# I dislike Daniel Andrews intensely



## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

"Victoria's child abuse hotline reportedly failed to answer 20,000 calls for help in an 18-month period with some people waiting two hours to speak with an operator."

http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...d/news-story/d9628c7aa645722c629c13d2e39339ca


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## Joe Blow (12 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> How do you edit the heading ? I meant "intensely"




I edited it for you.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

Thanks Joe


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## Junior (12 January 2017)

I don't understand.  Is this the premier's fault?


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

Of course it is he's the Premier.
Cancelled the East West link at a cost of $1B after he told the public before the election it wouldn't cost a cent now completely underfunded child protection system.
He's a first class......well, you know.


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## SirRumpole (12 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> Of course it is he's the Premier.
> Cancelled the East West link at a cost of $1B after he told the public before the election it wouldn't cost a cent now completely underfunded child protection system.
> He's a first class......well, you know.




So there is nothing at all wrong with the previous government signing a contract that cost $1 billion to get out of even if no work is done ?

What sort of w@nkers sign a deal like that ? Answer: the sort of w@nkers who want to ensure that their donors come out laughing at the taxpayers expense no matter what happens.

Are people seriously saying that it costs $1 billion to prepare a tender for a construction project ? What about the tenderers who failed ?

Signing that contract just months before the election was a dirty grubby act to ensure that mates could suck at the public teat. The former Liberal government was a disgrace.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

We needed the East West link and still do.
"""The East West Link has been singled out as a top priority by Australia's infrastructure umpire, bringing into question a decision by the Andrews government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars axing the contract for the road."""
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/e...ys-infrastructure-umpire-20160216-gmv9h6.html
Why did he need to get out of it at all ?
The w@ankers are Daniels and the Labour Govt, worse than w@ankers these criminals have let the child protection system run down so kids all over the state are suffering.....I hate his guts.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

Lying low life creep.
*East West Link contracts are not binding, says Daniel Andrews*
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...s/news-story/fcbcdfd9b13cf630854b45cad266cc8b


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## noco (12 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> We needed the East West link and still do.
> """The East West Link has been singled out as a top priority by Australia's infrastructure umpire, bringing into question a decision by the Andrews government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars axing the contract for the road."""
> http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/e...ys-infrastructure-umpire-20160216-gmv9h6.html
> Why did he need to get out of it at all ?
> The w@ankers are Daniels and the Labour Govt, worse than w@ankers these criminals have let the child protection system run down so kids all over the state are suffering.....I hate his guts.




Mr Burns...In Rumpy's eyes anyone who is not a Green/Labor left wing Fabian Socialist are all wankers.

No doubt Andrews is a good Fabian (Communist).


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## PZ99 (12 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> "Victoria's child abuse hotline reportedly failed to answer 20,000 calls for help in an 18-month period with some people waiting two hours to speak with an operator."
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...d/news-story/d9628c7aa645722c629c13d2e39339ca



I don't blame you for hating him. But those failings you speak of happened during the entire tenure of the Baillieu/Napthine Govts. The current Govt has actually improved that system.


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## SirRumpole (12 January 2017)

noco said:


> Mr Burns...In Rumpy's eyes anyone who is not a Green/Labor left wing Fabian Socialist are all wankers.
> 
> No doubt Andrews is a good Fabian (Communist).




And in your eyes anyone who is not Atilla the Hun is a raving Marxist, Red Commo , Fabian traitor.


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## SirRumpole (12 January 2017)

A bit of research into the Victorian child protection system may help



> There is "no question" some child deaths over the past three years would have been prevented if Victoria had a stronger child protection system, the state's Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP) has said.
> 
> The tabling of a damning report in Parliament found that children who had died after instances of family violence in Victoria had been let down by child protection and were victims of systemic service failings.
> 
> ...




From the link quoted by Mr Burns



> *Victoria's child abuse hotline reportedly failed to answer 20,000 calls for help in an 18-month period with some people waiting two hours to speak with an operator.*
> 
> Freedom of information documents obtained by News Corp suggest almost 57,000 calls to the Child Protection Crisis Line were not responded to *between mid-2010 and late 2015.*
> 
> ...







Andrews was elected in 2014, so fairness should dictate that the problem is a shared one between the current and former governments.

So please lets not go off the deep end and blame one person for an ongoing mess.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

Yes I know but he's been in for 2 years and don't tell me it couldn't have been fixed - 20,000 calls unanswered ?????
I despise politicians with a passion all the way from this to Sussan Ley and Julie Bishop bludging off the taxpayer not to mention all the others who do likewise while kids go hungry.
but 20,000 calls to a child abuse hotline go unanswered ??? that has to top the lot for criminal neglect and I didn't see that reported on the ABC web site, it's a national scandal and should be headlines everywhere.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

So true -


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## SirRumpole (12 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> So true -




At least you are being fairer now and hitting both sides.


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

I will support anyone decent regardless of the party, I don't see anyone out there who has anyones interests at heart but their own. I'm surprised Derryn Hinch isn't all over this....perhaps he is.


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## PZ99 (12 January 2017)

You'll like this one. LOL
http://www.marriagealliance.com.au/victorian_government_don_t_say_husband_or_wife_it_s_offensive


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## MrBurns (12 January 2017)

PZ99 said:


> You'll like this one. LOL
> http://www.marriagealliance.com.au/victorian_government_don_t_say_husband_or_wife_it_s_offensive




w@ankers


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## SirRumpole (12 January 2017)

PZ99 said:


> You'll like this one. LOL
> http://www.marriagealliance.com.au/victorian_government_don_t_say_husband_or_wife_it_s_offensive





Geez, not this cr*p again. Power stations are falling over and they get their knickers in a twist about terms that have been in use for centuries.

Saying "manhole cover" instead of "access hatchway" could land you in gaol.


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## Tisme (13 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> We needed the East West link and still do.
> """The East West Link has been singled out as a top priority by Australia's infrastructure umpire, bringing into question a decision by the Andrews government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars axing the contract for the road."""
> http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/e...ys-infrastructure-umpire-20160216-gmv9h6.html
> Why did he need to get out of it at all ?
> The w@ankers are Daniels and the Labour Govt, worse than w@ankers these criminals have let the child protection system run down so kids all over the state are suffering.....I hate his guts.





I don't know who Australia's infrastructure umpire is, but I'm guessing he's some QANGO crony under the employ of the Federal LNP ruling party? The same LNP that played its role in trying to use Federal funds to promote a State election outcome?

Having said that, w@ankers are not the sole domain of one particular party political and your man didn't get to be a labor premier by being Mr Niceguy ... it is incredibly hard to rise through the Labor ranks on handshakes and old school tie. Labor is a party of knowitalls, educated or street brawler, they makes it hard to climb the ladder if you are a fool.

With Victoria being deskilled on the manufacturing front, will the link be obsolete in the not so distant future, or is it still an imperative to economic growth?


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## Tisme (13 January 2017)

MrBurns said:


> I will support anyone decent regardless of the party, I don't see anyone out there who has anyones interests at heart but their own. I'm surprised Derryn Hinch isn't all over this....perhaps he is.




 I got hauled up a year ago for saying something offensive like that. The young woman saw it it as an opportunity to get noticed, by eaves dropping my conversation with someone of similar age, using old school (polite) vernacular. The fact I was not a public servant was of no consequence, so apology paperwork had to be forwarded and archived and the girl's career went down the toilet ..... as is expected when natural selection kicks in.


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## Junior (13 January 2017)

I'm no Andrews fan.  But the fact is that he went to that election with scrapping EW Link as a key policy.  If he went ahead and had it built he would have been in breach of his own stated policy.  As for the wasted $1bill, well that's an absolute disgrace of a situation and both sides are to blame.  Libs for signing off on it and Labour for not re-evaluating their decision once it became known how costly it would be to bail.

I do give the Andrews Government credit for actually pushing forward with Metro Rail, after the last 10 premiers have talked about it and done f-all to action it.  The last major public transport upgrade in Melbourne was the city loop in the 80s, when our population was 2.8mill....is now 3.5mill and growing rapidly.  If we continue to prioritise freeways over PT this city will end up like LA.


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## Smurf1976 (15 January 2017)

SirRumpole said:


> Saying "manhole cover" instead of "access hatchway" could land you in gaol.




Just be glad that Australian engineers weren't keen on designing dams with "glory hole" spillways.

Had they done so then, well, no doubt we'd have to call them something else since that would be deemed offensive.

Plenty of them in the US and other places though.


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## SirRumpole (15 January 2017)

Smurf1976 said:


> Just be glad that Australian engineers weren't keen on designing dams with "glory hole" spillways.
> 
> Had they done so then, well, no doubt we'd have to call them something else since that would be deemed offensive.
> 
> Plenty of them in the US and other places though.



I presume this is the sort of thing you were talking about ?

https://localwiki.org/davis/Morning_Glory_Spillway

I wasn't aware of either connotation of the term before, so thanks for the education !


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## Smurf1976 (15 January 2017)

SirRumpole said:


> I presume this is the sort of thing you were talking about?




That's it. There's a few variations in the terminology but thankfully we haven't widely used that design in Australia otherwise the politically correct brigade would have a fit about language every time there's a minor flood.


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## SirRumpole (15 January 2017)

Smurf1976 said:


> That's it. There's a few variations in the terminology but thankfully we haven't widely used that design in Australia otherwise the politically correct brigade would have a fit about language every time there's a minor flood.




Seem a lot of trouble to go to when you can just let the water spill over the wall.


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## MrBurns (15 January 2017)

Junior said:


> I'm no Andrews fan.  But the fact is that he went to that election with scrapping EW Link as a key policy.  If he went ahead and had it built he would have been in breach of his own stated policy.  As for the wasted $1bill, well that's an absolute disgrace of a situation and both sides are to blame.  Libs for signing off on it and Labour for not re-evaluating their decision once it became known how costly it would be to bail.
> 
> I do give the Andrews Government credit for actually pushing forward with Metro Rail, after the last 10 premiers have talked about it and done f-all to action it.  The last major public transport upgrade in Melbourne was the city loop in the 80s, when our population was 2.8mill....is now 3.5mill and growing rapidly.  If we continue to prioritise freeways over PT this city will end up like LA.




Andrews lied through his teeth saying that scrapping the east west wouldn't cost anything he's a creep of the highest order


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## Tink (27 January 2017)

ACCOUNTABILITY --

What is missing in Melbourne, Victoria.

-----------------------------------

_http://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/a...a/news-story/4f2e61893876770cbf141ba71f0f368a_


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## PZ99 (27 January 2017)

Sitting Govts must always be held responsible for events under their watch... good or bad.

Therefore we must credit the Andrews Govt for Melbourne being the worlds' most livable city


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## Tink (27 January 2017)

We had the worlds' most livable city with the Liberal Govt too.
Proves nothing.

We have now become the CRIME state of Australia.

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/sentencing-in-australia-is-a-disgrace.13344/page-26


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## PZ99 (27 January 2017)

Ok so on a more serious note what is the actual fail? Not enough facilities? Soft laws? Delayed responses? Should they have been moved to an adult centre? I remember some story about youths being moved to an adult prison which was later deemed illegal (different facility I think).
Not much info in that Andrew Bolt link (apart from a comment about building a wall.. lol)


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## PZ99 (27 January 2017)

Forty adult prison staff will move to secure Malmsbury and Parkville youth centres after 15 young offenders broke out of the central Victoria facility following a riot this week.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-...malmsbury-and-parkville-youth-centres/8217566


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## Tink (2 February 2017)

So when are we finding out the rorting that Daniels Andrews and the Labor Govt did in Victoria to win the election?

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews asks High Court to block inquiry into MPs' rorts

_The legal battle over an investigation into allegations of Labor MPs' misusing taxpayer-funded allowances during the 2014 Victorian election campaign is headed to the High Court.

The Andrews Labor government is seeking special leave to appeal the Court of Appeal's decision regarding the Ombudsman's jurisdiction to investigate the allegations.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass asked the Supreme Court to clarify whether her office had the power to investigate alleged rorts following a Legislative Council request to do so in November 2015._

Read more: http://www.afr.com/news/politics/vi...-into-mps-rorts-20170105-gtmme6#ixzz4XTIk6I42


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## Tisme (2 February 2017)

PZ99 said:


> Forty adult prison staff will move to secure Malmsbury and Parkville youth centres after 15 young offenders broke out of the central Victoria facility following a riot this week.
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-...malmsbury-and-parkville-youth-centres/8217566





I that the one showing some kid beating a roof fan cowl to within an inch of its life and the news service reporting it as an air conditioner? The inference being of course that these kids enjoy air conditioning and the life of Riley, while the rest of us have to pay for it.


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## PZ99 (2 February 2017)

Tisme said:


> I that the one showing some kid beating a roof fan cowl to within an inch of its life and the news service reporting it as an air conditioner? The inference being of course that these kids enjoy air conditioning and the life of Riley, while the rest of us have to pay for it.



Yep. Apparently they believed the air conditioning worked better on the outside during the day. After discovering their error from a few hours of planking and subsequent sunburn they used the air conditioning cowl to break back into the prison much to the confusion of the media who didn't know whether they were coming or going.

_Malmsbury... Nice one day - Ice the next._


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## Tink (16 February 2017)

*Hinch: ‘Something is rotten in Victoria’*

Senator Derryn Hinch says Victoria will soon need to change its numberplates to “The Crime State”.

The long-time crime crusader turned politician launched an extraordinary attack on the Andrews Government in the Senate on Tuesday night, declaring violence in his home state as “out of control”.

He said Melbourne was now “barely recognised” as a place that had long been lauded the “most liveable city in the world’.

