Great article in today’s SMH by Tony Wright on The Lord Abbotts announcement that he was winding back the clock into the last century, what else is new, and restoring Australia’s Bunyip Aristocracy. Something I thought had gone out with spats and straw hats, not so. With the first recipients of the new gongs being the old GG and the new GG, the Queen will be honored. I’m sure Tony has a few Liberal mates in mind for a future gift of one of his prestigious little ball bells. I found it laughable when Sir David Flint the arch monarchist came out supporting the new deal and referred to Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash as previous recipients, nothing like keeping up with the times. All no doubt in the true tradition of Sir Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/tony-abbotts-bunyip-aristocracy-arise-lord-clive-and-lady-gina-20140325-35g7i.html

It's rather strange to hear Paul whine-on about a few awards because they might carry associations with old England and thereby,
somehow,besmirch Australian identity.

I mean,it's not as if Paul is ever likely to be faced with a dilemma of deciding whether to accept or reject the offer of any of
those awards.

And --this is where the strangeness comes in -- Paul is a diehard supported of the Greens --a party which, has:
--A founding father [Bob Brown] who wanted to submit us to a (one
person one vote) world govt.
-- A senator [Lee Rhiannon] who belonged to the Stalinist Socialist Party of Australia which wanted to make us subservient to Moscow.
--A NSW MLC [Mehreen Faruqi] (a good Muslim) who according to Keysar Trad [PBUH] (the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia) if she supported the Green platform would be "directly in conflict with the teachings of Islam"

Damn! I posted before I was ready.

I wanted to add:

And, another senator [Sarah Hanson Young] who'd throw our borders open to all and sundry who wanted to boat in.

And let's not forget Multiculturalism (which for the Greens means anything from overseas [at the least the non-English speaking parts of overseas] is better than anything Oz-born)

I mean, if you find no-probs with any of the above, why oh why would be worried about a few awards!

I have two words.

WHO CARES!

I believe that is Abbott showing his true colours. His allegiance is not with Australia. I take it to be another downgrading of women. Surely you don't have award to be a lady. That sort of aristocratic crap does not belong in Au.

Unless there is information to the contrary, 579...

"I take it to be another downgrading of women. Surely you don't have award to be a lady."

it could be argued to be a downgrading of men.

Traditionally the spouse of a Dame receives no honorary title, so Dame Quentin Bryce's husband remains a mere Mr. Michael Bryce whilst Sir Peter Cosgrove will be married to Lady Lynne.

In this era of anti-discrimination one solution would be to introduce equal titular treatment of honorariums and Dame Quentin would then be married to Gentleman Michael.

[I wonder if The Queen even imagines what her predecessor-namesake (numero uno) would think about the last and present Govenors-General both being Roman Catholic?]

Personally, I don't think the re-introduction goes far enough and in addition to the chivalric ranks there should also be a nobility one reserved solely for politicians... that of Count. Instead of a 'county' their title would encompass their electorate, eg. the Count of Griffith or the Count of Bennelong.

This provides for hours of fun since the differences in the size of these federal divisions would allow us the opportunity to argue who is the biggest Count.

I know Abbott is good, but I don't think he's good enough to get us back to the wellbeing of the last century.

I'm not even sure he can get us back past the dreadful mess having a green controlled Labor party has got us into. It would be nice to get back to not paying $10 billion a year interest on their stupid mistakes & borrowing, but I'm not sure even he can do that in less than a few terms.

Lets just hope the ratbags can't buy enough votes to get back in control. Just one more term of their kind of stupidity would finish the job of making us the poor white trash of the south Pacific.

Hasbeen I would not put anything past Abbott and co. I am sure he is capable of things you don't know about yet. Six months and 65 billion on our debt does not help, especially after all the b/s he fed us before the election. Now the debt is not a problem, it does not even get a mention.

rehctub,..<<>.....I have two words.

WHO CARES!>>

EVERYONE SHOULD CARE..you se these people//are willing to sell Their very souls..[AS WELL AS LOYALTY..TO Anything]..for MONEy OR Honors[AS THEY SEE THEM]..[through the eyes of their tears[peers].

THEY OFTEN FAIL TO SEE..the dark kkk-nighT
from the from the LITE NAMES OF DAME remain'S

YOU MUST RECALL THE JOY YOU RECALL
when the teacher awarded your work..the gold star..or first price..or OTHER/GLORY OR HONOrs..[these poor folk..never wun nuthing..[..get it?

POOR NO BODIES WHO JUST WANT TO BE SEEN as someone..for once

Another broken promise of a "No Surprises" government.
I guess with their track record (blame everything on
Labor - and no accountability or transparency needed)
to expect anything else would be the equivalence of
expecting the current Speaker of the House -
Bronwyn Bishop to be
objective or at least display some signs of objectivity.
Not going to happen.

Although as someone else has pointed out this does have a
silver lining.

"...We can now no longer pretend to be a defacto republic -
and that there's no need to change. The republic campaign
now has a clear target and also the need for change has
been highlighted."

The following link sums things up rather well:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/editorial-old-worlde-titles-have-no-place-in-our-modern-australia-mr-abbott/story-fnihsr9v-1226864749670

I don't know, 'Sir Sung Wu' does have a nice ring to it ? Or perhaps something more in character like eh... 'Lord Sung Wu' now that does have a nice rich timbre to it, as it rolls easily off one's tongue, don't you think ?

I hope you all have a very pleasant afternoon !

Your most obedient servant...Lord Sung Wu. 'Amicus Curiae' to the world ?

PS: It's little wonder my last Inspector thought I was 'certifiable' ?

THATS OK RIGht sir admirable of the BLACK POWDER ORDER OF THE CARTA/CHARTA..lord adviser confidant esq..OH SUN WU

sometimes ya just gotta play with it
im told aLICE IN Wonder l;and..and the land of oz..is a classic SIC *
IN THE ORDERS OF ABSURDITY

BUT GEORGE ORWELL..AND ..THE ANIMAL FARm..or the stranger in a straNGE LAND..THEY REVEALED THE ORDER IN DISORDER[FORGET 1984..ITS NEARLY OVER

tony is right..give the job the right 'title'/OR HONORS/THEY WE WILL WORK FOR FREE/HECK THEY DONT JUST GIVE OUT DOCTORATE..to just anyone
we cant print thESE ON NO PHOTOCOPY MACHINE..[we have to sell out huge/BIG TIME..TO GET These HONOURS

BUT SERIOUSLY/we had better govt when the constitution fixed their wages at one pound...[ie they work FOR FREE..AND GOVT AGENTS WORK..FOR FEE[user pays]

we should sell off estateS/WHere we can buy the lordship/

your lordship..SCRIBE OF THE GREAT GOOD
ONE*under..OATH..seeking no honours
GIVE THE GORY..TO HIM GLORY DUE

Hi there ONE UNDER GOD...

Talking of Honours and Awards; How does this sound ?

Sir Johan, 'Purveyor of Quality Topics and Threads' - for OLO and The Forum ? That's got a nice sound to it, don't you agree Johan ?

