Ricky Muir

[ltd]

Originally Posted by ray38l

Its a good thing having rick Muir and palmer party in politics. both labor and liberal will be trying to find dirt on rick because he is a threat to the 2 party system.
he has as much right to be there as everyone else. he was elected under the current system fair and square.

[Dash_XR]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

See, my take on this appears to be slightly different to everyone else's so far.

To me, Ricky appeared to be reciting learnt script. On a subject that should not need to have verbatim recitation of exact script, because he should live this stuff.

Sure, he froze, but not just because of the cameras, questioning, etc it was because he forgot his scripted lines.

And I am not naive enough to believe that politicians who have passion for a particular subject don't use a script, but surely, if you are actually passionate about a subject, if you forget the script, you can simply improvise and say what you want without it.

What worries me the most about all of this, is who is Ricky actually the puppet for? Who wrote the script for him, thereby effectively telling him what to say. Personally, I think this is what MW was trying to get out of the interview process that aired.

Craig H

That's exactly what I was thinking, he has obviously prepared very direct answers rather then loose ones that he can corrected on the fly. I also would of thought that a true enthusiast would be able to answer a basic question like that without to much trouble but maybe it was just nerves and poor preparation.

I doubt he'll see much action in question time and people won't attack him in case they do need him later on.

[karj]

I thought Muir's response to Willesee's question regarding balance of power was very telling.

Willesee: Do you understand what balance of power means?
Muir: Yes... It's the potential if... ummmm.... say in this case, Labor and Greens... it's the power to vote down legislation in the right circumstances.

So rather than balance of power being an opportunity to improve and ensure fairness and balance in proposed legislation, he will be taking the Littler-Palmer approach of combativeness and obstructionism.

Willesee's balance of power question was a godsend for a political unknown like Muir. He could have used it to segue into his position on some of the more contentious budget measures that will need to pass through the senate. But he didn't... so we still have no idea what he stands for.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

A lot of individuals (independents) in Parliament have made a real difference in Parliament, look at the 3 that sided with Gillard, those blokes were pretty smart, I bet they were novices when they first got in

Brian Harradine is another name of some merit, although I didn't always agree with some of his stuff

For all you criers of all things foul, did you know that OUR Constitution makes NO mention of Parties - just saying, the whole of Parliament is meant to be a group of local members getting stuff done

You are quite correct with those 3 amigo's being smart lining their pockets & sold out their constituents.

Ricky Muir will be judge on his performance soon enough whether he will be a worthy member of the senate, time will tell.

[Davehoos]

All interveiwers know how to get the best from a subject, Getting them to spill their guts. What I heard second hand was a JOKE.

I didn't get to see the interview because I live 75Km from a CBD so we get no free to air, and I cant watch TV on my NBN--maybe that's a good thing.
I did a search of the local news agencies and my yahoo 7 wasn't on the lists.

So far all I heard is Ms hanson positive comment-she being local.

Lets hope after june people start talking about the real issues of getting a better opposition.

[dirtyclevo]

first time in front of a camera for him, a face to face interview with a snake like mike willesee, on prime time national television.

i don't blame him for being like the way he is, mike willesee is a sneaky bastard, he was probably sitting there all smug and being a smart ***.

I understand what mark was trying to get across though.

this guy is a ******** as well, he thinks he's so powerful. everytime i see him on tv i want to punch his smug head in.



Channel 7's cowboy approach to news is getting a bit too intrusive and disrespectful.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

See, my take on this appears to be slightly different to everyone else's so far.

To me, Ricky appeared to be reciting learnt script. On a subject that should not need to have verbatim recitation of exact script, because he should live this stuff.

Sure, he froze, but not just because of the cameras, questioning, etc it was because he forgot his scripted lines.

And I am not naive enough to believe that politicians who have passion for a particular subject don't use a script, but surely, if you are actually passionate about a subject, if you forget the script, you can simply improvise and say what you want without it.

