tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44593523566560880202024-03-14T08:58:20.110+11:00Labor View from BaysideA Progressive Take on Australian PoliticsKevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.comBlogger684125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-73551418972211716182017-07-07T10:57:00.000+10:002017-07-07T10:57:09.433+10:00The Case for Voluntary Assisted Dying: Progress 2017 panel discussion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Andrew Denton from <a href="http://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" target="_blank">Go Gentle Australia</a> and voluntary euthanasia law reform advocate Jenny Barnes discuss the case for proposed assisted dying legislation in Australia with journalist Tracey Spicer.<br />
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Jenny Barnes is a nurse with many years experience in aged care and related areas. She has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Denton" target="_blank">Andrew Denton</a> is a well known television producer and presenter.<br />
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Go Gentle's campaign can be viewed at <a href="http://stopvictorianssuffering-gogentleaustralia.nationbuilder.com/" target="_blank">Stop Victorians Suffering</a>. The victorian parliament is set to debate a bill in August 2017. Parliamentarians will have a conscience vote.<br />
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The scope of the proposed laws is still changing. According to a recent <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/assisted-dying-sufferers-of-motor-neurone-disease-to-be-included-under-new-laws-20170701-gx2udx.html" target="_blank">Age report</a>:<br />
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Victorians who suffer from motor neurone disease will have access to physician-assisted death under wider-than-expected new laws to be introduced within months.<br />
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And those who are physically unable to take a lethal pill will get alternative options – such as help to inject the drug or use of a feeding tube – in a bid ensure they are not discriminated against under the legislation.<br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-22022130489086846782017-06-29T17:04:00.001+10:002017-06-29T18:04:55.411+10:00New Ways to Measure Our Wellbeing: Fiona Stanley at Progress 2017 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Fiona Stanley, Child Health Research professor at the University of Western Australia, addressed the <a href="http://progress2017.org.au/" target="_blank">Progress 2017</a> gathering in Melbourne on 7 June. She explores the ANDI project (Australian National Development Index) a holistic measure of national progress and wellbeing. <br />
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Fiona argues that GDP (Gross Domestic Product - the usual indicator of economic growth) is a "very flawed measure" that takes no account of the impact on our wellbeing. She instances the 2009 bushfires as "a great contributor to GDP".<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j1lu7KkE3K0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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"It is time to end this mis-measure of human progress by economic growth alone."<br />
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The <a href="http://www.andi.org.au/the-index-in-a-nutshell.html" target="_blank">ANDI index</a> will measure:<br />
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Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-17601265809550357422017-06-14T11:45:00.001+10:002017-06-14T11:49:13.918+10:00Media Challenges: Guardian Australia's Lenore Taylor at Progress 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Lenore Taylor, award-winning journalist and editor of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/au" target="_blank">Guardian Australia,</a> gave a lightning talk at <a href="http://progress2017.org.au/" target="_blank">Progress 2017</a> in Melbourne on 7 June.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T4LVJKzYawY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Lenore outlined some of the challenges facing the media, both old and new. In particular Google and Facebook are soaking up advertising revenue and have become publishers of news not just tech companies. However, they do not have the same accountability as other news organisations. Online advertising supports often false or fake news that goes viral but:<br />
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">It increasingly difficult, extremely difficult, to fund the in-depth policy journalism or political journalism or investigative journalism that holds politicians to account or gives voters the information that they need in elections to make informed choices.</blockquote><br />
Lenore also discussed their new membership model for revenue raising.<br />
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The two-day event was organised by the <a href="http://australianprogress.org.au/">Centre for Australian Progress</a>.<br />
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More video from #progress2017 <a href="https://laborview.blogspot.com.au/search/label/progress2017">here</a>.<br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-344662044310986562017-06-13T12:39:00.001+10:002017-06-13T12:39:59.432+10:00Disability Activist Carly Findlay at Progress 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Carly Findlay, appearance activist and writer, speaks at the <a href="http://progress2017.org.au/" target="_blank">Progress 2017</a> gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IPMch7XZDaY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Carly outlined the challenges facing disability feminists.<br />
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">We are excluded from employment, from buildings. We are placed in group homes, separated schools. Some disabled people are paid a measly $2.79 an hour.<br />
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We are excluded from female relationships because our disability, politics and pride are too confronting. We are excluded from feminism.</blockquote> <br />
She has recently been on ABC's You Can't Ask That and Cyber Hate with Tara Moss.<br />
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The event was organised by the <a href="http://progress2017.org.au/" target="_blank">Centre for Australian Progress</a>.<br />
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More: Red Bluff Media redbluffr.com</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-90564533238452919702017-06-12T14:43:00.000+10:002017-06-12T14:45:22.516+10:00GetUp's Shen Narayanasamy: lessons from the campaign for those seeking asylum in Australia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">GetUp's Shen Narayanasamy shares lessons from Asylum Seeker Campaigning at the Progress 2017 gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VnzxqLCqFlg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VnzxqLCqFlg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br />
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<a href="https://www.getup.org.au/" target="_blank">GetUp</a> is an Australian progressive campaigning community.<br />
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Shen outlines three of their strategies: to change public opinion; to break the bi-partisan political consensus; and to end corporate involvement in detention centres. <br />
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One of the current campaigns is called <a href="https://www.nobusinessinabuse.org/" target="_blank">No Business in Abuse</a><br />
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The two-day event was organised by the <a href="http://australianprogress.org.au/">Centre for Australian Progress</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://progress2017.org.au/speakers/#speaker-1611" target="_blank">More</a> </div><br />
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Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-56403463414006026732017-06-10T11:12:00.002+10:002017-06-12T17:58:52.763+10:00Fight Inequality: Sally McManus' Rally Cry at Progress 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, addresses the <a href="http://progress2017.org.au/">Progress 2017</a> gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:<br />
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">If you want to fight inequality, join us! If you think all workers, no matter who they are, deserve the right to paid sick days or paid annual leave, when they're sick or at the end of the year, join us! If you believe there should be limits on corporate greed, then join us!</blockquote><br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PaI3MEcY2eo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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The two-day event was organised by the <a href="http://australianprogress.org.au/">Centre for Australian Progress</a>. Digital Storytellers shared some highlights:<br />
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<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAustralianProgress%2Fvideos%2F1322634691187205%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe><br />
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More video coming.<br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-34437945120289369352016-08-07T15:29:00.001+10:002016-08-07T22:02:22.752+10:00Anne Aly, new Australian Labor MP for Cowan, on 'Radicalisation, Terrorism and Human Rights'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Aly answers questions at the Castan Centre Human Rights conference</td></tr>
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In July 2016 Dr Anne Aly was elected Labor Member of the House of Representatives for the Cowan electorate in Western Australia. She is the <a href="http://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/why-its-perfect-timing-for-a-muslim-woman-in-parliament/news-story/05bac34ecb39edb96fda23003187c97a">first Muslim woman</a> in the Australian parliament. Anne has <a href="http://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/563823/Anne-Aly-paper.pdf">achieved</a> a 'national and international profile as one of Australia’s foremost authorities on radicalisation, extremism and countering violent extremism'.<br />
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Her address to the <a href="http://www.monash.edu/law/centres/castancentre">Castan Centre</a> Human Rights Law conference on 22 July 2016 focussed on 'Radicalisation, Terrorism and Human Rights'.<br />
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The following is the video of her presentation and Q&A:<br />
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Our response to terrorism needs to be agile and adaptive to be able to respond effectively to the threat of violence against innocent civilians. The persistent threat of terrorism today goes beyond the real and present danger of violent acts‐both at home and abroad.</blockquote>
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Her presentation explored the contrasting approaches to counter terrorism, the so-called 'hard' and 'soft' measures:<br />
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The conventional wisdom of employing an orthodox military response against an unorthodox enemy whose regenerative capacity relies on its ability to employ ‘soft’ strategies of influence and mobilisation has, rightly, been questioned.<br />
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The task of counter terrorism today places equal significance on stopping terrorist acts through activities that are designed to decimate their tactical capabilities to organise, plan and conduct violent acts (both at home and abroad) and on undermining the capacity of terrorist groups to engage, manipulate and mobilise individuals to commit acts of violence.<br />
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The second approach that places emphasis on prevention is often referred to as the soft side of counter terrorism or countering violent extremism: loosely defined as measures that target the root causes of terrorism at the societal level.</blockquote>
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Aly argued for smart counter terrorism to get the balance right:<br />
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Neither soft power nor hard power alone is very effective in achieving the goals of counter terrorism. Integrating these two approaches into a single framework that effectively balances hard and soft power is challenged by the institutions and contexts which govern each form of power. Such an integrated framework is what I have previously called smart counter terrorism...</blockquote>