“Something is rotten in the state of Victoria. Really rotten,” Senator Hinch said.

“Street crime, gang crime, home invasions, car jackings, prison riots, and a court system that lets a man out on bail despite strenuous police opposition and it results in carnage in the Bourke Street Mall.”

Hinch pointed to “dozens of Sudanese youths” terrorising Caroline Springs at the weekend.

“I’ll identify them as Sudanese even though it’s political incorrect to do so,” he said.

“Dozens of Sudanese youths terrorised and terrified families at a community fireworks night … running through the crowd snatching mobile phones and hand bags. Punching anyone who resisted.”

He said one teenager was bashed and had his phone stolen “right outside the Caroline Springs police station”.

Senator Hinch accused authorities of treating troublemakers with “kid gloves” and giving them ice cream and pizzas while in juvenile detention as rewards for behaving themselves.

“Although the way the current government treats them you can understand if they see themselves as clients. Or customers.

He also attacked the Victorian Government for subsiding taxis and Uber rides for the parents of offenders in youth detention to visit them.

Senator Hinch also attacked the bail system, saying he was surprised that young offenders where behind bars at all because “they usually get bailed so easily”.

“Thugs repeatedly are given chance after chance out on bail and go on to commit further offences,” he said.

“The justice system and magistrates continue to put the offender first and the victim and community protection last.”

“Jesus wept. How much have they learned since? Mollycoddling doesn’t work. Ignoring reality doesn’t work.”

“The way things are going our next numberplate slogan shouldn’t be ‘Victoria: The Garden State’ or ‘Victoria: The Place To Be’.

It should be ‘Victoria, The Crime State’.”


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## PZ99 (16 February 2017)

LOL. Try living in Mt Druitt NSW. It's been all of the above for the last 30 years.

Every house has bars on the windows. Mine are electrified 

Craigieburn in VIC is in training mode.


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## Junior (16 February 2017)

Let's not get too dramatic here, Melbourne is the 9th safest city on the planet according to the Economist.  It will be interesting to see where we're at in the 2016 release.

http://safecities.economist.com/wp-.../EIU_Safe_Cities_Index_2015_white_paper-1.pdf

AND the world's most liveable city in 2016.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016...e-cities-fdf616e9-9f06-4eff-9dab-a8b3fd505476


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## SirRumpole (16 February 2017)

These Sudanese thugs should be deported immediately if they cause problems.

That's a responsibility of the Federal government, so instead of just berating the State government (although some criticism of them may be justified), I suggest people write to the Immigration Minister and enquire why these troublemakers are allowed to remain here.


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## Tisme (16 February 2017)

SirRumpole said:


> These Sudanese thugs should be deported immediately if they cause problems.
> 
> That's a responsibility of the Federal government, so instead of just berating the State government (although some criticism of them may be justified), I suggest people write to the Immigration Minister and enquire why these troublemakers are allowed to remain here.




Isn't Sudan the same place that the loud mouthed girl on QANDA hails from.... the one that maintains Islam is superior in every way for peace and self esteem, her origin country must be like Xanadu?

The Apex gang also includes coconuts, afghans, asians and non Australian whites.


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## SirRumpole (16 February 2017)

Tisme said:


> The Apex gang also includes coconuts, afghans, asians and non Australian whites.




Shoot anyone we can't deport. 



Tisme said:


> Isn't Sudan the same place that the loud mouthed girl on QANDA hails from.... the one that maintains Islam is superior in every way for peace and self esteem, her origin country must be like Xanadu?




Of course, if Islam was so great for women in Sudan, why didn't she stay there ?


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## PZ99 (8 March 2017)

Labor are facing a wipeout next year according to the latest ReachTEL poll 46-54 - 2PP.

Subscription article bypass process thingy > https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...torian+election+2018+wipeout:+ReachTEL+poll&*

Andrews will need more than sexy traffic lights to get out of this one


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## Tisme (8 March 2017)

PZ99 said:


> Labor are facing a wipeout next year according to the latest ReachTEL poll 46-54 - 2PP.
> 
> Subscription article bypass process thingy > https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...torian+election+2018+wipeout:+ReachTEL+poll&*
> 
> Andrews will need more than sexy traffic lights to get out of this one




Is he the usual self inflicted victim of ALP wishy washy policy and please everyone on the margins?


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## PZ99 (8 March 2017)

Andrews is disliked on multiple issues that go beyond policy. You could even say he cost Bill Shorten the last election after that firies episode. As far as tactical errors go that was a doozy.


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## Tisme (8 March 2017)

PZ99 said:


> Andrews is disliked on multiple issues that go beyond policy. You could even say he cost Bill Shorten the last election after that firies episode. As far as tactical errors go that was a doozy.




Apolitical dickhed?


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## PZ99 (8 March 2017)

Tisme said:


> Apolitical dickhed?



More of a political one 

_Unless of course you're referring to me in which case you're probably right. 
I do appear on the odd synoptic weather chart from time to time...LOL_


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## qldfrog (8 March 2017)

PZ99 said:


> More of a political one
> 
> _Unless of course you're referring to me in which case you're probably right.
> I do appear on the odd synoptic weather chart from time to time...LOL_



I am sure Tisme would never use that term with a fellow ASF member


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## noco (13 March 2017)

What a hopeless case this Danial Andrews has turned out to be.


https://www.facebook.com/aussiemong...741863683067/1270493693041211/?type=3&theater


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## sptrawler (14 March 2017)

Noco, what was that post about, I refuse to join facebook.


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## Tink (14 March 2017)

The post was about how bad he is running our state.

Crime is up, and all he cares about is changing pedestrian lights.


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## noco (14 March 2017)

sptrawler said:


> Noco, what was that post about, I refuse to join facebook.




Sorry SP, I don't know how to bring it up...I thought the link was sufficient....I will try some different ways for you.


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## Tisme (14 March 2017)

Tink said:


> The post was about how bad he is running our state.
> 
> Crime is up, and all he cares about is changing pedestrian lights.




Are local traffic lights and pedestrian crossing a state govt issue in VIC? They are council here.

I just assumed the Greens heartland of central Melbourne was in play?


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## Tink (14 March 2017)

Yes, if it is the Council, it is the Greens.


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## Knobby22 (14 March 2017)

I thought it was nice to see Scottish men in traditional dress on our traffic lights.


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## sptrawler (14 March 2017)

I found this ABC article interesting, apparently the Andrews Government says the East West link is unnecessary, but have put a curfew on trucks between 10pm and 6am. Weird, that must be great for productivity.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-...ed-to-make-north-east-link-a-priority/7172626


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## PZ99 (16 March 2017)

Crime up 10% in a year. You guys know how to party 

http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...t/news-story/ca7df63ef29d3567ce25d5f6e2aaa328


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## Tink (28 June 2017)

And so it continues in Lawless Melbourne...

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/t...netted-800000-court-told-20170627-gwzu2f.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/brawl-at-footscray-barber-shop-caught-on-cctv/8656094

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/the-bolt-report.22366/page-13

--------------------------

_Sentencing in Australia is a disgrace

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/sentencing-in-australia-is-a-disgrace.13344/page-26_


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## PZ99 (28 June 2017)

I like the barbershop one. See the dude jumping the counter and probably looting the till.

Arthur Daly lives on


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## Tink (29 June 2017)

imv, PZ99, these criminals are no different to terrorists, terrorising our streets, smashing peoples businesses, breaking in peoples houses, while the occupants hide in a sound room in fear?

Where is our law and order?

While I was in the supermarket the other day, the lady was telling me that they are now closing departments in certain areas, at a certain time.
Burglaries, robberies, violence have increased dramatically.

Too many rights, and not enough responsibilities, imv.


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## PZ99 (29 June 2017)

I couldn't agree with you more...

As far as low acts go this one takes the cake in every way, shape and form.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-surgeon-dies-one-punch-attack-hospital.html

Now, ordinarily, this would create public outrage. But in recent times similar crimes have become so frequent that people seem to have been conditioned into thinking of this as just a way of life.

Not the Australia I grew up in. I just hope the judicial system doesn't follow suit.


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## Tisme (29 June 2017)

PZ99 said:


> I couldn't agree with you more...
> 
> As far as low acts go this one takes the cake in every way, shape and form.
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-surgeon-dies-one-punch-attack-hospital.html
> ...




Judicial system is necessarily a reactionary establishment, while Parliament is supposed to be the actionary headquarters.

Be interesting to timeline the aggravation from it's roots to now. Is it simply us thinking herd rules are enough to contain the individual, are we too consumed with benevolence that we can't see the worth of malevolence, are we just all too worn out from chasing wealth, chatels and castles?


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## Tink (11 August 2017)

*Victoria Police to be non-binary inclusive by adding third gender*

_The database could be updated to allow a non-binary category for people who don’t identify as either._
-----------

Victoria Police is set to officially add a third gender option for non-binary people in its internal database.

The police force is looking into alternative ways to record gender in addition to its current categories of male, female and unknown, according to The Australian.

The database could be updated to allow a non-binary category for people who don’t identify as either.

Government agencies have been pushed to comply with new guidelines on the recognition of sex and gender, and lobbying from the LGBTI community has contributed to the proposed change.

“A piece of work is currently being undertaken to scope alternative models for capturing and recording gender in a more inclusive way,” said a Victoria Police spokesperson.

“Relevant consultation with members of the LGBTI community has and will continue to inform this piece of work.”

Senior police members recently met with the Victorian government’s LGBTI Justice Working Group to discuss the project.

“A word like ‘unknown’ is really at odds with what a person knows to be the case about themselves,” said Harriet Shing, joint chair of the working group.

“Having a system that reflects people’s identity is about inclusiveness but fundamentally it’s about dignity and recognition.”

http://www.starobserver.com.au/news...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer


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## overhang (11 August 2017)

Tink as someone who has had concerns with the Victorian crime rate you must be disgusted by opposition leader Mather Guy meeting with the alleged Mafia boss.  Truly disgraceful chasing up donations from criminals.


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## PZ99 (11 August 2017)

Yeah, three guesses as to "which bank" they hide their money


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## Tisme (11 August 2017)

overhang said:


> Tink as someone who has had concerns with the Victorian crime rate you must be disgusted by opposition leader Mather Guy meeting with the alleged Mafia boss.  Truly disgraceful chasing up donations from criminals.




For me, the bigger question is why the acceptance of mafia bosses and why aren't they locked up? Surely the corruption is at a basic level that the army could cleanup in the absence of willing police and legal profession?


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## Tink (11 August 2017)

I have said already, overhang, we have become the CRIME state.


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## overhang (11 August 2017)

Tink said:


> I have said already, overhang, we have become the CRIME state.



I certainly wouldn't want to vote for a leader that eats lobster and drinks Penfolds Grange with known criminals.


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## PZ99 (13 September 2017)

A Country Fire Authority board member sacked by the Victorian government amid a heated pay saga is making a tilt for the emergency services minister's seat.

Sassafras-Ferny Creek volunteer brigade captain John Schurink has been preselected as the Liberal candidate for Monbulk - the seat held by Deputy Premier and Emergency Services Minister James Merlino since 2002.

Mr Merlino dismissed the CFA board, including Mr Schurink, in June 2016 after it failed to endorse a pay deal backed by the government and which is still in limbo.

http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...r/news-story/7ce026408fecb6b3a512c9606373017a

I like this - sacker and sackee go head to head


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## crackajack (13 September 2017)

I dislike all politicians lol But yes he is a bit **** eyed. Not someone I would trust. Also said he would extend vicrail services to rural victoria lol sure thing jerk.


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## PZ99 (17 October 2017)

Women at Victoria's CFA say they are being sexually harassed then bullied and ignored if they reveal what happened to them, a secret internal report has found.

Men also told investigators they were bullied, and were harassed and looked over for career progression if they tried to challenge the toxic internal culture.

http://www.news.com.au/national/bre...s/news-story/4fbaf227fb2a5ca3f8de821c9696830b

This sort of stuff gives unions a bad name and unfortunately it's always the humble worker getting caught in the cross fire. It was this issue that cost Bill Shorten a seat in the last election. So now would be a good time for the bloke to pull his finger out and disown that union by rejecting their donations. Won't happen though.


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## SirRumpole (17 October 2017)

The thing that has irked me about Daniel Andrews recently is his change of stance in relation to assisted dying, not because he now supports it, but because he only changed his mind because of a personal experience relating to the death of a member of his family. He couldn't give a stuff about other people's suffering before but as soon as he is personally affected he switches sides.

Not that he's alone, all the pollies live in their ivory towers out of touch with everyone else.


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## Tink (31 October 2017)

Daniel Andrews government, the Greens and Yarra Council have approved a drug injecting room for heroin addicts.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-30/safe-injecting-trial-set-to-go-ahead-in-melbourne/9101160

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/m...m-trial-gets-green-light-20171030-gzb6ky.html

------------------------------------

_https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/drugs.1871/page-2

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/the-australian-greens-party.20238/page-60_


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## PZ99 (31 October 2017)

I don't have a problem with that one. 

I'd rather they dispose of their dirty needles in a lab rather than dump them on the beach.


----------



## Tink (1 December 2017)

Many events have been cancelled, or on stand by, in Melbourne, and throughout Victoria.

*Victoria braces for extreme weather*

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/12/01/victoria-braces-for-extreme-weather.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-01/what-is-forecast-for-victorias-extreme-weather-weekend/9211702

Hopefully the Councils have been doing their jobs, roads and rubbish.


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## MrBurns (1 December 2017)

I have a week booked at Bright 
Wasted now no point driving 3 hours in this to holiday in the rain.
Good timing eh ? Reminds me of my share trading expertise.


