Good news! Claire Fenwicke is back, meaning Murtagh's evil reign has come to an end.

And just in the nick of time.

This week, the owl's talk about where to next for voluntary assisted dying now that it's been passed, which inevitably brings us to slippery slopes. And all was going well until Murtagh decided to mention Zed (you remember him?)

Murtagh's argument is basically that if you think a law is immoral, as Zed and Kevin Andrews did when VAD was first proposed in the territories, then it's your duty to stop it. That's what you'd do, right? And don't we want politicians to do what they think is right, not expedient or in their self-interest?

Maybe, but Murtagh knows he is - again - in the minority and won't be winning many (or any) friends in the Territory, although Edmund Burke might be smiling.

Then attention is turned to the gold-plated speechwriter in the office of Bill Shorten. Once you get past the astronomical salary ($310,000 a year, thank you very much), does it give clues to the problem the government will have in its efforts to cut contractor costs? If it has to pay more than double APS rates to get a pen for hire, how are they going to get IT specialists?

And finally ... we go to Kambah! The biggest suburb in the southern hemisphere (if you don't count the bigger ones).

Good news! Claire Fenwicke is back, meaning Murtagh's evil reign has come to an end.
And just in the nick of time.
This week, the owl's talk about where to next for <a href="https://the-riotact.com/voluntary-assisted-dying-legalised-in-act-after-30-year-battle/776145">voluntary assisted dying</a> now that it's been passed, which inevitably brings us to slippery slopes. And all was going well until Murtagh decided to mention Zed (you remember him?)
Murtagh's argument is basically that if you think a law is immoral, as Zed and Kevin Andrews did when VAD was first proposed in the territories, then it's your duty to stop it. That's what you'd do, right? And don't we want politicians to do what they think is right, not expedient or in their self-interest?
Maybe, but Murtagh knows he is - again - in the minority and won't be winning many (or any) friends in the Territory, although Edmund Burke might be smiling.
Then attention is turned to the <a href="https://the-riotact.com/shorten-says-he-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-300000-a-year-speechwriter-contract/776151">gold-plated speechwriter in the office of Bill Shorten</a>. Once you get past the astronomical salary ($310,000 a year, thank you very much), does it give clues to the problem the government will have in its efforts to cut contractor costs? If it has to pay more than double APS rates to get a pen for hire, how are they going to get IT specialists?
And finally ... <a href="https://the-riotact.com/happy-birthday-kambah-heres-to-the-biggest-suburb-in-the-southern-hemisphere/775293">we go to Kambah!</a> The biggest suburb in the southern hemisphere (if you don't count the bigger ones).

The Hoot brings you news, views and big ideas from Canberra's Region Media. Join Claire Fenwicke and David Murtagh for insights, expertise and a bit of fun each week.

The Hoot brings you news, views and big ideas from Canberra's Region Media. Join Claire Fenwicke and David Murtagh for insights, expertise and a bit of fun each week.

Join Genevieve Jacobs and Ross Solly for the week's news, views and big ideas from Canberra

The Hoot

Join Claire Fenwicke and David Murtagh as they deep dive the week's biggest topic or two. And if you're lucky, there'll even be some maths. It's news and views, but not as you expected. 

Join Claire Fenwicke and David Murtagh as they deep dive the week's biggest topic or two. And if you're lucky, there'll even be some maths. It's news and views, but not as you expected.

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