Take care my friend.

Fortunately Lord O sung, not many in Oz really care.

I had an art who was into all the bull dust. She reckoned she could trace our heritage back to a Lord Aldred, who she said was king Arthur's sea lord.

It was a source continual frustration to her that no one else in the family gave a damn, whether it was true or not.

Hi there HASBEEN...

I would have thought you of all people would've permitted me to indulge in a little fantasy in this funny ol' world of ours ?

Without being super critical, I was examining my gongs in preparation for ANZAC Day, and I (again) noticed both my CSM (Malay/Borneo clasps) and the Vietnam Medal, were manufactured out of proper Sterling Silver (.9250F). The others of course were of Bronze and Cupro-Nickel, which compared to the two former gongs, look cheap and quite dull ?

I dunno HASBEEN, am I being too critical or too precious, or what...do you think ? Our younger Veterans post Vietnam, all their awards are manufactured from the cheaper materials ? That is, those of the Silver colour, are rendered from Cupro-Nickel, and the others, are of Bronze, therefore they're are quite OK ?

Don't all our Veterans DESERVE their campaign awards to be made of proper quality, .9250F, Sterling Silver ? The Bronze designs are quite OK, as they were officially designed to be rendered in Bronze.

It's my firm belief that Campaign Medals should be rendered in the material that was of the official design. These men and women were prepared to place their lives in extreme peril, therefore they deserve their Campaign Medals to be rendered in the original precious metals that reflect that extreme danger !

HASBEEN, do you reckon I'm taking things too far ? Or what ? I recall CHRISGAFF1000 and one or two others are also Veterans, I'd like to hear of their views too ? I guess I'm off Topic, for that I apologise.

It is an Australian tradition that Tony is reviving and as one who has
15 Kings of England in the old family hedge along with 3 from Scotland, 3 from Ireland and 1 each from France, Italy, Ossory, Russia, Denmark and Sweden; a couple of Emperors numerous Princes, Dukes etc., and Knights by the dozens as well as a few Saints, I'm all for a bit of pagentry and titles.

I have one myself but have never used it but having all those rellos does make history a more interesting subject even though some of the ancestors were regicides, patricides, matricides and fratricides, although none seems to have murdered their sisters, they did go in for a lot of common murder as well.

Fortunately there were a lot of relatively nice people amongst them, particularly as the family got poorer, which possibly proves something.

Here's something I read on the web that
some might enjoy. It was suggested that
perhaps Mr Abbott is hoping for a title
later on down the track. One suggestion was:

Sir Pository of Wisdom.

O sung, I was back at Uni, finishing my engineering, [at my own expense too], when Vietnam was on. We were one of the few faculties which almost to a student, were disgusted by those marches other students put on.

We had a competition using our training to develop the best distance egg throwing unit, so we could egg the marchers as they left the campus. Most of the marchers were just fools playing a game, but you might be surprised at how many really hated everything about our men, our army, the country & probably themselves.

These radical lefties were really hate filled. Some took up donations to aid the enemy you were fighting.

More than a few of those became Labor politicians, & bureaucrats, & carried that hate to Canberra. If they had had their way, your medals would have been made of poison ivy. Even cheap metal was too good for you lot as far as they were concerned, they would have locked you up, not decorated you.

I definitely don't think it was worth the lives we lost, particularly in Malay. It is very hard to find any gratitude for stopping the communist take over there.

I once had that Queen & country thing, but when you see so many of the posters here, you have to decide they are not worth anyone risking their life to defend.

We are treating our people worse than ever, since Julia ripped a billion dollars a year out of defense. I am expecting my son to be ex navy in the very near future, he is finding it just too hard to find any satisfaction in it these days.

I can understand General Brassbottom wanting another medial pinned on his chest, its an army thing. You fly over a bunch of peasants squatting in the dirt, in some far off, god forsaken back water, in your ultra modern state of the art jet plane, bomb the crap out of em', and then they stick a medal on your chest for heroism in the face of the enemy, well at 600 km/hr from 30,000 feet away, close enough! Its an army thing.
Quincy Bryce, is another matter all together. I did take her for being a somewhat 21st century woman, a progressive, a beacon for change. Seems old Quincy has been seduced by a trinket. Maybe the lady plans to follow in a famous predecessors footsteps, and do a Dame Nelle Melba, Nelle was famous for making comebacks after she retired, several times. In that way old Quincy might become the first Queen of the Republic. Queen Quincy I, got a ring to it all the same.

Hasbeen,

On Vietnam, I could have been one of those other students you were tossing eggs at, I suppose I should be grateful, it could have been worse, you could have been tossing the standard Vietnam War kit, NAPALM BOMBS.
Those "radical hate filled lefties", unlike your side who were just gushing forth with the milk of human kindness, filled with love and devotion for their fellow man...was that before or after they BAYONETED THE CHILDREN. Bad subject Vietnam for the conservatives, mention of the war is taboo, they want to forget about that "little indiscretion" I think John Howard mentioned it once, and his support, but he got away with it.

Foxy "Sir Pository of Wisdom" I like it, its Abbott all over. Everyone's favorite "Grand Mom" could carry out the investiture in new and exciting way, instead of using a sward, as per the norm, she could deliver the knighthood with a red hot poker, LOL

I'm only dirty on the fact The Lord Abbott has not gone the whole hog, and reintroduced jousting for our new knights. I can just picture Sir Tony at one end, and Sir Bill at the other, surely the son-in-law of her excellency will be in line for a gong, that goes without saying. Charging head long at each other, their trusty swards in hand! Bang goes Sir Bill, Lady Bronwyn has come out of right field, yelling "off with his head" Lady Bronwyn would not be caught dead coming out of left field, she has brought Sir Bill undone, wasn't expecting that.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/laughter-canned-speaker-bronwyn-bishop-rules-new-tactic-of-infectious-laughter-out-of-order-20140327-35jv0.html

Please be standing for Lord and Lady muck. Fancy calling B Bishop a lady. What a political circus. Trust Lord Abbott to cause some news around the world, AU has just stepped back into the 18th century. We need a republic before this gets out of hand. Find that picture of the queen and resurrect it in the hall way now.

Well, I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time.

Bring it on, Tones.

What's yer next bright idea?

(we commoners note that this was a decision taken without consultation)

Just on the subject of Dame Bronnie of Bias, here's an article by Peter van Onselen (who writes for the Australian, the Telegraph and appears on Sky News - so hardly a dyed-in-the-wool leftie)

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/lady-justice-wears-a-blindfold-not-an-eyepatch/story-fni0cwl5-1226860901473

"Lady Justice wears a blindfold, not an eyepatch."

"BRONWYN Bishop’s performance as Speaker is now becoming a distraction for the new government. She should be forced to step aside if she won’t even pretend to start acting in a less partisan manner.

Nobody in this country seriously expects our Speaker to act with the impartiality of the British Speaker. In the UK, the opposition by convention doesn’t run a candidate against the Speaker, in order to ensure they can rise above the partisan contest...."

