[Morrison as PM should be classed as working being at the premier Grand Final in Australia.

Why? What work is he doing?  In a word; none.
I don't mind him being there, but don't come the parliamentary raw prawn and tell me it's work.

Well he's on monthly salary so no he hasn't clocked in and booked OT to the taxpayer but we all know his salary is minor compared to the overhead cost of having him there.

However I would pose this question.

If the PM DIDN'T turn up to the footy GF of both codes noting they probably block the calendar a year in advance for these events, would this be considered acceptable by the public?  I think the answer is clearly no.

Therefore I believe the PM of the day is always expected to be working when attending a GF as he/she is representing the Country's most powerful govt position, not then for personal interest. Does he or past PM's even follow both codes of football?

Next question,

Do we seriously believe the Australian govt CEO (PM) is ever truly off-duty, apart from being asleep? Again, the answer is mostly No. These guys cannot have a crap without someone sitting in the stall next to them trying to get their ear asking for this and that.

Having major cities running out of water and operating on tight water restrictions is not good for attracting business.

We have the world's most expensive domestic electricity already, why would any industry in their right mind(s) want to set up here!

Pauline Hanson expressed concern when they were proposing the company tax cuts worried about where the money was going to come from in the future if they passed those very generous tax cuts - have to say I agree. Really it seemed to me that she's spot on, there's some really flimsy projections about a budget surplus at some stage in the future but even then we'll still be borrowing money to fund recurrent expenditure.

Those tax cuts were un-affordable in anyone's language.

Well that Liberal Party reject has been all over the place on corporate tax cuts. If this government throws her a bone, she’ll fold as usual.

Only the Greens are fundamentally opposed to the tax cuts, as well as the labour provisions of the TPP. The ALP is also committed to directing any tax cuts to low income earners, those guaranteed to spend it in the local economy.

Anyone hear about Malcom's latest rant yesterday, in which he described Kevin Rudd, and Tony Abbott as "miserable Ghosts",? Malcom should do himself a favour, and just Ghost off into the distance, and leave everyone alone!

Kind Regards

Pauline Hanson expressed concern when they were proposing the company tax cuts worried about where the money was going to come from in the future if they passed those very generous tax cuts - have to say I agree. Really it seemed to me that she's spot on, there's some really flimsy projections about a budget surplus at some stage in the future but even then we'll still be borrowing money to fund recurrent expenditure.

Those tax cuts were un-affordable in anyone's language.

Well that Liberal Party reject has been all over the place on corporate tax cuts. If this government throws her a bone, she’ll fold as usual.

Only the Greens are fundamentally opposed to the tax cuts, as well as the labour provisions of the TPP. The ALP is also committed to directing any tax cuts to low income earners, those guaranteed to spend it in the local economy.

The LNP and some in ALP support corporate tax cuts because every corp tax cut in the past including those done by ALP has given the economy a boost and similar experience observed OS. Also having higher corporate tex encourages multi-nationals, even Australian based ones to offshore profits.

I would have thought most tax cuts would end up in the local economy.

According to the Treasury on 2GB, the country stopped borrowing money to fund day to day expenses in I think May and 2019 is expected to be in the black.

Anyone hear about Malcom's latest rant yesterday, in which he described Kevin Rudd, and Tony Abbott as "miserable Ghosts",? Malcom should do himself a favour, and just Ghost off into the distance, and leave everyone alone!

Kind Regards

Best thing to do about past disgruntled PM's, ignore them!

The trade war thing with China is hotting up. There was an 'incident' in the South China Sea yesterday between US and Chinese destroyers, nothing serious but the sabre rattling has begun in earnest. Also Chinese espionage in Australia, particularly against industrial and business targets, has ratcheted up several notches - although this is being kept quiet by those in authority. From the Financial Review (paywall):

Duncan Lewis, director-general of security at the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, confirmed he has also hosted a series of boardroom briefings to better inform the corporate sector about ASIO’s national security assessments. Another intelligence agency, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), is also working with companies on strategies to deal with cyber security threats.

