THE McGRATH FOUNDATION DAY RAISING MONEY FOR CANCER TREATMENT. THIS IS THE 18TH YEAR THE PINK TEST HAS BEEN PART OF THIS FIXTURE.

Anthony Albanese.

One of the biggest drawbacks to education in Australia and one of the biggest challenges faced by schools has to do with teacher training. In a recent column in ‘The Weekend Australian’ (25&26/2) education writer Natasha Bita wrote that universities must learn to lift the quality of teacher training. She wrote that low expectations for teacher training were established decades ago. She was alluding to training of the 1960’s and 1970’s being replaced by degree courses at universities, which concentrated on the degree rather than content instilling teaching methods and teacher readiness for the school classroom.

Bita indicated that  “teacher training is set for a shake up as the federal government prepares to weed out students with poor literacy and lure top ranked school leavers … into classroom teaching.”  

After reading Bita’s column I recalled advice offered Year 11 students at my son’s school toward the end of 1988. Officers from the (then) Commonwealth Department of Education were visiting to advise students on how much application and effort Year 12 would require in order to satisfy tertiary entrance requirements.

The group talked metaphorically, creating an ‘expectational ladder’ for students to contemplate. Top rung students with exceptional TER scores could consider dentistry and medicine. The advisers talked of ‘down the ladder’ scores in the 80 and 70 percentile range. A score of 60 was described as an absolute cut-off, allowing students to consider basic accountancy.

A group member then added, “but if you get less than a score of 60, there is always teaching!”.

This advocacy foisted on Australia far too many graduate teachers who were mediocre at best. The contributions  of good teachers have been diluted by the teaching efforts of mediocre colleagues. Sadly, far too many students have suffered at the hands of inept teachers.  

I am really hoping that universities accept the advice on lifting and strengthening teacher training contained in the review reported upon by Bita.  Heaven knows this cannot happen soon enough.

.With the imposition of an increasing number of barriers to free speech, fewer and fewer people have the confidence to comment freely on issues. Cartoonists have been an exception to this rule. They defy the odds by region, state, country and the world for plying their trade and calling those out who act wrongfully or make shortsighted and crass decisions. 

Good cartoonists honestly and unswervingly highlight the pros and cons of issues. While they may invoke people and personalities into cartoons, they do this to magnify matters about which we should be concerned.

All cartoonists have specific drawing styles, which add to their stamp of communication by caricature. A key ingredient of cartooning is conveying a message so the reader is not left wondering what the cartoon is really about. The cartoonist’s style and relevance make his or her messages meaningful. They take on contentious matters and stimulate debate on issues.

Any law or its interpretation that would stifle the free expression of cartoonists would be a retrograde step. Cartoonists’ freedom to express deep-seated community opinions must be preserved. That right should be as sacrosanct as parliamentary privilege.

But if restriction laws were to be introduced, I am sure cartoonists would defy them and continue their trade of offering us all deep-seated awareness and understanding.

Education has become a ‘too much froth and not enough substance’ plaything. Tinkering excesses by researchers and educators provide novel approaches to learning that are often trite and meaningless.

They then try to fix problems with creative approaches that make matters worse, not better. They can’t leave well alone. 

Get back to what education should be -teaching and learning. For decades, too much ‘froth and bubble’ has been inserted into a rubbery, hopelessly focused curriculum that is now a total mess. 

An agenda that promotes fanciful notions over substance has distorted education’s prime function. Structures and organisations that too often focus on ‘providers’ rather than the intended recipients—children and 

students—have subverted the function of education. 

For the last 30 years, education has become a platform promoting educational gurus, often at the expense of students who become guinea pigs sacrificed at the altar of poorly researched innovations.

Stop tinkering and get back to providing decent, worthwhile education.

I read recently that one should never hold a grudge. This is excellent advice, but for me, there are two exceptions. They were, or are, all politicians who thwarted the Marshall Perron Right to Die Legislation passed by the NT Assembly in 1996.

One of them, Kevin Andrews, has passed away. He was the mover of the private members’ bill, which was passed in the Federal Par”0liament to rescind and void the Marshall Perron legislation.

The second unforgivable is the then Prime Minister John Howard who persuaded the recission bill through the agency of the Andrew’s bill, overruling the NT because we were only a territory.

Fast forward three decades, and appreciate the dreadful situation in which these two ‘visionaries’ have landed us—still no VAD in the NT.

For me, they can never be forgiven

It is stunning beyond belief that Attorney-General Boothby can calmly declare that the introduction of VAD Legislation (Sunday Territorian Jan.3), already delayed by lengthy dual inquiries, will be further delayed until at least mid-year. 

The CLP Government is treating this significant issue, important to many Territorians, as a life-defining decision in a casual, almost cavalier fashion. 

“We will get to it – sometime” is just not a good answer. This delay is made worse by the fact that it is 29 years since the Perron Legislation was federally rescinded.

As the CLP Chief Minister said back then, “the right  to die will eventually come to all states and territories” (Paraphrased).

The one and only true guide and encouraging yet persuasive leader who shares his panoramic vista with all who look and listen –

The Hon. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.

Anthony Albanese.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump

Don’t drive to work in Cas no more workers,

Walk to work instead folk,

Save rubber on your tyres friend,

Keep hard-earned in you wallet,

By walking into town.

Populate or perish

Fridge and pantry clean outs never go to waste when birds are allowed to join the food chain as consumers.

• Bondi Royal Conmission is an ABSOLUTE MUST. Keep pressure on.

• Clear speech, eye contact are no longer conversational keys.

• Intergenerational trauma sharper for each new generation.

• So many aspects of NT health care are broken down completely.

• 26/1/2026   – Australia or Invasion Day? The former for me!

Be good

Sin not

Always obey every authority and accept all suggestions.

Respect organised religion

Obey every government edict with subservient compliance.

Learn to think ‘red carpet’ for all very important people.

Dementia is a merciless scourge sowing weeds in the brain.

Dementia clouds once clear minds with kaleidoscopic confusion.

 Dementia strangles laughter, sucks oxygen from merriment.

Dementia is akin to brain cancer. But is not curable.

Dementia – one of Revelation’s seven last incurable plagues?

A colleague of mine, Janice Low, has published this sad but realistic description of the diminishment that comes from this savage disease that kills the brain, on Facebook.

It is sad, poignant and true.

I know. My wife has dementia.

Thank you Nigella Lawson for building my culinary confidence.

Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump on his 80th birthday.

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump.

Australia has been quite pedestrian in bowling England out on day two for 384.

Joe Root England’s best with 160 runs.

2026

2025

To be continued

DONALD TRUMP

THE ROYAL COMMISSION MUST HAPPEN, AND OUR PRIME MINISTER MUST FACE UP TO ALL HE AND HIS CABINET HAVE DONE WRONG ON THE ISSUE OF ALLOWING ANTISEMETISM TO BE FOSTERED.

AS ALBANESE SAID, “HATE STARTS WITH SPEECH, AND HE LET IT ALL HAPPEN.

MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT! HE OWNES WHAT HAPPENED AT BONDI.

A charity in its 18th year I always support.

Having transformed the environment with their expansion and commitment, age is starting to erode the environment and physicality of this toadstool town.

Organisations, similarly, transform ideologies and thinking before they start to fade in the face of a restless public and society looking for new, different, and exciting ideas.

Spreading water as it fell. Leanyer School’s lawn got a good soaking.

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump.

