Wingecarribee Local Council Elections

Its that time again, folks - your chance to determine the local political team who will run the bit of the world closest to you.

Alternatively, yes, unless you turn up and get your name ticked off by the Electoral Commission representatives, you might incur a fine. Yes, voting is compulsory.

It prefer to think of it as a privilege, and an opportunity to shape the future.

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Here is the Council Election website page - with appropriate onward links.
http://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/council/council-election-2012

• You can verify your enrolment there too.

Here are the Candidates, as listed officially by the NSW Electoral Commission.
http://candidates.elections.nsw.gov.au/default.aspx 

Council Election - Candidates
and Polling Places
Go here to download the original document
which will be easier to read.

Council Election - Candidates
and Polling Places

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Having got that formal stuff out of the way, let me now look at the list of dunces, dead-heads and self-serving people who make up most of the names of people who are standing for "FAME AND POWER" (sorry - standing for Election to Council). 

I do not propose to tell anyone who to vote for, but I will suggest a few people for whom I would definitely NOT VOTE.

Charlie Johns
Once, seemingly the Right Hand Man of Nick Campbell-Jones
until they fell out (under mysterious circumstances).
Anyone not good enough to be a "mate"
of Nick C-J is to be avoided, I reckon.
He also has mysterious "history" of debts to Council,
which were supposedly waived in mysterious circumstances.
The fact that he has been on the Edge of Politics in the Shire
for such a long time,
and is an incessant writer of Letters to the Editor,
and is still so keen to get elected is a warning light to me.

He certainly will not get my vote.

Do you remember the scandal of the stupid investment in the Lehman Brothers "Federation Notes" (better known as Collateralised Debt Obligations).

• "It was a bitter lesson for Wingecarribee, a shire in the Southern Highlands. Not only had it invested ratepayers' funds in a complex and risky financial product, it had sold at a very bad time." (Sourced from that SMH Business Day link above)
  In other words, we bought badly and sold badly. Who is responsible for that?
  Seemingly no-one. Certainly no Councillors have ever owned up to getting kick-backs, or commissions, but given the way that the investment industry works, almost certainly mates of mates did. No names are available. Such a pity the original meeting was never minuted.
• Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/dante-notes-led-to-a-financial-inferno-20110222-1b42w.html#ixzz25ZuZOvye

So I would not vote for anyone associated with that famously "un-minuted" Finance Committee meeting (the one which got us into the mess in the first place) or the decision to bail out of the litigation process (which other Councils were successful in pursuing).

Here are some comments from a recent Meet the Candidates forum held in Bowral on August 28 put up by Travis Holland on a Highlands Votes website: Take these comments as you will.
http://www.highlandsvotes.com/2012/08/meet-the-candidates-long-post/

David Stranger was previously elected on the Liberal Party ticket in the shadow of Juliet Arkright. He has since left the Liberal Party ticket, and has formed his own team Group B. Real Estate Agents always make dubious candidates for Council, in my opinion. The fact that he is apparently a turn-coat merely reinforces my suspicions.

Duncan Gair cannot seem to get the desire for power out of his blood. He as been on Council for many terms, some as Mayor. He is standing again, after previously indicating he would not stand again for Council.

• Why, Duncan?
• “You look back and think, at the end of the day, it may not have happened if you weren’t there.”
• Looking back at the succession of bad decisions by the Wingecarribee Council, all I can say is that statement is a "double-edged sword", Duncan.

The Just Fix It team is headed by Ian Scandrett. He still wears as a badge of honour his time in the Balmain City Council. If you remember the TV program "Rats in the Ranks" you might not think that's such a good thing to boast about. But his team is proposing an "Energy Saving Scheme" which sounds just like a Ponzi Scheme, to me, from what I have heard about it. Council is being "sold the idea", but Council will not actually get any earnings - the proponents of the scheme, however, might get some benefits. The details are sketchy in my mind, but I know enough people with experience in financial markets - who are wary of this scheme - that I simply flag it as a "warning" to others.

Graham McLaughlin is heading up the Labor Team. I know Graham, and I admire his sense of humour and his musicality. But those factors do not outweigh, for me, his support for Boral and the expansion of the Berrima Colliery. It already poses a threat to the integrity of the local Aquifers over at Medway and High Range and Joadja. It is also leaking polluted water directly into the main feeder river of Lake Burrogorang (Sydney's primary Water Supply reservoir). Sorry Graham.

Edit: I have received this additional information: " ‘The Coalition Of Change’ group - Stranger, Turland and Andrews are running together with management from Nick Campbell-Jones. Back to the future for his Mega Leisure centre project if they get elected."
So I have been told, from a source I trust.

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So, who can I safely vote for, in this coming local Government Election?

Well, as far as I know The Greens will not do anything as stupid as their Sydney colleagues did prior to the NSW State Election (where they tried to impose bans on companies with economic contact with Israel). That cost them votes in Sydney and I assume that Jim Clark and Maree Byrne will not make the same mistake their Sydney colleagues did. I know both these people - only vaguely, but over a few years, now. But I do sincerely trust their Environmental credentials.

Larry Whipper is a local Robertson resident, and has been the strongest supporter on Council of the Southern Highlands Coal Action Group in its opposition to Hume Coal and also Leichhardt Resources, (a related company which controls the Coal Seam Gas licence over most of the Shire). Shoo Cockatoo's latest bulletin sings Larry's praises.
Larry's Team Website is here

Jim Mauger is standing as an independent. He has always been "independent" anyway, which is why nobody else on Council likes him much, but that is why I do like him. In a strange way, local interests, self-interest almost, can be a great predictor of what someone is likely to do when it comes to voting on important decisions. Big Jim will back Big Jim always and Robertson a close second (if not first, on occasions) That will do me.

