Australian Politics thread [merged]

[1965]

Tony is digging himself a very big hole. If the trip was justified why did Randall pay back the money?


'Very important discussions': Tony Abbott defends Don Randall's Cairns trip
  October 23, 2013 - 12:30PM
 
Jonathan Swan

National political reporter

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has provided the first explanation from the government for West Australian MP Don Randall's taxpayer-funded trip to Cairns, saying Mr Randall had ''very important discussions'' with the then Coalition whip.

Mr Randall, who also took possession of an investment property during the overnight stay with his wife, has refused on seven separate occasions to answer questions from Fairfax Media on the issue.

Fairfax Media revealed last week that Mr Randall billed taxpayers $5259 for his Cairns trip in November 2012 on the grounds of "electorate business".

A week later the MP updated his pecuniary interests, saying: "My wife and I have taken possession of the house at the Cairns location. We intend to rent the house as an investment."

After three days of intense media pressure Mr Randall promised late last week to refund taxpayers to "alleviate any ambiguity".

Yet Mr Abbott, speaking on Fairfax Radio on Wednesday, suggested the trip was justified.

"The gentleman in question [Mr Randall] tells me that ... he went from Perth to Cairns to have some very important discussions with the whip," Mr Abbott said. The whip at the time was Leichardt MP Warren Entsch, whose electorate takes in Cairns.

But when quizzed by The Australian Financial Review, Mr Entsch refused to divulge the content of those discussions and admitted he did not know if they constituted "electorate business" as Mr Randall had claimed.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/very-important-discussions-tony-abbott-defends-don-randalls-cairns-trip-20131023-2w0aw.html#ixzz2iVQOclF1

[1965]

Well Tony is found out to be the lying prick that he is.

The worst PM in history already. I can't wait until Parliament starts.

 

and yes Smokey you got the PM you voted for.


MP's expense scandal: Don Randall's account of his expenditure differs to Tony Abbott's
Date October 24, 2013 - 7:10PM
Jonathan Swan
National political reporter

Don Randall has spoken publicly for the first time since it was revealed he took a taxpayer-funded trip with his wife to Cairns on the same week they took possession of their investment property.

The West Australian Liberal MP, who has since promised to repay more than $5000 he spent on the Cairns trip to “alleviate any ambiguity”, has given a different explanation for the journey than that of his leader Tony Abbott.

Mr Randall told a Perth suburban newspaper, the Armadale Examiner, he flew to Cairns in his capacity as shadow parliamentary secretary for local government.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Mr Randall flew to Cairns to have "very important discussions” with the then opposition whip, Warren Entsch.

Advertisement Asked why Mr Randall could not have used a telephone to talk to Mr Entsch – rather than flying more than 3000 kilometres on business class flights with his wife to the same location as his investment property – the Prime Minister said some discussions were "best done face to face."

A spokeswoman for Mr Entsch later said: "Yes he did meet with Don Randall for a couple of hours, but the content of that conversation was private."

It is unclear when Mr Randall's interview with the weekly newspaper took place.

Fairfax Media revealed last week that Mr Randall billed taxpayers $5259 for his Cairns trip in November 2012 on the grounds of "electorate business."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mps-expense-scandal-don-randalls-account-of-his-expenditure-differs-to-tony-abbotts-20131024-2w49b.html#ixzz2ictVhIjJ

[Francois Jackson]

do you ever stop man?

Fair enough to have an opinion but you bombard us daily with this club.

You dont think TA has done anything descent, how about lending support to bush fires.

Pretty sad you would rather support a Gillard/Rudd government where peoples lives were actually lost due to incompetence vrs a PM who actually tries to save them.

[Judge Roughneck]

do you ever stop man?

Fair enough to have an opinion but you bombard us daily with this club.

You dont think TA has done anything descent, how about lending support to bush fires.

Pretty sad you would rather support a Gillard/Rudd government where peoples lives were actually lost due to incompetence vrs a PM who actually tries to save them.

U don't wanna read political news? What's the other option? Parrot 'stop the boats' and worship oil companies?

Un charging pollution, denying the effects of human impact of potential disaster etc are reasonable important

Fighting fires on the front line is vote getting rubbish IMO. Surely the country would be better suited with him in an office.

Labor/ Liberal is the same ...

[Smokey]

Well Tony is found out to be the lying prick that he is.

The worst PM in history already. I can't wait until Parliament starts

 

and yes Smokey you got the PM you voted for.


MP's expense scandal: Don Randall's account of his expenditure differs to Tony Abbott's
Date October 24, 2013 - 7:10PM
Jonathan Swan
National political reporter

Don Randall has spoken publicly for the first time since it was revealed he took a taxpayer-funded trip with his wife to Cairns on the same week they took possession of their investment property.

The West Australian Liberal MP, who has since promised to repay more than $5000 he spent on the Cairns trip to “alleviate any ambiguity”, has given a different explanation for the journey than that of his leader Tony Abbott.

Mr Randall told a Perth suburban newspaper, the Armadale Examiner, he flew to Cairns in his capacity as shadow parliamentary secretary for local government.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Mr Randall flew to Cairns to have "very important discussions” with the then opposition whip, Warren Entsch.

