The Turnbull Government

[boxy]

The whiteanting, of the radical right, continues

[Black Orchid]

Who was it again that you relentlessly accused me of being? Oh that's right ... IQ

At the time we were both ruffling each other's feathers. I wasn't sure whether you were IQ or not, but I knew it annoyed you when I said you were. It's ancient history now and hopefully we've all moved on.

We were? Actually I was surprised when you turned so hostile, even after you were told by several Admins that I was not IQ.

Perhaps next time you might be 'sure' before you swing. Trying to hunt people off forums on ill-conceived notions is something too many people have done here in the past. Don't become what you condemn.

After all the lies, allegations and abuse hurled at me, a decent person would have at least apologised. I would have accepted and moved on. Each to their own though I guess.

[Neferti]

"Somebody" once called me IQ, way back. They don't have the ability to pick people "by their writing style" on a Forum like they think they do. We are AUSSIES and use similar terminology however, to some leftards, anyone who is a rightie is IQ. More so if you happen to "drop the f-bomb".

[mantra]

We were? Actually I was surprised when you turned so hostile, even after you were told by several Admins that I was not IQ.

Several admins? This torment sounds like it went on for years. I don't remember one admin telling me anything because even the admin at the time wasn't sure.

Perhaps next time you might be 'sure' before you swing. Trying to hunt people off forums on ill-conceived notions is something too many people have done here in the past. Don't become what you condemn.

After all the lies, allegations and abuse hurled at me, a decent person would have at least apologised. I would have accepted and moved on. Each to their own though I guess.

If I had realised that you were so terribly traumatised about being referred to as IQ of course I would have ignored all your taunts, rather than only 90% of them. Can we put an end to this, or would you like to do an Aussie and drag it out for ongoing discussion?

[Black Orchid]

One thing is for sure, you really aren't what you try to pretend to be Mantra. You really are something else.

Back to Turnbull ...

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Parliament on Thursday that once the new cabinet was sworn in, there would be a review of policies in each portfolio.

Well that didn't take long.

[IQS.RLOW]

Mantra has always been a full on bitch, but you will notice that the accusations of being another poster always, ALWAYS come from the leftards. I've said this many times, but I am sure there is a PhD just waiting for a psychology student to investigate the mind of the leftist and their propensity to be paranoid and automatically assume posters that are not from the left are all one person.

I am sure it is some kind of chemical imbalance that causes their synapses too misfire and their brains to switch into some kind of protective mode when their ideology is threatened. I think that with the right combination of drugs such as versions of anti-depressants could be deployed and correct this aberration of the mind and in turn help solve other afflictions that the left suffer from.

[Rorschach]

Why don't you people move all your secondary crap that has nothing to do with politics to another more relevant topic.
Honestly...

[IQS.RLOW]

Why don't you go with a pineapple sideways, you pretentious little man-bitch?

...honestly

Mod Note SN: Toned down the language.

[Rorschach]

Seven things the cabinet reshuffle tells us about Malcolm Turnbull
Lenore Taylor Political editor
Sunday 20 September 2015 18.37 AEST

It is a revealing choice of ministers that shows something of the new prime minister’s agenda – and the status of his support within the party

Joe Hockey, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, Ian Macfarlane and Michael Ronaldson are all out.

Although most were on the Daily Telegraph’s list of ministers Abbott was thinking of demoting anyway, Turnbull has not responded to threats of retribution or destabilisation by proceeding with hesitation or caution. Twenty-first century government requires changes, he says, which seems to imply something about the modernity of his predecessor.

The conservative far right is threatening to split from the Liberal party, there is talk of resignations from some branches and an unnamed but diligent conservative is putting together stopturnbull.com – a website dedicated to proving Turnbull is a kind of Labor/Green sleeper agent who has infiltrated the Liberal party in order to destroy it. Turnbull has ignored all that and chosen to seize the day. Tough calls, he says, are “what leaders have to do.”

This ministry is more moderate than the one it replaces, and Malcolm Turnbull’s backers got the biggest promotions.

The biggest winners in the reshuffle – Marise Payne as the nation’s first female defence minister, communications minister Mitch Fifield, education minister Simon Birmingham, small business minister and assistant treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer – were all Turnbull backers. George Brandis, another Turnbullite, has become leader of the government in the Senate. Most of the assistant minister winners were Turnbull backers too.

Scott Morrison – the biggest winner of all – voted for Tony Abbott but has been accused of not encouraging his supporters to follow suit.

Two Abbott backers were elevated – Christian Porter to social services and Josh Frydenberg entering cabinet in the resources portfolio. The best news most Abbott backers got was that they could keep the jobs they already had – Peter Dutton in immigration, Andrew Robb in trade, Mathias Cormann in finance, Greg Hunt in environment.

He’s matched Labor in representation of women.

