Oz Conservative:  An Australian traditionalist conservative site

It's now a number of years since I have linked to the above site so I thought it was time for me to give blogger Mark Richardson a shout-out.  I write from Brisbane and he writes from Melbourne so we have different priorities in writing about State matters but we both move far beyond geographical concerns.  I don't think there any major differences between us in our attitudes but I may be a bit further towards the libertarian end of conservatism.

And I occasionally mention topics that are completely forbidden even to conservatives -- like IQ, race and social class.  All three are immensely powerful influences on what people say, think and do, so that may be the reason why any mention of them is taboo.  We must not understand too much.  But I am an academic  psychologist with a research background in all three topics so I foolishly think that understanding and explaining such influences lies within my remit

Mark has up at the moment an excellent interview with a black Cardinal in which the Cardinal asserts the importance of national identity






Some stupid b*tch in charge of the Navy's Air Arm has banned the men from marching on Anzac day in case they trip over!

Stupid female coddling attitude.  She should be in charge of a kindergarten, not a armed force.  Maybe she will want to take those nasty firearms away from them next

Royal Australian Navy personnel have been told they cannot march at an ANZAC Day dawn service amid fears they could trip in the dark.

The Greenwell Point Anzac Day march near Nowra on the New South Wales south coast has been deemed an occupational health and safety risk due to lighting issues.

Personnel from HMAS Albatross will attend the dawn service in other positions, including as guest speakers and flag-bearers, a Defence spokesman said.

'The instruction to HMAS Albatross personnel, while different to what may have occurred in the past, has been provided cognisant of procedures traditionally observed by service personnel attending dawn services,' the spokesperson said.

He said the particular physical and environmental conditions that are expected at Greenwell Point on Anzac Day were also contributing factors.

'Local commanders are responsible to ensure that risks to members on duty are reduced as reasonably practicable for dawn services across Australia.'

But Nowra RSL sub-president Fred Dawson was staggered by the ruling.

'It's beyond belief, we are talking about armed forces, men trained to fight and look after themselves in very risky circumstances - marching down Greenwell Point Road under street lights has minimal risk factors involved,' he told ABC News.

'So from my perspective, sailors will be on parade in the nearby park waiting for the diggers to arrive, schools children will also be marching in the dark, but not serving personnel.'

The break in tradition will be the first time in 30 years the RAN hasn't marched at this specific location.

Instead, the personnel will be formed and waiting for those involved in the march to reach them.

Captain Fiona Sneath from HMAS Albatross defended the decision, but said she may be open to reviewing the matter.

'It might mean just having some more people to observe what is going on and are around to observe what is going on and make others who are marching in the squad aware that there is perhaps a pothole or obstacle,' she said.

'I can understand the community concerns, and we do put our people in danger at times, but we do have an obligation that we reduce any risk as much as practicable.'

SOURCE  






Rugby Australia slams Israel Folau for his controversial post declaring homosexuals will go to hell – as his career hangs in the balance

What he says is straight from Romans chapter 1 so maybe they should ban the Bible too?  And it's another wimpy woman crying over it.  Why can't they have a man in charge of a man's game?



Rugby Australia have slammed Israel Folau for his latest homophobic social media post - as the scandal threatens to derail the star player's career.

Folau, 30, shared a 'warning' to 'drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters' to Instagram on Wednesday, saying 'hell awaits' them.

The devout Christian has shared similar sentiments in the past and was previously warned by Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle.

A Rugby Australia spokesman said Folau's post was 'unacceptable' and that the organisation's integrity unit was 'engaged on the matter'.

'Rugby Australia is aware of a post made by Israel on his Instagram account this afternoon,' the spokesman said. 'The content within the post is unacceptable. It does not represent the values of the sport and is disrespectful to members of the Rugby community. 'The Rugby Australia integrity unit has been engaged on the matter tonight.'

In February, Folau signed a multi-million dollar contract extension with the New South Wales Waratahs and Rugby Australia until the end of 2022.

Widely considered as one of the game's best players, Folau became Super Rugby's all-time leading try scorer on Saturday.

His post on Wednesday warned that those 'living in sin will end up in Hell unless you repent'. 'Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him,' Folau posted alongside two bible verses.

The star fullback also retweeted a story about Tasmania allowing gender to be optional on birth certificates.

'The devil has blinded so many people in this world, REPENT and turn away from your evil ways. Turn to Jesus Christ who will set you free,' Folau tweeted.

In April 2018, Folau said gay people deserved to go to 'HELL... unless they repent of their sins and turn to God'.

Folau made the comment on Instagram in reply to a question about God's plan for gay people.

His comments forced a meeting with Ms Castle and Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore, after major Wallabies sponsor Qantas said Folau's statements were 'very disappointing'.

Ms Castle acknowledged Folau had caused 'grief to some people'. 'Israel has presented his situation to us, where his views are, where his beliefs are,' Ms Castle said.

