Media Watch XVI

We all know just how manipulative, dishonest, sensationalist, gutless, unfair and unbalanced is the media in this country? If, like me, you believe they need to be held accountable for the gross display of injustice they push down the throats of the Australian public then this is the thread in which to voice your opinion.

I intend to keep the Media Watch threads open indefinitely. If anyone sees an example of their lies in action then we’d like to learn about it. We will document everything we can and spread the message as far as we can.

The truth will win in the end.

The Media Watch pages are archived after 400 comments (or thereabouts), as beyond that they can be slow to open if accessed by some mobile phones.

Here is the link to the previous Media Watch discussion:

Media Watch XV

372 comments on “Media Watch XVI”

  1. Media Watch XV was close to reaching 400 comments so I’ve hence started Media Watch XVI. By all means, feel free to add to number XV if you wish – there is stuill room for more comments – and I’ve linked to it above.

    Number 16, however, is ready for take-off. 🙂

  3. The Australian National University School of Economics used to boast that their academic standard was so high that one third of the students would fail the course. They used to say “Look right, look left one of you will not be here next term”

    Someone pointed out that perhaps the reason one third failed was the quality of their teaching and not the quality of the students.

    …and so I note the first of many stories on a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister, written by who else but Michelle Grattan.

    http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/leadership-talk-rumbles-in-capital-20120501-1xx59.html

    Well maybe it’s not the quality of leadership of this country but the quality of the journalism.

    Michelle, look right, look left one of you won’t be there soon.

  4. Its not journalism at fault in the demise of Labor, its Julia’s misguided beliefs.

    There is a feeling within the electorate that she is making shit up to suit her own political ideals and not that of Labor voters.

    You may wish to continue blaming hate media for destroying Labor, but in reality it was all her doing.

    This editorial in the Oz illustrates the absurdity of her position…there is no class warfare and any attempt to create it will lead to failure.

    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/politics-of-envy-threatens-our-economy-and-ethos/story-e6frg71x-1226344092710

  6. Yes and according to Can Do Cambell (current Premier of Queensland) Gillard is also responsible for the outbreak of shootings in that state (maybe even in NSW).
    The PM sure is busy, what with all the other policy stuff the government is doing.

  7. El gordo, you have again missed the point. The point is fair and balanced, and there is little evidence of this occurring in the msm. In this the media is doing the public a disservice, as biased reporting denies people the right to form their own conclusions about issues.

  8. With thanks to Kyle R for this:

    There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away; the battle that they are fighting isn’t with you, it’s with themselves.

  9. Exactly Min. In fact, about the only thing you can trust in hte herald sun these days is its byline

    ‘Stories Start Here’

    Yep, how true. Funnily, back in the old days, stories used to start when something happened out in the real world. Not any more.

  10. Fran Kelly on Prissy Chrissy

    “absolutley a beat up”

    the usual fran /grattan excuse

    “the call for pyyne to release his phone records could set a precedent.”

    ya reckon

    how about Abbott demands
    step aside until all legals dealt with
    not accept vote of thompson
    election because of polls

    so when grech11 is confirmed will these 2 has beens move on to less ambitious projects

  12. “the call for pyyne to release his phone records could set a precedent.”

    😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

  13. tom r

    amazing i thought, no absolutely amazing

    you would think a fairfax journo would be up on the latest, especially since the age is revealing that PYNE is a LIAR

    Despite Mr Pyne saying yesterday that he could not remember asking for Mr Ashby’s contact details after the meeting – which occurred a month before Mr Ashby lodged legal action against Mr Slipper – The Age has been shown an email and a text message sent by Mr Pyne minutes after the session ended, requesting the details.

    The request went to another staffer in Mr Slipper’s office. According to a return email, Mr Pyne received Mr Ashby’s email address at 11.02pm on March 19. This was one minute after he sent his request.

    Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/just-a-chat-and-a-beer-pyne-on-his-slipper-office-visit-20120501-1xx8q.html#ixzz1tevBX18p

  15. Fairfax has turned a corner…digitally enhanced.

    ‘If you read the Herald’s editorials, there appears little doubt that it has accepted the scientific consensus on the effects of carbon pollution on climate: there has been a gradual warming of the planet.

    ‘The Sun-Herald leans that way, too. So when those who question the climate-change science see what they consider examples of the ”old trick” referred to by the reader, they feel their concerns are justified.’

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/misleading-smoke-gets-in-publics-eyes-20120501-1xwzs.html#ixzz1tevz8D3M

  18. eg
    pyne being caught in a lot of hot air is so much more fun than your look over here hot air

  19. So the story that the Prime Minister had lost support, turns out, was completely made up by the channel 7 crew. First Sarah says, ‘he told us’, then later on she corrects herself, it is what a source told them, who remains unnamed

    http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/dissecting-a-media-beat-up-the-mp-and-the-channel-7-reporter-and-the-ch-7-reporter-admits-making-it-up/

    Of course, once the seed of leadership is sown, we will hear nothing but that until…… The next allegation perhaps

  20. poor prissy chrissy, he must have have been trying to contact ashby when unfortunately for him the message went to another in the office.

    prissy, d o ya thunk, slipper may have been just slightly aware of what was going on? afterall, according to court documents, slipper had already confronted ashby on whether ashby supported him or the rats in the lnp.

    it could be quite interesting over the weeks to follow, if the civil claim last that long.

    there is also the chance that slipper may have more to say , eventually

  24. How is this for confusing.

    the Age has the story on Pyne and the texts and emails, but if you want to read about it, it is at the brisbane times not the age on line.

    Why

  25. Lunalave, of course he only wanted Ashby’s mobile number for completely innocent reasons-a new recipe, perhaps, chatting about the footy? There would have to be a million fifty thousand reasons for Prissy to need Ashby’s mobile number.

    Sue, what an image. Prissy being caught in his own hot air. :shock::

    I’ve just seen a tv program on psycopaths. Manipulative, superficially charming, lacking conscience, empathy and understanding, uncaring about the hurt or other damage they cause to others, attention seekers, narcissitic liars. Add prepared to bring down governments and ruin economies.

    Would that fit any media moguls we know? :mrgreen:

  27. The media is complicate in attempting to formulate voters perceptions.

    Accentuate (or just make up) the bad for Labor

    Hide the bad (or outright deny it) for liberal

    It has been so popular, in fact, that it seems rather incredible that the story has not been reported to any extent in the mainstream media — where it would surely have caused a national furore and sold a lot of newspaper copy. However, the MSM are, it seems, more concerned with reporting on leadership speculation about Julia Gillard through, as usual, unnamed sources. Indeed, even Gillard’s spectacular announcement of a comprehensive national disability insurance scheme was buried by the mainstream press (e.g. page 5 in The Age). And, of course, the video of the Morris comments still have not appeared on the SkyNews website (or anywhere else), despite Sky’s assurances to me on Monday night that it would be.

    http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/the-conspiracy-of-silence-about-kicker-morris/

  28. And, of course, the video of the Morris comments still have not appeared on the SkyNews website (or anywhere else), despite Sky’s assurances to me on Monday night that it would be.

    Indeed.

    N’

  30. So Howard lied when he said “Interest rates would always be lower under a Liberal Government”

    Lied when he said the Iraq invasion would be months not years.

    Q. How can you tell when Liberals are lying?
    A. Their lips are moving.

  31. lunalava
    then prissy will have very mobile lips
    or he will be ducking for cover

    it will be intersting to see who among his colleagues who will come out in support of prissy

  32. Sue @8.21am..that is worth repeating..

    Despite Mr Pyne saying yesterday that he could not remember asking for Mr Ashby’s contact details after the meeting – which occurred a month before Mr Ashby lodged legal action against Mr Slipper – The Age has been shown an email and a text message sent by Mr Pyne minutes after the session ended, requesting the details.

    Which was the point yesterday, that if Pyne had 3 meetings with Ashby, then how were these arranged. Therefore here is the answer, via email.

  34. And of course right on cue, the moment that the Libs might be in a spot of bother..as if by a miracle, up pops some additional leadership speculation.

  36. So Howard lied when he said “Interest rates would always be lower under a Liberal Government”

    tabots mortgage repayments will always be lower under a Labor Government 😉

  37. Min, you not only have to read the papers, you need to BELIEVE them too, or their prophecies will not cum true 😉

    It is up to us, as voters, to validate the journalists tea-leaveings.

  38. The bullshit media story on leadership is a lazy cop out for journalists.

    Labor rank and file know that it does not matter who the leader is, the media will drag them down.

    There is always someone in any party trying to big note themselves by suggesting they could be leader but the current leader is getting the job done. That used to be important but nowadays “media profile” is seen by jouirnalists as the highest priority (they would say that wouldn’t they).

  39. on May 2, 2012 at 9:11 amlunalava
    So Howard lied when he said “Interest rates would always be lower under a Liberal Government”
    Lied when he said the Iraq invasion would be months not years.

    Lunalava,
    didn’t you know that Liberal lies and privatisations are expected and generally tolerated by the voters…like carcinogens in modern food and drink…?

    whereas,
    ALP shifts in policy due to negotiations to form government…and part privatisations are malignant tumours causing voter panic and rage.

    At least in Murdochracies.

    N’

  41. TomR 9.31 am Unfortunately Abbott took out an “equity loan” using the house as security and ploughed the money into shares (before the Global Financial Crisis this was money for old rope).
    Now he has “lost” his dough and with a possible marriage break, up he could lose even more.*

    Sound financial management is always important but he thinks it’s bullshit.

    * According to an unnamed source.

  42. The ABC is not running the latest information on Pyne, the email and text. Probably because it does not sit well with the “absolute beat up” line they ran this morning on RN

  43. What scumbags the media are, just listened to the dismissive questions put to Dr Emerson when he suggested there was prima facie evidence that the Liberals played a role in the Slipper affair.

    No such questions when they implicate Labor. Oh well at least the issue will be killed off quickly now there is a chance the Liberals might be complicit

  44. Sue, just saw this tweet

  46. Tom r

    the press conference was apalling. talk about a press that is worried they’ve got another Gretch moment..

  49. How piss weak is this. I wonder if she realises that ‘most papers’ went with her quote (which turned out to be false)

    Sorry seems to be the hardest word

  50. Tom, it’s a classic example of Emma Alberici’s unfortunate blurt last week when she said:-
    “but all the commentariat are echoing the Opposition”.

  51. Packer to sell his stake in Foxtel
    http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8460994

    James Packer is ready to sell his 25 per cent stake in Foxtel for a $1 billion with the likely buyer News Corp, the Herald Sun says.

    Business writer Terry McCrann says Packer wants the cash to pursue a full merger of his Crown Casino in Melbourne and Sydney’s Star Casino to create a $10 billion gaming giant.

    The repercussions will be felt in political circles following the parliamentary select committee in the UK which has ruled that News chairman Rupert Murdoch is not a fit person to run a major international company.

  52. It wasn’t me! My rumours have more zest.

    But Migs, this one’s more delish!

    Pip @1.26pm, do you think that because the Emperor is unfit to be in charge of a large, even multi national, business, James Packer will have to find another buyer for his Foxtel stake?

    How good would that be? 😆

  54. James Packer is ready to sell his 25 per cent stake in Foxtel for a $1 billion with the likely buyer News Corp, the Herald Sun says.

    Pip,
    Nothing like media diversity eh?

    She said, hey babe, take a walk on the Rupert side
    And the News Corp shills help it all go

    Kerching kerching kerching kerching
    Kerching kerching kerching kerching
    Kerching kerching kerching kerching…

    Rupert for awhile gave it away
    But soon everybody had to pay and pay
    A hustle here and a phone hack there
    New York City is the place where they said:
    Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
    I said hey suckers, take a walk on the Rupert side…

    N’

  59. A little blast from the past.

    Government Accountability – The Senate
    Senator the Hon John Faulkner
    Labor Senator for NSW

    The Senate

    2 March 2006

    http://www.senatorjohnfaulkner.com.au/file.php?file=/news/HQRYPBHXRQ/index.html

    As we know, today marks the 10th anniversary of the election of the Howard government. And what have we seen in those 10 years? We have seen 10 years of ministerial failure. We had the Prime Minister’s code of conduct, first released with great fanfare in 1996, hastily watered down once and then twice and finally junked.

    Let us recall a sample of those ministerial disasters – I only have 20 minutes so I cannot go through them all

    Senator Faulkner wasn’t kidding, twenty minutes isn’t long enough!

  60. ABC headline
    Pressure on Labor as Crook joins Coalition

    Yahoo7
    Pressure on Labor as Crook joins Coalition

    Courier mail
    Coalition claims 72 seats as Nationals MP Tony Crook joins

    ——-
    Bragging Rights
    May 5, 2012 – 8:05 pm, by Jeremy Sear

    http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/05/05/bragging-rights/

    Here’s news.com.au tonight trying to turn the news that an “independent” MP who mainly votes with the Coalition, Tony Crook, is officially returning to the Coalition – not changing the numbers in parliament in any meaningful way – into some kind of crippling defeat for the ALP:

    The move by Mr Crook, who has voted with Labor more than 30 times in the lower house since the last election, puts the Coalition’s numbers at 72 members to Labor’s 71.

    .“Who has voted with Labor more than 30 times”. That would be a more meaningful figure if they included (a) what those votes actually were (were they “let’s adjourn for lunch?”) and (b) how many times he’s voted with the Coalition. Of course, that critical context might kind of undermine the insinuation that Tony Crook was up until now actually an important ally for the Government and his “loss” will change something – but I’m sure that misleading news.com.au readers wasn’t their intent.

    Sorry, didn’t mean to break your flow, “news”… you were saying?
    While Prime Minister Julia Gillard still controls the house through her deals with the independents and Greens, Tony Abbott now has bragging rights for which major party has more members…

    .BRAGGING RIGHTS! Exactly what the political media are focused on. Not what legislation passes because a majority of MPs in the parliament keep outvoting Tony Abbott… but how we can manufacture some arbitrary “bragging rights” for him.

    You know, journalism.

  62. Pip @ 1, 11

    how about this Crook joins Tony Abbott, who has NOT stopped over 300 pieces of legislation

    Although Tony Abbott complains in the press, as a leader of an Opposition that brings about reform of legislation, HE HAS NO BRAGGING RIGHTS Crooks move from the cross benches should be seen as a political move by a minor member, who puts more faith in the polls then any attempt in meaningful parliamentary participation

  63. Insiders today, Barry asking Joe Hockey about costing for their election promises “Can you guarantee your costings will be properly audited this time?”

    Joe: “Well, I talk about auditing with a small “a”

    Well Joe, I talk about BULLSHIT with a capital “B”

    Pathetic

  65. “about costing for their election promises”

    Maybe knowing what the policies he has would not go amiss.

    What we do know, is what he is going to demolish.

    We all know that demolishing anything can be expensive.
    that

    I would like to know the cost to the economy and business due to the uncertainty caused by the demolition promises.

  66. We now need to ask, is that with a capital letter and is it specific.

    It was bad enough when we had to ask whether it was written down and signed with an oath.

    How we deal with different utterance that are made in different states, within 24 hours, I do not know.

    It is very confusing when shadow ministers say different things to their leader.

  67. Well it just goes to show how often I bother to read the Murdoch media. I thought to check the Herald Sun only to find that it’s now also behind a paywall.

    Fine by me, I only look at it to check the footy scores.