"But Bishop should at least provide the occasional glimpse of balance, surely?

I wrote a column in late November last year lamenting Bishop’s poor performance after just two weeks in the chair. My fear was that she wasn’t likely to improve.

In fact, she has got worse. Bishop throws Labor MPs out of the chamber with gay abandon. She regularly shuts down points of order before even hearing them.

She enters the partisan debate, throwing quips and smirks into the equation in a way that should be beneath the Speaker. And she rarely if ever rules against the government on anything."

Someone quipped Question Time now resembles the riotous classroom you walk past where the relief teacher is in charge, but not in control.

its funny..i have missed al but maybe half an hour ALL TOGETHER
OF THE CURRENT GOVT'S..PARTY-MEntry debaits[parle-=meant]

its funny..im listening to the mouth from the south
the rIGHT HONORABLE BIG mouth himself..the sire alex jones nexus

DOING WHAT THE angry hisop/BISHOP never could do
http://rss.infowars.com/20140327_Thu_Alex.mp3

OK SO OUR 'speaker'..rarely speaks..but 99 times to get RID OF ALP/SO FAR this year..at the next sitting THE NEXT ONE WIL BE HER TON

SHE THEN WILL BECOME the dame of the ton
the silenced/speakers numb tongue
[i thinK MY GUIDES ARE SUGGESTING A STROKE/BUT I WOULDNT WISH IT ON ANY Speaker..is she a proper speaker..or A SNEAK SPEAKER..peeking a sneak..[SIRese- DE-SIRE PEaK'Er sneaker..dame speaker..SITTING ON THE STOoL shaped chair...OR THE SPEAKERS SPEAKING BOX..SO MUCH SYmbology..and the list of homours..aint it great to get respect..why cant they give respect BACK TO WHO GAVE THEM NAME PLUS FAME..PLUS RICHES..

OUG,

It's true, she is on a ton...I predict she'll get her century on the next sitting day.

In the end, it's all about respect.

Right from the start Bishop displayed "extreme" partisanship.

I've watched her in her role a fair bit. She's referred to Labor members as slow learners. She allows the govt things that she jumps on with the Opposition. She actually warns Labor members "before" they make their points of order..and lately she dismisses points of order before they've been spoken. Yesterday she did that and when Tony Burke questioned her on how she knew what his point of order was, she said she "anticipated what it would be"...then she dismissed it.

She regularly messes up titles and procedure.

The only thing she doesn't do is throw dusters at the Opp...chucks 'em out with gay abandon instead.

So, now she has no respect and QT is a farce.

From my perspective, she hasn't earned respect, and what respect she started with in such a role...has dwindled away to nothing.

Yes it is a shambles. She was not suitable in the first place. Lord Tony gave her the role to get rid of another female. Will Abbott survive the six week break. He has gone over the heads of his own party by putting us back to the 1800's. I bet Turnbull knew nothing about his wisdom .

I am not the least surprised you would have been one of those hate filled lefties Paul, particularly as you still are full of it today.

You fill me today with the same disgust you filled all decent people with back then.

If we had known you would never grow up into a thinking human being, we might have thrown something heavier, duck eggs perhaps.

actually..now i thiNK ON IT
ITS A TALKING point..to stop us talking about 'THE REAL STUFF-UPS]
http://news.firedoglake.com/2014/03/26/president-obama-denounces-russia-defends-iraq-war-as-legal/#13958555905481&71895::resize_frame|61-634

or
LIKE MISSING PLANES

Does Our System Select for Incompetent Sociopaths?
http://investmentwatchblog.com/does-our-system-select-for-incompetent-sociopaths/

how to gain..honours
http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/regime-changers-libya-ukraine/

BY DISHOnour
http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/google-distances-pentagon-stays-bed-mercenaries-intelligence-contractors/

http://www.activistpost.com/2014/03/turkey-plans-false-flag-against-syria.html

safe/PLACE..TO HIT/RUN
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b4d_1395887110

http://therebel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=755537:murder-by-plane-crash&catid=138:kaminski&Itemid=2264
http://rt.com/usa/tsa-stealing-from-travelers-358/

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-27/ukraine-parliament-rejects-imfs-bailout-terms-us-passes-ukraine-aid-bill

http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/03/27/Ukraine-Crisis-Global-Energy/

http://news.firedoglake.com/2014/03/26/president-obama-denounces-russia-defends-iraq-war-as-legal/#13958555905481&71895::resize_frame|61-634
http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2014/03/27/medical-negligence-palestinian-prisoners-israel/
http://investmentwatchblog.com/realist-news-importance-of-one-of-the-suicided-bankers/
http://investmentwatchblog.com/dear-keynesians-your-sad-devotion-to-your-failed-religion-hasnt-conjured-up-a-recovery-heres-why/

Dear Poirot,

I watched the last sitting of Parliament and witnessed
the Speaker - Bronwyn Bishop's disgraceful behaviour.
As many people have pointed out in letters to both
her and the media,
Her obvious bias "is a shameful affront to the dignity
of the Australian Parliamentary process". One reader
wrote that "Sitting there in smirking compliance to
the LNP is conduct entirely inappropriate for a Speaker."
Bronwyn Bishop does seem to not understand that she's
no longer a toadying backbencher. When she assumed the
privileged seat of Speaker it became her duty to fairly
and impartially represent all Australians. Therefore
when she dismisses and silences the opposition she's also
dismissing and silencing the millions of Australians
they've been elected to represent. The current government
does have the numbers in the House to keep this woman in
her job - but they should seriously re-consider her
appointment. The damage that woman is causing both to
the reputation of the current government and their
reputation in the community - but also to the dignity of
the Australian Parliamentary process - which under that
Speaker has become a total sham.
She's got to go!

Spiteful, very negative chorus and not worth a comment, other than to note that it will be a very long six years and more for some.

The Labor party has been acting like a bunch of delinquent spoilt brats, and are whinging because they get treated as such.

The shouting, wild confected laughter and other general theatrics are disgraceful. It is clear that Labor still feels entitled to govern even when the electorate have tossed them out for incompetence, lying and borderline criminal conduct.

Impartiality is not an issue, from this speaker,it does not exist. Abbott has made a mess of things over the last fortnight, backing sinodes was a gross mistake and could very well bring Abbott undone
Along with his 1800's lords and ladies resurrection without consultation. Racial discrimination, another blunder. I don't blame him for looking like someone about to have a heart attack.

Interestingly, HASBEEN, as a regular myself, there was much discussion circulating around our barracks about those who demonstrated against the Vietnam War ?

It was generally thought, some of those demonstrating were in effect legitimate 'conscience objectors' and wanted nothing to do with the War. Accordingly, their position should be respected. Then there were a few others, though genuine C.O's, never actually demonstrated, but answered the ballot if called, and were duly placed in non-combatant roles. Some were deployed to Vietnam, other were not. nevertheless, they did their duty, and did it well.

However, there appeared to be a general consensus amongst most of us 'baggy arses' in barracks, those of whom were regular anti-war demonstrators, were in reality, cowards who cleverly concealed their lamentable cowardice, behind their political opposition to the Vietnam War ?

