I am merely pointing out about Russian Interference as opposed to China, did not mention the US which I wholly agree with you.

The US has installed some awful regimes. This has been mentioned ad nauseum. But to call what Russia is doing, just a little bit of tweaking in US affairs, come on Dan you surely do not believe that. That regime has annexed Crimea, has meddled in the Brexit referendum and political opponents have died, not to mention the Salisbury attack on Russian Nationals on UK soil. and now that the US has pulled out of Syria, they are bound to exert their influence in that region. Yeah they are all merely tweaks! Michael

The Russians do love to act victimised indeed. Most of the 'Russia did it'  it is a political witch hunt at its finest. It Depends who you believe on the Crimea situation, did they rebel and then Vote to join Russia or was it a seizure of territory at its finest? Undoubtably, the Annexation was rushed and against international law, however it can't be denied that the area is overwhelmingly Ethnically Russian And Tartar along with the fact that a bunch of Ukrainian troops defected to the Russians during it. Russia, unlike China in the Us of A still makes a decent scapegoat

The Interference in Bexit is alleged, when I see hard proof i'll believe it, Like the USA Democrats, largely hysteria.
The Suspicious Deaths of political opponents and Russian Nationals however, I do condemn

Russia has been exerting its influence in Syria for years now, by propping up Assad and his government with military, already been happening for a while now.

Er, no, that might not be how it happens. Xi is prez for life there, what happens if he (for example) becomes mentally incompetent and another Gang of Four ensues; how does the Politburo fix that situation without a coup of some kind?

Incidentally I wasn't surprised to read this weekend that the key Trump impeachment "whistle-blower" turned out to be a member of the Obama team who heard the conversation second-hand. The Democrats need to seriously stop digging the hole that they've made for themselves with this - Hunter and Joe Biden were clearly not helping each other out in a way that was at all ethical and yet somehow they're making this a matter to try and impeach Trump about? Again, how collectively dumb is the entire US Democratic party - they'll probably get so desperate for a serious candidate they'll invite Hillary to run again - they really are that stupid.

Xi does not yet have a cult on the scale of Maos along with that fact The CCP Has been purposefully attempting to avoid something like the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from happening again, people are aware of that era. Painting a picture eh? Highly doubt something like that will happen again, people aren't as indoctrinated as they were then.

The Democratic Party at the moment is undergoing a power struggle between the Populist 'Left' Faction of Sanders and Co and the Establishment that wants a status quo candidate. The Elites in it only crave a candidate like Biden to keep it that way. Yes, They are Really that Naive.

Anyhow the Democratic Party sure is at the Crossroads, keep up the Illusion of Obama Nostalgia and trump bashing by running establishment Elites like Biden or go with a more 'Extreme' Candidate such as Warren or Sanders. Anyway, Based off the Money Raised by candidates, its easy to see who wants who to win. The Majority of Wealthy Donors drifted to Biden and that nobody Buttigieg, while most of the Donations under 1000 seems to be going to Warren and Sanders.

It's Interesting to think that Sanders that has raised the most money has no billionaire donors, it shows there a real chance of Change in that party.

I am merely pointing out about Russian Interference as opposed to China, did not mention the US which I wholly agree with you.

The US has installed some awful regimes. This has been mentioned ad nauseum. But to call what Russia is doing, just a little bit of tweaking in US affairs, come on Dan you surely do not believe that. That regime has annexed Crimea, has meddled in the Brexit referendum and political opponents have died, not to mention the Salisbury attack on Russian Nationals on UK soil. and now that the US has pulled out of Syria, they are bound to exert their influence in that region. Yeah they are all merely tweaks! Michael

The Russians do love to act victimised indeed. Most of the 'Russia did it'  it is a political witch hunt at its finest. It Depends who you believe on the Crimea situation, did they rebel and then Vote to join Russia or was it a seizure of territory at its finest? Undoubtably, the Annexation was rushed and against international law, however it can't be denied that the area is overwhelmingly Ethnically Russian And Tartar along with the fact that a bunch of Ukrainian troops defected to the Russians during it. Russia, unlike China in the Us of A still makes a decent scapegoat

The Interference in Bexit is alleged, when I see hard proof i'll believe it, Like the USA Democrats, largely hysteria.
The Suspicious Deaths of political opponents and Russian Nationals however, I do condemn

Russia has been exerting its influence in Syria for years now, by propping up Assad and his government with military, already been happening for a while now.

