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Julia's Reign

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wilful

Larry Dwyer (12)
Time marches on doesn't it?
Who would have thought it's been 1023 since the batts in the roof clusterfuck.
Garret should be relieved no one is asking what he has fucked up lately.
I'd be interested in knowing what you think you actually know about the "clusterfuck". Not blaming you, because given the media hysteria it was pretty hard to find out the truth, but do you realise just how not-bad "pink batts" (a deliberately loaded term) was?

Have a read: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2011/04/24/the-csiro-gets-hip-to-debunking-media-hysteria/
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2010/10/19/insulation-fire-risk-–-the-data-is-in/
 

wilful

Larry Dwyer (12)
As to the AWU "scandal", I'm fed up with it. they keep screeching "answer the questions!! Answer the questions!!", to which Gillard's reply has been, "well ask me a coherent question".

It's obvious that Gillard had an utter dickhead and a crim as a boyfriend in the 90s, and that's a question of her character, but beyond that it's all bullshit as far as the eye can see.

Oh and while Gillard was advising the AWU, Bishop was advising CSR about how to litigate litigate litigate away their responsibilities to asbestos victims. So lets review morality here eh?
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
I'd be interested in knowing what you think you actually know about the "clusterfuck". Not blaming you, because given the media hysteria it was pretty hard to find out the truth, but do you realise just how not-bad "pink batts" (a deliberately loaded term) was?

Have a read: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2011/04/24/the-csiro-gets-hip-to-debunking-media-hysteria/
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2010/10/19/insulation-fire-risk-–-the-data-is-in/
That article only deals with the number of fires that started as a result of the installation doesn't it?
How many installers phoned you each night?How many of them wanted to install batts even after you told them you already had some?
In my case EVERY installer still wanted to give me batts despite me telling them that I already had them!
 

wilful

Larry Dwyer (12)
That article only deals with the number of fires that started as a result of the installation doesn't it?
How many installers phoned you each night?How many of them wanted to install batts even after you told them you already had some?
In my case EVERY installer still wanted to give me batts despite me telling them that I already had them!
Yeah but it's a bit hard to blame Peter Garrett for that isn't it? And do yourself a favour, put yourself on the do not call register. https://www.donotcall.gov.au/ and post a "no doorknockers sign", meaning doorknockers are liable to $50,000 fines! http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1081110/fromItemId/142
 

I like to watch

David Codey (61)
It's not Garret's fault I kept taking the calls.
It's his fault for not putting restrictions/qualifiers on who they would provide insulation for.
No different to the Schools funding. the apologists say that costs overuns were tiny.
Which is great, until you realise that the majority of state School projects were blatantly over priced.With one lead contractor, they were always going to be rorted.
 

Lior

Herbert Moran (7)
This AWU scandal has exposed both the great and the deplorable state of Australian politics.

The upside is we can never treat freedom of expression and freedom to analyse the character, judgements and actions undertaken by our politicians'. Democracy really is a wonderful thing. Two individuals fighting in parliament over their character is a good thing.

However it's exposed the partisan nature of Australian media. The Murdoch press mostly The Australian and The Daily Telegraph have been reporting on matters of the public record. Both newspapers know they have nothing on Gillard except the fact that she dated a dodgy character and helped set up a slush fund (which it's clear she didn't knowingly profit from). All the facts that are coming this week are rehashed facts. The Australian reporting her partner giving her $5000 from a night out on the casino was way out of order and highly irrelevant. Also The Australian based earlier reports based solely on Ralph Blewitt (who has been accused of unspeakable and truly disgusting conduct) returning to the country. I have previously defended The Australian as I do believe they are the nation's top newspaper but they have engaged in the most duplicitous reporting and have gone deep in the gutter here.

I'll always be reluctant to embrace statutory authorities to regulate the press and glad to see the UK have not gone down that pathway. But lying in your reports and misrepresenting facts should result in tough fines for journalists. As they do have a social responsibility as well as a responsibility to their business.