Juliet Arkwright is being harassed by the Liberal Party machine men, which straight away wins my sympathy vote. She must have done something worthwhile to get those Big End of Town characters off-side. Besides, she lives in Burrawang and does her shopping in Robertson, so that a definite plus in my view.

Our Prime Minister is not a Sheila and not a "Ranga"

Our new Prime Minister is a person, and a female person - to boot.

She ought not be characterised as a "sheila" and not as a "ranga".

I will leave my original post there, so you can see how easily the average Aussie bloke can slip into silly errors.
It was not meant to be offensive, and I apologise that it was.

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A week is a long time in Politics. (attributed to British PM Harold Wilson, circa 1964)

Too true.

In Kevin Rudd's case, a day and a half was too long. Without support, he wilted in the sun, like a cut lettuce. He was not even prepared to call for a show of hands in Caucus.

Some say this was to limit damage to the Party. Maybe. But it shows he was not made of the same stuff as Paul Keating was.

I sent this message to my friend Leo, in Canada on Tuesday.

• Hi Leo
  This is the most imaginative Ad I have seen from the Liberals in ages.
  http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/06/22/olemon/?source=cmailer
  Kevin's election slogan nick-name in 2007 was "Kevin 07"
  Shame it is "resonating with the public" because it might be quite effective in an election year.
  Don't be misled, however, the bastards behind this are still the same bastards they always were, under John Howard.
  Forget ethics, morality, etc.

  But credit where credit is due - to the Advertising agency.

Today I have had to update Leo with the new developments (the selection of Julia Gillard by the ALP caucus as Prime Minister).

• Hi Leo
  That "lemon" Ad I sent you has had a remarkable effect.
  It only ran for a few days, and guess what? The Labor Party back-room boys shat themselves.
  We now have our (former ) Deputy PM, a woman, and a "ranga" - a red-head to boot, as Prime Minister designate. Likely to be sworn in today. http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard--to-become-australias-first-female-prime-minister-as-rudd-stands-aside-20100624-yzvw.html
  Amazing stuff. It remains to be seen if the strategy will work.
  CAUTION: LANGUAGE WARNING ON THE "URBAN DICTIONARY" LINK.
• For the Urban dictionary definition of "ranga" look here. It is amazingly frank. Be prepared to laugh a bit. Aussie humour at its best (worst).
  
  

***** ***** *****
A somewhat quizzical look on Julia's face - matching the story of
an unkind attack on her character by Senator Bill Heffernan.
She is made of sterner stuff than Bill Heffernan counted upon.

Photo: Penny Stephens, courtesy of "The Age" May 2, 2007

For a more restrained and balanced view of today's events (well, a self-professed feminist view, anyway) visit my friend Brigid's Blog "The Network".



Well, I consider myself to have been rebuked (indirectly) by Brigid in her latest posting, objecting to the use of the term "ranga".
Fair enough.

***** ***** *****

Post Script:
When I met Brigid she did not appear to have red hair, and so I was not anticipating causing her offence.
However, offence is obviously taken by not just her, but all (or any of) our red-haired colleagues.
Someone ought start stereotyping us blond-haired, blue eyed, over-weight blokes - then I might know to be more careful with my wording..

Early Election results - Wingecarribee Shire

Early results are as follows:
(note - as the figures keep changing - these are only preliminary figures.

Readers my check the latest figures for themselves by visiting the following URL:

http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/result.aspx?areaname=wingecarribee

Group Votes 15% 326 Group votes ARKWRIGHT, Juliet. Liberals 2% 43 personal votes

Group Votes 10% 354 Group votes CLARK, Jim. Greens 2 % 68 personal votes

Group Votes 10% 376 Group votes McLAUGHLIN, Graham ALP 1 personal votes 47 (later votes indicate Labor is slipping below the magic quote figure - but they are still looking strong.

Group Votes 6% 205 Group votes WHIPPER, Larry IND 2% personal votes 85 (Larry is being preferenced by Theo, so he is OK). So much for running a "principled campaign", when he is prepared to cross to the "dark side" to spoil Malcolm Murray and Duncan Gair's positions.

Group Votes 6% 201 Group votes TURNER, Geraldine Save the Highlands 2% 57 personal votes (her position is weakening as votes trickle in).

Group Votes 5% 233 Group votes MAUGER, Jim IND 2% personal votes 72

Group Votes 5% 224 Group votes HALSTEAD, Ken 3% personal votes 145

Group Votes 4% 172 Group votes TUDDENHAM, Paul IND 2% personal votes 70

Group Votes 4% 171 Group votes GAIR, Duncan IND 3% personal votes 121

Group Votes 3% 151 Group votes MURRAY, Malcolm IND 1% personal votes 28

Ungrouped ONISFOROU, Theo IND 4% personal votes 162

• With 9 candidates to be elected, my understanding is that a "quota" is 10% plus 1 vote (of formal votes cast on the day). So, roughly speaking 10% is the magic figure for candidates to aim for.
• Liberals, Greens and Labor are looking assured of a first round seat (without distribution of preferences). Labor's position is weakening, but they got a strong early start, and are still looking pretty good.
  
• There will be a scramble for trickle down preferences from smaller groups for the remaining 6 positions on Council.
• 7596 Total Formal Votes counted (at about 10:30 pm)
• Residential and Non-residential Electors enrolled on 4 August 2008: 31,094

These are early figures only, but on this basis, it is clearly a strong showing for the Liberal Party, led by Juliet Arkwright. Indeed I would be so bold as to suggest that she might well be positioned to assume the position of Mayor of Wingecarribee Shire, with such a strong vote for her group. But of course, such a position is determined by collectives of the Councillors, and who owes whom a favour, etc. So, my guess is that the next most likely candidate would be Larry Whipper.