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Part of being smart was to acknowledge the limits of governments and the importance of the broader community:<br />
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We should remain cognisant of the traditional tensions between hard and soft power institutions and instruments.<br />
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In this sense, governments need to think simultaneously about hard and soft strategies and how one might affect the other as well as recognise that their limitations in incorporating soft elements of power are outside their sphere of influence and expertise.<br />
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Since soft power resources generally exist outside the government realm, governments must learn to conduct business in a more fluid, dynamic and flexible way with smaller less formal/bureaucratic groups. The tools of soft counter terrorism reside in small, adaptable, transnational networks, which work towards prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.<br />
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In this sense, smart counter terrorism is dependent on harnessing the power of grassroots civil society movements in ways that address the shortcomings of institutionalised power.</blockquote>
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Anne Aly is an academic and her arguments were aimed primarily at lawyers and policy makers present. She will be talking to a national audience in her role as parliamentarian. Anne clearly has the skills to do so, as evidenced by a <a href="http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-20499-237.htm">swing of 5.2%</a> despite <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/31900292/liberals-use-terror-weapon-in-federal-election-seat-of-cowan/#page1">smears</a> during the election campaign. <br />
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The full transcript of the paper is available <a href="http://www.monash.edu/law/centres/castancentre/human-rights-2016">here</a>. SBS News has also posted a video about Anne Aly to its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SBSWorldNewsAustralia/videos/1256687947684185/">Facebook page</a>:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSBSWorldNewsAustralia%2Fvideos%2F1256687947684185%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-33249185543153323762016-07-25T18:33:00.001+10:002016-07-25T18:33:08.777+10:00What has the Victorian Labor government ever done for human rights?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Developments in Human Rights in Victoria 2016</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNTASBAIEJJtmYmDyr_lsd9E3hBsCMXWlCPcAyzQZiB6Px8koEhpqX6an3WAZBnoA_gZ_PrQVbd3pp2G_qs80XPDr1eDktEjpvAl5ChdxjD9SVa6Ggv0Yt65ROodEwXvWz0INZjw7WGM/s1600/castan+first+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNTASBAIEJJtmYmDyr_lsd9E3hBsCMXWlCPcAyzQZiB6Px8koEhpqX6an3WAZBnoA_gZ_PrQVbd3pp2G_qs80XPDr1eDktEjpvAl5ChdxjD9SVa6Ggv0Yt65ROodEwXvWz0INZjw7WGM/s640/castan+first+dog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Martin Pakula MP, Victorian Attorney-General, addressed the <a href="http://www.monash.edu/law/centres/castancentre/human-rights-2016">Castan Centre</a> Human Rights Law annual conference on 22 July 2016. He launched the government's <a href="http://www.vic.gov.au/news/government-response-to-the-2015-review-of-the-charter-of-human-rights-and-responsibilities-act.html">response to the Victorian Human Rights Charter Review</a>. <br />
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">A major focus of the Government’s response will be to ensure that an appropriate human rights culture continues to be built in the Victorian public sector.<br />
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To do this, the Government will prioritise human rights training and education for public sector employees.<br />
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The Department of Justice and Regulation will provide an additional $1.25 million this financial year to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and the department's Human Rights Unit.</blockquote><br />
The Attorney-General also outlined some of the developments in Human Rights in Victoria since the government was elected in November 2014. These included laws supporting LGBTI rights and responses to the <a href="http://www.rcfv.com.au/">Royal Commission into Family Violence</a>.<br />
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The following video contains part of his speech:<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q7ZXwqgqxSM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CastanCentre/videos">Castan Centre YouTube channel</a> should have the full version available soon.<br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-72258329736307622912016-07-03T18:03:00.001+10:002016-07-03T18:04:11.919+10:00Liberals Lost for Words Over Malcolm Turnbull<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It was a defining moment of #ausvotes2016. <br />
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<b>The scene</b>: outside Black Rock Primary School polling place just after voting began on 2 July. It as as true-blue as it gets. New kid on the block, former 'Freedom Commissioner' Tim Wilson, won the seat easily, replacing Andrew Robb, retiring Trade minister.<br />
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<b>The players</b>: 3 Liberal Party campaigners, one Green and myself were handing out How-to-Vote cards. <br />
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<b>The question</b>: A discussion ensued about Bill Shorten's leadership and campaigning. After some consensus that he's performed above expectations, the Green asked what should have been a dorothy-dixer. "What about Malcolm?"<br />
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<b>The answer</b>: 3 jaws dropped simultaneously, with eyes darting to the others for help. After an embarrassing sterile pause, some generalities about Turnbull having faced a difficult task.<br />
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<b>The lesson</b>: If Turnbull continues as PM, he will need to win the confidence of his own followers before he can show real leadership of the country.<br />
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Anyway, Draw your own conclusions. The mainstream media and the commentariat are little help. They've proved how out of touch (to pinch a 3 word slogan from Labor) yet again.<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-80832197573680080912015-11-11T16:51:00.000+11:002015-11-11T16:51:29.623+11:00November 11: Whitlam's Dismissal and the CIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Maintaining my rage with a reprise of a 2010 post about the Whitlam government's dismissal and the role of United States:<br />
<br />
The question in my post <a href="http://redbluffr.blogspot.com/2010/12/wikiwobbles-what-is-julia-gillard.html">WikiWobbles: What is Julia Gillard Thinking?</a> about what US cables might have revealed about the dismissal of the Whitlam government prodded me to troll/trawl the web for documents from the time. <br />
<br />
All I’ve found so far are some declassified State Department communications from 1973 -75. They are kept by the U.S. <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/index.jsp">National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)</a>. They are mostly bland rehashes of the news of the day. Many are extracts from the Financial Review or The Australian newspapers. <br />
<br />
Somewhat unexpectedly Malcolm Fraser’s handling of the Blocking of Supply crisis receives strong criticism from the embassy. Their author did not seem to be a fan of Fraser's, relaying negative comments on his tactics of the time. <br />
<br />
The documents include:<br />
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<b>Gough Whitlam’s linking of Country Party Leader Doug Anthony with the CIA</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">From</span> Secretary of State Henry Kissinger:<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; padding: 10px;">4 NOV 1975<br />
<br />
<b>SUBJECT: WHITLAM ACCUSES ANTHONY OF RECEIVING CIA MONEY</b><br />
<br />
1. YOU ARE AUTHORIZED TO APPROACH THE GOA TODAY AT THE HIGHEST <span style="font-size: small;">AVAILABLE</span> LEVEL, CATEGORICALLY DENYING ON BEHALF OF THE USG THAT THE CIA PAID MONEY TO THE NATIONAL COUNTRY PARTY OR ITS LEADER DOUGLAS ANTHONY. <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">NEITHER THE CIA NOR ANY OTHER US AGENCY HAS GIVEN OR PASSED FUNDS TO ANY AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL PARTY OR CANDIDATE FOR AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL OFFICE</span>.<br />
<br />
2. YOU SHOULD ADD THAT, AS A MATTER OF STANDING PRACTICE, THE USG NEITHER CONFIRMS NOR DENIES PUBLICLY ALLEGATIONS OF THE TYPE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE PRIME MINISTER. THE USG REGRETS, HOWEVER, THAT <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">SUCH A CHARGE AGAINST NCP LEADER ANTHONY, IF CORRECTLY REPORTED, COULD HAVE DAMAGING FALLOUT ON OTHER ASPECTS OF US-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONS</span>.</div><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; padding: 10px;">4 NOV 1975<br />
<br />
<b>CALL FOR US REBUTTAL OF WHITLAM'S ACCUSATIONS</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #ffd966;">EMBASSY CANBERRA HAS BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED THAT THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE SECRETARIES WOULD WELCOME A FORMAL USG STATEMENT DENYING ANY CIA FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT WITH AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL PARTIES</span>. THE EMBASSY RECOMMENDS A STATEMENT BE ISSUED PROMPTLY, SINCE A DELAY WOULD ENCOURAG PRIME MINISTER WHITLAM TO CONTINUE IMPUGNING THE US THROUGH CHEAP POLITICAL SHOTS AT HIS OPPONENTS.</div><br />
<b>Comment on the blocking of Supply in the Senate by Fraser’s Coalition opposition</b><br />
<br />
From Percival, US Embassy Canberra:<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; padding: 10px;">7 NOV 1975<br />
<br />
<b>SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CRISIS</b><br />
<br />
6. OPPOSITION LEADER FRASER'S DECISION TO WITHHOLD THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPLY BILLS IN THE SENATE HAS BACKFIRED BADLY. THE LONGER HE REFUSES TO BUDGE THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT HIS PERSONAL POPULARITY AS WELL AS THE POPULARITY OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL. FRASER IS ALSO HAVING INCREASING DIFFICULTY HOLDING OPPOSITION SENATORS TOGETHER. A SENIOR SHADOW MINISTER SAID THAT FRASER WAS RELYING EXCLUSIVELY ON THE ADVICE OF COUNTRY PARTY LEADERS; ANTHONY, NIXON, AND SINCLAIR, ALONG WITH A FEW HARDLINE LIBERALS LIKE SENATOR WITHERS AND DEPUTY LEADER LYNCH AND HARDLY CONFERRING AT ALL WITH OTHER IMPORTANT LIBERAL MEMBERS OF THE SHADOW CABINET. THIS SHADOW MINISTER SAID THAT FRASER WAS QTE ONLY CONSULTING WITH FELLOW GRAZIERS END QTE AND SAID POINTEDLY QTE WHEN SNEDDEN WENT TOO FAR WE HAD TO GET RID OF HIM END QTE HE ALSO STATED FLATLY THAT AT LEAST TWO LIBERAL SENATORS WOULD REFUSE TO REJECT RATHER THAN DEFER THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPLY BILLS IF THEY WERE ASKED TO DO SO.<br />
<br />
8. <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">IN OUR VIEW, WHAT FRASER HAS DONE IS TO RESCUE THE WHITLAM GOVERNMENT FROM AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE POSITION AND TO GIVE IT A FIGHTING CHANGE TO SURVIVE UNTIL THE END OF ITS ELECTED TERM IN 1977.</span> IN THE PROCESS HE <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">REVEALED POOR JUDGMENT</span> IN WITHHOLDING SUPPLY AND SHOWED THAT HE IS UNABLE TO BEST WHITLAM IN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE. FRASER HAS A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL RIVALS WITHIN THE LIBERAL PARTY WHO MIGHT WELL BE TEMPTED TO TRY TO REPLACE HIM AS LEADER AS A RESULT OF HIS PERFORMANCE TO DATE. GIVEN THE PRESENT SORRY STATE OF THE OPPOSITION, WHITLAM MAY WELL INSIST THAT THE OPPOSITION BACK DOWN COMPLETELY AND PASS THE SUPPLY BILLS IN THE SENATE.</div><br />
This is not the stuff of deep intrigue, though the reported role of the Secretaries of the Foreign Affairs and Defence departments certainly seems at odds with their own government. If the conspiracy theories about the dismissal are correct and evidence is online, it’s hard to find. I wonder how long materials held by the Intelligence organisations are kept under wraps.<br />
<br />
Also came across this reference to the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975 and the murder of the Balibo 5. The Timor cable may be of interest to Shirley Shackleton, widow of Greg Shackleton who was one of the Australian murdered journalists, though I’m sure she will have seen it.<br />