Er, no, that might not be how it happens. Xi is prez for life there, what happens if he (for example) becomes mentally incompetent and another Gang of Four ensues; how does the Politburo fix that situation without a coup of some kind?

Incidentally I wasn't surprised to read this weekend that the key Trump impeachment "whistle-blower" turned out to be a member of the Obama team who heard the conversation second-hand. The Democrats need to seriously stop digging the hole that they've made for themselves with this - Hunter and Joe Biden were clearly not helping each other out in a way that was at all ethical and yet somehow they're making this a matter to try and impeach Trump about? Again, how collectively dumb is the entire US Democratic party - they'll probably get so desperate for a serious candidate they'll invite Hillary to run again - they really are that stupid.

Xi does not yet have a cult on the scale of Maos along with that fact The CCP Has been purposefully attempting to avoid something like the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from happening again, people are aware of that era. Painting a picture eh? Highly doubt something like that will happen again, people aren't as indoctrinated as they were then.

The Democratic Party at the moment is undergoing a power struggle between the Populist 'Left' Faction of Sanders and Co and the Establishment that wants a status quo candidate. The Elites in it only crave a candidate like Biden to keep it that way. Yes, They are Really that Naive.

Ahh, Bernie Sanders in the USSR in 1988:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBJBc5iCMWU

Xi does not yet have a cult on the scale of Maos along with that fact The CCP Has been purposefully attempting to avoid something like the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from happening again, people are aware of that era. Painting a picture eh? Highly doubt something like that will happen again, people aren't as indoctrinated as they were then.

Just because they haven't had a violent revolution for a while (30 years since the last public one) doesn't mean they won't ever have another. Educated middle class? You mean like the student drone-bots we have at our universities now-days that hardly protest anything apart from occasionally preachy leftist causes and the ever present threat of climate change come up the U-bend in your toilet when you least expect it. Today's uni students are pathetic - except the ones brave enough to protest China's human rights record at the risk of being bashed in public by PRC agents.

But yeah... no mechanism for the removal of Xi if he loses his mind, despite what you (and Michael Bloomberg) seem to think. That was the toxic situation that enabled the Gang of Four to seize power for a moment; you can't compare that to Australia's extreme stability in government and rule of law since early colonial times with some notable exceptions (lack of Aboriginal protection, The Rum Corps, The Eureka Rebellion, etc). By contrast we've had an unbroken run of civil order and stable government - really that's rare.

One of the reasons people move to this country in absolute record-breaking droves is the fact that we're traditionally such a stable and democratic society with a rule of law and a recognition of property rights. It's probably part of the reason (in my opinion) why we've had such economic resilience in the face of massive obstacles in the past - we're democratic and change government without a coup. Most nations don't have anything like our stable and desirable system.

Anyhow the Democratic Party sure is at the Crossroads, keep up the Illusion of Obama Nostalgia and trump bashing by running establishment Elites like Biden or go with a more 'Extreme' Candidate such as Warren or Sanders. Anyway, Based off the Money Raised by candidates, its easy to see who wants who to win. The Majority of Wealthy Donors drifted to Biden and that nobody Buttigieg, while most of the Donations under 1000 seems to be going to Warren and Sanders.

It's Interesting to think that Sanders that has raised the most money has no billionaire donors, it shows there a real chance of Change in that party.

They're experiencing an implosion (still) from the shock-waves of Trump being elected; they're still totally bereft of ideas on how to deal with him - hence the impeachment thing.

Again, Joe and Hunter Biden, what was Hunter Biden doing in the Ukraine and China that earned him such huge amounts of money with no apparent experience in the jobs he was recruited for? And people say Trump stinks - c'mon.

