Last Post, March 27
One Nation shouldn’t shoot the messenger
A word of advice for One Nation, which has referred Al Jazeera to ASIO and the AFP for its report on the relationship between the party and the NRA (“One Nation refers broadcaster to AFP for expose over NRA funds bid”, 26/3): even if the NRA gave you a gun, don’t shoot the messenger.
The latest reported antics of One Nation are unsurprising. Now, in the parliamentary circus, the clowns want guns. But it’s not entertaining.
I thought I had misheard that One Nation was in collusion with the US gun lobby. Also, that they were hoping to water down our gun laws. After the atrocity in Christchurch they must be out of their minds. I won’t vote for any party that sides with them. It’s a pity they are on any preference list as they don’t deserve to be in Parliament.
I watched with great interest Waleed Aly’s TV interviews with Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern. I am now waiting to watch his interview with Recep Tayyip Erdogan asking the Turkish President to explain the comments he made about sending Australians back in body bags.
Gladys Berejiklian’s victory is receiving deserved praise from most quarters, yet the army of dogged feminists who usually high five if a female wins so much as a dead chook raffle is strangely silent.
The media punditry continues to pour out reasons for why NSW voters chose not to elect a Labor government, ignoring the glaringly obvious. To borrow from a London tabloid: “It was Gladys wot won it.”
“Latham climbs back to a new seat of power” (26/3). If anything, this prodigal politician may serve to liven up the NSW upper house.
Congratulations to Judith Sloan for her insight and courage in writing about the policy failures of Jacinda Ardern (“Remove the halo and Ardern is ordinary”, 26/3) while taking nothing away from her performance following the Christchurch tragedy.
Young and idealistic leaders such as Jacinda Ardern (and Emmanuel Macron) mean well and do many things right but, as Judith Sloan implies, they’re endearingly modest because, as Winston Churchill said, they have much to be modest about. We seek out heroes but mustn’t put anyone on a pedestal. As Billy Graham said, you can be sincere and saintlike and still be wrong.