Mathias Cormann senate one nation

Yesterday, Crikey readers showed unity in sharing their disgust for the government’s white supremacist “administrative error” (which Bernard Keane likens to a Germany 1933 moment). Elsewhere, readers questioned the legitimacy, or the point, of a genuine relationship developing between China and the Morrison government, considering the latter may not be long for this world.

On government’s “accidental” approval of white supremacist slogans

TheRabidHamster writes: “Fair dinkum, Mathias. You’e supposed to be better than this shit.” Why on Earth would anyone think Cormann was better than this? This is exactly what Cormann is. This is the same person who co-authored a budget which saw the proposition of massive cuts to welfare along with massive wins to the corporate sector and then sat down and smoked a cigar in celebration.

We’ve had pensioners getting letters of demand from centrelink, young people in ‘select’ suburbs being told to pee in a jar before they can receive the dole. Now the unemployed are to be bussed out to farms and ordered to pick fruit. Exactly how bad do the coalition have to get before the meeja start to accept that they simply aren’t fit to govern?

Saugoof writes: This is an absolute low point in Australian politics. I’ve been alive for over 50 years but I didn’t think I’d ever see a sitting government sink this low. Even after the “children overboard” saga and subsequent decades of trying to appeal to racism, I didn’t think we’d ever sink this low. And for what? What is exactly the point of this motion? It’s a typical Hanson stunt in that it addresses no real problem and offers no solutions. All it does is to incite and aggravate. Every single one of them deserves to lose their senate seat. I didn’t think I’d ever be glad that Derryn Hinch was in the senate, but that’s how low we’ve sunk.

Xoanon writes: Trying to claim it as an administrative error is the lowest of low responses. It implies that Coalition MPs are too stupid to realise when they’re being played by right-wing racists. If that’s the quality of MP they elect nowadays — people with no minds of their own — then bin the lot of them.

On Morrison’s China relations

zut alors writes: Reconciling with China? A tad ambitious methinks. I remain unconvinced Morrison is yet reconciled with his own party — look at the current tensions with the leader of the Senate over last night’s idiotic vote. And now Indonesia is looking wonky over our trade deal due to the embassy in Jerusalem nonsense. Let’s see how long Morrison holds his colleagues’ support.

Bref writes: I wouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to reconcile with China, except in a most businesslike manner. Though it is difficult to criticise them anyway as long as our own human rights behaviour doesn’t improve. 

Arky writes: China can tell the Morrison government ain’t long for this world. Unlikely to be any serious engagement with a government that won’t be able to do anything anyway.

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