EYE-BALL Opinion’s “None of the Above” campaign – We don’t trust our Leaders –
Latest EYE-BALL ‘None of the Above’ Posts: – 28th May – New cash grab to cover Political Party Administration Costs – – 5th Nov – Referendum Discussion No 1 – Compulsory Voting – “None of the Above” Campaign – – 3rd Nov 2012 – ALP voters beware – The Labour Party is not what it seems – – 2nd Aug 2012 – New Q’LD LNP amends Party Funding arrangements …. – 13th July 2012 – The Consequence of Poor Political Leadership – 12th July 2012 – This Labour Party is Diseased – 10th Jan 2011 – Australia Votes – “None of the Above” Campaign – Link to 2011 JSCEM Submission (PDF file format) |
Title: – we don’t trust our Leaders – – part of Eye-Ball’s – “None of the Above Campaign” – | Author: EYE-BALL Opinion | 4th Aug 2013 | |
Link to the Eye-Ball – ‘None of the Above’ campaign Front Page …
Most of this post was written during the past week – but the news yesterday – [Sunday 4th Aug 2013] – that PM Rudd has called a 7th Sept election is news that a Nation has been waiting for, and renders some of the commentary outdated. On the Election: Why Rudd believes calling an election now serves the ALP’s as the best timing for an ALP good showing, can only mean that he and his advisors do not expect to win. Last week’s release of the NSW ICAC reports into NSW ALP corruption, and with the ‘Acacia’ report still to be released, can only mean the news cycle in coming weeks will harm the ALP vote bigtime. There is also the revelations of new investigations into additional ALP figureheads that will only do additional harm to the Labor vote. Why would Rudd choose to go now? If Rudd does lose and he will, his political career is over. It it more than likely that his ‘arrangement’ included a contingency that in the case of a loss, he will resign and look to take up a UN or Security Council position. In that scenario Rudd’s future career becomes something he wants. Who would want to lead the ALP given the issues they will have to deal with after the election and in Opposition. Look to NSW and QLD post their State elections. In fact given those results everybody had to have known that the Federal ALP brand could not survive the swell against the ALP vote. The ALP cannot win this election and to think otherwise is fanciful. They would have to win 6 seats plus hold all the seats they currently have. In NSW they are expected to lose 10-15 seats … Victoria about 4-5 … SA maybe 2-3 … Tasmania maybe 1-2 … WA perhaps 3-4 … and in QLD, before Rudd took over from Gillard they only had a chance of holding Rudd’s own seat – now they talk of winning seats there, the reality is they will probably lose 3-4 seats. In a worst case scenario that means losses of 33 seats, and in a best case scenario the losses would be restricted to 23 seats. Before Rudd’s appointments the talk was of a 30-40 seat loss, so any number less than these Gillard leadership predictions can only be seen as justifying the Gillard dumping. The NSW ICAC Reports: Where is the effort to fight injustice and tyranny within our Political ranks? Any investigative body who investigates itself can never be trusted. That is a statement that rings true in any industry or Government office. Management the globe over and in positions to write their own expense account limits carry that air of entitlement that most can only dream about. That Management gravy ride has extended deeper and deeper into our Public Service ranks, and these days Government have some of the best perks and paying jobs around. Politicians head the list where entitlement is demanded as expense claims are tendered where no entitlement exists. It becomes the Dept of Finance’s job to establish legitimacy of any parliamentary claims, and many MP’s and Senators err and are forced to refund overstated claims. Why are these errors not treated in the same way as Peter Slipper’s overcharge use of cabcharge vouchers? We are asleep to these issues – the real life struggle for survival the world over is in refugee camps, on the high seas where refugees dream of a better life, among the ever increasing homeless living on the streets, and the children being used in divorce court settlements where money becomes more important than the children. In all this gloomy existence a new political voice speaks, that message is reproduced below:
In this void of political time where promised deals mean nothing by weight or legislative process – Prime Minister Rudd and Opposition would be PM Abbott joust for political gain and play the game of winning voters. Truth be known they have a ‘macro’ view of the Nation and the people only matter when it comes around to elections. Trustworthiness: How do we as a Nation get back to a place where we will trust our political leaders – what will it take? We can only choose from the candidates before us and with the track record of all the major parties, where does one turn to seek honest and uncorrupted Governance? Julian Assange and his Wikileaks party speaks above of a ‘transparency’ within Government process – is that enough> Or, do we as citizens have a role to play through our own scrutiny of the information provided? In that context presented hereto are some well researched facts about the Tony Abbott parliamentary expense reconciliations – see excel file for full disclosure here – click on image below to enlarge in a new window: About 3-4 weeks ago Mr Abbott was asked about the parliamentary expense travel rort he was engaged in during his book tour. The question came after FOI release of parliamentary expense refunds were released showing that Mr Abbott was forced to repay some $9,400 in travel expenses he claimed during his Australia wide book launch. The travel expenses associated with Mr Abbott’s book launch were claimed as parliamentary business expenses but investigations showed they were nothing to do with parliamentary business but of a personal nature. This on face value is no different to the ‘rort’ Peter Slipper is in court over when he used ‘cabcharge’ vouchers to transport himself to ‘wine-tasting’ events. Mr Slipper is charged with ‘rorting’ the parliamentary system for around $1,000 of misused taxpayers funds. Now let me put a scenario to you: An experienced politician like Tony Abbott would know what his travel expenses rules are. Yet he felt he had entitlement to claim ComCar services and airfares during his book tour event. Surely Mr Abbott’s intent to claim those expenses cannot be explained away as a clerical error, or that his staff got the purpose wrong. The rule of thumb with parliamentary expenses seems to be – claim everything and let the burden of proof fall to the MAPPs Department to find the fraudulent claim. Mr Abbott would have known that his book tour expenses were off limits in terms of his parliamentary expenses. Then why the use of ComCar services to get him to and from airports and venues whilst promoting his book launch? This is not how the system works – any burden of entitlement must fall to the Member and the Member alone must be accountable for erroneous claims – i.e. 500% penalties imposed if a claim cannot be verified or justified, and a revoking of all parliamentary expenses over and above the bare minimum to manage his staff and parliamentary office. The parliamentary expense system is being abused and nobody seems to really care – least of all the Parliamentarians. Peter Slipper is defending his abuse of expense claims in court with taxpayer funds – surely he must know that what he did was wrong and why hurt the taxpayer again by claiming Legal Aid to defend his position? This is hubris and entitlement gone amuck and the fact that no MP or Senator speaks out about the abuse highlights just how deep they are all in it. Further investigation of Mr Abbott’s