<br />
<b>Comment on the Missing Balibo 5 in East Timor</b><br />
<br />
From Percival, US Embassy Canberra:<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid; padding: 10px;">31 OCT 1975<br />
<br />
<b>SUBJECT: TIMOR</b><br />
<br />
1. IN A SPEECH TO THE SENATE ON OCTOBER 3, FOREIGN MINISTER WILLESEE REVERSED THE GOA'S POLICY OF NON-INVOLVEMENT IN THE TIMOR CRISIS BY OFFERING TO HELP ARRANGE DECOLONIZATION TALKS IN AUSTRALIA. THE STATEMENT WAS IN REPLY TO LEFTIST ALP SEN. GEITZELDT'S CALL FOR THE GOA TO RECOGNIZE FRETELIN AS THE DE FACTO GOVERNMENT IN EAST TIMOR. <br />
<br />
2. SENATOR WILLESEE SAID THAT THE GOA DEPLORED THE FIGHTING IN THE BORDER AREAS AND BELIEVED QTE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS IN PORTUGUESE TIMOR SHOULD BE SOUGHT THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS FREE OF INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION. END QTE. THE GOA WAS PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE LOCALE FOR TALKS TO DETERMINE JUST WHAT THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR WANT. IN A CAUTIOUS REBUKE OF INDONESIA, VIEWS IN THIS REGARD AND URGED TO PURSUE HER INTERESTS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANS. END QTE. <br />
<br />
3. <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">COMMENT: THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S STATEMENT MARKS A RELUCTANT CHANGE IN THE GOA'S PREVIOUS POLICY OF NON-INTERVENTION IN TIMOR WITH TACIT GOA SUPPORT FOR A GOI TAKE-OVER. AS NOTED IN REFTEL, THE ALP LEFT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CRITICAL OF THE GOA'S TIMOR POLICY. PRESS REPORTS WIICH INDICATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT FIVE AUSTRALIAN JOURNALISTS WERE FIRST SHOT AND THEN BURNED BY INDONESIAN SUPPORTED FORCES IN TIMOR HAVE HEIGHTENED THIS CRITICISM.</span> THE ALLEGED REFUSAL OF ANTI-FRETELIN FORCES TO PERMIT AN AUSTRALIAN OFFICER INTO THE AREA TO EXAMINE THE BODIES FURTHER AROUSED SUSPICIONS AND PUBLIC REACTION. THE GOA'S ACTION OFFERING AUSTRALIA AS POSSIBLE SITE FOR TALKS ON THE TIMOR PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY THE MINIMUM THE GOVERNMENT COULD TAKE TO PLACATE THE ALP LEFT. PROTESTS AND OPPOSITION WILL BECOME GREATER AS THE EXTENT OF GOI MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN EAST TIMOR BECOMES KNOWN. THIS WILL PRESENT THE WHITLAM GOVERNMENT WITH A MOST UNWELCOME, POTENTIALLY DEVISIVE ISSUE DURING A PERIOD OF DOMESTIC POLITICAL CRISIS.</div><br />
Shirley was awarded the Best Book Award for <a href="http://www.murdochbooks.com.au/circle-of-silence-9781741964851.htm%20">The Circle of Silence</a> at the 2010 Walkley Awards on 9 Dec. In her acceptance speech she says that , “our democracy is under threat because of WikiLeaks …”. The video of her speech is below.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqcmwaKp5Uk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqcmwaKp5Uk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
There are lots of other documents from those years. But it’s more a job for post-grad Politics or History students than a busy citizen journalist.<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-67476286804229713582015-03-05T11:03:00.001+11:002015-03-05T11:04:14.807+11:00Stand Up - Fight Back! #March4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
On 4 March 2015 tens of thousands of worker and their supporters marched in Melbourne, Australia in defence of working conditions and government services. The rally against Tony Abbott's Coalition government was organised by the <a href="http://www.vthc.org.au/" target="_blank">Victorian Trades Hall Council </a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mr_501Gw4i8" width="560"></iframe><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-12472009903353620032015-02-02T13:54:00.000+11:002015-02-02T13:54:13.979+11:00Live tweeting @TonyAbbotMHR at the National Press Club<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Live tweeting @TonyAbbotMHR at the National Press Club - haven’t had this much fun since watching Asian Cup final and Queensland elections on Saturday night!<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenJ">@GreenJ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Asher_Wolf">@Asher_Wolf</a> Hope <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> gets some Qs he's not prepared for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562054799831494656">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Starts with fear <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> on song at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562062595390074883">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>PM <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> Usual tired economic line - how long before we get nonsense about govt budgets are like families <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562063931615608832">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBN?src=hash">#NBN</a> somewhere over the rainbow <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562064540955721728">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Abbott friend of freedom of expression and foreign investment - where is unfriend button for <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> hypocrisy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562065790547927040">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tony playing the Margie and daughters card on Paid Parental Leave at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562066579588780032">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>At least the deputy PM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whatshisname?src=hash">#whatshisname</a> is not one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blue?src=hash">#blue</a> tie brigade at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562067626059243520">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Did I miss <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a>'s details about his new direction? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a> Can he stop the boot?</p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562068379561771008">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>So <a href="https://twitter.com/couriermail">@Couriermail</a> serves up Dorothy Dixer to <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562069187955130368">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Laura Tingle misses chance to expose <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a>'s economic ignorance <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562069912579878912">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/farrm51">@farrm51</a> gives opening for <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a>'s industrial relations umpire cliche #<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562070817878458369">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Love to play pub pool with <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> Put him behind the 8 ball unlike the press club so far <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562071408604233728">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Mark Riley reminds <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> about broken promise to party & voters about being consultative and collaborative <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562072292075642881">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Should be: "You have to know when to fold 'em" from <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562073461984481281">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> is getting better all the time according to <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562073892617875456">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> has no fib deficit - lies in "good conscience" "keeping the faith" - time to visit the cardinal for confession NPC <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562074937091825665">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/lenoretaylor">@lenoretaylor</a> let's TonyAbbottMHR be "part of the solution", a man on a "mission" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/platitudes?src=hash">#platitudes</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562076036389556225">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR">@TonyAbbottMHR</a> rejects scare campaign HAHAHAHAHA! LOL - PM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fail?src=hash">#fail</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NPC?src=hash">#NPC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash">#auspol</a></p>— Kevin_Rennie (@Kevin_Rennie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_Rennie/status/562076543946457088">February 2, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
Here endeth the sermon!<br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-34338852109559455282014-12-11T17:29:00.001+11:002014-12-11T17:29:17.192+11:00Video: ALP Celebrates in Mentone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
On the night of the Victorian State election 2014 local campaigners from the seats of Mordialloc and Sandringham gather in Mentone to celebrate Labor's victory. Candidates Tim Richardson and Christina Zigouras thank their supporters.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NSJNjCD5a5k?list=UUQXlM05FH3pR46a0lOhH9nA" width="560"></iframe><br />
</div><br />
Tim Richardson won back the seat for Labor with a two-party-preferred swing of 3.5%. <br />
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Christina Zigouras gained the second largest 2PP swing to Labor in the State of 8.2%.<br />
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The electorates are next to each other and worked closely during the campaign. An historic night all round!</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-46352953600676646012014-11-26T16:42:00.001+11:002014-11-26T16:42:19.521+11:00What's the bottom line we should demand of our State Parliamentarians?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJlQ4K9GkjBDqnQ7zAftPp_r-CgF2zAcLZi2cdgAkTZpv2FkyNb_bhDETHkc3Fe9IFM6iy0uPhZcX6Y09rnWnRnSPT47rmm1FI6qWThNmrjFGMb1oyC-oGV5E0GObvYskZo4lAuPOWZ8/s1600/Letters+to+Ed+25+Nov+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJlQ4K9GkjBDqnQ7zAftPp_r-CgF2zAcLZi2cdgAkTZpv2FkyNb_bhDETHkc3Fe9IFM6iy0uPhZcX6Y09rnWnRnSPT47rmm1FI6qWThNmrjFGMb1oyC-oGV5E0GObvYskZo4lAuPOWZ8/s1600/Letters+to+Ed+25+Nov+2014.jpg" height="640" width="571" /></a></div><br />
A couple of Letters to the Editor in Melbourne's <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/bayside" target="_blank">Bayside Leader</a> local 'free' weekly newspaper. It's part of Rupert Murdoch's Herald Sun chain.</div><br />
A case of old media meets new media, perhaps.<br />
<br />
'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' or perhaps just a little bit disgusted with how low the bar is set in Sandy. A pity that politics drives us to clichés.<br />
<br />
Don't miss the rest of my coverage of the Sandringham Campaign for the <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/search/label/2014%20State%20election">2014 Victorian State election</a>.<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-19115866027334890282014-11-25T12:41:00.000+11:002014-11-25T16:31:46.142+11:00Victorian Election: Sandringham Sandbelt Seat Not So Safe Anymore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLE_ILmLZ9Sojh_QZhX5qjPuH5Th5s6GxAPCC9YppFGoPrZ8BgJq-fCfZAqqX4b7xqdZxXHML9w8bsSnmumwg-YRnsyed4NkAX5u-6b2eoCylOJPCpArbudrI2LLKuNmmt5QhyfgG9F68/s1600/Small+business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLE_ILmLZ9Sojh_QZhX5qjPuH5Th5s6GxAPCC9YppFGoPrZ8BgJq-fCfZAqqX4b7xqdZxXHML9w8bsSnmumwg-YRnsyed4NkAX5u-6b2eoCylOJPCpArbudrI2LLKuNmmt5QhyfgG9F68/s1600/Small+business.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div><br />
The people of Sandringham have been enjoying an unusual election season with a highly visible and focused Labor campaign and a strong independent candidate. ALP candidate <a href="http://christinazigouras.com.au/" target="_blank">Christina Zigouras</a>’ energetic and responsive approach has been in stark contrast to Murray Thompson. After 22 years, our Liberal member did not even turn up to local candidate forums. Locals who looked forward to vigorous debate found that he has added no-show to his customary go-slow.<br />
<br />
Independent Clarke Martin has been a tireless advocate for a return to a standalone 7-12 high school in Beaumaris, a passion shared by former student Christina. <br />
<br />
No doubt Murray Thompson "is a nice bloke" who does a creditable job helping constituents with their problems. However, the role of a State parliamentarian must be much broader. Our member should articulate a strong vision and concrete policies for the electorate and the State and show leadership on both local and statewide issues. He/she should be actively engaged with the community not just a pipeline to the bureaucracy.<br />