As for Abbott and Bishop pursuing this. Why on earth would they bother. I think when Gillard goes to the polls, Gillard will say this man called me a criminal. And it will aid perceptions that he is fragrently negative, duplicitous and a nasty politician.

Speaking of nasty how about this asylum seeker politics. I accept that there is an argument to stop people coming to this country as it is very dangerous for those asylum seekers. I am very concerned with the racial undertones of the political debate and the idiocy of the average punter when it comes to talking about asylum seekers coming to this country. Fair enough that they use tough methods to deter people from coming. But it hit a new low when Abbott promised to slash the humanitarian intake only a few months after proposing an increase. I mean this is just nasty and sheer disgusting politics from Abbott. You know it's nasty when The Australian editorial column doesn't agree with the policy.

On the plus side for Abbott. It looks increasingly likely that Malcolm Turnbull will play a big part in the Abbott lead government. If Abbott gets elected he has to implement a radical budget and Turnbull is one of the few people with the political capital to implement it. Abbott surely must be aware of this and appoint him to Treasury or a senior economic portfolio especially as Joe Hockey has proven himself as a rolled gold moron.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I reckon these two parties are policy-wise 99% the bloody same. A bit of spin around the edges, but essentially the same.

So to me, the leadership decision will decide the election unless Labor starts to really smell and the electorate just wants change.

And I think the approach from both parties bears that out

We get Labor using the misogyny stick on Abbott, with little real evidence (and how much of the electorate even knows what "misogyny" means outside Gender study classes)

And we get the Libs hit the links to corrupt practices and decision making/choices stick, with little real evidence of clear links
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
I rekon the misogyny thing works because Abbott comes across all alpha male. Alpha male is not a bad thing but misogyny is, label his alpha male persona as misogyny and you have a winner. Calling out Julia as a liar just makes Abbott and Co look like bullies.


That and have you ever heard Abbott laugh on the radio? Pretty f@*kin creepy.
 

wilful

Larry Dwyer (12)
I reckon these two parties are policy-wise 99% the bloody same. A bit of spin around the edges, but essentially the same.
That's been the pathetic secret of Australia since the late 70s. The only truly ideological stuff, Howard's attack on unions via "Workchoices", well the pollies learnt their lesson there. Pretty much everything else in the last 30 years has been opposed for partisan reasons, not ideology.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
That's been the pathetic secret of Australia since the late 70s. The only truly ideological stuff, Howard's attack on unions via "Workchoices", well the pollies learnt their lesson there. Pretty much everything else in the last 30 years has been opposed for partisan reasons, not ideology.

expect the next version of workchoices to come via this approach from the Crikey email

Reith's backdoor into WorkChoices could work for Abbott

BERNARD KEANE
Crikey Canberra correspondent


AWU SCANDAL, PETER REITH, TRADE UNIONS

Has the Coalition been presented with a way to revisit WorkChoices without the political opprobrium?

One should always pay attention to the views of Peter Reith, who is happy to offer his thoughts on Coalition policy refreshingly unrestrained by political calculation. Reith doesn’t believe in a small-target philosophy, particularly not these days. His call for an inquiry into trade unions shows he’s out in front of his former colleagues in terms of exploiting the recent prominence in public debate of union scandals.

Reith’s proposal opens up the possibility of converting what for the Coalition so far has primarily been a tactical ploy against the Gillard government and a means of damaging the reputation of the wider labour movement into a vehicle for renewing the campaign against trade unions that formed the heart of WorkChoices.

The tactic was used successfully by the Howard government to directly attack the CFMEU, via a royal commission into the construction industry. The resulting legal framework, enforced by the draconian powers of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner, diminished the role of the CFMEU (and also saw a significant rise in the number of construction industry workers dying at work).

The Coalition has been able to use the revelations of extensive corruption within the Health Services Union and the 20-year old Australian Workers Union saga as the basis for a general attack on union corruption. This has extended to attacking industry superannuation funds, run by "venal" union officials as a "gravy train", according to Tony Abbott.