----------



## PZ99 (1 December 2017)

Yeppers... blame Andrews for the weather. The Greens blamed Howard for it


----------



## sptrawler (3 December 2017)

Well seems like someone was talking "porkies" with regard the East West link, lucky the electorate have memories like goldfish.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/w...n-a-decade-after-opening-20171201-gzx253.html


----------



## Tink (18 December 2017)

*Counter-terror squad to patrol Melbourne's streets*

Victoria Police will tomorrow launch new roving Critical Incident Response Teams (CIRT) to patrol the city and respond to high risk incidents in a matter of minutes.

Under the new model, teams of CIRT members will be fully kitted up and driving around the CBD and inner Melbourne in marked and unmarked vehicles. They will also be operating during iconic major events throughout the state.

For the majority of time the community will never see CIRT members on the street. However, if a major incident was to occur they will be able to quickly arrive on the scene.

Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp, Regional Operations, said the roving CIRT teams had been put in place to strengthen community safety.

“The reality is that if a major threat was to occur, we have to act quickly,” Deputy Commissioner Crisp said.

“This new model means we will have highly specialist police quickly on the scene, which significantly reduces any threat to the community.

“Learning from models and incidents overseas, we know these highly responsive teams are on par with global best practice and will ensure the highest level of safety and security for the community.”

Victoria Police has been trialling these roving teams throughout the past few months.

“There was an incident on the morning of AFL Grand Final Day that our patrol teams were able to respond to within four minutes,” Deputy Commissioner Crisp said.

“This is an extremely fast response from a specialist team such as CIRT and is the type of response we want to deliver on an ongoing basis.

“This means that from time to time the public may see more police wearing tactical clothing and operational kit on patrol at various locations.”

Deputy Commissioner Crisp stressed that this new model is not in response to any known threat; rather it is a response model that puts Victoria Police in the best possible situation to keep the community safe.

The new roving CIRT teams will start patrolling the Melbourne CBD from tomorrow and will operate 365 days a year.


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## dutchie (18 December 2017)

Tink said:


> *Counter-terror squad to patrol Melbourne's streets*
> 
> Victoria Police will tomorrow launch new roving Critical Incident Response Teams (CIRT) to patrol the city and respond to high risk incidents in a matter of minutes.
> 
> ...




See, multiculturalism at its best, creating new jobs.


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## PZ99 (18 December 2017)

So that does the city but what about St Kill-dar beach ?

It's rough as guts there at the moment.


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## SirRumpole (18 December 2017)

PZ99 said:


> So that does the city but what about St Kill-dar beach ?
> 
> It's rough as guts there at the moment.




But we can't have the business elites in the CBD getting upset can we ?


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## PZ99 (18 December 2017)

SirRumpole said:


> But we can't have the business elites in the CBD getting upset can we ?



They're mostly beggars these days...


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## MrBurns (18 December 2017)

The whole city is stuffed, the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Sts is now disgusting where years ago it was the hub of foot traffic across to the station and quite nice.


----------



## moXJO (18 December 2017)

What the hell is going on down there?


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## MrBurns (18 December 2017)

Hardly anyone speaks English
Hardly anyone can drive
The roads are packed all day
Cranes everywhere building more units to clog the roads even more
The poor are now very visible begging on the streets 
People serving in shops are depressed because they work for peanuts etc etc


----------



## SirRumpole (18 December 2017)

MrBurns said:


> Hardly anyone speaks English
> Hardly anyone can drive
> The roads are packed all day
> Cranes everywhere building more units to clog the roads even more
> ...




How much of this is Daniel Andrew's fault, and how much is remnants of the last lot ?

A lot of the stuff you mention is caused by rapid population rise , which is the problem of the Federal government when it comes to immigration.


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## MrBurns (18 December 2017)

Immigration not his fault though he could have a say in it.
I'm sure many drivers , Uber for instance, couldn't possibly have a licence to drive. State matter.
Andrews gave Crown permission to build the biggest tower in the CBD WITHOUT A BUILDING PERMIT
He's embarked on a crazy infrastructure program that's left the city with roadworks that wont be finished for years, and this - 

*VicRoads has unveiled plans that will effectively place red lights on freeways.

The first will be put in place next month, as revealed on Neil Mitchell’s program.

The locations include:

• CityLink (city-bound) to West Gate Freeway (city-bound) – INTRODUCED NEXT MONTH
• West Gate Freeway (city-bound) to CityLink (airport-bound)
• M80 Ring Road (Greensborough-bound) to (Calder Freeway city-bound)
• M80 Ring Road (Greensborough-bound) to Tullamarine Freeway (airport-bound)
• M80 Ring Road (Altona-bound) to Tullamarine Freeway (airport-bound)
• M80 Ring Road (Altona-bound) to Tullamarine Freeway (city-bound)
• Calder Freeway (city-bound) to M80 Ring Road (Greensborough-bound)
• Calder Freeway (outbound) to M80 Ring Road (Altona-bound)
• Monash Freeway to EastLink
Vicroads Chief Executive John Merritt told Neil Mitchell managing the release of cars from one freeway to another drops the number of nose-to-tail crashes by 30 per cent.*


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## dutchie (29 December 2017)

Smashed glass, trashed furniture and discarded bongs: Inside the community centre terrorised by Apex-linked 'Menace to Society' - as police* FINALLY *admit Melbourne has a problem with African gang crime


'African' youths trashed Ecoville Community Park in Tarneit, western Melbourne in a new housing estate
Furniture, windows, walls were smashed with graffiti and rubbish including homemade bongs everywhere
Residents now live in fear with their park space overrun and youths running amok and selling drugs nearby
Police make numerous arrests but are often confronted by dangerous gangs and fail to stop them
Cops and government finally admitted Melbourne has a problem with African gangs after earlier denials

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ntre-trashed-African-gangs.html#ixzz52ceOw6Re

The Victorian Government and Police administration is a joke.


----------



## Tisme (30 December 2017)

A post on a farcebook closed group today, regarding Victoria : "politically correct gender neutral organic vegan kale watered with activated charcoal filtered water"


----------



## Tisme (30 December 2017)

dutchie said:


> Smashed glass, trashed furniture and discarded bongs: Inside the community centre terrorised by Apex-linked 'Menace to Society' - as police* FINALLY *admit Melbourne has a problem with African gang crime
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Wishful thinking that people with small IQs can integrate on a comparable level as the mainstream. Society needs to start acknowledging the Emperor's clothes.


----------



## Macquack (30 December 2017)

Yet another blanket racist statement from the superior whitey.


----------



## Tisme (30 December 2017)

Macquack said:


> Yet another blanket racist statement from the superior whitey.




 Typical blanket response from a hater who puts a racist tag on a sublime comment about half wits?

I take it you find succor amongst imbecile peers who endanger others well being? You support terrorists and vandals so long as they aren't white skinned yes?


----------



## Tisme (1 January 2018)

You Victorians can relax. There is nothing to worry about... statistics don't lie.:

https://www.3aw.com.au/police-minister-this-is-not-just-an-african-youth-problem/


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## sptrawler (1 January 2018)

Tisme said:


> You Victorians can relax. There is nothing to worry about... statistics don't lie.:
> 
> https://www.3aw.com.au/police-minister-this-is-not-just-an-african-youth-problem/




That's funny I thought I read an article today, where it said they made up something like 10% of crimes, but only 0.01% of the population.

Sounds like "Big trouble in little Victoria", can't wait to read the end to this story.
It won't read well . IMO


----------



## SirRumpole (1 January 2018)

sptrawler said:


> That's funny I thought I read an article today, where it said they made up something like 10% of crimes, but only 0.01% of the population.




Sure they can be deported if they cause trouble, but that is a Federal power not a State one.


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## sptrawler (1 January 2018)

SirRumpole said:


> Sure they can be deported if they cause trouble, but that is a Federal power not a State one.



Probably only only involves "NZ bikies".


----------



## Tisme (1 January 2018)

sptrawler said:


> That's funny I thought I read an article today, where it said they made up something like 10% of crimes, but only 0.01% of the population.
> 
> Sounds like "Big trouble in little Victoria", can't wait to read the end to this story.
> It won't read well . IMO




Talk about coincidence ... I watched "Big Trouble in Little China" on Putlocker today


----------



## PZ99 (2 January 2018)

More here: Sudanese athlete says police and pollies need to wake up to gang problem.

http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...m/news-story/cb90fd83bbe59d51d963d46518022d08


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## Tisme (2 January 2018)

PZ99 said:


> More here: Sudanese athlete says police and pollies need to wake up to gang problem.
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...m/news-story/cb90fd83bbe59d51d963d46518022d08




The problem is that there is no problem. 

These people and their families were carefully screened to make sure they fit a fantasia multi cultural society, rather than assimilate like the ancient days of skilled labour imports last seen in Australia back in the dark ages of the 1970's.

The situation is that the slack jawed established population who have only been here for a couple of hundred years and built the place, are just not embracing that violence and vandalism are just another cultural advantage to the patchwork society we must embrace so we can brag about how successful we are in all things acceptance of abstract notions.


----------



## dutchie (2 January 2018)

Daniel Andrews -  "What Sudanese problem?"


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## SirRumpole (2 January 2018)

dutchie said:


> Daniel Andrews -  "What Sudanese problem?"




Have a word with Peter Dutton. He's the Minister who lets these people in and who can deport them if he wants. But he wouldn't be sitting on his hands just to embarrass Daniel Andrews would he ?


----------



## sptrawler (10 January 2018)

Well it looks like East West link is back on the agenda, even blind Freddy knew the East West link would have to be built, yet Andrews paid $1billion to stop it.
Move forward a couple of years and they are saying it will have to be built, what a goose, is there any wonder W.A gets pizzes of when their gst money gets thrown away like that.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/d...ransport-future-document-20180109-h0fozu.html


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## dutchie (24 January 2018)

dutchie said:


> Daniel Andrews -  "What Sudanese problem?"




*First* the Victorian police said - "What problem?"

_from The Australian_
"Mr Ashton yesterday called for a more co-ordinated, “cross-government” response to the city’s youth and gang crime problem, saying police could not solve the issue alone.

“We’re locking them up as many as we can … we’re responding more quickly than we’ve ever responded, we’re making more arrests than we’ve ever made in total, so we’re doing plenty about it, but you’re talking about bigger social issues than police (can) solve,” Mr Ashton told radio station 3AW yesterday."



*Now* they they are saying the problem is too big and it's not for them to solve.

*What pathetic liars the Victorian government are.*


----------



## Tisme (24 January 2018)

dutchie said:


> *First* the Victorian police said - "What problem?"
> 
> _from The Australian_
> "Mr Ashton yesterday called for a more co-ordinated, “cross-government” response to the city’s youth and gang crime problem, saying police could not solve the issue alone.
> ...





Well the ABC are insisting there is no statistical problem, so there is nothing to solve.


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## explod (24 January 2018)

Ashton is pretty well on the ball in this.  Not the cops job to raise, educate and give them direction.


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## sptrawler (27 January 2018)

explod said:


> Ashton is pretty well on the ball in this.  Not the cops job to raise, educate and give them direction.




That is probably true, they were let in on a ideological and political basis, by the Federal Government, why is it the police's problem to sort them out?
If they can't integrate, send them back, why place our citizens under risk?


----------



## Tink (29 January 2018)

Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-...da-revealed/9368078?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne


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## SirRumpole (29 January 2018)

Tink said:


> Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-...da-revealed/9368078?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne




Ridiculous tokenism.


----------



## Tisme (29 January 2018)

Tink said:


> Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-...da-revealed/9368078?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne




Edifice to Nimrod misanthropes.... a new tower of Babel.

We just have to wait for a warrior king to reverse all the bull5h!te .... a Donald Trump perhaps?


----------



## SirRumpole (29 January 2018)

Tisme said:


> Edifice to Nimrod misanthropes.... a new tower of Babel.
> 
> We just have to wait for a warrior king to reverse all the bull5h!te .... a Donald Trump perhaps?




Mark Latham ? Slightly less gross than Trump.


----------



## moXJO (30 January 2018)

Anyone see the vegans overrun the steakhouse in Melbourne the other day.
Melbourne is "ground zero" for delusional leftards lately.


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## PZ99 (30 January 2018)

Tink said:


> Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-...da-revealed/9368078?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne



Plenty of holes in that design... and the intent.


----------



## Tink (22 March 2018)

_Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is resisting calls for some of his most senior lieutenants to resign in the wake of an explosive report that found Labor had broken parliamentary rules when it used the staff allowances of 21 MPs to pay for campaigners ahead of the 2014 election.

Mr Andrews yesterday apologised after the Victorian Ombudsman ruled the party had misused $387,842 in taxpayer funds during the campaign, but he insisted that no MP should lose their job. The Coalition has demanded the Premier take ultimate responsibility for the rort, describing Attorney-General Martin Pakula’s position as “untenable” and accusing the government of “cheating” its way into office. The report of Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass, released yesterday, found the party had “crossed a line” in regards to a scheme that used politicians’ staff allowances to employ electoral officers who were instead engaged as campaigners.

Mr Pakula and Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings were among the 21 MPs who took part in the scheme that saw their offices cover the cost of a campaigner for two days a week. Former treasurer John Lenders was named as the architect of the scheme.

Deputy Premier James Merlino, Police Minister Lisa Neville and lower house leader Jacinta Allan were found to be beneficiaries, receiving assistance from the campaigners.

“It was a picture of a well-organised campaign by the ALP to recruit and deploy full-time field organisers in the run-up to the 2014 Victorian state election,” Ms Glass said. “While some electorate-officer work was done for some members of parliament, the arrangement to employ field organisers as electorate officers was an artifice to secure partial payment for the campaign out of parliamentary funds, and was wrong.”

