BUST-UPS AND BROKEN PROMISES
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was yelled at by a pensioner, ABC reports. The PM popped in at the Edgeworth Tavern in Newcastle, and the local disability support pensioner didn’t waste time. Starting with “listen to me for a change”, he told Morrison he was elected to help people who “have a go”, continuing, “Well, I’ve had a go, mate, I’ve worked all my life and paid my taxes.” He says the wealthy can make income from their properties, yet the man says he can’t have any income on his pension payment. Pointing the finger, as news.com.au shows, he spoke of Morrison’s broken election promise of an integrity commission. When he swore and told Morrison he was “sick of your bullshit”, the PM walked away. Yikes.
But some onlookers told the Newcastle Herald ($) people should have more respect for the PM — a sentiment shared by MPs Melissa McIntosh and Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who both released statements saying Morrison was not a bully. The MPs continued that he had helped them during their own preselection dramas, as Sky News continues, perhaps missing the point that that’s exactly what Matthew Camenzuli is arguing — the PM shouldn’t get involved.
Speaking of, Camenzuli has been expelled from the Liberal Party. Camenzuli, a former IT founder who went on to become Western Sydney’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, is shaping up to be somewhat of an election powerbroker, as Crikey writes. Infuriated with Morrison sticking his nose into NSW Liberal preselections, Camenzuli lodged a High Court challenge and yesterday asked the court to prevent Morrison’s 12 hand-picked candidates from getting endorsement while the case continues, Guardian Australia writes. But the NSW state director Chris Stone gave Camenzuli the boot, saying he was damaging re-election chances. The state executive will have the final say on Friday.
MAKE DO AND SPEND
Crossbench MPs Helen Haines, Zali Steggall and Rebekha Sharkie — who all wrestled seats from the Coalition — have voted with Labor two-thirds of the time during this Parliament, according to analysis from The Australian ($). It comes as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has called independents “fake independents”, claiming that they were controlled by Climate 200 and running on a Labor platform. Did I mention an independent is challenging Frydenberg in his seat of Kooyong? It’s Monique Ryan, who until recently was director of the neurology department at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, as Women’s Agenda reports. Frydenberg says she’s intentionally concealing her Labor past from voters, but Ryan was a member of the Labor Party for three years almost 15 years back, and said she quit after not attending any meetings.
Frydenberg has launched what the AFR is calling a “catchup campaign”, spending an eye-watering $62,192 on Facebook and Instagram ads in the month of March alone. You’d think he would’ve got started a little earlier, considering he copped a 7.6% swing at the 2019 election. In Wentworth, Liberal MP Dave Sharma is fighting for his life on a skinny margin of 1.3% and has spent $21,865 on social media ads in the past three months, chump change compared to independent challenger Allegra Spender (heroically stepping over the pun opportunity here) pouring $70,293 into it during the past 90 days.
FURTHER CALL TO BAN SPIT HOODS
Spit hoods — a bite-proof sack put over the head described as “inhumane” by the 2017 Royal Commission — should be banned in Australia, particularly as NT, Queensland and ACT cops are using them on children as young as 12. That’s the view of the Human Rights Law Centre, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, Change the Record and Ban Spit Hoods Collective, as NT News reports, who are urging the government to do something. Home Affairs Minister (in the Senate) Michaelia Cash told the groups the AFP find them “operationally necessary”, but the NT News found this week that most cops across the country don’t — and have never in the case of NSW — used them. Campaigner Latoya Aroha Rule — the sibling of Wayne Fella Morrison who died in custody after having one placed on his head — convinced SA to ban them last year and has a petition to see the ban go national. “Despite a Royal Commission, a commitment to the UN Torture Protocols, and injury and death associated with spit hoods across Australia — the government have still failed to stop using these torture devices,” Rule says.
It comes as the government is trying to get permission to deport Indigenous Australians who are not citizens, or are dual nationals, Guardian Australia reports. Yesterday the Commonwealth urged the court to bin the landmark Love and Thoms decision in 2020, which found Indigenous Australians cannot be deported, even if they aren’t a citizen. But the judge asked, well what if an Indigenous person was born overseas but lived here for 60 years, voted, and even did military service? The government’s lawyer was like, that’s extreme — but yes, we should be permitted the power to deport them. The case continues.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Feminist icon Queen Yakei remains in power in Japan — in the monkey world, that is. She’s a blush-faced, nine-year-old macaque who last year ascended to queendom in her troop — an unusual occurrence, according to Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden. The team say they’ve cared for more than 1000 macaques in its 70-year history, and this is the first time the alpha has been one of the gals. She fought both the previous king and even her own mother — no joke — to get hold of her metaphorical crown. But it all looked like it might crumble last year, when Yakei was involved in a messy love triangle, The New York Times says, between Goro, 15, her former lover whom she pined for, and Luffy, 18, a new suitor she wasn’t so keen on.
In what sounds very much like the tale of Elizabeth I, scientists were worried her love life would distract her from the throne — if the troop saw her as preoccupied, a spurned male might try and steal Yakei’s rank. But no one dared, and it’s since given scientists the rare opportunity to observe how macaque society functions under a matriarchy. She moved on from the pair of playboys too — she had a love affair with Maruo, who is ranked 15 in the troop. I know what you’re thinking — 15th?! But scientists say he is quite the catch. They told the NYT, “He is very calm and kind to baby monkeys” — girl, I get it. So how does Queen Yakei continue to hold on to her reign? Good friendships, scientists say — which made them realise strength isn’t everything.
