Oz Politics.

[WX]

Re: Oz Politics.

I heard about that Jeff, it seems like a very strange thing for a government to do. I wonder what the story behind it is?

[Duncan Gibbs]

Re: Oz Politics.

[WX]

Re: Oz Politics.

Good one Duncan.
Saw this today.
Refugees = migrants = more takeaways = happiness.

[skuthorp]

Re: Oz Politics.

There's a story about two Australian businessmen that Narau had told to get out. They appealed for a stay, the magistrate was also tossed out and then the Chief justice when he backed the magistrate. Oddly, the next level of legal appeal is the Australian High Court.
I guess we'll find out about the two businessmen, whether they'd been playing in the local political market or if it's just a case of not paying enough baksheesh to the right people.

[skuthorp]

Re: Oz Politics.

Anyone interested in the remarks by Marty Natelagawa at Davos re Aus.?

http://www.news.com.au/world/indonesia-not-on-a-war-footing-foreign-minister-marty-natalegawa-says/story-fndir2ev-1226809127859

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

Indonesia not on a war footing, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says

• 7 HOURS AGO JANUARY 24, 2014 1:58AM

'Not an unfriendly act'... Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, centre, holds an assault rifle as he inspects a task force last year. Source: AFP



INDONESIA is "not really" on a war footing with Australia despite reports warships have been deployed to the border, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says.

The Jakarta Post has reported that Indonesian radars have been pointed towards Australia and that a number of ships have been sent to increase border security.
In Davos, Switzerland, yesterday, Mr Natalegawa was asked whether that amounted to a "war footing".
"No. Not really. It’s not an unfriendly act to anyone, it’s just a country that is keen to ensure that our sovereign border is properly protected."
He then said he could not confirm anything about the ships or radars because it was an “operational matter” but said it was public knowledge that they were beefing up security after Australian naval vessels "inadvertently" crossed into Indonesian waters.
"Post the revelations about the violation of our borders … there was an indication that we will strengthen our border protection," he said, adding that he didn’t see "any reason" why the incursion should happen again.
The Government was forced to apologise to Indonesia after a number of incidents where Navy ships crossed into Indonesian waters.

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

Abbot and Morrison are proving to be absolute masters at stuffing up our relationship with Indonesia. Vandals and fools ! Then of course we have the seizing of evidence in the case with Timor . I wonder who will be on one the 'we hate Australia list' by the time they're thrown out ?

[skuthorp]

Re: Oz Politics.

Sounds like they've been taking lessons from the Yakusa. I'll wait till we see where the money trail leads before I assign political blame here. The developers' companies are not above similar deals, it's happened before.

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

Unions of labour are by definition, bad, unions of money are by definition, good.

I'm with Jeff, we'll see where this leads first.

[Duncan Gibbs]

Re: Oz Politics.

From my over 25 years in the construction industry I can tell you that individual unions and companies sidle up to one another to block out the competition: AWU+Leightons vs CMFEU+Multiplex kinds of situations. At the end of the day it's the workers, clients and company shareholders who ALL get ripped off because the head honchos of companies and unions are want to piss in each others' pockets.

Meanwhile Turnbull has been looking more and more like a statesman while Abbott... Well I'll let the SMH Op' Ed' do the talking:

Somebody call the waaaambulance - the ABC has been mean to Abbott

DateJohn Birmingham
Tony Abbott used to be a working journalist. In fact we worked at the same mag, The Bulletin, home of Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, although none of us ever crossed paths.




Abbott tucked a press ticket into his fedora during the Hawke-Keating era and he could be as bruising in print as he was in the ring at Oxford. About as stylish too.
There is no record of Tony Abbott, two-fisted reporter, giving the government of the day an easy time of it. No free hits. No benefit of the doubt. He earned his pay cheque honestly, by finding things out and telling stories.
Like the Jesuit education he turned his back on, he seems to have forgotten a few things about what reporters do, what role they play in a free society.
Advertisement
Tony Abbott the working reporter, the bloke who paid his bills punching a keyboard, would have laughed in the face of Paul Keating or Bob Hawke if they'd gone whining to their favoured pets in the tame media about not getting the benefit of the doubt, about the press not seeing their interests as being in the national interest. Tony Abbott the journalist would have touched them up good and proper just for the cheek of it.
Tony Abbott the Prime Minister, though? He makes Hawke's constant calls for the waaaaaambulance because some journo, usually from the ABC was mean to him … well, he makes Hawke look like John Howard.
You could cut Howard's fingers off and poke him in the eye with them, he wouldn't blink. He wouldn't give you the bloody satisfaction of it. John Howard might have looked like a brylcreemed super nerd but he was a hard nut who could absorb inhuman amounts of damage without flinching, because he'd learnt that to show weakness was to lose. Spectacularly.
Tony Abbott is no John Howard. His petulant waaaaaambulance call on talkback radio yesterday, whining about the ABC – not individual journalists mind you, the whole institution, thousands of hard working Australians – all of them, his puerile and disgraceful lie that they do not act in the national interest?
That would have made John Howard shudder. Not because Howard loved the ABC. No Prime Minister since Menzies has. But because Howard knew that, as soon as you start complaining, you're done. You look like a loser. You are a loser. You don't look like a bloke who's got the ticker for the hard work.
Abbott disgraced himself yesterday, and he disgraced his mentor in doing it.
Lawson and Paterson would probably be ashamed of him too.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/blogs/...#ixzz2rqFKBTYu

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

'Twill be interesting to see where Abbott's Royal Commission leads and more importantly how it's perceived by the population. If it's seen as another version of Work Choices and an attack on wages and conditions it could do him a lot of harm. Frankly I can't see the need for a Royal Commission ,there was one ten years ago and this one will come up with the same findings, there is bribery and corruption in the building industry and that it takes two to play.
It seems there is a need for laws and regulation and more so their enforcement. The Feds are Liberal , NSW is Liberal , Vic is Liberal, Qld is something similar. It seems entirely possible so why not ?

[skuthorp]

Re: Oz Politics.

Tony's still consumed by revenge at this stage, and some of Howards old henchmen are like pigs in 5hit.
The last Royal Commission enquiry results into the building industry were quietly shelved because of the companies involved as Duncan said in #26.

Meantime the ABC is under fire, on Murdoch's behalf probably, for News 24, The Drum, and anything else he regards as competition to pay TV. In power neither side appreciate criticism, but the libs are, once again, bent on revenge. Sadly I think that Tony will prosper on his mantra of xenophobia, militarism and cries of bias. I have an example in mind but Godwins law forbids.

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

Enough rope may do the trick.

[skuthorp]

Re: Oz Politics.

Enough rope may do the trick.

From what I hear about the place I think not. Wishful thinking, Labour internecine warfare and the failure to stand a candidate you could vote for has done more damage than you think, and the factional wars go on.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-branch-outrage-in-macedon-after-faction-flyin-20131221-2zrwb.html

[PeterSibley]

Re: Oz Politics.

Poor bugger us.