This is why we can’t have nice things
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is going to ‘hang-out’ with some people online, who will ask her three questions which she will pretend to answer in a meaningful way. The questions will be chosen by popular vote on OurSay.
Here’s the leaderboard as it currently stands:
What an embarrassment. The only good question here is the second one, but it’s still poorly worded and nearly crosses a line. The third trips over that line, overloaded with weasel language and so I can’t bring myself to support it (the only reason it made it to the #3 spot is that PZ and friends jumped in, and that fact alone gives her an out, since so many of the votes came from outside Australia).
UPDATE: Her answer to the [crummy] chaplains in schools issue at 51 minutes in:
The trouble here is that questions 2 and three are phrased as loaded questions (“when did you stop beating your wife”) rather than that bad questions as such. They could be easily rephrased to be sensible:
Q1: What is the governments estimate of the effect of the Carbon Tax on global temperature averages assuming
a) Most of the world’s emission-producing economies implement a similar scheme in the near future, OR
b) Only Australia implements a tax
A1a: A widespread carbon tax is estimated to reduce emissions worldwide by n tons/year [citation], which is estimated on current models to affect average temparatures by x degress [citation]
A1b: bupkus
Q2: Please outline the reasons for your opposition to gay marriage legislation?
A2: I opposed it because I believed it would lose me votes in socially conservative working class electorates. I now can’t change my position without worsening by already bad reputation for promise-breaking.
Q3: Do you believe it is appropriate for the Government to fund explicitly religious, as opposed to secular pastoral care in state schools. If so, why?
A3: ???
My favourite quote on the gay marriage question: Just because you don’t want to marry your gay boyfriend doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to marry mine.” – Brendan Maclean
Vote AndrewR for Prime Minister!
Ps until he takes power I’m not coming back, thanks for depressing me Mark ;-)
Wow Andrew, my mental answers to the same questions were something like, dunno, too hard, dunno :)
And nice quote!
I added my own: http://is.gd/lNexi5