tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71172395760303536082024-03-26T07:31:36.105+11:00Le Flâneur Politique<p align="justify">The political flâneur is my vehicle for examining politics while remaining aloof from contemporary groupthink. A blog of my political, philosophical, pedagogical, and literary musings. Dilectio Libertas et Doctrina. ISSN 2652-8851.</p>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comBlogger789125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-57511908956887799872024-03-25T23:35:00.005+11:002024-03-25T23:35:41.197+11:00Woke is little more than Modern Communism<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pdXOo6-C92JKmjBBdgLzjAZcKeut2Nc52Rz_ZQSt-elFoGIexjLFuJyyCqFEZX5priOKuuYO_s1KcuSND13dgAGvqyCzu66ZheDAsqF09ENfLTtlDbF5008haXGiFbF-xsUZ1JtJd47htNufkyr_bJIbweYTAdYkJd0UGf1a8LW6PRdhpknFiq6u1XV7/s1280/Alexandra%20Marshall%20Live.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1280" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pdXOo6-C92JKmjBBdgLzjAZcKeut2Nc52Rz_ZQSt-elFoGIexjLFuJyyCqFEZX5priOKuuYO_s1KcuSND13dgAGvqyCzu66ZheDAsqF09ENfLTtlDbF5008haXGiFbF-xsUZ1JtJd47htNufkyr_bJIbweYTAdYkJd0UGf1a8LW6PRdhpknFiq6u1XV7/w640-h304/Alexandra%20Marshall%20Live.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alexandra Marshall Live, 2024 Season, Episode 7, discussing political ideologies </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I am working on a presentation on the Manifestation of Modern Communism. Alexandra asked me to talk about political ideologies, so this worked in well with my future presentation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The link to the video is below:</div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm on Alexandra Marshall Live tonight discussing political ideologies and the manifestation of modern communism:<a href="https://t.co/C4b46C6hWL">https://t.co/C4b46C6hWL</a></p>— Le Flâneur Politique (@FlaneurPolitiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq/status/1772210527621517394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-1192522865107658402024-03-25T18:22:00.009+11:002024-03-25T18:22:58.243+11:00Treasurer’s antifragile Budget just another black swan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Fracpetella.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Fracpetella.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antifragile: Broken bones can sometimes heal stronger than before the break</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Treasurer is like a boss who enthusiastically makes everyone’s life a misery with every new fad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have superannuation funds where trillions of dollars of our retirement funds are tied up and likely to be used for renewable energy projects or social housing if Labor gets another crack at governing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have a housing market that is being swamped by government trying to build social housing and failing to do so while messing up the market.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have poles and wires ripping up prime agricultural land and destroying the retirement prospects of farmers and landholders to connect government-funded renewables projects. Nuclear is not even allowed to compete in the mix because it remains banned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My latest in <i>The Spectator Australia</i>, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/treasurers-antifragile-budget-just-another-black-swan/">Treasurer’s antifragile Budget just another black swan</a>.</div><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Treasurer’s antifragile Budget just another black swan<br />-----<br /><br />The Treasurer is like a boss who enthusiastically makes everyone’s life a misery with every new fad.<br /><br />We have superannuation funds where trillions of dollars of our retirement funds are tied up and likely to be used… <a href="https://t.co/7zPyUwKK53">pic.twitter.com/7zPyUwKK53</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1772076867849503116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-13657438492572507092024-03-21T23:50:00.016+11:002024-03-25T18:29:50.094+11:00How about tax deductions for your home loan interest?<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Professionals_real_estate_agent%2C_Waroona%2C_October_2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Professionals_real_estate_agent%2C_Waroona%2C_October_2021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home loan interest is tax deductible in Sweden and The Netherlands, so why not in Australia?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Imagine if you could claim the interest you pay on your mortgage as a tax deduction. While you can’t in Australia, you can in Sweden. Why not here?</p><p>My latest in The Spectator Australia, How about tax deductions for your home loan interest?</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">How about tax deductions for your home loan interest?<br />--------<br /><br />"Imagine if you could claim the interest you pay on your mortgage as a tax deduction. While you can’t in Australia, you can in Sweden. Why not here?" asks Michael de Percy.<a href="https://t.co/DAd9Cc0hEh">https://t.co/DAd9Cc0hEh</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1770702545712747003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-27628193141282663162024-03-21T23:04:00.004+11:002024-03-26T07:31:03.683+11:00Light Rail in Canberra<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Urbos_3_leaving_the_Alinga_Street_light_rail_stop_July_2021_(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="800" height="462" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Urbos_3_leaving_the_Alinga_Street_light_rail_stop_July_2021_(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canberra's light rail service currently runs from Gungahlin to Civic</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwKnyhXkTZe0hgcnRyobWRmdj2k35fEK8hk5fKGvL9pyTPdzdYozM3a7YHcNKAMhGqcyMcAcvjX8e2EZ5lkT8cIk3o8NSkVDbiMUegBqeiGYq9HsgYhxSha_E0yEJqNoiVNb77eiZoaTeXu7u4CgViD1Jf6CbDYb_YwkXKt3IFz_1S2V-ZI5HhRRDxzRI/s2892/Michael%20and%20Liz%20Rotary%20Club%20of%20Canberra%20Burley%20Griffin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2892" data-original-width="2169" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwKnyhXkTZe0hgcnRyobWRmdj2k35fEK8hk5fKGvL9pyTPdzdYozM3a7YHcNKAMhGqcyMcAcvjX8e2EZ5lkT8cIk3o8NSkVDbiMUegBqeiGYq9HsgYhxSha_E0yEJqNoiVNb77eiZoaTeXu7u4CgViD1Jf6CbDYb_YwkXKt3IFz_1S2V-ZI5HhRRDxzRI/s320/Michael%20and%20Liz%20Rotary%20Club%20of%20Canberra%20Burley%20Griffin.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Below are the slides from my presentation to the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin at the Commonwealth Club on 21st March 2024.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/u4D4qDdJJ5UwwL?hostedIn=slideshare&page=upload" width="476"></iframe></div>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-70189652398397191942024-03-18T11:15:00.007+11:002024-03-18T14:17:56.139+11:00Expert commentary on the 2024 ACT Election<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Canberra_Stadium_in_October_2011_(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Canberra_Stadium_in_October_2011_(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ACT Election 2024: Aspiration versus cost of living? A new stadium or paying down debt?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">With the ACT Elections to be held in October 2024, the major issues are shaping up to be providing infrastructure and services or reducing sky-rocketing debt. This morning I spoke with <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/canberra-mornings/mornings/103579886">Georgia Stynes on Canberra Mornings</a>, ABC Radio 666. I'm on from 33'55".