NSW pollies show their true colours

Kean did it by getting support from the Nats, the ALP and the Greens while overcoming the attempted all-night filibuster of One Nation and Mark Latham who pointed to – and I am not making this up – the coal baron Trevor St Baker as the authority saying we shouldn’t be going to renewables yet.

Does Mr St Baker ring a bell, by the way? Well, he was the key buyer from the NSW Government back in late 2015, of the coal-powered Vales Point Power Station, for $1 million. The then Treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, put out a media release saying the $1 million price tag was “above its retention value”. Less than two years later, it was valued at … $730 million.

But that, friends, is a whole other story. For now, Kean is the best argument the Coalition will have going into the next election of a minister doing good stuff for the whole community, uncaptured by vested interests.

Love this city

Long story, but this bloke came up to me this week, with a story he insisted Sydney should know. It was long and involved, but the thrust of it was that having left his coat, he was fairly sure, somewhere at Lewisham Station, he told the train driver when they arrived at Olympic Park. The driver took his number, called him four times, as he went back and forth through Lewisham on the day, and finally found it and delivered it to him.

“And it wasn’t even that good a coat,” the fellow told me incredulously.

Well done, train driver Mark Hale. Gotta love this city!

Victorious Victoria

Just imagine you were a bitter critic of Dan Andrews’ lockdown policies to suppress the plague and were looking like a nincompoop right now. But I repeat myself. In early August – after the dreadful stuff-ups in the state’s hotel quarantine system – Victorians were registering more than 700 new infections a day.

Andrews defied the critics, and did what had to be done. With the good will of nearly all – less a few media commentators, politicians, Jeff Kennett, Sam Newman et al – he introduced a serious lockdown. The final result? On Friday the state registered its 28th straight “donut day” of no new infections – the official benchmark for eradication. They took the tough medicine administered by Andrews, and got on top of it, becoming no less than a beacon for the world on how to get this done.

And still there are pundits out there, looking down the barrel of the camera and saying “lockdowns don’t work”. Victoria will forever stand as proof positive that they do.

Joke of the week

Men are just happier people. What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another service station to find a loo that isn’t too icky. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress: five thousand dollars. Tux rental: a hundred dollars. People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them. New shoes don’t cut, blister or mangle your feet. One mood, all the time! Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You expect and get extra credit for the slightest act of domestic work. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

One wallet and one pair of shoes – one colour for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can ”do” your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 24 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

What they said

“One might expect that when seeking such a startling outcome, a plaintiff would come formidably armed with compelling legal arguments and factual proof of rampant corruption, [rather than] strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations, unpled in the operative complaint and unsupported by evidence.” US District Court Judge Matthew Brann sending the Trump legal team packing after their suit to disenfranchise almost 7 million voters in Pennsylvania.

“Quite frankly, the content that the President’s legal team has presented has been a national embarrassment.” Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

“Once such a monstrosity is built, it never goes away, because there’s always some dedicated fan club to proclaim its heritage value and demand its eternal preservation in our nation’s ever-expanding architectural pantheon of cinder blocks.” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, in the SMH on the Cahill Expressway and Hospital Road Courthouse.

“It’s not an illegal practice.” Premier Gladys Berejiklian on her government spending $252 million of taxpayer money to community grants in 95 per cent Coalition electorates before the last election – before attempting to wipe out all records of it.

“We have to remember that the virus does not care that it is the holidays, that you are family, and that you have already gone a long time without seeing one another. If given opportunities to spread, the virus will spread.” Christopher Worsham, a critical care doctor and research fellow at Harvard Medical School, fruitlessly trying to warn American against Thanksgiving travel this week as COVID-19 infections rose to yet another new level.

“Certainly, the further distance you have between people who are infected and the vulnerable community, that would be a good thing [sic].” Associate Professor Philip Russo, the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control president and deputy chair of the federal government’s Infection Control Expert Group, in favour of growing calls for COVID-19 quarantine people to be isolated in regional facilities after the virus escaped hotels in central Melbourne and Adelaide.

“This highlights the degree to which Australians are taking onboard the idea of a green recovery led by government. It’s very different from the situation in 2010 and 2011. At that time, support for climate action dropped away as people prioritised the economic recovery.” Ipsos director Stuart Clark as his company’s survey showed that Australians support the government in taking action to meet Paris Agreement climate targets and moves to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A total of 71 per cent of people somewhat or strongly support action to meet Paris targets, while 69 per cent back a net zero target, according to a survey of 1000 people.

“Riders are being put onto bikes with no training or protective gear, they are working our streets day and night for little pay. They have no right to insurance and when they get injured or die, it’s at the discretion of their companies as to whether they and their families get supported.” Michael Kaine, the national secretary of the Transport Workers Union, about gig economy companies like Uber after the death of Bangladeshi student Bijoy Paul, who this week was the fourth food delivery rider to die on Australian roads in the past three months. A fifth deliverer was killed three days later.

“There is a strong link between healthy democracies and strong public service media, so it was a bleak day for democracy and media freedom when the Australian Federal Police made the decision to raid the offices of the ABC. I doubt though that the AFP expected such a strong reaction from the media and Australians generally – who have long valued, but perhaps, taken for granted, a free press. The raid was unprecedented – both to the ABC and to me. It was an extremely serious development and raised legitimate concerns about freedom of the press and proper public scrutiny of national security and defence matters.” ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose in an address to the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, recorded on November 12 but released publicly on Monday this week.

“The scientific cavalry is in sight.” UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson spruiks the “Oxford” vaccine against COVID-19. Yup, so all of you who denied the science get to the back of the queue for the vaccine. Yup, that’s it – right out the back, with Pete Evans.

“We know how tough this has been on families. This a great day, it’s exciting news.” Queensland Premier Annastacia Pałaszczuk announcing that her state will be open to Sydneysiders again from December 1.

“They’ll be welcomed back by people who know the Trumps are as close as they’ll get to power. But everyone with self-respect, a career, morals, respect for democracy, or who doesn’t want their friends to shame them both in private and public will steer clear.” A former friend of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on the couple’s chances of getting back into New York society.

“They are the Faustian poster couple of the Trump presidency, the king and queen of the principle-torching prom at which so many danced alongside them, although in less exquisitely tailored attire.” Frank Bruni warms to the theme, in the New York Times, naming and shaming Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, and predicting they will be shunned after the carnival is over. And it is over.

“He probably over-channelled Trump. He was clearly dazzled and duchessed by Trump and went full-in with that in a number of areas … but the reality now is all of our major trading partners have got a net zero target [and] the Biden administration will return to the climate fray with real enthusiasm.” Malcolm Turnbull dismissing Scott Morrison and his attitude to climate change.

“America is back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it.” President-elect Joe Biden, ready to open the country back to the world.

“I deeply regret that I didn’t do what I should have done.” Gladys Berejiklian, with this week’s apology, this time for not “self-isolating”, as is advised, while she was waiting for the results of her COVID-19 test.