As far as individual polling is concerned, to my eyes, the stand out is Ken Halstead, who has gathered 5% for his team, but a very strong 3% for himself individually.

Theo, who was really only running as a spoiler against Malcolm Murray and Duncan Gair, is probably content with their relatively poor showings, and his own reasonable 4% personal vote. His votes are expected to transfer to Larry Whipper, which is somewhat ironic.

Larry's Whipper's group will be preferenced by Theo, so he looks assured of getting elected.

The Save the Highlands group (led by Geraldine Turner) might pick up some preferences from any spare votes of the Greens, as, both groups were strongly against land sales and the uncontrolled push for development favoured by the last Council's pro-development groups.

I expect a tight exchange of preferences between previous Councillors Malcolm Murray and Paul Tuddenham, Duncan Gair, and on that basis, I would expect that one of those three will get elected (i.e., one will just scrape in). It is even possible that as they were all in Council previously, their names will attract lower-order preference votes, or flow-on preferences from groups, two could possibly get in on their name recognition. Of the three Malcolm Murray's position is weakest.

Jim Mauger is looking shaky, I would say, although he was the very last member elected last time, so a flow-through to him is still possible. He has a high profile, especially on anti-corruption issues (which is pretty popular right now.

I would say that Ken Halstead is looking a reasonable chance, but whether his aggressive style will mean that he has not secured enough 2nd, 3rd or 4th preference votes, or flow-on votes from other groups remains to be seen.

To my eyes, the big loser on the night looks to be Malcolm Murray, as he has been backed by a very strong advertising campaign, and seemingly is the preferred candidate of certain business groups. May King ran a relatively low key campaign and has seemingly disappeared out of sight.

As with all polling results, on needs to know where the count comes from, so it is possible that the early votes come from small rural booths, which would be expected to favour Greens and the Larry Whipper team. Whether they can hold that popularity in Mittagong and Bowral remains to be seen.

Pity the poor Doctor

Crikey has a sensitive report on Brendan Nelson's position as Leader of the Opposition (he gets that job as Leader of the Liberal Party, in case you cannot remember. There is another Party in there too somewhere, but don't worry about that.) Anyway, I digress.

Crikey starts off by reporting that Tony Abbott had dinner with the Director of the Liberal Party, Brian Loughnane, last night. Following on the Apology, one can only assume they were dining on Nelson Stew. Poor Brendan. Supposedly a human being resides within his thin skin. Rumour has it that deep down he is a sensitive soul. But he is answerable to Nick Minchin, etc. Nick in turn has to deal with the real bad-arse dudes in the Party. Ironbar Tuckey made a point of attending hte opening prayers, and then leaving. My local Member (Alby Schultz) didn't turn up. I await a response from Alby to confirm that he really had double-booked himself, and chose a more important event than the first day of business in the new Parliament.

Anyway, that is the scene inside the Liberal Party. A rag-tag bunch of misanthropes, who feel aggrieved that they are no longer in office, and in Tony Abbott's case, are deeply hurt that they are now lost somewhere down the pecking order on Shadow Ministers and "also-rans". So there might have been a little Schadenfreude sauce on Tony Abbott's plate last of Sweet-and-Sour at "The Chairman and Yip", last night, in Canberra.

And so, back to Dr Nelson's speech on "The Apology". As Crikey reports today:

• Without a trace of irony, Nelson told MPs in his speech in reply: "Now knowing who you are is the source of deep, scarring sorrows, the real meaning of which can be known only to those who have endured it." The former medico and ALP activist from Tasmania could have been talking about himself.

Photo: Andrew Taylor. SMH 14.2.07

Mr Schultz - were you really absent for the "Apology"?

I have this afternoon sent an urgent email to Mr Alby Schultz, MP, Member for Hume.
It reads as follows:

Dear Mr Schultz

As a constituent of yours, (from Robertson), I would be grateful if you could confirm the accuracy of a report on the Sydney Morning Herald website today (Wednesday), by Annabel Crabb that you were absent from the House during the speeches by the Prime Minister and your own party Leader, Dr Nelson, relating to the "Apology". If that is not correct you might wish to correct the record.

Ms Crabb's Article is entitled: Ancient tensions fail to mar apology.

The link to this story is here:

It says:

• "Wilson Tuckey arrived early, shouted the Lord's Prayer with his colleagues, then disappeared. Liberal colleagues Alby Schultz, Don Randall and Sophie Mirabella were absent for the apology."

I don't care how loudly Mr Tuckey responded to the Lord's Prayer, but I do care about your absence.

If this report is true, then I am totally dismayed, indeed disgusted. There are surely few matters of business more pressing than the first item of business on the first day of normal Parliamentary Sessions. And this sitting day has been scheduled for some considerable time.

I am forwarding this email to Ms Gash, Senator Heffernan and to Ms Pru Goward, Member for Goulburn in the NSW Legislative Assembly. I have also copied it privately to a number of my friends who are all your constituents, in the newly redistributed seat of Hume. In the past, we have been well served by the Member for Gilmore, Ms Joanna Gash. Even though some of us might have had various differences of opinion with Ms Gash - at least she never failed to represent us in Parliament.

I would hate to think that our level of representation has plummeted so dramatically, on the first regular sitting day, that you have discovered other things which are more important than being in Parliament for Item 1 on the business paper, for the first regular sitting day of the new session of Parliament.

I wonder if you would like to comment, please?

For the sake of completing the record, I would intend to copy your reply to the original distribution - so everybody knows what the real situation is regarding your reported absence from the House of Representatives chamber this morning.

Yours sincerely.