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Territorians are currently paying about $1 million per day <a href="https://www.treasury.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/2314053/2022-23-Consolidated-Annual-Financial-Statements.pdf">in interest fees</a> to service government debt of some <a href="https://www.treasury.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/2314053/2022-23-Consolidated-Annual-Financial-Statements.pdf">$8 billion</a>. The territory's debt is expected to increase to some $16 billion by 2026. This will only make it more difficult for the ACT Government to deliver infrastructure without increasing rates and taxes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ACT is already the <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/toptaxing-act-read-the-riot-act-over-debt-burden/news-story/0d45fe9d513420b0267c9bcb82330fa5">highest taxing state or territory government</a> in Australia. Last year the territory lost its AAA credit rating.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ACT Government committed to fully-funding its unfunded superannuation liability by 2030. In 2023, a capital injection of $347,908,000 was made to the <a href="https://www.treasury.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/2314053/2022-23-Consolidated-Annual-Financial-Statements.pdf">Superannuation Provision Account</a> to pay down the liability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ACT Government has announced <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8541080/act-govt-reveals-timeline-for-building-woden-light-rail-line-2b/">Stage 2B of the light rail</a> will be constructed between 2028-2033, and the construction of <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8557593/raiders-coach-ricky-stuart-blasts-bad-smell-at-canberra-stadium/">a new stadium</a> will not <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8251502/why-its-bruce-or-bust-for-a-new-canberra-stadium-plan/">commence</a> until after 2030 when the super liability will be fully funded. The annual payments will then be diverted to the debt which is accumulating rapidly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime, the Canberra Liberals are starting to look like an ACT Government, and the Barr Labor-Greens government has been in power since 2015, with Labor in power for two decades.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2024 ACT Election will come down to aspiration versus cost of living. While transport might be an issue, it is difficult to divorce the cost of servicing the ACT's large debt from any infrastructure spend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="530" src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7175294280956096514" title="Embedded post" width="504"></iframe>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-51424032501417041372024-03-16T15:03:00.003+11:002024-03-16T15:03:33.771+11:00Woke tropes informing Australia’s Gaza response<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Families_of_Israeli_hostages_visit_the_Ohel_Chabad_(November_13%2C_2023)_10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Families_of_Israeli_hostages_visit_the_Ohel_Chabad_(November_13%2C_2023)_10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Families of Israeli hostages visit the Ohel Chabad (November 13, 2023)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">ACT Senator David Pocock wrote about Australia’s response to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza recently. The next day, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong reinstated $6 million in funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Staff at UNRWA had allegedly assisted Hamas in their brutal attacks on unsuspecting and innocent Israeli civilians. In response, the Australian government ‘paused’ funding to UNRWA. UNRWA’s response was to sack those allegedly involved, and after a period of seven weeks, the Australian government has decided to reinstate the funding.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My latest in The Spectator Australia, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/woke-tropes-informing-australias-gaza-response/">Woke tropes informing Australia’s Gaza response</a>.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Woke tropes informing Australia’s Gaza response<br />-------------<br /><br />ACT Senator David Pocock wrote about Australia’s response to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza recently. The next day, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong reinstated $6 million in funding to the United Nations Relief… <a href="https://t.co/DekL4ymC7p">pic.twitter.com/DekL4ymC7p</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1768841621733605824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-1309775472843159932024-03-15T18:40:00.006+11:002024-03-15T18:43:27.725+11:00My Letter to Senator David Pocock re: Aid to Gaza<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/David_Pocock_2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="523" height="800" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/David_Pocock_2021.jpg" width="523" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senator David Pocock</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">On 14th March 2024, Senator David Pocock wrote an article in <i>The Guardian</i>, a left-leaning newspaper, about Australia's role in the ongoing Gaza conflict perpetrated by the proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His article was entitled, '<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/14/the-crisis-in-gaza-is-a-diplomatic-test-for-australia-we-must-do-better-as-a-country">The crisis in Gaza is a diplomatic test for Australia. We must do better as a country</a>'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>I agree. We must ensure that Australian taxpayers' money does not go to an organisation that allegedly employed Hamas insiders who helped with the attack on innocent and unsuspecting Israelis on 7th October 2023.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Below is my email to Senator Pocock.</div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Dear Senator Pocock,</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I note in your article in The Guardian on 14th March 2024 you state that you have received many emails from people in the ACT about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created by the proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas. You also state that Australians 'expect our government to show leadership and stand up for what is right'.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As an Australian who spent some 15 years of my life in service to my country, what is right is to ensure that terrorists are not funded by Australian taxpayers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you left the bubble of the ACT, a jurisdiction that is out of touch with the majority of taxpayers in Australia, you would know that what is right is to ensure the safety of the Australian people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Your article in The Guardian is misguided. If the people who write to you are so concerned about what is happening in Gaza, perhaps you should direct them to RedR and the humanitarian roster they manage on behalf of DFAT. You might also consider that Australian taxpayers would be more comfortable sending medical supplies and related products to Gaza, rather than cash that has allegedly been used by UNRWA and its staff to support the proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you truly support Territorians, you might also like to condemn the pro-terrorist and anti-colonial vandalism that was targeted at the Vietnam War Memorial and the Captain Cook Memorial this week. Without the sacrifice of Australian service personnel, your function and indeed your ability to write such partisan articles in a left-leaning newspaper would not exist.