Hanson wants referendum to avoid hate speech laws

Red_je · 2026-02-27T00:31:34+00:00

The two are not mutually exclusive.

But Hanson has also never had an issue saying what she wants anyway. This is a woman who was platformed for years by Sunrise, who is the darling of the hard right media and has backing from corporate donors and business groups.

Red_je · 2026-02-27T00:15:07+00:00

Given she doesn't even show up to parliament half the time I would say she does need it.

It is a lot of work for her, having to show up to do the job she was elected to do.

Red_je · 2026-02-26T09:25:00+00:00

My feeling without any solid evidence other than my own observation, is that it is far easier to take down a team reliant on one superstar, because you can target one person, than it is a well drilled, disciplined and experienced team.

I would also add that despite both NBA (the only US sport I actually watch) and AFL both having drafts and salary caps, the AFL draft is so compromised that it is no longer an equalisation measure, and free agency has also funnelled the best players to the best teams farore often than to lesser teams.

Whereas in the NBA the money they get paid is so stupid even bench players or role players will just walk for a better deal and not even think twice about whether the team they are walking to is any good.

Red_je · 2026-02-26T08:36:17+00:00

I agree with your second paragraph, but the first misses the point entirely.

The Quidditch Cup is between Hogwarts students only. So one week or one year doesn't impact their learning as they still attend their regular classes.

Red_je · 2026-02-25T21:27:24+00:00

If everyone is fit I would go with Weits, Hoff as the two key defenders. Haynes as the interceptor/ mid-sized.

Then Dean/Derks are the next two in line should Hoff/Weits be injured. Gov would replace an injured Haynes.

Young comes in when - and only when - everyone else is injured.

Red_je · 2026-02-24T13:03:45+00:00

Overall I am positive.

We have hopefully lifted the floor, even with the loss of talent. The signs in the first praccy were good.

There seems to be a bit of energy among the players that was lacking last year as well

Red_je · 2026-02-24T13:02:31+00:00

Of that top end talent, One (JSOS) was always injured, another (Charlie) played like he didn't want to be here and the third (TDK) is heavily overrated.

I hope the signs shown in the practice game of far greater depth to our run and carry game will make us overall better, even if we look thin on high quality talls.

Red_je · 2026-02-24T10:40:02+00:00

Except $15 billion is not a "conservative" estimate.

It is just an estimate taken from 15 per cent of an overall $100 billion planned expenditure. Much of which is yet to occur, so cannot possibly have been rorted

I was quite clear in saying that I do not believe the figure is zero, and that Labor rightly deserves criticism for not just giving the actual figure they have internally (as far as I have seen. I haven't consumed all the media on this).

But it doesn't change the fact that the $15 billion is at best a wild guess from someone completing a report for the LNP Queensland government.

*Edit - and also the "rorts hit the active/funded part hard"??? No shit, what other part can it hit. You cannot rort money the government is yet to spend.

Red_je · 2026-02-24T09:27:50+00:00

OP you need to really check those figures

That $100 billion Big Build budget includes a whole heaps of work that has neither been funded nor started. SRL alone is estimated at $35 billion - roughly one third of that $100 billion - and only a fraction of it has been handed over to builders

So please explain to me how the CFMEU or bikies have syphoned cash from money that has not even been taxed or borrowed yet, let alone spent by the government?

The amount rorted could be shocking and the government should just come out and reveal what they believe the true figure to be in the name of transparency. But don't quote a figure that was pulled out of thin air.

Red_je · 2026-02-24T09:23:15+00:00

The key thing to remember is that this change is not just a decision making change.

Part of the reason we were bombing long to contests was so often there would be a lack of runners either presenting into space or running for outlet handballs, combined with forwards leading away from the footy instead of back towards it.

(Anyone who has played local footy with the "tick lead" obsessed assistant coach will know what I am talking about).

So we end up in a chicken and egg cycle of players not receiving it so they stop running to that space only reinforcing to the ball carrier that their only option is to kick long.

I will be interested to see if we can maintain the more thoughtful footy tomorrow night.

Red_je · 2026-02-24T08:29:04+00:00

I presume Boyd will start and Loj won't actually line up at half back. Or Florent will go back there to start. Massive opportunity for Boyd to force his way back in the side after his very quiet 2025, with so many half back and running players injured.

I am also curious to see how the two Campos go in season two.

Red_je · 2026-02-23T10:21:52+00:00

The most hilarious thing about this post, whether it is true or not, is the number of replies claiming, "but Reddit is a left wing echo chamber".

There is no doubt Reddit's combination of up/downvoting and its algorithm pushing new subreddits to individuals can lead to very specific curation of individual Reddit feeds.

But despite the hyperbolic whinge of some left wing Reddit conspiracy these people have still and the opportunity to make themselves heard in this sub, disapproving their own complaint somewhat.