He will be a very busy man for the remainder of his four-year term.

Age creeps up upon us all and engulfes us before our time. Birth, childhood, youth and adulthood are are consumed within its voracious jaws. We are sucked dry as an insect caught in a Venus flytray or victim to the brain-draining voracity of a Preying Mantis and left exposed to rot on the edge of the receding tide of life.

That England comes out of the fifth cricket test in Sydney with its second win in the series. With only three wickets down and the score north of 200, the English team had Australian bowlers looking quite pedestrian.

Donald Trump.

If Venezuela is anything to go by –

Donald Trump.

The community establishes. It’s organisation brainstorms and establishes societal norms.

A colony, is born. An organisation is formed.

And continue until time is given back to the clock.

And continue

The fireworks continue to a harbourside audience of a million people.

The fireworks begin

On the march to midnight./

Once

But not

Now I am

Old, weary and a

Carer for the one who

Is the love of my life

The lady who did me the honour

Of becoming my wife all the way back

57 years ago on January 22nd 1969 to make

Me the happiest man in the state of Western Australia.

Years

Have past

And my love

Has blossomed and grown

Although I am old and

Now fill a new and uncharted

Role in life I will be there

For her as she has always been for

Me our children and grandchildren bit there is little

Time to play the light-hearted and frivolous role of old.

As she has lived for me

I live my life for her.

Back page of the paper

Below is the front page of the paper.

Move the back page to the rear of the front page to see the whole sequenvce. I suggest ‘cut and paste’.

Donald Trump.

May every day bring blessings and success as we surmount challenges and turn them into celebrations.

One day,m indeed, one step at a time.

From brilliance to fade out

All seeing, all hearing, all knowing

DONALD TRUMP

The ‘angle of incidence’ equals the ‘angle of reflection’ unless you’ve are an Archer Fish?

A cake of soap is now called a ‘sensitive skin cream bar’?

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump.

I hope the year will be one of positivity, fulfilment, blessing and joy.

May challenges be surmounted and bring celebration in their mastery.

May blessings be inclusive of family, work and recreation.

Sitting on the big hill behind our farmhouse and looking down of the panoramic landscape when I was a little boy on our farm in the mid 1950’s – and wondering in my childish way what might lay ahead.

At the age of 79, it seems a distant memory to the time of my looking forward.

Thank you Nigella Lawson for encouraging me to explore the recesses of my mind as I seek to embrace the promises of boundless culinary possibilities.

• Once there was Eden. Now Earth is like a dried up cactus.

• Dare I hope for a better more together Australia in 2026?

• Now back to arson in Melbourne. More talkfest – what else?

• 100 over games will soon outlast an Aust/Eng cricket test.

• Dementia – one of Revelation’s seven last incurable plagues?
• 20

Where to from here I wonder.

The areas of conflict in the world are ever widening.

Peace and prosperity are in ever-shortening supply.

Synergy is dying.

Individualism is growing.

Care for others is lessening.

Poverty is engulfing a world that is evermore populated especially in the third world.

Will 2026 be a resurrection year?

LEADERS HAVE AMBITION. SUBJECTS AND SUBORDINATES ARE JUST COLLATERAL

1922 Creation of the USSR is formally proclaimed in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theatre, organized as a union (U) of the Russian, Ukrainian, Byelorussian and Transcaucasian Soviet Socialist Republics (SSR)

PUTIN DID NOT LIKE THE DISMANTLING OF WHAT WAS. HE WANTS IT BACK AGAIN – BUT BIGGER – AND UKRAINE IS JUST THE START!

This is it:

Prepared by POH who is forever inspired in his creations and variations by Nigella Lawson.

Thank you Nigella Lawson for your mentorship

I  saw a great picture of green ants industriously constructing a nest in a picture belonging to an article in ‘The Conversation’ yesterday. The picture reminded me of the fact that this species, once prolific around Darwin’s suburbs, has all but gone. They were excellent fertilisers of plants. Their nest were visible in many trees in Darwin’s suburbs.  Now you have to go bush to find them nd they are becoming scarcer and scarcer. I haven’t seen green ants in trees in yards, in trees along roadsides and in any other place where they were once so prolific for at least five years. Green ants are being harvested to go into Green Ant Gin, exotic cheeses and other foods.  Green ants are fodder for this industry that is drawing accolades because of its niche market appeal.  People go out, knock nest out of trees, gather up the nest and ants into bags and take them away for processing. Hunnbdreds and thousands of any colonies are being decimated for the sake of human taste buds. But unless there is a breeding and replacement program put in place, the food and beverage industry they support, may well decimate this species of insect. And that will be the end of an industry more intent on consuming rather than replacing its primary source of ingredient.

Playing with warships

• There is a possibility and 50% probability that Russian warships are circling Taiwan to:
• Let off fireworks to celebrate the New Year in a way that embraces the Island.
• Execute a fugurative maypole dance. 
• Pretend Taiwan is a castle in the middle of a moat.
• To pretend that they are playing ring-a-rosy.
• To enable the development of a close-up and personal relationship to develop between members of the Chinese navy and the coastal dwellers of Taiwan.

I often wonder about these past students and have recently made contact with people connected with Warburton these days.

There once was a farmer named Bill,

He ate and drank his stomach to fill,

He would heap loads on his plate,

His endless hunger to satiate,

Ever filling the shop owner’s till.

My head.

That is where it all begins

That is from where it all happens.

From genuine human contact to artificially generated messages.

From genuine human owned research papers to those berated with and by artifical intelligence.

From a smile and a wave to looking the other way when passing people in the street.

From happy workplace atmosphere to strained, stifled and humourless environmentd

Question to AI

Do politicans in parliament have the characteristics or behaviours of chooks in a chook yard or fowl house?

Response:

The comparison of politicians in parliament to chickens in a chook yard or fowl house can be quite an interesting metaphor. Here are some characteristics and behaviors that one might draw parallels between:

Characteristics and Behaviors

1. Pecking Order:

• Just like chickens establish a social hierarchy, politicians often engage in power dynamics and pecking orders, where senior members exert influence over junior ones.

1. Crowding and Competition:

• In a chook yard, chickens often compete for food, space, and attention; similarly, politicians may compete for media coverage, votes, and public approval.

1. Gossip and Clucking:

• Chickens often communicate through clucks and sounds. Politicians engage in discussions, gossip, and strategizing, often leading to public debates and speeches that can resemble clucking.

1. Group Behavior:

• Chickens often move in flocks, and politicians may align themselves with parties or groups, often following the collective decision rather than individual thought.

1. Sparring:

• Just as chickens can peck and spar with each other to assert dominance, politicians often engage in debates, criticisms, and conflicts to establish their stance and gain the upper hand.

1. Nesting and Protecting Interests:

• Chickens tend to protect their nests; likewise, politicians often defend their constituencies and vested interests.

1. Instinctual Reactions:

• Chickens may react instinctively to threats or changes in their environment; politicians may exhibit similar responses to public opinion shifts or crises.

Conclusion

While it’s a whimsical analogy, it highlights certain behaviors that can be observed in both settings. However, it is essential to recognize that politicians also possess more complex motivations and responsibilities compared to chickens!

This comparison can serve as a light-hearted way to discuss the dynamics of political behavior and governance.

Very enlightening indeed

While the moon sails across the sky amidst the slightly flamed clouds of sunset.

So much for transparent government

All you need is a tin opener and spoon.