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I urge you to reconsider the importance of your position that has materialised as a result of the Australian electoral system. In this regard, you do not just represent the ACT. You have a responsibility to represent Australia's interests, not to how you and others feel about the tragedy that the Palestinian Authority's elected representatives perpetrated on 7th October 2023.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yours faithfully,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dr Michael de Percy.</p></blockquote>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-66197579264769501682024-03-13T09:38:00.008+11:002024-03-13T19:11:33.632+11:00Our spy laws are out of date (again)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1guRVHm0svRxuhQlmq8n4HXqpG2bBBYtGVZI4noMkwXadMPdxPacYHamkIG66nsGD-e5CZkS4fbG4laVCWCfsBAUwbGd5ObAtOpXNsES-NiT86FEQ5cUTudmCU_1O4aqVDu2vufyzyLg9fkihXvPnWdF3Ro6TXCuWFOUxAMBQPhOAwunGZ2rd5dmXhXp6/s989/Petrov%20Affair.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="989" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1guRVHm0svRxuhQlmq8n4HXqpG2bBBYtGVZI4noMkwXadMPdxPacYHamkIG66nsGD-e5CZkS4fbG4laVCWCfsBAUwbGd5ObAtOpXNsES-NiT86FEQ5cUTudmCU_1O4aqVDu2vufyzyLg9fkihXvPnWdF3Ro6TXCuWFOUxAMBQPhOAwunGZ2rd5dmXhXp6/w640-h400/Petrov%20Affair.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not the first time our spy laws have been inadequate</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is not the first time in ASIO’s history that those who wish to harm our nation could not be charged because no law was broken.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Following the Petrov affair in 1954, when the head of Soviet spy operations in Australia defected and blew the lid on traitorous Australian communists, the Royal Commission into Espionage did not recommend anyone for prosecution despite evidence to the contrary.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Writing in the <i>Unfiltered </i>newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-skdwx-dylydljltl-u/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">Our
spy laws are woefully out of date, argues Michael de Percy. Reading his
article, it becomes painfully clear that while our politicians are busy
drafting millions of pages of legislation to control the lives of
ordinary Australian citizens, they spend practically no time at all
devising ways to protect this nation from traitors and spies.</a>
Indeed, the last time anyone tried to update the policy framework, it
was so poorly done that it effectively protected China’s interests and
instead actively sought out conservatives and geopolitical allies. We
saw this very clearly when the first victims of the garbage foreign
interference laws were former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, UK former MEP
and commentator Nigel Farage, and the CPAC
team. And yet here we are, hearing that a real threat to Australia is
going to remain anonymous and walk away unpunished.</p></blockquote><p>My latest in <i>The Spectator Australia</i>, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/our-spy-laws-are-out-of-date-again/">Our spy laws are out of date (again)</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our spy laws are out of date (again)<br />--------<br /><br />This is not the first time in ASIO’s history that those who wish to harm our nation could not be charged because no law was broken.<br /><br />Following the Petrov affair in 1954, when the head of Soviet spy operations in Australia defected… <a href="https://t.co/XBBEFqaSC8">pic.twitter.com/XBBEFqaSC8</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1767703029502169159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-24032165434043253082024-03-13T07:52:00.001+11:002024-03-13T07:52:11.974+11:00Vandalising the Vietnam war memorial an act of sacrilege<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1f_p_bsY9DlMpau5htlBPQ3LPNYSpGrxsacj7nK86-sn-J1RySp8-sBbN_vQ-PFrpMAjoBFF7eM_evEw1WoJXBmnfyO48Zki3JLlnPlXLpCCWldhdh75NKstQdfFq4XTxRL0NzkznBWWbdne0uAbhwp0piKwIlBNToKPmuIiBzyxHRT0JWUKpY5ccW7P/s640/9-rar-soldiers-during-their-farewell-parade-from-south-vietnam-in-november-7b2bc7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="640" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1f_p_bsY9DlMpau5htlBPQ3LPNYSpGrxsacj7nK86-sn-J1RySp8-sBbN_vQ-PFrpMAjoBFF7eM_evEw1WoJXBmnfyO48Zki3JLlnPlXLpCCWldhdh75NKstQdfFq4XTxRL0NzkznBWWbdne0uAbhwp0piKwIlBNToKPmuIiBzyxHRT0JWUKpY5ccW7P/w640-h430/9-rar-soldiers-during-their-farewell-parade-from-south-vietnam-in-november-7b2bc7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> 9 RAR soldiers during their farewell parade from South Vietnam in November 1969 [Public Domain]</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>My letter to the editor was published in the <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8552778/vandalising-the-vietnam-war-memorial-was-sacrilege/?cs=14244"><i>Canberra Times</i> today</a>.</b></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Today (Tuesday, March 12) I saw the photos of the vandalism of the Vietnam War Memorial in Canberra and I am livid.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">How dare they. Get out of my country.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If it was not for those who served in the Australian military and the thousands of Americans who died defending Australia the freedoms the perpetrators abuse would not exist.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If they think Australia's responses to the Malayan Emergency, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War were wrong then go and live in North Korea and enjoy the paradise they must imagine exists there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The police have to prosecute those responsible. They have crossed a line.</p><p>No leniency should be shown.</p><p><b>Michael de Percy, Gunning, NSW </b></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today I saw the photos of the vandalism of the Vietnam War Memorial in Canberra and I am livid.<br /><br />How dare they. Get out of my country.<br /><br />The police have to prosecute those responsible. They have crossed a line.<br /><br />No leniency should be shown.<a href="https://t.co/FlQZsYtiiD">https://t.co/FlQZsYtiiD</a></p>— Le Flâneur Politique (@FlaneurPolitiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq/status/1767650224141635610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-77099855220831276472024-03-11T14:18:00.000+11:002024-03-11T14:18:40.341+11:00Eshays, imported riots – are water cannons next?<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vf_AgLEwdFSS2S-BYVgiD6hyphenhyphens-5nbIj1KDt9RKyISGliTd7LFOONGCuz3H2f9hbr3GlNzOzVIpU9rBAzUJmwVByIw76tfyVoS3UNKGnaI3JLA0JOALy1vONuqLPto8IxPC3x2pGyZ3zisX2MDGgbh9_4E8Bw2b4gBAfjBHgAOAWF8HoHboZ8z2vPKiOR/s1500/Wasserwerfer_10000_(WaWe_10)_(10584682686).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vf_AgLEwdFSS2S-BYVgiD6hyphenhyphens-5nbIj1KDt9RKyISGliTd7LFOONGCuz3H2f9hbr3GlNzOzVIpU9rBAzUJmwVByIw76tfyVoS3UNKGnaI3JLA0JOALy1vONuqLPto8IxPC3x2pGyZ3zisX2MDGgbh9_4E8Bw2b4gBAfjBHgAOAWF8HoHboZ8z2vPKiOR/w640-h426/Wasserwerfer_10000_(WaWe_10)_(10584682686).