Theft of intellectual and commercial property is on the increase: Chinese aggression against Australia will increase markedly unless we leave ANZUS. We are about to discover what it means to be between a rock and a hard place...

I haven't posted in this thread yet, so here goes:

I was in Europe when the whole leadership spill thing happened, so I missed the whole thing. That said, I have been back for a month yet I am still unsure how a bumbling fool like Scomo became our PM. That said, I do have some observations:

TONY ABBOTT:
If Tony was as decent as his supporters say he is, he would of resigned from parliament at the last election (after he was ousted by Turnbull), instead he chose to stay on and act like the guy turning up at his ex-girlfriends wedding to just cause a scene. Then, just incase we thought that maybe he was there to represent his electorate, he chose to ignore the wishes of the vast majority of that electorate during last years marriage bill vote. Tony is only there for himself and I think the good people of Warringah will finally retire him at the next election.

MALCOLM TURNBULL:
We were told Malcolm was a smart man. Well, he wasn't smart enough to learn from others mistakes it would seem. He saw how badly it turned out for Julia Gillard after she knifed K Rudd, yet Malcolm did it anyway and you could argue it turned out worse for Malcolm than it did for Julia. At least Julia was able to pass some legislation while she was in the big chair. At least she left a legacy (NDIS), something Turnbull will be lacking. The only positive I can find for Turnbull is that at least he has had the good grace to step out of politics instead of sitting dejected in the back row like Rudd or Abbott.

PETER DUTTON:
Peter may just be the most disliked mainstream politician in Australia. I mean it's easy to make fun of his potato-like visage, but the truth is what he represents is much more serious. In the eyes of many, Dutton represents a fascist, right-wing hardline approach. Due to that as PM he would have further split the country. I can't help but think we dodged a major bullet here.

SCOTT MORRISON:
This guy is just an embarrassment. He really offers nothing. Well nothing good anyway. So far, he has given himself his own nickname (as big a sin as any), he has alienated most of the country with his constant mentions of the Cronulla Sharks mixed in with a complete ignorance of AFL. He has pumped Millions of dollars of additional funding into Private Schools, yet given nothing to state schools. He has suggested an unwillingness to act on climate change and our rising emmissions, he has shown a strong desire to stick with coal-fired electricity, ignoring un-deniable evidence in the process and he has called the countries most iconic structure a billboard. This guy couldn't be more out of touch if he was living in a hollowed out volcano lair.

ALAN JONES:
If anybody was still doubting the influence this nasty little parasite has over politics, surely last Friday has all but ended any doubt. I am at a loss to explain how 1 angry little man with a microphone can hold so much over politicians of every flavour. The way Gladys kowtowed to him last week regarding the Opera House was sickening. Peter FitzSimons put it best, "Alan is a tumour on the body politic of this country". So long as this self-intersted worm has this power, our country will continue to lack proper leadership. The sad thing is though, he only has power because the politicians let him have it. If they all stopped appearing on his program, then that power would soon evaporate.

BILL SHORTEN:
Kind of like Steve Bradbury. If Steve Bradbury was an untrustworthy used-car salesman. I don't like Bill, I don't know how else to put it really, he just seems very insincere. That said, it is highly likely that by the end of May next year he will be the Prime Minister, and despite my reservations about him, I believe he has the stronger team around him, therefore he will probably be our best chance for stability.

SUMMARY:
The sooner the election is called the better for the country and the sooner Alan Jones is removed from the radio the better for the country. As we all know though, the people in power will try to continue to hold power for as long as they can, so I doubt we will have an election until May and I doubt the Parrot is going anywhere. These people aren't there for us, they are there for themselves.

That is all.

Thanks for an insightful post I can't really disagree with...at all.

The Trump administration's war against China is hotting up even more - have to say I'm delighted but it wasn't widely reported (Epoch Times);

Pence offered a direct criticism of the Chinese Communist Party’s wide-ranging tactics to advance its interests in the United States and globally, including Beijing’s meddling in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections with propaganda to influence public opinion; human-rights violations within its borders; its censorship of Hollywood films that enter the Chinese market; and its bullying of Taiwan.

