With around 3.5% of the popular vote in Australia's smallest state, Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie now finds herself the go to person when it comes to the Senate passing controversial government legislation, stuff Labor and the Greens don't support. With the Hanson two, and Bernardi, the governments got 38 votes, they need 39 to get things through. That's where Jacqui comes in, and to a lesser extent the two Centre Alliance Senators from SA. When the government comes a'knocken, bearing gifts, I'm sure the now experienced Jacqui will have her Tasmanian shopping list to show em', and wanting to put her hand in their billion dollar lolly jar, as she did with the tax cuts legislation. Is this good for Australia? Could we see a new 16 lane super highway from Launceston to Devonport, complements of the Federal Government? Could we see the Federal Government financing a new international airport for the town of Strahan? You never Know.

Dear Paul,

Jacquie Lambie has resurrected her political career.
She now has a six year Senate term and as you point
out her vote will be crucial.

She's had a colourful political career and now she's
back with a vengeance. And, as she said, she's got -
"unfinished business" in Canberra.

Things are not going to be dull.

Well it could have been a lot worse.

The ratbag greens could have held the balance of power. Nothing could be worse for the average Ozzie.

Dear Paul,

I have always been a bit of a fan of Jacqui Lambie, certainly not for many of her views but rather for her preparedness to go in to bat for the underdog. I feel the Senate could do with more of people like her and Ricky Muir who I thought really made an effort to learn and change strongly held views on the basis of those learnings.

This was not a grab for a 6 lane highway but rather money to address homelessness in Tasmania. 50% of thier current spending on social housing goes in paying interest to the Federal government. Jacqui wanted the loans forgiven.

The more noses she tweaks while she is in there the happier I will be.

Paul, my views are complex
Labor in my view, needed to pass the taxes, all of them
But, as they did, show strong opposition to stage three
Lambie? well she may have won a very very big prize for her state
So while not liking that house she at least is a state's representative
One Motion [intentional miss spell], may not be able to use its two votes it got for two empty heads
That would be great

I to, not a political supporter of Jacqui Lambie, but give her credit for her fighting sprite.

Steele, her aim of addressing homelessness in Tasmania was highly commendable, a bigger, and ever growing problem in many parts of Australia that urgently needs attention, but like so many things, don't hold your breath with this government. The highway and airport, well.... were added to spice up the debate.

Yes Hassy, it could have even been a lot, lot, worse, they could have elected YOU! Oh! what pain, the thought it, a Senator Hasbeen calling the shots.

Well Belly, Jacqui has tasted success, what price is the government prepared to pay for Jacqui's vote, its seems a lot. Soon the "Okay to be a religious bigot" legislation will be put up for a vote, what price to get that one through?

True Foxy, Jacqui's now got some power, interesting. The Government played their hand yesterday.

A government got elected. Its main policy promise in that election was tax cuts. Those tax cuts have now been passed by the new parliament.

Somehow implementing the will of the majority is a bad thing.

Dear mhaze,

And the Senate got elected and is doing its job as a house of review.

Will watch with interest the union bashing bill, to see who supports it more importantly who stand with the workers
Not saying we do not need some reforms
Just know the LNP is not the party to do it with any degree of fairness
If penalty rates continue to go something must be given as a trade off

"And the Senate got elected and is doing its job as a house of review."

Yes, they reviewed the legislation and passed it. Sometimes, even in our present straits, democracy works.

Jacqui Lambie: One of the world's great minds! Let's see what she'll do when ScuMo does the dirty on her when it comes to getting the deal she wants for voting for the tax package. Sucker!

Jacqui Lambie Rocks!

See this short Youtube revealing Jacqui's deep understanding of Islam http://youtu.be/9EN31Mmo2oo?t=1m35s

Poida

Did Jacqui shout "I LOVE ISLAM"

You be the Judge http://youtu.be/ZignPUwvvPU?t=1m47s

Dear plantagenet,

Thanks for those videos.

Jacqui Lambie definitely doesn't like women wearing the barker.

Jacqui should be given the chair of Islamic studies at Oxford because she has demonstrated that she really knows her stuff. She probably knows even more than that other great intellectual giant Barnaby Joyce.

Two good videos.

I'll give my vote to Jacqui over Shaun any day.

