Opinion
There are two lessons from this week’s protests against “gender violence”.
The first is one I’ve mentioned many times before: politicians who set loose the dogs of scandal should beware lest the dogs turn on them.
The second is that a certain cohort, largely but not exclusively, simply live to protest. The point is not to actually achieve anything, it’s to perform. We see this most clearly when deranged Climate Cultists dress up in silly costumes and do stage-rehearsed performances. That the play is the thing is also seen in recent videos where journalists challenged protesting “pro-Palestine” students at Columbia on what, exactly, they were protesting about. They didn’t know.
Protesting gives these people a sense of meaning and fulfilment. Like mediaeval flagellants, the more flagrantly they weep and wail and put their hurty feelings on parade, the closer they feel to salvation. Most especially, they will never be persuaded by reason or facts — attempts to persuade them will only be greeted with even more histrionics.
Anthony Albanese is getting a harsh course in both lessons.
An organiser was left in tears, accusations of lies were levelled and the prime minister swept away in a hurried exit.
In attending the Canberra rally against gender violence, one of 12 across the country, Albanese did what few of his prime ministerial predecessors have attempted.
But like so many of those who came before him, he now faces being haunted by the consequences of what played out on the grass outside Parliament House.
In lockstep with the rest of Labor, Anthony Albanese has spent years gleefully demonising the Coalition as “anti-women” and “misogynist”. Albanese and his now-Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were instrumental in weaponising the now-discredited claims of Brittany Higgins, that the Morrison government organised a “cover up” to “silence” her.
Scott Morrison wisely stayed away from a similar feminist rally whipped up by the Higgins brigade. He was, of course, heavily criticised for not attending, but the simple fact is that he would have been harangued harshly even more by feminist fishwives if he had attended.
Because it’s all about performance.
Sexual assault survivor, Sarah Williams, a 23-year-old Indigenous woman from Newcastle […] Williams encouraged politicians to come forward, urging those present not to shame them.
Albanese stupidly took the bait.
Something during this period looks to have changed the PM’s thinking and unprompted he walked to the front, standing behind Williams as she continued to address those gathered.
As if by intuition, Williams foreshadowed what would come next. She told the crowd she didn’t want the politicians to speak.
ABC Australia
So much for encouraging politicians to come forward. But Williams’ mendacity and aversion to facts didn’t end there.
On social media after the event, Williams accused Albanese of abusing his power by ‘aggressively stating’: “I’m the prime minister of the country, I run this country.”
Except that he didn’t say that, nor was he “aggressive”.
New vision emerged on social platform X showing Albanese looking awkward as Williams asked the crowd if he should be allowed to speak.
Albanese, standing behind Williams, appears to say: “Do you want me to speak or not? I am the Prime Minister.”
The Australian
Meanwhile, something Albanese did say has resurfaced on social media. In 2015, Albanese was caught on the parliamentary mic, urging a colleague to “Smash her!”, when rising to question Health Minister Sussan Ley. Of course, we all know what Albanese meant, but that’s beside the point for hurty-feelings feminists. The fact remains that Albanese’s language was “violent”, therefore, by Labor’s own lofty standards, he may as well have beat Ley black and blue with a baseball bat.
The Albanese government is also dodging accountability for unleashing very real violence against Australian women.
The alleged violent robbery and bashing of Perth grandmother Ninette Simons by a freed immigration detainee who previously breached his curfew has heaped pressure on Anthony Albanese to fast-track preventative detention orders and strengthen public safety.
Kuwaiti-born Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, who appeared in court on Monday, was one of three men who allegedly assaulted the 73-year-old cancer patient and tied up her husband, Philip Simons, during a home invasion in Perth’s north on April 16. The Australian understands the man – who received bail in February for breaching curfew orders – was bailed two days before the alleged attack last week over a range of serious offences […]
Doukoshkan, one of 154 immigration detainees released into the community following the NZYQ High Court ruling in November last year
The Australian
The government’s only response is the same as every other time the foreign criminals it set free terrorise Australians again — disappear from sight and go radio-silent.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles and Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neill have stayed silent on the alleged bashing so far […]
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called the alleged bashing of a 73-year-old grandmother in Perth by a freed immigration detainee a “disaster”.
“Now Australians are paying the price, and this tragic case in Perth will be followed up by further cases – the government was warned about this,” Mr Dutton said on Sky.
“I don’t for the life of me understand why these people were still out on the street – they were meant to be with ankle monitors and bracelets.
“It’s a disaster and it’s of the government’s own making.”
The Australian
And it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Never forget that Andrew Giles was one of the lawyers for the “asylum seekers” who hijacked the MV Tampa, after they were rescued from their sinking boat, and forced the Tampa captain to sail to Australia rather than nearby Indonesia, where they immediately demanded asylum.
What Giles demanded as an activist lawyer, he’s apparently putting into practice as immigration minister.
And we’re all paying the price.