The ideological state of Labor supporters has reached peak tragic
Labor supporters have been described as a cult. The more extreme Labor adherents certainly display some of the characteristics associated with cults.
They’re everywhere. Infesting social media with their absurd ideological hypocrisy, their revisionism and inane cult of personalities.
It’s the sort of pro-party/personality adulation we mock in other countries. Most infamously, the religiosity of the USA’s Trump worshippers.
“The advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web in the 21st century has renewed the personality cult phenomenon. Disinformation via social media platforms and the twenty-four-hour news cycle has enabled the widespread dissemination and acceptance of deceptive information and propaganda. As a result, personality cults have grown and remained popular in many places, corresponding with a marked rise in authoritarian government across the world.” – Cult of personality – Wikipedia
On Twitter the more rabid of the Labor pack have earned themselves the name “drips”. ¹
Labor’s bizarre personality cult
Anthony Albanese (“Albo”) and Penny Wong are probably the most revered in the Labor personality cult stakes. Former PMs have yet another level of adulation.
“Albo” growing up in poverty in state housing with a disabled mother is poignant stuff. A well-exploited, working-class-battler morality tale.
We are to believe that his attending a Catholic private school and university, then working as a Labor official and researcher and inevitably entering politics was a typical working-class life.
“Albo” has since shown his true neoliberal colours. You don’t get to lead a Centre-Right Labor party because of your nice guy attributes.
Enter Wong, gay and Asian and therefore a pleasant change from the usual political drones.
The pirate describes Wong as “electric”. To the unbiased observer, she’s about as electric as Morrison’s maiden speech.
There is something about the Foreign Minister that is just electric.
I think it's a combination of intellect, empathy and the barest hint of menace that you better not get in her way while she is doing good work.
Discuss. https://t.co/aTmMWcl3JG— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) May 23, 2022
This public adulation for a political figure is unnerving in a purported democracy. Wong’s pro-USA stance and the escalation of tensions in our region taking a backseat to this gushing fawning over a well-remunerated public servant.
Peter FitzSimons is a journalist and columnist with The Sydney Morning Herald which makes his sycophantic homage to Wong even more alarming.
Not to be outdone…
Thankfully not everyone in the Labor party is under Wong’s spell…
“Mr Keating takes particular aim at Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Senator Penny Wong, saying that in her five years in the role she has “by her muted complicity with the government’s foreign policy and posture… neutered Labor’s traditional stance as to Australia’s right to strategic autonomy”.
“Instead Wong went along with the stance of [former coalition foreign minister] Julie Bishop and [current foreign minister] Marise Payne … and did it with licence provided by Bill Shorten as leader, and now, Anthony Albanese”.” – Keating turns fury on Labor and government over AUKUS deal – By Deborah Snow – SMH
Sure Keating’s the Father of Australian neoliberalism and rich as Croesus, but his geopolitical takes are generally spot-on.
Naturally, this makes them oppositional to the Yankee Doodle fugue state of contemporary Labor.
Keating’s independent thinking has presented problems for Labor adherents (as did the Rudd/Gillard debacle) but as we will learn, contradictions don’t trouble the tribal minded.
Liberal bastardry is OK if practised by Labor
Labor adherents were shocked and angry at the way refugees were treated under Morrison’s Liberal government.
There are even Labor for Refugees groups set up around Australia.
While no doubt composed of good, caring people, to Labor these groups are clearly just a means of exploiting a contentious issue to embarrass the Liberals.
The Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) is at best a glorious piss-take.
Rainbow Labor is looking down the barrel of Labor’s new Religious Discrimination Bill and Memories of Penny Wong’s “support” for same-sex marriage, must cause them some trepidation. One wonders how much grassroots support they can muster after Labor’s last showing on this issue.
Thousands of refugees will still be left in limbo after the Albanese government’s changes to temporary protection visas. Chief political correspondent @latingle reports. #abc730 pic.twitter.com/BlQPOkHjFA
— abc730 (@abc730) February 14, 2023
“Paul Power, the chief executive of the Refugee Council of Australia, said, “the Labor government was elected with a commitment to reform immigration detention and only utilise detention as a last resort”.
“Unfortunately, this bill does the opposite,” he said, labelling the amendments “unnecessary” because the minister “already [has] very harsh and punitive visa cancellations powers”.” – Labor condemned for ‘abhorrently cruel’ decision to put 100 people back in immigration detention – Paul Karp – The Guardian
There have been some concessions…
“The Albanese government will, in early 2023, allow 19,000 refugees to stay permanently in Australia, granting them rights to social security and reunion with family members.” – Labor to allow 19,000 refugees to stay permanently in Australia from early 2023 – Paul Karp – The Guardian
…but the legacy of Keating and Gillard/Rudd’s refugee policies remains.
“The controversial US private prisons operator running Australia’s offshore processing regime on Nauru has been handed a $420m Australian government contract to run ‘garrison and welfare’ on the island for three years, managing fewer than 70 people.” – US operator accused of ‘gross negligence’ wins $420m contract to manage Australia’s asylum processing on Nauru – Ben Doherty and Christopher Knaus – The Guardian
The Gillard government reintroduced, offshore detention on Nauru and Manus Island in 2012.
There has been little protest from the Labor supporters who (justifiably) complained bitterly about the Liberal’s exorbitant, cruel and corrupt management of refugees.