Wishing you the grace and benevolence of Queen Yakei this morning, folks.
SAY WHAT?
This person sent me a text message, and it’s like, ‘Hey, Michael, this is XYZ — obviously in confidence along those lines — just want you to know I believe you, do what you feel you need to do, just be careful.
Michael Towke
The former Liberal candidate, who accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of racially vilifying him in the pair’s 2007 Cook preselection battle, much to the adamant denial of the PM, says a current cabinet minister told Towke they believe him. It’s the latest in a string of mutinous moves within Scott Morrison’s own party. The question is: whodunnit?
CRIKEY RECAP
Mr Morrison, Mr Albanese and us: how a 14-year-old journalist and his colleague scored an interview with the PM
“When Roman Mackinnon joined the team at 6 News Australia just two days before Christmas, I didn’t imagine that less than six months later he and I would have an in-depth interview with none other than the prime minister of Australia (the interview will be live here tonight at 8pm).
“Earlier this year we discussed getting big-name interviews for our election coverage. And who better to speak to than the leader and could-be leader of the country: Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese. We tried to get Albanese … We’ve had a bit more luck with Morrison.”
What you see with Morrison is what you get, as PM aims to lie his way to victory
“It was an appearance riddled with deceit and falsehood. He blatantly and clearly lied that Gladys Berejiklian had denied her damning descriptions of him to one of his colleagues as ‘a horrible horrible person… actively spreading lies’ when she has made no such denial.
“He lied that he never ‘had any time for the factional games in the Liberal Party’ when the entire NSW Liberal imbroglio is the result of Morrison’s efforts to preserve the power of his chief minion, Alex Hawke, and preserve the power of factional powerbrokers at the expense of grassroots members.”
Morrison is the gag man — but the joke is on us
“Last year the Morrison government cut off 48 debates on the floor of the House of Reps, many of which were members’ motions on subjects ranging from sexual misconduct in Parliament House to action on climate.
“What allows the Coalition to do this is a power called ‘closure of debate’. It’s referred to as the ‘gag motion’, and allows an MP to call a vote on whether another member may address the floor. If the vote is successful, the speaking member must take his or her seat.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Ukraine War: Putin’s daughters targeted by US sanctions (BBC)
Hard-liner who led crackdown on protests is favorite to run Hong Kong (The New York Times)
Life sentence for Burkinabe ex-leader Compaoré for Sankara murder (Al Jazeera)
Twitter says it is working on an edit button (The Wall Street Journal) ($)
Sri Lanka facing imminent threat of starvation, senior politician warns (The Guardian)
Even before France votes, the French right is a big winner (The New York Times)
Johnson says biological males ‘should not compete in female sporting events’ (The Guardian)
Tunisia summons Turkish envoy after Erdogan’s comments (Al Jazeera)
Oklahoma lawmakers pass near-total ban on abortion (BBC)
Remembering the Jewish Yugoslavia that the Nazis Destroyed (Quillette)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Media coverage of Scott Morrison’s alleged comments about Michael Towke reveal harsh truths about Australia — Roland Jabbour (Guardian Australia): “The shockwaves from that shameful event in Australia’s history still reverberate through the community and the fear that we are never far from another ‘Cronulla’ is exacerbated when our politicians continue to use divisive rhetoric when speaking about our communities. The unrest had been stoked mostly by politicians and media commentators. Shock jock Alan Jones was firing up his audience, describing the community as ‘vermin’ who ‘rape and pillage a nation that’s taken them in’. He was eventually found by a court tribunal to be guilty of inciting ‘hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims’.
“And, as ever, some political figures saw an opportunity to further pull at the tear that had appeared in the fabric of the community for their own ambitions. As a result, the recent allegations against the prime minister, if they are to be believed, would come as no surprise to the community. In fact, they reflect a pattern that has played out many times in this country. The vilification of a particular ethnic group has often paid dividends for politicians seeking to break through and the media often serves their aims dutifully, revelling in exploiting community fear.”
Shed the small target and let the real Albanese stand up — Cameron Milner (The Australian) ($): “So now we have the small-target strategy on display again. Gone are the bold visions for Australia of Kevin Rudd and Bill Shorten, replaced with the myopic view that a win is a win and that’s all that matters. The strategy has revolved around “Not Morrison” at presser after presser. Labor policy “reform” is all about “Not Shorten”. The last of the tax reforms, on family trusts, was dumped last Sunday, just in time for the election. This cost socially progressive policies $30b of revenue to fund a better Australia across the next decade.
“We’ve had Anthony Albanese give a headland speech saying he wanted to govern like Bob Hawke, Paul Keating – and Howard. On foreign policy he’ll be just like Rudd and Gillard. Just this week in Queensland he said wanted to be like Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. For all the reflected glory of each of those political giants, voters are being asked to vote for Albanese as prime minister. To paraphrase the lyric from a song, not by Albo’s favoured artist Billy Bragg but by Eminem, will the Real Albo please stand up?”
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
WHAT’S ON TODAY
Yuggera Country (also known as Brisbane)
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Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher will be the guest speaker at the Queensland Media Club.
Ngunnawal Country (also known as Canberra)
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UAP chairman Clive Palmer is scheduled to deliver an address to the National Press Club titled The Australian economy, where it is heading and what the United Australian Party’s finance policy.