He emphasized that the Trump administration would take a proactive approach to countering Beijing’s aggression, calling it a “reset” of “America’s economic and strategic relationship with China.”

The speech was pretty wide-ranging and damning of the Communist Party's rule of China and aggressive economic policy - unfair ignoring of WTO rules and all the other damn stuff they do.

Incidentally you mentioned Alan Jones - by some amazing coincidence I was already looking at Alan's delightful history with the very slanderous (although un-refuted) Kangaroo Court allegations... Hey, he got a mention on Media Watch tonight for being a belligerent man forcing Berejiklian to put advertising on the Opera House, why the hell he doesn't just get sacked by Fairfax/Nine is beyond me.

Gman_86, "I am at a loss to explain how 1 angry little man with a microphone can hold so much over politicians of every flavour."
You want to know why Alan Jones has the Polies running around in circles, think about it!!!!

Don, this is being rather naive "why the hell he doesn't just get sacked by Fairfax/Nine is beyond me"



https://www.2gb.com/tag/radio-ratings/

ALAN Jones has won his 214th consecutive radio ratings survey, extending his lead to a 19 per cent share of the breakfast market.

Like him or not and he's one of the announcers that obviously has alot of people who don't like him or at least agree with him listen in, that's 19% of the entire Sydney Radio market, plus all the other stations broadcasting his show!

Do the math and the answer of why 2GB will never let him retire and tolerate the odd law suit will become very obvious!

Like him or not and he's one of the announcers that obviously has alot of people who don't like him or at least agree with him listen in, that's 19% of the entire Sydney Radio market, plus all the other stations broadcasting his show!

Do the math and the answer of why 2GB will never let him retire and tolerate the odd law suit will become very obvious!

I encourage you to watch last night's Media Watch for a synopsis of his very shabby behaviour; he was bullying a Minister of the Crown in order to get an advert for a horse race plastered all over the Opera House. At the very least Gladys Berejiklian should ban all her ministers from going on his show - if she had half a brain she'd do that immediately.

Even Andrew Bolt was deriding the very weak Berejiklian government for rolling over to the racing lobby (represented by Jones) in allowing advertising to be projected onto the Opera House:

Ads on the Opera House? Just shows what really counts is money. Not beauty. Not dignity. Not class.

Like him or not and he's one of the announcers that obviously has alot of people who don't like him or at least agree with him listen in, that's 19% of the entire Sydney Radio market, plus all the other stations broadcasting his show!

Do the math and the answer of why 2GB will never let him retire and tolerate the odd law suit will become very obvious!

I encourage you to watch last night's Media Watch for a synopsis of his very shabby behaviour; he was bullying a Minister of the Crown in order to get an advert for a horse race plastered all over the Opera House. At the very least Gladys Berejiklian should ban all her ministers from going on his show - if she had half a brain she'd do that immediately.

Even Andrew Bolt was deriding the very weak Berejiklian government for rolling over to the racing lobby (represented by Jones) in allowing advertising to be projected onto the Opera House:

Ads on the Opera House? Just shows what really counts is money. Not beauty. Not dignity. Not class.

Doesn't matter what I think, that was not my point. My point was the two comments by yourself and the other poster wondering why he hasn't been removed doesn't understand why he is there in the first place.

Fact is 19% of the Greater Sydney radio audience listen to him each morning, this equals $ and this equals influence. Do you not think most of our major leaders including the PM, the Treasury, state Premier, state Opp leader, etc have his or his PA's mobile number in their phone? They need him more than he needs them.

Yes, Alan Jones' show does rate very highly, but that doesn't explain his influence. His audience is mostly in the +65 demographic, and you could almost guarantee they all share the same political opinions, so he is really only speaking to and for one small section of the community.

Of course 2GB are going to keep him on the air for as long as they can, Instead I am questioning why the politicians take so much notice of him. The fact that Scott Morrison appeared on the parrott's show on Monday, in furious agreement with him on the big issue of the day is just a sad indictment of politics in our country.