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WaWe 10 with the earlier WaWe 9000 in green. [Photo: Dirk Vorderstraße CC BY 2.0]</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Queensland is suffering from a crime wave, and both of my grandmothers (in their nineties) have been victims of youth crime. Following the weekend's eshay-fest, is it time to bring in the big guns?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Whether it’s antisemitic pro-Palestinians or a gathering of ‘eshays’ in Logan in Queensland, our police forces have lost control of the streets. We’ve used up our smugness and we can no longer say, ‘We are so lucky that doesn’t happen here.’</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, now it does.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My latest in <i>The Spectator Australia</i>, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/eshays-imported-riots-are-water-cannons-next/">Eshays, imported riots – are water cannons next?</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Eshays, imported riots – are water cannons next?<br />------------------<br /><br />Whether it’s antisemitic pro-Palestinians or a gathering of ‘eshays’ in Logan in Queensland, our police forces have lost control of the streets. We’ve used up our smugness and we can no longer say, ‘We are so… <a href="https://t.co/d9N6Wn67OZ">pic.twitter.com/d9N6Wn67OZ</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1766945665509425662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-91874235010623293202024-03-09T09:54:00.003+11:002024-03-09T09:58:39.846+11:00Discussing communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment and left-biased AI<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMwwRaZ4h8a6L2nG0rzSFYJu0KyWDnn7TEGxZnlaZ4JlPAs7UZisqcDDs8UG0elKmX28Nqnu6Icf3uVClemZkTzINRVEuBiRkGC1qx6VoUVaDFHYK0iUU8s2n_hstYYKgF2Sm04tP4hVBqkHopK0sfNVcIDaVCTVdL2aze6iL7jmUHdN9r9KlncTCS-Ow/s1280/Speccie%20TV%206%20March%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1280" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMwwRaZ4h8a6L2nG0rzSFYJu0KyWDnn7TEGxZnlaZ4JlPAs7UZisqcDDs8UG0elKmX28Nqnu6Icf3uVClemZkTzINRVEuBiRkGC1qx6VoUVaDFHYK0iUU8s2n_hstYYKgF2Sm04tP4hVBqkHopK0sfNVcIDaVCTVdL2aze6iL7jmUHdN9r9KlncTCS-Ow/w640-h340/Speccie%20TV%206%20March%202024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Week in 60 Minutes, Spectator TV Australia, with Alexandra Marshall</td></tr></tbody></table><br><p>This week I had the opportunity to discuss my latest <i>Spectator Australia</i> article, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/communist-roots-to-anti-nuclear-sentiment-in-australia/">Communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment in Australia</a>, on <i>Spectator TV</i>. I am on from 21:49.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My latest commentary on Spectator TV. Talking about the communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment and the left bias of big tech AI programs <a href="https://t.co/UstG6osgin">https://t.co/UstG6osgin</a></p>— Le Flâneur Politique (@FlaneurPolitiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq/status/1765686250462441887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-88144312996941667352024-03-02T11:20:00.003+11:002024-03-04T19:12:52.372+11:00Communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment in Australia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJou-gXR2I0AcBFFINdZf1tolrbilPC7B7_ydGDVaNVr6XNVyUV24T4iz7EbWWnYuOw1D9ZGuwFCs1nBnLi-o-H0Ry1aV5kddfpK-SVvR1S-Zu8AzDTDV0SOySwlEoKwDZih6_D5P_BDE5X1kvvPYZxS2mhxgLOVFpfJB5_6vOgykEt-mlNr_kGl2RHHL/s905/Communist%20Roots%20to%20Anti-Nuclear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="905" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJou-gXR2I0AcBFFINdZf1tolrbilPC7B7_ydGDVaNVr6XNVyUV24T4iz7EbWWnYuOw1D9ZGuwFCs1nBnLi-o-H0Ry1aV5kddfpK-SVvR1S-Zu8AzDTDV0SOySwlEoKwDZih6_D5P_BDE5X1kvvPYZxS2mhxgLOVFpfJB5_6vOgykEt-mlNr_kGl2RHHL/w640-h386/Communist%20Roots%20to%20Anti-Nuclear.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doc Evatt's reputation never recovered from his infamous Molotov speech</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of the Second World War, the Chifley Labor government became involved in a joint project with Britain to develop nuclear weapons. The fall of Singapore in 1942 ended Australia’s illusion that the Mother Country would always come to our aid. And while thousands of Americans lost their lives defending Australia, conflicts with communists in Malaya, Korea, and Vietnam meant our backyard was not as safe as we thought.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Australia’s flirtation with communism in the post-war era impacted our defence and intelligence capability. Our allies simply did not trust us with details of ‘the bomb’. Attempts by left-leaning, well-meaning pacifists to form a world government to manage nuclear weapons helped the cause of international socialism. The anti-nuclear sentiment that still exists here today has its roots in communism in Australia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-skrkklt-dylydljltl-o/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">Political
traitors are not new to Australia. Michael de Percy’s article over the
weekend brings a timely reminder that the Left have a long history of
undermining Australia’s national security to their fellow socialists.</a>
As he writes, ‘The Communist Party of Australia helped the Soviet Union
by sending British intelligence via the Soviet Embassy in Canberra.
Although defeated at a referendum, Menzies’ attempt to ban the Communist
Party in Australia was not without justification.’</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">My latest in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The Spectator Australia</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">, </span><a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/03/communist-roots-to-anti-nuclear-sentiment-in-australia/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #3d85c6; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment in Australia</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">.</span></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Communist roots to anti-nuclear sentiment in Australia<br />-----------<br /><br />Australia’s flirtation with communism in the post-war era impacted our defence and intelligence capability.<br /><br />Our allies simply did not trust us with details of ‘the bomb’.<br /><br />Attempts by left-leaning,… <a href="https://t.co/ul4hKCtVnd">pic.twitter.com/ul4hKCtVnd</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1763747647981253040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-82158702740228826452024-03-02T11:04:00.002+11:002024-03-02T11:04:46.706+11:00Discussing the death of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgioQKnMPlLd83WIqwDwkOM9pLP_PrpSfLp14O5BrxfPgjOcRezgholSCTXKCChbP8WVJLYNbxryzzo3ywup5Uw7AqtVqhUOvMOJL8C30UU9r7ZS1-TfEni0jaozMrEnz3On9h_eTAvE3huNc0R1WQ2taQbgxQTQl094s7H3f5NtjRlsqMkeZFU14RO2RTh/s754/Spectator%20TV%20Alexei%20Navalny.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="754" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgioQKnMPlLd83WIqwDwkOM9pLP_PrpSfLp14O5BrxfPgjOcRezgholSCTXKCChbP8WVJLYNbxryzzo3ywup5Uw7AqtVqhUOvMOJL8C30UU9r7ZS1-TfEni0jaozMrEnz3On9h_eTAvE3huNc0R1WQ2taQbgxQTQl094s7H3f5NtjRlsqMkeZFU14RO2RTh/w640-h358/Spectator%20TV%20Alexei%20Navalny.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discussing the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">My political commentary on The Week in 60 Minutes, Spectator TV, Episode 4, 2024 with Alexandra Marshall. This week we discussed the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the state of US southern border security, the French ban on dissenting voices on vaccines, and Australia's archaic industrial relations laws.