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I may be, to quote Prince George in Blackadder, as thick as a whale sandwich, but for the life of me I can't see the logic. Why the secrecy? How is the Australian Government (indirecetly) telling people traffickers that their boats are being turned back any benefit to them?. Indeed, how does it tell them anything they don't already know? I assume people traffickers have mobile phones, and talk to each other.
What our navy is doing 'on the water' isn't exactly secret from the people traffickers because it's being done to them! But, perversely, it is secret from the Australian people, in whose name it's being done.
Just doesn't make sense, and actually fuels the perception that things are not going well with Operation Sovereign Borders (what a name! Give me strength!).
Welcome back,
But if that was a court case Morrison and Campbell would be facing contempt of court,
@Gigandas - the secrecy is meant for people like yourself and almost all the above commentators who prefer to have anybody enter this country by any other means than the correct way, through a doorway at an airport.
I've heard that boats are landing on the Northern Australian coastline and Northern Islands instead of Christmas Island and the asylum seekers are then just filtering into the Australian community through friends that are organising this different method of getting them into Australia.
The Ploy is , If they don't know . they'll think it didn't happen!! Mr Morrison didn't read his homework! he doesn't know! So it Didn't happen!!!
Funny how the LNP stooges on here are raving about the boats have stopped, when its the Monsoon and Typhoon season, huge seas. The boats will come again sorry to spoil your rants.
"He also makes an appeal for some Aussie agreement.
"Both people smugglers and potential illegal immigrants alike would hope to hear a stark divergence of views in a public debate in Australia that may reinforce a persistent but incorrect assumption by them that Australian policies will change.""
It is clear then that for three years the Liberals were batting for Team Abbott against Team Australia. Nice to know that our government has been accused of acting against Australia's interests by the leader of their war again people fleeing terror.
Just maybe the reason for a shortage of boats is because of the monsoon season being in full swing and nothing to o with the shortage of information being supplied to Australians.
I doubt very much if Scott Morrison could lie straight in bed given his inability to give a straight answer Obviously he has not read the documents he has proscribed. Secrecy in this is the cover for the incompetent.
Are you referring to Operation Suffering Boarders run by the Minister for Chunky Custard: Australia, you're standing in it - no not you lot, just us and 450,000 immigrants a year
Just how did this Committee get its structure and membership. It is stacked with 2nd rate Greens and ALP Senators and biased beyond belief on the subject, There is the wet eyed child SHY, the vacuous Wright ( 1st time I have ever
heard of her ..I now see why!), the pompous Carr ( the car industry union charity bagman) and Ludwig ( the man who critically damaged Indonesian/Oz relations by watching a 7.30 report and stopping beef exports and another ex union boss ). I watched bemused as intelligent men were queried by these thick low brows. The General was superb...
It's called numbers. It is the essence of democracy in this country. There are less Lib-Nat Senators that there are the other parties together, so they get the majority on the Committee.
I am truly worried that this Government has dumbed down the understanding of our democracy among its supporters to zilch.
It's the Senate, once the playground of John Howard. Did you whinge then? Why do you have issues with the structure and processes of our our democratic parliamentary system now?
why do you keep posting pro government propaganda without actually commenting on the issue?
Are you maybe part of that government?
It's a shame the Senate doesn't have as much concern for millions of dollars of union members funds being misused.
And for millions of dollars given to wealthy Mining magnates in tax concessions by Abbott.
Really, what has this to do with asylum seekers. By the same token I could say it is a shame that the Senate does not launch an immediate inquiry into the attempts by the Abbott Government to intimidate the ABC into becoming a Government mouthpiece.
Maybe the strategy is to minimise information that gets to the illegals who pay lots of money to get on a boat.They now either must believe the "people smugglers" or believe the updates from the government .
The latest news released is that NO boat has arrived in Austrlaia in the last month.
What would you do if you wanted to come to come to Australia now ?
Give me a break and recognise a successful strategy versus the failed labor/green policies where the NEWS was illegal boat every day , illegal people drowning and illegal people demonstrating on detention roof.
The only people i feel sorry for are the real refugees trying to come to Australia legally ,yet being gazumped by ILLEGALS under labor/green policies.
The mode of transport you use to seek asylum does not govern the legality of the process. People coming by boat to seek asylum IS NOT ILLEGAL. People overstaying visa costs us far more than people seeking asylum by boat, yet there is no mention of them. Less than 10% of asylum seekers come by boat and we condemn for fleeing horrendous conditions. 90% of people arriving by boat are deemed genuine refugees and the way ww treat them is appalling. How we can so easily dehumanize people is offensive.
Why do we broadcast news about alcohol related violence in Sydney, bikie violence on the Gold Coast, or gun deaths in Sydney? Why do we broadcast warnings about random breath testing units?
Really, Morrison's excuse that to tell us what he is doing would aid the people smugglers is so far removed from every other aspect of policing that he has a responsibility to justify it - not just assert it.
That is the issue. It is not policing. It is military led. So just like in other military led operation -- the generals at the coalface decide what is safe to release.
Are the committee accusing the military of collusion in something illegal. When the Generals say it is their opinion that certain information would endanger their troops are the Senate committee saying they are lying.
I don't remember a Senate committee screaming for minute by minute commentary from Afghanastan or Iraq.
Scott Morrison doesn't like blowing his own trumpet but if a Senate Inquiry forces him to then he will have to. He can tell SHY and other unrepresentative Senate swill that he is doing a great job stopping the boats and cleaning up Labor's mess on the high seas.
Uh Oh, to tell us that, he would have to leave the cone of silence, and he would have to tell us things that may not be true.
"Scott Morrison doesn't like blowing his own trumpet"
If that is the case, then Tony Abbott is Mother Teresa reincarnated.
"Morrison argues that information on arrivals is released weekly."
What utter crap!
That blubbering crybaby Scott Morrison decided he couldn't handle facing the media over Christmas, and no longer fronts up to weekly Operation Sovereign Borders briefings.
Morrison stopped all weekly briefings in late December 2013.
If you think Morrison is a crybaby you are delusional.
You have obviously never met him.
You would review your thinking if you had.
This enquiry is a disgrace and a farce. Imagine the fools who created this border protection nightmare situation in 2007/8 by discarding what was working, and opening a lucrative business for people SMUGGLERS, now dare question the man who has overseen reversing the sham which Labor/ Greens created. Mt Morrison should have treated the Shamn Senate with the contempt they deserve, and walked out He would have been applauded by all intelligent Australians.
Intelligent Australians don't support this refugee hating regime, nor do we support secret Morrison and his lies and hidden facts. The boats have stopped due to they Monsoons and Typhoon seasons.
After Stopping the Boats, vanquishing the Automobile Industry and crushing the ABC Tony Crackpott has now finally declared war on canned fruit. "I have nothing against any particular fruits" General Crackpott reportedly said, "but these two fruits in one can, even three fruits, mixed berries, you know how one thing leads to another, where will it all end? Some may think I'm a little old fashioned but I just think fruit salad is going too far."
The General pointed out that Work for the Dole schemes are in place for the displaced produce and also that fruit that arrived from overseas any way other than by the legal channels, in particular dates, pomegranates or anything else Middle Eastern, would be dumped in PNG. And if people really feel the need for homegrown fruit General Crackpott preferred the idea of 'Direct Action' and thought people if they wanted a banana or a mango might just plant a tree in their own backyard.
"Orchards, this smacks of collectivization and unions. We don't feel the need to subsidise trees. These trees need to learn to stand on their own two feet," The General remarked to the ABC's Leigh Sales, who after applauding the new policy as a great victory for the 'home team', inquired how many pears and strawberries would be retrained as marriage counselors in the "home team's" newest job saving brainstorm. The General in response explained his vision for the future of the country this way, "You know Leigh I have nothing against pears, or strawberries either, but in this case I just have a preference for pineapples."
After the interview the new theme song of the ABC was debuted. Sung by Tony Squires and entitled 'Go the Home Team' the tune appeared quite reminiscent of "Up there Cazaly".
The Labor party and the Greens should be ashamed of their abuse of taxpayers funds with this committee hearing. You'd much rather spend money on unauthorized arrivals rather than having the money spent on building new aged care facilities or hospitals or creating new jobs. There is one thing that is certain and that is Labor, the Greens and its voters do not care about this country or making Australia better for all Australians, that is clear.
Ramjet,, um.. no
We care about the government being open and honest about what they are doing.
Would you be more comfortable in Nth Korea ?? Its all fun and sun there.. Just ask the government
Ramjet, the current Government is not doing any of those things or even talking about them; however, it is planning a massively expensive Royal Commission into the Unions in order to score a few points. Perhaps that money could be used elsewhere?
I don't think it has anything to do with, polemically, LN or ALP - more to the fact that Australians have a right to know and the secrecy only increases distrust with the government.
If the Liberals are stopping the boats, why are they spending $1.9 billion on Liberal donor Toll Holdings tents plus countless billions on Serco, GS4 prison services, lifeboats, etc to detain asylum seekers indefinitely?
The Liberals didn't even have the guts to submit their core boats policy to the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) for independent costing.
agree but do you have any solutions how to stop them using our money ?
Um, yes, Roger, I am deeply ashamed - that such an nquiry should be required to elicit a few simple facts in an otherwise purported democracy.
How much cheaper it would be to close the camps, bring all to the mainland, speedily process claims and fly all unsuccessful applicants back to their state of origin - not Indonesia.
Or is that just too humane for you?
Not as ashamed as Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott should be in standing against the interests of Australia by opposing the former governments attempts to stop the unauthorised boat arrivals until the very day they won power.
No less a person than the Lieutenant General Campbell has said that such behaviour supports the people smugglers.
No boats for 43 days! Congratulations to the LNP
How do you know? Where's the evidence?
err, arr - no - if they had not arrived, we would not have been able to tow them back!
No boats what?
That can't be true!
The Greens and Labor assured us it couldn't be done - and they wouldn't lie, would they?
