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.

New Labor …

Just what they need …

After graduating he worked for 18 months as a lawyer for the firm of Maurice Blackburn Cashman before beginning his union career as a trainee organiser under the ACTU’s Organising Works programat the AWU, and was elected Victorian State Secretary in 1998. In February this year he  told MUA members in Western Australia  “there’s no other place I’d rather be today anywhere in Australia, and I mean this with all my heart, than here with you”.

At least you can’t fault him on loyalty …

Well, until he abandoned Miss Gillard and declared for Kevni.