The Ombudsman’s findings end a two-year investigation that endured multiple legal challenges to stop it or limit its scope, with government legal fees exceeding $1 million.

Mr Andrews confirmed that Labor had repaid $388,000 — the cost of employing 21 field officers on an average salary of $63,300 pro rata — but rejected suggestions that any member or minister should quit over the findings.

However, one high-profile scalp has already emerged, with Mr Lenders this month announcing his intention to quit as chairman of the state’s rail owner, VicTrack. While Mr Lenders cited personal reasons for his decision, Ms Glass detailed how Department of Parliamentary Services had told Mr Lenders in early 2014 that parliamentary staff working as electorate officers could not be used as field organisers, and that he never told them about the arrangement that eventuated.

“There is undoubtedly a blurred line between permissible and impermissible uses of parliamentary funds, and ... in seeking to maximise the use of resources available to the party, Mr Lenders crossed the line,” Ms Glass said.

His resignation was made public just days ahead of the report’s release.

Defending his stance, Mr Andrews stressed that Ms Glass had found the MPs who took part in the scheme thought it was a legitimate use of funds and that none of them derived any personal benefit from the use of the funds.

“The Ombudsman has made it very clear that everyone involved in this acted with the not unreasonable assumption ... in good faith, deriving no personal benefit,” he said. “I am sorry this has occurred, and really the most important thing here is to ensure that we prove that we are sincere in that apology.”

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said Labor members needed to be held to account. “If you take money from your employer, you usually lose your job,” he said.

“Those ministers and parliamentary secretaries involved in this rort must resign.”

Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett echoed the call, saying all MPs involved should step down or withdraw or not contest the next election. “This is fraud, naked fraud,” he said.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten described the report as “a serious matter” but said it was a state issue.

Questions are being asked about the broader fallout for the party during an election year, with key members of the ALP’s campaign team also named in the report, including national secretary Noah Carroll and current assistant state secretary Stephen Donnelly.

The Ombudsman was most scathing about the lengths the government went to challenge the investigation, outlining the obstacles she faced including litigation that dragged on for more than a year. Ms Glass said the financial and practical toll of litigation and a government challenge, which went to the High Court, prevented her from expanding the scope of the investigation to the lower house, even though she thought it was warranted.

The government is understood to have spent up to $1m in court costs challenging the Ombudsman’s investigation, in addition to $420,000 spent by the Legislative Council and Department of Premier and Cabinet on external legal costs. Ms Glass was initially asked by the Legislative Council to investigate reports Labor MPs had misused staff budget entitlements during the 2014 election, but the government tried to argue it was not in her jurisdiction.

Mr Pakula defended the government’s decision to challenge the Victorian Ombudsman’s investigation, saying that it needed to test an important issue. The Australian asked each MP and minister implicated in the report whether they would resign. Ms Neville said the report found that participants had acted on the assumption they were working within the rules: “The Ombudsman has found no wrongdoing on my behalf or any other MP.”_

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/na...t/news-story/fc027ca691f4566d8a3dbd9f89bf78ac

http://www.afr.com/news/politics/vi...-into-mps-rorts-20170105-gtmme6#ixzz4XTIk6I42


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## MrBurns (22 March 2018)

Tink said:


> _Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is resisting calls for some of his most senior lieutenants to resign in the wake of an explosive report that found Labor had broken parliamentary rules when it used the staff allowances of 21 MPs to pay for campaigners ahead of the 2014 election.
> 
> Mr Andrews yesterday apologised after the Victorian Ombudsman ruled the party had misused $387,842 in taxpayer funds during the campaign, but he insisted that no MP should lose their job. The Coalition has demanded the Premier take ultimate responsibility for the rort, describing Attorney-General Martin Pakula’s position as “untenable” and accusing the government of “cheating” its way into office. The report of Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass, released yesterday, found the party had “crossed a line” in regards to a scheme that used politicians’ staff allowances to employ electoral officers who were instead engaged as campaigners.
> 
> ...



Who do you turn to when the Govt are the criminals? If this is an example of his morality what else has been going on ? Plenty I think.


----------



## Knobby22 (22 March 2018)

MrBurns said:


> Who do you turn to when the Govt are the criminals? If this is an example of his morality what else has been going on ? Plenty I think.



It's amazingly dishonest.
They took the Ombudsman to High Court to try to stop it coming out, all on taxpayers money of course.
They got to her anyway, the report doesn't recommend charges. using public money to affect elections, is there anything lower than that in a democracy? As the Age's reporter Noel Towell states, Labor thinks it dodged a bullet. the voters might have other ideas.


----------



## sptrawler (24 March 2018)

Looking forward to Tisme and Sir Rumpole's take on this, I guess it will be Tony Abbott's fault.


----------



## SirRumpole (24 March 2018)

sptrawler said:


> Looking forward to Tisme and Sir Rumpole's take on this, I guess it will be Tony Abbott's fault.




Not particularly interested in Victoria, don't live there.


----------



## Tink (25 March 2018)

They need to be made accountable.

Where is the accountability in Victoria?


----------



## PZ99 (26 March 2018)

Well... it actually was Tony Abbott's fault that Labor won that election in the first place.

The feds were in meltdown over a possible GST increase to 15% at the time.


----------



## Tink (26 March 2018)

So the cheaters/thugs continue?

Are you in Melbourne, PZ?


----------



## Tisme (26 March 2018)

sptrawler said:


> Looking forward to Tisme and Sir Rumpole's take on this, I guess it will be Tony Abbott's fault.




You do know that Sir Rumpole and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things (e.g.  he's nowhere near the proud Ozzie supremacist I am), but such is his obvious charm and calibrated patience that a bromance is never out of the question. We would be the ideal 21st century dysfunctional couple and B@s could be our bastard child 

All of this disdain for a Vic premier, is a far cry from me old mates Ray and Brian ... two enduring heroes of Western Australia who made the mistake of articulating a proud tradition that is WA governance, in the once most progressively thinking state in the confederacy of the Southern Cross.....wassie, wassie, wassie, oi oi oi.

I should also point out that I get likes from both Tony and as early as today from Mark Latham too .... both alternative righters on different sides of the track ...


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## PZ99 (26 March 2018)

@Tink  Around 6 months a year. Frequently commute between Sydney and Melbourne.

The Napthine Govt should have won that election but they had three things going against them.

The state economy was in tatters. 

The East West Link looked like snake oil.
The Abbott Govt made the Liberal brand toxic.
Thugs? Yep. This is nothing new. Just more widely reported. Started at Noble Park IIRC. I remember warnings about walking alone anywhere between St Kilda and Port Phillip bay for the last 15 years which coincides with the first arrival of said thugs under a program devised by the Howard Govt and subsequent Govts.


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## Tink (26 March 2018)

Labor and the Greens are both connected to the unions that pick and choose who they deal with -- $$$$$$$$

You are entitled to your view.


----------



## SirRumpole (26 March 2018)

Tisme said:


> but such is his obvious charm and calibrated patience that a bromance is never out of the question.




I'm too boring for you Tis.


----------



## Tink (29 March 2018)

_Jeff Kennett has resigned as chair of a key new panel which will oversee Victoria’s first medically supervised drug-injecting centre, in protest at Labor’s rorts-for-votes fiasco.

In a major blow to Premier Daniel Andrews and his bid for bipartisan oversight of the controversial centre, Mr Kennett says that despite still supporting it, he cannot remain involved.

The former Liberal premier says the Ombudsman’s report into Labor’s $388,000 “red shirts” scam shows the Andrews Government has “lost any moral authority”.

Kennett shows the kind of moral leadership too often lacking:

In the past two weeks we have seen the spirit of competition severely compromised and challenged, in two different fronts: the conduct of politics in Victoria and the conduct of our cricket team in South Africa.

Not only did it cheat using our money, it then spent our money to stop any investigation and more recently to stop the release of the findings of the independent Ombudsman, Deborah Glass.

Just before the report was released, the ALP repaid the amount it was found to have taken from the public, roughly $388,000. But of course it has not repaid the huge amount it spent trying to stop the release of the report.

And the Premier and his colleagues have refused to accept any personal responsibility.

So, what happens if a person robs a convenience store, a bank, or steals from a client, is caught and repays the money? Will our government say that is fine and no further penalty need be imposed?...

So disappointed am I at the failure of the Andrews government to apply its standards consistently, to accept responsibility for the fraud it has collectively committed, I have decided to resign as chairman of the review panel overseeing the introduction of Victoria’s first medically supervised injecting facility.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/a...s/news-story/099bc9dd8f491795d23c03be1c0f0af6_


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## Tisme (29 March 2018)

Tink said:


> _Jeff Kennett has resigned as chair of a key new panel which will oversee Victoria’s first medically supervised drug-injecting centre, in protest at Labor’s rorts-for-votes fiasco.
> 
> In a major blow to Premier Daniel Andrews and his bid for bipartisan oversight of the controversial centre, Mr Kennett says that despite still supporting it, he cannot remain involved.
> 
> ...





He's turned into a media tart


----------



## SirRumpole (29 March 2018)

Tisme said:


> He's turned into a media tart




He always was.


----------



## PZ99 (11 April 2018)

Victorian judges will be forced to send criminals convicted of aggravated home invasions and carjackings to prison under reforms from the Andrews Government.

The courts will be banned from using Community Correction Orders (CCO) for those offences.

And the use of "special reasons" for imposing CCOs will be restricted to five other offences, including culpable driving causing death.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-...-jacking-offenders-corrections-orders/9640720


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## Tink (18 April 2018)

Tink said:


> Daniel Andrews government, the Greens and Yarra Council have approved a drug injecting room for heroin addicts.
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-30/safe-injecting-trial-set-to-go-ahead-in-melbourne/9101160
> 
> ...




*Ice will be allowed in Melbourne safe injecting room*

_Drug users will be allowed to consume ice under medical supervision at Melbourne's new safe injecting room, despite previous state government assurances that it would be banned from the centre.

Users will be able to take up to three grams of drugs such as heroin or ice into the injecting centre without penalty.

The government released regulations for the North Richmond Centre late on Tuesday afternoon that revealed there will be no restriction on the drugs of dependence that can be used in the injecting room.

It come after Mental Health Minister Martin Foley said last October there would be protocols developed to keep ice and amphetamines out of the centre._

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...urne-safe-injecting-room-20180410-p4z8th.html


----------



## SirRumpole (18 April 2018)

Sydney has had an injecting centre for decades and its now an accepted part of the landscape.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-01/whats-it-really-like-inside-a-safe-injecting-room/9198274


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## Tink (26 April 2018)

Cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation to set up Asia-Pacific HQ in Victoria

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-26/victoria-set-to-become-medicinal-cannabis-capital/9696330

---------------
_
https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/the-australian-greens-party.20238/page-69_


----------



## Tisme (26 April 2018)

Tink said:


> Cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation to set up Asia-Pacific HQ in Victoria
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-26/victoria-set-to-become-medicinal-cannabis-capital/9696330
> 
> ...





I wonder if the states weren't in so much debt, if this would have been considered by govt.

Apparently drug pushers are defined by their social status ..... ministers having top spot while street vendors are on the lowest rung .


----------



## Tink (8 May 2018)




----------



## SirRumpole (8 May 2018)

Tink said:


>





And this has what to do with Daniel Andrews ?


----------



## Tink (8 May 2018)

Roz Ward was from LaTrobe University, and one of the founders of Safe School.

*Marxist Roz Ward now Victorian school LGBTI adviser*
May 23, 2016

_Roz Ward, the hardline Marxist behind the contentious Safe Schools program, has been appointed to a high-level committee advising the Victorian government on education issues.

With the taxpayer-funded sexual and gender diversity program having become a hot election issue, after the Greens and Labor pledged to boost funding, the Andrews Labor government appears increasingly committed to pushing an LGBTI agenda in the schoolyard.

Ms Ward, already a director of the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, has joined the education reference group set up to provide advice on the government’s LGBTI education priorities and identify new ways to improve equality for gay and transgender youth in schools.

The group comes under the mantle of the government’s LGBTI Taskforce, co-chaired by leading transgender activist Brenda Appleton, which provides direct advice to Equality Minister Martin Foley.

While the taskforce membership was announced in September, the make-up of its education reference group has not been publicly disclosed. But Ms Ward’s role is detailed on the website of La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex Health and Society, where she works.

Ms Ward, an academic with a degree in gender studies, has become the controversial face of the Safe Schools movement, largely due to her extreme Left political views; including publicly linking the program to a broader Marxist push to liberate society from “gender constructs”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/na...r/news-story/bcfc421e3d5c148775d282c2093deeaa_


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## Tink (28 July 2018)

_Victorian government ministers face calls to step aside as police open investigation into the misuse of taxpayer funds before the 2014 election._

https://www.news.com.au/national/br...s/news-story/a3c24fe02781b27eb0b0c542280e4e97


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## Tink (30 July 2018)

Victorian election rorts

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-...tigate-liberal-mps-over-rorts-scheme/10050480


----------



## dutchie (13 August 2018)

Sky News banished from Melbourne train stations, remains in Sydney stations

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/en...ourne-cbd-train-stations-20180809-p4zwen.html

Labors' priorities....








But for the left it's not the lawless African crime gangs roaming Melbournes' Streets that's a problem but its that someone  had the nerve to draw a cartoon.


----------



## Tisme (13 August 2018)

dutchie said:


> Sky News banished from Melbourne train stations, remains in Sydney stations
> 
> https://www.canberratimes.com.au/en...ourne-cbd-train-stations-20180809-p4zwen.html
> 
> ...