parliamentary expenses see that he has used almost $500,000 in ComCar expenses since July 2009 and up until Dec 2012. His spouse/family has also used another $13,000 in ComCar expenses during the same period. Now if Mr Abbott is an example of a expense entitlement deluge by all our MP’s and Senators – no wonder the $400 million parliamentary expense price tag is an expense that rises each and every term. Summary: Morality, Integrity, Honesty – just three issues where our Leaders should excel … yet who can be trusted to provide Governance where these ingredients are in surplus? Please make your vote count – please don’t vote top of the ticket i.e. PArty of choice, vote for you local candidate because you believe they are the best person and someone you can trust. If you don’t know your candidate don’t blindly trust they will represent you. If you have doubts make the effort to contact them and ask them questions that are of concern to you. If unconvinced – vote “NONE OF THE ABOVE” in a box you will make on the ballot paper … don’t hand up your vote freely – whoever you vote for will get $2.51 in electoral refunds … make them earn that refund. A ‘None of the Above’ vote saves taxpayers funds. |
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EYE-BALL’s Herman on – Federal Economic Update – A conjuror’s spin –
Links to Previous ‘Herman’ Posts: – 17th July – Constitutional Reform – This time it is recognising Local Council. – 5th July – Gone – Ski Part II (Gone is Gonski) – 27th June – Gone-Ski: Prime Minister Julia Gillard – – 24th June – The Ashes – – 21st June – The Senate – – 5th June – Zombies – – 1st June – Canberra – and black holes – -30th May – What is an adequate Contrition? – – 24th May – Simplex – – 19th May – The Tears of a Prime Minister – – 24th Mar – An Example of bureaucracy gone mad – – 10th Mar – The Carbon Tax – Post Election … – 7th Mar – Wayne Swan – Please Stop 28th Feb – The Australian Labor Party View – 6th Feb – Corruption – 25th Jan – Anti Discrimination – – 17th Jan 2013 – Atheism – – 12th Nov – Hegemony – 2nd Nov – A March early Federal election – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Herman’ posts: |
Title: – Federal Economic Update – – A conjuror’s spin – | Author: EYE-BALL’s Herman O’Hermitage | 2nd Aug 2013 | |
Some have termed it a mini-budget. Unless it is debated on the floor of parliament it is not that. It will not be passed into law until after the election. It contains updated Treasury estimates. The deficit trajectory is now for a fiscal deficit of A$30.1bn in 2013/14.
It is yet another ALP policy statement. Everything that has occurred since Rudd ascended back to the lodge, is another roll of the dice, attempting to reverse the contrarian opinion polls since early 2010. Virtually nothing has received scrutiny through parliamentary processes only trial by media. Each roll of the dice is asking us the electorate to give them another chance. Given the tardiness or lack of merit of the opposition we continue to grasp at any other alternative. That is particularly what the opinion polls are saying. There is no realistic choice. When the budget was passed down in May, I was deeply shocked to find a structural deficit approaching $20bn. I expected a deficit approaching 10bn. Gillard has gone, Swan is gone and so on but Swan is standing again for Lilley, and more. Wong switched camps, and Dreyfus and Burke (it all doesn’t really matter). Hey Bob Carr appointed by Gillard switched horses mid race. The real problem was how do you reverse the structural deficit when GDP is under immense pressure, where cutting government consumption will make things worse? The deficit and government debt prior to last May (at that stage of the economic cycle) was totally inappropriate. Stimulus was required rather than cutting federal government spending. Anyone who said the bleeding obvious, that a recession by 2015/16 is becoming more probable is guilty of talking down confidence. But should you quietly speculate on this bleak outlook, then that is OK because that is called free markets. Not predatory behaviour. Costello did well to put a surcharge on superannuation drawing from future spending rather than current spending in the late 1990’s but it came at a cost. The cost of reversing the policy and compensating in time for the cost, the desecration. Some might even argue the reversal was the seeds of part of today’s problems but I see that as part of the overall stresses created by the ensuing mining boom. There was a major economic policy shift in November 2007 and from there onward. Australia started running substantial fiscal deficits. With every turn of the page, government ramped up consumption. The package today at 1pm AEST is currently all about bank’s deposit insurance and tobacco excise. Each are worthy of careful scrutiny but they are also a major smokescreen. Unemployment has risen. Volumes to export for the major miners are up in coal. A glimmer of hope has appeared for the live cattle trade, with prices stabilising. The AUD has fallen to just below 90, to assist terms of trade. Several sectors of the broader economic spectrum are doing well, as measured through ASX performance. But WA property prices are weak, the mining services sector is sick, the signs are mixed. The problems of major sectors like SPC Ardmona in the Shephardon and Goulbourn valleys are insignificant compared to those like the car industry. On Wednesday morning local radio featured a story of Mark who is sleeping rough on the steps of Parramatta Town Hall. He had a job once , but when he was made redundant he sooner or later found himself on the street. When you couch surf, sooner or later you burn your friends. You outstay your welcome. Surviving on $220 a week is impossible. You can’t afford rent. You can’t save a deposit bond, or an electricity deposit. Vagabonds drift towards Parramatta because of the meal van each night at Prince Alfred Park. Sooner or later all your worldly possessions are moved around in a shopping trolley. The fridge and TV and stereo were hocked to pay bills a long time ago. There is a core group of men sleeping rough in the Parramatta precinct of 40. The aid services are stretched. No one would consider hiring you or giving you a job. You are sleeping rough, and generally considered to be of poor mental health. Definitely dishevelled unwashed and unkempt. Mark was very well spoken, and it was radio, so I can only wonder was it all a political beat up? But the story is indicative of what is really happening out there, of the long term unemployed, how it breeds mental health issues, of those struggling to find hope. Those who know of a better world, but are on the outside looking in. Too often cold and hungry. So today while we speculate on the price of tobacco and the efficacy of bank deposit insurance, both designed to distract from the real issue ie the fall in government incomes (taxes) and the excesses of federal parliamentarians, do we spare a thought for Mark or Mary (the single Mum) or Ralph (the alcoholic) or Beryl (the broken grandma – who hasn’t seen her grandchildren in over a decade for whatever reason). The more I dwell on it, the more I dwell on the speech I made at 7.45am on election day 3 years ago. In 15 minutes those doors will open and we will go into a working frenzy. We will assist the little fella to play his part in our democracy. We are the servants of democracy. Today we are expected to help those little people cast 4000 votes. Each polling assistant is expected to serve 600 local electors, and each declaration officer is expected to help cast 100 votes. Today is the one day in the 3 year electoral cycle when we get to hear from them. We have heard enough of the politicians and all their promises. Today it is the little persons turn. The ones who to get to have their say every 1100 days. We will treat them as the voice of democracy. Etcetra. Within a fortnight of that day as the counting was pointing to a hung parliament, the media was in their speculative frenzy, could we have true bi-partisan cabinet, should we go back to the polls, the futility, the chaos and now nearly 1100 days later, just the void. Today as the Australian Bankers Association threatens how if a deposit insurance tax is not implemented properly, it could jeopardise the core strength of the banking sector – that is a euphemism for the banks who each make roughly 6bn per annum will pass it on to the mortgage sector. 