Show Description
With it being another interesting newsweek in Australian politics with some unexpected developments we had on this week’s review show Senior Editor of the Unshackled Damien Ferri plus for his first appearance on the Unshackled Waves Unshackled Contributor Michael Smyth.
One development that gained prominent media attention were three branch motions to be put forth to the Victorian Liberal State Council next weekend on LGBT issues. They included removing sexual orientation and gender identity from the Sex Discrimination Act, banning all Safe Schools resources and also allowing parents and others to use conversion therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria. The motions were quashed by State President Michael Kroger and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy which was a clear slap in the face to the conservative recruits in the party.
The Greens announced a new policy of legalizing recreation marijuana. It was resoundingly rejected by the major political parties and the mainstream media apart from the ABC. The fact that this policy proposal was so quickly shot down demonstrates there is not much public support for drug law reform in Australia, this is due to the fact Australian police take a measured approach to users as opposed to in the United States. There is also a controversy in Victoria over the Andrews’ Government’s proposed drug injected room, the Liberal Opposition has vowed to shut it down with Liberal MLC Bernie Finn even advocating for the death penalty for drug dealers.
Acting Prime Minister and new Nationals Leader Michael McCormack blabbed to the Daily Telegraph there would be lots of goodies and giveaways in the budget. This led to Treasurer Scott Morrison being dressed up as Santa Claus on their front page. Morrison then gave McCormack a blast over the phone and told the media he wasn’t Santa Claus. This led to the Telegraph the next day dressing Morrison up as Bad Santa. McCormack has clearly demonstrated he is out of his depth. Morrison is left with his budget strategy in ruins as he carefully tries to deliver what will be an election budget.
The Banking Royal Commission has uncovered grave levels of bank misconduct which include them giving clients the wrong advice, charging fees for advice not given and even charging the dead for advice. The corporate regulator ASIC was gamed as banks were able to easily mislead them and dodge investigations. Rogue Nationals MPs and Labor appear vindicated by their lobbying for a royal commission, Scott Morrison and the Government by trying to avoid calling one for so long now appear to have made a political misjudgment and are now talking tough on the banks.
http://www.theunshackled.net/waves/145/