Can you imagine the guilt felt by all those good Anglicans who sponsored the Sudanese Anglicans into Oz, little knowing they were introducing a USA ghetto virus/contagion carried by the children.


----------



## Junior (13 August 2018)

Sky News has deteriorated into Fox News style tabloid rubbish over the past few years.  I used to watch it every day, now I can't stand it now with Bolt and the like harping on with their "right vs. left" ranting and raving.  If I turn on a news channel I expect to see news actually being reported.  I don't blame them for switching it off in train stations.


----------



## wayneL (13 August 2018)

Junior said:


> Sky News has deteriorated into Fox News style tabloid rubbish over the past few years.  I used to watch it every day, now I can't stand it now with Bolt and the like harping on with their "right vs. left" ranting and raving.  If I turn on a news channel I expect to see news actually being reported.  I don't blame them for switching it off in train stations.



News actually reported? 

Good Lord! Where the Hell is that happening? 

Or is extreme left wing bias with impunity counted as "news" these days?


----------



## SirRumpole (13 August 2018)

> Sky News has deteriorated into Fox News style tabloid rubbish over the past few years.




They are both part of the Murdoch stable aren't they ?


----------



## explod (13 August 2018)

Tisme said:


> Can you imagine the guilt felt by all those good Anglicans who sponsored the Sudanese Anglicans into Oz, little knowing they were introducing a USA ghetto virus/contagion carried by the children.



Can't really help it poor critters, 

guided by God


----------



## Tink (20 August 2018)




----------



## MrBurns (20 August 2018)

So Daniel Andrews is on the take also. sold to Chinese interests no doubt ? They also have the port of Darwin and the scumbag, Andrew Robb who helped them get that now is employed by them as a 'consultant" at $880k per annum.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-...e-company-with-control-of-darwin-port/7978648


----------



## Tisme (20 August 2018)

MrBurns said:


> So Daniel Andrews is on the take also. sold to Chinese interests no doubt ? They also have the port of Darwin and the scumbag, Andrew Robb who helped them get that now is employed by them as a 'consultant" at $880k per annum.
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-...e-company-with-control-of-darwin-port/7978648





Consortium of  Future Fund, Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and Borealis Infrastructure

QIC has too much money and too few potential valuable assets in Oz for them to purchase


----------



## Tink (28 August 2018)

Smash and grab.

Petrol stations, jewellery stores, cars, etc..

https://www.news.com.au/national/vi...d/news-story/d21e9e6bc5207c3413711f50cd3de6d7


----------



## Junior (28 August 2018)

This sort of vision is desperately needed at a federal level. 

Love or hate Daniel Andrews, he's one of very few politicians willing and able to plan beyond an electoral cycle.



> VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a massive new underground suburban rail network covering Melbourne and extending to the airport at a projected cost of more than $50 billion.
> 
> The Suburban Rail Loop would link every major train line in Melbourne and carry 400,000 passengers every day.




https://www.news.com.au/national/vi...t/news-story/e090af5becdfcb2d9ca9f97edbfaa77c


----------



## MrBurns (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> This sort of vision is desperately needed at a federal level.
> Love or hate Daniel Andrews, he's one of very few politicians willing and able to plan beyond an electoral cycle.




He has delusions of grandeur and is only planning so far ahead to make people think they'll need him beyond the next election. He hasn't got anything funded and just makes outrageous promises on the run. Victorians road network is approaching 3rd world, Andrews is a menace to society.


----------



## Junior (28 August 2018)

MrBurns said:


> He has delusions of grandeur and is only planning so far ahead to make people think they'll need him beyond the next election. He hasn't got anything funded and just makes outrageous promises on the run. Victorians road network is approaching 3rd world, Andrews is a menace to society.




Do you live in Victoria?  Roads are very well maintained.  

Metro Rail and level crossing projects are well underway, as promised.


----------



## Knobby22 (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> Do you live in Victoria?  Roads are very well maintained.
> 
> Metro Rail and level crossing projects are well underway, as promised.



I dislike him also, minor corruption within the party appears endemic however I have to admit he is achieving infrastructure goals which partly counteracts this. Also if we are going to have a Federal labour Government soon with a Victorian leader (Shorten), I think it would be a bit silly to switch to Liberal in Victoria and once again miss out on funding.


----------



## Junior (28 August 2018)

Knobby22 said:


> I dislike him also, minor corruption within the party appears endemic however I have to admit he is achieving infrastructure goals which partly counteracts this. Also if we are going to have a Federal labour Government soon with a Victorian leader (Shorten), I think it would be a bit silly to switch to Liberal in Victoria and once again miss out on funding.




Agree with this.  The fact is we are finally getting much needed upgrades to PT infrastructure in Melbourne.  Amazingly things are being built on time.

Yes, there will be associated corruption and cost blowouts, but sadly this seems to be the only way major projects happen in Australia.  To think it wouldn't happen that way under a Coalition government is just naive.


----------



## sptrawler (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> This sort of vision is desperately needed at a federal level.
> 
> Love or hate Daniel Andrews, he's one of very few politicians willing and able to plan beyond an electoral cycle.
> 
> ...




Yes when Labor do it, it is visionary, when the Libs do it in W.A it is called blowing the budget.


----------



## MrBurns (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> Do you live in Victoria?  Roads are very well maintained.
> 
> Metro Rail and level crossing projects are well underway, as promised.




Yes I do live in Victoria.
Roads maintained ? You obviously don't live in Victoria.
The freeway to the airport is like a country road, there is no airport signage till several k's into the trip.
The surface is stuffed and it's an embarrassment.
Sat nav doesn't even work here as roads are blocked for months and in some cases the plan is ta have them closed for years.
He is an egotistical corrupt creep of the highest order, giving concessions to Crown, they now are the only Casino in the state that are allowed poker machines without restrictions on the number of spins per minute. He is on the take for sure.


----------



## Junior (28 August 2018)

MrBurns said:


> Yes I do live in Victoria.
> Roads maintained ? You obviously don't live in Victoria.
> The freeway to the airport is like a country road, there is no airport signage till several k's into the trip.
> The surface is stuffed and it's an embarrassment.




How are you getting to the airport??

Citylink/Tulla has just been resurfaced with additional lanes added to now make it 5 lanes each way. 

All major freeways in Melbourne have been consistently upgraded and lanes added over the past 20 years.


----------



## MrBurns (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> How are you getting to the airport??
> 
> Citylink/Tulla has just been resurfaced with additional lanes added to now make it 5 lanes each way.
> 
> All major freeways in Melbourne have been consistently upgraded and lanes added over the past 20 years.




The Tulla, you must be living in another state the Tullamarine freeway is a sick joke. Take your pick - 
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...USPXAKHTTaD-EQ_AUICSgA&biw=1920&bih=939&dpr=1


----------



## Junior (28 August 2018)

Melbourne has a serious congestion issue, on the back of rapid population growth....I don't think anyone will argue about that.  But the Tulla has been resurfaced and widened in the past 12 months, I'm not sure what you think the alternative course of action should be.


----------



## Smurf1976 (28 August 2018)

MrBurns said:


> giving concessions to Crown, they now are the only Casino in the state that are allowed poker machines without restrictions on the number of spins per minute.



I don't live in Vic but for the record there's similar dodgy aspects to deals with casinos in other states so that certainly isn't a unique one.


----------



## MrBurns (28 August 2018)

Junior said:


> Melbourne has a serious congestion issue, on the back of rapid population growth....I don't think anyone will argue about that.  But the Tulla has been resurfaced and widened in the past 12 months, I'm not sure what you think the alternative course of action should be.




It has not been resurfaced at all.


----------



## MrBurns (29 August 2018)

Smurf1976 said:


> I don't live in Vic but for the record there's similar dodgy aspects to deals with casinos in other states so that certainly isn't a unique one.




Corruption is the norm these days.


----------



## PZ99 (29 August 2018)

MrBurns said:


> It has not been resurfaced at all.



Sure you're not talking about the Ring Road? Last time I looked the Tulla was massively widened and traffic flow was much better - that was about 6 weeks ago. Can't wait for the railway line if it happens - they'll need it if they're expanding the airport as planned.


----------



## Tink (29 August 2018)

*Daniel Andrews alternative reality*

Here we go again. Today, Daniel Andrews announced a plan to build a new suburban railway system even though he has no idea how much it will actually cost, who is going to pay for it, and how long Victorians will actually have to wait until it is finished.  This is another pragmatic, yet pie in the sky announcement which typifies the Andrews government. Victorian taxpayers have already been saddled with a $330 million tax burden after the premier abrogated contractual responsibilities by cancelling the contract to build the East-West Link. The reality is, as now confirmed by Infrastructure Victoria, that this project would have been a very good idea after all.

But the Andrews government appears to be operating in a different kind of reality, a reality in which it is blatantly more concerned with social engineering than it is with the kind of scientific and mathematical engineering which gets roads and tunnels built. These days, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to work out where gender departments finish and governmental departments begin, so blurred are the lines between them.

In Victoria, the Department of Premier and Cabinet has decided that one of the best uses of taxpayers’ money is to come up with an inclusive language guide, which is to be disseminated to the Victorian entire public service. Accessed via the ‘Equality’ page of the department’s website and introduced jointly by the Minister for Equality and the Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality, it’s exactly the kind of social activism that Victorians have wearily come to expect from the present incumbents of a state government. This Orwellian newspeak is continuously piped in directly from our academic centres into the echo chamber of the government, bypassing the common sense of the people.

The inclusive language guide is essentially an exposé of the post-modern radical gender theory that has been peddled in across the humanities as unquestionable orthodoxy since the 1960s. Inclusive language rests on the concept of gender, which is a vague social construct whose ever-changing definitions are increasingly untethered to traditional concepts of biological sex.

According to DPC’s guide, ‘Gender identity refers to the way in which a person understands, identifies or expresses their masculine or feminine characteristics within a particular sociocultural context.’ Back in 1949, Simone de Beauvoir wrote that ‘one is not born but becomes a woman.’ The guide’s authors, undoubtedly university graduates, have clearly been worshipping at the altar of the high – priestess of gender theory. There is no doubt that they will also be acolytes of Judith Butler, who decided in 1990 that the perception of gender had become outdated, posing instead that gender is nothing but a performance.

The guide also makes reference to ‘misgendering’, which it defines as ‘using language to refer to a person that is not aligned with how that person identifies their own gender or body.’ Having thus established an arbitrary and whimsical crime, the department then goes on to helpfully explain just how such a misdemeanour can be avoided. It explains;

_Some people prefer to be described with their first name only or a non-binary pronoun such as ‘they’ rather than a gendered pronoun. Others prefer no pronoun at all. Also be aware that some gender-neutral pronouns exist, such as ‘zie’ and ‘hir’. If unsure, you can ask someone directly what their preferred pronoun is in a respectful manner. If you do make a mistake, apologise promptly and move on … try to avoid making the same mistake again.’_

Confused? Not for long! The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has come up with an initiative called ‘They Day’.  In order to clarify things, it has mandated that every first Wednesday of the month, its 10,000 employees are to use gender-neutral pronouns such as ‘they’ and ‘them’ rather than ‘he’ and ‘she’.

‘They Day’ is a considerable misnomer. Under the auspices of inclusion, DHSS is effectively fostering exclusion and division, which of course is one of the many ugly characteristics of the post-modern theory of identity politics which is currently blighting our social, political and corporate landscape.  What possible course of action will those employees who are uneasy with language compulsion now face? If they do go work but refuse to participate, the chances are that they will be disciplined and re-educated at the hands of the pronoun politburo.  And while this option might be sustainable in the short term, it certainly you won’t be in the long term because before they know it, the first Wednesday of the month will turn into all Wednesdays of the month, and then in no time at all, ‘They Day’ will become ‘Every They Day’.

Those who choose to avoid work every first Wednesday of the month will be singling themselves out as dissidents. In the short film made to accompany ‘They Day’, viewers meet a selection of employees sporting ‘they/them’ badges while enthusiastically extolling the many virtues of the gender-neutral pronoun. One participant, who could perhaps be considered a veteran in this business because ‘they’ and ‘them’ have been her pronouns of choice for ten years now, gushes to camera ‘I love gender-neutral pronouns… when people use them, I feel affirmed and I like myself’. Another says ‘they [the pronouns] make me happy.’

When it comes to forging a career for yourself in the Victorian public service, it appears the best thing you could do is to undertake a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Cultural Studies at an Australian university. Indeed, on the University of Sydney’s Gender and Cultural Studies department webpage, future students are promised that a wide range of career of options will be opened up to them. Certainly, three years of study in the department will get you on the payroll of a government department faster than you can spell LGBTQI.

These latest initiatives from the Andrews government confirms that it more committed to imposing radical gender theory on the society, at the society’s expense, than it is to solving the Melbourne’s growing congestion problem.

---

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/jordan-peterson.33786/page-6


----------



## MrBurns (29 August 2018)

PZ99 said:


> Sure you're not talking about the Ring Road? Last time I looked the Tulla was massively widened and traffic flow was much better - that was about 6 weeks ago. Can't wait for the railway line if it happens - they'll need it if they're expanding the airport as planned.




Try going in from Flemington Rd


----------



## sptrawler (29 August 2018)

Tink said:


> Confused? Not for long! The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has come up with an initiative called ‘They Day’.  In order to clarify things, it has mandated that every first Wednesday of the month, its 10,000 employees are to use gender-neutral pronouns such as ‘they’ and ‘them’ rather than ‘he’ and ‘she’.




What if I call someone a "them" and "he" punches me for being disrespectful, will "they" do something about "them" hitting me? Or will I have to go to court for discriminating by not referring to them by their obvious sex gender.
I think that's what I mean, it is all getting somewhat confusing.
Maybe we should just call everyone a ewe, it seems to be apt.


