Labor should view the Member for Fremantle’s speech

A deep sense of discomfort. Among the welter of speeches on the dreadful boat people laws there is one that stamps the maker as truly an Honourable Member. Melissa Parke, the Labor Member for Fremantle:

Her Labor ministerial colleagues should listen to it and feel not her “deep sense of discomfort” but absolutely ashamed.

And the winner is … Melbourne!

Editorial note: Sydney readers please note that this item was selected by a fair and impartial resident of Canberra not by a Melbourne-centric Crikey team member.

A smoker’s lament. My congratulations go to the photographer who managed this illustration for Granny Herald. In these days of cigarettes artificially doctored on governmental direction to go out when not puffed incessantly it was a mighty achievement.

Don’t let a story spoil a good editorial headline. From an optimistic page one report in The Oz:

And so to the editorial:

Blinkers are wonderful things.

Sexual harassment in India. The Peter Slipper soap opera meanders on but things would be different in India. The Times of India reports:

Some news and views noted along the way.

• Wen Jiabao warns China’s growth is under pressure.
• Everybody always thinks inflation is higher than it really is.
• Why do we sneeze? — resetting the system — like Control-Alt-Delete.
• Israel planning to slap special tax on junk food to curb ballooning obesity.
• Elvis Presley fans flock to Graceland to mark 35th anniversary of death.
• Meet singer Daria Musk and the low-carbon Google+ concert of the future.