Greens senator’s curious move from immigration to finance
Plus: free speech, McDonald's, and progressives delaying same-sex marriage.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale on taking away senator Sarah Hanson-Young’s immigration responsibilities, ABC radio, yesterday:
After nine years sometimes it’s time to refresh and reinvigorate the team.
Stuff happens. Hanson-Young responds to the sinking of an asylum-seeker boat off Java, The Australian, December 19, 2011:
Tragedies happen, accidents happen.
Peter Dutton won’t attend her farewell party, but he does approve of it. The Australian website, yesterday:
Sarah Hanson-Young’s dumping is no surprise. Richard Di Natale obviously had enough of her outrageous and over-the-top behaviour and her demotion has been a long time coming.
Hanson-Young, statement, yesterday:
While I am disappointed, I understand that politics is a team game and will work tirelessly in my new senior portfolio areas of education and finance.
Finance, you say? ABC News website, June 1:
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has given a gaffe-filled interview about superannuation, where she proposed a radical change in the system and appeared not to understand Australia’s superannuation regime or her party’s policy.
Phone a friend? Hanson-Young, Adelaide 5AA Radio, June 1:
I’ve had a text from my chief of staff sitting outside, sending me the table …
Di Natale responds to a question about that interview, ABC radio, yesterday:
It’s hardly a hanging offence for people to make a mistake.
Incoming Liberal MP Tim Wilson on the Greens’ decision to block a same-sex marriage plebiscite, The Australian website, yesterday:
The Greens would rather push this off for three, six, nine years so one day they can take the credit rather than actually use a pathway for same-sex couples to change the law … This is a betrayal of all their supporters who want to see a change in the law and shows they would rather use couples as political pawns rather than see them get married.
Kim Jong-Mal? John Roskam pings the PM on free speech and section 18C, The Australian Financial Review, Thursday:
Instead of the PM deploring a law that is thoroughly illiberal in its principle and application, he said that changing it was not a priority for his government. “With all due respect to the very worthy arguments surrounding it, it is not going to create an extra job … It’s not going to build an extra road.” However, if a country is to be judged simply by the quality of its roads then there’s nothing to separate Australia from North Korea.
Go back where you came from! The Sydney Morning Herald reporting on residents of Sydney’s trendy Glebe protesting against an incursion by McDonald’s, May 25:
McDonald’s plans to open a cafe among the eateries of Glebe Point Road for three days at the end of this week. But residents, business owners and local politicians have no taste for the idea, and a “No McDonald’s working group” has been formed.
Take the welcome wagon via the drive-through. Property website Domain.com.au reports, yesterday:
McDonald’s Australia’s chief burger-flipper Andrew Gregory and his wife Ann have traded up from their Turramurra home to a former broom factory in Glebe.
We’re not sure tying the kids to a lamppost outside the shops is that great an idea, actually. Headline, the Herald website, yesterday:
The reasons why having a puppy is exactly like parenting a child.