Ahh, Bernie Sanders in the USSR in 1988:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBJBc5iCMWU

Is there something wrong with that? by modern US standards that should be accepted with Trump praising Putin and Previous USA Presidents praising the likes of Pinochet and Suharto. Yawn. Its Funny to me how the US Conservatives treat raising taxes and universal Healthcare like its Soviet Communism. Another Conservative beat up, What Drool from the Daily Mail are your Going to post Next? Move Along, Echo-chambers can be a fascinating thing

Just because they haven't had a violent revolution for a while (30 years since the last public one) doesn't mean they won't ever have another. Educated middle class? You mean like the student drone-bots we have at our universities now-days that hardly protest anything apart from occasionally preachy leftist causes and the ever present threat of climate change come up the U-bend in your toilet when you least expect it.

Today's uni students are pathetic - except the ones brave enough to protest China's human rights record at the risk of being bashed in public by PRC agents. But yeah... no mechanism for the removal of Xi if he loses his mind, despite what you (and Michael Bloomberg) seem to think. That was the toxic situation that enabled the Gang of Four to seize power for a moment; you can't compare that to Australia's extreme stability in government and rule of law since early colonial times with some notable exceptions (lack of Aboriginal protection, The Rum Corps, The Eureka Rebellion, etc). By contrast we've had an unbroken run of civil order and stable government - really that's rare.

One of the reasons people move to this country in absolute record-breaking droves is the fact that we're traditionally such a stable and democratic society with a rule of law and a recognition of property rights. It's probably part of the reason (in my opinion) why we've had such economic resilience in the face of massive obstacles in the past - we're democratic and change government without a coup. Most nations don't have anything like our stable and desirable system.

all they did was abolish term limits and now what, he's the Next Mao?
You Do realise that Xi was one of the many Sent down Red Guards during that period?  I highly Doubt he desires to do it again as last time he ran away and got sent off to do hard labour! McCarthyistic Hysteria again.

And I thought you were against the Acceptance of Refugees?
But people In a democratic system can be easily lied too. Faith in your beloved democratic system is wavering. Yawn. We're great and our democratic process is flawless.

They're experiencing an implosion (still) from the shock-waves of Trump being elected; they're still totally bereft of ideas on how to deal with him - hence the impeachment thing. Again, Joe and Hunter Biden, what was Hunter Biden doing in the Ukraine and China that earned him such huge amounts of money with no apparent experience in the jobs he was recruited for? And people say Trump stinks - c'mon.

They Can go hard or go home. Biden is just for the Idiots that believe in Obama Nostalgia and is looking to bring. Burnie is the Mass Line style populist while warren is somewhere in the middle. Trump and Biden Stink of smeg

these are only 3 that have a real chance of being Their Nominee. Me Personally? I'd Probably prefer Sanders as he'd at least attempt to improve the lives of the poor and with a more pacifist Military policy. Only time will tell if any of them live up to their promises.

all they did was abolish term limits and now what, he's the Next Mao?
You Do realise that Xi was one of the many Sent down Red Guards during that period?  I highly Doubt he desires to do it again as last time he ran away and got sent off to do hard labour! McCarthyistic Hysteria again.

And I thought you were against the Acceptance of Refugees?
But people In a democratic system can be easily lied too. Faith in your beloved democratic system is wavering. Yawn. We're great and our democratic process is flawless.

China is not a free and democratic society - end of story. Periodically it collapses into genocidal chaos - and we're probably about due for that to happen.

I'm not against the acceptance of refugees but I'm against the crush-loading of our cities with migrants - in turn making the wages of the lowest paid even lower and work harder to find. We have something like 2.2 million temporary visa holders in Australia with work rights - this is completely ridiculous. And it continues to show up with things like falling wages: the ABS reported today that private sector wages grew by less that 0.5% for the last quarter meaning they're continuing to fall below inflation.

It's a major problem because Josh Frydenburg is trying to get wages growth off the canvas so that taxation revenues would increase - but he's got zero chance of that happening while they continue to stuff our country with 300,000+ people every year.

China is not a free and democratic society - end of story. Periodically it collapses into genocidal chaos - and we're probably about due for that to happen.