0.05% deposit insurance can be passed onto term deposit rates, but can it be passed on to savings accounts where nominal interest is 0.10% (before outrageous fees). Without going on to tobacco excise, Canberra misses the point. When they talk of Public Service productivity savings of 2.25% (having risen from 1.25% last May – in the forward estimates) it is hollow – it is rhetoric, it is pyrrhic. As a financial planner you talk about discretionary spending. If Canberra be serious about cutting discretionary spending they might start in their own backyard. During this parliament Canberra (the Productivity Commission) awarded themselves pay rises of 30% (according to some 40%). Only weeks ago they were discussing new electoral funding measures. How about cutting parliamentary wages by 10% (make that 20%) and cap parliamentary expenses for the next term at 80% of parliamentary expenses for the current term (about to expire). The flow on to senior civil servants will start a meaningful dialogue. That will really affect discretionary spending. Nextly get tough with the banks. WE ALL DRINK from the same well. Your sector’s health is not beyond that of the household sector or small business. Any bank paying any executive million $ bonuses we are watching! We have levers we will use to curtail your excesses! Why do you charge the destitute silly fees (without decency – yet encourage this deregulated nonsense)? Then comes real change with the public service. This word we use called Productivity is becoming an oxy moron. It is mixed up and abused, with regulation, green or environmental and culminates in red tape. All projects will be affordable. Cost benefit will become a core value embodied in all mission statements. Transport will be affordable and efficient. Taxes and charges must be justified, or eliminated. All types of cash splash will not fall on the household sector or small business. There will be no new taxes in the next 3 years. And it will go on. And On. Don’t forget -This will be implemented by Christmas. Everything we are currently hearing is nothing but spin. The spin of the conjuror. It is that stage of the electoral cycle. It is time to hear from the little fella. But he has no idea what to think. What might I say on election day this year. Argh! Believing in sanity, is itself insanity. |
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EYE-BALL’s ‘Herman’ … |
EYE-BALL Opinion – Gillard’s Demise – Almost done –
Latest ‘EYE-BALL Opinion’ Posts: 30th July – The Reasons for our Anger – we are living our own self-destruction – – 18th July – Get Old and Get Sacked – – 3rd July – The Elephant in the Room – Gillard’s Police Investigation – – 27th June – After the Fact: Will Gillard escape? Gillards Epitaph: Criminal or Feminist hero – – 26th June – A Nation held to Ransom – – 26th Jun – Independent Rob Oakeshott Quits – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Opinion’ posts: |
Title: – Gillard’s Demise – – Almost done – | Author: EYE-BALL Opinion | 30th July 2013 | |
The combined efforts by many have helped see the demise of Gillard from our Parliamentary ranks. Yet – the job is still not done –
For now those who fought for her removal can take a break and feel the satisfaction in their accomplishment. Ms Gillard has abandoned her Victorian Home and her constituents and is moving herself back to South Australia – already packed and vacated well ahead of her parliamentary responsibilities. It is so typical of how our democracy is no longer about the people but about the individual. Can you see a football captain sacked quitting the team … perhaps not the ideal analogy … but the context is relevant. Gillard was voted to represent the people who lived in her electorate – not to be the PM but to be representative of constituency. Why has she deserted them and please don’t think that because an election is looming is a legitimate reason. She will be provided with a parliamentary pension somewhere near $200k+, to go along with additional perks as an ex-PM to fund the rest of her life. Her criminal past renders her as a person who should not be entitled to live off the public purse. In the time since Gillard was replaced by Rudd – some 4 weeks ago – the political fortunes of the ALP have responded – another reason to congratulate the efforts over the last 30 odd months to have her removed. But from this bloggers perspective it was not so much about the ALP v coalition – Gillard had a criminal past all ALP parliamentarians knew about yet they still elevated her to be our PM. Those who fostered, schemed, lobbied, and voted for her promotion, now have to deal with their own roles played in her elevation. This should never have happened and those responsible all have to be made accountable. There is too much invested in the AWU scandal and if Mr Rudd tries to make it go away, and the same for the Craig Thompson, Peter Slipper, and the Eddie Obeid corruption scandals, he will find his political revival will be short-lived. Justice has to be served and seen to be served. Our parliamentary system is constantly rorted by corrupt politician’s greasing their remunerations via expense account billing – all under a sense of entitlement. It all has to be exposed. The justice dished out to those who believe in this sense of entitlement has to be the equal of our courts, and more importantly because of the trust invested and extended to our leaders – any wrongdoing should carry harsher penalties. If the AWU inquiry ‘goes’ away under a Rudd or Abbott Government, then a great injustice will have been served upon the Australian people.
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The EYE-BALL Opinion … |
EYE-BALL Opinion – The Reasons for our Anger – we are living our own destruction …
Latest ‘EYE-BALL Opinion’ Posts: – 18th July – Get Old and Get Sacked – – 3rd July – The Elephant in the Room – Gillard’s Police Investigation – – 27th June – After the Fact: Will Gillard escape? Gillards Epitaph: Criminal or Feminist hero – – 26th June – A Nation held to Ransom – – 26th Jun – Independent Rob Oakeshott Quits – – 24th June – The ALP Cocoon – – 17th Jun – Our Leadership Betrayal – Entitlement should be earned, not assumed nor expected – – 11th June – Julian Assange – An Interview worth Watching – – 6th Jun – True Leadership – Australia is still to experience it the way it was meant – – 30th May – Revisiting the Past – A post some two years ago has relevance today .. – 13th May – Just Stunningly Beautiful – – 11th May – Budget 2013-14 – Wayne Swan about to deliver an ALP death notice – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Opinion’ posts: |
Title: – The Reasons for our Anger – – we are living our own self-destruction – | Author: EYE-BALL Opinion | 30th July 2013 | |
The efforts from within our society to fight the injustice and the tyranny by our leaders at Local Council, State and Federal Government levels is a frustrating and lonely road. Most won’t even think about challenging the problem let alone speak out against it – yet the corruption within our Leader groups is what we most often ponder about.