What worries me the most about all of this, is who is Ricky actually the puppet for? Who wrote the script for him, thereby effectively telling him what to say. Personally, I think this is what MW was trying to get out of the interview process that aired.

Craig H

Great observation and having watched it again I tend to agree. He gets completely mixed up and you see him searching for answers from the script in his head. When asked about the balance of power his answer in the end is blurted out as if it was a maths test.

Whilst I see some benifit of having "ordinary" people having a go at politics, there should be some minimum qualifications before one is able to run for office so we can weed out people like this. I can't be a doctor or a lawyer or even a mechanic without qualifications, yet a dip sh...it like this can hold a position of power in politics that could affect the fuure of this country.

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Great observation and having watched it again I tend to agree. He gets completely mixed up and you see him searching for answers from the script in his head. When asked about the balance of power his answer in the end is blurted out as if it was a maths test.

Whilst I see some benifit of having "ordinary" people having a go at politics, there should be some minimum qualifications before one is able to run for office so we can weed out people like this. I can't be a doctor or a lawyer or even a mechanic without qualifications, yet a dip sh...it like this can hold a position of power in politics that could affect the fuure of this country.

How would you apply qualifications to be able to talk crap, answer nothing directly and blame everybody but yourself?

I cover most of those now. Where do I sign up!

[Pugsley100]

Originally Posted by Grunter

How would you apply qualifications to be able to talk crap, answer nothing directly and blame everybody but yourself?

I cover most of those now. Where do I sign up!

If you want to be a pollie from a major party you need to memorise the daily talking points and when asked a question, you don't answer that question.
Instead you answer a completely different question. The one that you have rehearsed the answer for that relates to the daily talking points given to you on a sheet.

[karj]

Ricky Muir interview on ABC 7:30 tonight.

[Trevor 57]

I am starting to have doubts about this bloke, he needs to get his **** together, he is starting to look like a right dumb-dumb

[iCat]

damn, i missed it. as bad as the other interview?

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

I am starting to have doubts about this bloke, he needs to get his **** together, he is starting to look like a right dumb-dumb

Starting to?

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by iCat

damn, i missed it. as bad as the other interview?

they didn't interview him, he was still M.I.A., but they played footage of him from the other interview, they did some background stuff about the AMEP and how shonky they look, and they talked about the bloke behind the deal that got him elected

[iCat]

MIA huh? I wonder if he'll turn up one day, somewhere, I dunno, maybe the Moomba Parade or something?

[wookie836]

lol it seems you guys are basing ricky on being a dumb dumb based on what the media is showing you. do you realize what you were shown with the interview he had with mike was not the whole interview, it just focused on him getting hammered towards the end. didnt really touch on many other subjects. kinda staging the goal posts to get a certain reaction. but thats what people tune in for, fault finding in others.

its about time weve seen some more regular humans as politicians and not a bunch of the boys who read as if theyve been coached on every polished word to say. naturally as these are rickys first few times dealing with seasoned journalists and media his limited experience is going to be right out there for the world to see.

is politics just a popularity contest based on how good people look on the camera for the media for most of you or do you actually base your opinions on performance during their tenure? least well be able to see how well ricky does since hes taking seat next monday for the next few years in a totally new environment far from his country town life.

[johnydep]

Benjamin Franklin

“Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see.”

[cheap]

Another sign of Ricky's lack of judgement (lack of intelligence). I think motoring enthusiasts will get zero from Ricky, I predict Ricky will become a champion of the wacky far left advocating their minority-fringe causes. Hope he enjoys his 6 year gravy train, don't forget he received a whooping 17,122 or 0.51% of the vote.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...#ixzz36JASkzZr

Muir hires ex-pollie to help with legislation

Ricky Muir has hired a controversial former state politician to guide him through the mountain of legislation he will be forced to vote on from Monday.

Peter Breen, the maverick independent who had a short stint as a member of the Iemma Labor government in NSW, is working for the novice senator in his new Canberra office.

Senator Muir has also hired Sarah Mennie, a former political adviser to Nick Xenophon.