----------



## MrBurns (29 August 2018)

Tink said:


> *Daniel Andrews alternative reality*
> 
> Here we go again. Today, Daniel Andrews announced a plan to build a new suburban railway system even though he has no idea how much it will actually cost, who is going to pay for it, and how long Victorians will actually have to wait until it is finished.  This is another pragmatic, yet pie in the sky announcement which typifies the Andrews government. Victorian taxpayers have already been saddled with a $330 million tax burden after the premier abrogated contractual responsibilities by cancelling the contract to build the East-West Link. The reality is, as now confirmed by Infrastructure Victoria, that this project would have been a very good idea after all.
> https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/jordan-peterson.33786/page-6




This creep needs to be horsewhipped then thrown from the top of the Crown building where all his crooked mates can see it.


----------



## Junior (29 August 2018)

What does an announcement about a potential infrastructure project have to do with gender and social engineering?


----------



## Tink (29 August 2018)

We also had an announcement about the East West Link, that Daniel Andrews agreed to.


----------



## MrBurns (29 August 2018)

Junior said:


> What does an announcement about a potential infrastructure project have to do with gender and social engineering?




Just trying to put most of Dodgy Dans crooked dealing in one place for convenience otherwise the whole forum would be littered with threads on his incompetence and corruption.


----------



## PZ99 (29 August 2018)

Junior said:


> What does an announcement about a potential infrastructure project have to do with gender and social engineering?



In short, the East West Link is now going to be the East East link


----------



## moXJO (2 September 2018)

Another brawl in Melbourne. 

Saw an interesting comment. 
No arrests at many of the disturbances that involves a certain race. Apparently it maintains the narrative that there isn't a problem. Also doesn’t dirty up the crime statistics.

Interesting theory.


----------



## Tisme (3 September 2018)

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2...collingwood-street-fight-police-investigating

"......
Victoria Police knocked back a request for more resources at a Collingwood record label launch, despite being warned there were plans to gatecrash it.

There are yet to be any arrests over the mass brawl which spilled out onto a street in inner Melbourne leaving seven people injured.

Up to 200 people were involved in the fight which flowed out onto the road from the Gasometer Hotel on Smith Street, Collingwood, about 2.45am on Sunday, police say.


Police received information more than a week ago that violence could erupt at the 66 Records launch party but force command rejected it so as to not cause 'undue angst' at the event, reports _the Age_....."


----------



## sptrawler (3 September 2018)

I haven't read a lot on the 'African gang' issue, but it would appear they really don't fear the police much, 200 people in a brawl is a serious brawl.


----------



## overhang (3 September 2018)

sptrawler said:


> I haven't read a lot on the 'African gang' issue, but it would appear they really don't fear the police much, 200 people in a brawl is a serious brawl.




Regardless of race it's just mob mentality, took a lot less than 200 Caucasians to injure 6 cops in Queenscliff the other week in another brawl. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-26/police-attacked-over-pub-brawl-queenscliff/10166012


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## sptrawler (3 September 2018)

overhang said:


> Regardless of race it's just mob mentality, took a lot less than 200 Caucasians to injure 6 cops in Queenscliff the other week in another brawl. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-26/police-attacked-over-pub-brawl-queenscliff/10166012



Yes you're right, in W.A you're lucky to find 200 people in a pub. Haven't seen that for a long time.


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## Tink (10 September 2018)

Even though I am a Melbourne supporter
Be it football or any other political statement.

I don't agree with graffiti on private property.

Just my view.


----------



## Tisme (10 September 2018)

sptrawler said:


> I haven't read a lot on the 'African gang' issue, but it would appear they really don't fear the police much, 200 people in a brawl is a serious brawl.




Not a good look internationally to import coloured people just to lock them up.... appearances are everything these daze.


----------



## SirRumpole (16 September 2018)

Proposal for Melbourne CBD-airport rail link.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-16/melbourne-to-airport-in-20-minutes-under-new-plan/10252846


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## Tink (10 October 2018)

Labor is starting with the cold calling.

We had a phone call last night - recorded message.


----------



## PZ99 (10 October 2018)

Tink said:


> Labor is starting with the cold calling.
> 
> We had a phone call last night - recorded message.



Just out of morbid curiousity - did they call your mobile or landline ?


----------



## Tink (10 October 2018)

Landline this time, but like the last time, they will probably start sending text messages on the mobile phones.


----------



## SirRumpole (24 November 2018)

Some people might dislike Andrews intensely, but he's back in a landslide.


----------



## Knobby22 (24 November 2018)

Yea, but as someone who doesn't like him and the corruption uncovered it must be said he has built infrastructure which we need desperately. He has a plan and he is doing it.

The Liberal party campaign was terrible, the President Michael Kroger, a right wing person in the mold of Tony Abbott has got to go.
He sued the major doner, a complete fool.
It was good to see Jeff Kennett stating he should resign

I voted Libs but only because I was in a safe Labor seat. I think it is sad that Rupert has effected the party I respect with US Republican values and I expect the Federal election in Victoria will be very interesting.

I saw on TV senior Liberal members stating they had to get the balance back. The Liberal should represent us all and be a broad church.

Malcolm Turnbull was on the right track.
Now we just have Dutton Abbott Abetz Andrews etc. You saw what happened in Sydney and what happened here in Victoria. Abbott is still around. Very hard going forward.


----------



## IFocus (25 November 2018)

So the comrades got voted back in must say haven't followed the Vic election but superficially the state Libs didn't look or sound great Andrews sounds like a steady hand.


----------



## basilio (25 November 2018)

*"Teenage Cultural-Marxist overthrows Brighton. *
*Matrons swoon in terror" *


----------



## Smurf1976 (25 November 2018)

IFocus said:


> So the comrades got voted back in must say haven't followed the Vic election but superficially the state Libs didn't look or sound great Andrews sounds like a steady hand.





IFocus said:


> haven't followed the Vic election but superficially the state Libs didn't look or sound great Andrews sounds like a steady hand.



Main comment I've heard / read from others is to the effect that whether or not anyone likes Labor's plans, at least they have plans and are implementing them whereas the Liberals were missing that bit.

Going somewhere is better than going nowhere seems to sum up the thinking.


----------



## SirRumpole (25 November 2018)

The "Red Shirt" scandal seems to have been forgotten.

I think the shenanigans in the Liberal Party federally is really taking a toll. This was obvious after the Wentworth result, and any excuses about "State issues" are ringing very hollow imo.


----------



## Bill M (25 November 2018)

I have no idea about Victorian politics but a landslide victory to Labor like it is only means that the Liberal Party has absolutely no idea what the public wants or needs. The election results are clear, the people have spoken and it's time to move on. Nothing more needs to be said.


----------



## SirRumpole (25 November 2018)

Bill M said:


> Nothing more needs to be said.




Until the NSW then Federal elections.


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## Bill M (25 November 2018)

SirRumpole said:


> Until the NSW then Federal elections.



The Libs will romp it in for the same reasons over here.


----------



## sptrawler (25 November 2018)

Smurf1976 said:


> Main comment I've heard / read from others is to the effect that whether or not anyone likes Labor's plans, at least they have plans and are implementing them whereas the Liberals were missing that bit.
> 
> Going somewhere is better than going nowhere seems to sum up the thinking.




I think that pretty well nailed it smurph.
Silly Billy is going to romp it in, and it will take a while for people to understand the ramifications, interesting times. IMO


----------



## Humid (26 November 2018)

sptrawler said:


> I think that pretty well nailed it smurph.
> Silly Billy is going to romp it in, and it will take a while for people to understand the ramifications, interesting times. IMO




Probably longer than it took for people who lost their penalty rates to feel the ramifications


----------



## IFocus (26 November 2018)

Humid said:


> Probably longer than it took for people who lost their penalty rates to feel the ramifications




Agree Humid suspect the election result (damming) was as much about rejection of the Liberals BS right politics (attacking rights/conditions/pay rates of the lowest paid) as acceptance of Vic Labor.

Why would you vote Liberal.....because you are a patriot? Oh sorry wrong country same BS.


----------



## willy1111 (26 November 2018)

I'm a Victorian and don't vote Labour.

But I do have to say Andrews was the better politician, it was almost like he had no competition. There were ads on tv with the slogan 'Say what you do and do what you say', that has stuck in my head, I can still hear Andrews voice saying it now. He was by far the better salesman.

And when you look around Melbourne there is stuff getting done. The West Gate Tunnel, Metro Train Tunnel, Cranbourne Train Rail, Level Crossing removals to improve traffic congestion. ...big projects.

I guess when you spend a lot of money (like the labour party has the reputation for) it is easy to sell what you are and going to do.

Most of the scandalous stuff was overshadowed by the stuff being done.

The way Andrews speaks and his campaign made him look like a great leader and know what he's doing, the libs looked like amateur hour.


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## Junior (26 November 2018)

willy1111 said:


> And when you look around Melbourne there is stuff getting done. The West Gate Tunnel, Metro Train Tunnel, Cranbourne Train Rail, Level Crossing removals to improve traffic congestion. ...big projects.
> 
> I guess when you spend a lot of money (like the labour party has the reputation for) it is easy to sell what you are and going to do.




This is the first time in decades we've had a state government who are willing to build major infrastructure.  Would rather stick with the party which is actually doing it, rather than the other mob who are all talk.

Furthermore, most of us are sick to death of the negative, fear-style campaign favoured by the coalition over recent years.  Using the 'red shirts' as a selling point to vote for Guy was absurd.  We all know Guy was corrupt as hell in his time as planning minister.  Talk a walk around Docklands and see for yourself.  Over-developed, oversized apartment buildings full of 40m2 units, sold to foreign investors who have no intention of living here.

Under Andrews those developments were reigned in, and he is instead building infrastructure to benefit the masses.  He deserves another term.

About the money....well they are running surpluses at present, the challenge will be a steep fall in stamp duty revenue, on the back of lower house prices.  If the population continues to boom the revenue should be there.  We'll see how it pans out.


----------



## PZ99 (27 November 2018)

The forgotten people 

http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm


----------



## sptrawler (27 November 2018)

PZ99 said:


> The forgotten people
> 
> http://www.liberals.net/theforgottenpeople.htm




Interesting post PZ99.
Loved this quote:
_If the motto is to be "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you will die, and if it chances you don't die, the State will look after you; but if you don't eat, drink and be merry and save, we shall take your savings from you", then the whole business of life would become foundationless_.
He certainly was a great orator.


----------



## Knobby22 (27 November 2018)

sptrawler said:


> Interesting post PZ99.
> Loved this quote:
> _If the motto is to be "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you will die, and if it chances you don't die, the State will look after you; but if you don't eat, drink and be merry and save, we shall take your savings from you", then the whole business of life would become foundationless_.
> He certainly was a great orator.



Also
_Let me first define it by exclusion. I exclude at one end of the scale the rich and powerful: those who control great funds and enterprises, and are as a rule able to protect themselves - though it must be said that in a political sense they have as a rule shown neither comprehension nor competence. But I exclude them because, in most material difficulties, the rich can look after themselves_.

The modern Liberal Party ought to remember that. They even gave Rupert Murdoch a sum of money for no good reason. If they worked for the middle class they would romp it in.


----------



## sptrawler (27 November 2018)

Knobby22 said:


> The modern Liberal Party ought to remember that. They even gave Rupert Murdoch a sum of money for no good reason. If they worked for the middle class they would romp it in.




Your right Knobby, the middle class is an endangered species.


----------



## Garpal Gumnut (27 November 2018)

Junior said:


> This is the first time in decades we've had a state government who are willing to build major infrastructure.  Would rather stick with the party which is actually doing it, rather than the other mob who are all talk.
> 
> Furthermore, most of us are sick to death of the negative, fear-style campaign favoured by the coalition over recent years.  Using the 'red shirts' as a selling point to vote for Guy was absurd.  We all know Guy was corrupt as hell in his time as planning minister.  Talk a walk around Docklands and see for yourself.  Over-developed, oversized apartment buildings full of 40m2 units, sold to foreign investors who have no intention of living here.
> 
> ...




The Libs didn't deserve to win in Victoria and the ALP did. 

It's as simple as that. 

gg


----------



## Tink (21 February 2019)

On the Belt and Road for Victorians...

---

Neil Mitchell says it’s time Australia started standing up for itself against China.

And international security analysts agree.

While China is Victoria’s largest tourism market and major trade partner, there are concerns over espionage, undue influence over politicians and hacking.

Victoria has signed a memorandum of understanding with China on the Belt and Road initiative.

“I think it’s time to tear that deal up,” Neil Mitchell said.

Michael Shoebridge, director of defence and strategy at the Strategic Policy Institute, agrees.

“I think so,” he said.

https://www.3aw.com.au/neil-mitchells-china-concerns-says-its-time-australia-stood-up-for-itself/


----------



## Junior (21 February 2019)

Tink said:


> On the Belt and Road for Victorians...
> 
> ---
> 
> ...





What is in the agreement, and what implications does it have for Victoria?


----------



## sptrawler (21 February 2019)

Knobby22 said:


> It's amazingly dishonest.
> They took the Ombudsman to High Court to try to stop it coming out, all on taxpayers money of course.
> They got to her anyway, the report doesn't recommend charges. using public money to affect elections, is there anything lower than that in a democracy? As the Age's reporter Noel Towell states, Labor thinks it dodged a bullet. the voters might have other ideas.



Like I said in another thread, they are all as bad as one another.


----------



## sptrawler (4 February 2020)

It looks as though Daniel Andrews may be throwing another load of money down the toilet, remember the East/ West Link, now Victorians have a tunnel into the muck. 

https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2020/02/west-gate-tunnels-into-bottomless-pit/

By the way I don't think it is a Murdoch article.