Like him or not and he's one of the announcers that obviously has alot of people who don't like him or at least agree with him listen in, that's 19% of the entire Sydney Radio market, plus all the other stations broadcasting his show!

Do the math and the answer of why 2GB will never let him retire and tolerate the odd law suit will become very obvious!

I encourage you to watch last night's Media Watch for a synopsis of his very shabby behaviour; he was bullying a Minister of the Crown in order to get an advert for a horse race plastered all over the Opera House. At the very least Gladys Berejiklian should ban all her ministers from going on his show - if she had half a brain she'd do that immediately.

Even Andrew Bolt was deriding the very weak Berejiklian government for rolling over to the racing lobby (represented by Jones) in allowing advertising to be projected onto the Opera House:

Ads on the Opera House? Just shows what really counts is money. Not beauty. Not dignity. Not class.

Doesn't matter what I think, that was not my point. My point was the two comments by yourself and the other poster wondering why he hasn't been removed doesn't understand why he is there in the first place.

Fact is 19% of the Greater Sydney radio audience listen to him each morning, this equals $ and this equals influence. Do you not think most of our major leaders including the PM, the Treasury, state Premier, state Opp leader, etc have his or his PA's mobile number in their phone? They need him more than he needs them.

And my point (again) is that it's gutless politicians like Gladys Berejiklian who have put Alan Jones where he is and continue to support his appalling blackmail, bullying and intimidation by caving into him. This is exactly what the Premier did on the weekend when she over-ruled her own public servant and decided to let the the adverts be projected onto the Opera House. If Berejiklian had an ounce of courage she would have told Alan Jones in no uncertain terms to get stuffed and withdrawn all NSW government advertising from all Fairfax stations until he apologised for bullying The Oprah House director.

They're all letting him get away with it. The only politician that I can think of who had the temerity to stand up to Jones was Malcolm Turnbull - he consistently refused to appear on his show much to The Parrot's chagrin. Jones consistently bagged him anyway until he was gone, would the result really have been any different if he had agreed to go on his show? Malcolm was probably smart enough to know it was better to stay away from The Parrot altogether and simply not give him any material.

The fact that Scott Morrison appeared on the parrott's show on Monday, in furious agreement with him on the big issue of the day is just a sad indictment of politics in our country.

Exactly, they all need to stop going on his show and cancel advertising. Morrison should have drawn a line in the sand before Jones apologised and said "no government advertising on 2GB until you issue a formal apology, no member of my government to go on your show until likewise". If they didn't give The Parrot money and air-time he'd probably just wither away and die like he should have years ago.

The politicians are part of the problem.

And now that Jones has issued an apology, it will all go away. Until he does it again next week.


Makes me glad that I live in Victoria, a Parrot free state.

Like him or not and he's one of the announcers that obviously has alot of people who don't like him or at least agree with him listen in, that's 19% of the entire Sydney Radio market, plus all the other stations broadcasting his show!

Do the math and the answer of why 2GB will never let him retire and tolerate the odd law suit will become very obvious!

I encourage you to watch last night's Media Watch for a synopsis of his very shabby behaviour; he was bullying a Minister of the Crown in order to get an advert for a horse race plastered all over the Opera House. At the very least Gladys Berejiklian should ban all her ministers from going on his show - if she had half a brain she'd do that immediately.

Even Andrew Bolt was deriding the very weak Berejiklian government for rolling over to the racing lobby (represented by Jones) in allowing advertising to be projected onto the Opera House:

Ads on the Opera House? Just shows what really counts is money. Not beauty. Not dignity. Not class.

Doesn't matter what I think, that was not my point. My point was the two comments by yourself and the other poster wondering why he hasn't been removed doesn't understand why he is there in the first place.

Fact is 19% of the Greater Sydney radio audience listen to him each morning, this equals $ and this equals influence. Do you not think most of our major leaders including the PM, the Treasury, state Premier, state Opp leader, etc have his or his PA's mobile number in their phone? They need him more than he needs them.