While Jacqui Lambie and her kind are trying to keep the front door closed to Muslims, the Chinese are pouring through the back door. But then Chinese don't wear barkers, do they they Jacqui?

Too late now anyway! Sydney is basically a Chinese city and Australia definitely looks like it has a Chinese future. They breed like rabbits so it won't be long before they outnumber everyone else. All we need is a few more cashed up Chinese beggars on the city streets to complete the picture.

And the appearance of cashed up fly-in-fly-out Chinese beggars now tells you the extent to which the Chinese see Australia as an extension of China. Suckers!

Many twists in the tail of this senate yet to come
While Jakie held the reigns this time one nation will hold them at times
Frankly my view the next election would be a double dissolution may not get a run
This senate, it minor players,may pass just about anything

Thanks Mr Opinion

But we underestimate Jacqui

Way more intelligent than Pammy

http://youtu.be/AbpsUYLUuRs?t=45s

Isn't it amazing when comments by normal people bring out the gits en-masse !

Dear plantagenet,

I don't care if Lambie is intelligent or not. Most of the intelligent people in the world were never able to use their intelligence to achieve anything with it. The real test is whether she knows anything that can be put to use in explaining the world we live in and using that knowledge to solve problems. And in that respect she is a complete failure. Like most people she just good in talking crap and putting forward her views even if her views are nonsensical, meaningless and irrational.

Mr Opinion,

Don't knock talking crap or nonsensical, meaningless
and irrational shat. Take a look at who recently got to be
President of the US doing just that.

There's a good lesson there for all politicians.
People are sick of clever words and complicated policies,
abstract figures, and reasoned argument. Ordinary people feel
inarticulate and stupid. They want someone who speaks
their language.

There's a good lesson for communication professionals
with university degrees there. The logic that worked
in college often doesn't in the real world. They want
language they can understand. And Jacqui just like
Trump - knows the language well.

She won't ignore the real facts of her constituents
lives.

Dear Foxy,

Unfortunately it seems to always be people with little knowledge of the world that make it in politics and it's always the demagogues and charismatic types that appeal to the hoi polloi. Unfortunately Australia seems to have an oversupply of ignorant politicians and we don't have an educated population to see them for what they are not!

Every time Lambie puts out her hand for Tasmania it's at the expense of Australians in other states. The idea of governing for the common good is not one she cares about, though that's how she'd like to come across.

She should oppose legislation she opposes, or support what she supports, on principle and for all Australians. That's what I expect of our politicians, not some mercenary cash grab to the detriment of those in other states who may even share her politics.

Having said that, human nature is rarely altruistic, and this has to be accommodated to get anything done.

Mr Opinion,

I agree with you about the general public.
You can get intelligent, articulate more
prepared politicians, experienced and knowing every
data on how government works - yet still fail
in getting elected. Perhaps because they tend to
focus more on winning than on listening to what
the public really wants to hear. The public is
tired of too much information being given to them.
They think of it as double-speak.

The politicians can hold up graphs showing that
unemployment is lower than its ever been but
that means squat to someone who doesn't have a
job.

And people feel that many politicians don't seem
to care whether or not people had a job.
The politicians seem to care more about winning the
argument. And they may have won the argument with
graphs and stats and expert reasoning. But they
lost the election.

I'm talking here about Bill Shorten and Labor - in this
last election. Especially in Queens;and - where jobs were
a big concern.

Mr. Opinion doesn't care whether or not Lambie is intelligent. I think her past life in politics showed that she is definitely not intelligent. But then, as Mr. O goes on to say in a later post, we don't really have any intelligent politicians. But, what of the voters who put Lambie back into the Senate? They can hardly be intelligent either.

Dear Foxy,

The only thing our politicians are ever really concerned about is getting re-elected.

Bill Shorten and Labor lost the 2019 election because ScuMo and the Coalition parties bought votes with a $1000 tax refund to working class voters and preferenced Clive Palmer to retrieve lost votes in Queensland. Question is Did they also bankroll Clive Palmer for that purpose?

I think ScuMo is one of the most cunning politicians Australia has ever had and believe he is keeping the budget surplus in his pocket for the singular purpose of using it to buy votes when the time comes. And the way he will get the economy back on track is by bringing in cashed up Chinese immigrants en masse, which is why I think he is in the pocket of the Chinese Communist Party.

