If anybody misses what’s ever posted as a comment here at the Cafe, there is another blog site that focuses on every word we say. 😆
My above comment alone will in itself generate another 50 for them. 🙄
Julie Bishop’s lack of judgement should be brought to the notice of all Australia.
today in QT she had a question for Rudd, on the coup in the Maldives. The opposition were laughing at the analogy of the Rudd/Gillard leadership.
Rudd answered the quetion as the foreign minster should, as the head of the commonwealth foreign ministers should.
it was no laughing or trivial event. ,Even the abc’s politcal reporter, lyndal curtis questioned julie bishop’s judgement
School yard stuff, Sue. Do they know any different?
Sue, that is fairly awful..a major political crisis and the best that J. Bishop can come up with is a sneer.. This is certain proof of no depth of thought whatsoever.
MPI is amazing. The worse lightweight treasurer ever.
No vision. No direction and I assume no results.
One has to deny many inconvenient truths to come to this belief.
What we do have fact for, that this opposition must be one of the worse in talking the economy down.
Was not Ms. Bishop contribution wonderful.
Her acting skills were found wanting. I expected more from her.
Was she trying to play the bully or what.
She did manage to make a fool of herself.
I love the speaker telling the whiner that he was the kettle calling the pot black when he accused the PM of bad behaviour.
Noticed that Mr. Abbott is keeping quiet.
Miglo, I notice that we are unable to learn and some are vicious according to the messenger.
I do not really care but I hope the messenger keeps to the truth and not create her own facts to make herself look bigger, on the other side.
Miglo, at least it keeps them occupied.
What you have here is a credit to you and those who contribute.
.
Just looked in & see the above three posts, makes me think of one of my hobbyhorses. Australia has appointed for itself a muckup period for the duration of the Labor government. Anything goes, nothing’s out of bounds, & doesn’t Bishop’s effort highlight our awesome insularity? Everything can & will be reduced to what advantage the coalition can make from it.
Ms. Bishop’s behaviour in detail. Note Mr. Abbott cheered saying it was good one.
And rightly so. The question was utterly offensive. It dismissed people’s suffering, and made an absolute mockery of people’s fear. It invited us to have a chuckle – to excuse thuggery and institutionalised violence. That the Speaker did not immediately rule the question out of order is puzzling. Perhaps he felt that Rudd would satisfactorily deal with the issue.
But really, it’s not that surprising that Bishop would come with such a contemptible tactic. Look at the language the Opposition have used to describe Rudd’s forced resignation and Gillard’s assumption of the Prime Ministership. Rudd was ‘knifed’. Gillard ‘assassinated him’. It was ‘a dark day’ when a ‘democratically elected leader’ could be ‘stabbed in the back’ by ‘the faceless men of Labor’, the ‘Sussex Street death squads’.
It’s not surprising – but it is revolting. Whatever anyone’s opinion of the way Gillard initially became Prime Minister, it’s a far cry from an armed coup. There were no riots in the streets, no police beatings, no dissenting voices being ‘disappeared’.
Bishop may have thought she was being clever, asking the Foreign Affairs Minister an apparently relevant question that was designed to be a big ‘gotcha’.
Eddie, I listened to that exchange. It was disgusting. The woman who was on the end of what unsurprising for Senator Brandis near abuse, handled her-self well.
I do not think it was the time to launch a defence of Mr. Bolt.
Eddie, I’m gobsmacked.
Cu, it’s these “clever” statements from J. Bishop that would set foreign relations back a decade or so, should we ever have the misfortune for her to become Foreign Minister. A number of nations that I could nominate, are likely to consider it “incident” should Ms Bishop speak about them in, as the writer puts it, “an offensive manner”.
Eddie, unbelieveable…
So Brandis prefers the opinion of Andrew Bolt to that of the Federal Court’s – a conviction under the Racial Vilification Act, compared with the opinion of a shock jock…
Min, it was offensive.
I am sure it made Mr. Rudd’s job easier.
Mr. Rudd is coordinating in the response it the area.
He spent Saturday night with a phone hookup to fulfill this role. There is a party visiting the Maldives.
Her little stunt could have further reactions. Not necessary to our advantage.
I cannot help but think that if the Opposition did not turn this into a political bum fight and put pressure on the police in two states, this matter may have been bought to a conclusion way back last year, where there was indication that the matter was near fruition.
The Australian Government Solicitor says the legal bill for the investigation into federal Labor MP Craig Thomson has cost taxpayers $912,562.
Mr Thomson denies he misused a work credit card to pay for prostitutes when he was employed as a Health Services Union official.
Ms. Julie Bishop is on the ABC tonight. Drum. According to Annabel, a great guest.
Interesting to see what the questions will be.
So much for independence.
The Federal Opposition specifically asked for the Solicitor’s staff working on the case to attend today’s Senate Estimates.
But the Solicitor’s chief executive, Ian Govey, has told the estimates committee that FWA has instructed his office not to comment on details of the investigation.
“It would have been open to them to tell us that we could disclose further information, but I reiterate again that to do so would be inconsistent with normal practice,” he said.
Abbott is now talking on the Medicare rebate. Unusual; for him to involve himself in the doings of the house.
Going back to before 2009 for his speech.
A lie I am suck of hearing.
Abbott is treating the Speaker with contempt. He has really lost it. The abuse of the PM is beyond belief. He thinks he is so smart.
We are once again back on the no mandate. Sorry, Mr. Abbott, the PM has because the PM has the numbers on the floor of the lower house. The numbers the PM will get later tonight, will prove that the PM has the mandate.
He is sounding desperate.
Sitting behind him is Mirabella and Bishop, the younger.
I can see him coming close to getting thrown out.
He has just told the speaker, I knows what side you are on.
Speaker counselling him against such action.
If I did not know better, I would say, the man has visited the bar or his fridge since QT.
The look on Mirabella’s face is interesting. Bishop’s is not much better, but norm for her.
Mr. Abbott is moving a useless. time wasting motion.
This explains why he missed out at QT.
That it not be debated until the 44 the Parliament.
Happy birthday!
Love it Migs! $1.25 for a chicken!!!
It is also the Speakers birthday.
Mr. Abbott’s ploy of getting the Government to seek he no longer be heard, was a failure.
The Speaker also did not fall into Mr. Abbott’s trap.
Things have quieted down.
I imagined all that Mr. Abbott has achieved is that they go home a hour or two later.
Abbott’s stance on gay marriage looks like strong-arm tactics
Amanda Vanstone
January 30, 2012
Opinion
TONY Abbott’s decision to wait until the Parliament had shut down at the end of last year before making it clear that he would block a conscience vote on any gay marriage bill could cost him in the long run.
Ms Vanstone writes of Mr. Abbott… [on behalf of a silenced Party room perhaps?]
He told Australians his team went to the last election with a policy opposing gay marriage. That is true. But in fact he exercised a leader’s prerogative and decided with the shadow minister that the Liberals would stick with an anti-gay-marriage policy and therefore not allow a conscience vote if the issue arose. It was not a policy that went through a party process.
Former Howard Government minister Amanda Vanstone has urged Tony Abbott to re-think his stance on the gay marriage debate, accusing him of stifling internal party debate on the issue. In an opinion piece Vanstone wrote for The Age she also voiced that the Opposition Leader should allow Coalition MP’s a free vote when a bill calling for the legalisation of gay marriage comes before Parliament.
Abbott has made no secret of his anti-gay marriage policy, but Vanstone believes his decision to block a conscience vote on any gay marriage bill could ultimately cost him in the long run, especially as he waited until Parliament had shut down at the end of last year to announce his decision.
Magda Szubanski, star of Kath and Kim, Fast Forward and the film Babe, will join other celebrities, including Hugh Jackman and Jimmy Barnes, in their support for Australians for Marriage Equality’s campaign to legalise same-sex marriage.
She will also make a ”personal statement”, anticipated to be about her own sexuality.
***Magda is appearing on the Ch. 10 The Project right now
The interview went well until Alberici had to talk about the most important topic on the ABC Board’s mind.
1. EMMA ALBERICI: If I can just turn quickly to the issue of your party leadership, your Attorney-General Nicola Roxon recently said the best thing for the party would be if Kevin Rudd simply came out and said, “I will not challenge the Prime Minister.”
Do you agree that would be the best way forward?
2. EMMA ALBERICI: But with all due respect, this leadership question is really distracting the Government, isn’t it?
3. EMMA ALBERICI: But with all due respect, this leadership question is really distracting the Government, isn’t it?
TANYA PLIBERSEK: I think it is distracting journalists. What we want to be talking about as a Government…
EMMA ALBERICI: You said yourself it was an issue. You said it was your “internal issue”.
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek’s answer to the last question was longer than the host anticipated. 😀
Independent Queensland MP Bob Katter has declared war on mining magnates who are lobbying the federal government to allow unskilled foreign workers to be flown in to fill job shortages in outback Queensland.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has reportedly been in talks with mining companies about replacing 457 visas with bulk temporary migration agreements, under which workers could be flown in directly from overseas.
THE UN’s refugee chief has called Australia’s obsession with asylum seekers arriving by boat ”out of proportion” and called for the ”very politicised” debate to be conducted in a less polarising manner.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, told a Sydney audience that people smuggling had become ”a nasty business” linked to organised crime and it was important for governments to crack down on human trafficking. But, he said, protection also had to be offered to the victims of the trade, who often had no legal way to escape their situation.
Last year 1500 asylum seekers died in the Mediterranean Sea, as 57,000 people reached Malta and Italy by boat. Another 100,000 asylum seekers reached Yemen by boat.
Advertisement: Story continues below ”It is very difficult for me as High Commissioner, who has to deal with the whole world, to be convinced that 6000 is a very important problem,” Mr Guterres said of boat arrivals to Christmas Island.
Barrel O’ Lies got a hit right back in his face and I wonder if the big man will mind his mouth in the future.
“Premier, Barry O’Farrell, declared that the ”government by Kim Kardashian is over”.
The Premier has for some time referred, Keneally, as the ”Kim Kardashian of NSW politics”.
Seconds after it was uttered, Keneally rose from her spot on the backbench
”Given the length of the Premier’s first marriage,” she said, ”he’s the real Kardashian in this place.”
..mining magnates who are lobbying the federal government to allow unskilled foreign workers to be flown in to fill job shortages in outback Queensland.
Katter knows what he’s talk about. There is no reason why the big miners would want to import “unskilled” foreign workers under this program except to undermine the current provisions of 457 Visas which state that all workers must be paid at the going rate, Australian.
I would also be extremely suspicious about that definition of “unskilled”. Why would the big miners want to import unskilled labour? As Bob Katter stated, there are 10,000 unskilled jobless Australians in north Queensland alone.
My suspicion is that the big miners’ definition of unskilled is somewhat flexible. There are very very few “unskilled” jobs on the mines, perhaps some kitchen hands and room cleaners. Almost always unskilled jobs are filled locally. An Australian would be battling to get an unskilled FIFO position, so why would the miners want to import the same people, with the same skill level.
The company of LNP member and brother in-law to campbell newman, seb monsour to be investigated by fbi,
“Investigation is reviewing whether Liberal National Party figure Seb Monsour’s company violated American trade secret laws by allegedly obtaining technology developed by the American Department of Defence.
Can someone enlighten me, what is the difference in Mr. Abbott calling on the public to rebel against the so called carbon tax and Mr. Hodges passing on a message that Mr. Abbott was nearby.
What is the different to Mr. Mirabella stirring the crowd up and leading them into the lower house of interfere with QT,
Mr. Hodges passed on a message that the AAP was reporting, I believe for hours.
Where was the message that the crowd was asked to start a riot.
What I seen was what appeared a angry Ms. Jackson that believed that Mr. Abbott said what was on the airways for hours.
Has Mr. Abbott said what he means by moving on. To me it means it is time for the Tent Embassy to come to an end.
I imagine that we will once again have a angry Mr. Abbott acccusing the PM of causing a riot.
This will be in spite of the police investigation under way.
Does anyone really believe that the aim was for a riot, which by the way was greatly exaggerrated.
The PM and Mr. Abbott was removed because of the fear that things could become worse.
Can someone enlighten me, what is the difference in Mr. Abbott calling on the public to rebel against the so called carbon tax and Mr. Hodges passing on a message that Mr. Abbott was nearby.
None, they are both based on a fallacy created by our media.
Oh, one, the media love tabot, and hate Gillard. This has little to do with Sattler, and everything to do with their own little Game Of Thrones
Look at the different treatment between tabot melting down in front of the cameras after being asked a question he had been advised about, and the treatment Gillard is receiving after being duped into an interview and actually providing an answer.
It is blatantly, openly hostile towards her.
The unhinging has reached a crescendo, yet, I am sure there is more to come.
There is more to come, Tom, the hate media still have to dig up the dirt on her political roots. Julia is a watermelon gal.
There is always more to come grodo
We still don’t know who made the coffee on that fateful night 😯
Good one from Oakeshott..
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has confirmed he will provide the crucial vote to get the private health rebate means test through the House of Representatives today.
And from Plibersek, this is entirely the point of the argument..
“This is a very targeted measure that simply says that a bank teller on $50,000 a year should not be subsidising the private health insurance of a bank executive on $500,000 a year or a bank CEO on $5 million a year.”
el gordo, there is nothing to turn up on the PM all that you allude to has been in the public domain for decades.
It is so substantial that no one has made any of it stick.
Even Mr. Cassidy, on his visit to report to Ch 10, would not agree that the office creating a acceptance speech was unusual. Mr. Cassidy added that the staff would not have being doing their job to do otherwise, owing to what was going on in the medias at that time.
Yes, el gordo, there are other’s that spend their time running from one site to another.
The “commo” label does not carry any weight today.
The Medicare rebate is near conclusion. We have to get past to the time wasting effort of Mr. Abbott, then the final vote.
Mr. Turnbull was the last speaker for the Opposition.
This is not a BROKEN PROMISE. it is the same as Mr. Howard done with the GST.
Mr. Howard said no to a GST. The next election he changed his mind, saying he would bring in the GST.
Once again one rule for Labor, another for the Coalition.
I am afraid what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
Another piece of legislation passed for this frozen government that is obsessed with Mr. Abbott.
Speaker is demanding relevance That is going to make it harder fort he Opposition when moving censure motions etc.
The speaker said yesterday when Mr. Pyne attempted to verballed him. that he wanted short, concise questions to make it easier to decide whether the answer was relevant.
He added that did not mean the answer had to be as short. The Opposition has trying to say that when asked yes or no, means that the answer should only be yes or no.
The speaker spoilt their day, when he said that the PM was being relevant when she explained why she said yes or no. The look on the Opposition was a sight to see. I think this led to later, the Opposition leader telling the speaker, he knew whose side he was on.
CU it strikes me as odd that the hate media has not really opened up on her formative years and her ‘commo’ influence.
Of greater interest is the takeover of the Greens by the DSP, which put climate change front and centre.
El gordo, you must have missed it. They tried a fear campaign about that one eons ago…I believe that she was involved at a minor level with a socialist club while she was at uni, about as relevant as Abbott being A Young Catholic. Hang on, wait a mo’.. 😉
I’ve also seen Gillard described as the anti-Christ by one of those drop down and talk in tongues Christian groups..perhaps that’s relevant too.
I dispute the ‘minor level’ role that Julia played.
Mr. Abetz definitely does not believe in the independence of the FWA. There are five being investigated.
They are awaiting the response of thousands of pages sent to the five.
Mr. Abetz wants to know if Mr. Lee spoke to the fraud squad. The answer was that they do not know what the general manager did.
He seen his role as to independently investigating. The assumption was made by the Opposition, if one didn’t know what someone else doe, it did not occur.
5 letters = 6500 pages.
What information is Mr. Abetz really entitled to in a ongoing investigation???
Is this what justice is about.
If you got a few thousand pages of allegations that you are required to answer, what is a fair time. Mr. Abetz seems to believe 21 days is sufficient.
Ask whether there was much from the public voicing their concern.
Asked whether FWA has been hurt. FWA staff refused, as they should to make a judgement.
“CU it strikes me as odd that the hate media has not really opened up on her formative years and her ‘commo’ influye”
You are wrong, as I said the allegations have been in the public domain for years and the fact is simply, no one cares.
It may surprise you among others. it is not as crime in this country to have left wing views. It is not even a crime to have connections to some. you would describe as commons.
It would be near impossible in the Labor movement, especially in the uni environment for the two to have interaction.
el gordo, that is what the real world is like, it is made up of people with many different views, that move among each other.
Now, I knew Mr. Munday very well, and he is a wonderful bloke. What does that make me in your eyes.
I find Mr. Abbott’s close connection and adoration of Mr. Santa Maria more fascinating. Does this mean that Mr. Abbott had leanings to the DLP.
I suspect he did, but what has that got to do with Mr. Abbott today.
I will add for the record, the PM actions during the time she has led the Labor party do not point to extreme or even left wing leanings.
It appears whatever the PM’s political leanings were as an adolescent, she has moved far away for hm.
Sorry, reds under the bed does not work anymore, especially when the worlds largest communist government is becoming the world’s largest economy.
.
There appears to be a debate on FWA in the lower house now. I think it might be on the Building Workers Leglisation.
The thing that strike me as strange in this whole Thompson saga, is the libs now crying how long it has taken.
Didn’t abetz just recently lean on the Police to prosecute a case, which was not down in NSW, so he then went to the Vics?
all within the last 6 months or so?
Isn’t he a little slow of the mark?
Wouldn’t this of itself add to the time taken in the initial case?
Tom, that’s exactly what happened. Not satisfied with the NSW police assessment that there was insufficient evidence to mount a prosecution, it was sent to the Vics.
The thing about “insufficient evidence” is that in order to obtain a conviction that every case must be judged on its merit. Quite often people state: But we know he’s guilty, and indeed the person may be as guilty as sin, but it’s a pointless exercise taking the case to court if there is insufficient evidence.
Golly gosh, lets hope the Australian Army and Duntroon, are better at geoghraphy, today rather than when Newman served. Especially seeing Newman
reached the level of major.
“Yesterday, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace mocked Mr Newman for mistakenly saying Bowen is north of Cairns.
Newman attended the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and joined the Australian Army as a lieutenant in 1981.[4] He is a qualified civil engineer with an honours degree in civil engineering from the University of New South Wales and spent thirteen years in the army, retiring with the rank of Major in 1993. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_Newman
‘the PM actions during the time she has led the Labor party do not point to extreme or even left wing leanings.’
Her government continues to throw money at the Klimatariat, which is a DSP/Green initiative.
The redistribution of wealth under the cloak of climate change has been a highly successful manoeuvre.
eg read about your heros
The Climate Killers
Meet the 17 polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb global warming http://weirddream.com/
If you want to be ahead of the news cycle here, look to Canada where they have already begun to dismantle the Klimtariat.
Tom R, I believe the actions of the Oppositions could be a reason that it is Now taking so long.
I do have problems with politicians interfering in legal matters.
Look what happened to that innocence doctor under Howard. The politicians did everything to keep him in jail, even after the British police pulled out in a few days.
The politicians were so sure he was guilty.
Nothing has changed as far as they are concerned.
They have decided that Thompson is guilty, and in their opinion he should be hung.
The question I still ask, where is the outcry from the members, except for the incident that Ms. Jackson attempted to stir up with little success.
el gordo, I agree. Mr. Rudd and others have placed to much faith in clean coal. it maybe possible but I believe not probable.
It was a sop to the coal producers and in my opinion wrong.
There is many ways to produce clean electricity, and coal will become the horse of this century.
el gordo, I will add, if it was feasible, why are not the coal producers leading he way.
Want a lesson on beer, turn into parliament, Mr. Pyne is giving one.
News. A Industry group are saying that FWA is seeing a increase in workers power.
Amazing, when one remembers they had none under WorkChoices.
This minority government has passed 266 Bills, the Howard govt in first term passed 108.
You probably won’t see that reported by the msm
‘There is many ways to produce clean electricity, and coal will become the horse of this century.’
Yes, we have an abundance of relatively cheap coal and with smaller efficient stations, dotted about to carry baseload, all will be fine.
In the far outback the use of windfarms and solar, along with natural gas, could provide energy for small satellite cities.
If you are worried about CO2 emissions, they might want to capture the carbon from power stations and turn it into natural fertiliser on the spot.
Then give the CO2 pellets to the agrarian socialists for free, as a goodwill venture.
Pyne got thrown out today and the opposition buggered up the suspension of standing orders. Yep it was left up tp bishop and she was late. QT finished before she could start her rant so missed out on the TV coverage.
Sue at 3.16
Don’t worry, the news programs’ll fill in the gap with a bit of leadership speculation.
Let’s dig that black hole even deeper Tony…
The Gillard government’s bill to means test the private health insurance rebate finally passed the lower house today, but Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said that he would repeal it should the Coalition win government.
Min, I fear that no matter how deep or wide he digs it the media will let him walk around it.
But of course it’ll fall to others (us) to fill it in.
Bob, hopefully a Labor pre-election campaign will include a list of all those things that Tony Abbott plans to cancel, payrises to pensioners included.
Ah, but Min, that will be dismissed as an obnoxious fear campaign.
Though it would be funny to watch Abbott tiptoeing between issues, explaining to each individual how THEY won’t be worse off.
I’m a bit surprised that Abbott’s said he’ll repeal the legislation though, prior indications were that he might not. I guess his natural attacking viciousness kicked in. More work for Joe, I wonder if he’s up to it? (just kidding here, I don’t wonder if he’s up to it at all, of course he’s not).
More on that..
After days of refusing to answer if he would repeal the legislation, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has finally committed to reinstating the rebate if he wins government.
This is the first time that I’ve heard that Abbott has in fact been refusing to answer the question. Why hasn’t that one been splattered all over the media..or have I been missing something.
Thought some might be interested in the facts of what the last few days have been about.
Health rebate changes explained
People currently get a 30 per cent rebate on the money spent on private health insurance.
It is designed to encourage Australians to take up private health insurance.
Previously the rebate was available to all Australians irrespective of income.
Under the new scheme individuals earning $80,000 or less and families earning $160,000 or less will be eligible for the full rebate.
Individuals earning up to $95,000 and families earning up to $185,000 will be eligible for a 20 per cent rebate.
Individuals earning up to $125,000 and families earning up to $250,000 will be eligible for a 10 per cent rebate.
The means test will be indexed for inflation, with the cut-off rising to $83,000 and 166,000 in the 2012-2013 financial year.
It is expected to net the Government $2.4 billion in the first three years
“If you are worried about CO2 emissions, they might want to capture the carbon from power stations and turn it into natural fertiliser on the spot.’
There was a package passed you know. The price on carbon emission is only one part of the solution.
I believe many of the things that you proposed are already occurring.
Do you agree with Mr. Abbott?
Meanwhile, please remember that this is, according to their leader, the Liberals’ big issue. It’s “in their DNA”. Extra taxpayer money for the rich to maintain their privileges over everyone else. That’s the Liberals’ priority.
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, is visiting Australia and joins us to discuss the issues facing asylum seekers in Australia and around the world.
Transcript
If you look at numbers, about 6,000 people came to Australia last year, but to Italy and Malta, 58,000; to Yemen, 100,000. So this is a global problem, in which the numbers in Australia are still relatively small and that is why we believe that this debate has sometimes been inflated out of proportion with the reality of the problem in itself and that there is – there should be a scope for a calm and rational approach to these questions in a way that could meet the protection requirements of people.
Rudd has just made a speech. Now it is time for Ms. Bishop.
I suggest Mr. Rudd to make one each day, forcing Ms Bishop to say something more than throwing insults and dirt.
We do have many Oppositions.
for an in-depth expose on how Abbott knifed Turnbull in the back (by only 1 vote) then proceed to renege on a deal with the Government about the CPRS…and it’s not like we are ever going to get one either.
It’s now more than clear that we have more than one Opposition in this country…we have the Coalition Opposition, the News Ltd Opposition, the Fairfax Opposition, the 7 Opposition, the 9 Opposition, the 10 Opposition and the ABC Opposition. With this latest effort they shown themselves to be actively campaigning to destroy the Government. they are no longer reporting the news, they are trying to create the news.
Min at 4.37
You missed Abbott’s refusals because it was all kept low key. I think I heard it mentioned once, not sure where. It certainly wasn’t “Abbott ducks questions on…”.
That doesn’t surprise you, does it?
The Federal Government has for the first time terminated a company’s contract to recruit overseas workers on 457 visas under a labour agreement.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the Victorian company has breached its contract and underpaid the employees.
Is the girl with the pearls paying attention?
Of course this is not waste or an inefficient scheme. Cannot be, it is I believe from Mr. Abbott’s time. I should add that I have bemefitted from the scheme. I have no chronic illness. I did need dental treatment I could not afford.
The scheme was set up in the final months of the Howard government at an initial cost of $300 million, but it now costs more than $2.2 billion.
The program was designed specifically for patients with chronic health conditions, to enable them to receive more than $4,000 worth of dental work under the guidance of their GPs.
But as Human Services Minister Brendan O’Connor explains, that is not how it has worked in practice.
“It really is inequitable because a multi-millionaire with diabetes can get more than $4,000 for dental services but a pensioner without a chronic disease gets nothing,” he said.
Shopping centre giant Westfield has announced a 38 per cent jump in full-year net profit to $1.53 billion due to rising property-management and project income.
Does anything unite the nation quite like hating banks?
In the week since the Reserve Bank kept the cash rate steady at 4.25 per cent, the Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ and National Australia Bank have lifted their mortgage rates – Westpac and CBA by 0.10 per cent, NAB by 0.09 per cent and the ANZ by 0.06 per cent.
OK. Time for some facts, methinks.
Joe Hockey would have you believe that it is Wayne Swan’s fault – after all he should be able to get on the phone and tell the banks what to do – just like he would have you believe Peter Costello did.
Don’t be fooled by that.
Fortunately for us, the RBA provides a lot of information on banking costs, on its Statistical Tables page. It also releases a regular Statement of Monetary Policy, which includes ample bits of info for us to get our heads around the bull and the dust.
Firstly, the Tent Embassy was set up “all those years ago” because Aboriginal people were demanding national land rights, a treaty and sovereignty.
Call me a cynic, but last time I checked, there is still no treaty, still no national land rights, and still no recognition of sovereignty. Indeed, the Aboriginal are still demanding precisely those things 40 years later.
Secondly, you and your party opposed the National Apology during your 12 years in office. Thirdly, you’re refusing to offer bi-partisan support on Constitutional Recognition if it involves amending the legislation to remove the power of your parliament to discriminate against Aboriginal people.
As to your comment about “the respect in which they are held by every Australian”, you’re clearly not familiar with the myriad of Australian race-hate pages on Facebook, not to mention the views of the extreme right wing of your own party.
and
Abbott’s comments are clearly complete nonsense. Indeed they are Howard-esq in their ignorance (who can forget the former Prime Minister refusing to accept racism was a factor in the Cronulla riots, or predicting that the $2 billion NT intervention would cost “some tens of millions”).
Abbott, however, is rather blessed when it comes to media analysis. Don’t hold your breath for media to revisit and analyse Abbott’s original remarks or Gillard’s deceit. And don’t wait for the media to correct the public record about the riot that never happened.
And don’t expect media to scrutinise the use of the nation’s most disadvantaged people as a political football by both major parties, and as a metaphorical football by overzealous cops.
History has already been written. In the words of Abbott, it’s time to “move on”.
One comment said the riot was caused by incitement.
Tell me where is the evidence that anyone said, lets go to the restaurant and bash him up. The most I heard was let’s go and question him.
Where is the evidence that anyone incite the mob to violence.
‘There was a package passed you know. The price on carbon emission is only one part of the solution.’
I’m hoping Stephen Smith gets up and knocks the CO2 tax on the head. Such a ridiculous tax, when you consider CO2 doesn’t cause global warming.