<br />
Our issues have much in common with other sand-belt electorates: public transport and traffic congestion; funding of education and training; lack of consultation and inequitable outcomes of residential rezoning processes; protection of bayside coastal areas. There has been lots of media analysis of the Frankston train line. However, few journalists have even noticed that two of the worst level crossings earmarked for removal by Labor are in our electorate, namely Cheltenham and Mentone.<br />
<br />
We should not be taken for granted just because we live in a so-called safe blue ribbon seat. Our democracy deserves much better. We need a vigorous voice in Sandringham!<br />
<br />
Click for more on the <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/search/label/2014%20State%20election">2014 Victorian State election</a></div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-65172417547159132602014-11-21T12:56:00.001+11:002014-11-21T12:56:31.472+11:00The Next Leader of the Victorian Liberals, Not!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/denis-napthine-steps-in-as-victorias-premier-after-ted-baillieu-quits/story-e6frf7jo-1226591958560" target="_blank">already speculation</a> about who will replace Denis Napthine as leader of the Victorian Liberals after the 29 November election.<br />
<br />
Our local Liberal member is rumoured to have had only one supporter for leader when Napthine was elected, himself. It is a pity that he did not choose to join Ted Baillieu by retiring this time. After 22 years of cruising in a so-called safe seat, he has become an invisible, unaccountable representative. Thompson did not attend any of the candidates' forums for Sandringham. <a href="http://www.theweeklyreviewbayside.com.au/story/1813212/state-election-sandringham-electorate-profile-q-and-amp-a/" target="_blank">His excuse</a> was that he did not need to debate the other candidates as he was having his own meeting on 21 November. Well, that day has arrived and it's impossible to find any public announcement of his secret gathering for electors. His expensive, glossy mail-out today made no mention of when he will face the people.<br />
<br />
Democracy deserves much better. Sandringham deserves to have a new face in Spring Street. The Labor candidate <a href="http://christinazigouras.com.au/" target="_blank">Christina Zigouras</a> has been energetic, highly visible and genuinely responsive throughout the campaign. <br />
<br />
We should not be taken for granted just because they live in a blue ribbon seat.<br />
<br /></div>
Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-70273468489636032762014-11-19T15:53:00.002+11:002014-11-19T15:53:42.468+11:00Governing by Stealth: Low Flying Pollie in Sandringham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's always good to be published in a Murdoch paper, especially during a State election. So here's my letter to the <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/bayside" target="_blank">Bayside Leader </a>published 18 Nov 2014:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1c4W6tJbtVW40TTz018s3ldpESz8be26F_HJMyxESs36Q95fvPOx5OUzWqujPmnkUhrXVhyT7zLw57tFhhasfP71sYOh2zuJ_ZYt2Rzwt2QT2l6c_z42k1_sn1Wuk_Uw4MtxDL1NTW8/s1600/Leader+18+Nov+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1c4W6tJbtVW40TTz018s3ldpESz8be26F_HJMyxESs36Q95fvPOx5OUzWqujPmnkUhrXVhyT7zLw57tFhhasfP71sYOh2zuJ_ZYt2Rzwt2QT2l6c_z42k1_sn1Wuk_Uw4MtxDL1NTW8/s1600/Leader+18+Nov+2014.jpg" height="640" width="488" /></a></div><br />
Here's the digital version:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Sandringham is not a marginal seat now but after the election it will be ("Frankston train line voters could sway result", November 11). Christina Zigouras will make it a marginal Labor seat. Two Frankston line level crossings with the worst congestion are in our electorate at Mentone and Cheltenham. Daniel Andrews has committed to their removal. <br />
<br />
There has been the usual deafening silence form the local Liberal member. As it gets more desperate, we can expect the Napthine government to copy Labor's program of removing 50 level crossings, just as it is playing catchup on schools.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, has anyone seen Murray Thompson lately? He was a no-show at the Bayside candidates forum last Friday and the Bayside education forum on Monday. Our democracy deserves better than a sit-down sitting parliamentarian. It's time for 22 years of inaction to come to a close.</blockquote><br />
As I emailed <a href="http://christinazigouras.com.au/about/" target="_blank">Christina Zigouras</a>: Love a cliché - “deafening silence”. Squibbed “under the radar” and “low flying”. We should call him Stealth - low flying, off-the-radar that no one sees coming. But he hardly breaks the sound barrier.<br />
<br />
This is not meant to be personal. <a href="http://christinazigouras.com.au/2014/10/13/on-the-hustings-im-not-nice/" target="_blank">Murray's a nice bloke.</a> It's about performance or lack of it as a parliamentary representative.<br />
<br />
I might be biased but I'm also peeved about living in a so-called safe Liberal seat where the bar is set so low. {Cliché alert!] Campaigning in Sandringham is like sparring with the invisible man.<br />
<br />
Ad for <a href="https://twitter.com/christina4sandy" target="_blank">@Christina4Sandy</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36Tr75HtPUz1F6iiC_5syGUhHD7E6Et9KQ3uEm7DpZD5GqV3iRdx_ubraQMkGkkhgIjEDoMYJLIA-_XrgF2CIknwdebkGRqtTOWPM9h9n_5vCaCXk22vKUn5HY02sei6pn_5M-mow2m0/s1600/A+difference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36Tr75HtPUz1F6iiC_5syGUhHD7E6Et9KQ3uEm7DpZD5GqV3iRdx_ubraQMkGkkhgIjEDoMYJLIA-_XrgF2CIknwdebkGRqtTOWPM9h9n_5vCaCXk22vKUn5HY02sei6pn_5M-mow2m0/s1600/A+difference.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-71163675530100720962014-11-13T11:36:00.000+11:002014-11-13T11:36:48.435+11:00Let's Marginalise Our Missing Liberal Member for Sandringham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
According to the <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria-state-election-2014/victorian-state-election-2014-frankston-train-line-voters-could-sway-result/story-fnocxssc-1227120454927#social-comments" target="_blank">Herald Sun yesterday</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
Four marginal seats on the Frankston railway line that changed hands at the last election will play a crucial role in deciding who will govern Victoria for the next four years.</blockquote>
<br />
Well it's time the media take more notice of voters in so-called safe seats. In the seat of Sandringham, an invigorated and resurgent ALP is putting on one of its strongest campaigns.<br />
<br />
My online response to the Herald Sun spells out just one of the issues that we are taking up to the Napthine government:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
Sandringham is not classified as a marginal seat now but after the election it will be. Christina Zigouras will make it a marginal Labor seat. Two Frankston line level crossings with the worst congestion are in our electorate at Mentone and Cheltenham. Daniel Andrews has committed to their removal.<br />
<br />
There has been the usual deafening silence form the local Liberal member. As it gets more desperate, we can expect the Napthine government to copy Labor's program of removing 50 level crossings, just as it is playing catchup on schools.<br />
<br />
Incidentally, has anyone seen Murray Thompson lately? He was a no-show at the Bayside candidates forum last Friday and the Bayside education forum on Monday. Our democracy deserves better than a sit-down sitting parliamentarian. It's time for 22 years of inaction to come to a close.</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNcw6rAut19RvATk6eS7ir0HH06veGFgDBfOx67ZIR9mk2aYVGJd0nug7T4IqYoqFWyWa_sui0A6btxhuAj9em-ow3lWdQIU4kY05ZFbIk9W0hhrCfktXUuTIt9wts59kBpXblXU3N_E/s1600/Mentone+crossing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNcw6rAut19RvATk6eS7ir0HH06veGFgDBfOx67ZIR9mk2aYVGJd0nug7T4IqYoqFWyWa_sui0A6btxhuAj9em-ow3lWdQIU4kY05ZFbIk9W0hhrCfktXUuTIt9wts59kBpXblXU3N_E/s320/Mentone+crossing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christina Zigouras with Daniel Andrews at Mentone station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If you're in the electorate and haven't received our pamphlet yet, please contact us:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/christina.zigouras@vic.alp.org.au">christina.zigouras@vic.alp.org.au</a><br />
<br />
P O Box 267 Black Rock VIC. 3198<br />
<br />
ph: 0408 067 006</blockquote>
<br />
Every polling booth, including the pre-polling at Shop 3, 116 Balcombe Road Mentone, will have Labor people with How-to-Vote cards. Please ring us if there are any glitches.<br />
<br />
Public transport is only one of many issues that have been ignored by the local Libs. Labor is committed to making Beaumaris a stand-alone 7-12 secondary college. Now that there's the sniff of defeat, the government has discovered areas such school funding and residential rezoning. I can just say to Murray - too late mate!<br />
<br />
Christina is online at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christina4sandy">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/christina4sandy">Twitter</a> and her <a href="http://christinazigouras.com.au/">website</a>.</div>
Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-2966047885815154972014-09-09T14:21:00.004+10:002014-09-09T15:21:01.683+10:00Bronwyn Bishop Implicated in Dodgy Political Donations Slush Fund<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
The political donations money laundering scams have left more very dirty hands in New South Wales. In fact, revelations reach the heart of Tony Abbott's Liberal/National coalition government. The latest to be exposed is the Speaker of Australia's House of Representatives, Bronwyn Bishop. <br />
<br />
Kate McClymont <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/icac-lifts-suppression-order-on-peta-credlin-and-paul-nicolaou-emails-20140908-10dr7v.html" target="_blank">reported yesterday</a> on the latest ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) hearings for the Sydney Morning Herald. First the connection to Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Previously suppressed emails before a corruption inquiry raise serious concerns about a major donor to the Liberal Party being rewarded with extraordinary access to senior party figures.<br />
The emails are from the former chief fund-raiser of the NSW Liberal Party Paul Nicolaou to Peta Credlin, one of the most powerful figures in the federal government.<br />
<br />
The emails reveal that, in March 2011, while the Coalition was in opposition, Ms Credlin used a major donor to the Liberal Party, Brickworks, as part of Tony Abbott's campaign against the carbon tax. <br />
<br />
...Brickworks was one of the largest corporate donors to the Liberal Party, giving $384,000 in a nine-month period from July 2010 to April 2011.<br />
<br />
As well as its brand Austral Bricks, Brickworks also lists property development as a core business.<br />
<br />
The ICAC has heard that Brickworks used the Free Enterprise Foundation, a shadowy Canberra-based organisation, to channel $125,000 in illicit donations to the NSW Liberals for the March 2011 state election.</blockquote><br />
Then the Bishop link:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">[Bronwyn Bishop] was a director of the Dame Pattie Menzies Foundation Trust, which received $11,000 from the Free Enterprise Foundation on December 9, 2010, which it then directed to the NSW branch of the party for use in the 2011 state election.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIH0N6Kx-pfMzRhyKcypFOH77QUsJSBzocEjsKNTz9MN-gdujjr_4nJuY98NZ9O-kPIdgwuMnG8l5qVdNui9yMVVmvat1vJIUhQKHoBLRcwTWy5dOpbbDbChdyNjOsrUB8iOCCHebNMo/s1600/DPMLF+donations+2010-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIH0N6Kx-pfMzRhyKcypFOH77QUsJSBzocEjsKNTz9MN-gdujjr_4nJuY98NZ9O-kPIdgwuMnG8l5qVdNui9yMVVmvat1vJIUhQKHoBLRcwTWy5dOpbbDbChdyNjOsrUB8iOCCHebNMo/s1600/DPMLF+donations+2010-11.jpg" height="260" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EFA: Political Disclosures 2010-11<br />
Dame Pattie Menzies Liberal Foundation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In fact $27,000 was passed on to the NSW Liberals, including a $2000 donation to the Dame Pattie foundation (DPMLF) from <a href="http://www.manta.com/ic/mvm0lkk/au/australian-corporate-holdings-pty-limited" target="_blank">Australian Corporate Holdings</a>, a company connected to Sydney property developer <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=130905841&privcapId=9776921&previousCapId=167945&previousTitle=ANSELL%20LTD" target="_blank">Sydney Fischer</a>.<br />