Denis Wilson

Wednesday 13 February 20084:53 PM

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Denis Wilson

PO Box 158 Robertson NSW 2577

Missingham Pde, Robertson NSW 2577

Enrolled voter in the Electorate of Hume, and in the NSW seat of Goulburn.

peonyden@bigpond.com

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Distribution:

Ms Jo Gash MP

Senator Heffernan

Ms Pru Goward, MLA

Delusional Liberals rage at Howard .... but he was not alone.

It is fun to watch the Liberal Party trying to tear itself apart. And even funnier to see them all blaming John Howard. But I have a word for them (and the Labor Party). The last Government surrounded itself with "Yes Men", Toadies and sycophants. Nobody was providing the "Frank and Fearless Advice" which was the hallmark of the traditional Public Service.

Everybody was desperate to read the mind of the person above them, and to tell that person what they wanted to hear. And I speak of this pattern right down into the middle and lower ranks of the Public Service. This is the true meaning of the Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tale - of the "Emperor's New Clothes" - where all the courtiers were too weak, too beholden to the Emperor, to tell him what was as plain as the nose on his face, (or elsewhere, in that case).

"Children Overboard" is my supreme case in point, but just one of many examples. Right through to the David Hicks Case, the AWB Scandal, and the Dr Haneef case. People who knew the truth were rewarded for hiding the facts. The AWB scandal is possibly the largest ticking bomb, still buried within the Fairyland World of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs. Lets hope someone finds the moral fibre to stand up and tell the truth - at last.

From Day One (today) the Labor Party must ensure that they go back to that old principle of good governance - that Politicians and Public Service all provide "Frank and Fearless Advice". Otherwise, they will be destined to repeat the recent history of the Liberal Party Government.

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But let us look at the Liberals for just another moment - for it is such fun.

Michelle Grattan, writing in "The Age" this morning has some wonderful quotes:

• "And, as anger mounted in the party towards John Howard, Peter Costello's father-in-law, Peter Coleman, declared "Howard's egomania" had blocked Mr Costello's "great promise". Mr Coleman, a former Liberal MP who writes a column for the ABC website, said Mr Howard had "a fatal flaw which brought him low and devastated his party. It is his colossal egotism."

And on Tony Abbott's withdrawal from the race for Liberal Party Leadership...

• "Mr Abbott described it as the "last supper at the Lodge for quite some time".

DJW writes: Typical Tony, Catholic mythology confused with myopia. No Tony, it is not "the Last Supper at the Lodge" - just the last one YOU are likely to be invited to. But that is a measure of nothing, when it comes to history, Tony. As they say: "Why is it all about you, Tony?".

• And Tony Abbott again: "I was a member of John Howard's praetorian guard, you might say. I always regarded myself as the honorary life president of the John Howard fan club."

DJW writes: Nice quote Tony. Thanks for that. We shall file that one away, if you don't mind.

Bloody Idiot.

He displays a lack of judgment, right to the bitter end.

Its as good as his "People Skills" quote from a couple of days before.

Sunset of a career?

Are we witnessing the brilliant sunset of a political career?

The next few posts will let you know what I anticipate.

Tonight's Late Line (ABC TV) broke the story that NSW State Liberal Party members have been caught handing out fake posters purporting to be from an Islamic organisation thanking the Labor Party for supporting Islamic extremists in Indonesia - so the story goes.

Naturally the Liberal Party officials are distancing themselves from the exercise. Andrew Robb (on Lateline) described it is amateurish & unauthorised. And that it was not an official Liberal Party exercise. Oh, did I say he used the word "unauthorised".

Gosh, Andrew - would you really expect a fake Islamic document to bear the words "Authorised by Graham Jaeschke for the NSW Liberal Party". I don't think so. So, to take refuge in the fact that it is "unauthorised" is facile, and meaningless Andrew.

Caught Red Handed is more to the point.

Typical of the Liberal Party's arrogance that they could think they could get a couple of "Anglos" to hand out "fake Islamic" documents without being noticed as obviously a fraud and a con job?

I understand that the story will be in the Daily Telegraph tomorrow (Thursday). The first version of the story is already published, but a fuller version might well be more dynamic.

Government funded the late Kerry Packer.

Thanks again to Crikey.com.au for this revelation of the abuse of power by the Liberal and National Party coalition which we ironically call a "Government".

The Auditor-General's report on the abuses of the Regional Partnerships Scheme is very revealing (if only you have the energy to wade through the 3 volumes of abuses of procedure):

• Buried in Volume 3 of the 1000+ page report are details of some of the companies that received public money in the form of Regional Partnerships funding.

• One of the least - on the face of it - deserving recipients was applicant RP00908, Teys Bros, operators of network of abattoirs and a feedlot. While the Teys Bros group has an annual turnover in excess of $A1 billion, their Rockhampton plant had been closed since 2002 after extended industrial disputation rendered it unprofitable. In March 2004, the Rockhampton business sought $A660,000 of regional partnerships (including GST) to upgrade and reopen the meatworks.

• The ANAO report indicates that at the time the Teys Bros' Rocky meatworks was cap in hand seeking public funding, it was a company ultimately controlled by Consolidated Press International Holdings Pty Ltd, a company at the time controlled by Mr Kerry Packer (RIP).

That's right two thirds of a million dollars granted to Kerry packer, who was Australia's richest man.

It gets worse. The funds were not recommended by the Department, as the plan did not meet the criteria. When funds were aproved there were conditions attached (an external review was required). But when the Parliamentary Secretary advised the Packer company of the grant, she forgot/omitted/did not bother (take your pick of verbs) to include this condition in the terms of the approval.

An existing company with a financial interest objected to the grant (as it was outside the criteria to award a grant when it would disadvantage an existing business). That letter was ignored.

The litany of abuses of correct procedures just goes on and on and on.

In normal circumstances, criminal charged might be considered warranted.

Let us hope that the people of Australia cast their own verdict next Saturday.