Advertisement Asked why Mr Randall could not have used a telephone to talk to Mr Entsch – rather than flying more than 3000 kilometres on business class flights with his wife to the same location as his investment property – the Prime Minister said some discussions were "best done face to face."

A spokeswoman for Mr Entsch later said: "Yes he did meet with Don Randall for a couple of hours, but the content of that conversation was private."

It is unclear when Mr Randall's interview with the weekly newspaper took place.

Fairfax Media revealed last week that Mr Randall billed taxpayers $5259 for his Cairns trip in November 2012 on the grounds of "electorate business."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mps-expense-scandal-don-randalls-account-of-his-expenditure-differs-to-tony-abbotts-20131024-2w49b.html#ixzz2ictVhIjJ

The crap written by these so-called 'journalists' you keep trotting out '65 is exceeded only by the crap you preface each post with.  Please read the article again and point out where Randall and Abbott have different versions of the story.  Randall never said he didn't meet with Entsch, just that he had visited in his capacity as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary. And Abbott never said he didn't visit in any other capacity, just that he had met with Entsch. Yet a junior provincial reporter using a headline suggesting the accounts differ is enough to make you fill your corduroys with warm and sticky, even when there is not one shred of evidence to back it up.


I'm on record with my opinion on politicians who rort the system but unlike you, I appear capable of making my own mind up on what I read and what I hear in the big world around me, instead of choosing the blind faith ideological path you have chosen. As sadly so do many of your 'academic' contempories. What a better place we would leave for our children if they were taught to question and debate instead of following the lead lemmings over the edge.  And you would have voted for Turnbull.....................yeah, right.

[1965]

Just can't get past the fact that this government has stuffed up so many things in it's first six weeks.

We are the laughing stock of the world.

Abbott is a dangerous man to have in power.

 

[Smokey]

Sadly, you can't get over the fact that they are our popularly elected government, something Gillard could never lay claim to.

 

[Chuck17]

Well Tony is found out to be the lying prick that he is.

The worst PM in history already. I can't wait until Parliament starts

 

and yes Smokey you got the PM you voted for.


MP's expense scandal: Don Randall's account of his expenditure differs to Tony Abbott's
Date October 24, 2013 - 7:10PM
Jonathan Swan
National political reporter

Don Randall has spoken publicly for the first time since it was revealed he took a taxpayer-funded trip with his wife to Cairns on the same week they took possession of their investment property.

The West Australian Liberal MP, who has since promised to repay more than $5000 he spent on the Cairns trip to “alleviate any ambiguity”, has given a different explanation for the journey than that of his leader Tony Abbott.

Mr Randall told a Perth suburban newspaper, the Armadale Examiner, he flew to Cairns in his capacity as shadow parliamentary secretary for local government.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Mr Randall flew to Cairns to have "very important discussions” with the then opposition whip, Warren Entsch.

Advertisement Asked why Mr Randall could not have used a telephone to talk to Mr Entsch – rather than flying more than 3000 kilometres on business class flights with his wife to the same location as his investment property – the Prime Minister said some discussions were "best done face to face."

A spokeswoman for Mr Entsch later said: "Yes he did meet with Don Randall for a couple of hours, but the content of that conversation was private."

It is unclear when Mr Randall's interview with the weekly newspaper took place.

Fairfax Media revealed last week that Mr Randall billed taxpayers $5259 for his Cairns trip in November 2012 on the grounds of "electorate business."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mps-expense-scandal-don-randalls-account-of-his-expenditure-differs-to-tony-abbotts-20131024-2w49b.html#ixzz2ictVhIjJ

The crap written by these so-called 'journalists' you keep trotting out '65 is exceeded only by the crap you preface each post with. 

 

That is worthy of a sig change

[Judge Roughneck]

Sadly, you can't get over the fact that they are our popularly elected government, something Gillard could never lay claim to.

 

Ricky Muir represented AMEP in Victoria at the election and won a 14.3 percent quota after preferences on a record-low primary vote of 0.51 percent or 17,122 first preferences[12][13][14] (previous record held by Family First's Steve Fielding in 2004 on 1.9 percent in Victoria)[15] and will assume his seat from 1 July 2014. Larger parties including the incoming government are looking at changes to the group voting ticket system.[16][17][18]

[Smokey]

Sadly, you can't get over the fact that they are our popularly elected government, something Gillard could never lay claim to.

 

Ricky Muir represented AMEP in Victoria at the election and won a 14.3 percent quota after preferences on a record-low primary vote of 0.51 percent or 17,122 first preferences[12][13][14] (previous record held by Family First's Steve Fielding in 2004 on 1.9 percent in Victoria)[15] and will assume his seat from 1 July 2014. Larger parties including the incoming government are looking at changes to the group voting ticket system.[16][17][18]

I'm with you on that Bents.  I don't think the preferential system is a fair reflection of the wishes of the electorate either.   

[Penelope]

agree on the preference system, but the current circumstance is more a  refection on a (too) slowly growing dissatisfaction of the two major parties.