Hi Mr Opinion

Right on the money.

You speakum truth of Jacqui when you utter:

"Like most people she just good in talking crap and putting forward her views even if her views

are nonsensical, meaningless and irrational."

And Jacqui makes great copy for Oz's most profoundly reverential, communist, ABC (oops!) show

"Mad As Hell" http://youtu.be/kdzK7Tm-pzU

You guys are beginning to scare me.

Foxy,

Don't let them scare you, they are nowhere near as smart as Lambie is.

Is Mise,

Or you?

plantagenet,

You failed to mention (Israeli Post over).
The gathered information from Liberty was passed on to Egypt.
Naturally, the Israelis were very unhappy of their sacking without notice, as the ME lieutenant of the US, and the treacherous act of sabotage by the US, to Israeli defence efforts against the Egyptians.
Thus the very justified Israeli attack on the Liberty.

Dan.

Hi diver dan

I suspect the post you've just made above (Sunday, 7 July 2019 9:13:59 PM) is intended for David Singer's Israel thread at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=20391

Regards

Pete

Jacqui Lambie is a prime example why the senate should be scrapped.

SHADOW MINISTER! well said and true, let governments govern we will remove them if they do not do it well

Dear Shadow Minister,

Lambie is actually a prime example of why the Senate is NOT scraped. It's there because the states do not want to give too much political control to those who represent the majority of citizens who put national interests above state interests. I think if ScuMo has his way he'll get rid of the parliament and make himself dictator, even if it means being a puppet of the Chinese Communist Party.

Dear Shadow Minister,

What an elitist statement.

So you really think the Senate should be the preserve of lawyers who have done a bit of time in a rightwing think tanks and Grammar schooled union officials?

Leave them in the House of Reps and allow the Senate to properly scrutinise what they try and serve up to us. Time and time again the Senate has helped humanised legislation. I support them in their efforts even given the odd aberration.

"think if ScuMo has his way he'll get rid of the parliament and make himself dictator, even if it means being a puppet of the Chinese Communist Party."

While that might seem a little extreme, it has to be said that Morrison's lack of interest in just about everything to do with leading a country is a big worry. He is a hollow man, lacking in personality and character. Even Malcolm Turnbull was starting to indicate that he was watching China with concern. This bloke - nothing. Dud Prime Minister. Bullied cabinet. The relief of avoiding a Labor government is wearing off very quickly. Since Tony Abbott, there has been only a slight difference between Liberal and Labor. Under Morrison, the gap has narrowed markedly in a very short time.

SR,

I don't think the senate should be the preserve of anyone. I believe the senate has outlived the purpose for which it was created.

When a populist half wit more suited to appear on Jerry Springer than Parliament, for whom less than 1/1000th of 1% of the population voted, holds the balance of power, then there is a problem.

Talking about Morrison and China: the NSW or premier wasn't aware of the visit of a Chinese warship to Sydney before it happened, so secretive was it. Morrison was so offhanded about the affair that it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't know about it either.

Experts with more knowledge than our PM, have deemed the visit as a muscle-flexing exercise by Communist China. And, who knows that there are three military vessels of a potential threat to Australia currently docked at Garden Island?

It is reported that Australia's Chinese community was privy to information on the visit that Australians were not.

And we are worried about Jackie Lambie!

Dear Shadow minister,

You wrote;

“I don't think the senate should be the preserve of anyone. I believe the senate has outlived the purpose for which it was created.”

What? You are kidding right? The Senate is there to protect the interests of the individual States. Lambie's advocacy on the issue of over 50% of Tasmania's social housing budget going in interest payments of a historical debt is a shining of exactly what the Senate was designed to do.

She has the blessing of the Tasmanian Liberal government.
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/tas-govt-pleased-with-lambie-s-efforts

The only issue with the Senate is that it isn't completely full of independents. There are other Tasmanian senators who could have made a stand but have a greater allegiance to their party than they do their state. This is the sole reason why the place doesn't work as it should.

Ideally no senator should be allowed to be a member of a political party full stop. Until then we are going to have to make the best of what we have and Jacqui is part of that.

SR,

"The Senate is there to protect the interests of the individual States".

The point is that this isn't what has happened here. Lambie has taken a situation that involves no inequity towards Tasmania and levered it inequitably in regard to other states. Why you'd laud this is beyond me.