Mr Breen, a human rights and media defamation lawyer, entered the NSW upper house in 1999, representing the Reform the Legal System party before joining Labor from the crossbench in 2006.

Just 74 days later, then premier Morris Iemma dumped him from Labor after a media storm erupted over comments Mr Breen had made in a book he was writing about feeling a compassionate ''form of love'' for one of the three killers convicted of the rape and murder of Cronulla bank teller Janine Balding.

Mr Breen has fought for years to overturn the life without parole sentences for the killers - one as young as 14 years old - who were locked up in 1990 and remain behind bars.

During his time in Parliament, Mr Breen also protested the innocence of Phuong Ngo, the man convicted of murdering state MP John Newman.

He was instrumental in the formation of the NSW Legislation Review Committee, which monitors human rights.

On Tuesday, Mr Breen told Fairfax Media: ''I will be doing everything from navigating legislation to manning the front desk.''

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by cheap

Another sign of Ricky's lack of judgement (lack of intelligence). I think motoring enthusiasts will get zero from Ricky, I predict Ricky will become a champion of the wacky far left advocating their minority-fringe causes. Hope he enjoys his 6 year gravy train, don't forget he received a whooping 17,122 or 0.51% of the vote.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...#ixzz36JASkzZr

Muir hires ex-pollie to help with legislation

Ricky Muir has hired a controversial former state politician to guide him through the mountain of legislation he will be forced to vote on from Monday.

Peter Breen, the maverick independent who had a short stint as a member of the Iemma Labor government in NSW, is working for the novice senator in his new Canberra office.

Senator Muir has also hired Sarah Mennie, a former political adviser to Nick Xenophon.

Mr Breen, a human rights and media defamation lawyer, entered the NSW upper house in 1999, representing the Reform the Legal System party before joining Labor from the crossbench in 2006.

Just 74 days later, then premier Morris Iemma dumped him from Labor after a media storm erupted over comments Mr Breen had made in a book he was writing about feeling a compassionate ''form of love'' for one of the three killers convicted of the rape and murder of Cronulla bank teller Janine Balding.

Mr Breen has fought for years to overturn the life without parole sentences for the killers - one as young as 14 years old - who were locked up in 1990 and remain behind bars.

During his time in Parliament, Mr Breen also protested the innocence of Phuong Ngo, the man convicted of murdering state MP John Newman.

He was instrumental in the formation of the NSW Legislation Review Committee, which monitors human rights.

On Tuesday, Mr Breen told Fairfax Media: ''I will be doing everything from navigating legislation to manning the front desk.''

Do you really think he had any say in the matter at all....I'm guessing he had no choice in the matter.

There will probably be very few matters other than his lunch order that Ricky will have a choice in.

[pottery beige]

lolsa

[cheap]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Do you really think he had any say in the matter at all....I'm guessing he had no choice in the matter.

There will probably be very few matters other than his lunch order that Ricky will have a choice in.

I see your point, his biggest and most complex self decisions would have been to sort out the hardwood offcuts from the sawdust, or am I giving him too much credit?

[russellw]

Personally, it's a perfect reflection of how sad the political system has become - and how far removed from the principles that created it.

The basic tenet of our democracy (and others like it) is ordinary people (well originally ordinary men) elected to represent the interests of the community. It worked too during the early years; smaller electorates allowed some opportunity to know your representative and while they largely came from the so-called ruling classes in the UK; both the US and Australia elected a much broader range of the social spectrum.

Time, remoteness, growth, the party machine, apathy and the desire for power all contributed to the position we have now where our politicians generally come from -

- the machinations of the party machine (whichever it is);
- certain over-represented occupational groups;
- certain educational institutions; and
- are reliant on funding from those with a desire for influence.

That we are sitting here belittling an ordinary man for not rising above his background says far more about what we have been led to believe a politician should be than it does about him or, indeed, his capabilities.

I've lived long enough to have seen some truly inspirational stuff from our past politicians back before they all had to be groomed to the point where they lost any capacity they might have had to relate to the needs of ordinary folk. I've also seen some of those make some huge blunders before media, in parliament and even in their own lives but most of them also were in that arena because they wanted to (and believed they could) make a difference.