It is still typhoon season. Seriously. Typhoon season. Natural weather deterrent, that both sides of politics admits lowers the arrivals.How some of you people believe the drivel the LNP serve up is actually mind blowing.
No reporting of boats by the Liberals for 43 days.
Or did you forget how Scott Morrison lied about there being no mid-ocean standoff between Australia and Indonesia.
"good or bad" week! The "goodies and the baddies" are back.
Did Obama make another speech to the UN again?
If the Indonesian Navy is watching Sovereign Borders activities, aren't we leaking the information about our capabilities ?
Surely any other government with satellite capabilities could be watching and analysing.
Didn't you get the memo. Indonesia now has boats in the water looking for these boats of death. I would assume we are working more closely with Indonesia than we are being told.
They are watching from Mars and Venus, they're martians & venusians that are interested in what Tony Abbott is doing and which is effective in halting unauthorized arrivals.
3:06pm: SHY and Carr et al havn't asked Dennis Richardson any questions because they are scared of him.
Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and their secretive and embarrassing government is working against us all Aussies. We have had enough of this clown and his circus, it is high time Tony stepped down and let someone with intellect, humility, integrity and wisdom from Labor take over. There is absolutely no accountability, no democracy within the Abbott government, when ABC tries to bring some amount of accountability and democracy in, and Tony is crying wolf again and again!!
A senate committee having a hearing about the Government doing their job properly.
The left wing should be ashamed at their continual waste of taxpayers money. Insufficient hospitals and aged care, people losing their jobs. Labor & the Greens an utter disgrace.
How do you know they are doing their job properly ??
There certainly is a lack of transparency that Abbott told us there would be
But don't worry, I can see your on ""Team Australia" and this should never be questioned
Jobs? Holden: gone, 65,000 workers turfed onto the dole [http://www.afr.com/p/national/how_many_jobs_will_australia_after_mzo7oq8r5A411VZmX49dNO]. SPC: gone, 1500 direct and 2700 indirect jobs lost [http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/21160974/govt-gives-tin-ear-to-spc-assistance-plea/]. Nationwide: 30,000 full-time jobs in the last month [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-17/employment-agencies-see-despair-as-job-seekers-lose-hope/5205182]. Well done, Phony Abbott!
Oh yes ramjet - democracy is a waste of money - censorship is so cheap!
Well you see Ramjet, I for one as an Australian, strongly suspect that the Australian government is NOT doing it's job- if they were they would be more than happy to tell us.
Under the Australian constitution they are accountable for their actions. They are subject to our laws. That means they have to justify what they do in our name.
We are NOT at war, make no mistake this is deliberate obfuscation.
Hah Ramjet,
That hypocrite Tony "job snobs" Abbott has criticised the ABC for being "unAustralian" while Immigration Minister Scott Morrison imports between 190,000 and 220,000 guest workers this year alone, and without requiring employers to advertise vacancies to unemployed and underemployed Australians.
Morrison has also been silent about the oil rig workers exploited on 456 visas and only paid $3 per hour.
Rant all you want Ramjet, but there are some apolitical people in Australia who actually care about doing the right thing - and when armed with the right information, then they can make a fully informed choice whether or not they support this government"s stance.
Ramjet the day your LNP mob cares about aged care, hospitals, disabled, health care, will be a cold day in hell. Open your LNP eyes, Abbott even loathes disabled, only cares for wealthy MIners and Big end of Town.
What is this newly coined "Public Interest Immunity?"
We have never had this term in all our past Democratic Governments.
Any Governments that wants and deserves credibility and approbation for its policies should never ever hide anything under the skirt of secrecy; and show any lack of transparencies using any sort of excuses, especially from this "No Excuses" Government.
Truthfulness once sieved by unilateral choice loses all credibility.
In the name of decency, let's have what are hidden from us.
In modern democratic law enforcements, the use of closed circuit cameras is the call for the day if we are decent and have nothing to hide.
It's the latest three word slogan.
Question for General Campbell,
We are not doubting Australian sovereignty over Australian waters, and Naval interception of vessels within those waters, but by what legal right does the Australian Navy tow or force vessels through international water and into Indonesian waters?
Followup question (assuming some justification due to "breaking Aus law") : Does this not apply to intercepting Japanese Whaling Vessels?
hi Pat - an excellent question. Australia is obviously breaking Indonesian law when it enters Indonesian waters for nefarious activities - why is it not breaking International Law when it boards and hijacks foreign vessels going about their lawful navigation?
Quite simple really Pat,
I don't suggest this is done for People Smuggling boats, but is really boils down to legal maritime rights.
As this is an international border it is basically the same as crossing our airspace or onto our land, ergo
Any vessel in our waters;
1) Has no right to be there without our express permission
2) If asked to leave must
3) If not following the order to leave, we have rights to facilitate them leaving, or begin defending our waters (shooting at them basically)
PS The Japanese whaling fleet does not enter Australian Territorial Waters, they go around it, the area's they whale are not technically our Waters.
In fact, though the navy has jurisdiction in Australian waters, it is hard do know what law these vessels are breaking - for it is not illegal to transport anyone to any border.
hi the rock says - but that jurisdiction ends at our 12 nautical mile limit. We don't have the authority to tow them a centimetre past that border.
Thankyou for the question, but due to "Public Interest Immunity" I am not at liberty to admit our acts of piracy and breach of international maritime laws.
As for the whales also due to "Public Interest immunity" The most I can tell you is that Japan is our best friend.
Next question please, to which I'll hypothecate on.
There is a region in between Aus & Ind that is International waters, hence you don't actually go straight into Indon waters when you leave ours.
And without Visa's or Relevant Travel Plans (just like if you get off a plane and can't explain your plans), once a Boat enters our waters, technically they shouldn't be there, and can be asked / made to leave.
I'm talking Maritime Law, not how I think it should be done, but lets first get the facts straight.
Bottom line is we should have a much higher intake 30,000 potentially of refugees and we should collect them from Global Refugee camps.
We should not however allow this boat trade to continue.
the rock says - "There is a region in between Aus & Ind that is International waters, hence you don't actually go straight into Indon waters when you leave ours."
hi - that is exactly what I have been trying to explain to you - we don't have any jurisdiction in International Waters.
I agree that we should increase our intake, but why discriminate against those who come here? Those we would take from overseas have also travelled on false papers and crossed borders without permission.
Dr Ross QC. Thanks for your legal interpretation and advice. It's good to know we have people who can offer this advice for free, as it normally would cost a fortune to obtain.
I may be, to quote Prince George in Blackadder, as thick as a whale sandwich, but for the life of me I can't see the logic. Why the secrecy? How is the Australian Government (indirecetly) telling people traffickers that their boats are being turned back any benefit to them?. Indeed, how does it tell them anything they don't already know? I assume people traffickers have mobile phones, and talk to each other.
What our navy is doing 'on the water' isn't exactly secret from the people traffickers because it's being done to them! But, perversely, it is secret from the Australian people, in whose name it's being done.
Just doesn't make sense, and actually fuels the perception that things are not going well with Operation Sovereign Borders (what a name! Give me strength!).
I think the real reason for the secrecy is to prevent the Australian media from gleefully rubbing the Indonesia's collective nose on every boat turn-back. I think SBY warned Abbott that if that were to happen it would guarantee the election of a hardline anti-Australian Indon government come April.
The Iron Curtain is in place but the stench drifts over. If this "boats" panto really was a success don't you think Abbott and Morrison would be proclaiming the evidence throughout the Limited News craposphere? But no, it's a secret!
What "Just doesn't make sense" is to tell us that we are a DEMOCRACY.
Where the bloody hell are the people in our so-called democratic society?
Why do we have to watch, listen to all of this garbage ?
A democracy is where a nation is ruled by its people, rather than one person or some organisations like a political party who gets into power using lies and then doesn't listen to public opinion.
Direct democracy is a way to check political power and raises issues that others may want to hide.
Are against that?
"Things are not going going well", "not exactly secret" you assert, so why are we having this committee hearing? This is a waste of time & a waste of taxpayer funds. If things are "not going well" how is it that there have been no deaths at sea since Tony Abbott was elected and how many were there under Rudd/Gillard/Rudd. The left wing would love to see Tony Abbott and his Government fail at all costs even at the expense of human lives. Your comment is a "featured" comment you must be so impressed,
Gigandas, you have a fine grasp of the situation and should move immediately into the lodge! Well done!!
Ramjet, mate, read the article more closely. I said Morrison's secrecy simply fuels the perception that things must be going wrong- I've got no idea (and neither do you, I might add) whether things are going well or badly. And that's the point I'm making. The secrecy is a flawed policy because it is counterproductive. If you want to reduce it to the Cold War thinking left and right (and haven't we grown beyond that?), the right wingnut cheerleaders will applaud every bloodless non-announcement and assume things are going swimmingly, the trendy lefty latte sippers will howl in indignation, but the majority who aren't blind followers of a party or an ideology and who just want: 1. it all to stop; and 2. to know what's going on; will have their quite reasonable cynicism about the political process confirmed.
Hope that's clearer.
Why should they say, it helps no-one to know
What are you going to do with the information if you get a lat and long for where the boats were found. Go on Google earth and look at the spot on the sea that was taken maybe 2 years ago? I'm sorry but to the north of Australia somewhere between Indonesia and Australia is good enough for me!
ramjet - "ow is it that there have been no deaths at sea since Tony Abbott was elected and how many were there under Rudd/Gillard/Rudd.
hi ramjet - we don't know whether there have been any deaths at sea, unless they have told you something that they have not told the rest of us.
Yes you are, so I shan't bother explaining it to you. I really don't have the time.
Sarah Hanson Young wants a TV show called 'Border Security Unauthorized Arrivals', she wants to watch on television what goes on so she can call the people smugglers. Thanks for the laugh, hilarious.
Instead, Dick, we have a show called Where's Tony?, followed by My Credlin Rules and Dancing With the General.
The scary bit is that we voted for all of these jokers. What does that say about the Australian psyche? Are the elected politicians a dry Australian humour coming to the fore, or an attempt at non-physical S&M?
