Grapeviney

I also spoke to Roos. He said "Relax, we've got this..."

Please don't post rumours, gossip and innuendo - especially when you don't know the laws of defamation. All such posts will be removed.

I think the long-term targets and some of the blueprint exists already through the Closing the Gap framework, and there is bipartisanship around that (in spite of the little dust-up discussed further up in the thread). I reckon one of the main problems is that we are probably looking for one-size-fits-all solutions when the evidence probably shows that different programs and strategies don't always have the same outcomes in different communities. Part of the answer must lie in empowering indigenous communities to be involved in the discussion, development and implementation of solutions. The fact that more than 70 per cent of the funding grants announced last week under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy went to non-Indigenous organisations suggests that this isn't really happening at the moment.

and how/e

I live a few tram stops away dc and the parking all around st kilda is shite, with inspectors always out on the weekends. If you can get on a train I'd go to Balaclava station and then you can just tram up the road. There is parking on the beach side of Luna Park but not a lot and it's busy on a normal Sunday, let alone with the GP on.

I don't deny these are difficult issues dc with seemingly no solutions in sight. But governments fund plenty of essential services in non-Indigenous communities that are inefficient and costly, such as ambulance paramedics who need to be situated within call of dozens of disparate towns, the CFA etc. I don't bring any ideological baggage to this discussion, and readily concede that Labor has failed in this area as much as the Coalition has, over many years as you rightly point out. But Abbott is fair game on this front. He said he'd be the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs, but all he has done in 18 months is spend one week in an Indigenous community, and a fair chunk of that was spent dealing with national security issues (not his fault). There have also been funding cuts, which have impacted on legal aid services, for example. Given that we're not getting the right outcomes, there's definitely a case for better directed funding, or even funding reductions if particular programs are not working. But the current Government hasn't come up with an alternative strategy - all they've got is a slogan about "getting kids to school, getting parents to work, and keeping communities safe".

Agree with your post Choke except for the first line. I reckon it was more likely a case of foot-in-mouth by the PM than a well-thought out comment.

There's even a poster of him in today's Herald Sun, so yes, it's 11th March and our season has peaked.

So, living on country is a "lifestyle choice" for the First Australians, according to the PM for Indigenous Affairs. Makes it sound like they've moved to Noosa for a sea-change. We're talking about people who have a connection to country stretching back tens of thousands of years. This comes as WA continues with plans to close many remote communities, forcing Aborigines to leave their traditional homelands. Many non-Indigenous remote communities and smaller country towns are struggling - can you imagine if the Government came out and said it was shutting down Kyabram, or Kyneton.

So, car industry subsidies are back! Sort of. Maybe. Well, a little bit. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/this-is-an-own-goal-ian-macfarlane-accused-of-bungling-car-industry-assistance-announcement-20150310-13zto3.html By my count, this is episode #72 of Abbott's 'Barnacle Removal Bloopers' series.

from the Daily Telegraph in London

I really thought that sentence was going to finish with you offering up a spot on your couch, Clucka. So, can we?

I guess he feels a bit like a batsman who can't get runs - the pressure increases with each innings that you don't post a big score. He (and we) know that he hasn't set the world on fire, but it sounds like this confidence thing could be a problem for him. I hope the club is working with him on it if that is the case. Then again, one or two games where he really gets his hands on the footy would probably work wonders.. I'd be surprised if he's letting social media get to him. Professional footballers need to be way beyond that.

A 3-goal defeat in the heat against quality opposition, no injuries, and plenty of positive indications from Hoges, HL, Frost, Newton and Vandenberg. Thumbs up from me.

They can't have been too numerous - he finished 6th in the b&f

This is a disgrace - Kiss belong at VFL Park, not the 'G !!

Spoke to the Bentleigh Club yesterday mdemonski2 and they are not showing it in the big room upstairs where MFC games are usually broadcast. Said it will be on in the Members Bar, which has big screens but will also be showing the racing no doubt.

Anyone else listening to the ABC broadcast and the excellent commentary from a female commentator? Anyone know who it is? British accent, so I'm guessing it might be Alison Mitchell from the BBC? Whoever it is sounds a natural. Edit: Nope, it's Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebony-Jewel_Rainford-Brent

Fox Footy @ 7pm

Hey leuco - McQueen who is also at training has started a separate thread here http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/37988-training-wednesday-4th-march-fremantle-oval/#entry1054766

From Titus this week "Hey Jimmy, you should change your name too. How about Ollie Wines?!"

No-one said anything about channel 9 broadcasting into India (although pay TV there does show our domestic season via ch9 on Star Sports). The ICC could have structured the broadcasting rights deal however which way it wanted, separating the international deal from the local one here. It's not like the pay tv audience here is substantial - it's the market on the sub-continent that really matters. Anyway, that was a ripping finish with some great bowling from Starc. At the start of the day you would never have guessed that the two teams combined wouldn't be able to get 300 runs between them.

Love him, and check his Twitter account every day without fail. Some recent gems: "The NRL has taken over the administration of the Titans from the cartel that is currently in control of it." "The NRL is worried that this latest scandal will leave its reputation unchanged." "The rules of the BBL state that the batting side can request the last 10 overs are played as a Fast4 tennis match." "Many people forget that the Big Bash League started life as a complicated set of legal arrangements to avoid paying the mining tax." "Match Fact: Don Bradman still holds the highest T20 score at Etihad Stadium while the roof is closed with 213 n.o"

Unless you want to broadcast it to the entire football community- and I can't see why you would unless you're trying to put a rocket up a player like Ross Lyon is doing with Col - then it's best to say nothing and work on the issue in-house. This isn't a criticism of HP for posting it, but once it's on the interwebs, you might as well put it in the newspaper.

I don't like the idea of club officials passing on this kind of information to people outside the FD or the club, even if it is to supporters. Can't see any benefit to it, but plenty of potential downside.