  68. High time for the PM to demand that Liealot and Slagabella to stand aside and for their electorates to be disenfranchised.

  70. Poor ol’ Joe O’Brien on ABC24 is almost ( well i hope almost) wetting himself that FWA is going to make a “significant annoucement ” in 2 hours.

  71. A gushing Joe O’Brien about to wet himself – now there’s a mental image I could do without.

    I doubt if Joe has been that excited since the last round of ALP leadership speculation.

  73. The FWA is apparently releasing the HSU review today.
    lunalava, Sue, any clues as to why today of all days ?

    PS I’d rather not have that image of Joe O’Brien thank you. 😯

  74. Meanwhile far far away on a distant planet know as the North Shore of Sydney the despicable Julia Gillard tells them “get on your bus” – no rail link for you.
    (see banner headline Telegraph).

    Barrel O’Lies is appalled and Mark Butler Minister for Mental Health etc etc etc goes on TV to say we can’t blame the MSM for not getting the message out. Which of course begs the question who is to blame?

    Who says quality scripted drama is in short supply nowadays?

  75. lunalava, it’s time for all Labor MPs to come out swinging against the press;
    they’ve got nothing to lose now so accuse the press make the rlelvent points about their bias, give them a different quote to chew on.

    We’ve been able to spot and write about the problem; Labor should do the same. Loudly.

  77. Pip

    re the freight hub, did you note the article is from Brisbane Times.

    Last week when Albo announced it the Smellograph didn’t even carry the story, even though it highlighted 3300 trucks per day, would be off the sydney roads.

    Not much mentioned so far about the HSU, except Kathy is possibly one of the crims

  79. Sue, the two most self-important old phartes in the Senate on screen at the same time is too much for me…. EricA with his knowing shakes of the head, and Brandis pontificating about Thomson…. too much.

    Brandis says it is likely that Vic., and NSW police have information, and the report should be handed straight to police.

    Senator Ronaldson also there, “untenable that FWA doesn’t give report to police”… grandstanding because the DPP has already handed the report on to police.

    Says Kathy Jackson has been put under the pump.
    Abetz, on about prostitute charges…..

    FWA has not covered itself in glory.

    Abetz and Brandis questioned about having anything to do with Ashby and Slipper ….. “NO”

    The end.

    Craig Thomson has made another statement this morning insisting on his innoence.

  81. I have just got home and need to catch up.

    Mr. Abetz, us still pushing the FWA should have provided the DDP with a brief of evidence.

    What good would this do, as FWA does not have, if we have been told have the power to prosecute criminal matters. What would the DDP do with a brief that no one is prosecuting.

    The police take matters to the DDP. Ir is the police that prosecute the matter with the assistance of the DDP, as I understand it.

    Political interference has made this a very murky matter.

    It sounds like they are all going to be taken to the Federal Court. That I assumes, includes Ms. Jackson.

    We do know that Mr. Jackson paid back money for similar spending.

    For the sake of justice, I believe the Opposition should hold back.

  82. CU and Pip

    did you see the guy from the HSU that said the NSW police were not interested in the FWA report, but the Vic police were. NSW police more interested in current events .

    Looks as though any charges against Thompson will be minor ( even these he will challenge) with possible fines of max $2000 per offence. the bigger charges may be against Williams, Jackson

  83. Before we allow ourselves to be conned, look once again past the headlines.

    I am a little piss off at the moment. I have been the victim of two con attempts in the last few hours. One was from my credit union, saying that they have overcharged me over years, and are compensating me. Then they went onto demand my particulars. After much argument I gave my date of birth. They then gave me my details such as address. They appear to know a lot about me. A couple of times, I asked for a phone number to ring them back. I was stupid and gave my date of birth. I refuse to five my visa cards details. At this they gave up.

    I also had the electricity mob around. Not illegal but definitely a con.

    Please, everyone be careful. Those emails that one get from your credit union or bank, are also fraud.

    The newspaper reports (we encourage you to click through and read the whole ridiculous article):

    “A new wave of 4G wireless broadband networks will eclipse the speed of some fibre plans before the National Broadband Network even rolls through Perth streets. Testing of Telstra’s 4G long-term evolution network in Perth, which is limited to areas close to the CBD, clocked average download speeds exceeding most ADSL2+ connections – and treble the speed of the cheapest NBN plan in one location.”

    Now on paper, there might appear to be some truth to the idea that Telstra’s 4G network might be faster than some NBN plans. Delimiter’s been testing Telstra’s 4G network as well (in Sydney), and speeds higher than the NBN’s entry-level 12Mbps plans are not unusual. As the West Australian notes, it’s possibly to get anywhere up to 20Mbps or so on the fledgling wireless network, and peak speeds can even range higher than the next NBN speed tier, 25Mbps.

    But what the article fails to mention (and you can’t blame them really, it’s not as if they had time to research the matter … wait, yes they did) is that these are not the sorts of speeds which you can consistently expect from Telstra’s network on a day in, day out basis. Our testing of the network showed wild variability between locations. If you travel from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs through to the North Shore and then out to North Ryde, you will get high speeds in several locations, but in other locations the network will be much more highly congested, and you’ll count yourself very lucky to get speeds anywhere near as fast as an ADSL connection (most people on ADSL get lower than 16Mbps or so).

    As new smartphones launch on Telstra’s 4G network and the company sells more mobile broadband connections (there are currently only a little over 100,000 connections on the 4G network, compared to 13.2 million on its 3G network), it will get harder and harder to achieve even ADSL-like speeds through the company’s wireless infrastructure, even as it keeps on upgrading the theoretical speeds available through its cell towers.

    We’re already seeing this impact on Telstra’s 3G network, which is still suffering congestion problems in CBD areas. In fact, the rollout of Telstra’s 4G network, which sits side by side with its 3G network, is partially designed to alleviate these sorts of problems in the long-term, by shifting heavy 3G users onto the new 4G infrastructure.

    In addition, the speeds which you can achieve on Telstra’s Next G network are also not consistent. Even during the one usage session, you’ll see wildly variable speeds through 4G. If you’re trying to download a large file in the middle of the night, you’ll probably get OK speeds from wireless infrastructure. During rush hour, or if a few extra people start streaming YouTube simultaneously for some reason, your experience won’t be the same. Hence the nebulous term “up to”, when talking about wireless broadband speeds.

    In comparison, the NBN will not suffer these kinds of congestion issues or variability issues, as it uses a fundamentally different kind of technology — fibre-optic cable — which, practically speaking, has very few bandwidth limitations, at least for the foreseeable future. When Telstra says download speeds on its 4G network range “from 2Mbps to 40Mbps”, it means real-world speeds will be anywhere in that area. When NBN Co says 25Mbps, it means … actually 25Mbps, all the time, no matter how many other people are using the network.

    In addition, although some service providers will offer 12Mbps speeds under the NBN’s fibre, I expect most customers will actually take up faster-speed plans — 25Mbps or 50Mbps — as these will be the plans that will allow them to more fully take advantage of the NBN’s fibre-optic cables. What this means in practice is that most people will see minimum speeds on the NBN which are at least equal to or better than the current maximum speeds available on Telstra’s 4G network.

    But wait, just how wrong can the West Australian be? If you look at the slightly longer term, it can be very wrong indeed.

    Sure, Telstra’s 4G network will eventually achieve faster and faster speeds, as the network infrastructure is upgraded and wireless technology becomes better. However, the long-term future for the NBN is even better than that of Telstra’s 4G network. Long-term, the NBN can be upgraded to support gigabit speeds. That is, 1000Mbps or similar. Will Telstra’s 4G network ever offer gigabit per second speeds? Not in the foreseeable future. Right now, it will be a very hard ask even to get it to do something a tenth that speed over the next decade or so — 100Mbps. And that’s still a theoretical peak speed, not the consistent throughput which the NBN will offer.

    http://delimiter.com.au/2012/05/07/4g-faster-than-the-nbn-i-dont-think-so/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Delimiter+%28Delimiter%29

  84. Sue, on the surface, it does not look to good for Mr. Thompson. We need to remember, FWA does not have the ability to investigate criminal offences.

    The allegations are still that, allegations.

    FWA has identified suspicious issues, nothing much more.

    What FWA has establish that they believe money has been wrongly spent. Do they have the power to prove who spent it.

    They do not have criminal investigation powers, or the ability to do so.

    I believe the other two officers are auditors.

    As for the lack of brief of evidence for the DDP. It would be waste of time for FWA to do so. The DDP would still need someone with the power to prosecute that brief. FWA does not have that power.

    It has to come from law enforcement agencies.

    I do not believe that in the name of justice, the Opposition should not be using this matter as a political football.

    If it was not a minority government, the Opposition would not be taking an interest in the matter, unless it was to undermine FWA.

    What is clear, there are serious issues in HSUeast. Who is responsible is still murky.

    Is Mr. Thompson guilty, or was he set up. Both outcomes seems ridiculous, We just do not know.

  85. reb, Nas’ mentioned this…
    I don’t think Gillard should have to pay for the same kind of loyalty Howard showed Downer etc.

    I posted an explanation for his comment. That is all.
    It wouldn’t matter if it happened a century ago, it is still a monumental scandal, and Howard, Downer and the AWB guys all got away with it in the end.

  89. The new French President. First words. “He has been our president for five years. For that reason he deserves our full respect.”

    It would be nice if in this country could be seen in the same light, especially as she is still PM.

  92. Migs, I’m feeling a bit picky myself right now. I made the mistake of watching
    The Drum and they’re tearing Craig thomson to pieces with Kerry
    Chikawhat’sername leading the attack. :mrgreen:

  93. Cu, it’s been quite some time since the press have bathed themselves in any glory whatsoever. If not so, when has been the last memorable article in the msm, one where you could say: Yes, that article is well researched and presents original insights.

    The only worthwhile msm writers these days appear to be Tim Dunlop and Mungo MacCallum..whatever happened to George Megathingy.

  94. ABC journo somebody Green pointing out that the Treasurer is talking about a “fair” Budget and the only thing we can hear is Fair Work Australia.

    Does anyone know why the report was released today, and does it have anything to do with the FWA Vice-President Mr. Lawler who happens to be the partner of Kathy Jackson.

    Chikawhatsername is making excuses for Christopher Pyne’s and Mal Brough’s involvement in the Ashby affair.

  96. The Catholic church has told women not to be too picky about their future husbands and marry early because there is a drought of eligible men.

    Hmmm…perhaps some of these women prefer other women? Or enjoy remaining single? Or defacto?

    But let’s herd the pieces of meat into the pen so they can reproduce like there is no tomorrow…

    less time for uni, for reflection and learning, for empowerment, for choosing a career…

    but old enuff to become a serf…a fast food addict..a dumbed down corporate newspaper & shock jock radio listener, an unimaginative buyer and consumer, a slave to the banks, a purchaser of every toy and food and drink the TV spoilt kids demand…a warrior for corporate wars…

    and a poor lass assisted by the kind compassionate corporate aristocrat assisting by the backdoor Catholic priest…with an eye on yer child.

    N’

  97. From Twitter, the answer to my question, “why was the HSU report released today?”

    Possum Comitatus ‏ @Pollytics

    The HSU report released the day before the budget. Supermoon magic

  98. Four Corners, if it lives up to the promos might be OK tonight.

    It should highlight another media and Opposition beat up.

    Remember the Aboriginals were going to take over out backyards.

    Funny how all beat ups are aimed at Labor.
    ‘

  100. Cu, I noticed that EricA is calling for the Prime Minister to not accept Thomson’s vote.

    He’s been in the Senate since Adam was a boy and knows damn well that he’s wrong on that. He’s playing to an audience whom he’s anticipating might not know any better!

  101. It is not up to the PM to accept or deny a vote. The vote does not belong to her or to Mr. Abbott for that matter.

    The vote belongs to the electorate he represents.

    Mr. Abetz is calling for these voters to be disfranchised.

    Mr. Thompson is entitled, according to the Constitution to sit and vote in parliament as long as he has not been convicted and sentenced to more than 12 months prison. As long as he is not bankrupted. As long as he does not resign.

    Mr. Abetz is talking rot.

    There has been a report, which still amounts to no more than allegations. They remain that until they have been tested in court.

    I noticed that there is little about Ms. Jackson, or Mr. Williamson for that matter in that report.

    It is very long and complicated. It would takes hours to read, and I suspect legal training to understand.

    It has not been a criminal investigation. I believe it does not claim to be.

    We know no more that we knew weeks ago.

    I note that the union performed well under his care.

    As for the vote, I suggest that Mr. Abetz grows up.

    FWA does not appear to know what they are doing. I suspect that they should have realise early in the piece, they were not the body to investigate this matter.

    All allegations I believe still come from Ms. Jackson.

    We will hear that FWA is all the PM’s baby. This is not true, much of the bones come fully from WorkChoices and earlier bodies.

    This section, along with the part that was used against Qantas was some.

    It would need an expert to explain it better.

    We also need to remember that HSU East comes under NSW legislation.

    It will be interesting to see where Mr. Short en’s and the HSU legal action goes.

    Mr. Chris Brown, who is acting in Mr. Williamson position, definitely has Williamson and Jackson in his sights. He is not concerned about Thompson at all.

    There does not appear to be any support whatever for Ms. Jackson in the union movement,. She has refused to work with the HSU. Surely she cannot be saying they are all crooked, and only she is honest.

    She had refused tp enter into conciliation as ordered by the Federal Court last week.

    She has refuses to cooperate with the main body, in an attempt to clean things up.

    There are still many things that do not add up.

    I am not saying Mr. Thompson is not guilty.

    That report today does not throw much light on anything.

    This is a judicial matter that has been politicized. That is not a good thing

    It has been a political football for one reason only, Mr. Abbott believes he can bring down the government.

    .

  102. Cu, there’s some good points there.

    Not even the very superior Mr. EricA betz can force an MP to give up his or her vote, as you pointed out.
    He should stop promoting false ideas to those in the public who don’t understand the Constitution.
    You were also spot on about the mess being the “PM’s baby’. That was said on Q&A this evening.

  103. Outraged that the PM hasn’t exercised a power no PMs have
    http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/04/30/outraged-that-the-pm-hasnt-exercised-a-power-no-pms-have/

    What an amazing correlation between Herald Sun readers and right-wing demands! Ninety-five percent of Herald Sun readers fit into a category NewsPoll says matches 52 percent of the population. Here’s an interesting figure I’d like to see them share: what percentage of News Ltd readers want a new election, compared with ordinary Australians who don’t read News Ltd papers?

    It’s almost like there’s something about reading the Herald Sun that causes a person to demand exactly what the Liberal Party demands, isn’t it.

  104. Does anyone know the detail of a reference Albanese made concerning the Leader of the Opposition’s appearance in court where he was found guilty but no conviction recorded?

  105. lunalava here it is in Tony’s own words from Battlelines

    2 charges, and for one he pleaded guilty

    the one which failed in court was a charge of indecent assault

    the time he pleaded guilty was when drunk and tried bending over a street sign

    http://books.google.com.au/books?id=7kNqpGk91cYC&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=tony+abbott+found+guilty+no+conviction+recorded&source=bl&ots=qDuPHHh0Yz&sig=YcDiWukDJYZijGdps4-iUH8XVS4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HLSoT93tFJOfiQeEwuTXAw&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAjgU#v=onepage&q&f=false

  106. Sue, for the indecent assault court appearance he fronted up with three witnesses, his parents, and… a QC.

    The complainants were blown away with his firepower. they lost

  107. From what I have read, it was behavior that he and his cronies aim at the PM everyday. Any other female MP for that matter.