Protesting in ignorance of the facts

It would be good if some of these leading lights who march and protest to remain relevant – or at least prominent – were to go and live in some of the places where they protest for six months. The ‘leadership’ they experience might well change their thinking.

B

How often do we hear from politicians and others that Australia is a peaceful, harmonious, multicultural community where we all live together in oneness and unity – regardless of race, colour and creed.  Maybe once it was batter but in these modern times such statements are absurd and untrue. 

Iran’s sinister plots revealed

Why am I not surprised by these findings?  But congratulations to ASIO and the AFP for the dedication devoted to uncovering this evil against our Jewish Community and indeed Australia.

Dr Forrest, you took it, you reneged on the deal – now give it back!

Good on you, Queensland Government. I am appalled that Dr Forrest would not refund the money, and I wonder how viable he felt green energy to be. He has undoubtedly done a 180-degree 180 on the concept—and at the cost of how many tens of millions of dollars. 40

Our PM. is a man without peer

Anthony Albanese always does the right thing. His empathy, sincerity and integrity in dealing with all global matters are beyond question.

The guidance of Albo

Anthony Albanese is a very wise man. I am old, but if I were just a boy today, I would love to have someone of his care and calibre as my uncle, helping guide me through adult life’s pathways.

Israel and the Houthies of Yemen

Good for Israel. The takedown of hateful and vengeful groups hell bent on exterminating Jews and destroying Israel is an essential undertaking.  The way in which the Israeli Government approaches the horrendous task of terror elimination is an excellent example of consistency, fortitude and diligence. 

The Allan Government

Would it be okay for me to write a letter to Premier Allan from the perspective of an old NT man who has been an observer and student of Australian Governments for many decades?  Significant reverse parallels exist between the fable “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” and how Victoria’s government is acting.

Carr and Andrews off to the Tiananmen Square

 Bob Carr’s wisdom and Daniel Andrews’s leadership experience will bless, enrich, and significantly enhance this auspicious gathering of world leaders. They will be de facto Australian Representatives, and for this, they deserve some recognition.

Perish the thought

The thought or suggestion that our PM would ever have a go at the RBA over interest levels is preposterous. Our PM accepts accountability – he does not deflect it onto others. He offered others bouquets of appreciation, never brickbats of negative appreciation. He is a hero to 99% of young voters.

Payback from Netanyahu

The responses from PM Netanyahu – not untrue in my opinion – are understandable, given the length of time and the frequency of retorts against Israel that our government has perpetrated. It is no wonder the Australian Jewish Community feels abandoned and alone.

Premier Chrisafulli to charge audience fees

What a load of garbage. Premier Chrisafulli, you have gone down 80% in my estimation. You are supposed to be a leader who is accessible to all. You are not a god, and this move on your part is the height of arrogance.

Child care all regulation and no fun

As a school principal, my first  – and best – experience with children was in 1988/89.  Our school had a general-purpose room. After school, the children gathered in that room for activities with the program leader and one or two other ladies. The program ran like clockwork; there were no worries, limited regulations, and there was lots of homework done, some excursions, physical and sporting activities, and arts and crafts. The program was so good. Come 1990, and the beginning of regulations. From then on, the program entered a different era – as was the case all around Australia. The goodness of childcare has eroded over time and will never again reflect the honest simplicity and the parental trust it once enjoyed.

Denying what happened – Australian Government Trait

Thank you for this insightful and well-researched paper. Can a copy please be sent to Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, and Tony Burke? The three copies should be sent by registered mail, requiring the recipients to sign on delivery, so the awarenesses offered are not shrugged aside as irrelevant.

Leadership – master and apprentice

This story and its revelations confirm that Donald Trump is really nervous about deeply offending Vladimir Putin. Putin is the master of demonstrating leadership determination, and Trump is still on a learning curve.

• Once there was Eden. Now Earth is like a dried up cactus.

• Dare I hope for a better more together Australia in 2026?

• Now back to arson in Melbourne. More talkfest – what else?

• 100 over games will soon outlast an Aust/Eng cricket test.

• Dementia – one of Revelation’s seven last incurable plagues?

The organiser got cross with me about this.

Could I establish a ‘go-fund-me’ page to help support the travel needs of politican’s family members? Would that be tax-deductible as a donation?

AI RESPONSE

Creating a GoFundMe page for political family members is feasible, but the tax implications can be complex. Here are some points to consider:

Establishing a GoFundMe Page

1. Purpose: Ensure that the campaign clearly states the purpose of the fundraiser (e.g., travel expenses for family members) and adheres to GoFundMe’s guidelines.
2. Transparency: Provide detailed information to potential donors about how funds will be used.

Tax-Deductibility

1. Personal Fundraisers: Donations made to personal campaigns (like a family’s travel needs) are generally not considered tax-deductible for the donor. GoFundMe pages for individuals typically do not qualify as charitable contributions under IRS rules.
2. 501(c)(3) Organizations: If the fundraiser were associated with a registered charity (a non-profit organization), donations could be tax-deductible if the organization is recognized by the IRS.
3. Consult a Tax Professional: It’s advised to consult with a tax professional to understand specific implications and ensure compliance with laws.

Conclusion

While you can set up the campaign, donors likely won’t receive tax deductions for contributions unless the funds are part of a qualified charity. Always check local laws and regulations before proceeding.

It will be hard but I will persevere

• The callous brutality and indifference of Vladimir Putin.
• The awful Jewish massacre inflicted by the perpetrators at Bondi Beach.
• The studied indifference to the Jewish plight by the Australian Government and several state governments.
• The alacrity with which government ministers were keen to rush and defend actions by pro-Palestinian groups.
• The embrace by our older universities of the pro-Palestinian cause, to the point of allowing these groups to camp on campuses and assume control of various campus facilities.
• Looking for every way to excuse and condone hostility toward Jews.
• NO WONDER THE BONDI BEACH MASSACRE HAPPENED.

Thank you as ever Nigella Lawson for seeding my inspiration and dedication about food.

Cricket Shenanigans 

• 100 over games will soon outlast an Aust/Eng cricket test.
• The McGrath Foundation day is day three at the Sydney test. I think it should be brought forward to day one and certainly no later than day two; otherwise, it will be a fizzer!

• The similarity between an Australia/ England test and a small town?  Blink and you’ll miss it! 

England have scythed through the tip order of the Australian batting lineup on day one of the Boxing Day test in Melbourne

6/103 at the moment

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas Day. Including the tens of thousands around Australia who were fed Christmas lunch prepared by volunteers and served in hundreds of venues around our country.

Sadly, destitution is rife in this country and growing more pronounced by the day.

• ALBANESE Recall Parliament – SORT THIS BLOODY MESS! (Bondi massacre)

• From the ‘baccy shop a hero emerged. One who loves Australia.

• Albo, Bowen, Wells et.al. – are all on board the gravy train.

• Dementia is akin to brain cancer. But is not curable.

• Australia a harmonious multicultural country? Not any more!

• Wills turn People into vultures and jackals.

•  Denentia strangles laughter, sucks oxygen from merriment.

• What is said is often not what is thought by the speaker.

• Chris Bowen the Pied Piper leads us to a Land without Power.

• Y/N – Can we do a ‘go-fund-me’ page for Politicans travel?

• Dementia is a merciless scourge sowing weeds in the brain.

• Are the Albanese’s at a luxurious NT wilderness resort?

• Dementia clouds once clear minds with kaleidoscopic confusion.