It will be interesting to see if the sordid Paladin affair is investigated by the long-awaited National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) given Dutton’s involvement in both the Paladin contract and his input into the setting up of the NACC.
Editor’s note: Please read this excellent article by Margaret Rees – Australia’s Aspen Medical: A case study of healthcare privatisation – The medical version of Paladin and also in need of investigation.
Whistleblowers get no relief from Labor government
Yet again, a cause (once) dear to the hearts of many Labor fans has been wiped from their consciousness by Labor’s election win.
Jordan Shanks (Labor’s Edge Lord conduit to incel voters) had much to say about David McBride’s plight.
But that was then…
“Australia is run by criminals who you pay to punish the Heroes who try and stop their crimes.” – Jordan Shanks, 2021
It seems Australia is still run by criminals paid to punish the Heroes who expose their crimes.
Best not to hold one’s breath waiting for Shanks to take the Albanese Labor government and Attorney General Mark Dreyfus to task.
Insert: I apologise unreservedly for accusing Jordan Shanks of giving up on David McBride due to Labor’s ascendancy. Obviously, I entirely support his efforts. It was both unprofessional and unfair of me. – Mick Lawless
This excellent thread mentions a number of other whistleblowers being harassed while awaiting judgement around Australia.
So just what did whistleblower McBride uncover?
Another was the shooting from a helicopter of three unarmed civilians in Jalbay after a suspected Taliban insurgent couldn’t be located. The documents also revealed evidence that Australian soldiers had been severing the hands of dead Afghans. The leaks, which led to a police raid of the ABC headquarters, were central to the initiation of the Brereton Report – an investigation into the alleged war crimes. The report revealed a culture of brutality and cover-up among SAS soldiers in Afghanistan, including the unlawful killings of 39 Afghan civilians, the shooting of an unarmed intellectually disabled man in the back of the head, executions of unarmed or handcuffed detainees and the planting of AK-47s on dead bodies. – Drop the charges against David McBride – Erin Russell – Red Flag (Links inserted by Editor)
“It’s like backing a football club. It’s like being part of a church. It’s like being part of a family, a clan, whatever. Absolutely I’m going to share the heck out of that” – Topham Guerin
Apparently these barbaric acts and a host of other issues, no longer have any import to the drips, now that their footy team is in the ascendancy. This is unfortunate because whistleblowers such as David McBride are dependent on public pressure to protect them from the powerful and hostile forces they expose.
It is evident the Albanese Labor government prefer to side with corrupt entities and war criminals. Prosecuting and harassing those brave people exposing their crimes.
“In response to a Freedom of Information request to the Prime Minister for all correspondence or other records of communication sent after 23 May 2022 by or on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, to United States President Joe Biden that related to Julian Paul Assange, his office has come up with nothing.“ – Documents show no sign Albanese government lobbied the US to bring Julian Assange home – by Rex Patrick – Michael West News
This conflicts somewhat with “Albo’s claims to be fighting for Assange’s release.
“Albo’s” predatory capitalism defended by drips
Samantha Maiden wrote an article revealing that “Albo” has been profiting from property speculation since 1990. (Hardly a secret)
Essentially, taking advantage of policies that contribute to widespread homelessness and poverty. Obviously a stance oppositional to Labor values.
“Landlord Anthony Albanese is raking in $115,000 a year in rental income on top of his salary as Prime Minister as interest rates soar for struggling families.
After growing up in public housing, the Prime Minister is now renting out two Sydney homes including a mortgage-free federation bungalow with a pool while he lives rent-free at the Lodge.
Mr Albanese, who scored a huge pay bump after the election, now earns $564,356 a year.
He also earns $70,000 a year in rental income for one property and $45,000 for another.
That means Mr Albanese has a combined annual income of $679,356 before he pays tax on his income and two investment properties.” – Anthony Albanese raking in $115k a year in rental income off property empire – (Landlord Anthony Albanese is making a killing each year in rental income on top of his salary as Prime Minister as interest rates soar for struggling families) -.Samantha Maiden – Sky News
I’m not privy to Samantha’s political leanings but I’m assuming a strong socialist/communist influence, as this is not the first time she has attacked “Albo’s” elitist parasitism.
“Labor leader Anthony Albanese has refused to ban MPs from claiming a $291-a-night allowance to stay in their own apartment in Canberra if elected, a practice that has allowed scores of MPs to pay off their mortgages.
Mr Albanese was probed about the politician’s perk on Melbourne radio on Monday after news.com.au revealed he was claiming travel allowance to stay in his own flat.
“Your travel allowance, $17,169 to stay in a flat of your own.
While the Remuneration Tribunal does set individual nightly rates, there’s no rule forcing Mr Albanese and Mr Wilson to claim the cash for staying in their own apartments and houses.
They could simply choose not to take the money.” – MPs paid thousands to stay in their own homes under travel allowance rules – (Aussie politicians are slugging the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars to sleep in homes they already own, and there’s no rule against it.) – Samantha Maiden
Instead of thanking Samantha for exposing “Albo’s” hypocrisy, greed and contempt for Labor values, the drips defended “Albo” and attacked Samantha!
Continues – Labor Supporters Defend Labor PM “Albo’s” Predatory Capitalism (part 2)