Strewth: bugger the law

Unlike Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton still has the ear of Ray Hadley. Among the topics the ABC-loving Immigration Minister and 2GB broadcaster discussed yesterday was the problem of jihadists returning home from their training grounds. As tends to be the case when Hadley is involved, things took a turn for the even more interesting than expected.

Hadley: “I mean the left hand, the left-wing hand-wringers are saying: Oh, you know, you can’t do this, you can’t do that. I mean what, we bring them back here so they can blow us up?”

Dutton: “Well, we’ve got to act within the law. I mean that’s the first principle …”

Hadley: “Oh, bugger the law, Peter, bugger the law.”

Dutton: “Well …”

You’ll recall freshly minted ACTU secretary Sally McManus getting into a spot of strife in March when she observed, “I believe in the rule of law when the law is fair and the law is right. But when it’s unjust I don’t think there’s a problem with breaking it.” Who would have thought that barely two months later this radicalisation would have spread to 2GB?

No ejector button

Disappointment in a nutshell. In Senate estimates yesterday, after senator Ian Macdonald had entertained thoughts about punting Greens senator Nick “You can’t make me leave, mate” McKim from the room, the truth dawned unhappily: “I’ve been advised by the clerk I do not have the power to evict anyone or prevent anyone asking questions.” As Macca said these words, his face tried hard to assemble itself into something Zen-like, but it was not entirely successful. It should go without saying that our thoughts are with him at this difficult time.

Rod’s mysterious ways

Self-styled “senator-in-exile” Rod Culleton is continuing his quixotic mission, tweeting about his former One Nation colleagues Malcolm Roberts and Brian Burston*: “@SenatorMRoberts and @SenatorBurston have called on me to give the banking enquiry teeth and help with submissions.” This was followed by the golden thumbs-up emoji. Roberts was having no truck with this, shooting back, “We agreed on no such thing. All I have done is to encourage you to make a submission after you said you weren’t going to.” Back to Culleton: “Are you calling that fake news too? Very disappointing for all those effected (sic) by the banks.” And then what we believe was a little swipe at Roberts’s adviser Sean Black and his spot of bother: “Ok @SenatorMRoberts you win. Today we discussed climate change and how to fulfil that black hole in your office.” Whereupon in chimed former One Nation treasurer Ian Nelson: “Hahaha.” (*It’s nice to see Burston get a guernsey. For those wondering who he is, he is a One Nation senator, albeit one with a subtle presence.)

Nothing to see here 2.0

Things were relatively quiet on the Anthony Albanese leadership speculation watch front yesterday.

Moving on

Another opportunity lost.

Journo: “Senator, yesterday the former prime minister, Tony Abbott,said that police should have shoot-to-kill powers in terrorist situations. What do you make of that?”

George Brandis: “Look, I’m not going to comment on commentary by Mr Abbott …”

Finishing touches

Sticking with yesterday’s bovine theme, as we believe Strewth should occasionally (or at least accidentally) be an educational experience, here’s a little something that belatedly has floated our way. It’s an exchange between Labor MP Julian Hill and Consolidated Pastoral Company chief executive Troy Setter after an explanation about how Indonesia was good at the finishing of cattle, whereas northern Australia’s strength was in breeding them.

Hill: “Can I just interrupt you for a second? Sorry. I am a city MP from Victoria. I am happy to ask some dumb questions. I am learning a ton from listening to you, so thank you. What does finishing cattle mean? Is that the last stage before slaughter?”

Setter: “Yes.”

Hill: “It is not like a finishing school for rich girls or anything, where you learn to talk nice?”

Setter: “No. There are certainly no dumb questions. ‘Finishing’ is probably the politically correct way to say ‘fattening’.”

Hill: “Got it.”

Setter: “We are usually getting ready for market in the later stages of the development of the animal. The finishing is fattening for market.”

Hill: “It is kind of the opposite of a finishing school!”

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