If Muir truly believes that then he has my support.

I suspect a percentage of the current ones were motivated by the same altruistic motives but once the machine got hold of them they were doomed to a life of meaningless drivel (their own and each others); in-fighting within their own party; scrabbling their way up the greasy pole and the general disdain the community have for their role - not without justification.

Some of you would do well to go and read early speeches made by some of our greatest political leaders (Deakin, Fisher, Hughes, Lyons, Menzies, Chiffley, Gorton, McMahon and Whitlam to name a few) and most of those had the benefit of not facing 'live' media interviews on TV.

It also wouldn't hurt to understand where some of them came from to put that in context - looking at PM's only:

Chris Watson (3rd PM) - Chilean born migrant, worked on the rail-road before becoming a compositor, unionist and politician.

George Reid (4th PM) - the fifth of seven children his father was a Presbyterian minister and he started work as a clerk in a counting house and eventuality became a public servant before entering politics.

Andrew Fisher (5th PM) - one of eight children he started work at ten in the Scottish mines before becoming a union leader and migrating to Australia to work in the mines.

Joseph Cook (6th PM) - born in England, at the age of nine he started work in the mines as a pit boy and then a railway worker before migrating to Australia.

William Hughes (7th PM) - born in England, the son of a carpenter, his mother died when he was six. After migrating to Australia he worked in the bush and as a galley-hand on a coastal steamer before opening a mixed shop in his house where he did odd jobs, including umbrella-mending and his de-facto wife took in washing.

James Scullin (9th PM) - the fifth of nine children of Irish immigrants, he left school at fourteen and worked first in a grocer’s, then, during the depression years, at any job he could find in mines and on farms. He eventually found a job managing a small grocery store before entering politics.

Joseph Lyons (10th PM) - one of eight children to Irish immigrants, he grew up in poverty and at age nine was working at odd jobs before becoming a teacher and working his way into politics.

.. there are plenty more examples for those who wish to study some history but, for the most part, our early leaders and their peers were, by definition, quote ordinary folk with only the odd one (Barton, Deakin and Bruce spring to mind) coming from either more privileged or more academic backgrounds.

Some of those were great orators with sharp wits who would likely have shredded a Willesee if one had existed in those days but others were terrible at both and well known for it.

But that was then and this is now and obviously, from what I have read in this thread, there is no longer room for those from 'ordinary' backgrounds in the Australian political landscape unless they are politically and media savvy.

Sad day frankly when we 'ordinary folks' have been brainwashed into mistaking polish / presentation for sincerity which goes to prove the old adage -

You can fool some of the people, some of the time however you can't fool all of the people, all of the time but if you can convincingly fake sincerity then you have it made.

Russ

[cheap]

Originally Posted by russellw

Personally...
[/I]Russ

Yes it is easy to belittle Ricky and the reason is because quite frankly he is dumb (there is no nicer way to put it). There is no point in comparing Ricky to the other political people, for a start the people you quoted wanted to succeed and made it their life mission. People can respect these people, however Ricky is not one of these people.

Instead Ricky's claim to fame is to be the dumb-*** who lucked in by placing his name to an obscure political party and then being the lowest common denominator of an inversely awarded voting system. He is the political equivalent of a bogan winning powerball, an accident of our hopeless political system (and that is me being as kind as possible to him). Sadly I can see similarities between The Marx Brothers and Ricky too...

[Wretched]

I have no issues with any normal working person entering politics, I think it can be a great thing to bring in fresh ideas from various perspectives.
The issues I have with it are people entering in for the wrong reasons (thinking it is a joke).

Now Ricky is just your typical average joe but that is no excuse for being under prepared for the job. He is going to be in a role that determines the direction this country takes.