“Such a ridiculous tax, when you consider CO2 doesn’t cause global warming.”
Such a ridiculous statement, when you consider that grodo doesn’t think for itself
Cu and “I suggest Mr. Rudd to make one each day, forcing Ms Bishop to say something more than throwing insults and dirt.”
I think that the original strategy was that Rudd should keep a low profile, because every single solitary time Rudd said anything about anything in jumped the media with yet another (yawn), media speculation topic. Endless, boring, unoriginal, rehash of the same topic.
All that this succeeded in doing was taking Rudd out of the play, at least publicly. Surely by now the government realizes that they are going to get this same rehash irrespective of what either Gillard or Rudd do or say – therefore Rudd may as well do the best job he can, and say stuff it to one and sundry.
“therefore Rudd may as well do the best job he can, and say stuff it to one and sundry.”
I get the impression that the Governmnet as a whole are coming to this conclusion.
No matter what they do, it will be spun out of control by a media who have abandoned any pretense at impartiality, and obviously, common sense.
Tom, the media enquiry will certainly be interesting. I can’t remember the stats completely, these were published, but I seem to recall that during the carbon tax debate it was found that the Herald Sun was running around 80% negative articles and editorials.
Which only goes to prove that in spite of some people’s best intentions to be impartial, if you say it often enough and loudly enough it ends up becoming “a fact”.
Yes Min, it’s not a pretty reading
After neutral items were discounted, n egative coverage (82%) across News Ltd newspapers far outweighed positive (18%) articles. This indicates a very strong stance against the carbon pol icy adopted by the company that controls most Australian metropolitan newspapers, and the only general national daily. (See page 33)
Another increase in profit. What am I missing. I thought everything was gloom.
Women’s fashion retailer Noni B is hoping the allure of its clothes will pull it through the retail rough patch and improve earnings in the next six months.
The retailer on Wednesday announced a 58 per cent increase in first half net profit and, unlike many of its rivals, painted a positive outlook for the rest of 2012
“Leak exposes how Heartland Institute works to undermine climate science
Libertarian thinktank keeps prominent sceptics on its payroll and relies on millions in funding from carbon industry, papers suggest
The inner workings of a libertarian thinktank working to discredit the established science on climate change have been exposed by a leak of confidential documents detailing its strategy and fundraising networks.”
‘The Socialist Forum was a radical group that helped to bring former members of the Communist Party into the Labor Party.
‘In 2007, asked about her involvement, Gillard said “many a long year ago” – mostly when “I was a university student” – she’d merely done “part-time clerical and administrative work” for this “debating society”.
‘In fact, she’d been on the forum’s management committee, organising events and giving speeches. The parliamentary register of interests states she was still a member from 1998 to 2002.’
El gordo, up until the time I went to uni I was a racist, sexist pig. Do people look at me and say “because you were are racist, sexist pig 15 years ago it must mean you still are one”?
PS, up until 15 years ago I used to have a closed mind. I’ve since opened it. Widely.
And Tones was in a seminary, but now he is (happily) married with 3 daughters.
Totally irrelevant, Sue. It’s what he did twenty years ago that he should be judged on.
El gordo’s law.
You mean when he had a girlfriend, who he thought was pregnant and went off overseas.
Sue, he not only went overseas, demanded she adopt what he thought was his baby out.
el gordo, what does it matter. The PM did nothing illegal.
You are now Bolt’s mouth piece, that is more interesting.
George Negus, maybe we should be get around to listening to the opposition leadership problems, if you listen to the little birdies in Canberra, is not that flash hot either. (The Project)
el gordo, I am ashamed that at the same age, I actually voted DLP. Shocking is it not.
“The parliamentary register of interests states she was still a member from 1998 to 2002.’”
The PM has not kept it secret. el gordo, tell me what the PM has done wrong.
I think that you might find more criticism that she is now not of the left.
I suspect that you may have had the same beliefs all your life. If that is true, it is a worry.
El gordo, just to reiterate that this is a very old “scandal”, here it is..same story..same repeated lines from the Blot. The year 2007.
The issue isn’t just whether there’s a Red under the bed, but a liar as well.
Labor’s deputy leader Julia Gillard has claimed she was just a part-time “typist” in her “university days” to a mere “debating society” called the “Socialist Forum”, and has really been a “fiscal conservative” all along.
In fact, she was on the management committee of this far-Left group, which was formed by former communists to help them join Labor, and she stayed there even when she was well into her law career.
now todays reporting from the senate on the FWA, said 4 people had been written to but so far 3 have replied, the person they were waiting on had until march 2nd. i also heard that there were 25 discrepancies to be addressed, these from victoria.
now, if i remeber, kathy said a couple of weeks ago, that as soon as she sent in her replies she would publish her statement for all to see. so far no statement from kathy. now i wonder who hasn’t replied? i wonder if abetz is worried?
Just listening to Martin on the radio talking about banks, interest rates and changing banks.
the verdict, Wayne Swann has really done the work on making it easier to change banks. martin had gone to ME bank filled in the forms and ME bank did all the work.
praise by martin for swann, it is very easy to change as you don’t have to do the 10 point id stuff, as his old bank has those records.
he then gave an example on home loan of $300,000 loan savings of $140 per month.
bad labor govt, naughty wayne swann how dare you give bank customers options/power.
Every day, our conscience demands we work to Close the Gap.
Mr Speaker, that work, every day, is what this Government has done.
By embracing the targets of the Closing the Gap campaign, this Government deliberately leaves itself nowhere to hide.
Closing the Gap is a practical and empirical project and it is a project that should move us deeply, work which will make such a difference in so many individual lives.
Cu, according to Blot himself, he always felt he was ‘on the outside looking in’, he’s very shy…..
He recalls having strong views at the time, but neither the confidence nor the self perceived ability to articulate them.
‘I rose without trace. I’m quite a shy person and didn’t get involved in much
and didn’t feel part of it. All of that was beyond me. I was a very good Dutch boy thinking the most important thing about university was to pass your exams.’
There’s no doubt Bolt found his secondary and tertiary education
inadequate and it troubles him to this day: ‘One of the things I feel strongly
about in education is the idea of making teaching “more relevant”.
In other words he dropped out of uni…..little frog in big puddle syndrome perhaps??
Who is the fat one? This is the second time I have heard this mentioned.
Now, I do not know teflon, but I think it was el gordo that mentioned the same thing.
Maybe we are mentally retarded. Why don’t you stay around to find out.
I must warn you that most do agree with global warming, so you might find it a little boring. We are also not into name calling, so that makes us a little stupid I suppose in your estimation.
We also like the way we are and this site.
Now I could be misjudging you as I do not quite understand your comment. That must mean I am dense, because you are so smart..
CU,
“el gordo” means “the fat” in Spanish. I have heard that she should probably use “la gordo” though.
Bacchus, you have confused me more. Why use the phrase.
It’s to do with gender of the language CU. I’m no expert in Spanish by any stretch of the imagination, but “el” would indicate male, “la”, female.
I don’t know if you can relate it to another language CU, but I studied German in high school – they have the “die”(female), “der”(male), “das”(neuter) gender contructs of various words…
December 2009: WESTPAC lifts rate 45 points instead of Reserve Bank’s 25. Cites the price of bananas. Other banks follow.
November 2010: COMMONWEALTH lifts rates 45 points after the Reserve lifts 25. Other banks follow.
November 2011: NAB cuts rates only 20 points after Reserve cuts 5 points.
February 2012: ANZ lifts rates 6 points after Reserve Bank leaves rates flat. Westpac follows, others consider positions.
HOW THEY LINE UP AT THE START OF THE WEEK
Westpac 7.46% (from 7.36%)
ANZ 7.36% (from 7.30%)
Bank of Queensland 7.36% (no change)
Commonwealth 7.31% (decision imminent)
National Australia Bank 7.22% (decision imminent)
Reserve Bank 4.25% (steady)
Standard variable mortgage rates, Reserve Bank cash rate. February decisions.
Borrowers are in for further pain this week with the Commonwealth and National Australia Banks each expected to launch separate reviews of their mortgage and business rates ahead of announcing multi-billion dollar profits.
“A PROMINENT Australian scientist has rejected as offensive any suggestion he is doing the bidding of a US climate-sceptic think tank that is paying him a monthly fee. (of $US1667 paid by The Heartland Institute) “
Bacchus, thanks for the link.
Heartland Institute is a favoured destination for Senator Bernardi, and was for former Senator Fielding.
24 June 2011, 10.44am AEST
Bob Carter’s climate counter-consensus is an alternate reality
Australian climate change contrarian Robert M. Carter, Ph.D., and
Liberal-aligned think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, have been named in documents leaked from key US climate change denial organisation The Heartland Institute to DeSmogBlog.
Carter apparently receives US$1,667 per month, funding which is provided to “high-profile individuals who regularly and publicly counter the alarmist AGW message”. Other recipients are US-based skeptic Craig Idso and serial contrarian Fred Singer.
Download links for the leaked documents are below. More info from Skeptical Science.
The deployment of think tanks and sceptic websites to attack climate science has been a carefully planned strategy that was developed in the United States in the mid-1990s. It was refined with the advice of political consultant Frank Luntz who in 2002 urged the Republican Party to undermine the credibility of climate science by commissioning “independent” experts to “make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate”.
The strategy is comprehensively exposed by former PR insider Jim Hoggan in his recent book Climate Cover-Up.
Wasn’t carter one of grodo’s ‘sauces’ to push his propoganda?
Yep.
From Pips Conversation
‘… the “science reality” of climate change has involved developing and testing our understanding against all available observations and modelling.’
There is no need to worry about that, the world is gradually cooling and there is sweet FA any of us can do about it.
Pip @2.07am I remember that one..Senator Fielding was being taken os to “learn” all about climate change, and the twit didn’t seem to realize that The Heartland Institute might not be providing an entirely balanced set of information.
Am I game to give it another shot..what the heck 😉 Here is something that I personally didn’t realize:
However, the general climate conditions during the two most recent episodes of abrupt cooling were vastly different than they are today. For instance, those episodes were probably triggered by sudden, massive injections of freshwater into the North Atlantic, released when melting ice dams collapsed and vast quantities of freshwater from pent-up glacial lakes were rapidly dumped into the ocean. That can’t happen today, because those lakes are all long gone.
“There is no need to worry about that”
“Did carter pay you to say that?
Or the IPA
Questions should be put to the ABC about its use of the IPA as panelists or commentators.
Now that our fears of gorebull worming have passed, for at least two decades, its going to make it harder to convince the electorate that anything unusual is happening with our earthly climate.
You know the stuff, full dams in Oz and freezing winters in the NH, the average punter doesn’t give a rats arse that temperatures might be a couple of degrees warmer at the turn of the century.
Political fail for the warminista.
El gordo from your link..which goes to show that there is a great deal of money to be made from tackling climate change, that it’s far and away from the We’ll all be roon’d meme we keep hearing from the opposition.
It is claimed that the Nobel peace laureate is on course to become the world’s first “carbon billionaire” after significant investments in environmentally friendly projects like carbon trading markets, solar power, biofuels, electric vehicles, sustainable fish farming and waterless lavatories.
I note the media are busy watching the gates of mordor, instead of the real story
Delivering its annual report on progress on tackling indigenous disadvantage, Julia Gillard said the government was on track to meet its targets of halving the gap in mortality rates for children under 5 by 2018, and to provide access to early childhood education to all indigenous 4-year-olds in remote communities by next year.
You know, I thought this might be important news. Obviously not. ltdnews have their gaze fixed elsewhere
for at least two decades
ROFL
So, even if your bullshit is correct, you still reckon let the kids sort it out 😯
The carbon market has collapsed, so he’s done his dough there. All the other things the man has his fingers in will fade into history when they realise CO2 hasn’t been heating the planet.
‘let the kids sort it out’
Wrong, i’m sorting it out here and now, there’s a lot of Nihilism about and I blame ‘you lot’.
El gordo, this looney lot must drive you crazy at times. Thick as bricks, aren’t they?
The only way you can describe the way they cut and pasted answers Gillard gave (or didn’t) is as a hatchet job.
Interestingly, the interviewer finishes with “When do you think you can get some positive media coverage”
I guess one step would be when you put your bloody (did you see what I did there 😉 ) scissors down and just play what was said, instead of cutting out 90% of an interview, and zeroing in on segments that might, if led in correctly, portray the story you want.
The PM does in fact answer questions about her takeover with Rudd (all old news, granted) they just choose not to air them in their program
If carter is getting $1550 per month from heartland i wonder how much gina would pay? it is a shame the oo is on the side of the sceptics otherwise, they may know of some email hackers who could possibly find out.
OK where do I send my BSB and account details to get paid by the Heartland Institute. I have a science degree from a reputable Australian University and am a member of the “Cloud Appreciation Society”
After putting up with closely monitoring every pearl of wisdom el gordo writes, I know I have all the “facts” at my fingertips.
Time to enjoy the rich corporation’s largesse and to hell with the planet.
OK where do I send my BSB and account details to get paid by the Heartland Institute.
grodo might be able to help you out there lunalava 😉
Once again you attack the good intentions of Heartland for presnting an alternative reality.
So they help out financially, big deal, the Klimatariat have been getting plenty of material security out of this scam. Flummery has done nicely.
roswell where are you, as el gordo is talking alternatve realities this one is for you.
There is excellent piece from Chris Bowen in today’s oo..
As Keating, the man who prosecuted the case against Howard’s 1987 error, has pointed out, “You wouldn’t trust Tony Abbott with a jam jar of 5c pieces”.
On Nauru..
Take the debacle over the costing of the proposed detention centre on Nauru, for example. Reopening the Nauru detention centre has been Liberal policy for years. Yet they went to the last election with no costings, let alone a funding plan. Abbott claimed it was as simple as organising a bit of gardening at the pre-existing centre…
Costings aren’t a smorgasbord. You can’t go to a catering company just because you don’t like the costings a government department serves up.
On the surplus..
They also walked away from delivering a surplus, in the words of shadow finance minister Andrew Robb: “Well it just depends.” (ABC 24, February 6).
The shadow treasurer himself has admitted a $70bn shortfall on live television before saying this was a mistake and he shouldn’t have said it.
Let’s put this in context: $70bn is more than the federal government will spend on the age pension this year and next. And yet we are expected to believe the Coalition will be able to come up with real and verified savings of this magnitude by the time of the next election.
The alternative reality is that CO2 does not cause global warming, the ice cores tell us that.
Confronted by this evidence I accept the paleo science over models, which are human induced.
Is this the brave new world that many want for Australia with an industry thet relies on locking people up, whether they be refugees or the so called wicked. Slavery is always with us.
I will admit they have not yet found a way of putting the refugees to work. but give them time.
The only reasons that it has not happened in this country is becasus our unions still have a little influence.
The land of the free leaves me a little cold.
Private prisons are a booming business. Over the past ten years, the two largest prison companies (CCA and GEO Group) saw their annual revenue double. The best way to drive up revenue, of course is to keep incarceration rates climbing. From CCA’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission:
“The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction or parole standards and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by our criminal laws,” the company’s most recent annual filing noted. “For instance, any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them.”
The private prison companies that comprise this new American Gulag thus have a clear economic incentive to maintain the status quo. So how do they keep the demand for their services rising?
Here are the facts, gleaned from great groups like Public Campaign, the Center for Responsive Politics, and the Sunlight Foundation:
LOBBYING
-Private prison companies spend millions lobbying the government to support policies favorable to them. Since 2001, CCA and others have spent over $22 million lobbying Congress ($17 million was spent by CCA alone during that time period). Last year, CCA was represented by 37 different lobbyists, many of whom once worked on Capitol Hill, including Vic Fazio, a former U.S. congressman from California.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES DOWN WITH STRONG GROWTH IN FULL TIME JOBS.
The gloom doomers will not like this. I surmise that we will be hearing questions today on the strenght of the job market. Pigs might also fly.
MNr. Abbott thismorning the cut in the health rebate is not a reform but a rip off. Sorry, I believe the rebate was the rip off.
Once again that so called carbon job causing job losses. A avalance of job losses. Hey, what about the drop in unemploymeny.
Paralyse in Canberra. PM focus on her not, not focus on your job. Hey, nothing has occurred in parliameny this week.
Same old rubbish. Why does he not save us money, record he speech and have it played each day
cu
look over there rudd was blah, blah,blah
somehow this good economic news just cannot get out
I just opened my time portal into the future (alternate reality).
Abbott has just been elected Prime Minister and on his desk are three envelopes from John Howard. John’s advice is to open an envelope each time Abbott gets into trouble on economic matters. Abbott decides to open the first envelop and it says:
“…blame the previous government”
he thinks this good advice and so opens the second envelop, which says:
“…blame the previous government”
he decides to open the third envelop and it says:
“…prepare three envelops”
So there is the entire future Liberal Party economic plan when they win government.
With thanks to Noelene..
Interesting stats from Jason Clare (Member for Blaxland):
– one in six members of the opposition have bought shares in coal or resource companies since Labor announced the carbon price. They all bought shares in coal or resource companies after the Leader of the Opposition said that the industry was going to die.
– in the year to September after the carbon price announcement, spending on coal exploration jumped 167%
Somebody called?
Another success for the PM. Buildimg Workers leglisation passed. Abetz now givning press conference.
Once again talking down the econoy.
World coming to an end.
Companies are very astute in ot getting themselves involved in the political fight.
He is serious I believe.
Is being challenged for once.
If anyone listens to Abetz rewriting history, watch his body language. He is not comfortable when the journalist ask questions.
The leglsation now being discussed is the Electronic Health Bill.
Gee, the PM does well for one paralysed by her fear or her job. Mr. Abbott better hope that she does not recover.
Why is Mr. Abbott wandering about the chamber looking loss, peering at a bit of paper.
Strange indeed. I noticed he did this earlier in the week as well.
Leader of the Nationals thrown out much to Mr Pyne’s disgust.
PM’s reply wonderful. It says much for the Opposition that they believe it is inherit in leadership the right ti yell or abused. (words to that effect)
Cu @2.16pm..perhaps Abbott is wandering around looking lost because he is after one of his opposition members to offer him a policy..an idea..anything…
CU at 2.16 pm hemorrhoids???
On the private health rebate..
Support for people who want to get ahead? I would have thought that a single on $83,000 and a couple earning over $166,000 were well and truly ahead.
Mr Abbott said the rebate ”is an article of faith for the Coalition. Private health insurance is in our DNA.”
”Support for people who want to get ahead – it is our raison d’etre,” he told Sydney radio.
Speaker Peter Slipper, who had been challenged by the opposition to step down from the chair to oppose the legislation, said in a statement he ”sincerely regretted” not being able to vote against it.
”However … as Speaker, I do not have a deliberative vote.”
It was Mr Slipper’s defection that allowed the passage, because it reduced the number of crossbenchers the government needed.
The free-market Heartland Institute has moved to contain the damage from explosive revelations about its efforts to discredit climate change and alter the teaching of science in schools, claiming on Wednesday it was the victim of theft and forgery.
——————–
Former Prime Minister, who in 2007 went to the election with a plan for an ETS,
John Howard to launch new book:
How to get expelled from school
With Author Ian Plimer. Australia’s best-known geologist and author of the bestselling Heaven + Earth.
Sydney December 12
6.30pm for 7.00pm
Venue: The Tattersalls Club 181 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
According to Hockey, parliament had to be suspended because the govt is passing bills. poor buggers have said NO to 266 pieces of legislation and 266 have passed.
But Sue, this government is a complete failure…
Sue, there is another important one today. I think the figure might now be a 168.
As I said, Mr. Abbott needs to look out if the PM recovers from her paralysed state.
The bill now being discussed is the Electronic Health Record bill.
The problem is that Mr. Abbott takes no interested in what goes on in the lower house, except for his daily moving on the suspension of standing orders, or censure motions.
This is why they make fools of themselves, by ignoring the facts.
Look how bored he looked today, today, when the decision has obviously been made for him to sit there and let others do the dirty work. He was plain bored, as he was not the centre of attention.
The biggest change on behalf of giving the Deputy a bigger role.
Claiming that the PM is paralysed when important bills are going through and the fact that the unemployment figures have improved is just plain stupidity.
Surely they do not believe the public is that stupid.
This is how Katherine Murphy reported on the interjections across the chamber by Tony Abbott’s political advisors. Give up your job Katherine for being unable to report truthfully. A disgrace !
“2.50pm: Speaker Peter Slipper has given warning that if anyone interjects from an advisers box in the Parliament, they will be banned from the chamber for his entire Speakership.
(Senior political advisers sit in a box next to the MPs).
Opposition Advisers sit at the left of the Speaker and are not members of Parliament. They have no right to interject or take part in the day to day working of the Parliament.
So the Liberal party has plumbed new lows by allowing one of the five advisers on their side to interject on our Prime Minister.
Does this aberrant behaviour get reported in the media? Not on your nelly they constantly reporting how bad the Government is performing.
I watch Question Time every day and know first hand just how biased the media coverage is and how the ABC refuses to hold the opposition to account.
Ms. Mirabella snow on. The woman has a shocking voice had to turn the sound down, not that i will miss much.
Now I have a voice that many fine hard to listen to, but I have a cleft palate and hare lip, I wonder what her excuse is.
How much longer is this Opposition going to continue talking the economy down.
They have done all in their power to swamp the good news today. Why?
Sue, from your link to Katherine Murphy’s biased load of twaddle report on proceedings:
Ms Gillard is stonewalling.
She wonders why the Opposition isn’t more interested in health and education and employment.
Nice try Katherine..so it’s all Julia’s fault that the opposition aren’t interested in health, education and employment.
This is apart from the fact that Katherine is using her exceptional psychic abilities, “She wonders why..”. Does she? Well Katherine would know of course.
Labor must have the tinniest of tinny years to bring this debate on today.
Well, listening to the lady does make one ears sound tinny.
Money is beginning to be handed out from the Green Energy Future fund to industry. It appears there is great interest from industry.
I would hate to be a child of this woman. I suspect she is not their main carer, would be lucky for them..
“allowing one of the five advisers on their side to interject on our Prime Minister”
This is not the first time this has happened. It occurred a few weeks ago,
Can anyone recall Mr. Howard answering the type of questions that the PM is accused of stonewalling on.
Someone pointed out that the viewing figures for this week’s Four Corners was low. This in spite of the pre publicity the show received.
Does that indicate the public’s interest in what the Opposition is pushing as public concern.
This is an issue we need to keep in mind, as I believe we are going to much about it, especially from the Opposition. I assume that most of what we hear will be far from the truth.
We will how wrong it was for Holden to give well deserved pay rises.
We will see policies going back to Mr. Howard’s day, when institutions and states had to agree too make employees sign individual contacts, etc.
We will hear how the employer needs more flexibility when a great part of the workforce are now on short term or casual employment.
Yes el gordo, we are ahead of the game, you would noticed that if you could move your eyes away from your version of the cooling world.
Mr. Abbott will continue with his war against the worker and his unbelievable campaign that all the nation’s ills will be corrected by no carbon tax.
Australia’s productivity will be the political issue to dominate 2012 in the lead up to next year’s election. Tony Abbott has flagged changes to the federal government’s workplace laws if he were elected prime minister – without actually spelling out what he would change – and said that the Fair Work Act has caused productivity problems. Business leaders and the Council of Australian Governments want an overhaul of the national reform agenda to lift productivity.
But then, productivity is not about politics or industrial relations. As I pointed out in a piece last year (Productivity puzzle – it’s the management stupid!, September 15, 2011), productivity is the responsibility of managers, not workers or politicians. Overhauling industrial relations might improve financial productivity but not labour productivity for each hour worked. Improving efficiency – producing more widgets, generating more customers and better service – is the productivity challenge for managers. Companies need to invest in changing the way they do things. It requires a discipline that sorts out the good managers from the careerists. Top managers have a relentless focus and employ techniques they normally wouldn’t use.
We hear the Opposition bringing up BER and the Insulation scheme as waste every day.
It is now ancient history, but some might want to rad this article to freshen their minds.
Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, developed an amazing amnesia about the repeated Opposition calls for a Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program (HIP).
Just 53 days after the call on June 16, 2010 by Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage, Greg Hunt, for a Royal Commission and 24 days after the July 15, 2010 majority Senate committee report recommending the same thing, Abbott launched the Coalition 2010 election campaign in Brisbane on August 8, 2010.
The only reference in his policy speech to insulation was the following:
J Bishop asked a question to Rudd on the coup in the Maldives, That evening she appeared on the Drum in an attempt to clean up her lack of judgement.
you can judge for yourself, have a look at QT and then watch the Drum
She lapped up the attention. Makes one wonder how mature the woman is. She reminds me of a giddy teenager.
A catty one at that.
Something tacky about this.
10.35am: Meanwhile on a nearby planet called picture opportunity, the Opposition leader Tony Abbott drops in to see Gary Marsh, a heart attack patient, at a private hospital in the Canberra suburb of Garran.
Mr Marsh tells Mr Abbott he won’t be sending a Christmas card to the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Mr Abbott tells Mr Marsh he’d like to be on his Christmas card list this year.
(I’m still not sure that amnesias about further inquiries is by accident; the BER Implementation Taskforce’s final report was already hinting at some rather unsavoury conclusions it had tentatively formed, very much under-reported at the time, about the overall state of public-private productions schemas and notions of direct and indirect wastes by, and of, governments, and how things came to be that way, and the ideas (and ideologies?) which propelled that (d)evolution, over longer timescales: Building the Education Revolution Implementation Taskforce: Final Report. It, too, recommended more general, more searching inquiry. Nevertheless, for those who believe ‘a good government is one that governs least’, the ensuing inattendance to such matters while blathering on about a particular government’s particular waste is surely a triumph for private sector performance standards over public, when each and both are thrust relationally into the limelight.)
What type of PM will Mr. Abbott be?
ABBOTT, by contrast, has offered little in the way of vision. Like his spiritual hero, the late Bob Santamaria, he seems engaged in a war on modernity or, at least, those aspects that conflict with conservative Catholic social teaching derived from Pope Pius IX, who railed against democracy, denounced liberalism and condemned the Enlightenment as heresy. Santamaria, uneasy about capitalism, looked to a sort of folksy yeomanry, self-sufficient and pious, as an antidote to all the ills of modern life. But whereas Santamaria’s thought was infused by genuine compassion, Abbott can comment that “poverty is in part a function of individual behaviour.” That a public figure, as late as 2010, can say, “What the housewives of Australia need to understand, as they do the ironing, is…” suggests a public figure quite blind to, or unwilling to see, the profound social changes of the past four decades.
With his party still well ahead in the opinion polls, and despite his limited appeal to the electorate starting to slip, there is a strong possibility that he will become prime minister. But what sort of a PM would Tony Abbott be?
Its important to accept the troof and ignore everything else.
You should give it a try, el gordo.
“Its important to accept the troof and ignore everything else.”:
Whose truth?
I still feel safer with over the 90% of the world’s scientists. I find it hard to accept that so many are in collusion to mislead us.
Otherwise I am not that concerned about the issue.
Action is being taken to deal with the emission and even if the majority are wrong, moving from fossil to renewables will create a better environment for those who came after us.
If the majority is correct and nothing is done, well those who came after us we not hold us in high regard.
There are many other issues I see as more important at this p[lace in time.
We are looking at a major restructuring of the world economy. For this nation it could offer us a future none have imagined. If we get it wrong, we will be in shit street.
Not having to rely on fossil fuel as oil will be to our advantage.
Yes, there is major change occurring and the answers are not to be found back in the fifties.
It is not to be found in the screaming and name calling we hear each day in parliament.
Will 4 corners offer a retraction?
“The Labor coup was not a topic of official diplomatic conversation between Australia and the US before Julia Gillard challenged Kevin Rudd, according to Department of Foreign Affairs records.