I 'm well aware of your Naval Aviation Training HASBEEN. Though not entirely accomplished, due to circumstances well beyond your control, your national patriotism and allegiance is to be loudly eulogized ! Unlike those cowardly souls, who still try to justify their craven timidity, all these years on ?

Otb,

"Spiteful..."

Have you actually watched the Speaker (and I use the term loosely) in action?

Why, it's a veritable lesson in how not to practice impartiality.

For, instance, she has no regard for govt member's answers being "relevant" to the question...and while one may expect some leverage from any Speaker, this one allows govt members to frolic over fields and into foreign countries in their efforts to avoid being relevant.
Not a squeak from Her Ladyship usually - and, as we've established, points of order on relevance?...well Pfft!

Chucking members out for laughing...you only have to google and you'll find a tsunami of pics of the govt now and when in Opp laughing their silly heads off in the House.

When she was undertaking her tossarama the other day, as one Opp member went flying out the door - Hockey, who had the call, spouted "That should improve the Oppositions IQ"....funny but not parliamentary.

Bronnie said nothing, like she always does if a govt member is unparliamentary.

SM,

"The Labor party has been acting like a bunch of delinquent spoilt brats, and are whinging because they get treated as such."

You sound just like Pyne, who yesterday stood up to reply to the motion of no confidence, replete in twin set and clutching his pearls, regaling us with what a bad boy he was and that he holds the record for being ejected...ie, "not a sook"

What a joke this mob is.

(Foxy, well said)

o sung wu,

There couldn't have been a more unsuitable leader to volunteer youth for war than Menzies. Especially given that the US made it plain they didn't need or want a small Oz contingent getting in their way. So Menzies had to argue for it, but he had nick of 'Pig Iron Bob', spent undue time in the UK and had the reputation of a Chicken Hawk.

Cutting direct to the chase, it would have been better to continue Australia's tradition of a volunteer army, and certainly all who are required to serve overseas are volunteers. The fly in the ointment was that although Menzies talked big on defence, he like all who followed him did not translate his avowed support of the ADF into money. The ADF was not in a position to foray overseas and that was his fault.

Just to take this a little further, we need to adopt the Swiss model. However we (well not we, but them, cynical governments who think short term populism) have so gelded Australia that it cannot even pose as a nation that will defend itself.

Through disarming our civilians, not caring about out borders and not jealously protecting citizenship, and through dozens of truly petty actions like disarming the school cadets, our governments have put up a big billboard depicting Australians as a people who will bend over which ever way to placate and we will even give grants of land and taxpayers' $$ at the same time.

My thanks is that my wife and children have dual citizenship and could have other options. Because the only protection we have is the umbrella of US protection. We should not fool ourselves though that Australia would be protected as a priority. As well, UN international 'diplomacy' could easily construe a higher value in using Oz as a safety valve for the millions who refuse education and birth control for their women.

Dear Poirot,

It's interesting how selective some people's memories
are. How quickly they forget the circus, farce,
and downright nastiness that was
the behaviour of the current government
when they were in opposition - and which they continue
to play their "wedge politics," with even to-day.
Australians deserve better. And certainly from the person
currently occupying the privileged position of Speaker of
the House. Repressing debate goes against our parliamentary
process - and toadying certainly has no place in parliament.

Talking about toadying - the following link is well worth
a read:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-revival-of-imperial-honours-abbotts-machiavellian-wedge,6314

Hypocrisy reins supreme. The former GG has now disgraced herself, at the hands of a british born citizen and emigrant to au.
I honestly believe this will not go unnoticed by his own crew. Let alone telling deliberate lies to the au people.

Foxy,

Yes, it's fascinating, isn't it.

One wonders why he felt he should be so autocratic about it...perhaps he imagined it some sort of masterstroke.

I'm surmising that Quentin Bryce probably found herself in a bit of a bind, and she had too much class to tell Abbott to shove it. She certainly wouldn't have expected it after Abbott has indicated in the recent past that he wouldn't be reinstating imperial honours.

Here:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/pm-tony-abbott-rules-out-reinstating-knights-and-dames-in-oz/story-fni0cx12-1226788026229

"In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Abbott said he did not support the idea, which would involve converting the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) to Knighthoods or reintroducing a new regal honour."

Interestingly, the bloke from Debrett's wasn't even aware Australia had ditched them in the first place...which kind of indicates how much credence the Oz system has in the world of peerage and honours.

Definitely a Bunyip Aristocracy...

Although the honours system in the UK today is mainly to reward big donors of whichever govt is pulling the strings - so that's a bit of a laugh as well!

(had a few laughs on twitter about this....suddenly everyone was bestowed a title and I was surround with Dames and Lords and Ladies, Emperors and Baronets, etc....verily, much rollicking, mirth and good humour ensued)

Dear Poirot,

Thanks for the link.

We could have some fun on this forum.
O Sung Wu started it - and the rest of us could
pursue it further - with the medieval titles
for some of our posters. There's a few that come
to mind that would be appropriate, funny, and
entertaining - all done in good spirit of course.

Good evening...

Grand Duchess 'Foxy', the Supreme Potentate of Good Manners !

and;

My Lady Viscountess 'Poirot', 'Esteemed Keeper of the Queen's Standards of Acceptable Behaviour'.

Your obedient servant...Sung Wu.

Every single Labor speaker has been biased, the labor party in government acted like a rabble and the speakers did nothing. The only people that are well behaved are on the other benches.

Mark Dufus stands up and starts shouting at the Speaker and Burke (well named) brings out a prepared speech to protest. What a joke. What labor wants is their toadies like Slipper.

Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

I totally agree with your remarks apropos Robert Menzies, and his various successors of both parties, all of whom promised to manifestly strengthen the Australian Defence Forces. They ordered some Aircraft, Ships and some infantry hardware, like a few tanks (not new, reconditioned) and some infantry weapon systems.

But by and large, pretty well all politicians, relied heavily on the ANZUS Treaty, to protect us in the event of being attacked by a foreign power. In other words, we simply couldn't adequately protect ourselves, without the military aid of the United States, doing all the heavy lifting !

ONTHEBEACH, you mention the Swiss model of prescribed, Nationalised Military Service as a way we could defend ourselves, without the need to rely on others ?

Sadly the Swiss system wouldn't work here in Australia. The Swiss are a very patriotic, unadulterated nation. Essentially comprising of four basic ethnic components. The French, the German, the Italian and the Belgian (Flemish) make up this quite tight group of Swiss nationals. All Swiss males have an expectation of completing their obligatory military service.

We in Australia are, for better or worse multi-cultural, with many differing religious groups, as well as scores of antagonistic racial coteries as sub-cultures ? In other words we're now a fragmented, splintered society, making it almost impossible to introduce anything near the Swiss model, as a means of strengthening our defence capability.

In reality, no government, no politician, in this country would ever try to introduce ANY form of military service ? As I said, we're now a true multi-cultural country, with whatever benefits that my bring ? Any obligatory military service, would not be one of those benefits, regrettably ?