    He was throwing his weight around in student politics at the time.

  110. Pip

    Who would think this is from the 1970’s, it could be now

    “He was a very offensive, a particularly obnoxious sort of guy,” said Barbie Schaffer, a Sydney teacher who was at Sydney University with Mr Abbott.

    “He was very aggressive, particularly towards women and homosexuals”.
    Tony used to stand outside the women’s room with his right-wing mates and loudly tell sexist and homophobic jokes,” he said

    Pip
    The bit about him being represented by a QC no less.

    But this had me burst out loud laughing, history repeating it self,

    “The incident didn’t seem to break Mr Abbott’s stride, although his second tilt at election to the Student Representative Council (SRC) – which was happening at the same heady time – ended in tears.

    Barbara Ramjan, now a social worker, who defeated Mr Abbott for the SRC presidency that year, remembers the night of September 7, 1977 when officer elections were held.”

    Thanks for the read.

  111. The Australian has decided to throw off all pretense with its attitude to the Govt with a FS CARTOON as it post election banner.

    How FS, the portrayal of Swan and Gillard marching under a communist flag.

    Gosh don’t we get upset when Labor decides to help low to middle class. In Howard’s time the upper class welfare was determined as “battlers”, Howard’s Battlers would never be described as communists. Bu tthey sure liked to dip their paws in the public purse, and haven’t they fought long and hard to say just because we earn more than $150,000 doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be supported.

  112. PIP thanks for this background on Tony Abbott, I have always thought he was an example of the worst kind of politician, I was not surprised by his extremist attitude and behaviour in the past.
    What continually surprises me is how well his nasty side is covered up by the media.

  113. Sue, the act by his parents of hiring a QC bespoke a family who had plans for their boy and commie tarts were easily batted away.

    Thus, Abbott’s crude bully boy tactics, paid for and apparently sanctioned by his parents have become his trademark.

    lunalava, my pleasure.
    What continually surprises me is how well his nasty side is covered up by the media.
    Sadly, it’s not surprising any more… the job of the media is to get him across the line no matter what!

  114. Barbara Ramjan, now a social worker, who defeated Mr Abbott for the SRC presidency that year, remembers the night of September 7, 1977 when officer elections were held.”

    35 years later, and he’s still a bad loser!

  118. I just started reading the comments Pip. It appears I ave been copying their opinion 😉

    I prefer to put it down to great minds

  123. Tom r

    just a quick comment before i read crikey

    i thought the cartoon at the oo, was there way of saving and diluting Abbott’s humilation and undisguised anger from the PMs joke I’m red and he’s always cross.
    so that night there they go and have the PM and Swan as commie reds

  124. Tom r

    from reading the comments
    one said, “was it done before the budget”.

    well i can answer that. on insiders on sunday the new afr editor (from news ltd) stated what he thought his headline would be, and guess what he was correct.

    also in the segment, talking pictures, the guest cartoonist said how he would prepare a cartoon based on a headline, run it past the editor, then correct until it met what the editor wanted.
    silly me, still thought the cartoonists worked separate from the editor and prepared what they thought was the issue of the day.

  125. Sue, that’s it. Costello used to make snide cracks about commies, and others have made similar comments over many years.
    One of the most ridiculous was Brandis’ speech in the Senate about the Greens emanating for the forests of Bavaria or Germany…. that’s why EricA hints that the Greens are like the Nazis.. I’ll have a hunt for the Brandis speech.

    The worst offenders would have grown up in households where checks for reds under the beds was mandatory..
    C. Kenny is a classic example.

  126. A Day in the Life
    http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/

    Meanwhile, the scribblers of the press gallery spin every story to fit the current Meta Narrative that “This Hopeless Government is Doomed and Must Be Put Out of its Misery at the Earliest Opportunity” (subtext: because we love election campaigns and the story is just too damned good to give up on now). The punning headlines of ‘Swan Song’ and ‘Black Swan’ would have been assembled way before the Treasurer even stood up in parliament.

  127. Pip

    you just reminded me. I was watching tele yesterday, when Abetz was in full flight about the dastardly Thompson.
    I think he was about to be interviewed by Lyndal, when she said

    “blah blah my guest Erica Betz, sorry I mean Eric Abetz”

  130. Pip

    the guardian has a running blog.
    today they have looked at the milly dowler phone message interceptions.

  133. The cost of living section is probably the lowest point of a low interview, where he begins by insinuating that the Government had driven up the cost of living, then, when challenged, quickly backpedals to ‘if there is nothing going on cost of living,’

    Not the same thing at all, which one would hope he is acutely aware of.

    He is like a little kid in a lolly shop, but cannot tell the lollies from the wrappers.

  134. Tom, great minds..I was just reading that one myself. Media, I think that your slip is showing..

    Can somebody tell me what happened? Can someone explain how in the space of just a decade our public discussion has been hijacked by the ignorant and the bigoted and their boosters in the mass media?

  135. ‘…this seems an extraordinary act of political courage, of reckless honesty.’

    That’s why we admired him.

  136. Thing is, Holmes seemed (to me) to imply that the politicians don’t challenge anymore. I think that is true to a point, but Gillard, as is seen, challenges when it is needed. Also, using Keating, who was probably the most abrasive PM we have ever had (and suffered for it ultimately at the pols (note to grodo)) is a little disingenous.

    I found it particularly interesting considering I had just watched Gillard plough through ulmans pre-conceptions with disdain.

  137. After seeing references to it, I just watched the Uhlmann interview with Gillard. I counted 16 serious interruptions. These were genuine attempts to talk over, I’m not counting the trademark dramatic intakes of breath, the small interjections that failed to get up, or the attempts to divert the conversation away from criticism of the Coalition.
    I’m thinking of at least ringing to complain, but this is so obvious & so consistent that there must be a purpose behind it.

  138. Bob, I was following the critique of Uhlmann on Twitter and yes they also counted 16 + interruptions….

    Complaints are met with denial!

  139. Media Release

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

    http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/063

    Bourke selected as an essential NBN gateway

    The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced that the north-west NSW town of Bourke will be one of ten towns across Australia that will have a satellite ground station.

    “This ground station will act as an essential satellite gateway, helping deliver fast broadband to rural and remote communities across Australia,” Senator Conroy said.

    The Bourke ground station will be operational in 2015 and contribute to providing between 15000 and 20000 Australians with broadband speeds of up to 12 megabits per second.

    and

    The NBN will deliver tremendous economic benefits to rural and regional Australia through increased productivity, greater employment opportunities, and better access to information and services. These benefits will arise across the full range of sectors from health care, to agriculture, and small business.

    “The NBN also means that people living in towns like Bourke and other north-west NSW towns will have less need to travel to get specialist services, saving time and money. Through the NBN, people will be able to obtain face-to-face assistance online rather than having to travel to a shopfront.”

  140. This one deserves another run, just to show that ltd news really isn’t biased….
    no, really…

    http://www.thevine.com.au/life/news/lets-talk-about-the-cover-of-todays-australian/

    Look, I know journalism is a difficult calling in the modern age. I know that commercial interests have long since overtaken a policy of strict journalistic objectivity. I know that editorial policy is often dictated by people far above you in the food chain. I know that trying to make yourself completely devoid of political inclincation is almost impossible. And I know that much of modern journalism is a debasing, hurried business.

    But none of these realisations, nothing in the past 26 years of steadily accumulating journalistic cynicism could have prepared me for what The Australian, our paper of national repute, put on its front cover today in response to the Budget.

  141. Does anyone know what this is about?

    Twitter

    Julie Posetti ‏ @julieposetti

    Oh, and good luck, @scottmorrisonmp, establishing @latikambourke has somehow breached ABC editorial codes in questioning Coalition policy.

  142. Apparently Opposition Shadow for Immigration, Scott Morrison MP is so used to the ABC’s generous portrayal of the Coalition that he must have assumed it was in the ABC Editorial Codes!
    According to a tweet, he sent a Direct Message to Ms Bourke to .. what ?…vent his anger ?…. intimidate her?
    He is a senior politican with a penchant for ‘stopping the boats” and even complained about asylum seekers being flown from Christmas Island for the funerals of their family members after their boat sank.

    Ms Bourke is much younger, female and not white.

    My question to Mr. Scott Morison is this:-
    Would he have tried to bully any other journalist this way ….has he done so in the past?

  143. Just a thought and a quote from Alan Ginsberg

    Whoever controls
    the Media,
    the Images,
    controls the Culture….

  144. For what it’s worth I think Latika Bourke should post Mr. Morrison’s tweets to her on Twitter… social media has it’s uses.

    Perhaps I should also own up to not always liking the way she has reported things,
    but I’d defend her right to ask a politician any question – even though journalists are known to ask some really silly questions and at times not ask when they should, or to treat MPs too gently.

  146. major blunders by msm only yesterday. Raid on Credit Union, with search warrants on Craig Thompson/ HSU

    The raid with search warrants- it wasn’t a raid, it is an open invitation with the credit union.

    the raid with search warrants all about craig thompson no it wasn’t about craig thompson

    the raid on credit union on which mr thompson was on board – mr thompson was not on board,

    AM – this morning made corrections, only problem for them, they were suggesting the board membership, until apparently thompson phoned in , they then corrected the story. What a shame this investigative radio program didn’t investigate before broadcast.

  147. Sue, not only suggesting but giving a time frame.

    it was also acknowledge that Mr. Williamson stood down. Ms. Jackson was asked not to show up.

    It is a bit of a worry that Credit Unions can give our private details to the police, with a warrant.

  148. Sue and Cu, I’m not so sure that it was a just blunder; it’s about the meme; the certain “narrative” is entrenched, and everyone knows the “truth”; The trouble is it’s about as reliable as Joe’s “audits”.

  151. Nas’, the scary thing is that the Libs haven’t changed their method of costing their Budget costs assumptions, and to make matters worse, Abbott is slithering away from answering any questions about them.. he just said on ABC24, that they’ll let us know the results of the Greiner report, fter the next election. wtf?

  152. Pip

    Now why didn’t ABC24 ask Abbott if Greiner should stand aside from the GST review, as Greiner is before the courts, $25 million. Now that is a bit more than the non charges against Thompson
    “FORMER New South Wales premier Nick Greiner has been accused of involvement in a conspiracy to cheat a Swiss investment company out of at least $25 million.

    The Swiss group has launched legal action in the Federal Court challenging transactions involving two companies of which Mr Greiner is a director.

    Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/greiner-accused-of-25m-conspiracy-to-cheat-company-20120510-1yfs5.html#ixzz1uWowPNuF

  153. At a press coference today Wayne Swan was asked

    “Can you guarantee the “cash splash” you are giving families will not go in the pokies”

    How offensive, I would like to see any Minister when asked such questions, NAME THE JOURNALIST AND THE ORGANISATION THEY WORK FOR.

  155. Pip wrote: Abbott is slithering away from answering any questions about them.. he just said on ABC24, that they’ll let us know the results of the Greiner report, after the next election. wtf?

    Pip,
    this shopper still has it right:

  156. Eddie
    thanks for the link. Lets hope Uhlmann gets an autographed copy, or better still reads and learns.

  157. pertinent points

    “My criticism of Uhlmann is not that of bias, but of competence. His apologists say he is learning on the job. But what is the route to accomplishment when the technique is formulaic – limited to loaded set questions invariably posed in an accusatory tone?

    He was interviewing the Prime Minister, but by his manner it could have been a junior state minister. There was no respect for the Prime Minister’s position in our national life. His repeated interruptions of her were as impertinent as they were off point.”

  158. Sue @ 1.34pm,
    Pip

    Now why didn’t ABC24 ask Abbott if Greiner should stand aside from the GST review, as Greiner is before the courts, $25 million. Now that is a bit more than the non charges against Thompson.

    Well, hasn’t that been kept under the radar!

    and at 2pm
    At a press coference today Wayne Swan was asked

    “Can you guarantee the “cash splash” you are giving families will not go in the pokies”

    As Emma Alberici put it [as a way confirming her own opinion when interviewing the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon on Lateline]…..
    “the commentariat are all echoing the Opposition”
    She got that right!

    and @ 2.43pm, what can be done about Uhlmann,? He is determined to portray the government in a poor light and shows an appalling lack of respect for the office of Prime Minister, let alone any respect for PM Gillard.

    I posted this in the wee hours

    Just a thought and a quote from Alan Ginsberg

    Whoever controls
    the Media,
    the Images,
    controls the Culture….

    .

  159. reads and learns.

    😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

    Why does it take a retired PM to point out what the rest of the media should be pointing out.

    Unfortuantely, the line has been crossed and they don’t look like going back (yes media, we know the line, I reckon you lot do too, you just don’t want to admit it)

    This is broadly to conceal the fact that he is unable to follow an answer in a discursive way

    BINGO

    (Thanks for the link Eddie, to busy to be reading papers myself at the mo 😉 )

  160. Pip @10.17am 10/5, do you think that Morrison is foreshadowing changes to the ABC charter should the Liars fall across the line in 2013?

    <blcokquote.What a shame this investigative radio program didn’t investigate before broadcast.

    But Sue, they’d already had their report issued from their investigative team in Menzies House.

    And @8.41am, so the entire report was a fabrication from start to finish? The only two truthful words are Craig and Thomson</em.

    Nas', can you name a time when Barnyard hasn’t acted like a clown? You’re too generous to the bugger. 😆

    I don’t know whether it’s a matter of picking them, he’s stuck with them.

    Sue, Swan could then have gone on to ask the questioner a)how it’s their business how people spend their own money, and b)if they’re suddenly so concerned about pokies spending, why they actively supported Liealot’s and big gambling’s campaigns to derail the government’s and Andrew Wilkie’s pokies legislation.

    Pip, let’s hope the Greiner report is out well before the next election, so the government can release it.

    Sue, Uhlmann’s taking a f*cking long time on “L” plates.

  161. Nas’ @ 12.33pm, re the dodgy budget assumptions costings which Joe Hockey called an “audit”; they were shot down immediately in 2010, yet he’s still fudging.
    Imo, he and Andrew Robb wrongly assumed that they would never be found out, and since then the msm have carefully avoided any serious scrutiny let alone highlighted the problem by actually reporting the story.
    Economist Peter Martin was onto it and has written further articles since then.

    http://www.petermartin.com.au/2010/09/coalition-costings-inexcusable.html

    Nas’ from your link:-

    THE accounting firm that the Coalition says audited its election costings has been accused of breaching both auditing and ethical standards in a complaint to be lodged with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

    ”If they had produced a report like this on a prospectus, they would be in trouble because it would be an offence under the Corporations Act not to comply with relevant standards,” said Professor Bob Walker, of the University of Sydney, a 40-year member of the institute who will lodge the private complaint.

    ”But as this does not fall under the Corporations Act, it is a matter for the profession.”

    and

    The costings document discloses no assumptions.

    The firm did not assert in the letter that it had conducted an audit. It said it had been engaged ”to review the costings estimates prepared by the Coalition”.

    However, in spruiking the document yesterday the shadow treasurer, Joe Hockey, repeatedly described it as an audit.

    ”We have the fifth biggest accounting firm in Australia auditing our books and certifying in law that our numbers are accurate,” he told ABC TV.