Why is the PM travelling so badly. By the way, when one takes out mining, productivity is pretty good under FWA.
Kohler wrote: “…unemployment is low, the currency is strong, interest rates are coming down, national savings are bulging, economic growth is solid and there’s a mining boom on” (Debt’s pall over the Lucky Country, February 15).
To that list I would add the fact that net public debt will peak within months and then start to fall if Labor produces a budget surplus, as it daily promises to do. At this stage Labor’s aggressive fiscal consolidation looks to be on track, meaning that a net public debt peaking at around 7.5 per cent of GDP (that figure does not include state and local government debts) is another way in which our economy is outperforming
4400 jobs lost in a workforce of more than 11 million.
More people in work than ever before in this nation.
Regional disparity getting better according to senate hearings.
Sue, I doubt they will but I am sure that Media Watch will remind them.
Mr. Abbott was having a wonderful day until those annoying figures came out.
CU
on 7.30 bill shorten was asked by uhlmann the usual question
how is it you cannot get the good news out?
Ans: tonights program is a perfect example. we are trying to tell the story but it depends on the quality of the questions whether we are allowed to get the message out.
Sue, in a earlier PC, he was being ask some very good questions and giving in my opinion, good answers.
In the middle of this come “does your colleges taking notes in cabinet upset you”
Mr. Shorten actually stop mid sentences, looking up and muttering, “what”
He was obviously amazed at the question, as he should be.
By the way, there is no need to take notes, as a transcript is prepared for every meeting.
Now when I was working, it was not unusual to be asked to take notes as transcript would be available.
The reason behind this request was that they needed the full attention of everyone present and seen note taking as a distraction.
I would say, that is the same as playing solitaire during a PM speech.
PS.. No one in Mr. Abbott’s team is allowed to talk to anyone without clearing it with him.
ACT clubs have agreed in principle to run the Federal Government’s trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology for poker machines.
Obfuscation (or beclouding) is the hiding of intended meaning in communication, making communication confusing, wilfully ambiguous, and harder to interpret
From the same page:-
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.
As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience.
Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented.
The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.
Cu, of course the famous ‘lock-out’ had nothing to do with the downturn!
‘I find it hard to accept that so many are in collusion to mislead us.’
The way it came about is a shocking business, but its not a top down conspiracy, more enlightened self interest.
The CC peer review system is in a shambles.
Please discuss, el gordo.
eg the answer is in the title
Dollars, documents and denial: a tangled web
‘If we get it wrong, we will be in shit street.’
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but we have got it wrong. CO2 does not cause global warming and is not a pollutant.
There is still time to recant, give up the green pills and see the world as it is, totally unrelated to your imagination.
In 2009, Professor Carter did actually manage to get a climate change paper he had co-written published in a peer-reviewed journal, to test if his science “stands or falls” in its own right.
The paper concluded that natural variation was the chief cause of global warming. The journal later published a response to Professor Bob Carter’s original research, from a team of well-known climate change scientists.
Their assessment?
The conclusions of Bob Carter and his two co-researchers were “not supported by their analysis or any physical theory presented in their paper”.
‘Please discuss, el gordo.’
Forget the politics, get involved with the science as an independent human being. Read both sides of the argument and you will reach the same conclusion as me.
As I said Pip, peer review is a shambles.
El gordo, might you have a link for this…
That’s very doubtful Min…
eg it’s only ‘a shambles’ if you believe that the oil and coal billionaires aren’t paying climate deniers via think tanks, to spruik for them.
el gordo, if you read what I said, I am just not that much interested. if you wish to believe the opposite, that is your choice. As to who needs to give up the pills, I will leave that to others.
I still have faith in peer review. That is my choice.
Back to more important matters. Another example of misleading information is Pacific Brands which is closing down it networks in Sydney, leading to the lost of over 100 hundred jobs. Shocking, except that the story should continue to say they are building new facilities in Melbourne that will employ about the same number.
The story should read that Pacific Brands is transferring their facilities to Melbourne where the same number of people will be employed.
Uhlmann, shocking claim that workers have had 100 clauses added to FWA, employers none. Would this be because Mr. Howard under WorkChoices took out all clauses relating to workers. What has occurred is that workers rights have been restored.
Mr. Shorten ask were the evidence was, Mr. Uhlmann, employer groups saying they do not like the act, is not evidence.
el gordo, I am curious, but do you rewrite each comment or do you cut and paste, recycling as you go.
I would find it boring, rewriting the same thing, all the time.
Maybe the Opposition should follow the unions and not say anything until police enquiries are completed.
Why would Ms. Sattler speak publicity at this time. Surely she has the presumption of innocence and the right to remain silent. Md. Sattler also has the right not to incriminate herself.
The conservatives seem to have funny ideas as to how our legal system works.
‘At today’s UnionsACT executive meeting, a full and detailed discussion of the complex issues related to the events surrounding Australia Day occurred,’ Mr O’Neill said in a statement.
‘Following those discussions the executive has determined that Kim Sattler maintains the full support of UnionsACT.’
Mr O’Neill said the union would make no further comment until the AFP investigation was completed.
and
Ms Sattler is yet to comment publicly on the video.
Bill Shortern, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, reflects on recent job losses and looks at the general outlook for Australia’s economy.
The Big House – and the 150 or so participants thrown together after each election to see who emerges as media winners in a competition that’s all about doing politics without being seen to do politics. Who do you think is winning that race?The story so far: In the red team, Julia Gillard “lied” about the carbon tax to gain power. And she backstabbed popular Kevin before that to stay in the show. In the blue team, Tony Abbot is just as duplicitous, but is somehow getting away with it. We know he can’t wind back the carbon tax and restore the private health insurance rebate and subsidise brown coal producers and grant universal un-means-tested maternity leave – while providing a sizable surplus – without telling a few porkies. But we’ve collectively decided that blokey Tony is the authentic housemate while shifty, backstabber Julia’s the fibber. So Julia is heading out of the house and Tony’s staying on.Mainstream media journalists – pofacedly locked into their modernist scripted role as ‘independent’ intermediaries – play along with this charade because they are part of the show themselves (often without realising it). And even if they are sufficiently self-aware to see how redundant it is to have ‘observors’ when everyone can see what’s going on backstage in real-time, they can’t really afford to give up the pretence because it keeps them employed and gives them access.Colour writers like Annabel Crabb represent a belated rearguard stab at post-modernism by the ABC (always about six steps behind intellectual fashion) to get behind the curtain with the
and
Dead political paradigm. Dead economic one too.While we wait for what comes next, we are all left watching the reality show called contemporary politics – two teams of alpha individuals playing up their minimal differences and trying to win us over as authentic, while the Fourth Failed Estate seeks desperately to convince us all that somehow it means something.It’s excess baggage. We just haven’t woken up to it.
Mainstream media journalists – pofacedly locked into their modernist scripted role as ‘independent’ intermediaries – play along with this charade because they are part of the show themselves (often without realising it). And even if they are sufficiently self-aware to see how redundant it is to have ‘observors’ when everyone can see what’s going on backstage in real-time, they can’t really afford to give up the pretence because it keeps them employed and gives them access.
Teach the controversy: Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi and Heartland Institute working to undermine science education?
Having failed to win the scientific argument, it would appear the denial machine has set its sights on its next target: science education in schools.
One of the most appalling revelations to come from the Heartland Institute leaks was the proposal to develop an “education” program that would “dissuade” teachers from even mentioning global warming due to its supposed “controversial nature”:
“…We are pursuing a proposal from Dr. David Wojick to produce a global warming curriculum for K-12 schools. Dr. Wojick is a consultant with the Office of Scientific and Technical Information at the U.S. Department of Energy in the area of information and communication science. His effort will focus on providing curriculum that shows that the topic of climate change is controversial and uncertain – two key points that are effective at dissuading teachers from teaching science.”
and
It is also worth recalling that Ian Plimer recently launched a book aimed at confusing high school students and prompting them to throw dozens of irrelevant and misinformed questions at their science teachers.
We should also note that Plimer and the denial machine are happy to provide free copies to any schools or teachers interested…
Perhaps we can pass this all off as a coincidence.
However, it reveals a new phase in the strategy of the denial machine.
Bernardi: “teach the climate controversy” statements are poorly timed, but revealing
The denial machine has adopted the same “teach the controversy” tactic used by creationists in their attempts to undermine the teaching of evolution. I think we can see a pattern here: where the creationists once trod, the climate change “sceptics” now follow.
Nor is this tactic restricted to the good folks at the Heartland Institute and Plimer.
Ultra-conservative Senator Cory Bernardi is notorious for his denial of human induced climate change and his close relationship with the Heartland Institute appears to be reading from the same playbook.
Former Prime Minister John Howard, who went to the 2007 election on an emissions trading scheme platform is the same man who launched Plimer’s book!
Abetz has had two interviews today on the ABC.. The last on Lateline with Tony Jones.
His body language on both showed that he did not like the questions asked.
Mr. Abetz is saying and was challenged that industry is making preemptive strikes in sacking workers because of the carbon tax.
He brushes away the statements that industry is saying the problem is the high dollar.
It is beyond the belief the lies they are espousing. I find it hard to believe, the Opposition is the only one telling it as it is. That it is the carbon tax, not the high dollar.
PS He was pulled up on using Pacific Brands as an example.
Sue, @ 8.05am,
Sue
Questions should be put to the ABC about its use of the IPA as panelists or commentators.
Yes. they. should.
Having said that, they’ll have to be blasted out!
Cu,
when did EricA Betz ever worry about facts. Godwin Grech comes to mind….and the egg on his face when the plot exploded in his lap.
Here are the facts on Pacific Brands….. no mention of ‘carbon tax’.
They did however say new jobs would be created at the new venue.
“People have lost their jobs, it’s never an easy decision,” he said.
“We are creating hopefully a similar number of jobs in Melbourne.”
All employees had been informed of their entitlements, he said.
Is it really a bad country like they keep telling us it is?
Show me one needy Liberal politician.
Not possible Miglo!
“needy Liberal politician’, that’s an oxymoron….
althought their dear Leader cried poverty back in 2010….
Pip, I thought that we are in the world of reality TV or even world.
How can the Opposition say with a straight face that the carbon tax is to blame when all the actors are denying this is so.
If one cannot identify the problem and the cause, how can they provide the solution.
Mr. Abbott’s worse nightmare happened today. The employment figures where not what he expected. Mr. Abbott should have smelt a rat, when both the PM and Mr. Combet for the last few days have been saying, yes there are job losses, but there is also job creation.
What is amazing that Mr. Abbott went ahead with the attempt on a censure motion, after knowing it was based on a false foundation. The prudent thing would have been to cut ones lost and let any such action go.
Mr. Abbott should have pull back from the attack.
Maybe we should feel a little sorry for the man. I truly believe he thought he would be sitting in the driving seat by now.
That pesky woman will not do as scripted, fall in a heap from the attacks that have been made, by him and the media.
Now Mr. Rudd might do as the media believe he will, make his run. The media says it will not succeed the first time, leaving him to sit on the back bench.
Now Mr. Rudd is not seen a being stupid. Would Mr. Rudd be willing to give up a job he gets much pleasure and kudos from, to linger on the back bench and hasten the downfall of the Labor government. That does not make sense.
They have said for years that Mr. Rudd’s aim is for a job in the UN. Would not he have more chance for that, from the position he is now in.
I think there is as much substance in the media’s belief in Mr. Rudd challenging, as there was for years, when they run the same stories on Mr. Costello.
Maybe the PM needs to do a Whitlam, not sack those who annoy you but shift them upstairs. I am sure there is a posting that would be to his liking.
Like I’ve often said, it is only the rich in this country who cry poor.
Miglo, they scream like a pig getting it’s throat cut.
Hi Miglo 🙂
The meeja keep finding ‘well offs’ to complain about losing their health insurance rebate.
they’re looking in all the wrong places…
And over what, Cu? How they’ll all be ruined?
Cu, I agree with you about the possible UN appointment.
Miglo, nothing I believe.
They think they are badly done by.
If they let Mr. Abbott in, they will know what reality feels like.
Sometimes I think it would be good to let Mr. Abbott on, so one can enjoy watching them squirm.
Just imagine if a nice person like me had $20B.
Maybe those Libs are ‘needy’ if they did what Abbott did.
Maybe the PM cannot give him the job he wants, but maybe she can help him up the ladder.
I do not really think that Mr. Rudd wants to destroy the Labor party or see Mr. Abbott in power.
No cu, I don’t think Kevin Rudd would destroy a Labor government knowing the alternative would be led by Abbott and his cronies.
And you’d all be long lost relatives, correct?
Cu, re if Migs had $20b, he wouldn’t be throwing his weight around like the girl with the pearls 🙂
Right 😀
Pip, that is what I do not understand. I also get the feeling the PM is not too fussed with Mr. Rudd.
Maybe as someone said, while this rubbish is going on, there is not too much attention given to what the government is really doing.
It allows the government to get legislation through without too much trouble.
It keeps Mr. Abbott occupied, thinking victory is just around the corner.
Far stretched I know, but is it anymore so and what we are being served up each day.
Mr. Abbott is beginning to look a little stupid. The media not far behind.
It is OK to make threats and predictions, but one does need to have a success now and then.
The media and Mr, Abbott have gad none.
I do hope it does not change him. He is OK the way he is now.
The girl with pearls, I am afraid has always been the same. I do not think the money made much difference.
Cu, Abbott still thinks those keys are within reaching distance ….
His yapping attack dog is doing his best to get some scores on the board,
Yes even the supposedly serious, reliable journailsts have gone a bit mad
over the ‘leadership’ rumble,
How the government can ever get any real news out has yet to be discovered.
This article is same old same old, but i liked the last bit… it gives a clue to the
arrogance of Abbott’s chief adviser, who has no part in parliamentary proceedings but interjected anyway.
Rudd hits campaign trail as leadership rumbles increase
As passions burned in the final sitting day until the week after next, Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, Peta Credlin, was reprimanded for heckling both Ms Gillard and her minister Anthony Albanese from the advisers’ enclosure during question time.
Witnesses said Ms Credlin, among other things, told Mr Albanese to ”bugger off”.
What a class act she is…
I believe the yapping dog is showing signs of desperation. I do not understand why Pyne believes his attack will work.
All he got today was ridicule. If that was aimed at you would it have any effect, except to make one laugh.
I did not think that Mr. Abbott’s body language showed confidence today.
There is a week break I believe. Much can happen in that time.
You need more than the ability to say carbon tax. He does not appear to have more.
Good night, I am off to bed.
Cu, offspring just shouted “Uncle Miglo!” 😆
“night Cu.
Thanks to Phillip Coorey for outing Peta Credlin as the advisor who was disruptive.
Hey Phil your colleague Katherine Murphy had no idea who it was although she was supposedly running the live blog during QT.
Also both Phil and Katherine failed in reporting. The abuse by Credlin of the PM and Albanese was so unparliamentary that Slipper has warned that if any advisor calls out they will be banned for the length of his Speakership.
Tony Abbott failed in party leadership, he should have apologised to the House and told HIS advisor to leave.
BUT No we had the farce of the opposition yet again stopping proceedings by claiming the govt was unable to govern. The msm should state the bleeding obvious the only time parliament doesn’t function is when the opposition is performing for the cameras, or after the tvs stop in Julie Bishop’s case.
Why is this not front and centre of the news?? Gillards advisor passes on information that the media is airing, and is still being hounded, this dope brings Parliamentary behaviour to a new low, and it is apparently the Governments fault for not providing the answer the opposition want 😯
Meanwhile, the heartless institute are attempting to out-stoopid grodo
After claiming that their documents were ‘stolen’, and threatening all and sundry with law suits for using them (climategate was apparently different, somehow??) it now appears that they themselves emailed them to someone claiming to be a board member. lol
Calling all clubs please report the community services lost in your local areas.
It is important to all media to know how much you are suffering, from the lack of services as a result in the decline in revenue from poker machines.
Abbott again making use of lies told by news.com for his own political gain..
Housing asylum seekers in the community is akin to rolling out the “red carpet”, according to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who has sought yet again to make asylum seekers a political battleground.
Despite the Red Cross refuting claims reported today that asylum seekers were given “welcome packs” worth thousands of dollars, Mr Abbott said this practice, and the housing of asylum seekrs in rent-free accommodation, was sending the wrong message to people smugglers.
Nice to see our media putting out talking points for the opposition still Min, no matter how FOS they are.
I was listening to ABC radio this morning, and cringed when their leads story was ‘The opposition Says….” and went into the ‘welcome pack’.
At least they ended with the Labor Minister slapping it down as complete rubbish
Tom, I hope that they managed to throw in a mention that the ‘welcome packs’ were provided by the Red Cross and that these were basic essentials to be handed on to the next family. Amazing how if you combine the words asylum seeker and plasma, it really gets the racists going…
‘It is also worth recalling that Ian Plimer recently launched a book aimed at confusing high school students and prompting them to throw dozens of irrelevant and misinformed questions at their science teachers.’
Dear Herald Sun, I share your outrage. How dare asylum seekers have in their community accommodation luxuries such as a fridge, a bed and even salt & pepper shakers! Especially when processing asylum seekers in the community in such accommodation is a billion dollars a year cheaper ($137,000 vs $10,000 per person per year) than keeping them in detention, ohh the horror….ps love the home and garden photo, oh I too wish I was a persecuted minority fleeing for my life if it gets me this bed spread. Cheers Kon Karapanagiotidis ASRC CEO
First dog has a very good cartoon about this, which unfortunately I can’t link to..however, I have put it up on the Café’s Facebook page.
Min, Min
Abbott again making use of lies told by news.com for his own political gain..
Makes me wonder whether Abbott has something to do with the anti asylum seeker emails spruiking outright lies.
Latest missive from the girl with the pearls
Get public servants out of Canberra: Rinehart
Markus Mannheim
February 17, 2012 – 2:27PM
Australia’s wealthiest person wants to shift federal bureaucrats out of Canberra and base them in the bush and the country’s north.
Multibillionaire Gina Rinehart also warned that a “hatred” of entrepreneurs risked condemning Australians to “crippling taxes, debts and lower standards of living”.
In an article for Australian Resources and Investment magazine, to be published on March 1, iron-ore magnate Ms Rinehart laments politicians and the media’s failures to offer more support to mining businesses.
What the!
Pip, one thing is for certain Tony Abbott does absolutely nothing to refute these lies. In fact, as per the link to today’s Age, Abbott has called it “rolling out the red carpet”, thereby giving the lies additional credibility.
Does Abbott talk about the asylum seekers off-camera when he visits those hundreds of work places?
Pip, according to the oo, Gina says that this is “so they can better understand the needs of business and the bush”. Gina of course will now promptly lead by example and set up camp (permanently) on one of her mine sites.
Min, Gina doesn’t understand that every state has it’s representatives in government.
Although with the NBN they would be able to confer with Gina as she camps at her mine site!
Gina would have to move out of her mansion.
Today I heard Entsch say on Capitol Hill, that Mr. Slipper had moved on from the position he was elected for. Does that mean that one can only be speaker, if you are in that position when the election is held. Does he mean that the voter elects the speaker. Sorry, I am confused.
“Does Abbott talk about the asylum seekers off-camera when he visits those hundreds of work places?”
Pip, I do not believe he talks to anyone. He would not take the risk that the workers might tell him what they really think.
He only needs the back ground for his photo op.
It also, in his mind that he is mixing with the lower class, and that makes him a hero.
As a by the by, Truss and Slipper go back to 1990 when Truss defeated Slipper in a preselection with the Nationals.
Slipper later joined the Liberals and, much later again, was the target of a smear campaign about his expenses which have been cleared by the Finance Dept.,
Finally Mal Brough who lost his Liberal seat at the 2007 election now wants Slipper’s seat, after hunting in other quarters without success.
The local papers have been doing their best to help Brough!
Pacific Brands does not appear to have benefited much by taking their production off shore. I for one no longer buys Bonds.
There is no point, as it does not help anyone in this country.
There are other brands that are as good.
I do not even care if they are produced over seas as long as they do not claim to be Australian.
I believe that going overseas has been the gold mine that many employers envisage.
Pip, of course it could not be the behaviour of the Opposition that is at fault.
Cu, for the benefit of the larks among us, this is what we were discuusing
@ 12.07am.
Pip
Cu,
when did EricA Betz ever worry about facts. Godwin Grech comes to mind….and the egg on his face when the plot exploded in his lap.
Here are the facts on Pacific Brands….. no mention of ‘carbon tax’.
They did however say new jobs would be created at the new venue.
“People have lost their jobs, it’s never an easy decision,” he said.
“We are creating hopefully a similar number of jobs in Melbourne.”
All employees had been informed of their entitlements, he said.
“Almost all of the costs cited by the Tele are for the initial establishment of rental homes that will be used by multiple families. These people will be in community detention. They will have to move out when their claims are processed. Quoting Bowen, again: ‘People do not keep the goods, they remain in a house when a family moves out and are used by the next people who move in.’”
Whoever are setting these homes up are doing well.
I was involved in setting up homes for the disabled when they were removing them out of institutions over twenty tears ago. Our budget for five people at that time was larger. Even with more money, we had to shop carefully. There were no luxuries.
Note that once the homes are set up, they are available for the next family, once the original family is settled permanently.
Gina Rinehart’s sudden explosive entrance into the public eye is both entertaining & worrying. My overall opinion ( most days) is that as P.M. Abbott would like to preside over an Australia content for the moment, selling the silverware to keep up his welfare pledges, & satisfy his pugilistic urges with some ALP, union & reffo bashing. But, obviously gaining in confidence, Gina & her ilk, having assisted him into power, would want their rewards & want them fast. Placating them (as he’d have to) would be difficult to reconcile with keeping the masses happy. The media support crew would be ordered out to inform us all how well we’re now doing but that mightn’t be enough.
But for now, how fucking idiotic is that poem??!!
But for now, how fucking idiotic is that poem??!!
My thoughts exactly Bob!
I do not think that the Aboriginals deserve to have Mr. Abbott imposed on them.
And then there was Abbott’s speech in parliament on Wednesday when, in response to the PM handing down the latest Closing the Gap report on Indigenous Australians, he delivered an ill-prepared sermon about responsibility, and said only that more needed to be done to address Indigenous disadvantage. He also re-iterated his rather bizarre promise (one of his only promises actually) that, if elected Prime Minister, he will spend one week of every year living in a remote Indigenous community, because “if it’s good enough for Aboriginal people, then it should be good enough for the Prime Minister”. Poor Tony seems to have missed the point entirely. Firstly, it’s not good enough for Aboriginal people. That’s why “more needs to be done”, and why the actual PM just spent half an hour detailing the realities of Aboriginal poverty. Secondly, it’s yet another example of the Opposition Leader offering up a gimmick in response to a complex and serious policy problem.
Personally, it wouldn’t bother me if Abbott decided to live in remote Australia all year round. If only…
How about this for an idea. Abbott has decreed he will impose himself for 1 week every year in an Aboriginal community.
Here is my idea, as Abbott and News Ltd have decided refugees living in the community are living in luxury, he Abbott and a News journo should spend a week living like a refugee. And to make it more “real” let all information sources be non-english.
“I guess it’s not written with artistic merit in mind,” Professor Haskell told ABC’s Geoff Hutchison.
“It’s a polemical poem and we do have a tradition of those in Western Australia and I think good on her for having a go.”
“On the other hand, if one of our creative writing students at UWA had presented it, he or she wouldn’t have done very well,” laughed Professor Haskell.
El gordo talking about Gina’s poem now enshrined on a piece of ore in a park in WA.
The ore like Gina is big, a 30 tonne boulder.
What is it about mining that appears to lead to obesity.
One would think with that wealth, one would find it easy to look after their heath.
I would not like to be on a plane, loaded with mining magnates.
Maybe he should spend a week each year on Nauru.
As they have said, it is not expensive to get to, and there is unused accommodation available.
It might be prudent, thought to take some water, which I understand is in short supply.
There he would annoy no one.
He would have to stay a week, I believe, as there is only one flight during that time.
Maybe we should be looking at the same exemptions that exist in this country.
The Vatican, which previously enjoyed an exemption, must now pay taxes on its commercial properties, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti has announced.
The state has been exempt from paying property taxes since 2005, which was one of several fiscal perks enjoyed by the Catholic Church and introduced by the Berlusconi administration, The Independent reported.
The annual cost of the property tax could be as high as $US945 million ($A881.2 million), according to Italy’s municipal government’s estimates. The Vatican currently owns 110,000 properties, including shopping centres and residences, which are collectively worth roughly $12 billion, according to Business Insider.
Church leaders, health and charity groups have joined the federal government in condemning claims that conditions for asylum seekers living in flats and houses as part of community detention are ”luxurious”.
The man thinks it’s his god-given right to sling off at the Prime Minister every day, yet when Premier Bligh makes a factual point about her opponent she has “tickets on herself”.
Pip
“The bank says the program was devised a year ago in “less challenging times”.
Less challenging times must have been when the Australian government/ Australian taxpayers were their guarantors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dare I say it..what the heck..the quotable quote of the week once again goes to Pip. (This is courtesy of my cousin Dave B* who if I twist his sock around his neck might post here again on the blog as he did a couple of months ago..hey Dave!!).
Anyway..dobbed in by Dave, from Pip:
My computer froze last night but it lasted longer than Miglo :]]
Pip, we don’t have a clue what you and Miglo were discussing, but it earns the Quote of The Week.
😳
Follow the money: Heartland Institute funding the anti-Carbon Tax campaign
Via the Canberra Times, further evidence of Heartland’s nefarious influence on Australian politics:
Documents from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission show that a group funded by the Heartland Institute, via a thicket of other foundations and think tanks, provided the vast majority of the cash for an anti-carbon price lobby group in Australia in 2009 and 2010.
The Australian Climate Science Coalition, an offshoot of a conservative lobby group called the Australian Environment Foundation, received virtually all its funding from the International Climate Science Coalition, which has been financially supported by Heartland.
In 2010, the Australian group had an income of $50,920, and $46,343 of that came from the American Climate Science Coalition, an offshoot of the International Climate Science Coalition, the ASIC documents show. The amount of public donations received was nil.
And of course, our friend Bob Carter is involved;
The chief science adviser to the International Climate Science Coalition is Bob Carter, an adjunct professor at Queensland’s James Cook University.
When the Herald asked Professor Carter if people should be concerned about his impartiality given that he is on the Heartland Institute’s payroll, he said: ”No more so than you should be concerned that a CSIRO employee is paid by the government.”
Professor Carter would not discuss the details of the ”monthly payment” of $US1667 ($1547) to him in the Heartland Institute’s budget.
One has to question the role of right-wing American think tank have in trying to shape the Australian political debate.
Recently leaked documents from the Heartland Institute, a right wing funded think tank, outline a sinister plot to teach phony science and to dissuade teachers from teaching science in out schools. The documents were first published on desmogblog.com, a site dedicated to combating the disinformation campaign of climate change deniers.
How can an ‘institute’ with such as heartland get tax free status in the first place?
Does the IPA hold a similar status here?
John Mashey, a retired computer scientist and Silicon Valley executive, said he filed a complaint to the IRS this week that said Heartland’s public relations and lobbying efforts violated its non-profit status.
Mashey said he sent off his audit, the product of three months’ research, just a few hours before the unauthorised release of the Heartland documents.
Mashey said in a telephone interview that the complaint looked at the activities of Heartland and two other organisations that have been prominent in misinforming the public about climate change, the Science and Environmental Policy Project, run by Fred Singer, and the Centre for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, run by Craig Idso. Both men were funded by Heartland, with Idso receiving $11,600 per month and Singer $5,500 a month, according to the 2012 budget.
Heartland is also funding contrarians in Canada and other countries, the documents show.
