Lying rodents and assorted meats

So, there've been some arrests after the hysterical terror alert of last week. (Was it really only last week? A week is a long time in politics, blah blah blah.)

Now some would see this as vindicating the rodent's ZOMG, TERRORISTS panic. He said the laws were necessary, and oh look, they've arrested some vaguely foreign looking fellows. Johnny must've been right.

But given this was Mr 'ZOMG, THEY THREW THEIR CHILDREN OVERBOARD' Howard, I'm unrepentant. He says we can trust him by his record, which is a bloody good excuse to dispute everything he says. Especially if it coincides with the introduction of other new laws, or a rather poor result in the polls.

Politicians are there to induce cynicism. They lie. They're a pack of section 52s, and they can't even answer a question from Tony Jones.

'Is it true that [insert potential scandal here], though, Mr [insert coalition politician name here]?'

'I haven't been advised on that, Tony.'

Jesus wept. They may think they're protecting themselves from the wrath of the voters by avoiding a straight answer, but it actually makes them look incompetent. You haven't been advised on that? What have you been advised on? What do all your staffers do? Do you mean to say that after the millions (billions?) of tax dollars sluiced through Parliament House you don't know what the bloody hell you're doing?

It doesn't exactly engender confidence that the government's awake and dealing with The Issues.

Oh well. Bollocks to seriousness.

Have some meaty, meat-themed High Court quotations instead.

ABC v Lenah Game Meats
GLEESON CJ: Have you not seen the pictures of those judges going to court at the opening of law term services? Every time there is a broadcast about judges they show us kneeling down, standing up, praying, singing?

MR McELWAINE: Yes.

KIRBY J: They still show the Chief Justice as the Chief Justice of New South Wales.

GLEESON CJ: Yes. They have all got the footage. So the question is whether the brush-tail possums are going to get the same treatment.

Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services

KIRBY J: There seems to have been a bit of bloody-mindedness on both sides of this case.

MR ROTHMAN: Your Honour, I will not cavil with your Honour’s view.

KIRBY J: Do not go there.

...

MR ROTHMAN: As unusual as the position that I find myself in, your Honour, I - - -

HAYNE J: There is a knife waiting in the napkin somewhere, Mr Rothman.

MR ROTHMAN: I am sure that is right, your Honour, I am sure that is right. I do not cavil with anything your Honour has said. I merely start from the injunction that - - -

HAYNE J: Let us take what his Honour has said and let us look at the knife that then the napkin might contain.

MR ROTHMAN: I have not appreciated what the knife might be, your Honour, but I merely - - -

HAYNE J: Namely, did the Commission do it?

...

MR ROTHMAN: We say that contract law has moved on from those who - - -

KIRBY J: Only stand and wait.

MR ROTHMAN: - - - yes – only stand and wait.

KIRBY J: Or are butlers to English Law Lords.

MR ROTHMAN: Yes, your Honour. Lord Justice Asquith’s judgment is a - - -

KIRBY J: Bad times since judges lost their butlers.

CALLINAN J: My wife would have been interested in that.

MR ROTHMAN: Indeed, your Honour, I am only surprised that we have not taken it up at the Bar but, nevertheless, the - - -

KIRBY J: Well, you are more likely to be able to afford it than we are.

MR ROTHMAN: Yes, your Honour. I am not going there.