Of course rather than accept this and change their ways, they will band together and change the rules so that no one can challenge their duopoly and they can continue down their merry way of arrogant incompetence, buoyed by the knowledge that there will always be people who will ignore the incompetence, deceit and arrogance, and accept being treated with contempt from the party they barrack for. 

[Chuck17]

Disgraceful, labor party should be on criminal charges

http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudd-to-be-questioned-over-botched-insulation-scheme-after-abbott-government-orders-formal-inquiry/story-fnii5v71-1226747504790

Four deaths due purely to the Rudd led labor government and half arsed rushed initiatives

[1965]

Disgraceful, labor party should be on criminal charges

http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/kevin-rudd-to-be-questioned-over-botched-insulation-scheme-after-abbott-government-orders-formal-inquiry/story-fnii5v71-1226747504790

Four deaths due purely to the Rudd led labor government and half arsed rushed initiatives

Yeah right.

Another inquiry into this (there have been eight so far) will bring what?

This government is so bad they have to go back four years to find something to deflect from their own stupidity.

Maybe Greg Hunt should just look it up on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Efficient_Homes_Package

[1965]

Tony clearly does not know how to be a PM.

Abbott's 'rookie mistake' won't help relations with Obama: scholar
Date October 28, 2013
David Wroe

Tony Abbott's use of a Washington Post interview to brand his Labor predecessors as ''wacko'' and ''embarrassing'' could set back his working relationship with the Obama White House, a leading US commentator says.

Norman Ornstein, an author and political scientist with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said he ''winced'' when he read the interview in which the Prime Minister put the boot into the Rudd-Gillard government in unusually strong language for a foreign interview.

''It really does violate a basic principle of diplomacy to drag in your domestic politics when you go abroad,'' Dr Ornstein said. ''It certainly can't help in building a bond of any sort with President Obama to rip into a party, government and, at least implicitly, leader with whom Obama has worked so closely. Perhaps you can chalk it up to a rookie mistake. But it is a pretty big one.''

Politicians worldwide typically refrain from engaging in fierce domestic political argument when they are speaking to an overseas audience.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbotts-rookie-mistake-wont-help-relations-with-obama-scholar-20131027-2w9r9.html#ixzz2iwrDha00

[Smokey]

Tony clearly does not know how to be a PM.

Abbott's 'rookie mistake' won't help relations with Obama: scholar
Date October 28, 2013
David Wroe

Tony Abbott's use of a Washington Post interview to brand his Labor predecessors as ''wacko'' and ''embarrassing'' could set back his working relationship with the Obama White House, a leading US commentator says.

Norman Ornstein, an author and political scientist with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said he ''winced'' when he read the interview in which the Prime Minister put the boot into the Rudd-Gillard government in unusually strong language for a foreign interview.

''It really does violate a basic principle of diplomacy to drag in your domestic politics when you go abroad,'' Dr Ornstein said. ''It certainly can't help in building a bond of any sort with President Obama to rip into a party, government and, at least implicitly, leader with whom Obama has worked so closely. Perhaps you can chalk it up to a rookie mistake. But it is a pretty big one.''

Politicians worldwide typically refrain from engaging in fierce domestic political argument when they are speaking to an overseas audience.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbotts-rookie-mistake-wont-help-relations-with-obama-scholar-20131027-2w9r9.html#ixzz2iwrDha00

Abbott can have one serious f-up per day and still be lightyears ahead of this knobnuts:

The US embassy on Kevin Rudd

Date    December 9, 2010

''Rudd … undoubtedly believes that with his intellect, his six years as a diplomat in the 1980s and his five years as shadow foreign minister, he has the background and the ability to direct Australia's foreign policy. His performance so far, however, demonstrates that he does not have the staff or the experience to do the job properly.''

''Rudd … has made a number of missteps on foreign policy. Repeatedly, Rudd has made snap announcements without consulting other countries or within the Australian government.''

''Significant blunders include … Rudd's June speech announcing that he would push for the creation of an 'Asia-Pacific Community' loosely based on the EU. This was done without advance consultation with either countries or within the Australian government.''

''There has been persistent criticism from senior civil servants, journalists and parliamentarians that Rudd is a micro-manager obsessed with managing the media cycle rather than engaging in collaborative decision-making.''

''Rudd has appropriated control of foreign-policy formulation and decision-making, leaving his Foreign Minister to perform mundane, ceremonial duties and relegating the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to a backwater.''

''Other foreign diplomats, in private conversations with us, have noted how much DFAT seemed to be out of the loop.''

''Mistakes that have occurred because of a haphazard, overly secretive decision-making process are likely to continue. Rudd is a centraliser by nature who will only grudgingly share the decision-making on foreign policy.''

''Rudd's self-serving and inaccurate leaking of details of a phone call between President Bush and him cast further doubt on his foreign policy judgment.''

''The Israeli ambassador told us that senior DFAT officials are frank in asking him what PM Rudd is up to and admit that they are out of the loop. DFAT morale has plummeted.''

http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-us-embassy-on-kevin-rudd-20101208-18pse.html#ixzz2ixPqa6wm