<br />
</div>The tangled web spins even wider, as many of Dame Pattie Foundation's directors are key 'off-books' players, to use an <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">ICAC phrase</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwK8lCX1RhqRCA1Ybn3TluIdcXDFU_k4a_PIX7j1DZOHSMVsas0Z4LTnHiryrgesLoKNLGngqN5XdfR9Z3yQGm-8HgqplxBThqthjtrB6Q5giZDuSf-z3i3sA-lXdQx5X-g5j0yhTVVg/s1600/Dame+Pattie+Menzies+Liberal+Foundation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwK8lCX1RhqRCA1Ybn3TluIdcXDFU_k4a_PIX7j1DZOHSMVsas0Z4LTnHiryrgesLoKNLGngqN5XdfR9Z3yQGm-8HgqplxBThqthjtrB6Q5giZDuSf-z3i3sA-lXdQx5X-g5j0yhTVVg/s640/Dame+Pattie+Menzies+Liberal+Foundation.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="p1">ASIC: Current & Historical Company Extract</div><div class="p1">Date/Time: 08 September 2014 AEST 01:56:50 PM</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>But let's start with the Secretary, Simon John McInnes. <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/icac-lifts-suppression-order-on-peta-credlin-and-paul-nicolaou-emails-20140908-10dr7v.html" target="_blank">According to</a> Kate McClymont:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">In July 2010, Mr Nicolaou, who was getting a 6 per cent cut of all donations he collected, emailed Simon McInnes, the finance director of the NSW Liberal Party boasting: "Please note! Another $50k for us via Free Enterprise Foundation from Brickworks."</blockquote><br />
Coincidentally (or perhaps not), another $2000 donor to the DPMLF was John Donan, also mentioned in McClymont's article. John and Dick Donan (who also gave $2000), of the <a href="http://www.manildra.com.au/home/article/" target="_blank">Manildra Group</a>, <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ethanol-lobbying-burns-premier/story-fn6b3v4f-1226252657256?nk=e94f2d9523c70963b5cd6c3dd7ad83ff" target="_blank">have form </a>as well:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Manildra, the only ethanol supplier in Australia which is set to make a motza from the mandate, has donated $1.2 million to NSW political parties over last 12 years, including $635,000 to Labor, $400,000 to the Liberal party and $132,000 to the Nationals.</blockquote><br />
The first named director, John Pegg, is obviously close to the new NSW Premier Mike Baird. He is part of the three-person '2015 Committee' set up in July 2014 by Baird to clean up party finances:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">"Those three will operate and take responsibility for the financial affairs of the division, including fund-raising between now and the election – at least," Mr Baird said.<br />
<br />
"We must have confidence in our processes. It's something we must not shy away from. We have to be determined to shine the light on ourselves."</blockquote><br />
Mr Pegg should start in his own backyard. Pegg is a former secretary of DPMLF so he should know about its operations.<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to the Speaker. Bronwyn Bishop is still listed as a director and should have resigned from this slush fund years ago. Her role as Speaker of the House of Reps should have caused her to review her directorships, especially of conduits (or should that be sewers) like this foundation. They exist for one reason only - to circumvent transparency concerning political donations and to hide breaches of the law. Pegg, McInnes and Campbell have all been called before ICAC. Maybe it's Bishop's turn.<br />
<br />
[Incidentally, the original address of the foundation was the same as the NSW Liberal office: Level 9 140 William St. Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Hardly arms length!]<br />
<br />
It seems the devil is in the detail of dodgy donations. Let's keep digging. What price good government?<br />
<br />
Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/Kate_McClymont" target="_blank">@kate_mcclymont</a> and a very special hat tip to Clarencegirl at <a href="http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/nsw-independent-commission-against_8.html" target="_blank">North Coast Voices</a> for her help and encouragement.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/bronwyn-bishop-implicated-in-dodgy.html" target="_blank">Bronwyn Bishop Implicated in Dodgy Political Donations Slush Fund</a></blockquote><br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-76159885799690684822014-06-18T15:28:00.001+10:002014-06-22T22:57:57.576+10:00Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
The Boardwalk #1</h4>
In 2012 political donations to parties in Queensland were capped at $5000. Donations from related corporations were treated as one from a single entity. Anonymous donations of $200 or more were banned.<br />
<br />
However, there was a get-out-of-jail-free card. Gifts to political parties were uncapped so long as they were not for campaign purposes. Later that year the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) explained in its report ‘T<a href="http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/news-and-media/media-releases/cmc-releases-broad-review-of-political-donation-legislation-2014-20.12.2012" target="_blank">he regulation of political donations and gifts in Queensland</a>’:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
‘Political parties, state candidates and third parties are required to establish state campaign accounts. Only electoral donations that fall under the cap are able to be deposited into the account and only electoral expenditure is allowed to be paid out of the account. Any electoral donation that exceeds the cap can only be deposited into a general administration account. There is no cap on general donations that are unrelated to election campaigns.’</blockquote>
Queensland’s Liberal National Party must have had a large administrative bill in 2012. Money was flooding in, even from interstate.<br />
<br />
Controversial Newcastle mining and ‘magnate’ Nathan Tinkler was grilled at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) earlier this year about political donations in New South Wales, in particular to Liberal Party <a href="ttp://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/investigations/current-investigations/investigationdetail/203" target="_blank">slush fund Eightbyfive</a>. Political donations by property developers were banned in NSW in 2009. His <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ive-given-more-to-worse-people-nathan-tinkler-defiant-at-icac-20140516-zreux.html" target="_blank">defence</a>, according to the Sydney Morning Herald: 'I've given more to worse people'.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Nathan Tinkler leaves <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ICAC&src=hash">#ICAC</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/Kate_McClymont">@Kate_McClymont</a> <a href="http://t.co/MUmMHqLc5H">pic.twitter.com/MUmMHqLc5H</a><br />
— Edwina Pickles (@EdwinaPickles) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdwinaPickles/statuses/466822125865549825">May 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
The Daily Telegraph summarized the <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nathan-tinkler-uses-footy-defence-during-icac-evidence/story-fni0cx12-1226920741633" target="_blank">money trail</a>:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
ICAC alleges $66,000 was paid through the back door in order to subvert electoral funding laws which prevented developers from donating to politicians.<br />
<br />
ICAC revealed yesterday Mr Tinkler made $214,000 in allegedly illegal political donations ahead of the 2011 state election — $50,000 to the Newcastle Alliance, $45,000 to the National Party, $66,000 to EightbyFive and $53,000 to the NSW Liberal Party through the Free Enterprise Foundation — at the same time he was lobbying for [a] coal loader in Newcastle.</blockquote>
It seems that Tinkler may have form in Queensland as well. At least two companies linked to him gave gifts to the <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=1173" target="_blank">Liberal National Party</a> during the 2012 State election period: International Ports and Logistics Ltd ($22,500 contribution) and <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/people.asp?privcapId=116805557" target="_blank">Boardwalk Resources</a> Pty Ltd ($22,500 donation).<br />
<br />
The LNP return to the Electoral Commission of Queensland (<a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=1173" target="_blank">First Half 2012</a>) gave the address for both companies as 366 Queen Street Brisbane Qld 4000. International Ports and Logistics used the following address on its own return for the same donation: C8 The Boardwalk Newcastle 2300. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/aimee-hyde/37/290/258" target="_blank">Aimee Hyde</a>, Corporate Counsel at Tinkler Group from April 2011, completed the form giving the date of the donation as 21 March 2012, three days before the State election.<br />
<br />
Tinkler apparently put up the Queen Street <a href="http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/finding/commercial-investment/office/19908-nathan-tinkler-puts-brisbane-cbd-office-on-the-market-report.html" target="_blank">property for sale</a> later that year. The address was also given to the Australian Electoral Commission for a Tinkler Group donation ($22,000) recorded on the Liberal Party of Australia <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/ClientReturns.aspx?SubmissionID=48&ClientID=29155" target="_blank">disclosure form</a> for 2010-11. However, the main AEC page shows the address at The Boardwalk.<br />
<br />
Apparently the Tinkler Group website <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/tinkler-group-website-slims-down-20121212-2b93o.html" target="_blank">was taken down</a> in December 2012, and his company Queen Street Capital was being wound up. <br />
<br />
A tangled web indeed. Strange how everything and everyone is connected in this shadowy world. One of Boardwalk Resources’ directors is Peter Kane who is Group Managing Director of Guildford Coal. There’s more about Guildford in <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a>.<br />
<br />
Nathan Tinkler and his group seem to be centred in Singapore of late. Let’s hope he’s read the various laws on foreign political contributions to Australian political parties. Crikey is still following his every move:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
In the same week he failed to pay his footy team, Nathan Tinkler somehow raised $150 m for a new coal mine. <a href="http://t.co/21Su7T2rFn">http://t.co/21Su7T2rFn</a><br />
— Crikey.com.au (@crikey_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/crikey_news/statuses/468672518514290688">May 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
The Boardwalk #2</h4>
During research into Tinkler’s donations, <a href="http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/marketing-lists.BOARDWALK_MARINE_INVESTMENTS_PTY_LTD.ec6388ebc1487f48.html" target="_blank">Boardwalk Marine Investments</a> popped up as a donor in Queensland. It appears to be a quite separate entity. In May 2012 it gave <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=1173" target="_blank">$10,000</a> to <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/ClientReturns.aspx?SubmissionID=49&ClientID=13122" target="_blank">Forward Brisbane Leadership</a> (FBL) , an associated entity of the Liberal National Party of Queensland. This campaign, slush fund was closed after <a href="http://nofibs.com.au/2014/04/08/cash-for-campbell-qldaah-analysis-qldpol/" target="_blank">corruption allegations</a> against the Queensland Premier Campbell Newman. <br />
<br />
Another business, BMI Group Pty Ltd, also donated <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=1173" target="_blank">$6,200</a> to FBL in 2011-12, on top of $14,400 given in 2010-11. Both gave the same address: PO Box 2117 Fortitude Valley QLD 4006. They shared more than a post box. They had the same company accountant. I won’t give her name as she is not a public figure like Aimee Hyde. Hyde <a href="http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/investigations/current-investigations/article/4557" target="_blank">was mentioned</a> at the ICAC hearings but without “suggesting she did anything wrong”. <br />
<br />
The wonderfully named Straddy Services Pty Ltd, gave FBL $4000 in February 2012. No prize for guessing that it had the same accountant and same address.<br />
<br />
