Australian right wing commentators suffer from deranged Jacinda syndrome

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, July 24th, 2019 - 76 comments
Categories: australian politics, jacinda ardern, Media, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized - Tags: , ,

Jacinda is loved in Australia in a way that must really frustrate Scott Morrison.  Two weeks before the last Aussie election she was Australia’s most trusted politician.  Newshub had the details:

Two weeks out from the general election, Australia says its most trusted politician is Jacinda Ardern.

In a poll by Millward Brown, 1400 Australians were asked to score 12 politicians across six areas: relevance, integrity, shared values, commitment, affinity and follow-through.

The clear winner of the ‘Believability Index’ was New Zealand’s Ardern, who emerged with a score of 77/100 – streets ahead of second-place getter Penny Wong, who is Labor’s leader of the Senate.

Former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop and Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek came in third and fourth respectively, meaning the most trustworthy politicians in Australia are all women.

The bottom five included Australia’s former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and current Prime Minister Scott Morrison, 7 News reports.

Her recent trip across the ditch cemented her standing.  Last Friday she had 2,000 attend the Melbourne Town Hall and give her a rockstar welcome. 

And she has used remarkably undiplomatic in discussing Australia’s policy of deporting Kiwis who have lived in Australia for decades but have been deported sometimes for reputational reasons.  She described the policy as being corrosive on our relationship with Australia and unjust.

Morrison was the architect of the policy.  Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has refined the use of the powers to a particularly vile level.  I described the effects of the policy in this earlier post:

The Australians are upset with Andrew Little and are throwing Donald Trump type tantrums to show their displeasure.

What has he done to attract their displeasure?  He accused the Australian Government of having a deportation policy with what appears to have a venal, political strain.

The policy relates to a 2014 law change which increased the Minister of Immigration’s powers to cancel the visas of Kiwis, including those who have lived in Australia for extended periods of time who who are deemed are not of “good character”.

The change of policy has meant that many kiwis have been thrown into custody, separated from family and removed to a country they may not have any links with.

The cases are numerous but include a 17 year old held in an adult detention centre for non violent offending against International Treaties protecting young people, as well as the case of Ko Hapua and Lee Tepuia, both who were deported because they belonged to motorcycle gangs that were not actually illegal.

Tepuia’s case in particular is jaw dropping.  He had lived in Australia since 2005 and his youngest daughter was an Australian.  His forcible removal from his wife and four children has had a devastating effect on him.

And he kept winning in Court yet despite this Dutton kept cancelling his visa and not telling him why.

Good on Jacinda for calling Australia out on this issue.  In terms of inhumanity it is up there with the American policy of separating kids coming over the border from their parents and losing track of them.

Her bravery as well as her actions following the Christchurch massacre have motivated the starting of a petition seeking that she be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

But the Australian right wing media are having none of this.

From Sophie Bateman at Newshub:

During an on-air discussion of the deportation of New Zealand-born criminals living in Australia, Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin brought up the subject of a potential award for Ardern. 

“What’s this rumour that she’s sort of in contention for a Nobel Peace Prize for that work in Christchurch?” she said. 

“If Christchurch equals Nobel Peace Prize and all Obama really had to do was win the election, basically just get out of bed, and he got one as well – aren’t we devaluing something that used to be very revered?”

President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, less than a year after taking office, for his international diplomacy and anti-nuclear vision.

Guest Dr Jeremy Sammut, a director at libertarian think tank The Centre for Independent Studies, agreed with Credlin’s dismissal. 

“I think that’s undoubtedly true, and I think unfortunately for a long time the credibility of the Nobel Prize has been undermined, particularly by the decision to give it to President Obama before he’d literally done anything or hardly had his feet under the desk,” he said. “So I think that’s a real issue.”

In the same broadcast, commentator Gemma Tognini accused Ardern of flaunting her “moral posture” during her visit to Australia.

“It’s very, very cute for her to come to another country and morally posturise the way she has been,” she told Credlin.

“I don’t know if it were in reciprocal circumstances whether it would be tolerated nor appreciated.”

Credlin is the former Chief of Staff for Tony Abbott.  Tongini thinks that the science behind climate change is still being contested, that there is some sort of war being engaged on men, and that support for families with kids is wrong so her placement on the political spectrum can be identified readily.  And Sammut thinks that poor kids should be adopted out.