The Senate is a cesspit of political allegiance. The Greens and others have used it to achieve ends that have nothing to do with state issues. If the LNP controlled it you'd no doubt be dissing it from the rooftops.

Dear Lucifrase,

You write;

“The point is that this isn't what has happened here. Lambie has taken a situation that involves no inequity towards Tasmania and levered it inequitably in regard to other states. Why you'd laud this is beyond me.”

Tasmania has a social housing crisis and the debt payments are crippling its capacity to respond.

“Each year the Tasmanian Government refunds half the state’s funding under the National Affordable Housing Agreement to the Australian Government, to repay an historic debt from the former Commonwealth State Housing Agreement. In 2016-17 this meant returning $15.7m of the $28.6m received. Tasmania is locked into this arrangement until 2042, when the debt will finally be paid out. Other states have significantly less debt relative to Tasmania, while South Australia and Victoria have succeeded in removing the debt from their housing budgets altogether.”

This debt was incurred between 30 to 50 years ago.

Now we can get all hardarsed and say they should have paid it off by now but Tasmania has felt the impacts of downturns for keenly and for longer periods than the other states. Its capacity to repay the debt has been reduced significantly.

Having 50% of your social housing budget stripped for interest payments for the next 20 odd years makes it very difficult to serve the needs of homeless and struggling Tasmanians. Lambie has admirably gone in to bat for them and I applaud her efforts as should you.

You also wrote;

“The Senate is a cesspit of political allegiance. The Greens and others have used it to achieve ends that have nothing to do with state issues. If the LNP controlled it you'd no doubt be dissing it from the rooftops.”

I think you have just eloquently made my point for me. Having the LNP rubberstamping its own legislation would be a disaster and make a mockery of the checks and balances our forefathers placed within our democracy.

Why do Libs always want to retain the monarchy because of the checks and balances argument but then want to toss out the Senate?

Dear ttbn,

I think ScuMo definitely knew three Chinese naval vessels were going to enter Sydney Harbour virtually unannounced to the public. Think about it: He skipped out of the country the day before they arrived making sure he wasn't freely available to answer any questions about it to local news media. If that's not cunning than I don't know what is! And I think only a fool would believe ScuMo wasn't behind the recent raids on a journalist and the ABC. The history books are full of wannabe dictators and their machinations.

Everywhere has a social housing crisis, SR. Federal money (money jointly owned by the Federation) is inequitably being focused solely on Tasmania's problem.

I don't mind being called a hard-arse for taking my stance, particularly when Tasmania is already a major recipient of GST at the expense of states also scratching around for public-housing money. A case in point would be over in WA where the state is in big hock due to inequitable GST carve-ups. It won't be spending much on public-housing for decades without huge borrowings.

To get back to the principle, however, senators should not be in parliament to lever out whatever they can for their states at the expense of other states. Defend it all you will.

SR,

There is no other country with a democratically elected parliament that has a body like the senate that is elected in such an undemocratic way with the power to permanently block legislation from the parliament.

Modifications that would make the senate more representative would include one senator representing 250 000 people. This would give Tasmania 2 senators and NSW 30 etc. Why would a Tasmanian vote = 15 NSW votes?

Secondly, preference votes need to be limited. JL got 3% of the vote with the rest on preferences.

Finally,

Given the coalition's haul this election, if Labor wins the next election it could very well see every bit of legislation blocked.

Dear Shadow Minister,

You write;

“There is no other country with a democratically elected parliament that has a body like the senate that is elected in such an undemocratic way...”

Oh for God's sake, the House of Lords?

You may well feel FPTP more democratic than proportional representation, I don't.

You asked;

“Modifications that would make the senate more representative would include one senator representing 250 000 people. This would give Tasmania 2 senators and NSW 30 etc. Why would a Tasmanian vote = 15 NSW votes?”

Because I repeat the Senate was designed to look after the interest of the States and Jacqui Lambie's recent negotiations fell right within that gambit.

Why are conservatives so against change within our institutions until the checks and balances become inconvenient and then they want to tear up a system which has given us the 'world's most stable democracy'?

Dear Lucifrase,

You whinge;

“A case in point would be over in WA where the state is in big hock due to inequitable GST carve-ups. It won't be spending much on public-housing for decades without huge borrowings.”

