‘Abraham Lincoln’
Like the art of war, politics is about three things – strategy, tactics and operations.
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‘Postcard from Nepal’
What you buy, what you say, where you go, how much power you use …
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‘Stop Monkeying Around’
Rome controlled the territory, but the Greeks controlled the culture.
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‘Checkmate’
From the 1950s to the late 1980s, the Queen met with Billy Graham at least a dozen times. Read [more…]
‘Between Elections’
In politics, the golden rule is whatever result you see, that is what was intended.
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‘The Veil of Ignorance’
Knowing what they know now, how would today’s baby-boomers write housing and planning laws if they did not know, once the veil was lifted, whether they would be young or old? Read [more…]
‘MATS Plan Revisited’
How many more serious accidents will it take before the government acts? Following another horrific truck crash this week, we reprise our solution published on this site last year. Read [more…]
‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’
“Nietzsche was right, God is dead, and we have killed him.”
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‘The Great Australian Dream’
The Great Australian Dream and the cause of ‘Family, Faith & Freedom’ need to be promoted and defended. Read [more…]
‘No Books, No Wisdom, No Future’
Rather than be left with no wisdom to guide him, Tarquinius relented and paid the full price for the remaining three books. Read [more…]
‘The Centre Cannot Hold’
“Those were the days, my friend”. The Treasurer controlled the revenue, the Finance Minister controlled the spending, and the Prime Minister got the credit – and rightly so. Read [more…]
‘Baptists & Bootleggers’
Another fascinating feature of the election has been what I call ‘voter switch’.
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‘Dog Day Afternoon’
“Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?” asked Inspector Gregory. “Yes”, Holmes replied, “To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time”. Read [more…]
‘Black Hawk Down!’
The old adage, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”, hasn’t been around for 100 years for nothing. Read [more…]
‘Sitting Ducks: News from the Campaign Trail’
The campaign trail can be a hazardous place for candidates. Sometimes all it takes is one slip-up and your election prospects are finished. The circus tent collapses on top of you. Read [more…]
‘E is for … ’
We have drawn box E on the Senate ballot paper. E for Employment, E for the Economy, E for Education, E for Excellence, E for Endurance, E for Elvis, E for Elijah and of course, E for Esther for such a time as this. Read [more…]
‘Stamp of Approval – Election Special!’
This week I lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission my nomination to run as an independent Senate candidate in the forthcoming Federal election. To secure a box ‘above the line’, I have teamed up with highly regarded and experienced DLP stalwart Pat Amadio who will run as the No 2 candidate on the ticket. Read [more…]
‘After the Whirlwind’
We now have a credible voting base, a solid membership list, a strong policy platform, a database of Newsletter recipients that runs into the thousands and a general election which ran like clockwork. Read [more…]
‘Special Election Edition No. 2: The Big Salami’
Often you don’t have time to study or research a situation or a person, you have to analyse what is going on by finding that thin slice. Read [more…]
‘Hedgehog World’
The world is not a hospital or a laboratory or a courtroom or a classroom or a police station. Read [more…]
‘Special Election Edition: J is for …’
The Australian Family Party has drawn box J on the white ballot paper – box No 10. How’s that for divine providence…. Read [more…]
‘Till Death Us Do Part’
Politics is the ultimate near-death experience. Especially for political leaders. You can run but you can’t hide. Read [more…]
‘Leaders are Readers’
“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world”.
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‘First They Ignore You …’
As the old Polish proverb goes, “The guest sees in five minutes what the host doesn’t see in a lifetime”. Read [more…]
‘The Wisdom of Crowds’
It’s been said we’d be better governed by the first 100 people in the phone book than by the stereotype politicians we are asked to vote for today. Read [more…]
‘Dances With Wolves’
The Roman Stoic philosopher Lucius Seneca warned his critics, “Throw me to the wolves, and I will return leading the pack”. Read [more…]
‘Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?’