"I Know Nothing". Howard's "Manuel" defence.

It has started. Mad political smearing, lies and innuendo. Cop this lot, from a single article in today's Fairfax Digital news feed, from the Age.

1. A gay sex allegation, initially blamed on the Labor Party, turns out to have come from the Liberals themselves.
2. The Big Business funded "Pro-Work-Choices" Ads used persons with criminal records to play the Union guys. Then Joe Hockey defended it, as "method acting"!!!
   
3. Then the Liberals claim that the Labor Party is being funded by the TWU, and demands "TWU candidates" for the Labor Party be disendorsed. It turns out that one was once a TWU worker more than 10 years ago, and the other candidate left the TWU in 2000 (7 years ago).

Read about it here:

Gay sex smear traced to Liberals

Misha Schubert and Ben Doherty
September 24, 2007

AMID an escalating brawl over political mud-slinging in the countdown to the election, the latest smear on a Liberal figure has been traced to his own party.

Claims that a married federal minister visits gay bathhouses and sexually harasses other men in political circles surfaced yesterday in News Limited papers, which said the Government blamed Labor for smearing the minister, who has children — although the articles made clear Labor was not the source.

Veteran journalist Laurie Oakes, the Nine Network's political editor, said he too was fed the same story by a Liberal as part of an internal power struggle. Prime Minister John Howard refused to comment on the innuendo, which he said he knew nothing about.

*****

The exchange came as big business was reeling from revelations by The Sunday Age that two actors playing "union thugs" in its pro-WorkChoices advertisement were notorious criminals with records for drug offences and violence. One had also faced sex charges. The ads were pulled on Saturday night.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow was incensed by the depiction of the unionists. But Workplace Minister Joe Hockey suggested the men were "method acting" — because "we have a number of union officials out there who have criminal records".

*****

In another controversy, the Transport Workers Union was accused of running a secret multimillion-dollar slush fund. Mr Howard and Mr Hockey demanded Labor leader Kevin Rudd investigate to ensure the union was accountable to its members.

Mr Hockey accused the TWU of funnelling more than $3 million to the Labor Party in recent years, and demanded scalps.

"If Kevin Rudd is fair dinkum about his zero tolerance approach to the unions' dirty tricks, he will return the TWU money and disendorse his TWU candidates — Corio candidate Richard Marles and Victorian Senate candidate David Feeney," he said.

Mr Feeney has not been employed by the TWU for more than a decade, and Mr Marles left the union in 2000.

With AAP

Source: The Age - Fairfax Digital.

Prime Minister Howard is desperate, and is relying on the defence used by "Manuel" from Fawlty Towers all those years ago - "I know nothing".

Costello's "Substance" abuse problem.

Peter Costello has a "Substance" abuse problem.

In the report in today's "Age", we find Peter Costello claiming: "Substance is what counts, you've got to have substance in politics if you are going to deliver jobs and successful businesses," he said.
Source: The Age - Fairfax Digital - 14 September 2007

Given that the main body of the article (and the Headline) is about "Rudd "arrogance" - out of control", the concluding sentence (quoted above) amounts to "substance abuse". In that report, there is not a single word of substance issued by Mr Costello, just abuse of Mr Rudd.

Costello's ideas of "Substance" apparently are limited to abusive words: Arrogance, Triumphalism, Arrogance and then a prediction that the Labor Party's new advertising campaign "will not get much traction with (sic) the electorate".

This amounts to "Substance Abuse".

PM acts to spread the blame for his failure.

You have to hand it to PM, John Howard. He is a cunning rat.

Tonight he has come out and said that he will retire during the next term of Parliament if he is elected. And that he would expect to hand over to Peter Costello. Well, that's hardly a surprise. The Labor Party has been predicting that for ages.

"I would probably certainly form the view, well into my term, that it makes sense for me to retire and in those circumstances I would expect - although it would be a matter for the party to determine - that Peter would take over," Mr Howard said.

"Now that's the honest position."

Source: ABC News Website

Whether or not that statement is "honest", it is not just a statement to be taken at face value. So, what is he really saying?

As I see it, this means he is taking Costello at his word, that he and Howard are a "team" (right? - NOT). So, if the poll results - as predicted - come true, then Howard can say that it was not just he who lost the election, but Howard and Costello, and that the people have rejected them both.

All the polling shows that the public like Costello as Treasurer, but do not want Costello as leader. So that's what Howard is explicitly promising us.

It an amazing strategy. He is really prepared to wreck the entire party to spite Costello's faltering leadership ambitions.

"The Final Cut" scenario?

Paul Kelly wrote a long opinion piece several days ago, and word has that if it were not for AP*ec, Howard would have been "tapped on the shoulder" by now. The article concludes:

"Howard’s response to the Newspoll was illuminating: he pledged to work harder. It was well intentioned but inadequate.

Howard can work as hard as he likes, but the problem transcends diligence and capability.

Howard’s formula is that he would stay leader only as long as his party wanted him.

The party is not going to depose Howard and Peter Costello is not going to challenge him. Howard’s leadership lies in his own hands.

For 12 years he has stayed Liberal leader because he judged correctly that he was the party’s best election winner. That was true in 1995 and it was true in 2006. But is it still true in September 2007?

What is the real message of the polls? Is it for Howard to bring on the election? Or is it that the public has closed its mind against him?

Howard has no intention of walking away from this battle because for him that would be an act of panic and cowardice.

But if the Liberal Party really believes the election is lost, then Howard must consider his responsibility as leader. He needs, at least, to re-examine his position and decide whether its logic remains valid.

---

Effectively Paul Kelly is doing the tapping on the shoulder himself (and he is not alone - someone in Crikey did much the same a few days ago, but I think that was Richard Farmer, who is an old buddy of Hawkie's, so Howard would take no notice). Paul Kelly is different.