It also includes how we feel about the private sector and how CEO’s and the like abuse their perks and make bonus’ that sicken the soul when revealed. It even goes to how we ponder and feel about the outward signs from our neighbours, or the person you sit next to on a train, it is most often about why our own life is not blessed with what others appear to have. We all know about the increasingly difficult struggle to make ends meet on a day-to-day basis, and that eternal question nags at us – why is it that everybody else seems to be making a better go of it? The West has nothing to complain about when it comes to poverty and opportunity to better oneself. The truth is are all in the same mortgage ‘trap’, those who don’t have one want one, and those who have one live every day not knowing whether the next day will be when it all falls apart. To those I say – take a look at third world Nations and tell yourself you deserve a better, or an easier life. The western world is asleep and oblivious to the hardships of real live being lived in distant lands. Yet – western civilisation has lost sight of what life should really be about. They live their lives day in and day out thinking they are happier and have the joyous rewards yet over time the battle has been lost and now all that remains is the anger at what they have to do to try to find happiness and joy. The reality is that Western civilisation has lost the ability to enjoy life and the pursuit of financial independence has consume society. Financial rewards has become the trigger we all think will make our lives happier and filled with joy. They don’t understand that the more they struggle for it, the more it eludes them. We are all in a life struggle we don’t really understand and have little awareness of. The real struggle for life survival is in refugee camps, on the high seas, and amongst the ever increasing homeless … the world is getting darker and soon the lights we turn on at night to make us feel safer will dim, and we will all realise just how asleep we have become to what has really been happening all around us. Real life and the survival of humanity is being played out in distant lands – out of sight and out of mind. When it comes to our doorstep we will regret not getting involved. When our society becomes dependent and at the mercy of military law, we will realise just how wrong we were to allow our Leaders to ‘dip their wicks’ and abuse their responsibilities over the last 50 odd years. Public service should be about the struggle and want to do public good – not about the decadence and exuberances our Leaders believe they have entitlement to. In the darkness fast approaching – a lone and despised voice speaks out – one might say a light shines in all that darkness and this voice of reason and accountability might be the voice we should at least listen to – a sample of that message is reproduced below:
Sorry if the intro was a bit graphic – but the despair all around us cannot be disputed. Whilst new PM Mr Rudd and Opposition would be PM Mr Abbott joust for political gain, positive media coverage, and the hearts and minds of the voters – those who are sceptics and cynics to the future of democracy focus on the greater evils. An award-winning documentary that is a must watch for everyone titled: “Decadence Decline of the Western World” – linked here – the bit-torrent download link provided here … … presents a luminous scenario as to why western civilisation has become such a struggle – why the last 50 years our society has given in to the excess of the seven deadly sins, and become the basis for our existence. Those sins represent the decadence our society now represents and the future holds no bounds for misery and misfortune. If we are to be brutally honest with ourselves those seven deadly sins have become the norm in how we live our lives … taken over our purpose and the way we live – they are – All of these exuberances have played their part in the demise of past and historic civilisations, i.e. Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and the like – and are most of the reasons why the current 300 odd years of our current Western civilisation finds itself in the death throes of a new and historic era change. The greatest concern is that we have not realised we are the designers and masters of our own destruction. We alone are responsible – just as Rome became decadent in its last days, so has western civilisation and just as they did in the demise of the Romans – these things always end badly. Be it the GFC and its ongoing crisis management lurching us further and further toward the abyss, or the doomsday forecasts about climate change and environmental destruction, to the demise and division of a muslim verses christianity holy crusade that has been a backdrop for over 2000 years, the summary is that there is no one, or no group of people who have the answers to fix the problems the world faces today. It is unfixable given the ego’s involved and the history of conflict that runs so deep within those Nations – Nations that were largely decided in post WWI and WWII carve ups. The current era of Western civilisation started around the time of America’s discovery – people flooded the new world looking for escape and opportunity. I ask – where can one now go to do the same thing? There is nowhere where new frontiers are to be discovered unless we talk of off planet or beneath the oceans. We are forever stuck and tied to what is about to follow – and that only seems fair given that we are all responsible for the mess we have made. Please – try to watch the doco via the links provided – it truly will open your eyes … |
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Have your say where it counts: – contact your Local Federal Representative via the links below and let them know how you feel about this, or any other topic that you feel strongly about – or you can just post a comment below and let off some steam. Links to Australian Parliamentary Website – MP’s
The EYE-BALL Opinion … |
EYE-BALL Opinion – Get Old and Get Sacked – QLD Health Minister destroys careers –
Latest ‘EYE-BALL Opinion’ Posts: – 3rd July – The Elephant in the Room – Gillard’s Police Investigation – – 27th June – After the Fact: Will Gillard escape? Gillards Epitaph: Criminal or Feminist hero – – 26th June – A Nation held to Ransom – – 26th Jun – Independent Rob Oakeshott Quits – – 24th June – The ALP Cocoon – – 17th Jun – Our Leadership Betrayal – Entitlement should be earned, not assumed nor expected – – 11th June – Julian Assange – An Interview worth Watching – – 6th Jun – True Leadership – Australia is still to experience it the way it was meant – – 30th May – Revisiting the Past – A post some two years ago has relevance today .. – 13th May – Just Stunningly Beautiful – – 11th May – Budget 2013-14 – Wayne Swan about to deliver an ALP death notice – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Opinion’ posts: |
Title: – Get Old and Get Sacked – – QLD Health Minister destroys careers – | Author: EYE-BALL Opinion | 18th July 2013 | |
The QLD Government has taken career opportunity to new lengths when it agreed with a policy to sack long-term and experience nursing staff to make way for raw and new graduates.
Read story below:
This decision boggles the mind – the wealth of experience and knowledge lost in those 140 positions can never be recovered – how many mistakes will now be made with patients because of the loss of that experience. Then there is the realisation that careers now end on someone elses decision – how does 140 experience nurses start a new career or placement when Government Health funding is beyond its limits. The chances of these displaced nurses getting similar employment have to be poor – particularly when Government policy is to replace experienced and long-term employees with raw an inexperience graduates. This story is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stupidity within Government – politicians in positions to make these types of dumb decisions need to be exposed and made accountable for the decisions made. How can a decision like this be justified? If there are no nursing positions available for new Graduates – why do honest hard-working nurses need to be sacked to make way for raw recruits? This is an abomination of a decision and needs to be fought at every opportunity – else all ages workers will be on the scrap heap as other Departments and Employers take their que from this policy. |
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The EYE-BALL Opinion … |
EYE-BALL’s Herman on – Gone – Ski Part II (Gone is Gonski)
Links to Previous ‘Herman’ Posts: – 27th June – Gone-Ski: Prime Minister Julia Gillard – – 24th June – The Ashes – – 21st June – The Senate – – 5th June – Zombies – – 1st June – Canberra – and black holes – -30th May – What is an adequate Contrition? – – 24th May – Simplex – – 19th May – The Tears of a Prime Minister – – 24th Mar – An Example of bureaucracy gone mad – – 10th Mar – The Carbon Tax – Post Election … – 7th Mar – Wayne Swan – Please Stop 28th Feb – The Australian Labor Party View – 6th Feb – Corruption – 25th Jan – Anti Discrimination – – 17th Jan 2013 – Atheism – – 12th Nov – Hegemony – 2nd Nov – A March early Federal election – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Herman’ posts: |
Title: Gone – Ski Part II (Gone is Gonski) | Author: EYE-BALL’s Herman O’Hermitage | 5th July 2013 | |
In the last week, much has unfolded. Simon Crean has announced his retirement, so has Greg Combet, Stephen Smith has taken as respectable a retirement as circumstances will allow. Federal ALP has intervened in the NSW State branch. Dead wood is being pruned. Backyard blitz takes on a new meaning.