It is like asking Michelle Boag, Mike Hosking and Hannah Tamaki what they think about Ardern getting a Nobel Peace Prize.  Of course they will think it is a bad idea.

This is another example of how the media system is broken.  Openly partisan hacks attacking just because they can.  Huge egos engaging in personality attacks and feeding prejudice because this is also profitable.

And they should focus on the real issues.  Like how 1,700 long term residents of Australia with family and kids permanently established in Australia are being arrested and jailed and sent to a country they have no link to sometimes because of nothing more than the quality of their friends.

There has to be a better way …

76 comments on “Australian right wing commentators suffer from deranged Jacinda syndrome ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. michelle 1
    24 July 2019 at 9:45 am

    who cares about nasty right wing aussie media who are mostly grotty looking white women they have there own issues over there they need to sort them out and don't poke your fucken nose into our business sort your greedy crooked banks out or they can fuck of to.

  2. SHG 2
    24 July 2019 at 10:09 am

    If you don't want to get deported from Australia, a) don't commit crimes or associate with those who do, and b) don't be in the country on a visitor visa. The end.

    • Psycho Milt 2.1
      24 July 2019 at 10:14 am

      When you see this kind of simplistic thinking about problems from right-wingers, it's much easier to understand National-led governments in NZ.

      • SHG 2.1.1
        24 July 2019 at 10:33 am

        Why is it a problem? If you're in Australia on a visitor visa and you want to stay in Australia, obey the law.

        • Dukeofurl 2.1.1.1
          24 July 2019 at 11:18 am

          Obey the law ?

          People are being deported to NZ who have broken no law , just fail a so called 'character test'

          A NZ Christian Pastor was deported because of his extreme Christian views.

          https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/controversial-new-zealand-pastor-deported-from-australia-20180719-p4zsd5.html

          They have even deported people born in Australia who on an OE got an Irish passport while outside the country.

          Now even foreign born citizens who have previously applied and been granted citizenship are no longer having a new passport issued routinely but have their previous paperwork and travel scrutinised minutely to see if there can be a reason to cancel their citizenship.

        • Psycho Milt 2.1.1.2
          24 July 2019 at 12:42 pm

          Why is it a problem?

          Why is simplistic thinking a bad approach to problems? In general terms, because "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." In the political context, because it leads people in authority to "clear, simple and wrong" solutions based on their own prejudices.

          Or, if you were asking why I described your comment as simplistic thinking:

          1. People who have no memory of having lived anywhere other than Australia may be unaware they can be deported.

          2. They may likewise be unaware that having lived almost their entire lives in Australia, conservative bigots would consider them to be foreigners.

          3. They may likewise be unaware that, despite being a liberal western democracy, the Australian government doesn't guarantee them freedom of association. Conservative bigots like Dutton tend not to publicise such unflattering information.

          4. Exiling Australian criminals to an unfamiliar country (oh, the irony!) for crimes they committed in Australia is guaranteed to damage the relationship with that other country – in this case, NZ.

          There are probably more, but those should do.

          • SHG 2.1.1.2.1
            24 July 2019 at 12:50 pm

            1. Turns out ignorance of important stuff can impact your life. Wow.

            2. They are foreigners.

            3. See (1)

            4. They're not Australian criminals. They're criminals who are not Australians. If they were Australians, they would not be at risk of deportation.

            • Psycho Milt 2.1.1.2.1.1
              24 July 2019 at 1:10 pm

              See? Simplistic thinking. Your comment offers two examples:

              1. If people fail to consider things the simplistic thinker feels they should have considered, any injustice done to them can then be classed as their own fault.

              2. Someone who grew up in Australia, has no memory of any other place and is indistinguishable from other Australians is "a foreigner" and "not Australian," because it says so right here on this piece of paper. It's then perfectly reasonable to exile them to another country they have no knowledge of, again because see piece of paper.

              Fine examples of simplistic thinking. Clear, simple and wrong. That approach to political issues pretty much guarantees an increase in the sum of human misery, which is another reason people should never elect conservative parties to government.

              • SHG …
                24 July 2019 at 1:44 pm

                That's how citizenship works. You don't get to claim to be a citizen of a sovereign state just because you really really feel like one.