I hope I am wrong about him, that prior to July 1 he was, after his day job reading up on his new role, the issues, the policies, where he stands on each and how the politics works. I hope in his spare time he was concentrating on improving his interpersonal skills, debating skills, etc.
If he couldn't take the time to be prepared for it then he'll suffer greatly and hopefully come next election people will learn from it.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by russellw

Personally, it's a perfect reflection of how sad the political system has become - and how far removed from the principles that created it.

The basic tenet of our democracy (and others like it) is ordinary people (well originally ordinary men) elected to represent the interests of the community. It worked too during the early years; smaller electorates allowed some opportunity to know your representative and while they largely came from the so-called ruling classes in the UK; both the US and Australia elected a much broader range of the social spectrum.

This is the problem though mate. How many people ACTUALLY voted for Ricky Muir?

Yes you provide some working class examples of PMs. Do you think Ricky is worthy of becoming a PM? Just because you worked in the mines or a saw mill or you are one of eight children, does not make you incapable of being in politics or rising to the top in politics. But not being able to articulate yourself or answer a simple question may pose a problem.

[Iggle Piggle]

I guess one aspect of modern politics he excels at is slinging **** at the opposition.

[jpblue1000]

For better or for worse he stood up was counted and won. Many here ***** and moan, But he got of his *** and now has a chance to address the issues he believed needed addressing.
In order to win first you must play. bitching on the internet is not playing.

He couldn't be much more embarrassing then Mr canadia! and Mr Suppository.


JP

[russellw]

Originally Posted by Stefan

This is the problem though mate. How many people ACTUALLY voted for Ricky Muir?

How many people actually voted for him is irrelevant. If you need proof of that look at the American electoral system where several Presidents have achieved well less than a simple majority. The simple fact is that he put his hat in the ring and thanks to the vagaries of a flawed system, he won.

Originally Posted by Stefan

Yes you provide some working class examples of PMs. Do you think Ricky is worthy of becoming a PM? Just because you worked in the mines or a saw mill or you are one of eight children, does not make you incapable of being in politics or rising to the top in politics. But not being able to articulate yourself or answer a simple question may pose a problem.

Muir will almost certainly not rise to the top any more than the hundreds of others who have warmed chairs in our various tiers of Government ever have - and my point was less about working class examples but instead the 'ordinary' men who believed they could make a difference without the advantages of eloquence or political awareness. Indeed the absence of the latter was almost certainly a factor in the success of a couple of those I named.

Originally Posted by Wretched

The issues I have with it are people entering in for the wrong reasons (thinking it is a joke).

A sentiment with which I'd agree but there is no suggestion here that his motives for entering politics were such or, indeed, that there was anything wrong with those motives at all. Being unprepared is stupid but it isn't an aspersion on his character.

I suspect there are a lot of people who look at this (or indeed many other) occupations with a view of "how hard can it be" and if Muir was one of those then he has had his first (and probably not last) lesson in just how hard it can be.

Cheers
Russ

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by cheap

Yes it is easy to belittle Ricky and the reason is because quite frankly he is dumb (there is no nicer way to put it). There is no point in comparing Ricky to the other political people, for a start the people you quoted wanted to succeed and made it their life mission. People can respect these people, however Ricky is not one of these people.

Instead Ricky's claim to fame is to be the dumb-*** who lucked in by placing his name to an obscure political party and then being the lowest common denominator of an inversely awarded voting system. He is the political equivalent of a bogan winning powerball, an accident of our hopeless political system (and that is me being as kind as possible to him). Sadly I can see similarities between The Marx Brothers and Ricky too...

You make a good leader for any lynch mob, no doubt at all.

[MrMaestro]

Originally Posted by cheap

I think motoring enthusiasts will get zero from Ricky, I predict Ricky will become a champion of the wacky far left advocating their minority-fringe causes.

The AMEP website says they believe in, among other things:

• smaller government
• a sense of family
• lower taxation
• society's responsibility to the disadvantaged
• the best possible education regardless of wealth

So I'd put them at the wacky-right but with a few left ideals thrown in just to keep everyone on their toes.

Overall I think they're just plain wacky, really.