The makeover is starting to take shape. Tony Burke attempted to resign, and his resignation was not accepted. Tanya Plibersek is still Minister for Health. Jenny Macklin is still there and ministerial positions are musical chairs (deck chairs on the Titanic). Can these weeds be realistically controlled or made useful? What really matters is policy, and why do we forgive them now? They created this mess so why should we believe they will really fix it, can fix it. For a start, this parliament has only run it’s course through the support of amongst others Craig Thomson. Had Thomson been forced to vacate his seat 18 months ago at a by election Dobell would have gone Coalition. Therefore Tony Abbott would be PM today. Windsor and Oakeshott both former Nationals but now independent have played their part. They are both not contesting their seats and that means a notional 76 (tiny majority) to Coalition as things stand. Then comes the question why did Rudd not challenge sooner? If Rudd had have stood last March, he would have had 3 months more to turn things around. As policies change, why did he leave it until there was no apparent parliamentary sittings to debate these shifts in policy. It is left to journalists to get admissions of culpability over matters like the shift in immigration? Why is Rudd scared of the opposition on the parliamentary floor? He keeps taunting Abbott with debate me on Prime Time TV. Abbott is saying I won’t play the game. But at some stage he needs to play the game. He needs to give the electorate time to develop belief in the team he leads. To find any rationality in all that is now upon us we have to go back further in recent history. Exactly how Rudd was overthrown in June 2010 and what were the real motives and who were the real players? When Rudd and Gillard first came together as a leadership team, both were considered young and neither more chance. Rudd was prepared to serve under Gillard but Rudd was the better spokesperson. The ALP was desperate to end the Howard reign. Rudd had no factional allegiances, and Gillard was all things to all people. Rudd due to his diplomatic background won over. Roll on to November 2007, they did the unbelievable, they won. Queensland turned a narrow victory into a massive one because for the 1st time there was a Qld Prime Minister. A golden period ensued. Costello retired. Howard was defeated in his own seat. Some was attributable to Workchoices other decisions were just human frailty. Brendan Nelson was anointed Liberal leader. He said he would have a go. There was no heir apparent beyond Costello. There was Kyoto and Sorry and Rudd was walking on water, metaphorically. Nelson called a leadership contest, he was happy to get out. The Liberal party’s electoral stocks were atrocious. The leadership was given to Turnbull. He wasn’t ready. Then came Godwin Grech and Utegate. Turnbull had no traction. Then came Carbon Tax and Copenhagen. Abbott took over, in a contest that included Hockey. The Liberal party was happy with 2nd best. After Copenhagen Rudd was petulant. He spat the dummy. The fools got in the way. Rudd dropped Carbon Tax cold and switched to a mining super profits tax. Some virtual unknown announced the coup on ABC TV by the name of Paul Howes, of the AWU. By the time that was decided Rudd was the first 1st term prime minister knifed by his own party. Gillard spoke of a good government who had lost their way. Australia was in shock. Leaks were everywhere. All scuttlebutt. What was the truth? Arbib according to Wikileaks had been informing Washington what was really happening. Shorten and Howes were spokespersons. Richardson claimed a part, and implicated the Victorian right. All was based on gossip and leaks. The ALP went ever so close to losing the unlosable election. Gillard formed a minority government. Abbott had brought the Coalition back from the grave. Gillard show her real chameleon persona, she was simply do what it takes. In her words “the Little Doer” in public perception, power is everything. Australia gave her a very good go. Abbott acted as if he was just waiting for government to fall to the Coalition. The broken promise on Carbon Tax was just the beginning. The Coalition played it like a broken record. The shambles that parlayed from there on in was just too hard to believe. HSU, Slipper, more broken promises, parliamentary salary increases, a budget surplus set in stone, oops an $18bn deficit, Eddie Obeid. When it was first announced on Christmas Eve that the guaranteed surplus was abandoned, because jobs matter, the death knoll had rung for the last time. Maybe not, maybe it was the NSW ICAC enquiries into Tripodi, Obeid and McDonald. Nothing will save the Gillard government. Don’t put away that gong too fast. The death knolls just get louder. By the May Budget there was a massive disconnect. Coming from Caucus was this nonsense of a j curve. Sell our positive agenda, harp on about the Coalition negative agenda. But no one is listening. The ALP needed desperately a circuit breaker. The only one was Rudd. Rudd the Dud according to prominent front benchers. They lined up to tell us what a dud he was in 2012. Those who spoke most freely and at length are all gone now. Those that spoke less candidly, knowing how foolish they looked, have survived, just. Gillard had to find a way out, the ALP had to find a face saving exit. Shorten switches to the Rudd forces. Was Rudd guaranteed an open mandate to fix the underlying issues? Please be clear on what issues. We now wait. Intervention in NSW ALP. ASIC claims the banks are gauging on term deposit rollover rates. Hang on ASIC is a government agency but they have been silent for far too many years on the banks not passing on full interest rate cuts. Why is that pitched at the retiree sector rather than the mortgagee belt? Where is Glenn Stevens and the RBA or APRA. Oh investments! Australian Securities and Investments Commission! So Rudd has got a friend, one at ASIC. Rudd does a flying visit to Indonesia. Carbon tax moving to Emissions Trading System. Nothing is firm, not even the election date. Wow this is much more the opening lines of Macbeth than Act V Scene II. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. Eye of newt & and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. [Macbeth Act I] What is left? A 2nd string (journey man) Coalition leader. One that is easily labelled negative, and having little by way of policy. A closer run race where confusion reigns. He though he was MacDuff, but it was always Rudd, the understudy who was going to play the part. Where and How will the ALP secure not only seats to counter New England and Lyne, but hold Dobell and Robertson and many many more. I can now believe that some seats like Kingsford Smith will be a stronger majority to the ALP. Garrett has gone. But winning 5 seats is different. Safe seats like Batman or Lalor, Melbourne or maybe even Denison don’t change the scenario. They won’t. They can’t. What will happen is that the Coalition will form government and be on the back foot from day 1. The Greens will struggle to win a senate seat but will still be the balance of power in the Upper House. Going for a double dissolution will not achieve anything. They might well lose the lot. Opposition leader Rudd could well be in a position to take back the government benches. No initiative allowing them to expunge the Carbon Tax will be possible. Only waiting until 2016 will see the Greens finished. It will be very difficult for the Coalition to make any significant difference. The best thing about Shakespeare is that it does have an ending. How surreal! Believing in sanity is indeed insanity. |
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EYE-BALL’s ‘Herman’ … |
EYE-BALL’s Harry’s Growl on – Election 2013 – Growl No: 51 – The US Back Gillard – Poor Call or Poor Form –
Latest ‘Harry’s Growl’ Posts:
Larry Pickering Cartoons – Updated 3rd July 2013 – click to view in a new window: To see more of Pickering’s Political cartoons – use this link … – 28th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 50 – Rudd’s House of Pain – He must learn that ‘less is more’ – 27th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 49 – Shorten has to be made accountable – – 26th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 48 – Gillard’s “Mrs Doubtfire” moment – – 19th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 47 – Chris McArdle – Craig Thompsons Lawyer opens up with his views on drive time radio – – 18th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 46 – Gillard revisits her Slater and Gordon Exit – 12th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 45 – Gillard and Swine swill – – 10th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 44 – Foreign Minister Bob Carr – The “Gallah” that feasts and is never concerned with the damage left behind … – 8th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 43 – The Independents and The Greens – why do they accept an alleged Criminal as PM? – – 6th June – True Leadership – we are yet to experience the way it was meant to be – – To see more EYE-BALL Harry’s Growl posts: click here … |
Title: – Election 2013 – Growl No: 51 – – The US Back Gillard – – Poor Call or Poor Form – | Author: EYE-BALL’s Harry’s Growl | 3rd July 2013| |
Astory released today covering the departing US Ambassador, and his heartfelt comments about Julia Gillard and her career post politics says many things. Either – the US don’t believe the AWU scandal can touch Gillard, or they don’t mind being associated with a former Prime Minister who is a criminal and have their ‘on the record’ comments recorded. Why would they do that – why would they pledge their continued support and loyalty unless they owed Gillard on some policy decisions she may have made in office that the US owe her for – i.e. US military base in NT with troop deployment for one. The story was reported by “The Australian” and appears below:
Ambassador Bleich’s comments on face value seem like any ordinary message by an outgoing Diplomat leaving good will and good cheer for all those left behind. But in this case – his comments give legitimacy to Gillard’s Leadership when he would be aware she is under a police investigation into a serious fraud. It is reasonable to accept the US does business with Tyrant style leaders all around the world, past and present, what we don’t expect is for them to treat Australia with such contempt in the face of Gillard’s AWU history, and the fact that the CIA file on Gillard would be as incriminating as the AWU missing files. The US want Foreign Leaders who support and foster US interest’s – so it is safe to assume that Gillard was a staunch ally of the US – else the CIA file on Gillard would have leaked. If Gillard is charged, the comments made by the outgoing US Ambassador will mean nothing to most Australian’s, but for those who take these things seriously, it will mean a significant loss of face for the US to have been so supportive of a Leader with a criminal background. The US are good at their job – we know that much through some of the Wikileaks information revealed in recent years … and more recently the Snowden revelations. Perhaps Obama’s friendship with Gillard was more than diplomats just bumping into one another or up against one another in the night. |
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EYE-BALL Opinion – The Elephant in the Room – Gillard’s Police Investigation –
Latest ‘EYE-BALL Opinion’ Posts: – 27th June – After the Fact: Will Gillard escape? Gillards Epitaph: Criminal or Feminist hero – – 26th June – A Nation held to Ransom – – 26th Jun – Independent Rob Oakeshott Quits – – 24th June – The ALP Cocoon – – 17th Jun – Our Leadership Betrayal – Entitlement should be earned, not assumed nor expected – – 11th June – Julian Assange – An Interview worth Watching – – 6th Jun – True Leadership – Australia is still to experience it the way it was meant – – 30th May – Revisiting the Past – A post some two years ago has relevance today .. – 13th May – Just Stunningly Beautiful – – 11th May – Budget 2013-14 – Wayne Swan about to deliver an ALP death notice – To see more EYE-BALL ‘Opinion’ posts: |
Title: – The Elephant in the Room – – Gillard’s Police Investigation – | Author: EYE-BALL Opinion | 2nd July 2013 | |
As a young Nation by World standards, and with a human heritage made up of ‘convict stock’, Australia’s development as a Nation has hinged on our own ability to distinguish right from wrong, to know what is moral and what is immoral, and to make choices that are beyond self-interest.