• I should be able to will VAD, applied if I get dementia.

• Christchurch quicksand feels underfoot in Darwin.

It was Nigella Lawson who turned me on to appreciating food.

Thank you Nigella Lawson for your daily inspiration.

Is a town in Scotland.

I have been to Teeth.

I lost a tooth but not in Teeth.

It was lost from my mouth

In a dentist’s chair.

If I visit Teeth again

It will be with one less tooth

Than I had

When last visiting Teeth.

Many are starting to think that with the ongoing palliating and diminishment of the Coalition, it may be that One Nation is far more representative of ordinary Australians than a bombastic – yet – placatory Labour Government, and an opposition more hell-bent on personal aggrandisement, than providing a synergistic response to policies gradually undoing our country and driving us backward.

“Hatred starts with language”.

Anthony Albanese’s utterance in recent days

Merry Christmas and the best of days to all bloggers. May the festive season bring you blessings and joy.

Political affinity

• There is a possibility, but zero probability, that Vladimir Putin and   Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy will be doing the hootenanny and dancing around the maypole this side of the New Year to celebrate peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Inner Feelings

• There is a possibility and are very strong probability that the outward facade reflecting happiness and joy is often an artificial cover for inner feelings of hopelessness and despair.

• There is a possibility and a very strong probability that the lack of security is eating at the very essence of the Australian Jewish Community.

• There is a possibility but very little probability that the majority of Australians will feel inner happiness and joy during the Christmas and New Year period.

EXCLUSIVE – GEOFF CHAMBERS JANET ALBRECHTSEN

From the front page of The Australian December 24 2025

Anthony Albanese and his senior ministers have been accused of “wilful blindness” in responding to warnings from security chiefs on anti-Semitism and ­extremism, as police, security and intelligence personnel fear they will be made scapegoats by the government.

Multiple security sources have told The Australian that the Albanese government’s “permissive” approach to the scourge of anti-Semitism, lack of urgency in response to extremist threats and failure to adequately resource security and intelligence agencies cannot escape scrutiny following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

The decision by the Prime Minister to reject a royal commission and order a review into federal law-enforcement and ­intelligence agencies, led by ­respected former public servant Dennis Richardson, has angered under-pressure security personnel who are concerned the government is “throwing them under the bus” to deflect from its inaction on anti-Semitism.

The Australian can reveal that well before Islamic State-­inspired extremists murdered Jewish-Australians in the nation’s worst terrorist attack, the Albanese government was warned by security chiefs that ­existing anti-vilification and hate speech laws were too weak and that thresholds for prosecution must be lowered.

A senior law enforcement figure – who The Australian has called Morgan D to protect their identity – writes in The Australian: “Government leaders now speak as though the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach came without warning, as if there were no signs, no escalating threats, no atmosphere of danger – as if it emerged from nowhere.

“The truth is unmistakeable: the alarm bells were ringing long ago. The October 9, 2023, protest at the Sydney Opera House, the 300 per cent rise in harassment, threats and assaults against Jewish Australians; the arson and vandalism of Jewish businesses, schools and places of worship; the anti-Semitism on university campuses, the unchecked hate speech, the weekly protest marches calling for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.

“And the repeated briefings, particularly to Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, from security agencies all pointed to a growing and foreseeable threat.

“There is a legal term for ignoring such warnings: wilful blindness, when someone deliberately avoids knowing the truth so they can later claim ignorance. It is about accountability for choosing not to see what is in front of them.”

Prominent national security figures told The Australian the Albanese government did not have a “real focus on national ­security” and that the security ­architecture and personnel had been degraded since the 2022 election, when Labor came to power.

Mr Albanese on Tuesday ­defended his relationship with law-enforcement and intelligence agencies after being asked about concerns in the national security community that the government was deflecting from its mistakes on anti-Semitism.

He would not confirm whether his government had enacted all recommendations made in Mr Richardson’s exhaustive 2019 review of the legal framework of the national intelligence community.

“I actually sit on the National Security Committee,” Mr Albanese said. “That consists of the leadership of the national ­security community, and we are working in lock-step with the ­national security leadership of this country. We provide every support for them and no one should undermine them.”

The Australian understands the terms of reference for the new Richardson inquiry will make clear that the review is independent and not controlled by the ­Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Mr Richardson, who is known for his frank advice to governments, is not expected to be required to report to DPMC secretary Steven Kennedy.

The voluminous Richardson review of the legal framework of the national intelligence community, which included classified recommendations, was acknowledged by a Morrison government response in December 2020 but has not been fully implemented by the Albanese government.

Security sources said inadequate resources and the government’s failure to modernise legislation and give more powers to national security agencies in the digital age had heaped stress on federal police and intelligence officers. With security agencies and departments undergoing expensive digital transformations and systems upgrades, security ­insiders said funding was being shifted away from core priorities at a time when the threat environment was rapidly deteriorating and becoming more sophisticated.

Former head of the Office of National Intelligence and Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Nick Warner, last week told The Australian that “scapegoating the intelligence community is a cop out”. Former ASIO director-­general Duncan Lewis and Mr Richardson also called for greater resources for security agencies.

In the article published in The Australian, Morgan D writes that “the police investigation remains in its early stages and will require months of detailed work, in Australia and overseas, to establish the full sequence of events”.

“Only once the investigation is complete will we have the evidence necessary to identify any system or policy failures,” Morgan D writes. “Premature decision-making, in the absence of all relevant facts, risks undermining the integrity and effectiveness of any subsequent reforms.

“An inquiry into the circumstances leading to the Bondi ­attack is essential. It should not be a witch-hunt; if conducted independently, it can help shape ­evidence-based government policy and determine whether agencies are adequately resourced, whether current information-sharing protocols are effective, where operational improvements and capabilities are needed, and determine whether immigration settings are keeping pace with evolving global threat dynamics.”

Citing the core issue as being the “failure to recognise, confront and act decisively against escalating extremist ideology and anti-Semitism”, Morgan D criticises the political crackdown on gun laws and punishment of “law-abiding Australians”.

“This defies logic. It is the policy equivalent of confiscating the knives from the local butcher because someone was stabbed in the next town,” Morgan D writes.

“This issue is not about gun control. It is about leadership, anti-Semitism and confronting radical Islamist extremism – about successive governments and agencies avoiding hard truths, prioritising political optics over national security and failing to properly resource the systems designed to protect Australians.

“Any errors within these ­agencies should be recognised as organisational failures, not individual ones. The people working in these environments are ­dedicated Australians doing their best despite chronic under-­resourcing, underfunding and ­operating in a high-threat landscape where the margin for error is almost non-existent.”

The Albanese government’s move to strengthen anti-vilification and hate-speech laws following the Bondi terror attack came after advice was received from law-enforcement heads about deficiencies in legal thresholds being manipulated by ­extremists. The government was told that action against individuals engaged in anti-Semitism could not be progressed because existing laws did not reach the threshold required by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

AFP commissioner Krissy Barrett said last week the “challenge has been around some of the thresholds and we certainly welcome the reform around the thresholds, which will allow us to apply the legislation”.

The Australian last week also revealed the Albanese government downgraded a network of “eyes and ears” across immigrant communities designed to identify problems that could lead to Islamist terror attacks. Home Affairs’ community liaison officers were removed from the department’s national security group in late 2022, and have been stripped of their role of reporting on emerging frictions in key diaspora communities since 2018.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said on Sunday that if ASIO was found to have made mistakes, “we will own them and we will learn from them”.

