“GetUp’s great success has been in recruiting droves of misguided retirees and age pensioners to do their on-the-ground door knocking and other legwork. These armies of disaffected old Lefties are just as culpable as the leadership of this grubby outfit for what they have been doing in Warringah and elsewhere. I wonder if their kids and grandkids are proud of them?
Crocodile tears, said Cassandra:
“ ‘Into this system we have now injected GetUp’. This is disingenuous. It wasn’t we who injected GetUp into our body politic. It was Labor and the left who injected the pernicious far left activist organisation called GetUp into our system.
“It is only now, with public disgust and opprobrium over what happened during the federal election to the likes of Nicolle Flint in Boothby, Peter Dutton in Dickson and the utterly unprecedented, nasty and rancid campaign conducted by GetUp against Tony Abbott in Warringah ... that perhaps some in Labor are now trying to obfuscate and find a corner to hide in.
“I have a good memory Graham … and I clearly recall that any censure by Labor and others on the left of GetUp before May 18 was rather tepid. Labor were very happy to turn a blind eye to GetUp’s unsavoury activities because they thought they would win both Dickson and Boothby.
“I’m still waiting on that trifecta of Labor women — Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Tanya Plibersek — to publicly condemn what happened to Nicolle Flint. The silence has been deafening. I thought the sisterhood actually cared about women being subjected to verbal and physical harassment.
“Oh, but that’s right … threatening behaviour, stalking, screaming and shouting down are all par for the course if you’re a conservative woman. How silly of me.
“And as for the wonderful, gracious and dignified Nicolle Flint who bravely faced the onslaught of the far left GetUp in a grubby, personal and vindictive campaign, every day she got up and every day she looked the enemy in the eye and declared ‘this lady is not for moving’.”
PatrickJD’s point:
“GetUp is a Labor-Green hybrid monster.”
Paul pulled at the purse strings over Richo’s discussion of MP salaries:
“How about when we talk of Members of Parliament salaries we start talking total cost per basic member or per minister. Two figures, one of taxable income, plus super plus allowances plus free car plus living away from home allowances. The other figure — support staff total costs. This includes all Canberra and electoral office staff and their on costs.
“Make them claim allowances with receipts. I’m sure most of us could live in Canberra in a shared house with a few like minded mates on $300 per night.
“Have them claim the current month expenses inc travel by 15th of the next, published by 15th of the following month.
“I’m sick of this rubbish about how they serve the public. It’s a gravy train costing $1m plus per annum per member/senator. If they don’t like accountability go do something else. I can’t afford their ‘service’.”
Another Paul portended a pong:
“Richo senses a tiny odour from GetUp and decides to take a tiny stance. Bit late Richo, this Labor funded carcass positively reeks.”
Allan assented:
“I don’t always agree with what Graham Richardson says but I agree with his description of GetUp and its thuggish behaviour towards selected conservative politicians, particularly Nicolle Flint and Tony Abbott. GetUp needs to be made accountable and that includes being a political party.”
Mary was unmoved:
“Do not be beguiled by Richardson’s faux ‘outrage’. Labor’s association with GetUp requires a much deeper inquiry than Richardson is prepared to provide.”
Colin got cross:
“Save us from this rubbish that if only we paid politicians more, we would attract better candidates. How many times have we heard politicians justifying pay increases well above community standards with the old line of ‘If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys’. Well, I suspect politicians are better paid than they have ever been and yet the quality on the whole is the worst it has ever been.”
Stella was disappointed:
“I joined GetUp a while ago as I had thought they were involved in charity work or would accept volunteers to assist the needy. But I found they are entirely hard left politically focused. The e-mails from them asked for respondents to volunteer as GetUp political activists.”
Jog on, said Janet:
“GetUp, and other such fringe groups who are not standing candidates, should be banned from all polling stations!
“During the last election I was on both pre-polling and polling day duty. I was astounded by the aggressive nature of the GetUp representatives, they had set themselves up as close as possible to the entrance and hassled people as they walked in. It may actually have been counterproductive but it was certainly intimidating.”
Anne argued:
“Of course Richo would have countenanced GetUp activities, back in his day as a pollie. It fits perfectly with the ‘whatever it takes’ mantra.
“However in Richo’s new role as the token left learning participant in mostly right leaning media he has correctly realised that to keep his job he needs to ‘mellow out’ and shift his prior positions somewhat.”
—
Chinese swim star Sun Yang’s coach, Denis Cotterell, came out swinging after podium protests against the prolific freestyler, saying it was hypocritical for Australian swimmers to vilify the world champion when some of their teammates have broken anti-doping rules. John wasn’t buying it:
“Hell has no fury like a vested interest masquerading as a moral principle.”
Wayne wondered:
“Why smash the samples?”
Feng said:
“If the testers are not legitimate, the sample could be tampered with and he could be framed.”
Roland resisted:
“He could have questioned the validity of the process when the samples were taken and gone through the proper channels. Smashing the vials of blood would be akin to obstruction or tampering with samples which should be an offence. Suspension should be the minimum for tampering with a sample. An athlete from any other country, wouldn’t have got off with such lenient treatment.”
Not so Noel:
“He willingly returned to his home when he was told the drug testing people were waiting to take a sample. Two of the people were not accredited and one was filming the process which is highly irregular. He became suspicious and refused to sign the documentation. If it was an Australian in Sun’s shoes Australia would be screaming blue murder at his treatment.”