Watch out for a resignation in the next week. My Blogging colleague, Miss Eagle has stated publicly that she wants Howard to stay on and face the people's judgement. If Paul Kelly's instinct is right, Howard might resign to "spend more time with his family" very soon (what a nasty thought!***) for while the Party is unlikely to challenge (how gutless are they?), Howard might be persuaded - after all, he said yesterday he was "listening to the people" (more or less), and he has always said he would stay as long as his Party needed him.

Kelly is saying they need you to go.

As I write, Paul Kelly is speaking on ABC Radio 702, (Sydney local Radio) with Richard Glover, saying that Costello is too weak, and the Party does not have enough confidence in him to bring on a challenge, so he is predicting a Howard-Rudd election. Miss Eagle would be pleased to hear that view.

I wonder, though?

---

*** Does anyone else recall the BBC TV series "House of Cards"?
That trilogy ended with the third series "The Final Cut" where the wife of the PM had developed into a powerful figure "in the background". She arranged for his personal body guard ("Corder") to ass** ass ** inate the (fictional) P* m. She knew the Leader needed to go out a hero, but could not work out how to achieve it himself. I wonder if the AP* ecian Se** curity scenarios included the "Fi** rst La** dy" as the Number One Threat?

If you didn't see the series, or think I am dreaming, read the three précis stories in Wikipedia.

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

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Cut_%281995%29

Is Janette up to the role completed by her counterpart (Elizabeth Urquhart) from the TV series?

For Lit** tle Joh** nnie's sake, he had better hope not!

*****

For a little light relief, let me add that there's more than enough "hardware" and "Hardheads" in Sydney right now.....
Mitre 10 is a large "ironmongers" store as one of my ancient uncles used say.
Hardhead is a common name for a species of Duck! (Aythya australis )

Sydney to be "locked down", or maybe "Shut down".

Crikey has kindly done a review of the preparations for the AP*EC conference.

• Jets will patrol a restricted area within a 45-nautical-mile radius of Kingsford Smith Airport and all other flights set to travel through the area will be required to pre-register and obtain approval.
• People on elective surgery lists in hospitals including Prince of Wales and Royal Price Alfred have had their appointments postponed to free up resources.
• Concrete fences have been used to fence restricted areas of the Sydney Opera House, Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Government House.
• The Australian Defence Force announced that around 1500 personnel, Black Hawk helicopters, F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, a special task group and Navy ships will be released for the event.
• A video featuring the Maritime Union of Australia protesting against Work Choices as part of a montage of ‘violent’ protesters has been shown as part of police training for the summit.
• Circular Quay, Museum and St James train stations will be closed for three days and moved to Elizabeth Street.
• For those planning to visit the city, delays and random police searches are said to be expected.
• NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced that temporary legislation would be put into force to increase police powers over the duration of the summit.
• Rumours of a 2.8m high concrete "ring of steel" to be built around the CBD have been circulating, alarming business owners.
• A $600 000 water cannon has been purchased by the police to be used against violent protesters.
• The NSW Police Minister has announced that taser guns, not capsicum spray, will be carried by riot police for crowd control.

My favourite is the issuing of Taser Guns. Goodie. That's just what the country needs - power crazed Coppers running around with Stun Guns, which are demonstrated to be unsafe, possibly lethal, and anyway, not suitable for "crowd control". They might be good for controlling a dangerous individual, but not a bunch of "rent-a-crowd" crazies, looking to get themselves "famous".

For the record, I would recommend that anyone looking to get famous at this forthcoming "event" ought think again - for judging by the political, and security preparations, it is sure to get out of hand, and be a total (and dangerous) mess.

Besides, let us hope that the "crazies" do not hand John Howard (or whoever might be leading the Liberals by then) a guaranteed "Law and Order" issue on which to sweep back into office.

Australia needs discipline, in the lead up to the next election - not a huge "stunt" powered with Taser Guns and Liberal Party testosterone, and US Republican Party "War on Terror" security advisers, standing in the shadows speaking into their cuff links.

Bowral Hospital needs a hand-out, too

Dear Mr Howard,

Very nice of you to discover that Devonport Hospital is in need of extra funding. Shame that you have only discovered this, after discovering that it is on the Federal Electorate of Barton, held by one of your loyal supporters, with a margin of 2%.

Can you please have a close look at the Bowral District Hospital?
It is an old hospital, based upon a 1930s model, by appearances. It is a rabbit warren of a building, and moderately comfortable, and the staff are said to be friendly, but it takes more than that to make a good hospital. It takes staff, and staffing takes funding. It also takes a few overseas trained doctors, (but please don't mention that to Mr Kevin Andrews).

The problem with Bowral Hospital is that it is in the safe Liberal-held electorate of Hume. The Australian Electoral Commission site describes Hume as:

Seat Status: Safe Liberal

Two Party Preferred:

LP: 64.13% ALP: 35.87%

So, what is the logic here - nice Southern Highland people vote for your Government, and get ignored by you, and the local member, Alby Schultz MP.

The fickle people of Braddon get rewarded for their electoral disloyalty, by getting their hospital funded by Federal Intervention - a gift from on high.

There is no logic in ignoring loyal supporters, and funding the fence-sitters - unless it is a feeble political gesture on your part. Surely not!

Howard "Old, Desperate and Sneaky"

Hey, its not my wording - its straight from the Sunday Telegraph.
In fact it is a screaming headline, on Page One.

And even Glen Milne (the journalist involved) can claim, as he does, that these are the conclusions from a poll done by the Labor Party, but "obtained by" the Sunday Telegraph.

Cute expression that one: not "leaked to", but "obtained by".

I suggest that you read the full article (use link above).

