Authoritarian Governments.

[think positive]

hmm, yeah nah! if im bored ill take a look, its on netflix

[Pies4shaw]

I'm a big fan of it! One of the best novel adaptations I've seen in the way it captures the feel of the book, and I'm also impressed by Hurt's acting work. Speaking of which, I've been going through the back-issues of the magazine I edit and found a fascinating interview with him about the film from 1985. I might post it here when our website is launched later this year.

I'd be interested to read it.

[stui magpie]

Hasn't this meandered off

I don't think I've ever watched the movie 1984, but I have read the book.

I agree with P4S that the tings on my original list will not continue post pandemic, I also do agree with David though that Andrews in particular has enjoyed some of the freedom from scrutiny he's been able to conjur up.

Having Parliament closed for long stints rather than operating virtually meant no scrutiny from opposition and powers being conferred on and wielded by a small number of people with no scrutiny or oversight from the rest of the party.

Also, the ability to keep extending the state of emergency with zero oversight as they have been doing is not a good thing IMHO

[think positive]

i feel sorry for your tings

[What'sinaname]

is that a David movie?

The real 1984 is Apple's Superbowl commercial, considered the best commercial of all time.

It was the talking point of the Superbowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtvjbmoDx-I

[think positive]

That’s cool!

[Pies4shaw]

The irony is not lost on us.

[Jezza]

These have been extraordinary times. From very occasional time to very occasional time, there is a need for the Executive Government to have emergency powers. The key to maintaining a vigorous democracy is the temporal limit on the emergency powers and the return to normal governance when the emergency is ended. I am far more concerned about the serious impacts on personal freedom and individual rights that have been effected in the name of the "war against terror" - those powers tend to be open-ended and have huge potential to be used against the citizenry in the ordinary course of executive governance. The powers being invoked in the pandemic have been, in my view, used in a measured and careful way. I have no doubt at all that every single one of those powers will go back into the box when they are no longer required. That's not to say that there isn't a great deal of room for reasonable disagreement about what should and should not be (and have been) done but I have (almost) no concern that executive governments in Australia will arrogate these draconian powers to themselves on an ongoing basis.

You're too trusting of the state government.

I share your concerns when it comes to anti-terror legislation.

[nomadjack]

Hasn't this meandered off

Having Parliament closed for long stints rather than operating virtually meant no scrutiny from opposition and powers being conferred on and wielded by a small number of people with no scrutiny or oversight from the rest of the party.

Also, the ability to keep extending the state of emergency with zero oversight as they have been doing is not a good thing IMHO

Parliament hasn't been closed for long stints. The LA has missed two sitting weeks while the LC has been largely uninterrupted. As a comparison, the NSW parliament hasn't sat since June. Also, the State of Emergency isn't extended without oversight - is has to be and was approved by both houses of parliament.

In terms of operating virtually, on-line participation in question time and other processes such as committee hearings have been trialled, but online voting on parliamentary matters has been rejected. The legal advice on whether on line voting in parliament would be constitutional is mixed - Chris Horan (QC) suggested it would be, but there is significant doubt and no government would risk its entire legislative program being torched by a constitutional challenge.

[What'sinaname]

Imagine living here, where police are "processing an offender". Scary stuff.

https://twitter.com/TheJuggernaut88/sta ... 6896410635

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CURQ_u2hfb ... =copy_link

[think positive]

Imagine living here, where police are "processing an offender". Scary stuff.

https://twitter.com/TheJuggernaut88/sta ... 6896410635

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CURQ_u2hfb ... =copy_link

What happened before the tape started rolling?

What was said?
What was done?
What was he asked to do?

[pietillidie]

Meanwhile, in fruitcake land:

The Gallup poll fell heavily along partisan lines, with 83 percent of respondents who have children under the age of 12 and identify as Democrats indicating they would have their child vaccinated, while half of the independents and 21 percent of Republicans agreed.

https://thehill.com/homenews/574419-par ... -kids-poll

[David]

I'm a big fan of it! One of the best novel adaptations I've seen in the way it captures the feel of the book, and I'm also impressed by Hurt's acting work. Speaking of which, I've been going through the back-issues of the magazine I edit and found a fascinating interview with him about the film from 1985. I might post it here when our website is launched later this year.

I'd be interested to read it.

This obviously slipped my mind, but my reference to Orwell in another thread reminded me just now! Here's the John Hurt interview, P4S (and for anyone else who might like to read it). The journalist who conducted the interview was, pretty remarkably, a Year 10 student at the time:

https://metromagazine.com.au/john-hurt- ... ghty-four/

[Pies4shaw]

Thanks, David.

I always thought that Hurt must have been a very humble and thoughtful person to be abe to get inside so many different and difficult characters and render them so believable and with so little affectation. In a very short space of time, he was the posthumously-pardoned Tim Evans, Caligula, Quentin Crisp, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, John Merrick and Winston Smith. It's good to read a sustained piece that provides insight into his way of thinking about his work. Just fascinating.