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Below is a snippet from our discussion of the death of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Putin's opposition Navalny's death: "It's just too convenient."<br /><br />"This happens to a lot of people who threaten Putin's power it also happens with China when anyone comes after Xi Jinping. They just magically disappear." <br />Says <a href="https://twitter.com/ellymelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ellymelly</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlaneurPolitiq</a> on Spectator TV… <a href="https://t.co/Sg9b7vE3Ac">pic.twitter.com/Sg9b7vE3Ac</a></p>— ADH TV (@adhtvaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhtvaus/status/1760858436638822522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-22391189017941512432024-03-02T10:42:00.003+11:002024-03-02T10:48:17.390+11:00My comments on US southern border security<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-Xl5I8zFKFHcT-j0MyZHV78iDP1PenFXN2neTToWRBBnIZOKy93n6TiKjdo79QLDsNSikgRbatcj1RmqoR-KIkBK4pXfMjSx8RgumjcrH_4uuQrRTDBpU43ZMiJdQ1o1a6WiqtlfBVadad16O7z-bJoEv8pTYh-P5L3vZ8dbF4-4wOcU3ilPr37XzbVG/s772/Spectator%20TV%20US%20Border.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="772" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-Xl5I8zFKFHcT-j0MyZHV78iDP1PenFXN2neTToWRBBnIZOKy93n6TiKjdo79QLDsNSikgRbatcj1RmqoR-KIkBK4pXfMjSx8RgumjcrH_4uuQrRTDBpU43ZMiJdQ1o1a6WiqtlfBVadad16O7z-bJoEv8pTYh-P5L3vZ8dbF4-4wOcU3ilPr37XzbVG/w640-h350/Spectator%20TV%20US%20Border.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discussing the US souther border security problem with Alexandra Marshall</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">My political commentary on The Week in 60 Minutes, Spectator TV, Episode 4, 2024 with Alexandra Marshall. This week we discussed the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the state of US southern border security, the French ban on dissenting voices on vaccines, and Australia's archaic industrial relations laws.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Below is a snippet from our discussion of US southern border security:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The US has become a target for people movers because of their soft border security.<br /><br />"In December last year it actually broke records, something like 250,000 migrants tried to cross the southern border of the US." <br />Says <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlaneurPolitiq</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/ellymelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ellymelly</a> on Spectator TV… <a href="https://t.co/3K2gJVcy96">pic.twitter.com/3K2gJVcy96</a></p>— ADH TV (@adhtvaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhtvaus/status/1760861809928778153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-62311515287537724892024-02-22T18:39:00.002+11:002024-02-22T18:39:38.232+11:00My comments on the French National Assembly criminilising vaccine debate <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsWLs3tLSUyHVDP0a2A0zB9kYtdUx-qoR4PY4If85NOggJSCK-qPg5crH1GOekWopJwlyWDa63N0sZPubxEyJbSu6p8Df0-058-uJlGCwc_q0UVl7bd7JTa42hhJpL92So4r-jhzg2QO4QsgbVC7n6c8xAJbFPyb0SlXMl4xcB9ItJaC9eaS3DM3xYzoa/s1920/Spectator%20TV%2021%20Feb%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsWLs3tLSUyHVDP0a2A0zB9kYtdUx-qoR4PY4If85NOggJSCK-qPg5crH1GOekWopJwlyWDa63N0sZPubxEyJbSu6p8Df0-058-uJlGCwc_q0UVl7bd7JTa42hhJpL92So4r-jhzg2QO4QsgbVC7n6c8xAJbFPyb0SlXMl4xcB9ItJaC9eaS3DM3xYzoa/w640-h360/Spectator%20TV%2021%20Feb%2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Week in 60 Minutes, Spectator TV, 21 February 2024</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">My political commentary on The Week in 60 Minutes, Spectator TV, Episode 4, 2024 with Alexandra Marshall. This week we discussed the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the state of US southern border security, the French ban on dissenting voices on vaccines, and Australia's archaic industrial relations laws.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Below is a snippet from our discussion of France's vaccine debate gag order:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">France has passed a law that could see people faced with severe fines & even a 3 year prison sentence if they criticise the MRNA vaccines. <br /><br />"Anything that silences debate means that our system of liberal democracy doesn't work properly. Governments seem to be doing this as their… <a href="https://t.co/j5qDMM3MqM">pic.twitter.com/j5qDMM3MqM</a></p>— ADH TV (@adhtvaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhtvaus/status/1760562520157495705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-26499320560034399082024-02-20T13:57:00.005+11:002024-02-20T13:57:32.512+11:00It's Time to Remove the Prohibition on Nuclear<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdHryG-OnrVISbEh2-wdZXWw01Kqc39fkHUQgrojqhfI_yGNHG33i9EIXTAJZTbT8ZXtQ1KMkJolMGbr-rTPlyI9MqrLDjgSMo5MzrSlXsvCPhn2ETwpCmNQJJzm3FgVvOZZDbeN66nOp3A76yBOAmfVjmRLwi_Biz8OSEugKmhXjLU_AU-swkN9E5Mdc/s648/Low%20Angle%20Photo%20Of%20Nuclear%20Power%20Plant%20Buildings%20Emtting%20SmokeImage%20byMarkus%20Distelrath%20CC0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="648" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdHryG-OnrVISbEh2-wdZXWw01Kqc39fkHUQgrojqhfI_yGNHG33i9EIXTAJZTbT8ZXtQ1KMkJolMGbr-rTPlyI9MqrLDjgSMo5MzrSlXsvCPhn2ETwpCmNQJJzm3FgVvOZZDbeN66nOp3A76yBOAmfVjmRLwi_Biz8OSEugKmhXjLU_AU-swkN9E5Mdc/w640-h360/Low%20Angle%20Photo%20Of%20Nuclear%20Power%20Plant%20Buildings%20Emtting%20SmokeImage%20byMarkus%20Distelrath%20CC0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"> It's time to remove the prohibition on nuclear energy [CC0]</td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><h3>If we're serious about net zero, we need to lift nuclear prohibition</h3><div>The push for renewables is taking longer and costing more than planned. The federal government must remove the prohibition on nuclear if we are to achieve net zero. Nuclear must be part of the mix.</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In my latest article in the Canberra Times, I argue that it's time to lift the prohibition on nuclear:<a href="https://t.co/p0KHL7if5n">https://t.co/p0KHL7if5n</a></p>— Le Flâneur Politique (@FlaneurPolitiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq/status/1759734927644643694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-49734992442230109862024-02-13T20:45:00.015+11:002024-02-13T21:05:22.525+11:00The Institutional Origins of Canada’s Telecommunications Mosaic<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr71TzTMNAILr-cXtYLBVHQurYYz6wEoNRhPElggwC5a07ksdrZ-bLCirgKytvJWcfCiRYLE-7ptKLo44lUxOpp_6QTWCp_GQ7Jc-LHUfp-MCdI3qr1I5MS4EOfdKDZSojbYvAdlpr6rgpy2Gp16-zo6P0Hc9zvFE2EmZ-mAf1Zg1ETSL6-qBY69v8RUh/s3072/Bell%20Canada%20Payphone%20Montreal%20Bus%20Station,%20MdP%20IMG_2700%206%20July%202007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPr71TzTMNAILr-cXtYLBVHQurYYz6wEoNRhPElggwC5a07ksdrZ-bLCirgKytvJWcfCiRYLE-7ptKLo44lUxOpp_6QTWCp_GQ7Jc-LHUfp-MCdI3qr1I5MS4EOfdKDZSojbYvAdlpr6rgpy2Gp16-zo6P0Hc9zvFE2EmZ-mAf1Zg1ETSL6-qBY69v8RUh/w640-h480/Bell%20Canada%20Payphone%20Montreal%20Bus%20Station,%20MdP%20IMG_2700%206%20July%202007.