“I believe there was a massive abuse of 501c(3),” Mashey said. “My extensive study of these think anks showed numerous specific actions that violated the rules – such as that their work is supposed to be factually based. Such as there was a whole lot of behaviour that sure looked like lobbying and sending money to foreign organisations that are not charities.”
Mining heiress, media baron, billionaire – despite all we know about Gina Rinehart, Australians, in particular the media, hardly know her at all.
JUST why does Gina Rinehart provoke such a visceral reaction from the media, given so little is actually known about the woman?
I ponder the question as one of the few journalists who has spent any length of time with her, albeit 15 years ago, and felt something of an antipathy for her ever since.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has described the bombing of Darwin during World War II as Australia’s Pearl Harbour and says more Australians must learn about the attack.
Ms Gillard, who is in Darwin for the 70th anniversary commemorations, said the bombing was an important event in Australia’s history, marking the first time Australia was attacked on home soil.
East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has laid a wreath in Sydney to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Timor.
Mr Gusmao arrived at Commando Memorial Seat at Martin Place on Sunday morning to mark the anniversary in front of Australian soldiers, ex-commandos and special guests.
The guests included federal MPs Janelle Saffin, representing Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Craig Kelly who was there for Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
A group of East Timorese students also laid wreaths at the site.
The Battle of Timor occurred during World War II when Japanese forces invaded the island on February 20, 1942, and fought predominantly Australian allied forces.
The business world seems to believe the law is therefor them and when it is not, they have the right to ignore it.
BANKS are exploiting a loophole in new federal laws and failing to give customers the one-page cheat sheet they need to compare mortgages.
From January 1, banks have been required to give potential borrowers a page outlining mortgage rates, fees, monthly and annual repayments and the total interest payable over the life of the loan.
But an investigation by consumer group Choice found just one of the 18 branches they tested gave the necessary information. Banks argue they don’t have to provide the document unless customers specifically request the “Australian government’s key facts sheet” by name.
Posing as a first-home buyer looking to borrow $300,000, Choice found only the ANZ Haymarket branch provided the information and only after being asked four times.
In full. I am not shocked by the video clip as it has little meaning. It is a highly edited clip. I fail to see what advantage it would be to the PM. The last thing the PM would have wanted at this time was to stir the matter up. I believe the PM was not involved. I believe it is not her style. The PM has been very careful since she become PM not to belittle Mr. Rudd in any way. The PM has ensure that he is an active member of her cabinet. The PM has praised Mr. Rudd for the job he is doing.
I can see what advantage it is to Mr. Rudd. It allows him to hang his appearance on Sky and this letter on.
Butter will not melt in his mouth.
How does Mr. Rudd explain away his meeting that Mr. Wilkie said occurred last November. Was that before or after the decision made on pokies.
In full
February 19, 2012 – 12:15 — Admin
STATEMENT BY THE HON K.M. RUDD, FOREIGN MINISTER
Many of you will be shocked by the release of a tape today which appears to demonstrate my short temper. Can I say this, my fellow Australians, we can all be hard on ourselves. And sometimes when we are trying to do our best, we take it out on others. Our loved ones, our co-workers – who are only trying their best to be supportive and helpful. Can I therefore apologise without reservation.
I make no accusation about how the media obtained the tape. Again, I will leave that to the better judgement of my fellow Australians.
Some of you may have noticed that, recently, I have made peace with my former school, Marist College Ashgrove. I think there may have been some misunderstanding – that I harboured much bitterness towards the school. Let me put that proposition to bed. To be sure, it was a difficult period of my life. My dad had died; it was a struggle for my mum. But the love and pastoral care afforded me by the brothers and other staff at Ashgrove will live with me always.
Can I also say at this stage that I have no current intention of challenging the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Of course, I was hurt by the events of some 20 months ago and I bristled at the idea that the government had lost its way. To be sure, I had tried to achieve too much. But I firmly believe with the passage of time, things would have settled down and the public would have realised the value of the many reforms that my government initiated. But it was not to be and I have endeavoured to perform to the best of my ability in the role of Foreign Minister, a role in which I have become quite the happy Vegemite.
So as I wing off from this fine country to attend a number of extremely important meetings – in Mexico, the UK, Europe and Malaysia – can I just reinforce with you that I have learnt my lesson and I have changed. I think I will leave it there.
I have a big question. Why do we pay the same for skim milk as we do for full cream.
I believe skim milk is what we got after putting the milk through the separator, to get cream, to make butter as a kid. The milk left over was fed to the poddy calves.
Butter milk, the left over from making butter made wonderful cakes.
A assume that light molk is obatained the same way.
Skim milk is the left over from getting cream.
Not a bad lurk, paying more for left overs.
.
Pip @1.43pm from your link..
Ms Bryce told the audience of more than 4,000 at Darwin’s cenotaph that the day caused Australia to shed its reliance on Britain and realise its security rested on the cementing of an alliance with the US.
That is how my late father described it, he said that this along with Britain’s attitude that Australia could “fend for herself” was the reason that many Australians became “less British” than they had been in the past.
‘SYDNEY’S water reserves could reach full capacity within three months, raising the prospect that drinking water will be flowing out to sea afterwards while households are paying millions of dollars for desalinated water.’
Cu @2.41pm…having read Kevin Rudd’s statement I can’t understand how Shanahan has managed to read the following into it:
Kevin Rudd, in response to the damaging leak of an expletive-ridden video of him when he was prime minister, has publicly disclosed his intentions, with declarations of having learned from his mistakes and wanting to get the government’s message back on to the economy.
Rudd did say that he has no current intention of mounting a challenge, which leaves him the option of making one in the future. Given that Rudd is heading off to “Mexico, the UK, Europe and Malaysia”, any challenge obviously isn’t going to happen in the timeframe that the MSM are predicting.
The PM has to win this battle with the media and the rich and powerful. Mr. Rudd is just an irksome side show, that the powerful are using.
It the PM step back and handed over to someone else, maybe Shorten as the Liberals seem to want. the shit will just transfer form Gillard to the next occupant.
There is no point in the PM resigning or picking up the poisoned chalice as she did.
I believe the PM can win the battle and therefore the war.
el gordo, do not despair, droughts will come again, they always do.
If the predictions of extreme weather being the norm. we will need that plant.
I was very disappointed that Howard’s water cannon was not used in the riot at Sydney’s Tamarama Beach.
Does anyone know if it has ever been used?
I blame el gordo.
luna, we do not seem to need that fridge magnet anymore. I am disappointed I did not get one, but I seem to have survived without it.
Wonder what happens th all those barriers that did a poor job keeping people out.
I have almost forgive my wife for throwing ours in the rubbish bin, I wanted to keep it as a reminder of the utter stupidity of the Howard government.
Now when I need a reminder, I drive to Canberra airport past the huge complex built to house ASIO. Such a waste of prime real estate, I mean they could have built it at Queanbeyan and no one would have be the wiser.
luna, I wonder how that cannon would go in bush fires, at such places as the Blue Mountains.
Hate to see waste because something is not being used.
Deniers show the rest of world that they have taken the advanced course in Hypocrits #101 (at the UEBC?? perchance)
As scientists who have had their emails stolen, posted online and grossly misrepresented, we can appreciate the difficulties the Heartland Institute is currently experiencing following the online posting of the organization’s internal documents earlier this week. However, we are greatly disappointed by their content, which indicates the organization is continuing its campaign to discredit mainstream climate science and to undermine the teaching of well-established climate science in the classroom.
Considering heartland were one of the lead pushers of the original climategate emails, and main perpetrators of misrepresenting what was in them (even before they were validated as authentic), this really takes some balls.
Therefore, we respectfully demand: (1) that you remove both the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents from your web site; (2) that you remove from your web site all posts that refer or relate in any manner to the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (3) that you remove from your web site any and all quotations from the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (4) that you publish retractions on your web site of prior postings; and (5) that you remove all such documents from your server.
Last week when banks raised interst rates they talked up their high cost of o/s funding. a remark made was 30% was o’s funding so i figured that means 70% is from australia. no journos questioned that now tonight there is this story,
“Australian banks’ reliance on domestic funding has increased to an all-time high of 66 per cent at the beginning of this year, pushing long-term overseas funding to its lowest level since April 2009
Our calculations suggest that almost all sources of funding of Australian banks, except long-term overseas, are cheaper than their post-GFC highs and have kept falling since the second half of 2011 in absolute terms,” he said.
Australian banks began to reduce their reliance on overseas markets for wholesale funding since the financial crisis.
“Australian banks are essentially an oligopoly,” said Mr Carrillo. “They control most of the market anyway. They can effectively set rates where they want to.”
“You have four big banks. They want to protect their profit margin. They can do it, so they do it.
“He was publicly praised by then-premier, the late Sir Charles Court during a visit in April 1977.
According to a story written in the local newspaper Sir Court, who died in 2007, applauded McKenna and St Andrew’s students for working to pay for new amenities at the hostel, rather than asking the government for handouts”.
This court case must be the reason that the opposition, the vic govt and business want the Fair Wok Act changed. How dare businesses be investigated!
Oh yes work choices is dead, buried and cremated.
“A Queensland real estate agency accused of paying a salesman just $100 for five months work is under fire from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The agency allegedly classified the salesman as an independent contractor and paid him on a commission-only basis.
The salesman was allegedly required to provide his own work laptop, mobile phone and a car of a make and model approved by Lovers of Property.
He worked from 8.30am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday over a five-month period, during which time he completed letterbox drops, answered phone calls and offered free property appraisals.
Where we suspect sham contracting is occurring, we look behind the often carefully drafted legal documents to determine what the correct classification for workers is under workplace laws,” Mr Wilson said.
In this case, the salesman was not required to obtain an Australian Business Number or register his own business, making him an employee, not a contracto
Sue, we’ll there ya go..Rudd hasn’t got the numbers. Isn’t that supposed to be the end of the story?
Oh yes and I wonder if the “backers” have got around to asking Rudd yet? For example, does he want to swap his all time favorite job of being Australia’s Foreign Minister to run the gauntlet of yet another smear campaign.
Sue, we’ll there ya go..Rudd hasn’t got the numbers. Isn’t that supposed to be the end of the story?
First coffee spray of the day.
I object to the label, public think tank. The IPA is a right wing conservative, privately funded, propoganda machine.
“The Gonski model of school funding unjustifiably favours public schools, will push up private school fees and is ultimately more complex than the system it is trying to replace, a public think tank says.
Other regional areas would be jealous but thanks to our msm they probably will live in ignorance.
Smartfarm and Quickstart demonstrate the possibilities of NBN
Migs, actually I did do a recipe topic once..Take One Live Pig. 😉
And I am sure tony windsor’s electorate won’t be keen for him to leave the gillard minority govt.
The Northwest cancer centre, due to be completed this year, federal funding $31.7mil , Nsw govt $10mil
It appears last night that Ms. Bishop alleged that Mr. Shorten had made a deal with Mr. Rudd. It appears according th Ms. Bishop this is the word all around Canberra. When asked for evidence, the wonderful and enlightening answer was that it was in the media.
God help us.
Maybe we should call Ms. Bishop, the black widow. The lady does go through partners. It is amazing the lady survives, the partners disappear.
This is one thing I do not congratulate Whitlam for.
When Whitlam gave public funding to private schools, he set in train the drift away from the public system. Gonski’s recommendations might just help turn the tide and boost slumping results, writes Jane Caro
Forty years ago, if Gough Whitlam had decided not to sacrifice Australia’s education system for the ALP and for his own political fortunes, we might be looking at a totally different nation.
It was Whitlam who first gave recurrent public funding to private schools. He did it to win back the Catholic vote and to end the split between the Catholic DLP and secular ALP, which had kept Labor in the political wilderness for 23 years. Of course, he couldn’t just give the money to Catholic schools — that would have looked sectarian — so he gave it to all private schools and began a 30-year drift of middle class families out of public schools and into the private education system.
Imagine if he hadn’t. What would our education landscape look like today?
Imagine if he hadn’t. What would our education landscape look like today?
It would probably look like most of the rest of the developed world. The vast majority of our kids would attend public schools. Private schools would be completely private, enrolling a small percentage of kids (about 5-10 per cent, as is the case in the US, where no public money goes to private schools) from very wealthy families.
Catholic schools might have eventually joined the public system, as they have in New Zealand, where they are fully funded and must accept all the obligations for the compulsory education of all kids in return for that funding, but keep their religious character.
Barrel ‘oLies copped a bucketing last week when he tried sledging K Kinneally, now that didn’t work and he looked a fool. This week he has tried attacking another woman MP.
This time it is Carmel Tebbutt, he in is wittiness told a joke comparing her to a 6 week old puppy.
Haha big fella
Now Barrel is in the news, yes Barrel tell the kids from Carmel’s electorate why that was so funny.
I am sure Barrel in all his majority is pleased with himself. But tell him Prue just how full of sh!t the Barrel is.
As you can see I’m fiddling around with our design; one that fills more of the monitor. It doesn’t fit so well on a hand-held device but it isn’t too bad.
Nope. It sucks on a mobile phone. Changing it back over the next couple of days. 😦
Thanks for telling us. My computer at the moment is doing funny things. I was wondering what I had done to cause the change and how I could turn it back. Will not worry now.
It might actually take my a day or two to fix it up as I go back to work tomorrow so won’t be able to work on it until after hours. So don’t be alarmed if things look different over the next couple of days.
Have a good day at work.
It looks nice but it is slow to load on my iPhone Miglo.
Nicer format, Migs, (or whoever re-designed) easier to read with the ‘open” space … can’t comment on mobile phone … emergency use only … $10 plan – $20 phone (but its got an FM radio – WTF!)
If you do have to change it “back” try and maintain a little more white space – makes reading easier … even on a 3″ screen …
‘easier to read with the ‘open” space …’
Good for the ol’ folks with spatial problems.
At your age, I’m glad you appreciate the comment then, egg … 🙂
And it’s nice to have some positive news…
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has told three same-sex couples she believes laws allowing them to marry in Australia are inevitable.
In there was any doubt that Ian Plimer and Rinehart enjoy a cosy relationship that extends beyond a shared loathing for taxes and science?
Recent news that Plimer has been appointed to the board of one of Rinehart’s companies:
“…MINING magnate Gina Rinehart has continued her boardroom shuffle, appointing her youngest daughter and a controversial climate change sceptic to a key company. Australia’s richest person earlier this week notified the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that Ginia Rinehart and Professor Ian Plimer to the board of Hope Downs Iron Ore (HDIO) Pty Ltd.”
Nor is it the first time Plimer has scored a board room position in Rinehart’s empire:
“…It’s the third time this year Mrs Rinehart has appointed Prof Plimer to the boards of key family companies, with the prominent climate change sceptic also a director at Roy Hill Holdings and Queensland Coal Investments.”
That Prof. Plimer promotes mining interests, has a loathing for the carbon and mining taxes and leads the charge on climate change denial is of course all coincidence.
Ian McKellen: What’s wrong with us? Should we not aspire to happiness?
Any two people in the UK should be able to marry. The proposal is a modest one. Why then does it provoke such opposition from those like Lord Carey, who knows from his own experience “how wonderful marriage can be” and yet argues against gay citizens enjoying an equivalent marital bliss.
He thinks that samegender marriages would “undermine the institution” and weaken it “fatally”. Does that mean that Lady Carey and he would have been less happy together if I, married to my husband, had been living next door?
22 February 12
Evaluation shows “Faked” Heartland Climate Strategy Memo is Authentic
A line-by-line evaluation of the Climate Strategy memo, which the Heartland Institute has repeatedly denounced as a “fake” shows no “obvious and gross misstatements of fact,” as Heartland has alleged. On the contrary, the Climate Strategy document is corroborated by Heartland’s own material and/or by its allies and employees.
It also uses phrases, language and, in many cases, whole sentences that were taken directly from Heartland’s own material. Only someone who had previous access to all of that material could have prepared the Climate Strategy in its current form.
In all the circumstances – taking into account Peter Gleick’s explanation of the origin of the Heartland documents, and in direct contradiction of Heartland’s stated position – DeSmogBlog has concluded that the Climate Strategy memo is authentic.
Here is the reason why a number of us did a disappearing act this afternoon…
Telstra’s internet service has crashed Australia-wide, knocking an estimated three million users offline for about an hour.
The carrier lost connectivity at 1.50pm (AEDT) on Thursday, and while many customers were reconnected by 3pm, Telstra is still trying to figure out what went wrong.
The New South Wales Government has announced a more than 10-fold increase to fines for unions that organise strikes in defiance of the state’s industrial body.
Premier Barry O’Farrell says the fine for defying orders from the Industrial Relations Commission will increase from $10,000 to $100,000 for the first day of a first offence.
Has NSW been plagued with a striking workforce lately?
The New South Wales Opposition says changes to the state’s industrial relations system are part of a continued campaign aimed at destroying workers’ rights.
Pip, people need to look at what us and not occurring in the states before even thinking of a Abbott government.
Listening to Rudd, forgot how boring he could be and still is.
Progress? Something more than the leadership challenged.
There is news today that a person connected with the possible fraud involving the HSU has had his house raided by the NSW Police.
POLICE have raided a house in Sydney in their investigation into alleged corruption in the Health Services Union.
Detectives formed Strike Force Carnarvon last year to investigate allegations of inappropriate practices within the HSU.
They were joined by the fraud and cyber crime squad about 7am today for a raid on a house in Sydney’s northern beaches.
“A search warrant (was executed) on a premises on Palm Beach as part of the investigation,” a police spokeswoman said.
But she would not confirm media reports the raid was at the house of printer John Gilleland, 65, and his wife, Carron.
Mr Gilleland, who runs a graphic design and printing business from his house, is reported to have provided credit cards to the to HSU former general secretary Craig Thomson and the union’s head Michael Williamson.
Good heavens, Rinehart even seems to take the Pythonesque Lord Monckton seriously. Monckton advises right-thinking climate change denialists and sundry billionaires to take control of media to make them right-thinking too. What a shame the ABC isn’t a listed company.
(Ms Rinehart is also the biggest individual shareholder in Fairfax Media – publisher of this website – with a 12.6 per cent stake.)
For James Packer and Murdoch, there has long been concern over the potentially massive conflict over their interest in ensuring the success of Fox Sports.
The Murdoch and Packer families make a lot of money supplying sport content for Foxtel. As widely predicted, one of the their first actions in gaining control of 10 was kneecapping its One free to air sports channel.
“WA to lose $600M on GST shake-up,
The growth in mining royalty revenue, as well as the impact of employment and wages growth on payroll tax revenue have boosted Western Australia’s fiscal capacity to an exceptional level.
“The associated reduction in Western Australia’s share of the GST has been allocated to other states and territories, giving them all the same capacity to deliver services and thereby gain some of the benefits of the mining boom.”
correct me if i am wrong but the federal government warned Barnett that in increasing royalties there amount in gst distribution would fall.
Now the other big news in WA, sunday retailing but religious leaders say that people should not have to work on sundays as this is god’s day of rest.
wa 3 hours and how many years behind?
It appears according th Ms. Bishop this is the word all around Canberra.
Another widely known rumour that is known only to a Liars Party rumour mongerer.
The pettiness of NSW govt members.
a Labor committee member requested that committee start @ 8.45 rather than 8.30,.Commitee chair said no.
Labor person said child care responsibilities, chair said businesses usually start by 8.30.
Two quotes i will put in as seperate posts, from the same article
”There is an ugly part to the community and if you give them license it will emerge,” says Clare Martin, reflecting on the ”Ditch the Witch” signs. ”Wedge politics always brought people out and made them feral.” In the territory, it would happen with potent issues such as land rights, especially when claims could affect access to fishing areas or parks or waterfront areas in Darwin. ”We managed it by talking calmly and acknowledging it was an issue,” recalls Martin. ”Not by feeding that hysteria.’
The problem with these attacks on Gillard has been that there was no one to calmly dispense with them. ”I started to get really scared for Julia’s sake when Alan Jones said she should be taken out to sea,” Kirner says.
Leadership battle over. Time to move onto the next serious issue we are faced with.
Australia’s high level of casual workers is the reason for the nation’s skills shortage, a workplace academic says.
Professor John Buchanan from Sydney University’s Workplace Research Centre is scheduled to give evidence at public hearings in Sydney today at the Australian Council of Trade Unions’ inquiry into job insecurity.
With one in five people employed on a casual basis, Professor Buchanan said Australia has one of the highest levels of casual workers in the OECD with the training of younger workers, particularly in the construction sector, a casualty.
“The trend is one in which businesses these days have figured out the processes by which they can shift the risks of employment,” he said.
“This is where we are hearing calls for doing something about skills shortage through immigration.
“This is not actually addressing the problem – there are skills shortages because of the way we organise our construction industry.”
The inquiry is also expected to hear from several banking workers facing job losses.
Another step forward with the NBN, on a day when hte PM dealt with leadership problems.
news The nation’s biggest telco Telstra this morning confirmed it had signed the wholesale services agreement with the National Broadband Network Company which the industry has been negotiating with NBN Co for the past 15 months, in a move which paves the way for Telstra to finally release its commercial retail NBN prices.
The interim contract will guide how Australia’s retail and wholesale onseller telcos will buy services from NBN Co over the next year, until a more final long-term contract is negotiated. Each telco signs the same standardised agreement with NBN Co.
The contract has been being developed for the past 15 months in consultation with the telecommunications industry, but the negotiations around it have come to a head over the past several weeks, with a number of telcos initially declining to sign a version of the contract until some provisions were modified. Subsequently, Telstra’s major rivals Optus, iiNet and others had also signed the contract, but Telstra had held off.
“I can confirm we have signed the Wholesale Broadband Agreement,” a spokesperson for Telstra said this morning, confirming an initial report by The Australian newspaper.
The move is the latest step in the complex negotiation process being conducted between Telstra, NBN Co and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over the terms over which Telstra will gradually migrate its customers onto the NBN infrastructure over the next decade and shut down some of its own infrastructure. All parties involved in the process over the past several years have acknowledged that delays have bedevilled proceedings, but progress continues to be made. Last week Telstra lodged a revised structural separation undertaking document with the ACCC. The document will guide how Telstra will gradually separate its retail and wholesale operations over the next decade
“The associated reduction in Western Australia’s share of the GST has been allocated to other states and territories, giving them all the same capacity to deliver services and thereby gain some of the benefits of the mining boom.”
Why not, it makes sense.
Gattellari admits bribing Aboriginal land council
Updated February 27, 2012
Sydney businessman Fortunato “Lucky” Gattellari has told a corruption inquiry he and developer Ron Medich paid tens of thousand dollars to an Aboriginal land council to “sweeten” deals to buy its land.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has heard that in 2005 a man called Ronnie Binge approached Lucky Gattellari with a plan to develop several parcels of land around Narooma on the New South Wales south coast.
The land was owned by the Wagonga Aboriginal Land Council.
The inquiry has heard that over five years the developers paid upwards of $130,000 to the chairman, coordinator and chief executive of Wagonga but ultimately the deals did not go through because the New South Wales Land Council intervened to stop them.
Gattellari was flanked by three policemen and wearing a bulletproof vest when he arrived to give evidence to the inquiry.
Pip @2.41
exactly. that is what the mrrt is supposed to do share the wealth. but when barnett decided to be clever and raise royalties, with 1 of the aims to punish the federal govt, barnett just shot himself in the foot.
so have a whinge barnett, boo hoo
And thank you Federal government…
A $10 BILLION boost to dental care for children and low-income adults has been proposed to the federal government to combat the rising incidence of poor oral health in Australia.
An expert report released by the government late yesterday said the long-term goal should be for Medicare-style ”universal and equitable access”, but acknowledges that a comprehensive plan was ”potentially very costly”.
The National Advisory Council on Dental Health established by the government at the request of the Greens last year reports of the rising incidence of dental disease in children and adults.
About 400,000 Australians are on public dental waiting lists for an average 27 months and some wait up to five years to get treatment.
“What the president basically said is if you are church that does not believe in this — and the Catholic Church has problems with, the official Catholic Church, amongst other institutions, have problems with paying for contraceptives,” the Kansas governor explained.
Ans: TUFF. Perhaps Brownback would instead like to pay for every Catholic woman who obey’s the Pope’s instructions not to use any contraception whatsoever. Yes, that would probably be fine and dandy by him.
It puzzles me when people complain about a Minority govt., Min..
When something like this can happen why would anyone complain. The National Advisory Council on Dental Health established by the government at the request of the Greens last year
More ideas, better result.
Min and PIP
the great american system, the employer provides your health insurance. so not only but also every other religious organisation can refuse to pay for contraception products.
Medications are very expensive for yanks, no PBS for them. So more emphasis on, just say no, and wearing rings proclaiming staying a virgin, is the way they deal with stopping teenage pregnancy.
Pip, the thing that astounds me is how reforms such as these are all taken for granted. I honestly do not know..I would have thought that due to the Inertia Years aka the Howard government, that strategies to address BIG problems such as these would have people shouting from the roof tops..but instead hardly worth a mention.
One thing that just struck me is how Tony Abbott rarely criticises ANYTHING SPECIFIC, it’s all just about slogans and a baaad government.
Talk about small target, Tony’s target is less than what he puts in the smugglers. Maybe that’s why he wears red togs..so people can find it…
ps Migs, I HATE dentists too..there’s another one to add to our list.
So more emphasis on, just say no, and wearing rings proclaiming staying a virgin, is the way they deal with stopping teenage pregnancy
Yeh right …. 😆
Sue, the only way that they’re going to stop teenage pregnancies is to put a ring around every teenage boy’s d*ck…
Ouch !
There’s an article in news.com today about internet trolls. I think we’ve all had experiences with people like this person:
“It just makes me happy when I can make someone angry. It sounds weird but I kind of feed off their anger. The angrier I can get them, the better I feel,” he told news.com.au.
There’s a good reason why we should feed trolls: it makes them happy to cause grief and hurt towards others.
Miglo, we could accommodate the trolls…… no problem……..
but why make them happy??
Miglo,
That would be a reasonable psychological profile.
There are 2 types: the throw rocks at your windows type, who run and hide or the real psychopaths – those obsessing with blogs or individuals on blogs – those who cannot seem to ever get over it but who keep bringing up the same thing over and over (real and imagined).
Pip, I would suspect a typo from Miglo…rather than “should feed the trolls”, it should have been “shouldn’t feed the trolls”.
The NBN announcement today will mean the coalition will have to admit defeat. As Conroy explained Turnbull’s fttn plan could be very costly but will the msm understand.
The separation deal is with the govt, if Turnbull changed the plan then negotiations with telstra reopen and an abbott govt would not be in a good position for negotiating a deal.
Watching Warren Mundine on ABC24, says he won’t comment on the Senate vacancy and will “see what pans out in the next few days”.
He also praised Mark Arbib for his work with Indigenous matters.
CONTENDERS
Australia’s 20 most powerful rich crusaders
Paul BarryTuesday, 28 February 2012
Pip
from your article, no wonder Hawker wanted the PM to stand aside.
“In 2011, Hawker set up Campaigns and Communications to provide advice to political parties and corporations. So far, he’s done little work for the commercial sector. While Gillard remains in office, it’ll be the same story in Canberra.
He’s had little sway in Canberra since Rudd’s demise and has previously admitted the transition to Gillard was “challenging” for him.”
Augustus
and now the “biggest control freak in canberra”, has the biggest task of all, controlling herself.
Thankyou, Mr Slipper
Funny, trolls on this site do not seem to make us angry. They just give us a laugh and something to hang our comments on.
That is as long as we do not let them take over and derail the post.
Augustus, that doesn’t bear thinking about. 😯
Good start to QT
Abbott cops a serve from Slipper
Abbott not allowed to use “deceive”
Sue, I am enjoying Peter Slipper’s speakership especially yesterday
Pip image how Tony Abbott feels about it, no wonder he has to strutt even harder these days, he has competition
The Speaker has tighten that vice much more today.
