Finding support

It was a short and sharp bid for Liberal pre-selection in the South East federal seat of Barker for Katherine McBride – a nurse who is married to state Liberal MP Nick McBride.

Liberal party members delivered a firm “no” to the newcomer, the tally showing McBride only managed 58 votes compared to sitting member Tony Pasin’s 284.

It was the first time Pasin has been challenged for the safe Liberal seat since 2013 – and it was also a time for two state mayors to wave their political colours.

Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin penned a letter of support for Pasin, while Berri Barmera Council Mayor Ella Winnall – now also a state Liberal Party vice president – praised Pasin after the win.

Interestingly, Pasin sent out a media release in 2021 sending his own congratulations to Winnall for winning a spot on the national Horizons Leadership Program “designed for people working in regional councils to develop strategies to boost the benefits from international trade, investment and tourism”.

“Ms Winnall was recognised for the high quality of her work connecting local communities with the rest of the world,” he said.

Pasin declared himself “humbled and honoured to have been pre-selected” to compete for a fifth term in the seat of Barker at the next election … in 2025.

McBride denies jumping ship rumours

Meanwhile, Nick McBride, MacKillop MP and husband of defeated Barker pre-selection candidate Katherine McBride, addressed swirling rumours about him “doing a deal with the Labor Party” in light of the result.

“I remain committed to the South Australian Liberal Party,” he said in a statement to InDaily, adding that it was disappointing that “false rumours have been circulated to media about my future with the party”.

“I have not, and will not, do a deal with the Labor Party to join their Cabinet,” he said.

“The people of MacKillop elected a Liberal MP and I will continue to represent them as long as they believe I am fit to do so.”

McBride said the Liberal Party and leader David Speirs had his full support and “my priority is continuing to be a strong advocate for my electorate and holding the Malinauskas Labor Government to account”.

Australia hands in deputy sheriff’s star for bosun whistle

Christopher Pyne told an American Chamber of Commerce in Australia lunch gathering this week that the latest Defence Review should be seen more from an American context that a local one, with the United States waking up to the fact that if the Coral Sea is blockaded, its loyal Down Under ally wouldn’t be of much use.

The former defence minister told a packed house at the AmCham “Mission Critical” lunch that the Americans now see Australia as a “stationary aircraft carrier” that’s far enough away from the danger of northern aggression to defend itself.

In 1982 the sun set on the last of Australia’s aircraft carriers, HMAS Melbourne. Photo: Royal Australian Navy

Being called a big lug of floating steel that’s hard to turn around is an accurate description of a nation that now has more Stars and Stripes stationed on it than any time since WWII, but won’t be a favourite of political cartoonists since it’s harder to depict than the old moniker of “Deputy Sherriff”. But his point was that the Pentagon has taken notice and all defence industry decisions should be seen in this light.

The lunch, held on the same day US President Joe Biden cancelled his trip to Australia, also featured Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, who joked that he first had to obtain a visa from Pyne to enter South Australia and then launched into a story about Geelong. If the vocal protestors who had blocked the entrance to the lunch had known, they may have howled more about the obviously re-hashed speech than the nuclear weapons they seemed concerned were being conceived inside.

Is he back?

It was serious double-take time whilst trawling through the posts on federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton’s Facebook site this week.

The presenter of a video from several weeks back espousing the virtues of all things nuclear has an uncanny resemblance to Dutton’s old boss and former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

At second glance, The InSider realised it is the Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien but we’re still disappointed no ukuleles made it into the final cut.

Early morning UFO sighting at metro beaches

Dog walkers and early dippers along Henley Beach were left wondering as a long tail of light made its way west to southeast across the still-dark sky just after 6:00 am.

Theories ranged from gigantic UFOs to a satellite chain launched by Starlink, which was reportedly visible at that exact time.

But the most likely answer came from the experts at Adelaide Airport. They saw it too and used all that tech they have to determine it was a large aircraft’s vapour trail shining in the just-rising sun. At 30,000 feet and with the sky still dark, the plane creating the contrail spectacle was not visible. Always a shame when science gets in the way of a good story.

South Aussie’s best advice for a sky-high career

Leading Australian Industrial Designer and University of South Australia graduate, David Caon, took to the stage this week to address the university’s Creative department.

The born-and-bred South Australian who now lives in Sydney after an international career has made a name for himself and his Caon Design Office studio through the design of Qantas plane interiors, most recently the aircraft interiors and user experience for the Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Dreamliner Premium Economy Seat for Qantas Airways by Caon Design Office. To date, two versions of the seat have been manufactured and it is currently flying on Qantas’ 787 Dreamliners and A380 SuperJumbos.

With his mum, dad and son in the audience, Caon was asked if he had any mantras he followed for success. The design crowd was probably hoping for a tidbit from world-renowned industrial designer Marc Newson, who Caon once worked for, but instead got the most Aussie of phrases from the most Aussie of designers.

“Ride the wave,” is what his dad told him every time he called from Europe as a young bloke with a problem. And that’s what he has done, going with the ebbs and flows of the design world, always saying yes to challenges, and ending up back on our shores designing for an icon.

The Pub Test

Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

With the latest proposed changes to South Australian vaping laws making news, The Insider hit its locals to discover the current vibe around vaping and if the proposal to ban vaping in a variety of public settings, including near schools, shopping centres, buildings and sporting grounds, will deter them from a chuff.

“I actually agree with the Government banning public vaping”, said Karen, a 49-year-old Australia Post employee on her lunch break who enjoys vaping.

“I think that’s fair enough, people who don’t vape aren’t wanting to breathe in other people’s vape fumes, no matter how good they might smell.

“I don’t plan to quit vaping as these laws come into action, they don’t actually affect the vape I use, if you get what I’m saying.”

Karen’s thinking didn’t sit well with 20-year-old chemistry student Jordyn, who questioned the reasoning while at the Exeter Hotel on her way back home from uni.

“I don’t think vaping in public places is that big of a deal,” she said. “I understand with smoking cigarettes because there is the risk of second-hand smoke, and the smell that hangs around, but you don’t really get that with vaping.”

But she did think it’s a travesty seeing many young people vape as they struggle with the addiction.

“I think it’s a shame to see so many young kids vaping. More young people than ever are struggling with addiction now because of it,” she said, adding that she hope the external pressure from the government will help her give up vaping for good.

Ashley, a 25 -year-old waiter enjoying a beer at the Stag wondered if the proposed changes would mean that it would make it harder on those who have turned to the flavoured sticks to suppress prior addictions.

“I don’t really know how I feel about those restrictions,” the social vaper said.

“Like, I do for sure believe it’ll help younger people stay away from vapes, hopefully at least, but I also know a few people who only vape as a substitute for traditional cigarettes.”

Stuff you should know…

It’s World Metrology Day and two organisations you’ve probably never heard of are pretty excited.

The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), together with the National Measurement Institute (NMI) have released a campaign demonstrating “Why a second matters”, and highlight that they just got $63.9 million in the Federal Budget to “continue operations essential for the economy and to reform Australia’s measurement legislation”.

Dr Michael Wouters, Leader, Standards in Time and Frequency at National Measurement Institute – one of only three time and frequency specialists in Australia – rightly points out the importance of a second as “the definitive unit of time”.

“It’s a feature of modern technological society that we need to start keeping time much more accurately and precisely,” he said.

“For mobile phone calls on the move, you need very good synchronisation between the base stations, so your call isn’t dropped when it’s handed over. For that to work properly, you have to have those base stations synchronised to a millionth of a second.”