Industry super funds, run jointly by union and employer representatives, consistently and strongly outperform retail super funds run by the big banks and AMP, which provide a lucrative source of fees for financial planners. The Howard government unsuccessfully tried to stymie the growth of industry super funds through its 2004 superannuation choice legislation.

It hasn't all been one-way traffic. A business campaign, run through the national newspapers, to pin Australia’s poor productivity performance on trade unions and the Fair Work Act has come a cropper, partly because of the inconvenient fact that labour productivity has been on the increase since 2011. And even The Australian Financial Review has begun admitting there’s been no wages breakout under the Fair Work framework, despite that being one of the central claims of its opponents (see Greg Jericho's insightful piece on the lack of a wages breakout).

Nonetheless, as Reith has sensed, a year in which the media has relentlessly scrutinized the HSU and events in the AWU two decades ago (while ignoring far worse instances of business fraud) provides an ideal basis to propose an inquiry that could furnish the basis for more restrictive legislation on the activities of unions.

Abbott's promise to hold an inquiry into the AWU matter if elected, a commitment likely to be routinely exploited by Labor as part of its campaign to paint him as capable only of negativity, could neatly be transformed into a commitment to a broader inquiry into "union corruption", with the goal of restricting unions' activities and capacity to use members’ funds. It could even be used to drive "venal" union officials off industry superannuation boards.

And all with nary a mention of the hated WorkChoices.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
That piece on Reith was fascinating. Don't those old warriors always like fighting past wars? And Reith was a class warrior par excellence.

There's no doubt the trade union/ALP cabal needs challenging, and it's probably up to Liberal NP governments to do it. But the terms of reference would be for the current politicians to set, not yesterday's men.
 

ChargerWA

Mark Loane (55)
It is looking like the opposition are getting desperate. The government is getting traction now and the opposition just seem short of a reply.
Good god we are a fickle bunch. I would have agreed whole heartedly with this 3 weeks ago Ruggo . Julia gave Tony a whipping in parliarment and things were looking better for Labor, but then Tony does his mole impression, goes deep underground and the natural dislike factor of this Labor government creeps back in. To win this election, Tony just needs to keep his head down and not get drawn into a protracted tit for tat battle, because that is when he is at his worst. If the Libs wan't to rake muck this coming election other senior Lib polies are going to have to do the heavy lifting. Public support turns on Tony when he does it.

http://www.news.com.au/national/lab...-latest-newspoll/story-fncynjr2-1226534076441

Any bets on when the Kevin Rudd replacing Julia Gillard circus returns?
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
That piece on Reith was fascinating. Don't those old warriors always like fighting past wars? And Reith was a class warrior par excellence.

There's no doubt the trade union/ALP cabal needs challenging, and it's probably up to Liberal NP governments to do it. But the terms of reference would be for the current politicians to set, not yesterday's men.

The old warriors can bring these ideas up without tainting the conservative election approach Abbott will go with.

A cynic would say a long running broad investigation of trade unions would only help an incumbent liberal government.

I expect Abbott to do a "Rudd" in the lead up to the next election and offer as safe an option as he can, whilst Labor will try to suggest he is a loon.
 

Lior

Herbert Moran (7)
Ashby's case thrown out of the Federal Court for good reason. Vexatious and duplicitous. Serious repercussions should occur for Brough in QLD which should result in the withdrawal of his endorsement by the LNP executive.

News Ltd also have lined up next to dodgy characters whether it be Godwin Grech, Kathy Jackson and now James Ashby. Credibility really is thrown out the door when it comes to their journalist tactics. A compelling reason to introduce fines and have a more accountable press. Still love how The Australian pedals the high ground when it comes to the media.

However I like to be balanced so I will take the time to criticize the ABC for their content. Their TV show Insiders has been roundly criticized in the last few weeks and rightly so. They are so partisan and not fiercely independent. Barrie Cassidy as host should be removed, why on earth the ABC hires journalists who have been media advisers to former Labor Prime Ministers doesn't help their cause when they are frequently accused of being biased (and rightly too). ABC should start their progress to independent journalism by scrapping the television show Insiders and replacing it with a show of similar content which includes an independent host not one so blatantly left leaning.
 
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