He has a new tactic today when there are calls for point of order from the Opposition. He explains why the PM is answering the question the way she does.
The Speaker also sat the PM down, but she did get her point across.
Ms. Bronwyn is not getting a word out.
The Opposition cannot claim the Speaker is not being fair. The trouble is, they have more to lose.
The hubris that Mr. Abbott has been showing lately seems to have disappeared. Body language tells one so much.
The smiles seem to be on the wrong side of the house. How could the media got it so wrong.
Are we talking about cojunes here Augustus?
As was pointed out yesterday, Slipper is slowly bringing order to the house.
Poor tones tried to argue he used deceitive not deceive, but slipper would have none of that.
Och Oh part of Hockey’s question not allowed
opposition will have to go back to question writing lessons.
The red budgies appear to have disappeared. Does that now mean, he has no policies now.
Min, you are cruel, it might fall off, like the little lambs tails do. I am assuming you mean that type of ring.
Cu, The smiles seem to be on the wrong side of the house. How could the media got it so wrong.
That’s an easy question, it’s because they’ve had a lot of practice.
Sue @ 1.57pm, He’s had little sway in Canberra since Rudd’s demise and has previously admitted the transition to Gillard was “challenging” for him.”
Mr. Hawker’s vested interest in a Rudd win wasn’t nearly as straight forward as it first appeared to be, and the significant loss of prestige for him must really bite.
All questions aimed at those who stood with Rudd. This means we are seeing new faces fronm the Opposition. These ministers have been asked few questions in the past.
I am sure there will be one for the Immigaration minister soon.
The have done the PM a favour. He is not coming across that womderfully, surely a reason to be deposed.
Pip basically Tony Abbott’s a Ken doll
CU didn’t he burn his smugglers as a publicity stunt oop’s there goes his only policy
Peta Credlin, Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, is the biggest control freak in Canberra – with the notable exception of Kevin Rudd. She travels everywhere with the opposition leader, pulls Liberal MPs into line when they veer off message, and is driving the Coalition’s relentlessly negative agenda.
“She’s tough, she’s a player, she makes demands, she gives directions, she bawls people out,” says one Liberal insider; “She’s not afraid of stabbing someone in the front if she needs to,” says another.
And it’s not just the Tories who’ve felt her wrath.
Cu, Speaker Slipper was a very competent Deputy Speaker and it looks as if he will insist on better behaviour in the Parliament.
The budgie is silent, due to the fact the he has no acceptable slogans to go on with.
Well, it is a compliment to the PM that they are by-passing her for questions today.
I do not think they are going to have much luck, as there are not many soft spots in the ministry.
Not even a answer that he can scream back “carbon tax” That failed on the first question.
Another week that did not turn out the way Mr.Abbott believed. I am sure he seen himself on the other side of the table by now.
Labor can tear itself apart and he still cannot get on top.
It is as the last week is already forgotten. the train has moved on.
Wonder what the MSSO is going to be about today. Also the MPT.
A row in the Liberal room today. They do not agree with Mr. Abbott’s paid parental scheme.
Minister sat down, but message out. Ms. Macklin has impressed me lately. She has certainly grown in the job.
As I said, not many soft spots in the ministry.
All is happy in the other side. No signs of instability. Pigs might also fly.
The feud between Nick Minchin and Malcolm Turnbull is a symbol of the rift in the Liberal Party between the moderates and the conservatives, says David Donovan.
On March 21 this year, Liberal Party Senator Nick Minchin announced he was quitting politics. On May 1, the previous leader of the Liberal Party, Malcolm Turnbull, said that he had changed his mind about quitting politics and would, in fact, recontest his seat of Wentworth at the federal election this year.
It would be interesting to know if these two events were related, since these two men have been engaged in a bitter feud for over a decade.
It seems that the most brutal battles in politics are fought between members of the same party, and the leadership battles of Hayden and Hawke, Hawke and Keating, Peacock and Howard and Howard and Costello are commonly used examples.
The MPI is one, and once again Mr. Hockey once again talking down the economy.
Listen to the outrage.
wixxy
one story that fits well for NSW
“Just another billionaire seeking privileges
Now it makes more sense. James Packer’s uncharacteristic public foray into Australia’s greater economic good 10 days ago via advice on improving our tourism industry reeked of self-interest, but how much self-interest is now obvious with his play to win a sweetheart deal from the NSW government and lock up another monopoly.
Just another Aussie billionaire seeking special privileges
And now Packer’s interest in Channel Ten also makes more sense. It’s a dud investment with a conflicted board, but it does carry that threat of political weight with it, especially with the billionaires’ club actively promoting greater political comment on air”
Fasting for two days a week is apparently the answer to health and longevity.
‘Meanwhile, free radicals — the damaging molecules linked to disease — are dampened down. Studies also suggest that levels of inflammation can fall. And now there is the suggestion that fasting protects the brain, too.’
The fun answer today in QT, the question was on the BER in the Illawarra
“Now there is nothing wrong with flag poles, however this govt built…….”
they then stated the number of class rooms, libraries, language centres etc
the govt has decided to own the BER and about time.
in my local paper, the member has written an opinion piece and included the positives of the ber
Bloody opposition, talk about waste, Abbott gets special deal out of remuneration tribunal. but he has an even bigger problem, he cannot chage his front bench
“But if Mr Abbott changes his shadow ministry, even by just one person, the deal will be off.
TAXPAYERS are set to give two Coalition frontbenchers an extra $45,000 a year pay which legislation says they’re not actually entitled to.”
Nothing unites a people like the threat of an external enemy. John Howard knew this well, and won an election by creating an enemy from whom he then offered voters protection. He was assisted by others such as then Senator Ross Lightfoot, who referred to boat arrivals as “uninvited and repulsive people whose sordid list of behaviours included scuttling their own boats.” (Human Rights Watch Report, 2003).
In case it wasn’t clear enough how undesirable boat arrivals are: “These people abuse their children,” Howard informed us. “I don’t want people who abuse their children in our country.” He must have meant he didn’t want anymore people who abuse children in our country, conveniently ignoring the sex abuse scandals raging in the Catholic and Anglican churches at that very time, and the appalling child abuse statistics generated by those already residing here. In using child abuse as an example, Howard unwittingly revealed the level of denial in which he lived his life and practiced his politics.
Howard was supported in his beliefs about boat arrivals by Anglican Dean Philip Jensen, who advised his flock in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, in 2003 that any beliefs other than Christian are “the monstrous lies and deceits of Satan, devised to destroy the life of the believers.” Yes, he meant Muslims who fetched up here on boats.
Criminals, harbingers of disease and bent upon spiritual destruction of Christians.
Just drawing your attention to the perilous state we are in, this is supposed to be the high point of solar cycle 24.
Sue @ 4.46pm, I wonder how Abbott got away with having two extra front benchers in the first place?
Most of them aren’t worth $45,000.00 in total let alone an extra $45,000.00 !
Pip
how about we help the coalition with the $70B blacK hole, First off $90,000 by 2 pollies volunteering not to take the payrise.
I nominate mirabella, she has had a windfall gain of late
and peter dutton, he hasn’t had any questions on health, since labor took govt
El gordo, what would we do without your wisdom?
You know we all love you.
Sue, when Cruella’s Court battle with the ex’s children begins the second extra frontbencher won’t be too happy 😀
Red letter day. Telstra is now out of my life.
If Mr. Howard had done this when he sold off Telstra, he might have achieved fast broadband,
To keep on with the Murdoch meme of Rudd being “a control freak” is counterproductive to the Labor Party maintaining government. Sad that so many of the Left keep batting for the Right.
Surely nobody would be so stupid as to keep undermining Gillard’s attempt at reconciliation by continuing on with the Rudd hate campaign.
Cu, BIG Congratulations. I can’t wait for the same thing to happen in mine.
On capital Hill Don Randall was whingeing about the NBN.
first he did the usaul liberal whinge, too expensive blah blah
then the dope complained because his electorate might have to wait 10 years before they get it
as it was pointed out to Don, isn’t it disgusting that here it is the 21st century and his electorate which is in Perth has such poor internet services.
Gotcha Don, but typical of the gross Liberal Stupidity.
Oh another funny thing on CH, Don Randall was trying to imply that Arbib had to leave. When challenged by Lyndal Curtis, Randall knowingly told her to read Andrew Bolt.
Sue, that’s a typical Randall style brainless effort.
Randall also said that there would be no competition on the day after news came of Virgin Mobile signing up to deal with the NBN, and various ISPs leapty leapt to announce their prices on services provided to them by the NBN !
Until now Virgin, the largest mobile phone company, has only provided a mobile service, and now they can provide broadband via fibre to the home.
Sue, it is ridiculous that we are still talking about pink bats and BER four years and one government later. Does this mean that they have not been able to find anything current to attack the PM with.
By the way BER was much, much more than a few buildings.
Is not there are smouldering scandal in relation to the private schools BER effort.
I believe that many contractors and sub contractors have been ripped off bu the big boys. I suppose that is one way of doing it cheaper.
The set top boxes, one of Mr. Howard’s schemes got another run today.
What percentage of the budget would be saved, even if the whole scheme was abandoned. Is it big enough to be measured.
How was the last reshuffle a stuff up. I see since that reshuffle, a strong team with great ability out selling what the government is doing.
Not wanting to upset the apple cart and people’s feelings might be the one weakness that could bring her PMship undone. In this area she needs to to have faith in her own opinion and the guts to take the necessary decision, as she has done in other areas.
Mr, Conroy has finished the job that Mr. Howard f.. up years ago when he sold off Telstra. Maybe if was done then, Mr. Howard might have succeeded with fast broadband.
I am glad he did not, as we are now getting a superior network, that will carry us well into the future.
More expensive upfront but cheaper in the long run.
Miglo’s off the planet.
Sue, we sure need another casino. Has anyone seen the recent write ups on the one we already have, They do not paint a very pretty picture, In this city we already have many massive clubs that are hard to distinguish from casino’s.
Roswell, but at least I’m from it.
None of us are avatars, or so I’m led to believe.
😯
The education system cannot be too bad. My second youngest grandchild start school this year, at one of those inferior state schools.
She is already pulling her mother up for not using full stops. Mum is a little amazed.
Punctuation does not seem to worry any of my children. I suspect they see no need for it.
The same child’s computer skills put many adults to shame.
She has always had access to books and loves them.
Café Whispers 
If anybody misses what’s ever posted as a comment here at the Cafe, there is another blog site that focuses on every word we say. 😆
My above comment alone will in itself generate another 50 for them. 🙄
Julie Bishop’s lack of judgement should be brought to the notice of all Australia.
today in QT she had a question for Rudd, on the coup in the Maldives. The opposition were laughing at the analogy of the Rudd/Gillard leadership.
Rudd answered the quetion as the foreign minster should, as the head of the commonwealth foreign ministers should.
it was no laughing or trivial event. ,Even the abc’s politcal reporter, lyndal curtis questioned julie bishop’s judgement
School yard stuff, Sue. Do they know any different?
Sue, that is fairly awful..a major political crisis and the best that J. Bishop can come up with is a sneer.. This is certain proof of no depth of thought whatsoever.
MPI is amazing. The worse lightweight treasurer ever.
No vision. No direction and I assume no results.
One has to deny many inconvenient truths to come to this belief.
What we do have fact for, that this opposition must be one of the worse in talking the economy down.
Was not Ms. Bishop contribution wonderful.
Her acting skills were found wanting. I expected more from her.
Was she trying to play the bully or what.
She did manage to make a fool of herself.
I love the speaker telling the whiner that he was the kettle calling the pot black when he accused the PM of bad behaviour.
Noticed that Mr. Abbott is keeping quiet.
Miglo, I notice that we are unable to learn and some are vicious according to the messenger.
I do not really care but I hope the messenger keeps to the truth and not create her own facts to make herself look bigger, on the other side.
Miglo, at least it keeps them occupied.
What you have here is a credit to you and those who contribute.
.
Just looked in & see the above three posts, makes me think of one of my hobbyhorses. Australia has appointed for itself a muckup period for the duration of the Labor government. Anything goes, nothing’s out of bounds, & doesn’t Bishop’s effort highlight our awesome insularity? Everything can & will be reduced to what advantage the coalition can make from it.
Ms. Bishop’s behaviour in detail. Note Mr. Abbott cheered saying it was good one.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-14/brandis-questions-human-rights-medal-for-bolt-case-lawyer/3828868
Eddie, I listened to that exchange. It was disgusting. The woman who was on the end of what unsurprising for Senator Brandis near abuse, handled her-self well.
I do not think it was the time to launch a defence of Mr. Bolt.
Eddie, I’m gobsmacked.
Cu, it’s these “clever” statements from J. Bishop that would set foreign relations back a decade or so, should we ever have the misfortune for her to become Foreign Minister. A number of nations that I could nominate, are likely to consider it “incident” should Ms Bishop speak about them in, as the writer puts it, “an offensive manner”.
Eddie, unbelieveable…
So Brandis prefers the opinion of Andrew Bolt to that of the Federal Court’s – a conviction under the Racial Vilification Act, compared with the opinion of a shock jock…
Min, it was offensive.
I am sure it made Mr. Rudd’s job easier.
Mr. Rudd is coordinating in the response it the area.
He spent Saturday night with a phone hookup to fulfill this role. There is a party visiting the Maldives.
Her little stunt could have further reactions. Not necessary to our advantage.
I cannot help but think that if the Opposition did not turn this into a political bum fight and put pressure on the police in two states, this matter may have been bought to a conclusion way back last year, where there was indication that the matter was near fruition.
Ms. Julie Bishop is on the ABC tonight. Drum. According to Annabel, a great guest.
Interesting to see what the questions will be.
So much for independence.
FWA officials are listed to appear at a Senate Estimates hearing tomorrow.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-14/estimates-hears-cost-of-craig-thomson-probe/3829470
Abbott is now talking on the Medicare rebate. Unusual; for him to involve himself in the doings of the house.
Going back to before 2009 for his speech.
A lie I am suck of hearing.
Abbott is treating the Speaker with contempt. He has really lost it. The abuse of the PM is beyond belief. He thinks he is so smart.
We are once again back on the no mandate. Sorry, Mr. Abbott, the PM has because the PM has the numbers on the floor of the lower house. The numbers the PM will get later tonight, will prove that the PM has the mandate.
He is sounding desperate.
Sitting behind him is Mirabella and Bishop, the younger.
I can see him coming close to getting thrown out.
He has just told the speaker, I knows what side you are on.
Speaker counselling him against such action.
If I did not know better, I would say, the man has visited the bar or his fridge since QT.
The look on Mirabella’s face is interesting. Bishop’s is not much better, but norm for her.
Mr. Abbott is moving a useless. time wasting motion.
This explains why he missed out at QT.
That it not be debated until the 44 the Parliament.
Happy birthday!
Love it Migs! $1.25 for a chicken!!!
It is also the Speakers birthday.
Mr. Abbott’s ploy of getting the Government to seek he no longer be heard, was a failure.
The Speaker also did not fall into Mr. Abbott’s trap.
Things have quieted down.
I imagined all that Mr. Abbott has achieved is that they go home a hour or two later.
Abbott’s stance on gay marriage looks like strong-arm tactics
Amanda Vanstone
January 30, 2012
Opinion
TONY Abbott’s decision to wait until the Parliament had shut down at the end of last year before making it clear that he would block a conscience vote on any gay marriage bill could cost him in the long run.
Ms Vanstone writes of Mr. Abbott… [on behalf of a silenced Party room perhaps?]
Magda comes out for gay marriage
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-14/magda-comes-out-for-gay-marriage/3828700
Health insurance rebate about finding balance: Plibersek
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3430931.htm
Transcript
The interview went well until Alberici had to talk about the most important topic on the ABC Board’s mind.
1. EMMA ALBERICI: If I can just turn quickly to the issue of your party leadership, your Attorney-General Nicola Roxon recently said the best thing for the party would be if Kevin Rudd simply came out and said, “I will not challenge the Prime Minister.”
Do you agree that would be the best way forward?
2. EMMA ALBERICI: But with all due respect, this leadership question is really distracting the Government, isn’t it?
3. EMMA ALBERICI: But with all due respect, this leadership question is really distracting the Government, isn’t it?
TANYA PLIBERSEK: I think it is distracting journalists. What we want to be talking about as a Government…
EMMA ALBERICI: You said yourself it was an issue. You said it was your “internal issue”.
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek’s answer to the last question was longer than the host anticipated. 😀
Katter slams foreign mine-worker plan
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/katter-slams-foreign-mineworker-plan-20120214-1t3ga.html
Independent Queensland MP Bob Katter has declared war on mining magnates who are lobbying the federal government to allow unskilled foreign workers to be flown in to fill job shortages in outback Queensland.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has reportedly been in talks with mining companies about replacing 457 visas with bulk temporary migration agreements, under which workers could be flown in directly from overseas.
Refugee obsession ‘out of proportion’
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/refugee-obsession-out-of-proportion-20120214-1t49w.html
Barrel O’ Lies got a hit right back in his face and I wonder if the big man will mind his mouth in the future.
“Premier, Barry O’Farrell, declared that the ”government by Kim Kardashian is over”.
The Premier has for some time referred, Keneally, as the ”Kim Kardashian of NSW politics”.
Seconds after it was uttered, Keneally rose from her spot on the backbench
”Given the length of the Premier’s first marriage,” she said, ”he’s the real Kardashian in this place.”
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/keneally-keeps-up-with-kardashians-by-turning-the-jibe-on-ofarrell-20120214-1t49p.html#ixzz1mODRwqz4
Pip @3.56am..
..mining magnates who are lobbying the federal government to allow unskilled foreign workers to be flown in to fill job shortages in outback Queensland.
Katter knows what he’s talk about. There is no reason why the big miners would want to import “unskilled” foreign workers under this program except to undermine the current provisions of 457 Visas which state that all workers must be paid at the going rate, Australian.
I would also be extremely suspicious about that definition of “unskilled”. Why would the big miners want to import unskilled labour? As Bob Katter stated, there are 10,000 unskilled jobless Australians in north Queensland alone.
My suspicion is that the big miners’ definition of unskilled is somewhat flexible. There are very very few “unskilled” jobs on the mines, perhaps some kitchen hands and room cleaners. Almost always unskilled jobs are filled locally. An Australian would be battling to get an unskilled FIFO position, so why would the miners want to import the same people, with the same skill level.
The company of LNP member and brother in-law to campbell newman, seb monsour to be investigated by fbi,
“Investigation is reviewing whether Liberal National Party figure Seb Monsour’s company violated American trade secret laws by allegedly obtaining technology developed by the American Department of Defence.
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/fbi-examine-lnp-figures-company-20120214-1t3bp.html#ixzz1mOGgpREd
This technology, Monsour tried to flog to the qld govt after the floods. The owner of the tecnology said that the price offered by mansour was also a rip-off.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/government-offer-no-ripoff-monsour-20111005-1l9hr.html
Can someone enlighten me, what is the difference in Mr. Abbott calling on the public to rebel against the so called carbon tax and Mr. Hodges passing on a message that Mr. Abbott was nearby.
What is the different to Mr. Mirabella stirring the crowd up and leading them into the lower house of interfere with QT,
Mr. Hodges passed on a message that the AAP was reporting, I believe for hours.
Where was the message that the crowd was asked to start a riot.
What I seen was what appeared a angry Ms. Jackson that believed that Mr. Abbott said what was on the airways for hours.
Has Mr. Abbott said what he means by moving on. To me it means it is time for the Tent Embassy to come to an end.
I imagine that we will once again have a angry Mr. Abbott acccusing the PM of causing a riot.
This will be in spite of the police investigation under way.
Does anyone really believe that the aim was for a riot, which by the way was greatly exaggerrated.
The PM and Mr. Abbott was removed because of the fear that things could become worse.
Can someone enlighten me, what is the difference in Mr. Abbott calling on the public to rebel against the so called carbon tax and Mr. Hodges passing on a message that Mr. Abbott was nearby.
None, they are both based on a fallacy created by our media.
Oh, one, the media love tabot, and hate Gillard. This has little to do with Sattler, and everything to do with their own little Game Of Thrones
Look at the different treatment between tabot melting down in front of the cameras after being asked a question he had been advised about, and the treatment Gillard is receiving after being duped into an interview and actually providing an answer.
It is blatantly, openly hostile towards her.
The unhinging has reached a crescendo, yet, I am sure there is more to come.
There is more to come, Tom, the hate media still have to dig up the dirt on her political roots. Julia is a watermelon gal.
There is always more to come grodo
We still don’t know who made the coffee on that fateful night 😯
Good one from Oakeshott..
And from Plibersek, this is entirely the point of the argument..
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-14/oakeshott-backs-rebate-means-test/3830012
el gordo, there is nothing to turn up on the PM all that you allude to has been in the public domain for decades.
It is so substantial that no one has made any of it stick.
Even Mr. Cassidy, on his visit to report to Ch 10, would not agree that the office creating a acceptance speech was unusual. Mr. Cassidy added that the staff would not have being doing their job to do otherwise, owing to what was going on in the medias at that time.
Yes, el gordo, there are other’s that spend their time running from one site to another.
The “commo” label does not carry any weight today.
The Medicare rebate is near conclusion. We have to get past to the time wasting effort of Mr. Abbott, then the final vote.
Mr. Turnbull was the last speaker for the Opposition.
This is not a BROKEN PROMISE. it is the same as Mr. Howard done with the GST.
Mr. Howard said no to a GST. The next election he changed his mind, saying he would bring in the GST.
Once again one rule for Labor, another for the Coalition.
I am afraid what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
Another piece of legislation passed for this frozen government that is obsessed with Mr. Abbott.
Speaker is demanding relevance That is going to make it harder fort he Opposition when moving censure motions etc.
The speaker said yesterday when Mr. Pyne attempted to verballed him. that he wanted short, concise questions to make it easier to decide whether the answer was relevant.
He added that did not mean the answer had to be as short. The Opposition has trying to say that when asked yes or no, means that the answer should only be yes or no.
The speaker spoilt their day, when he said that the PM was being relevant when she explained why she said yes or no. The look on the Opposition was a sight to see. I think this led to later, the Opposition leader telling the speaker, he knew whose side he was on.
CU it strikes me as odd that the hate media has not really opened up on her formative years and her ‘commo’ influence.
Of greater interest is the takeover of the Greens by the DSP, which put climate change front and centre.
El gordo, you must have missed it. They tried a fear campaign about that one eons ago…I believe that she was involved at a minor level with a socialist club while she was at uni, about as relevant as Abbott being A Young Catholic. Hang on, wait a mo’.. 😉
I’ve also seen Gillard described as the anti-Christ by one of those drop down and talk in tongues Christian groups..perhaps that’s relevant too.
I dispute the ‘minor level’ role that Julia played.
Mr. Abetz definitely does not believe in the independence of the FWA. There are five being investigated.
They are awaiting the response of thousands of pages sent to the five.
Mr. Abetz wants to know if Mr. Lee spoke to the fraud squad. The answer was that they do not know what the general manager did.
He seen his role as to independently investigating. The assumption was made by the Opposition, if one didn’t know what someone else doe, it did not occur.
5 letters = 6500 pages.
What information is Mr. Abetz really entitled to in a ongoing investigation???
Is this what justice is about.
If you got a few thousand pages of allegations that you are required to answer, what is a fair time. Mr. Abetz seems to believe 21 days is sufficient.
Ask whether there was much from the public voicing their concern.
Asked whether FWA has been hurt. FWA staff refused, as they should to make a judgement.
“CU it strikes me as odd that the hate media has not really opened up on her formative years and her ‘commo’ influye”
You are wrong, as I said the allegations have been in the public domain for years and the fact is simply, no one cares.
It may surprise you among others. it is not as crime in this country to have left wing views. It is not even a crime to have connections to some. you would describe as commons.
It would be near impossible in the Labor movement, especially in the uni environment for the two to have interaction.
el gordo, that is what the real world is like, it is made up of people with many different views, that move among each other.
Now, I knew Mr. Munday very well, and he is a wonderful bloke. What does that make me in your eyes.
I find Mr. Abbott’s close connection and adoration of Mr. Santa Maria more fascinating. Does this mean that Mr. Abbott had leanings to the DLP.
I suspect he did, but what has that got to do with Mr. Abbott today.
I will add for the record, the PM actions during the time she has led the Labor party do not point to extreme or even left wing leanings.
It appears whatever the PM’s political leanings were as an adolescent, she has moved far away for hm.
Sorry, reds under the bed does not work anymore, especially when the worlds largest communist government is becoming the world’s largest economy.
.
There appears to be a debate on FWA in the lower house now. I think it might be on the Building Workers Leglisation.
The thing that strike me as strange in this whole Thompson saga, is the libs now crying how long it has taken.
Didn’t abetz just recently lean on the Police to prosecute a case, which was not down in NSW, so he then went to the Vics?
all within the last 6 months or so?
Isn’t he a little slow of the mark?
Wouldn’t this of itself add to the time taken in the initial case?
Tom, that’s exactly what happened. Not satisfied with the NSW police assessment that there was insufficient evidence to mount a prosecution, it was sent to the Vics.
The thing about “insufficient evidence” is that in order to obtain a conviction that every case must be judged on its merit. Quite often people state: But we know he’s guilty, and indeed the person may be as guilty as sin, but it’s a pointless exercise taking the case to court if there is insufficient evidence.
Golly gosh, lets hope the Australian Army and Duntroon, are better at geoghraphy, today rather than when Newman served. Especially seeing Newman
reached the level of major.
“Yesterday, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace mocked Mr Newman for mistakenly saying Bowen is north of Cairns.
Today Mr Newman hit back.
“I learnt my geography of Queensland when I was serving my country 25 years ago in the Australian Army, unlike Mr Wallace who’s never served the country in that way,” he said”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/newman-family-member-allegedly-facing-fbi-scrutiny/3831490
Newman attended the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and joined the Australian Army as a lieutenant in 1981.[4] He is a qualified civil engineer with an honours degree in civil engineering from the University of New South Wales and spent thirteen years in the army, retiring with the rank of Major in 1993.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_Newman
‘the PM actions during the time she has led the Labor party do not point to extreme or even left wing leanings.’
Her government continues to throw money at the Klimatariat, which is a DSP/Green initiative.
The redistribution of wealth under the cloak of climate change has been a highly successful manoeuvre.
eg read about your heros
The Climate Killers
Meet the 17 polluters and deniers who are derailing efforts to curb global warming
http://weirddream.com/
If you want to be ahead of the news cycle here, look to Canada where they have already begun to dismantle the Klimtariat.
Tom R, I believe the actions of the Oppositions could be a reason that it is Now taking so long.
I do have problems with politicians interfering in legal matters.
Look what happened to that innocence doctor under Howard. The politicians did everything to keep him in jail, even after the British police pulled out in a few days.
The politicians were so sure he was guilty.
Nothing has changed as far as they are concerned.
They have decided that Thompson is guilty, and in their opinion he should be hung.
The question I still ask, where is the outcry from the members, except for the incident that Ms. Jackson attempted to stir up with little success.
el gordo, I agree. Mr. Rudd and others have placed to much faith in clean coal. it maybe possible but I believe not probable.
It was a sop to the coal producers and in my opinion wrong.
There is many ways to produce clean electricity, and coal will become the horse of this century.
el gordo, I will add, if it was feasible, why are not the coal producers leading he way.
Want a lesson on beer, turn into parliament, Mr. Pyne is giving one.
News. A Industry group are saying that FWA is seeing a increase in workers power.
Amazing, when one remembers they had none under WorkChoices.
This minority government has passed 266 Bills, the Howard govt in first term passed 108.
