Australia is in no position to criticise Saudi Arabia

As another week of political flubs comes to a close, the debate was taking place in the Crikey comments sections. Readers were quick to point out that Australia isn’t in a great position to scrutinise the moral failings of the Saudi government, which Bernard Keane had called into question. Meanwhile, there was an expected push-back against the idea of Barnaby Joyce returning to the spotlight, agreeing with Keane that it would be an insult to voters.

On Australia’s continued relationship with Saudi Arabia. 

zut alors writes: Saudi Arabia has magnanimously overlooked Australia’s current human rights violations so we appear to be compatible bedfellows. However, it’s unlikely there will be any more disappearances for the foreseeable future; the Saudis will play a cautious game in the hope the West forgets. If they get away with Khashoggi’s death it will then be back to business as usual.

Rais writes: We trade with China despite its alleged thousands of executions every year and its interning now of minorities in the millions. We trade with Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines, we trade with a big power we call our great ally despite its police regularly shooting dead unarmed citizens and its armed forces running rampant across a number of countries. Unpleasant as it may be, we have to trade with countries whose governments do some bad things, unlike ours which would never send troops and planes where they serve no good purpose, would never condemn people who have broken no law to island hell holes… Oh, wait…

On the possible return of Barnaby Joyce

thelorikeet writes: The old saw: if the answer is “Barnaby”, what was the question? I have some thoughts (like “how can we damage this government even more” or “what will make on-farm temporary employment even harder”) but truly, ego and sexual energy aside, who could imagine? Who could imagine a question meaningfully and positively answered “Barnaby Joyce”?

Therabidhamster writes: I want to see the dream team… Morrison and Joyce. One cant keep his mouth shut and the other can keep his duds on.

Marcus Hicks writes: The revelation of Barnaby Joyce’s extra-marital relationship was in the national interests for three important reasons: 1. it revealed his deep hypocrisy in relation to the “sanctity of marriage”; 2. there is still the unresolved matter of why his girlfriend got several plum jobs working for senior Nats, that she never had to apply for, and; 3. the matter of his excessive claims for entitlements whilst staying in Canberra whilst he was conducting his affair, even if the pissweak “Entitlement Board” were happy to take Joyce at his word.