Some good photos here but they are almost exclusively of men! There's talk of Senator Hanson-Young being present but I can't find a photo of her here?
We can be thankful for those small mercies.
Morrison is a pathetic excuse for a human, as is Abbott
Just come out and tell us taxpayers what they are doing. The secrecy they insist on reminds me of Nth Korea. They are happy to spruck "no boats in January" but refuse to answer anything bad.
But what did you expect form Abbott and co
You'd prefer people dying at sea, wouldn't you. Who is "pathetic"? Indeed.
They are stopping the boats. what is it that you don't understand? Were you happy that 1200 people died after labor relaxed the laws? Do you want the deaths to continue? Maybe get the leftie chip off you shoulder and you might be balanced enough to understand.
No pragmatic prince, they have not STOPPED the boats. They have turned back a few (the ones we know about). The boat numbers had already dwindled due to the previous government's action of reopening Manus and Nauru plus the monsoon season. Let's see what happens in a few months time after monsoon season. There's too much money involved for people smugglers and their cohorts to shut up shop.
Ramjet January 31, 2014, 3:49PM I guess that's why the Abbotteers were gleefully opposed to any and every Labor initiative to address the issue. Where were Morrison's hush-hush. "on-water", "operational" weasel words then! By Crikey, he was bellowing the news of every boat arrival like Moses on the mount!
@Roger.........OMG you lot are so boring. The LNP Policy is obviously working so well it has got the Greenies and the ALP in an absolute lather. What Rudd and Gillard could not do in six years, Abbott has easily done in 4 months. Get over it !!!!
That explains a fair bit. SHY keeps up with current trends by watching reality TV shows.
Perhaps her next inspiration might be to go after the live cattle trade again based on comments on "Farmer want a wife".
Or she might quote "The Block" in arguing that the CFMEU shouldn't be subject to an investigation.
ho ho ho hacka - and that from a supporter of a party that believes that we are at war with people smugglers.
Ross, should we be at war with Syria?
Well Ross, we're not at war with budgie smugglers.
Mr Morrison, Has any information contained within the documents (not being released to the senate) been released to any non government entities. Intentionally or unintentionally ?
Sarah Hanson-Young - What conceited arrogance. The fluttering eyelids and the pompous school girl attitude is a vacuous display of self importance in the extreme. What a crashing bore she is.
sorry what exactly does such a personal attack on her have to do with anything, other than to make yourself feel superior, i mean?
Kim KIm - It's all right - you don't need to perform in the pantomime anymore - Jools & Ruddy are gone now - you don't have act out to preserve your position mate. Wait - what am I saying - the Pieman is still around - Kim Kim - keep shouting keep shouting....
Smack - yep he's more fired up today than the day Jules tapped him on the shoulder.
Maybe he's a bit frustrated this week seeing the Coalition stop all those industry handouts.
The lack of transparency here is only the beginning. They need to tell the truth and not hide from the facts. What Tony Abbott and Morrison is doing is treason. If you name a few leaders who use this kind of smoke screen they would be like Hitler. Stop parading like a jock Abbot show some balls and tell the truth. It's a great story to the would be smugglers that you are finding them all and sending them back. Bloody unaustralian !!
No, treason is what the ABC & Mark Scott did with stolen information from Edward Snowden that had potential to cause conflict with Indonesia. Do you condone stealing confidential information from an employer?
Now Sarah Hanson Young is talking about television shows-"Border Security". Oh yes, what a great representative of the Australian people she is, this is laughable. This is where your taxpayers dollars go. What an utter abuse & waste of money this is.
Sarah Hanson Young very best friend of the people smugglers.
Morrisson calls himself a "welcome guest". He seems more like an unwelcome gatecrasher who wants to make sure his lackeys don't spill the beans.
Switzerland is the only country in Europe that practices direct democracy: citizens get to vote on important changes to the constitution, rather than leaving it up to the politicians and government. What's more, citizens can even propose constitutional amendments themselves, which are then voted on by the rest of the country.
Direct democracy is a way to check political power. It allows benevolent and enlightened citizens to oppose laws made by phony servants of the people.
Direct democracy would stimulate government to do the job it was elected to do .....and not to impose what the people ought to have as it is under our fake democracy in which the people are irrelevant.
At least the Swiss people have decided under the people referendum no paper back home.... bad criminal record revoke their Swiss nationality and adios.
What's wrong with that?
Do you know how difficult it is to get citizenship in Switzerland? Do you know they import labour from Africa and when they are done they deport them. No arguments, the police just come in, arrest the migrant workers and they ship them out. Would you prefer Australia took that approach?
Hmm, "no-do-gooder" policy infers a "do-badder" policy. Is that what you want? Do bad rather than good?
Do you have any documents to prove it?
Labor and their little Green friends are a disgrace. They failed in power (50,000 unauthorised arrivals, up to 2,000 dead, billions in extra cost). They covered up their failure with excuses and fabrications (assisted by their media pals at Fairfax and the ABC of course). And now they're trying to sabotage the people who are tasked with restoring normality. It's a joke that Scott Morrison has to front up to receive abuse from a hack like Kim Carr or mischievous questions from SYH, the child Senator.
Point 1: I actually agree with Morrison that asylum seekers should be discouraged from giving crooks their life savings and getting on rickety boats, risking their lives and those of their children. But Morrison makes my flesh crawl, he's just so nasty, always angry and indignant, no empathy whatsoever, and he really seems to be enjoying himself (while people are suffering). Point 2 : So sick of the way Morrison and others wank on about how difficult and dangerous this job is, that it's a 'war' (!), how we should all be proud of the Navy, etc. etc. Dangerous?! If an occasional interaction with small numbers of unarmed civilians, many of them women and children, is dangerous, then what is active service in Afghanistan? Turning around civilian watercraft from time to time is about the cushiest assignment you could ever get and still claim to be on 'active service'! The only 'danger' to ADF personnel would be the psychological damage they might suffer from having to carry out cruel policies that they may not agree with.
Point 3: Yes, the boats have slowed to a trickle, but that had ALREADY HAPPENED under Labor! Rudd's PNG 'solution' broke the back of the people smuggling trade and boat arrivals were down 80% or something in the last couple of months of the Rudd government. So all Morrison is doing is mopping up the stragglers. Yet he struts around as if he solved the problem all by himself...
Well I don't think Campbell will earn another "stripe" for his performance today at
"Operation Committee" by the committee but no doubt Aboat thinks his deflection and lack of transparency is commendable.
So no boats have "arrived" as in been placed into Australian Immigration Detention but Morrison isn't saying how many have "come". So either no boats have come (which we know to be untrue), or a) boats are still sinking (possible but not known), b) boats are being turned back (probable and we're encroaching on Indonesian territory) or c) we're actually putting all arrivals onto a ship mid-ocean and sending to Nauru / Manus (something that's been previously talked about).
Animal farm anyone? Security over what?
Memo Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott:
We're the Public.
WE'LL decide what information is in the "Public Interest"; and the manner in which we receive it!
For those of you blaming the monsoon season for the lack of boats ... this article from same time last year
Don't give the Fairfax Readership Collective facts Doc, it upsets them
Any truth to the notion that the Lieutenant-General attended the Senate Inquiry to make Minister Morrison look comparatively alive?
Blood samples should be taken at the door to ensure we are not dealing with hollow-brained zombies.
Every time Sarah Hanson -Young opens her mouth the Green minority takes a further step backwards.
Scott Morrison is my hero. I generally don't like politicians Liberal or Labor and especially Greens. He is implementing policy that the electorate wanted. I'm sick of hearing about these whiny illegal immigrants. They already have a safe haven in Indonesia. I'm sick of all the services these illegals are provided with and yet I who lives only 72 km from Melbourne must travel 50 km to the nearest emergency hospital because services have been taken away. I'm sick of my standard of living being reduced by these people who are breaking Australian laws. If anything I would want more harsher treatment of these criminals. You are doing a fantastic job Scott Morrison thanks for protecting our borders and keeping us safer.
The Senate Committee cannot compel Morrison to reveal anything because he is from the other house…..
SHY is a disgrace. She represents a very small proportion of voters and is acting like she is PM. I agree with others that this inquiry would be more productive uncovering corruption in unions rather than trying to second guess our military who are doing their job admirably. Let the government govern.
Indeed. SHY and the rest of the greenies undermine Australia. Disgusting.
If this country ever gets a left wing Government again watch the drownings start again and watch this country become swamped with unauthorized arrivals.
The moment asylum seekers are referred to as 'illegal immigrants' I stop listening. After all, if the fundamental basis of what is being said is based on an utter lie, what's the point? What a pathetic excuse for leadership.
This farce of a senate inquiry is like a an Agatha Christie who done who and why, set with a trail of secrecy and intrigue, with Sarah Hanson Young playing the dumb ass detective.
Mr Scott Morrison, having a redaction moment under pressure from redactional fatique. Was unreadable the new term for 'unbelievable'? BUT then refusing to say how many boats have entered the Australian water DOES NOT amount to contempt. This is a useless exercise achieving NIL-ZERO- outcome.
BillR, because those 60 000 leave again, and arrive with documentation. Most overstay because they are having such a lovely time in our beautiful country. Earning some dodgy pay etc to extend their time here. they also get a debt to the commonwealth they have to pay if ever returning. They arrive lawfully, and depart " late". But don't let that stop you conflating two totally separate issues to try in vain to make a cohesive argument.
God just watched 15min of daft questions on if there was a list of the documents. We pay these people, pathetic.
Looking forward to the Royal Commission into the unions. Perhaps senator Carr and his mate might not have such a big smirk on their face during those procedures.
J. Walker - Senator Carr would be as eager to prosecute criminals in the union movement as he would criminals in the Boardroom, and as he is trying to punish criminals in the cabinet.
I want a Royal Commission into IPA links to the Liberal Party.
Max Gross,
Would you also support a Royal Commision into Get Up links to ALP?
Come on mate, grow up, this tit for tat is very unbecoming.