'But at the same time Rugby Australia has also got a policy and a position of inclusion and using social media with respect.

'Now both of us are going to go away and continue that dialogue, and work through how we continue to use how our social media platforms in a way that can ensure that all of our stakeholders are respected in the use of social media.'

During 2017's same sex-marriage vote, Folau tweeted that he would not be supporting any change to the existing law.

'I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions, but personally, I will not support gay marriage,' he said.

Folau married New Zealand netball star Maria Tutaia in 2017. He was raised as a Mormon and switched to the Australian Christian Churches with his family in 2011.

SOURCE  






Chris Bowen caught out on negative gearing numbers

Josh Frydenberg has accused Labor of “lying” about inaccurate figures behind its negative gearing reforms, and warns there could be “a big black hole” in their election costings as a result.

The Australian ­Bureau of Statistics has denied claims it had produced data showing that only 7 per cent of property invest­ors bought new homes, despite opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen using those figures repeatedly to back his housing policy.

The Treasurer said Mr Bowen had been “caught out” over the ABS revelations and had to “come clean” about Labor’s sums in his budget reply speech later today.

“Bill Shorten and Chris Bowen have been tripping over their shoe laces and the election hasn’t even begun,” the Treasurer told Sydney’s 2GB radio this morning.

“The Labor Party in reality may see a big black hole in them because they have underestimated the number of negative gearers who use new homes.

“Clearly they are (lying) and clearly there is a black hole in their costings ... they have overstated the amount of savings they will get from this policy, and this is a $35bn slug on the taxpayer. “Chris Bowen needs to come clean about the data.”

Mr Bowen’s use of ABS data has also been challenged by the Grattan Institute, a ­public policy think tank, which has argued that 14 per cent of ­investors buy new properties rather than existing ones — an estim­ate that is double what Labor has claimed.

Mr Bowen, Labor’s chief economic salesman, has repeatedly referred to ABS figures purportedly showing that negative gearing has failed to promote construction in new housing and create jobs.

“The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that 93 per cent of new investment loans go to people purchasing ­existing housing stock,” he said as recently as January.

“This means that the vast bulk of investment does not increase supply or boost jobs. “All it does is increase demand and the price of the existing homes, allowing investors to use tax subsidies to outbid owner-occupiers and first-home buyers.”

Mr Bowen took to Twitter today to defend his negative gearing costings and said the PBO had re-affirmed his numbers. “You are just plain wrong I am afraid Josh (Frydenberg). Independent Parliamentary Budget Office costs Labor’s policies including negative gearing and they have re-affirmed they stand by their costing. Nice try,” he tweeted this morning.

You are just plain wrong I am afraid Josh. Independent Parliamentary Budget Office costs Labor’s policies including negative gearing and they have re-affirmed they stand by their costing. Nice try.

But ABS financial statistics analyst Tony Mitchell said the agency did not collate the figures Mr Bowen had been referring to since 2016. “If you wanted to have those numbers you wouldn’t be able to get them from our statistics ­because we don’t collect them,” Mr Mitchell told The Australian.

“We’ve got a little bit about construction, but it is to do with lending to businesses for construction of investment dwellings. It is not to do with lending to households for construction of ­investment dwellings.

“There is nothing about lending­ for newly constructed dwellings. That is included in other statistics, but you can’t break it out.”

Mr Bowen was forced to clarify his costings with the Parliamentary Budget Office after the property industry claimed his numbers were wrong and that could impact on the claimed savings from Labor’s policy.

The PBO has estimated that Labor’s policies to reform negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount will raise $2.9 billion over the forward estimates and $35.1bn over the decade.

“The PBO stands by the costing,” Mr Bowen said. “The PBO consulted with the ABS, the RBA and major banks in order to estim­ate the proportion of investor lending for the purpose of existing housing.

“The PBO costing has relied on ABS data on owner-occupier lending with other data sources, including unpublished data by the RBA regarding lending to households for residential property investmen­t, and other surveys of investor lending.”

Housing Industry of Australia principal economist Tim Reardon said anecdotal evidence suggest­ed that the number of investors who bought new properties was at least 30 per cent.

“We know intuitively that 7 per cent number that Bowen is ­quoting is wrong,” Mr Reardon said.

“Last year there were 70,000 apartments sold in Australia and we know from talking to developers that at least half of those went to investors, possibly as high as 60 per cent.”

Grattan Institute director Danielle Wood said the independent think tank had estimated that more investors bought new properties than Labor was claiming.

“It is right that you can’t ­directly calculate it from the ABS data because some of the finance is going into homes that are newly constructed and you can’t see the split between­ investors and owner-occupiers for that ­category,” Ms Wood said.

She said there would be a budget­ impact if the PBO based its ­assumptions on the figures Labor was claiming, as more investors would be eligible to receive the tax subsidy.

“It would have an impact on the costing but I can’t imagine that it is going to be very large in the scheme of things,” Ms Wood said.

SOURCE  

 Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here