    ”This is an audited statement,” he told ABC radio.

    and

    The code of ethics requires accountants to endeavour to make sure clients and others do not misinterpret their work.

    Geoff Kidd, one of the principals of WHK Horwath who signed the letter endorsing the Coalition’s costings, said: ”We provided one document and we believe it speaks for itself.”

    Christine Jubb, of the Australian National University’s National Centre for Audit and Assurance Research, said: ”Joe Hockey is playing fast and loose, there’s no doubt.”

  163. Nick Minchin on ABC24 says he tried to persuade Peter Costello to take on the Leadership of the Party, “he would have the full support of the Party”…..
    [whilst Abbott managed to win the leadership ballot by one vote].

  165. Thanks Sue, finding the news for ourselves is the only way to stay informed when the news media seem determined to keep many important details out of the headlines!
    For example, this story won’t get much attention:-

    Joint media release

    The Hon Simon Crean MP
    Federal Member for Hotham
    Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity
    ——————————————————————————–
    Up to 400 new jobs in Victoria thanks to NBN

    The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, and the Federal Member for Hotham and Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean, today announced that up to 400 new jobs will be created in Victoria thanks to the rollout of the National Broadband Network.

    Speaking at the opening of Corning Cable Systems’ new ribbon cable manufacturing facility in Clayton, Victoria, Senator Conroy said, “The Gillard Government’s investment in the NBN is bringing 21st century manufacturing jobs to Australia. This is a great example of how the NBN is creating high-skill jobs and laying the foundation for new and innovative Australian industries. The jobs at Corning Cable are part of the 16000 to 18000 direct Australian jobs NBN Co estimates will be generated by this project.

    http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/064

  167. Sue, they’re a joke. Was it Prissy who insisted that there are no faction problems in his party?
    Speaking of which, how galling it is to have to listen to him and watch the ever increasing histrionics about the woeful Labor party while the Ashby/Pyne/Brough/Abetz and whoever else – Hockey?? is in the air… The irony is striking.

  168. Pip
    if the case gets to court i hope slipper includes pyne.
    or even slipper ask ashby about any contact between himself and pyne
    there is always the chance that ashby broadens his claims

  169. Sue, Victoria has a bigger problem than other states with unemplyment and from the media release

    Mr Crean said Corning has agreed to invest more than $40 million in its Clayton operations, boosting levels to between 300 and 400 jobs when the NBN rollout hits its peak.

    “This investment in Clayton will provide a great economic and jobs boost for the local and Victorian economies,” Mr Crean said.

    “One of the greatest enablers of the regions – for economic diversification, growth and service delivery – is the National Broadband Network, and 238 regional centres will have construction of the network as part of the first three-year fibre rollout plan.

    “The people of Hotham can be proud that the fibre made here will be shipped right across Australia, helping build the NBN and allowing regional and rural Australia to access the same broadband services at the same price as the rest of the country for the first time.”

    Corning Cable Systems is a primary NBN Co supplier of optical fibre cable for the Government’s NBN. It has developed cutting-edge cable technology that will help network reliability, improve deployment speed, and reduce costs.

    A Coalition government plan to halt proceedings would be a false economy.

  170. An observation of Sky news,
    Twitter

    Concera Vota ‏ @conceravota

    It amazes me how @SkyNewsAust ALWAYS has sound/vision issues when PM at a presser. Shame it can’t be said when Abbott bellows.

  171. Sue, in that article, [not the msm], it stated that Mr. Ashby had recently acquired a very expensive car. 😯

    I think Peter Slipper was on to the skulduggery well before it went down and there’s every chance he’s also been keeping a file.

  172. eddie, great link. Uhlmann is an ill mannered twat whose only role should be making the tea in some subterranean dungeon at the ABC.

    26 interruptions in 15 minutes!!! And the dingbats reckoned the PM was evasive. How the f*ck would they know when she was interrupted every 30 seconds.

    I think it’s more than time for the government to give all dingbats their marching orders from the ABC.

    Nobody minds tough, probing questions for all interviewees. Frankly, if I was any relation of Uhlmann’s I’d be tempted to change my name.

    He has obviously NEVER been taught basic manners-like don’t interrupt until the person talking has finished.

  175. More NBN good news

    Media Release

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity——————————————————————————–

    61 new telework partners sign on as NBN takes off

    A further 61 organisations across Australia have signed up to promote telework and participate in National Telework Week, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced today.

    “By embracing telework, organisations can free up their employees to work away from the office and with more flexible arrangements. Work is what you do, not where you do it. The Government’s investment in fast, affordable broadband through the National Broadband Network should see telework increase across the country,” Senator Conroy said.

    “The NBN allows employees to work in high-definition interactive environments from wherever they are, be it at home or elsewhere. This increases workplace productivity and can reduce the need for long daily commutes to the office. This will make a big difference to people’s work-life balance.”

    http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/066

  176. Media Release

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity——————————————————————————–

    Tony Abbott wilfully misleads the Australian people on NBN

    <blockquote.“Tony Abbott should check his facts before delivering a national address in the Australian Parliament.

    “In his budget reply, Mr Abbott also pretends that investing in fast affordable broadband should be replaced by additional spending on roads.

    “Mr Abbott clearly doesn’t understand that the NBN is classified by international accounting standards as an equity investment rather than a budget expense. This is consistent with long-standing budget treatment applied by this and previous Australian Governments.”

    “The equity investment in the NBN cannot simply be shifted to pay for more roads, unless those roads are being run by a government business making a return.”

    “In delivering its Budget surplus, Labor is investing in the NBN and Australia’s infrastructure. The Government has a $36 billion infrastructure and investment program, including $3.6 billion announced in this Budget to complete the duplication of the Pacific Highway by 2016.

    http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/065

  177. Dept. of health and Aging
    New eHealth learning centre goes live

    An online “learning centre” which details how the Australian Government’s new electronic health record system will work for patients and practitioners has been launched.

    11 May 2012

    Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today launched an online “learning centre” which details how the Gillard Government’s new electronic health record system will work for patients and practitioners.

    Ms Plibersek said the launch of the website came after the Government made a $233.7 million investment in the Budget to continue the rollout of the eHealth record system, which is being designed to modernise the way health services are delivered, making them safer and more efficient.
    “eHealth will deliver benefits to Australian patients as it will ensure health practitioners are able to access their medical histories in one convenient location, reducing errors and making diagnosis and treatment quicker and easier,” said Ms Plibersek.

    From 1 July 2012, interested Australians will be able to register to create a personal eHealth record. The website explains how eHealth will be further developed over time.

    Ms Plibersek said the new learning centre will inform and educate the public and healthcare professionals about eHealth and the personally controlled electronic health record system in the lead up to the July launch.

    http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr12-tp-tp043.htm

  179. Wow, Keating has ruffled the feathers. Bruce Belsham has added a note to the article defending the indefensible. It’s pretty laughable

    I’ve just re-watched the interview. Chris’s tone throughout was respectful but probing, the appropriate tone for a political interviewer doing what political interviewers have always done – acting devil’s advocate for a public seeking to better understand its leaders.

    Then why does he only play this ‘devil’s advocate’ with Labor ministers. He asks some hard questions of the libs too, but allows them to slide by in their answers.

    widely respected in Canberra and amongst his colleagues

    The kiss of death. 😉

    Yea, previous pollies have complained about previous interviewers. Comparing him to Richard Carleton or Kerry O’Brien is a stretch though. They badgered when questions weren’t answered. ulman badgers when he doesn’t get the answer he wants. He also lies to the sitting PM.

    https://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/archived/media-watch-ii/#comment-19918

  180. Malcolm Turnbull is not a stupid man, which causes me to think he is spinning.spin,
    Spin, spin, spin.

    NBN at centre of budget cooked books: Turnbull

    THE government has been accused of shifting $430 million of spending on the national broadband network in order to hand down a budget surplus.

    The Coalition’s communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, last night seized on revelations that the department overseeing the network had dramatically raised its spending on the project this financial year.

    Citing documents released on Tuesday, he said the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy had upped its spending to $484 million in 2011-12, compared with previous estimates of $57 million.

    While the document said the increase was driven by payments to Telstra, Mr Turnbull accused the government of “funny money and financial irresponsibility” in its quest to achieve the surplus. “The national broadband network is at the centre of Labor’s 2012-13 budget cooked books,” he said.

    and

    Communications Minister Stephen Conroy slammed claims the government had brought forward spending on the project to achieve its budget surplus, saying extra payments were made in 2011-12 because that is when a definitive agreement with Telstra came into force.

    “Mr Turnbull has manufactured claims of a ‘blowout’ and a ‘fiddle’ in the budget treatment of the National Broadband Network. Mr Turnbull is either lazy, financially illiterate, or both,” Senator Conroy said this morning.

    http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/nbn-at-centre-of-budget-cooked-books-turnbull-20120509-1ydeh.html

    Senator Conroy explains in hie media release above…

    “Mr Abbott clearly doesn’t understand that the NBN is classified by international accounting standards as an equity investment rather than a budget expense. This is consistent with long-standing budget treatment applied by this and previous Australian Governments.”

    It should come as not too much of a surprise that as the NBN roll-out progresses there will be many more sites being built in a certain time frame.

  182. Tom, Toolman only gets agitated when he asks a Labor politician a tough one only to find out they have an answer. That’s why he cuts them off.

  190. Congratulations to SBS

    Acclaimed SBS series Go Back to Where You Came From has taken out the Rose d’Or, one of the world’s most coveted television awards.

    Go Back to Where You Came From was handed the Golden Rose for Best of 2012 at a ceremony in Lucerne, Switzerland on Thursday night.

    The three-part documentary series also won the Factual Entertainment category award.

    http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/refugee-show-wins-major-tv-award-20120511-1yh8m.html

  191. This morning on the ABC “AM” program, their ABC found a Tasmanian single mother of 3 who “used” to vote Labor, she said “…she would not be bribed by the government to vote for them again”.
    Alert!, Alert!, as soon as you hear the opening “I used to vote Labor but…..” you know the story is BULLSHIT.
    Of course this is not ABC bias, it is pathetic Liberal Party propaganda. Don’t piss on me Mark Scott and tell me it’s rain.
    Still, the government thinks the ABC is doing a good job according to Mark Butler Minister for all and sundry.

  195. lunalava and Eddie, I like this so much i’m going to keep on posting it…

    Just a thought and a quote from Alan Ginsberg

    Whoever controls
    the Media,
    the Images,
    controls the Culture….

  196. Pip, and Whoever controls the Media, the Images, controls the Culture….

    Therefore around about now we are a mix of Toddlers & Tiaras, Gok’s How to Look Good Naked and Andrew Bolt. 😯

  200. Mr Cassidy – why the disconnect between what you say in that article and the way you behave?

  201. From Twitter … this is not good news.

    Ryan Moore ‏ @mooreryan3

    RT @forbes007: Rob Oakeshott has incurable autoimmune disease, in @sundayage tomorrow

    forbesoo7 is Mark Forbes, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Age.

  203. You’re too young to know Bacchus

    Pip, should have that been ‘You’re too young to know, Bacchus’?

    Otherwise I clearly am too young to know Bacchus. He is of an older generation to me.

  205. Feeling a bit picky are we Migs…. where’s the dislike button? :mrgreen:

    “woke up this morning from the strangest dream,
    I was in the biggest army the world has ever seen” 😆

  213. Sue, that is somewhat of a shock. I am thinking very highly of Rob Oakeshott who could have used this diagnosis anywhere during the time that he was being ridiculed in the media, but who has chosen to wait until now.

  216. Min, same here, a lesser character would have milked it during the last two years.

    Sue thanks for the link…. it’s reassuring to know his disease is treatable, but consider what he’s gone through in the last two years, probably feeling woeful.

  217. Min

    Imagine if this had been known by the msm and abbott (bloody hell still could happen)
    he would have been accused of :
    not being able to do his duties to the parliament,
    being dishonest
    should take leave

    Further in the manner of the latest abbott puke:
    Giving the PM an Alibi to stay in government

    I predict there will be no goodwill towards Oakshott from Abbott. Lets see if Abbott tries to use this information to “prove” Oakshott not well enough to give full attention to the serious job of representing his electorate

  218. Pip

    i read up about graves disease, Oakshott could use this against Abbott, about why he continues working in Canberra

    “A hyperthyroid person will usually develop a preference for cold weather, a desire for less clothing and less bed covering, and a decreased ability to tolerate hot weather.[4]”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graves%27_disease

    Canberra so much healthier than Port Macquarie

  219. Sue I wouldn’t out anything past Abbott; his behaviour worsens with every week.
    In any case he might be pleased that Pynegate is off the front pages…. oh, wait,
    it already is.

  221. http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/has-heartland-institute-finally-gone.html
    May 3, 2012 – Billboards in Chicago paid for by The Heartland Institute point out that some of the world’s most notorious criminals say they “still believe in global warming” – and ask viewers if they do, too.

    The next day a statement from one sponser, Microsoft, distanced itself:

    Two days later The Guardian U.K. stated:
    The London-based drinks giant, which owns brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and Moët & Chandon, said this year that it was “reviewing any further association with Heartland

    On 7 May E&E Publishing revealed another sponsorship withdrawal:

    Two months ago when the names of Heartland Institute sponsors became public knowledge, General Motors publicly withdrew from the Institute’s funding pool, according to The Guardian:

    In a statement, GM said that it now runs its business “as if climate change is real and believe we have a role to play in developing new cars, trucks and technologies that can make a difference”.

    The U.S. Blog Forecast The Facts is currently running an online petition urging all sponsors to follow suit.

  222. Stupid piece in The Age today by Katherine Murphy called:

    “Will Tony’s story be a thriller? ”

    The first sentence implies that Katherine Murphy may take her time and analyse a Tony Abbott government:

    “If the polls reflect reality, the Opposition Leader is in the box seat to reshape Australia in his own image. But will he?”

    But no what a disappointment of a read. Murphy spends nil, naught, zich, zero time on anything useful, instead she goes for the usual waffle- the electorate is disappointed in politicians, bad government, bad minority government, “Wicked Julia and her Band of Incompetents”,Tony inevitable win.

    Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/will-tonys-story-be-a-thriller-20120513-1ykq7.html#ixzz1umnmvgO5

    What a disservice Katherine Murphy is doing to the the electorate that is “fed up with politicians”. Here’s a hint Katherine Murphy if you want to know what Tony Abbott is like give up on the Coalition Press Releases, do your job as a journalist or be like me and others and rely on blogs.

  223. Just watching Minister for Defence Stephen Smith talking about Australian transitioning Afghanistan in 18 months. He must have said “transition” about ten times, never used the word “withdrawal”, “retreat” or for that matter the opposition’s favourite “cut and run” or “shit happens”.

    Just what did our participation achieve, Afghanistan is still the dung heap it was 20 years ago.

    Never mind Stephen, the Labor Party will transition government in 18 months perhaps using the word “transition” will soften the blow.

  224. Sue, oh dear. poor Heartland Institute.

    What a disservice Katherine Murphy is doing to the the electorate that is “fed up with politicians”.

    I reckon some of the electorate is fed up with Murphy.

  225. A good newspoll result for Labor

    How does ltdnews react on their front page on the web?

    WE BOUGHT IT: Voters sold on Labor’s Budget handouts

    How old are these people?