“I welcome scrutiny and ­embrace accountability, but some of the recent criticisms of ASIO have been unfounded,” he said. “The review provides an opportunity for us to refute claims such as we failed to pass on relevant intelligence, defunded and deprioritised counter-terrorism, and ‘purged’ our ­experienced counter-terrorism officers. None of these claims are true.”

ANU strategic and defence studies centre professor John Blaxland said he was not convinced the Bondi shooting could have been identified in advance, given the perpetrators were likely to have been conscious of being detected. “What’s happened is the detection thresholds are getting lower and lower – it’s got very, very difficult to detect these kinds of incidents in advance,” Mr Blaxland warned.

Former Defence Department deputy secretary Peter Jennings said the Richardson inquiry appeared “hasty”.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: JACK QUAIL

A shocking way to end the year

Reproduced from the Australian newspaper today December 24 2025

Morgan D*

As a high-ranking law enforcement professional, with decades of frontline experience in Australia and overseas within the Australian Federal Police, I cannot write this under my real name.

Strict secrecy provisions in the AFP Act force officers into anonymity, under threat of harsh punishment.

This is rooted in reputation and institutional protection, not the protection of classified information.

Government leaders now speak as though the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach came without warning, as if there were no signs, no escalating threats, no atmosphere of danger – as if it emerged from nowhere. Security and law enforcement officials repeat that they have the situation under control and are considering appropriate responses, but these assurances come far too late.

The truth is unmistakeable: the alarm bells were ringing long ago.

The October 9, 2023, protest at the Sydney Opera House, the 300 per cent rise in harassment, threats and assaults against Jewish Australians; the arson and vandalism of Jewish businesses, schools and places of worship; the anti-Semitism on university campuses, the unchecked hate speech, the weekly protest marches calling for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people, and the repeated briefings, particularly to Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, from security agencies all pointed to a growing and foreseeable threat.

There is a legal term for ignoring such warnings: wilful blindness, when someone deliberately avoids knowing the truth so they can later claim ignorance. It is about accountability for choosing not to see what is in front of them.

Can this government credibly claim it did not see this coming? That it required the largest loss of Jewish life since October 7, 2023, to acknowledge rising anti-Semitism and the threat of radical Islamist extremism? Australians are patient, but that patience is wearing thin as law-abiding citizens face consequences while the real dangers remain unaddressed.

The situation echoes the period between 2008 and 2013, when security and law enforcement agencies briefed successive govern­ments on the people-smuggling crisis. With clear evidence and analysis, officials insisted nothing more could be done to stop the boats, even with additional resources, and that only a policy change would be effective. Boats continued to sink. More than 1000 children, women and men drowned.

These deaths were preventable. A reasonable policy shift would have saved lives but inaction cost hundreds of them. Wilful blindness.

What happened at Bondi Beach should never have occurred.

Yet, once again, it appears state and federal policy is shifting the burden on to law-abiding citizens rather than addressing the actions of criminals and terrorists – individuals already known to security and law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, shootings continue almost nightly in major cities.

How many incidents involve licensed firearm owners using licensed firearms? The number is, by any reasonable assessment, close to zero. Where is the leadership, honest discussion and action needed to confront illegal firearms in the hands of criminal groups? The police investigation remains in its early stages and will require months of detailed work, in Australia and overseas, to establish the full sequence of events. Only once the investigation is complete will we have the evidence necessary to identify any system or policy failures. Premature decision-making, in the absence of all relevant facts, risks undermining the integrity and effectiveness of any subsequent reforms.

An inquiry into the circumstances leading to the Bondi attack is essential. It should not be a witch-hunt; if conducted independently, it can help shape evidencebased government policy and determine whether agencies are adequately resourced, whether current information-sharing protocols are effective, where operational improvements and capabilities are needed, and determine whether immigration settings are keeping pace with evolving global threat dynamics.

Key questions include: 

B● How individuals known for extremist views were allowed into Australia and the community.

● How they obtained a firearms licence despite security concerns.

● Why watch-listed individuals were permitted to purchase firearms.

● How monitored individuals were still able to carry out the attack.

● How the government can propose firearm reforms when the data held by police and firearms registries systems are inaccurate.

A serious question now arises as to whether state and federal governments have misled the Australian public by selectively shaping communications about anti- Semitism and radical Islam for political purposes.

According to reporting by Sky News, the AFP commissioner stated the Bondi Beach terrorist attack was “not motivated by religion”.

Most Australians will find that assertion difficult to reconcile with the facts, and those with experience in security or law enforcement agencies will likely be particularly surprised given the ideology underpinning such attacks is inherently religious, albeit based on a radical and distorted interpretation.

As a nation, we require a mature and candid discussion about how to address the minority of Muslims who subscribe to radical Islamist ideology, which is in stark contrast to Australia’s own values.

The AFP commissioner’s comments give rise to questions of political interference or preference, given her previous service in counter-terrorism. 

At the centre of this tragedy is the rise of radical Islamist extremism and violent anti-Semitism. Individuals who entered Australia, adopted or already held extremist ideologies and were known to national security agencies were nevertheless able to obtain a firearms licence and purchase weapons while not being citizens and while being monitored. Despite these red flags, they still were able to carry out a horrific attack on innocent Jewish Australians celebrating a religious festival. That is the core issue: the failure to recognise, confront and act decisively against escalating extremist ideology and anti-Semitism.

And the proposed response? Change the gun laws. Punish responsible, law-abiding Australians.

This defies logic. It is the policy equivalent of confiscating the knives from the local butcher because someone was stabbed in the next town.

There isn’t a licensed firearms holder in the country who would be comfortable knowing that individuals with extremist ideology were able to obtain a firearms licence and purchase weapons. Reviewing the regulations and protocols governing the issuing of licences is reasonable. What is not reasonable is the reaction driven by optics rather than evidence by governments to push through legislation without consultation with affected citizens or any stakeholder groups.

The number of licensed firearms in Australia is dubious. Data inconsistencies between police systems and firearms registries are common – a firearm still may appear on a licence in one system even though it has been disposed of and is no longer registered in another.

A single firearm may be recorded several times because of serial numbers being treated as separate entries. To support any meaningful policy or regulatory discussion, we need accurate firearm data.

This issue is not about gun control.

It is about leadership, anti- Semitism and confronting radical Islamist extremism – about successive governments and agencies avoiding hard truths, prioritising political optics over national security and failing to properly resource the systems designed to protect Australians. Any errors within these agencies should be recognised as organisational failures, not individual ones. The people working in these environments are dedicated Australians doing their best despite chronic underresourcing, underfunding and operating in a high-threat landscape where the margin for error is almost non-existent.

The consequences of these failures will fall on law-abiding citizens who have done nothing wrong. It is not fair. It is not democratic.

It is not Australian. It reflects governments scrambling for cover – because when you fail to act in the face of escalating anti- Semitism, radical Islamist extremism and hate speech, this is the outcome.

*This is an assumed name to protect the identity of the author

Bolding mine

Follicular challenge or follicular diminishment

I live in the corner of an increasingly busy T Junction.

Hoons and rev heads broggy around the corner, tearing along at breakneck speed.

Motor bikes are an abomination of noise.

Can I have a set of tyre spikes for Christmas?