You probably won’t see that reported by the msm
‘There is many ways to produce clean electricity, and coal will become the horse of this century.’
Yes, we have an abundance of relatively cheap coal and with smaller efficient stations, dotted about to carry baseload, all will be fine.
In the far outback the use of windfarms and solar, along with natural gas, could provide energy for small satellite cities.
If you are worried about CO2 emissions, they might want to capture the carbon from power stations and turn it into natural fertiliser on the spot.
Then give the CO2 pellets to the agrarian socialists for free, as a goodwill venture.
Pyne got thrown out today and the opposition buggered up the suspension of standing orders. Yep it was left up tp bishop and she was late. QT finished before she could start her rant so missed out on the TV coverage.
Sue at 3.16
Don’t worry, the news programs’ll fill in the gap with a bit of leadership speculation.
Let’s dig that black hole even deeper Tony…
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/means-test-on-private-health-rebate-finally-passes-lower-house-20120215-1t557.html#ixzz1mQCDT8Up
Min, I fear that no matter how deep or wide he digs it the media will let him walk around it.
But of course it’ll fall to others (us) to fill it in.
Bob, hopefully a Labor pre-election campaign will include a list of all those things that Tony Abbott plans to cancel, payrises to pensioners included.
Ah, but Min, that will be dismissed as an obnoxious fear campaign.
Though it would be funny to watch Abbott tiptoeing between issues, explaining to each individual how THEY won’t be worse off.
I’m a bit surprised that Abbott’s said he’ll repeal the legislation though, prior indications were that he might not. I guess his natural attacking viciousness kicked in. More work for Joe, I wonder if he’s up to it? (just kidding here, I don’t wonder if he’s up to it at all, of course he’s not).
More on that..
This is the first time that I’ve heard that Abbott has in fact been refusing to answer the question. Why hasn’t that one been splattered all over the media..or have I been missing something.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/house-of-reps-passes-means-testing/3831424
Thought some might be interested in the facts of what the last few days have been about.
“If you are worried about CO2 emissions, they might want to capture the carbon from power stations and turn it into natural fertiliser on the spot.’
There was a package passed you know. The price on carbon emission is only one part of the solution.
I believe many of the things that you proposed are already occurring.
Do you agree with Mr. Abbott?
With the arrival of the monsoons this subject takes a back seat for the ‘fevered speculations’.
UN High Commissioner talks refugee issues
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3429799.htm
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, is visiting Australia and joins us to discuss the issues facing asylum seekers in Australia and around the world.
Transcript
Rudd has just made a speech. Now it is time for Ms. Bishop.
I suggest Mr. Rudd to make one each day, forcing Ms Bishop to say something more than throwing insults and dirt.
We do have many Oppositions.
Min at 4.37
You missed Abbott’s refusals because it was all kept low key. I think I heard it mentioned once, not sure where. It certainly wasn’t “Abbott ducks questions on…”.
That doesn’t surprise you, does it?
Company loses right to recruit overseas workers
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/overseas-workers/3832192
Is the girl with the pearls paying attention?
Of course this is not waste or an inefficient scheme. Cannot be, it is I believe from Mr. Abbott’s time. I should add that I have bemefitted from the scheme. I have no chronic illness. I did need dental treatment I could not afford.
I thougth the retail industry was doing it hard.
Shopping centre giant Westfield has announced a 38 per cent jump in full-year net profit to $1.53 billion due to rising property-management and project income.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/westfield-full-year-profit-soars/3831370
Spin and anger aside, facts you can bank on
Greg Jericho
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3830956.html
Does anything unite the nation quite like hating banks?
In the week since the Reserve Bank kept the cash rate steady at 4.25 per cent, the Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ and National Australia Bank have lifted their mortgage rates – Westpac and CBA by 0.10 per cent, NAB by 0.09 per cent and the ANZ by 0.06 per cent.
One comment said the riot was caused by incitement.
Tell me where is the evidence that anyone said, lets go to the restaurant and bash him up. The most I heard was let’s go and question him.
Where is the evidence that anyone incite the mob to violence.
‘There was a package passed you know. The price on carbon emission is only one part of the solution.’
I’m hoping Stephen Smith gets up and knocks the CO2 tax on the head. Such a ridiculous tax, when you consider CO2 doesn’t cause global warming.
“Such a ridiculous tax, when you consider CO2 doesn’t cause global warming.”
Such a ridiculous statement, when you consider that grodo doesn’t think for itself
Cu and “I suggest Mr. Rudd to make one each day, forcing Ms Bishop to say something more than throwing insults and dirt.”
I think that the original strategy was that Rudd should keep a low profile, because every single solitary time Rudd said anything about anything in jumped the media with yet another (yawn), media speculation topic. Endless, boring, unoriginal, rehash of the same topic.
All that this succeeded in doing was taking Rudd out of the play, at least publicly. Surely by now the government realizes that they are going to get this same rehash irrespective of what either Gillard or Rudd do or say – therefore Rudd may as well do the best job he can, and say stuff it to one and sundry.
“therefore Rudd may as well do the best job he can, and say stuff it to one and sundry.”
I get the impression that the Governmnet as a whole are coming to this conclusion.
No matter what they do, it will be spun out of control by a media who have abandoned any pretense at impartiality, and obviously, common sense.
Tom, the media enquiry will certainly be interesting. I can’t remember the stats completely, these were published, but I seem to recall that during the carbon tax debate it was found that the Herald Sun was running around 80% negative articles and editorials.
Which only goes to prove that in spite of some people’s best intentions to be impartial, if you say it often enough and loudly enough it ends up becoming “a fact”.
Yes Min, it’s not a pretty reading
After neutral items were discounted, n egative coverage (82%) across News Ltd newspapers far outweighed positive (18%) articles. This indicates a very strong stance against the carbon pol icy adopted by the company that controls most Australian metropolitan newspapers, and the only general national daily. (See page 33)
Link for PDF available at http://www.skepticalscience.com/media-climate-science-communication.html
Another increase in profit. What am I missing. I thought everything was gloom.
Here is some gloom but not for us
UK unemployment hits 16 year high of 8.4%
“Leak exposes how Heartland Institute works to undermine climate science
Libertarian thinktank keeps prominent sceptics on its payroll and relies on millions in funding from carbon industry, papers suggest
The inner workings of a libertarian thinktank working to discredit the established science on climate change have been exposed by a leak of confidential documents detailing its strategy and fundraising networks.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/15/leak-exposes-heartland-institute-climate
Channelling the Bolter.
‘The Socialist Forum was a radical group that helped to bring former members of the Communist Party into the Labor Party.
‘In 2007, asked about her involvement, Gillard said “many a long year ago” – mostly when “I was a university student” – she’d merely done “part-time clerical and administrative work” for this “debating society”.
‘In fact, she’d been on the forum’s management committee, organising events and giving speeches. The parliamentary register of interests states she was still a member from 1998 to 2002.’
El gordo, up until the time I went to uni I was a racist, sexist pig. Do people look at me and say “because you were are racist, sexist pig 15 years ago it must mean you still are one”?
PS, up until 15 years ago I used to have a closed mind. I’ve since opened it. Widely.
And Tones was in a seminary, but now he is (happily) married with 3 daughters.
Totally irrelevant, Sue. It’s what he did twenty years ago that he should be judged on.
El gordo’s law.
You mean when he had a girlfriend, who he thought was pregnant and went off overseas.
Sue, he not only went overseas, demanded she adopt what he thought was his baby out.
el gordo, what does it matter. The PM did nothing illegal.
You are now Bolt’s mouth piece, that is more interesting.
George Negus, maybe we should be get around to listening to the opposition leadership problems, if you listen to the little birdies in Canberra, is not that flash hot either. (The Project)
el gordo, I am ashamed that at the same age, I actually voted DLP. Shocking is it not.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/government-sets-sights-on-dental-rorts/3832024
“The parliamentary register of interests states she was still a member from 1998 to 2002.’”
The PM has not kept it secret. el gordo, tell me what the PM has done wrong.
I think that you might find more criticism that she is now not of the left.
I suspect that you may have had the same beliefs all your life. If that is true, it is a worry.
El gordo, just to reiterate that this is a very old “scandal”, here it is..same story..same repeated lines from the Blot. The year 2007.
The issue isn’t just whether there’s a Red under the bed, but a liar as well.
Labor’s deputy leader Julia Gillard has claimed she was just a part-time “typist” in her “university days” to a mere “debating society” called the “Socialist Forum”, and has really been a “fiscal conservative” all along.
In fact, she was on the management committee of this far-Left group, which was formed by former communists to help them join Labor, and she stayed there even when she was well into her law career.
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/why_hasnt_gillard_been_honest
Min, if one says things often enough, it becomes true.
Did not Mr Bolt drop out of uni, because he felt that he would not or could not learn any thing new.
Sadly, he would have benefited from staying.
el gordo. I have been on many management committees. It did not mean much. Doing what the PM said she did, would just about sum it up.
Presumably, The Fat One is well named re the offal between his/her ears. Or is there another explanation?
Perhaps a site for the mentally retarded?
LABOR’S problem MP Craig Thomson today said he wanted the Fair Work Australia inquiry into him finished as soon as possible.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/review-to-probe-delays-in-thomson-inquiry/story-e6frfkp9-1226271523590#ixzz1mS2gPAwn
now todays reporting from the senate on the FWA, said 4 people had been written to but so far 3 have replied, the person they were waiting on had until march 2nd. i also heard that there were 25 discrepancies to be addressed, these from victoria.
now, if i remeber, kathy said a couple of weeks ago, that as soon as she sent in her replies she would publish her statement for all to see. so far no statement from kathy. now i wonder who hasn’t replied? i wonder if abetz is worried?
Just listening to Martin on the radio talking about banks, interest rates and changing banks.
the verdict, Wayne Swann has really done the work on making it easier to change banks. martin had gone to ME bank filled in the forms and ME bank did all the work.
praise by martin for swann, it is very easy to change as you don’t have to do the 10 point id stuff, as his old bank has those records.
he then gave an example on home loan of $300,000 loan savings of $140 per month.
bad labor govt, naughty wayne swann how dare you give bank customers options/power.
Prime Ministerial Statement: Closing the Gap
Julia Gillard posted Wednesday, 15 February 2012
http://www.alp.org.au/blogs/alp-blog/february-2012/prime-ministerial-statement–closing-the-gap/
Cu, according to Blot himself, he always felt he was ‘on the outside looking in’, he’s very shy…..
smug face alert…
Click to access 1300324110_document_bolt_low_res.pdf
of his university days he says:-
In other words he dropped out of uni…..little frog in big puddle syndrome perhaps??
Who is the fat one? This is the second time I have heard this mentioned.
Now, I do not know teflon, but I think it was el gordo that mentioned the same thing.
Maybe we are mentally retarded. Why don’t you stay around to find out.
I must warn you that most do agree with global warming, so you might find it a little boring. We are also not into name calling, so that makes us a little stupid I suppose in your estimation.
We also like the way we are and this site.
Now I could be misjudging you as I do not quite understand your comment. That must mean I am dense, because you are so smart..
CU,
“el gordo” means “the fat” in Spanish. I have heard that she should probably use “la gordo” though.
Bacchus, you have confused me more. Why use the phrase.
It’s to do with gender of the language CU. I’m no expert in Spanish by any stretch of the imagination, but “el” would indicate male, “la”, female.
http://www.e-spanyol.hu/en/grammar/gender.php
I don’t know if you can relate it to another language CU, but I studied German in high school – they have the “die”(female), “der”(male), “das”(neuter) gender contructs of various words…
http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa042098.htm
Cu, and Bacchus, also in French le is masculine, and la is feminine…
could this be la gordo ?
http://p.twimg.com/AlstKf0CQAA6RQn.jpg:large
Sue @ 11.38pm, did you mean Peter Martin ? 🙂
Monday, February 13, 2012
Short memories. We kept the banks afloat, and this week they’ll…
http://www.petermartin.com.au/
Borrowers are in for further pain this week with the Commonwealth and National Australia Banks each expected to launch separate reviews of their mortgage and business rates ahead of announcing multi-billion dollar profits.
Nothing to see here – move on…
“A PROMINENT Australian scientist has rejected as offensive any suggestion he is doing the bidding of a US climate-sceptic think tank that is paying him a monthly fee. (of $US1667 paid by The Heartland Institute) “
Bacchus, thanks for the link.
Heartland Institute is a favoured destination for Senator Bernardi, and was for former Senator Fielding.
24 June 2011, 10.44am AEST
Bob Carter’s climate counter-consensus is an alternate reality
http://theconversation.edu.au/bob-carters-climate-counter-consensus-is-an-alternate-reality-1553
Bacchus, the IPA is also named…
Bob Carter, IPA named in Heartland Institute “denialgate” leak
http://ianmcpherson.com/blog/?p=1744
Australian climate change contrarian Robert M. Carter, Ph.D., and
Liberal-aligned think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, have been named in documents leaked from key US climate change denial organisation The Heartland Institute to DeSmogBlog.
Carter apparently receives US$1,667 per month, funding which is provided to “high-profile individuals who regularly and publicly counter the alarmist AGW message”. Other recipients are US-based skeptic Craig Idso and serial contrarian Fred Singer.
Download links for the leaked documents are below. More info from Skeptical Science.
Heartland Institute
http://heartland.org/ian-plimer
Heartland Experts
Ian Plimer
Professor of Mining Geology, The University of Adelaide
24 February 2010
Think tanks, oil money and black ops
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/32974.html
Black ops
The deployment of think tanks and sceptic websites to attack climate science has been a carefully planned strategy that was developed in the United States in the mid-1990s. It was refined with the advice of political consultant Frank Luntz who in 2002 urged the Republican Party to undermine the credibility of climate science by commissioning “independent” experts to “make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate”.
The strategy is comprehensively exposed by former PR insider Jim Hoggan in his recent book Climate Cover-Up.
Wasn’t carter one of grodo’s ‘sauces’ to push his propoganda?
Yep.
From Pips Conversation
‘… the “science reality” of climate change has involved developing and testing our understanding against all available observations and modelling.’
There is no need to worry about that, the world is gradually cooling and there is sweet FA any of us can do about it.
Pip @2.07am I remember that one..Senator Fielding was being taken os to “learn” all about climate change, and the twit didn’t seem to realize that The Heartland Institute might not be providing an entirely balanced set of information.
Am I game to give it another shot..what the heck 😉 Here is something that I personally didn’t realize:
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3949
Talking of propaganda and profiting from it, you can’t go past the ‘gorical’.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-05/global-warming/28080478_1_carbon-trading-billionaire-green-issues
There is no need to worry about that
Did carter pay you to say that?
Min
but fielding he did get a trip to the usa.
“There is no need to worry about that”
“Did carter pay you to say that?
Or the IPA
Questions should be put to the ABC about its use of the IPA as panelists or commentators.
Now that our fears of gorebull worming have passed, for at least two decades, its going to make it harder to convince the electorate that anything unusual is happening with our earthly climate.
You know the stuff, full dams in Oz and freezing winters in the NH, the average punter doesn’t give a rats arse that temperatures might be a couple of degrees warmer at the turn of the century.
Political fail for the warminista.
El gordo from your link..which goes to show that there is a great deal of money to be made from tackling climate change, that it’s far and away from the We’ll all be roon’d meme we keep hearing from the opposition.
I note the media are busy watching the gates of mordor, instead of the real story
Delivering its annual report on progress on tackling indigenous disadvantage, Julia Gillard said the government was on track to meet its targets of halving the gap in mortality rates for children under 5 by 2018, and to provide access to early childhood education to all indigenous 4-year-olds in remote communities by next year.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/nation-on-track-to-meet-indigenous-targets–pm-20120215-1t6s1.html#ixzz1mUHhIWkk
You know, I thought this might be important news. Obviously not. ltdnews have their gaze fixed elsewhere
for at least two decades
ROFL
So, even if your bullshit is correct, you still reckon let the kids sort it out 😯
The carbon market has collapsed, so he’s done his dough there. All the other things the man has his fingers in will fade into history when they realise CO2 hasn’t been heating the planet.
‘let the kids sort it out’
Wrong, i’m sorting it out here and now, there’s a lot of Nihilism about and I blame ‘you lot’.
El gordo, this looney lot must drive you crazy at times. Thick as bricks, aren’t they?
Roberts link is informative.
http://guttertrash.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/julia-gillard-and-kevin-rudd-the-comeback-kid-and-the-goodbye-girl/#comment-92187
The only way you can describe the way they cut and pasted answers Gillard gave (or didn’t) is as a hatchet job.
Interestingly, the interviewer finishes with “When do you think you can get some positive media coverage”
I guess one step would be when you put your bloody (did you see what I did there 😉 ) scissors down and just play what was said, instead of cutting out 90% of an interview, and zeroing in on segments that might, if led in correctly, portray the story you want.
The PM does in fact answer questions about her takeover with Rudd (all old news, granted) they just choose not to air them in their program
If carter is getting $1550 per month from heartland i wonder how much gina would pay? it is a shame the oo is on the side of the sceptics otherwise, they may know of some email hackers who could possibly find out.
OK where do I send my BSB and account details to get paid by the Heartland Institute. I have a science degree from a reputable Australian University and am a member of the “Cloud Appreciation Society”
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
After
putting up withclosely monitoring every pearl of wisdom el gordo writes, I know I have all the “facts” at my fingertips.Time to enjoy the rich corporation’s largesse and to hell with the planet.
OK where do I send my BSB and account details to get paid by the Heartland Institute.
grodo might be able to help you out there lunalava 😉
Once again you attack the good intentions of Heartland for presnting an alternative reality.
So they help out financially, big deal, the Klimatariat have been getting plenty of material security out of this scam. Flummery has done nicely.
roswell where are you, as el gordo is talking alternatve realities this one is for you.
There is excellent piece from Chris Bowen in today’s oo..
On Nauru..
On the surplus..
A link might help.. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/coalition-loses-all-credibility/story-e6frgd0x-1226272140800
The alternative reality is that CO2 does not cause global warming, the ice cores tell us that.
Confronted by this evidence I accept the paleo science over models, which are human induced.
Is this the brave new world that many want for Australia with an industry thet relies on locking people up, whether they be refugees or the so called wicked. Slavery is always with us.
I will admit they have not yet found a way of putting the refugees to work. but give them time.
The only reasons that it has not happened in this country is becasus our unions still have a little influence.
The land of the free leaves me a little cold.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES DOWN WITH STRONG GROWTH IN FULL TIME JOBS.
The gloom doomers will not like this. I surmise that we will be hearing questions today on the strenght of the job market. Pigs might also fly.
MNr. Abbott thismorning the cut in the health rebate is not a reform but a rip off. Sorry, I believe the rebate was the rip off.
Once again that so called carbon job causing job losses. A avalance of job losses. Hey, what about the drop in unemploymeny.
Paralyse in Canberra. PM focus on her not, not focus on your job. Hey, nothing has occurred in parliameny this week.
Same old rubbish. Why does he not save us money, record he speech and have it played each day
cu
look over there rudd was blah, blah,blah
somehow this good economic news just cannot get out
I just opened my time portal into the future (alternate reality).
Abbott has just been elected Prime Minister and on his desk are three envelopes from John Howard. John’s advice is to open an envelope each time Abbott gets into trouble on economic matters. Abbott decides to open the first envelop and it says:
“…blame the previous government”
he thinks this good advice and so opens the second envelop, which says:
“…blame the previous government”
he decides to open the third envelop and it says:
“…prepare three envelops”
So there is the entire future Liberal Party economic plan when they win government.
With thanks to Noelene..
Somebody called?
Another success for the PM. Buildimg Workers leglisation passed. Abetz now givning press conference.
Once again talking down the econoy.
World coming to an end.
Companies are very astute in ot getting themselves involved in the political fight.
He is serious I believe.
Is being challenged for once.
If anyone listens to Abetz rewriting history, watch his body language. He is not comfortable when the journalist ask questions.
The leglsation now being discussed is the Electronic Health Bill.
Gee, the PM does well for one paralysed by her fear or her job. Mr. Abbott better hope that she does not recover.
Why is Mr. Abbott wandering about the chamber looking loss, peering at a bit of paper.
Strange indeed. I noticed he did this earlier in the week as well.
Leader of the Nationals thrown out much to Mr Pyne’s disgust.
PM’s reply wonderful. It says much for the Opposition that they believe it is inherit in leadership the right ti yell or abused. (words to that effect)
Cu @2.16pm..perhaps Abbott is wandering around looking lost because he is after one of his opposition members to offer him a policy..an idea..anything…
CU at 2.16 pm hemorrhoids???
On the private health rebate..
Support for people who want to get ahead? I would have thought that a single on $83,000 and a couple earning over $166,000 were well and truly ahead.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-vows-to-scrap-health-rebate-means-test-20120215-1t6q0.html#ixzz1mVnS3quN
It appears the Nationals have wolked out in protest.
Same link as above
Mr. Abbott does not look well.
Pyne stunned, question out of order.
Min, that person still gets 20%.
Adviser on the Opposition side still interjecting.
If caught, they will be banned for the duration of his speaker-ship.
Mr. Slipper does not needs the assistance of Mr. Pyne.
Have the Nationals caome back.
Liberal advisers interjecting in QT have been threatened with expulsion by the Speaker for the duration of his Speakership.
Woo Hoo
Heartland Institute claims fraud after leak of climate change documents
Thinktank said to be undermining climate science says it was victim of theft and forgery – but identifies only one memo as fake
• How Heartland works to discredit climate change science
• Microsoft and GM confirm they donated to Heartland
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/15/heartland-institute-fraud-leak-climate?newsfeed=true
The free-market Heartland Institute has moved to contain the damage from explosive revelations about its efforts to discredit climate change and alter the teaching of science in schools, claiming on Wednesday it was the victim of theft and forgery.
——————–
Former Prime Minister, who in 2007 went to the election with a plan for an ETS,
It’s fair to ask whether John Howard also receives remuneration from Heartland or similar?
and a yippee-i-ay luna. 😀
I do not think the Opposition is having a good day.
I wonder if Mr. Negus aside last night, that things were not too flash in the Opposition leadership.
Censure motion. Appears that she is paralysed by dysfunctional and is now cannot …
What happened, another bill passed.
Mr. Pyne language is over the top.
Government in tatters. Pyne pulled up. Warned that he will not talking when the speaker is speaking.
This motion is more important than any other business. “in the name of god, go” Oh the tags they have on themselves.
Peta Credlin told to shut up. What the hell is a non elected adviser doing disrupting the working of the Australian Parliament?
Video may follow.
Oh, the crimes of the PM are great.
I have news, he should also give acting a miss. He is just a poor ham that believes we will hear better, if he yells.
The Klimatariat have the lion’s share of the booty on offer…its a David and Goliath struggle to the death.
http://tomnelson.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/with-tiny-budgets-like-310-million-100.html
Pyne has been studying that dictionary and thesaurus, plus the history books well.
Oh, what an ugly red faced man.
Nothing is sacred with this man. Manufacture a riot. When did they occur.
I hope that Mr. Pyne feels better getting all that bile off his chest.
Confidence being undermined. I agree with Hockey in this. The Opposition talking down of the economy is having effect.
We are now on to TV sitcoms.
The speech writers mush have had fun in the last few days.
Must be dealt with now. Yes, Mr. Hockey, it must be as you are running out of time. The figures much to your disquiet are becoming positive.
I have never heard such a childish and nasty attack against any PM.
The 40th suspension of standing orders.
yes, it is not very funny anymore.
I like the one from Albanese..the longest dummy spit in Australian history.
Remember he was denied the right to move a censure motion.
The Opposition is that moribund, that they cannot change tact when the employment figures were better than expected.
According to Hockey, parliament had to be suspended because the govt is passing bills. poor buggers have said NO to 266 pieces of legislation and 266 have passed.
But Sue, this government is a complete failure…
Sue, there is another important one today. I think the figure might now be a 168.
As I said, Mr. Abbott needs to look out if the PM recovers from her paralysed state.
The bill now being discussed is the Electronic Health Record bill.
The problem is that Mr. Abbott takes no interested in what goes on in the lower house, except for his daily moving on the suspension of standing orders, or censure motions.
This is why they make fools of themselves, by ignoring the facts.
Look how bored he looked today, today, when the decision has obviously been made for him to sit there and let others do the dirty work. He was plain bored, as he was not the centre of attention.
The biggest change on behalf of giving the Deputy a bigger role.
Claiming that the PM is paralysed when important bills are going through and the fact that the unemployment figures have improved is just plain stupidity.
Surely they do not believe the public is that stupid.
This is how Katherine Murphy reported on the interjections across the chamber by Tony Abbott’s political advisors. Give up your job Katherine for being unable to report truthfully. A disgrace !
“2.50pm: Speaker Peter Slipper has given warning that if anyone interjects from an advisers box in the Parliament, they will be banned from the chamber for his entire Speakership.
(Senior political advisers sit in a box next to the MPs).
It is not entirely clear who the shouter was.
Any thoughts Pulse readers?
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/blogs/the-pulse/politics-live-february-16-2012-20120216-1ta4v.html#ixzz1mWANUCwz
Opposition Advisers sit at the left of the Speaker and are not members of Parliament. They have no right to interject or take part in the day to day working of the Parliament.
So the Liberal party has plumbed new lows by allowing one of the five advisers on their side to interject on our Prime Minister.
Does this aberrant behaviour get reported in the media? Not on your nelly they constantly reporting how bad the Government is performing.
I watch Question Time every day and know first hand just how biased the media coverage is and how the ABC refuses to hold the opposition to account.
Ms. Mirabella snow on. The woman has a shocking voice had to turn the sound down, not that i will miss much.
Now I have a voice that many fine hard to listen to, but I have a cleft palate and hare lip, I wonder what her excuse is.
How much longer is this Opposition going to continue talking the economy down.
They have done all in their power to swamp the good news today. Why?
Sue, from your link to Katherine Murphy’s
biased load of twaddlereport on proceedings:Nice try Katherine..so it’s all Julia’s fault that the opposition aren’t interested in health, education and employment.
This is apart from the fact that Katherine is using her exceptional psychic abilities, “She wonders why..”. Does she? Well Katherine would know of course.
Labor must have the tinniest of tinny years to bring this debate on today.
Well, listening to the lady does make one ears sound tinny.
Money is beginning to be handed out from the Green Energy Future fund to industry. It appears there is great interest from industry.
I would hate to be a child of this woman. I suspect she is not their main carer, would be lucky for them..
This is not the first time this has happened. It occurred a few weeks ago,
Can anyone recall Mr. Howard answering the type of questions that the PM is accused of stonewalling on.
Someone pointed out that the viewing figures for this week’s Four Corners was low. This in spite of the pre publicity the show received.
Does that indicate the public’s interest in what the Opposition is pushing as public concern.
This is an issue we need to keep in mind, as I believe we are going to much about it, especially from the Opposition. I assume that most of what we hear will be far from the truth.
We will how wrong it was for Holden to give well deserved pay rises.
We will see policies going back to Mr. Howard’s day, when institutions and states had to agree too make employees sign individual contacts, etc.
We will hear how the employer needs more flexibility when a great part of the workforce are now on short term or casual employment.
Yes el gordo, we are ahead of the game, you would noticed that if you could move your eyes away from your version of the cooling world.
Mr. Abbott will continue with his war against the worker and his unbelievable campaign that all the nation’s ills will be corrected by no carbon tax.
We hear the Opposition bringing up BER and the Insulation scheme as waste every day.
It is now ancient history, but some might want to rad this article to freshen their minds.
J Bishop asked a question to Rudd on the coup in the Maldives, That evening she appeared on the Drum in an attempt to clean up her lack of judgement.
you can judge for yourself, have a look at QT and then watch the Drum
She lapped up the attention. Makes one wonder how mature the woman is. She reminds me of a giddy teenager.