Foxy & o sung wu.

Good stuff!

I particularly like "My Lady Viscountess 'Poirot', 'Esteemed Keeper of the Queen's Standards of Acceptable Behaviour'."

On twitter it's easy to change your handle so that people just adjusted their handle to imperial measure (so to speak)...was and is still quite a hoot.

SM,

It's not surprising that Tony Burke had a prepared speech. This particular rancid broth has been brewing for yonks. After Bronnie's apoplectic toss-out-about the day before - and yesterday being the last day of sitting for a while - and with her "naming" Dreyfus as she did - and with her not bothering to listen to points of order before dismissing them.....what should an Opposition do? (And even then the cranky Speaker sat there interjecting while the motion was being heard!)

Exactly what they've done.

Bloody good show!

Dear o sung wu,

Me a Grand Duchess?

No, not yet. A bit too stuffy for my taste.

But Thank You for thinking of me as being "Grand."
Even though I'm a very tactile sort of person -
and love hugs, amongst other things.

Dear Poirot,

It is a hoot. And we have to laugh.
But I think the joke's on the Australian public.

o sung wu,

Maybe you are right. You are not the only one who has mentioned those differences.

Times have changed, I can remember when there were plenty of earnest, fit young men trying to join the Reserve. Good way to pick up skills too.

The speaker of the house is corrupt with a bigger bias than a bowling ball. Fridays effort was a disgrace, another way of making headlines around the world for the wrong reasons.

Did Bishop act in naming shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfuss for calling out "Madam Speaker" because she misheard and thought he said, "Mad Dame Speaker"?

'Am I bovvered'? Not enought to check Hansard.

Wow what a week
Tony giving out knighthoods to his buddies
1 in 7 people in Australia now living below poverty line
and now joe wants to sell off the rest of public assets
I guess the revolution will be coming soon if this keeps up
Maybe we could have a new catch phrase ON THE BOATS load up all politicians and send them to manis island

Paul1405, don't worry, be happy....If Quentin Bryce gets in....you guys will have someone on the inside. Just last year she was banging on about the monarchists and an Aussie republic....she will be the lefts fifth column....whiteanting away from the inside as the Fabian agenda decrees.

Dear SOG,

I think that there's more to worry about
from the facists in the Liberal Party -
and their dictatorial tendencies - look
at the way the country is heading at the moment.
All the signs are there.

Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

I dearly hope that on this issue, I'm entirely wrong ! If I'm correct the future, ours and our children's future, looks very bleak indeed ?

You're correct when you say how many of our strong, young people flocked to join all components of the Defence Force Reserves. All three; Army, Navy and the RAAF.

Amazingly, when I took discharge from the Army, I went and joined the CMF, which was entirely compatible with the police force. In fact there were many coppers in the CMF, and they loved it !

How times (and Australia) have changed ?

o sung wu,

You are right about the number of police, teachers too. In fact there was and is a very solid representation from the occupations where there are gatherings of people who want to be of service to their community and to Australia.

If anyone ever doubted that, they should look more closely at the recruitment advertising that says outright that those who would choose to be part of the Reserve for instance would put their service to their community ahead of pay and benefits. Look through this for examples from the soldier statements,

http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/army/reserve/default.aspx#

Of course they should be paid what they are due. Soldiers, teachers and police have been taken advantage of with lower pay in the past because they were seen as people who were committed anyhow. Two examples might be a friend who retired as a senior sergeant, police, who mowed 5-6 neighbours yards for years to make the money to send his children to private school (police pay improved, but too late for him).

Another friend, an experienced clinical nurse manager of an ITU was paid about the same as a generalist BA anthropology, who received the mandatory accelerated rise (woman graduate) in the federal public service to be a 'manager' of experienced staff performing functions she knew zilch about, cared even less about and regarded the role as a stepping stone to something better.

I am sure society is paying dearly for the unintended negative consequences of the social experimentation and re-jigging that has gone on since Whitlam.

the dame/wiTH THE FLAME
[OL GORY WHATS HER*NAME]
ol fatefull..[you know the one of revelations known as the ha/ha alot

WHATS IN A NAME
[JUST HEARD A GREAT ONE FROM CELENTO
http://rss.infowars.com/20140328_Fri_Alex.mp3
SOMEWHERE ASFTER THE LAST HOUR AND A HALF..from the seers overseeing our beuro-crazy//[phycopaTH=TEQNICRAT
IMF IS INTERNATIONAL MARFIA FUND
three card monti and super marIO..[GUES IF YOU never listen..ya never know..the deacon..the man of god supplies arms..NOW WHICH TART OR WHICH HARLOT..IS THE DAME

JESUS WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN[MEANING UNMARRIED]
DAME..[WELL JOHN COULD HAVE BEEN BIRTHED TO A dame[78 years old..a high priestess/mated with the house of levi[yet THE SAME GENIOLOGY

ARE/DAME's..or wan PUrna bre blue bloods..SHe breeds
or like the stockhorse..you know the luggers and holy sluggers/ya send beforE THE PRESS When ya dont want the hard press?

you know the forelock tuggers..cigar holders..taking care of the shirt tuggers..some how this all relates back to wizard of oz..or maybe alice in wunderlustY/land..or maybe the beasts from the ANIMAL FARM..

its oh so surreal..YES MAAM..yes maam
three bags full..[pull the other wun]

free-dumb fighters ARE THEY JUST USE FULL IDIOTS?
Anyhow tony..what did we keep off..by the topic..GABBING OUR INTENTION

WONDER IF THERE ARE MUSLIM D-DAY/DAMES AND KKK NIGHTS?

Indeed ONTHEBEACH, our nurses, teachers and the emergency services, generally, are not that well remunerated unfortunately. There exists little doubt, that most of those employed in these types of industries, do have some degree of personal commitment, to the community at large ?

Though to be candid, most police have a somewhat laissez-faire, 'couldn't give a stuff' attitude to community needs. Rather they seek to construct a protective barrier around themselves, their squad and those personnel within that squad (squad dynamics). This is done in order to ensure they perform their duties, as quietly and orderly as possible ? As not to draw any adverse attention from those involved in internal scrutiny. Obviously any regulatory aggravation, is the last thing, longer serving coppers like to involve themselves in ? Sort of - 'don't rock the boat'.

If you were to say, the community expects far more from their police ? Of course, that's inarguable logic ? In defence of the average copper, the force is not run on the most democratic lines. Further, it's a generally held belief amongst police, that you're employed pursuant to an adversarial administration ? Where the bosses are against you; the crooks are against you; the courts and the public are against you; so in reality, you're very much on your own ?

o sung wu,

Through membership of international service organisations I count many police in my acquaintanceship. Once they were encouraged to join service organisations. It was for their own good to rub shoulders with others with similar high moral standards as themselves and to always know that there are many like them around.

I know many who do voluntary work and raise money for particular charities. They still put their best foot forward so to speak.