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell payphones at the Montreal Bus Station, 6th July 2007</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Context:</b> This is a work in progress article that stems from my PhD research over a decade ago. The paper suffers from numerous conceptual issues that remain unresolved and I am keen for feedback from the PPN group to progress my ideas. Alyssa Attioli, current graduand of the University of Canberra, has been working as a co-author on the paper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf8OloNHT4qj-eODHhddaFzG-ISTesQ3N7nFs8FfH9wXpOb4m8ALMuNeYTW-WM4OavyZ0Idr0qyX4c5j44FNZ3GTIqeRAoLnyOmgiPRRDdi1HdCKDCDMMXxMRPEziO51wRZU_DzO4LrPAgQb4img7LvHOowk_41fBrOZenK6C4hp28VHzZ37pSt3KlYiV/s1439/MdP%20and%20Alyssa%20Attioli%20PPN%202024%20WhatsApp%20Image%202024-02-05%20at%2013.28.53_e14428dc.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="831" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf8OloNHT4qj-eODHhddaFzG-ISTesQ3N7nFs8FfH9wXpOb4m8ALMuNeYTW-WM4OavyZ0Idr0qyX4c5j44FNZ3GTIqeRAoLnyOmgiPRRDdi1HdCKDCDMMXxMRPEziO51wRZU_DzO4LrPAgQb4img7LvHOowk_41fBrOZenK6C4hp28VHzZ37pSt3KlYiV/w231-h400/MdP%20and%20Alyssa%20Attioli%20PPN%202024%20WhatsApp%20Image%202024-02-05%20at%2013.28.53_e14428dc.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Alyssa Attioli at PPN2024</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Abstract:</b> The paper argues that the political circumstances leading up to Canadian Confederation resulted in a significant and lasting impact upon the institutional origins of Canada’s telecommunications market that persisted into the 21st century. It does so by first outlining the ideas and institutional dynamism that flowed from political rivalries in the lead-up to Confederation and coincided with the deployment of the telegraph. Second, the article discusses how commercial disputes created separate telegraph and telephone industries that embedded Canada’s unique telecommunications mosaic. The article concludes with a discussion of the importance of considering the local and regional imperative, and the legacies created by the original rationale, in developing national telecommunications policy. Canada’s approach sits somewhere between the private ownership model adopted by the United States and the public ownership model adopted in Australia. The major lesson from Canada is that, where diverse circumstances exist, addressing local and regional political imperatives can provide opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked by attempts to provide a standardised national solution in the delivery of telecommunications services to citizens.</div></div><div><br /></div>
The slides from our presentation are available below:<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/26xPCv941h2foW?hostedIn=slideshare&page=upload" width="476"></iframe></div>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-42762139516572475612024-02-12T18:12:00.002+11:002024-02-12T18:29:45.947+11:00Conservatives have no solutions, or so the story goes<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB4ebwG4dxrPgo693nDiv82Zj06eqK7RBfMzkxlw5mUW7az37S2nCnOxDXWlgN2r9Ikd3J8i5Sy8x3QUd6r67AMDkqvTpAFqtMdHaTC6lw_yfdStsccHAylmA_7JKGj3Fkw9i8eH2r-kmDtldXbTukfLrflzAbTn6NcMmZolTq58JhY-VlxXPhNtXZ_en/s615/Adam%20Smith%20CC0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="615" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBB4ebwG4dxrPgo693nDiv82Zj06eqK7RBfMzkxlw5mUW7az37S2nCnOxDXWlgN2r9Ikd3J8i5Sy8x3QUd6r67AMDkqvTpAFqtMdHaTC6lw_yfdStsccHAylmA_7JKGj3Fkw9i8eH2r-kmDtldXbTukfLrflzAbTn6NcMmZolTq58JhY-VlxXPhNtXZ_en/w640-h474/Adam%20Smith%20CC0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Smith, the Father of Capitalism and a key proponent of classical liberalism (1723-1790) [CC0]</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>My latest in <i>The Spectator Australia</i>, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/02/conservatives-have-no-solutions-or-so-the-story-goes/">Conservatives have no solutions, or so the story goes</a>.</p><p>Alexandra Marshall in Unfiltered:</p><p><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-shjhjik-dylydljltl-k/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;"></a></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-shjhjik-dylydljltl-k/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">Leading <em>Flat White</em>, Michael de Percy</a>
addresses the criticism that ‘conservatives only have complaints, not
solutions’ where he rightly points out that socialists keep inventing
‘solutions’ to problems that don’t exist which triggers some of these
complaints. In this case, the best solution is to simply stop doing
stupid things. If only the left would listen.</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Terry Barnes in Morning Double-Shot:</p><p></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">But in the <a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-shjhjiy-dylydljlty-o/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">very next piece</a>,
Michael de Percy castigates conservatives and classical liberals for
not having any solutions at all, and hence always playing catch-up to
the Left. De Percy insists he’s a classical liberal and not a
conservative, but we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: until the
Centre-Right agrees on what unites us and defines who we are and what
we stand for, the ideological wilderness is ours for years to come.
Labels like ‘conservative’ and ‘classical liberal’ simply are barriers
to ever finding that unity.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Conservatives have no solutions, or so the story goes<br />--------<br /><br />Governments of socialist persuasions have, as part of their long march through the institutions of liberal democracies, managed to usurp the very principles of liberal democracy.<br /><br />Fundamental to usurping liberal… <a href="https://t.co/y2XwU7Vebl">pic.twitter.com/y2XwU7Vebl</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1756811364189057250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-31139597848278274882024-02-10T16:55:00.006+11:002024-02-10T16:57:47.489+11:00My Comments on Spectator TV: The Week in 60 Minutes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbaOyL_Y-tiOJ1jxG2M3vSmSaQr4Ud_NClsn2Pe4eFaU6mHAy7wQQFFMLqnV0QshcuidHk0oXwewoOda39mhe-Zq7xC0kSLrZVlqnPSnoRm56ZpeCZZKe4ICFnMJthl4M_VOHm1xbkgiTBUylgJUyBlbDayDccAUePbbiIasmSHZA-F-noexwltBdTQBq_/s875/The%20End%20of%20Woke%20is%20Nigh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="875" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbaOyL_Y-tiOJ1jxG2M3vSmSaQr4Ud_NClsn2Pe4eFaU6mHAy7wQQFFMLqnV0QshcuidHk0oXwewoOda39mhe-Zq7xC0kSLrZVlqnPSnoRm56ZpeCZZKe4ICFnMJthl4M_VOHm1xbkgiTBUylgJUyBlbDayDccAUePbbiIasmSHZA-F-noexwltBdTQBq_/w640-h438/The%20End%20of%20Woke%20is%20Nigh.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There's definitely a rebellion against woke:<br><br>"In the US apparently they're forcing students to start writing in cursive again. It really is the tactile experience that works with your memory and creativity. When we look at architecture for example, it really is so boring. It's… <a href="https://t.co/852p8LBtRz">pic.twitter.com/852p8LBtRz</a></p>— ADH TV (@adhtvaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhtvaus/status/1753242012747448541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p><br /></p><p>My latest commentary on Spectator TV with Alexandra Marshall.