*****

I must say, I am surprised that the Labor Party would so obviously release something as potentially damaging to Howard, vis-a-vis Costello. They must also have polling which tells them they are even more likely to win against Costello than Howard. Risky gamble, that one, I think.

Howard is definitely "on the nose". While he is sneaky, and tricky, he is definitely not able to experience a "honeymoon" effect, which could just happen with Costello, should the Liberals decide to dump Howard prior to the election.

*****

Now here is an interesting challenge for crikey.com.au

Normally they would headline this story - in tomorrow's edition. They love all this political controversy, and internecine Liberal Party politics, especially Costello stories (they usually refer to him as "The Smirk").

But the article is written by Glen Milne, who is memorable for his "apparent assault" on Crikey's founder Stephen Mayne, at a televised Walkey Awards ceremony earlier in the year - on account of Milne's obvious dissatisfaction with Mayne's entitlement to the award he was given. The link above takes you to the Age's report of the Awards, and photo and discussion of the "incident".

You can even follow this link to see it all, over and over again, on YouTube

How forgiving is Stephen Mayne? We shall see tomorrow.

Welfare "reform" madness.

On Saturday 14 July 2007, both the Liberal Party (Government) and the Labor Party (Opposition) announced eerily similar "Welfare reforms". Both policies are equally unrealistic and nonsensical (in my humble opinion).

In essence, both parties promise the Centrelink will monitor child welfare, assessing school attendance by children, and then will "punish" negligent parents (whose kids do not attend school), by garnisheeing some of their child support benefits (or other benefits), and then will ensure that the money which is withheld from their "benefits" is then used to pay for food, or electricity bills, or other needs of the family.

The idea is that this will withdraw income from negligent parents to prevent them from using the funds intended for child welfare, from being squandered on alcohol, gambling or other such indulgent expenses. I can see why a desperate Government might be panicked into taking this stand - but, but - Hello?

When did the Government ever have these kinds of powers - to decide who will spend what, on whatever bills?

How can Centrelink, which is already overstretched, possibly cope with this extra function? How on earth can Centrelink, which does not have those kind of policing staff at present, possibly be expected to fulfil this task?

Centrelink is not noted for having good links with the State welfare agencies (DOCS, etc), State Police and Educational authorities. Even those State agencies are not empowered to make these investigations , let alone buy food for needy kids, or supervise them getting to school.

The whole idea is crazy, totally crazy, and unrealistic. Indeed I would go so far as to say that it is a policy which is totally antithetical to the supposed "laissez-faire" political philosphy of the Liberal Party. The word "hypocrites" springs to mind.

(This critique of course, is temporarily ignoring - only temporarily - the outrages which the Howard Government is currently inflicting upon Aboriginal Families in Australia).

These dual policy announcements constitute a move towards Totalitarianism which would have made the infamous Ceauşescu regime of Romania blush. Remember media stories of all those abandoned children in orphanages, hospitals and asylums in the failed state of Romania, under Nicolae Ceauşescu? Can you imagine Australia accepting such outrages? Well, watch this space, folks. "Parents Rights" just evaporated in Australia.

In saying that, I am not sticking up for negligent parents - just asking quite how the Government is going to decide which of the families of ordinary Australians meets that definition? And, if we do, is it a permanent state of affairs, or is there a scale of negligence, or incompetence as parents, or are we to be judged, once and for all, by "Secret Agents from the Welfare"? Should we have a network of Informants - perhaps from the Tuckshop at school, or should the "nice ladies" from the "Harper Valley PTA" have a vote on our adequacy as parents?

The timing of two simultaneous policy announcements, and their similarity, smacks of heavy political espionage, and also a move towards "lowest common denominator" politics. It is a War on Welfare, to match the War on Terror.

It is going to be a bad lead up to the next election, folks.

It starts with little things..... Expect worse to follow.

Remember the H*lton bombing?

Consider the co-incidence of two events in Sydney this year - the APEC Summit, and an election (some time).

Last weekend the Police, SAS, etc. were out playing "war games", in a trial for the APEC shenanigans in September. Don't worry, it's "all right", it has got a code name: "Blue Luminary 2".

Is that JWH, second only to RGM, as leader of the Liberal Party?

A UWS academic warned about the increasing militarisation of Australia.

And now this seemingly trivial incident - a "suspected hand grenade" found beside a railway track in Sydney..... Could it be a scene-setting exercise?

Expect a "show-down" of some kind, probably with some patsies, allowing the Government to make hay. Expect some Islamic groups to be involved.

Alex Downer

"Father and Son" -
Downer statue in Garema Place, Canberra

Personally I have had it with Alex Downer, ever since a statue of his Grandfather and his father was installed in Garema Place, in Canberra many, many years ago, with the father figure pouring water (or was it meant to be wine?) into the son's mouth. Sickeningly accurate portrayal of nepotism, now apparently being extended unto the 4th generation.
Read on.

This quote is from Crikey.com

---

Well, there's something we didn't know, and thank you Australian Story, vanity hagiographers by appointment to Alexander Downer, for drawing it to our attention.

We didn't know it when young Georgina Downer slipped like a nepotist in the night to join the family firm as a Foreign Affairs graduate trainee -- a feat she managed despite a modest third-class honours degree that might normally have disqualified the majority of applicants. And never mind that only 39 of her fellow applicants out of 1695 managed to crack a job with DFAT. We didn't realise that not only was she going to work at Daddy's department, just as Daddy and Daddy's Daddy had done, but that she would also be sharing digs with Daddy in his Canberra unit, bringing new meaning to the notion of ''arm's length''.

Have these people no concept of what is even remotely seemly? And Alexander wonders why people find him hard to take. ''People have said the most shocking things,'' he says. Of course they have, Alex, of course they have.

