Australian Politics

It is everywhere now, except in the national discussion.

Via Bernard Keane: Crown is always good for a decent chunk of change for the Victorian and WA branches on both sides. So instead of a parliamentary inquiry, Labor and the government were content with Attorney-General Christian Porter referring the whole thing to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI).

Via Michael West comes the WTF of the day amid intense competition: This is the story the Murdoch press buried.

Leading us off, The Guardian joins the frenzy: A federal MP has revealed extraordinary allegations from a former Crown casino driver who claims he transported foreign nationals to the company’s Melbourne hotel from a private jet base without being subject to border security checks and saw women degraded, abused and “slapped around”.

It’s always refreshing to read an objective take on the great Australian university whorebag.

At Seven: The Morrison government has ordered an integrity watchdog to investigate allegations of corruption involving the gambling giant, Crown.

Via William Bowe: The Australian has reported the result with its characteristic bullish confidence, precisely attributing the Coalition’s 1.5% improvement as compared with the election result to the “passage of the government’s $158 billion income tax cuts, drought funding package and national security legislation”.

Australia’s political economy has turned into one gigantic lie.

More horrendous revelations about Crown today.

Via The Australian: Scott Morrison has spearheaded a post-election surge in support for the Coalition following passage of the government’s $158 billion income tax cuts, drought funding package and national security legislation, while cementing his authority as Prime Minister.

Let’s hold the moralising because all Crown has done is pursue the contemporary Australian business model.

Sure looks that way.

Ah, yes, anothery: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has not ruled out standing aside her deputy Jackie Trad from Cabinet if the state’s corruption watchdog launches an investigation into her investment property.

Via The Guardian: Australian voters are warming to both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese, with approval of both the major party leaders increasing as the 46th parliament settles into its post-election tempo, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.

Via ASPI: Hugh White sees the US–Australia military alliance weakening, possibly disappearing, as China’s rise undermines US hegemony in East Asia and as US relative power wanes.

It smells to high heaven, via the AFR: Scott Morrison and senior partners from consultancy EY will be called to appear before a Senate committee to explain career moves by former ministers Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop.

Hong Kong keeps burning, via Bloomie: Hong Kong police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who had earlier surrounded China’s main local government office, as an otherwise peaceful protest march turned tense late Sunday.

It’s painful to watch the Fake Left go in circles inside of its closed ideology trying to figure out why it lost the unlosable election.

With good reason.

Via The Guardian: Australia remains “deeply concerned” about China’s treatment of the Uighur people, including use of forced labour, the foreign affairs minister Marise Payne has said.

by Chris Becker The recent public comments by Hugh White, that Australia should “dramatically increase military spending” due to the temporary perceived unreliability of Trump’s Presidency and the strategic risk of a rising China have been muddled due to his additional remarks surrounding a nuclear weapons option.

Former editor of the Canberra Times, Crispin Hull, has delivered another pinpoint dissection of Australia’s immigration system: Immigration is now a win-win for wealthy elites and the Coalition.

Via The Australian: Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick wanted the government’s intention on gas in writing before he offered his party’s support for the full tax cut plan.