John’s rejoinder:
“If you refuse to take a breathalyser test, you are presumed guilty. So smashing a drug test vial or two meets the same test for me.”
Anthony looked askance:
“Then there’s the 2014 business that Cotterell seems to prefer not to mention. A substance, performance-enhancing, is banned. Four months later Sun is taking it. His excuse is the same we always see, from Sharapova down. It was for some health condition or other.
“So what’s Sun taking these days for his dicky heart with a performance record like his?
The public aren’t silly, neither is Mack Horton, only FINA although one could think of a more fitting description for it.”
Annette argued:
“Cotterell doesn’t need the money. His stellar reputation would be more important, and he wouldn’t jeopardise that for a few dollars.”
Last word to Indi:
“Mack Horton has no right to publicly humiliate Sun Yang when he has been cleared by FINA and is allowed to compete. FINA’s competency or otherwise is a separate issue.
“Sun is a sporting superstar adored by millions in his home country and Mack has potentially lit a fuse that will reinforce Beijing’s nationalistic narrative that the West wants to contain China and the Chinese from achieving greatness.
“Mack’s cheer squad will only add to this. In China and generally in the Eastern culture, it is quite common for people to consider public dishonour and losing face as worse than losing their life. Will have to wait and see how this saga plays out.”
—
Britain’s new prime minister Boris Johnson finally made it to the top of the greasy pole but it’s a precarious perch with a hard Brexit possibly just months away. Is he the new Churchill or just a naughty boy? Dude or dud? Christopher leaned towards Churchill:
“I doubt the signers if the US Declaration of Independence worried about the consequences of their actions the way many British politicians are. Grow a spine and tell the EU it’s hard exit time. No more brussels sprouts for Britain under Boris!”
Woohoo, said Andrew:
“The Donald, ScoMo and BoJo. Now we’re cookin’ with gas.”
Rick wrote:
“A trifecta of hope in a troubled world.”
Simon said:
“So happy. Just watched Mr Johnson’s victory speech. Now we get to giggle at the luvvin left as they sulk in the corner and blame everyone for everything.”
Trevor talked tough:
“Time to rid the party of all the dead wood remainers relying on the EU doing all their work for them. Stand up for Britain, Boris and take your sovereignty back.”
Colin countered:
“What nonsense. You don’t unite a party by purging those ministers who held a contrary opinion on an issue, even one as significant as Brexit. As long as they guarantee to support the PM in future and don’t undermine him there is room for them in cabinet. If not they should not accept a commission.”
Edward suggested:
“Boris can be the leader Britain needs. Let’s face it: the elites and the media don’t support great leaders. Churchill was forced into the wilderness in the 1930s. His ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough was forced into the wilderness by a useless clique; Margaret Thatcher was pushed out by a mob of nobodies; Boris is now the concern but he is the man of the moment.”
Ken elaborated:
“Of even greater import, the Brits ditched Churchill after he stood up to defy Hitler and lead them out the jaws of a Fascist fate. They ditched Thatcher after she led them out of the jaws of penury. I think BoJo will clear the decks of the debris of Britain’s European adventure/disaster but then suffer a similar fate at the hands of a perfidious electorate.”
Jim’s assessment:
“UK: domestic market = 60m. Massive exports in education, insurance and technology, to name but a few. Global language of business. Trusted legal, financial and political systems. Precedents for all forms of business, finance, governance, risk management and entrepreneurship.
“Huge levels of funding available. Partner economies poised to execute bilateral trade agreements, pens ready. Advisory firms: stop flapping about losing your passporting rights to the Continent, and make it easy and worthwhile for the Continent’s business to come to you! “A little sector deregulation, a little tax reform, a nudge to interest rates and some key bilateral trade agreements and you’ll be free from the yoke that is the EU, and flying high like you should be.
“No deal Brexit all the way — go for it Boris. Hold the line, the EU will buckle, and you can tell them to go whistle Dixie anyway. This is fantastic.”
Eagle said:
“Boris Johnson is bound to be better than Ms May for one obvious reason; he could not possibly be worse. He may well turn into a pleasant surprise a la PM Morrison.”
Jefferson declared:
“The Remainers are traitors to Britain. The people spoke at the referendum and these people will do anything to trash the wishes of the populace, even to the point of forcing a constitutional crisis. Europe needs to have a good relationship with Britain, regardless of whether Britain is in the EU or not, so a No Deal Brexit is neither here nor there, it might just take a bit more adjustment than anticipated.
“Leaving the EU then opens up Britain to all sorts of possibilities that wouldn’t be there if they stayed and they won’t lose much in the way of trade with Europe in the long run.
The power elites in Europe want to trash the various cultures of their member countries and turn them into states, which are then subsumed to the overarching political body.
“Britain doesn’t want this and I’m pretty sure the French don’t want it, either. The only reason the USA worked was that it was a new country but all the countries of Europe have differing cultures that go way, way back and their citizens are very proud of that. The European Parliament could not, to this point, be called a raging success.”
Play us out, Paul:
“And they will no longer have to read the 1,000 page manual on how to grow a cabbage.”
—
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Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Once he was Mr “Whatever it takes” but these days a more mellow Richo reckons the shine has worn off GetUp in the wake of their “vicious campaign of harassment” at the recent Federal poll aimed at the likes of Boothby Liberal MP Nicolle Flint. Tim B had a senior moment: