Belly,

I used to watch question time or listen to it on ABC News Radio....I was truly a political animal. But with this crop of pollies, I can't see any merit on either side.

Isn't it incredible that in a country of 22 million people, that the best we can elect to represent our interests is this rag-tag bunch of middle-class ignoramuses....sad really.

Dear Poirot,

I'm currently home with a rotten cold so I watched "Question Time," today - as a deflection. What ever happened to statesman like behaviour and common courtesy? Or at least answering questions that are being asked. All they seem to do is attack each other. And then pat each other on the back with set up questions from the back-benchers. As you said - it is sad - made sadder still because these are people who are supposed to represent us. They don't seem to be able to extend basic courtesies to each other. What would overseas visitors think of our pollies - if they sat in the public gallery. It looks more like a dog-fight than anything else and I feel so sorry for the Speaker of the House who
has to keep shouting -"Order! Order!" Poor man! I hope he's well paid.

it was an interesting question time bellies
you can get transcripts of the parlementry stuff here
http://www.openaustralia.org/?keyword=house%20hansard&creativeid=1117913217&gclid=CMGSzPi5rKcCFQXabgoda1BHAA

here is the link to question time
http://www.openaustralia.org/senate/?id=2011-03-24.75.1

just listen to the interjection on this question
http://www.openaustralia.org/debates/?id=2011-03-24.94.1

its about typical of the level of debate
in lue of supplying facts

labrats are bending backwards
to give insults in lue of answers
especially note the pm jiliars reply
to tonies first question..

it was all about how immoral tony/lib's are
and no attempt to reply his question

http://www.openaustralia.org/debates/?id=2011-03-24.93.2

i have noticed govt policy now seems to be
release sceme's..
but not the fine details

then insult the oppisition...
in lue of giving the facts
diont govern..just name call on todays main talking point
[fishing for the headline...that makes todays news not that they didnt give the full details again]

but that mr turn bull into spin..wants tonies job
as if thats news

real news hould present the real detail
or embarris govt into talking about
the relitive ploicy facts/details
of their latest scam/sceme/tax

todays questioning time?

mate just relax
more of the same..

thats the neo labrat/
independant greenie clan..game plan*

QL,

The issue isn't CO2 mate, the issue really isn't that clear cut. The current climate cycle bears way too many similarities to that experienced in the 1890-1900 period (massive eruptions, tsunamis, fires, drought, floods, the works) for it to be so simple. Yet according to the experts, CO2 emissions have increased exponentially since then.

There is also the acknowledged effect of tsunamis (massive volumes of water heated by the sun that is normally deep in the ocean), volcanic eruptions (SO2 emissions are far worse for the ozone layer than CO2 - they are oxidized to give oxygen and SO3) while ash clouds provide a denser blanket for UV than CO2 does. The Northern Hemisphere is actually cooling, which is arguably a natural response to warming in the Southern Hemisphere (that is what happens in ice-ages).

The difficulty is not evidence, it is working out what the evidence points to, carbonic acid causes much lower acidification than the dissolving of SO2/SO3 in oceans. Emissions from natural sources dwarf those of Industry, how do the greens propose to cap the emissions from the volcanoes in the Northern Hemisphere?

BTW I actually support a tax on carbon, I just dislike quasi-scientific arguments that ignore ACTUAL data in order to make the point. The rapid decline in carbon sources provides sufficient grounds to tax those who are utilizing it inefficiently. Surprising no-one very much, the major cost will be borne by those who escaped wearing the mining sur-tax.

Custard while I believe in man made climate change I too give credence to your case as put, as in part a contributor.
Some say we can look at statements that it is the hottest/coldest wettest /dry est day in years as proof it has happened before.
All ok, but not all together.
In another post I spoke about local rain fall figures.
It equals out, droughts followed by rainfall and floods.
But the last 6 years are the worst for rain exceeding norm in this area.
Now for question time, GIVE IT A MISS OUG HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR labrats COMMENTS.
Poirot you should look, I promise you and Lexi it has always been this bad.
That sickens me,but is true.
The pressure being put on the chair is going to bust, he looks to be about to give it up.
But watch the lies and worse on display, know it is a war.
Abbott is manipulating question time to gain headlines.
OUG enough mate I tried then gave up on you many times, once thinking you to be both broke and depressed tried to get money to you for your tobacco, a gift it would have been.
Posting here may well be good for you therapy, but your self confidence is miss placed.

Belly,

You're right - I can long remember question time being a free-for-all. Politicians are masters at not answering the question put to them and introducing their own agenda....and questions asked from the government's side have always been used as an extra opportunity for government promotional spin.

I believe the delicate balance of power is making the speaker's job far more difficult as his orders now can be defeated if one of the independents sides with the opposition - it's a matter of a loss of his sense of authority.

.....I still believe they are a very ordinary bunch - as Lexi intimated, there's not a statesman in sight.