The IPA & Get Up are both Think Tanks / Lobby Groups, if you detest one, you also detest the other, else you are a hypocrit.
That's the problem in this country, People think Left or Right, then ignore all the Bad stuff about their own choice and never recognise any good done by the other side.
It is very childish.
Ross I'm sure Carr will be very willing to open up all the dealings with the union and Holden he was in the middle of.
Just switching off. Bored. Disgraceful prevarication by Minister and team disrespecting Senate Right of oversight. Poor performance from floor to stonewalling. Scarily shrill voices of outrage from forum towards Greens. When will these arrogant people learn they do NOT have a monopoly on patriotism.
this whole committee is a waste of taxpayers money it is there is so much BS from Greens ALP there reasons that information is kept from the public and I agree this whole thing by the Greens and the ALP is a witch hunt nothing more
We heard you the first time!
if there is a reason why THIS info is keep from the public why then when they were in opposition, did they openly and loudly keep releasing information it to attempt to shame Labor?!!! there reason is flawed. This government just thinks they are above the law and justification. Hence the backlash against ABC because they are brave enough to say "hang on sec"
Picture @ 1.37 - By the time this is over Scotty won't need to hold the old specs on his nose anymore, they'll sit very nicely.
I'm the public, I don't see why the public servants I pay should be allowed to keep it a secret how we treat (or mistreat) asylum seekers
Really? I thought you had ditched the witch? Surely now this is a warlock-hunt?
this whole committee is a waste of taxpayers money
How can you stop it under our current system in which we are irrelevant?
This is unbelievable!
Abbot & Morrison's Patriot Act v2.0
Go Kim,
Morrison lies, watch his nose grow by the minute.
Who was it that abandoned Howard's policy that let the boats keep coming in their thousands? 50,000+ to be precise. Your Labor Govt. Who was it that caused people to die at sea through abandoning Howard's policy? Your Labor Govt. Indeed.
The ABC has jumped on the asylum seeker allegations but never never mentioned this article by Pulitzer winner journalist Seymour Hersh regarding Syria (would probably upset their agenda):
"The American media has blacked out an account by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh demonstrating that President Barack Obama and the US government lied when they claimed to have proof that the Syrian government carried out a sarin gas attack last August on areas near Damascus held by US-backed "rebels." (http://rt.com/news/us-syria-sarin-report-932/)
this whole committee is a waste of taxpayers money it is there is so much BS from Greens ALP there reasons that information is kept from the public and I agree this whole thing by the Greens and the ALP is a witch hunt nothing more
The sooner we get rid of these Green Party environmental terrorists the better. Maybe we can 'transfer' them to Indonesia. Bet they would be happy there!
Why are they environmental terrorists? I don't vote for the greens but I'm very glad that so many people get up in the morning and try their best for the environment. We all depend on it. Why would they like to be in Indonesia any more or less than you would?
It will only happen under a direct democracy or a Citizens Initiated Referendum a la Pauline Hanson.
this whole committee is a waste of taxpayers money it is there is so much BS from Greens ALP there reasons that information is kept from the public and I agree
Senator Carr is going to pop a blood vessel, such a shame that things aren't panning out the way Labor or the Greens want it to.
Watching Sarah Hanson-Young was an ordeal in itself. I had no idea what she was trying to say and I don't think anybody else did either.
No - conservatives understand very little.
Read less Limited News and your comprehension may recover
She's never made any sense to herself, let alone anyone else. All she did was prove, once again, what an inept fool she is.
It was the skirting of answers that was the problem.
Joe "turn back the cattle" Ludwig wants more information, but seems to forget that last year a simple Four Corners episode was quite sufficient for him to base big decisions on.
"turn back the cattle joe ludwig "
good one !
Ludwig should be pushed out of Parliament over the overnight live cattle ban .I hope voters remember the turmoil he created at the next Senate election.
Watching the Senate inquiry it is becoming obvious that both Labor and Greens are not interested in the best for the country but are hell bent on proving that there were/are some breaches of some unspecified conventions which then can be used to dismantle the successfully working boarder protection. What a bunch of rubble the left is!! Stay firm Mr Morrison - Australians in the great majority are fully supporting your actions.
both Labor and Greens are not interested in the best for the country
Do you have a better solution that the Pauline Hanson's Citizens Initiated Referendum ?
Ted, that means that Labor and the Greens have our interests in mind and Morrison does not.
Sarah Hanson-Young would prefer that old boats that are borderline sea worthy continue coming to Australia so people can potentially die at sea so then she can get up and shout that 'Tony Abbott failed', 'Tony Abbott failed', this is her only motivation to see the Government fail, how surprising. What a waste of money this committee is, a total abuse of taxpayers money.
Equaliser do you have inside information denied to everyone else? No deaths at sea -how do you know? How many boats have arrived ? Do you know.? How many boats have been turned back ? Morrison refuses to tell us. The fact that boats have been turned back suggests that boats have arrived. After the monsoon season? After our naval vessels stop patrolling? When things are being done in my name I want to know and have a right to know.
The gift that keeps on going Senator SHJ. Maybe if she stamped her feet? And PNG is a Coalition policy that Labor were dragged kicking and screaming to, so as o try and save some seats. Let's no re-invent history. The Malaysia solution was stupid, 800 for thousands and ended up costing the previous secretary his job. I think you'll find it had little support in immigration.
Ask Morrison how much Operation Hush-Hush-Daddy-Knows-Best is costing Australian taxpayers. Or is that too an "on-water" matter?
There's a lot of angry men commenting here isn't there. SHY this SHY that the off inexplicable word IN all CAPS. Get out and get a life boys.
Rob - calm down, this is a comments section, nothing more
Rob - just wanted to clarify
IN all CAPS
or IN ALL CAPS
you mean like this one ??
"Nevertheless, the harder this government tries to batten down the hatches, the more vicious will they appear, as the natural instinct in a healthy democracy is to FIND OUT what is going on."
CommenterHans von SchlappenplankerLocationDate and timeJanuary 31, 2014, 1:41PM
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/the-pulse-live/politics-live-scott-morrison-and-top-brass-face-senate-inquiry-20140131-31rc6.html#ixzz2rweYtFew
The girl card once again. Australian's of both sexes simply want some common sense. SHY is clearly biased and it's sickening to watch. Being female has nothing to do with it. I'll be glad when she is just a bad memory
this whole committee is a waste of taxpayers money it is there is so much BS from Greens ALP there reasons that information is kept from the public and I agree
Afternoon tea, will they be just as obfuscating when asked how many augers they'd like in their tea?
Scott Morrison has more secrecy than ASIO has. How is that possible?
Now how many drownings is it that have occurred under the Liberal Government, and how many occurred under the previous Rudd/Gillard/Rudd Govt. I look forward to Sarah Hansen Young talking about this very important piece of information. What an utter disgrace.
The people smugglers and their criminal organisations are cheering for SHY.
And so is every Australian who is in favour of human rights and against censorship.
Not sure what's so humanitarian in allowing people to pay criminal organisations and taking a dangerous journey across the ocean. And once granted asylum they leave someone else stranded in some hopeless camp in some 3rd world country who didnt have the $10k to pay for the journey.
People smugglers are just like drug dealers, praying on the vulnerable. And the proceeds fuel more shady businesses like prostitution. How the left can be okay with it all is beyond rational explanation.
hi JM - every person who has escaped their country of origin has paid people to help them, be they taxi drivers, people smugglers, service station proprietors - and they come without being invited and without proper documents.
Don't see what is humanitarian about stopping them coming.
Yes it is unusual for a Lower House (Reps) member to appear before a Senate Committee. The only reason Morrison is appearing is to jump in with his version of smoke and mirrors when the questions get a bit tough for the General. He has to control the situation. After all we don't want the General being forced to blurt out the truth now do we.
Pity the tin soldier, his reputation now tainted, standing mute and knee deep in the rotten tripe gushing from Morrison's mouth. Never mind, one day he may be rewarded with the G-G's post.
One of the sailors who boarded the vessel had a camera.
Let's see the footage so the navy can clear its name of wrongdoing.
It's also a bit sad how the navy had to resort to Twitter to deny allegations made against them, because Scott Morrison would not allow them to address the media at an official press conference.
Those 2 crybabies Tony 'Everybody's picking on me' Abbott and Morrison with their trembling bottom lips ran to Alan Jones owned 2GB radio's Uncle Ray (Hadley) to give their unchallenged version of events, but they can't bring themselves to face hard interview questions from Walkley award winning journalists.
Who votes on the "Walkley Awards"?. Really thanks for the laugh. You want more people to die at sea, because that is what you are advocating. It must be terribly difficult to see Tony's policies succeeding. Oh dear, I need a tablet and a good lie down because I just can't take this anymore.
Days Of Our Lives,
Well, I can tell you who doesn't get to vote on the Walkley awards.
Ignorant people like you who watch Today Tonight and A Current Affair and listen to 2GB radio and read The Daily Telegraph for "news and information".
As for the Liberals saving lives, here's the channel 10 news You Tube footage of that craven coward Tony Abbott and his entourage running away from the media on Grand Final day in Sep 2013 after news that an asylum seeker boat had sunk after Australian authorities ignored its distress call for 26 hours.
Jump to frame 00:50 to watch Abbott run.
In typical Liberal head in sand fashion, Scott Morrison refused to take media calls regarding the tragedy.
Channel 10 tweet 10:09 AM - 28 Sep 2013 :
"@TonyAbbottMHR has RUN from the AFL grand final breakfast & refused to answer questions about the latest asylum seeker deaths."
Poor Sarah Hanson-Young trying to put words into others mouths, and will "interpret" answers given the way she sees fit. She has no respect. The taxpayer is paying for this utter rubbish, a total abuse of taxpayers money.
"Only 30 minutes to go until afternoon tea" but they havent actually said anything yet ?!!!!!
@ kp January 31, 2014, 1:33PM
I haven't seen anything about the 60,000-odd illegal migrants who come in by plane that overstay every year and certainly have some radicalised and terrorist trained and inclined who are a far more potent threat to the safety of our borders than the relatively few who come in by boat.
