Author: bobmcgee

Boats, what boats … ?

Mr Abbott’s new policy of not telling the media about illegal boat arrivals is not a policy I like. It does make it difficult for the interested observer to judge whether Mr Abbott’s key promise is being made good.

On the other hand, when was it the job of government to do the news gathering for the media? There was a time when news reporters went out and gathered it for themselves. There is nothing to stop them putting a reporter on Christmas Island and watching the docks. It’s a job I wouldn’t mind myself, despite the lack of ice-cream.

Veggie day …

Meanwhile in Germany …

A dramatic fall in the polls for the Green party has been blamed in no small part on their Veggie Day proposal, in which canteens would be obliged to offer only vegetarian food once a week, with Germans (among the most enthusiastic carnivores in Europe) encouraged to follow suit at home … The Greens have fallen in the polls by between four and five percentage points since August – and a staggering 10 points since 2011. They are now predicted to get just 9%-10% on 22 September.

And the Worst Headline …

The hot air buffoon …

Will he make it? It’s a nail biter, a cliff hanger. Latest news is that Mrs Palmer’s little boy (who’d have thought that Mrs Palmer could become pregnant?), who was romping away in the soon to be capital of FNQ, has had his lead slashed to a mere 64 votes.

Clearly, this is the result of a conspiracy, possibly involving the CIA, FBI, AEC, LNP, YMCA, Uncle Tom Cobbly and the CWA.

A recount is a must, we owe it to Australian politics to get this guy over the line. Parliamentary privilege was invented for a man like him. Can you just imagine it?

skywhaley1

Canberra here we come …

Shaw thing …

“Victoria Police has charged a 45-year-old Frankston man with 23 charges of obtain financial advantage by deception and one count of misconduct in public office,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Cath Allen said.

“The charges relate to an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office by a serving member of the Victorian Parliament in 2011.”

Mr Shaw has been summoned to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on 8 October. <HeraldSun>

The parallels between the federal government propped up by the execrable Craig Thomson and the Victorian state government and Mr Shaw are uncanny. The leaders concerned both put their government survival ahead of any thoughts of ethical behaviour, whilst both alleged miscreants will find themselves in court fairly soon.

Mr Shaw has apparently repaid $1250. Which brings us to another interesting parallel …

JULIA Gillard wrote a personal cheque for $4243 to the Department of Finance because her partner, Tim Mathieson, had misused her taxpayer-funded car to drive around Victoria selling shampoo and other haircare products in breach of parliamentary rules.

Documents released to The Australian under Freedom of Information laws yesterday show that Ms Gillard made the payment on March 9, 2007, as deputy leader of the opposition because of concern over a breach of rules forbidding the use of the car for commercial purposes. The documents were provided yesterday after a 10-month battle by the former prime minister and her office to prevent the Department of Finance from following through on its decision to release the material. <TheAustralian>

Can we look forward to Miss Gillard’s appearence on similar charges?

Albo in …

I happened to hear Mr Shorten’s press conference as I was driving the other day. He made a speech tossing his hat into the ring and outlining the qualities that would make him a good Labor leader. Galvanizing, electrifying, inspiring, renewing are all words that you don’t need to describe it. Three years of that, I thought, and I’ll die of boredom. Albo has, at last, announced that he too will run. I suspect he is intellectually the inferior but, gee, he offers much more entertainment. Good on yer, Albo.