Our allegiance to the Commonwealth and our Colonial masters taught us much during WWI – even more during WWII. We came of age during Vietnam when fostering new allies in America, but still felt the need that we were ‘babes in the woods’ in a globe full of Nations with centuries of history we could only envy. Political corruption has been a part of our heritage ever since Federation – Corporate and most of how our business growth has fared has also not been without criminal involvement and intent, i.e. Bond, Skase, Spalvins, Elliot, Home a Court, Goward and many other self made men have all added to our colourful past and shown that ‘larrikin’, ‘ockerism’ combined with ‘white collar’ criminality has become our accepted way of life for success. Rivkin proved that justice is not equal – if you can afford a legal defense, the courts allow you to be treated differently, allow the perception of justice to escape the guilty, and where poverty and the lack of a good legal defense often allows the courts to dispense justice unfairly. As a Nation we are a long way from being complete and we still struggle with the ‘fair-go’ concept believing that petty untruths and crimes are not all that wrong. We just act out if we get caught. How many of us have traced our heritage back and discovered forbearer’s and their reasons for being sent or coming to Australia? The ‘Elephant’ in the room in recent years has been the Gillard AWU scandal. It has been an anchor around her credibility ever since she was elevated to Deputy PM. Mainstream media took the approach to leave it alone – even last night on the ABC’s “Q&A” – the audience did not ask a single question about whether the AWU police investigation was a factor in the reason the ALP caucus took the course of dumping Gillard. There were no question on whether the poll’s were a reflection of the ‘blog’ campaign to damage Gillard over her criminal past. Her dumping as Prime Minister now brings forward the opportunity for police investigators to interview Gillard as – ‘the person of interest’ – over her involvement in the AWU fraud – will it happen? In the six days since Rudd became PM – there has not been a story anywhere in MSM about the police investigation and how it might now proceed other then Mike Smith’s blog comment yesterday. Reports yesterday about Thompson’s court case and its expected hearings in September, can only hurt the ALP and remind voters of the other corruption scandals that are ongoing – i.e. the Obeid/MacDonald corruption scandal within NSW Labor and the corruption within the Unions, all to be exposed further in coming months if justice is to be served. All the stories written about the fall of Gillard in recent days, and during her tenure, her association with her criminal past has never been seen nor reported on as the reason for her demise. As a politician Gillard proved time and time again that she had the goods, that she could spar with the best of them – but for this author, it was her criminal past that prevented acceptance of her in the role as PM. Hell – if criminals are allowed to become Prime Minister, and spread themselves among our elected MP’s and Senators, it can only confirm an outsiders view we are still a Nation of convicts, and unable to elect and promote political leaders with a moral code beyond reproach. The continued tenure as MP’s of Slipper and Thompson, both facing serious fraud charges, and seen as criminals by most is proof enough that we allow and condone a different set of rules for politicians. They are allowed to hide in full view behind the protection of the Parliament – why is that? In relative recent times, the case of Senator Mal Colston comes to mind – a corrupt politician allowed to serve and avoid jail time because of a disclosed terminal illness. Was his parliamentary pension voided as a result of his actions? A brief extract from Wikipedia about Colston’s political career is posted below: linked here
What could the ‘income of the parents estates’ relate to – the income from a lump sum parliamentary pension payout perhaps … Colston escaped justice and remained on the taxpayers payroll until he died. His wife and now son were and are beneficiaries of his parliamentary pension. Australia’s apathy to criminal behaviour in our Political Leaders is our own legacy – it will only change when outrage forces a change. Gillards AWU fraud involvement is such an opportunity and the crime itself and its cover-up involves so many current and past political leaders, it would be the opportunity for our Leaders to draw a line and make an example. As a Nation we are owed this. We have to bring this to a head and force the Parliament into change in the way pre-selection of candidates are vetted and is conducted. Gillard owns her past and she now needs to be made accountable for it. Her conning of the ALP and the electorate into a – ‘I did nothing wrong’ belief has to be exposed in full view. Her retiring parliamentary pension entitlement of $200k a year, plus all the perks of being an ex-PM running to near $1 million a year, has to be reviewed if her criminality in the AWU fraud is proven. Not pursuing this investigation is not an option. The people who helped promote Gillard to the Leadership role also have a case to answer – they were also AWU Union heavyweights who knew of the fraud yet still promoted Gillard with the knowledge of her involvement. Bob Carr is involved, Graham Richardson, and many other Labor MP’s, past and present, all have knowledge and yet they stayed silent. Condoning a criminal past that had someone ‘struck-off’ in legal terms, and to allow them to be elected to serve as the Prime Minister, proves we have not come far from our convict heritage, and we still have a long way to go before we can call ourselves ‘decent and honest’ people. We are perhaps one of the most tolerant Nations in the world – we can accept anything that has fairness and does not impinge on the way each of us want to live our lives. Cross that line and deliver us something that has a smell about it, and you can kiss that tolerance goodbye for good. We are harsh judges when it comes to small things. The bigger picture stuff is beyond most and we just don’t care as a general rule. Touch or harm our kids, or try to shake us down and you’ll see a different side to our lay-back yobbo way of life. When it comes to Politics, everybody gets a fair go and you only get one chance, screw us over or tell us a lie and we don’t forgive. We are easily sold on a political message until someone else gives us a reason to doubt – very few care enough to get interested and follow Political Parties or their policies. We are gullible and rely on the media to keep us informed and that trust is always abused. We just don’t really care, we all know that Politicians lie and are corrupted, the very nature of how our democracy operates breeds deals and trade-offs and that always involves some sort of corruption. Until we can tell right and wrong when they stare us in the face and be prepared to risk personal safety to defend it, we are no better than our heritage … |
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EYE-BALL’s Harry’s Growl on – Election 2013 – Growl No: 50 – Rudd’s House of Pain, He must learn that ‘less is more’ –
Latest ‘Harry’s Growl’ Posts:
Larry Pickering Cartoons – Updated 27th June 2013 – click to view in a new window: To see more of Pickering’s Political cartoons – use this link … – 27th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 49 – Shorten has to be made accountable – – 26th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 48 – Gillard’s “Mrs Doubtfire” moment – – 19th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 47 – Chris McArdle – Craig Thompsons Lawyer opens up with his views on drive time radio – – 18th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 46 – Gillard revisits her Slater and Gordon Exit – 12th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 45 – Gillard and Swine swill – – 10th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 44 – Foreign Minister Bob Carr – The “Gallah” that feasts and is never concerned with the damage left behind … – 8th June – Election 2013 – Growl No: 43 – The Independents and The Greens – why do they accept an alleged Criminal as PM? – – 6th June – True Leadership – we are yet to experience the way it was meant to be – – To see more EYE-BALL Harry’s Growl posts: click here … |
Title: – Election 2013 – Growl No: 50 – – Rudd’s House of Pain – – He must learn that ‘less is more’ – | Author: EYE-BALL’s Harry’s Growl | 29th June 2013| |