----------



## sptrawler (3 March 2020)

Interesting the Victorian Government is going to privatise, a lot of the police internal services.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...-unions-call-plan-stupid-20200302-p5465h.html


----------



## sptrawler (24 May 2020)

Sounds like Daniel has got Victoria, the home of the invincible, into a position it will end up having to live up to.
It's o.k coming into Government and cancelling contracts, then paying a $hit load of money to enact it, well leaving Australia between a China and the U.S might take it to a whole new level.
Apparently the U.S isn't happy with Dan's belt and road deal with China.
Might have to get the CFMEU and the MUA guys to help.


----------



## dutchie (24 May 2020)

Andrews is a traitor.


----------



## Smurf1976 (24 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> Andrews is a traitor.



Politics aside, I do see it as inappropriate for a state government to be dealing with a foreign national government in a manner that's contrary to the views of the Australian Government.

That's akin to an employee defying senior management and doing precisely what they refused to approve. By all means argue the point and make the case but ultimately authority does need to be respected and when it comes to dealings with foreign governments that properly sits with the federal government not the states.

Same goes for any state.


----------



## sptrawler (24 May 2020)

Smurf1976 said:


> Politics aside, I do see it as inappropriate for a state government to be dealing with a foreign national government in a manner that's contrary to the views of the Australian Government.
> 
> That's akin to an employee defying senior management and doing precisely what they refused to approve. By all means argue the point and make the case but ultimately authority does need to be respected and when it comes to dealings with foreign governments that properly sits with the federal government not the states.
> 
> ...



Yes a very awkward situation developing,it will be very interesting to watch this one unfold, could take the foreign affairs department to a whole new level.

It really highlights how the States can do what they like, yet the Federal Government will take the can, for what started as a State initiative.


----------



## chiff (24 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> Andrews is a traitor.



Are we at war with China?


----------



## sptrawler (24 May 2020)

chiff said:


> Are we at war with China?



No but from memory, borrowing money from overseas, caused Gough a lot of grief.
There appears to be an unwritten protocol, i guess it stops all the Governments from doing backdoor deals with all and sundry.
No doubt this will come to a head, sooner or later, it usually does.


----------



## Smurf1976 (24 May 2020)

chiff said:


> Are we at war with China?



The issue as I see it is that international relations are a federal matter not a state matter.

If the feds were happy with it then no problem. If they're not happy with it well then that's an issue if Victoria still goes ahead.


----------



## wayneL (24 May 2020)

The challenges of a federation, or are we a confederation, Daniel?


----------



## PZ99 (25 May 2020)

Smurf1976 said:


> The issue as I see it is that international relations are a federal matter not a state matter.
> 
> If the feds were happy with it then no problem. If they're not happy with it well then that's an issue if Victoria still goes ahead.




If the feds were not happy with it for political reasons then it voids their grievances IMO.

Especially if helps Victoria repair its budget before anyone else.


----------



## chiff (25 May 2020)

Belately I find out that the attack on Andrews has been orchestrated by News Corp.No surprises there.Does anyone read News Corp newspapers?...obviously some still do


----------



## Smurf1976 (25 May 2020)

chiff said:


> Belately I find out that the attack on Andrews has been orchestrated by News Corp.No surprises there.



I'm no fan of News Corp's version of news but ultimately I do question what's going on here.

A state government doing deals with a foreign national government, and a major one at that, is somewhat akin to the office clerk deciding to defy the CEO and board and sign a contract with a company they specifically stated to not do business with. A contract which just happens to affect the entire direction of the company.

Regardless of the arguments for or against the deal and China more generally, such a matter would seem to be one for the Australian Government not any state government.

I'd be saying exactly the same thing if it were SA, NSW or Tas (all Liberal) doing a deal with the US. All fine if the Australian Government has no objection but if the feds do say no well then the state ought to respect that international relations are outside their jurisdiction.

On the other hand, in defence of Dan Andrews, it could be argued that the Australian Government has been so ineffective on all manner of things for quite some time that individuals, businesses and state governments had no real choice other than to take matters into their own hands.

There's a number of policy areas where the feds have given away control in practice simply by not doing anything, thus forcing others to act, which then usually results in the feds getting all excited and starting a fight when they realise someone else has in practice stepped in and set national policy. Listed company AGL found themselves in the firing line at one point with that one over a different issue and it dragged on for quite some time.


----------



## macca (25 May 2020)

Well the main question is what happens if Vic default ?

Does the Commonwealth Government have a liability as a guarantor ?

If we consider that the NT has leased its harbour to China and the NT is a Commonwealth responsibility it all gets rather murky as to what is acceptable and what is not

Personally, I believe we need to be more self reliant in financing things, there is plenty of money within OZ that would happily invest in Govt Bonds.

Days gone by there were State Bonds, Federal Bonds and Infrastructure Bonds and to me that is the best way to go. Sell the Bonds to local investors first and only the shortfall being available to OS investors, repaid in OZ dollars on maturity

With the vast sums available in Super Funds surely we can finance our needs from there


----------



## chiff (26 May 2020)

Smurf1976 said:


> I'm no fan of News Corp's version of news but ultimately I do question what's going on here.
> 
> A state government doing deals with a foreign national government, and a major one at that, is somewhat akin to the office clerk deciding to defy the CEO and board and sign a contract with a company they specifically stated to not do business with. A contract which just happens to affect the entire direction of the company.
> 
> ...



Not into this much-but who do state governments borrow money from?Is it only because it is the Chinese?I know that the French own utilities in Australia-sold be state governments etc.


----------



## dutchie (27 May 2020)

chiff said:


> Are we at war with China?



Yes


----------



## dutchie (27 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> Yes



*'Prepare for worst-case scenario': China ramps up military amid rising global tensions*
China’s leader has told its military to step up its preparedness for armed combat, as relations with Australia and the US continues to deteriorate.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/...s/news-story/8f16a5da11a10ee66186146a0dcdb946


----------



## PZ99 (27 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> *'Prepare for worst-case scenario': China ramps up military amid rising global tensions*
> China’s leader has told its military to step up its preparedness for armed combat, as relations with Australia and the US continues to deteriorate.
> 
> https://www.news.com.au/technology/...s/news-story/8f16a5da11a10ee66186146a0dcdb946



And what exactly does this have to do with Daniel Andrews ? 

Are you saying it's the Victorian Govt making the CCP angry and not the federal Govt ?


----------



## dutchie (27 May 2020)

PZ99 said:


> And what exactly does this have to do with Daniel Andrews ?
> 
> Are you saying it's the Victorian Govt making the CCP angry and not the federal Govt ?




So are you saying my post is in the wrong thread?


----------



## chiff (27 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> Yes



Are you from Townsville Dutchie?..if so the threat from China must be more relevant to you northern Queenslanders?I remember  the northern Queenslanders felt that the real invasion threat from Indonesia was ever present.


----------



## PZ99 (27 May 2020)

dutchie said:


> So are you saying my post is in the wrong thread?



Well you posted it. What do you think ?


----------



## SirRumpole (27 May 2020)

PZ99 said:


> And what exactly does this have to do with Daniel Andrews ?
> 
> Are you saying it's the Victorian Govt making the CCP angry and not the federal Govt ?




Andrews is the one making the "Belt and road" agreement with China, a country that has proved itself to be untrustworthy and erratic in relationships with trading partners.

I agree with others that this should be a Federal government matter, having states doing their own thing with large and politically hostile countries is dangerous to national security.


----------



## PZ99 (27 May 2020)

China has never been anything but politically hostile.

Didn't stop the Howard Govt starting the free trade agreement which was finalised by the Abbott Govt which was a year _after_ China started occupying the Spratly Islands. It's now by far our biggest trade surplus provider.

If dealing with China has now become even more toxic it's up to the Morrison Govt to explain why those FTA's are still in place. Otherwise I can only assume they are against the Vic Govts B&R agreement for the sole purpose of partisan politics and could even be looked upon as a hostile act in itself.

In any case I don't like this idea of the Feds blocking attempts by the states to fix an economy that's gone down the swanny.


----------



## Humid (28 May 2020)

Telecommunications 


We are not aware that Victoria has engaged in any concrete projects under BRI, let alone projects impinging on telecommunications networks, which we understand are a federal matter. 

"If there were telecommunications initiatives that we thought put the integrity of our networks at risk, of course we would have to take a close look at that, as the Secretary suggested."


----------



## sptrawler (29 May 2020)

Well I guess you have to ask yourself, if you are going to borrow money from China to build your businesses, they are going to have some control over the business they stump up the capital for.
That leads to the question, if they actually own the business, who says how that business is run.
Then if eventually they fund most of your businesses, what if they say we don't agree with your conditions of employment, we can either shut the business down and relocate it to China, or you agree to our conditions of employment.
When it is ash tray money to them, it is a piece of pi$$.
Australia you're standing in it.


----------



## Smurf1976 (29 May 2020)

chiff said:


> Not into this much-but who do state governments borrow money from?Is it only because it is the Chinese?I know that the French own utilities in Australia-sold be state governments etc.




I don't know the full list of who the states have arrangements with but yes there are utilities owned by the French and Chinese certainly and other countries are involved in critical infrastructure too.

As a well known comedy duo once noted - a lot of this stuff is still government owned, all that changed is that it's now a foreign government not the federal, state or local governments in Australia.

The real issue as I see it though isn't China per se, but that Victoria seems to be defying the Australian government over a matter which properly sits at the federal level. That sets an extremely dangerous precedent since it opens the door to any other state doing likewise over any issue thus in practice removing the ability of the federal government to commit to anything at all internationally.


----------



## PZ99 (29 May 2020)

Might pay to do a google search on each state dealing with China to see this is nothing new.
States do offshore deals all the time - particularly in tourism.

Until such time as the feds articulate why they're opposed to this Vic deal I will assume it's merely a politicised vexation magnified by the media.

Victoria is a service economy - not a mining state unlike others...

If I was living in Victoria I would take this over standing in the dole queue any day of the week.


----------



## Tink (29 May 2020)

https://www.aph.gov.au/about_parlia...ntary_library/pubs/briefingbook45p/chinasroad

China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative

Geoff Wade, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security

Key Issue
The ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative is a Chinese economic and strategic agenda by which the two ends of Eurasia, as well as Africa and Oceania, are being more closely tied along two routes–one overland and one maritime. Supporters suggest that the initiative permits new infrastructure and economic aid to be provided to needy economies.  Critics claim that it facilitates Chinese economic and strategic domination of the countries along these routes. OBOR provides a global context for China’s growing economic links with Australia.

The ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative is a foreign policy and economic strategy of the People’s Republic of China. The term derives from the overland ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ and the ‘21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’, concepts introduced by PRC President Xi Jinping in 2013. These are the two major axes along which China proposes to economically link Europe to China through countries across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean. The OBOR initiative also links to Africa and Oceania. In March 2015, the PRC issued an action plan for realising this initiative. While the OBOR initiative is being coordinated by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, it also heavily involves the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Commerce.

The initiative envisages the building of six major economic cooperation corridors and several key maritime pivot points across Eurasia:

    On land, the plan is to build a new Eurasian land bridge and develop the economic corridors of: China-Mongolia-Russia; China-Central Asia-West Asia; the China-Indochina peninsula; China-Pakistan; and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar ... On the seas, the initiative will focus on jointly building smooth, secure and efficient transport routes connecting major sea ports along the belt and road.

Formally, OBOR emphasises five key areas of cooperation:

    coordinating development policies
    forging infrastructure and facilities networks
    strengthening investment and trade relations
    enhancing financial cooperation and
    deepening social and cultural exchanges.

But it is infrastructure such as railways, roads, ports, energy systems and telecommunications networks which is receiving most attention.

The overland ‘Belt’ involves the creation of an economic and trade corridor extending from China’s west through Central Asia, and finally to Europe. The first step is to further link Central Asian states to the Chinese economy, while the longer-distance initiatives include railway connections between China and Europe. The ‘Belt’ initiative calls for the integration of the Eurasian land mass into a cohesive economic area.

For the maritime ‘Road’, China’s development of ports and hubs across the Indo-Pacific is a key aspect of the initiative. Purchase and construction of port facilities and associated economic zones in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,  Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Oman and Djibouti are intended to provide China with maritime access and economic benefit across the Indian Ocean. These will connect to Piraeus, Greece’s major port, which has been bought by Chinese shipping group COSCO and which will allow direct access to the markets of Europe.

Foremost among the key projects which have been promoted as focal parts of the OBOR initiative are the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which provides China’s western provinces with access to the Indian Ocean through the Pakistani port of Gwadar, and the Bangladesh China India Myanmar Corridor, which will give Yunnan Province access to the Bay of Bengal.

Funding for the initiative is a key issue. China’s policy banks are providing massive funds for Chinese enterprises to operate along these axes, while further funding will be provided through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), funded by countries globally. The AIIB was created precisely to service projects under OBOR. The projects funded by the first loans issued by AIIB were in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tajikistan, all countries which China is trying to include within its OBOR initiative.

Hong Kong is also being tapped. In his policy address in January 2016, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, CY Leung, underlined that Hong Kong would play an active financial role in OBOR and would facilitate educational exchanges between Hong Kong and ‘OBOR countries’. A ‘Hong Kong Belt and Road Summit’ was also convened in May 2016 to allow Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, to outline ‘Hong Kong's Four Unique Advantages’ as a hub for OBOR projects. Then in July 2016, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority launched the Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office, a new entity to facilitate fundraising for projects related to the OBOR initiative. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has also arranged visits to Thailand for Chinese investors to promote OBOR investment.

