(Miscellaneous debris)

[Q.]

Perhaps voters should loose their bias and we might get better government.

Probably, but the fourth estate should be leading the way in that regard.

[fish]

"Herald Sun SHOCK EXPOSE: Political people have political beliefs and sometimes express them publicly!":

Another Herald Sun beatup on the Occupy Melbourne protest, this time bashing the Greens because someone on their payroll might have been involved (HOW OUTRAGEOUS). The Hun’s headline?

Yes, I’m sure they ran a similar headline about the Liberal Party members (taxpayer funded!) involved in the anti-carbon price rallies earlier in the year. “Taxpayers finance Liberal Party protest adviser” – you remember that headline, don’t you? I don’t, but I’m sure they ran it for consistency.

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2 ... -publicly/

I wonder if any Liberal/National staffers assisted with the Convoy of N.F.I.?

[tipper]

of course they werent fish, they wouldnt be involved in anything so incompetent would they?

[Gozu]

A FORMER Mayor and MP has admitted he spent $150,000 on 162 different prostitutes in the two years before his arrest over sex with a child two years ago.

Terry Martin, 54, sobbed in the dock as the Supreme Court in Hobart watched his recorded interview this morning.

Mr Martin is a former independent member of Tasmania's Upper House and mayor of Glenorchy, in Hobart.

Mr Martin's distress was palpable - both in court and on the DVD recording - when the questioning turned to a stack of child pornography found in a locked drawer in the study of his home.

Mr Martin had oral sex with a Glenorchy 12-year-old and took sexually explicit photos of her at his home in September, 2009, after she was advertised as a prostitute by her mother and the mother's partner Gary John Devine.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/mp-weeps- ... 6198079091

[Jimmy_041]

Gozu - why post that?

[The Sleeping Giant]

Good question.

[Psyber]

This is probably already here somewhere, but just in case it is not...
It came to me from a friend whose political orientation seems obvious, though he is not a member of a political party, and was a close friend of SA's beloved declared Communist, Elliott Johnston.
I have not attempted to verify all of the assertions - you can assess for yourselves.

The Top 50 Labor Lemons so far!

1.  Carbon Tax There will be no carbon tax under the Government I lead.
2.  NBN $50 billion but no cost-benefit analysis
3.  Building the Education Revolution The school halls fiasco
4.  Home Insulation Plan (Pink Batts) Dumped
5. Citizens Assembly Dumped
6.  Cash for Clunkers Dumped
7.  Hospital Reform Nothing
8.  Digital set-top boxes Cheaper at Harvey Norman
9.  Emissions Trading Scheme Abandoned
10.  Mining Tax Continuing uncertainty for our miners
11.  Livestock export ban to Indonesia Over-reaction
12.  Detention Centres Riots & cost blow-outs
13.  East Timor solution Announced before agreed
14.  Malaysia solution A Non Event
15.  Manus Island solution On the backburner
16.  Computers in Schools $1.4 billion blow out; less than half delivered
17.  Cutting Red Tape 12,835 new regulations, only 58 repealed
18.  Asia Pacific Community Another expensive Rudd frolic. Going nowhere
19.  Green Loans Program Abandoned. Only 3.5% of promised loans delivered
20.  Solar Homes & Communities plan Shut down after $534 million blow out
21.  Green Car Innovation Fund Abandoned
22.  Solar Credits Scheme Scaled back
23.  Green Start Program Scrapped
24.  Retooling for Climate Change Program Abolished
25.  Childcare Centres Abandoned. 260 promised, only 38 delivered
26.  Take a meat axe to the Public Service 24,000 more public servants added
27.  Murray Darling Basin Plan back to the drawing board
28.  2020 Summit Meaningless talk-fest
29.  Tax Summit Deferred and downgraded
30.  Population Policy Sets no targets
31.  Fuel Watch Abandoned
32.  Grocery Choice Abandoned
33.  $900 Stimulus cheques Sent to dead people and overseas residents
34.  Foreign Policy In turmoil with Rudd running riot
35.  National Schools Solar Program Closing two years early
36.  Solar Hot Water Rebate Abandoned
37.  Oceanic Viking Caved in
38.  GP Super Clinics 64 promised, only 11 operational
39.  Defence Family Healthcare Clinics 12 promised, none delivered
40.  Trade Training Centres 2,650 promised, 70 operational
41.  Bid for UN Security Council seat An expensive Rudd frolic
42.  MySchool Website Revamped but problems continue
43. National Curriculum States in uproar
44. Small Business Superannuation Clearing House 99% of small businesses reject it
45. Indigenous Housing Program Way behind schedule
46. Rudd Bank Went nowhere
47. Using cheap Chinese fabrics for Defence uniforms Ditched
48. Innovation Ambassadors Program junked
49. Six Submarines none operational
50. Debt limit to be increased to $250 billion to pay for all of this and much more

[Gozu]

Gozu - why post that?