Why don't you just stick to the issue at hand, Bill.
That wouldn't be some of your obfuscation would it BillR?
Smack. Enough! I near spat my coffee onto the keyboard!
I'd like to know why SHY isn't facing the enquiry answering questions about how her direct policies and actions lured thousands to their deaths
This is like reading a Harold Pinter play. At least his dialogue was always funny.
Yes I could well imagine Tony yelling after his minister, 'Scott, don't you let them push you around Scottie.'
1.58 Clearest answer yet! You're not kidding, talk about masters of evasion.
What a farce these characters are making of the senate inquiry.
ACG, some would say it already was a farce from inception.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young again attacking our defence force - deliberately referring to Lieutenant General Angus Campbell as 'Lieutenant' to insult him. Nasty piece of work.
Or, not being in the military, she doesn't understand the distinction between Lieutenant and Lieutenant General?
what disrespect from SHY.....she is an embarrassment to Australia and the poor people she represents.... but seeing she is from the far left who hate Australia and all it stands for im not surprised.... an absolute disgrace
you presume that there was evil intent in her words, how ridiculously judgmental is that. when more than likely she didnt know what the short form of his name was before she opened her mouth.
We who live in the real world respect other and realise that some times people just make mistakes.
Should she genuflect? The public are being treated like fools!
@ Cameron
What is it exactly that Australia "stands for"?
blake the labour/green alliance have never respected or had any time for the military.... being from the extreme left SHY despises all military people....
@Aaron, Sarah Hanson-Young is a Senator (albeit representing the Greens) in the federal parliament of Australia. She is paid almost $200,000 a year for this role and only comes up for election every 6 years.
If Hanson-Young cannot differentiate between a Lieutenant and a General, then she should not be sitting on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee investigating defence and border issues. For that matter she should not be in parliament.
Poor SHY. Made to look foolish once again. Just can't get the answer she's looking for.
To pledge (property) as security or collateral for a debt without transfer of title or possession.
He clearly meant 'hypothesize" but you know the old "military intelligence" oxymoron.
"We will restore accountability and improve transparency measures to be more accountable to you." - Tony Abbott. When?
Yeah,, still waiting for that transparency
Oh this should be good. Give all the Geeen and Labor lovies something to get whipped up about. Don't worry about the small fact that there have been no deaths of late on the high seas.
How do you know that there have been no more deaths. That information is secret.
Are you privy to on water matters classified information?
You talk as though it's a sport, to see who can do better, Labor or Liberal. when it comes to boat arrivals. It's no sport, it's about human lives. But as long as the government can save lives and yet treat asylum seekers like animals in detention centres its all hunky dory eh? What a miserable petty country of little consequence Australia has become.
ICS and ACG - there is no way Morrison could say there have been no arrivals and no deaths for 6 weeks unless it was true. There would be labor supporters everywhere willing to disprove the claim - if they could.
The childishness from the left regarding the success of the Coalition is astounding. It is obvious that the second labor get back into power hat the boats will start again and so will the deaths at sea. You can all be as proud as you were last time when 1200 people died.
I sure hope they ask the Armed Forces how it is they did not know where they were or were they lying that they did not know, but that would be un Australian.
Perhaps the question should address the competency and how the Navy did not know its position
I look forward to Morrison explaining how a modern Navy with some of the most advanced GPS systems in the world could "inadvertently" cross Indonesia's maritime border several times.
When you're trying to manage a difficult turn-back operation in very close proximity to the territorial 12-mile limit involving large naval vessels & small wooden fishing boats plus rigid hull inflatables it would be easy to inadvertently stray accross several times. It is a maneuvering problem & not a navigating one.
These guys are so shifty, how many times does SHY have to spell it out "what is the difference"?
Indeed, I agree with you SHY is shifty.
I said guys.
Where was the inquiry when thousands were drowning the last six years under the previous Government?
I would laugh at Scott Morrison's lack of logic if it was not so frightening.
He claims that certain allegations are 'unsubstantiated'.
Yet, in the same breath he refuses to release information that will clear the situation up!
Easy does it, Minister. Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, Monty Python, etc., they beat you by a half century at least - plus they were entertaining.
To quote 'Walter' in 'The Big Lebowski', having advised 'Smoky' that, 'this isn't 'Nam, this is bowling, there are rules...', goes on to exclaim: 'Has the whole world gone crazy!? Am I the only one who gives a shit about the rules!?'...
I share Walter's concerns. Have we, as a nation, taken leave of our sense?
Why are the churches not holding joint press conferences to decry these stupidities and outrages against decency and humanity?
Perhaps they have their, er, hands full with the Royal Commission, more's the pity...
"Why are the churches not holding joint press conferences to decry these stupidities and outrages against decency and humanity?"
Decency and humanity pale in importance against rolling back abortion and keeping gay people from marrying. Duh.
Yes, silly me, I don't know why but I keep thinking the churches should be there to act as a force for good in the world...I should know better.
Hans you should know that progressives are the only virtuous moral people in Australia. They take the high moral attitude and implement policy that results in 1200 dead. The Curch that all you progressives are quick to mock do more good in a day than labor did in six years. They are tied of seeing people die. Its pretty simple except to a sanctimonious progressive.
'pragmatic prince' - 'the churches are tied of seeing people die' - dear me, given the Royal Commissions, I would have thought they would have had quite enough of that sort of thing...
If it is a choice between 'progressive', or inherently 'regressive' and being afraid to put one's faith in humanity, then give me progressiveness and day.
I think It is often the case that far-left advocates would abuse the transparency in asylum seeker reporting for open border agendas, as opposed to concern for genuine refugees from refugee camps, such as those in neighbouring countries of Syria. The facilitation of bogus claims of asylum under the guise of refugee action inadvertently places social cohesion and multiculturalism at risk, as it's the importation of foreign underclasses by boat, instead of genuine humanitarian refugee intake or skilled legal migration.
There would be the facilitation by refugee action advocates to incite protests and hunger strikes, the provision of legal aid to provide information as to how to state claims to gain citizenship, despite being bogus, as well as sensationalist descriptions of detention centres, being described as something akin to concentration camps, despite adhering to UN standards. The commentary and action of the far-left seems to have the underlying notion of the facilitation of open borders.
Refugee advocates who are more in line with far-left socialism had lobbied for a law that made it illegal to refer to unsolicited unauthorised irregular maritime arrivals by boat who arrive without documentation to Australian moorings as 'illegal', a law which is upheld by the Australian Press Council. This is despite it being the natural opposite to legal migration. It's a form of censorship advocated by The Greens and Labor due to the loosely defined nature of refugee determination. It specifies in the UNHCR Handbook part II, it's "frequently necessary to give the applicant the benefit of the doubt" because claimants can't always prove their case.
I don't think people smuggling, traumatisation & drowning of children tagged along by others is acceptable or safe and there are no human rights at the bottom of the ocean.
And just to hand, another "asylum seeker" has said that Australian sailors ate all their children for lunch and burnt their women at the stake. So, Fairfax, ABC, start rabidly reporting on this as though it's a credible fact.
And just to hand - Abbott says that they are illegal immigrants - ha ha ha.
If cannibalism is occurring on Abbott's watch you can be sure of one thing: he won't admit it!
Maybe we should be asking what is the real reason behind operation "sovereign borders?"
Are those reasons far more nefarious?
Could this be the start of the propaganda push which see's us attacking Indonesia? When you consider the rapid militarisation of Darwin, recent arrivals of B52 Bombers there, the ever increasing amounts of US military personnel one has to wonder if this side show is taking eyes off of the top end and securely pointing them in all directions but where we should be looking.
Our Police are being transformed from a police force to a paramilitary force. The black shirts are now in general issue a minority religion is being pursued as the bad guy, minority groups are being persecuted and imprisoned in QLD using highly dubious laws. At what point are you going to start questioning the bigger picture. With a former military man as GG any chance of an independent umpire removing a rogue govt has flown out of the window. So excuse me if I do make comparisons to Germany 1936 to 39 but I personally am seeing just way too many comparisons to now think of anything else.
How long dear reader will you put up with this? Be quick before they come knocking on your door.
Interesting observations posed.
Yes, what is the big picture, whilst we have all these deflections and diversions?
You are on the money, scary times ahead.
Please leave the loony conspiracy theorising to the right wing of the political spectrum.
Why on earth would we, or anyone else, want to attack Indonesia?
As for police state nonsense, criminal gangs wearing bike colours are not a minority group.
Hypothetically, if an Australian government ever went "rogue", do you really think they'd care who was GG or the unclear powers the GG may or may not have to dismiss a government. The thing that would stop a "rogue" government is a well-educated, well-informed, politically aware population.
RGY - "Why on earth would we, or anyone else, want to attack Indonesia?"
hi - can't answer your question, but we have to ask why Abbott is doing his best to start a fight with our neighbours - it can't all be shere stupidity and incompetence.
A Royal Commission into union corruption according to the ALP, Greens and their socialist progressive left supporters is a witch hunt, so what does this senate inquiry dominated by ALP and Green senator called then if not witch hunt
This ALP and Green dominate senate inquiry deliberately did not request the attendance of the immigration minister Scott Morrison to give evidence, but demanded all those under Scott Morrison to attend, good on you Scott for attending uninvited and sticking up and defending your employees on what is definitely a and give evidence - umm WITCH HUNT,
I am hopefully not alone when I think that seeing the military attend a Senate Inquiry into what is really a human rights issue (seeking asylum) is a real worry.
The last time the military was so 'front and centre' was during the SAS storming the stranded ship in 2001 scaring the hell out of those on board.
Scott Morrison was interviewed earlier on today and said he would not release more information about the Navy personnel's handling of the latest incident, because 'I do not intend to hand people smugglers the PIN number for Operation Sovereign Borders...'.
