You say ‘diversity’. I hear quotas
Ever wonder where all this talk of ‘diversity’ started? Well, it actually dates back some four decades to a 1978…
Trump, impeachment and the media
Many of us living in the Westminster parliamentary part of the democratic world don’t have much grasp of what the…
Frydenberg’s fantasy federalism
Josh Frydenberg, the Treasurer of Australia and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, last week wrote an opinion piece in…
Allan, James Allan
I have to confess that I’m a little bit insulted that no one in the totally impartial and apolitical Commonwealth…
North American notes
Al Jolson vs the vulgarian pugilist First to Canada. The election produced a minority government win for the incumbent Al…
Insiders won’t go down without a fight
The European Union has a habit of working with the establishment figures in countries to topple governments that…
Turmoil in the Anglosphere
Well, there’s certainly a fair bit of action coming out of Canada, Britain and the US these days. In my…
Intolerant notes
Forcing people to fake respect for your choices is dangerous Pretty much everyone these days sees himself or herself as…
Not the Right appointment
From President Eisenhower’s time in office to the end of President Obama’s, there were 27 vacancies on the Supreme Court…
Reasonable doubt about Pell
I want to remind readers of the Speccie of a key premise – really it is a trade-off that we…
Put a sock in it, Kel
My gosh these are delicate times Down Under. Not for Australians the vigorous thrust and parry of political debate with…
Canadian notes
I’m a virtue-signaller and I’m OK We have left Britain behind on this year-long sabbatical and are now in my…
Lefty lawyers, Part 2
Last week I noted that the lawyers of today, as a class, are a lot more left-leaning and politically correct…
Lawyers and law schools
Among a certain, shall we say more mature, segment of the population there is a lingering sense that lawyers as…
Cane toads squashed by the bedwetters
I finally sat down and had a look at the new Scott Morrison cabinet. Wow! If you imagine a spectrum…
Boris or oblivion
They recently released a poll over here in Britain. Only women were polled and they were asked ‘Would you sleep…
The Donald next door
From tomorrow, and for a few days thereafter, my wife and I will have a new neighbour here in London. …
May finally exits, stage left
I have been on sabbatical now, living in London, since the beginning of this year. During that whole time I…
Australian notes
Eleven random thoughts Let me start with a bow to those who thought it best to vote for Malcolm Turnbull…
Election eve thoughts on the least worst of the least worst
High Commissioner to London George Brandis brings the election day charity sausage sizzle to the largest polling booth of them…
Were the Del-Cons wrong?
Well, the election is almost here. In a little over a week we’ll know if Scott Morrison has pulled off…
Rocket science
The news has finally reached us over here in London. Australia is going to have an election. The choice will…
Political notes
Trudeau & the Virtuecrats It is too depressing to say anything much about the UK and Brexit. Well over half…
Judge dread
Let me talk about an example of an undemocratic trend from my home state of Queensland. A fortnight ago the…
Kiwi notes
What ScoMo should have said to Jacinda ‘Thank you Prime Minister Ardern for those blunt comments just now in which…