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">There's definitely a rebellion against woke:<br /><br />"In the US apparently they're forcing students to start writing in cursive again. It really is the tactile experience that works with your memory and creativity. When we look at architecture for example, it really is so boring. It's… <a href="https://t.co/852p8LBtRz">pic.twitter.com/852p8LBtRz</a></p>— ADH TV (@adhtvaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/adhtvaus/status/1753242012747448541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-7259053683255240672024-02-10T16:44:00.000+11:002024-02-10T16:44:02.464+11:00Politicians must permit Australians to speak up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJXcSUa61-0xdWT2wVUQb1nM1SneSox3uMAv5aKkkE0lfHWgj-HWnddtPYwtZeKNkMXk3NW8H5C4ueZg1h7JSPk04nxV7wHbNv5P3SWZNpm2Cs3AyJPgnke-IKUbep5-jjjWlgyr-NwdVikJ48AOkDzbChz2dFAfDTP49qMy67GYPLqMZ7lRGfbZb-VZE/s1320/John%20Stuart%20Mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1320" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJXcSUa61-0xdWT2wVUQb1nM1SneSox3uMAv5aKkkE0lfHWgj-HWnddtPYwtZeKNkMXk3NW8H5C4ueZg1h7JSPk04nxV7wHbNv5P3SWZNpm2Cs3AyJPgnke-IKUbep5-jjjWlgyr-NwdVikJ48AOkDzbChz2dFAfDTP49qMy67GYPLqMZ7lRGfbZb-VZE/w640-h372/John%20Stuart%20Mill.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">19th-century liberal philosopher, John Stuart Mill.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">At a recent public meeting in regional Australia, I asked what politicians could do to capitalise on the current mood to ensure the wokerati come to an inglorious end at the next election. One politician replied, ‘We need to give Australian citizens permission to speak up.’ I couldn’t agree more.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The truth is that many of us are being cancelled or censored and our voices are not being heard in the public sphere. It is time for that to change.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Freedom of speech is central to the success of liberal democracy, but many of our institutions appear hell-bent on rejecting liberal democratic practice. Our political representatives must turn the tables back on these institutions. My latest article in The Spectator Australia:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Politicians must permit Australians to speak up<br />------------<br /><br />Many of us are being cancelled or censored and our voices are not being heard in the public sphere. It is time for that to change.<br /><br />In Canberra this week, the Reckless Renewables Rally heard from speakers including… <a href="https://t.co/jxb8FYQ2xI">pic.twitter.com/jxb8FYQ2xI</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1756149706571583685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-10039218506751200132024-01-30T19:51:00.007+11:002024-03-13T18:38:46.217+11:00Your super may be funding Labor’s broken promises<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iRpcqM9VgGy0rfmjKy8bwTZT7o5vt45wzG2pbL1B65ibWVwMELZYhTeswVDwWj6FGRxvolnZUbjW2ogAZTr5kR3bfFikUnW_vY9T1FvBLvdXYozEbRFtIOTo5wAn0zUXdyjsd3VWt5sdAmiCbIi0sxyCA6wPdzeJs1whI8FUC_70Fk715uOurpMRDPaE/s4596/Old%20People%20CC0%20StockSnap_PE2UEI7J6P.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2591" data-original-width="4596" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iRpcqM9VgGy0rfmjKy8bwTZT7o5vt45wzG2pbL1B65ibWVwMELZYhTeswVDwWj6FGRxvolnZUbjW2ogAZTr5kR3bfFikUnW_vY9T1FvBLvdXYozEbRFtIOTo5wAn0zUXdyjsd3VWt5sdAmiCbIi0sxyCA6wPdzeJs1whI8FUC_70Fk715uOurpMRDPaE/w640-h360/Old%20People%20CC0%20StockSnap_PE2UEI7J6P.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your retirement funds may be benefiting Labor</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Industry superannuation funds are great if you are a member of one. Low administration fees, focused on returns for members, and in some industries, still part of an anachronistic, closed-shop union deal.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/01/your-super-may-be-funding-labors-broken-promises/">latest article in the Spectator Australia</a> considers the inequity of industry super indirectly funding Labor. Given the series of broken promises, some industry super fund members are right to be upset.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the <i>Morning Double Shot</i> newsletter, Terry Barnes had this to say:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;">Michael de Percy <a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-sdktjdt-dylydljlty-h/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">is right</a>:
politically, compulsory superannuation was intended first and foremost
to give Labor’s union allies rivers of gold to exploit to the hilt,
including returning at least some of that gold to the ALP itself. When
it comes to looking at the Prime Minister’s prattling purveying of
perfidy in respect of the legislated stage 3 tax cuts, and what they
mean to those union allies and their ALP affiliations, the political
Ponzi scheme that is industry super funds control of your money must be
targeted for destruction by the next Coalition government, whenever that
may be.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">In the <i>Unfiltered</i> newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-sdhudld-dylydljltl-o/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;"></a></p><blockquote><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-sdhudld-dylydljltl-o/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">Michael de Percy has written a piece this morning</a>
pointing out that your super money is funding the Labor Party – whether
you like it or not. While I disagree with him on the merits of super,
his insights into how it is being abused and manipulated are well worth
the read.</blockquote><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Your super may be funding Labor’s broken promises<br />----------<br /><br />If you are part of an industry super fund, you are helping to shore up this government that now breaks promises as a matter of habit.<a href="https://t.co/1LngVupZUd">https://t.co/1LngVupZUd</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1752121309088342414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-40516403864112042292024-01-26T11:15:00.006+11:002024-01-26T11:15:53.813+11:00The End of Woke is Nigh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5v3_3IDi_18mtUMm6a7fo-OTR04JsVUNGSgb4VsbA3C6oCsZFaW9SlAyEIOsRPf7nIN4e4fM3wVokVdrKFSBwoHVlUSTKVMdlC_XZbk1fMarVfyf7u3fYM5DTdCXlW8QmSw6fNFxVEOYZqd8bztOivAJWgZdNPF6h1CDyRRqNZxlFw8ykvTeKCd8z3V2/s2048/Australia%20Day%20Keswick.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="2048" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5v3_3IDi_18mtUMm6a7fo-OTR04JsVUNGSgb4VsbA3C6oCsZFaW9SlAyEIOsRPf7nIN4e4fM3wVokVdrKFSBwoHVlUSTKVMdlC_XZbk1fMarVfyf7u3fYM5DTdCXlW8QmSw6fNFxVEOYZqd8bztOivAJWgZdNPF6h1CDyRRqNZxlFw8ykvTeKCd8z3V2/w640-h436/Australia%20Day%20Keswick.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every Australian is entitled to fly the Australian Flag and can obtain on for free from their local MP</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">As we approach this Australia Day, may we consciously reinvigorate a tradition that was once a source of pride and joy, and that can still be so if we refuse to play the Green-Left’s boring Woke game of self-hatred. We are better than that, and there are many reasons for us to celebrate.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Green-Left have offered us no compelling alternative to hating ourselves other than to replicate their Woke tropes as part of some Woke meme that leads to socialism. And socialism leads to nowhere.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We already live in the greatest nation in the world. Let us all rejoice and act like it.