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Julie Bishop lives in the parallel reality where the politically correct thing to do is to cravenly follow the dictates of her masters.

Edward Snowden, on the other hand, disclosed the degree the degree of surveillance that supposedly liberal democracies carry out against their own citizens, which, at least in jurisdictions where there is some sense of privacy, are in all probability, illegal.

The Gonski Review:

* Was the most comprehensive review of the Australian education system in 40 years.
* Developed over 5 years.
* Consisted of a bipartisan panel of 5 experts, 3 of whom hold the Order of Australia and another the Australia Medal.
* Received over 7000 submissions, visited 39 schools and consulted 71 education groups.

The Pyne Review:

5265617 and Chistopher Pyne would like our kids to spend more time learning about Gallipoli and Western (ie British) culture. With that in mind I'd like to suggest the Diary of Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, a British war correspondent at Gallipoli.

Upon arrival at Christmas Is asylum seekers, usually still covered in shit, piss and vomit after their time at sea, are lined up and all prosthetic limbs, hearing aids and glasses are confiscated and destroyed. They are not replaced. Women in detention are denied sanitary products.

Nothing breaks my heart more than hearing a billionaire say they feel ostracised from society.

With little more to live on than a billion dollar fortune, unfettered access to the best food, medicine and services available on the planet, a political party devoted to cutting his taxes and reducing his employees' wages and a global media empire committed to defending his interests and preserving his privileged status Ken Langone has now had to endure the indignity of listening to Pope Francis talk about the plight of poor people.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has described conditions in mining camps as being worse than those at the Nauru immigration detention centre.

Ms Bishop's comments follow a damning UNHCR report last month, which called on the Australian Government to stop sending asylum-seeker children to the detention centres, singling out the Nauru centre in particular, saying it is rat-infested, cramped and very hot.

This followed an Amnesty International report which described conditions in the detention centres as "cruel, inhuman, degrading and violating prohibitions against torture."

Asylum seekers detained on Manus Island experience temperatures around 35 degrees and extreme humidity. Water is rationed to 500 ml per person per day. Amnesty International has described this treatment as tantamount to torture.

"Comfortably adequate"
- Warren Truss, Acting Prime Minister Dec 9 - Dec 11, 2013.

The Who the Fuck is Warren Truss foundation is proud to have witnessed history in the making. Just 2 days ago the kid from Kingaroy rose from complete obscurity to the lofty office of acting prime minister.

With the safe return of Tony Abbott to our shores (Scott Morrison permitting), Warren has now returned to complete obscurity but he leaves behind a legacy few other acting prime ministers could, or would, hope to achieve.

Federal Environment minister Greg Hunt today approved 3 million cubic metres of dredging and dumping in the Great Barrier Reef. This follows yesterday's decision by the Abbott government to increase the quota for old growth logging by 35% (against the recommendations of scientists who advised a 10% reduction).

"By and by there was a result, and I think it may be called the finest thing in Australasian history. It was a revolution, small in size, but great politically. It was a strike for liberty, a struggle for principle, a stand against injustice and oppression."
- Mark Twain

Today is the 159th anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion, an event which directly led to the introduction of universal male suffrage in Victoria, kick-starting the growth of democracy in the Australian colonies and later the Australian Federation.