It 100% shows the man has the mindset of an abuser. Speaking about a woman the way he did goes way beyond anger and into the most disgusting misogyny.

OMG. Let me tell you, I have vented about my ex. None of that venting involved me imagining myself f***ing his burnt corpse. JD is one very sick man.

I can't believe anyone thinks this is normal or understandable in any way.

I think we just look on in sorrow and no longer in anger. If the problem was easily solvable for the US, it would be solved, I am sure. Not having a civilian gun culture here has been more helpful than the laws, I think. Our gun laws have weakened over time, but gun crime is still relatively low. I'm actually concerned that will change; we've been very complacent since the post Port Arthur massacre. Yes, it only took the suffering of two child victims for government to act, but there were reasons we could act. You guys have a set of highly systemic problems blocking change or progress, but I don't think as a people you are any more unaffected by the deaths of children than anywhere else.

It's just appealing to the older Gen X demographic - at some point soon, 90's will similarly be 'classic'. I only ever listen to music on Spotify, so I can make my own lists.

Yes, I think the Greens are actually moving away from ideas around conservation. Not quite Bob Brown's mob any more.

This is true, but I don't like to be sneered at as 'city folk', and I hope I don't sneer at the regions. Cities have very complex problems too, and I don't really buy into the idea that if you live in a city, you're clueless, or not a real Aussie or somehow floating around in a privilege bubble. Sure, that's true for some city dwellers ( the privilege of wealth, for example) but it's far from true for most of us. Hard times happen here too, and deserve dignified answers.

We had Labor, Greens, One Nation and UAP, and some random independent who I heard nothing about and saw nothing of. Nobody puts any resources into our seat, they just write it off for Labor. Rusted on.

V glad I got my flu shot. Am meant to be in a bus for two hours tomorrow with 60 Covidy kids. Apparently excursion risk assessment doesn't include Covid. Followed by a 30 person PL afternoon. Really trusting to my mask.

I'm the purple line. Waving at the blues and purples! Maybe at the reds if any of you back Katter?!

Do I want a latte sipping, poetry night utopia, with free dental, social housing and green energy? You bet! Are the other ladies evil for seeing issues with my utopia? No! I love these Aussie ladies. Even when I'm mad with them. They're compatriots! Also, I am attuned to the slightest raise of Rosie's eyebrow 🙂

If you come to Sydney, Canberra or Melbourne, let me know. Adelaide is a bit far from me. Hope you have a wonderful time!

No, you're right. Albo's a landlord. I hear he's a good one, but he isn't going to do anything for me. To be fair, I kinda knew that going in. I almost spoiled my ballot. I decided to vote based on one thing, really, Uluru statement from the heart. I only voted minor parties in the Senate,and none of them had a hope of getting in. I got carried away with 'winning'. Sorry. You're right...the prize is most likely ashes.

So then are you happy each time we change government, because it's reflecting God's will? Or is it sometimes God but sometimes forces of evil in the ascendancy? And how do you know which is which? (Thank you for patiently answering my dumb agnostic 'God is in the maths and poetry' questions!) I do understand a bit better why you don't vote. I don't get the vibe that you mock the rest of us and/or democracy, which helps.

I agree in general politics sucks. Ok. I'm depressed again now.

Sure, it makes sense, though I guess if I'm being honest, I don't really understand how God would work to sway an electorate one way or another.

I'll go back to cynicism in a few days, but I imagine you felt pretty good when your fella got in. So I'm sure you can forgive a little excitement. We're struggling with housing issues here, and while I don't think that will improve radically under the new government, ai can spend a few days imagining it might. I felt profoundly unrepresented over the last decade - and our quality of living has definitely gone backwards, despite me working more/harder, so a few days hope is a nice break from feeling utterly abandoned by the government of the day. I'm.looking forward to volunteering to campaign yes on the coming referendum on Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which is probably the one doable thing coming up ( that and a slight easing of tension with China).

Thanks for answering. So ( bear with me), God chose Albo'? But God chose Scott before him? Does it ever bother you that you don't have input into the things that affect you?

I checked into this. It's not compulsory for those with cognitive decline. So a 70 year old with dementia will not get fined for not voting, but a sharp as a whip 90 year old without Neuro or cog impairment is still certainly able ( and should be facilitated to) vote.

Why don't you vote? So far as I'm aware, the Bible talks about following the law of the land unless there is a major conflict with conscience - how does voting impact your conscience? I've never met anyone who doesn't vote for religious reasons. The fine is now $55, fyi.

I think being a CO and not voting are very different things. I do think it is sad that people don't vote. I'm not religious, nor is the majority of the country, and I struggle to see why there is a religious exemption for voting. People of all backgrounds volunteer. That's great - it helps build community. Community and citizenship are not identical concepts, though they are related. Women fought for our right to vote. Indigenous people fought hard to vote. I think it betrays our privilege to reject that. I think maybe some of you who are unhappy now might contemplate why someone who has been unrepresented for a decade plus might have some moments of happiness now.

Of course I can. I empathized with you previously. Because that's been my experience for the past decade. I live around the corner from the PM's old school. It is not elite.

Flowers in a milk jug. That's cottagey.

Seriously, if you are apolitical and think democracy is a joke, encourage nonsense on your ballot etc, why do you care? Regardless of party affiliation, I'm happy we are being represented by people who are like the people I live and work with - a smart, gay Malaysian born woman, and a man who grew up in Houso with a single mum, who isn't a product of the private school mill. Is that party political ? No. Everyone is entitled to feel happy and express it when they see themselves represented after a long stint of being unrepresented. Labor + Green + Teal = a lot of people who are happy that we now have leaders who will work with our allies for meaningful climate action. Is climate change 'politics?' No. England is run by Tories and they are way ahead of us. If you want to do so some grapes reporting, go for it, but otherwise I'm not really interested in continuing this conversation. I think it's sad that people can't appreciate, at the very least, our hard won opportunity to vote.

We now have a new PM, and a highly competent foreign affairs Minister off to the Quad meeting. Good timing!