A catty one at that.
Something tacky about this.
(I’m still not sure that amnesias about further inquiries is by accident; the BER Implementation Taskforce’s final report was already hinting at some rather unsavoury conclusions it had tentatively formed, very much under-reported at the time, about the overall state of public-private productions schemas and notions of direct and indirect wastes by, and of, governments, and how things came to be that way, and the ideas (and ideologies?) which propelled that (d)evolution, over longer timescales: Building the Education Revolution Implementation Taskforce: Final Report. It, too, recommended more general, more searching inquiry. Nevertheless, for those who believe ‘a good government is one that governs least’, the ensuing inattendance to such matters while blathering on about a particular government’s particular waste is surely a triumph for private sector performance standards over public, when each and both are thrust relationally into the limelight.)
What type of PM will Mr. Abbott be?
In case you missed it, squeezed in between CU’s narrative.
http://tomnelson.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/with-tiny-budgets-like-310-million-100.html
Its important to accept the troof and ignore everything else.
You should give it a try, el gordo.
“Its important to accept the troof and ignore everything else.”:
Whose truth?
I still feel safer with over the 90% of the world’s scientists. I find it hard to accept that so many are in collusion to mislead us.
Otherwise I am not that concerned about the issue.
Action is being taken to deal with the emission and even if the majority are wrong, moving from fossil to renewables will create a better environment for those who came after us.
If the majority is correct and nothing is done, well those who came after us we not hold us in high regard.
There are many other issues I see as more important at this p[lace in time.
We are looking at a major restructuring of the world economy. For this nation it could offer us a future none have imagined. If we get it wrong, we will be in shit street.
Not having to rely on fossil fuel as oil will be to our advantage.
Yes, there is major change occurring and the answers are not to be found back in the fifties.
It is not to be found in the screaming and name calling we hear each day in parliament.
Will 4 corners offer a retraction?
“The Labor coup was not a topic of official diplomatic conversation between Australia and the US before Julia Gillard challenged Kevin Rudd, according to Department of Foreign Affairs records.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/labor-coup-not-part-of-official-talks-20120216-1taip.html#ixzz1mWzydWPi
Why is the PM travelling so badly. By the way, when one takes out mining, productivity is pretty good under FWA.
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Labor-Gillard-productivity-Shorten-Fair-Work-IR-bu-pd20120216-RHS8F?opendocument&src=idp&utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=14607&utm_campaign=kgb&modapt=commentary&WELCOME=AUTHENTICATED REMEMBER
4400 jobs lost in a workforce of more than 11 million.
More people in work than ever before in this nation.
Regional disparity getting better according to senate hearings.
Sue, I doubt they will but I am sure that Media Watch will remind them.
Mr. Abbott was having a wonderful day until those annoying figures came out.
CU
on 7.30 bill shorten was asked by uhlmann the usual question
how is it you cannot get the good news out?
Ans: tonights program is a perfect example. we are trying to tell the story but it depends on the quality of the questions whether we are allowed to get the message out.
Sue, in a earlier PC, he was being ask some very good questions and giving in my opinion, good answers.
In the middle of this come “does your colleges taking notes in cabinet upset you”
Mr. Shorten actually stop mid sentences, looking up and muttering, “what”
He was obviously amazed at the question, as he should be.
By the way, there is no need to take notes, as a transcript is prepared for every meeting.
Now when I was working, it was not unusual to be asked to take notes as transcript would be available.
The reason behind this request was that they needed the full attention of everyone present and seen note taking as a distraction.
I would say, that is the same as playing solitaire during a PM speech.
PS.. No one in Mr. Abbott’s team is allowed to talk to anyone without clearing it with him.
Paralysed government.
Big Fibs from Sussan Ley on Sky, she is saying that jobs have been lost due to the carbon tax, take Qantas for example.
Whoa there Sussan, nothing to do with Australia..
What is the matter with journalists/interviewers..selective amnesia!!
What, Qantas has the nerve to cover something, according to the Opposition says does not exist in other countries.
The must be lying.
I must say that Qantas down turn came at a convenient time for them.
Annabel on Drum
. ….and Mr. Abbott once aain blaming the carbon tax. Classic and sums him up.
Min,
QWhat is the matter with journalists/interviewers..selective amnesia!!
A The Obfuscation Organization.
http://www.obfuscation.org/
From the same page:-
Cu, of course the famous ‘lock-out’ had nothing to do with the downturn!
more on carter and heartland
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3834220.html
‘I find it hard to accept that so many are in collusion to mislead us.’
The way it came about is a shocking business, but its not a top down conspiracy, more enlightened self interest.
The CC peer review system is in a shambles.
Please discuss, el gordo.
eg the answer is in the title
Dollars, documents and denial: a tangled web
‘If we get it wrong, we will be in shit street.’
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but we have got it wrong. CO2 does not cause global warming and is not a pollutant.
There is still time to recant, give up the green pills and see the world as it is, totally unrelated to your imagination.
‘Please discuss, el gordo.’
Forget the politics, get involved with the science as an independent human being. Read both sides of the argument and you will reach the same conclusion as me.
As I said Pip, peer review is a shambles.
El gordo, might you have a link for this…
That’s very doubtful Min…
eg it’s only ‘a shambles’ if you believe that the oil and coal billionaires aren’t paying climate deniers via think tanks, to spruik for them.
el gordo, if you read what I said, I am just not that much interested. if you wish to believe the opposite, that is your choice. As to who needs to give up the pills, I will leave that to others.
I still have faith in peer review. That is my choice.
Back to more important matters. Another example of misleading information is Pacific Brands which is closing down it networks in Sydney, leading to the lost of over 100 hundred jobs. Shocking, except that the story should continue to say they are building new facilities in Melbourne that will employ about the same number.
The story should read that Pacific Brands is transferring their facilities to Melbourne where the same number of people will be employed.
Uhlmann, shocking claim that workers have had 100 clauses added to FWA, employers none. Would this be because Mr. Howard under WorkChoices took out all clauses relating to workers. What has occurred is that workers rights have been restored.
Mr. Shorten ask were the evidence was, Mr. Uhlmann, employer groups saying they do not like the act, is not evidence.
el gordo, I am curious, but do you rewrite each comment or do you cut and paste, recycling as you go.
I would find it boring, rewriting the same thing, all the time.
Maybe the Opposition should follow the unions and not say anything until police enquiries are completed.
Why would Ms. Sattler speak publicity at this time. Surely she has the presumption of innocence and the right to remain silent. Md. Sattler also has the right not to incriminate herself.
The conservatives seem to have funny ideas as to how our legal system works.
7.30
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 16/02/2012
Reporter: Chris Uhlmann
Bill Shortern, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, reflects on recent job losses and looks at the general outlook for Australia’s economy.
Transcript
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3432739.htm
Not to transcriber, the name is Shorten!
Cu, Uhlmann must line up to get his questions direct from Tony Abbott…
As Mr. Shorten said, it depends on the questions asked.
There is talk that sea level has flattened out, but one year’s data is hardly a trend. So let’s begin with an earthly image and a drop of water.
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/2010/gallery/global-water-volume.html
Reality TV
Thanks for the link Cu…
too true…
Teach the controversy: Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi and Heartland Institute working to undermine science education?
http://watchingthedeniers.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/teach-the-controversy-liberal-senator-cory-bernardi-and-heartland-institute-working-to-undermine-science-education/
and
Former Prime Minister John Howard, who went to the 2007 election on an emissions trading scheme platform is the same man who launched Plimer’s book!
Abetz has had two interviews today on the ABC.. The last on Lateline with Tony Jones.
His body language on both showed that he did not like the questions asked.
Mr. Abetz is saying and was challenged that industry is making preemptive strikes in sacking workers because of the carbon tax.
He brushes away the statements that industry is saying the problem is the high dollar.
It is beyond the belief the lies they are espousing. I find it hard to believe, the Opposition is the only one telling it as it is. That it is the carbon tax, not the high dollar.
PS He was pulled up on using Pacific Brands as an example.
Sue, @ 8.05am,
Sue
Questions should be put to the ABC about its use of the IPA as panelists or commentators.
Yes. they. should.
Having said that, they’ll have to be blasted out!
Cu,
when did EricA Betz ever worry about facts. Godwin Grech comes to mind….and the egg on his face when the plot exploded in his lap.
Here are the facts on Pacific Brands….. no mention of ‘carbon tax’.
They did however say new jobs would be created at the new venue.
Pacific Brands confirms 100 job loses
http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/pacific-brands-confirms-100-job-loses/story-e6frfkur-1226273146388
Is it really a bad country like they keep telling us it is?
Show me one needy Liberal politician.
Not possible Miglo!
“needy Liberal politician’, that’s an oxymoron….
althought their dear Leader cried poverty back in 2010….
Pip, I thought that we are in the world of reality TV or even world.
How can the Opposition say with a straight face that the carbon tax is to blame when all the actors are denying this is so.
If one cannot identify the problem and the cause, how can they provide the solution.
Mr. Abbott’s worse nightmare happened today. The employment figures where not what he expected. Mr. Abbott should have smelt a rat, when both the PM and Mr. Combet for the last few days have been saying, yes there are job losses, but there is also job creation.
What is amazing that Mr. Abbott went ahead with the attempt on a censure motion, after knowing it was based on a false foundation. The prudent thing would have been to cut ones lost and let any such action go.
Mr. Abbott should have pull back from the attack.
Maybe we should feel a little sorry for the man. I truly believe he thought he would be sitting in the driving seat by now.
That pesky woman will not do as scripted, fall in a heap from the attacks that have been made, by him and the media.
Now Mr. Rudd might do as the media believe he will, make his run. The media says it will not succeed the first time, leaving him to sit on the back bench.
Now Mr. Rudd is not seen a being stupid. Would Mr. Rudd be willing to give up a job he gets much pleasure and kudos from, to linger on the back bench and hasten the downfall of the Labor government. That does not make sense.
They have said for years that Mr. Rudd’s aim is for a job in the UN. Would not he have more chance for that, from the position he is now in.
I think there is as much substance in the media’s belief in Mr. Rudd challenging, as there was for years, when they run the same stories on Mr. Costello.
Maybe the PM needs to do a Whitlam, not sack those who annoy you but shift them upstairs. I am sure there is a posting that would be to his liking.
Like I’ve often said, it is only the rich in this country who cry poor.
Miglo, they scream like a pig getting it’s throat cut.
Hi Miglo 🙂
The meeja keep finding ‘well offs’ to complain about losing their health insurance rebate.
they’re looking in all the wrong places…
And over what, Cu? How they’ll all be ruined?
Cu, I agree with you about the possible UN appointment.
Miglo, nothing I believe.
They think they are badly done by.
If they let Mr. Abbott in, they will know what reality feels like.
Sometimes I think it would be good to let Mr. Abbott on, so one can enjoy watching them squirm.
Just imagine if a nice person like me had $20B.
Maybe those Libs are ‘needy’ if they did what Abbott did.
Click to access 062310%20Emerson%202UE%20with%20Sandy%20Aloisi%20and%20John%20Stanley.pdf
Well Migs, we’d all love you to pieces 😯
Maybe the PM cannot give him the job he wants, but maybe she can help him up the ladder.
I do not really think that Mr. Rudd wants to destroy the Labor party or see Mr. Abbott in power.
No cu, I don’t think Kevin Rudd would destroy a Labor government knowing the alternative would be led by Abbott and his cronies.
And you’d all be long lost relatives, correct?
Cu, re if Migs had $20b, he wouldn’t be throwing his weight around like the girl with the pearls 🙂
Right 😀
Pip, that is what I do not understand. I also get the feeling the PM is not too fussed with Mr. Rudd.
Maybe as someone said, while this rubbish is going on, there is not too much attention given to what the government is really doing.
It allows the government to get legislation through without too much trouble.
It keeps Mr. Abbott occupied, thinking victory is just around the corner.
Far stretched I know, but is it anymore so and what we are being served up each day.
Mr. Abbott is beginning to look a little stupid. The media not far behind.
It is OK to make threats and predictions, but one does need to have a success now and then.
The media and Mr, Abbott have gad none.
I do hope it does not change him. He is OK the way he is now.
The girl with pearls, I am afraid has always been the same. I do not think the money made much difference.
Cu, Abbott still thinks those keys are within reaching distance ….
His yapping attack dog is doing his best to get some scores on the board,
Yes even the supposedly serious, reliable journailsts have gone a bit mad
over the ‘leadership’ rumble,
How the government can ever get any real news out has yet to be discovered.
This article is same old same old, but i liked the last bit… it gives a clue to the
arrogance of Abbott’s chief adviser, who has no part in parliamentary proceedings but interjected anyway.
Rudd hits campaign trail as leadership rumbles increase
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/rudd-hits-campaign-trail-as-leadership-rumbles-increase-20120216-1tbwl.html
What a class act she is…
I believe the yapping dog is showing signs of desperation. I do not understand why Pyne believes his attack will work.
All he got today was ridicule. If that was aimed at you would it have any effect, except to make one laugh.
I did not think that Mr. Abbott’s body language showed confidence today.
There is a week break I believe. Much can happen in that time.
You need more than the ability to say carbon tax. He does not appear to have more.
Good night, I am off to bed.
Cu, offspring just shouted “Uncle Miglo!” 😆
“night Cu.
Thanks to Phillip Coorey for outing Peta Credlin as the advisor who was disruptive.
Hey Phil your colleague Katherine Murphy had no idea who it was although she was supposedly running the live blog during QT.
Also both Phil and Katherine failed in reporting. The abuse by Credlin of the PM and Albanese was so unparliamentary that Slipper has warned that if any advisor calls out they will be banned for the length of his Speakership.
Tony Abbott failed in party leadership, he should have apologised to the House and told HIS advisor to leave.
BUT No we had the farce of the opposition yet again stopping proceedings by claiming the govt was unable to govern. The msm should state the bleeding obvious the only time parliament doesn’t function is when the opposition is performing for the cameras, or after the tvs stop in Julie Bishop’s case.
Why is this not front and centre of the news?? Gillards advisor passes on information that the media is airing, and is still being hounded, this dope brings Parliamentary behaviour to a new low, and it is apparently the Governments fault for not providing the answer the opposition want 😯
Meanwhile, the heartless institute are attempting to out-stoopid grodo
After claiming that their documents were ‘stolen’, and threatening all and sundry with law suits for using them (climategate was apparently different, somehow??) it now appears that they themselves emailed them to someone claiming to be a board member. lol
Calling all clubs please report the community services lost in your local areas.
It is important to all media to know how much you are suffering, from the lack of services as a result in the decline in revenue from poker machines.
“National pokies takings fall by $2b”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/australians-spending-less-on-gambling/3835236
A good read
http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/queen-of-no-finally-gets-her.html
Abbott again making use of lies told by news.com for his own political gain..
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-drags-asylum-seekers-back-onto-the-political-battleground-20120217-1tcs7.html#ixzz1mafsPnAr
Nice to see our media putting out talking points for the opposition still Min, no matter how FOS they are.
I was listening to ABC radio this morning, and cringed when their leads story was ‘The opposition Says….” and went into the ‘welcome pack’.
At least they ended with the Labor Minister slapping it down as complete rubbish
Tom, I hope that they managed to throw in a mention that the ‘welcome packs’ were provided by the Red Cross and that these were basic essentials to be handed on to the next family. Amazing how if you combine the words asylum seeker and plasma, it really gets the racists going…
‘It is also worth recalling that Ian Plimer recently launched a book aimed at confusing high school students and prompting them to throw dozens of irrelevant and misinformed questions at their science teachers.’
Ha ha ha.
Worth taking time out to listen to.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2012/02/17/pure-poison-podcast-47-get-the-girls-out/
With thanks to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre:
First dog has a very good cartoon about this, which unfortunately I can’t link to..however, I have put it up on the Café’s Facebook page.
Min,
Min
Abbott again making use of lies told by news.com for his own political gain..
Makes me wonder whether Abbott has something to do with the anti asylum seeker emails spruiking outright lies.
Latest missive from the girl with the pearls
Get public servants out of Canberra: Rinehart
Markus Mannheim
February 17, 2012 – 2:27PM
What the!
Pip, one thing is for certain Tony Abbott does absolutely nothing to refute these lies. In fact, as per the link to today’s Age, Abbott has called it “rolling out the red carpet”, thereby giving the lies additional credibility.
Does Abbott talk about the asylum seekers off-camera when he visits those hundreds of work places?
Pip, according to the oo, Gina says that this is “so they can better understand the needs of business and the bush”. Gina of course will now promptly lead by example and set up camp (permanently) on one of her mine sites.
Min, Gina doesn’t understand that every state has it’s representatives in government.
Although with the NBN they would be able to confer with Gina as she camps at her mine site!
Gina would have to move out of her mansion.
Today I heard Entsch say on Capitol Hill, that Mr. Slipper had moved on from the position he was elected for. Does that mean that one can only be speaker, if you are in that position when the election is held. Does he mean that the voter elects the speaker. Sorry, I am confused.
“Does Abbott talk about the asylum seekers off-camera when he visits those hundreds of work places?”
Pip, I do not believe he talks to anyone. He would not take the risk that the workers might tell him what they really think.
He only needs the back ground for his photo op.
It also, in his mind that he is mixing with the lower class, and that makes him a hero.
As a by the by, Truss and Slipper go back to 1990 when Truss defeated Slipper in a preselection with the Nationals.
Slipper later joined the Liberals and, much later again, was the target of a smear campaign about his expenses which have been cleared by the Finance Dept.,
Finally Mal Brough who lost his Liberal seat at the 2007 election now wants Slipper’s seat, after hunting in other quarters without success.
The local papers have been doing their best to help Brough!
Pacific Brands does not appear to have benefited much by taking their production off shore. I for one no longer buys Bonds.
There is no point, as it does not help anyone in this country.
There are other brands that are as good.
I do not even care if they are produced over seas as long as they do not claim to be Australian.
I believe that going overseas has been the gold mine that many employers envisage.
Pip, of course it could not be the behaviour of the Opposition that is at fault.
Cu, for the benefit of the larks among us, this is what we were discuusing
@ 12.07am.
Pip
Cu,
when did EricA Betz ever worry about facts. Godwin Grech comes to mind….and the egg on his face when the plot exploded in his lap.
Here are the facts on Pacific Brands….. no mention of ‘carbon tax’.
They did however say new jobs would be created at the new venue.
Pacific Brands confirms 100 job loses
http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/pacific-brands-confirms-100-job-loses/story-e6frfkur-1226273146388
Whoever are setting these homes up are doing well.
I was involved in setting up homes for the disabled when they were removing them out of institutions over twenty tears ago. Our budget for five people at that time was larger. Even with more money, we had to shop carefully. There were no luxuries.
Note that once the homes are set up, they are available for the next family, once the original family is settled permanently.
Gina Rinehart’s sudden explosive entrance into the public eye is both entertaining & worrying. My overall opinion ( most days) is that as P.M. Abbott would like to preside over an Australia content for the moment, selling the silverware to keep up his welfare pledges, & satisfy his pugilistic urges with some ALP, union & reffo bashing. But, obviously gaining in confidence, Gina & her ilk, having assisted him into power, would want their rewards & want them fast. Placating them (as he’d have to) would be difficult to reconcile with keeping the masses happy. The media support crew would be ordered out to inform us all how well we’re now doing but that mightn’t be enough.
But for now, how fucking idiotic is that poem??!!
But for now, how fucking idiotic is that poem??!!
My thoughts exactly Bob!
I do not think that the Aboriginals deserve to have Mr. Abbott imposed on them.
CU
How about this for an idea. Abbott has decreed he will impose himself for 1 week every year in an Aboriginal community.
Here is my idea, as Abbott and News Ltd have decided refugees living in the community are living in luxury, he Abbott and a News journo should spend a week living like a refugee. And to make it more “real” let all information sources be non-english.
“I guess it’s not written with artistic merit in mind,” Professor Haskell told ABC’s Geoff Hutchison.
“It’s a polemical poem and we do have a tradition of those in Western Australia and I think good on her for having a go.”
“On the other hand, if one of our creative writing students at UWA had presented it, he or she wouldn’t have done very well,” laughed Professor Haskell.
El gordo talking about Gina’s poem now enshrined on a piece of ore in a park in WA.
The ore like Gina is big, a 30 tonne boulder.
What is it about mining that appears to lead to obesity.
One would think with that wealth, one would find it easy to look after their heath.
I would not like to be on a plane, loaded with mining magnates.
Maybe he should spend a week each year on Nauru.
As they have said, it is not expensive to get to, and there is unused accommodation available.
It might be prudent, thought to take some water, which I understand is in short supply.
There he would annoy no one.
He would have to stay a week, I believe, as there is only one flight during that time.
Maybe we should be looking at the same exemptions that exist in this country.
This site is worth visiting for the cartoon.
Church leaders, health and charity groups have joined the federal government in condemning claims that conditions for asylum seekers living in flats and houses as part of community detention are ”luxurious”.
http://www.blogotariat.com/node/263192
http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/17266
Damage control?
ANZ reviews luxury cruise trips for staff
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-18/anz-reviews-luxury-cruise-trips-for-staff/3837966
The ANZ Bank is reviewing a program that rewards staff with trips on luxury cruise liners, because of “community expectations”.
The bank recently announced a $1.7 billion quarterly profit, raised interest rates and revealed plans to shed 1,000 workers.
Yet it plans to fly 100 staff to Singapore and take them on a luxury cruise as part of its CEO Recognition Program.
The bank says it will show “restraint” in the future and alternative ways of rewarding employees will be found.
The bank says the program was devised a year ago in “less challenging times”.
Does Tony Abbott ever really think about what he’s saying?
Pot calls kettle black!
‘Anna Bligh has tickets on herself’: Abbott
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/anna-bligh-has-tickets-on-herself-abbott-20120218-1tflj.html
The man thinks it’s his god-given right to sling off at the Prime Minister every day, yet when Premier Bligh makes a factual point about her opponent she has “tickets on herself”.
Pip
“The bank says the program was devised a year ago in “less challenging times”.
Less challenging times must have been when the Australian government/ Australian taxpayers were their guarantors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dare I say it..what the heck..the quotable quote of the week once again goes to Pip. (This is courtesy of my cousin Dave B* who if I twist his sock around his neck might post here again on the blog as he did a couple of months ago..hey Dave!!).
Anyway..dobbed in by Dave, from Pip:
Pip, we don’t have a clue what you and Miglo were discussing, but it earns the Quote of The Week.
😳
Follow the money: Heartland Institute funding the anti-Carbon Tax campaign
http://watchingthedeniers.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/follow-the-money-heartland-institute-funding-the-anti-carbon-tax-campaign/
Via the Canberra Times, further evidence of Heartland’s nefarious influence on Australian politics:
They’re Coming for Your Kids
http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2012/02/17/28686/
Recently leaked documents from the Heartland Institute, a right wing funded think tank, outline a sinister plot to teach phony science and to dissuade teachers from teaching science in out schools. The documents were first published on desmogblog.com, a site dedicated to combating the disinformation campaign of climate change deniers.
How can an ‘institute’ with such as heartland get tax free status in the first place?
Does the IPA hold a similar status here?
John Mashey, a retired computer scientist and Silicon Valley executive, said he filed a complaint to the IRS this week that said Heartland’s public relations and lobbying efforts violated its non-profit status.
Mashey said he sent off his audit, the product of three months’ research, just a few hours before the unauthorised release of the Heartland documents.
Mashey said in a telephone interview that the complaint looked at the activities of Heartland and two other organisations that have been prominent in misinforming the public about climate change, the Science and Environmental Policy Project, run by Fred Singer, and the Centre for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, run by Craig Idso. Both men were funded by Heartland, with Idso receiving $11,600 per month and Singer $5,500 a month, according to the 2012 budget.
Heartland is also funding contrarians in Canada and other countries, the documents show.
“I believe there was a massive abuse of 501c(3),” Mashey said. “My extensive study of these think anks showed numerous specific actions that violated the rules – such as that their work is supposed to be factually based. Such as there was a whole lot of behaviour that sure looked like lobbying and sending money to foreign organisations that are not charities.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/17/heartland-institute-fresh-scrutiny-tax?newsfeed=true
Tom, it’s a mighty big web that Heartland weaves.
An octypus springs to mind.
Iron to the core
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/iron-to-the-core-20120218-1tfvt.html
Mining heiress, media baron, billionaire – despite all we know about Gina Rinehart, Australians, in particular the media, hardly know her at all.
JUST why does Gina Rinehart provoke such a visceral reaction from the media, given so little is actually known about the woman?
I ponder the question as one of the few journalists who has spent any length of time with her, albeit 15 years ago, and felt something of an antipathy for her ever since.
Darwin bombing was ‘our Pearl Harbour’: Gillard
http://m.smh.com.au/national/darwin-bombing-was-our-pearl-harbour-gillard-20120219-1tgr1.html
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has described the bombing of Darwin during World War II as Australia’s Pearl Harbour and says more Australians must learn about the attack.
Ms Gillard, who is in Darwin for the 70th anniversary commemorations, said the bombing was an important event in Australia’s history, marking the first time Australia was attacked on home soil.
Gusmao commemorates Battle of Timor
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/gusmao-commemorates-battle-of-timor-20120219-1tgqq.html
East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has laid a wreath in Sydney to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Timor.
Mr Gusmao arrived at Commando Memorial Seat at Martin Place on Sunday morning to mark the anniversary in front of Australian soldiers, ex-commandos and special guests.
The guests included federal MPs Janelle Saffin, representing Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Craig Kelly who was there for Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
A group of East Timorese students also laid wreaths at the site.
The Battle of Timor occurred during World War II when Japanese forces invaded the island on February 20, 1942, and fought predominantly Australian allied forces.
The business world seems to believe the law is therefor them and when it is not, they have the right to ignore it.
In full. I am not shocked by the video clip as it has little meaning. It is a highly edited clip. I fail to see what advantage it would be to the PM. The last thing the PM would have wanted at this time was to stir the matter up. I believe the PM was not involved. I believe it is not her style. The PM has been very careful since she become PM not to belittle Mr. Rudd in any way. The PM has ensure that he is an active member of her cabinet. The PM has praised Mr. Rudd for the job he is doing.
I can see what advantage it is to Mr. Rudd. It allows him to hang his appearance on Sky and this letter on.
Butter will not melt in his mouth.
How does Mr. Rudd explain away his meeting that Mr. Wilkie said occurred last November. Was that before or after the decision made on pokies.
In full
I have a big question. Why do we pay the same for skim milk as we do for full cream.
I believe skim milk is what we got after putting the milk through the separator, to get cream, to make butter as a kid. The milk left over was fed to the poddy calves.
Butter milk, the left over from making butter made wonderful cakes.
A assume that light molk is obatained the same way.
Skim milk is the left over from getting cream.
Not a bad lurk, paying more for left overs.
.
Pip @1.43pm from your link..
That is how my late father described it, he said that this along with Britain’s attitude that Australia could “fend for herself” was the reason that many Australians became “less British” than they had been in the past.
‘SYDNEY’S water reserves could reach full capacity within three months, raising the prospect that drinking water will be flowing out to sea afterwards while households are paying millions of dollars for desalinated water.’
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/desalination-test-may-waste-millions-20120218-1tfv0.html#ixzz1mol9vtRl
I blame Flummery for this debacle.
Cu @2.41pm…having read Kevin Rudd’s statement I can’t understand how Shanahan has managed to read the following into it:
Rudd did say that he has no current intention of mounting a challenge, which leaves him the option of making one in the future. Given that Rudd is heading off to “Mexico, the UK, Europe and Malaysia”, any challenge obviously isn’t going to happen in the timeframe that the MSM are predicting.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kevin-rudd-declares-his-hand-formalising-his-campaign-to-reclaim-the-prime-ministership/story-fn59niix-1226274921618
The PM has to win this battle with the media and the rich and powerful. Mr. Rudd is just an irksome side show, that the powerful are using.