Pro-Gaza ghouls’ insult to the victims as they chant ‘globalise the intifada’Anti-Israel protesters have gathered in Sydney and Melbourne chanting ‘globalise the intifada’ just days after the Bondi massacre memorial, prompting government crackdowns on hate speech

Too hot
Too dry
Too windy
Too humid
Too much traffic hooning
Too much bad behaviour at shopping centres.
Too much – much too much – domestic violence.
Too much threatening behaviour on public transport
Too many home invasions
Too much vehicle theft
Too much leniency for criminal behaviour.
Too much diminishment of traditional Australian values.
Too much tinsel and glitter – hollow learning – in schools
Too much superficiality.

Not enough genuine humanity.

I read recently that one should never hold a grudge. This is excellent advice, but for me, there are three exceptions. They were, or are, all politicians who thwarted the Marshall Perron Right to Die Legislation passed by the NT Assembly in 1996.

One of them, Kevin Andrews, has passed away. The second is Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. They were the mover and seconder of the private members’ bill, which was passed in the Federal Parliament to rescind and void the Marshall Perron legislation.

The third unforgivable is the then Prime Minister John Howard who persuaded the recission bill through the agency of this pair, overruling the NT because we were only a territory.

Fast forward three decades, and appreciate the dreadful situation in which these three ‘visionaries’ have landed us—still no VAD in the NT.

For me, they can never be forgiven

The coming together at Bondi after the terrorist massacre – tonight’s December 21 – will I hope lead to healing.

Sadly, terrorism seems to be here to stay.

Thank you Nigella Lawson for helping me to become so aware and discerning of fine foods.

.

I have been overwhelmed by fatigue all day and inertia and tiredness, ineptitude and the semi-thinking about negative things have burst my motivational balloon.

Just totally overwhelmed hot and feeling dead in body and spirit.

This is something I will have to think about carefully.

Donald Trump

Happiness is peripheral

• There is a possibility and are very strong probability that the outward facade reflecting happiness and joy is often an artificial cover for inner feelings of hopelessness and despair.

• There is a possibility and a very strong probability that the lack of security is eating at the very essence of the Australian Jewish Community.

• There is a possibility but very little probability that the majority of Australians will feel inner happiness and joy during the Christmas and New Year period.

Have a think!

• The Victorian opposition is acting like feral cats.

• “Lasso a column of smoke.”

        Credlin 24/6

• “I wouldn’t trust the coalition to do up its own shoelaces without tripping over.”

Chris Uhlmann on Credlin Sept 8

• “Looks like a boy lost in a lolly shop.”

Michael Danby on Anthony Albanese

• “Rolling hand grenade blowing up her own party on a regular basis.”

        Steven Conroy on the Indian                      and Community

• Anthony Albanese has taken a holiday from history.Greg Sheridan on Credlin 23/9

•  You can’t open an envelope in Victoria without a welcome to country. Peta Credlin 26/11.

Q

Thank you Nigella Lawson for cultivating my intense interest in food.

Tom Piper Braised Steak and Onions.

Tasmanian grown export quality cherries

Outback Backery bread and counter sale delicacies

Karma’s Panda takeaway bacon and egg toasted sandwiches.

Connoisseur brand strawberry ice cream

Life is much changed and a great deal different to the way I imagined it would be.

Some of it okay.

Much of it not.

I live in a disunited, fragmented, kaleidoscopic country where our leaders – federal government politicians – seem so focussed on the Gravy Train that little else counts.

That is the Australia of 2025

Thank you Nigella Lawson for your inspiration.

Is there a message in this picture – from The Ausrralusn News – of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen?

I think dead people who throughout their lives were good people, are lucky they no longer have to bear witness to the horrors of the world in which we now live.

I want to visit no cities.

I want to live in a place of quiet solitude of space of dark nught skies reflecting the stars.

Cities are not for Poor Old Henry.

What they say does not bother me.

I am me and I try to live a good life.

It is the action of living and doing that counts.

What is said is secondary.

POH thanks Nigella Lawson for her culinary guidance.

Now I lay some place to sleep,

I give thee Lord my soul to keep,

If Putin kills me ‘for I wake,

I pray thee Lord my soul to take.

My first diary was in 1970. It was a foolscap size diary with a page allocated to each day, and the first day of my full-time teaching experience turned out to be pupil free by accident rather than design. It was a day, now over half a century old, I will never forget.

Warburton Ranges School Headmaster Bruce Goldthorp, an educator with seven or eight years of teaching experience, was on his first day in the role of headmaster. A kerfuffle with beginnings outside the schoolyard quickly entered the school precinct as he lined the students up. One of the older students (1) had told another that her Father had snakes in his legs. Her Father had obvious and prominent varicose veins in his legs. This ‘observation’ was part of an altercation that had occurred sometime prior between the two students.

This comment was relayed to her Father, who took umbrage at the deep insult. She took off into the school and up the classroom connecting passage, being chased by the offended Father and family. With his weapons to hand, he and his family came into the schoolyard, seeking retribution on the utterer of that comment.

The girl’s family, who had commented, became alerted to the dispute and began chasing after the offended family with appropriate weaponry (no firearms were involved).

The result of this situation was a scatter of all students, first as spectators to the event, which rapidly moved from the schoolyard into the community, thence into the distance. There was no school that day: Our first school day of 1970 at Warburton was the second day of the school year.

(1) Names and identities withheld.

Has there ever been an aeroplane designed and used for passengers which allowed for passenger urine and excrement to fall from the plane onto the ground or ocean below?

Response:

Yes, there have been instances in aviation history where aircraft, particularly older models, had waste systems that did not effectively contain human waste. Instead of being stored in tanks, waste was often expelled directly from the aircraft when the toilets were flushed.

Examples:

1. Early Aircraft: Some early passenger aircraft, like the Douglas DC-3, had simpler waste management systems where waste could potentially be released directly into the environment during flight.
2. Older Jets: In the past, some early jets also had systems that were prone to leaks, leading to waste being expelled while in flight.
3. Regulations: Modern regulations and aircraft designs have changed significantly to ensure that all human waste is contained in onboard tanks that are emptied safely after landing.

Current Situation:

Today, all commercial aircraft are equipped with sophisticated waste systems that collect and store waste until the aircraft lands, minimizing environmental impact and ensuring passenger safety.

Did this motivate the invention of hard hats and tin helmets?

Nigella Lawson inspires Poor Old Henry

Nigella Lawson is the major influencer whom Poor Old Henry credits with his interest in cooking and food preparation.

U

I consider myself a protege of Nigella Lawson

STAGE… Infrequently.

Genie in the lamp, Wee Willy Winke, The Mad Hatter, Olly the Octopus, Ceaser the Emperor. All between 1981 and 2011.

LECTERN

Countless hundreds of times. From 1964 until 2022. As a lay preacher, youth leader, club president, principal, organisational leader, toastmaster …

 Never hold a grudge I just read 

Great advice and for me there are only three exceptions. One of them, Kevin Andrews, is dead. The second is Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke – to me “Mr Glib”. They were the mover and seconder of the private members bill which was passed in the Federal Parliament to rescind and void the Marshall Perron legislation, passed in the NT Assembly in 1996 to enable Voluntary Assisted Dying. 

The third unforgivable is the then Prime Minister John Howard who persuaded the recission bill thriufh the agency of this pair, overruling the NT because we were only a territory.

Fast forward three decades and appreciate the dreadful situation in which these three ‘visionaries’ have landed us.