In 2022 we need modern-day ‘people of Issachar’. People who understand the times and what needs to be done. Read [more…]
‘Two People, Two Stories, One Message’
A little light dispels a great darkness.
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‘The Three Russians’
Australians were a united, fun-loving, irreverent, tough-minded, down-to-earth people. Now look at us.
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‘Catfish’
We are on track for the forthcoming SA State election to be held on the 19 March. In particular, our key Lower House candidates are in place. High on our nipping list will be to do those things which strengthen the family – economically and socially. Read [more…]
‘More Breakfast, Less Dinner’
In the book of Genesis, God warns Cain to deal with his anger before it’s too late: “If you do not, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it”. Read [more…]
‘The Unmasking of Australia’
Are we still Muriel’s Wedding? Are we still The Castle? Do we still have ‘the vibe’?
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‘Going … Going … Almost Gone’
Increased supply does not need to bring down the average house price, only the entry level house price. Read [more…]
‘Beware of Beginnings …’
The ‘majority rules’ principle cannot be used to create a society of 1st and 2nd class citizens. Society cannot function like that. Read [more…]
‘Family Resilience’
Family has what is called ‘agency’. It can do things. Family provides meaning, belonging and security. Strong family relationships reduce depression and anxiety disorders … Read [more…]
‘Calling all Candidates – Election ’22!’
In a major analysis of voting trends, the Australian newspaper last month reported, “Support for minor parties and independents has reached its highest level in at least four years”. Read [more…]
‘Overcoming Failure’
They say it’s the grit that forms the pearl. Suffering, difficulties, trials, are the grit that leads to the pearl. Read [more…]
‘Property Rights are Human Rights’
‘Might is right’ or ‘the tyranny of the majority’ were expressly rejected by the Magna Carta and rights were therefore entrenched into law. Read [more…]
‘Two Men, Two Stories, One Lesson’
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, Butch dived into the formation of Japanese planes with wing-mounted 50 calibre guns blazing … Read [more…]
‘Poland’s Family Policy Leads the Way’
Many years ago, a wise old friend said to me, “If you’re interested in world events, keep your eye on Poland”. That was 50 years ago. Read [more…]
‘MATS Plan Revisited – Part 2’
“Fatal crash closes freeway”. This has become an all too familiar news headline in Adelaide. Read [more…]
‘MATS Plan Revisited – Part 1’
The support industries for SA’s new maritime sector will need two things – affordable land, and easy ‘MATS Plan’ style access to the shipyards. Read [more…]
‘Collision Course’
It took them a while but they had to get there in the end.
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‘Democracy’s Heritage’
When the system of government we call democracy is being questioned, it is timely to consider some of the world’s alternatives. Read [more…]
‘Fund the User, Not the Provider’
It costs Australian taxpayers approximately $20,000 pa to educate a student in a government school and $12,000 pa to educate a student in a non-government school. Read [more…]
‘Fear Street’
Over the past few years, no sooner do we have to deal with one threat than another appears – only more deadly this time. Read [more…]
‘Perpetual Blame Game’
As Covid has revealed, the Federal Government doesn’t have the power it thought it had. The States have the power. The Feds have the money. Read [more…]
‘Basic Training’
Like any successful sporting club or theatre company, there are the ‘on-field players and performers’ and the ‘off-field, behind the scenes, personnel’ who ensure the club or organisation runs smoothly. Read [more…]
‘10,000 Hours’
In the minds of reasonable people, being ‘inside the tent’ always seems like a reasonable strategy. Sadly it doesn’t work. Being ‘outside the tent’ throwing rocks however, does. Read [more…]
‘Family, Faith & Freedom’
Proverbs and axioms like ‘Actions speak louder than words’ and ‘I can’t believe what you say, because I see what you do’ reinforced the bond between personal and public morality. You simply couldn’t get away with saying one thing and doing another”. Read [more…]
‘The Long March of the Left’
Over the past 25 years, euthanasia legislation has been introduced into the SA parliament 16 times – the last occasion was in 2016. All failed. This week, on the 17th attempt, it got through. Read [more…]
‘Protect Children’
“Barely a day goes by,” she said, “that a parent doesn’t contact me to tell me of the devastation and trauma caused as a result of their child being exposed to porn”. Read [more…]
‘Budget 2021’
While a $25,000 home buyers grant might seem nice, when you consider government fees and charges make up nearly 40 per cent of the purchase price of a home, the government is quietly taking $250,000 with one hand and loudly giving back $25,000 with the other. Read [more…]