The LNP reported a fundraising gift of $1,100 on 21 October 2013 from Bemcove Pty Ltd, also at the Fortitude Valley PO Box 2117. According to BMI’s website, <a href="http://resourcerecovery.bmigroup.com.au/locations/brisbane-acacia-ridge-aka-bemcove-waste-management-landfill" target="_blank">Bemcove</a> is the former name of one of its facilities now known as Acacia Ridge.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bmigroup.com.au/" target="_blank">BMI</a> says it is ‘at the forefront of both the property development and waste management industries’. Apart from the address, its only apparent connection with Boardwalk Marine Investments is their common initials. Straddy Services has no web presence except an address, 11 Tramican St Point Lookout QLD 4183, and brief <a href="https://creditorwatch.com.au/express/asic/organisation/092507849/PACIFIC-CREWS-PTY-LTD" target="_blank">company info</a>. You have to pay to get more, if it exists.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
The Big Picture</h4>
On the release of CMC’s 2012 report, Dr Rebecca Denning, its Director of Applied Research and Evaluation, <br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
“explained that the vast majority of financing for political parties and candidates came from private sources, adding that this was considered to be a legitimate exercise of political association and expression.<br />
<br />
Broadly, she said an effective regulatory framework aimed to reduce the risk of corruption and increase the transparency and integrity of the political process, as well as the accountability of and equity between key participants”.</blockquote>
To test if the framework is working well, try a search of the AEC and ECQ returns for the Free Enterprise Foundation. ICAC has barely scratched the surface. <br />
<br />
Or take a look at Victoria where the laws are very loose. The National Party receives much of its funding through associated entities such as Doogary Pty Ltd and Pilliwinks Pty. Ltd. The AEC has <a href="http://www.aec.gov.au/parties_and_representatives/compliance/AEC_Advice/national.htm" target="_blank">investigated</a> the nature of these ‘trusts’ and concluded that they “are not required to lodge associated entity financial disclosure returns”. Without such a return the $55,000 donation by Boardwalk Resources to the <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/AssociatedEntity.aspx?SubmissionId=48&ClientId=21735" target="_blank">Free Enterprise Foundation</a> in 2010-11 would have remained buried.<br />
<br />
A <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Party.aspx?SubmissionID=48&ClientID=39">quick check</a> shows that the National Party of Australia (Victoria) received $788,030 from Doogary in 2010-11, an election year in Victoria. The Age reported that it was $200,000. That’s a lot of money if it is just returns on their investments. Two of Doogary's and Pilliwinks' directors are former National Party parliamentarians, <a href="http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/downloads/Register_of_Members_Interests/Cumulative%20Returns%20September%202013.pdf" target="_blank">Ron Best </a>and <a href="http://www.gvwater.vic.gov.au/corporate/management/200947794.asp" target="_blank">Bill Baxter.</a> Baxter is a former Victorian Minister for Roads and Ports and the current Victorian State President of The Nationals.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
You be the judge!</h4>
The boardwalk examples from either side of the border raise many concerns including:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Who is making political donations in Australia?</li>
<li>Are many gifts really political donations that exceed the legal caps?</li>
<li>Are some single donors using multiple channels to cover their tracks?</li>
<li>How many contributors are using intermediaries to disguise their gifts?</li>
<li>Is anyone apart from corruption commissions monitoring the laws? Is anyone enforcing them?</li>
<li>Are the laws adequate to ensure transparency, honesty, accountability and enforcement?</li>
</ul>
<br />
For citizen journalist sleuths, the best places to start are:<br />
<br />
The Australian Electoral Commission: <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/" target="_blank">Periodic Disclosures</a><br />
<br />
Electoral Commission of Queensland: <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?id=95" target="_blank">Funding and Disclosures</a><br />
<br />
Electoral Funding Authority (NSW): <a href="http://www.efa.nsw.gov.au/disclosures" target="_blank">Disclosures</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">
This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a></blockquote>
<br />
[NB: No inference of wrongdoing should be drawn from any of this information. It has been double-checked and cross-checked where feasible. If there are any errors please leave a comment or contact the author.]<br />
<br /></div>
Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-24190604312637065992014-06-11T17:45:00.001+10:002014-06-19T11:32:53.583+10:00Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h4 style="text-align: left;">Money to burn</h4>It is easy to guess why cigarette company Phillip Morris gave the Liberal and National parties <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/philip-morris-tossed-100000-into-coalition-coffers-for-election-20140203-31xg0.html" target="_blank">more than $100,000</a> before the 2013 Federal election. But why do other companies and business people make political donations of thousands of dollars? Often these gifts are given to individual candidates or group campaigns including those at local government level.<br />
<br />
My <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/search/label/corruption" target="_blank">political donations homework</a> has shifted to our deep north in a desperate but futile attempt to get away from New South Wales corruption scandals. [I’ve been studying ‘Investigative Journalism in the Digital Age’, a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) offered by the <a href="https://knightcenter.utexas.edu/mooc/faq.html" target="_blank">Knight Center for Journalism</a>.]<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">NQ</h4>There are six State electorates in the region: Burdekin, Hinchinbrook, Mundingburra, Thuringowa, Townsville and Whitsunday. The Liberal National Party holds all these seats, as you would expect having won 78 out of 89 at the Queensland 2012 State election. It also holds the Federal seat of Herbert, which covers Townsville. The only real Australian Labor Party outpost is at local government level where Councillor <a href="http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Jenny Hill</a> is mayor of the City of Townsville.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">The money trail</h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/engineersaustralia/11201638843/in/set-72157638339894913" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypinXd1T4N9P5EKUycvlAkpT_I0g5csh3RAldghXUW4w66Ta9pFL52K7Rw-Uvblq2MC9sPlIdZz-IgUKGhnpswnOs0Nv4VYa8Vs3Fsns47ua0znMOU6CfUgy144fQ6lWckmQeGQWvm3Y/s1600/Crisafulli.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Crisafulli. Photo courtesy<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/engineersaustralia/11201638843/in/set-72157638339894913" target="_blank"> Engineers Australia Flickr </a> (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Digging started with Mundingburra where the sitting member, David Crisafulli, is also the Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience in Premier Campbell Newman’s team. He is a former Townsville city councillor and was eyeing the mayor’s position before gaining pre-selection for the State seat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yB72199D26LqIzGynb1gYt51MqGoGil32YMo3SAcTFdon_xiCLO55nkr9dqJfykj9ZdjLcvJoJ7L1du8OQfjA7sMkybOUAiNH968U0fe6IgMRV4jh683usxIS2L2ZWC9rhWfv1qvzGY/s1600/Crisafulli,+David_Page_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yB72199D26LqIzGynb1gYt51MqGoGil32YMo3SAcTFdon_xiCLO55nkr9dqJfykj9ZdjLcvJoJ7L1du8OQfjA7sMkybOUAiNH968U0fe6IgMRV4jh683usxIS2L2ZWC9rhWfv1qvzGY/s1600/Crisafulli,+David_Page_12.jpg" height="452" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Crisafulli’s 2012 <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/returns_index.aspx?folderid=1168&ekmensel=c547ab44_6_87_8430_1" target="_blank">candidate disclosure form</a> for the Electoral Commission of Queensland looks pretty dull at first glance. You’d expect the odd coal mining company and the like to be on the donor list. However, there is an outlier in the data, as they call it in the IJ game. One of the donors, Humanis, has a Melbourne address and a fair bit of activity on the form. A quick search revealed that it is now known as <a href="http://www.humanis.com.au/about_us.aspx" target="_blank">Bluestone Global Limited</a> (BGL) ‘an international recruitment, professional placement and labour hire specialist’.<br />
<br />
Humanis also contributed $5000 to the unsuccessful 2012 Townsville mayoral campaign of Dale Last, a member of the LNP who was part of the <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/search.aspx?searchtext=humanis" target="_blank">Townsville First</a> group.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">Persons of interest</h4>So what is the connection? Who stumped up the money and why?<br />
<br />
BGL has many interests in Queensland. <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=46574881" target="_blank">Rabieh Krayem</a> was a director of Humanis Group at the time, and CEO and Managing Director from April 2011 to May 2013. He has also served as a director of <a href="http://www.townsville-port.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/4905/POTL-Annual-Report-2012-2013.pdf" target="_blank">Port of Townsville Ltd</a> from 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2012.<br />
<br />
However, he is not the only or most intriguing Humanis person of interest. Their chairman from 2 May 2011 to 6 September 2012 was <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=29533778&privcapId=54259064" target="_blank">Craig Anthony Ransley</a>. Craig is the director of <a href="http://www.resco.com.au/" target="_blank">ResCo Services</a> Pty Limited, a company he founded that is now part of the BGL group. Incidentally, according to Bloomberg <a href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=46574881&privcapId=54259064&previousCapId=54259064&previousTitle=ResCo%20Services%20Pty%20Limited" target="_blank">Businessweek</a>, Rabieh Krayem has been Managing Director of ResCo Services Pty Limited since April 2011.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">South of the border</span></h4>Everything seems to be connected these days, especially in the world of business and politics. The connection with Craig Ransley leads us to back to NSW and the investigations of <a href="http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/icac-finds-doyles-creek-corruption/2670251.aspx" target="_blank">ICAC</a> (Independent Commission Against Corruption).<br />
<br />
Ransley and his associate Andrew Poole were “<a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2035284/residents-celebrate-as-hunter-mining-licences-cancelled/" target="_blank">found corrupt</a>” for their involvement with the Doyles Creek Mine, infamous for the roles of NSW Labor Party ministers Ian Macdonald and Eddie Obeid.<br />
<br />
No brownie points for guessing Poole’s <a href="http://www.staffingindustry.com/row/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Australia-Bluestone-director-absence-following-corruption-inquiry-25063#sthash.cxViFqtT.dpuf" target="_blank">business link</a>:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">International recruitment specialist Bluestone Global Limited (ASX: BUE) today announced that non-executive director Andrew Poole has requested leave of absence from his duties, following a current public inquiry of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).</blockquote><h4 style="text-align: left;">Spot the philanthropist</h4>So it is not clear which individual may have been responsible for initiating the donations to David Crisafulli and Dale Last. But there is another clue hidden in the original document of this money trail. Another Crisafulli donor was <a href="http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/companyInfo.do?by=asxCode&asxCode=GUF" target="_blank">Guildford Coal Ltd</a> of Newcastle. One of the transaction dates on Crisafulli’s disclosure form, 16 February 2012, was common to both Humanis and Guildford. <br />
<br />
At the time Craig Ransley was a non-executive director of Guildford, having been its founder and chairman. Former Liberal Party Federal MP for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, was the chairman in 2012. Former Labor Federal MP for Maribyrnong, Alan Griffiths, currently holds that position. Just to square the circle, former Labor mayor of Townsville, Tony Mooney, is also a director of Guildford Coal. It should be noted that there have been no allegations of corruption against Guildford at ICAC.<br />
<br />
