The iron ore town of Whyalla on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is one of the places most threatened by Labor’s Carbon Tax – the tax that Gillard promised before the last Federal election she would never introduce, and which came into effect last Sunday:
BHP Billiton and other major mining companies have already forecast scaling back, postponement or even cancellation of several multi-billion-dollar ventures in South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland, in the wake of both the Carbon Tax and the so-called Mining Profits “Super Tax”. And while off-the-cuff claims of some politicians that Whyalla itself is months or years away from becoming a ghost town are clearly an exaggeration, the portents, under any regime that taxes carbon dioxide, are anything but rosy. Whyalla’s residents have ample reason to be very, very nervous.
So what on God’s green earth possessed Federal Trade Minister Craig Emerson yesterday to mock the concerns of Whyalla’s population—largely unionized and Labor-voting, although it has since 1993 been a Liberal stronghold—and in such a ridiculous fashion? Quite unbecoming for a Federal politician, and a bad advertisement for our country—it makes us all look like idiots to an overseas audience. Down here we refer to something like Emerson’s performance as a brain fart, which is about the kindest construction I can put upon it. The video clip at the top has gone viral, and has been described as the most embarrassing thing ever.
For those not familiar with 1970s Australian pop music, the song being butchered by the soon-to-be unemployed ex-politician is Skyhooks’ 1975 hit Horror Movie, of which as a teenager I was a big fan:
How much lower can Labor go? Emerson himself represents the Queensland electorate of Rankin, which at the 2010 election he won with a margin of 11%. According to the latest Newspoll, Labor’s primary vote in Queensland has shrunk to just 22%, or 35% on a two-party preferred basis. Not only is this swing large enough to unseat every Queensland Federal Labor MHR, including Emerson, Treasurer Wayne Swan and former PM Kevin Rudd, but the losses in Queensland are of a magnitude that would be sufficient to sweep Labor from office at the next election, even were they to hold on to every other current seat nationally—something even Labor strategists admit is impossible.
The Australian electorate does not like being lied to, or taken for fools. And contrary to what Gillard and her courtiers believe, we have a long memory.
Be Responsible - Be Free! 
It only makes sense if they plan on destroying the Australian mining sector then allowing the Chinese in to buy it up on the cheap. Who do these people really work for?
Gillard broke her promise after doing a deal with the Greens which guaranteed her government in the hung parliament which emerged from the 2010 election. A tax on carbon dioxide was always part of the Greens’ policy platform, but not Labor’s, as you saw in the Gillard clip above.
Here’s Greens leader Bob Brown on his planned effect of the Carbon Tax on the Australian coal industry:
Who, indeed – Oz
I love Gillard’s ‘politician placating’ gesture in the still. It says ‘Now don’t everybody panic. Just because you’re being misruled by adults that are no brighter than you, and certainly no wiser, is no reason to resort to the ballot box or anything….’
Just saw the clip up top. The brain part does certainly seem to be missing….
Australia is clearly a fascinating place. Maddening for those of sound mind, but fascinating.
And to all LibertyGibbert’s American readers, a very happy Fourth of July.
Amanda has already posted the anthem over on the Juke Box, so I thought I’d mark the date with a performance by a great American-Australian; she emigrated from Boston to Sydney when I was just seven, was the first negro woman I ever saw on an Australian television show, and when I heard her voice, fell in love with her instantly. Wonderful lady, too:
Ozboy….”negro” ? You are so in trouble.
Hey Oz, thanks for that. And the lady is obviously not a typist, with nails as long as that!
K: What should he call her according to impeccable speech, do you reckon? ‘African-American-Australian’? It can’t be ‘Triple A’ cause that’s taken.
Amanda she would be Afro Australian if you call her a negro then you are being racist, Ozboy objects to native Australians being called Abo’s because it is racist.
Now me I call it like I see it.
I thought Australian aboriginals came out of Africa.
FB apparently only half right as they are a hybrid species of Derosvan human and humans from Africa. With some Neanderthal thrown in.
Sigh. This wasn’t what I wanted everyone to zero in on in my comment. As I said, I’ve been a huge fan of Marcia since I was a kid, and although I’m fairly certain she doesn’t lurk here, I’m equally sure that, were she to read my comment, she would take it as the glowing praise that I meant it. As a foreigner (to America, anyway), can I at least plead ignorance of the niceties of your language.
Once again, happy Fourth of July to all my American readers – Oz
Back to topic, read Andrew Bolt’s reflection on Emerson’s antics here.
Andrew speaks for me, too.
Gunwalker first:
The bloggers who brought us the story in the first place are stirring things up a little.
Firehand has posted a copy of their work on his blog, for the benefit of people like me, who are interested, but who live in areas where visiting those blogs could cause a number of problems with the authoritehs, up to and including…
Here’s the link
http://elmtreeforge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/somethings-interesting.html
I’m still reading the whole tings, but thought you’d like to see them. 😉
If their work comes to fruition, they’ll have partially justified their constitutionalist viewpoint – one which I’m afraid that I don’t share. There may be a “Min” in there, but hyphenated or not, they are still archists.
Now
On topic
Having originated in a coal mining, iron and steel making and ship building area, you’ll not be surprised that I have distant relatives living in Whyalla.
I’ve never been there, but if I ever do visit, I’ll be looking in on the Cornish festival and the old Cornish Engine houses at Moonta as well.
I gather that Whyalla isn’t a place that people usually plan to visit for pleasure.
Kitties,
I know you are not one to call a spade un cazzo zappa 😉
Your first comment strikes a chord with the stuff I’ve been reading up on and watching on youtube by former KGB propagandist, Yuri Bezmenov, AKA “Tomas Schuman”
His book, “Love letter to America” explains the long “Gramscian” process of demoralization, destabilization, and crisis which the KGB aimed to facilitate around the world.
Sure, openly Marxist governments are few and far between these days, but the marxoids never went away, never lost their will to power, and never forgot their training.
They’re still in place in political parties, in civil services, in the arts and media, and in education.
The watermelons are a prime example of demoralizers and destabilizers, with their will to be there, centrally planning who the billions to die will be…
Bezmenov explains that come “normalization”, the likes of the watermelons will be near the top of the list for getting a place in a mass grave.
Their useful idiocy will no longer be required by their evil and cunning masters.
Oz: Not picking on you, darling. Your admiration came through loud and clear. And thanks again for wishing us a happy birthday. : )
Luton Ian they are found apparently on Summer Avenue, as for halting the Gramsci scum I am beginning to think we are being left with only one solution, you can win a million elections and have one of their judges make it meaningless. Just like ozboys carbon tax will be found to be unshiftable no matter how much of a landslide the opposition wins. Stock up on food and other er supplies. Just as well the drones have been shown to hijackable for a mere $1000 per a recent US University study in Texas thank god they choose Microsoft.
New ranty post….
http://knottedprop.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/the-rite-to-arm-bears/
Once more I defer to the great Pickering (click image through to his blog):
New quicky post ….
http://knottedprop.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/jesus-for-guns/
Carbon tax for dying in Australia…
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8496121
OK Kitler, I won’t mention it, how about the Catastrophe Particle instead?
http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2012/7/6/green-fizzics-josh-174.html
BTW I’ve been on the road for the past week, which is why there hasn’t been much new lately. I’ll try to put something out next week.
New post…… http://knottedprop.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/america-is-doomed/
Of course prove me wrong as to why but I see doom and gloom.
Something new to mull over while I’m away:
https://libertygibbert.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/more-of-the-shiny-stuff/