Singapore is also essential to promoting offshore economic activities by Chinese entities. The China Construction Bank signed an MOU with International Enterprise Singapore in April 2016, providing S$30 billion in financial support to Singaporean and Chinese companies jointly investing in OBOR projects. A new centre in Singapore to provide project financing and related services to projects is also being planned.

While China claims that OBOR will ‘include 65 countries, 4.4 billion people and about 40 percent of global GDP’, the current realities are much more pedestrian. China has reportedly established 75 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in 35 countries as part of the OBOR initiative. OBOR, however, remains inchoate and still strives for external endorsement and support.
China’s other OBOR interests

It is clear that China has broader uses for the increased influence it hopes to enjoy through the OBOR initiative.

The Bank of China has clearly noted that OBOR is intended to make the Renminbi the main trading and investment currency in the countries involved. The expansion of Chinese banks into new OBOR markets to serve the globalisation of the Chinese economy is also being promoted. OBOR is further intended to facilitate online retailing and the collection and use of big data across OBOR countries. China has also been stressing the role of Overseas Chinese in promoting OBOR projects.

The expansion of China-controlled telecommunications networks is an important aspect of OBOR. CITIC Telecom CPC recently acquired Linx Telecommunications, which services Russia, Kazakhstan and the ‘Stan’ region, the Baltic Sea and Eastern Europe. This will provide China with telecommunications services across much of its targeted ‘Belt’ region. Visits by journalists from OBOR countries to China, and publishing arrangements with newspapers abroad are intended to promote China’s views over a broader sphere.

Mining and energy projects are also central to this endeavour, with China widely purchasing mines as well as generation and transmission projects across OBOR states. Chinese companies now own almost a quarter of Kazakhstan’s oil production, while over $15 billion of oil, gas and uranium deals have recently been signed with Uzbekistan.

And in this year’s white paper on its satellite navigation and location service, China says that it plans to launch another 30 Beidou satellite navigation system satellites over the next five years, with the first 18 satellites being launched before 2018 to cover OBOR countries.
Reactions

Reactions to the OBOR proposal have varied globally. Ethnic Chinese business figures in Southeast Asia and their political representatives have generally been enthusiastic about the business possibilities. Malaysia has been active in accepting and promoting the idea, with a 162-member Malaysian delegation heading to Beijing in July 2015 to participate in an OBOR dialogue.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also been particularly welcoming of Chinese capital and infrastructure projects, as have the various Central Asian states. Vietnam, meanwhile, has expressed grave doubts about the initiative. With few exceptions, India has been stridently suspicious of the overall OBOR initiative and has repeatedly expressed its concerns about China’s growing economic and strategic power being pursued through OBOR. Russia needs funding assistance for developing its resources and appears to see OBOR as an avenue for this.

Western reactions have been mixed. Business people are generally positive, while strategists have been less sanguine. In Europe, China has talked up OBOR’s possible integration with the EU’s €315 billion investment plan (the Juncker plan). China is simultaneously pushing for an EU-China FTA that would make it easier for PRC companies to invest in European markets. Central and Eastern Europe are a major focus for OBOR programs, with the Czech Republic, Serbia and Poland receiving major financial inputs.
Australia and OBOR

Within Australia, enterprises, banks and law firms are promoting the OBOR initiative as an economic opportunity for the country and, with Chinese endorsement, an Australia-China OBOR Initiative has been established to promote Chinese engagement in the Australian economy. China is also utilising the concept to promote its growing economic engagement with northern Australia. Another avenue for encouraging Australia’s further engagement with OBOR is China’s funding and support of various related local academic conferences and seminars.
Criticisms

Not all reactions to OBOR have been enthusiastic. Former World Trade Organization chief, Supachai Panitchpakdi, has stated that the OBOR initiative and, specifically, its projects along the Mekong River, all serve China’s own interests.

On the economic front, China has been criticised for using its massive financial assets to dominate smaller economies through long-term control of infrastructure, natural resources and associated land assets, and through offering less than desirable credit terms for infrastructure loans. Further, the ‘production capacity cooperation’ which China lauds as an integral aspect of OBOR, often involves the simple transfer of Chinese-owned production capacity to countries where production is cheaper and markets are closer. Such processes can also result in China exerting some control over local markets, labour and export policies.

Despite the claimed economic nature of the OBOR agenda, critics see the initiative as being simultaneously a strategic program. China clearly portrays OBOR as both being premised on and further validating China’s claims to the islands of the South China Sea, while on the other side of the Indian Ocean, Djibouti is providing China with both a trade port as well as its first overseas military base. It has been repeatedly noted in China that OBOR is also intended as a regional security mechanism, and the future role of the People’s Liberation Army in protecting China’s OBOR facilities abroad has been widely discussed. The two ‘economic corridors’ now being developed provide China with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

Broader concerns relate to the longer-term aims of China, with the possibility that the OBOR agenda is aimed at creating a Eurasia-wide, China-led bloc to counter the US. At the June 2016 Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Professor Xiang Lanxin, director of the Centre of One Belt and One Road Studies at the China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, spoke of OBOR as being an avenue to a ‘post-Westphalian world’. As such, some see this initiative as a profound challenge to the current global political and economic status quo. 
Conclusion

China’s wielding of this economic statecraft strategy derives from several collocations. On the political front, since late 2012, President Xi has been promoting the ‘Chinese dream’   (中国梦), involving the ‘great revival of the Chinese nation’. Such revival requires a restored global position and identity for China. Earlier iterations of OBOR involved the catch-phrases ‘common development’ and ‘win-win cooperation’ to characterise the relations between China’s development and that of its neighbours. China also promoted a ‘China-ASEAN community of shared destiny’ (中国-东盟命运共同体). But these smaller initiatives have burgeoned into the Eurasia-wide OBOR, bringing into play the PRC’s massive capital reserves—both state and private—achieved through 40 years of rapid economic growth, and offering an outlet for the vast excess production capacities which exist today in China.

Regardless of the credence which one assigns to the various interpretations of the OBOR initiative, progress thus far makes it clear that as Australia becomes increasingly tied economically with China, there is a need to maintain a close watch on the progress of the OBOR initiative globally. It also suggests that Australia needs to adopt a more economically and strategically prudent attitude in determining how the Australia-China economic relationship is to further develop.


----------



## qldfrog (29 May 2020)

PZ99 said:


> Might pay to do a google search on each state dealing with China to see this is nothing new.
> States do offshore deals all the time - particularly in tourism.
> 
> Until such time as the feds articulate why they're opposed to this Vic deal I will assume it's merely a politicised vexation magnified by the media.
> ...



So is qld actually, tourist state until Paluchet...


----------



## PZ99 (29 May 2020)

qldfrog said:


> So is qld actually, tourist state until Paluchet...



Yes I read that post about Paluchet and closed borders - so you probably get my point 

I always called it the Anna II Govt...


----------



## Humid (29 May 2020)

Broncos got flogged too lol


----------



## IFocus (7 June 2020)

In May 2017, then-trade minister Steven Ciobo said:
“Australia supports the aims of initiatives such as the Belt and Road that improve infrastructure development and increased opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region”.

In August 2018, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he:
“looked forward to working with China on BRI projects. Global infrastructure investment is a good example of where countries should work together,”

And as recently as November 2018 newly minted Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an interview with a Beijing-based business magazine:

“‘Australia welcomes the contribution the Belt and Road Initiative can make in meeting the infrastructure needs of the region.

“And we’re keen to strengthen engagement with China in regional trade and infrastructure developments that align within the international standards of governance and transparency.”

So why is Daniel Andrews now copping it from the federal government over Victoria’s determination to stick by its BRI agreement with China?


https://7news.com.au/politics/world...eal-belt-and-road-scheme-explained--c-1073892


----------



## moXJO (7 June 2020)

IFocus said:


> In May 2017, then-trade minister Steven Ciobo said:
> “Australia supports the aims of initiatives such as the Belt and Road that improve infrastructure development and increased opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region”.
> 
> In August 2018, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he:
> ...



They all kissed ass, till they got caught with their lips on China's bum.


----------



## chiff (8 June 2020)

I watched the CEC report last week (first time this year) and they explained more about the Belt and Road project,not only in Asia and Africa,but the benefits it could provide for Victoria.It sounded optimistic and beneficial.I hope the relationship sets an example for other Australian states-instead of this trite ideology that is promoted at the moment.


----------



## sptrawler (8 June 2020)

chiff said:


> I watched the CEC report last week (first time this year) and they explained more about the Belt and Road project,not only in Asia and Africa,but the benefits it could provide for Victoria.It sounded optimistic and beneficial.I hope the relationship sets an example for other Australian states-instead of this trite ideology that is promoted at the moment.



It is like any business partnership, it all looks great when it starts, it is only in hindsight that the outcomes can be measured.


----------



## sptrawler (22 July 2020)

IFocus said:


> In May 2017, then-trade minister Steven Ciobo said:
> “Australia supports the aims of initiatives such as the Belt and Road that improve infrastructure development and increased opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region”.
> 
> In August 2018, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he:
> ...



Interesting article in Bloomberg, regarding Africa's Belt and Road relationship. Eventually you pay the piper.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...fuels-debt-crisis-in-africa?srnd=premium-asia


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## macca (22 July 2020)

sptrawler said:


> Interesting article in Bloomberg, regarding Africa's Belt and Road relationship. Eventually you pay the piper.
> 
> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...fuels-debt-crisis-in-africa?srnd=premium-asia




If it turns out like the old South American situation of "sorry cannot pay now go away" China may find they are owed lots of money but not receiving much in the way of repayments.

I suppose they then invade the country while the worlds says "naughty boys"

I am quite amazed at the blissful ignorance of what is happening in the world right now


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## sptrawler (22 July 2020)

macca said:


> If it turns out like the old South American situation of "sorry cannot pay now go away" China may find they are owed lots of money but not receiving much in the way of repayments.
> 
> I suppose they then invade the country while the worlds says "naughty boys"
> 
> I am quite amazed at the blissful ignorance of what is happening in the world right now



No doubt they may just say, all is forgiven, we will just take x amount of you raw materials.
The long game grasshopper.


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## macca (22 July 2020)

sptrawler said:


> No doubt they may just say, all is forgiven, we will just take x amount of you raw materials.
> The long game grasshopper.




All very true but they do eat grasshoppers in Asia


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## sptrawler (30 July 2020)

I thought it was the Libs who always gutted the health and education systems.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/vic...arved-of-money-and-staff-20200729-p55ggh.html
From the article:
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton's team was so poorly funded that top bureaucrats warned the Andrews government multiple times the state's public health unit was the worst resourced in the country.

While the alarm was sounded in May 2019, according to documents seen by _The Age _and _The Sydney Morning Herald_, the Department of Health and Human Services still had only 14 contact tracers by the time coronavirus took hold in Australia in March.

“In other words, a doubling of current staff numbers would still see Victoria as the least resourced state in terms of staff undertaking public health officer duties.”


Senior government figures told members of Victoria's public health team that the state was achieving the same outcomes as other jurisdictions without committing the same resources.

“Unfortunately the main outcome for successful public health is the absence of disease, and it has taken the pandemic to lay bare the true deficiencies in the Victoria system,” a DHHS source said this week.


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## sptrawler (26 August 2020)

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08...-powers-to-cancel-foreign-agreements/12599000
Victoria's controversial trade deal with Beijing may be scrapped by Australia's Foreign Minister, using new powers being proposed by the Federal Government.


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## satanoperca (27 August 2020)

sptrawler said:


> Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton's team was so poorly funded that top bureaucrats warned the Andrews government multiple times the state's public health unit was the worst resourced in the country.




The cause of the problem, the dumb arsed pollies don't want a drama, as it highlights the incompetence of managing/administering effective public health./hospitals.

This is not about flattening the curve, so our hospitals are no overloaded, this is about hiding the truth that are medical system was already at 98% capacity due to the lack of governance over decades.

The tide has turned, the tide is going out and showing the true state of governance.

Have several pitch forks available for hire.


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## SirRumpole (27 August 2020)

satanoperca said:


> The cause of the problem, the dumb arsed pollies don't want a drama, as it highlights the incompetence of managing/administering effective public health./hospitals.
> 
> This is not about flattening the curve, so our hospitals are no overloaded, this is about hiding the truth that are medical system was already at 98% capacity due to the lack of governance* over decades.*
> 
> ...




Indeed so.

Who can you vote for when they are all culpable ?


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## Knobby22 (4 September 2020)

Great article by Julia Szego in the Age where she makes some great points.
Summarising:

Premier Andrews is continually scolding us saying we Victorians are not taking the virus seriously enough.
The truth is he and his government did not take this seriously enough.
The virus was traced and it all goes back to the hotel.
His staff didn't take their role seriously enough to contain it.
They are still not taking it seriously enough, why is their less contact tracing staff than NSW?

I like her final paragraph but the whole article is worth a read, she is a very good writer.

_As a father himself, Andrews knows that repeatedly scolding your kids without admitting your mistakes breeds resentment or despair. The former, in our current circumstances emboldens the death cultists, conspiracy theorists and Sam Newman to wreck the public health effort,. Despair, on the other hand, will keep the cautious among us hunkered down and economically withdrawn, bags packed for a one day dash to the border. 

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...show-some-accountability-20200903-p55s14.html_


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## sptrawler (17 December 2020)

Poor old Dan's problems might have just got a whole lot worse, I wonder if there will be a law suit? Could be party times in the towers.  









						‘Haunted’ tower residents want to know why government won’t say sorry
					

Residents of public housing towers placed under an immediate hard lockdown in July are distressed that the Victorian government is refusing to apologise.




					www.smh.com.au


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