It the PM step back and handed over to someone else, maybe Shorten as the Liberals seem to want. the shit will just transfer form Gillard to the next occupant.
There is no point in the PM resigning or picking up the poisoned chalice as she did.
I believe the PM can win the battle and therefore the war.
el gordo, do not despair, droughts will come again, they always do.
If the predictions of extreme weather being the norm. we will need that plant.
I was very disappointed that Howard’s water cannon was not used in the riot at Sydney’s Tamarama Beach.
Does anyone know if it has ever been used?
I blame el gordo.
luna, we do not seem to need that fridge magnet anymore. I am disappointed I did not get one, but I seem to have survived without it.
Wonder what happens th all those barriers that did a poor job keeping people out.
I have almost forgive my wife for throwing ours in the rubbish bin, I wanted to keep it as a reminder of the utter stupidity of the Howard government.
Now when I need a reminder, I drive to Canberra airport past the huge complex built to house ASIO. Such a waste of prime real estate, I mean they could have built it at Queanbeyan and no one would have be the wiser.
luna, I wonder how that cannon would go in bush fires, at such places as the Blue Mountains.
Hate to see waste because something is not being used.
Deniers show the rest of world that they have taken the advanced course in Hypocrits #101 (at the UEBC?? perchance)
As scientists who have had their emails stolen, posted online and grossly misrepresented, we can appreciate the difficulties the Heartland Institute is currently experiencing following the online posting of the organization’s internal documents earlier this week. However, we are greatly disappointed by their content, which indicates the organization is continuing its campaign to discredit mainstream climate science and to undermine the teaching of well-established climate science in the classroom.
http://www.desmogblog.com/climategate-victims-chide-heartland-double-standard
Considering heartland were one of the lead pushers of the original climategate emails, and main perpetrators of misrepresenting what was in them (even before they were validated as authentic), this really takes some balls.
Therefore, we respectfully demand: (1) that you remove both the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents from your web site; (2) that you remove from your web site all posts that refer or relate in any manner to the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (3) that you remove from your web site any and all quotations from the Fake Memo and the Alleged Heartland Documents; (4) that you publish retractions on your web site of prior postings; and (5) that you remove all such documents from your server.
http://joannenova.com.au/2012/02/heartland-sends-out-first-legal-notice-about-stolen-and-faked-documents/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JoNova+%28JoNova%29
It really is laughable
I am glad you use the term deniers, not skeptics.
We should all be skeptical, that is challenge all that is said, but challenge seeking evidence.
A skeptic does no believe or disbelieve. They ask for proof before making up their minds.
A denier buries their head in the sand and rejects evidence.
Today, they go further, they create false and fraudulent evidence to support their position.
They then go on to destroy the reputations of those who do believe.
Not a very nice movement, made up of not very nice people and fools.
Scientist by the nature of their jobs, are always skeptics. They have to be, as their role is always challenging what is seen as fact.
A nice little cartoon on the artist gina
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/photogallery/opinion/cartoons/pat-campbell-20120213-1t21q.html
Last week when banks raised interst rates they talked up their high cost of o/s funding. a remark made was 30% was o’s funding so i figured that means 70% is from australia. no journos questioned that now tonight there is this story,
“Australian banks’ reliance on domestic funding has increased to an all-time high of 66 per cent at the beginning of this year, pushing long-term overseas funding to its lowest level since April 2009
Our calculations suggest that almost all sources of funding of Australian banks, except long-term overseas, are cheaper than their post-GFC highs and have kept falling since the second half of 2011 in absolute terms,” he said.
Australian banks began to reduce their reliance on overseas markets for wholesale funding since the financial crisis.
“Australian banks are essentially an oligopoly,” said Mr Carrillo. “They control most of the market anyway. They can effectively set rates where they want to.”
“You have four big banks. They want to protect their profit margin. They can do it, so they do it.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/rising-aussie-bank-costs-impossible-says-french-bank-20120220-1tiv2.html#ixzz1mukCzred
“He was publicly praised by then-premier, the late Sir Charles Court during a visit in April 1977.
According to a story written in the local newspaper Sir Court, who died in 2007, applauded McKenna and St Andrew’s students for working to pay for new amenities at the hostel, rather than asking the government for handouts”.
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/sir-court-helped-make-mckenna-hero-virtually-overnight-20120220-1tjtd.html#ixzz1mxEELbYS
This court case must be the reason that the opposition, the vic govt and business want the Fair Wok Act changed. How dare businesses be investigated!
Oh yes work choices is dead, buried and cremated.
“A Queensland real estate agency accused of paying a salesman just $100 for five months work is under fire from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
The agency allegedly classified the salesman as an independent contractor and paid him on a commission-only basis.
The salesman was allegedly required to provide his own work laptop, mobile phone and a car of a make and model approved by Lovers of Property.
He worked from 8.30am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday over a five-month period, during which time he completed letterbox drops, answered phone calls and offered free property appraisals.
Where we suspect sham contracting is occurring, we look behind the often carefully drafted legal documents to determine what the correct classification for workers is under workplace laws,” Mr Wilson said.
In this case, the salesman was not required to obtain an Australian Business Number or register his own business, making him an employee, not a contracto
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/100-for-five-months-work-20120220-1tiup.html#ixzz1myetf8B3
oh dear has the msm got a fizzer
“Mr Rudd’s backers estimate he has the votes of 20 to 30 of the 103-member caucus, against Ms Gillard on at least 50.”
Only yesterday the same paper was saying Rudd at 30-40. the drop in numbers must be why there isn’t a story on news,co front page
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/gillard-backers-warn-off-rudd-forces/story-e6frfku0-1226276978246#ixzz1myiJuz95
Sue, we’ll there ya go..Rudd hasn’t got the numbers. Isn’t that supposed to be the end of the story?
Oh yes and I wonder if the “backers” have got around to asking Rudd yet? For example, does he want to swap his all time favorite job of being Australia’s Foreign Minister to run the gauntlet of yet another smear campaign.
First coffee spray of the day.
I object to the label, public think tank. The IPA is a right wing conservative, privately funded, propoganda machine.
“The Gonski model of school funding unjustifiably favours public schools, will push up private school fees and is ultimately more complex than the system it is trying to replace, a public think tank says.
The Institute of Public Affairs”
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/gonski-model-too-complex-unfair-think-tank-20120221-1tkqy.html#ixzz1myvYQgrr
miglo
quickly followed by a second, coffee spray
“public think tank” and IPA
How about a ‘group think’ instead?
How about some recipes? 😉
Other regional areas would be jealous but thanks to our msm they probably will live in ignorance.
Smartfarm and Quickstart demonstrate the possibilities of NBN
Click to access 120217a.pdf
oh and msm forget about zoowhiz as well
Click to access 120217.pdf
Migs, actually I did do a recipe topic once..Take One Live Pig. 😉
And I am sure tony windsor’s electorate won’t be keen for him to leave the gillard minority govt.
The Northwest cancer centre, due to be completed this year, federal funding $31.7mil , Nsw govt $10mil
Click to access 120216.pdf
Tony winsor has a good page on his web page
“Hung Parliament Achievements”
http://www.tonywindsor.com.au/hpa.html
It appears last night that Ms. Bishop alleged that Mr. Shorten had made a deal with Mr. Rudd. It appears according th Ms. Bishop this is the word all around Canberra. When asked for evidence, the wonderful and enlightening answer was that it was in the media.
God help us.
Maybe we should call Ms. Bishop, the black widow. The lady does go through partners. It is amazing the lady survives, the partners disappear.
This is one thing I do not congratulate Whitlam for.
This is what we might have.
Barrel ‘oLies copped a bucketing last week when he tried sledging K Kinneally, now that didn’t work and he looked a fool. This week he has tried attacking another woman MP.
This time it is Carmel Tebbutt, he in is wittiness told a joke comparing her to a 6 week old puppy.
Haha big fella
Now Barrel is in the news, yes Barrel tell the kids from Carmel’s electorate why that was so funny.
I am sure Barrel in all his majority is pleased with himself. But tell him Prue just how full of sh!t the Barrel is.
As you can see I’m fiddling around with our design; one that fills more of the monitor. It doesn’t fit so well on a hand-held device but it isn’t too bad.
Nope. It sucks on a mobile phone. Changing it back over the next couple of days. 😦
Thanks for telling us. My computer at the moment is doing funny things. I was wondering what I had done to cause the change and how I could turn it back. Will not worry now.
It might actually take my a day or two to fix it up as I go back to work tomorrow so won’t be able to work on it until after hours. So don’t be alarmed if things look different over the next couple of days.
Have a good day at work.
It looks nice but it is slow to load on my iPhone Miglo.
Nicer format, Migs, (or whoever re-designed) easier to read with the ‘open” space … can’t comment on mobile phone … emergency use only … $10 plan – $20 phone (but its got an FM radio – WTF!)
If you do have to change it “back” try and maintain a little more white space – makes reading easier … even on a 3″ screen …
‘easier to read with the ‘open” space …’
Good for the ol’ folks with spatial problems.
At your age, I’m glad you appreciate the comment then, egg … 🙂
And it’s nice to have some positive news…
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/gay-marriage-inevitable-gillard-tells-guests-20120221-1tlun.html#ixzz1n4Fy4eqb
I might have to try for a happy medium. I’m finding the new format far too slow for a mobile device.
And navigation around a phone is a test of one’s patience.
e g will like this story of megagina and her very loyal spruiker..
http://watchingthedeniers.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/mo-money-ian-plimer-appointed-to-rinehart-board/
Ian McKellen: What’s wrong with us? Should we not aspire to happiness?
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/ian-mckellen-whats-wrong-with-us-should-we-not-aspire-to-happiness-7280043.html
Any two people in the UK should be able to marry. The proposal is a modest one. Why then does it provoke such opposition from those like Lord Carey, who knows from his own experience “how wonderful marriage can be” and yet argues against gay citizens enjoying an equivalent marital bliss.
He thinks that samegender marriages would “undermine the institution” and weaken it “fatally”. Does that mean that Lady Carey and he would have been less happy together if I, married to my husband, had been living next door?
22 February 12
Evaluation shows “Faked” Heartland Climate Strategy Memo is Authentic
http://www.desmogblog.com/evaluation-shows-faked-heartland-climate-strategy-memo-authentic
Here is the reason why a number of us did a disappearing act this afternoon…
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/millions-offline-as-telstras-net-crashes-20120223-1tpws.html
O’Farrell unveils industrial relations shake-up
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-23/o27farrell-unveils-industrial-relations-shake-up/3848292
Has NSW been plagued with a striking workforce lately?
Furious response to NSW IR changes
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-24/furious-response-to-nsw-ir-changes/3850010/?site=sydney
Pip, people need to look at what us and not occurring in the states before even thinking of a Abbott government.
Listening to Rudd, forgot how boring he could be and still is.
Progress? Something more than the leadership challenged.
There is news today that a person connected with the possible fraud involving the HSU has had his house raided by the NSW Police.
POLICE have raided a house in Sydney in their investigation into alleged corruption in the Health Services Union.
Detectives formed Strike Force Carnarvon last year to investigate allegations of inappropriate practices within the HSU.
They were joined by the fraud and cyber crime squad about 7am today for a raid on a house in Sydney’s northern beaches.
“A search warrant (was executed) on a premises on Palm Beach as part of the investigation,” a police spokeswoman said.
But she would not confirm media reports the raid was at the house of printer John Gilleland, 65, and his wife, Carron.
Mr Gilleland, who runs a graphic design and printing business from his house, is reported to have provided credit cards to the to HSU former general secretary Craig Thomson and the union’s head Michael Williamson.
http://www.blogotariat.com/node/270521
The perils of inherited wealth
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-perils-of-inherited-wealth-20120224-1ts8c.html
“WA to lose $600M on GST shake-up,
The growth in mining royalty revenue, as well as the impact of employment and wages growth on payroll tax revenue have boosted Western Australia’s fiscal capacity to an exceptional level.
“The associated reduction in Western Australia’s share of the GST has been allocated to other states and territories, giving them all the same capacity to deliver services and thereby gain some of the benefits of the mining boom.”
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-to-lose-600m-on-gst-shakeup-porter-20120224-1ttg0.html#ixzz1nIFywMzf
correct me if i am wrong but the federal government warned Barnett that in increasing royalties there amount in gst distribution would fall.
Now the other big news in WA, sunday retailing but religious leaders say that people should not have to work on sundays as this is god’s day of rest.
wa 3 hours and how many years behind?
The pettiness of NSW govt members.
a Labor committee member requested that committee start @ 8.45 rather than 8.30,.Commitee chair said no.
Labor person said child care responsibilities, chair said businesses usually start by 8.30.
both sides of argument sound reasonable, the pettiness is because meetings last less than 15 minutes most less than 5 minutes. the later start would not interfere with other committees.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/mp-refused-time-to-drop-children-20120225-1tv2z.html
Two quotes i will put in as seperate posts, from the same article
”There is an ugly part to the community and if you give them license it will emerge,” says Clare Martin, reflecting on the ”Ditch the Witch” signs. ”Wedge politics always brought people out and made them feral.” In the territory, it would happen with potent issues such as land rights, especially when claims could affect access to fishing areas or parks or waterfront areas in Darwin. ”We managed it by talking calmly and acknowledging it was an issue,” recalls Martin. ”Not by feeding that hysteria.’
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/the-gender-agenda-gillard-and-the-politics-of-sexism-20120225-1tv7n.html#ixzz1nTlFzEKC
The problem with these attacks on Gillard has been that there was no one to calmly dispense with them. ”I started to get really scared for Julia’s sake when Alan Jones said she should be taken out to sea,” Kirner says.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/the-gender-agenda-gillard-and-the-politics-of-sexism-20120225-1tv7n.html#ixzz1nTlYuutm
Leadership battle over. Time to move onto the next serious issue we are faced with.
Another step forward with the NBN, on a day when hte PM dealt with leadership problems.
Sue @ 9.25pm, 24th.
On WA losing part of the GST
Why not, it makes sense.
Gattellari admits bribing Aboriginal land council
Updated February 27, 2012
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-27/mcgurk-accused-bribed-land-council3a-icac/3854732
Pip @2.41
exactly. that is what the mrrt is supposed to do share the wealth. but when barnett decided to be clever and raise royalties, with 1 of the aims to punish the federal govt, barnett just shot himself in the foot.
so have a whinge barnett, boo hoo
And thank you Federal government…
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/push-for-10bn-boost-to-combat-poor-oral-health-20120227-1tyzd.html#ixzz1ndBqPmVw
Which century are these people living in??
Brownback: ‘Go work somewhere else’ if you want contraception
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/27/brownback-go-work-somewhere-else-if-you-want-contraception/
Pip, from your link..
Ans: TUFF. Perhaps Brownback would instead like to pay for every Catholic woman who obey’s the Pope’s instructions not to use any contraception whatsoever. Yes, that would probably be fine and dandy by him.
It puzzles me when people complain about a Minority govt., Min..
When something like this can happen why would anyone complain.
The National Advisory Council on Dental Health established by the government at the request of the Greens last year
More ideas, better result.
Min and PIP
the great american system, the employer provides your health insurance. so not only but also every other religious organisation can refuse to pay for contraception products.
Medications are very expensive for yanks, no PBS for them. So more emphasis on, just say no, and wearing rings proclaiming staying a virgin, is the way they deal with stopping teenage pregnancy.
Pip, the thing that astounds me is how reforms such as these are all taken for granted. I honestly do not know..I would have thought that due to the Inertia Years aka the Howard government, that strategies to address BIG problems such as these would have people shouting from the roof tops..but instead hardly worth a mention.
One thing that just struck me is how Tony Abbott rarely criticises ANYTHING SPECIFIC, it’s all just about slogans and a baaad government.
Talk about small target, Tony’s target is less than what he puts in the smugglers. Maybe that’s why he wears red togs..so people can find it…
ps Migs, I HATE dentists too..there’s another one to add to our list.
Yeh right …. 😆
Sue, the only way that they’re going to stop teenage pregnancies is to put a ring around every teenage boy’s d*ck…
Ouch !
There’s an article in news.com today about internet trolls. I think we’ve all had experiences with people like this person:
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/it-just-makes-me-happy-when-i-can-make-someone-angry-a-special-investigation-into-the-dark-world-of-trolling/story-e6frfro0-1226278282934#ixzz1ndYd4VJP
There’s a good reason why we should feed trolls: it makes them happy to cause grief and hurt towards others.
Miglo, we could accommodate the trolls…… no problem……..
but why make them happy??
Miglo,
That would be a reasonable psychological profile.
There are 2 types: the throw rocks at your windows type, who run and hide or the real psychopaths – those obsessing with blogs or individuals on blogs – those who cannot seem to ever get over it but who keep bringing up the same thing over and over (real and imagined).
Pip, I would suspect a typo from Miglo…rather than “should feed the trolls”, it should have been “shouldn’t feed the trolls”.
The NBN announcement today will mean the coalition will have to admit defeat. As Conroy explained Turnbull’s fttn plan could be very costly but will the msm understand.
The separation deal is with the govt, if Turnbull changed the plan then negotiations with telstra reopen and an abbott govt would not be in a good position for negotiating a deal.
Watching Warren Mundine on ABC24, says he won’t comment on the Senate vacancy and will “see what pans out in the next few days”.
He also praised Mark Arbib for his work with Indigenous matters.
CONTENDERS
Australia’s 20 most powerful rich crusaders
Paul BarryTuesday, 28 February 2012
http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/contenders/australia-s-20-most-powerful-rich-crusaders?utm_source=The+Power+Index&utm_campaign=3f7ed46581-The_Power_Daily_28_Feb_2012&utm_medium=email
POWER FAIL
Bruce Hawker: will work for Anna Bligh again, not Julia Gillard
http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/power-fail/bruce-hawker-will-work-for-anna-bligh-again-not-julia-gillard/201202271094?utm_source=The+Power+Index&utm_campaign=3f7ed46581-The_Power_Daily_28_Feb_2012&utm_medium=email
Pip, seems we now know who really smuggles the budgie in the Liberal party
http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/spinners/peta-credlin
Pip
from your article, no wonder Hawker wanted the PM to stand aside.
“In 2011, Hawker set up Campaigns and Communications to provide advice to political parties and corporations. So far, he’s done little work for the commercial sector. While Gillard remains in office, it’ll be the same story in Canberra.
He’s had little sway in Canberra since Rudd’s demise and has previously admitted the transition to Gillard was “challenging” for him.”
Augustus
and now the “biggest control freak in canberra”, has the biggest task of all, controlling herself.
Thankyou, Mr Slipper
Funny, trolls on this site do not seem to make us angry. They just give us a laugh and something to hang our comments on.
That is as long as we do not let them take over and derail the post.
Augustus, that doesn’t bear thinking about. 😯
Good start to QT
Abbott cops a serve from Slipper
Abbott not allowed to use “deceive”
Sue, I am enjoying Peter Slipper’s speakership especially yesterday
Pip image how Tony Abbott feels about it, no wonder he has to strutt even harder these days, he has competition
The Speaker has tighten that vice much more today.
He has a new tactic today when there are calls for point of order from the Opposition. He explains why the PM is answering the question the way she does.
The Speaker also sat the PM down, but she did get her point across.
Ms. Bronwyn is not getting a word out.
The Opposition cannot claim the Speaker is not being fair. The trouble is, they have more to lose.
The hubris that Mr. Abbott has been showing lately seems to have disappeared. Body language tells one so much.
The smiles seem to be on the wrong side of the house. How could the media got it so wrong.
Are we talking about cojunes here Augustus?
As was pointed out yesterday, Slipper is slowly bringing order to the house.
Poor tones tried to argue he used deceitive not deceive, but slipper would have none of that.
Och Oh part of Hockey’s question not allowed
opposition will have to go back to question writing lessons.
The red budgies appear to have disappeared. Does that now mean, he has no policies now.
Min, you are cruel, it might fall off, like the little lambs tails do. I am assuming you mean that type of ring.
Cu, The smiles seem to be on the wrong side of the house. How could the media got it so wrong.
That’s an easy question, it’s because they’ve had a lot of practice.
Sue @ 1.57pm, He’s had little sway in Canberra since Rudd’s demise and has previously admitted the transition to Gillard was “challenging” for him.”
Mr. Hawker’s vested interest in a Rudd win wasn’t nearly as straight forward as it first appeared to be, and the significant loss of prestige for him must really bite.
All questions aimed at those who stood with Rudd. This means we are seeing new faces fronm the Opposition. These ministers have been asked few questions in the past.
I am sure there will be one for the Immigaration minister soon.
The have done the PM a favour. He is not coming across that womderfully, surely a reason to be deposed.
Pip basically Tony Abbott’s a Ken doll
CU didn’t he burn his smugglers as a publicity stunt oop’s there goes his only policy
Another Rudd.
Cu, Speaker Slipper was a very competent Deputy Speaker and it looks as if he will insist on better behaviour in the Parliament.
The budgie is silent, due to the fact the he has no acceptable slogans to go on with.
Well, it is a compliment to the PM that they are by-passing her for questions today.
I do not think they are going to have much luck, as there are not many soft spots in the ministry.
Not even a answer that he can scream back “carbon tax” That failed on the first question.
Another week that did not turn out the way Mr.Abbott believed. I am sure he seen himself on the other side of the table by now.
Labor can tear itself apart and he still cannot get on top.
It is as the last week is already forgotten. the train has moved on.
Wonder what the MSSO is going to be about today. Also the MPT.
A row in the Liberal room today. They do not agree with Mr. Abbott’s paid parental scheme.
Minister sat down, but message out. Ms. Macklin has impressed me lately. She has certainly grown in the job.
As I said, not many soft spots in the ministry.
All is happy in the other side. No signs of instability. Pigs might also fly.
The MPI is one, and once again Mr. Hockey once again talking down the economy.
Listen to the outrage.
wixxy
one story that fits well for NSW
“Just another billionaire seeking privileges
Now it makes more sense. James Packer’s uncharacteristic public foray into Australia’s greater economic good 10 days ago via advice on improving our tourism industry reeked of self-interest, but how much self-interest is now obvious with his play to win a sweetheart deal from the NSW government and lock up another monopoly.
Just another Aussie billionaire seeking special privileges
And now Packer’s interest in Channel Ten also makes more sense. It’s a dud investment with a conflicted board, but it does carry that threat of political weight with it, especially with the billionaires’ club actively promoting greater political comment on air”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/just-another-billionaire-seeking-privileges-20120228-1u0f6.html#ixzz1neQYFEfv
Fasting for two days a week is apparently the answer to health and longevity.
‘Meanwhile, free radicals — the damaging molecules linked to disease — are dampened down. Studies also suggest that levels of inflammation can fall. And now there is the suggestion that fasting protects the brain, too.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2107299/Can-fasting-days-week-stop-dementia-It-sounds-far-fetched-scientists-think-slashing-calories-combat-host-illnesses.html#ixzz1neR7Tyv7
The fun answer today in QT, the question was on the BER in the Illawarra
“Now there is nothing wrong with flag poles, however this govt built…….”
they then stated the number of class rooms, libraries, language centres etc
the govt has decided to own the BER and about time.
in my local paper, the member has written an opinion piece and included the positives of the ber
Bloody opposition, talk about waste, Abbott gets special deal out of remuneration tribunal. but he has an even bigger problem, he cannot chage his front bench
“But if Mr Abbott changes his shadow ministry, even by just one person, the deal will be off.
TAXPAYERS are set to give two Coalition frontbenchers an extra $45,000 a year pay which legislation says they’re not actually entitled to.”
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/special-deal-lets-coalition-keep-payrise/story-e6frfkvr-1226284021950#ixzz1neVw5lp5
Scott Morrison, a fine upstanding Christian, practising the words of
Jesus, according to himself.
I must add that not all Christians share Mr. Morrison’s views, but sadly, his mob have a much bigger platform to air their views
Deconstructing Scotty
http://noplaceforsheep.com/2012/02/28/deconstructing-scotty/
Just drawing your attention to the perilous state we are in, this is supposed to be the high point of solar cycle 24.
Sue @ 4.46pm, I wonder how Abbott got away with having two extra front benchers in the first place?
Most of them aren’t worth $45,000.00 in total let alone an extra $45,000.00 !
Pip
how about we help the coalition with the $70B blacK hole, First off $90,000 by 2 pollies volunteering not to take the payrise.
I nominate mirabella, she has had a windfall gain of late
and peter dutton, he hasn’t had any questions on health, since labor took govt
El gordo, what would we do without your wisdom?
You know we all love you.
Sue, when Cruella’s Court battle with the ex’s children begins the second extra frontbencher won’t be too happy 😀
Red letter day. Telstra is now out of my life.
If Mr. Howard had done this when he sold off Telstra, he might have achieved fast broadband,
To keep on with the Murdoch meme of Rudd being “a control freak” is counterproductive to the Labor Party maintaining government. Sad that so many of the Left keep batting for the Right.
Surely nobody would be so stupid as to keep undermining Gillard’s attempt at reconciliation by continuing on with the Rudd hate campaign.
Cu, BIG Congratulations. I can’t wait for the same thing to happen in mine.
On capital Hill Don Randall was whingeing about the NBN.
first he did the usaul liberal whinge, too expensive blah blah
then the dope complained because his electorate might have to wait 10 years before they get it
as it was pointed out to Don, isn’t it disgusting that here it is the 21st century and his electorate which is in Perth has such poor internet services.
Gotcha Don, but typical of the gross Liberal Stupidity.
Oh another funny thing on CH, Don Randall was trying to imply that Arbib had to leave. When challenged by Lyndal Curtis, Randall knowingly told her to read Andrew Bolt.
Sue, that’s a typical Randall style brainless effort.
Randall also said that there would be no competition on the day after news came of Virgin Mobile signing up to deal with the NBN, and various ISPs leapty leapt to announce their prices on services provided to them by the NBN !
Until now Virgin, the largest mobile phone company, has only provided a mobile service, and now they can provide broadband via fibre to the home.
Sue, it is ridiculous that we are still talking about pink bats and BER four years and one government later. Does this mean that they have not been able to find anything current to attack the PM with.
By the way BER was much, much more than a few buildings.
Is not there are smouldering scandal in relation to the private schools BER effort.
I believe that many contractors and sub contractors have been ripped off bu the big boys. I suppose that is one way of doing it cheaper.
The set top boxes, one of Mr. Howard’s schemes got another run today.
What percentage of the budget would be saved, even if the whole scheme was abandoned. Is it big enough to be measured.
How was the last reshuffle a stuff up. I see since that reshuffle, a strong team with great ability out selling what the government is doing.
Not wanting to upset the apple cart and people’s feelings might be the one weakness that could bring her PMship undone. In this area she needs to to have faith in her own opinion and the guts to take the necessary decision, as she has done in other areas.
Mr, Conroy has finished the job that Mr. Howard f.. up years ago when he sold off Telstra. Maybe if was done then, Mr. Howard might have succeeded with fast broadband.
I am glad he did not, as we are now getting a superior network, that will carry us well into the future.
More expensive upfront but cheaper in the long run.
Miglo’s off the planet.
Sue, we sure need another casino. Has anyone seen the recent write ups on the one we already have, They do not paint a very pretty picture, In this city we already have many massive clubs that are hard to distinguish from casino’s.
Roswell, but at least I’m from it.
None of us are avatars, or so I’m led to believe.
😯
The education system cannot be too bad. My second youngest grandchild start school this year, at one of those inferior state schools.
She is already pulling her mother up for not using full stops. Mum is a little amazed.
Punctuation does not seem to worry any of my children. I suspect they see no need for it.
The same child’s computer skills put many adults to shame.
She has always had access to books and loves them.