  226. “Tony Abbott says” at this mornings small business guest appearance:

    “…I am Australian Workers only salvation…”

    Now that’s funny.

    Noel Coward said near the end of his life

    Dying is easy, Comedy is hard

    It’s good to see Abbott making an effort to be funny.

  230. An example today of how, informed , researched and intelligent are journalists.

    PM Gillard, Minister Jenny Macklin. Minister Greg Combet at a press conference.

    Question from female journalist addressed to Industry Minister, Combet.
    “Considering what has happened in the UK with the charging of Brooks, how does that affect……….?”

    A totally complexed Combet and a bemused PM.
    PM looks towards Combet and remarks ” it probably comes under the general heading of “an industry” but I will answer.”
    To the journalist PM informs “The issues you refer to are probably best addressed by Minister Conroy and the Convergence Review.”

    I only wish I had recored the press conference because I am sure not many would believe it.

  231. lunalava, thanks for the laugh….I think…
    Sue, thanks for the memo:-

    not much news of this in the msm, one item in the Oz, and this last week:-

    There is a community Cabinet tonight, 6.45 abc24

    Community cabinet heads to Victoria
    13:16 AEDT Fri May 11 2012
    http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8465916/community-cabinet-heads-to-victoria

    Prime Minister Julia Gillard will take her cabinet to Berwick, in the Victorian marginal seat of La Trobe, next week.

    The community cabinet – which includes a one-hour public forum with the prime minister, as well as a public reception and a series of 10-minute meetings between local people and ministers – will be held at Timbarra College from 5pm on May 16.

    Issues to be canvassed are expected to include education, health and the impact of carbon pricing.

    5 April 2012, 1.46pm AEST
    Community cabinets could be the cure for Gillard’s communication conundrum
    http://theconversation.edu.au/community-cabinets-could-be-the-cure-for-gillards-communication-conundrum-6303

    By all accounts, in person Prime Minister Julia Gillard is relaxed, funny, engaging and a good listener. Her ministers say she is tough, masters briefs well, leads, and takes decisions. On top of that, Parliament works with hardly a hiccup to the Government’s legislative agenda despite tight numbers.

    But Gillard’s private personality rarely comes through in public and she is described as wooden, scripted, plagued by her accent and framed by allegations that she lied about the carbon tax, dudded Andrew Wilkie on their agreement about poker machines, and is dominated by the Greens’ policy agenda.

    That’s true, the Prime Minister is described that way…. by the journalists. Often.

    One way Gillard can reach large numbers of people, and show her private personality, without her messages and image being mediated by journalists and TV footage, is through the community cabinet process, which she has continued (the latest in Parramatta, NSW in Easter week) since taking office.

  233. Pip and your link..

    But Gillard’s private personality rarely comes through in public and she is described as wooden, scripted, plagued by her accent and framed by allegations that she lied about the carbon tax, dudded Andrew Wilkie on their agreement about poker machines, and is dominated by the Greens’ policy agenda.

    This is something which we have touched on quite a number of times. I would agree..compared with the feisty redhead who was mooted to be a future PM, the current PM doesn’t give us much to travel with. Julia DITCH THE PR TEAM!!!

    Wrong about dudding Wilkie..try Windsor and Oakeshott telling the PM that they would NOT support the legislation, so something is always better than nothing.

  234. Sadly Sue, your account of the journalists stupid, stupid questions is all too believable.
    It can’t be a simple obsessive compulsive problem, more likely it’s due to instructions from higher up, although when quizzed themselves, they deny it.

    They have no credibilty left.

  235. Min,
    Wrong about dudding Wilkie..try Windsor and Oakeshott telling the PM that they would NOT support the legislation, so something is always better than nothing.

    True. Mr. Wilkie would be as aware of that fact as we are. makes me wonder what part Xenophon and the Coalition had to play in Wilkie’s stance, or even a journalist or two?

    Min, in you words,
    compared with the feisty redhead who was mooted to be a future PM, the current PM doesn’t give us much to travel with. Julia DITCH THE PR TEAM!!!

    YES!!!

    Has Julia been advised to never raise her voice, never say anything to defend herself…..never give the Opposition the chance to say anything horrible about her.. oh… hang on…..
    Whatever the advice, it’s not working!!!

    The PM and her Ministers have to stop being so polite; it’s not working.
    Come out swinging…

  236. “Not contradictorary, just not in tune”

    Michelle Grattan interpreting the Hockey/Abbott positions on the NDIS. No shouting from Michelle that Joe and Tony disagree, oh no that may alarm. So lets have some soothing just in case the voters may be concerned the Coalition would not go ahead with the NDIS. We must get this off the debate or even more than one day in the papers. Let the msm give the Caolition a “get out of jail free card” in promising the NDIS this century.

  237. Union stalwart Bill Kelty has issued a reality check to the Labor Party and the union movement, saying it is too easy to blame poor polling on the media and the Opposition.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-17/kelty-points-finger-at-labour-amid-union-woes/4015988

    Yes he did say that, but it was one of quite a few points raised. The embattled ABC of course leap on those words with their “see we are right” attitude.

    So if it is not selective reporting by the media, why is it with a great economic report card, record low unemployment, record low interest rates, and a series of excellent policy initiatives, the government is so low in the polls?

    Maybe Labor needs a reality check on their reality check.

    I blame reality TV. Let’s face it, anyone who enjoys watching “Dancing with the Stars” is a moron.

  238. Just the ABC doing a Murdoch empire copycat thing again.

    Kelty was dopey to feed them. Some of these old Laborites and unionists have done great things in the past but are not helping of late.

    Perhaps Kelty will think twice about saying “don’t blame the media” now the headlines have focussed on the negatives. And that’s what many busy people see.

    DOH!

    N’

  240. Lenore Taylor

    It sounds reasonable to quote Tony Abbott/ Joe Hockey’s excuse but what is the msm’s excuse for not identifying the “lies” and “aspirations” and no explanations” of the Coalition.

    “But the scandals besetting the Gillard government mean he is under less pressure than ever to explain the detail of its plans.
    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/coalition-shies-away-from-the-devil-in-the-details-20120516-1yr8v.html#ixzz1v4qXGR00

  241. Financial meltdown on European stock exchange, Greece in Financial crisis, yarda, yarda, yarda, let’s get to the important question:

    How do we blame Julia Gillard?

  242. Sue, “But the scandals besetting the Gillard government mean he is under less pressure than ever to explain the detail of its plans.

    lunalava How do we blame Julia Gillard?

    They just do. All the msm ever do is echo the Opposition’s sound bites.

  243. The smelly Tele is echoing Big Tobacco.

    Big Tobacco advertorial from the Tele

    If you sell a product that’s not allowed to be advertised in Australia due to its harmful nature, how do you let people know that you’ve released a new brand? It seems that if you’re British American Tobacco Australia, you just ring up the Daily Telegraph, give them a few quotes and they’ll run it uncontested on page three.

    According to BATA they are being forced to release a new low cost brand into the market to compete with “illegal counterfeit and contraband cigarette packs”.

    and

    At this point I’m sure that the Tele’s intrepid reporter would let us know whether illegal tobacco, or ‘chop chop’, is as big a problem as the spokesman from BATA would have is believe. Or, not.British American Tobacco Australia’s assertions are left completely unchallenged.

    http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/05/17/big-tobacco-advertorial-from-the-tele/

  244. Interesting comments from Retiring ALP MP Steve Gibbons

    The pressure of providing a 24-hour news service … they have employed a lot of younger inexperienced journalists, all with pretty big egos and huge ambitions, all keen to get the big story out.

    We have seen some pretty awful reporting, even from the ABC, which we all used to be so proud of.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-17/green-escaping-the-news-cycle/4016854

    I know I might be accused of simply abusing the media for their failure 🙂 This is an interesting evaluation of why they are a failure, which is a much more productive outlet for frustrations.

    Not impressed with Jonathan Green’s proposed solution though. If I want to read a book, I will, if I want news, it would be nice to access a quality product somewhere.

  245. Tom I think Steve Gibbons is right; with a lot of luck this might help although I have no confidence in the ABC ….

    Media Room – Media Releases
    Leigh Sales returns to 7.30

    7.30 anchor Leigh Sales will be returning to the program after six months maternity leave. She will be back on ABC1 on Monday, May 28.

    With Leigh’s return, Chris Uhlmann will return to his regular role as 7.30’s Political Editor in Canberra. Chris has been presenting the program since the end of January, while Leigh has been on leave.

    Leigh Sales said, “It had always been flexible as to when I might return, but the timing feels right now, and I’m eager to get back into it.

    “I’m looking forward to coming back to work. I have been very lucky with a happy and easy baby boy, and a wonderful husband of course, so the decision to come back now has been made easier.”

    Did the complaints about Uhlmann and the corresponding drop in viewer numbers have any part in Leigh Sales early return ?

    http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s3499689.htm

  247. Well done Michael Janda for your article appearing on the ABC Drum site:

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-14/janda-doing-a-job-on-employment-figures/4009594

    Shock, horror – unemployment fell in April. Well, at least according to the Bureau of Statistics figures.

    Rather than being greeted with a degree of joy, the fall in unemployment to 4.9 per cent was met with scepticism and outright hostility. Why?

    Perhaps because it runs counter to the endless sequence of stories about job losses that are constantly grabbing headlines and suggests journalists are being sensationalist … never!

    Maybe because it also confounded market economists, many of whom would like to find a scapegoat for their almost universal failure in predicting anything remotely near the final outcome.

    At least one journalist is prepared to think about facts and write a reality based report rather than the never ending bullshit narrative thrown up by Liberal party focus groups and spin doctors.

  248. Meanwhile Barrie Cassidy also at the ABC Drum continues to impress with his ability to look up the meaning of a word in the dictionary:
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-17/cassidy-embattled-thomson/4017646

    Yes, after a lot of thought Craig Thompson is “embattled”. No mention of the equally reprehensible Sophie Mirabella who unlike Craig is actually in court defending allegations she ripped off a senile old man.

    Perhaps Barrie could give me a word for Sophie, all I can think of is “disgust” or perhaps “unconscionable”.

    It’s to be hoped the media quickly transitions this funk and wagnalls type of story.

  249. lunalava, thanks for the links.
    “Funk and Wagnalls” is apt.

    HR Nicholls girl Judith Sloane has her very own chair at ABC’s The Drum, and also at The Australian.

    Ditto, the Institute of Public Affairs parrots.

    Murdoch idiots like [not funny] Joe Hildrebrand is a regular on the Drum.

    HR Nicholls connected lawyer represents HSU”s Kathy Jackson and James Ashby.

    Just to top off the insults to our intelligence there sits former Howard government Minister Peter Reith, writing for and appearing on The Drum.
    His exploits regarding “children overboard” and the “dogs used against unionists on the wharves”, not to mention the training of ex SAS in Dubai, never mentioned these days. Instead we see the guileless visage of a benign old uncle – not.

  250. Tony Abbott betrays Peter Reith triggering WorkChoices v2.0
    29 June, 2011
    http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/politics/tony-abbott-betrays-peter-reith-triggering-workchoices-v2-0/

    Since that time, more than ever , the business leaders have talked of “productivity”, when in fact they’re talking about WorkChoices 2.0.

    ———-
    Shorten returns fire after BHP chief’s attack
    May 18, 2012.

    The government has turned on the BHP Billiton chairman, Jac Nasser, suggesting he clean up his own backyard before blaming the workplace relations laws for the increase in industrial disputes in the mining sector.

    The Workplace Relations Minister, Bill Shorten, said claims that killing Labor’s Fair Work Act, which replaced WorkChoices, would boost productivity and economic growth was ”a conservative fantasy”.

    ”That is a lie and should be called for the lie it is,” he said.

    On Wednesday, Mr Nasser delivered a blistering attack on the government’s industrial relations and taxation policies, saying they were fuelling investment uncertainty.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/shorten-returns-fire-after-bhp-chiefs-attack-20120517-1ytoi.html#ixzz1vBmAA4v0

  252. Pip put up this: It seems that if you’re British American Tobacco Australia, you just ring up the Daily Telegraph, give them a few quotes and they’ll run it uncontested on page three.

    Pip,
    I have a word for opportunist media that will do anything for money…but I won’t write it here.

    N’

  253. lunalava @ 5.14am, Perhaps Barrie could give me a word for Sophie, all I can think of is “disgust” or perhaps “unconscionable”.

    Also Fisher, Vasta, Turnbull, Hardgrave?

    Nas’, I can hear you from my porch 😯

  255. Still cranky with Tony Jones’ appalling performance on Lateline last night, when he said straight out he didn’t want to talk about the subject for which Climate Change Minister Greg Combet appeared on Lateline , here is what Jones missed .

    Compare the two. the pigs at the trough as above, or

    Household Assistance

    The Household Assistance Package will deliver assistance to 9 out of 10 households through personal income tax cuts and increases in pensions and allowances, as well as other measures.

    The Household Assistance Package starts from May 2012 with an initial payment, followed by tax cuts in July 2012 and then ongoing assistance added to regular entitlements from March 2013.

    This assistance will be permanent and will help households adjust to the introduction of the carbon price.

    In most cases you will not need to apply for assistance, as it will be automatically delivered to you through the personal income tax and Government payment systems.

    If you’re a working Australian, in a family, a pensioner or a self-funded retiree you can click on the relevant link below to see how you will be supported.

    •Support for Familes
    •Support for Working People
    •Support for Pensioners
    •Support for Self-Funded Retirees

    The Household Assistance Package is part of the Australian Government’s plan for a clean energy future. Around 500 of the biggest polluters in Australia will pay for their pollution under the carbon pricing mechanism, which will be used to assist households to help meet price impacts.

    You can find out more about the Household Assistance Package by clicking here and you can see how you will be supported by using this online estimator.

    http://www.alp.org.au/agenda/household-assistance/

    click on for more Labor news and blogs.

    Lateline transcript..
    People will see through Abbott: Combet
    http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3505429.htm

    I mean, it’s a government – when you can cut through some of the political static around the place – that is doing some great things for people.

    TONY JONES: Well, the political static’s critical here. What if people are really so fed up with scandal and spin that they’ve actually stopped listening to all of the things that you just talked about it?

    GREG COMBET: Well none of what I just put is spin; they are facts. They are things that we are doing for the community.

    TONY JONES: Well, I know that’s clearly the case and I don’t really think we need to go through a list of other facts in favour of the Government, but there’ve been plenty of examples …

  256. Mr. Abbott was making a big thing of the fact that one in ten will miss out.

    According to Abbott, this meant the PM was lying.

    As the PM has been very careful since day one, that this is the case, I fail to see the lie.

    I have this feeling, they put all of what the PM into word. They rhen go looking for certain words and cherry pick.

  257. ‘This assistance will be permanent and will help households adjust to the introduction of the carbon price.’

    If Abbott scraps the tax the assistance will not be ‘permanent’.

  258. “This assistance will be permanent and will help households adjust to the introduction of the carbon price.’

    There is another lie that Abbott is spreading. He claims the assistance will not be ongoing.

  261. Pip. I feel a little the same way. I do not know who I am angrier with. Mr. Abbott or those that surround him. I heard a few asides today on ABC 24. Like probably one of his stunts. Maybe others are feeling the same.

    This comment on Club Troppo sums up the way I feel.

    barista on May 18, 2012 at 4:22 pm said:
    “There can be only one answer: we are, as a nation, chucking a full-on, all-screaming, all-door-slamming teenage temper tantrum.”

