Foxy,

Jeff McMullen's, "The Road To a Treaty." - Epic fail. The concept of a treaty is considered only by those on the fringe of the left whinge.

And Marni Cordell's article on Reza Barati's death. Epic fail on two counts. 1 not published in NM, 2 An article by a refugee advocate. As far as I recall that rules out any conservative and most Labor members. Again a far left whinge article.

All of the other authors you mention don't even vaguely approach rational conservative values.

Yet again confirming that NM is a fringe whinge blog.

Secondly, the problem with the NM fringe whinge blog is not just that they are a solely left whinge blog, but that their "facts" and opinions are often incorrect and or seriously flawed.

Dear Shadow Minister,

Surely you jest.

You can't possibly be serious.

I always regarded you akin to Menzies
in intellect - but I'm beginning to suspect
from you last post that you're more of a
hamster version of Menzies.

Hi Foxy, Good to see you are back to your best, go get em' gal! As you can see from my posts I have mellowed somewhat over the past year and one of my New Years resolutions is not to get A holed into the 'sin bin' on OLO too early in 2017, that can happen later in the year, say in February.

"Surely you jest." Shadow never jests, like all those dour old conservatives its all doom and gloom, Queen Victoria reincarnated. To be a dyed in the wool conservative you cannot afford a humerus bone in your body. As that punk rocker conservative Andrew Peacock would often say "It is a very serious matter!" (I think he was referring to his hair style)

Shadow, now you are making an unintentional funny; "rational conservative values" of course they don't, there is no such thing. Unless you believe the rantings of Piers Arkerman and Co you read in your home delivered 'Daily Telecrap' are rational conservative values.

P/s Foxy. I hate to mention it, but you seem to be a bit more at ease now days, since your forum antagonists OTB seemed to die a forum death on 29th September 2016. I miss the old Beach, hated the Greens, but loved Aunty Lee.

Dear Paul,

You're very perceptive. I did find OLO very
challenging (and sometimes bruising) in the
past but life has a way of putting
things into perspective for us. Left/Right?
Conservative/Progressive? Most people are
a little bit of each and they change their
minds on various issues. I take comfort in
that. The others don't really matter to me
and are best avoided. Plus a sense of humour
helps. See you on another discussion - I've
wasted enough time on this one.

Foxy,

Most people consider their views to be mainstream and centrist, many are surprised when they find out that the majority does not actually share their views.

The two examples you gave were 1) of someone advocating for a treaty with indigenous Australians, and 2) of a refugee advocate.

Given that recent polling showed that roughly 80% of Australians support strong border controls, and that refugee advocacy is found only in the Greens and ALP far left, and the two centrist parties i.e. the coalition and Labor do not, to offer this up as a conservative issue is laughable.

Similarly, the whole issue of a treaty is another prime example of gesture politics, as "treaty" would need to be negotiated separately with 3000 odd separate tribes / peoples many of whom have now disappeared, and those that exist often have no recognised leaders. Unsurprisingly no one in the coalition considers it seriously and it remains a far left wet dream.

The closest I have found to rational values in the NM is Geoff Russell even though his political values are left of centre:

https://newmatilda.com/2016/08/01/wind-and-a-prayer-the-problem-with-sas-power/
https://newmatilda.com/2016/11/10/the-nuclear-waste-dump-south-australia-does-a-brexit/
https://newmatilda.com/2016/10/30/the-nuclear-debate-fast-reactors-only-have-to-succeed-once/
https://newmatilda.com/2016/10/09/black-friday-brain-fades-black-outs-and-josh-frydenbergs-awkward-day-in-canberra/
https://newmatilda.com/2016/10/23/nuclear-waste-scott-hicks-to-remake-the-shining-with-radiation-starring-as-jack-nicholson/

Paul,

Firstly I have given up on humour with you, firstly because most it goes right over your head, and you seem not to have graduated from junior school, as your version of humour is to state something outrageous and giggle at the reaction.

Secondly, it would appear that you are a far more avid reader of the Daily telegraph than I am. I read the SMH and the Australian every day, and the telegraph typically if someone leaves a copy in the lunchroom. I do notice that it is the paper of choice amongst the tradesmen.

Hi Shadow,

"Firstly I have given up on humour with you" When did you start?

"you are a far more avid reader of the Daily telegraph than I am" No.

"and the telegraph typically if someone leaves a copy in the lunchroom. I do notice that it is the paper of choice amongst the tradesmen." Eating with the riff-raff, heaven forbid, could be worse they could be CFMEU members, no telling what you could catch. Do you not have a key to the 'Executive Lunchroom'?