What are you serious? This is the politics section and it's news.

[Psyber]

Another small piece on the machinations of government from: http://www.pharmacynews.com.au

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said the figures show the private health insurance industry is in good shape and, unlike when the Government/private health insurance incentive programs began 14 years ago, the industry is now well positioned to adjust to the Government’s proposed changes to the private health insurance rebate.

The second issue is that a budget measure that has not been passed means that pharmaceuticals under the PBS are again being targeted for further cuts.

Politically this is a major issue because the change to private health insurance rebates has been budgeted into the forward estimates by treasury.
The Labour Government however has been unable to get the legislation passed through the Senate. This has left a major black hole in the budget figures.
With the Federal Government absolutely determined to get Australia back in surplus as promised other health programs are being targeted and this includes the PBS.

[Gozu]

"Police probe ex-senator's claim against News Ltd":

FEDERAL police are investigating allegations that News Ltd offered a then serving senator a ''special relationship'' involving favourable media coverage if he crossed the floor on a vote of financial interest to the company.

The investigation was sparked by a statement provided to federal police by former Nationals senator Bill O'Chee, who alleges a News Ltd executive said he would be ''taken care of'' if he crossed the floor.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-p ... 1nsyt.html

[Gozu]

THE company that will provide maintenance for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital has breached its $100 million-a-year State Government contract multiple times, leaked department documents obtained by The Advertiser show.

The documents reveal numerous "non-compliances" by Spotless Services in relation to its Across Government Facilities Management contract.

They include:

FAILURE to prepare and maintain a plant and equipment register.

NON-COMPLIANCE with legionella requirements by failing to maintain cooling towers effectively.

FAILURE to ensure all financial claims to departments are accurate and valid, resulting in overcharging estimated at more than $500,000 a year.

"It is my opinion that Spotless has committed a fundamental breach of the contract," a senior Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure staff member documents in one internal report.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6204135169

[Q.]

Probably an appropriate link for the Occupy topic

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-23/london-banks-seen-rigging-rates-for-decades-losing-credibility-in-markets.html

Every workday morning in London, at about 10 o’clock, representatives from 19 banks make a series of decisions that affect financial transactions around the world, from what homeowners pay on their mortgages to the underlying value of credit-default swaps and corporate bonds.

The bankers’ power is unsettling, says Tim Price, who helps oversee more than $1.5 billion as director of investment at PFP Group LLP, an asset-management firm in London.

“It’s a kind of Wizard of Oz surrealist nightmare,” he says.

It could hardly be more real, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in its January issue. What the bankers are deciding on is Libor, the London interbank offered rate. Libor is based on what each participating bank says it would have to pay to borrow money from another bank.

The rate, produced under the auspices of the century-old British Bankers’ Association, represents the average of the collected figures, minus several of the highest and lowest quotes.

The resulting benchmark determines interest rates on an estimated $360 trillion of financial instruments around the world, according to the Bank for International Settlements.

Unelected and lightly regulated, the Libor panelists have come under increasing scrutiny from money managers such as Price who say Libor is biased in favor of the bankers who submit the quotes.

“The whole system is rigged,” Price says. “The banks are able to say, ‘Let’s just collude and set rates, and we have the sanction of the authorities to do it.’”

[scoob]

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/ia ... 6205761662


FORMER NSW Labor minister Ian Macdonald is expected to be quizzed by the state's corruption watchdog today over allegations he accepted sexual favours for helping a businessman.

The former energy minister was rewarded with the services of a young Asian woman in return for introducing tycoon Ron Medich to several energy company executives in mid-2009, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) heard yesterday.

Mr Macdonald and the woman with whom he allegedly spent time at the Four Seasons hotel are both expected to give evidence about the allegations today.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Geoffrey Watson SC, told yesterday's hearing that Mr Macdonald set up a meeting between Mr Medich and Country Energy executives Bill Frewen and Craig Murray at the Tuscany Ristorante in Leichhardt on July 15, 2009.

It's alleged Mr Macdonald also set up a meeting for Mr Medich with EnergyAustralia managing director George Maltibarow in June 2009.

