Senator Fielding

[Scotty]

Not sure if I should have just called this thread 'The Senate', as this discussion may evolve further, but this opening post centres around the outgoing Stephen Fielding.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/fielding-dumped-as-white-balloon-patron-20110623-1gh18.html

I don't know the ins and outs of this case, but it appears that this new inquiry was going to look into the Qld Govt handling of this incident, rather than trying to find the actual perpetrator, so it seems reasonable to hold and inquiry into it (as the other inquiries have already covered other parts of the incident).

I just wonder why a former sexual abuse victim would not support this vote? Why wouldn't the Greens support this vote?

Family First Senator, and sexual abuse survivor Steve Fielding, has been dumped as the patron of White Balloon Day, an awareness campaign for child sexual abuse victims, on his last day in Parliament, for failing to support a Senate inquiry into sexual abuse.

Greens and government Senators also failed to back Independent Senator Nick Xenophon’s motion for a Senate committee to investigate the alleged pack rape of a 14-year-old girl at the John Oxley Youth Detention Centre in Queensland in 1988.

 

[barbarian]

I think it is hard to comment on this type of stuff without knowing the specifics of the bill itself, and the stated reasons why Fielding and co are against the bills. There could be a huge flaw in the inquiry process that we don't know about, or the terms of the inquiry are skewed to obtain a certain result etc.

 

[Scotty]

Bravehearts certainly didn't agree with his stance. It must have been hard to drop him, as he has been their patron for a few years and done some good work I believe, but they felt that he was wrong in the decision he made.

It will be interesting to see what he does come July 1st and onwards.

 

[Aussie D]

The case in question I think is often referred to as the Heiner affair and allegedly involves a former Chief-of-staff to Premier Beattie (namely Kev Rudd) ordering the shredding of documents crucial to the case. Though I am not sure of the full details, maybe someone living in Queensland would be able to add further.

 

[ACT Crusader]

The case in question I think is often referred to as the Heiner affair and allegedly involves a former Chief-of-staff to Premier Beattie (namely Kev Rudd) ordering the shredding of documents crucial to the case. Though I am not sure of the full details, maybe someone living in Queensland would be able to add further.

Shreddergate....Don't you hate how anything slightly controversial has "gate" on the end of it.

The Heiner Affair has risen to the surface over the last couple of years due to whistleblower legislation that Wilkie wanted to introduce. Essentially there was abuse at a tax payer run facility. Complaints were made and the saga goes that copies of those complaints were shredded....

Not only Rudd, but Quentin Bryce and even Wayne Swan have been linked also. There is IMO still a huge amount of bad blood between certain unions (remembering that two unions were heavily involved in the controversy) and QLD Labor. There's alot of dirt everywhere from this and in some circles the affair has never been settled.

 

[Scotty]

No wonder that Labor didn't support the vote, however it does show up how much bs the Greens sprout about standing by their convictions. As soon as some pressure is put on their Labor mates they fold into line.

There are also rumours that Fielding may have some ties to Labor and looking at joining them in the future. If that does happen then it is also obvious why he voted against it, and it is apparent he has sold his soul, despite his own personal experiences. No wonder Bravehearts dropped him.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I doubt it, Labor aren't insane enough for Mr Fielding. No mainstream party is.