I'm not against the acceptance of refugees but I'm against the crush-loading of our cities with migrants - in turn making the wages of the lowest paid even lower and work harder to find. We have something like 2.2 million temporary visa holders in Australia with work rights - this is completely ridiculous. And it continues to show up with things like falling wages: the ABS reported today that private sector wages grew by less that 0.5% for the last quarter meaning they're continuing to fall below inflation.

Damn it,  Don is right, these refugees and low income migrants are pushing us behind Luxemburg for our slump wages to rank the lowly #2 position in world Disposable Income Per Capita rankings.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets-economy/090616/5-countries-most-money-capita.asp

On nearly every measure Australian living standards have been falling since around 2011; you must have shopped long and hard to find something which is really only moderately positive. Even Parliamentary Hansard acknowledges that wages growth in Australia has fallen behind inflation and that the average Australian is losing wealth and making less money.

Ahh, Bernie Sanders in the USSR in 1988:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBJBc5iCMWU

I actually thought what he was saying there was pretty spot on, there was a lot to be said for the old Soviet cradle-to-grave state - lots of Russians still miss the stability and the glory days of when they were a global superpower.

The Russians do love to act victimised indeed. Most of the 'Russia did it'  it is a political witch hunt at its finest. It Depends who you believe on the Crimea situation, did they rebel and then Vote to join Russia or was it a seizure of territory at its finest? Undoubtably, the Annexation was rushed and against international law, however it can't be denied that the area is overwhelmingly Ethnically Russian And Tartar along with the fact that a bunch of Ukrainian troops defected to the Russians during it. Russia, unlike China in the Us of A still makes a decent scapegoat

The Interference in Bexit is alleged, when I see hard proof i'll believe it, Like the USA Democrats, largely hysteria.
The Suspicious Deaths of political opponents and Russian Nationals however, I do condemn

Russia has been exerting its influence in Syria for years now, by propping up Assad and his government with military, already been happening for a while now.

All this is fair enough - we took our own imperialist ambitions right up to Russia's border with exerting influence in Ukraine amongst others. Putin can be reasoned with though, which makes Hillary Clinton's failure to do a deal with him in 2012 all the more dreadful; she had a chance to finish that war and avoid the creation of Islamic State but she had it in for Putin and wouldn't do a deal.

Hillary the war-monger, the USA really dodged a bullet when they failed to elect her.

On nearly every measure Australian living standards have been falling since around 2011; you must have shopped long and hard to find something which is really only moderately positive. Even Parliamentary Hansard acknowledges that wages growth in Australia has fallen behind inflation and that the average Australian is losing wealth and making less money.

No, took 2sec and No#1 on the Google list and I acknowledge you didn't say it was incorrect.

That data which is up to date places Australia #2 in the world, just ahead of Germany and behind Luxembourg which I think even you Don would agree it would be nie impossible to exceed considering how their standard of living is generated.

However again you are bench marking an unsustainable year with wages beyond reason after 7 years of above inflationary increases and out of touch with the real world in many fields, the $A on the rise pushing parity which no one have ever said was good for the economy long-term.

So if today we are still #2 in the world despite all your doom and gloom, then what off planet bench mark are you trying compare us too? Perhaps you should be looking at long-term means that extend beyond a non-sustainable mining boom?

...

So if today we are still #2 in the world despite all your doom and gloom, then what off planet bench mark are you trying compare us too? Perhaps you should be looking at long-term means that extend beyond a non-sustainable mining boom?

Uh, I dunno - LIVING HERE and experiencing these things first hand?

There was no plan whatsoever beyond the mining boom, I think that's pretty obvious now. It's not up to me to come up with a plan, it's up to those in Canberra.

...

So if today we are still #2 in the world despite all your doom and gloom, then what off planet bench mark are you trying compare us too? Perhaps you should be looking at long-term means that extend beyond a non-sustainable mining boom?

Uh, I dunno - LIVING HERE and experiencing these things first hand?

There was no plan whatsoever beyond the mining boom, I think that's pretty obvious now. It's not up to me to come up with a plan, it's up to those in Canberra.

Perception is a wonderful thing, like and often are reflected in such comments including but not limited too
- Power prices have doubled
- Skyrocketing Supermarket prices
- Enormous profits by the banks
- Escalating petrol prices
- People are at breaking point

Now have you ever heard anytime soap box dropping prices, prices rises below inflation???