[redandblack]

Paul Keating today on a republic:

And he's still fired by the idea of a republic. His annoyance that Australia still has the English monarch as head of state is evident, especially as he charts this great shift in global power from west to east. "Here we are, witnessing one of the great changes in the world ... and here we are getting around with the Queen of Great Britain as our head of state, and our flag with the Union Jack in the corner. I mean it's weak and pathetic. While ever we keep the monarchy it shows we don't have the confidence to run our own show."

My thoughts exactly.

(Retreats to a safe, distant place )

[Leaping Lindner]

Paul Keating today on a republic:

And he's still fired by the idea of a republic. His annoyance that Australia still has the English monarch as head of state is evident, especially as he charts this great shift in global power from west to east. "Here we are, witnessing one of the great changes in the world ... and here we are getting around with the Queen of Great Britain as our head of state, and our flag with the Union Jack in the corner. I mean it's weak and pathetic. While ever we keep the monarchy it shows we don't have the confidence to run our own show."

My thoughts exactly.

(Retreats to a safe, distant place )

Hear ! Hear !!

[Sojourner]

Paul Keating today on a republic:

And he's still fired by the idea of a republic. His annoyance that Australia still has the English monarch as head of state is evident, especially as he charts this great shift in global power from west to east. "Here we are, witnessing one of the great changes in the world ... and here we are getting around with the Queen of Great Britain as our head of state, and our flag with the Union Jack in the corner. I mean it's weak and pathetic. While ever we keep the monarchy it shows we don't have the confidence to run our own show."

My thoughts exactly.

(Retreats to a safe, distant place )

What did Paul Keating say to the Queen, that she was finished and that Australia would be a republic within a few years!... Would have loved to see the look on his face when the referendum result was announced!

Maybe Labor should give him another go?

[redandblack]

When did Keating say that to the Queen, Soj?

[DOC]

What did Paul Keating say to the Queen, that she was finished and that Australia would be a republic within a few years!... Would have loved to see the look on his face when the referendum result was announced!

Maybe Labor should give him another go?

I guess when trying to play the I'm smarter than you are dumber routine, you may wish to remember that the highest level of stupidity always floats just below the lowest level of actual intelligence,

[Psyber]

A couple of incidentals:

1. I tend to agree with the Tax Institute view that retrospective legislation is only justified where thare has been intended manipulation: http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/Govern ... 2.html?x=0

On Saturday 26 November 2011, 8:05 EST
The Federal Government plans to use a retrospective tax change to find the billions of dollars it needs to return the budget to surplus next year.
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten says the Government wants to change the deductions some companies can claim after a merger.
It is understood this would claw back around $6 billion.
Mr Shorten says the change would protect against a potential threat to revenue and maintain the integrity of the tax system.

But Tax Institute spokesman Robert Jeremenko says the Government should not be making retrospective changes.
"The fundamental principle is that laws that adversely affect taxpayers should not apply retrospectively unless you're addressing some significant tax avoidance, and this is not the case of these changes today," he said.
"What the Government is doing is undermining the integrity of the tax system and completely reversing amendments they put into Parliament and passed only last year.
"Those amendments were introduced after extensive consultation with industry, and the Government has now decided that because it needs extra funds it's going to retrospectively amend legislation that affects people, all the way back to 2002 in some cases."
Treasurer Wayne Swan will hand down a budget update before Christmas, spelling out all the cuts the Government will make to return to surplus.

2. I found this interesting on the same page as this link: http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/22867/

[The Sleeping Giant]

A FORMER Mayor and MP has admitted he spent $150,000 on 162 different prostitutes in the two years before his arrest over sex with a child two years ago.

Terry Martin, 54, sobbed in the dock as the Supreme Court in Hobart watched his recorded interview this morning.

Mr Martin is a former independent member of Tasmania's Upper House and mayor of Glenorchy, in Hobart.

Mr Martin's distress was palpable - both in court and on the DVD recording - when the questioning turned to a stack of child pornography found in a locked drawer in the study of his home.

Mr Martin had oral sex with a Glenorchy 12-year-old and took sexually explicit photos of her at his home in September, 2009, after she was advertised as a prostitute by her mother and the mother's partner Gary John Devine.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/mp-weeps- ... 6198079091

http://www.news.com.au/national/former-mp-terry-martin-walks-free-after-sex-with-12-year-old/story-e6frfkvr-1226209499522

Gob Smacked.