    As rhetorical exaggeration, or as metaphor, or as literal argument, this line is just no, no, no. I am bewildered by the silliness of the thing.

    http://clubtroppo.com.au/2012/05/18/missing-link-friday-the-war-on-whinging/#comment-473704

  263. Sleazy, nasty, dirty and wrong: Just another day at The Australian

    In recent days The Australian has launched a vitriolic and highly personal campaign against Margaret Simons the director of the Centre for Advanced Journalism at Melbourne University. The campaign is aimed at discrediting Meg and her colleagues (me included) who teach journalism and who are critical of some aspects of the Australian news media.

    The Australian thinks that Margaret and others are part of some leftwing conspiracy. In other words, anyone with an opinion that editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell disagrees with is fair game for slander and professional assassination.

    and this bit bit is gold. 😆

    Mate, this story is built on nothing but innuendo, supposition and anonymous comments describing journalism education as a ‘cabal’. It contains a hypothetical scenario from well-known conspiracy theorist, lunar explorer and conservative mouthpiece Gerard Henderson and another go for Tracy Winch, who hardly anyone’s ever heard of. Hardly worth the ink and paper, let alone the pixels.

    http://ethicalmartini.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/sleazy-nasty-dirty-and-wrong-just-another-day-at-the-australian/

  264. ACCAN Review finds Gillard Government has increased consumer advocacy in the telecommunications industry

    blockquote>The Review found that ACCAN has established itself as a well-regarded and effective organisation representing the interests of consumers in the telecommunications sector. All submissions to the review supported the ongoing operation of ACCAN.

    “Before ACCAN was established in 2009, consumer advocacy in the telecommunications sector was under-resourced and difficult to access. As a result, consumers were often under-represented in the policy making process,” Senator Conroy said.

    “The review recognises the significant difference ACCAN has made to the telecommunications landscape in a relatively short period of time. ACCAN’s board, staff, and members are all to be commended for their diligence and enthusiasm in achieving this outcome.

  266. Sue while I found the article you mentioned a bit of a turgid read, I did like this bit:

    Chapter three of the inquiry’s report shows the sources of revenue for newspaper companies. Circulation, that is, revenue earned from the sale of newspapers to readers, accounts in most cases for significantly less than half of total revenue. The great bulk comes from advertising, whether classified or display.
    The point is this: keeping advertisers happy is more important to newspaper executives than keeping readers happy. It has to be or they go out of business. This doesn’t mean good editors and good journalists are indifferent to their readers, but when you hear newspaper executives mouthing the mantra that you don’t need to worry too much about media regulation because it is their readers who provide true accountability, you are being fed a line that is similar to the tobacco industry’s decades-long denial of the damaging effects of second hand smoking.

    So the MSM line that they are accountable to their readers because if newspapers were really printing crap then people would stop buying newspapers is bullshit. Oh and by the way newspaper sales have been in decline for the last decade.

    Using the MSM own axiom, Newspapers sales prove they are writing rubbish.

  270. With Craig Thompson about to defend himself in the court of the Australian Parliament, I thought of another word for the funk and wagnalls journalists covering the story.
    in·nu·en·do which is an Italian suppository meaning stick it up your arse MSM

  271. Sue and Eddie thanks for the link.

    The most recent and persuasive case study showing why there is an urgent need to reform regulation of the news media has been provided by the news media itself.

    And it’s been provided in the way they have reported on the Independent Media Inquiry.

    What they have done is to under-report a lot of what was presented to the Independent Media Inquiry late last year, and to either misreport the inquiry’s findings or to ignore large parts of the report altogether.

    Anyone who relied on the mainstream news media for their knowledge of the media inquiry’s report could be forgiven for thinking that we had recommended the Federal Government take a leaf out of Alan Jones’s book and stuff freedom of the press into a sack and dump it out at sea.

    The Influence of former Prime Minister John Howard on the ABC has been profound; he stacked the ABC Board with known ABC haters like Janet Albrechtson from The Australian, and ensured that Murdoch’s journalists have a place on programs like Insiders and The Drum, Not just any old journo, but the ranting blogger, Andrew Bolt, who, thankfully, is now ensconced on his own easily ignored tv program elsewhere.
    Howard’s stockbroker mate had two terms as the Chairman and the Managing Director Mark Scott used to work for former NSW Liberal Premier Nick Greiner.
    The result, which has been discussed here at length, is that the ABC news service is now little more than a puppet for News Ltd. and the Coaltion

    Doug Cameron: Murdoch press a threat to democracy
    http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/doug-cameron-murdoch-press-a-threat-to-democracy/

  272. lunalava
    in·nu·en·do which is an Italian suppository meaning stick it up your arse MSM

    and so say all of us !

  273. ABC News 24 corrupt in its reporting.
    At 10.10 while talking about Thompson in parliament today, News24 ran across the screen

    “Thompson Saga
    It’s alleged he spent $6000 of HSU funds on escort services & $270000 on his election campaign”

    The ABC News 24 should be aware of the AEC report on the $270, 000.

    This deliberate misinformation by ABC NEWS 24 should immediately be investigated the person / persons responsible for running this news message called to account.

  274. The guy who does the little messages across the bottom of the screen on ABC news 24 is a Liberal Party operative. I have witnessed many examples of how this guy distorts the news, always slanting towards pro Liberal propaganda.

  275. ABC24 have just broadcast a doorstop by Christopher Pyne. No he won’t be commenting on his part in the Ashby affair, but he had a lot to say about Craig Thomson and he was wearing his “I’m so sexy” face. :mrgreen:

    Judging by the excitement of the media there will be many of them needing a change of underwear by lunchtime.

  277. Twitter

    Stephen Mayne ‏@MayneReport

    Smart move by Qantas to announce massive job cuts whilst Craig Thomson is on his feet. Hard to knock Thommo off P1.ckquote></blo

  279. Thomson:- “what you don’t expect is for channel 7 to be hovering under the bathroom window… while my pregnant wife is having a shower.”

  280. I have felt uncomfortable in the shower ever since watching the Alfred Hitchcock movie scene in “Psycho”

    Channel 7 seems obsessed with bath house exposure after all the gay bath house outing of the former NSW Transport Minister was a winner for them.

    I hope that harrassing a pregnant woman in the shower may just be their Milly Dowler moment and will result in calls for greater media accountability.

  281. ABC news24 cross to people at a bowling club in seat of Dobell, they were impressed with Thompson today.

  282. Sue, ltd news reports “Thomson’s tears”…. what’s the bet the ABC will dig up some dis-believers before the main evenig news?

    I liked Thomson’s comment about the Fairfax hack..

    “They will do their utmost to offer the right of reply.
    Twelve McClymont articles without contact”

  283. lunalava, I hope that harrassing a pregnant woman in the shower may just be their Milly Dowler moment and will result in calls for greater media accountability.

    That’s a very faint hope.

    Has everyone forgotten what nearly happened to John Brogden??
    He now works for Lifeline…….

  284. Watching QT. The Opposition do not look too happy.

    This was the day that Thomson was to fold.

    Instead we had a reasonable account given by him, mentioning little that is in the public domain.

    They are long faced unhappy lot.

  285. Thanks Pip I used to work with Lifeline myself and know that they are a good mob. Brogden was a victim of the ultra-right wing catholic group which has since taken over the NSW Liberals and soon the Federal Liberals. Abbott has close associations with Opus Day so his behaviour is in keeping with their “ends justify the means dogma”.

    IMO it’s about time Opus Day was declared an extremist organisation the fact that they are supposed to be a christian based organisation must be particularly galling to other christians.

  286. Abbott does look like he is in shock. Suggest this is the last shot in the locker.

    I do not expect the Slipper affair to go far.

    Still like to know what that meeting Hefferman was at on the Central Coast was really about.

  288. Pyne now calling a motion.

    Albanese angrily told Pyne he was waiting for him to sit down, Permission not given.

    Two votes taken to gag. It is time for another one.

    Albanese is challenging Pyne.

    Who is going to win.

    It is a farce.

  291. Craig Thomson depicted by Sydney Morning Herald and TheirABC as giving Nazi Salute – disgraceful Fairfax and ABC
    During Thomson’s hour long speech to Parliament, Fairfax came in for some criticism, including the fact that in 12 articles (by Kate McClymont and Samantha Maiden) they had not once gone to him for a comment.

    With one hour of Thomson speaking, there is no need for this image to run on both news outlets. This is a deliberate choice

    This is how Fairfax responded

    http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/craig-thomson-depicted-by-sydney-morning-herald-as-giving-nazi-salute-disgraceful-fairfax/

  293. For a government that does not have the numbers, it did OK today,

    Albanese said that Thomson done as the Opposition demanded. That is were it starts and ends.

  295. Silly Mirabella was even in the HoR for the vote which only garnered 70 vote anyway 😆

    From Twitter

    Ryan Moore ‏@mooreryan3

    “@rwillingham: Labor backbenchers yell out “what’s your phone number?” to Pyne”

  297. Pyne is digging that hole deeper. Please someone send him those links I put on a site today.

    Thomson said nothing that is in the public domain.

    Pyne getting questions he does not like.

  298. Pip
    I reckon Abbott was in shock. He knew from the msm that Thompson would name names he didn’t think he would be among those named.

    I wonder whether his Abbott’s name will start appearing with
    Lawler – Jackson- Abbott investigations either civil or criminal.

  299. The lies are still coming. Parliament gas suspend three in the past. Yes, but the were not for crimes outside to house. They were for attacking the Speaker.

    Mr. Pyne give up.

    Mr. Pyne, Mr Thomson did not say anything that is not in the public domain.

    As wixxy has found out, it is OK to say it outside the house.

  300. It appears that Wilson, Lawler or Jackson can seek permission to make a reply. I cannot see that happening.

    No, Mr Pyne we do not compare to the FWA report, We compare it to the history of the union.

  301. Union officials are due on ABC 24.

    Qantas is a bigger story. Talk about picking ones time.

    Bolano now on.

    Time for a royal commission. May take some Labor people so be it.

  303. Cu, Pyne getting questions he does not like.
    and he left … quickly…

    Sue, you’re right… and he looked half cut…

  304. I didn’t Cu. he remembered that “colourful” conversation, which to my way of thinking wouldn’t be so easily recalled unless something extraordinary had gone down…

  305. The PM said the line has been crossed.

    I believe that Mr. Albanese has now drawn that line in the sand.

    No Abbott.

  307. Perhaps Barrie could give me a word for Sophie, all I can think of is “disgust” or perhaps “unconscionable”.

    lunalava, I’d like to add slag, maggot, immoral, corrupt, unprincipled, abominable, odious, vile, foul, putrid, tawdry, vulgar.

    Unfortunately, I haven’t got the time to list her bad qualities.

    “But the scandals besetting the Gillard government…..

    …….should have continued “are a construct by the opposition aided and abetted by a complicit and compliant msm.”

  308. Trial by media is not unusual.

    What I do find unusual is the approach of Abbott, Pyne, Brandis and a few others in the Coalition who have demonstrated NO respect for fellow parliamentarians who they believe can be shafted in order to give them government.

    It does not surprise me that the Abbott and team’s LYNCH MOB tactics come at the same time the corporate media has more power than ever…driven to hype and character assassination and wild speculations in a desperate desire to survive as less and less viewers & readers find them credible.

    Nor does it surprise me that the Abbott and team’s LYNCH MOB tactics come at the same time as the American Republican party has been hijacked by an extremist Tea Party agenda…and the aggressive rhetoric of Fox News run by Roger Ailes.

    Tony Abbott is a desperate man…using irresponsible and desperate measures to gain power. The same can be said for a number of his political and media allies.

    Tony Abbott should resign. He has turned our democratic parliament into a joke…into something akin to the Wild West. Hangman’s noose and all.

    Our media needs appropriate regulation with teeth.

    N’

  309. Kathy Jackson press conference ?
    more like press stunt. particularly when a “supposed” journalist declared “final question” says who claimed other journalists. Kathy then answered the question and said that is all.

  311. jane, i noticed that the lady has moved up in the pecking order. Today she was sitting behind Abbott.

    I wonder who moved down the bench out of sight.

  313. Did anyone notice how Mr. Thomson finished. He pointed at Abbott, saying that man is unfit to be a PM. He is unfit to be a member of parliament.
    Strong words.

    Pyne reneged on arrangements made wit Albanese.

  315. Sue @11.42am, perhaps we should swamp their ABC with complaints.

    Pip, Brogden’s treatment at the hands of Liealot and his mob of swaggering bully boys was nothing short of criminal, imo.

    Abbott looks sick.

    Not sick enough, I’ll be bound, CU.

  316. CU, I missed Thomson’s statement, but will watch if there’s a replay. Seems like a dramatic moment and he’s said what a lot of government members have been longing to say, I would think. Probably what Windsor and Oakeshott would like to verbalise as well.

    Wonder if the msm will show it?

  317. Jane you might be lucky to aee a reply. the Drum has the smellygraph’s Andrew Clennell on now saying he believes he’s guilty and giving his reason, and rest assured that’s what ‘smelly’ readers will be served up tomorrow and forever…

    What would the ABC do without Murdoch’s minions to fill evey space?

  318. Cu @ 5.54pm,
    Did anyone notice how Mr. Thomson finished. He pointed at Abbott, saying that man is unfit to be a PM. He is unfit to be a member of parliament.
    Strong words.

    Pyne reneged on arrangements made wit Albanese.

    I said earlier that Abbott looked as if he’d been drinking and I’m adding Pyne to that list; maybe he didn’t remember clearly that he’d made an arrangement with Albanese about how they would proceed when Craig Thomson finished his speech, or maybe he was overly excited and jumped the gun….

    No, it’s much more likely that he thought it would be clever to out smart Albanese;
    and it didn’t work to his advantage.

  319. No matter were one looks, it goes on and on and on, as Abbott would say.

    Where does Mr. Nassio fit in.

    Mr Jackson will also have to answer allegations relating to three $5000 payments made into his salary account between May and July 2008.

    Mr Jackson argued to FWA investigator the “pay rise”, which he has agreed to pay back, came out of a 2004 review into officials’ salaries, but he could not provide the review report to FWA.

    Mr Jackson will also face court over authorising a $5000 payment in October 2008 into the account of a union employee Alex Hicks, who took unpaid leave to campaign for Barack Obama in the United States.

    The payment was noted as a “political donation” in the union’s ledger, but the investigation found it was not properly authorised or documented.

    Mr Jackson and Mr Hudson are accused of three contraventions over their approval of union funds being used to pay for their flights and accommodation for a union official’s wedding in Sydney.

    The branch and Mr Jackson are alleged to have committed breaches over annual leave records, with investigators finding he was paid for 65 days of annual leave between July 1, 2007, and November 30, 2008, but only nine days were recorded as having been taken.

    Investigation chief Terry Nassios said it was obvious the union branch had grown “dysfunctional” due to antagonism between two groups on the management committee, centred around Ms Fegan and Mr Jackson.

    This had “deflected and distracted” union officials from standing up for their members, many of whom are the lowest paid workers in the health and aged-care sector.

    Ms Wills will not face any legal proceedings.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/fair-work-australia-will-not-press-charges-against-union-heads/story-e6frf7jx-1226301865575

  322. “Craig Thomson finished his speech, or maybe he was overly excited and jumped the gun….”