That is a rather silly thing to say, and if he and his minions thought about it a little longer, they might come to the hardly earth-shattering conclusion that actually releasing footage of the military rumbling asylum seekers might act as a disincentive to people smugglers (if they see video evidence of just what the personnel are doing in our name), as opposed to keeping it under wraps and leaving it open to dismissal.
I think the likeliest reason for this information black-out is that they do not want US to see what is being done in our name as part of this border protection offensive.
I think it is very concerning when a government militarizes a situation against defenseless people, not just in the tactics used at the scene, but also in the language of the operation.
Operation Sovereign Borders has been designed to up the sense of threat to 'extreme' - such operational names are usually only reserved for actual military operations in time of war.
Nevertheless, the harder this government tries to batten down the hatches, the more vicious will they appear, as the natural instinct in a healthy democracy is to FIND OUT what is going on.
The Greens are dreamin if it thinks it will get anything out of these three. This promises to be quite entertaining.
Drownings - zero; boat arrivals - zero; chances of the ABC not attacking our defence force personnel - zero.
Abbott and co have already delivered in less than 6 months what labor could not deliver in 6 years - safe borders.
Well done to the Abbott government.
The moonsoon season is stopping the boat
KP they haven't actually changed the ALP's policy which was the PNG solution. Must have been working huh. Seems funny how Tony 'Keep the Boats Coming so I can get Elected' Abbott frustrated the Malysia solution for all those years.
How about this alternative view:
Drownings: not reported
Boat arrivals: 4 or 5 (that we have been advised of by Indonesia)
Boats turned back: 4 or 5 (that we are aware of)
Chances of ABC not attacking the Defence force: 100%. There were no attacks ABC was just reporting allegations.
Chances of getting biased assessments of Abbott's performance from LNP accolytes: 100% . That's all we usually get but hey, let's put it to the vote. I mean an election!
Truth - Zero. Accountability - Zero Credibility - Zero. Chances of a Double Dissolution - Abbott wouldn't dare!
Totally agree kp. Nicely put!
Safe borders? Get real. This isn't an invading nation sending troops to our shores but refugees asking for our help. It is distracting the Navy from actually performing their role of protecting the country from military threats. In terms of "facts" you purport to present how can you verify them? The government is deliberately hiding the facts and if the facts come out t they don't like they are complaining about it. If we take your keeping the borders safe then why are they not using the army to round up all those visa over stayers? Same principle.
Hey mate there could have been 100 drownings for all we know. They can't tell us and the government won't tell us either. So I not to beleive the rubbish they are telling us until there is irrefutable proof from an independent source that has no linkls to either party. Don't forget they have been using the inherited ALP policy which has been so successful they are climing it as their own.
kp, we don't know if thats true because they won't tell us, but let's assume its true. Firstly, the changes Kevin Rudd made are a significant factor in the drop in the number of asylum seekers. Secondly, Labor didn't get the opportunity to implement their policy ie the so called Malaysia solution, because the Liberals stood in the way for political purposes
Didn't the commanding officer Angus Campbell say that right now, it is the peak of the monsoon storm season and this will cause a big slow down in the number of people coming in boats? Yes I believe he did. He also said that the success of the policy can only be properly determined once the monsoon season is over. Time will tell.
Had to re-do this - would love it if the moderators told you why they censored a reply.
GOV, are you really saying this is labors success? Are you trying to gas light everyone? Come on, be honest.
And @Stevek, ignoring the truth does not make it go away. the ABC did attack the navy, and e boat arrivals have dried up - as some of your labor supporters further down are saying as well.
And @Chooko, the figures are great for this time of year compared to previous years - look it up. That said I agree time will be the proof in the pudding, but it is looking like a great pudding right now. And glad to see an ALP supporter finally agree with what a defence force person is saying.
Labor had 6 years to fix the problem of illegal boat arrivals and every year they made it worse. The liberals under Abbott (and against the wishes of one M Turnbull) fixed it in 3 months. Not bad.
lady aka - didn't know the monsoon season was 6 months? you sure about that?
kp - "And @Stevek, ignoring the truth does not make it go away. the ABC did attack the navy, and e boat arrivals have dried up - as some of your labor supporters further down are saying as well.
KP - the ABC has not attacked the navy - the ABC reported allegations against some navy personnel.
The navy, as Spike Milligan said, is an army entirely surrounded by water, and actually knows what an attack is - you do not.
While you conservatives continue to bend the truth, you will continue to lose respect in the electorate.
Kp, there is no doubt that Abbott deliberately frustrated the ALP in their attempts to deal with the asylum seeker issue particularly via the Malaysia solution because he knew it was his chance to get elected. He had absolutely nothing else going for him. The result is a PM who will relentlessly sell the people and workers of this countr down the river in order to enrich his ideological masters. I'll see you down the river KP, I'll wave as you float by.
Umm, @Ross, the navy knows when it is being attacked. An attack does not always have to be with weapons. But hey, if you rely on Spike Milligan for your military intelligence and definitions, well good luck with that. (Just a heads up, I don't think anybody else does).
If labor and the ABC continue to try bring the coalition down through such dishonest methods as attacking our defence forces, I am sure the people will see through it.
The Government's asylum seeker policies are working but the Greens and Labor cannot bear to be irrelevant on the people smuggler issue. This is just their way of trying to play themselves back into importance on this issue. The Government must press on with its judicial inquiry into Union illegal activities allegation-the current Senate will not do it-even though recent allegations against section of the Union movement are much worse than anything alleged against the Governments Asylum Seeker policies.
Your bias knows no bound but keep it going, thanks to our freedom of speech courtesy of our healthy democratic system Left or Right leaning people know that justice is 'centered'.
Correction. The previous governments policies on asylum seekers is working.
That still doesn't make them humane.
At the cost of our relationship with Indonesia which is a serious matter. The policy working is the P$G solution, introduced by Labor. In fact how would anyone know whether the policy is working. It's a secret. This government has done untold damage to our reputation.
I hope the government holds a Royal Commission into MP's expense claims and conflicts of interest,
Depends what you think is a victory. Showing little numbers and the absence of boats VS the MILLIONS of people around the world (you know that place, its everywhere else that is not us) suffering. Less people no arriving here, more people arriving somewhere less good.
Not a victory, only to the soulless and devoid of compassion.
Actually its Rudds PNG solution which is working. The Abbott government hasnt implemented anything effective. Buy the boats? Thats a giggle. Cooperation with Indonesia? Abbott dismantled that. Turn back the boats? Risky with very limited results. Abbott has only delivered secrecy and slogans.
How true and it's pitiful to watch the Greens senators dredging the bottom of the barrel for anything that will provide them with any degree of relevance on this issue. It simply demonstrates what a pack of helpless self serving wood ducks they really are.
The Greens are the biggest supporters of illegal people smuggling. Maybe there should be a parliamentary inquiry into their bank accounts. How much are they making out this?
You mean the Govt's PNG policy which was the ALP policy is working I guess. A shame that Tony frustrated the proposed Malaysia solution for all those years just so he could get himself elected. After all 'Stop the Boats' was just about the only policy he was capable of articulating or his supporters of understanding.
Lady Aka-If justice is in the middle you are way off because you are extreme left.
Lord Lucan-Indonesia is now helping the Government so you are way off beam. The PNG 'solution' would not have worked because PNG would not have enough capacity to handle the number of people that Labor had invited.
Mat Gross- The Union investigation will probably cover a large proportion of Labor MPs as they come from the Union movement.
Blake- Australia does more than its fair share of looking after legal refugees-we don't want to see cashed up illegals taking their place.
LNP stooges working on throwing out red herrings again.
Corruption in the unions is worse than concentration camps in the tropic. We'll fall for that one!
If there is corruption we don't need to waste money on an inquiry. Just hand the matter to the police. For every succesful bribe there will be an accepter of the bribe - so we'd better check out the Employers Unions - Chambers of Commerce - and the rather blunt razor gang.
A police investigaton will be much more fun
Christopher-Its odd the way all the Labor hacks have suddenly come to acquire great faith in the Police. It's got nothing to do with the fear of the AABC keeping the Building Unions honest has it? I am sure it has. How come the Police haven't put a stop to all the Union allegations that are going around?
I hope the SMH isn't going to publish any of the facts. It will be accused of being unpatriotic and leftist.
If you are referring to the ABC and its reporting on the burnt hands then it has already been shown it wasn't fact.
If deductive reasoning is removed from reporting/journalism, you are left with arguable facts or articles half-filled with footnotes and bibliographies.
Well Jack if they hadn't reported on it how would we have ever known if it was fact or not and how would you have had your views on those evil scoundrels of Asylum seekers (and ABC journalists) affirmed. The fact that they reported on it has allowed you to gratify al your prejudices. Maybe you can move onto their other reports on th unions to gratify your other prejudices.
The "fact" was that there was an allegation made by a chief of police in Indonesia. That is what the ABC reported.
Are you denying that allegations were made?
Or are you just pointing out that there is no independent way to confirm or deny the allegation?
Jack, two words..."CHILDREN OVERBOARD"
@ Jack, by who? Certainly not by this "we don't comment on operational matters" government. They can neither confirm nor deny. You can't come clean when busy making mud pies.
problem with your rational is that what the ABC reported was not fact. They didn't even believe it themselves yet it was presented as fact. It was like the woman on Nauru who was having twins. It was all crap.
Jason- Already been shown it wasn't fact??? By whom and when? And FYI in case you haven't noticed, the media report unproven allegations all the time. It is their job to do so. They are not judge jury and executioner- merely the messengers.
Do you think the media shouldn't have reported allegations of Lance Armstrong's drug use because they couldn't prove it? Do you think the media should not report cases of alleged Police brutality because it hasn't be proven as fact?
Do you think the ABC abused it's charter and journalistic ethics? If so how, and have you made complaints to the relevant authorities? Or are you happy just for Toned to have a whine about it on your behalf.
+1 Steve
Steve - If it's the facts you tried to foist off on me over the refugee boat explosion and it's causes which $keptic found you out on - no thanks - you can keep your "facts"....