Guildford Coal also donated $5000 to the conservative <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=1173" target="_blank">Katter Australia Party</a> on 20 March 2012, just four days before the State election. So did Craig Ransley, on the same day in fact. Both of these donations, plus the one to Townsville First for Dale Last, were formally disclosed by the donors. However, Humanis does not appear to have submitted a form for its Crisafulli donation. Townsville First’s <a href="http://www.councileye.net/townsville-council-blog/townsville-first-donors-list-qec" target="_blank">group return</a> does not list Humanis as a donor.<br />
<br />
On the face of it, there were a number of breaches of the legal requirements for disclosure of political donations.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">Townsville tracks</h4>The business of governing is a complex one, as this Guildford’s website report about their <a href="http://www.guildfordcoal.com.au/australian-projects/hughenden/" target="_blank">Hughenden Project</a> shows:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Guildford signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Port of Townsville Limited (POTL) in December 2010, to conduct a feasibility study on the logistics of exporting coal through Townsville Port via the Eastern Access Rail Corridor and utilising the Townsville State Development Area.</blockquote>John Anderson of the Townsville Bulletin asked in March this year: <br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">HAS anyone heard of from Mr Craig Ransley lately?<br />
<br />
...Mr Ransley lived in Townsville for a time while trying to shore up coal contracts around Hughenden.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/opinion/coal-boss-tough-to-find/story-fnjfzqwh-1226844491992" target="_blank">Coal boss hard to find</a></blockquote>There is another link in these machinations. In May 2013 the Magpie’s Nest blog <a href="http://townsvillemagpie.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/eddie-obeid-supported-tony-mooneys.html" target="_blank">quoted an article</a> from the Townsville Bulletin by Tony Raggart:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">'In another development last year, it was revealed the Obeid Corporation donated to the campaign of Labor federal candidate Tony Mooney. Mr Mooney, a former mayor of Townsville, is Guildford's stakeholder relations general manager. The Electoral Commission of Queensland return specifically named Mr Mooney as a beneficiary of a $5000 donation.<br />
<br />
Mr Mooney said he had no idea why the Obeid Corporation would have named him in the return.'</blockquote>The story is no longer online but the newspaper image on the blog is legible and the ECQ <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4219" target="_blank">return by Obeid Corporation</a> is still available. The Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland) <a href="http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/financial.aspx?folderid=407" target="_blank">return</a> for the Second Half 2010 does show a $5000 donation from Obeid Corporation.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_4VXtLgIWu9pBcXQixnAplA9XvI5Y61jTewBoZcgZEezE4m873f3Unz5LoB3VehaUK0jwNyxjZOw-mEg7ySKljgY-uQ3ie1AHttXphyphenhyphenhEcowAmAhgkM9LE1dYBZjeizpo2NjR10Fl8c/s1600/ransley+story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_4VXtLgIWu9pBcXQixnAplA9XvI5Y61jTewBoZcgZEezE4m873f3Unz5LoB3VehaUK0jwNyxjZOw-mEg7ySKljgY-uQ3ie1AHttXphyphenhyphenhEcowAmAhgkM9LE1dYBZjeizpo2NjR10Fl8c/s1600/ransley+story.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Townsville Bulletin 11 May 2013 - Image courtesy <a href="http://townsvillemagpie.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/eddie-obeid-supported-tony-mooneys.html" target="_blank">Magpie's Nest</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><h4 style="text-align: left;">Accountability - not just following the money</h4>It is a pity that the Queensland government has <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/chris-davis-quits-as-member-for-stafford-after-lnp-ructions/story-fnihsrf2-1226928726078" target="_blank">legislated to increase</a> the level at which political donations must be publicly disclosed from $1000 to $12,400. They are just trying to take all the fun out of Investigative Journalism 101. Not to forget the chance of more political accountability that could come with a rigorous donations reporting system.<br />
<br />
The upside of this change to political transparency is that Queenslanders might get real enforcement of the disclosure laws in future. Under the Electoral Act 1992, as it applied in 2012, penalties started at approximately $2200. However, no evidence of such penalties actually being applied was unearthed along the trail. I received this response to my enquiry from the ECQ Funding & Disclosure Unit:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">In relation to the 2012 Queensland State general election, the Commission currently has not engaged in court proceedings to enforce compliance with funding and disclosure provision.<br />
<br />
As this compliance regime remains in progress, the Commission cannot comment further on individual matters ongoing or under review.</blockquote>Unless we have real transparency, accountability and enforcement, the money might as well be given in plain packages like the bad of days of Joh Bjelke-Petersen's <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2178617.htm" target="_blank">brown paper bags</a>.<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a></blockquote><br />
[NB: No inference of wrongdoing should be drawn from any of this information. It has been double-checked and cross-checked where feasible. If there are any errors please leave a comment or contact the author.]<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-52860070554057975532014-05-23T15:07:00.001+10:002014-06-19T11:27:15.828+10:00In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">More on the murky world of New South Wales Liberal Party fundraising and donations:<br />
<br />
In yesterday’s homework for <a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a>, the challenge was to identify the 2009 managing director of Tenko Management Pty Ltd. He was mentioned at ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) on 2 May 2014.<br />
<br />
It was in connection with fundraising in the <a href="https://cdn.fairfaxregional.com.au/lounews/02-05-2014_Operation_Credo-Spicer_transcript_pp._03146-03210_from_1.50pm_to_4.07pm.pdf" target="_blank">evidence of Karen McNamara</a>, the Liberal member for the Federal seat of Dobell. It concerned the question of “off-books moneys” in Central Coast 2011 State election campaigns, in particular Wyong, The Entrance and Terrigal. McNamara was the campaign manager for Darren Webber, Liberal candidate for Wyong. It was alleged that $300,000 for the three seats had been directed through the Terrigal campaign.<br />
<br />
Our person of interest is Rodney Michael Bosman, son of former Member of the House of Representatives for St George, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bosman" target="_blank">Leonard Bosman</a>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_cK0fqn0TUCSmqIj2iPnEyIvyB8HhUjMrWnqlw9ILzouZAP_-kD2Gaf7MdJmBq1p65bOfnND1A8mx8V7i7vS_r2leJGXFwNwQKRB9ql4qATwTfsRqc-40LN30VtOnKq8m5WfI-xXNEI/s1600/Tenko_Page_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_cK0fqn0TUCSmqIj2iPnEyIvyB8HhUjMrWnqlw9ILzouZAP_-kD2Gaf7MdJmBq1p65bOfnND1A8mx8V7i7vS_r2leJGXFwNwQKRB9ql4qATwTfsRqc-40LN30VtOnKq8m5WfI-xXNEI/s320/Tenko_Page_1.jpg" height="640" width="451" /></a></div><br />
The page above is from <a href="http://searchdecs.efa.nsw.gov.au/Documents/D2010-8414.pdf" target="_blank">Disclosure Details for Donor Tenko Management Pty Ltd</a> for the Election Funding Authority. It details contributions of $2598 to Sam Danieli's 2008 Mayoral Campaign for Warringah.<br />
<br />
According to a Newcastle Herald <a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2276955/shocked-mp-tim-owen-another-icac-casualty/" target="_blank">report</a> of ICAC hearings and four disgraced local Liberal MLAs:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">The party… appointed a ‘‘battleground director’’, Rod Bosman, who oversaw the Hunter and Central Coast.</blockquote>When asked at ICAC about suspicions she may have had, McNamara <a href="https://cdn.fairfaxregional.com.au/lounews/02-05-2014_Operation_Credo-Spicer_transcript_pp._03146-03210_from_1.50pm_to_4.07pm.pdf" target="_blank">replied</a>:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">I spoke with Darren Webber [one of the 4 MLAs] who advised me it was coming through Terrigal. I also spoke with Rod Bosman who came in from Sydney to oversee the Hunter and Central Coast campaigns.<br />
<br />
[And what did Mr Bosman tell you?] ---That it was going through the Terrigal SEC.<br />
<br />
[So Mr Bosman was aware of this arrangement where this money was going through the Terrigal SEC?] ---Yes.</blockquote>Until recently Bosman worked for the NSW Liberal Party in Western Sydney. He was also a key campaigner for John Howard and John Alexander in the federal seat of <a href="http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/06/03/alexander-and-sacred-lib-ground-at-bennelong-tell-it-to-the-voters/" target="_blank">Bennelong</a>. <br />
<br />
On 23 November 2010 Tenko Management paid $1462 to the <a href="http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/images/Spicer%20PI/Exhibit%20S49%20Documents%20provided%20Redacted.pdf">Wyong SEC campaign</a>.<br />
<br />
In 2004 Leighton Holdings listed among its <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Returns/6/D5355.pdf" target="_blank">donations/events</a> the sum of $2500, for a ‘Meet the Shadow Cabinet Dinner’, paid to the Liberal Party of Australia – NSW Division c/- Rod Bosman. The PO Box was one that has been <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Donor.aspx?SubmissionID=8&ClientID=15519" target="_blank">used by Tenko</a> Management Pty Ltd in Drummoyne.<br />
<br />
It would be interesting to see Tenko’s company accounts to determine what sort of company it is and what other political payments it has made to the Liberal Party over the years. An appearance by Mr. Bosman at ICAC would help to clarify the mucky money trail that is called political donations in NSW.<br />
<br />
We look forward to ICAC's further investigations and findings in regard to 'allegations concerning soliciting, receiving and concealing payments'.<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a></blockquote></div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-23831896134043788702014-05-22T14:33:00.001+10:002014-06-19T11:28:11.020+10:00Dare We Call it Whitehousegate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The strange case of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's daughter and her scholarship to the Whitehouse Institute has all sorts of connections. [Disclaimer: No inference of wrongdoing should be drawn from any of this information.]<br />
<br />
Some background from the Guardian Australia:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Tony Abbott’s daughter Frances received a “chairman’s scholarship” for a degree costing more than $60,000 from the Whitehouse Institute of Design where an Abbott donor sits as chairman on the board of governors, Guardian Australia can reveal.<br />
<br />
The revelation raises questions for the prime minister over whether the scholarship should have been declared on his interests register.<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/21/tony-abbotts-daughter-did-not-have-to-pay-for-60000-design-degree" target="_blank">Tony Abbott's daughter was given scholarship for $60,000 design degree</a></blockquote><blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Les Taylor, the chairman of the Whitehouse Institute of Design who recommended Frances Abbott to be only the second recipient of the 'chairman's scholarship', has made donations of more than $20,000 to the Liberal party<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/21/liberal-donor-frances-abbott-degree-scholarship-tony-abbott-daughter" target="_blank">Liberal donor personally recommended Tony Abbott's daughter for scholarship</a></blockquote>The new New Matilda has also been doing <a href="https://newmatilda.com/2014/05/21/leaked-documents-cast-doubt-abbotts-60k-scholarship-claims" target="_blank">some digging</a>:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Assurances by the Prime Minister that a $60,000 scholarship awarded to his daughter Frances on the basis of merit have been contradicted by testimony and documents obtained by New Matilda.</blockquote>I found these links with a web search or two:<br />
<br />