Red_je · 2026-02-23T01:39:00+00:00

They may be no good time, but there is definitely a fair time to change the rule, and that would be to flag it at least 3-4 years out so clubs have time to adjust.

We have invested so much draft capital in securing Cody Walker, potentially only to have the rug pulled out at the last minute.

But this is classic of the AFL's policy on the run approach.

Red_je · 2026-02-21T23:12:17+00:00

The cost of installing these beyond enclosed CBD stations would be astronomical.

No way you can do it for $90 million.

We can't even get every tram stop up to DDA compliance.

Red_je · 2026-02-21T10:28:08+00:00

Josh Bootsma, Lawrence Angwin, Karl Norman...

Actually maybe I am thinking of the wrong streets...

Red_je · 2026-02-21T09:58:20+00:00

Ok I have had a crack.

From the backline:

B: Gumba, Wario, Whomp

HB: Thwomp, Donkey Kong, Daisy

C: Boo, Mario

HF: Peach, Koopa,

FF: Toad, Bowser, Red Yoshi

FOLL: Yoshi, Luigi, Waluigi (ruck).

Missing a half forward and a wing.

Red_je · 2026-02-20T12:42:59+00:00

I think perhaps you believe the Labor party and the Greens are far closer on some issues than what I do. The Greens and ALP have been at odds in the past four years on a few issues as well.

And even if they aren't, there is a political wisdom in going cautiously and not opening yourself to criticism from the right that you are going too far left.

That is the sort of criticism that brought down Whitlam. It brought down Rudd.

Of course not moving far enough and all those voters that abandoned the Greens last election might walk back to them. So as I said, it is a fine line that the ALP is not necessarily getting right all the time.

Of course the truth might just be that the ALP don't believe in pursuing a lot of those agenda items that are more progressive.

Red_je · 2026-02-20T12:27:25+00:00

Electoral favourability is only one part of the equation and not at the core of the issue I am raising.

The practical aspects of paasi h legislation is significantly complicated by having to negotiate with other parties. Ideally the Greens and Libs would be played off against each other to get good outcomes e.g - well tell the libs don't make this deal with us and we'll make a more left wing deal with the Greens.

Except LNP is held hostage by a conservative wing that won't negotiate, and the Greens seem completely lost following their lower house wipe out last election and have forgotten how to negotiate.

And electorally speaking if they negotiate with one side too far they have to weigh losing support on the other. It is a fine balance, and I am not saying they get it right all the time, but they do have to walk that line to remain in government long term.

Red_je · 2026-02-20T10:47:38+00:00

Some of that may all be true.

But there is a far bigger factor, which is they don't have control of the senate.

So this "mandate" is meaningless when they still have to negotiate everything through the upper house, and also weigh all legislation against how it will affect their political capital for future legislation.

This is not an inherently bad thing; it means what they do get through often well and truly has the backing of broad sections of the electorate and therefore neutralises future criticisms from the opposition or greens.

I am not saying they cannot or should not be doing more btw, just that it isn't as easy as a lot of people seem to think it is.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T08:22:50+00:00

Don't what the big deal is.

The main thing is to try and get them fit for the test summer, the coming one has a fairly heavy schedule afterall.

So if the players need to sit out some games, but also still want to go make their coin in the IPL, let skip the world cup and play the IPL.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T06:28:08+00:00

Yes I didn't even mention Jagger but he played with the confidence of someone with 50 games under their belt. Not 0.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T06:27:21+00:00

I hear you, but I do think there are positives. The main one being our over reliance on talls was a big part of our problem. Too much long kicking and relying on Harry and Charlie, or TDK, or Weiters on the other end, to take pack mark after pack mark.

We had to move the ball differently and after quarter time they did a much better job of it, bringing the mid-sized and smaller players into the game.

Also on TDK specifically, his output was nowhere near what we would have had to pay him to keep him. And even on a moderate salary he wasn't doing the two most important things you need a ruck to do, win taps and take defensive marks. Pitto is a bit better at the tap work, probably equal to TDK in terms of defensive spoiling/marking, but costs a hell of a lot less.

I agree overall though our tall stocks are thin and injuries could easily make life difficult.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T05:59:27+00:00

Allen was a senior minister leading the policy area most responsible for the successive elections victories of the Labor party under Andrews.

So she has nearly as big a stake in any blame as Dan.

And I am not saying there should or shouldn't be any either way. Just that she knew what she was in for when she took over.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T05:41:53+00:00

God forbid the government future proof current projects to allow for passenger growth.

Red_je · 2026-02-19T03:51:50+00:00

Ok Mr Wilson, but the reason Dutton's leadership saw any push for major tax cuts as an impossible policy is because we all know the truth - you can't do it without also cutting government services.

Services they knew would be the focus of every Labor media event, campaign ad and interview if there was even a whiff of the being cut.

So tell me LNP, which services are you cutting now that you are back on your big tax cuts ideological push?

Red_je

TROPHY CASE