---

The ACT Govt Public Art Website says:
This artwork was presented to the people of Canberra by the Hon. Alex Downer in memory of his father Sir John Downer. Originally installed in 1964, it was restored and relocated in Garema Place with a new marble base in 1986.

The effect of this statue has always been to tell me that I would never amount to a hill of beans (as the Americans say), seeing as my Grandfather was not a former Premier of South Australia, and a member of the first Australian Senate.

Public art as a political act, to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the "lower orders"? We shall have to ask Georgina Downer her opinion. I am sure she will have one!

The body politic is very ill indeed!

We have known for a long time that the NSW State Political scene is sick.
Quite how sick, I did not know, until just recently.

Peddling of influence is commonplace in NSW.
Our local member does not hesitate to try to put pressure on the local business chamber, to try to get me to shut up about the Kangaloon Aquifer. He complained that I was apparently advising people to vote 1 Green, 2 Liberal in Kiama. (I was present when this phone call took place - and while I heard only one end of the conversation, I do know for a fact that the call was made.)

Anyway, the allegation is wrong. What I have been saying (privately, up until now) is that it is my intention to vote that way. As far as I know, this is still (only just) a democracy, and I am entitled to vote how I want.

The fact that my friends and colleagues have been subjected to pressure, to get them to try to influence me is appalling. It just confirms me in my intention to vote in a way that would end up not supporting Matt Brown.

The Greens have decided to give their preferences to Labor (in Kiama) as they judge that over-all, the ALP is slightless bad than the Liberal Party, and that the Liberals' decision to hand over the Industrial Relations powers to the Federal Government was the deciding factor. While I understand that decision, on the full range of policies, personally, I cannot bring myself to follow that voting recommendation. So, I am voting on a "Single Issue" policy - for the first time in my life. I have previously declared myself to be a life-long Labor Voter up until this election. But that was a position formed when Labor politicians like EGW, and Tom Uren believed in Labor Party policy, social justice, and the "light on the hill". Not this mob.

*****

Back in November, I went to my local member, Matt Brown, quietly and respectfully, and told him that the information he had been given about potential environmental damage to the Kangaloon Aquifer was wrong. He had been briefed by the Government and the Sydney Catchment Authority. He disagreed (fair enough). Except that we quoted facts and figures from SCA documents. He undertook to check it out, then came back and he still said that we were wrong. He now knows that we were indeed right (confirmed by the head of the SCA, no less), but by then, he had locked himself into a position opposed to our campaign to protect the Kangaloon Aquifer.

So there it is Matt. You were wrong. You now know it, but you do not have the decency to acknowledge that fact. But Matt's personalised pressuring my friends and colleagues, confirms my decision to vote on a "personal" basis - for just about anyone but Matt Brown.

*****

Since I made that decision, our Kangaloon Aquifer signs have been torn down. Who stands to benefit from that action? ("cui bono" as the old Roman adage is). It isn't "rocket science". Only one party support pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer. (Our signs were not in breach of any provisions of the Electoral Act, and they were not torn down by Council or the RTA.)

*****

Other things are going on, as well.

The process of declaring large projects as "critical infrastructure projects" (which brings them under the provisions of "Part 3A" of the EPA Act), creates a perfect situation to institutionalise corruption within the State planning system. Developments which are controversial become subject to the decision of just one person, the Minister for Planning, Mr Frank Sartor. And the decision to deem a project subject to Part 3A is itself beyond appeal or review.

A "Part 3A" declaration lifts a project above all normal planning controls, including all Local Government planning procedures and normal State Government controls, such as environmental controls. Mining companies and large developers love this, and are beating a path to Frank Sartor's door.

No wonder! From a sociological analysis of that situation, it creates the perfect situation to promote collusion between developers and the Government (at an individual or governmental level). I am not making any accusations, merely providing a classical sociological analysis of the relationship between developers and Government.

We don't need Brian Burke in NSW, we have Part 3A.

*****

TO THE VOTERS OF NSW I SAY:
ENJOY YOUR TASTE OF DEMOCRACY TOMORROW.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE INVADING IRAQ FOR: TO SHOW THEM HOW GOOD DEMOCRACY IS.

The Ghost of WA Inc.

The ghostly figure at the centre of the WA Inc scandal from years ago has re-emerged at the centre of yet another scandal, supposedly to do with currying favour on behalf of clients.
Now the Schoolboy has been caught out sharing the Ghost's play-lunch, it seems.

It is a terrible mess, and of course, there is probably nothing to it (on a true ethical or moral basis). But the Little Headmaster is wanting to beat the Schoolboy's trousers. Unfortunately for him, the first person to get in the way of the Headmaster's wildly swinging cane was Senator Soup-Can (one of the Headmaster's own team).

It might look tough justice for Senator Soup-Can. However, I would favour the view that it is the very least he deserves for his failure to protect the Barrup Peninsula and the ancient Aboriginal Rock Art (petroglyphs) from the Woodside company's Natural Gas operation. I figure it is a kind of political karma, for the Soup-Can man.

Interestingly, the "holier than thou" tones being propagated out of the hauty noses of Abbot and Costello might cause embarrassment to numerous business leaders, with interests in WA (and who of them doesn't?). It is apparent that if anyone in business wanted to succeed in WA, they first hired Brian and Julian, to smoothe their path. And that means we are talking about the largest merchant bankers, and mining companies in the land. Careful, Pete. Don't let your enthusiasm for "fagging the new Schoolboy" find yourself causing embarrassment to your own partisan bank-rollers. It's just not done, Peter. Ask Ron, and some of his mates, for some advice, before you make more of a fool of yourself than normal.

If you are interested in more on the current harrumphing of politicians and media pundits, go to " The Road to Surfdom".