On 7 September 2011 The Green’s Democracy4Sale project made a <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=em/political%20funding/subs/sub017.1.pdf" target="_blank">Supplementary submission to the inquiry into the funding of political parties and election campaigns</a> claiming:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Tenko Management Pty Ltd made a $10,708 contribution to Tony Abbott’s Warringah FEC on 6 September 2004. This money included a total of $10,250 comprised of donations each over the NSW disclosure threshold current at the time from Gary Cohen using IBA Health’s Sydney address, John Roth using the address of Henroth Pty Ltd, Les Taylor of Manly, Mark Lochtenberg of Mosman and RC Corbett of Mosman.</blockquote>In 2002 Tenko <a href="http://www.efa.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/129115/georgesriver.pdf" target="_blank">contributed $1,338</a> to the Liberal Party candidate for the Georges River State electorate, Joanne Maire McCafferty, in the 2003 New South Wales election.<br />
<br />
In 2012 the Sydney Morning Herald had also come across the mysterious Tenko Management in a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/liberals-uncover-200000-donations-20120523-1z5lc.html" target="_blank">related context</a>:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">THE NSW Liberal Party has discovered more than $200,000 worth of donations received during the last financial year that it had not previously revealed to the Australian Electoral Commission.<br />
<br />
…Also amending its records with the electoral commission is Servcorp, a strong supporter of the Liberal Party and the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott.<br />
<br />
…In its original declaration, Servcorp listed donations to the Liberal Party itself in three states as well as to a company called Tenko Management Pty Ltd, based in Sydney, which was not listed as a donor or associated entity of the Liberal Party.</blockquote>Incidentally, the Hon Mark Anthony James Vaile, former National Party leader and deputy prime minister is a <a href="http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/companyInfo.do?by=asxCode&asxCode=SRV" target="_blank">non-executive director</a> of Servcorp Limited.<br />
<br />
Investigating the murky area of political donors and donations is difficult enough but is compounded when the paper trail involves handwritten documents. No wonder investigative journalism is a dying trade.<br />
<br />
Update: It appears that the managing director of Tenko Management in 2009 worked for the NSW Liberal Party in Western Sydney. Finding out his name is your homework. He has a fine Tory pedigree.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a></blockquote><br />
</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-5407411628478483032014-05-07T18:10:00.000+10:002014-06-19T11:24:37.044+10:00Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="tr_bq" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As a former Northern Territorian I had to track down these stories about Foundation 51: <br />
<br />
From Crikey:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">Has the NSW disease spread to the big end of town in the Top End? What are the links between the CLP and the secretive Foundation 51?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/05/07/with-the-top-end-of-town-in-the-top-end-the-clps-foundation-51/" target="_blank">With the top end of town in the Top End – the CLP’s Foundation 51</a></blockquote>From the NT News:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">A SENIOR public servant and magistrate are directors of a Country Liberal Party-aligned research company that “contributed significantly towards the activities of the Blain by-election”, emails and text messages seen by theNT News reveal.<br />
<br />
The company solicits corporate “memberships” worth more than $20,000.<br />
<br />
NT Land Development Board chairman Graeme Lewis is a member of the CLP management committee and a director of a private entity named in NT Parliament yesterday as Foundation 51.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/highflyers-embroiled-in-clpallied-research-fund/story-fnk0b1zt-1226908818982" target="_blank">High-flyers embroiled in CLP-allied ‘research’ fund</a></blockquote>It didn't take long to discover these connections with the CLP:<br />
<br />
According to a 2010 Northern Territory Electoral Commission <a href="http://www.ntec.nt.gov.au/FinancialDisclosure/Documents/Disclosure%20-%20Annual%20Return%2009-10%20Country%20Libs.pdf" target="_blank">(NTEC) document</a>, in 2009-10 Foundation 51 shared GPO Box 199 Darwin with the CLP Darwin Branch (which they still used in 2013) and CLP Gifts & Legacies Pty Ltd.<br />
<br />
The CLP received $13,200 for "services rendered" from CLP Gifts & Legacies Pty Ltd.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfAeisfIophciZ1Zs1I_DZML_xPqq23Sf7il3rrA-4WEMPBgchfqcQjdhjhsYjHw4sd1zkvGpWSEblWK3gFFOGAWx3hYTKqGIZR1J0ovhVvY5Tmxzh8ZgB4e11UYiY-p3Tp40Fa1Y-Yg/s1600/Foundation+51.jpg" height="441" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foundation 51 Application Form. Source VEXNEWS 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/ReceiptsEntityPartyList.aspx?SubmissionID=51&ClientID=24&ClientTyCo=P" target="_blank">Return Receipt Details - 2012-13 - Country Liberals (Northern Territory)</a>, the AEC website records the GPO Box 199 for <a href="http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Returns/51/RCNV1.pdf" target="_blank">CLP Gifts & Legacies Pty Ltd</a>. Graeme Lewis is listed as their accountant. It made donations of $68,000 and $9,000 to the CLP.<br />
<br />
A <a href="http://www.ntec.nt.gov.au/NTEC%20Forms%20and%20Documents/Financial%20Disclosure%20Returns%20Lodged/CLP%20Return%202006-07.PDF" target="_blank">2006/7 CLP Return</a> lists a donation of $5,164 from a G. Lewis of GPO Box 199 Darwin. CLP Gifts & Legacies Pty Ltd, then at GPO Box 4194, gave the CLP $18,681.74 for "property administration".<br />
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It would be interesting to know who has donated to CLP Gifts & Legacies and Foundation 51. Pity there isn't an ICAC in the NT. Perhaps the <a href="http://www.blowthewhistle.nt.gov.au/about/" target="_blank">Office of the Commissioner for Public Interest Disclosures</a> could start an inquiry.<br />
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<b>Update 2 June 2014</b>:<br />
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From The Australian:<br />
<blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">The new [Northern Territory] PUP recruits used parliamentary question time to expose the CLP for allegedly concealing political donations made via a shadowy private company known as Foundation 51.<br />
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...According to [ALP] opposition government accountability spokesman Ken Vowles, Foundation 51 is “a front company set up and deliberately designed to avoid disclosure of donations”. Vowles says there are “very close parallels between Foundation 51 and the murky entity Eightbyfive”, established by NSW Liberals.<br />
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...Foundation 51 is not declared as a politically associated entity and has not lodged donor returns.<br />
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...Documents accessible online appear to describe Foundation 51 as “an initiative of the CLP” that shared a post-office box with a party branch.<br />
<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/no-more-shell-be-right/story-e6frg6z6-1226934964734#" target="_blank">No more she'll be right</a></blockquote><br />
Good to see the Oz using Labor View's research.<br />
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</div><blockquote style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border: 2px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 10px;">This post is part of a series about political donations in Australia:<br />
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<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/foundation-51s-cosy-links-with-country.html" target="_blank">Foundation 51's Cosy Links with the Country Liberal Party</a><br />
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<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/dare-we-call-it-whitehousegate.html" target="_blank">Dare We Call it Whitehousegate</a><br />
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<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/in-search-of-slush-funds-and-off-books.html" target="_blank">In search of slush funds and off-books moneys in the NSW Liberal Party</a><br />
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<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/townsville-money-trail-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Townsville Money Trail: Political Donors in Queensland's Deep North</a><br />
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<a href="http://laborview.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/nathan-tinkler-co-political-donors.html" target="_blank">Nathan Tinkler & Co: Political Donors Anonymous</a></blockquote></div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459352356656088020.post-1257010603106354562014-05-04T16:32:00.001+10:002014-05-05T14:43:25.894+10:00Good News about Oz Economy- Believe It or Not<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Some tweets to brighten up your day if Joe Hockey's economic voodoo is worrying you:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Australia’s GDP per capita 2012 was US$67,442 per person, cf $51,749 for USA . In Howard's 2005 Aus GDP per capita =$32,526, US=$44,314.</p>— Rod_Hagen (@Rod_Hagen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rod_Hagen/statuses/462881789946499073">May 4, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Did you know the size of govt was 1.8% of GDP lower under Rudd/Gillard than under Howard? <a href="http://t.co/AINhzYUFDY">http://t.co/AINhzYUFDY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23insiders&src=hash">#insiders</a><br />
— Stephen Koukoulas (@TheKouk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheKouk/statuses/462738264575590401">May 3, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Some crisis <a href="https://twitter.com/johndory49">@johndory49</a> Oz 1 of only 6 countries with AAA credit rating from all 3 major agencies & lowest debt-to-GDP of 17 major economies<br />
— Good Sir Knight (@BrigadierSlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrigadierSlog/statuses/462829150277877760">May 4, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">IMF says as things stand Australia is forecast to have second lowest debt in 2018 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23debtmythbusting&src=hash">#debtmythbusting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23auspol&src=hash">#auspol</a><br />
— Brendan O'Connor (@BOConnorMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/BOConnorMP/statuses/462827910919749632">May 4, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">OPINION: If Australia's economy is in crisis,the rest of the world is doomed <a href="http://t.co/8CquJniju5">http://t.co/8CquJniju5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23auspol&src=hash">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qldpol&src=hash">#qldpol</a> <a href="http://t.co/63wqb2VcVU">pic.twitter.com/63wqb2VcVU</a><br />
— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) <a href="https://twitter.com/couriermail/statuses/462420085609476096">May 3, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Even the guy that wrote the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CommisionOfAudit&src=hash">#CommisionOfAudit</a> ADMITS there IS NO BUDGET EMERGENCY! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AusPol&src=hash">#AusPol</a> <a href="http://t.co/2s5dQnwU0X">pic.twitter.com/2s5dQnwU0X</a><br />
— Kiera (@KieraGorden) <a href="https://twitter.com/KieraGorden/statuses/462046171272200192">May 2, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">The last time Aust had a real economic emergency Abbott got drunk and went and slept in his office <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23auspol&src=hash">#auspol</a> <a href="http://t.co/bxyzoks6nF">http://t.co/bxyzoks6nF</a><br />
— Quiet_Please (@Quiet__Please) <a href="https://twitter.com/Quiet__Please/statuses/462838704659120128">May 4, 2014</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>'As if the authors watched The Wire and thought, if only': <a href="https://twitter.com/GrogsGamut">@GrogsGamut</a> on the Commission of Audit: <a href="http://t.co/fZQ8isSS2e">http://t.co/fZQ8isSS2e</a></p>— Katharine Viner (@KathViner) <a href="https://twitter.com/KathViner/statuses/463150232067260417">May 5, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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</div>Kevin Renniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873737997935813248noreply@blogger.com0