And my point (again) is that it's gutless politicians like Gladys Berejiklian who have put Alan Jones where he is and continue to support his appalling blackmail, bullying and intimidation by caving into him. This is exactly what the Premier did on the weekend when she over-ruled her own public servant and decided to let the the adverts be projected onto the Opera House. If Berejiklian had an ounce of courage she would have told Alan Jones in no uncertain terms to get stuffed and withdrawn all NSW government advertising from all Fairfax stations until he apologised for bullying The Oprah House director.

They're all letting him get away with it. The only politician that I can think of who had the temerity to stand up to Jones was Malcolm Turnbull - he consistently refused to appear on his show much to The Parrot's chagrin. Jones consistently bagged him anyway until he was gone, would the result really have been any different if he had agreed to go on his show? Malcolm was probably smart enough to know it was better to stay away from The Parrot altogether and simply not give him any material.

MMmm
MT didn't appear on his show because AJ has been against MT for numerous reasons going back to the Howard era and his protest of AJ certainly didn't do his career as PM any good.

Again, like him or not any MP who goes against someone with 19% of the Sydney's breakfast radio audience as well as its broadcast into many other areas (I believe the list is large) will struggle. MT being sacked from PM's role is surely an example that MT's strategy failed!

If you don't face AJ, then he will continue to preach his uncontested views to the 1m people.

If you don't face AJ, then he will continue to preach his uncontested views to the 1m people.

The best way to counter falsehoods against oneself is to prove them wrong by your actions. Absolutely no need to argue the point.

If you don't face AJ, then he will continue to preach his uncontested views to the 1m people.

Just for clarification, The Parrot does not have 1 Million listeners.

Yes, his ratings are at 19% and yes those are big numbers, but that is not 19% of the population. Rather 19% of available radio listeners. For it to be 19% of the population that woud have to mean that 100% of the population are listening to the radio. I'm not saying I know how many it is, but it certainly isn't 1 million.

Of course, that is based on the official radio ratings survey (conducted by survey firm GFK), which still relies on a selected number of people filling out a paper survey book and ticking the box of what they are listening to and when, with the final numbers extrapolated from there.  

This is a very sketchy system, and while it does seem to work for the commercial radio industry, it is not an accurate way of saying how many people are listening to any one show on any one station at any one time.

If you don't face AJ, then he will continue to preach his uncontested views to the 1m people.

Just for clarification, The Parrot does not have 1 Million listeners.

Yes, his ratings are at 19% and yes those are big numbers, but that is not 19% of the population. Rather 19% of available radio listeners. For it to be 19% of the population that woud have to mean that 100% of the population are listening to the radio. I'm not saying I know how many it is, but it certainly isn't 1 million.

Of course, that is based on the official radio ratings survey (conducted by survey firm GFK), which still relies on a selected number of people filling out a paper survey book and ticking the box of what they are listening to and when, with the final numbers extrapolated from there.  

This is a very sketchy system, and while it does seem to work for the commercial radio industry, it is not an accurate way of saying how many people are listening to any one show on any one station at any one time.

Probably true

Its about 200,000 in Sydney, plus what ever for 4BC plus all the other regional stations plus pod cast.

Of course thats those listening on any one day. I listen to him about once a fortnight, sometimes.

Even if its 0.5M, thats still 2% of the Australian population, triple that for NSW/Qld  each morning.

Probably true

Its about 200,000 in Sydney, plus what ever for 4BC plus all the other regional stations plus pod cast.

Of course thats those listening on any one day. I listen to him about once a fortnight, sometimes.

Even if its 0.5M, thats still 2% of the Australian population, triple that for NSW/Qld  each morning.

They've been all equally guilty of appeasing him probably since Carr onwards. Mike Baird set the mould when he backed down on their rather rash call to completely ban greyhound racing - why am I not surprised that you listen to him from time to time! Not that I care, like anyone outside of NSW I just don't see the attraction.

The fact that Scott Morrison appeared on the parrott's show on Monday, in furious agreement with him on the big issue of the day is just a sad indictment of politics in our country.