‘Breaking the Adoption Taboo’
19th Century English philosopher and parliamentarian John Stuart Mill was one of the first to declare that “Children have independent rights as future citizens. If parents fail in their obligations to fulfil those rights then the State should step in”. Regrettably, the rights of abusive parents seem to outweigh the rights of abused children. Read [more…]
‘How Good are Grandparents’
Many grandparents believe being a grandparent is the single most important role in their lives. Having two levels of love and support in a family is particularly beneficial for children in their formative years. Simply put, having grandparents around is good for everyone. Read [more…]
‘Raising Girls’
Shifting the debate about raising girls to how to better raise boys is not helpful. Saying men’s attitudes have to change and men should treat women with respect is an admirable sentiment but until they all do let’s start with how things are, not how we think they should be. Read [more…]
‘Raising Boys’
Society relies on three levels of protection against harm. Level one is a person’s own conscience; level two is the family to keep its members in check; and level three is the police. Read [more…]
‘The Lucky Country?’
In his book The Lucky Country, Donald Horne said Australia was run by second-rate people who rode on the back of the country’s natural resources ie pure luck, and then claimed credit for it. Read [more…]
‘Hell Freezes Over’
The three words most commonly used to describe Texas are ‘hot as hell!’ Well, last month hell froze over. Literally. The arctic conditions which swept across Texas caused mayhem. Read [more…]
‘Where to start on budget repair’
Former Senator David Leyonhjelm and I have picked up where we left off some years ago and collaborated to write a ‘budget repair’ opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review. Read [more…]
‘We needed the money’
A few years ago, I asked a former State Government cabinet minister why the government didn’t release more land to stimulate the housing industry. The former cabinet minister replied, “We needed the money”. Read [more…]
‘Beijing to Damascus’ – Special Report
Right now, trade negotiators, business executives and military strategists do not seem to be holding out much hope for anything other than a hot war, cold war or trade war with China, and an increasing number of experts are predicting armed conflict between the United States and China sometime in the next 10 years. Read my Special Report on this in the latest issue of News Weekly [more…]
‘The Right to a Life’
Legislation allowing gender-selection abortion and abortion up to birth is to be voted on in the South Australian parliament in coming days. In light of this, the Party has written to all Lower House MPs whose 2-party preferred margin [more…]
‘Family Economics’
Power prices, house prices, water prices. Family businesses, family farms, family shops. All are under siege. The unbearable cost of energy, regulation and taxation is sending family businesses to the wall [more…]
‘Worlds Apart’
Australian governments spend over $30 billion a year on Indigenous programs yet the gulf between the world most Australians inhabit and the world a high number Indigenous Australians occupy is as wide as ever [more…]
‘Mend it, don’t end it’
In its submission to the Federal Parliament’s Inquiry into the Family Law System, the Australian Family Association has recommended that couples who separate should have to wait two years instead of the current one year before filing for divorce (unless there is a history of domestic violence). This was described by News Ltd columnist Tory Shepherd this week as “wanting to drag marriage back into the dark ages”. In a letter to the editor I wrote that [more…]
‘Big Tech and the family’
The announcement that Donald Trump has been banned from social media demonstrates just how powerful the Silicon Valley oligarchs have become. They are now more powerful than even the President of the United States. Politicians, bureaucrats and regulators who think they can control these internet titans are either delusional or dishonest. They are bullies when it comes to ordinary citizens, but powerless – or rather, impotent when it comes to tech giants. The nation state is hopelessly outdated and outgunned in this digital age. [more…]
‘Declining birth rate symptom of deeper illness’
Australia’s declining birth rate is a symptom of a deeper illness – the decline in the understanding of the concept of family. This neglect of the idea of family is important, particularly abandoning the notion that children are the supreme asset of any nation. A free and civilised society relies on individual consciences and it is the family that nurtures the conscience. For a free society to prosper, people have to be able to control themselves. Only family can teach self-control. Only in a family can you learn to live with other people whilst maintaining your individuality. We can build up society by building up the family.