Rudd’s willingness to grasp what can only be described as a ‘poisoned chalice’, and willing walk into the ALP caucus caldron proves his courage of a sorts … was it ego or does he truly believe he is the messiah, the chosen one to resurrect the flawed ALP? The 57-45 result represents only a margin of 6 votes – and they all swung on the back of Shorten’s public switch to Rudd. This is still a divided caucus and Rudd’s task is herculean – is he up to it? Rudd’s ego is well documented – larger than most in a political sense, and all added to since his inability to deal with his dumping some three years ago. Given the two days back in the job – has he learnt that ‘less is more’. The Press Conference: Rudd’s first extensive Press conference was a wide-ranging affair and tried to cover all topics. If Rudd should have learnt something for his stint on the backbench, he should have realised that the way to earn Party loyalty is to let your Ministry shine – let them have their moments without being hand-held – let then live and die by their own performance and give the Leader distance. This was Hawke’s success, strong Ministers with the publics support because they knew their Ministers and their abilities. At yesterdays press conference, Rudd gave the media a free shot and he again try to prove he is the man. Rudd’s eagerness to answer questions across a wide range of topics he has been out of the loop on for some time, only gave the media ammunition for their want to pin him to the cross for dumping Gillard. The media are having a field day with some of the comments he let fly when ‘less would have meant more’. Paul Kelly penned two stories overnight – when was the last time he did that – the first titled: “Kevin Rudd broke every rule in the book” – linked in full here – an extract appears below:
All the media are on heightened alert – after a week of shark feeding and speculation they have the taste of blood with Gillard’s demise and are now focused on their next prey – it is to be Rudd or Abbott – at the moment they see Rudd as most vulnerable and if he survives intact, Abbott will become the target if he can’t make traction against Rudd. Kelly’s story above is a ‘Himalayan’ molehill – he has taken comments Rudd made in his Press conference yesterday and gone beyond journalistic license. The full transcript of Rudd’s Press conference can be read – here – a sample of the Q&A about which Kelly wrote is produce below:
Paul Kelly has gone too far in his critique and reveals he also suffers from the same infected weakness all media have – a want to tear down and embellish. Kelly’s take on the words Rudd spoke were corkscrewed to suit his story, as opposed to treating them at their face value. Kelly’s second story was titled: “For Kevin Rudd, it’s policies on the run” – linked in full here – an extract appears below:
Once again Kelly is engaged in opinion journalism and inflames the debate beyond the words Rudd spoke … it would appear there is no honeymoon period and the new Government and returning backbenchers can expect fire when ever the opportunity arises. This was also evidenced in the new Treasurer’s – [Chris Bowen’s] – grilling just hours into the new job. Why he took the interview request is understandable – but he had to know that he would be asked questions he could not answer given his ‘out of the loop’ backbench position since March. Leigh Sales from the 7:30 Report did the grilling and Bowen used extraordinary restraint in his responses – he should have given Sales a list of what he would be prepared to talk about given his short time in the new job. Sales asked questions to try and put Bowen on the spot … see full transcript and video of interview here – a sample of Sale’s question and Bowen’s responses appears below:
Once again – ‘less could be more’ – the Ministry don’t owe the Media – the media’s job is to report the news not to try and make the news. Trying to catch a Minister in a word-trap is the ‘game’ played by all journalist and in the past all Ministers have happily try to make themselves look smarter – how often do they fail? This is the main reason ALP Ministers were reluctant to give Andrew Bolt of “The Bolt Report” a crack at them. To be the ALP saviour Rudd has to try to fully transform himself from a media ‘whore’ to a media ‘frugal’ – a ‘Howard Hughes’ example is a bridge too far, but someone like “Dame Edna” would be great – someone with a wit to spoil any reporter with a political agenda. Someone who can deal with the media and put them in their place if they ask a stupid question. How often have you cringed when a reporter asked a question beyond the scope of the interview – why is it that the media is allowed to ask a dumb question and the Minister tries to answer the question – why don’t they just say – ‘that’s a stupid question’. Fry them on camera and allow the people to know that you know when a question is a dumb question. It may get edited out, but other media outlets will show it to score points … make the media feed on themselves rather than feast on the Government. Conditioning the media to a ‘less is more’ policy will not be an easy task – passive intimidation works – and the Minister’s must be the one who have the confidence to do it. First – Rudd must set the example. Feeding them ‘less scraps’ will go a long way to helping the media learn how to become journalist’s again and immerse themselves in background research necessary to expose real Government corruption and stories that have accountable outcomes. Given the Obeid revelations during the ICAC hearings – why were journalists not on that story before it was revealed? The Tony Burke and Stephen Conroy use of the Obeid ski-lodge – who in the media are working on that story and how it came about? The Torbay involvement with Obeid – surely that is also a story worth covering and getting to the bottom of. The media have become lazy letting and expecting MP’s do their work for them. The trouble is that stories like these are beyond the investigative abilities of most of our current journalists – they are all about the career story off the back of some leaked scoop … and their editors encourage this ‘postage stamp’ type story. To be honest most are only worth scraps … yet they feast on prime meat. To ensure an ALP survival and an election contest – Rudd and his Ministry have to control the media to suit their own agenda, give them nothing they can leverage and so build negative coverage – again ‘less is more’. Ministers and Backbenchers who continue to background the media should be dealt with over their lack of Party loyalty – if a Leader can’t get that condition then the caucus is not as one – and the Leadership flawed … Ministers and caucus members know this already and in the post Gillard environment, Rudd can expect to receive the same treatment his supporters did to Gillard. He has to be aware of this and be on top of it. Unless this is addressed and Rudd can prove he has changed – the loyalty of the full caucus will always be doubtful. This MP love affair with the media has created an over-exposure issue for the Government, we want to see and hear less of and about Government – just the rewards of successful good Government. The eagerness for Ministers and other spokesperson to get air-time to build their own media profile has fed the problem. Rudd should encourage their media contact in an environment with other Ministers – i.e. the Cabinet holds a weekly or fortnightly Cabinet Press Conference. This type of media conciliation has been advocated on this site previously without anyone making comment about flaws of such a proposal. Comment is welcome … Social media has fed the media cycle – scoop upon scoop and get it out there as fast as you can before someone else gazumps the story. If they have nothing then it will burn itself out – rather then individual Twitter or Facebook accounts, have Ministerial accounts and all press releases are only put on social media for the public interest, and after given to mainstream media outlets. Journalists with their secret sources to Ministers and Party politics is a destructive element that makes journalist believe they have a sense of entitlement – MP’s feeding their ego with these types of relationships with journalists contribute to the problem. You truncate that source and those journalist with inside scoops become obsolete – I’m sure the public would welcome less political speculation and inside stories in lieu of real stories based on facts and public interest. It is a tough ask for Rudd to shrink from the limelight and let his Ministers shine – the ‘less is more’ policy will work and perhaps stabilise Leadership. Richo wrote an article this morning that has him convinced that Labor has a chance at the next election – this after a single day of change … read full story here … One of the more serious matters Rudd has to deal with is the Union’s and the ogre of Bill Ludwig. Rudd has to be seen to doing something about making all Unions more accountable and open with regard to finances and where members funds are being spent. An area where headway can be made in this area is the process of pre-selection of ALP candidates … opening the pre-selection process and making it more equitable for non-union affiliated candidates would be a start. This will require an ALP charter and not likely to happen overnight – but statements by union heads to enter into talks about addressing the issue would go some way to allaying concerns. Imagine Rudd’s current existence and having a nest of vipers in the room with him never knowing when one or several are going to strike. Plibeseck is someone who advocated herself as a Rudd hater – there were others but Plibeseck is the only one left who has that feminist persona that never forgives nor forgets … Rudd would do well to sink her somewhere away from the access chamber. Of the 57 votes he had, less than 40 or so are true Rudd supporters … the rest are that motley crew flip-flopping because they want some one to save their reelection. They are dead weight to Rudd in a real clutch and have proven themselves to be less then faithful, loyal, and deserving of public office. Rudd has much to do to save the ALP brand and his ‘House of Pain’ is real. |
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