They didn't just report it. The ABC portrayed an allegation that was palpably implausible as having occured with video "proof". They failed to investigate further or even seek to confirm the facts behind the story. The reporting is not the problem. It was the way they treated the story.
Just like the ABC they'll publish facts, very very carefully picked ones while ignoring others that would be very important to the story.
PP, where was it reported as fact?
Lewis- how can they investigate further when the Navy and the government will not respond to media inquiries? It only leaves one side open to inquiry, doesn't it.
The 'fact' reported was an allegation. The unreasonable criticism is that the ABC should have, patriotically, given naval personnel the benefit of any doubt and censored reporting of the fact. If there was greater - or any - government transparency -including embedding reporters in this (so called) "war" then there would be no doubt about the veracity or otherwise about the allegations.
There has been a recent allegation of rape at Strathfield train station. Do you think the media should not have reported the case because it hadn't been proven? Ridiculous. If the media only reported things once they were proven, you would have heard nothing of the Craig Thompson case.
Bec, any reporter worth his salt would have many avenues to hunt down the truth. Did he seek to verify the story from the others who were also there? Did he even question the allegations at all? How was the alleged torture actually carried out? How many navy personel held him down & forced his hand on the engine's pipes? How did they all fit in what is usually small confined spaces around a boat's engine?
Lewis- yes you have asked some questions. I'm sure you think you already have all of the answers to them yourself.
Here's another one for you- how did the burns get there?
Thanks for the reminder. It wasn't the first time nor will it be the last that steve comes up with a quote from www.rentadodgyfact.com in his one-line glib statements. I have challenged on a few other occasions, only to hear chirping of crickets into the night.
My favourite steve'ism is "where were you when (insert negative anything LNP)……."
Bec, I honestly do not know the answers to my questions but yours leads me to more. How did those burns really get there? Were you trying to disable the engines?
So the Abbotteers whinge the ABC are not reporting the favourable "facts" re Operation Hush-Hush-Daddy-Knows-Best. Hmm, difficult to report matters the government conceals and refuses to discuss. But I have faith in the ABC to expose the truth, despite Abbott's Iron Curtain of arbitrary secrecy.
hi Bec - actually - the ABC should not have reported John Howard's allegations that there were WMDs in Iraq until after the invasion that proved that there were not!
petern - The Children Overboard saga was one of the main reasons that Howard introduced the pacific solution. Just like now, the dimwits on the left tried to blame Howard for boat people in the water. Remember the morally superior left setting up hundreds of white crosses on the lawn of parliament house in protest? Funny that none of them had enough principle or courage to do it to Gillard or Rudd. But I suppose they were on your side so no need to protest.
Progressives in this country can pat themselves on the back for the 1200 people that died since Rudd changed the rules. Thank god we have a government that is more interested in results than seeming to be morally superior.
Pragmatic prince January 31, 2014, 4:21PM Exsqueeze me? You do realise that NO children were thrown overboard, as the RAN itself confirmed. And you wouldn't want to contradict the RAN, would you? I mean, that would be "un-Australian", bordering on "treason", according to Fearless Leader Number One.
Welcome back Pulse. What a busy week it's been for the government - from unions, the ABC, SPC and 40 boat-free days, Abbott's put in probably his strongest performance so far.
Wonder how much information the Greens will get out of Morrison - not much you're reckon - it's all "on water matters".
After serving a long apprenticeship in John Howard's 'Government of doing as Little as Possible' our beloved PM of the 'Government for Doing Nothing at all', has once again, when confronted with anything resembling a crisis, managed to successfully do nothing at all, nothing that is except babble incoherently and stand behind his minister as the said minister quakes in fear.
Please will somebody give this useless bunch a policy, an idea, a vision, or something, even a clue would be good, just to spare the populace more of this vacuous, pointless, meaningless, shambling, bumbling performance.
Oh, I agree, Hacka, a very strong performance by Abbott, so strong in fact I am sure the whiff has reached the Shaky Isles...
Your definition of a strong performance is at great variance with reality.
Gov - you're very hard to please.
So far this week we've had the yet-to-be-announced Royal Commission into unions, the ABC being prepared for a shakeup, the end of corporate welfare, and a boats policy so successful that the fuming Greens have recalled parliament.
But isn't there someone missing all the fun - where's Bill ?
Why do you recycle the same unpalatable sales pitch about your LNP/Abbott government? Your amazing speed to make commentaries always combined with the rigor of your absurd position. Perhaps a delay in your commentaries will increase the quality but I doubt it, your bias precedes you. Abbott has no policies at all, he needed to use the boats/refugee/asylum seeker to stir the rednecks of this country. When the monsoon season is over, let us see.
Hacka, its was the ABC and Fairfax that broke the Union corruption story. As for the dreaded "boats", what proof do you have that the turn-'em-back ploy is working? Apart from Morrison's say-so, that is.
Busy but not productive. Yes he has complained that he dsn't like facts being presented to the Australian public so they can make their own minds up rather than you accept what he tell is what they should know. He has reaffirmed that his government is the one to kill off jobs not create them, he has made sure that we don't know if it has been 40 boat free days as he is suppressing the "facts" on it and he has jumped the behavior of some unions with a fervor that I would like taken to the finance industry in terms of GFC miss deeds. All good press points but in terms actually doing anything - zip.
Hacka, try not to drool on the keyboard. Very few people want the ABC touched by this Government that hates the truth. The Royal Commission will be a $100m point scoring exercise of a Government that pretended it hated waste. The end of corporate welfare doesn't yet seem to have touched the bottom line of the LNP electoral backers. A boats policy that turns boats around regardless of whether it is safe to do so will cause the deaths of innocent asylum seekers. You've missed their latest mission to deforest Tasmania's world heritage areas - no doubt that's another "goodie".
But isn't there someone missing all the fun - where's Bill ?
A Government of nothing but words and threats and enquiries Hacka. When it comes to actually making policy or doing something or leading they are simply not up to it, they have no ideas. It is always someone else's fault. A government for the bitter and twisted finger pointers.
Yes, such a strong performance from Abbott doing nothing - Abbott the Ted Baillieu of Federal politics.
Gov - the Coalition's first job is to clean up Labor's messes, particularly the fiscal ones. Hockey's well into the CoA now and their interim report is due soon. That's proactive stuff.
Max - i'm most confident that if and when a boat does turn up, then between the ABC, Greens and the Xmas Island Administrator, they'll be yelling it from any rooftop they can find.
For those of you who can't read real well, Lt Gen Campbell has just confirmed under oath that no entries have occurred for 6 weeks, under the previous government 50,000 came in the final 12 months of Government, I don't have agree with dropping or intake, but I definitely agree with stopping perilous boat journeys, and incursions into Australia's maritime borders. On the face of the above facts presented by the operational commander, I don't see how you can blindly or because of some deep seated ideology say it isn't working, P.S all these numbers will be revealed and disclosed at year end when our migration numbers are revealed as part of the budget.....
Hacka I am still waiting for the LNP to face a enquiry in getting us in multiple wars which have cost Australian lives and of course thousands in other countries based on Lies and deception due to their non stop sychophant policy to the Repugs in the US....I suppose they are the party that loves Ighnorance so telling you folks notyhing except one liners will keep your support strong...LOL
Ahh the old monsoon period ... hmm don't recall any boat free period in the last 6 years under the old labour governments ... maybe they were monsoon period free too ?
I guess a commission to investigate the serious allegations of corruption in the building industry and a review of the abc is "do nothing" to the labour hacks but to the rest of us it certainly seems like doing something
Hacka I don't know where Labor's mess is. The Hawke Keating Govt took the Australian economy from being ranked in the teens to being ranked number 6 best economy in the world. John Howard from number 6 to number 10. Rudd and Gillard took us from number 10 to being ranked number one in the world. Tony is obviiously preparing to emulate his Idol and John Howards Golden Age and slide us down the rankings again. Hope he knows how to put the brakes on at number 10.
I just realised that one of the 6 points in the stop the boats plan must have been "Wait for cyclone season to report on boat numbers". No wonder Diaz couldn't remember it!
Hacka, If this is Abbott's strongest week the others must have been shockers. Relies on Fairfax and ABC for information about unions, makes a laughing stock of himself by wanting to censor the ABC then tries to bully David Gonski (good luck there) over SPC.
The Rock Says, mate the leaky fishing boats can't get here because there are great big grey boats with guns and pepper-spray in the way and those great big grey boats with guns and pepper spray are turning them around (regardless of whether it is safe to do so).
It was an abhorrent policy under Howard and it is an abhorrent policy today.
What happens if every other country decides to follow Australia's immoral lead?
Not only do you get first comment every day "Hacka", but now Fairfax are giving you "featured comment". Just how much are you paying for the privelege?
Oh Hacka, I can't believe the LNP pay you to write that rubbish. Another week of lies, back flips, more jobs for the boys and withholding of information the public have a right to know. Tony Abbott, the most divisive and vision-less PM Australia has ever seen.
jpfek = "What happens if every other country decides to follow Australia's immoral lead?"
hi jofek - there is then no right to flee from persecution. Abbott gives comfort to dictators everywhere.
Peter - might have been pure luck, or something to do with all the IT problems that the comments sections seem to be having today.
Ross - Kinda like Rudd & Gillard gave comfort to the boat passengers resting serenely on the bottom of the ocean eh Ross?
Hacka Canberra January 31, 2014, 2:18PM once again you respond by completely ignoring the initial post, your standard M.O.. But do tell, which electorate office are you working from?
smack - "Ross - Kinda like Rudd & Gillard gave comfort to the boat passengers resting serenely on the bottom of the ocean eh Ross?"
smack - by your reckoning, your side killed women and children on SIEV X by imposing TPVx.
The fact is that it is dangerous to flee from persecution and we don't know how many people have died because of the actions of ALP and LNP governments in their attempts to cancel the right to flee.
Smack, people make their own decisions to get on those boats and risk their lives. Stopping them at any cost and by any means is not resolving the problem, unless you truly believe they are all economic migrants; it's merely forcing them to stay where they are and suffer further or die.