Exactly, they all need to stop going on his show and cancel advertising. Morrison should have drawn a line in the sand before Jones apologised and said "no government advertising on 2GB until you issue a formal apology, no member of my government to go on your show until likewise". If they didn't give The Parrot money and air-time he'd probably just wither away and die like he should have years ago.

The politicians are part of the problem.

Entirely agree.

When public officials face this crap they are expected to maintain their composure and remain polite and respectful. Wouldn't it be nice if someone hung up on him, but then he'd still have 15 minutes of the last word.

Makes you realise RUOK is nothing more than a publicity opportunity for these ratbags whose fortunes are based on bullying and personal attacks.

As for 1 million listeners

I knew that putting an evangelical Christian into that job would be trouble. Scott Morrison doesn't deny that they're planning a law to make it perfectly legal for churches to turn away gay students and gay teachers (SBS);

Philip Ruddock’s government-commissioned review of religious freedoms in Australia will urge the Morrison government to enshrine the right of religious schools to turn away gay students and teachers, a leak has revealed. Philip Ruddock’s government-commissioned review of religious freedoms in Australia will urge the Morrison government to enshrine the right of religious schools to turn away gay students and teachers, a leak has revealed...

...Asked about the leak, Mr Morrison said he would not comment in detail because the cabinet was yet to consider its response to the report.

But he said the right of religious schools to discriminate was an "existing law" and therefore not particularly noteworthy.

"It's the existing law. We're not proposing to change that law to take away that existing arrangement that exists," Mr Morrison said.  

Religious schools would have to explain their policy in a public document, according to the report.

Gutless. It's about time our government started standing up to people who believe in Invisible Sky Fairy stories. That's like saying "it's okay to poofter bash as long as you have a religious bigotry as an excuse".  At the very least, religious organisations that discriminate on the basis of sexuality should have their tax-exempt status removed. It's about time we started making these enclaves of intolerance get up to date with the rest of society.

Hello All,

regarding DonDunston's comments above , the religious freedom issues can be quite technical and involved. The other day on ABC Radio's God Forbid Programme there was a very interesting series of discussions on this very topic.

As I really need to download the script and re read what was said , I will only make a general comment below.

In broad terms I do not object to a place of worship being tax and rates exempt, providing that the exemption only applies to the actual building, and excludes ancillary buildings , which should attract the same tax and community charges as any other similar structure.

For example, St Paul's Cathedral on Flinders St., Melbourne would be exempt, but the adjacent Church owned buildings would not.

I understand that it is common in Western Europe for subsidies to Churches ( bearing in mind that European Churches have for centuries been paid for by some form of community levy, which still exists in various forms ) being subject to those churches being open for a minimum set time every day for any person ( irrespective of religious affiliation ) to use for private worship or contemplation. I think this is perfectly legitimate, even though I am not  particularly religious myself.

I also agree that any charity and /or not for profit should be registered and its annual income and expenditure should be published in a standardised form to ensure that the reasons for such status are being maintained and complied with. Otherwise, all other associated entities should be treated like any other commercial business or any other organisation that is treated as if it were a commercial business.

In relation to discrimination , on religious grounds , to be applied to employees, participants, recipients or students ; I have no problem with that either , subject to such discriminatory practices being published up front , and also subject to such institution receiving no taxpayer subsidy whatsoever, after all, why should those being discriminated against be obliged to have their taxes support discrimination, which in any other context, is illegal ?

Regards, Radioman.

I appreciate Radioman's level headed comments.

It should be noted that political parties have tax exemptions and can discriminate who is and isn't in the party.

I find it ironic that 'diversity' is held in high regard today, but then many of these same people demand or pressure religious schools and organisations 'assimilate' to sexual and moral ethics contrary to that religion's teachings.

I don't care if people speak their minds or opinions about different faiths etc, but we should never go down the path of forced re-education of people of faith by Governments (like China).

At the end of the day it's probably a good thing if Govt subsidies/funding of independent schools ends so they can be left alone without strings attached.

Similarly I'm glad that churches in Australia don't receive Government funds like they do in much of Europe.