                Politically this an unambiguous win for the current Australian government. NOBODY in Australia thinks the deportation policy is bad. They see dodgy people who aren't eligible to stay in Australia being shown the door and they LOVE it. Every time a noncitizen of bad character gets deported, support for the policy goes up. It is not going to change.

                • Psycho Milt …
                  24 July 2019 at 2:05 pm

                  Another fine example of simplistic thinking: if there's political gain from it, other considerations are irrelevant. Also another reason people should never elect conservative parties to government.

                  • SHG …
                    24 July 2019 at 2:34 pm

                    people should never elect conservative parties to government

                    In Australia only citizens can vote. Don't like the policy? Become an Australian citizen and vote against it.

                  • alwyn …
                    24 July 2019 at 6:28 pm

                    Do you really think that a Labour Government would be any different? Now to say you do would really be an example of simplistic thinking.

                    Exhibit if you can any difference between the two sides of politics over the question of the refugees on Manus Island. They are exactly the same there just as they would be exactly the same over these deportations. It is just that Labour didn't think of it first and haven't been in power since it was introduced. They certainly won't abandon the policy though if they do get back into office.

                    Have a look at this 2017 story about the possible deportation of young people. Then Labour leader Bill Shorten says.

                    “The reality is that people who are not Australian citizens who come to Australia and commit serious crimes have no place in Australia,” he said.

                    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/19/peter-dutton-and-bill-shorten-open-door-to-deportation-of-child-criminals

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 July 2019 at 9:23 pm

                      Do you really think that a Labour Government would be any different?

                      Given that the last Labor government in Australia didn't exile people who are for all intents and purposes Australians to New Zealand, but the conservative bigots running the place are positively proud of doing so, yes I really think a Labor government would be different. In fact, it's insulting to all Australian politicians who aren't repulsive conservative bigots to suggest they're comparable with Dutton.

                    • alwyn …
                      24 July 2019 at 9:46 pm

                      Did you read what Shorten said in that link?

                    • SHG …
                      24 July 2019 at 11:24 pm

                      I really think a Labor government would be different.

                      ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      25 July 2019 at 6:47 am

                      Did you read what Shorten said in that link?

                      I did. When asked about Gauleiter Dutton's bigoted rabble-rousing,

                      Shorten said Labor would “look at what [Dutton’s] saying”.

                      Would be nice if Labor had given an unequivocal rejection rather than this weaseling out of giving an opinion on the subject, but then it's trying to get elected in a very racist country.

                      He also said:

                      “The reality is that people who are not Australian citizens who come to Australia and commit serious crimes have no place in Australia,”

                      which is unsurprising. I'm sure Jacinda Ardern would say the same thing about New Zealand. That doesn't have to translate into exiling people to foreign countries they're completely unfamiliar with, and shouldn't translate to that, and isn't translated to that – in New Zealand, at least. Of course, unlike Australia, New Zealand isn't run by conservative bigots – even when National's in charge.

            • greywarshark 2.1.1.2.1.2
              24 July 2019 at 3:20 pm

              SHG If you can support people being treated so arbitrarily you are not learning anything from being on a left-leaning blog. Luckily there isn't a law against you yet so you can maintain your seat on your high horse.

      • I feel love 2.1.2
        24 July 2019 at 10:33 am

        I agree PM, the simplicity is astounding & not based on reality at all.

      • Dukeofurl 2.1.3
        24 July 2019 at 11:22 am

        NZ citizens get residence visas, not visitor visas. They can live and work in Australia like any other residency visa.

        • SHG 2.1.3.1
          24 July 2019 at 11:35 am

          It is not clear whether an SCV confers residency status or not. This ambiguity means the Australian immigration minister can do whatever he wants, which is the way he likes it.

          • Dukeofurl 2.1.3.1.1
            24 July 2019 at 11:57 am

            Its clear , because they say its residency.

            Its not citizenship nor visitor but they do have to apply for a "permanent residency' is eligible.

            Both types of residency means you can be deported if you get a criminal conviction

            • SHG 2.1.3.1.1.1
              24 July 2019 at 12:54 pm

              I can't understand your post so I'm just going to assume you're wrong.

              • Dukeofurl …
                24 July 2019 at 1:16 pm

                You say its a visitor visa , Australia calls it a residency visa.
                There are 2 classes of resident visas
                NZ special category residency and Permanent Residency
                All residents who arent citizens can be deported on crime or character grounds.