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australia Day 🇦🇺 | The end of Woke is nigh<br /><br />As we approach this Australia Day, may we consciously reinvigorate a tradition that was once a source of pride and joy, and that can still be so if we refuse to play the Green-Left’s boring Woke game of self-hatred. We are better… <a href="https://t.co/1wKrK0KQk3">pic.twitter.com/1wKrK0KQk3</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1750647900621897883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-4868668331523517492024-01-17T21:51:00.004+11:002024-01-17T21:51:49.882+11:00Labor are the masters of their own demise<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgSNK97VdFmq8WD1xxBBICJst_s_CLojRiFFQ07HNQNQmANhibdGljzHKimsrhhsbz5qE9gGlKz-W_jAY-GfzI8de5TDy2-cr2U3zrtk2uqDDJsSC1jyvrgSKye322S2EEonEytAZE434KYQdVn1oXD8yopef3ltD4W5auMtbrOBhuoVzigP1dBNDwDJT/s2841/Catch%20All%2020240117_212732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="2841" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgSNK97VdFmq8WD1xxBBICJst_s_CLojRiFFQ07HNQNQmANhibdGljzHKimsrhhsbz5qE9gGlKz-W_jAY-GfzI8de5TDy2-cr2U3zrtk2uqDDJsSC1jyvrgSKye322S2EEonEytAZE434KYQdVn1oXD8yopef3ltD4W5auMtbrOBhuoVzigP1dBNDwDJT/w640-h386/Catch%20All%2020240117_212732.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'catch-all' party of Keating has become the 'upset-all' party of Albanese</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Albanese government’s dictatorial policy of renewables at all costs was always going to bring about its demise. Following the defeat of the divisive Voice to Parliament Referendum, the Prime Minister has been labelled a ‘beta male’, defined as a ‘submissive, feeble-minded, and weak man’. With Labor’s planned republic referendum now hopefully shelved until their defeat at the next election, renewables policy is one area where we can expect rapid desperation from the Prime Minister to create some sort of legacy in the short time he has left. </div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">From </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The Spectator</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">'s "Unfiltered" newsletter:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-sdjbld-dylydljltl-u/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;"></a></p><blockquote><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-sdjbld-dylydljltl-u/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">The stand-out piece this morning goes to Michael de Percy,</a>
who writes that ‘Labor are the masters of their own demise’. ‘Labor’s
energy policy has recast Labor from the ‘catch-all’ party of Keating to
the ‘upset-all’ party of Albanese.’ He adds that instead of Albanese
being a ‘conviction politician’ – as he has branded himself – we would
be better calling him a ‘consensus politician’.</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">From my latest article in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">The Spectator Australia</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">'s Flat White, <a href="https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/01/labor-are-the-masters-of-their-own-demise/">Labor are the masters of their own demise</a>:</span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Labor are the masters of their own demise<br /><br />Labor’s energy policy has recast Labor from the ‘catch-all’ party of Keating to the ‘upset-all’ party of Albanese.<br /><br />The Green-Left movement has become comfortable telling people where to live, what to eat, how to cook, what to drive,… <a href="https://t.co/43xikvOceo">pic.twitter.com/43xikvOceo</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1747450800467750989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-5765650773370652872024-01-09T11:56:00.005+11:002024-01-09T11:56:38.816+11:00Canberra Times: Tram poses a question on housing<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2XmOtwSFHbzrepbq9F934UM7MoJRZeiWK13fvf8bBu3yEy4wyyHp9o-JnEZkQj-yUpcB1nwY0IhBHuiUSiWqsXJ9HTEPi1XDlz1njHy4Rjz3PYENXTh6MO_gU7Kdax5jPQKgCSalITJky9shVQfU-UuznVmCJnY6a71QuJ_zMwMxlyt1wI78ICHZyfOB/s2831/CT%20Op-Ed%208%20January%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1610" data-original-width="2831" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2XmOtwSFHbzrepbq9F934UM7MoJRZeiWK13fvf8bBu3yEy4wyyHp9o-JnEZkQj-yUpcB1nwY0IhBHuiUSiWqsXJ9HTEPi1XDlz1njHy4Rjz3PYENXTh6MO_gU7Kdax5jPQKgCSalITJky9shVQfU-UuznVmCJnY6a71QuJ_zMwMxlyt1wI78ICHZyfOB/w640-h364/CT%20Op-Ed%208%20January%202024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My op-ed in <i>The Canberra Times</i>, 8 January 2024, p. 17</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Those Canberrans who do not want to live in high-density housing are making choices that the ACT government cannot control. Canberra's green vision underpinned by high-density housing along a tramway is not for everyone it seems.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The tram is asking Canberrans to make a large compromise. <br /><br />I wish to ask a serious question: do Canberrans really want to live in high-density housing?<a href="https://t.co/iowBSIfGuB">https://t.co/iowBSIfGuB</a></p>— Le Flâneur Politique (@FlaneurPolitiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaneurPolitiq/status/1744280759765188762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117239576030353608.post-27369244476997862132024-01-06T21:15:00.005+11:002024-01-09T11:50:49.618+11:00Bowen’s homemade recipe for an energy debacle<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkOooLoJf8h6gDox_corhevJmAFJuc1lZurRhj26uzJf3fncnqbt65W_CoTOehtCFXeN-SVU1a_vxvJa8x8Km7cFJANvtuKRD9MHoXESu2f8zZPlTlkSLAlEuoMDtCDFqIh2arey-HZ0SyE6YZMRUPxs4C9zRXJqYQcsVj999MER_YcPigqov4Z_U0Qmj/s1200/Dust-storm-Texas-1935%20Public%20Domain%20via%20Wikimedia.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1200" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkOooLoJf8h6gDox_corhevJmAFJuc1lZurRhj26uzJf3fncnqbt65W_CoTOehtCFXeN-SVU1a_vxvJa8x8Km7cFJANvtuKRD9MHoXESu2f8zZPlTlkSLAlEuoMDtCDFqIh2arey-HZ0SyE6YZMRUPxs4C9zRXJqYQcsVj999MER_YcPigqov4Z_U0Qmj/w640-h390/Dust-storm-Texas-1935%20Public%20Domain%20via%20Wikimedia.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not even Chris Bowen can control the weather [Public Domain: Dust Storm, Texas, 1935]<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Rewiring the Nation won’t happen by rewriting history. Markets work best through light regulation and promoting competition. Government has a role to ensure important social outcomes where profits are scarce. But Labor’s energy transition is all about government control. Whether we agree with a government-led renewables future or not, one thing is clear: skills are not keeping up with demand. Australia is going it alone without nuclear, and Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s homemade recipe for an energy debacle is in full swing.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">From <i>The Spectator</i>'s "Unfiltered" newsletter:</span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-siukyz-dylydljltl-n/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;"></a></span></p><blockquote><span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://email.spectator.com.au/t/j-l-siukyz-dylydljltl-n/" style="color: #b30517; outline-style: none;">Michael de Percy also offered a savage look</a>
at the energy future of Bowen’s Utopia, including all these lofty
promises of ‘job creation’ that never seem to manifest in reality.</span></blockquote><p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bowen’s homemade recipe for an energy debacle<br /><br />Rewiring the nation won’t happen by rewriting history.<br /><br />Markets work best through light regulation and promoting competition.<br /><br />Government has a role to ensure important social outcomes where profits are scarce. But Labor’s energy… <a href="https://t.co/nc1s7rI5Dd">pic.twitter.com/nc1s7rI5Dd</a></p>— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectatorOz/status/1743418520745234814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Dr Michael de Percy FRSA FCILThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877136639488853831noreply@blogger.com