Can I ask you want was the plan before the mining boom?

Perception is a wonderful thing, like and often are reflected in such comments including but not limited too
- Power prices have doubled
- Skyrocketing Supermarket prices
- Enormous profits by the banks
- Escalating petrol prices
- People are at breaking point

Now have you ever heard anytime soap box dropping prices, prices rises below inflation???

As anyone who actually lives here will tell you, it's amazing that the inflation rate is so low and yet utilities and petrol are higher than ever. It's almost like the artificial construct of "Consumer Price Index" scraped together by an increasingly under-resourced ABS doesn't really represent their real situation.

Let me spell it out to you again: No wage increases in the private sector since 2012. And after all these years without meaningful wage rises people aren't spending and its resulting in a vicious feedback loop of falling revenues and lower turnover. I shouldn't have to link for you the fact that Aussie retail sales are still falling, that the number of Australians in work reduced (again) today and as per yesterday's ABS data wages are still tracking well below the highly dubious CPI.

Everything the neo-Thatcherite Hawke and Keating right through to Howard and "Work-Choices" has been about weakening the bargaining power of the worker - now they've finally got what they wanted and there is no means by which labour can strike or try and bargain for higher wages because all those mechanisms have been dismantled or made illegal. It's a bit rich for Josh Frydenburg and Phillip Lowe to complain that income tax revenues (their single biggest source of revenue) aren't increasing because every government policy - Liberal and Labor - has been directing us towards this point.

Can I ask you want was the plan before the mining boom?

From the forties through to the sixties there was indeed a plan and consisted of high tariffs, highly regulated and unionised workplaces and a very high standard of living with almost 70% home ownership at one time.

What's the plan now - sell each other haircuts, take in each other's laundry, make each other's coffee, wipe each others bums. Don't worry about capital for importing all our consumables, that comes from iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP. Great isn't it - really high-tech education nation kinda stuff just like the ultimate liar Bob Hawke sold to the populace back in the eighties as they aggressively off-shored all the good working class jobs.

Of all the funny jokes I've heard recently this has to be one of the funniest: Hillary Rodham Clinton with her daughter Chelsea here on a BBC Radio Five interview on Wednesday. The only bit you really need to know is this pearler from Hillary:

I'm under enormous pressure from many, many people to run for President again.

Really - who?

Perception is a wonderful thing, like and often are reflected in such comments including but not limited too
- Power prices have doubled
- Skyrocketing Supermarket prices
- Enormous profits by the banks
- Escalating petrol prices
- People are at breaking point

Now have you ever heard anytime soap box dropping prices, prices rises below inflation???

As anyone who actually lives here will tell you, it's amazing that the inflation rate is so low and yet utilities and petrol are higher than ever. It's almost like the artificial construct of "Consumer Price Index" scraped together by an increasingly under-resourced ABS doesn't really represent their real situation.

Let me spell it out to you again: No wage increases in the private sector since 2012. And after all these years without meaningful wage rises people aren't spending and its resulting in a vicious feedback loop of falling revenues and lower turnover. I shouldn't have to link for you the fact that Aussie retail sales are still falling, that the number of Australians in work reduced (again) today and as per yesterday's ABS data wages are still tracking well below the highly dubious CPI.

Everything the neo-Thatcherite Hawke and Keating right through to Howard and "Work-Choices" has been about weakening the bargaining power of the worker - now they've finally got what they wanted and there is no means by which labour can strike or try and bargain for higher wages because all those mechanisms have been dismantled or made illegal. It's a bit rich for Josh Frydenburg and Phillip Lowe to complain that income tax revenues (their single biggest source of revenue) aren't increasing because every government policy - Liberal and Labor - has been directing us towards this point.

Can I ask you want was the plan before the mining boom?

From the forties through to the sixties there was indeed a plan and consisted of high tariffs, highly regulated and unionised workplaces and a very high standard of living with almost 70% home ownership at one time.

