Michelle Grattan is one of Australia’s most respected senior journalists. She’s a long time political writer and is now a professorial fellow at the University of Canberra. Her reputation has always depended on being seen to be impartial and balanced in what she writes. I’ve been reading her and listening to her for more than 20 years.

But I’ve never heard or seen her as explicit as this:

“What is offensive about this government is not that it is pursuing tough policies, but that it is trashing accountability and is so lacking in empathy.

“The boats did need to be stopped. The budget does require fixing.

“But an empathetic government would bring some humanity to the first and greater sensitivity to the second, while a less arrogant administration would show more respect all around.”

This is an extract from her article in The Conversation http://www.theconversation.com This is direct, explicit criticism of this harsh, cruel government that is defying the High Court of Australia, and breaking international law. As well as defying our right to know what is going on.

I don’t think I’ve ever read such strong criticism from her. She is saying, this is a bad government. This government is defying all the laws and conventions, including our rights as citizens.

In 1975 the Malcolm Fraser led Liberal opposition thought the Whitlam Labor government was so bad that they blocked Supply and forced a new election long before it was due.

I think the same conditions apply now. This government is so bad, so harsh, so defiant of anyone else’s rights that I would strongly support the Senate blocking Supply and forcing a double dissolution and a new election.

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Also in the weekend papers, this from the Australian Financial Review – that the power generation industry is laughing at PM The Rabbot BA (Boxing) Oxon. over his speech that this country needs to be long term planning to build more base load power stations, i.e. large coal or gas fired power generators.

They’re laughing at him because electricity demand is falling in this country, not rising. Large power stations are being closed down. Why? First, because of the marked increase in solar power use; second, because of the fall in manufacturing, large power hungry plants being closed; and third, because consumers are just plain using less power – energy saving CFL and LED light fittings, more efficient appliances and a general need to keep power bills down.

So much for that, Tones. Any more bright ideas?

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What the hell has WordPress done to this blogging software? I was tipped into a new composition page and I hate it. I’ll have to figure out what’s going on.