks Joe,
I tried to avoid speaking on other pe...Thanks Joe,<br /><br />I tried to avoid speaking on other people's behalf, even more so when it comes to speculation about the state of their clitorises. <br /><br />Tony Abbott has been leader of the Liberal Party for almost five years now. The press gallery should be used to his diversionary tactics by now, but clearly they aren't. Here is another instance where they've been dazzled by a pea-and-thimble trick while having their pockets picked.<br /><br />You give the media too much credit in dealing with this issue. They took the goodwill and sense of Parry and Bishop as given when it should have been questioned. There were rumours that a few people might turn up? Oh please, remember how busloads of Liberals stuffing the public galleries in the last parliament to help journos with their 'chaos' theory.<br /><br />There's more of the sort of analysis and respect you misaccrue to traditional media in this post, Joe, than you'll find in any traditional media outlet.Andrew Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-21025996156980278382014-10-05T06:31:58.831+11:002014-10-05T06:31:58.831+11:00For once (and I don't mean that rhetorically),...For once (and I don't mean that rhetorically), I think your analysis is a bit simplistic, Andrew. Especially when you ramped up the rhetoric towards the end and seemed to be speaking on behalf of "Muslim women".<br /><br />Suddenly pining for mass media coverage of budget wranglings in precedence to reporting our politicians' bizarre fumbling of complex social and humanitarian issues? That also strikes me as odd. Our political journalists have handled this issue rather well.<br /><br />The 'burqa' is, as you say, all about denying women's bodylines. As someone who works with members of the mainstream Muslim community, let me assure you of this: it is not just a "symbol" of oppression, it IS oppression. Abbott is right (words I never thought I'd write) to be confronted, for when you see one, you know underneath it is a shrinking, intimidated and oppressed individual who almost certainly has had her clitoris forcibly and nonsurgically removed.<br /><br />Dealing with the implications of this in a western, liberal society has seen a spectacular failure on the behalf of a number of politicians. I for one don't bemoan the media for reporting and forensically analysing at least that much.<br /><br />- Joe FitzpatrickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-2948626517628785682014-10-05T06:31:27.636+11:002014-10-05T06:31:27.636+11:00I am replying to myself on the matter of Bronwyn B...I am replying to myself on the matter of Bronwyn Bishop.<br />Piping Shrike is wondering if the Abbott/Bishop burka 'dispute' is confected.<br />Mmm.<br />Reading this lot is like staring into a pond. Some things, closer to the surface are easy to recognise as is all the limpet life held fast to rocky crags. The things which stare back at you from the murky bottom can disturb with a did-I-see-that moment but the real creepiness lurks in the shadows and crevices and needs to be investigated with a firm, winkling rod.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-81722497037771719872014-10-04T19:29:41.152+10:002014-10-04T19:29:41.152+10:00Yeah Fine analysis - It just goes to show what hap...Yeah Fine analysis - It just goes to show what happens if crackpots aren't kept in check , who honestly would have thought that anyone would have the nerve or stupidity to display such a blatantly racist agenda.We have come a long way.<br />In times past the media would have saved a government from its own stupidity just by pointing out the stupidity , I guess now its the media driving the agenda so for the moment we are absolutely screwed. Slightly reminiscent of the scene from Vanilla Sky -- where Cruise calls for Tech Support .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-7573152441871344522014-10-04T18:43:47.733+10:002014-10-04T18:43:47.733+10:00For Bronwyn Bishop to cover her face would be an i...For Bronwyn Bishop to cover her face would be an improvement.<br />Meanwhile, the AFP are looking for progress on that missing budgetTaracumbinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-50748869867485360222014-10-04T18:34:00.257+10:002014-10-04T18:34:00.257+10:00Andrew is swiping at Rhiannon. Not the Greens. Rea...Andrew is swiping at Rhiannon. Not the Greens. Read carefully.Demonstrating lack of biasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-88605005057388105702014-10-04T18:16:43.929+10:002014-10-04T18:16:43.929+10:00I think you've missed the point. The discussio...I think you've missed the point. The discussion here was not about racism, it was about Abbott broadening his focus because his usual attention to the views of his core base of supporters was preventing him from speaking to a wider political objective. Cory and Lee were cited, not to assert that either of them was racist, but because they are narrowly focused idealogues. Their core supporters have particular narrow views and both of them consistently reflect those narrow views. They have wildly different core constituencies but both of them have ideologies that brook no pragmatism. They won't abandon their respective bases, they reject the good in search of the perfect. This was not stupid and not a lazy swipe at the Greens, it was an apposite example of a politician who doesn't know when they need to adjust their perspective to get something done. Nothing to do with racism.<br /><br />MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-57570528141243794542014-10-04T16:34:23.334+10:002014-10-04T16:34:23.334+10:00Bravo! The press need to get stuck into Bishop. S...Bravo! The press need to get stuck into Bishop. She is utterly unfit for the position of Speaker. Personally I wish she would turn on Tony. Nasty old crone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-45510633820088610502014-10-04T16:31:04.384+10:002014-10-04T16:31:04.384+10:00Good analysis as usual Andrew.
I am glad you ment...Good analysis as usual Andrew.<br /><br />I am glad you mentioned Connie F-W's recent contribution. I was wondering if there was more to that than met the eye.<br /><br />I am no soothsayer but I would not be surprised if Bishop stood on her dignity.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />She would have felt special after all those years of being buttered up by Abbott and now she will be wounded after being dropped so publicly.<br /><br />What does she have to lose by making her displeasure felt? She is in her 70s after all. The speaker's chair has an eject button. Surely she would want to go with a bit of dignity instead of being bossed about like an old retainer with housemaid's knee?<br /><br />When will the journalists wake up. Tony is in it for Tony. They see it, fondly, as Simon Benson did in the past couple of days as 'Tony being Tony'.<br />Stop Simon and examine what that means and you may come up with a man who plays to win at all costs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-2801758486841879082014-10-04T14:53:01.507+10:002014-10-04T14:53:01.507+10:00Why the stupid addition of Lee Rhiannon to the lis...Why the stupid addition of Lee Rhiannon to the list of the very racist? Honest to god, why does every lazy former ALP or Liberal hack have to swipe at the Greens when the Greens have zero to do with the frigging article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com