What's the plan now - sell each other haircuts, take in each other's laundry, make each other's coffee, wipe each others bums. Don't worry about capital for importing all our consumables, that comes from iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP. Great isn't it - really high-tech education nation kinda stuff just like the ultimate liar Bob Hawke sold to the populace back in the eighties as they aggressively off-shored all the good working class jobs.

Petrol is linked to global oil prices, however it has been stable, the shrinking dollar has done most of the increases. However petrol costs are near longterm lows in when inflation and fuel consumption are factored in. ie it costs less to run your car today than 40 years ago

Power prices we know why, but even they will come down slightly over coming 2 years or at least not rise any further.

There have been wage rises since 2012 in private sector, most of my friends and rels have got. Even googling I can find references. However I said this 5 years ago and over years since, many times, If your salary is higher in 2012 than before 2004 adjusting for inflation and doing same job you are likely over paid and at risk of losing your job and/or salary cut.

40's to 60's was era of govt protection in a world of limited competition and mostly from like nations. The world has changed and had the protections not been removed our costs would be higher, more jobs lost and worse off than today. Our car industry died because we stopped buying them. The only way to save was to place large tariffs on imported cars forcing people to buy a small range of models that would unlikely be of export standard. "Proton" or "Lada" anyone?

The heavily unionised work places were strangling productivity and the economy and drove jobs off-shore, more often than not driven by the consumer. We all know the BS work practices of "the good 'ol" days" and ironically when given the choice most workers today do not join unions, hence their membership levels are declining. Union membership was forced and completely artificial, not what workers wanted and I've worked on a number of sites that either went union free or complained to GM about potential unionism of site. Too many of the unions lived in the era of thuggery, inner circles, favoritism and extortion (yes first hand experience). Most of the unions these days have moved.

From the forties through to the sixties there was indeed a plan and consisted of high tariffs, highly regulated and unionised workplaces and a very high standard of living with almost 70% home ownership at one time.

Now list all countries that still have high tariffs, highly regulated and unionised workplaces and a very high standard of living.

What's the plan now - sell each other haircuts, take in each other's laundry, make each other's coffee, wipe each others bums. Don't worry about capital for importing all our consumables, that comes from iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP. Great isn't it - really high-tech education nation kinda stuff just like the ultimate liar Bob Hawke sold to the populace back in the eighties as they aggressively off-shored all the good working class jobs.

Given your lament for the good old days, hatred of Labor, support for the extremely wrought and defence of all things Thump, seems you need National Socialism.

Now list all countries that still have high tariffs, highly regulated and unionised workplaces and a very high standard of living.

Are you too lazy to do your own research?

Given your lament for the good old days, hatred of Labor, support for the extremely wrought and defence of all things Thump, seems you need National Socialism.

And you need to get a clue. Because you don't have one.

Did anyone see this rather bizarre story on Fairfax/Nine regarding a Buddhist temple in Melbourne's west about to be liquidated because they speculated on property and lost?

‘For sale: Buddhist temple. Set on 2.4 hectares, featuring a grand archway, meditation centre and lotus pond. Must sell quickly due to millions in unpaid debts racked up by the head monk.
“It is clear Master Dao made a series of naive, ill-informed decisions based on advice from self- interested individuals,” says the temple’s lawyer, Chris Ford.
The money lenders are in the temple after the Melbourne Linh Son Buddhist Society failed to pay back loans worth tens of millions of dollars.
The debts helped the society amass a considerable property portfolio, which included large packages of development land in Melbourne’s west.
But to say the real-estate play was risky would be putting it mildly. Under Master Dao’s leadership, millions in high-interest non-bank finance was advanced by a series of lenders you won’t find on the ASX.
One list of properties shown to The Age suggested the temple owned at least 12 properties, including 63 hectares in Mount Cottrell, before the house of cards came tumbling down.
Unable to meet the onerous monthly repayments, the temple and Master Dao became embroiled in legal action.
Last Wednesday, the congregation was exiled from the temple, possibly forever. Accounting company Hall Chadwick is preparing to sell the property on behalf of the mortgagee.
The ousting was not a surprise. The threats go back to the start of the year, when another money lender was claiming $8 million be repaid.

