Know when to hold ‘em
Sometimes I wish I could take to the Labor frontbench with a sharpened pencil. The most recent example is the silly decision to call for Amanda Vanstone’s resignation over a speech she gave on the weekend.
The minister’s crime was to point out that using plastic knives on an aeroplane was a great inconvenience to passengers, while doing almost nothing to hinder terrorists. She gave some graphic examples to support her argument, including the violent use of a broken wine glass or a HB pencil.
Vanstone’s right — so why is Labor complaining? This is the Opposition’s version of crying wolf. If you demand resignations every time someone opens their mouth (even when a Minister criticises her own Government!) then nobody will pay any attention when heads really should roll.
Labor should be saying: “Look, even a senior minister thinks many so-called anti-terrorism laws are designed not to actually prevent terrorist attacks but merely to give the impression of prevention. Therefore, we should carefully look at all anti-terror legislation to ensure it actually has some basis in fact.”
Or something better phrased and more tactful, but you know what I mean.
Anti-terror measures, now laws, obvs, as Vanstone wasn’t talking about the law… Silly me.
I’ve lost count of how many times Labor has called for someone to resign.
Let’s at least hope Labor remembers to use these comments at the next election to try to neutralise the Coalition’s national security “credentials” whatever they’re supposed to be.
I’m not sure I agree about the uselessness of plastic knives, but you’re definitely right in relation to calls for resignation. It’s silly calling for resignation about every single insignificant little thing, and Vanstone’s comment, although colourful, was not even worthy of a rebuke let alone a resignation.
Hear hear! I couldn’t agree more. Vandstone should resign for a myriad of reasons, but cerainly not for being vaguely sensible.
It’s the first thing I think I’ve heard Mandy say that I actually agree with. She should definitely go, but not for telling the emperor he has no clothes.
To hijack a plane now is going to take a lot more than the threat of being stabbed. I don’t think there has not been a successful hijacking of an airliner since 11/9/01. Even when the hijackers have had a guns let alone a knitting needles, people have resisted. Something Mandy might also have wanted to point out.
Its quite clear that a metal vs. platic knife is not going to make a difference if someone intends to hijack a plane. The real question is “who stands to gain”? Clearly, over time whoever is manufacturing/selling the plastic knives will see significant increases in sales as the knives must be constantly purchased (unlike metal knives). I began thinking about this about a year ago when the US belatedly banned cigarette lighters and matches on airplanes. Why two years after Sep 11th was it so critical to ban lighters? But then it snapped in my head… every smoker who flies will purchase a new lighter, each at each and every destination, and sales of cigarette lighters should increase significantly. Somebody is making a killing off these laws…
I’ll never understand why people feel they need to attack the one member of the opposing side WHO’S FINALLY SAYING SOMETHING WITH WHICH THEY CAN AGREE.
Idiots.
Happens in courts, too. Idiots will attack the one opposing witness who’s telling a different story to the rest of the other side, rather than using that witness to attack the rest. Fools.
Mr Beazley made a nice little gaff that will have people people calling for his head yesterday.
Although it wasn’t as bad as the media seem to be making it out. ‘Michelle Lee’ and ‘Michelle Leslie’ are the same person so the confusion of names is understandable. Although Kevin Rudd’s gaff about ‘Michelle Corby’ was a great one…
A number of Labor frontbenchers cannot see beyond pathetic pointscoring. They don’t seem to understand that mostly it irritates the punters, if they notice at all.
They should take a look at the Vic Libs, who have done just that for 5 years. How far has it got them? Despite very mediocre performances from Bracks and co they have made no dent in their favourtism.
They could’ve got more attention if they’d asked Mandy to give a practical demo of pencil gouging Johnny’s eye.