‘SA Liberals no friend of faith-based organisations’
What is going on? The SA Liberals seem determined to undermine the rights of faith-based organisations. Last month, Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman proposed removing exemptions which allowed faith-based organisations to run their schools, hospitals and other services in accordance with their beliefs. Now Liberal Treasurer Rob Lucas wants to deny a Christian college its payroll tax exemption. [more…]
‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’
In 1967 Dionne Warwick recorded the hit song, ‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’. Fast forward to 2020 and the Victorian Government is proposing to make it a criminal offence to say a little prayer with someone about their gender identity. This gives rise to all manner of implications. [more…]
‘The Courage to Live’
Over the past 20 years there have been 16 attempts to legalise euthanasia in South Australia. Each time it has been rejected. In the era of Covid-19, this latest euthanasia push in the SA Parliament gives rise to not one but two paradoxes – ‘protecting and preserving human life at all costs’ and ‘suicide prevention programs’. [more…]
Faith-based organisations: ‘Laws to target schools’
The rights of faith-based organisations are about to be seriously eroded. Led by Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman, the SA Liberal Party is proposing to remove exemptions which have allowed faith-based organisations to run their schools, hospitals and other services in accordance with their beliefs. [more…]
Letter to the Editor: Soldier Support
The primary aim of the Australian Family Party is to put the family at the centre of every conversation. Recent media reports about Australian SAS troop actions in Afghanistan have drawn widespread attention culminating in calls for the service medals of those who served and died be taken from their families. [more…]
Media Release: Former Senator launches new political party
Former Family First Senator Bob Day has announced the launch of a new political party – Australian Family Party. Day said the Party was formed to counter the insidious influence of the Greens and the disappointment of the major parties. Day said the new Party was based on six key principles: [more…]
Australian Family Party Launch
Australia has social and economic problems that it wants to solve, and social and economic goals it wants to achieve, however looking to politicians, bureaucrats and regulators to solve these problems and achieve these goals is a lost cause. A restructuring is needed, one that puts the family at the centre. [more…]
How the Libs/Nats/Greens conspired to rid the parliament of minor parties
On March 17, 2016 the Coalition joined forces with the Greens to amend the Commonwealth Electoral Act and abolish senate Group Voting Tickets. GVTs allowed voters to put a 1 above-the-line and let their party of choice distribute their preferences. [more…] (PDF)
Housing—The West’s One-child Policy
How governments have cruelled the aspirations of millions of households; disempowered and impoverished families; entrenched intergenerational inequity; and, like China’s One Child Policy, set ticking a time bomb that will cause a massive social and economic burden for future taxpayers. [more…]
Maiden Speech
As a Senator I have been elected to do 2 things: 1) Represent the great State of South Australia; and 2) implement the policies that my Party and I have been expressing for many years, namely removing the barriers that prevent people from getting a job and owning a home. Watch here or read [more…]
Taxation
It was Benjamin Franklin who said, ‘In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.’ Will Rogers responded: ‘Yes, and the only difference between death and taxes is that death does not get any worse every time parliament sits.’ [more…]
High Court Ruling
On 13 April 2017 the High Court of Australia ruled that Senator Day had breached Section 44(v) of the Constitution by virtue of an indirect pecuniary interest Senator Day had in an Agreement with the Commonwealth, namely a lease over his electorate office. [more…]