    He was trying to use weasel words once again. This is why Albanese was so angry,

    Pyne tried to make out the agreement was about documents, not the statement. Albanese was not buying the argument.

    Albanese has always had the right to cut the motion for the SOS. The problem is that it could make Labor look like it was preventing debate.

  323. Heather Ewart’s protected Abbott tonite on 7:30.

    Notice when she talks about the attacks on Thomson there is a cut to Julie Bishop.

    When Thomson points at Abbott there is not the expected cut to a close-up or medium close-up of Abbott so viewers know exactly who Thomson is referring to. The shot used was the basic long shot of both sides of the leaders’ seats taken from today’s proceedings.

    We know they have the technology available to zoom in for later news’ stories.

    I believe this indicates what many of us have suspected for a good long time…there are some in the MSM…including the ABC…who are using editing, camera and other techniques…and breaking long standing codes and conventions of television…to protect the leader of the opposition Tony Abbott…

    to give him a free ride to The Lodge.

    I ask you: Do you think that PM Julia Gillard…or for that matter former PM Kevin Rudd…would have been treated in the same manner in the same circumstances?

    I reckon a close-up or medium close-up shot of Gillard or Rudd by this time of night would have been cut to…in order to juxtapose the image of fingerpointing and verbal accusation with the PM’s image.

    The ABC has lost its way.

    N’

  324. I will say Chris Uhlman asked some useful questions of Kathy Jackson tonight.

    I did not think her responses were convincing at times.

    I saw her asked some tough questions in an earlier session.

    On both occasions she gave this odd smile with an awkward look whenever a hard question was asked of her…it could be her TELL.

    I believe this story has a long way to go yet.

    Thumbs up to Wixxy…who went where too many in the MSM wouldn’t dare to go…or ignored.

    N’

  325. Political media, cure thyself – it can’t be that hard
    http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4023662.html

    It’s clear that subscribers will cough up cash for quality objective analysis such as that provided by Laura Tingle and George Megalogenis behind their respective paywalls.

    I’d venture that LaTingle and Mega also attract the consumer dollar because neither proffers their personal opinions as analysis. Particularly in recent times, some formerly respected journalists have become diminished in the eyes of their readers by expressing personal political opinions in their pieces.

    That’s why it’s also important for media organisations to re-exert the distinction between analysis and opinion in their political coverage.

    Opinions are like bums – everyone has one – and anyone with a spare afternoon and a keyboard can publish theirs online (as I have just done). So while consumers will pay for high quality political analysis, it’s unlikely they’ll pay for opinion. But a well-targeted, written and argued opinion piece can bring a lot of eyeballs to a media organisation’s online and dead-tree pages. The encouragement of public comment, with a strong but principled moderation policy, can turn these visitors into a community of support and eventually paying customers.

  326. Cu, Pyne is a pompous trout mouth.

    The regulation he mentioned refers to ministerial statementsa. Craig
    Thomson was never a Minister, and is now an Independent, therefore Prissy was wasting “taxpayers money” and the parliaments time.

    He’s a pesty tester of patience….

  327. Has one ever wondered at the ability of kids, when playing games, to change the rules when they are losing.

    One would think that once kids reach adulthood, this behaviour would be left back in childhood.

    The Liberals are rewriting the rules as they go.

    They are becoming ridiculous. I ask again I ask, why not wait.

    What is getting me, is the allegations of the media, that Mr. Thomson has not said what he said,yesterday before.

    The blog of wixxy gives lie to this.

    Mr. Thomson sent a letter last night to the ABC saying that everything he said in the statement was in the public domain. Readers of these sites, know that to be true.

    Ms. Jackson was asked if she knew of similar accusations of consorting with brothels of other union officials before Thomson. Maybe the weasel word was “before” I do not know how she could give the one word answer of “no”

  328. “The regulation he mentioned refers to ministerial statementsa. Craig”

    As he referred to three previous MP’s that have been dealt with by the house. Of course he forgot to mention the crimes they committed was undermining the Speaker of the house.

    Not crimes committed outside the house and in this case, before coming to Canberra. In fact they happened pre 2007, in another life. Alleged crimes that have nought to do with the house.

  329. Mr. Abbott summed it up. A government clinging to power, that should not be there.

    The whinge is growing in his voice. The statement is now the property of the Parliament. They do not get it. I assume he means, I should be PM.

    FWA has made findings which are now facts. As a DO in docs, I put before the courts lots of findings, I believed to be facts, They only became facts, when the magistrate said so. The parent had the right to question my facts. This they did before the court.

    That has not happened to the FWA findings. They have not even laid charges at this time.

    Saying something is so, is different from proving it is.

    Talk about twisting the truth.

    Talk about rewriting the rules.

    Talk about morality, according to Abbott.,

  331. Home » Top Stories

    Craig Thomson faces censure, inquiries
    Tuesday, May 22, 2012 » 10:18pm

    Federal MP Craig Thomson faces several inquiries and could be censured by parliament, but key independent MPs won’t back a push to suspend him because it would deny the former unionist natural justice.

    A day after the Member for Dobell rose in the House of Representatives to address allegations he misused union funds when national secretary of the Health Service Union (HSU), coalition and independent MPs rounded on him.

    Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne asked the Speaker to refer to the privileges committee consideration of whether Mr Thomson ‘deliberately misled’ parliament in his statement, which coalition MPs have ridiculed as ‘fantasy’.

    Speaker Peter Slipper said in a statement later in the evening he didn’t believe there was a prima facie case for the committee to investigate.

    However, the House of Representatives still passed a motion to refer the matter for investigation.

    The government did not oppose the move, with manager of government business Anthony Albanese saying he didn’t want it argued that the government was somehow seeking to block a proper consideration of the matters.

    Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has brought in a censure motion against Mr Thomson, who was one of the subjects of a Fair Work Australia (FWA) investigation report into the HSU.

    It could get up as early as this week.

    Mr Oakeshott told parliament the motion was not about Mr Thomson’s time as a union boss but rather related to the length of time it took for him to publicly respond to the FWA findings, the damage this had done to public trust and confidence in the parliament, and his ‘lack of full cooperation’ with police and other authorities.

    ‘It is his failure to recognise the damage his silence has been doing to our great institution, as well as the findings of the Fair Work Australia report itself, that are the two substantive issues this House needs to consider,’ he said.

    ‘It is a shocking and damning report. It has status and it has worth.’

    The FWA report said Mr Thomson, who was HSU national secretary from 2002 until his election as a Labor MP in 2007, misused members’ funds for escorts, lavish meals and electioneering.

    Mr Thomson, who is suspended from the party, denies the allegations.

    Liberal frontbencher Senator Eric Abetz said the coalition believed Mr Thomson was ‘worthy of censure’.

    However, the vote to carry the motion will be tight, with independent MP Tony Windsor telling parliament he will not support either the censure or a suspension.

    He suggested instead changing the Constitution to allow more grounds for parliament to expel MPs.

    Currently, the grounds for expulsion are bankruptcy or a jail sentence of a year or more.

    Mr Windsor rejected a censure because it ‘prejudges the member for Dobell prior to due process’.

    Fellow independent Andrew Wilkie initially said he would second the censure motion, but after receiving legal advice said he would not support it at all.

    He would also not support any bid by the coalition to suspend Mr Thomson for 14 days.

    ‘To suspend a member is ultimately to pass judgment and to sit as judge and jury,’ Mr Wilkie said.

    The Tasmanian MP also backed calls for a parliamentary committee to examine whether MPs or members of the community had ‘intimidated’ Mr Thomson, which would be a breach of the Crimes Act.

    http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2012/05/22/Craig_Thomson_faces_censure_inquiries_753025.html

  332. I’m posting this on the Media Watch page because as far as I can see, not one of the rabid journalists, who have spent years writing the same old stuff about Craig Thomson, has even considered that their stance as judge, jury, and executioner might be the cause of great personal harm to their target, something that is clearly of no cncern to Abbott and Pyne.

    Cu, I wonder if Mr. Wilkie has heard of “intimidation” by an MP or two, that caused him to make that comment?

    A very serious matter was mentioned on 7.30

    Health concerns accompany censure moves for Thomson

    HEATHER EWART: The Opposition will keep up its relentless campaign against Craig Thomson, but politicians on all sides are starting to get feedback from their electorates that the public has had enough of this whole sorry saga. Even within Liberal ranks there was a bit of discomfort as they listened to Craig Thomson’s speech in Parliament yesterday, with some now worrying the Opposition could be pushing him over the edge.

    MAL WASHER, DOCTOR & LIBERAL BACKBENCHER: The stress you could see in the man’s face was transparently obvious. He is under immense emotional pressure.

    HEATHER EWART: Mal Washer is a WA Liberal MP who is also a doctor. In this case he feels torn.

    MAL WASHER: I went and spoke to Craig about a week ago publicly in the House, you know, just to see how he was going – and the reason is we don’t want people to hurt themselves. I mean I don’t care… it’s not my business whether they’re guilty, innocent or whatever, but there is a duty of care here to look after one another a little bit. I mean, you can have all the outright combative stuff, and that’s part of the nature of politics, but behind the scenes we should be asking how are people going, you know? That’s what makes us human.

    http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3508683.htm

    ———-
    Cu, If I were in EricA’s shoes I would shut up… from your link…

    He suggested instead changing the Constitution to allow more grounds for parliament to expel MPs.

    When the Godwin Gretch saga was going on and Senator Abetz was secretly receiving what he believed to be genuine documents from the Treasury Department, he did what Pyne is doing now, puffed up with his own importance, and he ended up with nothing but egg on his face, {an inadequate punishment in my view}, while his “mole” ended up in a psychiatric hospital.

    It would be very interesting to discover whether Eric Abetz and Malcolm Turnbull ever visited Mr. Gretch or made enquiries about his health when their dealings with him were uncovered, or did they leave him high and dry.

  333. Pip, however they change the rules, they cannot set themselves up to be judge and jury.

    One cannot have the right to remain silent taken away.

    If the rules were changed, they still need a conviction.

    That is the problem with the FWA report. They do not have the ability or power to do a forensic investigation, as the police do. They can only make findings that carry no weigh, unless tested in a court of law. Mr. Brandis and Mr. Abbott are wrong to say otherwise. What is more importance they know they are wrong.

    The are putting pressure on, intimidating and bullying a duly elected MP into resigning.Mr. Thomson has the right to sit in the house and vote under the constitution.

    I believe that Mr. Thomson should have followed his legal advice and remained silent.

    The Opposition are not interested as to whether he is guilty or not. They are not interested in the members of the union. If so, they would be showing more interest in the members of the union that are there today and which serious allegations have been made.

    Mr. Thomson is not there to harm them anymore. These other people are.

    Mr. Abbott is only interested in one thing. Getting into power.

    The actions of a bully should not be rewarded.

    If they want more power to remove a duly elected MP, the vote should be more than a simple majority. Otherwise, which ever side has the numbers would be able to get rid of anyone they liked.. The will of the people would be over ruled and parliament become unworkable.

    Maybe a margin of 60% or more.

    They did have the power. I believe it was exercised once by Billy Hughes. This power was removed. I believe in 1985. It was a bi-partisan decision. It was believed that it could be open to abuse.

    We do not have a two party system, not should we want one. When one thinks about it, it is not democracy.

    No party should have the right to get rid of anyone, to gain more power. That is what the Slipper and Thomson matters are about.

    Neither have committed treason or murder. Both are entitled to natural justice.

    So is Mirabella as well.

    The Opposition would be better placed at being a effective opposition.

    It is not as Mr. Dowd said yesterday, an dysfunctional, illegitimate government, because the people made a mistake.

    The government is getting on with the good governance. The Opposition should be scrutinizing , revising and putting forwarded alternative options.

    That is the role of an Opposition. It is not the role to demolish a duly elected government. It is up to the voters at the next election to get rid a government they do not like. It is not the role of the Opposition.

    The courts will deal with Thomson and Slipper in good time. That is as it should be.

  334. Pip, from comments made yesterday by Pyne and Bishop, I suspect that they were talking to Ms. Jackson. They used as evidence that Thomson mislead parliament, procedures that occur in the HSU East, to prove Thomson wrong. This they could have only got from someone on the inside.

  335. Cu, who is Mr. Dowd? I should know but it’s late 🙂

    Anthony Albanese said it best about the Coaltion “it’s the longest dummy spit in history”.

    Craig Thomson said yesterday, looking directly at the press gallery, then at Abbott, that they’ve trashed our democracy and that is the truth..

  336. Pip, it was Mr. Oakeshott that first bought up the proposition to refer the Opposition to the Privilege Committee for intimidation, with the intent of stopping a duly elected MP from exercising his vote.

    One could go further, that they by intimidation, gave the MP no option but to make a statement. They then set out to use that statement against him, by claiming that the MP by making the statement, he agree to the actions of the house. They claim to now own the statement.

    Talk about changing the rules to suit ones self. Under the Opposition reading of rules and conventions, one cannot win. They are creating new meanings for everything.

  337. John Dowd, a previous NSW Liberal state minister. Not one that you would expect such rubbish from. He was on ABC local 702 yesterday morning with Cheryl Kerner.

    A man I did have some respect for. Cheryl ask him to stop spuiking the Abbott line.

  338. Cu, the ‘statement’ was notes, not a ministerial statement therefore that whole argument is just another stupid ploy by Mr. Pyne.
    He knows the rules, which makes him a clanging gong . An ambitious little bloke with a vastly over-rated opinion of himself.

    Pyne went missing for days, and no doubt had the Libs dirty tricks unit working on a way around his embarrassment at being caught out in a lie regarding Mr. Ashby.

    It’s taken quite sometime but he’s come up with this:-

    MP involved in Slipper case? Prove it, says Pyne

    LIBERAL frontbencher Christopher Pyne has challenged anyone with evidence to prove his involvement in a sexual harassment case against Speaker Peter Slipper to cough it up.
    ..Mr Pyne was responding to an email he sent to James Ashby, the staffer who has accused Mr Slipper of sexual harassment and misusing cabcharges.

    The manager of opposition business initially admitted his contact with Mr Ashby was brief before it was revealed he spent almost two hours drinking and chatting with him in the Speaker’s office.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/mp-involved-in-slipper-case-prove-it-says-pyne/story-e6frf7jx-1226362002611

    They’re playing a psychological game intending to wear Craig Thomson down to the point where he decides to leave the parliament, and the next day Tony Babbleot
    can move into the Lodge, but after hearing Thomson’s speech they’ve gone completely mad.

  339. (A convergent (mis)reading of Judith Sloan’s observations about cuckoos clouding free-but-(dys)regulated nestworks…

    “In some cases, it looks more like hereditary monarchy than elected officialdom. Such long tenure would be frowned on in the company space and quite rightly so. And the size of the management committees of many unions is absurdly large, vesting the real power in a small number of senior officials. When it comes to union elections, it would seem that a relatively large number are uncontested. Indeed, the requirement to inform members of an upcoming election can be met by the insertion of short notice in the classified advertisement section of the daily newspapers….So here is the summary. Trade unions are not highly regulated and the regulations that do exist are both deficient and poorly enforced. The fact most unions continue to operate as state branches or divisions means the financial reports are particularly opaque. The general manager of FWA could, under the existing act, force unions to consolidate their accounts but this seems never to occur. The penalties for breaches of the RO Act are trivial….But the government will need to act independently of these initiatives to ensure that the legal regulations governing trade unions are significantly strengthened and that enforcement occurs with meaningful penalties.”)