                Are you stupid ?

              • woodart …
                25 July 2019 at 3:29 pm

                next time your are in aus shg, use that line on a cop. please..

    • Patricia Bremner 2.2
      24 July 2019 at 1:18 pm

      SHG, That is a shallow response when Australia is not following the Rule of Law and have behaved as complete bullies, selectively choosing to punish NZ born Aussies. Look up their Centre Link Rules…… finishes with "Except for New Zealanders" So it is targeted and nasty. "Corrosive" is a great adjective applied by our Prime Minister.

      Scomo and Dutton are nasty pieces of work imo.

      • SHG 2.2.1
        24 July 2019 at 1:47 pm

        SHG, That is a shallow response when Australia is not following the Rule of Law

        Following the rule of law is exactly what the Australian govt is doing. It's just a law that puts immigrant Kiwis in a really vulnerable position.

        • Gabby 2.2.1.1
          24 July 2019 at 1:56 pm

          It's kinda racist shggy, as you'd expect from professional vilesackoshit scomofo.

          • SHG 2.2.1.1.1
            24 July 2019 at 2:03 pm

            It's not racist but it's certainly unfair.

            If Ardern were serious about the issue she would change the status of immigrant Australians in NZ to match that of Kiwis in Australia. Because fairness.

            She won't.

            • Psycho Milt 2.2.1.1.1.1
              24 July 2019 at 2:07 pm

              Because fairness.

              Uh, I don't think you know what "fair" means.

            • greywarshark 2.2.1.1.1.2
              24 July 2019 at 3:26 pm

              I wonder if most of the people who have been shipped back home are brown, not white. Now it is possible that there are more brown Kiwi people who have done a little prison time than white. Which could mean that the controls are set fairly low so they can deport those people at any time during their life, at will. Nice Aussies, no don't stroke them, they might bite dear.

              I wonder if you are an Aussie SHG?

            • alwyn 2.2.1.1.1.3
              24 July 2019 at 6:33 pm

              Wonderful. Do you also think that we should have a death penalty for murder perhaps if it is committed by a Chinese citizen in New Zealand? The penalty wouldn't apply to murders by New Zealand citizens of course.

              Would that somehow be "fair"?

  3. Anne 3
    24 July 2019 at 10:10 am

    There was an interesting discussion on Q&A with a US psychologist who is currently in the country talking about the detrimental effects of social media especially on children. However, some of what he has to say applies to adults too and especially certain sections of the media. It does not auger well for the future:

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a/clips/q-a-us-social-psychologist-jonathan-haidt-on-social-media-and-over-parenting

    The part of the interview which links in to this post is towards the end.

  4. Chris T 4
    24 July 2019 at 10:11 am

    Obama getting one was a bit of a joke tbf

    • Dukeofurl 4.1
      24 July 2019 at 11:12 am

      No it wasnt a joke. The Nobel hasnt been for 'ending war' for a long time. This was the official Announcment

      “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

      “Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

      “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.

      “For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama’s appeal that “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”

      It just seems a better and better award the more we see of Trump

      • Chris T 4.1.1
        24 July 2019 at 1:05 pm

        Oh come off it

        He had been prez for only 9 fricken months

        • Dukeofurl 4.1.1.1
          24 July 2019 at 1:13 pm

          “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future

          That was True

        • alwyn 4.1.1.2
          24 July 2019 at 6:40 pm

          Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be received by 1 February in the year in which the prize is awarded.

          He may have been President for less than a year when he received it but he must have been nominated in the first 11 days of his term. He didn't take office until 20 Jan. and he had to be nominated before 1 Feb. I doubt if he had even found where his office light switches were by then.

      • greywarshark 4.1.2
        24 July 2019 at 3:31 pm

        Thanks for the info DoU. There are good USA peeps around – I must keep reminding myself that there are some who try. But up against two sacred books – both misunderstood – they haven't got a chance.

        Trump has been President for 9 fricken months? It feels like 9 years.l

  5. Hamish Stevenson 5
    24 July 2019 at 10:11 am

    " In the same broadcast, commentator Gemma Tognini accused Ardern of flaunting her “moral posture” during her visit to Australia. "
    What the hell is moral posture?