Bill Shorten has five women in his shadow cabinet. Late last year Tony Abbott doubled his female cabinet representation - to two. Malcolm Turnbull has five: Julie Bishop, who stays as foreign minister and Sussan Ley who stays in health, as well as Payne, O’Dwyer, and Michaelia Cash, who takes employment. All the newcomers were “good and talented women” who Abbott said were “knocking on the door” of cabinet. That door’s now open.

It wasn’t always pretty.

Bruce Billson – the very energetic and now former small business minister – turned down the demotion of the outer ministry cities portfolio, which left an opening for Abbott supporter Jamie Briggs.

Turnbull was upfront that neither of his friends Ian Macfarlane or Michael Ronaldson wanted to finish their ministerial careers. Kevin Andrews took the unusual step of announcing his own demotion before Turnbull unveiled his ministry.

Strong speculation suggests the disappointed Joe Hockey may be heading to Washington to replace Kim Beazley as ambassador.

He’s sneaked in little checks and balances.

To secure a new Coalition agreement with the Nationals, Turnbull agreed to transfer responsibility for water policy (although not the water trigger in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) to the agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, from the environment minister, Greg Hunt. Last week he said environmentalists should not be too concerned about this because the bulk of the work on water reform had been finished. In the fineprint of the reshuffle he also made South Australian senator Anne Ruston assistant minister for water, giving that state an assurance of close scrutiny of any decisions that might impact on its supply of water.

Arthur Sinodinos, whose careful management style as John Howard’s chief of staff was a factor in the former prime minister’s longevity in government, has become cabinet secretary. In fact with Howard’s former “enforcer” Tony Nutt overseeing the prime ministerial transition and his old press secretary Tony O’Leary lending a hand for a while, the office changeover had a back to the future flavour.

He had the good sense not to give Christopher Pyne the defence portfolio.

Pyne had been tipped to take the defence portfolio, even though that appointment would have raised a perception that he would favour his home state of South Australia in the $50bn submarine contract currently the subject of a competitive evaluation process. Turnbull gave him industry, innovation and science instead, a portfolio he says is critical to Australia’s economic future.

Turnbull – an enthusiastic user of public transport – indicated he would ditch the Abbott government’s decree that federal funding would flow only to roads, leaving the states to handle public transport. There was “no place for ideology” in transport funding, he said.

Government sources also predict the quiet ditching of so-called “lawfare” changes to stop challenges to developments under federal environment laws, like the one that delayed Adani’s $16bn Carmichael mine, which were already facing defeat in the Senate.

Turnbull’s promise to the Nationals to take controversial competition law changes back to cabinet takes on a whole new meaning now the small business minister is the economic dry Kelly O’Dwyer rather than the enthusiastic advocate for the changes, the now dumped Bruce Billson.

And, says the new prime minister, all governments need to review policies, and if they’re not efficient, to change them. The cabinet meets tomorrow afternoon, right after being sworn in, to get started.

[Rorschach]

Malcolm Turnbull's new ministry: the full list

CABINET...
Prime minister - Malcolm Turnbull

Deputy prime minister and infrastructure and regional development minister - Warren Truss

Cabinet secretary - Arthur Sinodinos

Indigenous affairs minister - Nigel Scullion

Foreign minister - Julie Bishop

Trade and investment minister - Andrew Robb

Attorney general - George Brandis

Treasurer - Scott Morrison

Assistant treasurer and small business minister - Kelly O’Dwyer

Finance minister - Mathias Cormann

Agriculture and water minister - Barnaby Joyce

Industry, innovation and science minister - Christopher Pyne

Resources, energy and northern Australia minister - Josh Frydenberg

Immigration and border protection minister - Peter Dutton

Environment minister - Greg Hunt

Health and sport minister - Sussan Ley

Defence minister - Marise Payne

Communications and arts minister - Mitch Fifield

Employment minister and minister for women - Michaelia Cash

Social services minister - Christian Porter

Education and training minister - Simon Birmingham


MINISTRY...
Territories, local government and major projects minister - Paul Fletcher

International development and the Pacific minister - Steven Ciobo

Tourism and international education minister - Richard Colbeck

Justice minister - Michael Keenan

Special minister of state, defence materiel and science minister - Mal Brough

Cities and the built environment minister - Jamie Briggs

Rural health minister - Fiona Nash

Veterans’ affairs minister, human services minister - Stuart Robert

Vocational education and skills minister - Luke Hartsuyker


ASSISTANT MINISTERS...
Assistant minister to the prime minister - Alan Tudge

Assistant minister to the prime minister - James McGrath

Assistant minister for productivity - Peter Hendy

Assistant cabinet secretary - Scott Ryan

Assistant minister to the deputy prime minister - Michael McCormack

Assistant minister for multicultural affairs - Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

Assistant minister to the treasurer - Alex Hawke

Assistant minister for agriculture and water resources - Anne Ruston

Assistant minister for science - Karen Andrews

Assistant minister for innovation - Wyatt Roy

Assistant minister for health - Ken Wyatt

Assistant minister for defence - Darren Chester