  340. Pip and Cu remember those hounding Thompson are the same lot who when in government jailed someone without charges or the opportunity for bail (Muhamed Haneef). The same group who deported an Australian citizen who could not “prove” she was a citizen (Cornelia Rau). The same lot who compromised our military, deceived the electorate with a lie about children being thrown overboard.

    They will do anything to gain power. Their actions are becoming more not less reprehensible.

    Let the courts decide the matter of Thompson.

  341. I see on ABC online they are running a story/video

    “AWU boss Paul Howes hits out at Labor”

    Forget this, if you get a chance, watch the Press club address. Even better than the address was the answers to questions. To Lewis and all press he gave the best answer to effects of the Carbon price on the economy, that should leave the press with no doubts to the insignificance and the fear mongering that they and Abbott have spread. Unfortunately that statement will most probably not be quoted in ANY of the msm.

    On the true entertaining side of the address during questions, Howes dealt quite damaging ego blows to both Steve Lewis and Matthew Franklin.

    http://www.npc.org.au/ hopefully before long the Howes address will be online, as of my writing they have Hockey as the most recent.

  342. Thompson is the gift that keeps on giving for Abbott. He can use this issue to defuse any anti – Workchoice campaign at the next election, Portray the unions and Labor by association as a bunch of crooks.

    The issue will go quiet only when the evidence starts to point to a Liberal Party setup.

    No wonder that Kathy Jackson is being given a guest spot at the HR Nicolls Society.

  343. I watched that so called journalist Steve Lewis ask the usual “carbon tax” bullshit question of Paul Howes.

    Paul Howes gave the best answer I have seen on this issue and stunned the News Ltd hacks into (brief) silence as he showed that the Abbott propaganda on this issue was nonsense.

    Will it make a difference to the News Ltd fiction beat up on carbon pricing. Unlikely the MSM need the income from their sponsors.

  345. And as evidence, if any was needed, the Coalition is all BS and headlines over Thomson

    “The government, Greens and independents support in principle adopting a code of conduct for the House and last night it was agreed to debate the matter on Monday when non-government business was discussed.

    At the same meeting, between the Coalition, Labor, Greens and independents, to decide what other non-government business to debate, the LIBERALS VOTED AGAINST putting up their OWN MOTION TO SUSPEND MR THOMSON for 14 days.

    Mr Oakeshott supported the debate but the Liberals chose to devote the allotted time to debate their motions on motorcycle safety, autism, renewable energy and recognising the band of the Royal NSW Lancers.”

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/hearings-keep-thomson-in-the-spotlight-20120522-1z3bc.html#ixzz1vdNSpOs3

  346. Maybe the Liberals are a little gun shy of any measure that shines a light into their own closet.
    Their strategy is to use “Thompson” and “Union corruption” as banner items in the same way they used “Pink Batts” and “BER” to project and maintain a negative message about the government without any sensible evaluation of what actually went on.
    They won’t drop it until their involvement is made public.

  348. Sorry patriciawa, I am not as “clever” as the guys that set up this sting.
    Just a high level functioning dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac who lies awake at night wondering if there is a dog.

  349. The people I’ve spoken to on the phone…and my wife…and those visiting my house…have ALL told me they are BORED STIFF with the Thomson story and want to see the media and government get on with other issues.

    That’s why I was pleased to see Bob Carr on tele this morn dealing with other issues.

    N’

  350. We now have Pyne and Abbott at a school. Taking in words that one would to a young school child, other languages.

    Pyne out to talk on his shadow portfolio.

    We have the PM back from pause trip. Maybe he believes it was a pleasure trip.

    The she’s are in place.

    One sentence to the school. Now the three words slogans. Of course a Christian school.

    Pyne, the report brought down. Private schools to be worse off.

    The government has to guarantee………….

    Good at telling others what to do.

    First QT Thomson. Mal Washers concern. Should you pulll off….
    Has to ensure that justice is done.

    Done it’s job to ensure justice is done.. have you crossed the line..

    Low paid workers. I wish he would stop using those workers as political football.

    Findings findings At least he has stopped calling them facts….

    Now to IR laws, which apparently discussed in their party room. Wants the laws to move back to the centre.

    He new there was a obvious boy club in this union. Oh did he. Who are in that boy club. There appears to be more than one woman.

    Asked about PC.

    on and on with the bullshit.

  351. Abbott weasel words once again

    Pyne now excited talking about the PC. Was not that interested in education.

    According to Pyne, the PC has compare what Thomson said, against what he presented to the house4 yesterday. What make his spiel fact.

    Challenge on what he said about school funding.

    Now on the Corby deal.

    Asked a question on Paul Howes. We know he is one of the people the PM owes…

    We know… is her own political survival.. It is a wonder how this man can vring every thing back to the carbon tax. She she she

  352. lunalava, I’m ashamed to admit I’d forgotten to mention Cornelia Rau and Vivian Solon

    The regrettable case of Vivian Alvarez Solon
    May 14, 2005
    http://www.theage.com.au/news/Editorial/The-regrettable-case-of-Vivian-Alvarez-Solon/2005/05/13/1115843369186.html

    —
    and this little gem is perfect 😆

    lunalava May 23, 2012 @ 10:20 am [Edit]

    Sorry patriciawa, I am not as “clever” as the guys that set up this sting.
    Just a high level functioning dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac who lies awake at night wondering if there is a dog.

  353. Meta, the truth is sadly , many members are interested in their union. Many simply do not want to be bothered in what they do or who they are.

    They see it as insurance, you only have to contact them if you have a need,

    I would be surprised if the number who vote is very large.

    Many believe the responsibility ends when one pays their fees.

    This is true of many similar bodies within the community.

    it is and should be members that make a union strong.

    How one overcomes this, I do not know.

  354. Cu, the Coalition argument about “back to the centre” is a joke.

    The location of “the centre” varies, depending on the starting point….

  355. “No wonder that Kathy Jackson is being given a guest spot at the HR Nicolls Society.”

    I wonder if she will do as ordered by the HSU, nor appear.

    This lady has similar beliefs as Mr. Abbott. One only obeys the rules that do not get in their way.

    Those rules are only for your opponents.

  356. “Vivian Solon”

    This was probably;y the most shocking. It left a little boy on his own, not knowing were his mother was. He was taken into care.

    The woman was ill.

    They just did not care.

    They dumped her in the Philippines, without concern. For once, I am glad there were nuns about.

    The lady was an Australian citizen.

    They put a very ill woman on that plane.

    They broke every right the lady had. The put her young son at risk. No one could find out what happened to her.

  358. Maybe el gordo is interested. Professor Chubb is on at the NPC to talk about the health of Australian scientist.

  359. I believe it is time to recall this matter. That little boy did not know where his mother was for four years.

    The cases of Vivian Alvarez Solon and Cornelia Rau are unhappy addendums to the stories of those souls trapped in mandatory detention.

    What happened to Vivian Alvarez Solon before she appeared at Lismore Base Hospital in 2001 is unclear. She was treated for serious injuries that afflict her still: she can walk with a crutch but often uses a wheelchair and the use of her fingers and one arm is limited. Sadly, her trauma also appears to have affected her memory: she says she wants to see her family but cannot remember who they are. This combination of physical weakness and mental confusion possibly explains how it is that Ms Alvarez Solon, a 42-year-old Australian citizen, accepted her fate: to live for four years among the dying at the Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity hospice in the Philippines city of Olongapo.

    How she came to be deported from Australia and separated from her children, one of whom has been in foster care for four years as a result, is a matter the Australian Government has yet to explain. Her story, as it has been reported so far, raises a number of questions. How is it that she was deemed to be an illegal immigrant three days after being listed as a missing person by Queensland police? What mechanism determined that this injured woman, with no known family or resources, should be handed over to Catholic nuns and how is it that, once she had been accepted into their care, the Australian Government was not able to find her? As long ago as August 2003, Queensland police realised Ms Alvarez Solon had been deported but authorities say they were not able to locate her in the Philippines.

    http://www.theage.com.au/news/Editorial/The-regrettable-case-of-Vivian-Alvarez-Solon/2005/05/13/1115843369186.html

  360. This is what the Opposition wants to go back to.

    Labor’s hands are far from clean, but they have to sink a long way to equal the Howard government. A government that has their own interpretation of laws and rights, that they seem to have now,

    Lest we forget.

    The cases of Vivian Alvarez Solon and Cornelia Rau are unhappy addendums to the stories of those souls who are trapped in mandatory detention. As The Age has argued before, mandatory detention is a flawed policy that should be abandoned. Detainees are deprived of basic human rights and held in conditions that threaten their mental health. The Rau and Alvarez Solon cases suggest there may be an unhealthy link between mandatory detention and the department’s failure to treat two confused and vulnerable women with simple kindness.
    http://www.theage.com.au/news/Editorial/The-regrettable-case-of-Vivian-Alvarez-Solon/2005/05/13/1115843369186.html

  361. Startling and dramatic new tactic in Question Time by the government.
    Make question time so boring that no one could be bothered to watch.
    It’s not lathergy it’s strategery!

  362. I post these government media release here because the anti-NBN articles in the main steam nedia need some competition.

    Media Release

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

    ——————————————————————————–

    NBN to reach remote schools, health clinics, and local government facilities via satellite

    The Interim Satellite Service has been operating since 1 July 2011 and provides eligible rural and regional Australians faster broadband services. NBN Co’s long term satellite service will be available in 2015.

    “Over 7,200 homes and small businesses in remote and rural areas are already using the ISS. This is part of the Gillard Government’s commitment to prioritise the NBN rollout to regional Australia.

    “NBN Fibre will be rolled out to over 70 per cent of homes and businesses in regional Australia. By 2015, people living in regional and remote Australia who are outside the fibre footprint will have access to the NBN through fixed wireless or satellite,” Senator Conroy said.

    http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2012/076

  363. Pip

    Why didn’t you link to a story containing that “media” release in a ‘media’ outlet?

    Oh .. right 😉

  365. Who interest is this type of journalism. Is it needed.

    Craig Thomson’s wife Zoe must really love him. His political career is over. His reputation is shredded. He has become the butt of a national poor taste joke. And yet he continues to put up a front – blaming everyone, EVERYONE, but himself for the situation in which he’s landed.
    He can only be doing it for his wife. When you love someone you want to belie
    ve them, but you can only believe them if they give you something to hold on to. And so Thomson is giving the mother of his children his ever expanding denials to cling to.

    http://www.blogotariat.com/node/374127

  366. it’s self explanatory isn’t it Tom – here’s another one.

    Media Release

    Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
    Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
    Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
    Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

    ——————————————————————————–

    Warren Truss misleads his community on NBN once again

    Nationals Leader Warren Truss is still misleading his electorate about the National Broadband Network (NBN), the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said today.

    In an article titled ‘Noosa economy needs NBN access’ in the Noosa News, Mr Truss claimed “The people of Wide Bay bear their share of the liability for the NBN, but no one is getting any benefits”.1

    “Mr Truss’s statement is simply not correct,” Senator Conroy said.

    “Today, 213 homes and businesses in the Wide Bay electorate are connected to fast, affordable, and reliable broadband through the NBN Interim Satellite Service.”

    “Work on the NBN fixed-wireless network is also underway now and will be switched on progressively to rural parts of the country not covered by fibre by 2015. This includes rural parts of Wide Bay that fall outside of the NBN fibre footprint.”

    “Mr Truss has form on this. In March, he put out a press release claiming exactly the same thing. He was wrong then and he’s wrong now.”2

    “Instead of spreading misinformation, Mr Truss should support the people in his electorate who are now accessing vastly superior broadband than was ever achieved under the Coalition.”

  367. This would be a first for ABC, reporting what was actually said in parliament today.

    “Anthony Albanese accused Mr Abbott and the Opposition of trashing democracy.

    “Self indulgent, blood lust for power that we see from this megalomaniac opposite,” he said.

    “We’re not going to take lectures about parliamentary behaviour from this leader of the Opposition, whose the only member of Parliament to ever be thrown out of Parliament for physically confronting a Vietnam vet with no legs.

    “He doesn’t have the temperament Deputy Speaker to be the prime minister of this nation. He doesn’t have the character to be the prime minister of this nation.”

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-24/craig-thomson-a-current-affair/4031634

  368. I posted this on Wednesday, and decided to keep count from now on..

    Pip May 23, 2012 @ 2:43 am [Edit]
    During Craig Thomson’s speech on Monday he mentioned that one journalist had written twelve articles about him without ever contacting him.
    Here’s number thirteen; it’s not worth reading but I’m posting the link to confirm Mr. Thomson’s point…
    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/email-shows-mp-misled-caucus-20120522-1z3b3.html

    She should think about a new photo of herself… she looks far too pleased with herself in the current one.

    Here’s number fourteen, and still no contact with Mr. Thomson before publication….
    she begins her masterpiece with an oxymoron….

    The MP, the escort and a meeting in the Boardroom May 25, 2012.

    A HIGH-CLASS escort has signed a statutory declaration alleging she had sex with the federal MP Craig Thomson.

    Last night Channel Nine’s television program A Current Affair told viewers it had interviewed the woman on camera last week.

    Facing criticism that the prostitute had been paid $60,000 for the interview, ACA said on air that, to date, no fee had been paid, ”nor will it until our investigation is absolutely complete”.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-mp-the-escort-and-a-meeting-in-the-boardroom-20120524-1z7yv.html#ixzz1vnmdEDd0

  370. Latika Bourke tweets about Minister Simon Crean’s media release –
    meant to be clever?

    No link provided to media release – top notch journalism?

    Latika Bourke ‏@latikambourke

    Valiant attempt by Simon Crean with this press release title ‘FLASH CHOIRS TO MOB REGIONAL AUSTRALIA.’

    Still, the journos ask Labor MPs why they can’t get their message out….

  371. Found it!

    http://www.minister.regional.gov.au/sc/releases/2012/may/sc066_2012.aspx

    The Honourable Simon Crean MP
    Minister for Regional Australia,
    Regional Development and Local Government,
    Minister for the Arts

    Flash choirs to mob regional Australia
    25 May 2012
    SC066/2012

    Regional Australia is about to be taken over by a creative wave of festivals featuring flash mob style choirs, claymation, circus acts, and puppets performing in a solar-powered 3D laser show.

    Arts Minister Simon Crean today announced 33 festival arts projects in communities around Australia will receive funding through the Festivals Australia program.

    “Over half a million dollars will be going to support community arts and festival activities from Albury in New South Wales to Barkly in the Northern Territory and Queenstown in Tasmania,” Mr Crean said.

    “We have a huge wealth of creative talent in our regions as shown by the diversity and quality of the successful applicants.

    For a full list of recipients or to find out more about the Festivals Australia program, visit http://www.arts.gov.au/arts/festivals_australia

    ——————————————————————————–

  372. Why The Media Lies
    The Corporate Structure of The Mass Media

    http://www.mediamonitors.net/mosaddeq32.html

    Introduction

    It was Walter Lippman who coined the phrase “the manufacture of consent”, enjoining it as a means of population control. Lippman’s concept may indeed be in effect today. In this regard, the status of the mass media and its faithful propagation of the established opinion that Western policy is fundamentally benevolent in intention, is an issue of paramount importance.

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