No, for mine, they can never be forgiven

Question to AI

How many meetings is a leader likely to attend through a 30 year leadership life?

Response:

Estimating the number of meetings a leader might attend over a 30-year leadership career involves several variables, such as the frequency and duration of meetings, the leader’s role, and the type of organization.

Here’s a rough breakdown to consider:

1. Meetings per week: If a leader attends approximately 5 meetings per week (this can vary widely based on the organization and industry), that’s about 260 meetings in a year (52 weeks).
2. Duration of leadership: Over 30 years, this would amount to: [
   260 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 7,800 \text{ meetings}
   ]
3. Adjustments for vacation and holidays: If we factor in vacations and holidays, which might reduce the number of weeks worked each year, a more conservative estimate might yield around 200 to 240 meetings per year.
4. Total meetings:

• For 200 meetings a year:
  [
  200 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 6,000 \text{ meetings}
  ]
• For 240 meetings a year:
  [
  240 \text{ meetings/year} \times 30 \text{ years} = 7,200 \text{ meetings}
  ]

Conclusion

A leader might attend anywhere from 6,000 to 7,800 meetings over a 30-year career, depending on their specific circumstances.

This is a broad estimate, and actual numbers can vary greatly based on the individual’s leadership style and the organization’s culture.

Noone on their deathbed felt sadness at having missed a meeting here and there.

The moon once shone brightly on our lives,

But no more, 

Alzheimer’s in its chariot of destruction,

Has swept past,

And reduced what was,

To what now is.

We are shells of our former selves,

One with a brainbox,

Of creeping, vacuous blue

The other battling with uncertainties,

Never knowing what is around,

The next corner.

Switched as it were

From the straight and true,

Eyre Highway traversing the Nullarbor,

To the uncertainties,

Of the twisted, winding,

Raindrenched slipperiness,

Of the Karunda Road.

I am the uncertain driver,

An oft distrusting navigator,

Enveloped in penumbric gloom

Driving it seems blindly,

Into the darkness of uncertainty

Feeling the confidence 

Of someone entrapped,

In a boghole of shit.

The way I feel today

The moon once shone brightly on our lives,

But no more, 

Alzheimer’s in its chariot of destruction,

Has swept past,

And reduced what was,

To now what is.

We are shells of our former selves,

One with a brainbox,

Of creeping, vacuous blue

The other battling with uncertainties,

Never knowing what is around,

The next corner.

Switched as it were

From the straight and true,

Eyre Highway traversing the Nullarbor,

To the uncertainties,

Of the twisted, winding,

Raindrenched slipperiness,

Of the Karunda Road.

I am the uncertain driver,

An oft distrusted navigator,

Enveloped in penumbric gloom

Driving it seems blindly,

Into the darkness of uncertainty

Feeling the confidence 

Of someone entrapped,

In a boghole of shit.

The way I feel today

The Sundowner Syndrome is one of the worst manifestations of that way this mind-altering scourge manifests itself. A loved one in the daytime becomes an enemy of the dementia sufferer at night and must be kicked out as an abominable person trying to impersonate the carer or loved one.

That happens to me on a regular basis and it is hard to sustain.

And tonight is the eighth time I am not me but someone with inveighing intent.

How can this be!

The doctor was singing

The doctor was dancing

The doctor was off to the bank

For helping make me

The world’s richest GP

You wonderful Goveites I thank

The doctor was clapping

His voice loud and shrill

Yeehaaing adnauseum

As money clinked into the till

Bursting bankbooks confirm his wealth so great,

Gove has delivered his affluent state.

Simple and nutritious.

Swearing

Sweating

Singing

Shaking

Sobbing

Snoring

Snapping

Sniffing

Sneezing

Would be good for Poor Old Henry.

PART TWO

I am lost in the despondency

Of a life unravelling before my eyes,

Of a person cast adrift on a raft of uncertainty,

Changing her by the minute, hour and day,

Where I am loved one hour,

An outcast pariah

A nothing, a nobody the next.

For me a carer

Things are right, then wrong 

Good then bad

Recognised and loved

Unknown and distanced

Welcomed within ‘our house’

Then cast outside ‘my’ house,

To go home to ‘your’ house.

At times lost in a labyrinth of despair,

A maze of uncertainty.

Whatever happens 

I must be resolute, strong, empathetic,

Focused on supporting the love of my life

The mother of my children. 

Through the uncertain patches of dark road

She is now sentenced to navigating. 

And for a time in the stillness of the evening

Shared in quiet but uncertain companionship

We can reflect together

Sharing memories

By words or sometimes in non-verbal communication.

Where I write and reflect and try 

To allay the mindquake,  

I so often feel.

Part One

Ever more frequently,

I lay on our bed

Of sit in a recliner,

Wondering 

What the purpose of my life has become.

Very rarely does the sun energe.

Optimism and joy 

Stay in penumbric shroud,

Their greyness

Envelopes my heart, soul and mind,

Like a cobweb.

My picture of life,

Is evermore kaleidoscopic,

The jigsaw pieces confused.

I am getting to the point

Of wondering at the wisdom

Of trying,

To instil

The vigour of breath

Into the limp, dragging

Mainsail of my life.

Why are liberal politics in Australia failing so badly?

Response:

The challenges facing liberal politics in Australia can be attributed to several factors:

1. Changing Voter Demographics

• Younger voters tend to lean more progressive, focusing on issues like climate change, social justice, and income inequality, which may not align with traditional liberal policies.

2. Environmental Concerns

• Climate change has become a top priority for many Australians. The liberal party’s past reluctance to take strong action on climate issues has alienated environmentally conscious voters.

3. Economic Disparities

• Rising cost of living and housing affordability have created discontent. Voters are more concerned about economic equity, which often favors more progressive parties.

4. Leadership and Image

• Perceptions of leadership can significantly impact political success. Controversies or perceived incompetence within the leadership can damage public trust.

5. Party Division and Unity

• Factions within the party may lead to inconsistencies in policy and messaging, confusing voters and weakening the party’s stance.

6. Social Issues

• Issues such as immigration, healthcare, and education have seen divisions between the liberal party’s traditional platform and the evolving values of the electorate.

7. Opposition Strategies

• The strategies employed by opposing parties, particularly in leveraging social media and grassroots movements, have successfully mobilized support against liberal policies.

8. Global Trends

• The rise of populism and the implementation of more progressive policies in other democracies can influence Australian voters and politics.

Conclusion

In summary, the liberal parties in Australia face a complex landscape shaped by demographic shifts, public sentiment on key issues, internal party dynamics, and broader socio-economic trends. Addressing these issues effectively will be crucial for their future success.M

Success is a long way off.

A HEADLINE GRABBING TOWN FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.

The death of a person and the tabling of their will, so often turns people from respectability into vultures clawing for ‘their share’ of the estate and into ‘jackals’ scrounging at what might be described as the dead carcass, to snavel out every possible vestige of personal gain.

As a dementia carer to my wife of almost 57 years – and the lady who is the love of my life – I feel that I am never off duty for the need for care is constant.

Dementia has caused so many changes in her patterns of thinking and recall.

Her dementia seems to cause her to be hot one minute and cold the next. Usually, I am Henry but I cab suddenly become a figure of suspicion, an inpster who has spirited Hebry away. Our children’s names are often confused or they are back with us as developing children from the 1970’s and 80’s. Or we gave to go back to teaching or working because we are running out of money.

Hour after hour and day after day.

It is the way things are and always will be.

Interesting.