I'm very pleased to hear of the many positive comments you have, of serving police acquaintances, who try to uphold those high values so necessary in our country today. Many of my former colleagues are so jaded, disillusioned, and generally burnt out, it would be hard to get a positive word out of most of them, particularly about their many years of service in the job ?

I suppose when you cut through all the crap, the complaints, and baloney, whinging et al, they've had to endure over the years, perhaps then you might receive a better more balanced appreciation of the job. Until then, I'd very much doubt it I'm afraid ? When negativity is the order of the day, it's jolly hard to re-energise the troops without tending to raise their collective suspicions ? A road less travelled for most, unfortunately, very hard to understand for those on the outside, I would've thought ?

Thanks ONTHEBEACH.

o sung wu,

I was half-listening to one of supposedly on-site reports that is actually done in a studio, the ABC most likely but I didn't check, and the subject was OMGs, a then topical issue because the tattooed thugs had surrounded a police station on the Gold Coast and had previously been involved in their usual violence in a food place somewhere.

What pricked my ears was the shaken admission by a female journalist that she had been threatened by one of the thugs. Apparently she and her camera man had been invited to do an interview and she had been monstered a bit in the process. Not unusual you would say and if they had meant it she wouldn't have returned. She was so shaken up and in fear that she blurted out a bit, enough, to indicate what had gone down. She then clammed up and changed the subject, guess why.

To me her 'awakening' demonstrated what is wrong with many media commentators and experts on here as well.

You are right, police do cop it from all sides. It is very pleasing that some retired members come forth such as yourself, and a new thing, some young serving officers are getting involved on public forums where it is safe to do so.

Labor's misogynistic attack on Bishop is a confected attempt to try and divert attention away from their complete lack of ideas.

Labor after promising to get rid of the carbon tax has blocked its removal again along with the mining tax. I am sure that will go down well in WA.

The noalition would have you believe the mining tax raises nothing so what is the problem.
The carbon tax only exists in legislature. Where the problem is for Abbott is his big mouth. With pledges in blood.
AT odds with the world over sri Lanka now, shows a lot about their way of thinking.
This lot are for to heavily weighted on the right, Middle ground is where they should be.

SM, good to see your back, they managed to resuscitate you after the South Australian shock, gee that must have been 30,000 volts through the system. Yep! got to hand it to the Lord Abbott (note he is no longer simply the Mad Monk, been elevated to the peerage for services to the greed of Capitalism).
What about the latest bit of corporate welfare. If the States sell off public assets at the usual bargain basement prices, Abbott and co will subsidise the sale to the tune of 15%. This is an indirect subsidy to big business. When BB negotiates with their already receptive Tory mates in NSW and other states, they will be be discounting the asset even further with the 15% sweetener on the table. If Abbott and co are serious about providing infrastructure, then provide it.
If the government suddenly announced they were going to subsidise private house sales to the tune of 15%. House prices would fall as buyers and sellers factor in the 15% subsidy in a perfect market they would fall by 7.5%. In the government case with a very keen Barry wanting to sell off a billion dollar asset at an already reduced price of say 20% off at $800k, the Abbott sweetener will drop the price to say $680k, a huge taxpayer subsidy!

Paul,

I note your support of the gerrymandering that helped Labor hold onto SA. I wonder how Labor will govern without legitimacy having been thrashed in the primary and 2pp vote.

As for your huge ignorance of the tender process, there is no subsidy, and unlike Labor who sells assets at bargain prices to mates without tendering, there will be an open tender process The federal government has offered a 15% sweetener for the money. So if the money from the sale of assets is not put to building more assets there is no additional money.

If a state government sells $1bn worth of assets and gains $1.15bn worth of assets, then this should warm the cockles of your socialist heart. Instead you would rather let the country stagnate.

579,

The biggest problem with the mining tax is that Labor incompetence forecast a revenue of $4bn, used this to justify spending $5bn, and pretended surprise when it raised about $0.2bn.

The carbon tax is the same, and studies have shown that it has had almost no effect on emissions.

SM,

"Labor's misogynistic attack on Bishop...."

Lol!...is that really all you've got?

Ya know, no-one expects that a Speaker won't be somewhat biased towards his/her own party. That's kind of a given.

Bronnie could have a least tried to confect a teensy bit of impartiality...even a skerrick would have sufficed.

She couldn't even manage that.

As for Hockey, we'd have to go an awful long way to find a bigger swaggering fake than he is.

Foxy>> I think that there's more to worry about
from the facists in the Liberal Party -
and their dictatorial tendencies <<

Foxy I would like to see a slither of light between the Labor and Liberal crowd....but I can't. Whether we vote for one or the other we still get a party that caters to the global corporate agenda.

I had great hopes for the Rudd led reformation of 2007 given he went into it making all the sounds that we wanted to hear regarding social reform coupled with the many times repeated claim that he was a conservative financial manage. We got neither.

This is how I see Labor’s six years of pillage......

We have the largest debt in our Commonwealths history with nothing to show for it. Every programme was rorted and mismanaged, some examples:

After spending their $672 million the Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program built only 11 of a planned 750 houses.

We received imported roof Batts and ended up paying with the lost lives of 4 kids and rorts that ended up costing ten times the price went on with the government’s blind eye approval.

Union corruption ran riot but this time the unions stole from the rank and file and not the employers......and that is the legacy of the current mob of Fabians who currently control the Labor Party.

Speaking of unions.....where is Belly....Foxy I leave for a while and lose Lexi and Belly....has there been a purge?

Poirot>> As for Hockey, we'd have to go an awful long way to find a bigger swaggering fake than he is.<<

P, I can't let that go undefended.....there is a minister in the European Parliament in Brussels....

Dear SOG,

Lexi is still here.
But sadly, Belly appears to be gone.
Although I keep hoping that he'll have a change
of heart one day and come back. We so need him
on this forum. And I miss him greatly.
Unfortunately he's gone whereas
the ones that continue to pollute remain.
Ah well, as we're being told - that's the price we
have to pay for "free speech."
But that's another story.

Here you go, folks.

The latest from our magnificent PM on the duties of GG.

"As Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Lynne travel the length and breadth of our country, visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for Prime Ministers, you will affirm these two fundamental Australian characteristics: to give a fair go to others and to have a fair go yourself."

http://www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-03-28/remarks-reception-following-swearing-26th-governor-general-australia-parliament

That's ... "....visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for Prime Ministers..."

So in one sentence he insults Australians and the GG (he's getting better)

What a joke this guys is.

Labor's shocking behaviour in parliament has been leading up to this. The loud interjections, the raucous fake laughter, and the out of order shouting at the speaker that I have heard whenever I have watched a coalition member speak is what has resulted in the delinquents being ejected.

Even though Burke had his speech written months ago, it has taken that long before he could find something that was marginal enough to read it. As Poirot admits, labor's speakers were biased, but they never had to deal with such louts.

Yeah, sure, SM

Considering Burke "had his speech written months ago" why did it contain oodles of fresh examples of Bronnie's bias!

Do you believe a Speaker should dismiss points of order before they've been spoken?