Did you just pull this out of your backside on a whim?

The last budget sees federal funding toward public housing in Tasmania set at $33.7 million dollars at a rate per head of population of under $66. Western Australia was given $165.9 million, or a bit over $70 per head. In fact the only state below Tasmania was South Australia. Now I don't know how much if any of WA's funding goes to paying off their housing debt incurred 30 years ago but for Tasmania it is over 50%. If you can't see why Lambie felt she had to step up to help then I'm not sure I can assist.

As to this from you; “senators should not be in parliament to lever out whatever they can for their states at the expense of other states.”

The whole bloody reason why the blinking upper house was put in place was so that the State's representatives could lever away for their State.

SR, apples with oranges comparisons. Debt forgiveness is a totally different issue to current federal outlays. Keep digging.

You justify Lambie's behaviour but give it no ethical validity. Show from where in the Constitution, rather than from your your own obviously cavernous khyber, your interpretation of the Senate's function emanates.

Oh come on, if anyone can't see that Lambie is a moron, then I can see another glaring reason why this country is stuffed.
I know I don't want these elite con-men in the job, but Lambie?, seriously?
She is atypical of the worst example of a public representative.
The question, I believe, burning a whole in most people's minds is; 'is this the best Tasmania has got to offer'?
And please before another moron says something stupid like, 'we need a diverse range of people in govt', I would quickly point out we have enough morons, there already, we don't need any more.
I don't care that she is blackmailing the parliament, I don't even care that she has NO idea what the hell she's doing.
All I see is another 'Bozo the clown' who can't put two words together and just another arrogant fool who thinks they should be a minister because they get gee'd up by the local bar flies of her local, and hey presto we have another wannabee useless govt minister.
Now she can join the rest of the irrelevant clowns in parliament.
What makes even less sense is that there are people out there who actually take morons like Lambie seriously and sing songs of praise and speak as if she is the second coming.
Well if she is, she well and truly missed the bus and has ended up in the wrong place, along with a few other brainiacs, curiously, women as well.
Ah well if a govt minister is a sample of the people they represent, then I guess that says it all.
I'm still disappointed over that other moron, Ricky Muir.
I had such hopes for the public's freedom of choice on what cars we can import and gouging by our car industry, I thought Muir was going to put things straight, but instead, turned out to be just another bit of deadwood, and to this day have no idea what happened and where he is.
Useless!

SR,

Don't misquote me!!

What I said was: "There is no other country with a democratically elected parliament that has a body like the senate that is elected in such an undemocratic way with the power to PERMANENTLY block legislation from the parliament." The house of lords can only send legislation back twice. The third time it passes. JL getting elected on 3% of the vote is also not democratic.

As for my position on the senate, it hasn't changed ever and certainly not since I joined OLO 12 yrs ago. It is a vestigial institution whose purpose has disappeared in the 119 yrs since it was founded.

We take our bias with us in this thread, every thread about our chook pen Senate
That house of fools is not near the house it was meant to be
We, at least some of us, gloat that a few not representative of the most, can bargain with their vote
Or even stop a government passing its bills
We, oh yes we do! cry in pain, when it is our government that is stalled
Scream in rage, if Jacky's deal, millions of dollars, see,s cuts to education hospitals or pensions, to pay for it
Democracy is not about minority ruling
This time I side with Shadow Minister, if we must have the chook pen make it a three year term make every election one for both houses, full houses
Halve the number of senators,double the number of votes needed to win a seat

ALTRAV,

Well, you know what they say about voters getting the politicians they deserve. There are a lot of morons out there. Particularly in the small gene pool of Tasmania. It is unfortunate that such an idiot, foisted on us by so few idiots, can wield such power over the rest of Australia. That, clearly, is a massive fault with the Senate, which otherwise works reasonably well. The rest of us are suffering at the hands of a senator ONLY Tasmanians deserve

ttbn, I think you're being a bit unfair.
Why don't mainland bogans deserve Jacqui Lambie too?

Dear ttbn,

Don't worry, things will be a lot different when China takes over the country!

PS If you want to get a feel what it will be like living in a Chinese dominated Australia you should spend a few days in Sydney. Just make sure you brush up on your Mandarin and Cantonese otherwise you'll have difficulty communicating with the locals.