I guess they got right into the spirit of the good old Aussie pass-time of property speculation but they obviously weren't any good at it.

Chinese billionaire makes a mockery of Australia's laws and destroys Aboriginal rock art on Crown land to build his own private bar - Sydney Morning Herald;

When Chinese billionaire Kuizhang 'Sam' Guo bought a Hunters Hill mansion for $11.4 million in 2014, it didn’t take long for him to make a splash in the neighbourhood.

Neighbour, the then treasurer Joe Hockey, asked the Foreign Investment Review Board to review how a foreigner came to buy an established property.

And the “Chinese Gatsby” of Hunters Hill became renowned for throwing lavish parties attended by a coterie of Sydney and Shenzhen socialites.

But now The Sydney Morning Herald can reveal the property developer also began clearing bush land on a neighbouring public reserve, spray painted over Indigenous artwork and constructed a structure “seven times” the size of a jetty in the Lane Cove River.

To top it off, he built a bar inside a heritage-listed Aboriginal rock cave.

“The number of breaches he had, it was just unbelievable,” a council source told the Herald. “He just thought he could do anything he wanted.”

iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP

Not quite, a bit below 50%.

Iron Ore = 20%
Coal = 19%
Gas = 8.3%

Ag = 15-20%

Education = I cannot find its so low on the graph.

iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP

Not quite, a bit below 50%.

Iron Ore = 20%
Coal = 19%
Gas = 8.3%

Ag = 15-20%

Education = I cannot find its so low on the graph.

Doesn't alter the fact that we're 93rd on a list of diversified economies.

Lovely to see Julie Bishop here on Instagram flogging Audi cars to the public - this comes after her selling Audi earlier this year at an Audi fashion event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B486Z-_h44k/

I would have hoped Julie Bishop would have at least used her brains and talent to pursue worthy causes after leaving politics ... instead she's just an ad space for luxury brands.

iron ore/coal/gas that comprises 70% of our national export income; add in agriculture and visa selling ("education") then you've got almost our whole GDP

Not quite, a bit below 50%.

Iron Ore = 20%
Coal = 19%
Gas = 8.3%

Ag = 15-20%

Education = I cannot find its so low on the graph.

Doesn't alter the fact that we're 93rd on a list of diversified economies.

Rich, but limited, yes I will agree there. But if you want diversity you have a few options to replicate those in the top 10
1) Take pay cuts
2) Work longer hours
3) Reduce your standard of living
4) live in smaller houses
5) Become a political hub
6) Become the world hub for NGO's and all their corruption etc
7) final, breed and open immigration to push the population to over 50m to generate the internal growth to provide demand for local production on a economic scale.

Oh, for those who cannot find Australia below, look bottom right next to Qatar, UAE and Kuwait.

Revolting grub Paul Keating tells Australians that they're not welcoming enough of our new communist overlords and that we should be silencing any and all dissent of his official view that murderous communist dictatorships are good for us - The Guardian Australia;

In a typically excoriating speech, the former prime minister lambasted Australian security agencies and the media for their anti-China rhetoric, saying they failed to grasp the magnitude of shifting power in the Asia Pacific.

Keating accused the Australian media of “hysteria” and security agencies of undermining the nuance and flexibility of Australian diplomacy.

“My concern is that what passes for the foreign policy of Australia lacks any sense of strategic purpose,” he said in a speech to the Australian’s Strategic Forum event in Sydney.

“The whispered word of ‘communism’ of old is now being replaced by the word ‘China’.

So he wants to silence any frank and fearless advice from ASIO that the Chinese Communist Party is infiltrating universities and public institutions - is that because they're wrong or just because he wants us to submit to the communists? He won't say. He fails to disclose at any point of his speech that he's being paid to be on the board of a Chinese 'development bank' and is therefore paid to spruik a positive opinion of them just like Bob Hawke was paid by the nuclear industry to promote a nuclear waste dump in Australia.

Paul Keating is a has-been whose destruction of working class Australia has more or less guaranteed that Labor will not be back in power for a generation. He should be (at the very least) kicked out of the Australian Labor Party for his continued dis-service to the Australian workers - if they had any guts that's what they'd do.