Is that Parliamentary procedure?

Her days as Speaker are numbered, she can't straddle the line that requires the person in the role to show some impartiality.

Next....

Paul, Foxy,

Here's the irrepressible Cathy Wilcox getting it right on Tone's Knights and Dames:

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/cathy-wilcox-20090909-fhd6.html

Lol!

Dear Poirot,

Thanks for that. I needed a good laugh.
Actually I've been giggling all morning.

I watched the "Insiders" this morning and
apparently cartoonists have had a
field day with our PM. His latest "no surprises,"
act has been a gift that will keep on giving for
quite some time yet. The same goes for the Speaker's
stone-faced performance on the last day before the Parliamentary
break. And of course there was also the Attorney General's
remark on bigotry that caued quite a stir (and more
cartoons). These events will go down in history.

No surprises, that was another loose tongue event. England knows all about it, as i was informed last knight.
Surely they can't let it go unnoticed, and just let the comedy continue.
On the backfoot over Sri Lanka, enough to keep us in the news for quite some time.

Dear Poirot,

I forgot to mention that I learned from this
morning's "Insiders," that George Brandis our
current defender of "free speech," in 2006
Brandis called for a book to be banned.

Apparently in 1997 UK Author Andrew Langley had
written a book - "100 Greatest Tyrants," which
not only included Stalin, Hitler and the usual
suspects but also Robert Menzies.

Somehow a copy found its way to the library at
Good Shepherd Catholic College, Mount Isa.
The School's Principal insisted that the book
remain to serve a useful debate on civil liberties.

Interesting hey?

Foxy,

Did you also note on "Insiders" that it was stated that Brandis was speaking the truth when he spoke about bigotry?

Very interesting...but hypocrisy, well...

Actually, regarding cartoonists, You might be interested to know that I have a lovely one of Joe Hockey framed near this computer. It's an original given to me by a newspaper cartoonist.

So Poirot has good old Eleventy Joe dressed as Santa holding an empty Labor sack with a moth flying out of it.

I love it, so it's up on the wall.

Dear Poirot,

I envy you.
It would be great to have by a computer.

I remember an old one we were given by a friend years
ago in LA - apparently done during
Richard Nixon's run for the Presidency opposite
JFK - a few decades earlier. We were told it
was Bobby Kennedy's idea at the time, and it was from
Nixon's campaign slogan, "Nixon's
The One!"

Well, Bobby took it one step further.
He got a pregnant black woman to pose for this poster
wearing a huge badge that read - "Nixon's The One!"
My son gave the poster away to an American friend.

Poirot,

Was that a link to the Comedy Channel?
"The GG will be visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for the Prime Minister"

You didn't post the reply from Gov General Brassbottom

The Deputy GG will be visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for the GG"

and the Deputy GG Lord Norm said in reply;

The Ass GG will be visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for the Deputy GG"

and the Ass GG Sir Stan said in reply;

"The Cardboard Cutout of the Ass GG will be visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for the Ass GG"

This went on for several hours until finally the cross eyed kid with buck teeth said;

"Gee... do I get to visit MELBOURNE!"

p/s Lord Abbott, has more important PM stuff to do...like, declare war on China, and help Phil and Liz clean out the back tool shed at Buck House on Tuesday. LOL

Paul,

Note Abbott's other faux pas when referring to "Lady Lynne"...of course the correct etiquette is to refer to her as Lady Cosgrove.

Tones wouldn't know that because he's been so busy buying top hats and swinging from chandeliers that he hasn't had time to swat up on Bunyip-Colonial etiquette.

(We should be thankful he didn't refer to her as toots)

Poirot,

I find it necessary to admonish you a wee bit here, as unlike my good self you are treating the 'Australian Bunyip Aristocracy' with a degree of cynicism and a general lack of respect.
We in Oz are fortunate to have Lord Tone, with the political statesmanship of a Churchill, the sporting prowess of a Bradman and the economic wisdom of John Maynard Keynes we have in Lord Tone one unique individual. Forget Sir Pete and Lady Lynne, through many hours of exhaustive research on my part, I have been able to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Lord Tone is in fact very closely related to the Royal Family. I know that will come as a complete surprise to many, but it is now well established that through a rather casual encounter between Tone's Grand Uncle Remus and Lady Beryl behind the chook shed one Saturday afternoon in 1896, we are now fortunate to have our very own line of royalty here in Oz. Yes, Lord Tone is indeed Prince Lenard's and Lady Shirl's of the Principality of Hutt River Province, 32nd cousin, twice removed.
So all you republicans, suck on that!

It is interesting that Abbott will bring in Knights and Dames as the highest award, while Labor will continue awarding the second rate lucky packet COOA award.

SM,

What have Knights and Dames got to do with 21st century Australia?

This was an autonomous brain storm from dippy Mr Abbott - and has received due mockery from most quarters.

Here's Amanda Vanstone spinning it in the best light she can, but still critical.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/why-tony-abbotts-royal-finger-on-knights-and-dames-is-wrong-20140329-zqog7.html

.......

Regarding Bronnie and the probability that her days as Speaker are numbered.

Here's what Dennis Atkins of the Courier Mail said on Insiders:

"I've seen some ordinary Speakers and I've seen some middling Speakers and a couple of very good ones. But in terms of bias, I've never seen anything like Bronwyn Bishop....she heckles from the Speaker's chair. Her dismissive attitude to anything that the Opposition says is breathtaking. I don't think that any objective observer can say anything but [that] she is there for the government, not the Parliament."

I also note van Onselen made this observation on twitter while watching a vote:

"I can see six Coalition MP's voting with the Speaker who told me she is hopeless...oh well, there you go."

I wonder how many Coalition MP's all up hold that view?

I'm also a little concerned that presiding over continuing furor "of her own making" may be detrimental to her health (seriously)

HE restored an oath of allegiance to the Queen when he was sworn in as Prime Minister, but Tony Abbott has ruled out bringing back Knights and Dames in Australia.
We sort of get mixed messages from this bloke.

Poirot,

Why then does France have knighthoods if they have no monarchy?

Why do we still award the victoria cross and the George cross?

Why did Labor make the award of the Companion of the order of Australia, which is also a dressed up award harking back to feudal days?

The reason is that the term is recognised world wide and recognised stature. The COOA is completely unknown outside of Australia, and I would bet that 90% of Aussies stopped in the street would not be able to differentiate between it and a pet dog.

If you ask the same Aussie what a knighthood is nearly everyone in the world knows.

Finally on the speaker, Whatever Bishop does, she can never be as rotten as Labor's Peter Slipper.

I never have been one for awards and am a bit surprized that Abbott has moved to reintroduce the Knighthoods. I would have thought he had too much on his plate to be side tracked by this award giving.

As far as I can see some of the current 'Australian Honours' go to undeserving persons and many to others that are simply doing a job and getting paid for that, without any extra commitment.

In my opinion this has lowered the value of the awards.

Honours should only be awarded to those that went 'above and beyond' in a selfless way.