This meme of saving lives, of being cruel to be kind, is a recent invention. You may be genuine but most on your side of the debate despised the boat people before the LNP ever put this thought bubble into their heads. At least Howard was honest with his "we will decide..." arrogance.
Ross - I don't ever recall Howard "laying out the bait" like Rudd & Gillard did - do you?
@Hacka - An idea. IPA. If that is so - then that is sad; very sad. It would account for why you can readily tick off the list of 75.
Thanks jofek - It seems to me a case of selective responsibility at play here. People getting onto boats aren't held to account for their own lives yet we are if things go wrong under Abbott. It was never a problem responsibility-wise under Rudd/Gillard - look - I could try to expound on it in more degree but would most likely get you offside on a subject very close to you. Let's just agree to disagree, shall we?
I look forward to Morrison trying to explain why there haven't been any drownings in International waters since he became minister!
Jason, early favourite for comment of the day!!
The green are outraged that this hasn't happened. They seem eager to get the trade going again and bugger the consequences.
If this government were serious about saving lives at sea, its efforts would be directed to stopping the boats leaving Indonesia, not stopping them landing in Australia. The reality is, we don't know how many have left since September and we we don't know if any have been lost at sea. So let's stop with the hypocrisy.
just because drown at sea, who knows what fate awaits them back there when they have no money or hope or roof above their head. There are way worse things than drown at sea, There is suffering.
further more, I realise this may not make any sense to you, but not every single boat that comes over is leaky, let alone capsizes
It appears that two of three turn backs have resulted in sunken vessels, just now closer to the Indonesian coast that they have be rescued, The fact the Navy caused those sunken vessels (including getting people BACK ONTO the boat, that eventually sunk) to travel further seems to have been missed.
Additionally they may just have "not reported" any deaths, not that none have occurred.


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December 7, 2012
Alison's duet with Jamey Johnson on "Make The World Go Away" from Living For A Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran, was featured as one of NPR's 100 Favorite Songs of 2012. NPR had this to say about the track:
The centerpiece of Johnson's tribute to Hank Cochran, one of country music's most sophisticated songwriters, this duet unfolds in the warm, sad light of a velvet morning, when two cracked hearts give love one last desperate chance.
Listen to "Make The World Go Away".
View NPR's Favorite Songs of 2012 here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wearable technology is essential for the dignified, fitness-minded man on the go. Sophistication is everything when it comes to lifestyle monitors and smart watches to make them not only functionable but superbly fashionable. Online jeweler extraordinaire Brilliance.com is on the forefront of this trend giving it's customers the ability to customize their wearable tech and take it to a whole new level. For Father's Day, Brilliance.com offers the Jawbone Up, Samsung Galaxy Gear Watch, and Martian Victory Timepiece, all who have received a stylish makeover that include luxe jewels, different colors and styles all for the health conscious yet fashion forward man.
The Jawbone Up fitness bracelet is a multitasking lifestyle monitor that makes your favorite dad's daily routine healthier. This must-have for the fitness dad links to your smartphone through Bluetooth technology and allows you to discover patterns in your daily activities, track calories burned during a workout, manage food intake, keep an eye on sleep patterns, and set an alarm for when you've been idle for too long. Just like the Jawbone Up, the Samsung Galaxy Gear Watch is all about multitasking and making life easier for the on the go dad. From making hands free phone calls, finding your devices, smart relay with quick glance notifications, its the perfect virtual assistant. With things that are this essential in your life, shouldn't they look awesome too?
Brilliance.com allows you to customize each of them by mix and match the band colors with your choice of diamonds or gemstones, such as rubies, pink sapphires or emeralds which can be set in white, yellow or rose gold as well platinum and palladium. Brilliance.com also allows you to choose between 2 rows of 10 round cut stones for your Jawbone Up or 1 row of 6 stones on each side of the Galaxy face.
Brilliance.com knows that there are dads out there that just want a timepiece that looks as good as they do and that's where the Martian Victory Timepiece comes in. With cutting edge technology that allows you to use voice command to create events, notifications, answer texts, phone calls and emails is compatible with most smartphones and tablets, the Martian Victory Timepiece is a trend setter for the tech savvy and fashionable dad. By enhancing it with 44 (!) striking diamonds around the face taking this awe inspiring piece goes to the next level of sophisticated fashion. For a more casual look, the timepiece can be customized with rubies or emeralds instead.
To learn more about the customization of the Jawbone Up, the Samsung Galaxy Gear Watch or the Martian Victory Timepiece you can contact Brilliance,com at (866)737-0754 for more information. Brilliance.com has built a reputation as one of the leading retailers of diamonds, engagement rings, and fine jewelry. Each of their diamonds is hand-picked by gemologists and their jewelry is manufactured in the United States by master jewelers. Brilliance.com also offers a life-time warranty on all of their jewelry; care & maintenance services, free shipping and all diamonds are guaranteed to be conflict-free. To learn more visit Brilliance.com.


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Ranch Pasta Salad RecipeRead Reviews Be the first to add a review
- 3 cups uncooked tricolor spiral pasta
- 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
- 1/2 cup seeded chopped tomato
- 1 bottle (8 ounces) ranch salad dressing
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, cucumber and tomato. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.
Reviews for Ranch Pasta Salad
"I followed the recommendations of some of the other reviewers and added bacon bits and replaced the parmesan with shredded colby-jack cheese. I also used about 1/2c of light sour cream and a splash of milk with light ranch dressing. My family loved it. This will be going into the regular rotation."
"This was a huge hit. The first time I made it I followed the directions exactly. The second time I 'cleaned' out the refrigerator produce drawer. I ended up adding chopped celery, red bell pepper and also threw in some frozen peas because we love them in salad. I did add a bit more ranch because of the extra ingredients but this is delicious. Very easy and oh so yummy."
"very good pasta salad omitted the tomatoes added carrots onions peas shread three cheese blend craft and three cheese ranch dressing real bacon bitsand one fourth cup of mayonnaise and one fourth cup of sour cream"
"Really good, I omitted the cucumbers, though, since they don't like me"
"We loved this recipe! I am serving it next week for a baby shower along with the Salsa Sloppy Joes on the same page. Both are a hit in my book!"


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Jun 20, 2006 10:44 AM
This year's inevitable update to the super-addicting T-Mobile Sidekick was officially announced today. The T-Mobile Sidekick 3 ($300; June 28) features a sleeker design that's 20% smaller than the previous version, and packs in enhancements such as a trackball, upgraded messaging (AIM/Yahoo/MSN), EDGE high-speed data, MP3 player, miniSD card slot, Bluetooth, and 1.3 megapixel camera.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Friday, June 10, 2011
Benelli TNT 899 and TNT 1130 Century Racers launched
Legendary Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Benelli (now owned by the China-based Qianjiang Group) are celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. Established in 1911 in Pesaro, Italy, Benelli is one of the oldest European motorcycle brands in existence today.
To celebrate their 100th year, Benelli have launched two special edition machines – the TNT 899 Century Racer and TNT 1130 Century Racer. Both are fitted with Benelli's three-cylinder engines, producing 120 horsepower at 9,500rpm in the case of the TNT 899 and 129 horsepower at 8,500rpm for the TNT 1130. Both bikes are fitted with a six-speed gearbox, high-spec suspension components from Marzocchi and Sachs, Brembo brakes with radial-mount callipers and special touches like Alcantara seats and a special paint job inspired by Renzo Pasolini's Benelli racebikes of the 1960s.
Nicky Hayden 'experiences' the Isle of Man
2006 MotoGP world champ, Nicky Hayden recently visited the Isle of Man for the TT 'experience,' which included a parade lap of the TT circuit aboard a Ducati 1198. Fellow celebrity racers, Mick Doohan, Ian Hutchinson and Cal Crutchlow also joined the Kentucky Kid for the parade lap.
'That lap was pretty awesome. We weren't going fast but the speed we were doing while waving at the crowds was pretty fast! I really enjoyed my lap and seeing another form of racing. These boys are hard as nails. It was a real shame about the weather but maybe I can come back another year and see some racing,' said Hayden.
Monday, June 06, 2011
John McGuinness secures 16th IoM TT victory
Honda TT Legends' John McGuinness won the 2011 Superbike race at the IoM, while his teammate Keith Amor took fourth place in the race despite an injured shoulder...
The 2011 Isle of Man TT began in spectacular style for the Honda TT Legends team as John McGuinness led the majority of the six-lap Superbike race to secure victory, taking his tally of TT wins to 16. His teammate Keith Amor also put in a heroic performance, riding through the pain of an injured shoulder, finishing in fourth position on his Honda Fireblade.
'I am speechless. I feel like I am dreaming. It looked like it was going to be a mega-close race to begin with. Bruce was really pushing hard at the beginning there and we lost some time but we had a great pit stop, went back out and got the lead back. I did six good laps, I didn't make any mistakes and we had two terrific pit stops by a fantastic team. They put a lot of faith in me and I put a lot of faith in them and it paid off. Somebody said to me today if you get that 16th win it will be sweet 16 – and it certainly feels sweet,' said John McGuinness.
2012 Honda NSF250R vs 1992 Honda NSR250R
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) recently unveiled its all-new Moto3 machines – the NSF250R – which will be raced from 2012 onwards. As you would already know, the new Moto3 class, with machines powered by single-cylinder four-stroke 250cc engines, will replace 125cc two-strokes next year. The class is expected to be wildly popular and, indeed, aspiring racers will be able to buy the Honda NSF250R from December this year, for a mere 23,600 euros.
The Honda NSF250R Moto3 bike is fitted with a liquid-cooled, four-stroke, fuel-injected, single-cylinder, DOHC, 249cc engine that produces 48 horsepower at 13,000rpm and 28Nm of torque at 10,500rpm. The bike weighs a featherweight 84 kilos (kerb weight) and has a fuel tank capacity of 11 litres. Suspension components include a USD fork at the front and Pro-link monoshock at the rear. An aluminium beam frame and aluminium swingarm complete the racy little package.
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