But it was rising above the clouds so we could not see it.

I have seen many of the four legged variety

Lions

Tigers

Leopards

Wild cats in the bush

Wild dogs

Screeching, screaming, scratching monkeys

I have seen and heard much about the two legged variety

Stealing cars

Maliciously injuring

Committing deliberate acts of manslaughter and murder

Practising paedophilia.

Crashing vehicles at drug and grog infused break neck speeds

Smashing into homes and ram raiding businesses.

Fighting with guns, machetes, torching vehicles, businesses and homes

Torching churches

Racially hating and slurring others in hostile aggeession

The list goes on.

There are four legged animals

But

There are far more wild animals of the two-legged variety.

.

Why are liberal politics in Australia failing so badly?

Response:

The challenges facing liberal politics in Australia can be attributed to several factors:

1. Changing Voter Demographics

• Younger voters tend to lean more progressive, focusing on issues like climate change, social justice, and income inequality, which may not align with traditional liberal policies.

2. Environmental Concerns

• Climate change has become a top priority for many Australians. The liberal party’s past reluctance to take strong action on climate issues has alienated environmentally conscious voters.

3. Economic Disparities

• Rising cost of living and housing affordability have created discontent. Voters are more concerned about economic equity, which often favors more progressive parties.

4. Leadership and Image

• Perceptions of leadership can significantly impact political success. Controversies or perceived incompetence within the leadership can damage public trust.

5. Party Division and Unity

• Factions within the party may lead to inconsistencies in policy and messaging, confusing voters and weakening the party’s stance.

6. Social Issues

• Issues such as immigration, healthcare, and education have seen divisions between the liberal party’s traditional platform and the evolving values of the electorate.

7. Opposition Strategies

• The strategies employed by opposing parties, particularly in leveraging social media and grassroots movements, have successfully mobilized support against liberal policies.

8. Global Trends

• The rise of populism and the implementation of more progressive policies in other democracies can influence Australian voters and politics.

Conclusion

In summary, the liberal parties in Australia face a complex landscape shaped by demographic shifts, public sentiment on key issues, internal party dynamics, and broader socio-economic trends. Addressing these issues effectively will be crucial for their future success.

Henry’s conclusion: The Liberals are stuffed.

I often wish I had remained in the simpler, less complicated times of the past. There were challenges, and I must be careful not to succumb to the rose-coloured glasses syndrome. But things were quieter, less materialistically oriented, more focused on people, and more focused on brainwork, book study, and cognitive development. 

That has all but gone by the by. 

Handwriting, spelling, UNDERSTANDING language and literature and being cognitively aware of science and mathematics have all gone.  These days gadgetary gets you the correct answers BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY ARE RIGHT. 

Deep learning and substance appreciation are out the door, and rip, rush, tinsel, and glitter are the order of the day.  

And in architectural terms, lovely and steadfast old buildings with character are knocked down to be replaced by multilevel structures alive with hideous creation and reflecting creative tatt.

Insurance costs, particularly for homes and contents, have been rising alarmingly. Rate increases mean a growing number cannot afford continuing coverage.

I have been with the same insurance company since we purchased our house. We have never made an insurance claim. Looking back over past records is illuminating. Regarding house and contents, the policy for the 2006 fiscal year was $1224.60 or $47.10  per month in premium plus stamp duty and GST.

Come 2025, and the base premium is $7793.66. GST ($779.37) and stamp duty ($857.31) increase the twelve-month total due to $9430.34. That is an increase of $970 over 2024. Australia-wide, insurance costs are exploding. For far too many, properties and contents are uninsurable because of eye-watering premiums. 

It seems to me that governments should waive both the GST and stamp duty components of premium costs in the interests of supporting our Australian population. That could well enable some to maintain their premium payments. The thought of no insurance in the face of disaster is awful to contemplate.

When Cyclone Marcus, Category 2, hit Darwin seven years ago, two realisations dawned on the community, and promises were made to address key issues. The government resolved that above-ground power lines needed to be progressively moved underground due to frequent, lengthy power outages caused by falling or fouled overhead lines. The second was the need for local and territory governments to be aware of the need to trim trees to avoid contact with power lines. 

Underground powerlines quickly stalled due to cost. The project was de-prioritised. The risk of branches contacting power lines has never been addressed.  

As for trees that might fall over in strong wind due to instability based on both height and the angle of main trunks – forget it. Governments get an ‘A’ for planting trees and an ‘F’ for care and maintenance. Once planted, trees grow wild and free.

Cyclone Fina has revisited the inconveniences, hardships, and massive clean-up costs we confronted following Marcus – only this time, more severely and drastically.  Will prevention priorities be revisited?

I saw a man in shorts and t shirt walking around last night. The resplendidness of his tattoos have added at least $20,000 to the value of his body.

As each day passes I feel ever less confident about the future of the world and the essence of Australia.

The country is in steep decline with key ministers in Canberra – Chris Bowen an antagonistic respondent to reality and Tony Burke more of a soothsayer than pragnatic Politican – in charge of the steering and the rudder.

What hope have we got!!

It weights me down

It is a burden seldom lifted

I would like it gone.

Their hearts entwine in love so pure,

Rock solid, their love will endure,

From downers, to heady times so high,

Now, always, until they die.

The Lodge is now a nest of love,

O’seen by olive bearing dove,

Peace within, each day serene,

The Lady of Shallot his Queen.

Everlasting times they’ll share 

Toto will be their Humphrey Bear,

One and one and one make three

Albo, Toto and Jodie.

Once I was told that there are two parts to every 24 hours, day and night.

I need both.

As sure as day follows night, night follows day.

I couldn’t live with one without the other.

Much food is good

But I would be sad

If denied meat

That would be bad

I like beef

And I like like lamb

But please no chicken

And not much ham

All that aside

I do love cherries

And wolf down

Curried cackkeberries.

If

Dr Nitsche

Came through the

Door right now and

Offered me a life ending

Injection, I would lay down and

Extend my right arm for the needle

Insertion and gladly close my eyes and wait

For the healing of death to translate my tortured

Mind into a void of empty nothngness but lifeless space.

And then they all want to placate Putin.

The world has gone mad

December 1 2014 was the worst day of my life. On that day police came calling and I was accused of a horrendous crime allegedly perpetrated by myself some 15 years earlier.

If ever there was a day I was thankful for the way I kept written diaries, that was the day. I was able to confirm from reference to my diaries that the allegations made against me were spurious.

The proof I offered was accepted after verification processes and I received correspondence from the NT Police to that effect.

Imagine my feelings when a day or two after this clearance – a copy of which was sent to the NT Department of Education and Teacher Registration Board, confirming the board had decided to investigation the allegation – of which I had been cleared.

You would not believe the trauma that confronted me or how black and negative I felt about this whole issue.

In the wash up, what added to the matter was the fact that there was no come back on the false accuser.

While I feel and relive the scenario on this black anniversary day each year, I think to of people who gave been falsely accused, have been convicted, had their careers ruined and have done jail time – only for the falsity of accusation to come to light months and even years later. With the accuser(s) of course, home free.

On this day I also relive appreciation for my family and those few professional support people who gave me strength during this awful time.

Engage constructively in Australia’s national interest.

Suffered damage during Cyclone Fena. Brick facade collapsed off wall and tumbled through a roof onto ground floor area.

Cut and serve. Another of Poor Old Henry’s yum yum creations.

Socks

Shoes.