I do hope that any new honours will go to those that truly deserve to be recognized, but that is likely to be wishful thinking.

SM,

"...The COOA is completely unknown outside of Australia...."

The same goes for Tony Abbott and his kooky ideas....except where he makes such a fool of himself, the international press can't help but take note.

P,

Your vacuous post indicates that you have no argument. Knighthoods exist in countries with no monarchies, the awards TA is looking to bestow are Australian not British, and knighthood holds far more prestige than COOA.

SM,

France's tradition goes right back in unbroken tradition...erm...they actually had knights, etc.

Abbott's is a stunt which in modern Australia is just an exercise in faux elitism.

Jester Abbott could come out dressed in blue pantaloons with a bucket on his head, and you'd find some way to talk it up.

Joke!

Here's an interesting commentary:

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/knights-and-dames-are-sorted-but-will-tony-abbott-see-the-centenary-of-world-war-i-through-british-eyes-20140331-zqowj.html#ixzz2xaLnXXal

"In the symbolic landscape of Australian civic culture, Tony Abbott’s restoration last week of Australian knights and dames perhaps stands as one of the most pompous, pretentious, nostalgic and self-indulgent prime ministerial decisions in a generation."

(The cartoon speaks volumes also)

Dear Poirot,

Does this remind you of anything:

1) The Queen of Hearts - "Off With their Heads!"
(Bronwyn Bishop?)

2) Tweedledum and Tweedledee -
(Joe Hockey and Christopher Pyne?)

3) The frontbench all trying to keep their jobs -
"We're painting the Roses Red, We're painting the Roses
Red!"

And so on ...

No wonder Mr Abbott has a distinct taste for Knights
and Dames - (and High Teas - but you must be invited)!

Wonderland is an interesting place to be - for some!

Poirot,

Labor invented the award of "Companion to the order of Australia" ignorant that Orders and companions to orders hark back to feudal England.

In replacing Knighthoods, Labor removed a well recognised award linked back to ancient English nobility and replaced it with a nonsensical unknown award linked back to ancient English nobility.

All these awards, recognition relate to our English heritage, if Labor wants to do anything beyond pointless gesture politics, perhaps they could refer to our aboriginal history.

As far as court Jester, I gave that award to Shorten long ago, along with the recognised titles to Labor politicians of liar to Gillard, common thief to Thomson and Williamson, and village idiot to Conroy.

SM,

Yes, we're all really impressed with Mr Abbott's
truthfullness, "No Surprises," accountability,
transparency, government. He's the pinnacle of
what the Liberal Party currently stands for - and
impresses all of the voters (check the polls,
and the recent marches in March). Look at the wonderful
honesty as displayed by Mr Sinodinos (no corruption
there) et al, the objectivity of the Speaker of the
House ("Off With Their Heads!), Tweedledum and Tweedledee -
Joe Hockey and Christopher Pyne, and the entire frontbench
made up of cards all desperately trying to keep their jobs
"We're painting the Roses Red, We're painting the Roses
Red."

Wonderland's a great place to live - for some.
Too bad the real world's a bit different.

SM,

You appear to miss the point in ""Companion to the order of Australia"...

The key word being "Australia".

Abbott came up with this all by himself - no consultation - for a stunt.

He's made a top-class fool of himself in the process...(which, is not surprising)..and as far as I'm concerned he can continue to have brain farts which expose his inanity until the cows come home.

Merely shows him up for the vacuous opportunistic, slogan-speaking character that he is.

Poirot,

Is Australia really the key word.

Then you should have no trouble with the awards which are "Knight and Dame of the Order of Australia". These awards are decided by Australians and bestowed by Australians.

Or will you simply decide that something else is key now that your argument has been blown away?

SM,

Round we go...what have knights and dames got to do with 21st century Australia?

Especially in the case of autonomous reprise on behalf of a try-hard PM - who has little to offer except a cloak of double-talk, slogans and deception.

It was a dud decision...stay tuned for many many more!

P,

What does "Companion to the order of Australia", have to do with 21st century Australia? the answer is: no more nor less than Knights or dames.

Perhaps you would simply prefer that an outstanding citizen is awarded the title of "mate" with handshake, a slap on the back and a barbie at state house?

Actually that sounds pretty good to me SM.

"Mate of the order of Australia"
"Old Mate of the Order of Australia"

'Mate' would replace 'Sir' in conversational language, "G'day Mate" would literally translate to "Good day Sir".

Yeah, it just might work.

Abbott and his elitist attitude is taking Australia back to the 1950's. Just when we thought our nation had well and truly cast off the shackles of the "cultural cringe" of the 1950's, a term that has come to represent our lack of national identity and our unwillingness to present ourselves as an independent and diverse society. Even Murdoch was at pains to point out, how on the election of Abbott, Australia had left behind its stuffy elitism, Mr Murdoch, how wrong you were, Abbott with his knights and dames has in one simple move shown what an elitist he really is.

A great article by David Donovan in the Independent Australia on Abbott in 2010, and on reflection it has all come to pass.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/article-display/tony-abbott-a-relic-from-the-1950s,3168

Way over the top. And to go it alone is something else. This six weeks just may sort a few things out amongst the noalition, and this includes Bishop.
A certain display of allegiance and bigotry.

anyhow..how do we rate/this with an Aussie honor
the future pope of the common wealth..is coming..to aussie
in a few weeks..

please see how relivant/the times//
ITS FUNNY..HOW..folks know we live..in amazing times
like just a day ago..the queen of the common wealth/met with the pope
[7 th pope apparently..but the point is the father gave the ptince georges grandma..a lapis laxuri..orb..
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRFDqqM_WMKfjx03n4Mecu03xAPewGwJ1n_dQHoa6n34KFPwQcmMuo4dFY

[and i been fact checking up on it]
what does the words say?
what is a sharp cross
it looks like malteaze/cross
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=+stone+orb+topped+with+a+sharp+cross

its has high..'sign'..signification..hrh may not know..
but doth phylum even know the meaning of the 3 coins.[orbs]?

anyhow/quote/link

<<>.For example, if we gaze on the Lapis Lazuli-orb of Gabriel, the Divine Messenger, a sacred oracle opens through the lineage of the wisdom traditions, and as though from God’s voice itself. This oracle moves us through the sands of time, to a far distant memory of the Atla Priests of Atlantis, through to the Ancient Egyptian Gods, then on to the Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses. After a period of darkness, the line once more reappears through the light of Carl Jung’s extraordinary work, through the aspects of the 12 Archetypes he brought to our attention.

You will also see against the orb, a sacred sigil that contains, in geometric form, the essence of the Angel’s heart. Sigils are ancient mystical symbols that hold the force of an entity. In the second oracle the ANGEL HEART SIGULS, the Angels of Atlantis have given us powerful teaching about the heart as the seat of the soul.>>..

http://www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk/blog/the-angels-of-atlantis-stewart-pearce/

http://www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/AHS-Gabriel-708x1024.jpg

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/queen-gives-honey-to-pope-who-has-gift-for-prince-george-504197