    • roblogic 5.1
      24 July 2019 at 10:25 am

      Ardern's humanity and lack of bullshit is blowing their tiny minds

      • New view 5.1.1
        24 July 2019 at 7:08 pm

        Humanity would be helping the businesses going bust around the mosque in Christchurch and bullshit is supporting a climate emergency but not declaring one. Who’s got a tiny mind.

    • mac1 5.2
      24 July 2019 at 11:25 am

      “Flaunting her ‘moral posture'” is that stinking right wing meme of 'virtue signalling' under another name. I detest this intensely.

      it is an attempt to smear, it's an ad hominem argument.

      Like most things it says more about the accuser than the accused.

      "I will use ad hominem argument and name calling instead of facts and substantiated argument. I personally have doubts about my morality and I hate it when people call me out for my immoral behaviour. “And for some, “I am an amoral sociopath and see it as a criticism to be moral."

      It's the Right's response to "speaking truth to power."

    • Marcus Morris 5.3
      24 July 2019 at 11:27 am

      She probably learnt her "trade" at the feet of Alan Jones. I happened to be in Australia when he launched his appalling attack on Julia Gillard – a misogynist of the worst order.

    • Patricia Bremner 5.4
      24 July 2019 at 1:24 pm

      1000% Marcus & Hamish, It is in the same space as where the Aussie Cricket Team Spokesperson said "The Kiwis are too nice!!" ("They bloody show us up!!")

    • Gabby 5.5
      24 July 2019 at 1:58 pm

      Togginoggi gets really cross at people with morals.

    • greywarshark 5.6
      24 July 2019 at 3:33 pm

      Have a long look at Gemma Tognini and moral posture is something she hasn't got. She probably doesn't know what it is, but recognises something different in Ms Ardern and instinctively hates it.

    • the other pat 5.7
      30 July 2019 at 9:36 am

      its when you stand straight and look them in the eye and with TRUTH/HUMANITY spell it out to the poor wee sensitive egos.

  6. Pete 6
    24 July 2019 at 12:13 pm

    I'd seen Credlin's comments and thought the name was spelling mistake. On checking I found it was correct. Apparently it's her maiden name which means her husband can't say he married a cretin. Or can he?

  7. Enough is Enough 7
    24 July 2019 at 1:01 pm

    Its cute how you use DPF's term in reverse.

    He used to say the left's criticism of Key was Key Derangement Syndrome. Now you use it to describe the right's criticism of Ardern.

    It just shows how pathetic politics can be at times

  8. Observer Tokoroa 8
    24 July 2019 at 2:59 pm

    "We will decide who lives in Australia"

    – John Howard Australian Politician –

    The Australian people have one outstanding trait. They are totally, utterly, completely scared of anything.

    They are in fact the most timid people on Planet Earth.

    John Howard and Tony Abbot keep them that way. As if every person were little children.

    The Current MP – a man of God – will feed the wealthy- Will allow The banks to defraud customers in Australia and in New Zealand; will persecute children and separate them from their parents.

    For he has been spoken to By Saint Dutton and by the Lord fashioned by Rev Tony Abbott.

    Australia is the Evil Continent – Murderers – fit for only for the Courts of Hague.

    In my opinion the rest of the World may one day decide who lives in Australia — John Smug Howard.

  9. Muttonbird 9
    24 July 2019 at 8:22 pm

    Can't understand how any real Kiwi would not want JA to get a Nobel.

    • Enough is Enough 9.1
      25 July 2019 at 3:32 pm

      Sounds very Trumpesque setting out criteria for what makes a 'real Kiwi'.

  10. peterlepaysan 10
    24 July 2019 at 8:49 pm

    How many Australians reside in NZ because they cannot abide Australian ethos?

    If the statistics are reliable???

  11. Siobhan 11
    25 July 2019 at 12:26 pm

    I'm not sure hes that worried..Scott Morrisons approval rating is five points higher than it was before the start of the election campaign…then again polls shmoles..none them picked a Coalition win.

    Meantime, if we are applauding the supposed sudden kindness and sensitivities of Australians we could maybe ponder the poll results over the ban on climbing Uhuru..

    More than two-thirds (69%) of Australians are aware of the impending ban. Attitudes in the community are mixed, with 27% strongly supporting the ban, 17% somewhat supportive, 21% neither support or oppose the change, 14% oppose the ban somewhat, 16% strongly oppose the ban and 5% are unsure.