Bill Shorten’s buddy avoids the axe for chucking a sickie and flying off on Israeli jaunt
Bill Shorten calls for Speaker Bronwyn Bishop to quit. The Opposition Leader in Perth, July 21, 2015:
Oh well, I understand she is still the Speaker today but this is not good … What is the test that Mr Abbott says will actually require, for him, to ask Mrs Bishop to go?
Shorten calls for Stuart Robert, then junior minister, to go. Canberra, February 2 last year:
The Stuart Robert scandal is going to become a test of Malcolm Turnbull’s judgment. The writing is on the wall about Stuart Robert.
Shorten calls for Labor MP Michael Danby to be — oh. Oh, he’s not going to do anything. The Opposition Leader in Canberra, yesterday:
I’m not going to comment about a person’s personal medical issues.
Why isn’t Shorten doing anything about Danby? Brad Norington in The Australian, yesterday:
Danby took a trip to Israel … after allegedly telling his party back home that he was too ill to attend a sitting week of parliament.
Shorten in Canberra, yesterday:
The man gave us a medical certificate. I’m not a doctor.
He was apparently healthy enough to do some work overseas. Norington in The Australian, continued:
Mr Danby spoke at a media conference at the Jerusalem Press Club … to address “the recent World Vision scandal” …
But Shorten isn’t making any moves. Canberra, continued:
He provided a medical certificate and I’m not going to start second-guessing a person’s medical condition.
Which isn’t a big surprise really … Norington in The Australian, yesterday:
Danby … who has been a close ally of Bill Shorten …
Staying with global affairs for a bit, Julie Bishop speaks at the Australian Institute of International Affairs, yesterday:
Beijing also claims the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are held and administered by Japan, which calls them the Diaoyu Islands.
Wrong way around, mate. BBC News online, November 10, 2014:
Ties between China and Japan have been strained by a territorial row over a group of islands, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China.
That’s another Asian war we’re now embroiled in. Good work, Jules. The Australian, September 16 last year:
Japan has summoned the Chinese ambassador to express concern after a Chinese navy ship sailed close to what Japan considers its territorial waters in the East China Sea …
And The Australian’s Chris Mitchell laments the end of the ABC’s Lateline, yesterday:
It is a pity to see the show die an ignominious death … The ABC lacks a strong analytical political focus … A truly national broadcaster needs more arts, books and sport.
Even the lefties at Fairfax Media think the ABC is on the wrong path. Fairfax Canberra chief Bevan Shields on Twitter, yesterday:
… next time you hear the ABC is under-resourced, remember this Snapchat story they’ve done about how to have better sex.
Just for the record, here are Aunty’s tips for better marital relations. ABC News on Snapchat, yesterday:
Book a hotel room. Shave your legs. Put on lingerie. Light candles. Or talk to your doctor about more options.